Keep Me Still by Caisey Quinn….Blog Tour Stop

KeepMeStill_TOURBANNER

Happy Saturday and welcome to my stop on the KEEP ME STILL by Caisey Quinn Blog Tour!

I have a fabulous Top 10 from Caisey to share with you along with information on the tour wide giveaway.

Enjoy and thanks so much for stopping by!

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Top 10 Things I Do to Get Inspired

 

Sometimes I have a scene to write or an outline to finish or edits that need completed and my brain just won’t cooperate. So I have a few go-to’s that help me refresh!

 

1. Browse Pinterest (You can find my boards here)

2. Peruse Tumblr. I don’t have an account but I love looking at everyone else’s!

3. Listen to or a make a playlist on Spotify

4. Take a walk.

5. Take a shower. Besides getting so caught up in my writing that I often can’t remember the last time I washed my hair, for some reason, this is when I get some of my best ideas!

6. Change the scenery. Sometimes just taking my computer on my back deck or to Starbucks makes a huge difference.

7. Make a dream cast for the book I’m working on.

8. Step away and do something entirely unrelated like bake something I’ve never made before, play a game with my kiddo, or read a book completely outside my genre of interest.

9. Chat with friends on Twitter or Facebook. Have to beware the time suck though or it will be midnight and I’ll still have a scene to write, an outline to finish, and edits to correct! 😉

10. Grab a snack like a protein bar, or something super carb-loaded and caffeine filled. Not the healthiest version, but when it’s too late at night for some of the others, its works!

 

                                 ~Thank you for sharing your inspiration, Caisey!  xo Jillian 
 
 

BOOK SUMMARY:

Layla Flaherty had the perfect life, or close to it. Until a stranger gunned her parents down right in front of her, leaving her with seizure inducing PTSD. After years of trying to pass as normal and failing miserably, she resigns herself to being invisible. But new to town Landen O’Brien sees her, and he likes what he sees. Much to Layla’s surprise, he doesn’t freak out when she has a seizure in front of him. He does the exact opposite, calming her until the tremors subside. But Landen has secrets of his own. Secrets that both bind them together and tear them apart.

Scarred by loss, Layla leaves her hometown of Hope Springs, Georgia, hoping to put her painful past behind her and start over in college in California. When she runs into Landen at freshmen orientation, she has a choice to make. Reinforce those steel walls she’s built up around herself or give the only boy who can keep her still a second chance.

Landen’s more than ready to tear down those walls but this time when they come crashing down, they might bury her.

 

 Buy Links:

Amazon US  ~  Barnes & Noble  ~  Kobo

Giveaway:

Prizes include a $50 Gift Card, a KEEP ME STILL Kindle Case, and a swag pack. Plus signed copies of WISH I MAY by Lexi Ryan, BREAK IT UP by E.M. Tippetts, and a winner’s choice title from Elizabeth Lee. 5 winners get one or more of these prizes! US only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

Caisey Quiin Author PicCaisey Quinn lives in Birmingham, Alabama with her husband, daughter, and other assorted animals. She is the bestselling author of the Kylie Ryans series as well as several New Adult Romance novels featuring country girls finding love in unexpected places. You can find her online at www.caiseyquinnwrites.com .

Website: http://www.caiseyquinnwrites.com/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7041163.Caisey_Quinn

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CaiseyQuinn

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Cinderella Screwed Me Over by Cindi Madsen….Blog Tour Stop & Guest Post

CSMO - Cindi Madsen - Banner

Welcome to my stop on the CINDERELLA SCREWED ME OVER by Cindi Madsen Blog Tour! I have a fabulous guest post from Cindi and an excerpt to share with you all.

Also, you can find my review HERE (I loved this book!)

Enjoy and thanks for stopping by!

Cinderella Screwed Me Over-500

Book links:

Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble  ~  Goodreads 

Guest Post:

 

Excerpt:

Jake put his arm over the back of the couch. His fingers grazed my shoulder, then

he twisted them in the ends of my hair, sending a tingly sensation along my scalp “Nope.

Just had some experience with stuff like this before.”

“You think you’ve got women all figured out, then, do you?” I asked.

Jake shook his head. “No way. Every time you think you do, they change the rules on you. Like they could love the way you were yesterday and hate it the next day.”

“Every now and then, we change our minds. It’s our prerogative. The big secret is”—I leaned in conspiratorially—“sometimes, even we don’t know why. There are times after we pick a fight where we’re as confused as you are. But there’s no way we’re admitting it.” I shrugged a shoulder. “That’s why we have boobs.”

Jake’s eyebrows shot up.

“See, after we’ve acted crazy, and the guy’s wondering what he’s doing with us, we use them to mesmerize him, so he forgets that we’re crazy.” I shot Jake my most seductive smile and leaned the assets in question against his arm. “And by the way, if you look at my cleavage right now, even though I’m the one talking about it, I’ll accuse you of not caring about what I say and of just treating me like an object.”

Jake swallowed hard, keeping eye contact with me, though I could tell he was fighting his impulse to look down. A mischievous glint flickered through his eyes. “And treating you like an object would be bad?”

“It depends on how big a deal you make about how smart, funny, talented, etcetera, etcetera I am first.”

Jake slid his hand behind my neck and swept his thumb along my jaw. “Have I told you how smart, funny, talented, and etcetera I think you are?”

“You think I’m going to fall for that when I just fed you the lines?” Before he could answer, I kissed him. Using his hand on my neck, he pulled me closer, forcing my lips open with his tongue. His other hand slid up my thigh, and even through jeans, my skin burned from his touch.

 

About the author:

Cindi Madsen sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting, revising, and falling in love with her characters. Sometimes it makes her a crazy person. Without it, she’d be even crazier. She has way too many shoes, but can always find a reason to buy a new pretty pair, especially if they’re sparkly, colorful, or super tall. She loves music, dancing, and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and three children. She is the author of YA books All the Broken Pieces, Cipher, and Demons of the Sun and adult romances Falling for Her Fiancé, Act Like You Love Me, and Cinderella Screwed Me Over.

Website  Facebook  Twitter 

My Today by HJ Bellus….Blog Tour Stop

MY TODAY TOUR BANNER

Happy Thanksgiving!

Welcome to my stop on the MY TODAY Blog Tour.  

You can find my review for MY TODAY here and find out why this book holds a huge spot in my heart!

Also, my review for the first book in the series, MY NOW & FOREVER can be found here.

Enjoy and thanks for stopping by! 

 
My Today
My Way Series, Book Two
By: HJ Bellus
Synopsis:
Lacey’s Story…
Covering up pain is easy. It’s keeping
it tucked away that’s hard. I’ve always needed the cover of tattoos to hide the
nasty past that leached its way into me, tainting me beneath my skin. Not the
shiny, trendy tats, but the ugly broken kind, meant to keep the world at bay.
If they weren’t enough, then my piercings, foul mouth and crazy hair usually
did the trick. Life had taught me to never follow the rules, because when you
do, you get burned.
My Today COVERThat philosophy served its purpose,
until I met someone who turned my life upside down. Milly, the little hoochie,
stormed into my life and changed everything with her undying faith in me, her
love and her shitty coffee concoctions. I found a family in Milly, and her sexy
farm boy, Cree. She accepted me without hesitation, and never ran from the dark
and dangerous secrets that I harbored. My new family loved me unconditionally,
with their showers of sprinkles and impromptu dance parties. 
My life was perfectly imperfect until
Tripp and his crazy-ass ideas of princesses. Our relationship is what most
would describe as fuel meeting fire. We were both hell bent on burning each
other to the ground. Tripp, fresh out of rehab, moved in with Milly and Cree to
try and make a new life for himself. Tripp, the sexy as hell, charismatic
beast, soon became one of my best friends. We shared our love of ice cream and
tattoos as we blazed our own path that could only lead to a beautiful train
wreck. The only question left is, will we set the countryside ablaze with our
hot tempers and foul mouths, or will we paint our own happy ending filled with
all the gushy shit normal people crave?
Add on Goodreads HERE
 
 
Purchase Link:
 
 
Playlist:
 
Excerpt: 
 
“How weird of a couple we are.  I’m short and plump, you are a tall, sexy
Beast.  We are both way beyond repair.”
 
“I think it’s pretty damn sexy, if you ask me.”
 
“Really?
Of course you would…you are a typical horn dog.”
 
“Lacey, I really like you.  There is something about you that makes me
want to have you all to myself.”
 
“You better only see me or I’d have to cut a
bitch.”
 
 
Teasers:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 




My Way Series:

 

Both books in the
MY WAY SERIES will be on SALE for $0.99 during the BLOG TOUR!
 
Purchase links:
My Now &
Forever
My Way Series,
Book One
 
Synopsis:
Whose parents abandon them in a trashy trailer when they are
five years old? Oh Yeah! Mine do!
Hey Hoochies! I’m Milly, and I am tired of taking kicks to
the gut. A broken family, an asshole husband and the loss of loved ones have
left me crying Uncle, and declaring a serious case of the Fuck-Its! 
I had my heart broken, stomped on and shattered before I
ever started on my journey to find my little piece of happiness. With a bucket
list, a ’66 Ford and wild dreams, I set out on an adventure that changed my
My now and forever NEW COVERlife forever. Follow me on my journey that resurrected my inner badass.
I found my soul sista from another mista, and opened my
dream shop along the way. Just when I gave up on finding true love, a pirate
and a princess swept me off my ever lovin’ feet and filled my world with
sprinkles, mac n’ cheese and the courage to live again. They forced my fragile
heart to trust and love without fear. 
Truth is, nobody’s past stays hidden forever. It’s an
invisible monster waiting to attack and destroy. It has the capability to ruin
everything you’ve worked to set right. All it takes is one final blow to the
gut to end everything.
Purchase link:
 Meet HJ Bellus:
I’m just a simple girl who loves the
country life.. .oh yeah! & a good corn dog! Throw in a little Vanilla Ice,
and shits bound to get crazy! Be brave…
-Loves country life & music
-Gets the case of the
“fuck-its” often
-Loves Big
-Hurts Big
-love corn dogs & candy…. &
(sex & candaaay)
-My heart is happy writing!!!
Social Media Links:
 
Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Goodreads  ~  Amazon
GIVEAWAY:
 
 

 

Cover reveal….Out of the Ashes by Diana Gardin

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Out of the Ashes by Diana Gardin

(The Ashes Series #1)
Publication date: December 12th 2013
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Synopsis:

Out of the frying pan and into the fire…

Paige Hill is discovering who she is again after losing everything she loves in a tragic fire. She’s endured a long road to recovery with the help of her best fiend Gillian and is finally beginning her life again: college, a job, and a blossoming love she never even saw coming.

Clay Forbes is the notorious campus playboy. He’s a star athlete, a senior architecture major, and the only son in a family with power and money back in his hometown. When he crashes into Paige, his whole perspective on life shifts, and his world as he knew it becomes nonexistent. He’s wrapped up in her.

They’re both learning how to love, but Clay’s ex-girlfriend Hannah won’t make it easy for them. She puts a target on Paige’s back, and won’t stop until she’s derailed their budding romance once and for all. Who will be left standing after the ashes settle for the second time?

Goodreads 

 
About the author:
I’m a wife of one and a mom of two. Writing is my second full time job to that, and I love it! I write Contemporary Romance in the Young Adult and New Adult categories. I’m also a former Elementary school teacher. I love steak, sugar cookies, and Coke and I hate working out. Look for more Contemporary Romance Titles from me soon, including Out of the Ashes (Ashes 1) and Wanted (Nelson Island 1).
Author links:

Searching for Someday by Jennifer Probst….ARC Review & Giveaway

Happy release day to Jennifer Probst and Searching for Someday!

In honor of this fabulous release, and along with my FIVE LOVES review, I have two paperback copies to give away.  Enter to win in the rafflecopter below (U.S. & Canada entries only, please)

Enjoy and thanks for stopping by! 

Searching for Someday COVER

Book links:

Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble  ~  Kobo  ~  iBooks

Synopsis:

Kate has given up on love—at least for herself. She is both blessed and cursed with the ability to sense a romantic connection between two people—a gift that her family passed down for generations. When Kate launches her own matchmaking company, Kinnection, with her two best friends in a cozy New York town, she has to put aside her own romantic disasters to make her business a success.

But when a furious man stalks into her office and accuses her business of being a scam, Kate is given the ultimate challenge to prove herself. Slade puts himself in her hands and asks Kate to find him love. Enraged at his arrogance but stubbornly eager to prove herself, Kate agrees, dedicating herself to the journey of finding him love…only to find herself falling for him along the way.

 

My review:

Searching for Someday is the first in a new series from author Jennifer Probst.  As a big fan of Jennifer and her writing, I was so excited for this book and let me tell you….Jennifer has done it again.  This book was incredible!

Her one-hundredth date in the books, and still no love connection for Kate.  If that wasn’t a sign that she wouldn’t find love, she didn’t know what was.  Deciding to put her own search for love on hold, Kate has vowed to put all of her efforts into finding it for others in the matchmaking business she formed with her two best friends.  Yep, she would use the magical gift the runs in her family to find other people’s soul mates.  Kate has dealt with her shares of hurdles in life and being struck with adversity is nothing new for her.  Neither was overcoming those obstacles and ultimately succeeding.  Now a woman on a mission, she is surprised when the older brother of a new client storms into her office and accuses her matchmaking skills as nothing but fraud.  Kate is even more determined to make love happen….and this pissed off, arrogant divorce attorney big brother would be her greatest challenge yet.  It would take a miracle, and perhaps a bit of magic, to get this cynic to believe in a happy ever after and lucky for him she just happened to be up for the challenge.  What Kate isn’t up for is the overwhelming zing of her ability to recognize soul mates when she touches him.  Surely fate wouldn’t be this twisted, or would it?

Slade Montgomery has seen lots of heart break walk though the doors of his firm and as a divorce attorney, he’s learned that the elusive “happily ever after” truly does not exist.  When his younger sister tells him she wants to be out on her own after a breakup that nearly broke her apart, he is happy to see she’s ready to live again.  What he isn’t happy about is when she tells him she’s signed up with a matchmaking firm.  Could there be a bigger scam?  Determined to protect his sister, he pays Kinnections a visit and attempts to show these so-called matchmakers a thing or two when he himself signs up for their services.  No one could sell him on this fairytale….well, except maybe the beautiful blond he has been verbally sparring with since he walked through the door.

Kate and Slade couldn’t be more opposite but you know what they say about opposites attracting, right?

Talk about a match made in, um, yeah…not exactly heaven.  A matchmaker with ideas of true love and happy endings pairing up with a divorce attorney?  Freaking brilliant.   The push and pull between Kate and Slade was scrumptious from the start and only got better from there.  Kate is smart, sassy, romantic and real.  She’s loyal and loving and it made me so sad that she had decided to give up on finding love for her own.  I mean I get why she gave up and I understood where she was coming from, which made it even sadder.  I couldn’t blame her one bit.  Enter Slade.  The arrogant, successful, sexy alpha male attorney.  He was dead set in his belief on the non-existing fairy tale of true love and as with Kate, I couldn’t blame him for feeling the way he did.  Both of them had some seriously strong arguments for their cases.  The banter back and forth between them made for some amazing chemistry and for some seriously hot scenes.  That leads me to the ending and how much I loved it.  Jennifer writes these ending that read like those movie scenes in your favorite romance flick.  I mean, I have never read one of her endings that didn’t have me laughing and crying like a bumbling fool and this was no exception!

Oh, and the rest of the characters? Amazing.  Kate’s best friends and business partners are a fabulous group and support system.  I loved reading both of them.  Slade’s sister is also a character that I would love to see more of.  Of, course I have to mention catching up with some of the favorites from the Marriage to a Billionaire Series! Nick, Alexa, Michael, Maggie, Max, Carina and a few more all popped in and it was great to see them.  But my fave supporting character was Robert, Kate’s dog.  He’s one in a million and the epilogue from his point of view was truly special.

If you’re a fan of love and romance, pick up this book.  If you’re a fan of Jennifer, pick up this book.  If you love a true blue great read, pick up this book!  Thank you, Jennifer, for Searching for Someday and for a fantastic kick off to your new series!

 

5LovesRLBFive Loves

 

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

About the author:

I’ve always wanted to be a writer. At twelve, I took a pen in hand and wrote my first love story. I haven’t stopped since. Those heroines taught me valuable lessons that served me well. I learned to keep my head up high and surge forward when I Jennifer-Probst-1-Crop-258x300was afraid; I learned to demand respect in a relationship; I learned about compromise and dreams and independence. Those are the stories I want to write, and I can only hope I give back some of the joy I received over the years.

I live in the beautiful Hudson Valley in upstate New York. I’ve traveled to many places but always seem to be drawn back to the mountains. I graduated with a business degree, worked for Mercy College, and now spend most days dedicated to my family and my characters. I’ve pursued many career paths such as travel agent, yoga teacher and insurance salesperson. I’ve wanted to be an airline pilot, a dancer, an archaeologist, and a vineyard owner. I have been all of the above through romance novels, and intend to explore many more.

One of my turning points in my career was when I joined Romance Writers of America and met the wonderful people in my local chapter, The Hudson Valley RWA. Through supportive critique sessions, I learned how to develop my raw skills to get a publishable manuscript. I discovered my tendency for wordy prologues and passive phrases that all new writers work through, and now try to help others on their journey.

My “leisure time” is spent writing, reading, and raising two active boys. I believe animals are the other children in this world, and enjoy spending time at the local animal shelter, where I got my first “baby” Bella, a shepherd hound mix who gets into as much trouble as my son! I rescued my second dog from an abusive home, a beagle, basset hound who is the peacemaker in the household.

I met the love of my life when I had finally given up on my own romantic journey. The first time he asked me out he promised to buy my book if he could buy me dinner. We had dinner and fell in love over sushi and haven’t been apart since. We married and settled into domestic bliss. That’s when I learned it wasn’t about happy endings. It was about happy beginnings.

Visit her website

Follow Jennifer on Twitter: @jenniferprobst

 Subscribe to her newsletter!

Hard as it Gets by Laura Kaye….ARC Review & Release Day fun

Happy Release Day to Laura Kaye and HARD AS IT GETS! 

Please  enjoy my review, a fun Q&A with Laura and the fab book trailer!

Thanks for stopping by!

HardAsItGets mm c

Book links:

amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble  ~  Kobo  ~  iBooks  ~  Goodreads 

Synopsis:

Tall, dark, and lethal…

Trouble just walked into Nicholas Rixey’s tattoo parlor. Becca Merritt is warm, sexy, wholesome — pure temptation to a very jaded Nick. He’s left his military life behind to become co-owner of Hard Ink Tattoo, but Becca is his ex-commander’s daughter. Loyalty won’t let him turn her away. Lust has plenty to do with it too.

With her brother presumed kidnapped, Becca needs Nick. She just wasn’t expecting to want him so much. As their investigation turns into all-out war with an organized crime ring, only Nick can protect her. And only Becca can heal the scars no one else sees.

Desire is the easy part. Love is as hard as it gets. Good thing Nick is always up for a challenge…

 

My review:

Hard As It Gets is the debut novel in a new series, Hard Ink, from Laura Kaye and oh my, what a mouth watering first course!

Being an ER nurse, Becca Merritt is used to dealing with chaotic circumstances and loss of life in her line of work.  Unfortunately loss and chaotic circumstances have worked their way into her personal life as well.  Becca had lost her mother and older brother years ago and most recently her Army Colonel father.  He was killed along with half of his unit in Afghanistan.  Now, the only family she has left, her younger computer wiz brother, is missing.  The only glimmer of hope in a dismal situation she’d been trying to deal with is the note she’d found telling her to get in touch with her father’s former second in commend, Nick Rixey. Becca has had no luck with the police and there doesn’t seem to be anywhere else to turn to for help. Her last piece of faith depends on a total stranger helping her get her brother back and lands her at the Hard Ink tattoo shop, staring back at the very unwelcoming face of Nick Rixey.  Will she be able to appeal to his sense of honor and loyalty to her father to gain his help? God, she really hoped so….or she’d lose the last family she had left.

To say that Nick Rixey was shocked to see the daughter of the man who betrayed him and his brothers in arms standing in his tattoo shop would be a gross understatement.  One year later, and he was still trying to come to terms with the disloyalty of his Commanding Officer that had gotten half of his unit killed and the remaining men dishonorably discharged from the Army.  The very last thing that will help him pick up the pieces of his old life and try to build a new one would be to help Becca Merritt.  The wounds her father cut were entirely too deep and too raw.  What would he care if Becca’s brother was missing and why in the hell would anyone have sent her here knowing damn well that he is the last person who would be willing to help? So why was it so hard to turn her away and why was he still thinking of her all those hours later after telling her to pound sand? Curiosity, and a pull toward Becca, has him suiting up to do a little surveillance on Becca and ends up throwing him into the middle of a mystery involving the biggest gang in the city and digging up the past. Now, Nick has to call on the remaining brothers in his unit for help and at a chance to right the wrongs Colonel Merritt caused in Afghanistan a year ago.

With so much at stake and with so many secrets being unearthed at such a breakneck speed, the only thing Becca and Nick have to hold onto is each other.  Will something true and good come from such a dark and ugly situation?

I was SO looking forward to reading this after seeing the cover and reading the summary.  Tattoos, military hunks and mystery…oh my! This kickoff to the Hard Ink series is a stellar one. Becca is an admirable book heroine in every way.  She’s honest with her feelings and not once did she handle a situation in a way that annoyed me. Come on, you know a lot of book women get on your nerves with how long they drag things out and you’ve yelled at your e-reader telling her to just “SAY IT ALREADY!”…well, not with Becca.  She’s strong and real and just gets it. She knows life is too short to not say all the things you mean or to give everything your best shot.  She’s well rounded and also admits her fears and doubts and doesn’t sugar coat things.  She was refreshing to read.  Nick is a lost soul.  His work with the Special Forces was the only thing he has done where he felt like he was home.  Now, he’s trying to figure out a new home and it killed me to hear how lost he felt.  He’s loyal and trustworthy and also learns quickly how to be real with his feelings.  There was no yelling at him, either! Together, they work so well at balancing each other out. The sexual tension between them is delicious and really well done, too.

The introduction we get to the members of Nick’s old unit has me so flipping excited for the rest of the series! These guys are a cast of characters filled with guys who each have their own cross to bear after what happened in Afghanistan.  I’m sure I will be shedding tears for more than a few of these guys.  Broken heroes, each with a personality and story all their own….sign me up!

The pieces of the mystery we get to uncover while reading are just the very outer edge pieces of the puzzle.  I can assume that with each book, we will find more and more pieces in the pile that will help create the puzzle as a whole.  Hard As It Gets gave us just enough to start and it has me going over all the possible scenarios in my head.  Laura nailed the suspense aspect for sure!

Overall, this book has everything I love….and kept me busy searching for pictures of yummy tattooed guys for an evening or two.  If you love a suspense filled with emotion, mystery, lots of heated moments and super sexy tattooed ex-Special Forces soldiers, then by all means, get this book on your to-read list! You won’t be disappointed!

5LovesRLB

Five Loves

Q&A WITH LAURA KAYE

 

HARD AS IT GETS is one steamy read! How did you first get into writing?

Thanks so much! And thanks for having me here! I’ve been a writer all my life. I’m a historian by training, so writing non-fiction was a part of my job for the fifteen years I worked as a college professor. But I started writing fiction in 2008 in kind of an unusual way. I hit my head on July 4, 2008. I didn’t think much of it that day, but soon after I realized I’d really hurt myself, and it turned out I had a minor traumatic brain injury. As I recovered, I was filled with an amazing urge to be creative, so I started taking guitar lessons (still not very good at that!) and wrote my first novel in 12 weeks (fortunately, I’m better at that LOL!). The experience of writing that first book was truly transformative. It was what I was supposed to be doing, so I revised that book until it sold and kept writing new ones. And I haven’t looked back since!

 

Why did you choose to write romance?

I had been an avid reader of paranormal romance for years at that point, so I wrote what I loved. But I also picked romance—unconsciously, I think—because to me it’s an incredibly hopeful genre. Romance stories are inherently stories about people who can’t find love or think they don’t deserve it who overcome the odds and find it in the end. In the years leading up to starting writing, I experienced a number of very hard personal losses, so writing in this genre was one way I worked through those issues.

 

What does “Hard Ink” refer to? What importance do tattoos play in your story?

Hard Ink is the name of the Rixey brothers’ tattoo shop in the Hard Ink series. Nick and Jeremy Rixey are co-owners, though Nick (the hero of book one, Hard As It Gets) prefers to be more of a silent partner, despite Jeremy’s efforts to put Nick’s artistic talents to work. In this series, tattoos are a way people remember, pay penance, or highlight what’s important to them. The act of creating permanent marks on skin has deep meaning to them. And the shop creates a gritty setting where diverse kinds of people meet and interact in the series. I really love it!

 

Describe Becca—what do you love most about her? And Nick?

I’d love to! Because I really loved writing these characters!

Becca Merritt is smart and strong and honest and protective. I really loved the way she was willing to stand up for those she loves, even against people and forces who might be stronger and even a little scary. There’s a scene in particular when she dresses down Nick’s Special Forces teammates after a fist fight where I was particularly cheering for her! LOL

Nick Rixey is, omg, so freaking hot, you guys! He’s brooding and tortured and honorable and when he falls he falls  so hard. I especially loved Nick’s mix of hard, alpha edges with his artistic side. When Nick shows Becca what her idea for a tattoo might look like on her skin, it’s just scorching!

 

What significance does the military play in the book?

Military themes are central to the whole Hard Ink series. The military isn’t just sexy window dressing nor is it just there to provide an intriguing backstory. The prior SF guys are this series are entirely defined by their military experience good and bad. It informs their identity, their sense of honor and duty, their view of the world, and of course gives them the skill set required to fight the battles they face in the series. The overall series mystery the characters are working to solve revolves around a military conspiracy in Afghanistan, so even though they’re out of the Army, the military themes are central.

 

If you could describe your book in a 140 character tweet, what would it be?

In #HardAsItGets, an ex-soldier joins forces w/his dead commander’s daughter to regain his tarnished honor & save her brother from a gang

 

Is there a particular author or book that has influenced your writing?

There are a number of authors that have influenced me, but if I had to pick one it would be J.R. Ward. A lot of what I know about how to write sexy, authentic male point of view comes from reading her books. And I definitely learned the importance of a good bromance to a romance novel from her Black Dagger Brotherhood series, too. Given my ginormous fangirling, you can only imagine how flipping excited I was when this happened:

 

“Edgy, sexy, and full of suspense! A great read from a great new author!”

~J.R. Ward on Hard As It Gets

 

You guys, I bawled like a baby in the middle of a huge workshop put on by my publisher. For real. LOL

 

What advice would you give aspiring writers looking to get into the publishing industry?

Here’s my advice:

1) Write, write, write. You can’t revise what you haven’t written and you can’t sell what you haven’t written. And the psychological and emotional boost you’ll get from writing “The End” for the first time cannot be overestimated.

2) Revise, revise, revise. That first time you type “The End”? Yeah, you’re nowhere near done. Your book will need to be edited, by you, several times before you ever put it in front of an agent or editor. You get one shot with them, so don’t waste it by not showing them your very best and most polished work.

3) Find critique partners. And your mom, siblings, and best friend do not count (unless you’re really lucky, like me, and your best friend happens t also be a professional author). You need other aspiring writers in your genre who will give you honest but constructive feedback about how to improve your manuscript. Let them catch all the embarrassing goofs and plot holes you thought you caught before it gets to an agent or editor.

4) Want to be a professional, then act it. And by that I mean join the professional organization(s) of the genre in which you write. Through them you will find classes to help hone your craft, critique partner match-ups, networking opportunities, calls for submission, and other opportunities invaluable to breaking into publishing.

5) Don’t give up. You will hear way more no’s than yeses, particularly early in your writing career. Stick with it. Believe in yourself. Give yourself one day to wallow in the rejection and eat a bunch of chocolate and then get right back on the horse. If your first book doesn’t sell, chalk that up to learning and write a second.

 

What can fans of HARD AS IT GETS look forward to next?

I’m currently writing four series: two contemporary (Hard Ink, Heroes) and two paranormal (Hearts of the Anemoi, Vampire Warrior Kings). I’ll have books from all four of those releasing in 2014. My next release is Hard As You Can (Hard Ink #2) coming 2/25/14!

 

About Laura Kaye:

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen books in contemporary and paranormal romance. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

 

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter SignUp

 

Asking for Trouble by Tessa Bailey….Blog Tour, ARC Review & AMAZING Giveaway

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Happy Release Day to Tessa and Asking for Trouble!

 Read my FIVE LOVES review below and keep on reading ayer my review for details on one of the most AMAZING giveaways I’ve ever had the pleasure of telling you all about!

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Buy Links for Asking For Trouble

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iTunes | Kobo

Synopsis:

Brent Mason and Hayden Winstead can’t stand each other. She plans exclusive parties for her rich family’s charities. He’s a rough and tumble cop who rigs explosives for a living. Could two people be any less suited for conversation? They think not and prefer to keep it that way.

Unfortunately, their two best friends are deeply, disgustingly in love. Forced together, the mutual attraction simmering beneath the surface of Brent and Hayden’s non-relationship grows with every argument until it explodes into a scintillating night of mind-blowing sex. And it wont be the last, as far as Brent’s concerned.

Hayden has a secret, though. Her father’s company is relying on a merger to save them from financial ruin, and only Hayden’s marriage to the CEOs wealthy son can secure the deal. If she’s to protect her family, she’ll have to forget Brent. And he has no intention of being forgotten.

 

My review:

Asking for Trouble is the fourth book in author Tessa Bailey’s Line of Duty Series.  I am a ginormous fan of Tessa and this series and I have loved every book, but Brent and Hayden now reign as my new favorite.  Damn.  This book is just too good.

Hayden Winstead is used to living in the upper class with the finer things life has to offer.  It’s just the way she was brought up, all she’s ever known.  But if she’s being honest with herself, it’s not really who she is.  Yes, it’s nice to not have to worry about money, but in the end, money wasn’t all that important to her.  Her friends, her adoring father, and the charity she worked with, that was what mattered most to her.  It irritated her that Brent, the hot NYPD bomb tech friend in their little group, couldn’t see past that and constantly teased her about her wealth.  He knew it got under her skin when he called her duchess.  Well, two can play that game and she knew just how to dig right back.  Throwing his blue-collar career back in his face pissed him off….and kept their banter going.  Secretly, she loved it.  It’s during one of their verbal sparring matches that she finds herself in way too deep and issuing challenges she was far too tempted to act upon.  Challenges that involved handcuffing this big, muscled, hot as sin cop and having her way with him.  Would she back down?  Would he let her?  She was so screwed…..

Brent Mason loved lots of things.  His family, his buddies, his job, and pushing Hayden’s gold plated, diamond encrusted buttons.  The truth of the matter was, she drove him bat shit crazy with her tight-laced exterior and her haughty attitude towards him.  Tonight though, after their friends all left them, they were alone and he intended to push her hard.  He knew what she needed….she needed him, in her bed.  Hell, if he could dismantle a loaded bomb that had the potential to blow him to smithereens with one wrong touch, surely he could handle a Manhattan socialite….right?

Holy mother of all things holy in holiness.  I devoured this book.  Tessa has outdone herself with these two.  I’m not sure exactly what did it for me because there were just too many amazing things.  Hayden was definitely a bitch in the beginning of this book.  I wasn’t sure I liked her all that much.  I quickly changed my mind.  Once I realized she wasn’t really sure where she belonged in life, I immediately liked her.  She didn’t really love being with the ritzy-pitzy people, and felt stuck.  She hadn’t ever truly known what it was to be like with a real man.  A man who got down and dirty and wasn’t worried about wrinkling his slacks while having a quick make-out session.  Her mother treated her like a child and more than a few times, my heart hurt for Hayden and the ivory tower she was stuck in,  and desperate to break free from.  Brent is just too damn delectable.  Not only is he big and muscled and hotter than hell, he’s got a heart as big as his size 15 work boots.  He takes care of his family, works his ass off and even though he jabs the hell out of Hayden, he truly does see her for more.  The push and pull between them is all-consuming and their foreplay with words is beyond scorching.  There were also some really funny moments between them and it brought that much more to their relationship.  Beyond that though, Hayden and Brent are the unlikely couple that you want nothing more than a happy ending for.  There are many ups and downs as they navigate through social status shortcomings and family issues, but in the end, if they can see past all of that, they really have found something rare and something to be cherished.

And how awesome was it to see more of the characters we know and love from the rest of the series?  Ruby and Troy, Daniel and Story…we saw all of them and got to see way more into Hayden and Story’s friendship which was a real treat.  They are too funny together!  Totally gals I would love to hang out with.

The once scene though that is screaming at me as I type this review, besides Hayden and Brent’s “pillow puns” and her calling him Florence (some serious funny during a seriously hot moment), is the ending.  Tessa wrote a side of Brent that I absolutely melted into a puddle over.  I was crying and laughing while reading that moment in the courthouse.  Now you know I won’t give any spoilers away, but when you read that scene, you will know exactly what I mean! It was like an ending to one of those amazing romantic comedies that all girls adore.  (I will be reading that scene again as soon as I finish typing this, by the way!)

Fans of this series will love Hayden and Brent, and if you haven’t read this series yet…what the hell are you waiting for!? Trust me folks, this is a must read if ever there was one.

Thank you, Tessa, for another smoking hot, emotional, funny, intense and truly enjoyable read.  You rock my book-obsessed world!

 

5LovesRLBFive Loves

 

Giveaway:

Want a chance to win an autographed copy of Tessa’s first two books Protecting What’s His & Officer Off Limits? It’s the first time they’ve ever been in print!

She’ll be giving away 3 sets. All you have to do is leave a comment below to enter.  Giveaway ends 12/1.  Limited to US residents only.

 ~Increase your chances of winning by visiting the rest of the tour HERE~

About the author:

Tessa lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and young daughter. When she isn’t writing or reading romance, Tessa enjoys a good argument and thirty-minute recipes.

Connect with Tessa:

 Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 

 

Release Day Celebration….Asking for Trouble by Tessa Bailey

Happy Release Day to Tessa Bailey and ASKING FOR TROUBLE!

The Queen of Dirty Talking is back! Whether this is your first experience with Tessa Bailey’s dirty talking heroes or you’ve been following her all along, you don’t want to miss out on meeting Brent and Hayden. Their banter is witty, filled with sexual tension, and the sex itself is “fan-your-face” hot, according to an early review from USA Today Happily Ever After.

Here’s a dirty talking snippet just for you guys:

He leaned forward and spoke right against her ear. “Come for me right now and I’ll let you ride me as hard as you want later. I know what gets you off. I saw it in your eyes last night. You want to throw me down and fuck me, duchess? Good. I’m in the mood to let you.”

Now you see why she’s been dubbed the Queen of Dirty Talking!

About Asking for Trouble

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Brent Mason and Hayden Winstead can’t stand each other. She plans exclusive parties for her rich family’s charities. He’s a rough and tumble cop who rigs explosives for a living. Could two people be any less suited for conversation? They think not and prefer to keep it that way.

 

Unfortunately, their two best friends are deeply, disgustingly in love. Forced together, the mutual attraction simmering beneath the surface of Brent and Hayden’s non-relationship grows with every argument until it explodes into a scintillating night of mind-blowing sex. And it won’t be the last, as far as Brent’s concerned.

 

Hayden has a secret, though. Her father’s company is relying on a merger to save them from financial ruin, and only Hayden’s marriage to the CEO’s wealthy son can secure the deal. If she’s to protect her family, she’ll have to forget Brent. And he has no intention of being forgotten.

 

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iTunes | Kobo

In celebration of her new release, Tessa Bailey’s first book Protecting What’s His is on sale for only ¢99 for two full weeks! (11/24 – 12/7) Just in time to gift it to everyone who appreciates a dirty talker.

 

About Protecting What’s His

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She’s running from the law, and the law wants her bad.

The opportunity was just too damn delicious for Ginger Peet to pass up. The purse full of money she finds—$50,000 to be exact—could give her and her teen sister the new start they need. So she grabs the cash, her gothy sibling, and their life-sized statue of Dolly Parton, and blows outta Nashville in a cloud of dust. Chicago, here we come…

 

Turns out, Chicago has some pretty hot cops. Hot, intense, naughty-lookin’ cops like Derek Tyler, who looks like he could eat a girl up and leave her begging for more. And more. Tempting as he is, getting involved with the sexy homicide lieutenant next door poses a teensy problem for a gal who’s on the lam. But one thing is certain—Derek’s onto her, and he wants more than just a taste.

 

And as far as he’s concerned, possession is nine-tenths of the law.

 

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iTunes | Kobo

 

 

Covet’s November Releases & Giveaway

Covets have all the sexiness, emotion, and happily ever after that readers have come to expect and love from Entangled. They are firmly grounded in the contemporary world, but each novel brings in supernatural twists, breaking the contemporary and paranormal rules, alike. To find out more about their titles, chat with authors, participate in special events, and to find out what books you’ll be coveting next, visit the Entangled website, follow them on Twitter, LIKE their Facebook page, and join the Book Club.

Today I’m happy to be featuring Covet’s November releases which is very exciting because in celebration of these three great new books, they are on sale for just $0.99 for the first week of release only. So they are perfect to download and read over the long holiday weekend between all the hussle and bussle for a nice little break.



Also, make sure to hop on twitter tonight, 11/25 at 8PM to join in the #CovetBash. The authors of these fabulous books will be joining in the fun, and there will be lot’s of chances to win prizes, including a grand prize giveaway of Covet’s entire backlist to one lucky winner! Details here.

 

Parts & Wreck by Mark Henry


Wade Crowson, a brutish and brooding playboy and veteran vivisectionist for the Parts Department, runs into more than he bargained for in new partner, Lucid Montgomery, a quirky beauty with a bizarre secret and a string of psychiatric diagnoses she tries hard to keep hidden. Loving Luce will stamp a demonic target on her back and thrust Wade into a frenzied whirlwind of hilarious misunderstandings and, quite possibly, a stripping gig for emptynesters. Can they withstand the savagery of an exorcism (with or without the split pea soup) and come out alive and …in love?

 

 

Operation Saving Daniel by Nina Croft

At eighteen, Melissa seduced her best friend Julia’s brother only to run away shortly after. While Daniel was her fairytale prince, Lissa didn’t believe in happy ever afters.

Ten years and a near death experience later, Lissa is ready for a husband and family. But a cry for help from Julia puts that dream on hold. Daniel is acting weird and he’s about to marry his long term girlfriend—AKA The Evil One. Someone needs to save him.

Daniel has never stopped loving Lissa. Ten years ago when he gave her a little freedom, he always intended that one day they would be together. Right up until the moment he was bitten by a werewolf. Now, Daniel has to hide what he is. He won’t risk anyone else, especially the woman he loves.

But Lissa is back. Their attraction is stronger than ever and Lissa is nothing if not tenacious.

 

 

The Awakening: Britton by Abby NilesThe Awakening #3

“I would lick that man up one side and down the other.”

Half-shifter and lead SPAC agent, Val Calhoun, has listened to women gush over the Don Juan of the precinct for the last four years. Yeah, Detective Britton Townsend is hot and has stunning blue eyes, but that foul mouth he saves only for her? What a waste of good looks. And no way does Val want that mouth anywhere near hers.

When the shifter community is threatened, Val is assigned to the case…and fails. So the High Council turns to the rogue shifter they’d sentenced to twenty years as a human–that same obnoxiously sexy Detective Townsend. And sends the two arch-enemies deep into the North Carolina Mountains-—together, and alone.

Being stuck in a tiny honeymoon cabin with Miss Castration and only one bed is definitely not Britton’s idea of a good time. But the High Council doesn’t take no for an answer. After his shifter abilities are restored, Brit is once again susceptible to the dreaded, irreversible bonding instinct, the Drall. Thankfully, all he’s ever felt for Val is intense loathing, no reason to worry. Right? All he has to do is solve this case pronto, and he can go back to his footloose Casanova ways. That is, if they don’t kill each other first. Or worse…fall in love.

Missed the first book in the Awakening series? While these books stand alone, it can be fun to go back and see how the other couple got together. And in celebration of book #3’s release, book one, The Awakening: Aidan is on sale for just $0.99 as well, so grab it while you can!

 

The Awakening: Aidan by Abby NilesThe Awakening #1

Is the gift of eternal love a blessing or a curse?

After years of counseling grieving shifters, psychiatrist and half-shifter, Dr. Jaylin Avgar has become jaded on shifter mating. She wants to marry a human and forget about the love for eternity crap. Then she meets Aidan O’Connell, an infuriatingly laid back shifter who represents everything she doesn’t want. Yet, the more he pursues her, the more she craves a future with him. Only one thing stands in her way: death. Can she overcome her fear of losing Aidan to the one guarantee in life?

Millionaire consultant, Aidan O’Connell knows he’ll one day meet a woman who’ll awaken an unrelenting mating instinct. Unfortunately, that woman is Jaylin, who has no qualms about telling him that he and his so-called eternity can shove it. When she pushes him away, he takes a drastic step so she can no longer escape. The close proximity throws the instinct into overdrive. Can he control the need engrained in him until he’s certain she will reciprocate the bond, or will a moment of weakness doom him to hell on earth?


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Entangled Edge November Releases & Giveaway

Edge, a digital-first single-title romance line from Entangled Publishing, takes its lead from our popular Select imprint but gives its novels an edge in the marketplace by bringing great stories to readers at reasonable prices in a quick-and-easy way. Whether sexy or sweet, traditional romance or love and lust with a women’s fiction bent, at the center of every Edge book is heart. From Urban Fantasy to Contemporary Romance to Science Fiction Romance, Edge has a book for all romance readers—and right at their fingertips! As they say, all’s fair in love and war. To find out more about our titles, chat with authors, participate in special events, and to find out what books are coming next, visit the Entangled website, follow us on Twitter, and like our Facebook page.

Today I’m happy to be featuring Edge’s November releases!!

 

 

Some Like it Sinful by Robbie TermanPerfect Recipe #2

Their attraction is sinfully delicious…

A struggling business and one act of vandalism may have brought them together, but bakery owner Chloe Nelson and professional hockey player Griffin Lange get along like chocolate and pickles. Chloe needs the famous (and famously unattached) Griffin to attract people to her pastries, and Griffin needs the curvaceous and fiery Chloe to keep him out of trouble. A fake relationship to keep the media interested seems like the perfect plan.

But when temptation throws them into bed together, a new plan arises. Why not make the fake real? Griffin’s winning every home game, and Chloe’s business has never been better. Both know it’s only physical—and only temporary. But can they drop their defenses for love, even if it means getting a little bit sinful?

 

Wild Card by Jamie Wyman

It was bad enough that gods gambled with human souls, but Catherine Sharp’s soul just had to be won by the Greek goddess of Discord, Eris. As if working a dead-end tech support job didn’t suck the life out of her as it was. Now, Cat finds herself performing random tasks for the goddess in her free time.
But when Coyote, the Native American trickster himself, claims to have won her own soul in Mayhem’s weekly poker game, Cat wants in on the action. With five sneaky gods upping the ante, Cat needs to find a way to collect the winning chips that could save her soul.
Marius, a handsome yet irritating satyr with his own debt to Eris, might finally come in handy for something. If they play their cards right and work together, Cat and Marius may just get their freedom back. If they don’t kill each other or fall in love first.

 

 

 


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Fall Into Me by K.M. Scott…ARC Review

Fall Into Me releases tomorrow

Fall Into Me COVER

Book links:

Goodreads

*I will post the purchase links when they become available on release day

Synopsis:

Wealthier and more powerful than most men his age, Tristan Stone merely has to give voice to his desires and whatever he wants is his. Money has given him the ability to say nothing and no one is beyond his reach.

Except for Nina. Stripped of her memory after an accident, she doesn’t remember the man who loves her. Now he must find a way to show her why she fell in love with him, but the past is always just a step behind, threatening to take her away forever.

Unsure of everything about the past four years, Nina believes that Tristan loves her. But will the secrets he holds tear them apart just when she needs him most?

 

My review:

*Reviewer note:  if you haven’t read the first in the series, Crash Into Me, I recommend you do so before reading Fall Into Me and this review*

Fall Into Me is the second book in author K.M. Scott’s Heart of Stone trilogy and picks up where the story left off in Crash Into Me.  I was dying to get my hands on this book to see what was in store for Tristan and Nina. Well, K.M. did it again…another emotional ride from start to finish that left me wanting more!

The last four years of Nina’s life are a total mystery.  After the accident, she found she had completely lost her memories of those years.  That includes Tristan and their entire relationship.  Her best friend Jordan has assured her that she and Tristan are crazy about one another, and just looking at Tristan and knowing how much he cared for her the whole time she was in the hospital, it was plain to see that he indeed cared for her very much.  The problem was, he was practically a stranger to her.  She was more than willing to take a chance at love at see if her memories would come back and give her back the happiness she had found with him, but what if they never did?  Would she have to learn to love him all over again? What if, when all was said and done, she didn’t?  The only way to find out was to put her faith in Tristan and the relationship they had and jump in with both feet.

Tristan should have felt immense relief when Nina was alive and well after the accident.  He was relieved, of course, but not completely.  Between the two of them, he was the only one that remembered why she left that day and got into the accident in the first place.  And now knowing he was going to have to tell her all over again was a special kind of torture.  He needed more time.  More time to find out more information on what her father stumbled across those four years ago and why it was damaging enough to his family that his father had the man killed.  First things first, though.  He was bound and determined to get Nina to fall in love with him again.  After that, maybe if he had more details on the darker side of his family, she would love him enough to believe he was truly sorry for the horrific pain his monster of a father had caused her.

The obstacles Nina and Tristan are numerous and enormously significant.  Will the love that they had found, and hope to find again, be enough to forgive the sins of a power hungry businessman?

Whoa.  Well, what began as a mission of discovering love again turned into a mystery with a thick and devious plot that I sure as hell never saw coming.  Nina, as in the last story, was a refreshing heroine with her open and honest attitude.  I admired her willingness to believe in what she and Tristan had and take a chance at finding it again.  Her frustrations with memory loss broke my heart and I was pulling for her from the very beginning to find some spark that would jog a memory or two.  She’s a strong gal, that Nina.  Tristan and his internal struggles were dark, desolate and written really well.  Trying so hard to keep a mask in place to keep Nina happy took its toll on him towards the end and his ultimate break down was such a real response to the stress of keeping up such a hard façade.  Tristan stumbles across more details of just how treacherous his father really was and it was worse than he thought in the first book and it hurt him even more to have to tell Nina the truth eventually.  I never saw parts of this story coming and it was a shocking and enjoyable added layer to the mystery!  There were many happy and loving moments in this book as well as the intense scorching heat I adore so much between Nina and Tristan but the ending kicked my ass (and yes, of course, I freaking loved it!)

Now, because I know some of you loathe cliffhanger-ish endings, I feel I should mention that some might think this story fits into that category.  I don’t…I feel that some questions were answered and other mysteries revealed.  I enjoyed it!

Thank you, K.M., for another thrilling installment and I am eagerly awaiting the final chapter in the Heart of Stone Trilogy!

4LovesRLBFour Loves

 

About the author:

USA Today bestselling contemporary romance author who loves sexy stories, sexier men, and HEAs (not necessarily in that order)

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