November 2013 – Page 3 – Read-Love-Blog

Giveaway & Excerpt…Stripped Clean by Ellis Carrington

Happy Friday, everyone!

I am so happy to have an EXCLUSIVE excerpt from STRIPPED CLEAN by Ellis Carrington to share with you all today as well as a SIGNED PAPERBACK copy to give away to one lucky winner!

Good way to start the weekend if you ask me!

Thanks for stopping by and ENJOY!

Book links:

Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Carlos O’Shea is stuck. He knocked up a girl in college after a night of too much drinking and then married her to be honorable. With little money, fewer options, and no degree, he winds up cleaning the floors in a small town gentlemen’s club and thinking desperate thoughts about the handsome owner that’ll lead to nothing but trouble.

Greg Moorehouse only invested in a nudie bar to help his best buddy out of a financial crisis. Now his drug-dealing ex-boyfriend, his reverend father, and a parade of surgically-enhanced DDs are driving him insane. But what’s really stripped him of all good sense is his growing obsession with his married employee, Carlos.

They circle each other in a push-pull of misunderstandings and growing attraction. Carlos needs to get his boss out of his head, and Greg can’t abide cheaters and married men. So what are a strip club owner and the guy who cleans going to do with their undeniable desires?

Please note: This is an adult gay romance, for mature readers only. Contains explicit love-making between two hot-blooded men, angsty dark moments, and cupcake-baking exotic dancers.

Excerpt:

Greg Moorehouse had removed the button-down shirt he’d had on at the start of the party, and now wore a muscle shirt that said “Staff.” It showed how fucking amazing his triceps were. One of those tribal tattoos snaked around the top of one of his biceps, the sort of ink that Carlos would have blown off as overdone and lame, except on Greg it fit. The band was classic and understated, but sexy.

Carlos had given up long ago on the kind of lean definition Greg had in his arms. When he lifted, he got bulk and more bulk. He stood there admiring Greg’s upper body right up until the man opened his mouth again to say, “Don’t you have a wife to get home to or something?”

And it had been such a lovely party. For awhile there, Carlos had belonged somewhere. He hadn’t been the kid who wasn’t white enough, or the Spanish kid who didn’t actually speak Spanish, or the inexperienced guy pretending he knew stuff. He’d talked to Paris about the new tablet she was thinking about getting for her husband to cheer him up, and to Shane the DJ about music selections for the club, and to Ricky and a couple of the other guys about going shooting sometime. He’d spent so long working his ass off and dealing with a wife who was alternately depressed and anxious and barely speaking to him. For a couple of hours he’d considered the idea of having friends, and it had made him all warm and fuzzy.

Now though, he stood in the afternoon glow on the back deck of this really gorgeous house. Damn, he couldn’t imagine having the money to live in the bathroom of this place. He stared at a sun-kissed Greg who looked even more gorgeous, and couldn’t imagine having him, either. The shittiness of it injected steel into his veins.

Carlos squared his shoulders. “You know, you’re right. This isn’t my job.” He headed for the sliding door into the house, handing the bag of trash to Greg on his way. “Here. You want to be cleanup crew, then by all means.”

They’d gotten along well before. He didn’t know what it was that he’d done wrong. Maybe back in the kitchen he’d stared a little too long at Greg’s lips, and he was pretty sure that awkward silence had been his boss picking up on Carlos’s attraction. Maybe Greg was trying to head Carlos off before he made a pass.

Carlos shoved open the sliding door. Whatever Lacey might be up to, he would not cheat on her while they still had a home together. With or without the fact that he was tied down, it would be dumb as shit to put the moves on his boss. Despite all the things his father had said when he was growing up, Carlos was not actually dumb as shit. And he was tired of being treated as if he was.

By anybody.

“I’ll see you around at work, Mr. Moorehouse.”

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

Romance requires a hopeful ending and that is why Ellis Carrington is driven to write it. She loves to create original stories that are gritty, witty, and a little unexpected, just like the heroes who inhabit them. Her guys come in both human and non-human form because spirit guides and vampires deserve love too. Her favorite things are great friends, great music, and books that make her sob like there’s no tomorrow.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

Cover Reveal….Falling by E.K. Blair

Falling releases December 9, 2013

Goodreads

Synopsis:

Sometimes it takes someone else to show us what we are truly capable of becoming.Suffering from years of violent abuse, Ryan Campbell has learned how to keep people from getting too close. But when you shut yourself off, people get hurt along the way. Never caring much about others, Ryan creates a world in which he doesn’t have to feel.When Ryan meets Candace Parker, all of his walls slowly begin to crumble. Not sure of the truth of who she is, he feels his mind is playing tricks on him. Unable to force out the thoughts that consume him, Ryan is haunted by visions that torment him every time he looks at her. He finds himself swallowed by guilt and blame, but he’s unwilling to turn his back on the one person that could possibly save him.You’ve heard Candace’s story in Fading, now hear Ryan’s.

About the author:

USA Today bestselling author and International Amazon bestselling author, E.K. Blair takes her readers on an emotional roller coaster with her FADING series. A former first grade teacher with an imagination that runs wild. Daydreaming and zoning out is how she was often found in high school. Blair tends to drift towards everything dark and moody. Give her a character and she will take pleasure in breaking them down, digging into their core to find what lies underneath.

Aside from writing, E.K. Blair finds pleasure in music, drinking her Starbucks in peace, and spending time with her friends. She’s a thinker, an artist, a wife, a mom, and everything in between.

Twitter ~ Amazon Author Page

ARC Review….Neighbors by L.S. Murphy

Book Links

Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Rena Woods has a great life. She recently landed the contract to decorate the home of basketball wife, Cecilia Hood, her business is growing, and this contract could make her the elite decorator in St. Louis. Rena’s sacrificed her personal life for her company without a single regret. When Staff Sergeant C.J. Riker moves in across the hall, Rena can’t stand to be around him. He may be on the volcanic side of hot, but his attitude sucks. Riker does whatever he can to get under Rena’s skin.

After a massive blow to her business sends Rena on a self-destructive binge, Riker is there to save her from doing something she might regret. Could there be more to Riker than meets the eye? And will he open up enough to Rena to tell her how he lost his leg or shut out love forever?

My review:

Neighbors is a novella from author L.S. Murphy and is the first work I have read from her. I really enjoyed it!

When Rena meets Riker, it’s not exactly in the best of circumstances. She needs him to move his truck so she can move her car. She’s annoyed with him and he’s annoyed with her. Well, the circumstances don’t get much better and it seems like every time they see on another it’s not exactly a pleasant exchange. Rena knows a bit of his back-story. He was in the military and has a prosthetic leg, so clearly he has some reason for being less than happy these days. She could only imagine what must have happened to him, and it broke her heart. Still, Rena doesn’t think too highly of his gruff attitude…until she sees him around their apartment complex every now and then doing something nice for someone. Soon Rena realizes she may not have given him a fair chance and when her job suddenly takes a nosedive, she thinks maybe giving him shot at friendship could be the distraction she needs. Who knows, maybe something more than friendship is what they both need?

This novella was really great. Sometimes a quick and entertaining read is just what the doctor ordered in between full-length novels. I enjoyed both Rena and Riker and would love to see more of them in the future!

Thank you, L.S.!

Four Loves

About the author:

L.S. Murphy lives in the Greater St. Louis area where she watches Cardinals baseball, reads every book she can find, and weaves tales for teens and adults. When not doing all of the above, she tends to The Bean (aka her daughter), her husband and a menagerie of pets.

She is a member of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and the St. Louis Writer’s Guild.Email: LSMurphy524@gmail.com

Website: http://lsmurphy.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LSMurphy

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

Blog Tour Stop….Return of the Assassin by Donya Lynne

Welcome to my stop on Donya Lynne’s Return of the Assassin Blog Tour.

I was lucky enough to have Donya stop by for a great guest post and there’s a fantastic tour-wide giveaway happening (enter in the rafflecopter below)

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy!

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Smashwords ~ All Romance eBooks

Donya’s Guest Post:

What a pleasure to be here today. Thank you for a having me so I could introduce your readers to my award-winning All the King’s Men Series (AKM). The fifth book, Return of the Assassin, just came out at the end of October, and tells the story of Malek and Gina, two vampires tormented by their tragic pasts who must find a way to overcome the pain they’ve endured if they are to have a future with one another.

This concept is at the heart of Return of the Assassin, and both my hero and heroine face tough challenges. Malek’s first mate died almost a thousand years ago, but he has refused to accept her death. In doing so, he became a hollow shell of a person, dependable but emotionless. He gets the job done, but, as Micah says, he’s a whitewashed version of himself from what he was before. When he meets Gina, he can no longer avoid dealing with the past, but in so doing, his mind fractures as he tries to reconcile loss with love, especially since Gina split town and left him to deal with his mated male hormones alone. But Gina wants nothing to do with Malek, or so she says. Gina’s first mate was a violent and abusive vampire who stole her innocence, as well as her ability to bear children, and despite the fact that she’s been free of him for almost a century, she still hasn’t fully moved on. She refuses to enter into another relationship with anyone, and vows never to mate again. But after meeting Malek, her world turns upside down and she fears she has only one choice if she wants to get her life back on track: return to Malek.

In the first four books of AKM, the other characters had to go through hell and back to find happiness, so Malek and Gina have to, as well. Otherwise, they won’t learn anything and won’t become who they were meant to be. And isn’t that how it is in real life, too? I’ve always said that nothing worth having in life ever comes easily. The harder you work, and the more pain you go through to achieve your objective, the more you appreciate it once you succeed. Same with Malek and Gina, and by the end of the book, after what they have to go through to find happiness, if they aren’t appreciating each other, then they never will.

Excerpt from Return of the Assassin

Malek took a step toward her. “Gina—”

“I don’t want to hear it.” She spun and took off down the hall as if the kitchen were on fire.

“Gina, wait.” Malek hurried after her. “Please listen to me.”

She twirled and shoved him away. “Get away from me, Malek. After what you did tonight, just stay back.” Who did he think he was to come here still smelling like that skank? The least he could have done was shower. But no, he had to bring her nasty smell here and add insult to injury. “I have to be the stupidest female on the planet,” she said under her breath.

“I’m sorry, Gina. God, I’m so sorry.”

But she wasn’t ready to forgive him. She was still too angry and hurt. “Sorry? Were you sorry when you brought that whore into your house and fucked her under my nose? Huh?” Aggression burst from her like an explosion, and she shoved past him out into the hall again before spinning around to confront him as he charged after her. “You fucked another female in front of me, Malek! Is that how a mated male behaves? Is that the respect a female deserves from her mate?”

Why deny the obvious any longer? They were mates. She knew it. He knew it. It was time to cut through the shit and lay the cards on the table. One way or the other, tonight they would deal with the link that tethered them to one another.

“No, but…”

She batted him away and fled back into the bedroom. Adrenaline coursed through her. She had to keep moving. If she didn’t, she would give in to the rising arousal he stirred in her belly simply from his proximity, even though he carried the reminder of his infidelity on his skin. “You stink. You smell like her.” Her nose crinkled again as she paced to the other side of the room near the windows and crossed her arms. Then uncrossed them. She couldn’t stand still. Nervous energy flirted with sexual hunger, and war raged within her body to distance herself from him as well as throw him to the bed and take possession of what belonged to her.

He followed and reached for her hands, but she slapped him away. “Don’t touch me. Get away from me, Malek.” Even as she said the words, she wanted nothing more than his hands on her body.

Hurt and misery smeared his expression. “Please Gina, let me explain. I’ve been dying a slow death without you. I just didn’t know—”

She held up her hands, dodged him, and shot back out of the room as he rushed after her. “You? You’ve been dying a slow death? I’ve been miserable for weeks, Malek, and all this time I thought it was because I didn’t want to be mated. When all along it was because…” She fumed as she trailed off, angry at him for stealing her moment of realization from her earlier. When she had finally figured out the source of her anxiety and accepted the reality, ready to take her place by his side, he had abandoned her for another female.

In the living room, she paced and swatted him away as he reached for her again, and then hurried back to the bedroom. When she spun back toward the door, he blocked the exit. She was trapped.

“Gina—”

“Just shut up, Malek!” Under the bitch’s scent, he smelled delicious. So inviting. “Males are nothing but trouble. Especially you! You’re the worst kind of trouble I don’t need!” But she did need him. And with every second that ticked by, her resolve to push him away cracked a little more. The side of her that had bound itself to him bullied its way through, pushing aside restraint and anger to feed her desire and make her too weak to hold back much longer.

He continued toward her with cautious steps, one arm slightly raised, his palm facing her, as if he were trying to capture a feral cat and didn’t want to spook it. “I’m sorry, Gina. Please let me make this better.” Anguish etched the lines of his face, and suffering roiled in the depths of his eyes. Malek was clearly in agony over what he’d done to her.

“Malek, don’t. Just don’t.” She was faltering. He was here. Her mate was here. And no matter what he had done, the desire to go to him was more powerful than her anger. They were like polar atoms, one positive, one negative, drawn to each other to connect and form a brand new molecule. Something neither could do alone.

“Please, Gina…” Guilt wafted from him as he slowly closed the distance between them.

But she no longer had the strength to flee. Furthermore, she didn’t want to. As much as she hated what he had done to her, and as much as she wanted to stay angry at him, she wanted to be with him more.

“Gina…” He took one last step toward her, and his warmth spread around her.

The two of them stood in silence for what felt like a long time, but he didn’t try to touch her. It was almost as if he didn’t want to break the fragile moment they had found together. One where she had to fit herself into a new reality she had fought for decades and only just now considered trying on for size again. But Malek fit like a pair of favorite jeans. Had she doubted he would? After all, he was the other half of her, the greener grass on the other side of the fence, the brighter light without the rose-colored glasses to taint or cloud his image. Malek was everything that she needed to be complete. He was perfect, beautiful, and majestic.

“Look at me, Gina.” With the tips of his fingers under her chin, he lifted her face.

Her fury was tapped out, depleted by expulsion, as well as by his presence. The mating bond was already doing its job, making them better individuals by fusing them into one. As she looked into his magical, dark brown eyes, her fears and pain evaporated, and she could almost feel his doing the same.

“I need you,” he said.

Return of the Assassin Synopsis:

All the King’s Men – Book 5

3rd place winner – RWA Heart of the West contest

“If you’ve been waiting for the next Black Dagger Brotherhood, this is it…” -GraveTells Review

Assassin Gina Carano doesn’t have time for love. In fact, the last thing she wants is a mate. But Gina can’t stop thinking about Malek, the handsome AKM enforcer she met in Chicago. And now she’s beginning to fear Malek’s memory is the reason for her crippling panic attacks, which have assaulted her relentlessly since she left him.

Malek has never dealt with the centuries-old death of his first mate, but now that he’s formed a new mating link to Gina, he has no choice. Stuck between the agony of mourning and the despair of being without Gina, his mind fractures as he attempts to reconcile the two halves of himself.

When Gina botches a hit on two vicious vampires in Miami, she reluctantly flees back to Chicago, where Malek must choose between the past and the future before he loses Gina forever.

Warning: This book contains explicit sexual content, sensitive subject matter, references to non-traditional/alternative lifestyles, and profanity.

Giveaway:

Two Grand Prizes will be given away at the end of the tour, drawing to be held on Christmas Day (Merry Christmas!).

Grand Prize #1: Coach bag and a $50 Amazon gift card

Grand Prize #2: The newest version of the Kindle Paper White, leather cover (winner’s choice of color), and an AKM blanket

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

Donya Lynne is the author of the award winning All the King’s Men Series. Making her home in a wooded suburb north of Indianapolis with her husband, Donya has lived in Indiana most of her life and knew at a young age that she was destined to be a writer. She started writing poetry in grade school and won her first short story contest in fourth grade. In junior high, she began writing romantic stories for her friends, and by her sophomore year, they had dubbed her Most Likely to Become a Romance Novelist. In 2012, she made that dream come true by publishing her first two novels and two novellas. She has several more stories planned for the AKM Series, as well as two sister series that are in development.

Author Links

Donya Lynne’s Website

Cover Reveal….Sneaking Candy by Lisa Burstein

We are pleased to be able to reveal the cover for Lisa Burstein’s upcoming release SNEAKING CANDY!! This New Adult romance will have you ready and willing to sign up for grad school. You can read more about this hot, new book after checking out the awesome cover! SNEAKING CANDY releases December 9th!

About SNEAKING CANDY:

All I ever wanted was to make a name for myself as Candice Salinas, creative writing grad student at the University of Miami. Of course, secretlyI already have made a name for myself: as Candy Sloane, self-published erotic romance writer. Though thrilled that my books are selling and I have actual fans, if anyone at UM found out, I could lose my scholarship…and the respect of my faculty advisor, grade-A-asshole Professor Dylan.

Enter James Walker, super-hot local barista and—surprise!—my student. Even though I know a relationship is totally off-limits, I can’t stop myself from sneaking around with James, taking a few cues from my own erotic writing…if you catch my drift. Candy’s showing her stripes for the first time in my real life, and I’ve never had so much fun. But when the sugar high fades, can my secrets stay under wraps?

Add on Goodreads

Author Bio:

Lisa Burstein is a tea seller by day and a writer by night. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from the Inland Northwest Center for Writers at Eastern Washington University. She is the author of the YA Novels: Pretty Amy and Dear Cassie and the NA Novella: The Next Forever. Sneaking Candy is her first full-length new adult novel.

Author Links:

SNEAKING CANDY Goodreads

Cover Reveal….Mended by Kim Karr

It is my pleasure to bring you the cover of MENDED by Kim Karr…..

Book links:

Amazon ~ iTunes ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

MUSIC HAS THE POWER TO HEAL ALL…BUT NOT ALL BROKEN HEARTS CAN BE MENDED.

Always in control, Xander Wilde considered life on the road to be a perfect fit for him. But when disaster strikes on the Wilde Ones’ latest tour, fate intervenes…and a newly single Ivy Taylor, the only girl he has ever loved, steps back into his life.

After moving past her painful breakup with Xander years ago, Ivy was poised to become the next big name in pop music…when suddenly she withdrew from the limelight—the same day she announced her engagement to her controlling agent, Damon Wolf.

Xander knows he should keep his distance. But once they’re on the road, he can’t resist pursuing her for a second chance. Yet a jealous Damon can’t let her go—and he’s keeping dangerous secrets that could destroy them all.

When the three of them come together, everything falls apart. But if Xander and Ivy can hold tight to the bond that connects them, they just might have a chance at reclaiming the powerful love they thought they had lost forever….

Click HERE for an excerpt from Mended

Mended Book Trailer:

You tube- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRJPlEw_vqY

Vimeo- https://vimeo.com/78876133

Other books in the series:

Torn (Connections #2)

Synopsis:

Rock star River Wilde brought Dahlia London back from the brink of hopelessness with his unwavering love and devotion. But their entwined history is about to test the strength of that love…

Dahlia was certain she had found true love and met her ‘Once in a Lifetime’ when she reconnected with River. But Dahlia’s world comes crashing down when someone from her past resurfaces, and all of River’s carefully hidden secrets are exposed.

River wants to show Dahlia that life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass—it’s about dancing in the rain! But how many times can one broken heart be mended? Will River and Dahlia be able to face the turmoil together or will they be torn apart?

Book Links:

Amazon ~ B&N ~ iTunes ~ Goodreads

Connected (Connections #1)

Synopsis:

What if a ‘Once in a Lifetime’ could happen twice?

Suffering from a past full of tragedy, Dahlia London’s soul has been left completely shattered. Happily ever after is a far cry from reality in her world. But, when she is reconnected with her past, the bonds that form are irrefutable.

When River Wilde, lead singer of The Wilde Ones, comes back into Dahlia’s life, the intensity that fires their relationship combined with underlying feelings that have never died lead her to believe she has met her soulmate.

Struggling with confusion as old connections fade and new ones begin, Dahlia’s grief begins to lift–but guilt remains. River wants to be the one to mend all that is torn within her.

But with a past that is never really gone, can their future survive?

Book links:

Amazon ~ B&N ~ iTunes ~ Kobo ~ Goodreads

About the author:

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

I wear a lot of hats! Writer, book-lover, wife, soccer-mom, taxi driver, and the all around go-to person of the family. However, I always find time to read. One of my favorite family outings use to be taking my kids to the bookstore or the library. Today, my oldest child is in college and my twins are juniors so they no longer go with me on these outings. And although I don’t need to go to the actual store anymore because I have the greatest device ever invented—a Kindle, I still do. There’s nothing like a paperback. So now my four year old and I make dates out of going to the bookstore–it’s time I love and cherish.

I like to believe in soulmates, kindred spirits, true friends, and Happily-Ever-Afters. I love to drink champagne, listen to music, and hopes to always stay young at heart.

Website: http://www.authorkimkarr.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorkimkarr

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6644044.Kim_Karr

Cover Reveal….Give Me Something by Elizabeth Lee

We are extremely excited to show you all the redesigned cover for Elizabeth Lee’s GIVE ME SOMETHING!!! This cover is HOT, y’all!!!

You can grab this gorgeous redesign December 16th!

About GIVE ME SOMETHING:

Here’s the deal: I learned a long time ago that sometimes you have to use what you have to make things happen. What I happen to have is a pretty smile, long legs, and the ability to make men believe anything I say. Before you get on your high horse and start judging me, can you honestly say you’ve never batted your lashes at some guy for a free drink at the bar? That’s what I thought.

Keep that in mind as I tell you my story of how I took it one step further. My story is of lies, deceit, manipulation, and love. Yeah, love. Believe me, it fits. Especially when you factor in Nick and Tucker – one had my heart and the other one wanted it all for himself. Which one is which? Well, I can’t tell you that. It would defeat the purpose of the story. If I’m going to fill you in about me, Lila Garrison, and my life as a con artist, you’re going to need to know all the facts, including the ones about the two guys who made me want to give up the life of fancy clothes, expensive jewelry, fast cars, and easy money. Because sometimes one person can give you something that’s more valuable than all of that.

If you’re still interested, stick around. Just remember, I’m pretty good at convincing people to do what I want, so if by the end of this whole thing you feel worked over, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Buy Links:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Elizabeth Lee Bio:

When I’m not writing or playing the part of wife and mother, you can find me dancing back-up for Beyonce, singing back-up for Miranda, or sunning myself on the beach with a drink in hand. Here’s the thing about being born and raised in a small town—you have a very vivid imagination! Now, I channel it all to create stories where the girl always ends up with the right guy, first kisses are magical, and a happy ending is just that!

Links:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/elizabethleewrites

Twitter: www.twitter.com/elwrites

Website: http://elizabethleewrites.blogspot.com

Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6542627.Elizabeth_Lee

Novel Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16488227-give-me-something?ac=1

Book Tour, Giveaway & Excerpt….My Beautiful by Alicia Rae

Welcome to my stop on the My Beautiful by Alicia Rae Book Tour!

I have a fantastic excerpt to share with you as well as the rafflecopter for the tour-wide giveaway. Prizes include a KINDLE and two signed paperback copies of Beautiful Chances!

Thanks so much for stoping by and ENJOY!

Title: My Beautiful (The Beautiful #2)

Author: Alicia Rae

Genre: Contemporary Romance 18+

Publication Date: November 5, 2013

Cover Designed By: Okay Creations

Event organized by: Literati Author Services, Inc.

Synopsis

Still trying to recover from a tragic loss, Lily’s worst fear is falling in love. Distancing herself from everyone is the only way she can keep heartache away.

Deep down though, Lily realizes that living without Kyle is too painful. She finds strength in Kyle’s arms, and he gives her the courage to face her past. With every step forward, Lily continues to nurture and mend her damaged heart.

Just when Lily feels closure within her grasp, secrets from the past finally catch up with her, and Lily will discover that more than her heart is on the line.

Will love be enough to save Lily?

Excerpt:

My fingers dug into his hair, and brought his lips closer. His mouth was warm and soft and inviting. Deepening the kiss, one of his hands held my behind easily while the other was placed around my neck.

I moaned into his mouth as he kissed with crazy fervor. Sparks ignited deep in my belly from simply touching him. He pulled back, breaking our kiss. His eyes were dark with need, and our breathing was completely erratic.

“Jesus, Lily.” His tone was husky as he tried to steady his voice. “Just kissing you makes me want to strip you naked and make love to you again.”

“Ditto,” I murmured shyly, feeling a blush warm my cheeks.

Our chemistry was always there, it was untamable.

He raised his hand to brush the backs of his fingers along my cheek. “Damn, it has only been a couple of days since I last saw that blush, and I fucking missed it.”

I put my hands on his shoulders and kissed his lips softly.

“So, how are we getting dirty today?” Kyle asked, elated.

I pointed in the direction of the mudroom. “You’ll have to go see.”

He pushed off the counter, and I expected him to put me down, but he carried me in the direction of the back door. He eyed me questioningly as we stopped in the middle of the room. Then, he realized there was another door in the mudroom. Kyle opened the door and then stared in complete disbelief. His eyes filled with boyish excitement. He set me down and took a few measured steps into the five-car garage.

The first two car spaces no longer had vehicles in them. The third car spot had six Polaris four-wheelers—a pink one, a blue one, two black ones, and two white ones with blue stripes—parked in two perfectly aligned rows. Three of them were clean with only dust on them, and the other three looked as if they had been ridden fairly recently. The fourth and fifth car spaces each had a trailer that held four snowmobiles. Three dirt bikes were carefully placed along the front wall with just enough walking room around them.

“Wow.” Kyle drooled like a teenage boy as he stared at all the toys.

I chuckled at his amazement.

He turned to face me. “You’ve been holding out on me, beautiful girl.”

I shrugged. “I’m a tomboy at heart.”

He threw his head back and laughed. “I guess so. Though, I need a bit more proof,” he challenged.

“You’re on.” I grinned.

Purchase Links

Barnes & Noble | Amazon

Add to Goodreads

Giveaway:

Tour-Wide Giveaway (US Residents Only)

3 Winners ~ Kindle, 2 signed paperbacks of Beautiful Chances

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

Alicia Rae is a Contemporary Romance Author who lives in Dekalb, Illinois, with her husband and three beautiful boys. Alicia has a passion for reading all types of romance, writing to bring a story to life, and photography.

Thank you to my dear sister, Kels, who showed me a few years ago how much I truly missed reading. And to my loving husband, for not throwing away my Nook, and planting the seed of writing into my mind. I am forever grateful. Xo

Readers, words cannot thank you enough for supporting me along this incredible journey. I hope you enjoy my novels as much as I do writing them. I thank each and every one of you.

Believe in yourself and follow your dreams…

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Release Day Event…All the Pretty Lies by M. Leighton

ALL THE PRETTY LIES by M. Leighton is Here!!

That’s right! The newest novel from M. Leighton is out and you can get your copy today! Check out the stunning cover and then look below to read all about the title and M. Leighton! There’s an excerpt for you and a phenomenal giveaway that you don’t want to miss at the bottom!

Book links:

Isn’t that cover gorgeous?!? ALL THE PRETTY LIES is a New Adult Contemporary Romance filled with heat, lies, and romance. And it’s out today!

Excerpt:

I take another step toward him, building up the nerve to

just do it, just kiss him. But Hemi
surprises me when he takes the step
that will bring us near enough to touch.

He’s so close, my chest almost brushes his every time I
inhale. I sway toward him the tiniest bit, craving the contact. With him.
A perfect stranger.

“Sloane,” he whispers, the sound of my name on his lips
bringing chills to my arms again. He
reaches out to push my hair back over my shoulder. His fingertips linger on the skin of my neck
before they fall away.

“Hemi,” I sigh, melting into the heat of his eyes. I knew there was something between us. Well,
I’d hoped. Hoped I wasn’t imagining it. But now I know I wasn’t. It’s there, staring out at me from behind his
hooded midnight eyes. Blatant and unabashed, he wants me. And I want him, too.

“You need to walk out that door and never come back.”

My heart stops. Of
all the things I thought he might say, this came out of nowhere. “What?” I ask in a small, uncertain voice.

“You need to leave.
And don’t look back.”

I scramble to recover.
“But…but what about the rest of my tattoo?”

“I’m not talking about your tattoo and you know it.”

“Then what are you
talking about?” I inquire, playing dumb to save what’s left of my crumbling
pride.

“I’m talking about you.
And me. This. Us.”

“There is no us.”

“There will be in about thirty seconds if you don’t get the
hell out of here.”

“What if I don’t want to leave?” I’m confused. Is he saying
that he wants me? Or that he wants me to
go?

“I’m not asking.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why do you want me to go?”

“Because guys like me change girls like you.”

“Girls like me?”

“Innocent girls.”

“What if I’m not that innocent?”

His lips quirk in a wry grin. “Oh, you’re exactly that innocent. I can
practically smell it on you. Sweet, pure, untouched. And, if I’m being honest, I’d like nothing
better than to taste that on the tip of my tongue.”

“Then what’s stopping you?”

I watch him wrestle with…something. “I don’t have the time or the inclination to
get involved in ruining someone else’s life.”

“What makes you think you’d ruin my life?”

“Oh, trust me. I
would.”

“But—”

“But nothing. For
tonight, I’ll be the good guy you need me to be. Whether you know you need it or not. I’m
asking you to leave, Sloane. But I
promise you—promise you—that if you
so much as darken my doorway again, I won’t let you walk back out again.”

I’m torn between heady elation and harsh rejection. “Hemi—”

“Go, little girl,” he says softly. “Go before I change my mind.”

About ALL THE PRETTY LIES:

All the Pretty Lies

“Live, no regrets”

Her…

Sloane Locke has led a sheltered life. However, with a history like hers, she can understand why her brothers and her father want so much to protect her. She has gone along with it for twenty long years, but those days are over. For the girl who never makes promises, Sloane has made a pact with herself that things will change on her twenty-first birthday. So when the clock strikes midnight, Sloane strikes out to spread her wings and break a few rules.

Him…

In addition to inking skin, Hemi Spencer possesses many talents. Controlling himself has never been one of them. It’s never had to be. He’s lived a life of indulgence for as long as he can remember. Right up until tragedy struck. Now, he’s nothing but controlled. He’s a man on a mission, one who will let nothing and no one stand in his way.

Them…

Nothing in their lives could’ve prepared Sloane and Hemi for what they’d find in each other—distraction and obsession, love and possession. But the one thing they can’t find is a future. Neither one has been totally honest. And they’ll soon learn that the devil is in the details. In the details and in the lies.

How far will two people go to live in the now when the now is all they’ve got?

About the author:

M. Leighton is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Wild Ones and The Bad Boys romance trilogies. She is a native of Ohio, relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she lets her mind wander to romantic settings with sexy Southern guys much like the one she married and the ones you’ll find in her latest books. When her thoughts aren’t roaming in that direction, she’ll be riding horses, swimming in ponds and experiencing life on a ranch, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office.

For more about M. Leighton, visit her website at www.MLeightonBooks.blogspot.com or follow her on Twitter@mleightonbooks.

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Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal….Out of Time by Jen McLaughlin

I am BEYOND excited to reveal the cover for Jen McLaughlin’s OUT OF LINE!

ENJOY!

(p.s., isn’t it so pretty!?)

Out of Time by Jen McLaughlin

December 2013

BOOK SUMMARY:

Desperate to keep him…

I’ve finally gotten everything I ever wanted: love, freedom, happiness, and, most importantly, Finn. Our love is everything I expected it to be and more. We’ve finally found each other, but the world seems determined to tear us apart. We thought my father was the only obstacle between us, but now it’s the military. With Finn’s departure looming, we’re squeezing in every moment together before we run out of time.

Trying to make every moment count…

Being Carrie’s bodyguard was one thing. Being her boyfriend is another. Every day she’s mine is a day the sun shines in my life. Yet our time together is running out. Her father will never think a tattooed Marine will be good enough so I’ll do with whatever it takes to be worthy of her love. But the road will take me away from the girl who makes me feel alive–the girl I can’t live without.

Time only gets us so far…

CONTEST ALERT!

Jen McLaughlin (aka Diane Alberts) is also offering up a special contest. For every 200 adds she gets on goodreads for OUT OF TIME before the release (December 3rd), she will reveal 5 pages of the book early!

If the book hits 2500 adds before the release, she will release a bonus scene from Finn’s POV!

Just go to your Goodreads, add Out Of Time to your “to read” list and that’s it! Easy peasy!

GIVEAWAY:

Jen is giving away a signed paperback copy of OUT OF TIME (US only) and 5 ebook copies of OUT OF LINE (international).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Oh, and how about THIS:

About the author:

Jen McLaughlin is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She writes steamy New Adult books for the young and young at heart. Her first release, Out of Line, came out September 2013. She also writes bestselling Contemporary Romance under the pen name Diane Alberts.Since receiving her first contract offer under the pen name Diane Alberts, she has yet to stop writing. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, a cat, and a Senegal parrot. In the rare moments when she’s not writing, she can usually be found hunched over one knitting project or another. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

Website: http://dianealberts.com/

Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/DianeAlberts6

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DianeAlberts

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6921962.Jen_McLaughlin

Review…Keep Me Still by Caisey Quinn

*ON SALE FOR 99 CENTS DURING RELEASE WEEK! THIS BOOK IS ON SALE FOR A LIMITED TIME AND WILL RETURN TO ITS REGULAR PRICE OF 3.99 AFTER SALE ENDS!*

**Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads ~ Kobo ~

**THIS IS THE STANDALONE EDITION OF KEEP ME STILL AND INCLUDES THE PREQUEL AND SEQUEL NOVELLAS Let You Leave and Hold Us Close

Synopsis:

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

* This special edition of Keep Me Still includes the novella, Let You Leave & Hold Us Close:

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 will either bind them together or tear them apart.

My review:

Quick note: the edition that I just read included the novellas Let You Leave and Hold Us Close which in essence are the events leading up to and following the main novel, Keep Me Still. I do recommend this edition, if for no other reason than you get more Landen!

Keep Me Still is a novel by author Caisey Quinn and the first of her works that I have read. Well, after this, I will be adding all of her other works to me to-read list (oh, goodie! She’s got a bunch of books out!). This book was a crazy, intense emotional trip that I absolutely loved.

Among the many things Layla Flaherty has wished for in her life, being normal and happy are the two that mean the most. She has been through more in her life than anyone should have to endure. She lost her parents in a horrible act of violence that left her scarred emotionally and physically. Even though you couldn’t actually see her physical scars, they have ruined her reputation at school in the form of a seizure disorder and threaten to ruin her chance at a normal life. Things change, however, the minute new student and star soccer player Landen O’Brien moves to their school. She thought things had changed for the good when they became fast and close friends that slowly grew to more. Soon she realized that things actually changed for the worse when he broke her heart and ended up moving again…away from her. Even a year later, freshly tucked into freshman year at college far away from her hometown and all those memories, she couldn’t forget him. He was it for her and no one will ever live up. Imagine her surprise when she finds out he’s on her college’s soccer team. Is fate giving them another chance? Would she be able to get over her broken heart now, with him here?

As an army brat, Landen O’Brien was used to moving around. He was also used to a crap home life with a less than warm and fuzzy father, to put it nicely. The only good thing in his life was soccer….until he met Layla. For once, he was thanking his lucky stars that they had to move again and that he ended up here, with Layla, in this small town in Georgia. After spending time together, he knows he’s fallen hard and fast, but like all things in his life, nothing good lasts and he soon finds out he has to leave her. He broke her heart the day he left and he knew enrolling at the same college she was going to may not be the best choice, but he has to try to get her back. She was everything to him and he is going to do all he can to make her realize that. Since he left her a year ago, he’s been planning this. Even with his unanswered emails, texts, phone calls, he was determined. Now, with a little undercover help from Layla’s aunt, he’s here and there’s no way is he going to let her slip away again.

Layla and Landen embark on an emotional, moving, touching journey that will test their commitment to each other as well as to themselves. Individually they carry their own heavy burdens and things will get hard along the way, but with love and trust in the bond they’ve found, they have the power to make it all work out in the end. It may not be easy, but some things are worth fighting for.

This book kicked my arse and I absolutely loved it. Layla broke my heart at the beginning. She was so damaged and lost and just plain sad. To have gone through what she did and still be willing to try to get to some kind of normal life was so very admirable. Then to see her grow with Landen’s help, and to gain some confidence was fantastic. It was that confidence that had me loving her through the book. After coming out of her shell, so to speak, she really learned that she could take charge of her future and that her scars and her past didn’t define her. It was beautiful to see that change in her. On the flip side, Landen ended up breaking my heart at the end. He is a book boyfriend that I know tons of gals will be swooning over. An adorable, all-American jock with a damaged side that slayed me. Reading some of his scenes had me bawling my eyes out. Of course, that made me love him even more. His determination to be with Layla and his love for her was so real and intense. The dynamic between Layla and Landen is amazing. He helped her when she needed it most and pulled her from her darkness and eventually she has to do the same for him. Their trip to a happy ending is a really, really, REALLY rough one but so damn well deserved. Gut wrenching, sob inducing, heart breaking, emotional charged scenes put this book on my list of favorites. I absolutely adore Layla and Landen and reading the last few pages of this book made me so very happy for them.

Oh, and Layla’s roomie? Corin…. KICKED ASS! That girl is a friend we all would be lucky to have. She’s there for Layla when the chips are down and it honest even when the truth hurts. Loved her!

Yes, this is clearly one of my long and rambling reviews, because I just LOVED this book. Again, I recommend getting the edition with the two novellas because, well, more is always better! Thank you, Caisey, for Layla and Landen and for this amazing story.

Four-and-a-Half Loves

About the author:

Caisey 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