Ink & Lies by S.L. Jennings….Excerpt Reveal

ink & lies excerpt reveal

Prologue

You know that pivotal moment in every love story, when the hero or heroine makes an imperative move that leaves the other with a life-altering choice? Whether it be a pronouncement of love (I’ve been in love with you my entire life, and I don’t care that you’re my stepbrother) or a salacious secret (I’m pregnant and the baby isn’t yours) or a shocking decision (I’ve decided to embrace what I am… I’m transitioning into a unicorn, and I’m pregnant by my stepbrother), we can always count on this familiar occurrence.

I’ve always deemed them cliché yet necessary in the romance genre. A good plot twist is as vital to a story as its characters. Without it, the hero and heroine would have no reason to change, to evolve. They’d have no reason to step out on faith and madness and take hold of their destiny. Take hold of their story.

I once lived for the perfect plot twist.

I just never expected to actually live it.

I look down at my boarding pass for the eightieth time in the last fifteen minutes. Gate 3B, Seat 2A. GEG to LAX. Final boarding in…now.

Sixteen hours ago, I succumbed to the insanity of feeling, and made my crucial confession. I began that almighty trek up a story’s climactic mountain. And every hour, every minute, since, I’ve waited for her to make her choice.

To make me her choice.

The attendant glares at me from over her intercom receiver and announces that the gate for flight D5611 will be closing in sixty seconds. She’s saying it for only me, because I’m the only one here. Waiting. Crumbling.

I take one last look down the corridor that leads to security. I just knew that she’d show up, racing through the airport, screaming for someone to stop the plane. That was how I’d imagined my story…our story. The greatest cliché of all, and I still couldn’t breathe it into fruition. I still couldn’t get her to read between the lines scrawled on my heart.

I guess the most epic romances are still tucked away within the pages of her favorite novels, safely swathed in inked lies and faded paper promises. Forever fictional. Just like love.

ink and lies

Are you ready to meet Rhys & Fi in this romantic stand alone

releasing February 9th!

ink & lies preorder

Pre-order for ONLY $0.99 NOW!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1PiWzM6

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

**Additional retailers coming soon**

INK AND LIES TEASER

Blurb

From International Best Selling Romance Novelist, Hope Hughes, comes a gripping, heartfelt tale of two lovers, fighting for the freedom to…

No. Scratch that. Too cheesy.

…two people, torn apart by the tumultuous tides of life, only to discover refuge in…

WTF? What does that even mean? DELETE.

…two people, confused as shit as to where they should be and who they should love and none of this means a damn thing because it’s all lies!

Lies.

I’m not Hope Hughes. I’m not some fierce woman romance machine. Hell, I’m not even a woman.

I’m a liar.

And while I refuse to believe my own BS, deceit masked in heartfelt phrases of love and devotion, I want to make her believe them. Because maybe—just maybe—if she can find the soul within my words, she’ll also be able to find the truth scribbled on my heart.

You see, I once lived for the perfect plot twist.

I just never expected to actually live it.

This is my story. Well, maybe her story. I just wish I could make it our story.

The one I’m still writing.

INK AND LIES TEASER 2

About the Author:

SL BIO

S.L. Jennings is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romance, reality TV junkie, obsessive coffee drinker and collector of crazy.

Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | Twitter |Goodreads

Rough & Tumble by Kristen Hope Mazzola…Release Day Blitz & Review

Title: Rough & Tumble
Author: Kristen Hope Mazzola
Release Date: Feb 4, 2016
Find on Goodreads
#WhoIsBoBriggs 
That’s all I saw all over social media a few years after he dumped me for a super model and was the first round draft pick for the North Carolina Hogs.
I thought I loved Bo, way back when, but it was all too cliché. He was the star quarterback and I was the head cheerleader. High school sweethearts turned college romance that crumbled when our careers twisted into different paths, or so we thought.
Oh and did I mention, I am about to start photographing his team?!
FML…This is going to be interesting to say the least.
review
Short, sweet and full of love.

Rough & Tumble is very short love story about a second chance at love.

Don’t expect anything to be descriptive or drawn out. This story is cute and gets straight to the point. Small dab of drama with the rest full of love and happy times.

If you are looking for a very quick read that will put a smile on your face and leave you feeling very good – this is the book for you.

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I was startled awake. I had been falling fast in my dream and right before I hit the bottom, my eyes flew open. I quickly started to look around the foreign room. I couldn’t remember anything past seeing Brit and Roxy’s empty seats next to me at the club the night before.
I was in someone’s bed in a room I had never been in in my life. I was dressed in a large black shirt and my underwear and that was it. 
How’d I get that fucked up last night?
I rolled out of bed. Hoping to figure out where the heck I was, I peered out the window. I knew that I was downtown somewhere, but for the life of me I couldn’t place the streets and landmarks in my view.
I spun on my heels as I heard the door to the strange room open. My heart was pounding and I was holding my breath as I waited to see who was coming in. 
What the hell?
Of course, Bo Briggs slowly started to make his way over to me. I was paralyzed. He was engaged. What in god’s name was I doing in his room?
“How are you feeling?” He handed me a bottle of water and a couple Advil. His light blond hair was shorter than it had been, and he looked downright military with his defined muscles, sleeves of tattoos, and crooked grin that always brought me to my knees. 
“Fine.” I took the tiny pills and water from my hunky ex and chugged them down fast. In all reality, my head felt like it had been run over by a Mack truck. “What happened last night? Did we…?” I sunk onto the bed. Except for a few times in passing, it was the first time I had seen Bo in a few years. All the old buried feelings flooded me. I had known for a long time that I wasn’t over my ex, but I didn’t want him to ever know that.
“You were drugged last night at the club.”
My face felt hot, my palms turned clammy, and my head felt like it was about to explode. “What the fuck?” My voice crackled.

You want to know more about me? Well, let’s see…

I am just an average twenty-something following my dreams.  I have a full time “day job” and by night I am an author.  I guess you could say that writing is like my super power (I always wanted one of those).  I am the lover of wine, sushi, football and the ocean; that is when I am not wrapped up in the literary world.

A portion of all my profits are donated to The Marcie Mazzola Foundation.

 

He Will Be My Ruin by K.A. Tucker….Review & Excerpt Tour

He Will Be My Ruin -tour banner

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Review & Excerpt Tour for K.A. Tucker’s HE WILL BE MY RUIN! HE WILL BE MY RUIN is a Romantic Suspense novel, published by Atria books, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster, and is set to be released February 2, 2016!

 

He Will Be My Ruin -cover

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

IndieBound | Book Depository | Audible

 

K.A. Tucker’s HE WILL BE MY RUIN – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:

January 25th

Wrapped Up In Reading – Review & Excerpt

Bookaholics Reading Haven – Review & Excerpt

For The Love of Fictional Worlds – Review & Excerpt

Krista’s Dust Jacket – Review & Excerpt

Lost in Literature – Review & Excerpt

Myriad Inklings – Review & Excerpt

TSK TSK What to Read – Review & Excerpt

January 26th

thebookdragon – Review & Excerpt

The Book Hookup – Review & Excerpt

Reading Addict – Review & Excerpt

No BS Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Confessions of a YA and NA Book Addict – Review & Excerpt

Book Angel Booktopia – Review & Excerpt

Latte Nights Reviews – Review & Excerpt

January 27th

Blushing Babes Are Up All Night Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Dark Faerie Tales – Review & Excerpt

Ficwishes – Review & Excerpt

Reviews by Tammy and Kim – Review & Excerpt

Smut Book Junkie Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

The Review Loft – Review & Excerpt

Three Girls and a Book Obsession – Review & Excerpt

January 28th

Reading is Sexy – Review & Excerpt

Novel Ink – Review & Excerpt

Four Chicks Flipping Pages – Review & Excerpt

Desert Divas Book Addiction – Review & Excerpt

Curled Up and Cozy – Review & Excerpt

Obsessive Book Nerd – Review & Excerpt

January 29th

Adventures in Writing – Excerpt

All Romance Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Grownupfangirl – Review & Excerpt

Love Affair With Fiction – Review & Excerpt

Typical Distractions – Review & Excerpt

Up All Night Book Addict – Review & Excerpt

January 30th

Art, Books, & Coffee – Review & Excerpt

Book Baristas – Review & Excerpt

Girl Plus Books – Review & Excerpt

The Phantom Paragrapher – Review & Excerpt

Stormy Nights Reviewing &Bloggin’ – Review & Excerpt

Cocktails and Books – Review & Excerpt

January 31st

Vera is Reading – Review & Excerpt

A Bookish Escape – Review & Excerpt

Her Book Thoughts – Review & Excerpt

Naughty and Nice Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

PBC – Review & Excerpt

MysteriesEtc – Review & Excerpt

February 1st

Southern Belle Book Blog – Excerpt

Rock Hard Romance – Review & Excerpt

Book Bitches Blog – Review & Excerpt

Four Brits and a Book – Review & Excerpt

Red Cheeks Reads – Review & Excerpt

Short and Sassy Book Blurbs – Review & Excerpt

The Reading Date – Review & Excerpt

February 2nd

Oh The Book Feels – Excerpt

Books to Breathe – Excerpt

Vi3tbabe – Review & Excerpt

Read Love Blog – Review & Excerpt

Mean Girls Luv Books – Review & Excerpt

Literati Literature Lovers – Review & Excerpt

February 3rd

I Read Indie – Review & Excerpt

2 girls who love books – Review & Excerpt

BFD Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

The Book Bellas – Review & Excerpt

Summer’s Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Sanaa’s Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Brandie is a Book Junkie – Review & Excerpt

Got More Books – Review & Excerpt

February 4th

Book Lovers Hangout – Review & Excerpt

Author Groupies – Review & Excerpt

Books I Think You Should Read – Review & Excerpt

Bridger Bitches Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Collector of book boyfriends – Review & Excerpt

The Book Avenue – Review & Excerpt

Shayna Renee’s Spicy Reads – Review & Excerpt

Book Babes Unite – Review & Excerpt

February 5th

The Book Hoarders – Review & Excerpt

Once Upon a Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Itching for Books – Review & Excerpt

Liezel’s Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Have Book Will Read – Review & Excerpt

Our Kindle Konfessions – Review & Excerpt

In Between The Pages – Review & Excerpt

LuLo Fangirl – Review & Excerpt

Nose Stuck In A Book – Review & Excerpt

He Will Be My Ruin -tour teaser 1

 

 

About HE WILL BE MY RUIN:

The USA TODAY bestselling author of the Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series makes her suspense debut with this sexy, heartpounding story of a young woman determined to find justice after her best friend’s death, a story pulsing with the “intense, hot, emotional” (Colleen Hoover) writing that exhilarates her legions of fans.

A woman who almost had it all . . .

On the surface, Celine Gonzalez had everything a twenty-eight-year-old woman could want: a one-bedroom apartment on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, a job that (mostly) paid the bills, and an acceptance letter to the prestigious Hollingsworth Institute of Art, where she would finally live out her dream of becoming an antiques appraiser for a major auction house. All she had worked so hard to achieve was finally within her reach. So why would she kill herself?

A man who was supposed to be her salvation . . .

Maggie Sparkes arrives in New York City to pack up what’s left of her best friend’s belongings after a suicide that has left everyone stunned. The police have deemed the evidence conclusive: Celine got into bed, downed a lethal cocktail of pills and vodka, and never woke up. But when Maggie discovers a scandalous photograph in a lock box hidden in Celine’s apartment, she begins asking questions. Questions about the man Celine fell in love with. The man she never told anyone about, not even Maggie. The man Celine believed would change her life.

Until he became her ruin.

On the hunt for evidence that will force the police to reopen the case, Maggie uncovers more than she bargained for about Celine’s private life—and inadvertently puts herself on the radar of a killer. A killer who will stop at nothing to keep his crimes undiscovered.

 

review

Holy geez…I still can’t get over this book! It’s been days since I finished this book and I can’t get it out my mind. K.A. wrote a brilliant book!

He Will Be My Ruin is K.A.’s first “stab” at a romantic thriller and holy hell, does she deliver!! I had so many different thoughts and opinions on everything as I going through the book. I had my doubts throughout when I thought it was one person and then another.

I won’t say anything about this plot. The blurb itself gives enough away. Tucker’s writing is what will keep you drawn to the story and have you trying to figure out all the ins and outs of everything.

There are so many different pieces to these puzzle. It’s almost impossible to figure out. You will find yourself doubting every reason you believe it to be this person and then when you think you got it, Tucker throws in another curve ball and you’re like “shit, back to square one.”

These are the books that I love to read. Yes it has a romantic side to it, but it’s not what you expect. The suspense and all the twists and turns will keep you glued to this book.

The characters are all quite interesting. They all have very unique backgrounds. And their qualities and characteristics make them all easily relatable and real. You find yourself quickly picturing everything going on including who these people are.

Tucker wrote a very interesting and unique story that just sucks you in from the beginning. I am hoping that she writes more stories in this genre because she is damn good!!

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He Will Be My Ruin -tour teaser 2

EXCERPT

 

Look, I’m just…” I stare at my reflection in the mirror, my eyes lined with bags, my skin sallow, my hair matted. I look like someone who sat in bed for twenty-four hours, eating cold pizza from the box I had delivered last night and polishing off a bottle of vodka, all while reading the deepest and darkest thoughts from the last fifteen years of Celine Gonzalez’s life. Discovering things that I could have happily gone the rest of my life without knowing.

              Which is exactly what I’ve done.

              I can barely keep my eyes open and yet I know that sleep will not grant me a reprieve. “I’m dealing with a few private matters.”

              “Well, I can’t guarantee that I’ll be able to fit you in when you decide that you’re ready.”

              “You will, because your boss wants my money.” I hang up before I hear her snippy answer and stare at the journal in my hands.

              I was torn between starting from the latest diary first and easing myself in with the oldest one, afraid that I wasn’t ready for what might lie within those last pages. That I wasn’t ready to witness just how Celine had lost herself.

              And then I picked up a pink book with butterflies on it—the earliest dated journal—and read a thirteen-year-old Celine recount her major crush on my boyfriend at the time: a tall, gangly guy named Jordan who kissed her behind our house one day while I was changing into my bathing suit upstairs. She felt so guilty, she couldn’t sleep for a week. Through tears, I laughed—because I hadn’t even given that guy a moment’s thought in years—and I knew then that starting at the beginning of Celine’s story was the only way to do this.

              And so I did, living the past fifteen years through Celine’s eyes, since the days she and Rosa still lived with me. It wasn’t hard to follow along. She dated every single entry. Some days she didn’t have a lot to say. Other days she’d fill an entire page, even writing along the margin. She seemed to follow a simple rule as the years progressed: one page per day, no more.

              So many days.

              So many confessions.

              So many things that made my heart swell.

              And so many that made my heart bleed with pain.

 

 

Author PhotoAbout K.A. Tucker:

Born in small-town Ontario, K.A. Tucker published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.

 

 

 

 

 

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Love Struck by Laurelin McGee….Release Day Blitz & Review

 

 

Title: Love Struck
Series: Miss Match #2 
Author: Laurelin McGee 
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release
Date: February 2, 2016

 

Blurb
Welcome to a seductive world where two solo artists combine their talents-and their hearts-to make beautiful music together… SHE’S GETTING INTO THE GROOVE
Lacy Dawson is a young singer-songwriter with a record deal, a studio gig, and a serious case of writer’s block. After looking for love songs in all the wrong places, she finds inspiration at an online support group called Song Writers Anonymous. Thanks to one mysterious member who motivates her and inspires her, Lacy’s career is back on track. But is she ready to meet her sexy musical muse…face to face?
 HE MAKES HER HEART SKIP A BEAT
Eli is definitely interested in hooking up with Lacy, aka “LoveCoda.” But between writing her new album and his band’s success, they can’t find the time to face the music-or each other-about their burgeoning online romance. All that changes when Eli and Lucy get booked on tour together. In person, the attraction is all too real and explosive. They both should walk away, but once they are in each other’s arms, there is no turning back…

 

 

 

Purchase Links
AMAZON US / UK
review

Love Struck is the first book I have read by Laurelin McGee – who together is Laurelin Paige and Kayti Mcgee.  While I have read books by Laurelin, I have never read anything by Katyi and figured this was a good place to start.

Love Struck is a endearing and uplifting read, well the majority of it is.  It does have it moments that will make you tear up but the overall book really gives you a happy vibe.

Lacy is trying to find her way back to song writing after a huge change in her life.  She doesn’t go the pity party or really ever show she’s down on her luck, but she knows she’s struggling an needs to find that motivation she once had.

Eli’s band is going on tour and he’s stoked to be able to do what he loves.  However, he too has his own problems going on.  He’s not one to be center of attention and tends to blend in with the crowd.  He’s easy going and extremely laid back.

I really enjoyed this book for various reasons.  First, there’s the online portion where members must stay anonymous.  And then when they are put on tour together unbeknownst to the other, it just adds another cool twist into the story.

I really enjoyed how they wrote this plot.  My only issue was the characters didn’t seem to act their age (they are 26 and 31) and they seemed to act more like early 20’s.  Outside of that, I really did enjoy this book.   I enjoyed the musical part of this book and how they delved into what musicians struggle with.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable book.  I look forward to reading more from these two authors.

 

Also Available
AMAZON US / UK
AMAZON US / UK

 

 

 

Author Bio

Laurelin McGee is the pseudonym of Laurelin Paige and Kayti McGee.

Laurelin Paige is the NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Fixed Trilogy. She’s a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters.

Kayti McGee is a Kansas City native who now calls Colorado home. When she isn’t writing, she’s making up recipes to go with her favorite books.

Author Links

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Giveaway

Unboxed: The Woodlands series by Jen Frederick….Limited Time Sale

woodlands banner use

UNBOXED contains the following full length novels: UNDECLARED, UNSPOKEN, UNRAVELED, and UNREQUITED.

This USA Today Bestselling Series is a four-book box set with bonus content.

**Limited Time Only**

Are you ready to find your next book boyfriend?

NOW ON SALE for ONLY $0.99!

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

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1nFam96

Blurb

UNBOXED contains the following full length novels: UNDECLARED, UNSPOKEN, UNRAVELED, and UNREQUITED.

woodlands Teaser 1

UNDECLARED

For four years, Grace Sullivan wrote to a Marine she never met, and fell in love. But when his deployment ended, so did the letters…Noah has always known exactly what he wants out of life. Success. Stability. Control. That’s why he joined the Marines and that’s why he’s fighting his way — literally — through college. Now that he’s got the rest of his life on track, he has one last conquest: Grace Sullivan. But since he was the one who stopped writing, he knows that winning her back will be his biggest battle yet.

Excerpt #Undeclared

Dear Grace,

My biggest fear, huh? I don’t think I ever told you about my recruitment experience, did I? So the AF reps show up at high school on career day. Bo had skipped and gone somewhere to drink the day away. Lucky bastard. I would’ve cut class that day, too, but I had too many skips and was warned that if I had any more, they would withhold my diploma and make me go to summer school. That wasn’t going to happen.

Anyway, I end up talking with the Army and Marine recruiters. Their spiels are pretty similar. They ask me about my interests, and I tell them getting the hell out of Nowheresville is my priority. The Marine recruiter nods and says he felt the same way. He tells me I can earn money, get my college paid for, and make a lot of friends. The first one sounds interesting, the second intriguing, the third I could care less about. Turns out the last one is actually the biggest benefit of joining.

Later, the recruiter follows up with me.  Gives me a huge laundry list of awesome things about joining. I tell him he doesn’t have to sell me anymore, that I’m ready to sign. Only I’m debating between the Marines and the Army. Then I make my biggest mistake ever. I admit that I’m not a fan of water. The Marine recruiter laughs and says, “You’ll be infantry, son,” and I sign.

When I get to boot camp they tell me the Marines are a branch of the Navy. The Navy, Grace. The Marine recruiter must have noted that I had an aversion to water, because every punishment I ever received was water-related.

The moral of this story is that I can’t go around telling people my greatest fear, because someone will use it against me. It ain’t water anymore.

~Noah

__

Dear Grace,

I think what you feel on my letters is dust. I’m bummed that it is on my letters to you. They say it’s sand, but it’s finer than that. It’s like the particles that make up the sand, and it is everywhere. When you get home on leave and wash for the first time, you have to stand under the water for at least twenty minutes, all the while watching the black dust collect and pool at your feet, creating coffee-colored water that swirls down the drain.

I don’t think you can ever fully erase the dust from your belongings. It sticks with you no matter how long you let the water wash over you or how many times you wipe it away. Like the tension I have in being weaponless and exposed back home, the dust is one of the many things I’ll carry with me when I’m out.

I’m sorry that it is invading your space now through my letters. It’s like I’m spreading a contaminant. Am I Patient Zero, or are you?

I probably shouldn’t have volunteered for a third tour, but combat pay is hard to turn down. After three years here, though, I feel like I am a loosely contained conglomerate of those particles of dust.

Yours,

Noah

woodlands teaser 4

UNSPOKEN

AnnMarie Sullivan made one mistake in her freshman year and her entire college existence became tainted by it. Guys labeled her as easy and girls shied away. To cope, AnnMarie stayed away from Central social life and away from Central men until Bo Randolph storms into her life. Bo allows instinct to rule his behavior. If it feels good, do it, has been his motto. AnnMarie is everything he didn’t realize he wanted. He knows he should walk away, but he just can’t.

Excerpt: #Unspoken

“I heard you drove over to the TKE house and played ‘If You Love Me’ on a loop from your convertible until the sorority girl came out, with her white dress billowing behind her. Maybe there was a glass slipper left on the stairs. I can’t remember.”

Bo was laughing at this. “First, I don’t have a convertible and wow, I sound like a total douche bag. How is this rumor helping my reputation?”

“It’s not a douche bag move.” I took a sip of my coffee. “It’s totally a Lloyd Dobbler, Say Anything move. John Hughes could have scripted that.”

“John Hughes?”

“You know, the moviemaker from the eighties.”

“You weren’t born in the eighties.”

“They’re still teen movies!”

“If I say you’re hot when you’re angry, will you hit me?”

I motioned that I would throw the cup of coffee in his face, which only made Bo laugh more.

“Okay, okay. Sorry. Tell me why this is appealing, because it sounds kind of pathetic to me.”

“I can’t believe you haven’t seen Say Anything.” I shook my head in disbelief.

“I’m pretty sure I was too busy killing people in Call of Duty to watch that movie.”

“In Say Anything, Lloyd Dobbler stands outside his love’s window and holds up a boombox that’s playing their song. In the rain. It’s very romantic.” I held up my arms to mimic the gesture.

He looked at me skeptically.

“It’s a sign of his true love,” I argued.

“I think true love is signified by more than some dippy guy standing outside in the rain playing music for a girl.”

“What’s an act of true love, then?”

“Throwing your body on a grenade so your buddies don’t become pieces of shrapnelized flesh.”

“My God, did you do that in the war?” I was shocked. I’d seen Bo without his shirt on and didn’t recall seeing any marks. Maybe I’d been blind? I shuddered at the thought of him being hurt.

“No,” he sighed, “but I know a guy in a different unit that did.”

“Okay, but that’s not something you could do for a girl here.” I frowned.

“True love means that you’d be willing to sacrifice all for another person.” That was pretty profound. Bo believed that?

“So maybe Lloyd was sacrificing his ego for Dianne in the movie,” I countered.

“Possibly. Still seems like a passive, weak-ass move.” Bo rubbed a finger across his chin and relaxed back in his chair.

“What should he have done?”

“To express his love?”

“Yes!” I exclaimed, leaning toward him. My hands were planted on my legs and I felt poised to jump him, either in frustration or desire.

“Actions speak louder than words. Or singing, as the case may be.”

“He was out there, in the rain.”

“But he wasn’t doing anything. You show a woman you love her by what you do for her, from opening her door to making sure that bumps in the road of life are smoothed out. That she wants and worries for nothing. That when you think about sex, it’s her face in your fantasies, her body you’re touching, her lips you’re kissing. That every day you remind her that she’s the first thought in your mind when you wake up and the last thought before you drop off to sleep.”

woodlands teaser 2

UNRAVELED

Twenty-five-year-old Sgt. Gray Phillips is at a crossroads in his life: stay in the Marine Corps or get out and learn to be a civilian? He’s got forty-five days of leave to make up his mind but the people in his life aren’t making the decision any easier. His dad wants him to get out; his grandfather wants him to stay in. And his growing feelings for Sam Anderson are wreaking havoc with his heart…and his mind. He believes relationships get ruined when a Marine goes on deployment. So now he’s got an even harder decision to make: take a chance on Sam or leave love behind and give his all to the Marines.

Excerpt:  #Unraveled

“I’m going to kiss you now.” His voice was deep and rough, and it matched the rest of his thoroughly masculine body.

“I know,” I whispered back. And I wanted that kiss from Gray, even though he ordinarily wouldn’t be my type at all. I wanted it more than I wanted to breathe. When his mouth molded against mine, it felt like bliss—as if my whole cold body had been submerged into a warm bath. If I thought I had been engulfed before it was nothing like I felt at that moment. My entire world—my thoughts, my feelings, my senses—were full of him. I tasted the mint and hops on his tongue. I inhaled the scents of cinnamon and bergamot and ocean of his faint cologne into my airways. I felt the calloused palm on my waist and then lower against the exposed skin of my thigh. His dense muscles were drawn tight under his skin and the fabric of his t-shirt and he felt as strong as a citadel. The moan that had been building since he first backed me into the wall escaped. It had been so long since I’d had the touch of a man’s hand on any part of me, and I nearly wept at the pleasure of it.

Every square inch of my body felt sensitized, as if I’d been an unlit Christmas tree and I’d just been plugged in. I wanted to feel his hands all over, not just on that patch of thigh. I needed his touch in those secret places, those places I thought had calcified. I’d thought I’d been waiting for the smooth hands of an accountant but the longer, rougher fingers pushing the hem of my shorts up couldn’t belong to a man who worked in an office.

His tongue and mouth broke from mine to leave a hot, wet path from my mouth, across my jaw line, and down to my neck. My leg lifted of its own accord and he took it as a sign to hitch me up higher until both my legs either dangled off the floor or wrapped around him. I chose to wrap my legs around him and was rewarded with a thick hard column pressing into my sex. We both groaned at the contact and I could feel his sound against my neck. The reverberations sent minor shocks throughout my nervous system. Holding me up against the wall, he began thrusting against me rhythmically, every impact of his hips making me hotter and wetter than I thought I could get.

I gripped him tighter with my legs and dug my hands into his hair, using every bit of his body as leverage. He held me up with ease, as if I were a feather. One hand was under my right butt cheek and the other was exploring my left side, pulling out my T-shirt, only to find the tank underneath. Needing his mouth back, I tugged on his hair and he took the hint immediately. He fastened his lips over mine and we devoured each other, still rubbing our lower bodies against each other as the bass from the dance floor pounded the floor boards.

Whimpering, I begged in moans and small cries for more. A familiar but almost forgotten tension was winding its way from between my legs outward. All thoughts of storage rooms and hallways and strangers were lost in the swirl of bright lights bursting behind my eyelids.

“I got you, baby,” he growled against my mouth. “Just let go.” And so I did. I closed my eyes and let those long-dormant feelings wash over me, spreading from the inside of my legs to the nerve endings in my toes and fingertips and the very top of my head. And he kept grinding and grinding and grinding against me, whispering in my ear how I was the hottest thing he’d ever held, how he couldn’t wait to taste me, how he’d die if he couldn’t be inside me tonight.

 

UNREQUITED

Winter Donovan loves two things: her sister and her sister’s ex boyfriend. She’s spent her whole life doing the right thing except that one time, that night when Finn O’Malley looked hollowed out by his father’s death. Then she did something very wrong that felt terribly right. Finn can’t stop thinking about Winter and the night and he’ll do anything to make her a permanent part of his life, even if it means separating Winter from the only family she has. Their love was supposed to be unrequited but one grief stricken guy and one girl with too big of a heart results in disastrous consequences.

**Also includes the bonus epilogue for UNSPOKEN along with a preview of THE CHARLOTTE CHRONICLES—a spin off of the Woodlands series.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jen Frederick

jen frederick bio

Jen Frederick lives with her husband, child, and one rambunctious dog.  She’s been reading stories all her life but never imagined writing one of her own. Jen loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at jensfrederick@gmail.com.

Website: jenfrederick.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jensfred

Goodreads: http://tinyurl.com/p3ptasx

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Faking It by J.D. Hollyfield…Release Day Blitz

Title: Faking It
Author: J.D. Hollyfield
Release Date: Feb 1, 2016
Find on Goodreads
Fake it till you make it.
That’s Lexi Hall, the wild socialite’s motto for how to live life.
Single and allergic to commitment, Lexi is having the time of her life.  Or is she? With a new promotion at the art gallery, and her colorful lifestyle as bright as ever, she swears she has no interest in slowing down. When Lexi receives a phone call that can change her career, she pounces on the opportunity. But what this outgoing diva doesn’t plan for is her new client, the closed off, secluded artist, Hunter James. Fighting to draw the line between work and pleasure, it’s up to Lexi to figure out how to balance her fake life for something real.
Hunter James is an artist without a muse. Lacking the beauty in his life that he craves, his art is beginning to suffer.  Unfortunately for the mysterious artist, a past mistake also tarnishes his trust in women. Forced to take a meeting with an art gallery dealer, he accepts knowing he’ll turn her down. He turns them all down.  But what he doesn’t anticipate is for the seductive bombshell to turn his world upside down.  As his body and mind come alive, he vows to stop at nothing to have her on his canvas and in his bed.
As Lexi’s life begins to brighten with the promise of something beautiful, can she stop faking it and find a reason to make it real? Or will Hunter’s past replace their light with darkness?
On sale for $0.99 on release day only!
The clacking of my stilettos on the shiny marble of his penthouse floor is the only sound that can be heard between us. As I hit the button for the elevator, I feel Hunter behind me. His body heat is setting my back ablaze as he pins me with his dominant frame.  I expect him to say something. Do something. But he doesn’t. His solid chest pressed against my back, his heavy breaths hitting the outside of my earlobe. 
“Please,” he finally whispers, almost like a plea.  “Please say yes to me, Lexi.” His words sending a spiral of heat down my spine. He’s barely touched me, yet I feel as if I’m going to combust. “Let me paint every contour of your exquisite body. Every curve, every dimple.” His mouth is so close to my skin that I imagine his lips on me. His warm breath caresses the back of my neck, traveling down to my collarbone. “Tell me you don’t feel just a little bit intrigued at how freeing it would be to sit for me. To expose yourself to me while I take in every part of your body and transform it into my own private masterpiece.” 
I exhale audibly, my shoulders beginning to weaken. His arms lift, enclosing on each side of my now pulsating body. His strong hands press against the wall forming a barricade around me. “Tell me that you don’t agree that your body is a paradise for any man’s eyes. I need that. I need to be able to capture that beauty and paint a vision that leaves me struggling for air every time I look at it.  That is what you will give me if you say yes.”

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

J.D. Hollyfield lives in the Midwest, and is currently at work on blowing the minds of readers, with the additions to all her series, along with her charm, humor and HEA’s.

J.D. Hollyfield – Release Blitz

 

Chasing Spring by R.S. Grey…Release Day Blitz & Review

Title: Chasing Spring
Author: R.S. Grey
Release Date: Feb 1, 2016
Find on Goodreads
I thought I’d left Blackwater, Texas behind for good. I didn’t belong in the small town, but my dad wouldn’t listen. He dragged me back home in his beat-up truck and dropped a bomb along the way: Chase Matthews was moving in with us. He was the golden boy of my high school, my former best friend, and the last person I wanted sleeping across the hall. His presence was too great a reminder of the ghosts I was trying to forget.
I didn’t ask for a hero. I don’t want to be saved.
To me, Lilah Calloway meant late nights sneakin’ out, moonlit hair, and sparklers in July. She was my best friend until the day she left and I’d assumed Blackwater had seen the last of her. Then, like a tempest, she rolled back into town for the final half of senior year. The chopped hair and dark devil-may-care attitude warned most people away, but I knew if I fought hard enough, I could find the lost girl.
I didn’t want to be her hero. Some girls don’t need to be saved.
review
I don’t think there will ever be a book that Rachel writes that I do not like. LOL

When I first saw the cover for this book, I truly loved it. After reading the book, this cover just gives me goosebumps all over!

Chasing Spring is YA romance that deals with a few issues that unfortunately some kids face. Rachel does a phenomenal job of bring true to how certain people would react and what would go on in a young mind as they are growing up.

I won’t give you any plot points but know that Chase and Lilah are two young kids who are dealt some pretty shitty cards in life and they deal with things in their own way. What I will say is that I absolutely loved how Rachel intertwined the past and present together. It really pulled the whole story together.

The book flows beautifully. Rachel really knows how to capture her audience with her writing and you can easily picture each scene as you are reading. And the characters, both main and secondary were written very well. Their reactions, banter, characteristics were real and true.

Overall, Chasing Spring is very heartfelt and hopeful book. I look forward to reading more from Rachel!

I am a lover of books, chocolate, reality TV, black labs, and cold weather. Seriously, if I had it my way, I would be curled up on the couch with all of those things… everyday.
I live in Texas where I spend my free time writing and reading. My favorite authors include Mindy Kaling & Jonathan Safran Foer. I’m a comedy geek and love all things “funny”. Women like Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Mindy Kaling are definitely the biggest inspirations for my writing, though I think my work tends to skew a bit smuttier than theirs.

 

Reign by M.N. Forgy……Book Tour & Review

reign it's live [730203]

One bad biker. One gorgeous sheriff.

One intense biker romance.

REIGN IS NOW AVAILABLE

reign cover [275353]

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1W0eSdq

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

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1PW98BW

iBooks: http://apple.co/1R8tNCO

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1QdBQy7

reign [275350]

BLURB

As the president of the Sin City Outlaw Motorcycle Club, l fuck as hard as I ride and rarely go to bed alone.

The women are fast and the violence is intense.

I excel in both.

People either respect me or fear me. I’m not arrogant. It’s just the truth.

I was a king, reigning over Vegas without complication, until one gorgeous sheriff made everything fall apart.

When I saw her, I became a Neanderthal, wanting nothing more than to be between those legs.

I guess that’s where I went wrong, because my reality was shot to hell real

fucking fast.

One kiss caused her to step over that blue line.

One night in her bed made me a traitor.

And now… we’re both screwed.

reign teaser new [275349]

REVIEW

She’s done it again….I do believe Forgy has another hit series on her hands!

Reign is the start of Forgy’s new MC series, Sin City Outlaws.  I loved her Devil’s Dust series so she was starting off another MC series with extremely high hopes and she delivered!!

As with every new series, you have to develop the background and characters.  Get the vibe going for readers.  While I did struggle in part of the beginning, it quickly picked up and had be glued to my seat.

Zeek is President of the Sin City Outlaw MC.  And everyone is Las Vegas leaves them be – they run Vegas.  Jillian is a deputy fresh off her training.  She’s grown up in the area and her step-father is a Lt.  It’s not like she doesn’t know who the Sin City Outlaws are.  Hell, they have a damn course at the academy on the Sin City Outlaws.

When these are face to face outside a casino, Jillian doesn’t let the Sin City Outlaws reputation shake her – she stands her ground.  However, what happens will change her life forever.

This is no pretty story.  I actually had chills running down my body at certain points in this book.  I was able to vividly picture ALOT of what went down and I am not talking the hot, steamy scenes.  Oh don’t get my wrong, those scenes were intense too.  But the action and the shit that plays out – it just isn’t for the faint of hearts.

Forgy lays it all out there for ya.  She holds nothing back and doesn’t sugar coat anything.  It’s raw, real and damn intimidating.

I can’t wait to see how this all plays out.  Cause yea, she leaves us hanging on by a thread.

reign teaser [275351]

EXCERPT

“Really? You got me donuts?” I arch a brow, dropping the lid. He turns, a mischievous smile fitting his face. “Don’t all cops like donuts?” he jeers. I roll my eyes, placing my hand on my hip. “That’s so stereotypical,” I huff. “Oh, really?” he replies, grabbing the box off the table, a smug smile still on his face. “I’ll get rid of them then.” “No, wait!” I nearly trip over my feet trying to grab the box of donuts. He holds them higher than me and smiles so big I think I see two dimples. Really, he’s pulling the notorious bully move holding them just above my reach? Why am I attracted to him again? “I thought you didn’t like them,” he taunts. “I do like them. A lot, actually.” I cross my arms, my cheeks flushing. My dad used to always take me to the local bakery to get donuts on the weekends. I would get whatever I wanted—usually anything with sprinkles—and we would drop the rest off at the department. What can I say, embrace your stereotypes. “So, it’s true. Cops love donuts,” he states arrogantly, sitting the box back down.

REIGN M.N. [730202]

About the Author

m.n. forgy bio [312090]

M.N. Forgy was raised in Missouri where she still lives with her family. She’s a soccer mom by day and a saucy writer by night. M.N. Forgy started writing at a young age but never took it seriously until years later, as a stay-at-home mom, she opened her laptop and started writing again. As a role model for her children, she felt she couldn’t live with the “what if” anymore and finally took a chance on her character’s story. So, with her glass of wine in hand and a stray Barbie sharing her seat, she continues to create and please her fans.

Stalk Her:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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reign book tour [730204]

Where Lightning Strikes by AL Jackson….Cover Reveal

We are so excited to bring you the Cover Reveal for AL Jackson’s upcoming WHERE LIGHTNING STRIKES releasing March 22, 2016. We can’t wait for you to fall into this sexy emotional novel!

 

Where Lightening Strikes__ebooksm

 

 

Where Lightening Strikes__ebooksmDo you know what it feels like right before lightning strikes? How you can feel the current running through your veins? The trembles of warning that ripple through the air? It was a thrill Tamar King chased all her life until it became the very thing she had to escape.

For the last four years, Tamar King has hidden herself in an isolated world she created. She was safe. No one could touch her. Until Lyrik West walked through her door.

He’s the lead guitarist for Sunder and everything she can never have. The dark and beautiful rock star becomes everything she craves.

Lyrik’s life has been devoted to his band and that success has cost him. Bitter, hard, and filled with regret, he refuses to lose himself again, but from the moment he sees her, he wants one night with Tamar King.

The gorgeous bartender is more than he bargained for. Their attraction is consuming. Their desire overpowering. With one touch, they ignite.

But is it worth the cost of getting burned?

She’s a gorgeous nightmare and he’s a wicked dream…

WHERE LIGHTNING STRIKES, a Bleeding Stars Stand-Alone Novel

 

Exclusive Pre-Order on iBooks

ADD TO GOODREADS

 

 


Where Lightening Strikes__Final2

 

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aljacksonphotoA.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of contemporary and new adult romance.

She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children.

Connect with A.L. Jackson online:www.aljacksonauthor.com

 

To stay up to date with important news on A.L. Jackson, including new releases, sales, and exclusive specials and excerpts, text “jackson” to 96000 to subscribe!

 

I Wish You Were Mine….Book Tour & Review

In Honor of Superbowl Winning Quarterback Jackson Burke, 
Enter to Win a  Ladies “TEAM” T-Shirt from 
Lady Fanatics Sports Apparel Winners Choice 
(up to $40.00 Value)

 

I WISH YOU WERE MINE
Oxford #2
Lauren Layne
Releasing on February 2, 2016
Loveswept

 

Perfect for fans
of Alice Clayton and Emma Chase, Lauren Layne’s Oxford series heats up in this
story of forbidden desire as a brooding jock hoping for a comeback falls for a
woman who’s strictly off-limits.
 
A year ago, Jackson Burke was married to the love of his
life and playing quarterback for the Texas Redhawks. Now he’s retired, courtesy
of the car accident that ruined his career—and single, after a nasty scandal
torpedoed his marriage. Just as he’s starting to get used to his new life as a
health and fitness columnist for Oxford magazine, his unpredictable ex shows up
on his doorstep in Manhattan. Jackson should be thrilled. But he can’t stop
thinking about the one person who’s always been there for him, the one girl he
could never have: her younger sister.
 
Mollie Carrington can’t say no to Madison. After all, her
older sister practically raised her. So when Madison begs for help in winning
her ex-husband back, Mollie’s just glad she got over her own crush on Jackson
ages ago—or so she thought. Because as Mollie reconnects with Jackson, she
quickly forgets all her reasons to stay loyal to her sister. Tempted by
Jackson’s mellow drawl and cowboy good looks, Mollie is sick and tired of
coming in second place. But she can’t win if she doesn’t play the game.
BUY NOW
review
Another smashing hit for Lauren Layne in her Oxford Series. All of these books can be read as standalones, however to get the full appreciation of these stories, I highly recommend reading them in order. All previous characters are mentioned and to get the true sense of the stories, each book needs to be read.

I Wish You Were Mine is about newbie, Jackson Burke – former starring quarterback and Mollie, his ex sister-in-law. Yes, ex and sister-in-law. Jackson used to be married to Madison, Mollie’s sister. And now due to some unfortunate circumstances he is now divorced and no longer playing football.

Mollie has lived in New York for the last 8 years and is loving life. Texas never felt like home to her. Mollie’s sister Madison raised her when their mother passed away when Mollie was still a teenager. Mollie lived with Madison and Jackson before she moved to New York to achieve her dreams and during that time, Jackson became Mollie’s best friend.

And now Jackson has moved to New York. Where he sees Mollie again for the first time in years. And nothing is the same after that. Try as they might, there is no way to resist their strong attraction. However, there are MANY obstacles in their way. I love how Lauren doesn’t let these two hide or run away from what they want to say. They are adults – they speak their minds. All these characters are very real and honest. It gives the story more authenticity and relatable. And of course Lauren’s writing will just completely pull you in.

I can’t wait to see what Lauren brings us next. I am really hoping it’s a certain someone’s book, Lincoln, HINT HINT. LOL

C signature
excerpt pic

Jackson took a sip. Perfection. Although what did it mean that Jackson’s life had turned into one where the highlight of his day was a well-made cocktail?

It wasn’t that Jackson needed the booze. He enjoyed it, certainly. Had relied on it more than he probably should have in those first few days when he’d gotten out of the hospital and come home to a whole lot of nothingness.

But these days he could take it or leave it.

Tonight, however, he was taking it. Sobriety had no place when you had to sit across from the most off-limits woman on the planet.

Knowing that didn’t stop the anticipation, however. He hadn’t seen her since she’d shown up in his hospital room to deliver a bag of Gatlin’s BBQ and . . .

His divorce papers.

That had been eight months ago.

He’d avoided her ever since, and he couldn’t even say why except that he’d avoided pretty much everyone. Jackson still spoke with his parents every Sunday, but everyone else—all the old teammates, the old neighbors—had eventually stopped calling.

Mollie hadn’t, though. Mollie had never given up on him. Until today, he hadn’t responded to a single text, a single email, and yet she hadn’t stopped sending them. That was Mollie for you. Fiercely loyal to both him and Madison, even when things had started to go to hell.

Mollie had been accepted to Columbia just about the time that he and Madison started coming apart at the seams. In hindsight, he was grateful that Mollie had been in New York when things started to go to hell in his marriage. That she hadn’t seen him at his worst.

At the time, however, he’d been hit with an unfair sense of abandonment. He hadn’t realized how much he’d come to rely on the much younger Mollie to mediate things between him and the volatile Madison until she was in a different time zone.

Even now, more than a decade since first meeting Mollie, he struggled to reconcile the fact that she and Madison had come from the same parents. Madison was perfectly coiffed, charming only when she was in the mood, and manipulative as all hell. Mollie, on the other hand, was adorably awkward—a brainy research assistant who cared a hell of a lot more about her scientific journals than her manicure.

But somewhere along the line, Mollie Carrington had ceased to be that awkward kid who talked about bugs at inopportune times. Somewhere along the line, she’d become his rock. The one person in the world, save for perhaps his parents, who always knew the exact right thing to say to make him feel like a human whenever he’d started to feel like a caricature of himself.

For years he’d tried to tell himself that it was just sibling affection—that he cared about her the way he would a sister. But then things had gotten worse with Madison—way worse. And Jackson had been hit upside the head with the truth: that maybe he’d married the wrong sister. That he didn’t want to spend the rest of his days married to the beautiful, brittle Madison.

He wanted someone who made him laugh. Who listened. Someone who cared more about people than she did about hair appointments.

Someone like Mollie.

Lauren Layne is the USA Today Bestselling
author of contemporary romance.
 
Prior to becoming an author, Lauren worked in e-commerce
and web-marketing. In 2011, she and her husband moved from Seattle to New York
City, where Lauren decided to pursue a full-time writing career. It took six
months to get her first book deal (despite ardent assurances to her husband
that it would only take three). Since then, Lauren’s gone on to publish
thirteen books, including the bestselling Stiletto series, with several more on
the way in 2015.
 
Lauren currently lives in New York City with her husband
and spoiled Pomeranian. When not writing, you’ll find her at happy hour,
running at a doggedly slow pace, or trying to straighten her naturally curly
hair.
Don’t Miss IRRESISTIBLY YOURS
Oxford Book One
 
 

Alexa Loved by T.R. Cupak….Book Blitz & Sale

Alexa Loved
T.R. Cupak
(Alexa #2)
Publication date: October 6th 2015
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

After her parents died during her senior year of high school, Alexa Morgan is completely alone in the world—except for her best-friend-turned-boyfriend Devin, identical twins Becca and Jessa, and Sebastian, a mysterious associate of her father’s. 

Upon graduation, Alexa wants nothing more than to move on with her life, go to college, and forget all the hard and hurtful things from her tragic past. But when her first love, Ethan, shows up at her graduation—it kicks off a whirlwind of events that threatens the good and stable things she’s worked so hard to achieve.

Ethan and Alexa shared one night of passion before he disappeared, leaving her bewildered and confused. But now he’s back, declaring that he loves her and that the only reason he left was to protect her from his malicious stepmother, Olivia.

In her heart, Alexa knows she loves Devin, but her attraction to Ethan is so strong she can’t help but be drawn in by their shared chemistry. Meanwhile, the threat of Olivia lurks around the edges, casting a menacing shadow over everything and everyone Alexa loves.

Sequel to:
25567871

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Only 99¢ for a limited time only!
AL Sale Revised

EXCERPT:

Although it feels like time has completely stopped it most definitely has not. I am completely oblivious to how long Ethan and I have been standing outside my hotel room when we are startled apart by the sound of a very pissed off, deep, familiar voice.

“What the fuck is going on, Lexi?” Devin’s heated voice booms through the open hallway making me cringe and my body turn to stone at the sound. I’m still partially wrapped up in Ethan’s arms but when I finally detangle myself completely out of his hold, I step to the side of him so I can see Devin. I get a pretty good view of him too since he’s standing only a few feet behind Ethan with hate evident in his normally kind eyes. I know shock is all over my face as I stare at Devin as if he’s just a figment of my imagination. Ethan hasn’t moved a muscle. His back is to his enemy yet he chooses to stay facing me. It takes another few seconds before I finally take notice to what Devin is wearing. He has on running shorts and running shoes. His body is glistening with sweat and his face is red as if he was actually outside running in the Miami heat.

What the hell? My emotions are all over the place. Confused, scared, hurt, happy. I swear on my parent’s urns that Devin was just in bed with the twins. How is he standing here like he was actually out for a run and why can’t I find my damned voice to ask that very question? Suddenly I hear the twins’ door to their room open. I turn my attention behind me just as a random guy, who looks like he could be Devin’s fraternal twin brother or doppelganger, exits the twins’ room. My mind automatically fishes for the memory of my conversation with Jesse. Once I replay what he had said privately plus all of the banter with his buddies, I can see how a drunken person could mistake Mr. Random for Devin. The twins’ guest is wearing gray boardshorts and flips flops and steps out carrying his black T-shirt in his hand. He stops when he sees the three of us standing here. I’m sure we’re quite the sight to see. Me, with red watery eyes and airplane stale clothes, Ethan who has not moved but his irritation is quite evident, and Devin who looks as if he is ready to kill Ethan. The stranger who appears to be very much hung over but oozes sexual satisfaction gives us a half smile, says “Hey” to Devin, and inches past the soon-to-be war zone towards the elevator. It’s usually females you see doing the walk of shame but this morning it’s this wonderful guy, this wonderful guy who isn’t Devin. Shit. Devin.       

“Answer me, Alexa.” Devin’s voice is seething and it makes me snap my head back around to face him. I glance briefly at Ethan and I see his eyes are screwed shut, jaw tense, the vein in his neck is pulsing, and his fists are clenched at his sides. Well shit. I can’t explain this because I don’t fully understand it all myself. I look back to Devin who is staring at me with so much anger and hurt that it takes my breath away.

Devin takes two steps closer and Ethan’s eyes snap open. Before either one can do anything I step between both of them. I’ve been in this position once before and just like the last time I have no idea what I could or would do if these two decided to throw down. I take another step towards Devin. He just stares down at me waiting for his answer.

My voice is quiet when I finally speak to him. “Devin, I can explain part of this but I can’t  explain Ethan being here because I don’t have that answer-yet.”

“Do you think I’m fucking stupid, Lexi?” There is so much pain evident in his voice that my tears start to spill again.

“No, Devin. I don’t think you’re stupid. Can we please go into our room and talk privately?” I know I sound pathetic but that’s probably because I am. I just want to be alone with Devin and figure out this craziness.

Just when I think Devin is going to concede and go into our room with me I feel one of Ethan’s hands settle on my hip and that one tiny gesture sends Devin flying over the proverbial edge. Everything happens so fast that all I feel is my body being shoved out of the way like I’m a ragdoll. I trip over my bags and my head slams against a solid surface and everything goes black.

AL_J2B Revised Sale Teaser

Author Bio:

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

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

Please help support my Thunderclap campaign as well: https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/36855-tr-cupak-s-alexa-series
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