Because I Can, the second mysterious and suspense-filled book in The Necklace Trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is live now!
The second book in the Necklace Trilogy…
Allison’s journey continues as she finds herself in a dark, seductive world, and everything she thought she knew about herself, has changed.
Torn between past and present, she is still a prisoner of her own fears and inhibitions. But as the mystery of the necklace and the missing woman who owned it evolves, one man will help Allison see the light.
But where will that lead her? To him? Or someplace else?
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Start the trilogy with What if I Never? today! Amazon: https://amzn.to/3frpVyd Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/whatifinever Apple Books: https://apple.co/2TPVeLo Nook: https://bit.ly/2WSkX7h Kobo: https://bit.ly/3jpxmr0 Google Play: https://bit.ly/3amFQLd
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About Lisa Renee Jones New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT series. Suzanne Todd (producer of Alice in Wonderland) on the INSIDE OUT series: Lisa has created a beautiful, complicated, and sensual world that is filled with intrigue and suspense. Sara’s character is strong, flawed, complex, and sexy – a modern girl we all can identify with. Inside Out has been optioned to STARZ, Paramount, and now Marvista Entertainment. Marvista has also optioned the spin-off series, Careless Whispers.
In addition to the success of Lisa’s INSIDE OUT series, she has published many successful titles. The TALL, DARK AND DEADLY series and THE SECRET LIFE OF AMY BENSEN series, both spent several months on a combination of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling lists.
Prior to publishing Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by the Dallas Women’s Magazine. In 1998 Lisa was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.
Connect with Lisa Renee Jones Amazon: https://amzn.to/2YBWJz2 Facebook: https://bit.ly/3iNLef4 Twitter: https://bit.ly/3DpKm85 BookBub: https://bit.ly/3oKTccv Instagram: https://bit.ly/2YEOWAA Website: https://www.lisareneejones.com/
The Ritual, an all-new dark college romance by USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Shantel Tessier is available now!
The Chosen One I vow. You vow. We vow. Barrington University is home of the Lords, a secret society that requires their blood in payment. They are above all—the most powerful men in the world. They devote their lives to violence in exchange for power. And during their senior year, they are offered a chosen one. People think growing up with money is freeing, but I promise you, it’s not. My entire life has been planned out for me. I never got the chance to do what I wanted until Ryat Alexander Archer came along and gave me an option for a better life. He offered me what no one else ever had—freedom. I chose to be his. He made me believe that anyway, but it was just another lie. A way that the Lords manipulate you into doing what they want. After being sucked into the dark, twisted world of the Lords, I embraced my new role and allowed Ryat to parade me around like the trophy I was to him. But like all things, what started out as a game soon became a fight for survival. And the only way out was death.
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Excerpt
INITIATION RYAT
Loyalty Freshman year at Barrington University I KNEEL IN the middle of the darkly lit room along with twenty other men. My hands are secured tightly behind my back with a pair of handcuffs. My shirt is torn, and blood drips from my busted lips. I’m panting, still trying to catch my breath while my heart beats like a drum in my chest. It’s hard to hear over the blood rushing in my ears, and I’m sweating profusely.
We were dragged out of our beds in the middle of the night to serve. Our freshman classes at Barrington University start in two weeks, but we already have to show our loyalty to the Lords.
“You will always have to prove yourself,”my father once told me. “You were each given a task,”the man calls out as he paces in front of us. His black combat boots slap against the concrete floor with each step, the sound echoing off the walls. “Kill or be killed. Now how many of you can fulfill it?”
“I can,” I state, lifting my head to stick my chin out in the warm and sticky air. Sweat covers my brow after the fight. It’s rigged. You are supposed to lose. The point is to wear you down. See just how much you have to give. How far you can go. I made sure to win mine. No matter what it took.
He smirks down at me like I’m fucking joking. “Ryat. You seem so confident in yourself.”
“I know what I’m capable of handling,”I say through gritted teeth. I don’t like being second-guessed. We were each raised for this—to be a Lord.
Wealth got us here.
Yet our determination will separate us by the time it’s over.
The man looks at the guy on my left and nods. The guy walks behind me and yanks me to stand by the back of my shirt. He undoes the cuffs, and I rip the shredded material up and over my head before dropping my hands to my sides when what I really want to do is rub my sore wrists.
Never show weakness. A Lord does not feel. He’s a machine.
The man steps up to me with a knife in hand. He holds it out handle first to me, his black eyes almost glowing with excitement. “Show us what you can do.”
Taking it from him, I walk over to the chair bolted to the floor. I yank the bloody sheet off the chair to reveal a man tied to it. His hands are cuffed behind his back, and his feet are spread wide and secured to the chair legs.
I’m not surprised I know him—he’s a Lord. Or was. The fact that he’s restrained tells me he’s not anymore. But that doesn’t change my orders.
Kill without questions.
You want to be powerful? Then you realize you are a threat to those who want your position. In order to succeed, you don’t have to be stronger, just deadlier.
The man shakes his head, his brown eyes pleading with me to spare his life. Multiple layers of duct tape are placed over his mouth—those who spill secrets will be silenced. He thrashes in his chair.
Walking behind him, I look down at his cuffed wrists. He wears a ring on his right hand; it’s a circle with three horizontal lines across the middle. It stands for power.
Not just anyone would know what it means, but I do. Because I wear the same one. Everyone in this room does. But just because you get one doesn’t mean you’ll keep it.
I reach down and grab his hand. He begins to shout behind the tape as he tries to fight me, but I remove the ring easily and walk back around to stand in front of him. “You don’t deserve this,”I say to him, placing it in my pocket. “You betrayed us, your brothers, yourself. The payment for that is death.”
When he throws his head back and screams into the tape, I press the knife to his neck, right below his jawline. His breathing fills the room, and his body strains, waiting for the first cut.
A Lord does not show mercy. Blood and tears are what we demand from those who betray us.
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Declan Cross has a story… and he’d like to tell you every sordid detail of it.
Tease Me Once by Willow Winters is now live!
From USA Today and Wall Street Journal best-selling romance author, W Winters, comes a provocative tale of a club designed for wealthy sinners. It’s a story crafted for those of us who crave the villain.
Not everyone knows about The Club, which is by design. The main floor entertains the elite. There are dim lights, stolen touches and the liquor flows to ensure the guests get exactly what they want. There are high profile clients, masks and collars, contracts and secrets in every corner.
But it’s what lies beneath these floors, down the spiral staircase, that intrigues me the most.
There’s a man who stays in the corner of the darkest rooms. In this world of sinful tastes, he doesn’t hide his face like the rest of them; he’s not concerned with anonymity in the least.
Declan Cross is powerful, brooding and his dark eyes speak of damage that my soul begs to unravel. I’ve always been drawn to men who are rough around the edges, the bad guys so to speak… but he’s a kind of brutal that scares me. So I promised myself I’d stay away. I swore up and down, I would never give in to the fantasies that haunt me at night.
One night changed everything. He knows I witnessed everything that happened. There are no deals or negotiations with men like him.
He made it known in no uncertain terms what he desired most… I saw something I shouldn’t have. And now I’m his.
Tease Me Once is the beginning of a series. Prepare for everything seductive and beautifully dark.
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I started writing after having my little girl, Evie, December of 2015. All during my pregnancy with her I read. I only wanted to read romance novels and I read everything I could get my hands on. I would read a book a day — sometimes two. In January I was staying up late with her and just thinking of all these stories. They came to me constantly. I finally sat down and just started writing. I always wanted to do it so I figured, why not?
I never thought I would reach this point of success to be honest. It’s insane to me that I have connected with so many readers.
And I love each and every one of them for all of their support. I’ll be honest, some days are HARD. I have my littles during the day and I write at night. Some days are just simply exhausting and then I hear from a reader and it motivates me to push through and keep writing. I couldn’t be more grateful for this wonderful career.
What if I Never?, an all new must read steamy first book in the Necklace Trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is now available!
In the vein of her Inside Out series, New York Times Bestselling Author Lisa Renee Jones returns with the dark, seductive world of the Necklace Trilogy…
Allison Wright is delivered a package meant for a different Allison—a unique, expensive necklace. Determined to right the confusion, she seeks out the proper recipient, a journey that takes her to the doorstep of Tyler Hawk, a good looking, recluse billionaire who deals with fine collectibles such as the necklace. She also learns that Allison, his employee, quit her job registering and restoring his vast assortment of collectibles. Ironically, Allison is the daughter of a rather famous archeologist who is also employed by a local museum, and her love of such things has her jumping at the opportunity. Soon she is spending her evening and weekends immersed in the job the other Allison left behind.
As Allison begins diving into the job for Tyler, secrets about the other Allison begin to surface that have her concerned for her safety. And as she starts hunting for answers, her path crosses with the enigmatic famous author who has a business endeavor with her boss. Dash Black is a man who is dark and edgy, intense and yet quiet. Funny and yet somehow reserved. He draws her in, sets her pulse racing, and her body on fire. She knows there’s a dangerous edge to him, but she can’t seem to care. She’s addicted to everything he is and she simply can’t turn away, no matter what the cost. As Allison is drawn into the life and mystery of the other Allison, a mystery demands answers and passion burns hot. Allison will travel a path that leads to shocking truths and a side of herself she never knew existed.
Start the first book in the trilogy today! Amazon: https://amzn.to/3frpVyd Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/whatifinever Apple Books: https://apple.co/2TPVeLo Nook: https://bit.ly/2WSkX7h Kobo: https://bit.ly/3jpxmr0 Google Play: https://bit.ly/3amFQLd
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Excerpt
Yes, please do send the press kit etc. And the below excerpt is a little longer.
His eyes soften and he catches my hand. “Come here.” I let him ease me closer, and when he pulls me onto his lap again, I say, “Am I going to end up with my hands behind my back unable to touch you again?” “Not unless you want me to tie you up and tease you.” There’s no denying the idea of Dash in control and me at his mercy, is a delicious prospect I won’t even try to deny. And so, I don’t deny anything. Instead, my arms slide around his neck, and I lean into him. “Not this time, Dash. Please.” “Well now, as long as you say please, you can have just about anything you want.” With his promise that I can have anything I want if I say please, Dash’s hands slide under the T-shirt I’m wearing and up my back. Molding me close, my breasts pressed to his hard chest. “For instance,” he says, his voice low, a rough sandpaper tease on my nerve endings. “I’ll lick you anywhere you want to be licked if you just say please.” I’m really, truly a rather shy person and no one has ever spoken to me so boldly as Dash has this night, but I’m different with Dash I’m starting to realize. More comfortable in my own skin and sexuality. I just can’t find it in me to hide from this or him. “What about where I want to kiss you?” “Where do you want to kiss me?” he asks, squeezing my backside and Lord help me I can feel the thick ridge of his erection between my thighs and through his jeans I want to be gone now. “Everywhere,” I assure him. His lips curve and he says, “Is that right?” “Oh yes, but you resist me, Dash Black.” “I assure you, Allison, I am not resisting you.” Somehow him calling me Allison in this moment is more intimate than Allie, and I don’t know why. “I want nothing more than your hands and mouth on my body,” he says. “But you’ll have to allow me to kiss you everywhere first.” He drags the T-shirt over my head and by the time it’s on the ground his hands are on my breasts, and when my hands cover his hands, his finger strokes my nipples. My fingers catch long strands of his light brown hair and I tilt his gaze to mine. Any control I’d thought to gain in that moment is lost when Dash pinches my nipples, sending darts of pleasure straight to my sex. I moan and he captures the sound with his mouth, kissing me with the kind of passion that a girl thinks she will never know because it can’t be real. Oh, but it is. It so is. My hands tunnel into his hair and when his gaze lifts to mine, I find hunger there. So much hunger, and all for me. He catches my hands and presses them behind me, bracing them on his powerful thighs, his arm wrapping my waist, securing me. Watching me now, he cups my breast and leans in, licking my nipple, sensations rippling through me, my sex clenching with impossible need, need for him.
What If I Never is the first book in Lise Renee Jones’ newest trilogy, the Necklace Trilogy. It’s a romantic suspense and Lisa starts this trilogy off very well.
This book is an extreme slow burn. The pace of this book at times was good and at other times, it was a bit too slow for me. But this book is definitely all about building the suspense and each of the character’s part in this trilogy.
I really don’t want to say too much and give any plot points away accidentally. The blurb gives you all that you need to know going into this book. Lisa does a great job of building the suspense not just between each of the characters but as well with the plot.
There are a lot of secrets, a hefty amount of suspense and lots of steam going on within this book. Lisa delivers a great first book to start this trilogy off perfectly. She leaves us hanging at the end of this one but we thankfully are left dangling over the edge too long.
About Lisa Renee Jones New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT series. Suzanne Todd (producer of Alice in Wonderland) on the INSIDE OUT series: Lisa has created a beautiful, complicated, and sensual world that is filled with intrigue and suspense. Sara’s character is strong, flawed, complex, and sexy – a modern girl we all can identify with. Inside Out has been optioned to STARZ, Paramount, and now Marvista Entertainment. Marvista has also optioned the spin-off series, Careless Whispers.
In addition to the success of Lisa’s INSIDE OUT series, she has published many successful titles. The TALL, DARK AND DEADLY series and THE SECRET LIFE OF AMY BENSEN series, both spent several months on a combination of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling lists.
Prior to publishing Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by the Dallas Women’s Magazine. In 1998 Lisa was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.
Connect with Lisa Renee Jones Amazon: https://amzn.to/2YBWJz2 Facebook: https://bit.ly/3iNLef4 Twitter: https://bit.ly/3DpKm85 BookBub: https://bit.ly/3oKTccv Instagram: https://bit.ly/2YEOWAA Website: https://www.lisareneejones.com/
Canary, an all-new not-to-be-missed, enemies-to-lovers standalone mafia romance from New York Times bestselling author Tijan is available now!
We were on the front lines in that world, the mafia world. There was nothing soft or glamorous about it. Who you were before no longer mattered. Names didn’t exist.
I joined anyway. I had no other choice because they took my sister. Join. Find her. Try and make it out alive.
Then he won me in a poker game. I hated him instantly, thinking he was like my other bosses before him. He wasn’t. He was worse.
He wasn’t just cold. He was dead inside. It didn’t matter that he was gorgeous. He was the most lethal thing I’d ever met.
He was also the only person who could keep me alive, if he didn’t kill me himself.
A/N This is a 102k mafia/cartel standalone. This is the most violent book Tijan has ever written. Trigger warning: references to sexual violence
“Canaries sing to save lives. I sing and people die.”
Be captivated today! FREE in Kindle Unlimited Amazon: https://amzn.to/3lwKyNn Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/canary
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Excerpt
“I…” I didn’t even know. I couldn’t explain what I didn’t know. “Ask me about Jake in a different way.” “There is no other way.” “You know there is! Ask it in a different way.” I shoved up to my feet. This was the fight here. I was sick of the killing. I could not handle one more body, especially not someone I knew. My chest heaved. “Ask it in a different way.” I liked Jake. I was hurt by what he said, but he wasn’t on my list anymore. I frowned. “What happened with Cavers?” “None of your business!” he erupted, his hands flying in the air, but he was moving farther away from me. His back hit the wall, and he let me see him, how haunted he was, how stricken. He let it all out for me to see and read, though I wasn’t sure he knew it. “I don’t run my decisions through some pussy I like plowing.” Okay, now I was mad. “Take that back,” I said quietly. He swore, low and long. Then he moved, flipping a chair into the wall. It impaled there, and the wall held it. It looked like an abstract piece of art. “Take it back!” I clipped out, folding my arms over my chest. He looked away. I didn’t know what was going on here, but fuck him if he didn’t take back calling me pussy he liked to plow. I screamed, “Take it back!” “No!” He was across the room and in my face in the next second. I braced myself, but he didn’t touch me. He stopped just short of it, his breath in my cheek, his eyes taking me in, scanning my face. He was panicking. I saw it now, lurking there. Good! That filled me with satisfaction. My chest started pounding. No, that was my heart. It was thumping in my chest, getting stronger, faster—a steady and powerful beat now. I could feel it all the way to my toes—in my fingers, my neck. His eyes lingered on my lips. He couldn’t look away. Stark hunger flashed in his eyes, and he raised a hand, holding it in the air. It curved gently, as if he wanted to touch my neck, or the side of my face. But he didn’t move. He just held it there, a few inches from my skin. His eyes lifted to mine. “You bitch.” My heart still pounded, trying to reach him. “You’re a murdering asshole,” I whispered back, seething. “What?”he sneered. “You want to fuck now? Forget you put a fucking gun to your head?” “Don’t kill Jake.” He pressed into me, his eyes wild, on the edge of control. “Why?” His breath was hot on me. He bent down, his eyes glittering now. Then he found his control. He rested one hand against the wall, next to my head. The other found my hip and slid up, moving under my shirt, raising it. God. I almost moaned. Wetness flooded me, and I started to throb. I wanted him. So fucking bad. He bent and his lips grazed over mine, my cheeks, my chin. Tingles raced through me. Jesus. I wanted him deep inside of me. I shifted, pressing against him, and both of us groaned from the contact. I began moving, a slow grind, and he was quiet, grinding back. This was different from the other times. The terms had flipped. Roles were changing. Everything was being upended between us.
I pondered on what to say in my review for this book. I only started reading books by Tijan earlier this year when I was asked to read an arc of The Insiders. Needless to say, her writing blew me away and I knew I had to read whatever she releases. And she did not let me down with Canary. This book was nothing like any other mafia book I have read before.
Canary is a very cumbersome, but amazing story. Thera are so many twists and turns that you never know what is going to happen next. However, with Tijan’s writing, everything flows at a steady pace and blends so perfectly.
There is no shortage of action, angst, drama, steam and emotions. Tijan delivers everything in this unique and gripping mafia story.
Canary is told in dual POV’s but mostly from our heroines’. She goes by many names but found herself walking into this side of life on her own, to find her sister. Raize, our hero is coldblooded killer. He kills without remorse and is damn good at what he does. He finds himself having to rely on the select few on his team to thrive and survive.
And that is all I am saying about Canary. This book is riddled with so much more than you can think of. I have ready many mafia books and this was like nothing I have read before. Tijan pulls readers in from the start and never lets them go, even long after the story ends.
Canary is a must read!!
About Tijan Tijan is a New York Times Bestselling author that writes suspenseful and unpredictable novels. Her characters are strong, intense, and gut-wrenchingly real with a little bit of sass on the side. Tijan began writing later in life and once she started, she was hooked. She’s written multi-bestsellers including the Carter Reed Series, the Fallen Crest Series, and the Broken and Screwed Series among others. She is currently writing a new series from north Minnesota where she lives with an English Cocker she adores.
I am the man who can make every dream come true, for a price.
Years ago, a fight for supremacy took place between the two most powerful families in New Orleans. The battle was set in the metaphoric octagon, with the spotlight blazing. The city sat in paralyzed fear, awaiting word of a victor.
Abraham Ramses versus Isaiah Boudreau.
One man would emerge victorious and rule the city of sin.
Neither understood that the devil was in the details.
Neither lived to see the rising sun.
I’m Everett Ramses, son of Abraham, and I am the devil.
I took my rightful place as king of New Orleans.
Now, my realm is threatened by a man with false claims to the Boudreau family.
I know what I must have to secure my empire—who I must have.
The rightful daughter of Isaiah Boudreau, Emma North, must be my wife. Together we will reign stronger than ever before. But first, she must take the devil’s deal.
*DEVIL’S DEAL is a full-length novel that begins with the prequel FATE’S DEMAND previously titled The Deal.
Aleatha Romig is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Indiana, USA. She grew up in Mishawaka, graduated from Indiana University, and is currently living south of Indianapolis. Aleatha has raised three children with her high school sweetheart and husband of over thirty years. Before she became a full-time author, she worked days as a dental hygienist and spent her nights writing. Now, when she’s not imagining mind-blowing twists and turns, she likes to spend her time a with her family and friends. Her other pastimes include reading and creating heroes/anti-heroes who haunt your dreams and bring your imagination to life!
Aleatha released her first novel, CONSEQUENCES, in August of 2011. CONSEQUENCES became a bestselling series with five novels and two companions released from 2011 through 2015. The compelling and epic story of Anthony and Claire Rawlings has graced more than half a million e-readers. Aleatha released the first of her series TALES FROM THE DARK SIDE, INSIDIOUS, in the fall of 2014. These stand alone thrillers continue Aleatha’s twisted style with an increase in heat.
In the fall of 2015, Aleatha moved head first into the world of dark romantic suspense with the release of BETRAYAL, the first of her five novel INFIDELITY series that has taken the reading world by storm. She also began her traditional publishing career with Thomas and Mercer. Her books INTO THE LIGHT and AWAY FROM THE DARK were published through this mystery/thriller publisher in 2016.
In the spring of 2017, Aleatha released her first stand-alone, fun, and sexy romantic comedy with PLUS ONE, followed by the sweet stand-alone, ONE NIGHT.
Aleatha is a “Published Author’s Network” member of the Romance Writers of America and PEN America. She is represented by Kevan Lyon of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.
In the Louisiana swamplands, ghost stories are as much a part of childhood as chasing fireflies and crawfishing. They never much scared me, though, nor the possibility of evil out to do me harm. Until the night I watched shadows come to life and butcher everything I loved.
With a stranger’s help, I managed to escape to an isolated place miles north, and, in time, became my own ghost story. A cautionary tale for the locals.
Nearly a decade passed, before I returned to my birthplace, in hopes of unearthing long-awaited answers. Instead, I found something I wasn’t looking for. Someone. A remedy for my loneliness.
Or so I thought.
Turns out, Thierry Bergeron is no elixir. He’s a deadly poison, cursed by the demons of his past, and feared by those who call him the elusive Rougarou of the bayou. A devious rogue, whose seductive whispers and rough hands haunt my dreams. The big bad wolf that defiles me without apology, or remorse.
I should resist him, but I can’t.
And when the shadows return to stake their claim on me, his darkness is the only safe place to hide.
I seriously want to bow down to Keri and her amazing writing abilities, especially when it comes to dark, gothic romance. Her talent knows no bounds and she never ceases to amaze me.
The Isle of Sin and Shadows is unlike anything I have read before. It’s a dark, gothic southern romance riddled with lots of suspense and thrills. This book is a page turner and one that is impossible to put down once you start. It will seep into your dreams and stays with you all day.
“You’re my favorite ghost story.”
I won’t go into any details of this book as the blurb gives you all that you need. I will tell you that this book is dark and has some scenes that may be too graphic for some, but for me and many others who love a spine tingling read – this book is everything we love about dark romances.
The slow burn romance that ties into the suspense and mystery surrounding both Celeste and Thierry is amazing. This book will hold readers captive in so many ways and having them gasping for breath at each twist and turn. This book took me on a dark trek that I could never anticipate and I loved every word of it. This book played out like a movie in my head and I couldn’t get enough of it.
“You’re right. You can’t change who I am. But you’ve already changed what I want.”
Keri not only delivers a very well crafted plot and brings us characters that have many layers to them. The story in told in Thierry and Celeste’s POV and will flip to the past, at times and that helps readers dig even deeper into the bayous of Louisiana.
The Isle of Sin and Shadows is a dark, gothic romance that is unlike no other. If you can handle a book full of mystery and suspense with dark undertones, then this book is for you.
Head over to Keri’s reading group to get in on the release day giveaway!
This is all of me. The good, the bad, the used, and the broken…
Heartbreakingly beautiful and completely engrossing, A young woman’s life takes a disturbing and utterly fascinating turn as the past she’s put behind comes back to haunt her. USED is packed full of twists, turns, and a gripping romance sure to leave readers emotionally spent and asking for more.
USED, a brand new standalone romantic suspense from debut author Kate Dunbar is OUT NOW! Grab your copy today!
“USED was amazing. Like seriously amazing. I can’t remember the last time I hated to put a book down so I could go to sleep and then immediately pick it up to finish it the next morning. And yet, here we are and that’s what I did.” ~ Samantha Chase, New York Times Bestselling Author
“Rarely have I read a book so vividly described, so rich with emotion, that I felt like I lived it. USED is the kind of book that engages your heart and takes you on a journey that leaves you hopeful and empowered by the end.” ~ Erika Kelly, Award Winning Author of the Rock Star Romance Series
Photography by K Keeton Designs Cover Design by Uplifting Author Services
Model: Cameo Hopper
BLURB
At the age of seventeen, after a decade of lies, hurt, and severe abuse by her brother Lucas, Sabra Valentine is able to breathe.
Lucas is behind bars thanks in large part to Sabra’s quick thinking and self-preservation-even if that’s one more secret she has to keep.
Now, seven years later, life is moving forward, and Sabra is starting to heal, live, and love again with her friends and Trevor Collins by her side. He’s tall, dark, and sexy, and he doesn’t fall for Sabra’s games. The future is finally looking bright-until one phone call shatters everything.
Used is a romantic suspense with domestic thriller elements. Please be aware that there are topics that may be triggers for some readers, and this work is meant for mature readers.
“Heartbreakingly beautiful. This book isn’t about angst and pain. It’s about a fighter-a survivor-that we all attain to be. The story tears you apart in the best ways and builds you back up in the most beautiful.” ~ Nichole Chase, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author
“Used is a raw, heart-wrenching story of surviving trauma, but it’s also so much more. It’s a romantic, emotionally gratifyingtale of unflinching, all-in love. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.” ~ Brenda Rothert, Author
USED is being narrated by Stella Hunter is out now!
I shake my head and snap out of my reverie. “What?” I inch my way toward him and place my hand on his thigh. “I’m sorry. I got distracted. Tell me again.” Trevor’s jaw tightens. His eyes shift toward my hand.
“You got distracted? I’m telling you the rules to our relationship, and you got distracted? How is that even possible?”
“I started thinking about last night and your lips on me. And that made me start thinking about your lips on me again. And that made me think about your hands on me. And that made me think about everything else on me.” Trevor stares at me with his mouth hanging open.
“I swear, you never cease to surprise me, Sabra.” He grabs my hand and pulls me toward his chest. After a few moments, he uses his finger to gently lift my chin and brush his lips over mine. “Screw the rules. We’ll just wing it.” I smell his minty breath as he moves down my jaw with those magical lips and across my collarbone. Trevor’s fingers grasp the edge of my shirt. All I can think about is that same breath and those same lips scorching my skin again.
I’m losing myself in his touch. His kisses. The sweet words he’s whispering into my ear. I’m lost in him. And then my phone rings, blasting through the room. Shaking us out of the moment. Trevor pulls back to look over his shoulder at the intruder.
You have got to be kidding me. How is it possible the entire world seems to be calling me this early?
I glance at the phone sitting on the coffee table beside us and realize I don’t recognize the number. “I’m sorry. I have to answer this.” Trevor grabs my hand and settles it on his lap. I can feel how much he doesn’t want me to answer it.
“Are you sure it can’t wait, Say?” He smiles his crooked grin and cocks his head to the side. “Can’t they leave a voicemail, and you call them back?”
“It could be my agent. I had that audition yesterday. I just need a second.”
“Fine. I’ll go get a donut hole.” He grins and stands. “And then I’m coming back for yours.”
“Ew, gross.” I snatch my phone and slide my finger across the screen, rolling my eyes at him as he walks into the kitchen laughing. “Hello?”
“Hello, Sabra. How are you, sis?”
*****
No. No. Nooooo…NO. This can’t be happening. I yank the phone away from my ear and stare at it. Absolutely not. The air feels thin. My lungs feel like they’re about to burst.
“Sabra? What is it?” Trevor stares at me with this look on his face, like he thinks I’m crazy.
Did I say that out loud?
I hit the end button and get up, pacing from one side of my extremely small living room to the other. This is a nightmare. No. It has to be a wrong number. He’s in prison. There’s a chant happening in my head.
He’s in prison. He’s in prison. He’s in prison.
“Sabra.” I flinch as Trevor touches my arm and instinctively move away.
“Don’t touch me.” The hurt in his eyes is obvious. So deep. I might as well have slapped him. And I don’t care. “Don’t. Touch. Me.” I growl it at him.
He’s in prison. He’s in prison. He’s in prison.
“Sabra, what the hell is going on? What happened?” Trevor paces a step away and turns to look at me. “Who was that?”
“No one. A wrong number. No one at all.”
But I know it wasn’t. He’ll call back. Come back for more. He always comes back for more. Dammit. How is he coming back for more?
He’s in prison. He’s in prison.
I feel Trevor’s heat before I realize he’s next to me. “I don’t believe that. It was someone.” He grabs me by the upper arms and shifts me back against the wall. “You’re shaking and white as a sheet. What’s going on? Who the hell was that?”
I’m shaking?
He’s in prison. He’s in prison.
Wait. My mom called…
And I realize why she was calling so early. Dammit. Everything clicks into place. Tremors course through my body. I can’t control them. The chant changes in my head.
He’s out. He’s out. Oh my god, he’s out. I. Can’t. Breathe.
Used is Kate Dunbar’s debut novel. It’s one she has been writing on and off for years. And I am so glad that she released it to us to read.
This novel felt very real to me – not just the characters but the story itself. It’s unfortunately a life others have lived. We’ve all heard the stories on the news or through others but for a reason I can’t explain, Dunbar’s book made it all more real and personal to me.
“Nine Steps.”
Dunbar does a great job of giving us the details without laying all the gory details out for us. I know for some, they may want that more dark and twisted part to make the book more suspenseful, but it wasn’t needed. You can tell that Sabra has a very hard time talking and rehashing her past and that shows through the past reflections. And I think that’s why not having those descriptive details works with this book – the character can’t handle that and if Dunbar were to go that deep into it Sabra’s memories, we would lose the true character of Sabra.
Trevor – oh that boy is a Saint. And I know any mom’s out there would love for their young sons to turn out to be just like Trevor. Sabra and Trevor started out as friends four years ago when she first arrived at college. Trevor has always wanted more, but respected Sabra and her reasons for not wanting to ruin what they had. Sabra has always expressed that she’s not a commitment type of gal and Trevor has seen that over the years. His loyalty to Sabra won me over immediately – even as a friend, he was there for her.
Dunbar wrote a very real and personal story. Her characters and their story really helped in making this book feel more alive. While I know that those who love their psychological thrillers to be a bit darker, I think that Dunbar still keeps the thrilling suspense alive with just the minute details she gives – it adds to the appeal of not knowing everything.
I hope Dunbar continues to write as I would love to read another novel by her.
About Kate Dunbar:
Kate Dunbar is a wife, mom of three, and obsessive tea drinker who loves a great story. She’s passionate about people and learning what makes them tick. You can find her eavesdropping, people watching, and living her best life wherever the winds take her.
This is all of me. The good, the bad, the used, and the broken…
Heartbreakingly beautiful and completely engrossing, USED is packed full of twists, turns, and a gripping romance sure to leave readers emotionally spent and asking for more.
USED, a brand new standalone romantic suspense from debut author Kate Dunbar is OUT NOW!
Blurb: The Devil comes with baggage, and not the kind you can lose. I was two years old when he saved me. I didn’t understand much at that age, but I remember the pale boy with hair as dark as ink, saving me from two evils. He said he would protect me; I just didn’t know he meant from himself. I was raised in the arms of evil, tailored for the Devil like a custom Armani suit, and every day he wore it like a weapon. Brantley thought by keeping me locked in his manor that it would protect me, and it did.
Until it didn’t.
As I slowly adapt to The Elite Kings Club and the dark, sinister world that exists around the outlaws in suits, I come to learn that the monster everyone fears is the very same one I crave.
Like a prized trophy, I sit on his throne… Something quite pretty, an object he owns…
She’s a porcelain doll, so shiny, so clean… Something I want to polish, but to never be seen…
The time has come, I am in his world… Now his Dea, can be admired by all…
The thing with porcelain is it’s fragile and delicate… It would only take a second for me to eradicate it…
About the Author: Amo Jones is a USA Today & Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, totally winging this author thing (she’s probably doing it all wrong). She likes cake, loves wine, and her religion is magic (Slytherin). She’s a profound work-a-holic, but when she’s not writing, you can find her chilling with her kids & Husband at the nearest beach, with a cocktail in her hand.
New Zealand is not a state of Australia and rugby is the best sport ever played.
“Condemned to Love will hook you from page one and make you fall in love.”– Alley Ciz, bestselling author
Condemned to Love, an all-new stand-alone dark mafia romance from USA Today bestselling author Siobhan Davis, is available now!
Her teen crush is now a ruthless killer and powerful mafia heir. Will one life-altering night unite or destroy them?
Bennett Mazzone grew up ignorant of the truth: he is the illegitimate son of the most powerful mafia boss in New York. Until it suited his father to drag him into a world where power, wealth, violence, and cruelty are the only currency. Celebrating her twenty-first birthday in Sin City should be fun for Sierra Lawson, but events take a deadly turn when she ends up in a private club, surrounded by dangerous men who always get what they want. And they want her. Ben can’t believe his ex’s little sister is all grown up, stunningly beautiful, and close to being devoured by some of the most ruthless men he has ever known. The Vegas trip is about strengthening ties, but he won’t allow his associates to ruin her perfection. Although it comes at a high price, saving Sierra is his only choice. The memory of Ben’s hands on her body is seared into Sierra’s flesh for eternity. She doesn’t regret that night. Not even when she discovers the guy she was crushing on as a teenager is a cold, calculating killer with dark impulses and lethal enemies who want him dead. Understanding the risks, she walks away from the only man she will ever love, stowing her secrets securely in her heart. Until the truth becomes leverage and Sierra is drawn into a bloody war—a pawn in a vicious game she doesn’t want to play. As the web of deceit is finally revealed, Ben will stop at nothing to protect Sierra. Even if loving her makes him weak. In a world where women serve a sole purpose, and alliances mean the difference between life and death, can he fight for love and win?
Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited! Amazon: https://amzn.to/3qMGpnW Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/condemnedtolove Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2Mhe1vg
Many of Siobhan’s fans know that she is very strong writer when it comes to writing powerful characters with very compelling story line. So for many of us, this was no surprise that she wanted to challenge herself and write in a new genre.
Condemned to Love (CTL) is Siobhan’s first endeavor into the mafia world. Many know that I edit and beta read for a lot of mafia books (both of the romantic and not so romantic sub-genre) so I got really excited when an author that I truly love and respect takes on this endeavor.
CTL is very lengthy but chocked full of depth and details that are absolutely necessary when starting out a new mafia world. Siobhan delivers a very in-depth look at this world, these characters and how everything came to be.
CTL focuses on mainly on Bennett and Sierra and their story, but there are a lot of secondary characters that play key roles in the underlying mafia storyline playing out throughout the book. Siobhan implements a captivating story and you can tell she did a fair amount of research about the mafia world to make this story more authentic and not to far fetched.
As I said previously, I edit and beta read for a lot of mafia books. CTL is definitely one of the least violent mafia books and focuses more on the relationships of the characters and the inner workings of the mafia world. There is a lot of action and thrilling scenes, but nothing too graphic that will turn readers off. Siobhan does a magnificent job explaining the different mafia families and their operations in the US and that adds another layer to her story.
Bennett and Sierra’s story is told in dual POVs throughout the whole book. Siobhan’s strong writing skills allows this book to flow beautifully and getting a glimpse from each character’s perspective adds to the gripping story telling.
Overall, this is a great start to Siobhan’s new series. While there are a few things that I (as an editor) would have done differently, as a reader, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the length, the depth of story and the characters she has introduced to us. I am looking forward to what Siobhan brings next in this world.
Excerpt
SIERRA
Just as I was starting to lose my anger, it returns full force, slapping me in the face. “I don’t want your dirty money!” I hiss, prodding my finger in his chest.
An amused grin spreads across his mouth, and I want to scream. “I run several successful legitimate businesses. I assure you my money is about as dirty as yours.”
He has an answer for everything. It’s infuriating. “You truly have no shame,” I seethe. How dare he invade my privacy like this. He has no right. “Next, you’ll be telling me you know my bra size.”
His eyes lower to my chest, and I scowl, wanting to wrap my arms around myself to deprive him of the view. But I won’t give him the satisfaction of letting him know how much he is getting to me either, so I don’t move a muscle.
“You were definitely a B cup in Vegas, but I’m guessing you’re a C cup now.” He steps a little closer, and though my instinct is to fall back, I stand my ground, refusing to let this asshole intimidate me again. Bending down, he presses his warm mouth to my ear. “I would need to conduct a physical exam to make an accurate assessment.”
I push him away, glaring at him. “You’re a pig.”
His lips pull up at the corners. “I don’t remember you complaining in Vegas. In fact, I distinctly remember you begging me to suck harder on your nipples as I plowed my cock into your greedy pussy.”
“Get out!” I bark, pointing at the door. “Just go.”
He winks, and I invoke every shred of willpower I possess not to lunge at him and gouge out his eyeballs.
“Until tomorrow.” He gives me a curt nod before exiting my kitchen, and I slump back in my chair, relieved he is gone but a little disappointed too.
About Siobhan
USA Today bestselling author Siobhan Davis writes emotionally intense young adult and new adult romantic fiction with swoon-worthy romance, complex characters, and tons of unexpected plot twists and turns that will have you flipping the pages beyond bedtime!
Siobhan’s family will tell you she’s a little bit obsessive when it comes to reading and writing, and they aren’t wrong. She can rarely be found without her trusty Kindle, a paperback book, or her laptop somewhere close at hand.
Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Siobhan forged a successful corporate career in human resource management.
She resides in the Garden County of Ireland with her husband and two sons.
Blurb: The Devil comes with baggage, and not the kind you can lose. I was two years old when he saved me. I didn’t understand much at that age, but I remember the pale boy with hair as dark as ink, saving me from two evils. He said he would protect me; I just didn’t know he meant from himself. I was raised in the arms of evil, tailored for the Devil like a custom Armani suit, and every day he wore it like a weapon. Brantley thought by keeping me locked in his manor that it would protect me, and it did.
Until it didn’t.
As I slowly adapt to The Elite Kings Club and the dark, sinister world that exists around the outlaws in suits, I come to learn that the monster everyone fears is the very same one I crave.
Like a prized trophy, I sit on his throne… Something quite pretty, an object he owns…
She’s a porcelain doll, so shiny, so clean… Something I want to polish, but to never be seen…
The time has come, I am in his world… Now his Dea, can be admired by all…
The thing with porcelain is it’s fragile and delicate… It would only take a second for me to eradicate it…
Excerpt: “She’s a Vitiosis before she’s anything else.” “A Hayes by blood,” Hector adds, and I can’t help it. The corner of my mouth curves, flashing straight teeth. “Sure about that?”
About the Author: Amo Jones is a USA Today & Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, totally winging this author thing (she’s probably doing it all wrong). She likes cake, loves wine, and her religion is magic (Slytherin). She’s a profound work-a-holic, but when she’s not writing, you can find her chilling with her kids & Husband at the nearest beach, with a cocktail in her hand.
New Zealand is not a state of Australia and rugby is the best sport ever played.
