Rising Storm Episode 3: Crosswinds by Elisabeth Naughton…ARC Review

by Jilly

Crosswinds releases tomorrow!

Synopsis:

Secrets, Sex and Scandals …

Welcome to Storm, Texas, where passion runs hot, desire runs deep, and secrets have the power to destroy… Get ready. The storm is coming.

Lacey Salt’s world shattered with the death of her brother, and now the usually sweet-tempered girl is determined to take back some control—even if that means sabotaging her best friend, Mallory, and Mallory’s new boyfriend, Luis.

My review:

Crosswinds by Elisabeth Naughton is the third episode in the Rising Storm Series, a series I am totally 100% addicted to. I can tell you that Ms. Naughton did a spectacular job at heating things up to a scorching temp in this latest installment. It was amazing!

Ok, now I will tell you before I even begin that if you haven’t read the first two episodes, you really need to otherwise you’ll be totally lost. That being said, Crosswinds takes the situations that have been going on and really kicked it up a notch! Lacey Salt is starting to act out after the death of her brother and in the worst way possible…by going after her best friend’s boyfriend. Yep, the claws really came out in this story and I had more that a few “oh no she didn’t” moments! I really wanted to slap some sense into Lacey and tell her to knock it off. On top of all that we still have the drama going on with poor Ginny being pregnant and living with the Salt family, which is turning into quite the stifling living arrangement if you ask me. Poor girl really needs some space.

My favorite part about this story, though, is the very end and meeting Logan Murphy who has just returned from the military and being away at war. Even from the few pages he was introduced in I can tell this man is going to rip my heart out and make me swoon all at the same time. He is totally a broken hero and I adore those types!

I cannot wait for more of this series and highly recommend picking it up if you haven’t already! Thank you Ms. Naughton, for this fantastic episode!

Five Loves

Book links:

Rising Storm | Crosswinds

About the author:

Before topping multiple bestseller lists–including those of the New York Times, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal–Elisabeth Naughton taught middle school science. A voracious reader, she soon discovered she had a knack for creating stories with a chemistry of their own. The spark turned into a flame, and Naughton now writes full-time. Besides topping bestseller lists, her books have been nominated for some of the industry’s most prestigious awards, such as the RITA® and Golden Heart Awards from Romance Writers of America, the Australian Romance Reader Awards, and the Golden Leaf Award. When not dreaming up new stories, Naughton can be found spending time with her husband and three children in their western Oregon home.

Five Loves October 2015 Rising Storm

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SALE! SALE! SALE! #Freemesale

by Courtney

Free Me by Laurelin Page is on sale for $.99!!!!!!

#Freemesale

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1G9XyNg

iBooks: http://bit.ly/1q0LIzH

B&N: http://bit.ly/12iSnK7

Google Play: http://bit.ly/1vlTW0K

Book ONE of TWO in the NYT Bestselling Series. Both books available now!

Her story began long before she started working at The Sky Launch…

Screw fairytales. The only reward Gwen Anders got from her rough childhood

was a thick skin and hard heart. She’s content with her daily grind

managing a top NYC nightclub–Eighty-Eighth Floor. So hers isn’t a

happily ever after. She doesn’t believe in those anyway.

Then she meets JC.

The rich, smooth talking playboy is the sexiest thing that Gwen has ever

encountered, but she’s not interested in a night-in-shining latex. But

when a family tragedy pushes her to the brink, it’s JC who’s there to

teach her a new method of survival, one based on following primal urges

and desires. His no-strings-attached lessons require her to abandon her

constant need for control. Her carefully built walls are obliterated.

Gwen discovers there’s a beautiful world outside her prison. Freedom is

exhilarating–and terrifying. When she starts to feel something for JC,

she fears for her heart. Especially as she realizes that he has secrets

of his own. Secrets that don’t want to set him free.

BOOK ONE OF TWO. This series can be read alone or with the Fixed Trilogy.

Contemporary Romance October 2015 Sale

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Until I Met You by S.L. Scott….Cover Reveal

by Courtney

A BRAND NEW STANDALONE FROM SL SCOTT RELEASING ON OCTOBER 26, 2015!

Their love burned bright, white hot, and strikingly blue
around the edges.

Some thought them
careless.

Some thought them
crazy.

No one approved.

Taylor Barrett was looking for answers in a universe that
had abandoned him.

Jude Boehler flooded her dark world with charisma and
mystery, drawing everyone into her hurricane.

It was a most captivating of love affairs. They were
shooting stars, meteors in the sky, colliding to create a spectacularly
wonderful reckless romance, leaving them breathless and tethered.

But that’s what Love does.

Their souls were exposed to the chaos, bare and vulnerable.
Can these two star-crossed lovers survive the madness that is life?

ADD TO GOODREADS

EXCERPT

ntering his building made her feet lighter. She was being carried on the wings of euphoria, each step easier than the last. She wasn’t walking to her future. She was running toward it. Taking a breath, she held it, and knocked on his door.

The door opened and he stood there with his lips parted and confusion furrowing his brow. “Jude?”

Throwing herself forward, she jumped up and wrapped her body around his and kissed him. Then again. He kicked the door closed and held her against it. When they parted, they remained close enough to share their panting breaths. He said, “You’re here.” When he pressed his abs against her center her head knocked hard on the wood and he kissed the exposed skin of her neck where it met her shoulder.

He was strong. He was virile. “Hey,” she said, bringing his face up to see hers.

Lowering her down until her feet touched, he said, “I thought we were meeting at the park?”

“I couldn’t wait.”

His glorious smile chose to shine on her. “I’m glad you didn’t. Do you want to go to the bedroom?”

Giggling, she replied, “Yes, so much, but I need to talk to you first.”

“Okay.” He walked to the couch and she stared gob-smacked by his allure. Jeans that hung low. No shirt. Boxers peeking out the top, but a V that directed her eyes below the waistband. He was a tease as he stood there waiting for her to join him. Sitting on the couch, he patted it. “C’mere.”

She started walking on shaky legs. As she passed the bar, she debated if she should stay there to save her clarity. That seat next to him was tempting, but she knew she’d be flat on her back within seconds. So she hurried to his side and sat down. His hands were instantly on her.

S.L. Scott is a former high-tech account manager with a journalism degree pursuing her passion for telling stories. She spends her days escaping into her characters and letting them lead her on their adventures.
Live music shows, harvesting jalapenos and eating homemade guacamole are her obsessions she calls hobbies.
Scott lives in the beautiful Texas hill country of Austin with her husband, two young sons, two Papillons and a bowl full of Sea Monkeys.

She welcomes your notes at sl@slscottauthor.com.

FACEBOOK GOODREADS Amazon Author Page

Contemporary Romance Cover Reveal Excerpt New Adult New Releases October 2015

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Wild Sky by Suzanne and Melanie Brockmann…Release Day Event, Excerpt & Giveaway

by Jilly

Wild Sky

Summary

Skylar is a girl with extraordinary power. A girl with a mission to use her Greater-Than gifts to stop the makers of Destiny from getting people hooked on their deadly drug. But Sky is still mastering her new abilities, and her first mission to destroy a Destiny lab leaves her best friend addicted to the drug. For a few days Cal will be able to walk again – until it kills him. Time is running out for Sky to save the world without sacrificing her friends, to become truly Greater-Than…

Buy Links

Amazon – http://bit.ly/YAWild
Barnes and Noble – http://bit.ly/1WpnUkB
iBooks – http://apple.co/1PFLKEO

Message From The Authors Suzanne and Melanie Brockmann

Mel: Wild Sky is a paranormal story, set in Florida, approximately fifty years in the future. In this world, a small percentage of people, mostly girls and young women, are born with a chemical in their blood that gives them superpowers like telekinesis or extraordinary strength.

Suz: Nicknamed “Greater-Thans” or “G-Ts,” these girls have been targeted for kidnapping by bad guys who harvest their blood and use it to manufacture a drug called “Destiny.” Destiny is extremely expensive, highly addictive, and ultimately fatal, but before the user dies from it, the drug reverses the aging process, heals illness and injury, and gives the addict super powers, too.

Mel: It’s pretty scary stuff! Oh, and just an FYI: Although Wild Sky is the sequel to Night Sky, you don’t have to read Night Sky for Wild Sky to make sense!

Suz: All you really need to know is that in Night Sky sixteen-year-old Skylar Reid discovers that she’s a Greater-Than with some serious superpowers.

Mel: And that Sky and her best friend Calvin–a really upbeat kid who’s spent most of his life in a wheelchair–have some dangerous adventures with another tough-girl G-T named Dana, and Dana’s extremely (ahem) attractive sidekick Milo.

Suz: Sky and Milo really hit it off, so in Wild Sky, they’re a bit of an item.

Mel: A bit! In Wild Sky, Sky and her friends get into more trouble as they search for Dana’s sister, Lacey, who disappeared years ago and has been presumed dead.

Suz: But now Sky’s got reason to believe Lacey’s being held captive in a Destiny “farm.” And of course, high jinks ensue, and our beloved character Calvin is put into extreme danger–although throughout most of it, he holds onto his crazy sense of humor!

Mel: We both love Calvin very much!

Suz: And Sky does, too! When we developed the Night Sky series, we wanted to center it around a main character we could easily relate to. And even though we grew up in very different circumstances –

Mel: Mom has an older sister, I have a younger brother. My dad was a lawyer, my mom a writer. My mom’s parents were both teachers.

Suz: I grew up listening to the Beatles –

Mel: Christina Aguilera.

Suz: Watching Star Trek.

Mel: Full House.

Suz: Paul Newman!

Mel: Bradley Cooper!

Suz: But despite all of those superficial differences, Mel and I shared experiences far too common to teenage girls. Waves of self-doubt, with occasionally soul-crushing periods of insecurity.

Mel: Yet even at our lowest moments, we knew that there were things we were really good at.

Suz: And that’s where Sky came from. A young woman whose primary goal is to fit in with her peers, but whose G-T status makes that virtually impossible. Or so she believes.

Mel: Of course, her friends recognize Sky for who she really is – a funny, loyal young woman with a huge heart — whose superpowers only add to her awesomeness. But for Skylar, nothing comes easy. Everything seems to be on shaky ground – her budding romantic relationship with Milo, her ability to help Dana find Lacey, even her friendship with Calvin.

Suz: It’s that very human mix of vulnerabilities and strengths that make Skylar so special.

Mel: We hope readers see Wild Sky as not just a really exciting, action-packed adventure, but a story about Skylar’s quest – and really every teenage girl’s quest — to own her awesome.

Suz: Because we truly believe that everyone is born with abilities that – no matter how seemingly small or insignificant — should be recognized and celebrated! It is our differences that make us Greater-Than.

Wild Sky Excerpt

I wish I could say I’d never witnessed a windshield shatter before, but I’d been in a terrible car accident a few years back, so I knew exactly what it looked and sounded like.

There’s a weird silence that happens immediately after something like that, in which everything seemed to occur in slo-mo. I forced my mouth to move.

“Gunshot!” I shouted, because I could see both Cal and Garrett looking wildly around, trying to process exactly what that noise was and what had just happened. “Bullet to car window! Over to the right.”

The broken windshield belonged to a beat-up sedan parked two slots down from us in the Sav’A’Buck lot. Someone had fired a gun, just once, probably from somewhere near the grocery store’s front doors, judging from that broken front window. Shards of glass made tinkling sounds as they careened off the front of the car and onto the pavement.

“Gunman at the store door, get down get down get down!” Calvin shouted, and I stupidly turned to look instead of diving onto the floor of his car, and he grabbed me by the shirt and yanked me down just as the shooter must’ve flipped the switch from one shot to massacre, and the gun began going off, popping bullets through the air.

BOOM BOOM BOOM POP BOOM!

I braced for them to hit Cal’s car, covering my head as I prepared for a rain of glass, but the man with the giant gun must’ve been pointing it in a different direction, because I heard the ping of punctured metal and breaking glass, but it wasn’t from our car.

I could hear someone screaming—high-pitched and frantic—even as Garrett yelled, “Calvin, drive!”

“Don’t,” I told Cal as I closed my eyes and focused on that glimpse I’d seen before he’d pulled me to relative safety.

Single gunman. Carrying…

A big gun. And something else…?

I focused on calling up the image, and yes, he was carrying some- thing under his left arm, some kind of brightly colored sack, with his assault rifle tucked into his right elbow—this tall, broad man, maybe twenty years old, buzz cut, scar above his eyebrow.

That screaming—it had been a child’s voice. She was silent now, but I realized with a flash that I hadn’t seen a colorful bag but instead the cheerfully patterned clothing of a little girl. That man with the gun was abducting a little girl. And I bet I knew why.

“Gimme!” I said and reached back to grab one of the water guns from beside Garrett.

“Sky!” Cal exclaimed. “Don’t—”

I didn’t wait to hear what he thought I shouldn’t do. I’d yanked my hood up over my head, hiding my red hair and as much of my face as I could, and I was already out of the car and on the asphalt, heading toward the man who was still firing that gun. He was using it not to kill, thank goodness, but to keep the little girl’s family from following him. I could see with just one glance that she was unconscious, as he tossed her none too carefully into the passenger seat of his shiny black Bimmer. He had a nice car. And I was pretty sure I knew how he’d paid for it—by kidnapping little girls like this one, like Sasha, too, and selling them to the Destiny makers.

Mother. Effer.

“Hey! ” I belted out. But my voice was buried beneath the cacophony of his weapon. I had to move fast, or he was going to get into his snazzy car and that little girl would be gone.

I took a deep breath and concentrated. Water versus bullets? Not normally much of a contest there.

But I could do this. Couldn’t I?

Suddenly, I heard Dana’s voice in my head, shouting Fail! Fail! What are you doing, Bubble Gum? You have no backup, you have no plan!

What was I doing? This was insane.

Still thoughts. I closed my eyes and pictured Milo. I breathed him, I felt him, I heard him. Still thoughts, Sky. Just let it go…

And in that moment in which I was specifically not thinking about what I was about to do or what the consequences would be if I failed, I felt and then saw my enormous pile of plastic water pistols—there were sixteen of them total—shoot out from the backseat of Calvin’s car and through the passenger side window that I’d left open. They streamed toward me like metal particles toward a magnet.

Then, just as quickly, all but one—a little green one—swooped in front of me before lining up and hovering in midair.

The little green plastic water gun zoomed over to the man with the real gun and smacked him in the face.

“What the hell…?” He fumbled his weapon as he turned to see me standing there—me and that collection of water guns—and his eyes widened.

“Holy shit, Sky!” With the noise from the assault weapon silenced, I could hear Garrett shouting, and I winced inwardly because he’d used my name.

But whatever he said next was muffled, and Cal’s voice rang out instead. “Hoshitski, look out!”

It was an intentional misdirect, and I tried to stand like a Hoshitski might, no doubt surly from years of being teased. I pitched my voice lower and ordered, “Drop it! Now!”

The gunman’s wide eyes narrowed, and we both knew he wasn’t going to drop his weapon, so before he could turn and kill me, I let loose my TK and blasted him. All of those plastic guns shot water from their barrels with the intensity of sixteen narrow but powerful fire hoses, and it sent the man down onto the ground so hard that I heard his head as it smacked against the pavement.

The gun he’d been holding clattered to the ground.

All of my weapons ceased water-fire and dropped onto the pavement in front of the unconscious shooter.

The silence that followed was eerie. I felt a little dazed, standing there with a single, silly-looking pink water gun still in my hand, staring at the downed man and his big real gun, and then over at the bullet-riddled storefront of the Sav’A’Buck.

WildSky-ReleaseGraphic

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Direct Link

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/54ca7af7205

Biography

SuzanneMelanieBrockmann Suzanne Brockman, a New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author, has won 2 RITA awards, numerous RT Reviewers’ Choice, and RWA’s #1 Favorite Book of the Year three years running. She has written over 50 books, and is widely recognized as a “superstar of romantic suspense” (USA Today). Suzanne and her daughter, Melanie Brockmann, have been creative partners, on and off, for many years. Their first project was an impromptu musical duet, when then-six-month-old Melanie surprised and delighted Suz by matching her pitch and singing back to her. Suzanne splits her time between Florida and Massachusetts while Mel lives in Sarasota, Florida. NIGHT SKY is Mel’s debut and Suzanne’s 55th book. Visit Suzanne at www.SuzanneBrockmann.com.

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Cherished By You by Steph Nuss…Release Day Event

by Jilly

Title: Cherished by You (Love in the City #4)

Author: Steph Nuss

Release Date: Oct 7, 2015

Find on Goodreads

“Move in with me,” he said.

Being cherished is how Tessa Wilder always imagined falling in love. But for years, she’s always gone for the wrong guys. Now that she’s fallen for one of the good ones, she fears rejection.

“I can’t,” she replied.

Justin Jameson quit looking for a woman after being used so many times for his brains. A bit of an introvert and completely oblivious to women’s advances, he can’t even see that his friend cherishes everything about him.

When Tessa needs a place to stay, Justin’s the first to offer her a room. Hearts are opened; feelings are ventured. They’ll finally know what it’s like to be cherished in the city until one moment threatens the relationship they’ve built.

“I can’t lose you.”

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes

I spent the morning at work searching online for apartments, which caused a ball of anxiety to tighten in my stomach as reality smacked me in the face. I knew living in the city was expensive, but I didn’t think it was that expensive. I’d found studio apartments, where the bathroom and kitchen were practically in the same room, and I still couldn’t afford them. I was one second away from a cry fest when Justin Jameson and Carter Jennings walked into Elly’s psych clinic for lunch. Just the sight of Justin in his professor ensemble brightened my day. He paired brown loafers with khaki pants that hung from his lean hips. The navy blue sweater vest over his light-blue plaid button-down highlighted his wiry frame and made his hazel-blue eyes pop against his tan skin. His long, sandy blond hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, his normal work style. To some, his appearance probably wasn’t sexy in the slightest, but it was one of my favorites.

Ever since Carter had moved back to the city last year, he and Justin spent most of their lunch breaks at Elly’s clinic. It wasn’t too far away from NYU, where they both taught. Now that Carter and Elly were married and expecting their first child together, not a day went by that he missed having lunch with her.

“Hey, Tessa,” Carter said, placing their bags on the table in the lobby.

“Hey, guys,” I said, smiling politely. I was in no mood to have lunch with anyone, even my friends, so I decided to forgo the sandwich I’d packed and continue apartment hunting. “Elly’s last patient just left, so she should be out in a minute.”

“Okay,” Carter said, taking a seat. He started unpacking the lunch he’d brought, a smile proudly stamped across his face. Justin sat across from him, doctoring his sandwich with dressing.

Elly soon appeared in the lobby, rocking an adorable black dress that slightly hid her baby bump. “Hey, guys!”

“Hey, babe,” Carter said, as Justin offered her a silent nod.

She immediately greeted Carter with a kiss and plopped down in the seat next to him. “What’d you bring us today?” she asked, rubbing her belly.

“A turkey sub without mayo this time,” he replied.

“Oh good, because Baby Jennings is not a fan of mayonnaise,” she said with a cringe as she unwrapped the paper. “Did you get the vinegar and oil and oregano?”

Carter laughed. “Of course.”

“I love you,” she said, offering him another kiss. She turned her attention toward me and smiled. “Tessa, are you going to eat with us?”

I sighed and shook my head. “Nah, I’m not really hungry.”

“How are you not hungry?” Elly asked, before taking a bite of her sub.

Well, I wasn’t eating for two, and the reality check of apartment hunting had completely stolen my appetite.

“What are you looking up on there?” Carter asked, nodding toward my computer.

Leaning back in my chair, I gazed over at my friends and confessed. “Trey wants to move out and get a place with a friend, but I told him they could have my place and I would find something. So, I’m apartment hunting now.”

“Are you having any luck?” Elly asked.

“Not really,” I said gravely. “Even the crappier places I’ve found are on the higher end of my budget. I had no idea how expensive apartments were now. Living under rent control will do that to a person.”

“You know, I could give you a raise,” Elly said, smiling genuinely. “But you’ll probably just say you don’t need one, so why don’t you move in with us for the time being?”

“No, I don’t deserve a raise, and I couldn’t do that to you guys. You just got married a few months ago, and you have a baby on the way. Thanks for the offer, but I just can’t.”

“Okay,” Elly said, rolling her eyes. “But the offer still stands. You’re always welcome.”

“I know,” I said, turning my attention back to my computer screen. I decided to widen my search to other boroughs, so I began looking there while they ate in comfortable silence.

“What about Paige?” Elly asked. “She has a spare bedroom at her place.”

“You lived with Paige back in college,” I stated. “You really think she wants a roommate now? She couldn’t wait to find her own place once you guys graduated.”

“True,” she said.

“Speaking of Paige,” Carter said. “Where is she? She usually has lunch with us.”

Paige had texted me earlier, saying she had a lunch meeting for work. Elly and I shared a glance, and then she turned to Carter and sighed. “She had a work lunch she had to attend today, and she’ll probably have them until the baby arrives. She’s avoiding me now that she knows I’m pregnant.”

“Are you serious?” Carter asked, brows furrowed.

“Carter,” Elly warned, shaking her head.

“Whatever,” he stated, taking a bite of his sub. “She needs to get over whatever issues she has with babies. Everyone loves babies.”

“Some people prefer a child-free lifestyle,” she continued. “We’ve talked about this.”

“I know, but she’s one of our friends,” he argued. “All I’m saying is that she shouldn’t feel the need to avoid us for nine months.”

Elly smiled at him and then playfully took a bite of her sandwich and asked with a mouthful, “Can we please drop this so I can go back to enjoying my lunch?”

“Yes,” he laughed, placing a chaste kiss on her cheek. “Fuel up, babe.”

I laughed as I scrolled through the apartment listings. I’d been spoiled for too long, and now I was paying for it. I worked full-time as Elly’s receptionist, and I still couldn’t afford any of these places. I couldn’t imagine what dump Trey and Josh would’ve ended up finding on their measly part-time paychecks.

“Move in with me.”

Turning my head back toward the table, I looked up in shock and found Justin staring back at me. “W-what?”

“I said, you can move in with me.”

I couldn’t possibly live with Justin Jameson, especially not after the sex dream I had starring him the night before. I had the world’s biggest crush on him, and it’d somehow moved into wet dream territory. How the hell was I supposed to live with him?

“I can’t,” I said shyly, shaking my head. “I-um-I don’t know if I can aff—”

“I have an extra bedroom,” he explained. “I’ve never had a roommate before, but I think we could make it work. Plus, I think I speak for everyone when I say I can’t let one of my friends live in a box just because it’s in her budget.”

Great. Now, I’m his charity case.

“Thanks, but I don’t think I can afford even half your rent.”

Justin lived in a nice condo near Washington Square. The building had a doorman and included amenities like a spa and housecleaners. It also had a five-star restaurant and a lounge in the lobby. I probably couldn’t even afford a third of the rent at a place like his.

“You wouldn’t have to worry about rent,” he stated, his smile widening. “I bought the condo years ago, so it’s mine now.”

Of course, he had it paid off already. Justin came from ridiculously smart, rich parents who authored science textbooks now. Apparently, they’d been genius scientists back when he was younger, but they’d since retired to write. He never talked about them and we’d never met them. All I knew was that they passed all of their intelligence on to him, which led to Justin entering college at the age of fourteen. Now, after acquiring several doctorate degrees in various fields, he was 30-years-old and already tenured at NYU.

I didn’t even graduate high school.

“I can’t just live with you for free,” I said, feeling my cheeks heat with embarrassment.

“Why not?” he asked earnestly.

Carter and Elly quietly watched us as if they were watching a tennis match, back and forth, with considerable interest.

“I-I don’t know,” I stuttered, nervously playing with the buttons on my keyboard. “I would feel like I owe you, and I don’t want to be some charity case.”

Justin sat back in his seat and gave me a smirk. “You’re no one’s charity case. You’re my friend.”

My heart sank at the mention of our friendship. Sadly, friends were all we’d ever be.

Get over it already, Tess.

“If it makes you feel better, we can split the utilities or groceries or whatever,” he said, before popping a chip in his mouth.

I watched as he chewed, smiling back at me, and the knot of anxiety that had settled in my stomach quickly crawled up into my throat. His sweetness was one of the things I loved most about him. He would do anything to help anyone. He didn’t have a mean bone in his body. But God, it would be impossible to live with him, feeling the way I did about him.

Justin was a man of habit: he wasn’t too keen on change. So, the fact that he even offered me his guest bedroom was a huge step for him, especially since he’d never had a roommate. We were opposites in almost every way. He came from money and intelligence; I came from parents who abused drugs and alcohol. He had several academic degrees; I only had my GED. Where he was the silent observer of our group of friends, I was our social butterfly, always chatting away and eager to go out and have fun.

For years now, I’d believed he deserved a woman more like himself, but my beliefs couldn’t deter my feelings for him. He had no idea how I felt about him, and I chalked it up to his obliviousness to women and the effect he had on us.

“I think this is perfect!” Elly cheered. She gazed over at me excitedly, and I sent daggers her way. She knew how I felt. She knew he favored consistency. Yet, she was encouraging this living arrangement.

“What do you say, Tessa?” Carter asked with a smile.

The three of them stared at me, silently begging for my answer. Justin looked slightly amused, as if he couldn’t figure out why I even had to think about it. Carter appeared as eager as his wife, which made me question what he knew about my feelings toward Justin. Elly’s gaze never waived, pleading with me to agree.

So, I did.

“Okay,” I replied, nodding stiffly.

“Yay!” Elly squealed, clapping her hands. “When can she move in, Justin?”

He laughed, smiling back at me. “As soon as you want. The room is already furnished, but you’re welcome to change anything and make it your own.”

You’re welcome to change anything. Who was this guy and where did Dr. I-Hate-Change go?

“Thanks,” I offered. “I really appreciate it.”

“Maybe we can help you move in this weekend?” Elly suggested.

“No,” Carter rebuked, shaking his head at her. “You will not be helping with anything. You can just sit back and relax with our baby.”

“I’m pregnant, Carter; I’m not debilitated!”

“I know,” he said, sliding his hand over her bump. “I just don’t want anything to happen to either one of you. You can just order us around while we move Tessa in. How does that sound?”

“Perfect!”

“Great,” Justin muttered, unenthusiastically. “Just what we want—a woman ordering us around.”

“Don’t act like you don’t like it, Jameson,” Carter teased, wrapping his arm around Elly’s shoulders and pulling her closer. He placed a kiss on her temple and then stood from his seat. “We should be getting back to work.”

Elly pulled him back down for a longer kiss and then swatted him on the butt. “Okay, I’ll see you later. Love you.”

“Love you,” he said, smiling down at her.

Justin cleaned up the table, discarded their trash, and then came over to my desk and leaned up against it. “So, are we moving you in this weekend then?”

I sighed. “Yeah, I think the sooner, the better. You know teenagers. They want their independence. The sooner I’m out, the quicker Josh can move in.”

“I understand,” he laughed.

Gazing into his beautiful, bright blue eyes, I smiled. “Thanks again for offering me your spare room. I probably would’ve ended up in a box in the Bronx again.”

“You deserve much more than that,” he replied. Then he pushed away from my desk and walked toward the door with Carter. “See you later, roomie!”

Laughing, I waved at them as they exited Elly’s clinic. “Bye, guys!”

Once they were gone, Elly rushed over to my desk and perched on the edge, wearing a huge grin and laughing. “This is probably the best thing that could’ve ever happened to you!”

“No, it’s not,” I muttered, rolling my eyes. “How am I supposed to live with him, Elly? I’ve been in love with him for years, and he doesn’t even know it! He completely ignores any of my advances or flirting.”

“Justin’s introverted,” she explained. “I think once you move in with him, you’ll see a totally different side of each other, and I mean that in a good way. He’s really quiet when we’re all together, but one-on-one, I think he’ll open up to you. He may act like he’s oblivious, but no guy can live with a woman he’s not related to and not think about having sex with her.”

“Oh my God, I never even thought about all the crap he’s going to learn about me. Like my period schedule. Am I supposed to keep my tampons in his bathroom or hide them in my bedroom? See, nothing in his place will be mine! Everything is his because it’s his place that he bought! Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes,” she sighed, rolling her eyes. “And I think you’re freaking out over nothing! Justin is an adult. He knows you have a period. Leave your tampons wherever you want. It’s not like he’s going to have the nerve to tell you to put them somewhere else.”

When I just stared at her, she continued. “I about choked on my food when he said you could move in. This is progress for him, Tessa! He’s never had a roommate before, so he wouldn’t have offered if he didn’t want you there.”

“You know, I’m really starting to hate this positive, no worries side of you,” I mumbled, shaking my head.

“Hakuna matata!” she cheered with a little shake of her hips, causing us both to break out in laughter.

The Love in the City series is about a group of friends looking for love in New York City. Each book is about a different couple, so they can be read as standalones. The stories are told from both the female and male point of views, and they all end in happily ever afters, no cliffhangers here! Finally, all the book covers are different colors to represent a certain awareness or cause that is referenced in each book. Grab the first book in the series, Wanted By You, for FREE today!

Wanted by You | Fantasized by You | Pleasured by You

Steph Nuss was born and raised in rural Kansas, where she currently resides with her black Labrador son named Gunner. She grew up with a passion for reading and writing. When she’s not immersed into the land of fiction, she enjoys listening to music that came before her time, watching movies and reruns of her favorite shows, and hanging out with her family and friends. She also has a bachelor’s degree in psychology that she’ll never use…unless she’s profiling her characters of course.

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October 2015 Release Day Event

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Alexa Loved by T.R. Cupak….Release Day Blitz & Giveaway

by Courtney

Alexa Loved

TR Cupak

RELEASE DAY BLITZ

October 6, 2015

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 on her doorstep—the night before she’s supposed to meet Devin in Miami—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.

   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.

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.

Alexa Loved (Alexa Series Book 2)

Alexa Crushed (Alexa Series Book1)

Will be $.99 from 10/06-10/16

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Contemporary Romance Excerpt Giveaway New Adult New Releases October 2015 Release Day Event

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Playing With Fire by Kate Meader…Blog Tour Stop, Review & Giveaway

by Jilly

Welcome to the blog tour for Playing with Fire by Kate Meader!

We are excited to do a Fire Giveaway today for Kate Meader’sPLAYING WITH FIRE blog tour. The Fire Giveaway will include Flirting with Fire and Baby, It’s Cold Outside (which includes Kate Meader’sRekindle the Flame, the prequel Hot in Chicago e-novella which will publish 11/30/15 for $1.99!)

You can visit all sites on the blog tour to enter the Fire Giveaways – but keep in mind you can only win once! U.S. only.

Scroll down to enter…

PLAYING WITH FIRE
A HOT IN CHICAGO NOVEL
KATE MEADER
Pocket Books
September 29, 2015
ISBN 9781476785929
$7.99

Synopsis:

The scorching-hot Dempsey siblings continue to fight fire with fire…

Her heart’s in his line of fire…
Heating up reading lists and leisure time long after the summer heat has cooled will be Kate Meader’sPLAYING WITH FIRE, which tells the story of rookie firefighter Alex Dempsey. She may be the only woman in Engine Company 6—and may have burned through thirty-four dates in the last ten months—but she’s got everything under control. At least until she rescues Eli Cooper, Chicago’s devastatingly handsome mayor, from a hotel blaze. These two have clashed before—Eli’s a brilliant politician, used to the spotlight, and Alex has no use for a man who can smooth-talk anyone into anything, including his bed. But after their headline-grabbing encounter, Alex is the one starting to sizzle…

…but first she’ll set his world aflame…
Eli Cooper has one goal: winning the next election, and Alex, his sassy savior, may be the spark he needs to light up his sputtering mayoral campaign. “Dating” the female firefighter who saved his life is political gold, but her total lack of filter makes Eli incensed—and more than a little hot and bothered. For the sake of ratings, their bickering will have to wait until they get some privacy…

And once these two are alone together, there’ll be no way to extinguish the flames in Kate Meader’s second sizzling installment in the Hot in Chicago series,PLAYING WITH FIRE!

My Review:

Playing With Fire is the second book in author Kate Meader’s Hot in Chicago Series. I adore this series and this book was such an amazing addition. Packed with heat, tension, and emotion I loved everything about Alex and Eli’s story.

Alex and Eli have had quite a volatile relationship but it was always with an underlying sexy push and pull vibe. Never wanting to admit they were attracted to one another, the banter that went on between them was delicious and prickly at the same time. Now they were faced with a situation that put them in extremely close quarters and would test just how far their attraction went. Would it turn into a relationship that would burn hotter than and fire Alex had ever fought or would it sizzle and burn out like a flame getting drenched with cold Chicago snow?

Oh man, Alex and Eli. I’m just going to sit here for a minute and sigh dreamily. These two were off the charts hot and the sexual tension between them was like nothing I’ve ever read. But beyond that, the emotional connection Eli and Alex build is so beautiful and meaningful. They both have tragic pasts and it truly brought them together in a most special and deep way. Their story isn’t a walk in the park and their happy ever after certainly doesn’t come easy but it was so worth it for both of them. Their personalities were so different and their upbringings equally diverse but they completed one another so perfectly and the balance they bring into the relationship is simply spectacular. I also have to mention that Ms. Meader wrote one of the HOTTEST scenes ever….good lord the mirror scene had me fanning myself. It was scorching!

Ms. Meader brings so much into her stories. She is a writer who gives so much depth and dimension to her characters that I can’t help but feel as thought they are real people we could go and have dinner with. They have quirks and wonderfully individual character traits. I love that about her writing. She also gives so many facets to the story, which makes for interesting moments, sprinkles of drama, and never a lull. I truly appreciate her writing and will always look forward to reading her work!

Oh! And shout out to Alex being a regular sized woman, not model thin, and Eli for loving that about her!

Thank you, Ms. Meader, for once again knocking my socks off and giving us a book that I couldn’t get enough of!

Five Loves

“Meader packs the flawless second Hot in Chicago romance with superb relationship development…and note-perfect dialogue…The secondary characters play their parts beautifully, and Eli and Alexandra are a captivating couple…”
—Publishers Weekly starred review

“Thank you, Kate Meader, for creating a heroine who does not fit the status quo! The idea of a plus-size female firefighter being described as sexy and irresistible makes this book stand out. Meader also provides readers with steamy sex scenes, colorful characters and riveting dialogue. The themes of staying true to yourself and the impact of family legacies make for an interesting storyline. This tale is a real page-turner.”
—RT Book Reviews four and a half star “scorcher” TOP PICK GOLD review

About the Author:

Kate Meader was raised on romance. An Irish girl, she started with Catherine Cookson and Jilly Coooper novels, and spiced it up with some Mills & Boon. Now based in Chicago, she writes romances of her own, where sexy contemporary alpha heroes and strong heroines match each other quip for quip. When not immersed in tales of brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron or a fire hose, Kate lives on the web atkatemeader.com, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads and Pinterest.

Please note that each participating blog will do a Fire Giveaway: one copy each ofFlirting with Fire and Baby, It’s Cold Outside (which includes Rekindle the Flame,the prequel e-novella which will publish 11/30/15 for $1.99!) You can visit all sites on the blog tour to enter the Fire Giveaways – but keep in mind you can only win once! U.S. only.

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9/28: Night Owl Reviews, Author Chat

Week 1, three Fire Giveaways per day
9/29: A Book Whore’s Obsession
Abigail Books Addiction
Night Owl Reviews
9/30: The Literary Gossip Book Blog
Mrs Leif’s Two Fangs About It Book Blog
In Between the Pages
10/1: Talk Supe
The Romance Dish
Four Chicks Flipping Pages
10/2: Harlequin Junkie
Bea’s Book Nook
Collector of Book Boyfriends

Week 2, two Fire Giveaways per day
10/5: Read Your Writes Book Reviews
Fire and Ice Book Reviews
10/6: Cocktails & Books
Read-Love-Blog
10/7: Bookish Temptations
Art Books Coffee
10/8: Ramblings From a Chaotic Mind
WTF Are You Reading?
10/9: Romance Obsessed Book Blog
Fiction Fangirls
Red Cheeks Reads

Week 3, one Fire Giveaway per day
10/12: The Lovely Books Blog
10/13: Margie’s Must Reads
10/14: The Book Enthusiast
10/15: Short and Sassy Book Blurbs
10/16: About That Story

Blog Tour Contemporary Romance Five Loves October 2015

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Wicked For You by Shayla Black…Release Day Event

by Jilly

Ever since he rescued her from a dangerous kidnapper, Mystery Mullins has wanted Axel Dillon. When he returned her to her Hollywood father and tabloid life, she was grateful…and a little in love. Mystery wasn’t ready to let Axel go, even after the soldier gently turned her away because, at nineteen, she was too young.

Now, six years later, Mystery is grown, with a flourishing career and a full life—but she’s still stuck on Axel. Disguised, she propositions him in a bar, and the night they spend together is beyond her wildest dreams. Mystery steels herself to walk away—except the sheets are barely cold when her past comes back to haunt her.

Once he realizes Mystery isn’t the stranger he thought, Axel is incensed and intrigued. But when it’s clear she’s in danger, he doesn’t hesitate to become her protector—and her lover—again. And as the two uncover a secret someone is willing to kill for, Axel is determined to claim Mystery’s heart before a murderer silences her for good.

Kindle * Kindle UK * Nook * iBooks * Kobo * Google Play * All Romance

**** WICKED LOVERS SERIES ****

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Kindle * Kindle UK * Nook * iBooks * Kobo * Google Play * All Romance

Kindle * Kindle UK * Nook * iBooks * Kobo * Google Play * All Romance

Kindle * Kindle UK * Nook * iBooks * Kobo * Google Play * All Romance

Kindle * Kindle UK * Nook * iBooks * Kobo * Google Play * All Romance

Kindle * Kindle UK * Nook * iBooks * Kobo * All Romance * Smashwords

Kindle * Kindle UK * Nook * iBooks * Kobo * Google Play * All Romance

Kindle * Kindle UK * Nook * iBooks * Kobo * All Romance * Smashwords

Kindle * Kindle UK * Nook * iBooks * Kobo * Google Play * All Romance

Kindle * Kindle UK * Nook * iBooks * Kobo * Google Play * All Romance

Kindle * Kindle UK * Nook * iBooks * Kobo * Google Play * All Romance

Kindle * Kindle UK * Nook * iBooks * Kobo * Google Play * All Romance

Kindle * Kindle UK

Kindle * Kindle UK * Nook * iBooks * Kobo * Google Play * All Romance

Shayla Black is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than forty novels. For over fifteen years, she’s written contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances via traditional, independent, foreign, and audio publishers. Her books have sold well over a million copies and been published in a dozen languages.

Raised an only child, Shayla occupied herself with lots of daydreaming, much to the chagrin of her teachers. In college, she found her love for reading and realized that she could have a career publishing the stories spinning in her imagination. Though she graduated with a degree in Marketing/Advertising and embarked on a stint in corporate America to pay the bills, her heart has always been with her characters. She’s thrilled that she’s been living her dream as a full-time author for the past seven years.

Shayla currently lives in North Texas with her wonderfully supportive husband, her teenage daughter, and a very spoiled cat. In her “free” time, she enjoys reality TV, reading, and listening to an eclectic blend of music.

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October 2015 Release Day Event

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Confessions of a Kleptomaniac by Jessica Sorensen….Release Day Blitz & Review

by Courtney

Happy Release Day to Jessica Sorensen and her new YA Contemporary Romance – Confessions of a Kleptomaniac. Enjoy a sneak peek into the book below and make sure to enter for a chance to win an ebook copy of this book!

♥ BUY THE BOOK ♥

Amazon

Everyone thinks Luna Harvey is a good girl, but she has a dark secret. She’s a kleptomaniac. For years, Luna has managed to keep her secret from everyone, until one day she slips up and almost gets caught. Fortunately, Grey Sawyer steps in and saves her from getting into trouble.

Grey Sawyer is one of the most popular guys in school and hasn’t always been nice to Luna. While she’s grateful he helped her out, Luna worries he’ll tell everyone her secret and her good girl reputation will be ruined.

Grey understands Luna’s situation more than she realizes, though, because he has a secret of his own. One he desperately wants to tell Luna. But with their rocky past, he knows he’ll have to get her to trust him first and show Luna he’s not the guy he used to be.

REVIEW

Jessica Sorensen is the reason I love reading YA so much!! And this book just proves why she rocks at it!!

This book made me feel giddy throughout the whole thing. Yes, there were some moments where I wanted to bash some heads but the overall feeling was happy and proud.

Luna has some very odd and off-the-wall parents. How she survived living with them til now, is completely beyond me. But she’s had her awesome group of friends to keep her moving forward and not completely falling into the messed up world her parents think is normal.

Grey – even at his young age, he makes me swoon. LOL He’s a good with a great head on his shoulders, but for quite some time, it was clouded by outside forces. After he’s dealt a huge blow, it opens his eyes a bit more.

Luna and Grey really grew throughout this book. And they helped each other along the way. Watching their interactions with each other and Luna’s friends just really makes you smile.

Jessica really knows how to keep things intense yet light. You get drawn into the story and find yourself grinning, laughing and next thing you know, the book is ending. She’s that damn good!!! All of the characters are quite interesting and we are given tidbits of information about each of them – just enough that we are going to want to know more.

I am looking forward to reading more in this series!! Great start!

He reaches out and molds his hands around mine, bringing me the smallest amount of comfort. “Can you do me a favor? The next time something happens when you feel that pressure, can you talk to me first before you do anything?”

“You really want me to keep talking to you after what I just told you?”

“You think I’d stop liking you because you steal sometimes?” He shakes his head in disbelief. “Luna, I let my friends torture you for years. If anything, you shouldn’t be sitting here, talking to me.”

Jessica Sorensen is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author from the snowy mountains of Wyoming. When she’s not writing, she spends her time reading and hanging out with her family.

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Jessica Sorensen’s CONFESSIONS OF A KLEPTOMANIAC Release Day Giveaway

Excerpt New Releases New Reviews October 2015 Release Day Event Young Adult

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A Lover’s Lament by KL Grayson & BT Urruela…Release Day Event & Review

by Jilly

It’s the release day of A Lover’s Lament by KL Grayson & BT Urruela! I love this fantastic contemporary romance so much. Today, we have an excerpt and a fantastic giveaway, so be sure to check out all of the release day festivities!

About A Lover’s Lament:

In a matter of seconds my entire world changed, and it was in that moment that I stopped living and simply began to exist.

In my grief, I sent a letter to the first boy I ever loved. I hoped in writing it I’d find some peace from the nightmare I was living, some solace in my anger.

I didn’t expect him to write back. I wasn’t prepared for his words, and I certainly wasn’t ready for the impact this soldier would have on my life. A deep-rooted hate transformed into friendship, and then molded into a love like I’d never known before.

Sergeant Devin Ulysses Clay did what I couldn’t: he put the shattered pieces of my heart back together, restoring my faith in humanity and teaching me how to live again.

But now that I’m whole, I have a decision to make. Do I return to my life as I knew it and the fiancé I left behind, or do I walk away from it all for the only man to ever break my heart?

***

I’ve been living in hell, but you won’t hear me complain.

These men depend on me, as I do them, and this brotherhood is the only family I’ve ever known.

The Army saved me from a callous mother and a life on the wrong side of the tracks that was quickly spiraling out of control. So unlike most of the men in my platoon, going home wasn’t something I longed for.

I was content overseas, spending my days defending this country that gave me my life back. Fighting became my new normal … until her.

A letter from Katie Devora—a letter that I almost didn’t open. Her words put a fire back inside of me that I didn’t know I’d lost. She gave me hope during a time when I was fighting every day just to stay alive, and now it’s time I fight for her.

My Review:

A Lover’s Lament is a joint work from author KL Grayson and debut author BT Urruela and is, hands down, one of the most emotional and touching books I’ve ever read. I loved every single second of this book.

Young love wasn’t very kind to Devin and Katie. The love that they found in their youth had been torn apart when Devin moved away and even though, years later, they had both moved on in very different directions, they both thought of one another often. Neither one of them ever could have imagined that by a cruel twist of fate they would be brought back together. Neither one was ready for what lay ahead for them but one thing they both knew: this was a second chance, one they needed to grab onto with both hands and hold on tight.

But sometimes second chances aren’t without sacrifice, pain, and loss…

I can assure right now that as I sit and type this review I am indeed crying. As I said earlier this was one of the most emotional books I have ever read. Knowing BT is a veteran and that the things Katie and Devin go through in this story is a very real situation the men and women in our military deal with every day made my heart hurt. It also gave me such a deep appreciation for what they do and the families they have supporting them along the way. Of course it also gave a taste of what they live through day in and day out and the worry for their loved one’s safety. I can’t even imagine what it must be like. That being said, the letters and emails between Katie and Devin were such a bright spot and gave me such hope for this rekindled relationship. I wanted nothing more than for Devin to return home to Katie and for them to live their lives together. Their correspondence gave such beautiful depth to their relationship and I loved reading it. There truly is something to be said for long distance love and the bond that it creates.

Now, I have to say, this ending of this book had me in hysterics. No joke. I was ready to hyperventilate. To say that I was worried sick would be the understatement of the year! Luckily, even though it wasn’t without some sadness, things end up ok. I honestly don’t think I have ever, EVER, been that worried for a book couple as I was in this instance.

Emotional, beautiful, moving, and touching, A Lover’s Lament is a book everyone needs to read. I gained such an appreciation for so much I have in my life after reading this book and an even bigger appreciation for all the men and women in uniform and the loved ones who support them. Thank you K.L. and B.T. for writing this story. It’s truly a gift.

Five Loves

Buy Links:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads

Exclusive Excerpt:

I wake before the sun has checked in for the day and scan the tent, noting my men still sleeping heavily. My morning ritual, at least the days I have time to do it, requires a bit of privacy, and I make certain I have it before I begin. Most of these clowns will just jerk it from their cots in the middle of the night with the rest of us passed out around them. There’s always been something odd about that to me. On a regular basis, I’ve woken up to the sounds of heavy breathing and skin slapping skin, and it pisses me the fuck off. If I’m not dog-tired, they’ll get a boot heaved in their direction, aimed straight for the dick and with the express purpose of putting them out of business for a while.

No, jackin’ the beanstalk in public isn’t for me. Unfortunately, that leaves only one other place to do it—the Drop Zone. Porta-shitters, as we like to call them, sit for weeks without being emptied and capture every bit of the sun’s heat. It’s like a fucking greenhouse in there, and one breath in that motherfucker while beating off and your dick is in full retreat.

So there’s a trick to doing this just right; you have to prep him first. You get him up and going, and then you quickly finish in the shitter. For most of these guys, the bikini-clad chicks above their cots or the porno mags stashed in their bags are a necessity for a proper jerk-off, but I’m an imaginative guy. I close my eyes and my mind becomes like a time machine of fuck. Marilyn Monroe in Some Like it Hot … bam! … cum everywhere. Farrah Fawcett in her iconic red swimsuit bent over the counter … set the time machine and go.

This time my mind goes for none other than Jackie O. She’s spread-eagle, with my tongue lightly flicking her throbbing clit while she’s begging for my dick. And, of course, I’m making her call me Mr. President. I laugh at the last thought but notice it’s at least gotten the job started. Since my dick is half-mast and ticking its way to full form, I slink my way to the tent’s entrance.

Stepping out, I’m met by the sun creeping softly over the tops of the barriers, and I hurry toward the porta-shitters, positioned just past the Humvees in front of the eastern wall. This two-hundred-yard walk is the most important part of the process. You have to walk with speed but not urgency, in hopes that you don’t attract attention from the few others also awake—all while the imagined porn still reels in your head.

I manage to make it into the shitter undetected and quickly go to work on my shaft while my left hand pinches my nose like a vise and my eyes squeeze tightly shut. Only this time it isn’t someone famous that I picture. It’s Katie.

Even as early as it is, the Drop Zone is like a sauna, and beads of sweat collect on my forehead. I try desperately to hold in my breath as the seconds tick down. Just as my lungs begin to demand air and my body stiffens, I toss my head back with a stifled groan. My body recovers from its high much quicker in this setting, but at least the job is done. Two weeks of combat stress gone, just like that.

About the Authors:

K.L. Grayson resides in a small town outside of St. Louis, MO. She is entertained daily by her extraordinary husband, who will forever inspire every good quality she writes in a man. Her entire life rests in the palms of six dirty little hands, and when the day is over and those pint-sized cherubs have been washed and tucked into bed, you can find her typing away furiously on her computer. She has a love for alpha-males, brownies, reading, tattoos, sunglasses, and happy endings…and not particularly in that order.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/KL-Grayson/1403900879892076?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorklgrayson

IG: @booksbyklgrayson

Taylor Urruela was an infantryman in the US Army from August 2004 until February 2011. At the end of a year long tour in Baghdad, IQ, his vehicle was hit by two roadside bombs, which took his right leg below the knee and the life of his commander. He was awarded the Purple Heart for his wounds, an Army Commendation Medal and Combat Infantryman’s Badge. He medically retired from the Army in 2011 and moved to Tampa, FL where he currently works as a Director and Brand Ambassador of VETSports, a veteran community sports nonprofit he co-founded in 2012. He also conducts speaking engagements and he’s a personal trainer for Tampa Sports Academy.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BTUrruela?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BTUArmy

IG: @BTUrruela

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Contemporary Romance Five Loves October 2015 Release Day Event

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Crush by Kim Karr….Cover Reveal

by Courtney

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C R U S H

Book 2 in The Tainted Love Duet

Author: Kim Karr

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Cover Design: By Hang Le

═══ RELEASING NOVEMBER 16th ═══

The danger isn’t over.

It’s only just begun.

Circumstances brought them together and their undeniable connection won’t let them part. But when the past and the present collide, emotions run high—things are said, lines are crossed, and rules are broken. Both focused on crushing the enemy, the retribution is almost too much to bear. Still, there’s no undoing what has already been done, and every action has a consequence.

He loves her and she loves him, but love isn’t a shield.

Sometimes your only choice is the one you’d rather not make. Pushed to the limit, the tainted love of Logan and Elle is in jeopardy. With outside forces driving a wedge between them, they have to dig deep within their souls to release the ghosts of their pasts, and fight even harder for what neither knew they needed—each other.

Can love really conquer all?

AmazonUS | AmazonUK | AmazonCA | AmazonAU

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Did you miss the Sign up for this tour?

Sign up today!

✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯

Kim Karr is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author.

She grew up in Rochester, NY and now lives in Florida with her husband and four kids. She’s always had a love for reading books and writing. Being an English major in college, she wanted to teach at the college level but that was not to be. She went on to receive an MBA and became a project manager until quitting to raise her family. Kim currently works part-time with her husband and recently decided to embrace one of her biggest passions–writing.

Kim wears a lot of hats! Writer, book-lover, wife, soccer-mom, taxi driver, and the all around go-to person of her family. However, she always finds time to read. One of her favorite family outings was taking her kids when they were little to the bookstore or the library. Today, Kim’s oldest child is seventeen and no longer goes with her on these, now rare and infrequent, outings. She finds that she doesn’t need to go on them anymore because she has the greatest device ever invented–a Kindle.

Kim likes to believe in soul mates, kindred spirits, true friends, and Happily-Ever-Afters. She loves to drink champagne, listen to music, and hopes to always stay young at heart.

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Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Contemporary Romance Cover Reveal New Adult New Releases October 2015

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Book Promotion & Review

Crosswinds releases tomorrow!

Synopsis:

My review:

Five Loves

Book links:

Free Me by Laurelin Page is on sale for $.99!!!!!!

Their love burned bright, white hot, and strikingly blue around the edges.

Some thought them careless.

Some thought them crazy.

No one approved.

Taylor Barrett was looking for answers in a universe that had abandoned him.

Jude Boehler flooded her dark world with charisma and mystery, drawing everyone into her hurricane.

It was a most captivating of love affairs. They were shooting stars, meteors in the sky, colliding to create a spectacularly wonderful reckless romance, leaving them breathless and tethered.

But that’s what Love does.

Their souls were exposed to the chaos, bare and vulnerable. Can these two star-crossed lovers survive the madness that is life?

Synopsis:

My Review:

Five Loves

REVIEW

Five Loves

✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯

Book 2 in The Tainted Love Duet

Author: Kim Karr

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Cover Design: By Hang Le

═══ RELEASING NOVEMBER 16th ═══

✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯

Did you miss the Sign up for this tour?

Sign up today!

✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯

✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯

Their love burned bright, white hot, and strikingly blue
around the edges.

Some thought them
careless.

Some thought them
crazy.

Taylor Barrett was looking for answers in a universe that
had abandoned him.

Jude Boehler flooded her dark world with charisma and
mystery, drawing everyone into her hurricane.

It was a most captivating of love affairs. They were
shooting stars, meteors in the sky, colliding to create a spectacularly
wonderful reckless romance, leaving them breathless and tethered.

Their souls were exposed to the chaos, bare and vulnerable.
Can these two star-crossed lovers survive the madness that is life?