Read-Love-Blog

Guest Review….Motorcycle Man by Kristen Ashley

Happy Monday!

Motorcycle Man is a story I just finished and was a recommended to me by a dear friend, and up and coming author, Phoebe Chase. (you can find out more about Phoebe at the bottom of this post)

I loved, loved, loved Motorcycle Man…five loves to be exact! I was so thankful for the recommendation that I asked Phoebe to write a guest review for Read-Love-Blog and she was sweet enough to do so! YAY! So, without further adieu…Phoebe Chase’s review of Motorcycle Man:

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Synopsis:

Stuck in a colorless world, Tyra Masters decides to chuck her old life and starts searching for something. She doesn’t know what it is until she meets her dream man. The goateed, tattooed, muscled, gravelly voiced motorcycle man who plies her with tequila and gives her the best sex of her life. But she knows it isn’t the tequila and sex talking. He’s it. He’s who she’s been daydreaming about since she could remember.

Until he makes it clear she isn’t who he’s looking for.

Tyra slinks away from his bed, humiliated. The problem is, he’s her new boss. She just may or may not have forgotten to tell him that part.

Kane “Tack” Allen has a rule. He doesn’t employ someone he’s slept with. And he lets Tyra know that in his motorcycle man way. Tyra fights for her job and wins it using sass and a technicality. Tack challenges her that if she hits his bed one more time, she loses her job.

Tyra is determined to keep her job and keep away from Tack. But she makes a big mistake. During their head-to-heads, she lets it all hang out and shows Tack she is who he’s looking for. And Tack has had a good woman slip through his fingers, he’s not about to let that happen again.

Although Tack colors Tyra’s world with a vibrancy that’s blinding, being with him means she has to live in his Motorcycle Club world. Full on, no holds barred. And since Tack’s world, not to mention Tack, is a little scary, Tyra isn’t so sure.

It’s Tack’s job to convince her.

Phoebe’s Review:

Motorcycle Man is the last in the Dream Man series by Kristen Ashley but can be read as a standalone. And I suggest you do just that if ridiculously hot bikers and fun, wild stories are your thing.

Ashley takes a rough and tumble biker, Tack, and makes you love him, faults and all. In the first quarter of the story, I wasn’t sure I was going to like this book. Tack was a dick. He bends Tyra’s will to his through scare tactics and intimidation. I was almost ready to give up when the author introduced Tack’s children and a kick ass storyline with the Russian mob. I continued reading and eventually Tack’s faults were shown for what they were: human nature. What turned it around for me was how real this couple felt. Tack says hurtful things when he’s mad; Tyra wants to bail. Tack says something that in his mind is crystal clear; Tyra hears something completely different and internalizes her feelings, keeping Tack in the dark, and keeps trying to bail. Once this pattern was established something struck me – it felt like my life (but on a much less interesting scale, of course.) Communication between men and women is a minefield. And until a couple learns to talk things out and make sure what they’re saying is what the other is hearing, misunderstandings will happen. It was a joy to watch these two get to that place. This is the first book in a long time where I had actual heartache watching them struggle to stay together.

Motorcycle Man sets a blistering pace. If it isn’t crazy hot sex it’s a rollercoaster thrill ride with Russian mobsters and crazy ex-wives and a great cast of supporting characters. You’ll love Aunt Bette!

This was the first book by Ashley that I’ve read, but it won’t be the last.

Five Loves

About Phoebe:

Phoebe Chase sneaks in writing during the daylight hours while wasting away in a cubicle and then again after the sun has set at home, the gecko has been fed, and the children put to bed. She hopes to fight her way out of the cubicle one story at at time.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

email Phoebe: phoebe.chase.writes@gmail.com

In Stone by Louise D. Gornall…eBook & Kindle fire GIVEAWAY

To celebrate her upcoming release, Louise is giving away an ecopy of IN STONE and a Kindle Fire to one lucky reader! One runner-up will also win an ecopy of IN STONE. UK and US residents are eligible to win the Kindle Fire. If you live outside the UK or US and your name is drawn, you will receive an Amazon gift card valued at £160 (GBP) instead. The winners will be announced July 29. Good luck!

Synopsis:

Beau Bailey is suffering from a post break-up meltdown when she happens across a knife in her local park and takes it home. Less than a week later the new boy in school has her trapped in an alley; he’s sprouted horns and is going to kill Beau unless she hands over the knife.

Until Eighteenth century gargoyle, Jack, shows up and saves her.

Jack has woken from a century long slumber to tell Beau that she’s accidentally been drafted into a power struggle between two immortal races; Demons and Gargoyles. The knife she picked up is the only one in existence capable of killing immortals and they’ll tear the world apart to get it back. To draw the warring immortals away from her home, Beau decides to go with Jack to Bulgaria in search of the mind-bending realm known as the Underworld, a place where they’ll hopefully be able to destroy the knife and prevent all hell from breaking loose. That is providing they can outrun the demons that are chasing them.

Enter the giveaway here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

Louise is a graduate of Garstang Community Academy, currently studying for a BA (Hons) in English language and literature with special emphasis on creative writing. YA aficionado. Brit bird. Film nerd. Identical twin. Junk food enthusiast. Rumoured pink Power Ranger. Zombie apocalypse 2012 survivor. Avid collector of book boyfriends.

Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

ARC Review….Kill Shot by Liliana Hart

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from iTunes ~ Buy from Kobo

Releases April 30

Synopsis:

Grace Meredith is the CIA’s most deadly assassin. Too bad she’s gone off the grid and become a mercenary for hire. After the death of her daughter by a sniper’s bullet, Grace can no longer stomach the demands of agency life or keep herself from blaming the only man she’s ever loved. Her mind and body are fragile, and she knows she’s just a step away from breaking down completely.

Gabe Brennan hold’s the weight of the world on his shoulders. As one of the most brilliant black ops agents the CIA has ever employed, he knows it’s no one’s fault but his own that his child was gunned down in cold blood. He might not have been able to save his daughter, but he’s determined to save his wife. He only has to find her first.

Sexual tension crackles between Gabe and Grace from the moment they’re reunited, but between the man who is hunting them, a secret that’s been buried for eighty years, and a turbulent past—the odds are stacked against them.

My Review:

Kill Shot is the first in the Collective Series by Liliana Hart and WHOA! Talk about an action packed, hot and heavy suspenseful thriller from start to finish!

Grace Meredith is a gun for hire and trying to put her past far behind her. She had been one of the best assassin’s the CIA had ever seen, but that was her old life. A life she thought was perfect until it all came shattering down with the death of her daughter. Now where there once was joy, is just pain and determination for revenge….revenge against the terrorist that took her happiness away. With her target in her sights she is one step closer to her goal. The last thing she needs is a distraction in the form of a former fellow team member and ex-husband she left behind two years ago along with her shattered past.

Gabe Brennan is a ghost within the CIA. He’s been a black ops agent, and a ruthless one at that, for as long as he can remember. His life has always been about completing missions and he had been happy doing that with his wife by his side. But that was in the past. Now, there’s a gaping hole in his life since his daughter was murdered and wife walked out of his life two years ago. Now, his latest mission is to get Grace back, and act on her thirst for revenge, helping her take down the terrorist scum that took their child’s life. Easier said than done since Grace blames him and his role in the CIA for their daughter’s death. Convincing her to join him on his latest op may turn out to be his toughest mission yet.

Wow. Just wow. This book was amazing. From the very first chapter the personalities of Grace and Gabe were brilliantly developed. Grace is a tough as nails, no-nonsense, kick ass professional but as we got to see, had a softer side that as a woman reader, and mother, could identify with. A talent that Liliana brought to the character that is, in my opinion, difficult to do. Sometimes with a tougher female character, it’s hard to give a good mix of emotion to make her seem real. Grace, I think, represents that perfect balance. Gabe is the ultimate alpha male hero we all love. He is larger than life and can do anything. He also loves his wife, and that right there, is the finishing touch to a great hero! The chemistry between the two alternates between heart breaking and scorching hot. Because of their history, it was easy to jump into the hotter scenes. We bypassed the “meet and fall in love” time frame and it really worked for this story line. Grace and Gabe are a beautifully matched and complimentary couple.

The “mission” in this story is really, really well done. There were so many pieces of the puzzle that each fell into place at the perfect moments throughout the story. I didn’t feel like there were any boring moments! I don’t want to go into too much detail, but I will say if you love twists and turns with a lot of villains and possible outcomes, this is a story for you!

I am truly looking forward to seeing more from this series and from the characters on Grace and Gabe’s team we have been introduced to! Thank you, Liliana, for a wonderfully written, suspense filled, steamy thriller!

Five Loves

Cover Reveal….Gravity by Dannika Dark

I am thrilled to be a part of Dannika Dark’s cover reveal for Gravity, the latest in her Mageri Series. Enjoy the sneak peek book blurb as well as find out more about Dannika and the entire Mageri Series!

Book Blurb:

He twirled a lock of my dark hair between his fingers, bringing the soft tendril to his nose as he drew in a deep breath.

“Do I still smell like lemon cake?” I asked. My fingers wandered along the tight muscles on his arms, sliding underneath the sleeves of his light grey T-shirt.

He suddenly crouched low and ran his nose along the length of my body—close and inviting. God, I loved it when he did that.

Smelled me.

What a strange thing to love about a man. The gesture felt erotic and the tiny hairs on my arms would stand up. With each inhale, his soft purr rumbled and I pulled his face close to mine, planting a soft kiss on his warm cheek. He caged me with arms that had once climbed a thirty-foot tree with blinding speed to rescue me—his agile body leaping from branch to branch as he held me tightly to him.

“Put your mouth on mine, Little Raven. I’m ready for a taste of lemon cake,” he said in a deep and tumbling voice.

“Maybe I’m not so sweet,” I whispered, wetting my lower lip with a sweep of my tongue.

Logan’s eyes followed every movement, and he licked his lips in response. “I want your mouth… on my mouth. Do it, or else I’ll have to find something else to kiss.”

Be sure to check out the other books in Dannika’s Mageri Series:

Sterling (Mageri Series, #1)

Zoë Merrick lived a less than ordinary life, until late one night, she was brutally attacked and left for dead.

A man named Adam spotted her running down the road covered in blood, and took her under his wing. Zoë didn’t just survive that night – she underwent a physical transformation and acquired strange new abilities. Severed from her old life, her frustration grows as she tries to comprehend what’s happening to her.

Serendipity leads her to Justus. He’s handsome, arrogant, and not entirely human. Zoë learns the truth about what she is, and just how dangerous their world is for a young Mage. The only way she will understand her power is by putting her trust in this man, and accepting the protection he offers.

When her immortal freedom is threatened by the one man who has a right to claim her, Zoë learns the price of freedom…and the value of loyalty.

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Twist (Mageri Series, #2)

Months after moving to the mysterious city of Cognito, Silver is developing her gifts as a Mage, and learning how to live under new laws. Forced to give up her old life, she must now live in secret among the humans. She finally has hope of leading an ordinary life . . . until Logan Cross walks into it.

Their chance meeting leads her close to discovering the identity of the nameless Mage who once stole her light and discovered the unique power she possesses. That knowledge poses an unimaginable threat to Silver, fueling her search to find out who he is, before he finds her first.

Lives are at stake. Truths are revealed. And an unexpected passion ignites.

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Impulse (Mageri Series, #3)

Almost one year ago, a Mage attacked Silver and changed the course of her destiny.
Immortals exist, and now she is one of them.

Within the dark and supernatural city of Cognito, Silver is living under the watchful eye of her Ghuardian and dating her mortal enemy. Neither man can protect her from a dark secret, one buried within the contents of a box. As rival factions struggle to gain control, she finds herself in the middle of a centuries-old feud that threatens to drive a wedge between her and Logan Cross, the man who intends to seduce her.

In an explosive turn of events, one life is saved and another is forever altered. Can Silver trust those around her, or are they hiding a dark secret of their own?

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

Down in Texas, there’s a woman who drinks copious amounts of vitamin water placed precariously close to her laptop. Yeah, I know. I’ve got a drinking problem. Hi, I’m Danni.

When I’m not writing (which is all the time), I’m listening to obscure music, watching movies, reading, discovering new ways to humiliate myself bowling, and burning up my laptop battery on the internet. I live with a cat who thinks she is a dog, or a goat (she eats plastic, so I’m not sure which).

Some people count sheep when they have insomnia. Since I was little, I used to make up stories in my head in a futile attempt to bore myself to sleep. The problem was, I’d get so wrapped up in my “head stories” that I would continue them through the following nights, changing it up each time to make it more exciting. Eventually, I started writing my ideas down more and more, creating short stories which evolved into poetry.

Lots and lots of poetry. It’s almost embarrassing that I have an entire box loaded with spiral notebooks filled with furious, heartfelt, and blushing words. Apparently, I had a lot to say.

Another one of my hobbies is digital art. I designed all my book covers.

I am finally doing what I have always wanted to: giving my characters a pulse through publishing. I write adult urban fantasy romance, but I don’t like labels. I let the story tell itself, and color outside the lines. I am not a YA author, but I think it’s pretty great that there are so many books available to teens in Urban Fantasy and Paranormal. These are the future readers!

The work that goes behind self publishing is hard work, I won’t lie. On top of my regular day job: I write, edit, format, create cover art, and market.

But it’s what I love to do, and someday, I’m going to be doing this full time.

Website/Blog ~ Twitter ~ FB Author Page ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Frisky Friday featuring Ginger and Derek from Protecting What’s His by Tessa Bailey

Well hello yumminess…..It’s my very first Frisky Friday post and I just had to pick one of my recent fave frisky moments to pop this cherry!

Here is a super hot and steamy scene featuring Ginger and Derek from Tessa Bailey’s Protecting What’s His! Enjoy and try not to drool on your keyboard….

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from Barnes & Noble

Derek pulled into a spot outside the building and Ginger hopped out, intending to bolt inside her apartment and savor the fact that she’d finally gotten in the last word. She made it up the stairs, down the quiet hallway, and to her apartment door before she felt him come up behind her. Suddenly, the keys were snatched from her hand. She spun around in time to see Derek drop them into his pocket.

Her mouth fell open at his audacity. “What are you doing?”

“You can have them back in a minute.”

Derek’s gravelly tone called several other things into focus. The slight flush of his cheekbones, his roughened breathing, the overwhelming nearness of his hard body. Her back arched against the door, an unconscious move that drew his gaze downward, to where her breasts pressed snugly inside her halter top.

I want him to look at me.

The realization shook her and she swallowed as he took a step closer, her throat suddenly dry. “I thought I told you you needed to work for it.”

He leaned down, and his big hands came to rest on either side of her head, mouth stopping a mere inch away from hers. “I think we have two different definitions of what working for it means.”

“Oh? What’s your definition?”

“Do you want to me to tell you?” He brushed his lips along the underside of her jaw. “Or show you?”

The blistering contact of his mouth on her skin sent shock waves coursing through her system. Since meeting, she and Derek had shared two sexually charged encounters, but this moment marked the first time he’d touched her and the effect was like a drug straight to her brain. Her head fell back, inviting him to kiss her in the sensitive spot again, but he remained still, waiting for her answer.

She lifted her head and looked him in the eye. “Show me.”

His mouth came down on hers, hard and hungry. The initial contact proved so potent, they both had to pause for a shuddering breath. When she slid her hands up to his shoulders and dug her nails in his flesh, he groaned and lifted her against the door. Desperate to get closer, Ginger’s legs came up to circle his waist, and she moaned when Derek pushed against her with his hips, holding her backside in place with rough hands. She broke contact with his mouth, gasping at the hardness pressing against her damp shorts.

“Did you enjoy putting on that little show for me behind the bar?”

One hand left her bottom to travel up, over her hip and rib cage, stopping just under her right breast, eyes piercing hers with a silent question. Oh, God. She nodded, and when his palm slid up and over her breast, squeezing gently, her eyelids fluttered closed at the excess of sensations. She could feel him watching her, weighing her every reaction as he ran his thumb back and forth across her hard nipple. The arousal she’d experienced earlier tonight while Derek watched her work exploded with added intensity. A whimper escaped her lips. A sharp ache pulsed between her thighs.

“I asked you a question. Did you enjoy it?”

Derek’s words deepened the ache beating within her to a painful level. In that moment, she wanted nothing more than for him to whip off her shorts and panties to take her hard and fast against the door. She licked her lips. “Yes.”

His eyes flared. “Was your performance for me alone or every man with a goddamn pair of eyes?”

He expected her to talk when his mouth was moving to her neck, sucking the sensitive spot underneath her ear? Expert lips traced a path down to her collarbone and back up, and he bit the tender area with a low growl.

“Is it all a tease or do you ever let them take you home?”

Ginger rolled her head to the side, begging for his lips to return to her neck. The hand plastered to her ass kneaded relentlessly, keeping her moving against his erection with intensifying friction. If he would just let her move her hips a little, she would come, even with her shorts on, but his hand and hips controlled her every action. She made a sound of frustration.

His breath rasped out harshly against her ear, punctuated by each thrust that pinned her to the shaking door. Knowing she affected him so powerfully in return made her dizzy. When his mouth found hers once more, she bit his lower lip then licked it, meeting his eyes under heavy lids. He responded by devouring her mouth on a loud groan, sucking her tongue until she writhed against him.

When Derek abruptly ceased his calculated torture, Ginger protested, seeking his mouth once more. He resisted.

Levering her against the door, he ran skilled hands down her thighs and hooked his arms under her knees, pulling them up until they almost reached his shoulders. Then his hips pressed in and upward. Hitting her right where she needed it. Ginger’s head fell back against the door.

“Derek.”

“Answer me.” She couldn’t remember the question. Her breath raced through her lips. Release hovered just within her reach. “No! I don’t go home with any of them. Ever.”

Her sincere answer appeared to calm him somewhat, but then he stepped back, dropped her legs and let her slide down his body. They both groaned at the contact. Ginger wanted to cry with frustration and nearly did so, but then the reality of their situation hit her full force. She’d been two seconds from letting a near-stranger screw her in a public hallway. Although this type of reckless behavior was out of character for her, it eerily reminded her of something. Someone.

Her mother.

Bitter anger and shame swept through her. Pushing against Derek’s chest, she let him see the full force of her fury. “And after that performance, what the hell makes you any different from the drunken assholes at the bar? You’re exactly like them. The only difference is I had the bad fortune of moving next door to you.”

His momentary calm evaporated and he backed her once more against the door, grasping her chin in his hand. “The difference is, you don’t want any of those men to fuck you. But you want me to fuck you very badly. Don’t you, Ginger?”

“No.”

Laughing darkly, one big hand dropped between her legs. He palmed her mound and squeezed, then ran two seeking fingers along the seam of her shorts where the telltale wetness gave her away.

“Liar.”

“I hate you.” His eyes narrowed dangerously. “Would you like me to prove what a liar you are?”

“No, I’d like you to give me my keys so I can get the hell away from you.” She snatched the keys from his outstretched hand and unlocked the door. Once inside, she threw the deadbolt and leaned back against the door, breathing heavily through her nose.

About the author:

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

Visit her website or follow Tessa on Twitter @mstessabailey

Review….Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Can you love someone too much?

Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love hard. Fight harder.

In Walking Disaster, the life of Travis is full of fast women, underground gambling, and violence. But just when he thinks he is invincible, Abby Abernathy brings him to his knees.

Every story has two sides. In Beautiful Disaster, Abby had her say. Now it’s time to see the story through Travis’s eyes.

My Review:

Walking Disaster is the follow-up to Jamie McGuire’s Beautiful Disaster and is in essence the same story, but told in Travis’ point of view. To say that I had been looking forward to this book would be a ginormous understatement. Beautiful Disaster is one of my all-time favorite stories and after hearing that Jamie was writing it from Travis’ eyes, I couldn’t wait for Walking Disaster to release….*dreamy sigh* it was everything I had hoped for and more.

If you haven’t read Beautiful Disaster, I suggest you do before reading this book. I don’t think you will truly appreciate the emotional roller coaster if you skip over it and start with this book.

This story was the white knuckled, high emotion, crazy intense read I had hoped it would be coming from Travis. From the very beginning I was completely hooked and was a sobbing mess from the prologue alone. Reading about the gut wrenching experience of Travis losing his mother at such a young age, though a child’s eyes, was truly amazing. It gave the reader such an insight into Travis and how he has become who he is today…intense, all or nothing, fierce and protective. If it was at all possible, this book made me love him even more. I cannot even explain how amazing it was to see the world through Travis’ eyes.

And now, let me get to my absolute FAVORITE part….the freaking epilogue. I have dubbed Jamie the Queen of Epilogues. This was the most amazing epilogue in the history of all epilogues. Ever. To be able to see Travis and Abby later on down the road was a gift I will cherish forever. I think I have probably re-read it twenty times since finishing the book. It was just perfect. Truly perfect.

This book will go on my bookshelf next to Beautiful Disaster and will be a book I will go back to time and again, because Abby and Travis are a book couple I truly adore. I am hoping (and praying and dreaming and begging) for more from Jamie and the Maddox family! Thank you Jamie, for giving us Travis…cause damn, he’s just too freaking amazing!!

Five Loves

GIVEAWAY & EXCERPT….Locked by Maya Cross

Happy Monday everyone! After reading Locked by Maya Cross, and loving it, I am so happy to bring you an excerpt from Locked as well as a fantastic giveaway hosted by Maya herself! I also have an eCopy of Locked to give away in addition to Maya’s giveaway, YAY!

So, enjoy the excerpt and be sure to enter to win!

Synopsis:

Who is Sebastian Lock?

The bar Sophia Pearce is in doesn’t look like much. The wine is bad and the decor worse. But when a sudden attack of curiosity leads her to sneak past security and into the back room, she discovers something unimaginable. The most lavish party she’s ever laid eyes on, in the most unlikely of places.

But that’s nothing compared to what comes next, to the man she meets back there. Sebastian Lock. Gorgeous, commanding, and radiating charm, he is exactly the sort of silver-tongued rake Sophia has sworn to avoid. Unfortunately, he doesn’t care much for her promises.

Every instinct tells her to run, but the chemistry between them is as inescapable as gravity. Soon, he’s opening her eyes to a whole new world of pleasures, pleasures she never thought she’d enjoy.

There’s just one problem. Sebastian is more than he seems. Between the famous company he keeps and the almost paranoid secrecy of his employers, he’s a puzzle Sophia can’t quite solve, and his insistence on keeping things casual forces her to confront the demons of her past.

Can she learn to trust again? Or will Sebastian’s privacy tear them apart?

This is a 35,000 word novella, or about 120 pages. It contains light BDSM, including spanking, restraint, and anal play, and is intended for readers aged 18 and oveNote: This book is the first part of a trilogy that is designed to be read together, much like The Blackstone Affair. Sebastian and Sophia will get their happily ever after, but not until the last book.

Lockout (The Alpha Group Book Two): Due May 2013
Unlocked (The Alpha Group Book Three): Due June/July 2013

Excerpt:

I sighed. “It’s stupid really. Remember when I said I’d explain my safe word?” He nodded. “Well, when I was running away that first night, it occurred to me that the situation bore some passing similarity to Cinderella. You know, shoes left behind at the ball and all that.”

He seemed to find this incredibly amusing. “I’m a little rusty with my fairy tales, but I don’t remember Cinderella being quite as sordid as that particular evening.”

“You mustn’t have been reading the right version.”

“Apparently not.” He grinned. “Well, that does explain why you were in such a hurry to leave. And here I was thinking you were embarrassed.”

I shook my head. “Nope. I just had to escape before pumpkin o’clock.”

Sliding closer, he wrapped his arms around my hips, locking my body against his. “So if you’re Cinderella, that makes me Prince Charming then?”

Whatever lingering frustration I’d felt instantly melted away. “I guess so,” I said, my voice suddenly fluttering. How the hell does he keep doing that to me?

“Well then, I believe that means that since I’ve returned your lost slippers, we’re meant to kiss now.”

I knew I should probably stop him. Someone could walk in at any moment. But as usual, I seemed to have no willpower where he was concerned. Craning his neck, he brought his mouth down to meet mine. The kiss was somehow firm and hungry, yet impossibly soft, and the warmth of it flowed through me. As our bodies rocked back against my desk, he reached up and ran one hand roughly through my hair, driving us together, as though someone might steal me away at any moment.

Some indeterminable time later, he broke away. “I do believe I should bring you things more often,” he said with a smile.

“I’m not sure I’d ever get much done if you did.” Glancing and the clock I winced. “Speaking of getting things done, you should probably go. As much as I don’t want to go back to this stuff, it’ll just be there tomorrow if I don’t do it today.”

I slipped out from under his arms and reached to open the door, but he followed behind me, catching my wrist in his hand and sliding up against me until my body was pressed into the wood. Trapped again.

“I’m sorry we don’t have more time,” he said, drawing his free hand softly down my hip. “I do like the idea of fucking you right here.”

I could feel his excitement jutting into my lower back like hot metal. Just a few inches lower and… Jesus Sophia, you’re at work for fuck’s sake.

“This is my office, Sebastian,” I said, trying to sound disapproving. I didn’t do a very good job.

Dropping his head down he brushed his lips gently across the curve of my neck. “Well, I guess that wouldn’t be proper,” he whispered. “We’ll just have to wait. Are you free tomorrow night?”

“I think so.”

“Good. Then come to the Royal Bay hotel, room four hundred, at eight o’clock.”

“Why?”

“You said you wanted to start learning more about what it is to submit, so tomorrow I’m going to show you. I think you’ll find the experience… eye opening.”

Below is the Rafflecopter for Maya’s giveaway and I will be picking a winner for an eCopy of Locked from the comment section on this post…so comment to enter to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

Maya Cross is a writer who enjoys making people blush. Growing up with a mother who worked in a book store, she read a lot from a very young age, and soon enough picked up a pen of her own. Her previous work spans many genres including horror, science fiction, and fantasy, and she has now started this pen name as an outlet for her spicier thoughts (they were starting to overflow). She likes her heroes strong but mysterious, her encounters sizzling, and her characters true to life.

She believes in writing familiar narratives told with a twist, so most of her stories will feel comfortable, but hopefully a little unique. Whatever genre she’s writing, finding a fascinating concept is the first, and most important step.

The Alpha Group is her first attempt at erotic romance.

When she’s not writing, she’s playing tennis, trawling her home town of Sydney for new inspiration, and drinking too much coffee.

She loves to hear from readers, so please feel free to follow her on any of her social media channels. And don’t forget to check out her website. You can sign up to her mailing list there, to hear about new releases and any promotional sales she might be running.

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Four Days of Marriage to a Billionaire Event….Guest Post from Jennifer Probst & GIVEAWAY

Today is the grand finale of my Four Days of Marriage to a Billionaire Event and to close up the fun, I have a fabulous guest post from the amazingly talented Jennifer Probst! SQUEEE! I also have a paperback set of all three books in her Marriage to a Billionaire Series to give away to one lucky winner! I hope you enjoy Jennifer’s post as much as I do and you can enter to win in the Rafflecopter below.

Good luck and a HUGE thank you to Jennifer for stopping by today!

____________________

The Damaged Hero and Why I Love Him

When I create my hero for my series, the first thing I dream up about other than his gorgeous rock hard abs, piercing eyes, and fine a–, is the true crux of his journey.

His issues.

I adore issues. The more the better. Give me an alpha man, who’s been hurt, dragged through the mud, abused, and is afraid of trust, emotion and commitment, and you have me hooked.

Umm, I swear I’m a pretty happy person in my real life. And my husband has none of those problems. Swear.

But fiction is where the excitement and sex and truth is dragged out and exposed for a reader’s pleasure.

Bring it.

My marriage to a billionaire series started with my fantastic hero, Nick, in The Marriage Bargain. His parents screwed him up big time, so he struggled when struck by Alexa’s inner light, humor, and kindness. I loved slowly breaking down his walls and watching him discover he is able, and deserving, of love.

Michael stormed the pages of The Marriage Trap, less damaged than my usual heroes in order to let my heroine, Maggie take center stage. But this hot tempered, gorgeous Italian was going to claim his bride no matter how hard the path was. He struggles with his own family issues and is challenged to fight for something he believes in. I loved watching him come to that realization and taking my snarky heroine by storm.

Maximus was my older, elegant, James Bond type hero from The Marriage Mistake. His father left him when he was young, and he gives new meaning to the term commitment phobe. Of course, he never expected Michael’s younger sister to seductively pursue him, and make him squirm both physically and emotionally to claim something he’d never wanted before. Watching his journey left me breathless and wanting…more.

What’s next? Make way for my most damaged hero of all, Sawyer Wells from the upcoming The Marriage Merger. He’s so damaged he made me work even harder to try to heal his wounds and urge him believe in love. When I hook him up with the last Conte sister, Julietta, my workaholic, strong willed, successful CEO, literal sparks shall fly. It releases July 30th everywhere, and is up for preorder so claim your copy together.

Thanks to Jillian for having me here to summarize a bit of my series and give such a fab giveaway!!

Happy Reading!

You can pre-order your copy of The Marriage Merger from Amazon or Barnes & Noble

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Four Days of Marriage to a Billionaire Event….Review: The Marriage Mistake by Jennifer Probst

Today is day three of my Four Days of Marriage to a Billionaire Event and I couldn’t be more excited! On Friday, I have a special guest post from the amazing Jennifer Probst and have a set of paperback copies of her Marriage to a Billionaire Series to give away! Leading up to Friday I will be posting my reviews of the series….did I mention I’m SO EXCITED? Well, enjoy and here’s to a great event!

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Buy from Amazon ~ Buy form Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Carina Conte has had a crush on her brother Michael’s best friend, Max Gray, since she was a teenager. Now she’s earned her MBA and come to work at Michael’s new venture, America’s fastest-growing bakery empire. But some things never change: her family still treats her like a child. With three drop-dead gorgeous siblings, she’s still the ugly duckling of the bunch. And Max, the company’s new CEO, still barely notices her.

Max knows Carina Conte is strictly off limits. But hot-blooded lust wins out at a conference when the two share a scorching one-night stand—and are busted by her mother! Now, forced by old-world Italian tradition into a marriage he’s not ready for, Max is miserable—and Carina is furious. Her new husband is about to realize that hell hath no fury like a woman transformed…

My Review:

The Marriage Mistake is the third in the Marriage to a Billionaire Series by Jennifer Probst, and stars Carina Conte and Max Gray. I didn’t think I could love a book couple more than I loved Alexa and Nick from the first in the series, but, damn, I was wrong….Max and Carina are a-freaking-mazing!

Carina Conte is in America and has begun her career in the U.S. branch of her family’s baking empire, La Dolce Maggie. She is finally putting years of schooling to work, and is ready to start a new life. She was always known as the emotional one in the family, bursting into tears at the drop of a hat and wearing her heart on her sleeve…especially when it came to her life-long-crush and close family friend, Max Gray. Carina was different now though. Grown up, even-tempered and ready to show the world the woman she had become. A great plan, until her brother, and owner of La Dolce Maggie, Michael, informs her she will be working directly under Max. Talk about putting the new and improved Carina to the test.

Max Gray has always been close with the Conte family and is as happy with the bakery’s success as if he were a Conte himself. After years of planning and tireless work, they were finally ready to take the dessert market by storm. Being an only child, Max was thankful to have Michael and his sisters in his life. So when Michael tells him Carina is to be his assistant, he is happy…until he sees Carina for the first time in three years. He cannot believe this is the same girl who followed him around with a schoolgirl crush that had never faded. This Carina was confident, poised and drop dead gorgeous…and he was in serious trouble of crossing a line that no family friend should dream of crossing.

Yum. Yum. Yum. This book was delicious. Carina is a delightfully saucy gal who has started to unearth her confidence and is using it to her advantage. She is finally seeing herself in a different light and is ready to explore what being a woman is all about. She is spunky but also conflicted in her emotions on wanted so much more and not being 100% comfortable to go out a grab it. She was truly a character who is fascinating to read. Max is a gorgeous, sexy, confident, rich playboy who has dismissed Carina as being a kid for most of his life. I shook my head at how quickly he turned into protector mode when Carina decides to date. Men, ugh. I loved him and wanted to punch him equal amounts throughout this book. Together, they are a fantastic couple….even if it did take them a while to get there! They each have their own emotional issues to deal with before they can realize how perfect they are for each other. I want to say, I loved how the “marriage” part of the title played a part in this book…I was reading and reading and wondering when it was coming and then, BAM!, there it was. This also was my favorite marriage scenario of the series….that Mama Conte always has a trick up her sleeve.

I am hoping to see more of the Conte family in the future…we do have one more sister to get married off after all! Once again, I thank you, Jennifer, for an amazing story with yet another happily ever after!

Five Loves

About the author:

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

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

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

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

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

Visit her website

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Four Days of Marriage to a Billionaire Event….Review: The Marriage Trap by Jennifer Probst

Today is day two of my Four Days of Marriage to a Billionaire Event and I couldn’t be more excited! On Friday, I have a special guest post from the amazing Jennifer Probst and have a set of paperback copies of her Marriage to a Billionaire Series to give away! Leading up to Friday I will be posting my reviews of the series….did I mention I’m SO EXCITED? Well, enjoy and here’s to a great event!

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Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Italian billionaire seeks faux fiancée. Willing to agree to anything in return…

In order for his sister to marry, Italian billionaire Michael Conte has to find himself a bride – and fast! When he learns that photographer Maggie Ryan is going to be in Milan, Michael hatches a plan to introduce her to his family as his “fiancée.” Never mind that Maggie is confident, independent, and a control freak. Never mind that she’s everything he doesn’t want in a wife… and everything he wants in his bed!

Convinced that Michael is in love with her married gal pal, Maggie agrees to keep up the ruse if he’ll keep away from her friend. Besides, she’s not attracted to charming, ridiculously hot billionaires who drive her nuts. Once they’re in Italy, however, everything changes – and the sexual tension between Maggie and Michael goes from simmer to naked nuclear meltdown!

But have they found the perfect arrangement… or are they trapped in a make-believe marriage?

My Review:

The Marriage Trap is the second installment in Jennifer Probst’s Marriage to a Billionaire Series and a fabulous addition to the series! This book follows Maggie Ryan, Nick Ryan’s sister, and Michael Conte, the sexy and suave Italian businessman and best friend to Alexa Ryan, in a story filled with emotions that kept me on the edge of my seat through most of the book!

Maggie Ryan still doesn’t trust that the Rico Suave-ish Michael Conte isn’t in love with her sister-in-law, Alexa. She sees him at every damn family function these days. Not surprising she has suspicions about Michael seeing as how Maggie grew up with her brother, Nick, in a less-than-normal household where adultery and a lack of love and nurturing were the norms. Even though Michael has repeatedly denied such feelings, she can’t help but remember the disastrous blind date they had gone on a few months back where, at the end of the date, he looked her dead in the eye and told her it could never work. His love for Alexa had to be the reason. Not that she cared. Maggie was never interested in the long-term, where the risk of being hurt was a constant threat in her mind. A threat she will shield her brother and Alexa’s relationship from at any cost. So, when she has an opportunity to do a favor for Michael, and in turn have him in her debt, she knows exactly what to do to keep her family safe…and take Michael out of the picture for good.

Michael Conte can’t believe the mess he’s in now. After a frantic phone call from his one sister in Italy, he is now in the hot seat and being blamed for the reason she can’t marry her long-time love. As if he doesn’t have enough on his plate, with the grand opening of his family’s bakery here in the States, now he has to figure out how to solve this mess. You see, there’s this old tradition that says she can’t marry until he is married. The problem is, he isn’t even close to marrying. So now, with the threat of breaking up his sister’s relationship, he has to find a wife…now. Luckily, after overhearing Maggie Ryan talking about a business trip she has planned to Milan, he has an idea. Convince Maggie to be his fake wife, visit his family together on a little detour from her Milan trip, have them believe he is married, and, VOILA! Problem solved. Only somehow he knows, this is going to end up being anything but easy….especially when Maggie can’t stand him.

This book was emotion packed from the very first chapter and I loved it! Maggie is a tough, sassy, loyal and driven woman who hides a softer side that broke my heart. She is a wounded soul who deep down, just wants to be loved and feel wanted….two things she’s never felt as though she has been. She is a fierce protector of her family, which ironically, makes her so much like Michael. Michael is a fantastic character. He has every quality a gal could ask for. Successful, driven, loyal, fierce and of course, drop dead sexy! The tit-for-tat between Maggie and Michael is done so well! Their chemistry is amazing, even though they both want to deny it, which to me, makes it even better! But my favorite part of the whole book is the ending. Damn, does anyone write more romantic endings than Jennifer? Nope! So far, in each book in this series, the endings play out like a well-scripted movie in my head and are done beautifully! Freaking loved it! Plus, we got to see what Alexa and Nick have been up to…which of course, I loved.

And now…I’m on to The Marriage Mistake because I already can’t wait to see what happens with Carina and Max! Thank you, Jennifer, for another amazing read!

Four Loves

About the author:

Visit her website

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Four Days of Marriage to a Billionaire Event….Review: The Marriage Bargain by Jennifer Probst

Today kicks of my Four Days of Marriage to a Billionaire Event and I couldn’t be more excited! On Friday, I have a special guest post from the amazing Jennifer Probst and have a set of paperback copies of her Marriage to a Billionaire Series to give away! Leading up to Friday I will be posting my reviews of the series….did I mention I’m SO EXCITED? Well, enjoy and here’s to a great event!

____________________

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

A marriage in name only…

To save her family home, impulsive bookstore owner, Alexa Maria McKenzie, casts a love spell. But she never planned on conjuring up her best friend’s older brother—the powerful man who once shattered her heart.

Billionaire Nicholas Ryan doesn’t believe in marriage, but in order to inherit his father’s corporation, he needs a wife and needs one fast. When he discovers his sister’s childhood friend is in dire financial straits, he offers Alexa a bold proposition.

A marriage in name only with certain rules: avoid entanglement. Keep things all business. Do not fall in love. The arrangement is only for a year so the rules shouldn’t be that hard to follow, right?

Except fate has a way of upsetting the best-laid plans…

My Review:

The Marriage Trap is the first in the Marriage to a Billionaire Series by Jennifer Probst and a fantabulous start to a fantabulous series!

Alexa McKenzie cannot believe she is actually sitting in her living room with a bunch of mumbo-jumbo ingredients and a list of traits she wants in a man and is actually going to cast a love spell to have him delivered to her front door. Well, when you’ve lost all hope and are in need of a miracle to help save your family’s home, people do crazy things…like wish for a man who’s got 150 thousand dollars to spare, along with a few other requirements, of course. What has she got to lose…other than her heart?

Nicholas Ryan is so close to finally becoming the head of his family’s corporation…his life long dream. The only thing standing in his wife…or lack thereof. Figures. The last thing he wants is to get married, but now in order to inherit the company, he has to find a wife and quick. Fate seems to have a little something up her sleeve when a childhood friend happens to have come across some financial strain and needs money, fast. That, he could handle. Looks like a marriage of convenience just landed in his lap. She needs money and he needs a wife….

This was another one of those “I’ll just start this book and get back to my to-do list later….whoa! is it really two hours since I sat down and started reading?!”. I was hooked from start to finish. Nicholas, or Nick, started out as a cold-hearted soul and transformed into the kind of guy girls dream of. I mean, yes, he’s gorgeous and well-built and über wealthy, but his coolness and closed off emotions left lots to be desired. Enter: Alexa. Complete opposite of his emotion-free world, she brings exactly what he needs into his life…warmth, happiness, fun and love. They are a fantastic couple and had me rooting for them from the beginning. I wanted them to be more than an agreement on paper and damn, if the sexual tension wasn’t just delicious between them! YUM! This story was a great mix of humor, angst and emotion. And don’t even get me started on the ending…I cried my eyes out! Big, fat happy tears! *dreamy sigh*

If you’re looking for a fun and flirty read with lots of heat, then put this on your list! Just make sure you’ve finished your to-do list before you sit down to start! Thank you, Jennifer, for a great start to what’s sure to be a favorite series!