Read-Love-Blog

In Stone Blog Tour…..Guest Post with Louise D. Gornall

by Jilly

Thanks for joining us for the In Stone Blog Tour!

Today, I am lucky have Louise on the blog with a super fun guest post about writing a kissing scene and the embarrassment that came with it!

There is also a tour-wide giveaway happening with some really fun things Louise is giving away. Be sure to enter to win in the rafflecopter below.

Louise’s guest post:

That time I wrote a kissing scene and the embarrassment almost killed me…

I have this friend — she’s not one of those fictional friends that’s really me. She actually exists, I swear — anyway, she doesn’t like writing the love stuff because it makes her feel uncomfortable and this one time she asked me how I managed it. Truth is, it took practice.

I LOVE love, and I love kissing, but in real time that’s an intimate moment between two people, right? Transferring those few seconds on to paper for the world and his wife to read is a brand new ball game. In the very first draft of my book there was no kissing at all because the idea made my insides curl. But the first piece of feedback I ever got from a CP amounted to ‘Erm…why is there no lip locking in this story?’ Her disappointment was palpable and I could totally get on board with that because every book I read has a romantic element in it. I feel cheated when no one is kissing, and honestly, I do like to know how a dude kisses before I can officially add him to my book boyfriend collection. So you guys might be thinking well in that case it doesn’t make sense not to have kissing in your story, all I can tell you is reading kissing & writing kissing are two different things entirely. It’s the difference between butchering Celine Dion in your bedroom mirror and standing on stage doing it on a karaoke.

Instead of fessing up to how awkward writing kissing made feel I gave it some serious thought and decided to give it another shot.

So, there’s me, pacing up and down my bedroom, devouring everything ever written by Simone Elkeles and Jennifer Echols as my computer gives me the stinkeye from a darkened corner. When I’m done freaking out I start tapping away, writing phrases like twisting tongues and frenzied lips. Obviously I’m thinking readers are going to judge the way I kiss based on how I make my characters kiss. And then, when that thought is done turning my cheeks pink, red, scarlet, I’m thinking I hope my dear, sweet, grey-haired old Grandma doesn’t ever read this and think I was french kissing boys at sixteen. I mean, I was, but that’s besides the point. There are some things you never want your gran — who still references the tooth fairy and insists on cutting the crusts off your sandwiches — to know, you know?

The time came to submit my story to my CP and all I could think about was her reading that kiss. I’d convinced myself that my feedback was going to focus on the saliva swapping moment …so I was kind of confused when I got my feedback and the kiss wasn’t even mentioned. I was disappointed. Yep. When I asked her about it there was a definite *shrug* tone to her email, which fitted the I-don’t-know-what-you-were-worried-about feedback that followed. Turns out people weren’t thinking what I thought they were.

Writing first kisses has fast become one of my favorite things about YA. In fact, I spend more time writing and perfecting first time kissing scenes than I do writing anything else. As with everything practice makes perfect, and you know, there are worse things in writing to work on.

~Thanks so much for stopping by, Louise! xo Jillian

Book Links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Kobo

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 to save her.

Jack has woken from a century-long slumber to tell Beau that she’s unwittingly been drafted into a power struggle between two immortal races: Demons and Gargoyles. The knife 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 goes with Jack 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, provided they can outrun the demons chasing them.
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About the author:

Louise is a graduate of Garstang Community Academy. She is 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. Rumored pink Power Ranger. Zombie apocalypse 2012 survivor. She is also an avid collector of book boyfriends.

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Blog Tour July 2013 New Releases

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Release Day Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway….In Stone by Louise D. Gornall

by Jilly

Thank you for joining us in celebrating the release of IN STONE by Louise D. Gornall!

Please enjoy the excerot and be sure to enter the rafflecopter below for a chance to win some really great goodies including a copy of In Stone!

Oh, and tomorrow I will have an exclusive guest post with Louise, so be sure to stop by!

Book Links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Kobo

Synopsis:

Until Eighteenth-century gargoyle, Jack, shows up to save her.

Excerpt:

I recently read this article in Cosmopoli-teen Magazine that gave tips on how to handle a break-up. Basically, the article said: go out; get yourself a new hair cut; buy yourself a shiny new lip gloss, and you’ll no longer feel the pain of being chucked away like yesterday’s trash.

Lies. Being dumped still hurts like a baseball bat to the pancreas. Only now my hair is slightly shorter and my lips taste of Strawberry Sunrise.

In real life, being dumped has me curled up on a bed of frozen grass, trying to soften the sound of a bark-cry with the snot-soaked sleeve of my jacket. I think maybe I will never love anyone ever again. Deciding on a life of celibacy at seventeen may seem a little extreme, but right now I couldn’t give a crap. My insides are bleeding.

A sudden gust of wind charges through the park. It makes the leaves of the Holly trees whisper to one another. The temperature is creeping into subzero territory. Any minute now, I’m going to pick my broken self up off the floor, head back home and probably, maybe, definitely listen to indie bands sing songs about bleeding love.

Any minute now.

I’m telepathically trying to send Mark take-me-back messages when a man’s cry echoes around the park. My eyes pop open. At first I think it’s him, that somehow my mind has found him across miles of landscape, and he’s here to scoop me up off the ground and tell me he’s made a huge mistake. But then I hear it again, louder, urgent, a strangled yelp. It’s a sharp slap back to reality, and I can’t stand up quick enough.

My house is right across the street, barely a two minute walk away, but before I can take a single step the earth beneath my feet begins to tremble. Earthquakes in Plumbridge are as rare as the Dodo bird, so heaven knows why I brace myself for the concrete to split open and swallow me. But I do. And it doesn’t. Instead there’s a dull thud. The shaking ground stills; the wind dies. My sobs cease, and silence, the sort that makes you think the whole world stopped and took a breath all at once, smothers me. Like if I move, the atmosphere might shatter into a million tiny pieces. Slowly, I turn my head toward where the thud came from.

Across the stone path, not three feet away, the full moon sheds silver streams of light onto a motionless man, limbs twisted up all over the place, sort of like a bug smashed up against a windshield.

This is a dream. Got to be a dream. I pinch my arm. I’m not really sure how the concept of pinching yourself during a dream works. Something about only being able to feel the pain when you’re awake? The nip stings all the way down to my elbow, so I guess, according to the rules of dream-science, I’m awake.

Crap.

I look up at the sky, scan the vast, navy-blue blanket for signs of more free-falling men. I laugh, just once, because this is absurd with a big ole side of crazy. I’m spotting for men in the sky as casually as if I were counting clouds.

Minutes tick by before it occurs to me that I have to do something, something that isn’t wishing myself away from this situation. A lump that tastes like Penicillin rises in my throat and sticks there as I find my feet and edge closer to him. I kneel at his side, folding myself slowly, as if I’m about to curtsey. My mind is working at the speed of light, sifting through memories of health class, of one hour sessions trying to breathe life back into a plastic doll, while class clown, Ralph Frasier, pretends to pork his doll at the back of the room.

I push my trembling fingers against the man’s neck. There’s not a wisp of heat rising from his skin. He’s cold and clammy like the corpses at the funeral parlor where mom works. He has no pulse, and there’s no sign of a swell in his chest. He’s dead. He’s as dead as a Resusci-Annie doll.

My left eye breaks out into a twitching frenzy. I push it to a standstill because winking at a dead body is weird, even for me. In the last couple of years I’ve seen my fair share of cadavers, but never one that wasn’t wrapped in a green cloth, tagged around the big toe, and carrying its very own police report. I need to go home, call the cops, get mom.

Mom. Double crap.

She is going to kill me for being out here in the middle of the night. Screwing up a clump of hair in my hand, I slump back on my heels and take in a lungful of icy air. My pajama pants pull tight against my knees, and a cold, sticky sensation blossoms against my skin. My pants are sticking to me. My eye twitch is back with a vengeance, and it brought a dagger to jam into my eyeball. Fighting the hesitation in my fingers, I dab the damp patch. Please let it be dew from the midnight air.

Midnight dewdrops are not bright red.

“Oh god.” I choke at the smudges of blood streaked across my palm. The moonlight makes the deep-red stains glisten like rubies. A scream tears its way up from my chest, only to die in a whimper when I see something poking out of the side of the body.

A handle.

I thought the fall had killed him. Now, I’m not so sure.

I back away, pushed by the idea that this poor victim of a freak falling accident might not be a victim at all. He has a knife sticking out of him. Thoughts of who put it there and why are assaulting me when the body expels a low groan. The sound wraps around my bones like a blanket of ice. Colder than death. Without thinking, I slap my hand over my mouth to stifle a second scream. Huge mistake.

The smell of iron dances under my nose as the moist stamp of almost-corpse blood bonds to my skin. I start spitting, scrubbing at my lips with the sleeve of my jacket. I can taste it. Him. Sharp, sour. I’m so wrapped up in the horror of my macabre facial, I almost forget he’s awake. Almost. I tiptoe back over. I don’t know why I tiptoe. It’s not like the sound of my steps are going to finish him off.

His eyes are wide open. Shining pale-blue with a soft, light behind them. They’re the strangest things. My breath catches, and for a second I know what it’s like to be a moth infatuated by a flame. Then the light goes out, and the color of his eyes dulls to grey. He stares vacantly at the empty space overhead. His lips twitch and slurp at the air, trying to quell a thirst for oxygen.

I can’t decide if he has the felon look. You know the felon look. It’s not down to any single feature, but when you see a photo-fit on the news, those dark circles around tiny eyes, mussed hair and crooked grin just seem to scream the guy is a serial killer. The almost-corpse has a pointy chin, a jaw and cheeks that I think if I ran my finger over I’d give myself a paper cut. His hair is long, dark. It’s pushed back from his face and splayed out around his head like a burnt-out halo. Quite beautiful, in a fragrance commercial kind of way.

My artistic eyes — the ones that I hope will get me into college so I don’t have to follow mom into the business of dressing up the dead — are roaming over his features when I spot something crawling around his cheek. I hone in for a closer look. Not crawling, cracking. Something I can’t see is sucking the moisture right out of him. As if he were clay being overcooked, his skin is splitting. My jaw drops as I watch the tiny lines tear up his face. His lips start moving, slower and more defined. I tip my ear toward him.

Another mistake.

He snatches hold of my hand. His grip is vise-like. I try to pull away, but he’s strong, adamant. My fingers slip because they’re slick with blood. He gives my arm a yank, and I fall forward, stopping inches above his face. He smells like the pages of an old book.

“What’s your name?” he asks. My nails cut through his skin as I try to peel his fingers away, but he doesn’t flinch. “Your name, God damn it.” Boom. He has the voice of a giant.

“Beau. My name is Beau. Let go of me.”

“I found you.” I think he sighs.

“Yeah, you found me,” I say. My ears are flooded with the sound of my heart hammering.

“You see the blade? Beau, you must take it and run with it,” he croaks through labored pants.

“I’m not touching anything. We need to get you to a doctor. Let go of me, and I’ll go get help.” He ignores my request and starts leading my hand toward the knife handle.

“Please, you’re hurting me,” I say as he unhooks my fingers from his and wraps my hand tightly around the handle. He places his hand on top of mine. My knuckles turn white under his squeeze.

“You must do this,” he urges. His giant voice is dead. His words are now limping past his lips. “Take it.”

“My mom’s a doctor,” I lie. Not that it matters. I’m pretty certain this guy is beyond saving. “We live just across the street. She can help you.”

“No! No one else. Just you.” The blade starts to rise. It’s like watching the approaching fin of a Great White. Coincidentally, my heart is hammering out the opening of the Jaws theme tune. The further out the knife comes the more stained with crimson it is. It doesn’t look like any blade I’ve ever seen before. Not that I’m blade savvy or anything, but to me it looks more like I’m pulling bone.

“This is nuts. We need to stop.”

“My time is up,” he says. I’m grimacing, making squeaky sounds and tearless whimpers, as the knife slurps its way back through tough flesh and contracting muscle. It slips all the way out amidst a trickle of blood. The Lasagna I’d had for dinner sloshes about in my stomach.

“Listen to me. Listen,” he chokes. “You must do this. You have to take the blade and hide it where no one will ever find it. You have to do this.” He gasps. “Before he comes.”

“He?” I ask. I can’t pull my eyes away from the knife. An onslaught of drool is collecting inside my bottom lip. Wonderment. Can I say wonderment when I’m not a kid dreaming of sugarplums and warm, woolen mittens? I don’t care; wonderment is what’s got me when I look at the knife.

“He wants the blade, but you can’t let him have it, understand? If he has it the Gargoyle will become the hunted.” The almost-corpse exhales a long sigh, and his hand falls from around mine. The knife is in my hand now, only my hand.

I’m holding it.

It looks old. There are several lines of inscription carved into the handle. I can’t read it; I can barely see it through the blood, but I can feel the swirling, intricate lines like brail under my thumb.

“I don’t understand. I don’t understand at all. This is insane,” I exhale. “Who are you? What is this?”

“I am one of the Gargoyle. At least, that is what I was,” he replies.

“A Gargoyle? Is that some sort of gang?”

“It’s my job to protect you,” he says. He’s delusional, exhausted, sucking on his bottom lip in search of some moisture. I’m not sure he knows what he’s saying anymore. “But alas, my life has become a lie.” He groans. Then his cracking face starts to dissipate and blow away in the wind. I think some of it gets in my eyes because they start to sting. When I blink, the world is dressed in a fuzzy black haze. I try to rub my vision clear, but am unsuccessful.

“You must go now,” the man exclaims in a sharp breath. I quit rubbing my eyes and look back down on him. His stare swells. Something about my face makes his lower lip quiver. The way he’s glaring has me craving a bath of boiling water and some antiseptic scrub.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“What…what have I done?”

“I don’t know. What have you done?”

He doesn’t answer. I know it’s time to run when the atmosphere starts to shake again, and the almost-corpse flicks his eyes toward a thick congregation of trees.

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About the author:

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July 2013 New Releases Release Day Event

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Read-Love-Blog’s Cowboy Summer…..Intro & Review of Long Hard Ride by Lorelei James

by Jilly

Happy Sunday and welcome to Read-Love-Blog’s Summer of Cowboys! I am SO happy to have my dear friend and guest reviewer, Selene, here every Sunday for some cowboy loving fun! She will be stopping by each week with a new review from Lorelei James’s Rough Rider Series….totally delish! Enjoy!

A Summer of Cowboys

by Selene Ramirez

Fifteen books, two anthologies, one short story…

…and one very happy rider. GIDDY UP!!!

Almost two years ago now, a few friends of mine suggested I read the first title of Lorelei James’s Rough Riders series. Having never picked up a romance novel of the cowboy persuasion, I thought I’d give it a whip, er, I mean, whirl. Personally, I never understood the appeal of a man in Wranglers, a flannel shirt, and a cowboy hat. Boy howdy did these books change my opinion on that!

Now that I’ve exhausted all the cowboy references I know, onward to the purpose of this narrative; a summer of cowboys. My dear friend Jillian, blogger extraordinaire, loves to post reviews from the serious reader. That’s me. And I’m seriously in love, lust, whatever you want to call it, with the McKay men, protagonists of the Rough Riders series. Jillian will be posting my reviews of all the books and stories of this series so we can persuade you to pick up these scorching titles and make your hot summer even hotter.

Ok, y’all. Let’s shut up and ride…

Selene reviews book #1

Long Hard Ride

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

…One lucky woman…three sexy cowboys…she’s in for the ride of her life!..

Channing Kinkaid itches for a change; a wild western adventure with an untamed man. Determined to shed her inhibitions and embrace the steamier, seamier side of life, she sets her sights on hooking up with a real chaps-and-spurs-wearing cowboy.

Enter Colby McKay—bull rider, saddle bronc buster and calf roper. From the moment he sets lust-filled eyes on the sweet and fiery Channing, he knows he’s found the woman who’s up to the challenge of cutting loose. What rough and rowdy cowboy could resist a no-holds-barred sexual romp with a sassy young thing starring as his personal buckle bunny?

Intrigued by Channing’s bold proposition of horsing around on the road, Colby impulsively sweetens the deal; sexual escapades not only in his bed, but in the bedrolls of his rodeo traveling partners, Trevor and Edgard.

Although Channing’s secretly longed to be the sole focus of more than one man’s passions, Colby’s demand for complete submission behind closed doors will test her willful nature.

Can Channing give up total control? Especially when not all is as it seems with the sexy trio? Or will the cowboys have to break out the bullropes and piggin’ string to break in this headstrong filly?

Selene’s Review:

Holey sheets and pillows, Batman! The sex was SCORCHING HOT!!!

After reading this little ditty, it’s no wonder why the novel was categorized as erotic and not just romance. Fortunately for us readers, this was a win-win all around!

From the get go, I definitely had my reservations about the female protagonist Channing Kinkaid, what with her enormous rack, killer body, and hunger for a man sandwich that our male lead Colby McKay was more than happy to provide, along with hot studs Trevor Glanzer and Edgard Mancuso. How can someone like that be relatable or even interesting beyond the scope of being the recipient of some smokin’ sex? But by the end of the book, I found my doubts were completely pointless; Channing is an incredibly charming character with a big brain and an even bigger heart. Honestly, I loved her just as much as her sexy counterpart.

Colby McKay, tall, dark, beyond handsome and with some piercing icy blue eyes, is easily one of the better fantasies ever written on a page. He gave Channing exactly what she wanted – unattainably hot sex and plenty of it. And he did this even when his feelings for her grew deeper and his instinctual possessiveness became an issue for them. Add to that his competency with everything rodeo and you have the perfect man.

Secondary characters Trevor Glanzer and Edgard Mancuso added a sizzling factor to an already boiling hot scene. Not only that, but they added mystery and a very rare element. Whereas Trevor and Colby are easily the best of friends, sharing everything together…and I do mean everything…Trevor and Edgard are something else entirely. And when their true relationship is revealed, it produced, in my opinion, one of the hottest scenes in the entire series. Also, Trevor and Edgard’s good treatment of Channing made these two even more appealing, if that’s even possible.

I’d definitely read some erotica and romance before these books, but I have to admit that James is one of the few authors out there that within the span a few chapters can make what seems to be a shallow or extraneous character become something much more and with layers, depth. Her main characters compliment each other so perfectly and her writing style makes it so you forget you’re even reading and more like you are experiencing everything happening in the story.

This first book in what has quickly become one of my favorite series of all time will always hold a special place in my heart…and other areas.

*All books in series were bought by the reviewer through Amazon.

Four-and-a-Half Loves

From author website:

A bit about me: When I’m not squirreled away behind my laptop writing fun, sexy, contemporary erotic romances set in the modern day Wild West, I can be found reading everything under the sun, practicing yoga until I’m a pretzel, shootin’ my .22, watching the Professional Bull Riders tour on Versus, and running a kid’s taxi service, all in the guise of avoiding housework and rustlin’ up vittles.

Why do I have a particular fondness for all things western? Well, I’m a fourth generation South Dakotan, living in the Black Hills, which is chock-full of interesting characters, including cowboys, Indians, ranchers, and bikers. The geographical diversity of the surrounding area showcases mountains, plains, and badlands. Living in and writing about rural settings gives me a unique perspective, especially since I’m not writing historical westerns. Through my fictional world, I can show the ideals and the cowboy way of life are still very much alive.

June 2013 New Reviews Summer of Cowboys

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Cover Reveal…Golden Dunes of Renhala by Amy Joy Lutchen

by Jilly

I am honored and so excited to bring you the cover of GOLDEN DUNES OF RENHALA by Amy Joy Lutchen!

Synopsis:

How do you live with a secret so dark and so deeply woven into your being that it threatens to smother your very existence, with no known way out? Use it to your advantage.

Kailey Rooke, karmelean, and now a possibly unethical karma-for-hire, has spent the past year jumping from project to project, without any real hope for salvation. With repercussions from her actions at every turn, she discovers that as time goes on, she loses a bit more of herself to that which feeds on her anguish, that which is thriving inside her own body.

When a new contract to find a missing girl arises, Kailey attempts to put her past and its associated problems on the back burner, but she soon finds out that treachery and deceit lie shortly ahead in Golden Dunes, only giving face to new problems, with one leading right back to her childhood past.

She struggles to complete her contract as her own life teeters on a fulcrum, constantly tipping according to karma’s whim. How long will she keep her balance? Which way will she fall?

About the author:

Was born in Chicago and slept in a dresser drawer for the first few weeks of my life, marking me as a future claustrophobe.

I studied at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana (man I grew up quick), where I became a number, but decided it was a good number.

I write with plenty of snacks in hand, making sure they are not in multiples of three. That number makes me nervous.

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Cover Reveal June 2013

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Blog Tour & Review….This Love by Nazarea Andrews

by Jilly

I am so happy to be a part of the Blog Tour for THIS LOVE by Nazarea Andrews!

Hope you enjoy my review and thanks for stopping by!

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

She wants a summer job and a ride to a wedding.

He wants an assistant and a distraction from the mess life his had become.

They didn’t know they needed each other.

Avery Emili needs two grand. Two grand and a plane ticket–her sister is counting on her to get to Jamaica for her wedding. But the semester is over, and tutoring college freshman and high school students has dried up until the fall.

Atticus Grimes needs help–the messy split with his wife left the twenty-eight year old professor scrambling to keep things together as the semester winds down. Now he’s got a research grant he has to actually do research for and all he wants to do is drown himself in a tall bottle of bourbon.

When Avery sees his ad for an assistant, all she’s thinking is a summer job. But as they spend time together, in the office and out, both of them begin to realize something is there. Something that can’t happen–he’s a professor and she’s a student. And both of them have histories, pasts that won’t let go. Can two broken people pulled apart by expectations find a way to be whole?

My Review:

This Love is the first work I’ve read from author Nazarea Andrews and is the first in her University of Branton Series. Well, she’s got a new fan in this blogger. I devoured this book….it was famtastic!

Avery Emili needs two things during this summer break at college….she needs to make some good money for a plane ticket to get to her sister’s wedding and she needs a reason not to go home for summer break. Easier said than done when the college town you live in turns into a ghost town during the summer months. So when she finds an add for a research assistant in her area of study, she thinks she’s found the perfect job….until she sees who she will be working for. A deliciously handsome young professor complete with perfectly mussed dark hair and tattoos peeking out from his dress shirt. Surley she would be able to keep her mind out of the gutter and keep things professional….right?

Atticus Grimes looks around at the mess of paperwork, files, pizza boxes and realizes he’s desperately in need of some help. His lif has been turned upsidedown after he left his marriage and his work is suffering now, too. He’s relied on help from his best friend, which apparently included a Craigslist add for a research assistant he had no clue was placed. Unfortunately, as he sits across from a beautiful and charming applicant, he can’t be upset about the surprise ad. He’s gotta get focused on getting stuff back on track…he has a feeling this applicant may be exactly what he needs, in more ways than one.

Atticus and Avery both have there own versions of a painful past and in need of healing. Little do they know that they just may be able to find that in each other.

So, I started this book on a Friday night and was finished by Saturday afternoon. Yes, it was that good. It was flirty and fun and emotional and perfectly balanced. Atticus, or shall I call him Professer Hottiepants, is delectable. He is smart, sexy, playful and broken, all of which makes for a great book guy. Avery is equally smart, playful, beautiful and also broken. Together they just work. Really, really well. They play off of one another beautifully and build such exquisite sexual tension. The scenes between them are emotional and damn sexy…really well done *fans self* totally yummy. This is one of those books that pulls you in from the very beginning and doesn’t let up until the last page.

I cannot wait for this book to release so all of you can grab yourself a copy, settle in by the pool or on the beach, and enjoy some quality time with Professor Hottiepants and Avery! Thank you, Ms. Andrews, for an amazing story! I am really looking forward to more of the University of Branton Series! *cough, Dane, cough*

Five Loves

About the author:

Nazarea Andrews is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. She loves chocolate and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, and overgrown dog.

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Blog Tour June 2013 New Releases New Reviews

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ARC Review….Love at High Tide by Christi Barth

by Jilly

Love at High Tide releases July 8

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Darcy Trent is lucky Cooper Hudson is on hand to sweep her off her feet—literally—when she nearly drowns while swimming in the ocean. But life-saving aside, Mr. Perfect’s timing stinks: Darcy’s career is about to take her to the complete opposite side of the Atlantic. Still, a little summer loving with the tall, blond and sexy former cop is far too tempting to pass up.

When his plans to enter the Secret Service went south thanks to a bum knee, Coop retreated to the family beach house to mull his future. Romance is the last thing on his mind, until he fishes a curvy brunette out of the sea. Now, spending time in Darcy’s arms seems like the ideal distraction, even if it is just for a week.

But with Darcy’s departure date fast approaching and their careers on the line, can they realize in time that their beach fling might become the real thing?

My Review:

Love at High Tide by Christi Barth is the perfect start to your summer reading list. What better way to start off your beach reads than with a cute, fun and entertaining story that takes place on the beach? Perfect!

Darcy Trent is enjoying some R&R with her BFF on the beach in Ocean City, Md. She has a lot on her plate and has a big decision to make regarding her career and whether to use all of her schooling and degrees studying cultures and tribes in Africa, or to find a way to let her overachieving parents down gently and choose another path. Luckily, Trina, her best friend, is on her new career path…which this month is self-training to become a private investigator. If anything it will be the welcomed distraction Darcy needs. Another welcomed distraction is the gorgeous, hunky stranger who rescues her from a near drowning disaster in the ocean. Looks like this may end up being the perfect hot and steamy beach vacation.

Trying to shake off the rejection from the secret service, thanks to his injured knee, Cooper Hudson is here at his family’s beach house looking to make heads or tails of his future in law enforcement. He’s not ready to go back to his old department just yet with the sting of rejection still lingering. Some time in the sand sounds just about perfect and the beautiful brunette he pulls out of the surf draws him in with a sudden attraction he knows he needs to investigate further. But with his meddling family always calling to check up on him, he hopes he will be able to get to know her without his phone ruining the moment. When his cousin, Brad, decides to show up and stay for a few days, he just about loses his cool until he realizes that Darcy’s friend and his cousin seem to be hitting it off as well. Could the fates finally be on his side?

This story was so fun and entertaining, I couldn’t put it down! Darcy and Trina are hilarious together…going off on an amateur private investigating sting and just being entertaining gals. From wigs to Russian mobsters, these two were just too much fun. Cooper is delish. He is the ultimate rule following, knight in shining armor and has a heart of gold. He is a hero any gal would love. Darcy and Cooper together are sizzling. They know their time is limited, being it a beach fling, and they don’t waste time with a lot of fluff. Their sexy banter back and forth was done really, really well. I was so pleased with how much was packed into a story of 183 pages….really well done! It had action, humor, tugged on the heartstrings and had plenty of heat! Oh, and I’m curious to see if we see more of Trina and Brad in the future because I think they would make a fantastic couple!

Thank you, Christi, for a great kick-off to beach read season!

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Four Loves

About the author:

Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage.

A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes contemporary romance.

Christi is President of the Maryland Romance Writers and lives in Maryland with her husband.

Website ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

June 2013 New Releases New Reviews

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Rina’s Quick Audio Bytes ~ Audiobook Reviews in Short: Blood Cross: Jane Yellowrock Book 2 By Faith Hunter

by Jilly

Blood Cross: Jane Yellowrock Book 2

By Faith Hunter

Narrated by Khristine Hvam

Story: 4 stars

Performance: 4 stars

Overall: 4 stars

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Duration: 14 HRS 48 MINS

Jane Yellowrock is a rogue vampire hunter for hire. When her contract is extended after successfully taking down a rogue like no other, Jane is forced into vigilance when the blood master of New Orleans, Leo Pellissier puts a price on her head. Unexpected alliances are forged after three humans are kidnapped, two being the children of Jane’s dear friend, Molly. Thrust into dangerous territory, Jane must uncover ancient secrets the local vampires are willing to kill in order to keep hidden, before time runs out.

Blood Cross took a little bit longer to pick up steam when compared to the first Jane Yellowrock book, Skinwalker. However, once the major conflict comes to fruition, the story unfolds in brilliant fashion. I absolutely loved the creative spin on vampire lore; A first and refreshing twist. There is a bit of a love triangle, but not the central theme.

Blood Cross is a fast paced thrill ride to the very end. Khristine Hvam is a perfect match for Jane and a huge driving force behind the story. This is shaping up to be a very interesting series and definitely worth checking out if you enjoy urban fantasy. Blood Cross is the second book in the Jane Yellowrock series and should be read in order.

~ Rina

June 2013 Quick Audio Bytes

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Blog Tour, Guest Post & Giveaway…Officer Off Limits by Tessa Bailey

by Jilly

Happy Tuesday! As you may know, I am a huge fan of Tessa Bailey so I am super excited to be a part of the Officer Off Limits Blog Tour!

Tessa was kind enough to stop by for a guest post today and I can’t wait for you to read what she has to say about the always delicious alpha male hero.

Also, I’m giving away an eCopy of OFFICER OFF LIMITS to one lucky reader! Enter to win in the rafflecopter below.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy!

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iBooks ~ Kobo

Synopsis:

His need to possess her is non-negotiable.

Story Brooks’ fiancé just called off their wedding two weeks before the happy day. As if that isn’t bad enough, her semi-estranged father, an infamous NYPD hostage negotiator, has suffered a heart attack. Not wanting to examine her lack of emotion over the broken engagement, she hops on a plane to reconnect with her father before it’s too late.

Playboy hostage negotiator Daniel Chase has never, not once, been refused by a woman, so when a debate over hospital snack foods with a delectable kindergarten teacher ends in flat-out rejection, he makes it his mission to seduce her. His only obstacle? She’s the daughter of his mentor who implicitly forbade Daniel from pursuing her.

Despite her father’s warnings and Daniel’s troubled past, Daniel and Story can’t resist their intense attraction to one another. But when the reason for her fiancé’s abrupt wedding cancellation comes to light, can Story and Daniel’s already forbidden relationship survive?

Guest Post:

What Makes an Alpha Male so Alluring to a Gal?

“The simple answer is DNA. Hear me out.

Women can pretty much do anything. I realized this right around the time I gave birth to another human being. I was lying there thinking, oh my god, I could conquer France right now if I so desired. And still fit in an hour of Pilates. I’m like, a freaking warrior and I had no idea. As times have changed and women have moved into positions of power (I’m not just talking about in the corporate world, I’m talking about everywhere, even at home), we’ve been conditioned to meet men halfway. Pick the restaurants, pay half the check and find your own damn way home. All this on top of acting like you cringe in the face of commitment just so homeboy doesn’t freak out and make a break for it before your main course arrives. That’s if you’re lucky enough for him to spring for dinner.

So…this is what we wanted right? To be equal in all things, including love? Yes and no. In the workplace or when making household decisions, we obviously deserve to have a voice that counts. But when it comes to the dynamic in our relationships (this is where the DNA comes in) we, as women, have a built-in mechanism that…hmmm…wouldn’t mind a man taking care of us a little. Even just for an hour in bed. It’s not something that should make us ashamed or feel inadequate. It should increase our feeling of power because we’re ultimately being revered. Cherished. Yay, us.

My best friends, twenty-something girls trying to navigate the dating scene here in New York, have such a difficult time figuring out what a man wants from them. These guys flirt like crazy, then don’t ask them out, leaving the ball in the woman’s court. For once, wouldn’t it be nice to have a man tell you exactly what he’s thinking? Where the hell he wants the evening to go? Mystery is overrated, in my opinion.

Enter my heroes

They are alpha males that say very bad things. Things maybe the heroine didn’t realize she wanted to hear all along. She should be offended, but instead she’s turned on. A man who knows exactly what he wants and isn’t afraid to voice that desire is sexy as all get-out. That is why alpha males appeal to women. It eliminates the guesswork and throws in a whole lot of sexy excitement.”

Enter to win an eCopy of OFFICER OFF LIMITS here and for more stops, and more fun, on the Blog Tour, click HERE

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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.

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Website

Blog Tour Exclusive Giveaway June 2013

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ARC Review…The Officer and the Secret by Jeanette Murray

by Jilly

The Officer and the Secret releases July 2

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

After a rougher than expected deployment, Captain Dwayne Robertson craves the sense of normalcy that his friends can bring him. But when he returns home, there’s an unexpected, but pleasant, twist in the mix—Veronica Gibson. As he struggles to adjust to daily life again, Dwayne craves Veronica and the peace she brings him. But Veronica isn’t without faults. Dwayne hates lies, and Veronica’s entire past is a well-guarded mystery. When the completely unexpected happens, they both realize it’s time to lay their cards on the table and hope they’re ready for love.

My Review:

The Officer and the Secret is the third book in Jeanette Murray’s Semper Fi Series and like the other two in this series, this book was fantastic!

Dwayne Robertson is back from deployment and is more than happy to be home. He’s happy to see his friends and get back into the normal, every day life here in the States. He’s also happy to finally meet the girl who had unexpectedly given him a lifeline to cling to when he was away. Even though he and Veronica had only spoken to a few times on skype, she has made such an impact on him and he needs to explore more of his feelings for her and see if they can build on what they have. But this deployment had been rougher than expected and Dwayne isn’t having such an easy time getting back into things. He may need Veronica and her lifeline more than he thought….

Veronica Gibson is finally feeling more and more like a normal woman in today’s times. She had lived a very sheltered life, to put it mildly, and has had some struggles with adjusting to the way life was lived in these current times. Fortunately she has her cousin, Skye, and her new friends to help her learn how to be a modern woman…and with that comes dating. Not fully knowing if she’s ready to jump into the dating pool just yet, she is sure of one thing…the attraction she feels toward the big, handsome southern Marine just back from deployment. Nervous and unsure of how to handle those feelings, she realizes quickly that she may be in over her head. But she also realizes Dwayne may need her help with his reentry into life here and they just may have more in common than she ever imagined.

Together Dwayne and Veronica have somewhat similar issues with life at the moment, and they find their mutual attraction has become very strong and very real. Just when they think they’re on the right track to starting a relationship and have taken steps that were controlled, well though out & responsible WHAM! life throws them a curve ball. Will they be able to handle the newest obstacle?

This is one of my favorite series and I was eagerly waiting for Dwayne’s story and I was so happy with how it all played out! Dwayne is a big ol southern teddy bear with a huge heart. He’s loyal and strong….all wrapped into a deliciously handsome package. He knows how to make the gals swoon with his sweeter than sugar accent but also knows when to take things slowly and give space that is sometimes needed. Veronica, although still working through her own issues, knows what she wants out of life and is willing to learn how to get it. She learns that taking risks is all a part of life and sometimes those risks reap great rewards. It was really great to see her grow and turn into an amazing woman by the end of the book. Dwayne and Veronica as a couple are a great match, totally balancing each other out and willing to lean on one another when they needed it. That being said, they sure do have their share of struggles in this book, but it made the ending all the sweeter!! And as always, it is great to see the characters form the first two books in the series…Tim and Skye and Madison and Jeremy. They really are a dynamic group and I sure hope we get to see more from them!

Thank you, Jeanette, for another kick ass addition to the Semper Fi Series!

Four-and-aHalf Loves

About the author:

Kat (or Jeanette!) spends her days surrounded by hunky alpha men…at least in her imagination. In real life, she’s a wife and a mother, keeping tabs on her husband of six years, her three year old daughter and the family dog, a lovable (but completely stupid) Goldendoodle. Hang around long enough and you’re guaranteed to hear at least one or two stories about these three.

What’s with the two names? Great question. Kat (or Jeanette) writes for a few different publishers. And due to the timing of some releases, two names just seemed like the right option. But Jeanette (or Kat!) can assure you, no matter which pen name you’re reading, you’re going to get sexy contemporary love.

If you want to stay in the know on when my books are coming out, sign up for my newsletter below! I never spam my readers, I love you all too much. But I’ll keep you up to date when new releases are coming out so you’re never caught unaware!

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June 2013 New Reviews

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ARC Review…Out of Control by Stephanie Feagan

by Jilly

Out of Control releases June 24

Book Links:

Barnes & Noble ~ Amazon ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

And they thought the blowout was hot…

Oil rig blowout specialist Blair Drake is finished with men—especially after her disastrous marriage that caused her family to disinherit and cut all ties with her. But when Nick Robichaud, a handsome, roguishly charming oil well fire expert, wildcats into her life, throwing his devil-may-care attitude all over the place, the real sparks begin to fly.

Forced to work together to kill a string of sabotaged oil rig explosions, Nick and Blair discover a plot to cripple the world’s oil supply. Unless they stop the doers, it’ll mean global economic catastrophe. With time running out and their lives on the line, they risk everything to prevent disaster. But nothing can stop the fire between them from burning out of control….

My Review:

Out of Control is the first work of Stephanie Feagan that I have read. I was pulled in the minute I read the synopsis and wasn’t let go until I finished the last page! What an incredible ride!

As an oil rig blowout specialist, a work field made up of 99% men, Blair Drake is used to being the only woman on the job. She’s used to the ribbing from the guys and has successful tuned it out for years….well, the ribbing along with men in general. Since her divorce from the jerk she had married and divorced, she’s decided her career is really the only thing she loves and wants to focus on. But when the latest job puts her in contact with her ex, she has no choice but to deal with him once again. Luckily for her, a handsome newbie crew member is a welcomed distraction. The attempts on her life upon witnessing suspicious things after a string of oil well explosions? Well, she soon realizes on this particular job, nothing will be following protocol.

Nick Robichaud, an oil well fire expert, is a man on a mission and a man with a past. He’s here on this latest job not only to put out a fire but to protect the beautiful and sassy gal running this crew. There have been a slew of suspicious blowouts and the one person who has put together a few odd coincidences and circumstances is Blair. Even though she is his supervisor and her life is at risk, he can’t ignore the attraction he feels toward her and will be happy to lay on his Southern charm to get her to admit she feels the same attraction toward him.

Together, Blair and Nick embark on a mission to prove the well fires were set on purpose and to find out who is responsible. Not an easy task when you’ve got players from Homeland Security, a Saudi King, oil company execs and a slimy ex husband involved. But what Blair and Nick find along the way is beyond what either one of them were looking for…..love.

Wow….just wow. I absolutely loved this book! What didn’t this story have? Mystery, suspense, action, emotion…a total package of awesome! Blair is an amazing character with so many facets to her that I adored her. Sure, she’s tough and strong but she’s still a woman and when she starts to show those feminine sides, it completes her complexity. She’s no-nonsense and a straight shooter and goes after what she wants but she’s also vulnerable and has her share of weaknesses. I loved when she started telling us about her past and let us see what made her who she is today. Nick is simply delish! He oozes charm and confidence and is all alpha male but also has his share of weaknesses. He’s loyal and honorable and has secrets and a past that are heartbreaking when he shares them. Together the relationship they form isn’t one of a typical romance….and I loved it. They build on an instant and intense attraction but do so slowly and it ends up being so real and believable to the reader. There are a few scenes toward the end that I absolutely died over….emotional and intense and absolutely beautiful! I was so pleased with how their story ended and loved the inside jokes that Blair had with the reader….fantastic way to build a connection to a character! (When you read this book and get to the “killing the shark” parts, you’ll get it)

Overall I adored is book and recommend to all you romantic suspense fans. I hope we see more from this series and the secondary characters because they are all amazing! Thank you, Stephanie, for a fantabulous story!

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Four-and-a-Half Loves

About the author:

Stephanie Feagan is a multi-published RITA winning author who also writes YA paranormal romance as Trinity Faegen. A practicing CPA who loves travel, books, and smart guys, Stephanie lives in the oilfields of west Texas with her husband and a mean cat.

Goodreads ~ Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

June 2013 New Releases New Reviews

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Blog Tour….Emerge by S.E. Hall

by Jilly

Welcome to the Emerge by S.E. Hall blog tour! Thank you for stopping by! Please enjoy the excerpt below and be sure to add Emerge to your to-read list…

Buy from Amazon

Synopsis:

Emerge is Laney Walker’s story; an 18 yr old quick witted, athletic, southern girl who lets few get too close and uses her sarcastic zingers to deflect most situations. This is her coming of age journey…starting at a new college, with a new softball team and a quirky roommate, all while living in a co-ed dorm.

One night.
Dane Kendrick.
It changes all which she thought she knew and awakens something, someone, within her that she didn’t know existed.

A tale of friendship, loyalty, first love, primal love and…life.

Excerpt:

This party is actually pretty fun and I like almost everyone here. Kaitlyn has obviously nominated herself the non-designated driver. She’s chugging drinks down and flirting with every guy here, including Evan. I’m happy just sitting on my bale by the fire actually giggling a bit at her, when Matt Davis quickly slides in the empty spot Evan left in search of some non-barley based drinks for us.

“Hey, Laney. To what do we owe the honor?” Matt slurs.

“You don’t owe me anything, but I’m flattered you consider it an honor,” I retort, with a snap in my voice. I’m not oblivious to the fact that Matt has always had a “thing” for me, one I do not reciprocate. I’ve often wondered if he’s the culprit behind the creepy notes, but he’s had an alibi on too many occurrences.

“You want a drink?”

“No thanks, Matt. How are you getting home tonight?” He’s not a completely bad guy and I for sure don’t want to see him hurt.

“I don’t know. Wanna gimme a ride?”

“I didn’t drive tonight.”

“That’s okay; you can still give me a ride.”

Oh, isn’t he clever? His drunken innuendo doesn’t warrant a response and it’s not the right time for Evan to walk up, I assure you. Matt’s legs are dangling in the air before I even register it completely, as he’s lifted by his shirt collar in one of Evan’s huge hands.

“You’ve got five seconds to apologize to the lady,” Evan growls.

“Geez, sorry, Laney, I was just kidding,” Matt musters insincerely.

I don’t tell him it’s okay, because it’s not, but I do say, “put him down, Ev, so not worth it.”

“You sure, Laney? Your call.”

“Yes, I’m sure, Brutus. Put him down and let’s take a walk?” I don’t have to ask him twice. Matt’s flat on his ass and Evan’s at my side in a flash. Walking away for a little breather, I latch my arm through his. “What’s up with you?” I nudge him.

He shrugs. What’s this? Evan never broods. He’s my rock, my Mr. Grain of Salt.

“Evan, it was no big deal. Just a drunk comment by a boy scorned. Why are you stressing over it?”

“I can’t stand the way he talks to you. Not to mention, he’s always staring at you and talking about you; he’s obsessed. I don’t like it one damn bit, I’m on to him. If I find out he’s the one stalking you…” He runs his hand through his hair and blows out a breath. “I’ll kill him.”

The silence seems to go on forever, but Evan needs a minute to calm down and I don’t dare chance saying the wrong thing right now.

“And the first guy brave enough to hit on you, and that’s how he goes about it?”

“What does that mean? Brave enough to hit on me?”

“You really have no idea, do you?”

I just stare at him, my expression reminiscent of my “trying to solve quadratic equations” face.

He sighs and cast his eyes down. “Laney, you’re that girl. The one guys make up in their head when they put all the best parts together to make one perfect girl. The man who gets you to actually pay attention, well, he’ll be the luckiest guy on the planet, and he’ll know it. All that, and the fact that you never date, is pretty damn intimidating.”

There’s a flutter in my chest; does he mean I’m the perfect girl made in his head? Is he intimidated by me?

He moves closer now, I can feel the heat coming off his body. Yes, Evan, find the courage. And then his hand is cupping my cheek, and I instinctively lean in to it, a little gasp of air escaping my lips.

I’ve never imagined this with Evan, it’s never occurred to me to even dare hope what he felt for me was more than a protective best friend. Good thing, I would have done the fantasy no justice. His thumb brushes my bottom lip and I realize…I could be swinging a bat, casting a reel, and driving a truck all at the same time, but I’m still 100% woman.

I think I speak out loud. “Are you intimidated, Evan?”

He leans over, touching his forehead to mine as he takes a deep breath. His nose brushes along mine, his whisper on my lips. “Not anymore, I’m done with that, and I’m done not kissing you. All you have to do is say no, precious girl. But please, please….just say yes.”

As I whisper “yes,” his mouth takes mine. His lips are soft and gentle, sending a sizzle throughout me. His hand glides from my cheek to the hair behind my ear, stroking it slowly, over and over again. He breaks contact to lean back slightly, meeting my eyes, and a whiny protest from the loss escapes me. I’m positive he sees a confusing mixture of happiness, shock, and…lust?

“Again?” he asks me in a low grumble.

I leave the question unanswered, putting one hand firmly on the back of his neck, the other over his heart, feeling that hard chest and rapid beat under my palm, and pull him hard against my lips. He groans and steps in so his body is flush against mine as I open to allow him free reign of my mouth. Our tongues tangle together, knowing each other just as Evan and I do.

My mind is racing as quickly as my pulse, but instinct takes over as my hands move all over him. His solid arms, firm shoulders, strong back…tight ass. I can’t feel enough of him in this moment and lose myself to the desire consuming me. His sweet murmurs along my neck, jaw, in my ear spur me on, almost to the point of no return, until loud squeals from the party rip through our haze.

All at once, I remember where we are and that anyone could walk upon us. It also shames me that I was careless enough to leave Kaitlyn alone this whole time while I fondle my best friend in a field, so I regretfully pull back. Evan’s eyes take a while to slowly open and find mine, but in them I see everything I need to, overpowering any inkling I might have had about regret or embarrassment. In those blue pools, there’s no second guessing, these are not the eyes of my “friend.” I know my Evan, and he liked it. I really liked it, beyond my wildest dreams that I never had.

“Come on,” I say almost painfully, “we have to get back and check on Kaitlyn.”

His shoulders slump and he rolls his eyes, but finally grabs my hand and interlaces our fingers. We’ve held hands a million times, but never like this. It feels good, I feel secure, but most of all—I start to believe what people have said here and there in recent years…I feel beautiful.

Evan tugs on my hand slightly, slowing me up some, and turns me to him. “Laney,” he barely whispers, “can you do one thing for me? “

He could say climb Mt. Everest right now and I’d agree. The look on his face is so sexy and now that I know how that mouth feels…wait, what was the question?

“Yessss?” Am I flirting?

“Can we pretend you’re really mine, just mine, Evan Mitchell Allen’s, at least for tonight?”

I think of the gentle hand on my cheek, the soft then rougher kiss, the protection from Matt, the #14 on his back every week, the Disney movie marathons, and I say, without a doubt in my mind, “with pleasure.”

The smile that spreads across his face and the fist pump I doubt he realizes he’s just thrown assure me I should feel as good about my answer as I do. At least for tonight…is that all I want? All he wants? I refuse to overanalyze right now; this is new, overwhelming, and exhilarating…I’m just gonna ride this wave without worrying; there’s a first time for everything.

I’m not sure which of us sets the pace for the walk back, but neither speeds it up. Once back, still hand in hand, I immediately notice that Kaitlyn is slow dancing with Matt, so she’s definitely way past drunk, or maybe he used a better line on her. Whatever. As long as I can see his hands, I’ll let her enjoy herself. Evan nudges me, so I look up.

“Dance with me?” Evan asks with an eyebrow raised and sexy plea in his eyes.

It’s “Big Green Tractor” by Jason Aldean in the background; we both love this song. I nod.

Evan sings the song softly in my ear as we dance. He has no idea what a good singer he is, and apparently my body just received the memo tonight as well. All the times we’ve cruised around together, singing at the top of our lungs, or played iPods while we fished…it did not have this effect on me. Why oh why could this not be the longest song ever written???

When the song ends, Evan guides us to settle in on staggered bales. Evan sits behind me and I lean back between his legs. He’s pressed against my back and his hands rest on my shoulders, hanging over slightly. His pinky moves up and down the outside of my arm, lightly, but I feel it.

Oh, do I feel it.

Turning my head to look back at him, I give him a smile. His own reflects back to me as much happiness as I’m feeling. It always feels good being around Evan, but something has shifted and now it feels even better. Consumed by these new stirrings and the cover of the night sky, I’m emboldened. I place my hand on his thigh and pull his leg in until it’s tight against me, hearing his sharp intake of breath. His body stiffens for a moment and then relaxes with his exhale.

“How long are we staying?” I ask quietly.

“We can leave whenever you’re ready. I’m only here because you are.” He tucks my hair behind one ear as he says it and I’ve never felt more feminine in my life.

“I’ll be right back,” I say as I get up to go wrangle Kaitlyn home.

I secure a ride for Matt, who again apologizes for his earlier behavior, probably because he and Kaitlyn think it’d be a great idea for her to ride with them; which I respond to with a laughing “hell no.”

Holding Kaitlyn up as we wait for Evan to bring the truck proves to be a challenge and I wonder how I’ll get her past my dad. Her rancid breath is really testing the duties of friendship right now…and if she pukes in Evan’s truck, Lord help her.

“Laney, did you have fun?!” Kaitlyn shrieks from the backseat when we’re finally loaded.

“I actually had one of the best nights of my life. Thanks for making me go,” I tell her, casting a sidelong glance at Evan. So worth it; the smile on his face as he reaches for my hand is one I will never forget.

“Me too, beautiful. Me too.”

About the author:

S.E.Hall resides in Arkansas with her husband of 17 years and 3 beautiful daughters. When not in the stands watching her ladies play softball, she enjoys reading YA and NA romance.

Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter

Blog Tour June 2013

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Book Promotion & Review

Louise’s guest post:

Book Links:

Synopsis:

Synopsis:

Selene reviews book #1

Long Hard Ride

Book links:

Synopsis:

Selene’s Review:

Four-and-a-Half Loves

Synopsis:

Synopsis:

My Review:

Five Loves

Love at High Tide releases July 8

Synopsis:

My Review:

Four Loves

~ Rina

Book links:

Synopsis:

Guest Post:

The Officer and the Secret releases July 2

Synopsis:

My Review:

Four-and-aHalf Loves

Out of Control releases June 24

Book Links:

Synopsis:

My Review:

Four-and-a-Half Loves

Synopsis:

Excerpt: