Friday, 7 April 2017

Book Blitz: Hopelessly Devoted by A.M. Myers

Hopelessly Devoted by A.M. Myers

BLURB: You think you know pain? You don't. I've lived in it for years, pulled so far down into the darkness that it's all I see. There was no telling where I ended and the darkness began. It swallowed me up whole and spit out a man that I didn't recognize. I can promise you, you've never felt pain like that. It was eternal night and there was no chance that I would ever make it out alive. Then there was her - Alison James. She's a spark of brilliant light in the bleak nothingness, a tiny beacon of hope in my endless torment and I can't do anything but cling to her, hoping for just another second of relief. I'll do whatever it takes to keep her but some things are out of my hands. My past is coming back to haunt us and at the very least, it will tear us apart. But if worse comes to worst, she'll be just as dead as my soul. Can I force myself to let her go if it will save her? Or will I sacrifice her life for my own selfishness?

BUY LINK: Amazon

SNIPPETS:
I fucking hate hospitals.
My boots squeak on the linoleum floors as I stare down the hallway and make my way to her room, doing my best to push back the deluge of memories frantically trying to take over my mind. After that night, I swore I would never be back here but for her, I would do just about anything. Everything about this place haunts me from the sound of monitors beeping and loved ones crying to the smell of antiseptic. Each little thing like a demon hiding in the shadows, laying in wait to reach out and pull me back into that night and everything I lost. 
The memories start to overwhelm me and I have to stop, leaning back against the wall and closing my eyes as I try to pull air into my body. Flashes of images like a horror movie roll through my brain and I lean over, squeezing my eyes shut tighter like that might make them stop as I fist my hands on my knees.
*****************************************************************************
“Where am I going to find that first aid kit?”
I point to the cupboard directly behind him. “Second shelf.” 
He grabs it and turns back to me, setting the kit on the counter next to me on one side before looking over at the sink on the other side. Without a word, he kneels in front of me and slips my shoe off my foot. I can’t look away, curious and turned on as I wonder what the hell he’s doing. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a knife, flipping it open with ease and I suck in breath. If I were smart, I would be terrified right now. I would start screaming for help or kick my foot out and hope it catches him in the face so I can get away but he’s rendered me completely fucking stupid. 
No, instead I sit my ass on the counter and watch as he pulls my tights away from my leg and cuts them open all the way up, my skin sparking with the intense desire blanketing us. When he gets above my knee where the tights disappear under my skirt, I put my hand out to stop him and he pulls the knife away
“They’re thigh highs,” I mutter as I pull my skirt up slightly and pull the stocking off. I dangle it out in front of him but his gaze is glued to my bare leg. His tongue darts out, wetting his lips and my eyes almost roll back in my head. Jesus, I think I could cum just from watching him watch me. I clear my throat and he looks up at me.
“Care to tell me why you murdered my tights?”
*************************************************************************************************
“What are you doing?”
“Well, we said later,” he explains, shrugging like it should be obvious.
I nod. “Yes, we did.”
His eyes dance with humor and something more and as he looks down at me, the temperature in the room cranks up a few degrees. “And as far as I can tell, it’s technically later.”
“Technically.”
He takes another step towards me but this time I don’t move so we’re only a whisper away from touching. My breathing quickens as I meet his eyes and my lips part. “That still doesn’t answer my question.”
“About what I’m doing here?” he asks, his voice lower and huskier than just moments before. 
I lick my lips and nod. “Yes.”
His gaze darts to my mouth, so intense that I can feel it rocking through my body. He looks at me like he wants to devour me and I have absolutely no objections to that. Everything about him seems intense from the heartache in his gray gaze to the “don’t mess with me” aura around him and I can’t help but imagine how incredibly good it would feel if he focused that intensity on my body. Just the mental image is enough to force a shiver down my spine.
“I really want to kiss you,” he whispers, moving a fraction of an inch closer like he can’t stop himself. 
             “I’m okay with that.” 
BIO: A.M. Myers currently lives in beautiful Charleston, South Carolina with her husband and their two children. She has been writing since the moment she learned how to and even had a poem published in the sixth grade but the idea of writing an entire book always seemed like a daunting task until this story got stuck in her head and just wouldn't leave her alone. And now, she can't imagine ever stopping. A.M. writes gripping romantic suspense novels that will have you on the edge of your seat until the end. When she's not writing, you can find her hanging out with her kids or pursuing other artistic ventures, such as photography or painting.



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Thursday, 6 April 2017

Release Blitz & Giveaway: The Magnate's Mail-Order Bride by Joanne Rock


A mix-and-match mock engagement? 


THE MAGNATE'S MAIL-ORDER BRIDE
The McNeill Magnates #1
Joanne Rock
Releasing April 4th, 2017
Harlequin Desire
A mix-and-match mock engagement? 

Ballerina Sofia Koslov's career is on the line when she's accosted at the airport by a rich, reckless playboy who thinks she's his mail-order bride! But the playboy's levelheaded brother, Quinn McNeill, solves the media snafu with a switcheroo. He'll pretend to be her legitimate fiancé to protect her reputation—and to protect his family's business deals from her father's wrath. Sofia's one condition: they'll share the spotlight as a loving couple but won't share a bed. But soon Quinn's gentlemanly ways strike a chord, and Sofia's dying to renege on that condition and have a real fling…

“I never would have guessed your brother would spend a small fortune on a ring for a woman he never met.” She edged out of his grip. “I thought he was a romantic, not completely certifiable.”
Quinn’s smile faded. “I assure you, Cameron is neither.” He set the ring on the steamer trunk beside her. “I’ll let you decide whether or not to wear it in the morning. And in the meantime, I’d better let you get some rest.”
He rose to his feet, leaving a priceless piece of jewelry balanced on last month’s Vogue.
“Quinn.” She stood to follow him to the door then reached back to grab the ring so she could return it. “Please. I don’t feel right keeping this here.”
He turned to face her as he reached the door, but made no move to take the glittering ring.
“If you were my bride-to-be, I would spare no expense to show the world you were mine.” His blue eyes glowed with a warmth that had her remembering his kiss. Her breath caught in her chest and she wondered what it might be like for him to call her that for real.
Mine.
“I’m—” At a total loss for words. “That is—” She folded the diamond into her hand, squeezing it tightly so the stones pressed into her soft skin, distracting her from her hypnotic awareness of this man. “If you insist.”
“It’s a matter of believability, Sofia.”
“It’s only for one month.” She wasn’t sure if she said it to remind him or herself.
“We’ll work out the details tomorrow.” He reached to smooth a strand of hair from her forehead, barely touching her and still sending shimmers of pleasure along her temple and all the way down the back of her neck. “Sleep well.”
She didn’t even manage to get her voice working before he was out the door again, leaving her alone in a suddenly too empty apartment.
Squeezing the ring tighter in her fist, she waited for the pinch of pain from the sharp edges of the stones. She needed to remember that this wasn’t real. Quinn McNeill had only agreed to this mad scheme to clean up his brother’s mess. Any hint of attraction she felt needed to be squashed immediately, especially since Quinn was cut from the same mold as her father—focused on business and the accumulation of wealth. Her world was about art, emotions and human connections.
Her mother had taught her that people did not fall into both camps. In Sofia’s experience it was true. And since she wanted her own relationships to be meaningful bonds rooted in shared creativity and ideals, she was willing to wait until she had more time in her life to find the right partner. Romance could not be rushed.
“It’s only for a month,” she said aloud again, forcing herself to set the engagement ring on the hallway table.
Surely she could keep up her end of a fake engagement for the sake of appearances? She’d made countless sacrifices for her career, from dancing on broken toes to living away from her family on the other side of the globe to train with Russian ballet masters.
Ignoring the sensual draw of Quinn McNeill couldn’t possibly be more difficult than those challenges.
Yet, even as she marched herself off to bed, she feared she was lying to herself that she could keep her hands off the man anywhere near as easily as she’d set down the ring.
 




Four-time RITA nominee Joanne Rock has never met a romance sub-genre she didn't like. The author of over seventy books enjoys writing a wide range of stories, most recently focusing on sexy contemporaries and small town family sagas. An optimist by nature and perpetual seeker of silver linings, Joanne finds romance fits her life outlook perfectly--love is worth fighting for. A frequent speaker at regional and national writing conferences she enjoys giving back to the writing community that nurtured and inspired her early career. She has a Masters degree in Literature from the University of Louisville but credits her fiction writing skills to her intensive study with friend and fellow author Catherine Mann. When she's not writing, Joanne enjoys travel, especially to see her favorite sports teams play with her former sports editor husband and three athletic-minded sons.



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Wednesday, 5 April 2017

Review: Falling Hard (Nugget #9) by Stacy Finz


This is the summer of Annie Sparks—at least according to her. No more supporting lazy jerks or coddling irresponsible family or taking care of anyone who doesn’t deserve her help. Instead she’s headed to an estate in a remote mountain town, to spend her summer with her boots covered in mud and her hands working the earth. Love is the last thing on her mind.

Nugget is a long way from Logan Jenkins’ old life as a Navy SEAL. But before he starts fresh in the private sector, he receives a bequest from a man he never knew: his biological father. To learn more about his background, Logan makes his way to his late father’s estate, where he is immediately knocked on his heels by an incredible woman with a heart of gold.

Annie’s not looking for a fling, and Logan knows Nugget can’t be forever, so falling in love should be impossible. But when they’re together, time stops, and suddenly the impossible seems like the only thinkable option . . .

Kindle Edition
Expected publication: April 11th 2017 by Lyrical Shine

Terri's Thoughts

 I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!  The expected publication date is April 11th, 2017.

This is the ninth instalment in the Nugget series.  Needless to say there has been a lot of time and energy put in to this fictional town and its character.  It is not necessary to have read the entire series leading up to this story however I do offer one warning.  When you reach the ninth book in a series, the cast of characters gets rather large.  It can you leave you wondering how everyone fits in to the town as you know that their story has been previously told.  In my case, I had read the fifth & sixth story and none of the others.  I was able to know who a lot of the characters were however there was a blank spot on some.  For those that are ok with not knowing the backstory of every character, you will be fine.  for those who need to know, pick up book one and start from the beginning.  With nine books there is enough to keep you entertained for a while.

This story was a little different from the others that I have read in the series in the fact that both character were relative newcomers to Nugget.  The previous stories I read always involved one hometown character and a newcomer.  I guess in a town as small as Nugget, you would run out of people in the age demographic of the majority of these characters unless people kept moving in to the town.

A second item that I noticed, an liked, is that there was a little less angst between Annie and Logan.  While they may not have succumbed tot heir physical attraction right away, they became fast friends and the reader does not have to endure that endless bickering that can be predominant in this genre of book.  It is not always necessary to have the characters hate each other at first, before they discover they can't live without each other, as Finz has aptly shown in this story.  It was refreshing.  I liked how they clicked right from the beginning.  The drama comes later on.

As for the rest of the story, it follows the regular formula you would come to expect from this genre.  The highlight of the story, and I may have said the same in previous reviews of this series, is the town of Nugget.  By now you feel like you really know the town and all of its people, and this is coming from someone who has only read three of the nine stories. 

I recommend this story and this series!




About the Author


tacy Finz is an award-winning former newspaper reporter. After more than twenty years covering notorious serial killers, naked-tractor-driving farmers, fanatical foodies, aging rock stars and weird Western towns, she figured she finally had enough material to launch a career writing fiction. She is the author of the Nugget Romance series (Kensington/Lyrical Press) about a small mountain town that has a strange way of giving people unexpected reasons to start over--and find the most irresistible chances to fall in love. Look for her Garner Brothers series (Zebra) in 2017.


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Monday, 3 April 2017

Cover Reveal: Salvage Him by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle

Salvage Him
by
Sydney Aaliyah Michelle
Series:  Highland Park Chronicles Book #1
Genre:  Contemporary Romance, Light BDSM
Publication Date: April 24, 2017


BLURB:

Anger and lies can lead to destruction, but passion and control can lead to love.
Harrison
I met my soul mate, but she's married to someone else.
Every fiber of my being screams she belongs to me.
He saved her, but he doesn't deserve her.
If I'm being honest, neither do I.
Brooklyn
I didn't know I was settling until he showed me what I was missing.
He promised to maintain control, but I pushed him and he destroyed us both.
Now I know what I need, but am I what he wants.
Harrison's anger and Brooklyn's lies push them both toward destruction. Can passion and control SALVAGE their love?
Salvage Him is a passionate romance with BDSM elements by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle. If you like a strong alpha male, scorching sex scenes and a connection that makes your heart and body quiver, then you'll love Sydney Aaliyah Michelle's latest stand alone HEA romance.
Pick up Salvage Him and read how Harrison and Brooklyn find each other today!


Now available for Pre-Order at Kobo, iTunes, and Barnes & Noble.
Starting 4/24 it will be available exclusively on Amazon and will be on Kindle Unlimited!

Add it to your TBR on Goodreads!


Excerpt #1
Silent tears streamed down my face and onto my lap. I wiped them with the back of my hand. The finality of Paul's words crushed my heart. I couldn't say goodbye to Harison, but I knew I had to. I had to protect him.
I peeked a glance at him, and his stare took my breath away.
"Brooklyn." He said my name in that way that made my insides ache. I held my head up and stared into his eyes. "I know what you're doing, and I adore you even more for trying to protect me, but it's not necessary. He doesn't have power over us. He can't hurt me, and he can only hurt you if you continue to allow him to."
I licked my lips and let Harrison’s words wash over me. They entered my soul.
Paul spoke and gestured next to me.
I couldn't hear him. All I heard was the sound of my Dom's voice.
"While I would love to throw you over my shoulder and carry you out of here, I'm not going to do that. I can't save you, but you can save me by saving yourself."
Harrison's words sounded like the lyrics to a song written for me.
I gulped the huge ball sitting at the top of my throat. My mind spoke, reached out to him.
Please drag me out of here. I can't do it. I can't be wholly responsible for what Paul might do to you.
"Brooke," Paul yelled.
I looked around.
We had an audience. The manager walked up and whispered something to Harrison.
I blinked.
He stood up.
Take me with you.
"Brooklyn, you can do this. Go to the apartment, get everything you need, and then come home. I need to you to take this first step because once you do, I will never leave your side again." Harrison wasn't asked.
"Harrison," I whispered and looked at Paul.
"Baby," Harrison said with a firm tone.
My head snapped back to him.
"He can't break me. My parents, my friends, they all know me. Nothing he can say will change that. It's what I built for me. What I built for us. The only one who has the power to break me is you."
I shook my head slowly side to side.
Paul stood up.
"Get him out of here," Paul yelled at the manager.  
"I'm going." Harrison held his hands up but stared at me. Like he needed some reassurance his message had gotten through.
I had to say something. I had to let him know I was with him.
"You will never see him again." Paul leaned in and growled in my face.  
 
Excerpt #2
When I pushed off the bar and turned around, there she stood by the main elevators.
She wore a skintight V-neck t-shirt with a black corset underneath. Her short pleated skirt barely covered her ass. She wore tall back heels. Not quiet schoolgirl but sexy as hell.
She stood stark-still but searched the place, wringing her hands in the process. She was upset, fidgety. I knew the look. She needed something. She needed me.
She walked further into the club, and I came up behind her.
She gasped, feeling my presence. All the little hairs on my arms stood at attention being so close to her. She turned toward me, with her eyes cast down. I lifted her chin and searched her eyes. They were sad and frustrated.
She was like an addict afraid to ask for another hit—out of shame or guilt, I wasn't sure—but I did know I wanted to be the one to give it to her. Taking all she had told me and the natural bond we shared, I knew I could do this for her and keep her safe.
"Do you trust me?" I asked.
Her body absorbed my words with a shudder.
"Yes," she whispered.
I ran my hand down her neck, over her shoulder, and down her arm until I clasped her wrist. I headed toward the private rooms and pulled her along with me.
When we reached the door, I opened the door and released my hold on Brooklyn. I wanted her to walk in on her own. Once in the room, I was in control, and she knew it. It needed to be her decision.
I knew what I wanted from her, but what she needed right now wasn't the same thing. I wanted her to be my sub. Completely. One hundred percent devoted to me and only me. It wasn't reality, but I didn't care. I was being selfish. As her Dom, I would be responsible for her needs, her wants, and desires, and as her Dom, I knew that wasn't what she needed right now.
She walked into the room. Her body visibly relaxed at the sight of the spanking bench in the center. She stood a few feet away waiting on my instructions.  
"Take off your shoes." She stepped out of them, and I kicked them to the side.
"I want you to bend over the bench. I'm going to restrain your arms at the wrist but not your legs. I'm going to spank you until you let go of what's causing you so much pain."
Her eyes teared up, and she blinked them away.
"What's your safe word?" I asked as I stood behind her. I couldn't look into her eyes.
"Um." She wavered on her feet. I gripped the back of her neck.
She yelped.
"What's your safe word, Brooklyn?" My tone firm.
"Pancake."
I blinked.
"You say pancake, and I stop." I stepped in front of her. "You understand?"
"Yes."
"Brooklyn," I whispered, giving her one opportunity to tell me to stop. I wanted her to tell me this wasn't what she came her for. She bit her lip and gave me a little smile; her eyes pleaded with me to continue.
"Lie on the bench." She hesitated for a moment but complied.
She gripped the front of the bench, felt the leather, and slid her hands down the length as she situated her body over it.
Her legs spread. She stood with her feet flat on the floor just outside the legs of the bench. Her hands came to the other edge. I squatted down and took one of her hands and kissed it. Her head turned, and she glared at me, but her face softened when she saw it wasn't a passionate kiss; it was to reassure her that I had her. I did the same before securing the other wrist. She pulled back on the restraints and then lowered her cheek to the bench.
I walked around her a few times. I stopped behind her. I could spank her over her skirt, but it wouldn't have the same effect. She needed flesh on flesh. Besides, I wasn't sure how long it had been since she had been spanked properly, if ever.
I flipped up her skirt in one swift motion.
I couldn't help it; I took a moment and stared, appreciated the beautiful specimen of a woman bent over and ready for me. My cock strained against my jeans, and I knew this scene was going to push me.
I preached how much satisfaction I garnered from separating the Dom/sub relationship from a purely sexual encounter. Like I was more powerful than all the Dom I knew because they indulged in control of a sexual nature in order to get off themselves. I was more evolved, more in control, more self aware.
I am fucking full of shit.



AUTHOR BIO:
Sydney Aaliyah Michelle is a Contemporary Romance writer, a voracious reader, tattoo lover, and movie fanatic who hails from Texas.

After surviving 5 1/2 years living in China, she had the courage to finally pursue her passion and become a writer.

She identifies the sci-fi action flick "The Matrix" as the best representation of her life in the past. She is now blessed to be awake and doing what she loves.

She can recite the entire script from the 80's teen comedy/drama "The Breakfast Club" and loves any and everything associated with the Avengers Movie, especially Tony Stark.

When it come to books, Sydney reads different genres, but some of her favorite writers are Stephen King, Alex J. Cavanaugh, J.A Huss, M. Never & Emily Bronte. Under the Dome, The Great Gatsby & Wuthering Heights are her favorite books.

To stay up to date with Sydney join her newsletter and connect through social media.  
Amazon Author Central - https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00KKYD5US
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Saturday, 1 April 2017

Review: A Charmed Little Lie (Charmed in Texas #1) by Sharla Lovelace


Charmed, Texas... quaint, quirky, and when it comes to romance, there's no place quite as enchanting.

Lanie Barrett didn't mean to lie. Spinning a story of a joyous marriage to make a dying woman happy is forgivable, isn't it? Lanie thinks so, especially since her beloved Aunt Ruby would have been heartbroken to know the truth of her niece's sadly loveless, short-of-sparkling existence. Trouble is, according to the will, Ruby didn't quite buy Lanie's tale. And to inherit the only house Lanie ever really considered a home, she'll have to bring her "husband" back to Charmed for three whole months--or watch Aunt Ruby's cozy nest go to her weasel cousin, who will sell it to a condo developer.

Nick McKane is out of work, out of luck, and the spitting image of the man Lanie described. He needs money for his daughter's art school tuition, and Lanie needs a convenient spouse. It's a match made... well, not quite in heaven, but for a temporary arrangement, it couldn't be better. Except the longer Lanie and Nick spend as husband and wife, the more the connection between them begins to seem real. Maybe this modern fairy tale really could come true...

Kindle Edition, 241 pages
Expected publication: April 18th 2017 by Lyrical Shine

Terri's Thoughts

 I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley on the promise of an honest review.  Thank you!  The expected publication date is April 18th, 2017.

I had a really good time with this book.  I found it light, funny, and entertaining.  With this genre, it can sometimes feel repetitive if you read a lot within the genre (which I do) however this story still felt fresh to me which added to my enjoyment.

The character of Lanie was a complete trainwreck, in a humorous way.  Talk about your lies catching up with you and the lengths required to maintain the lie.  Nick on the other hand was simply dreamy.  A man who is physically everything you could want and a great cook?  Come on, who wouldn't love that?

The concept behind the plot was not new however the execution was really good in my opinion.  The story moved along without dragging out any of the drama for two long.  The chemistry between Nick and Lanie was something that I could feel as the reader without it all being about what happens between the sheets.  I give kudos to Lovelace for how she balanced this to keep the reader engaged.

It seems that this is the first story in what will be a series.  I am really curious as to how this plays out.  The reason is that normally it centers around a town that you fall in love with and you get to know the characters.  In this case, after this first story, most of the characters are less than charming (pun intended) however I can tell that I will also love the protagonist in the next story.  Hopefully we will get to see a better side of the townsfolk in Charmed.

I wholeheartedly recommend this story for a light and humorous read!

New to my reviews is that I am including a quote that stood out to me.  It can be for any reason, if it really resonated to me or simply because it made me laugh out loud.  In this case it was because of the latter.

"What if he was a serial killer?  What if he was a chronic farter?  What if he liked mustard?


About the Author



Sharla Lovelace is the Bestselling and Award Winning Author of five standalone novels, and the exciting Heart of the Storm series, all featuring sexy small town love stories with heat and humor. Being a Texas girl through and through, she's proud to say she lives in Southeast Texas with her husband, a souped up golf cart, and two crazy mutts.





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