Renée Carlino’s Sweet Thing has officially released in paperback today!!!
For fans of Colleen Hoover,
A USA Today self-published
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About the Author
Renée Carlino lives in
Renée & Sweet Thing In Barnes & Noble!
The Destiny of Violet & Luke Synopsis
Luke Price’s life has always been about order, control, and acting tough on the outside. For Luke, meaningless relationships are a distraction-a way to tune out the twisted memories of his childhood. He desperately wishes he could forget his past, but it haunts him no matter what he does.
Violet Hayes has had a rough life. When she was young, she was left with no family and the memory of her parents’ unsolved murders. She grew up in foster homes, living with irresponsible parents, drugs, and neglect, and trying to fight the painful memories of the night her parents were taken from her. But it’s hard to forget when she never got closure-and she can’t stop dreaming about what happened that tragic night. To make it through life, she keeps her distance from everyone and never allows herself to feel anything.
Then Violet meets Luke. The two clash instantly, yet they can’t seem to stay away from each other. Although they fight it, they both start to open up and feel things they’ve never felt before. They discover just how similar they are. But they also discover something else: The past always catches up with you . . .
Author Bio
The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Jessica Sorensen, lives with her husband and three kids. When she’s not writing, she spends her time reading and hanging out with her family.
She reaches for my fries with an undecided look on her face. “So I have a question.”
“Okay…”
“About you.”
I slowly chew my food. “I’m not really sure I want to hear your question now.”
She picks a pickle off of her burger, pulling a repulsed face. “Well, I’m still going to ask it.”
I grab a handful of fries from the tray that’s on the table between us. “Go ahead and ask but it doesn’t mean I’ll answer.”
She props her elbows onto the table with her burger in her hand. “Why haven’t you ever talked to me before? I mean, we’ve walked past each other probably a hundred times, but never so much as acknowledged each other and then suddenly you’re stalking me.”
I pick up my soda and sip from the straw. “First off, I’m not stalking you. I just can’t seem to get rid of you.”
“You didn’t have to stop to pick me up.”
“Yeah, I did.”
“Why? You don’t know me—you’re in no way obligated to help me.”
“I know, but I wanted to.”
“Why?”
I shrug, setting my drink down. “Why not?”
She gives me a funny look, like I’m the most confusing person in the world, when really she should be looking at herself like that. “I don’t get it. Why would someone like you help someone like me?”
I open up the bun of my chicken sandwich to pick the tomato off. “What do you mean someone like me and someone like you?”
She points at me. “You as in a football player who has friends.” Then she points at herself. “And me as in the loner girl who could probably kick your ass.”
I choke on a laugh and my mouth full of food almost shoots out of my nose. “You could not kick my ass,” I cough, and then take a swallow of my drink.
She scans me over while scooping up some fries. “I beg to differ. I think you’re not as tough as you try to look.”
“Do you really?” If only she knew what really lay inside me. “Because most people think I am and for a good reason.”
“I think it’s all for show,” she replies nonchalantly and I can’t tell if she’s being serious or not. “I think that deep down you’re just a softy.”
“Are you trying to pick a fight with me right now?” I set my sandwich down on the tray and crack my knuckles. “Because I’m not going to fight a girl.”
“That’s such a typical guy answer.” She hurries and takes a drink, but I detect a hint of a smile before her lips wrap around the straw.
“You know what I think?” I cross my arms on the table and lean in, cocking my head to the side as I observe her closely. “I think you like arguing with me and that’s why you’re bringing this up.”
Her shoulders lift and descend as she takes a bite of her hamburger. “Maybe, but maybe I’m being serious.”
“You know that as a football player I have to tackle guys, right? It takes strength to do that.”
“Maybe you just run, though,” she counters. “Maybe you’re just good at running.”
The way she says it reminds me so much of my past and it’s like a kick to the stomach. “Maybe I’m not, though. Maybe I suck at running.” I sound choked and I decide it’s time to cut this conversation short, my brain seeking that potent taste of Jack and Tequila mixed with nicotine. I glance at my watch, pretending to check the time. “I just remembered that I have to meet Kayden somewhere in like a half an hour, so I’m going to have to take you back.”
She balls up the wrapper for her hamburger, acting nonchalant, but her shoulders are stiff. “Sounds good to me. I was done anyway.” She seems irritated and I have no idea why, other than she seems to be able to read through my bullshit and test me, which most people can’t and won’t even try. I’m supposed to be a closed book. A mystery. That way no one can see who I really am. It’s the way I’ve been living for years and it’s comfortable. Not ideal, but nothing is ideal.
We don’t talk as I collect our garbage and then walk next to her as she limps out to my truck. I try to offer her my arm and open the door for her, but she denies my offer, moving to the opposite door and pushing it open.
During the car ride, she barely says two words to me. I should be happy about it. That way there’s no room for sudden questions and statements that will set me off, however I find myself missing the bantering thing we had going and the way she pushed my buttons. By the time I drop her off, all I want to do is ask her to stay, talk some more, let me get to know her. But I don’t understand why. I’ve never wanted to get to know anyone before. I’ve never even been out on a date. Each woman I’ve been with, I’ve only been with once. Just sex. That’s all it’s ever about. And I’ve never wanted anything more.
Until now.
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*This was an ARC provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and comments are my own.*
“You are gorgeous, as always, Josie.” He turned me around and brought his lips to mine. He kissed me slowly, and I could feel myself getting heated. He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the bed. I was a little embarrassed when he started undressing us, unable to believe that I agreed to do something so risqué. He position me in a particular way, and went back to his cameras to make sure his shot was right and to set up timers on them.
“Okay, don’t think about the cameras,” he said, coming back to me.He started sucking on my neck as his hands roamed my thighs, stomach, and then my chest. I tried to ignore the cameras and focused on his tongue and mouth on me. Click. He brought one of my breasts into his mouth and sucked on my hard nipple. His tongue always knew how to make my body feel good. Click. I moved my hands into his shaggy sandy blonde hair, and arched my back, needing more of him. Click. Seth aligned his chest with mine, and went back to assault my neck as I moved my hands to rub his shoulders and arms. Click. His other hand that wasn’t fondling my breast, moved its way in between my legs, and rubbed me. I gasped at the feeling of increased pressure on my clit. Click. His fingers really were magical. It didn’t take me long before both the pressure of his mouth on my neck and breasts and the rubbing of his fingers against me, made me come. Click. “So sexy,” he whispered, before putting on the condom he had ready on the bed. His eyes were hooded with desire. He positioned himself in front of me and moved my long hair in a way that covered my breasts. Click. He eased inside of me gently, and then pulled back out fast. Click. He teased me like that for a while, as I whimpered with need. I decided to sit up and grab onto his back, nearly clawing him to finally give me what I needed. I started to raise my hips to his at a better rhythm, loving the small whimper that came out of his mouth. Click.
Victoria Klahr (pronounced like “Claire”) lives in Elizabeth City, North Carolina with her husband and daughter, Stephen and Alexis. She loves her chug (Pug/Chihuahua), Bandit, and three year old to pieces. She loves to stay home and take care of them, even if they do drive her insane at times. She is a huge and proud book nerd who looks at her bookshelf in admiration daily. She has her Associate’s degree in Business Administration, but her passion has always been the stories that talk to her in her head. One day she decided to take a chance and let the voices write her story. She has never felt more certain or comfortable about who she is than when she writes.
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“The phoenix hope, can wing her way through the desert skies,
and still defying fortune’s spite; revive from ashes and rise.” -Miguel de Cervantes
Samantha Whitney survived unimaginable tragedy only to discover she had been betrayed by a man who claimed to love her. Shattered, Sam spends months at a safe haven trying to piece herself back together. Ready or not, the time has come for her to return home.
As Sam struggles to resume a life that no longer feels familiar, she finds unwavering support in an unexpected, familiar face. Confronting Sam’s raw emotions and open wounds head-on, Griffin manages to take two steps forward for every step she retreats.
But when Sam is once again threatened, Griffin must decide how far he is willing to go to protect the woman he wants…knowing the cost of her safety is the risk of losing her.
Pieces For You is a captivating journey of survival, healing, and sacrifice—teeming with honesty, humor, unexpected twists, and love’s unsurpassed endurance begin to plague Sam, it is Griffin she is forced to turn to.
This story is appropriate for readers 18+
Though Pieces For You is a part of the For You Series, the book can be read as a stand alone.
I don’t even know what to say other than…..
This book is flipping phenomenal, amazing, superb, excellent, superior, intelligent, purposefully written, sparkling cider…ok, now I’m just being silly, but it really is a spectacular read and a wonderful follow up to Only For You. It has the same vibe as Only For You in that it keeps you guessing until the very end, the author maintains her wit and humor while dealing with some heavy subject matter. I loved the character development, the introduction of new characters and I loved how invested I became in Griffin and Sam’s relationship as with Hunter and Ev!
Let me take a step back and say if you have NOT already read Only For You…what are you waiting for????
Yeah, I’d take a Hunter-Griffin sandwich any day hehe. Seriously smitten…Genna Rulon easily grabs your attention, holds it and makes you fall in love with most of her characters in the process. I say most because there are some you won’t like very much…may even hate, but she will absolutely make you feel!
This book is heavy and deals with Sam’s issues primarily, though other characters are introduced and past relationships developed (and well developed I might add). This is a book about taking charge of your life and moving forward, finding love, growing, healing and living! I love Sam, I am in awe of all she went through and how she got through it. She was broken in Only For You and she becomes this amazing woman in Pieces For You. I don’t want to spoil the read, there’s lots of heavy, lots of witty and definitely lots of sexxxxxy! My eyes bulged quite a few times while reading. This is a book that will captivate you. I finished in one sitting and I don’t doubt you will be unable to put the book down until it’s done. I CANNOT wait for the next book. Genna Rulon has easily become one of my favorite authors of 2013 and this series has stuck with me in many ways and sadly for some of my favorite authors I have to say these two books are probably the best new adult books I’ve read to date!
I don’t know if I should go into too much detail about the characters, but for those who have read Only For You, there is plenty more Ev and Hunter! You will be completely satisfied! For those, like me who fell in love with Griffin in book one, you will fall even deeper this time around. I may love him more than any other book boyfriend. He is the perfect. If you’re in the mood to fall in love….I highly recommend this read. You’re sure to swoon….
Favorite Quote
“Lo, you could never disappoint me. If you’re honest with me and yourself, you have no reason to worry. No one’s unblemished, we all have our scars — some are just easier to hide. The right man will navigate the minefield and bring you to the other side safely. He will find a way to give you the pleasure you deserve, no matter what it takes. You are worth the effort,”
About the Author:
After 15 years in the corporate world, Genna, an avid reader, fantasized about penning her own stories. Encouraged by the success of her favorite authors, many of whom are self-published, she committed to pursuing her aspirations.
Genna was raised in Long Island, New York, where she still resides, surrounded by the most extraordinary family and friends. Married to a wonderful man, who patiently tolerates her ramblings about whichever book she is currently working on (he even feigns interest relatively convincingly). Genna is blessed with two little boys who do their best to thwart mommy’s writing time with their hilarious antics and charming extrapolations.
All of Genna’s novels are brought to you courtesy of coffee and Disney Junior.
Synopsis:
Twenty-three year old model Charley Whitlock built a quiet life for herself after disaster struck four years ago. She hides beneath her beautiful mask, never revealing her true self to the world… until she comes face-to-face with her new photographer — sexy, possessive Jude Anderson. It’s clear from the first time she meets him that she’s playing by his rules. He says jump, she asks how high. He tells her to unzip her cream Dior gown; she knows she has to comply. But what if she wants him to take charge outside of the studio as well?
Jude Anderson has a strict “no model” dating policy. But everything about Charley sets his body on fire.
When a tropical photo shoot in Hawaii forces the stubborn pair into sexually charged situations, their chemistry can no longer be ignored. They’ll have to decide if they’re willing to break their rules and leave the past behind or if they’ll stay consumed by their demons forever.
Will Jude persuade Charley to give in to her deepest, most forbidden desires?
**Recommended for ages 17+ due to language and sexual situations.**
Hot, steamy, sexy and completely unputdownable!!!
I thoroughly enjoyed this erotic read. Jude, Jude, Jude….oh I need him in my life!
This book is a fun and sexy debut.
Charley has a tragic past and has tried to busy herself with modeling gigs and painting to fill the void. When she walks on set of her newest assignment and locks eyes with Jude all hope is lost. She’s completely smitten, but Charley has secrets that haunt her. They’ve consumed her thoughts and caused her to put up walls. She’s closed herself off to most of the world for the better part of four years, but something about Jude draws her in. He’s hot, but his moods shift from full on asshole to full on hearthrob within minutes. He’s a puzzle and though Charley longs to know more about him, he’s got his own barriers up.
Jude’s past is one filled with pain and has forever changed him. He uses women for his own pleasure and moves on. He’s not the monogamous type yet no matter how hard he tries to shake his feelings for Charley, he can’t. The attraction is undeniable and he’s drawn to her like a magnet. From his first encounter with Charley he can’t rid his thoughts of her and the growing feelings each new encounter produces.
Both struggle to contain their feelings and a new assignment forces the two together placing them in dangerously close proximity. Will these two face their issues head on and admit their growing attraction?
This is a lovely debut. The romance is hot, fresh and gives the reader something to hope for while keeping you guessing. I loved the artistic perspective and descriptive language. This is a great read for romance/new adult and erotica fans.
*This book was an ARC provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and comments are my own.*
I am a lover of books, chocolate, reality TV, metaphors and similes, black labs, and cold weather. Seriously, if I had it my way I would be curled up on the couch with all of those things… everyday.
I was born and raised in Texas where I spend my free time writing and reading. My favorite authors are Mindy Kaling & Jonathan Safran Foer. I’m a comedy geek and love all things “funny”. Women like Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Mindy Kaling are definitely the biggest inspirations for my writing, though I think my work tends to skew a bit smuttier than theirs.;)
Publication date: December 20th 2013
Synopsis:
After accidentally killing everyone in her class, Alice Wonder is now a patient in the Radcliffe Lunatic Asylum. No one doubts her insanity. Only a hookah-smoking professor believes otherwise; that he can prove her sanity by decoding Lewis Carroll’s paintings, photographs, and find Wonderland’s real whereabouts. Professor Caterpillar persuades the asylum that Alice can save lives and catch the wonderland monsters now reincarnated in modern day criminals. In order to do so, Alice leads a double life: an Oxford university student by day, a mad girl in an asylum by night. The line between sanity and insanity thins when she meets Jack Diamond, an arrogant college student who believes that nonsense is an actual science.
The writing on the wall says it’s January 14th. I am not sure what year. I haven’t been sure of many things lately, but I’m wondering if it’s my handwriting I’m looking at.
There is an strange key drawn underneath the date. It’s carved with a sharp object, probably a broken mirror. I couldn’t have written this. I’m terrified of mirrors. They love to call it Catoptrophobia around here.
Unlike regular patients in the asylum, my room is windowless, stripped down to a single mattress in the middle, a sink, and bucket for peeing–or puking–when necessary. The tiles on the floor are black-and-white squares, like a chessboard. I never step on black. Always white. Again, I’m not sure why.
The walls are smeared with a greasy pale green everywhere. I wonder if it’s the previous patient’s brains spattered all over from shock therapy. In the Radcliffe Lunatic Asylum, politely known as the Warneford hospital, the doctors have a sweet spot for shock therapy. They love watching patients with bulging eyes and shivering limbs begging for relief from the electricity. It makes me question who is really mad in here.
It’s been a while since I was sent to shock therapy myself. Dr. Tom Truckle, my supervising physician, said I don’t need it anymore, particularly after I stopped mentioning Wonderland. He told me that I used to talk about it all the time; a dangerous place I claim I have been whisked away to when my elder sister lost me at the age of seven.
Truth is, I don’t remember this Wonderland they are talking about. I don’t even know why I am here. My oldest vivid memory is from a week ago. Before that, it’s all a purple haze.
I have only one friend in this asylum. It’s not a doctor or a nurse. And it’s not a human. It doesn’t hate, envy, or point a finger at you. My friend is an orange flower I keep in a pot; a Tiger Lily I can’t live without. I keep it safe next to a small crack in the wall where a single sun ray sneaks through for only ten minutes a day. It might not be enough light to grow a flower, but my Tiger Lily is a tough girl.
Each day, I save half of the water they give me for my flower. As for me, better thirsty than mad.
My orange flower is also my personal rain check for my sanity. If I talk to her and she doesn’t reply, I know I am not hallucinating. If it talks back to me, all kinds of nonsense starts to happen. Insanity prevails. There must be a reason why I am here. It doesn’t mean I will easily give in to such a fate.
“Alice Pleasance Wonder. Are you ready?” the nurse knocks with her electric prod on my steel door. Her name is Waltraud Wagner. She is German. Everything she says sounds like a threat and smells like smoke. My fellow mad people say she is a Nazi; that she used to kill her own patients back in Germany. “Get avay vrom za dor. I an coming in,” she demands.
Listening to the rattling of her large keychain, my heart pounds in my chest. The turn of the key makes me want to swallow. When the door opens, all I can think of is choking her before she begins to hurt me. Sadly, her neck is too thick for my nimble hands. I stare at her almost-square figure for a moment. Everything about her is four sizes too big, all except her feet, which are as small as mine. My sympathies, little feet.
“Time for your daily ten-minute break,” she approaches me with a straitjacket, a devilish grin on her face. I never get out. My ward is underground, and I take my break in another empty ward upstairs, where patients love to play soccer with a hedgehog’s head.
A big muscled warden stands behind Watlraud. Thomas Ogier. He is bald, has an angry-red face and a silver tooth he likes to flash whenever he sees me. His biceps are the size of my head. I have a hard time believing he has ever been a 4-pound baby.
“Slide your arms into the jacket,” Waltraud demands in her German accent, a cigarette puckered between her lips. “Slow and easy, Alice,” she nods at warden Ogier, in case I misbehave.
I comply obediently and stretch out my arms for her to do whatever she wants. Waltraud twists my right arm slightly and checks the tattoo on my arm. It’s the only tattoo I have. It’s a handwritten sentence that looks like a thin arm band from afar. Waltraud feels the need to read it allowed, “’I can’t go back to yesterday because I was a different person then.’” I was told I have written it myself while still believing in Wonderland. “That Alice in Wonderland has really messed with your head.” She puffs smoke into my face as she mocks me.
The tattoo and Waltraud’s mocking is the least of my concerns right now. I let her tie me, and while she does, I close my eyes. I imagine I am a sixteenth century princess, some kind of a lucky Cinderella, being squeezed into a corset by my chain smoking servant in a fairy tale castle above ground, just about to go meet my Prince Charming. Such imagery always helps me breathe. I once heard that it was hope that saves the day, not sanity. I need to cool down before I begin my grand escape.
About the Author
Wonderlander, Neverlander, Unicorn-chaser, enchanter, musician, survived a coma, & totally awesome. Sometimes I tell stories. Always luv the little monsters I write young adult paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and science fiction mostly. The Grimm Diaries series is a seven book saga that deals with retellings of fairy tales from a young adult POV – it connects most of the fairy tales together and claims to be the truth about fairy tales. I live in San Fransisco and seriously think circles are way cooler than triangles.
(Open internationally):
– A Kindle Fire or Paperwhite
– 10x ebook of Insanity
– 2x 10$ Amazon Gift Card
I love two men. I screw two men. I am in a relationship with them both, and they are both aware there is another. That is all they need to know, that is all I let them know. They don’t need to know a name; they don’t need to know anything but that they are not alone in my heart.
They have accepted the situation. Stewart, because his life is too busy for the sort of obligations that are required in a relationship. Paul, because he loves me too much to tell me no. And because my sexual appetite is such that one man has trouble keeping up.
So we exist, two parallel relationships, each running their own course, with no need for intersection or conflict. It works for us, for them, and for me. I don’t expect it to be a long-term situation. I know there is an expiration date on the easy perfection of our lives.
I should have paid more attention, should have looked around and noticed the woman who watched it all. She sat in the background and waited, tried to figure me out. Saw my two relationships, the love between us, and the moment that it all fell apart.
She hates me.
I don’t even know she exists.
She loves them. I love them.
And they love me.
EVERYTHING else hangs in the balance.
I grew up a charmed child of La Jolla. Nannies wiped my dirty ass, Christmas was spent in Aspen, and school uniforms shared closet space with miniature lines of Dior and Versace. I lived a privileged line between surfer chick and spoiled brat, sandy cheeks and wet bikinis chafing the leather seats of my ice blue BMW convertible. I smoked weed with friends in million dollar mansions with ocean views while our parents cruised the Black Sea. I fucked preppy boys who wore Lacoste and Rolexes and played lacrosse. I was in a bubble of ridiculousness, and grew up thinking that life never said no, credit cards were never declined, and happiness was a given.
Then my father, a hedge fund manager with a minor addiction to cocaine, drove off the manicured edge of a Malibu cliff, to the polished astonishment of a restaurant full of Orange County’s upper society. The fact that his mistress, a surgically enhanced blonde three years older than me, was in the front seat, was hid from no one, and embraced by many of my mom’s arch enemies. They both died, drowned or killed by the cliffs. I didn’t ask for particulars and none were offered up.
Perfection, in that moment, became flawed and fragile. I never took anything for granted again.
Our money lasted another ten months, ‘til the fat mortgage, civil lawsuits and attorneys took it all. I spent my senior year in the public high school, my BMW repossessed, my school uniforms left in the closet of a home that the bank quickly seized. I was unceremoniously dumped into normality, courtesy of a mother fighting her own depression. If I had still had a cell phone at that moment in time, I can assure you that my lifelong ‘friends’ would not have answered my call.
Looking back, I see the turning point that occurred at that moment in time. I miss my father, despite his shortcomings and mistakes. I loved him, I have pieces of him throughout my personality. But the person that I was becoming? The type of individual that easy wealth and never-told-no parenting breeds? I was a bitch. A self-assured, my-way-or-the-highway, bitch. I didn’t appreciate what I had and demanded more at every turn. I am grateful that I got kicked in the ass. That I had a taste of reality before I traveled too far and that persona became permanent.
That happened to my mother. She was raised in those twenty-thousand square foot mansions, she was given everything she ever wanted, right up until the moment that it all disappeared. She drowned herself in top-shelf martinis we couldn’t afford, refusing to cook, clean, or pay bills – her breeding too great for such blue-collar work. I became the adult, she became the child, and we sank further and further in life until I moved out and she found a man. Now she is the wife and full-time dependent of Maurice Fulton, an old man who she can’t possibly love, one who keeps her groomed and outfitted in his big house and keeps her glass filled. I speak to her occasionally, when I get the sadistic urge to see what an society-bred alcoholic sounds like.
Family is one thing I have in common with my men. We are all loners, floating through life unattached, except to each other. We don’t talk about our pasts, our lack of familial ties. There is no point in dwelling on the darkness. Not when our new life is full of such life.
For folks who like their Christmas a little twisted, seven tales of charms and magic, curses and intrigue…
Featuring novellas from popular authors Linda Barlow, Andra Brynn, Carly Carson, Alana Albertson, Kara Ashley Dey, Nicole Blanchard and Cherie Chulick.
Snap up this Christmas collection and spice up those frigid winter nights with a great story at an irresistible price. Seven riveting romances by award winning authors for $0.99. The perfect gift for you favorite bookworm. (Regular price: $4.99)
Release Date: December 2, 2013 at your favorite retailer in ebook and print.
Tour Host: Miss Construed’s Reviews
Synopsis
It’s Christmastide, but Holly Mathers can’t seem to get into the spirit. She’s been obsessing for weeks over a hook-up gone wrong with the hot, green-eyed Will MacIvey, who’s treating her like the ghost of Christmas past. When she and her roommate are invited to a Winter Solstice celebration by their faculty advisor, Holly is thrilled to learn that Will is going to the party. Holly’s roommate has procured a sprig of enchanted mistletoe that she plans to use to steal a kiss from the sexy professor. When she chickens out, Holly decides to try the spell on Will, hoping that a kiss under the mistletoe will remind him of the steamy night he seems to have forgotten. But magic always comes with a price…
About the Author
Linda Barlow lives in New England with her mysterious spouse (who sleeps during the day, which has often made her wonder if he’s a vampire) and their equally enigmatic and nocturnal cat.
Synopsis
In the bleak midwinter…
With no money and nowhere to go, Ayla MacFarlane’s first midwinter break from college returns her to the decaying house she grew up in–and to the shadow of her father, whose perverse obsession with her made her years there a misery. Now under her father’s control again, Ayla knows that if she leaves once more it will only be a matter of time before their father turns his sights to her little sister Julia…
“There’s a boy in the woods…”
But the hunted are not always without protection. While Ayla has been away, Julia has made friends with a mysterious boy in the woods that surround their property. Certain he is up to no good, Ayla sets out to confront him, only to find a beautiful young man who speaks in riddles and makes her heart race. What is stranger is that he knows things no human should know, and he tells Ayla that he can help her…for a price.
The hunt is on…
As the solstice nears, the time of reckoning is at hand. Will Ayla have the courage to reclaim all her father stole from her and protect her little sister, or will she be be a slave to her fear, and lose her chance to save herself forever?
About the Author
I write books. Obsessively. And I read books. Not quite as obsessively as I’d like, since there are all these books I have to write, you see. One day I will take a book vacation and do nothing but read my TBR list.
Synopsis
Nantucket is the home of hedge fund titans, old money and hidebound tradition. Habits are comfortable, and the habits of the rich are very comfortable. Into Cabot Saltonstall’s sedate world blows Dakota Bishop, possessor of a wild spirit and a magical love charm. Cabot’s blue-blood family history includes an ancestor who resigned from the Salem Witch trials, because he refused to believe in witchcraft.
But Cabot is all too willing to be bewitched.
Dakota can’t stay still long enough for anyone to tie her down, nor is Cabot the right kind of guy for her. If only he’d have sex with her so she could get him out of her system. Why does he need to be so traditional with his emotions and plans for the future?
Does she know enough of witchcraft to overcome the spell of the accidentally cast love charm?
About the Author
Carly lives near Nantucket Island, where the Christmas Stroll is an annual event. Having found her own Prince Charming at a young age, she’s never needed a love charm, but please join her as she tells the tales of other women who’ve used a bit of magic to find true love.
Synopsis
Five years ago, Cambridge Ballet’s Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier vanished after performing The Nutcracker. Despite extensive city and statewide searches, no traces of them, besides their ballet slippers, were ever found. Every year since, another member of the cast has gone missing after closing night: the Mouse King, an Arabian Dancer, The Dew Drop Fairy, a Flower. Nieves Alba, who as a thirteen-year-old played Clara in the first ill-fated performance, is now cast as the Snow Queen. On closing night, every police officer in Boston surrounds the theater, determined to catch the perpetrator whom they’ve dubbed “The Nutcracker.” Can Nieves break the curse or will she be the next victim of America’s favorite ballet?
About the Author
Alana Albertson never was fortunate to get cast as the snow queen though she did play the soldier. She has extensive collections of snow globes and nutcrackers but none of them have ever been enchanted.
Synopsis
Recluse, Katie Crowe, has observed the world from a window in her father’s loveless house. With the death of her father and the departure of her only friend, Katie sees no point in venturing out. Then a new neighbor and his three female companions take up residence across the road in the very house her friend had vacated four months ago. Gabe’s eyes hold a promise to Katie when she gazes into them–a way out of her lonely prison, if she could but step beyond her threshold. Something holds her back: Though the past and its people seem far from her now, the trees still know her haunting secret.
About the Author
Kara Ashley Dey is a writer of UF and Sci-Fi Romance.
Her alter ego is an abbynormal cg artist.
Synopsis
Sera Flaherty would rather take lumps of coal and be committed to the naughty list for life than admit that she has a role to play in her failing marriage. She deludes her way into a negative bank balance and is left with no chance of getting her husband Spencer a present. When faced with the reality of their relationship, Sera finds she’s willing to sacrifice anything to fix her mistakes and find her husband the perfect gift…even if doing will cost more than she bargained for.
About the Author
Nicole Blanchard loves receiving gifts from strangers so long as they don’t come with an ominous warning or risk of dismemberment. She also enjoys taking full advantage of the fringe benefits of being on the naughty list in her spare time.
Synopsis
Lady Elizabeth Darling has fled her overbearing family to spend the holidays with her late husband’s Aunt at Scarsbury Manor in the hills of Herefordshire. What she hoped would be a quiet Christmas quickly turns upside down as strange sightings begin to stack up and rumors fly that the great house is haunted. She tries to stay out of the drama, but when a young maid who also lost her lover in tragic circumstances asks for her help to move forward she drops everything to come to her aid. With age old traditions underway and a diverse guest list including the handsome and outspoken Captain Wolfe on the premises, can Lady Elizabeth heal both their hearts and find love before it’s too late?
About the Author
Cherie Chulick will not be spending her Christmas holiday at a haunted manor, but she does keep an eye out for the occasional ghost. Fortunately the glow of her Kindle seems to keep them at bay.
Prizes
1. (7) $5 Amazon Giftcards
2. Kara Ashley Dey Swag Pack
Synopsis:
In this thrilling and sexy follow-up to Sempre, two young lovers struggle to keep their relationship intact after they become deeply enmeshed in the dangerous mafia-run crime ring they once tried to overthrow.
Haven Antonelli and Carmine DeMarco have been through a lot. Haven was taken in by Carmine’s father, and with his family’s help, she escaped a gruesome fate. However, saving Haven from the dark intentions of a mafia family cost Carmine a steep price: he was forced to swear loyalty to them.
Now, still passionately in love, Carmine and Haven must face the fall-out of Carmine’s forced service, as Haven discovers terrifying secrets about the family that enslaved both her and her mother—and why she matters so much in this intricate web of lies.
Carefully, so not to wake Haven, he slipped from underneath her and climbed out of bed. He tiptoed across the room to the window and pulled some slats of the blinds apart to look out into the night. It was nearing three in the morning, the sky pitch black and the city quiet. Carmine surveyed the street, looking for any sign of trouble, and tensed when his eyes fell upon a car out front.
A vaguely familiar looking dark Chevy Camaro.
He stepped back from the window and gave Haven a quick glance before heading out of the room. Instinct took over, every move calm and calculating. He found his pants and pulled them on before grabbing his gun downstairs. He made sure it was loaded as he quietly slipped out the back door. He headed around the house and came up behind the Camaro, eyeing the license plate.
The moment he saw the letters JK, his adrenaline kicked into overdrive.
Staying in the shadows, he watched the car for a bit. The man was alone with the driver’s side window down, his attention focused away from Carmine’s house. Every time headlights flashed nearby he would watch them like a hawk until they passed. He was waiting for something, but Carmine wasn’t sure what until a set of headlights shined their way. The man ducked as a black Mercedes sped by them before swinging into a driveway about a block away.
Corrado.
Carmine wasn’t sure what to do, torn between reacting and alerting Corrado, but he didn’t get much time to consider his options. The driver’s side door swung open and the guy climbed out, keeping his head down as he started down the block. Without even thinking Carmine followed him, dodging streetlights while trying to keep up with his pace. The man slowed when he neared Corrado’s house, staring at it peculiarly like he was trying to assess how to get inside. The living room light was on and Carmine could see shadows, Celia’s laughter faintly filtering out of a cracked window.
The man ducked beside Corrado’s house and Carmine hesitated, taking a deep breath and clutching his gun before darting behind him. The invader had almost made it to their backyard when he heard Carmine’s footsteps. He swung around, alarmed by the presence, but it was already too late.
Carmine slammed him into the side of the house, shoving his gun against his temple. “If you move, I’ll blow your fucking head off.”
He cursed and shook as Carmine patted him down, frantically pulling everything out of the guy’s pockets. He found a gun in his coat and made sure the safety was on before sticking it in his waistband.
Grabbing the man’s wallet, Carmine flipped it open and yanked out his driver’s license. “Oisin Quinn. What kinda name is that?”
“Don’t hurt me,” he begged. “I’m not looking for trouble!”
“Bullshit,” Carmine spat. “You don’t lurk around this neighborhood with a gun if you aren’t looking for trouble.”
“I swear it’s a mistake!”
“What is?”
“This!”
“What the fuck is this?” Carmine asked, pulling him away from the house and shoving him into the backyard. He stumbled but caught himself before he fell, and hesitated for a second before he took off sprinting through the yard.
For a brief moment, Carmine remained frozen in utter disbelief. He had just let go of the guy. How fucking stupid could he be?
Adrenaline kicked in again. Carmine aimed with his finger on the trigger, a hair away from pulling it, but lowered the gun and took off after him instead. Carmine managed to catch him, tackling him in the grass at the edge of the yard. Panicked, the man swung, trying to fight Carmine off, and his fist connected with the right side of his jaw. Pain ripped through his cheek, sending him over the edge.
If he wanted a fight, Carmine was going to give him one.
He pulled his arm back that clutched the gun, slamming him straight in the face with it. A lifetime worth of aggression came pounding from his fists, disappointment and anger, shame and heartbreak. Carmine didn’t know the man, but that mattered not—he took his pain out on him, battering him with pent up hostility he needed to let go of.
After he was beat down, Carmine pulled him across the yard and forced him on his knees right outside Corrado’s back door.
“Stay there, motherfucker,” he spat, giving him a swift kick in the side out of frustration. His jaw ached and he was out of breath, blood splattered on his hands.
“I’m certainly glad you decided not to shoot him.”
The voice caught Carmine off guard. He looked up, seeing Corrado standing motionless at the back door, watching them. “Fuck, how long have you been there?”
“Long enough.”
“And you couldn’t help me?” he spat, annoyed he had just watched.
“You seemed to have it handled,” he said. “Besides, it was quite entertaining.”
Carmine glared at him. “Entertaining? There’s nothing entertaining about this!”
“I disagree.”
“Well, you’re wrong,” Carmine said, reaching into his waistband for the guy’s gun. He cursed yet again when he came up empty-handed and glanced around, realizing it had fallen out during their scuffle. He found it a few feet away and picked it up, handing it to Corrado when he stepped outside. “He could’ve killed me.”
Corrado laughed dryly. “You’re exaggerating. You had him, no problem.”
“You couldn’t have fucking known that.”
“Yes, I could. He didn’t do his homework if he parked in front of your house.”
“How do you . . . ?” Carmine stopped, narrowing his eyes when it struck him. “Wait, you knew he was there?”
“Of course I did,” he replied. “He wasn’t sly, Carmine. Even you noticed him.”
“Son of a bitch,” he grumbled, aggravated. “I did all of that for nothing?”
“I wouldn’t say it was for nothing,” Corrado replied, smiling with amusement. “Like I said, it was entertaining.”
About the Author:
JM Darhower is the author of countless stories and poems, most of which only she has ever read. She lives in a tiny town in rural North Carolina, where she churns out more words than will ever see the light of day. She has a deep passion for politics and speaking out against human trafficking, and when she isn’t writing (or fangirling about books) she’s usually ranting about those things.
Chronic crimper with a vulgar mouth, she admits to having a Twitter addiction. You can usually always find her there.
Synopsis
You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.
When Emma Donohue wakes to find her world turned upside down, she wants nothing more than to return to the life she knew. To a life filled with a loving family, close friends, and college classes. To a normal life that didn’t involve the supernatural, odd bracelets, or three strangers who refuse to leave her side.
Unsure of what truly happened during The Allegiant’s attack, Emma tries to reconcile her past with her growing feelings for James, Garrett, and Dane. They remain steadfast in her protection, awaiting the arrival of the only people who hold the answers.
The Larvatus.
When Madeline and Ash appear, the revelations they bring not only rock Emma’s world, but everyone she touches. Her mind is twisted, caught up in new abilities and new desires. Her old self forgotten, she has never been more scared. She has never been more confused.
She has never been more empowered.
You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.
But, sometimes, the absence leaves space for something better.
Reborn is slated for release February 1, 2014
About the Author
Publication Date: December 17, 2013
Cover Designed By: G. Relyea Designs
Event organized by: Literati Author Services, Inc.
~ Synopsis ~
“The phoenix hope, can wing her way through the desert skies, and still defying fortune’s spite; revive from ashes and rise.” -Miguel de Cervantes
Samantha Whitney survived unimaginable tragedy only to discover she had been betrayed by a man who claimed to love her. Shattered, Sam spends months at a safe haven trying to piece herself back together. Ready or not, the time has come for her to return home.
As Sam struggles to resume a life that no longer feels familiar, she finds unwavering support in an unexpected, familiar face. Confronting Sam’s raw emotions and open wounds head-on, Griffin manages to take two steps forward for every step she retreats.
But when Sam is once again threatened, Griffin must decide how far he is willing to go to protect the woman he wants…knowing the cost of her safety is the risk of losing her.
Pieces For You is a captivating journey of survival, healing, and sacrifice—teeming with honesty, humor, unexpected twists, and love’s unsurpassed endurance.begin to plague Sam, it is Griffin she is forced to turn to.
Though Pieces For You is a part of the For You Series, the book can be read as a stand alone
I was waiting for Griff to exit the men’s locker room when a gym rat approached me from behind, nearly causing me to wet my pants when I discovered his body within inches of mine. He leaned against the wall next to me with his arm resting above my head. I felt caged and uneasy.
“Hey sexy, haven’t seen you here before. Need me to show you how it’s done? I know the manager—I can hook you up with a free month…in exchange for dinner?”
I was about to—I didn’t know what—run, scream, panic, tell him I wasn’t interested in his ‘free month’ if he was the last man on earth. Then I heard it—a growl. A deep menacing growl was coming from behind me, about a foot and a half above my head. I slapped my hand over my mouth to stifle my snicker.
I couldn’t see Griffin and he didn’t say a word, but whatever his body language communicated, the dumbass in front of me clearly got the message because he turned tail and left, practically running.
I spun, hoping to catch a glimpse of ‘scary Griffin,’ but his face was devoid of all emotions, his eyes tracking my visitor’s departure.
“Excuse me,” I said to capture his attention. “Did I just hear you growl at that moron, or am I hallucinating now, too?”
“I didn’t growl, it was a deep exhale.”
“Oh, an audible exhale that reverberated in your chest…like a growl,” I said before dissolving into giggles.
“I love that sound—you laughing.”
“Should I start calling you ‘Tony the Tiger’ now? Wait…how about ‘Harry the Hippo’?”
“Hippos do not growl.”
“They absolutely do! I took a zoology class for my science requirement sophomore year, and hippopotamuses, my growly friend, most definitely growl.”
“If I growled—and I admit nothing—but if I did, it was not a damn hippopotamus growl. It was a tiger growl…no, a bear…I want to be a bear.”
“Alright, Yogi it is. Come on, my furry friend, you promised me dinner.”
“Despite your torment, I do keep my promises. Let’s go.”
“Do you have the picnic baskets in the car?” I teased, enjoying watching him squirm.
“No picnic baskets, I’m afraid.”
“Oh, is Boo-Boo bringing them?”
~ About the Author ~
Genna Rulon is an up and coming contemporary romance author.
During her 15 years in the corporate world, Genna, inspired by her love of reading, fantasized about penning her own stories. Encouraged by her favorite authors, many of whom are indie writers and self-published, she committed to pursuing her aspirations of writing her own novels. Genna was raised in Long Island, New York, where she still resides, surrounded by the most amazing family and friends. Married to a wonderful man, who patiently tolerates her ramblings about whichever book she is currently working on, even feigning interest relatively convincingly! Genna is blessed with two little boys who do their best to thwart mommy’s writing time with their hilarious antics and charming extrapolations.
Published by: Bloomsbury Spark
Publication date: December 19th, 2013
Synopsis:
It is four weeks into her freshman year of college, and Laurel’s first test was unexpected. Discovering she’s pregnant isn’t exactly what she had planned for her first semester, and while she intends to tell her emotionally-distant father, being away at school makes it all too easy to hide.
An imperfect heroine plagued by bad choices and isolated during what should be the best time of her life, readers are sure to identify with Laurel as she confronts teen pregnancy, in secret.
Once inside, we start where we left off, shirts and jeans shed fast. Then we’re on my bed, and he’s kissing me everywhere, reaching his hand down to just the right spot. Jeez.
I shift and lean forward, trying to grab for his boxers. Mike moves too, so now his face meets mine, and breathless, he asks, “Do you want to?”
My heart is pounding. But when I look into his eyes, warm with anticipation, reality hits like a cold hard smack in the face. I’m pregnant with another person’s baby! I am horrible. Horrible. I push him away. I can’t hold the tears in.
Mike’s face switches from eager to alarmed. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
He keeps talking while the tears stream down my face, my lips squeezed together, trying to figure out how I’m going to explain. “What is it? Are we moving too fast? Talk to me.”
I can’t look at him, so I just stare out the window and blurt it out, “I’m pregnant.”
Mike sits up. “You’re what?”
I swallow hard. “I’m pregnant.”
“Pregnant?”
“Nine weeks.”
“With whose baby?”
“He doesn’t go here.”
“Wow!” Now it’s Mike’s turn to stare out the window. “So you’ve gotten together with me twice all the while knowing you were pregnant with someone else’s kid? That’s bad, Laurel!”
I want to disappear. “I know.” I get up from the bed and pull on my clothes, waiting for him to say something. He just lies there. Too long.
When he finally speaks, the coolness in his tone is alarming. “What were you thinking?”
“I wasn’t. I don’t know. I like being with you.”
“Sounds like you liked being with the baby’s father, too,” he snaps.
I deserve that. “I’m sorry, Mike. I’ve been…”
“What?” he barks, anger clearly on his face now.
I’m feeling the tears coming again and try my hardest to swallow them. “I’ve been confused.”
He is up now and getting dressed. “Confused? What does that even mean?”
About the Author
Christine Duval is an author and freelance writer who lives in New Jersey with her guitar-playing husband and two children. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, New Jersey’s Women Who Write, and the Authors Guild. When not creating fictional characters, she writes for an upscale real estate company and has overseen online content and social media for several well-known magazines.
(Open internationally):
– $50 gift card for Amazon
