Articles for the Month of December 2013

STORM WARNING (Broken Heartland, #1) Release Day Launch

 

C. Quinn and E. Lee’s amazing new novel in their Broken Heartland Series, STORM WARNING, is out today and we are excited to join in the release day launch for it. STORM WARNING is a thrilling Young Adult Contemporary you are not going to want to miss! Check out what we have for you today and then enter to win in the release day launch giveaway! There’s also a fantastic excerpt for you. But be aware! The Storm Is Coming…

 

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ABOUT STORM WARNING (Broken Heartland Series, #1):

Sometimes you don’t see the storm coming until it’s too late…

Severe Storm Warning Tip #1:
Be alert to changing weather conditions. Look for approaching storms.

Severe Storm Warning Tip #2:
If you see approaching storms or any of the danger signs, be prepared to take shelter immediately.

Severe Storm Warning Tip #3:
They may strike quickly, with little or no warning.

Situated just outside of Oklahoma City, Calumet County is divided into two drastically different communities: Hope’s Grove and Summit Bluffs. One is the small backward town where dirt roads lead the way to field parties and railroad tracks. And the other, a sprawling suburb where paved drives lead to the landscaped lawns of the wealthy and privileged.

For five teenagers smack in the middle of Tornado Alley, summer is heating up fast. The winds of change are blurring the invisible line that divides the rich and the rural.

One has a secret.
One has a crush.
One has been lying.
One will get caught.
And one might not make it out alive.

They’re from two different worlds…but one summer is about to change everything.  

 
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EXCERPT:


Hope’s Grove was small. Everyone knew about her parents, and she was already dreading
facing them since the news of her dad’s affair had hit. But facing them without
her brother and her best friend would be her worst nightmare.
After the girls had said their goodbyes and she’d watched her friend’s taillights
fade down the drive, Ella Jane scuffed her boots along the winding dirt road
that led her home.
She was about halfway there, watching the sun sink low in the evening sky, when the
unmistakable rumble of a pickup truck came barreling down the road behind her.
She stepped aside to let it pass without looking back. But it didn’t pass. It
slowed practically to a stop right next her.
She turned, wondering what the heck the driver’s deal was. There was more than
enough room for him to go around. But the smiling face beneath the backwards
trucker hat sent the words on the tip of her tongue swirling away with the dust
the truck had riled up.
She bit her lip and grinned. Warm brown eyes gleamed in her direction. “Hey there,
Ellie May. Need a ride?”
She rolled her eyes. Why Brantley Cooper couldn’t call her by her actual name was
beyond her. But as long as he was talking to her, she really didn’t care much
what he called her. He can call me ‘flower’ if he wants to.
He was a year older than her and a year younger
than her older brother, Kyle. Smack in the middle of their ages and grades in
school and usually smack in the middle of their arguments. Coop kept the peace.
Balanced them out perfectly.
The three of them had met at the same time as kids
but Coop and Kyle had become like brothers instantly. She’d always tagged along
wherever they went. Kyle had whined about it when they were younger but Coop
always made her feel welcome. He held doors open for her so she didn’t get left
behind, made sure to invite her despite her brother’s protests, and lately he’d
even stopped by and hung out even when Kyle wasn’t home. And this year, she’d
be a junior and Coop would be a senior. With her big brother away at college,
she couldn’t help but fantasize about what might happen if she and Coop spent
time together alone.
“Hey, Coop. Lynlee just left so I was just…” She glanced toward home. Kyle wasn’t
back from football camp yet, and her mom was baking herself to death, trying to
keep her mind off of everything.
“Yeah, I heard the Wicked Witch was moving west. You up for some fishing? I have to drop my bike off at the house but we could swing by the lake after.”
She should get home. She knew she should. Should order a pizza and convince her mom to take it easy for a night. Except…it was Coop. And in all her sixteen years, he was the one boy she’d never been able to say no to.
“Yeah. Yeah I’m up for it.”

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About C. Quinn and E. Lee:
Whether you believe in destiny, divine intervention, or just plain ol’ dumb luck, several things happened in 2013 that caused E. Lee and C. Quinn’s paths to cross. It may have been that the stars aligned perfectly, or the fact anytime Luke Bryan was mentioned on a social media site both of them were tagged, or maybe it was just that their small town roots and country girl attitudes were magnetically drawn together—calling out to one another, “Y’all should write a book!” Despite geography keeping them apart—Lee in Illinois and Quinn in Alabama—they did. Thanks to three-hour phone calls, ridiculous amounts of online chats, and umpteen Google Docs—Storm Warning is the first book in their edgy new Young Adult series,  Broken Heartland.

  

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Elect (Eagle Elite, #2) by Rachel Van Dyken

Van Dyken_Elect

Synopsis

Would you die for the one you love?

Nixon Abandonato made his choice. And now he has to pay the price. Tracey is the love of his life, but being with him has made her a target of his family’s enemies. The only way to keep Trace alive is convince the world she means nothing to him.

Trace Rooks has fallen irrevocably in love with the son of her family’s sworn rival, and she knows in her bones nothing can tear them apart. Until Nix suddenly pushes her away and into the arms of his best friend… But Trace isn’t ready to give up on a future with Nix–and if he won’t fight for them, she will.
In the end, a sacrifice must be made. A life for a life. For what better way to cover a multitude of sins than with the blood of a sinner . . .

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Excerpt 

“Let’s make a pact.” Chase put his hand on my shoulder.

“A pact?” I sniffled and turned to him. “What kind of pact?”

“One that’s forever. One that protects people rather than hurts them.”

“How do we do that?” I was suddenly interested. What if I could make all the hurt go away? What if I could save everyone!

“We do this.” Chase pulled out his pocketknife and cut open his hand, then nodded to me to do the same thing. Without pausing I cut open my hand and handed back the knife. “Blood brothers. We’re never gonna hurt each other and we’re gonna save those like your ma, Nixon. Ones who can’t save themselves. We’re going to protect them.”

“How?” I watched as the blood dripped from my open palm.

“Rules.” Chase shrugged. “They keep people safe, right? At least that’s what my mom says.” He smiled. “We make rules and we start our own club. That way, we don’t have to listen to anyone but us.”

I liked it. I chewed on my lower lip. “What do we call ourselves?”

“The chosen?” Chase offered.

“No, that sounds lame. We have to sound… more powerful than that.”

My eyes flickered to the road, and a sign poked into the ground. It said election. “Elect.” I pointed. “Let’s call ourselves The Elect.” It made sense; after all, the president was elected, wasn’t he? We weren’t exactly chosen, but we were making the choice, we were electing ourselves protectors. That’s what we were.

“Who else can join?” Chase asked.

“Tex and Phoenix. They’ll want to.” A weight suddenly felt like it was being lifted off my twelve-year-old shoulders. “Should we shake on it?”

“Yeah.” Chase smashed his hand against mine as our blood mixed. “No going back, Nixon.”

“No.” I shook my head. “No going back.”

I pressed my fingers to my temples and watched, replaying that moment over and over again in my head as the outline of Chase and Tracey flickered in the moonlight. Would he really do this to me? After all the shit we’d been through?

I gauged her reaction, hoping that I would be wrong. Praying to God that Trace would just this once listen to me. Her eyes flickered with interest for a few brief seconds before she looked down at the ground.

“Shit.” I waited in the shadows. A part of me knew this would happen. The part that told me to damn my feelings to hell and ignore all the warning signs that I’d been seeing. But now it seemed like it was too late. I stayed, planted where I was, watching, waiting.

“Chase, you can’t…” Trace shook her head. “You can’t be like this. We can’t do this!”

“We aren’t doing anything,” Chase said in low tones, reaching for Trace’s hand. “Don’t you?” He looked directly at me, although all he saw was a shadow. I knew I was well hidden. “Don’t you feel the same way?”

Trace jerked her hand away from Chase’s. “It doesn’t matter what I feel. It’s not about me, Chase.”

“But it is.” Chase reached for her again. This time her hand grasped his in such an intimate embrace I thought I was going to vomit all over the ground. The outside air was cold as hell as little pieces of ice tried to find their way into my wool coat.

“It isn’t.” Trace sighed. “It never was.”

Chase jerked her toward him. She fell against his chest and looked up into his eyes. “What are you doing?”

Chase sighed. “What I should have done a long time ago.” He grabbed the back of her head and pulled her in for a kiss. Their lips touched.

I had to look away.

The only sound in the night was that of my soft footsteps as I walked away… leaving my heart in broken pieces where I’d last stood. She was lost to me; it wasn’t even the Sicilians that had taken her, but my best friend.

A gunshot rang out loud and clear in the night air. I turned back around just in time to see Trace collapse into Chase’s arms.

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About the Author

Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she’s not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor. She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband and their snoring Boxer, Sir Winston Churchill. She loves to hear from readers! You can follow her writing journey at http://rachelvandykenauthor.com/

 

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Elect Mafia Game

 

GIVEAWAY

Rafflecopter Prize Details:
5 WINNER: SIGNED Forever gift bag, Signed PRINT copy of ELITE (to catch you up on the series!)
5 WINNERS: 5 digital copies of ELITE

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Inner Core (Stark #2) Cover Reveal

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Inner Core by Sigal Ehrlich, cover designed by Mae I Design

Publication Date: January 2014

Synopsis:

When Hayley makes a resolution to take back the control over her life, and declare their relationship R.I.P, it’s all good in theory…

That is until Daniel decides to prove her wrong and get her back.

Together, Hayley and Daniel seem to have it all. But can love ever be enough when two strong personalities collide and while reality takes the lead?

Faced with more obstacles than she could have ever bargain for when it comes to Daniel, struggling to keep her own identity while sharing a life with her man. Buds of doubt start rooting in Hayley’s confidence, making her rethink her decision.

And just when it seems that they might make it together after all, life happens. Bringing a threat that neither Hayley nor Daniel could ever anticipate, a threat that could break them apart forever . . .

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Sigal

About the Author 

By teen age, Sigal already lived in three different continents where she had the luck to experience and visit varied places, meet unique people, which only helped fuel her overly developed imagination. Currently, Sigal calls Estonia home where she lives with her husband and three kids. Not exactly sure where they will end up next… When she is not hiding in her office, writing, she enjoys music, reading and taking care of her little clan. With a great believe in “don’t wait for things to happen – make them happen,” she enjoys anything exciting life has to offer.

 
 Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads

 

 

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Keep You From Harm (Remedy, # 1) Book Review

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Synopsis

Secrets…

They weigh you down. I’ve kept a secret all my life. It’s my mother’s secret, too. I inherited it from her along with a unique ability that only we possess. She’s gone now, another victim of addiction. If her death isn’t enough to bring me to my knees, her betrayal flays me to the bone. Because the secret my mother and I have been keeping is just one of many she’d kept. She never told me I have an older brother. And now he’s here, eager to be my guardian.

There is no one else. So I move across the country to live with this stranger, my brother. But experience has taught me that most situations are temporary and forming attachments only leads to hurt in the end. That’s why I’m determined to keep to myself in this new place, struggling to seem aloof while I’m quietly breaking apart.

Then I meet Lucas…

His magnetism is hard to resist, and most girls at school aren’t resisting. I don’t fall so easily though, especially not for guys who use their good looks as a weapon. From the start, our interactions are tense and volatile. I know it’s because I’m denying the unwelcome desire that grips me when he’s near. I think he feels it, too. He looks at me with an intensity that threatens to unhinge my resolve. Soon he’s trying to break through the walls that past hurts have built.

But I’m not what I appear to be, and it wouldn’t be fair to get involved with him. At least that’s what I tell myself. Until a terrible act of violence reveals that Lucas has a secret, too. It’s a secret that links us together and ties us to an evil history I never could have imagined.

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Review 

Keep You From Harm had me hooked from the first page. It is completely addictive, intense and the paranormal aspect gives it an added edge.  If I hadn’t read the genres associated with this book, I never would’ve imagined what I was in for. I don’t think I was adequately prepared for this ride. The way the author inserts the unique paranormal gift into an already brilliant read is both surprising and thrilling. I am already eager to read the next book in this series.

Raielle is a seventeen year old girl who has lived with her mom in California her entire life. They’ve been through a lot. Raielle has even been in and out of foster homes, through the good, the bad and ugly, she’s managed to survive. She is an accomplished student and refuses to end up like her mother who is a recovering addict. They’ve been through a lot and just as they begin to get their lives back on track, her mother is gone. After her death, she learns she has a brother in New York. With no prior knowledge of his existence, she’s suspicious, but technically still a minor. She has no other family and not much of a choice, she heads from San Diego to New York to begin her senior year in a new school with strangers all the while concealing a secret that is both a gift and a curse. 

Upon her arrival she meets her brother’s wife and daughter, she’s cautious of his wife who doesn’t seem as welcoming as she appears. Raielle is very perceptive and though she is grateful to have a home to live in, she can’t help but remain wary. She befriends the neighbor and creates a small circle of friends in this new town. Everyone seems to know everyone and Raielle seems like the odd woman out, though she is unfazed by it all. Her arrival in Fort Upton is somewhat of a mystery. She just wants to keep her head down, graduate and head back to the west coast where she belongs. Until she meets Lucas…

Lucas and Raielle share a moment the first night she arrives in Fort Upton, NY. Though they don’t speak, there is a spark that is palpable. Raielle fights her feelings, Lucas behaves like an ass, but soon they find themselves interacting. Lucas is intense and intimidating, but one of the most wanted guys at school. He evokes strong feelings that make Raielle uncomfortable at time, as she fights these feelings she realizes she’s never felt this way before and she’s not so sure she wants it to stop. They share many quiet moments like this and slowly form a bond, free of labels, but no less complicated than a full blown relationship. They both are holding back secrets and until they can trust one another, they’re stuck trying to figure out what they feel.  Will these secrets tear them apart or bring them together? 

I’m not going to lie, this book has a crazy cliffhanger, you are guaranteed to be in a state of disbelief! I like the depth to the characters and the relationships they ultimately form. I can’t wait to see where things go.This book has romance, suspense and will leave you in utter shock. Now I just have to wait for book two which I’m sure will be as fabulous! This is a Paranormal/Contemporary Romance/Mature YA. I highly recommend this read! 

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DebraDoxer

About the Author 

Debra Doxer has always loved to write. She also loves to read, often finishing several books a week. Debra works as a writer in the network and software security field. For fun, she writes fiction novels.

Debra lives with her family outside of Boston and is currently working on her next book.

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Sneaking Candy

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Synopsis:

All I ever wanted was to make a name for myself as Candice Salinas, creative writing grad student at the University of Miami. Of course, secretlyI already have made a name for myself: as Candy Sloane, self-published erotic romance writer. Though thrilled that my books are selling and I have actual fans, if anyone at UM found out, I could lose my scholarship…and the respect of my faculty advisor, grade-A-asshole Professor Dylan.

Enter James Walker, super-hot local barista and—surprise!—my student. Even though I know a relationship is totally off-limits, I can’t stop myself from sneaking around with James, taking a few cues from my own erotic writing…if you catch my drift. Candy’s showing her stripes for the first time in my real life, and I’ve never had so much fun. But when the sugar high fades, can my secrets stay under wraps? 

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Lisa Burstein Author Photo

About the Author:

Lisa Burstein is a tea seller by day and a writer by night. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from the Inland Northwest Center for Writers at Eastern Washington University. She is the author of the YA Novels: Pretty Amy and Dear Cassie and the NA Novella: The Next Forever. Sneaking Candy is her first full-length new adult novel.

 

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Last Hit (Hitman #1)

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Synopsis

Nikolai:

I have been a contract killer since I was a boy. For years I savored the fear caused by my name, the trembling at the sight of my tattoos. The stars on my knees, the marks on my fingers, the dagger in my neck, all bespoke of danger. If you saw my eyes, it was the last vision you’d have. I have ever been the hunter, never the prey. With her, I am the mark and I am ready to lie down and let her capture me. Opening my small scarred heart to her brings out my enemies. I will carry out one last hit, but if they hurt her, I will bring the world down around their ears. 

Daisy: 

I’ve been sheltered from the outside world all my life. Homeschooled and farm-raised, I’m so naive that my best friend calls me Pollyanna. I like to believe the best in people. Nikolai is part of this new life, and he’s terrifying to me. Not because his eyes are cold or my friend warns me away from him, but because he’s the only man that has ever seen the real me beneath the awkwardness. With him, my heart is at risk..and also, my life.

Mini Excerpt:

I watch her through my bathroom window. I’ve placed one of my four rented chairs in here for that express purpose. I tell myself it is not creepy, as the American girls would say, because I watch everyone. But really I watch only her.

I cannot see everything. I’ve never seen her nude. I’ve never seen inside her shower. Smartly there is no window there. But I can see her bedroom and her living room and beyond that, with my scope, her kitchen. I know her schedule. When she gets up in the morning, when she returns to her apartment. If she were a mark, I could’ve killed her a dozen times over by now and been in the wind.

She throws her bag onto her bed and then lies down next to it. It takes many muscles to smile, more to frown but only a few to pull the trigger. I peer down the scope and place my crosshairs over her forehead. Puff, dead. 

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EXCERPT

NIKOLAI

I feel restless and think perhaps I should review the information I have compiled for the mark or perhaps look at the routing pattern left by the caller from Neuchâtel.  I do neither because as I begin to draw back from the scope her motions arrest me. Her small hand with the pink tipped nails are moving over her belly. One finger traces the tiny lace adorning the top band of her panties. My breath is suspended. Time is suspended.

I have never seen this before. She has never touched herself. Never brought a man home with her. I’d have shot him, maybe. No, I would’ve caused some disturbance. Something. I thought her maybe an innocent and fantasized about awakening her. But now her small fingers are delving beneath the cotton. I can see the bumps of her knuckles as the press against the pale pink fabric. She is moving her fingers in circles.

I imagine my own fingers, much larger, darker and more rough, pressing down upon hers. My fingers flex involuntarily at the thought of her pussy beneath my touch. I’d stroke her lightly and in circles as that is what she appears to like. I’d move my fingers lower, beyond her clit to her hot cunt. It would be wet, dripping wet. My fingers would be soaked and I would pause so that I could lick her sweet honey off each digit.

My cock is so hard I fear that it will break against the denim of my jeans. I draw a hand over my chest and pinch my own nipple hard imagining it is her tiny white teeth tugging on it. I’ve broken out in a light sweat.

Her legs tense and her hand motions become more frantic. I can see her chest rise and fall rapidly and her whole body is strained but when her release comes it is truncated. The look on her face is of frustration rather than satisfaction. She wets her plump lips and closes her eyes. She begins again but again she is unfulfilled.

My emotions war against each other. Unhappiness that she cannot find her own fulfillment but fierce possessiveness arising out of an idea I’ve tried to suppress. In my mind, only I can bring her to orgasm and release. I can teach her to touch herself in a way that will be pleasurable and satisfying.

I would not start with her pussy. No, the skin is the largest sex organ. I would stroke my hands over every inch, starting from her forehead. My lips and fingers would smooth away any furrows. My hands would encircle her neck and sweep down over her shoulders to her fine wrists.

I’d rub my body over hers so that she smelled of me. When she walked on campus, other men would stay away recognizing she was marked as my own. Belonging to Nikolai. Maybe I would tattoo it around her neck like a collar. 

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Chapters 1 – 4 were released November 28th, 29th, 30th and December 1st.

Chapter One posted at Natasha is a Book Junkie and can be found HERE

Chapter Two posted at Angie’s Dreamy Reads and can be found HERE

Chapter Three posted at The Rock Stars of Romance and can be found HERE

Chapter Four posted at The Rock Stars of Romance and can be found HERE

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

jen frederick bioAuthor Jen Frederick

Jen Frederick lives with her husband, child, and one rambunctious dog.  She’s been reading stories all her life but never imagined writing one of her own. Jen loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at jensfrederick@gmail.com.

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads

 

 

 

jessica clare bio

Author Jessica Claire
This is a pen name for Jill Myles.
Jill Myles has been an incurable romantic since childhood. She reads all the ‘naughty parts’ of books first, looks for a dirty joke in just about everything, and thinks to this day that the Little House on the Prairie books should have been steamier.

After devouring hundreds of paperback romances, mythology books, and archaeological tomes, she decided to write a few books of her own – stories with a wild adventure, sharp banter, and lots of super-sexy situations. She prefers her heroes alpha and half-dressed, her heroines witty, and she loves nothing more than watching them overcome adversity to fall into bed together.

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 Giveaway 

$100 GC
Signed set of Jessica Clare BlueBonnet series published by Berkley.
The Care and Feeding of the Alpha Male
The Girl’s Guide to Manhunting
The Expert’s Guide to Driving a Man Wild
Signed set of Woodlands books with dog tag set.
Signed copy of last Hit.

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Fix You Blog Tour

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Tour organized by: AToMR Tours

Synopsis

When Kelly Reynolds’s husband died, he left her—the awkward, cautious one—to raise their two young boys. She’s pieced herself back together, barely. Now she takes refuge in her routine: running her kids around and running the trails near her Idaho home.

Two years after her husband’s death, a chance encounter on a run brings Andrew into her life. But Andrew is Andy Pettigrew, the Andy Pettigrew, famous actor. Kelly hates risk, and a love affair with Andrew is certainly tempting fate. She doesn’t fit into his Hollywood world. She doesn’t own a pair of Louboutins, and she couldn’t walk five paces in them if she did. Andrew oozes cool. She reeks of dork.

But despite this, they click. It may be inexplicable, but it works. However, it’s also becoming clear that Andrew struggles with the pressures of his fame. Kelly’s hold on a so-called normal life is already tenuous, and as much as she might want to indulge the fantasy, she doesn’t know how either of them is supposed to cope with stalkerazzi and tweet-happy fans with camera phones. She and Andrew both have secrets that seem impossible to keep.

Beck Anderson’s witty, engaging writing yields an emotional tale of love, loss, and all the little things that make up a life. In the end, what is it that really holds us together? Kelly must decide if love can fix two people who might be broken beyond repair. 

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Review 

I enjoyed this sweet and heartfelt read. Fix You introduces the reader to Kelly Reynolds, a woman mourning the loss of her beloved husband. As she attempts to continue on with her life with a semblance of normalcy, she struggles and it’s clear that her friends and family are concerned. She hasn’t truly been living, she’s simply been getting by. She’s got herself in a routine, but she mostly takes on mundane tasks to keep herself busy instead of venturing out and finding happiness. 

Kelly Reynolds and Andrew Pettigrew share a common ground that unknowingly allows them to form a pretty strong bond in a rather short period of time. When Kelly travels to California to visit her folks, she never imagines a chance encounter will bring her face to face with celebrity Andy Pettigrew. But when Andrew comes to her aid, something ignites inside of her. She opens up to him and discusses the loss of her husband. He listens intently and compassionately. Andy rushes off unexpectedly leaving Kelly confused.  Though their encounter is brief, it certainly isn’t their last. In fact, it is the start of something pretty special between these two, but as their worlds collide, will they be able to brave the storms that come their way? What can two broken people learn from each other?

Andrew’s past haunts him, he struggles daily to hold himself together. Sometimes the past isn’t as far behind as you’d expect. Andrew’s living in the public eye only makes it worse; though he cares deeply for Kelly his struggles are the turning point for these two.  His life begins to unravel and while Kelly helps pick up the pieces, she discovers something she never could have imagined. How much is too much for someone battling their own demons? Can these two seemingly broken people help each other heal?

 This book goes a lot deeper than I expected. It is enjoyable and even dealt with grief and the processing of grief. Both characters suffered losses and had to deal with these losses daily. The methods in which they dealt with their grief are very different, but undeniably an ongoing process for both of them. I really enjoyed the ending. It leaves you completely satisfied while still giving the author the opportunity to continue the story should she choose. I recommend this read to fans of new adult/adult fiction/contemporary romance. If you are a fan of Tina Reber’s Love Unscripted series you will definitely enjoy this read.

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About the Author

Beck Anderson believes in the power of perfectly imperfect women and in the healing power of love. Her new novel, Fix You, grew out of those beliefs and the time to write afforded by the worst Thanksgiving blizzard she’s ever witnessed in West Yellowstone.
For Beck, the path to published novelist has taken lots of twists and turns, including a degree in anthropology, a stint as a ticket seller at a ski resort, a much-loved career as a high school English teacher, and a long tenure as a member of the best writing group ever, hands down.
Beck balances (clumsily at best) writing novels and screenplays, working full-time as an educator, mothering two pre-teen males, loving one post-40 husband, and making time to walk the foothills of Boise, Idaho, with Stefano DiMera Delfino Anderson, the suavest Chihuahua north of the border.

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Giveaway

• (7) eBook copies of Fix You provided by Omnific Publishing – International
• (1) $25 USD Gift Card to Omnific Publishing (to purchase any of their titles) – International

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To see other stops on the tour for reviews, guest posts, and excerpts click here or the tour banner below. 

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Counting Shadows (Duplicity #1)

beautiful young girl dreams of lying on a magic meadow in spring


Synopsis:
Two hearts, one kiss…
…Nothing left.
 
Faye’s soul-mate is everything she should hate—an Angel, an outcast, an enemy. Ashe is just one more imperfection in her life that somehow makes everything… perfect.
 
Until he’s murdered.
 
With the only person she loves ripped away, Faye sets out to avenge Ashe’s death. The task seems impossible, until she finds Lor—an Angel who looks nearly identical to Ashe’s killer. Arrogant and hot-headed, Lor is everything Ashe wasn’t. But Lor is connected to her soul-mate’s past, and Faye needs him to find the killer—even if Lor is potentially deadly.
 
But when Faye discovers that Ashe’s past isn’t as black and white as she thought, she faces an impossible choice: Give up the hunt, and risk the lives of others. Or continue pursuing Ashe’s murderer, and forfeit the lives of everyone in her family—including herself. 

 

Excerpt

His black eyes settle on mine, the pain in them a silent accusation. Ashe knows he’s about to die. And he knows I’ve lied about his Fate.

I can’t feel guilt. I can’t feel anything. There’s only my ragged breaths and the tears pressing against my eyes. Ashe steps toward me, even though I’m in the opposite direction of the door. No, I silently beg him. Run. I don’t realize I’m shaking my head until he falters.

“Stop,” one of the guards hisses, even though he already has. “Don’t go near the Lady Faye.”

My heart pounds wildly. “Just count the beats when you get scared,” Ashe told me months ago, as he pressed his palm over my heart. “Remember that I’ll protect you until the day they stop. And don’t be scared anymore.”

I gasp in air. One, two, three, four…

He walks toward me, his face hard with determination.

Five, six, seven…

One of the guards shouts and stabs his spear forward. At Ashe. My Ashe.

My heart stops.

I scream at the guard, telling him to stop, to leave, to disappear and never show his face again. But my words are a jumbled mess, and it’s too late. The spear pierces Ashe’s right wing, drawing blood. Nausea fills me as the red blood mingles with his crimson feathers. I’ve always loved his wings. They mark him as an Angel, the one bit of perfection in my life.

Now those wings are ruined.

Ashe’s eyes never leave me, even as the guard tears his spear out of the wound. I swallow hard. I’ve never stared into his eyes for too long, knowing I’d probably lose myself in all the pain and loneliness in their depths. Now I never want to look away.

“Get moving,” the guard with the bloodied spear growls. He stabs at Ashe again, but Ashe grabs the shaft of the spear before it strikes him. He yanks the spear from the guard and snaps it in two. Ashe allows one of the halves to clatter to the stone floor, but keeps hold of the sharpened end. His gaze slowly sweeps over the four guards with weapons, a low growl rumbling in his throat.

“You can’t do this,” I say, finally finding my voice. “My father would never allow it.”

“Your father ordered this,” snaps the guard without a spear. He braces for an attack, as do the others.

Then their leader takes a step forward and pushes out a staying hand. “Wait.”

I recognize this leader as Jolik. He was my bodyguard for awhile before Ashe became my Guardian. I’m not sure how many bodyguards I went through—five, six?—but they never lasted long before I excused them.

Jolik nods to Ashe. “Let him say goodbye.”

The weaponless guard speaks up. “He could kill her.”

“He won’t,” Jolik says, shaking his head.

Ashe doesn’t wait for Jolik to change his mind. He drops the broken spear and rushes to me. Cupping my face with one hand, he uses the other to press me against him. Familiar heat radiates off him this close. He tilts my chin up and kisses me so gently, I barely feel his lips against mine. But I can feel the desperation, and as he presses me a little closer, I know this is a goodbye.

The kiss only lasts a moment. Then the guards drag him away, and those threatening tears finally spill. I’m not sure if the tears are angry or anguished. Or maybe just broken.

“You’re right, little sparrowhawk,” Ashe says over his shoulder.  “Everything is going to be okay. I promise.”

I don’t get to respond. The last guard exits my chambers and slams the heavy door closed, leaving me truly alone for the first time in years. I take a shuddering breath, willing the doors to burst open, for Ashe to come rushing back to me.

They don’t. Silence settles over the room, screaming the truth:

Nothing will ever be okay.  

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 Olivia
About the Author
Olivia Rivers is the author of five novels, ranging in genres from Epic Fantasy to Contemporary Romance. Along with being a writer, she’s a freelance digital artist, a literary agent assistant, and a high school student. She’s a nerd at heart, and is a hopeless fan-girl for Doctor Who and Pokémon. Olivia lives in California with a dog who thinks he’s a cat, a cat who thinks he’s a dog, and a kitten who is just generally confused. 
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Back to Reality (Back to Life #2) by Danielle Allen

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~ Synopsis ~

Her past: Emanuel Mills was her first love. The guitar playing, adventure seeking, IT whiz was everything she ever wanted.

Her present: Tyree Barker was her last love. The cultured, educated, successful entrepreneur was everything she needed.

But when Sahara Lee’s past and present collided, a series of events occurred that changed her life forever, leaving her future up in the air.

As a college freshman, a tragic accident changed the course of Sahara’s life. Ten years later, just when she started putting her life back together, Sahara’s world was rocked again due to a similar accident.

Heartbroken and guilt ridden, Sahara fell into old, familiar habits before quickly realizing that she wasn’t the same Sahara Lee anymore. Unable to live a lonely, loveless, isolated life anymore, Sahara decided that the way she coped before wasn’t going to work this time around.

Time didn’t heal her wounds, but forgiveness might.

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Back to Reality 1 Excerpt  

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Danielle Allen
Author Bio:

I am a married event planner and life coach. My awesome friends and family and my amazing husband make my life sweet. I love to have fun and enjoy the life I’ve been blessed with. I love shopping and football with equal fervor. I’m an amateur movie critic (i.e. my husband and I watch and critique a lot of movies for fun). I love to read and I enjoy sharing my love of books with anyone who will listen. I love music. A good lyric with a good melody can paint a vivid picture and invoke such a range of emotions. I have a soft spot for most mediums of creative, artistic expression.

With degrees in psychology, human services, and marriage and family counseling, I have a unique perspective on life, love and the pursuit of happiness. As an author, I combine an active imagination and life experiences to create stories that are easily relatable and intentionally intriguing. I want to offer you a peek into someone else’s life and for you to get lost in their story, their trials, their triumphs. My ultimate goal is to create a character or a story that stays with you long after you’ve put the book down.

So in a nutshell: I plan. I teach. I read. I write. I watch. I critique. I shop. I play. I love.

To know me is to love me.

XOXO  

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~ Giveaway ~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Killing Sarai & Reviving Izabel Review

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Synopsis 

From the author of the New York Times, USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling novel, THE EDGE OF NEVER, comes a story of passion and survival… 

Sarai was only fourteen when her mother uprooted her to live in Mexico with a notorious drug lord. Over time she forgot what it was like to live a normal life, but she never let go of her hope to escape the compound where she has been held for the past nine years.

Victor is a cold-blooded assassin who, like Sarai, has known only death and violence since he was a young boy. When Victor arrives at the compound to collect details and payment for a hit, Sarai sees him as her only opportunity for escape. But things don’t go as planned and instead of finding transport back to Tucson, she finds herself free from one dangerous man and caught in the clutches of another.

While on the run, Victor strays from his primal nature as he succumbs to his conscience and resolves to help Sarai. As they grow closer, he finds himself willing to risk everything to keep her alive; even his relationship with his devoted brother and liaison, Niklas, who now like everyone else wants Sarai dead.

As Victor and Sarai slowly build a trust, the differences between them seem to lessen, and an unlikely attraction intensifies. But Victor’s brutal skills and experience may not be enough in the end to save her, as the power she unknowingly holds over him may ultimately be what gets her killed.

This is their story… 

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 Purchase Killing Sarai, (In the Company of Killers, #1) for only 99 Pennies!!! 

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 This book is slated for release December 10, 2013 

 

Synopsis

Determined to live a dark life in the company of the assassin who freed her from bondage, Sarai sets out on her own to settle a score with an evil sadist. Unskilled and untrained in the art of killing, the events that unfold leave her hanging precariously on the edge of death when nothing goes as planned. 

Sarai’s reckless choices send her on a path she knows she can never turn back from and so she presents Victor with an ultimatum: help her become more like him and give her a fighting chance, or she’ll do it alone no matter the consequences. Knowing that Sarai cannot become what she wants to be overnight, Victor begins to train her and inevitably their complicated relationship heats up. 

As Arthur Hamburg’s right-hand man, Willem Stephens, closes in on his crusade to destroy Sarai, she is left with the crushing realization that she may have bitten off more than she can chew. But Sarai, taking on the new and improved role of Izabel Seyfried, still has a set of deadly skills of her own that will prove to be all she needs to secure her place beside Victor.

But there is one test that Izabel must face that has the potential to destroy everything she is working so hard to achieve. One final test that will not only make her question her decision to want this dangerous life, but will make her question everything she has come to trust about Victor Faust. 

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Review 

It appears J.A. Redmerski and I share the same birth month! Perhaps that is why I am such a fan…hehe. I can appreciate a fellow Sagittarius’ creativity. With the upcoming release of Reviving Izabel, the second installment in the In the Company of Killers series, I wanted to provide a brief review of both Killing Sarai and Reviving Izabel

I don’t think I can adequately put into words my feelings on Reviving Izabel, (In the Company of Killers, Book #2).  In fact, I don’t think I can even do so with Killing Sarai. I received Reviving Izabel as an advanced copy from the author and I dropped everything I was doing to read it…I finished it in a few hours and I am still going through withdrawal hehe. This book is a complex blend of dark and dangerous, sexy, earth shattering, toe curling, and lustful desire. I don’t know how J.A. Redmerski did it, but she managed to make a brutal, action packed book into one of the sexiest novels I’ve read in a while. This book has a little something for everyone and I…LOVED…EVERY…MINUTE…OF…IT!!!!

Let me begin by expressing my heartfelt love for Killing Sarai, (In the Company of Killers, Book #1). The book is so far from what I would’ve expected from J.A. Redmerski, especially after reading The Edge of Never series…yet another book I fell head over heels in love with! I digress. Anyway, after reading Killing Sarai, I never posted a proper review…so I will give you my thoughts on it briefly…it fuckin rocks!!! However, it isn’t all roses and sweet words and a happily ever after! It’s raw, brutal and gritty! The main character Sarai has been sold to a drug lord. She becomes his “favorite” girl and though she is living in hell, she’s certainly treated better than most. She’s protected in a way because of his attachment to her, but Sarai wants out, she yearns to escape and never look back so when an opportunity presents itself via Victor Faust, she jumps at the opportunity. Sarai knows her chances with Victor are about as good as living on the Mexican compound but she needs to take a chance if there is any way she can escape. Things get a bit…messy between the two, but slowly they come to a mutual understanding. Their attraction to one another is intense and the build up is insane, but these feelings are problematic for someone in Victor’s line of work, with Sarai’s life in danger and Victor risking his neck to help her, will these two find a way to help one another while staying in each others lives?

Killing Sarai is an absolute must read. I cannot express to you enough how much I loved it. The only problem I encountered reading it was Reviving Izabel wasn’t even in the process of being written so I had to patiently wait on the continuation of this beloved story! If you haven’t already done so, you have the opportunity to read both beginning December 10th!!!! I highly recommend this book to all readers there is something for everyone.

Now, moving on to Reviving Izabel…. this book is PHENOMENAL! The story continues with Sarai who is trying to pick up the pieces of her life in a somewhat normal manner, her thoughts of being Izabel Seyfried haunt her daily. She’s out for blood and a chance to prove she’s cut out for the life of an assassin. She wants more than anything to prove she can handle herself, especially to the one man that consumes her thoughts daily – Victor Faust. Her commitment comes with a price,  will Sarai aka Izabel be up for the task or will she realize this may not be the life for her after all?

I feel if I go any more in depth with my review, I may reveal too much. I was definitely surprised at a few things that happened throughout the book. There are a lot of twists and turns, scary moments, drama, violence and then there are some ahem..some really hot, really, um :::fans self, opens window, takes a deep breath:::, let’s just say this book is as hot and steamy as it is brutal and dark. I don’t know how, but J.A. Redmerski was able to capture the essence of both a romance and a dark work of fiction. She blended the two together perfectly creating a masterpiece and the perfect follow-up to an already amazing Killing Sarai. These books are must-reads on my list and I recommend them for all readers (ok…except young adults and children…this is definitely a mature read…so make sure you can hang before opening this one!)  

*This book was an ARC provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and comments are my own.*

 

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Synopsis:

***A Standalone Horror Romance coming February 2014***

Jake McGraw was unlike anyone I’d ever known. He was brash, rude, unapologetic and arrogant; chauvinistic, close-minded, and terribly stubborn. He was built like a tree, tall with a hard chest and wide shoulders and hands that looked like they could wrestle a bear. He was a cigar-chomping, scruffy-faced, beast of a man. I was pretty sure I hated him. And I know he hated me. But among the flesh-eating monsters in these snow-capped mountains, he was the only thing keeping me alive 

The year is 1851 and pioneers in search of California gold are still afraid to travel on the same route as the tragic Donner party did years before. When the last wagon train to go into the Sierra Nevada mountains fails to arrive at their destination, Eve Smith, an 18-year old half-native girl with immense tracking skills is brought along with the search party, headed by an enigmatic former Texas Ranger, Jake McGraw.

What they find deep in the dangerous snow-covered terrain is a terrifying consequence of cannibalism, giving new meaning to the term “monster.” While the search party is slowly picked off, one by one, Eve must learn to trust Jake, who harbors more than a few secrets of his own, in order to survive and prevent the monstrosities from reaching civilization.

***This is NOT New Adult***

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KH11
About the Author
The daughter of a Norwegian Viking and a Finnish Moomin, Karina Halle grew up in Vancouver, Canada with trolls and eternal darkness on the brain. This soon turned into a love of all things that go bump in the night and a rather sadistic appreciation for freaking people out. Like many of the flawed characters she writes, Karina never knew where to find herself and has dabbled in acting, make-up artistry, film production, screenwriting, photography, travel writing and music journalism. She eventually found herself in the pages of the very novels she wrote (if only she had looked there to begin with).Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently lives on an island on the coast of British Columbia where she’s preparing for the zombie apocalypse with her fiancé and rescue pup.

 

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Grounded By You Blitz & Giveaway

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Synopsis:

Lights, camera, and passions flare as a small town boy gets the break of his career. As the lines of life and art blur together, can he also find a way to win the love of the girl who got away?

Carter Samuel Groveson.

His name is on the lips of every woman in the country who has a pulse. An actor pulled from obscurity to star in the most anticipated movie of the century, he’s an enigma to all. Everyone wants a piece of him.

Except her.

Amelia St. John isn’t about to follow the life plan that her father set out for her. She refuses to be tied down or commit to anyone. A year ago, she ran as far and as fast from Sam Groveson as she could. But when he reappears in her life and asks her to be the friend he needs to keep him tethered to reality in the midst of the chaos, she can’t say no.

Unfortunately for Sam, his big break comes with expectations that threaten his career if he doesn’t toe the line. In this high stakes game of love, everyone is watching.

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Excerpt

Sam held up his beer bottle. “Here’s to the wild and wacky world of finally being a grown-up.”

Millie giggled and clinked his bottle. She took a long pull and then startled him when she reached over without warning and grabbed his bicep. “I notice that somebody’s been hitting the gym. Impressive.”

His muscle twitched reflexively under her fingers, and her eyes widened. Sam wondered if she was looking at him in that moment like a friend, or something more, but then the expression on her face was gone. “It’s kind of a requirement for the acting thing,” he said. He downed the beer and put the bottle down, feeling anxious again.

“Have you snagged any decent parts? Will I get to see you on Broadway someday?” Millie giggled again.

It was the perfect opportunity to tell her. “I actually got a call today about a role I’m pretty excited about,” he said carefully.

Millie sat up straighter and then scooted closer to him. “Really? Tell me all about it!”

“Well, it was a complete fluke that I decided to audition for it at all,” Sam said slowly. “I’ve got so little film experience that I didn’t think there’d be anyway they’d consider me.”

“So it’s a movie? Anything I would have heard of?” Millie started to bounce on the sofa cushion. Sam loved her like that, so attentive and open. She had always made him feel like he could do anything.

“Funny you should say that.” Sam cleared his throat wondering how to say it just right. “I’m sure Kate told you that she got a call a few months ago from that executive producer in Hollywood who wanted to rent out the Willoughby for a few weeks.”

Millie squealed and clapped her hands over her mouth. “You got a role in Where My Heart Breaks? I couldn’t believe it when I heard that they finally cut through the red tape with Walter Moolen’s estate and got the green light for the film adaptation. It’s going to be HUGE! That is so exciting!”

“Yeah, I know,” Sam said. “It’s generated a lot of interest already.”

“So what’s the part?”

Sam took a deep breath. “Jackson Monroe.”

Millie’s eyes widened, and she looked shocked. “Are you serious? You got the lead?”

Hearing it said out loud made Sam’s mouth run dry. “I know. It’s crazy, right? That they picked a complete unknown for the part? I’m having a hard time believing it myself.”

Millie stood up and disappeared into the kitchen. She came back out with a magazine that he knew covered Hollywood gossip and news. She flipped open the cover and then shoved an article under his nose. “They’ve been speculating for weeks about who would be cast as Jackson. Like, everybody in the entire country is waiting to hear the news with bated breath. Sam, this will be massively huge when everyone finds out.”

His stomach muscles tightened. He knew that any expectation he had of what was about to happen was probably woefully inadequate. “They told me that the press release goes out tomorrow morning.”

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Ivy About the Author:
Ivy Sinclair cut her romance teeth on classics like Gone With the Wind, Casablanca, An Affair to Remember, and Sabrina. She is a firm believer in true love, a happily ever after ending, and the medicinal use of chocolate to cure any ailment of the heart. Ivy’s guilty pleasures include sushi, endless Starbucks lattes, and wine. Readers of Ivy’s stories can expect smoldering sweet stories of romance that tug at the heartstrings.
  
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