ERIKA ASHBY
So I have been friends with Erika on Facebook for some time. Through mutual friend we connected and I have always enjoyed interacting with her on FB. So when she contacted me a couple of weeks ago and said "Hey, would you like to read my books?" It kinda shocked me that I hadn't read her books yet. Now I am friends with a lot of authors - to which many of them I have not read their books, so this wasn't too much of a shock. I read the synopsis and knew right away these might be up my alley. So I happened to have a free night (which is so rare) in between blog tours I was reading for so I picked up Moving Forward and could not put it down. I started at 4pm and by 11pm I was done and so ready for book two. You know how it goes...I'll just read a couple of chapters and then finish in the morning. Well with tears streaming down my face at 4:12 am I finished book two - No Going Back. I emailed Erika right away and wanted to know when the next book was coming out and what I had to do to get my hands on it! Well...it's coming soon and no I haven't read it yet but let me tell you this Novella is going to be good!
So here is my friend Erika Ashby and a little about herself. I hope to be working with Erika for a long time!
Being born an "Army Brat", Erika Ashby has been residing in Oklahoma the last 10 years finally putting an end to the nomad tendencies she had grown accustomed to. She's a happily married woman who has 5 kids between her and her husband. She has an insane passion for music and embraces her Inner Groupie any chance she has. It wasn't until the age of 29 that she realized she also had a hidden passion for reading; before then she claimed to have hated it. Six months after unlocking that deep desire she never knew she held, she turned the key to another chapter of her life which has become the desire to write. And the rest is still history in the making.
Moving Forward (Book #1 - Timing is Everything Series)
Jesika Reynolds’ heart was left broken one year ago when her husband died, leaving her and her son alone in this world. Slowly, she started putting the pieces back together of her life. Knowing that she may never open herself up to love again. That was until the day Derek came into the picture.
Why does this gorgeous stranger seem to care so much, so suddenly?
Derek Jordan's charm drew her in with an instant connection, and familiarity that helps her feel at ease. Her heart is falling at his feet, but as their relationship grows, so does a secret from both of their pasts that neither saw coming. One by one, the threads slowly start to unravel.
Can their newly sought love stand up against the secrets that life is unlocking to their pasts? Or can they decide together that moving forward and forgetting the past is the only option for them to find true happiness?
**Intended for Mature Audiences**
Moving Forward (Book #1 - Timing is Everything Series)
I’m the type of person who believes there is a purpose for everyone who comes into your life. After Jake died, I realized that that purpose has a time limit. That nothing lasts forever. I believe I’m to the point in my life where that realization has finally clicked in my head. This whole last year I have been pretty miserable while trying to pretend I was fine. I know I have the best reason in the world to feel that way but still, what kind of life is that for me and my son?
Maybe that’s why everything with Derek is different. Maybe I’m so comfortable with him because he came into my life at the ultimate time; maybe he was placed into my life with a purpose. For some reason I feel like Derek just gets me; like maybe we are birds of the same feather. Even though we talk a great deal about our kids, we don’t dare ask each other the details of the MIA parents and I’m very thankful he doesn’t bring it up. I’m not sure how he’ll take the details, and honestly, I’m not sure how much I’d even be able to communicate to him, especially while keeping my composure.
Feeling like we literally talked and laughed for hours, we end the date with him asking me to go for a ride with him.
He grabs my hand and intertwines our fingers as we make our way to his truck. I nudge the side of his waist with my elbow, making sure not to break our hands apart.
“You know…your truck is pretty hot Derek. I love how big and black it is.” He busts out laughing and it takes me minute to catch my mistake.
“Holy crap balls, that freaking came out wrong.” I know I’m beat red, but I can’t help but laugh as well.
“Well Jesika, I’ve never heard that one before.” He says after finally calming himself down from laughing so hard.
I look up at him with disgust. “Well, your truck was hot until some bird shit OSU on it.” I point to the sticker on his back window. He lightly chuckles while opening my door.
“Lemme guess, you’re a Sooner girl?”
“Sooner born and Sooner bred,” I chant.
Life isn’t always about fairytales and happily ever-after’s according to Seth Jordan. After having his world shattered and heartbroken beyond repair, he had always sworn off the idea of love. He was perfectly content with continuing his life with worthless one night stands and no strings attached sex. That was until one blue-eyed blonde managed to seep into places he thought were cemented shut.
Like a jack hammer, Mallory Prentice came into Seth’s life and cracked the hard exterior that surrounded his heart. She’s the one woman he was starting to feel might be worth taking a chance on.
But life doesn't always hand you the easy road. Sometimes you are constantly hit with the bad and have no hope of any good ever showing up.
Will Seth and Mallory realize that ultimately they are the ones who are in control of their life’s outcome? Will they embrace the future and fight for their own happiness, or will they keep lingering in past mistakes and let it keep them apart?
Life is all about forgiveness and second chances. Once you come to that conclusion and just go for it, there is…no going back.
No Going Back (Book #2 - Timing is Everything Series)
I can’t keep my hands off Seth as he drives us to his house. Derek let us take his truck since Jesika had driven me in her car to the church. I love the way his trucks’ middle console is able to be flipped back so I can sit as close as possible to Seth. I hate how flipping horny I am for this man, but it doesn't keep me from letting my hands go back and forth up his thigh, inching closer and closer to the quickly growing bulge in his pants. Fuck it. I want to touch his dick now. I've missed it.
“What are you doing Mal?” Seth asks as he leans back further into the seat, making his pants more accessible for me to unbutton.
“I just want to say hi,” I tell him as I tug the zipper down and place my hand in his pants.
JACKPOT.
“You know my dick can’t talk back, right?”
“Sign language is very much so a form of communication. He speaks to me very well. Don’t cha?” I ask, looking down at where his hard cock is visibly begging to be released from its boxer prison.
Seth laughs. “Well fuck babe, if that’s the case I think he’s saying he wants you to kiss him.”
“I think you’re right.” I slide my hand through the opening and pull his hardness out. “What’s that?” I’m shocked by what I’m seeing.
He quickly looks down and laughs. “That’s a gift for you.” His smile is cocky and so fucking sexy.
I audibly moan as I lick my lips in anticipation. “Well, does my gift have a name?” I let my fingers slide all around it.
He gulps, clearly enjoying the sensation, “Ahh, it’s called an apadravya.” He can barely even pronounce the damn piercing.
“An aca what?”
COMING SOON: In the End (Timing is Everything Book #3)
*Novella-Prequel to Moving Forward*
Jake Reynolds’ life had always been perfectly mapped out for him as he was growing up. The only time he ever felt like he had any control over it was when he was inside the cage—the same cage that held no for sure outcome. In his twisted mind being inside that ring with his opponent was the most freeing feeling. In that moment alone he was able to let his perfected guard down and be who he wanted to be.
From the outside looking in, everything about Jake’s life looked perfect, but he knew that he wasn’t. His whole life had been set up for him before he was even born, and even though it’s not the life he wanted, he continued living it.
When you have everything you could ever want at your fingertips, why screw it up?
That was his mindset until the night Jesika showed up at his fight. He knew she was different from the get-go. He also knew he didn’t deserve her, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want to try. Jake had skills inside and out of the cage and he was known to always get what he wanted no matter the risk. But was he willing to change who he had always been in order to keep the one that he thought was worth the fight? Will it all be worth it in the end?
Jake Reynolds’ life had always been perfectly mapped out for him as he was growing up. The only time he ever felt like he had any control over it was when he was inside the cage—the same cage that held no for sure outcome. In his twisted mind being inside that ring with his opponent was the most freeing feeling. In that moment alone he was able to let his perfected guard down and be who he wanted to be.
From the outside looking in, everything about Jake’s life looked perfect, but he knew that he wasn’t. His whole life had been set up for him before he was even born, and even though it’s not the life he wanted, he continued living it.
When you have everything you could ever want at your fingertips, why screw it up?
That was his mindset until the night Jesika showed up at his fight. He knew she was different from the get-go. He also knew he didn’t deserve her, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want to try. Jake had skills inside and out of the cage and he was known to always get what he wanted no matter the risk. But was he willing to change who he had always been in order to keep the one that he thought was worth the fight? Will it all be worth it in the end?
