Saturday, May 31, 2014

Mended by Kim Karr


MUSIC HAS THE POWER TO HEAL ALL…BUT NOT ALL BROKEN HEARTS CAN BE MENDED.

Always in control, Xander Wilde considered life on the road to be a perfect fit for him. But when disaster strikes on the Wilde Ones’ latest tour, fate intervenes…and a newly single Ivy Taylor, the only girl he has ever loved, steps back into his life.

After moving past her painful breakup with Xander years ago, Ivy was poised to become the next big name in pop music…when suddenly she withdrew from the limelight—the same day she announced her engagement to her controlling agent, Damon Wolf.

Xander knows he should keep his distance. But once they’re on the road, he can’t resist pursuing her for a second chance. Yet a jealous Damon can’t let her go—and he’s keeping dangerous secrets that could destroy them all.

When the three of them come together, everything falls apart. But if Xander and Ivy can hold tight to the bond that connects them, they just might have a chance at reclaiming the powerful love they thought they had lost forever...

Release Date: June 3, 2014

 
Undeniably riveting! Mended is SO fantastic for SO many reasons! I was once in love with River but he has met his match with his older brother Xander! Xander is such the panty melter! 5 STARS!! 

 Mended is the story of Ivy Taylor and Xander Wilde and the epic lifelong love story they have. Some words I can use to describe their relationship: epic, tumultuous, endearing, true, HOT, electric and I could go on and on! The two things that stand in their way of eternal happiness: the past and Damon Wolf. When these two things are exposed they test both Ivy and Xander in ways they could not imagine. 

 Kim Karr is SO artful and descriptive in this book, you can hardly put it down! It is incredibly apparent that Kim grows in her craft with each release and this is certainly NO exception! Mended is such a fantastic read and addition to the Connections story!



Xander Wilde

The magic of rock and roll—it casts a spell on you. I’m no exception. I’m a band manager and I’m living the dream, touring with The Wilde Ones, helping them secure their well-deserved place in the music industry. I love being a part of it all, especially watching the band perform live—the crowds, the cheers, the music. It’s a high and a low all at once and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Every step of the way with this band has been fun, exciting, stressful—every possible emotion. Obviously we’ve had some breaks but mostly we all put in a lot of hard work—myself, Garrett Flynn, Phoenix Harper,
River Wilde, and now Zane Perry.

“Can you hear me now?” he bellows.

I nod my head as my heart pounds in my chest. My hands feel cold and clammy and a nervousness that makes me weak and shaky takes over. Doubts race through my head and I’m questioning if he’s going to make it through this. A vague awareness that something bad could happen kicks around in my mind and I can’t shake it. The Wilde Ones are doing a sound check on stage and Zane’s not on his game.

It’s July and the weather has been brutally hot. But today it seems cooler. Maybe it’s the California weather maybe it’s the excitement of being home. The Beautiful Lies Tour bus finally rolled back into our home state of California after six months away. When we pulled into the amphitheater, we could see tanned kids in board shorts and bikini tops already lined up at the will call window. Security guards in polo shirts directed us to the artist parking lot, and we were officially home. Tonight we’ll be headlining our biggest show to date. We’re on tour without my brother, River, and still more than half of the shows are sold out, including tonight’s. River quit the band—touring just wasn’t for him
but even so the album is on its way up the charts. Who knows it may even hit gold status.

The songs on the album were written and sung by River but are performed in concert by Zane. Having him as my brother’s replacement has been the key to our successful transition in a world where replacing leads is normally unsuccessful—simply put, we’re lucky as hell to have him. River promised to make a surprise appearance at our next stop.

It’s going to be epic.

But tonight is all about the arena—Mountain View and the Shoreline. “That’s enough,” I yell to the band and call rehearsal. This place is the biggest outdoor venue we’ve played and I couldn’t be more stoked—or more nervous. A sold out show and a rocking opening band—what a combination. But a lead singer with another cold and a weakened voice that can’t be heard throughout an amphitheater scares the shit out of me.

I head straight for the bus and spend the next few hours hashing out a song with Nix that he calls a jumbled mess of muscular sense and big-riff sunshine—whatever the hell that means. All I know is that it needs help and that’s why he’s turning to me. I hadn’t played guitar since I was eighteen but for some reason over the course of this tour I’ve picked it back up. At first I used whatever was lying around but last month I had my mother mail my old one to me and it feels like home. It’s a light blue and brown Gibson and I had to have it because it was the guitar that Slash played on. Playing again seems to help pass the time and brings a calm over me that I haven’t felt in awhile.

Hours pass and before I know it, it’s almost show time. We make our way over to the Amphitheater, do the typical festival schmooze fest, and then settle back to wait. Waiting for them to take the stage is always the most nerve-racking time. I’m sitting in the practically vacant makeshift meet and greet area back stage and sipping a beer in a worthless effort to calm my nerves when a voice travels through the sound system. It’s a powerful and emotive mezzo-soprano range that is nothing short of explosive. She sounds unlike any singer I’ve ever heard before—with only one exception, Ivy Taylor. 

I push back the memory of her name and the emotions it evokes—the memories are just too painful. I can’t see her on stage but I know that the voice belongs to Jane Mommsen.

Her band Breathless is playing right before The Wilde Ones.

A hand on my shoulder startles me. I twist and glance up as Amy sits down beside me, crossing her legs. “Hi, Xander. I thought I saw you earlier at the hotel.”

She’s a beautiful woman—long, wavy dark hair, petite figure, very natural looking. She’s wearing jeans, a blue shirt with some kind of foil design, and silver sandals.

Grinning at her I say, “Finally we catch up. Can I get you a drink?”

“I’d love that. How’s life on the road been?”

“You know, it has its ups and downs but actually not bad. You?”

“Jane’s been going full-force for a while now. But the tour ends with the summer.

I’ll be glad to be back in LA.”

Standing up, I laugh. “I know the feeling. I’ll be right back, let me grab us that drink.” Tossing my empty bottle, I make my way to the coolers lined up under the tent and grab two beers. I know she’d rather have a glass of Chardonnay but beer it is. Amy is Jane’s assistant and I’ve taken her out more than a few times. We went to high school together and Amy and I know most of the same people so whenever I need a date, I ask her. Last time I saw her was almost nine months ago when I took her to River and Dahlia’s wedding.

Heading back to the table I hear Jane yell out to the crowd, “Are you ready for three of the hottest guys in music?” The audience starts screaming and the stage lights dim cuing the guys that it’s the fifteen-minute countdown until they take the stage. The band huddles together in their typical pre-performance stance. I’ll have a quick drink with Amy and then join them. As I hand her the bottle my fingers touch hers and we both grin, knowing that we will end up alone by the end of the night.

“You sticking around for the whole show?”

“I think I might,” she smiles.

“How about we ride back to the hotel together and grab a real drink at the bar?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“Great. Time for me to get back to work.”

 She rises from the table, I do the same. She stands up on her toes and kisses me quickly on the lips. “See you tonight,” she smiles.

“Catch you later,” I say and then cross the room to join the band.

“You’re late,” Nix snickers. “What’s with you two anyway?” he asks.

I shrug my shoulders. “Nothing. We casually see each other once in a while.”

Garrett raises an eyebrow. “Chicks are never cool with casual.”

Shaking my head at him, I don’t bother to disagree. Amy and I have been doing this for years. It works for her and for me. We like each other’s company but only see each other sporadically. I’ll call her once in a while and we’ll go out but we are in no way exclusive. I don’t ask her about other men and she doesn’t ask me about other women. I grab the bottle and pour the amber liquid into the shot glasses stacked on the cap. It’s our pre-show routine. A shot and a prayer, so to say. It’s Garrett’s turn tonight to ‘pray’ so this should be good.

He raises his glass. “Here’s to hoping Xander gets laid so he’ll get off our backs.”

Tipping my glass back, I quickly down the amber liquid. It burns as it makes its way down my throat. Once we’ve all drank our two shot maximum before a show Garrett follows his toast up with, “Seriously man, you need to get laid.”

The guys laugh and I actually join in. Jerking off in the small bathroom on the bus is definitely one of the downsides of touring. I’ve slept with a few girls at some of our stops but screwing groupies isn’t really my thing. I’m not one to have time for a girlfriend but I’m also not about to pull my dick out backstage, so it’s been a long six months.

Zane coughs after he slings back the shot and I look at him with concern. “You’re going to a doctor tomorrow.”

He shakes his head. “Yes, Mom, if you say so.”

“I’m not kidding. Your voice sounds like shit.”

“It’s a fucking cold. I took some medicine. I’ll be fine.”

“Doctor. Tomorrow. I mean it. I’ll have Ena set it up.”

“I can always sing,” Garrett chimes in and I smack the back of his head.

“Hey. I can.”

The lights start to flicker and I look at Zane with that feeling of uneasiness again.

Second time this tour he’s coughing and hacking. We’re screwed if he really gets sick.  He nods at me as I pat him on the back. Slinging his guitar over his shoulder, he heads out first raising his arm in the air. The crowd goes crazy. The six foot guy is a chick magnet and no one misses my brother tonight. Garrett heads out next yelling, “Great to be here Mountain View!” and Nix follows with his trademark nod. Zane skips his normal charming banter and I know he must be saving his voice. Again, I think about how we’re fucked if he gets sick.

I stand at the edge of the stage all night until they finally come to their last song. “It Wasn’t Days Ago,” is a simple but crowd affecting ballad and Zane belts it out. Shouts from nearly thirty thousand fans call for an encore. Turning away from the microphone Zane coughs again. Biting his thumbnail he looks over at me and I slice my finger across my neck.

“One more song for tonight,” he tells the screaming fans and my blood pressure rises. “This one is a cover, an ‘ode to’ I’ll call it. It’s for Xander Wilde, the band’s manager and it’s his favorite song. Everyone ready?” As he starts to sing Linkin Park’s “Iridescent,” I close my eyes and listen. When he hits the chorus his voice gets so low my eyes snap open. Zane turns to grab a bottle of water while the guys continue to play but I can tell something isn’t right.



***


Last night definitely didn’t go as planned—a visit to the ER, then sleeping in a chair next to Zane all night on the bus because the steroids he was given freaked him out. It’s noon and Amy and I are just arriving at the Pelican Hill Resort. Breathless was leaving right after the show last night so Amy had already planned to ride with us and meet up with them in Irvine. She invited me to some party being thrown by her band’s label that I would have rather not gone to but Ellie, the tour manager, insisted we all go for the good I’m exhausted and really need some sleep before dealing with the press and
tomorrow night’s show. The paparazzi have been everywhere—by the bus as we exited to the waiting car in LA, outside the doctor’s office, at the gates of Zane’s father’s house, and now they’re here in Irvine at the hotel.

To avoid the chaos awaiting us in the lobby, I call Ellie, who is already here, and ask her to check me in and meet me at the pool bar with the key. Draping my arm around Amy, we head that way. I’ve been here a few times so I know my way around. Cutting through the grotto and over to the pool and cabanas, I steer Amy to the right and stop in my tracks as all the air rushes from my lungs.

My body floods with adrenaline and my gut twists. I don’t even have to do a double take because I’d know her anywhere. There’s no mistaking her. She’s just so beautiful—the elegant planes of her face, those high cheekbones, red lipstick, her platinum blonde hair shorter than it used to be tucked behind her ear, that face of an angel. She looks the same. No, she looks better. Her skin glistens in the sun and my gaze automatically follows the shape of her long legs. They look smooth and tan against her white bathing suit. An ache forms in my chest as I think about running my fingers up them. She’s still
that eighteen-year-old girl I once knew but now she has the body of a woman—lean and toned and full of curves. When she moves it’s so familiar it doesn’t seem like a day has passed—and everything I ever felt for her, it’s all still inside me.

My pulse races at the mere sight of her. She’s lounging in the cushioned chair reading a magazine just outside a cabana. My heart slams harder in my chest when she sticks her earphones in her ears like she always used to do and it transports me back to the last time I saw her do the very same thing. We’d skipped school and were at my grandparents’ house—their pool. She was lying on the lounge chair listening to music and singing along—her voice so full of soul. I’d moved to sit with her under the guise of putting lotion of her back. She sat up and smiled that shy smile she didn’t need to have when she was with me. I squeezed the tube into my hand and after rubbing them together I slowly applied it to her back kneading my way up and down, touching every inch of her that I could.

It brings me back to the here and now when she suddenly sits up and looks over at me. Her eyes pin me in place. She looks at me as if she remembers me for who I was, what we were, not what I did to her. With my chest pounding, memories of us keep flashing through my mind. Fighting a smile, I wonder if she’s thinking the same thing—remembering what we were, what we shared, how we loved.

She quickly breaks our connection when she averts her eyes over to the man handing her a drink. I suck in a deep breath trying not to feel sick at the sight. He’s nearing fifty, wearing a terrycloth robe. He’s about my height, dark brown hair, meticulously groomed facial hair, and not exactly ripped but fit. He’s Damon Wolf, a man I’ve never actually met but hate all the same. I’ve seen their picture on TV and in magazines. He’s her agent, her fiancé, and I’m sure he’s the reason she’s not singing anymore.

She looks up at him with that same forced smile she used to give people she just wanted to appease and mouths “thank you.” I have a sudden urge to go over and deck him when her gaze shifts back to mine and he pulls her chin back to look at him. I can sense a discomfort between them. We could sense each other’s feelings even when we weren’t near each other.

Amy’s hand slides down my face and I have to blink a few times before I can hear what she’s saying. Glancing one last time at Ivy I see that she’s staring at me again. Then suddenly her mouth forms a scowl and she flicks her attention toward him. Hooking her arm around his neck, she pulls him down for a kiss and I think I might throw up.

“Are you okay?”

I nod. Not able to say a word.

“Isn’t that Ivy Taylor over there? The girl you used to date in high school?” Amy asks. There’s an irritated tone to her voice I’m not used to hearing and it makes me agitated.

 “Yeah, it is,” is all I say. She’s not just a girl I used to date…she’s the only girl I ever really loved. She’s also the girl whose heart I broke. Seeing her now brings back all those feelings I blocked, ignored, tucked aside. So many times over the years I wanted to go after her and tell her the truth—but I never did. Why I don’t know. Then one day it was too late—she had gotten engaged.

Amy chatters on. “I think that’s Damon Wolf with her. We should go say hi.”

My body goes cold and my face blank at the thought. I straighten and just as I’m about to say, “No fucking way,” my phone vibrates in my pocket. Squinting at the screen, I see that it’s my brother. I look over to Amy and motion toward the bar. “Hey, this is River. I need to take it. I’ll meet you over there in a minute.”

“That’s fine. We can catch up with them later. I’ll go order us a drink.” She smiles and starts toward the bar.

Turning around to avoid staring at Ivy, I answer the phone. “It took you long enough to call me back.”

“I was in a meeting and stepped out as soon as I could, so don’t start. What did the doctor say about Zane?”

“He’s out for the rest of the tour and we’re fucked.”

“You sure? You’re back in LA for almost two weeks after tomorrow night right?

Isn’t that enough time for him to heal?”

“Technically yes. But his old man wants him out. The doctor said that he couldn’t be sure how long the blood that accumulated under his vocal cords had been there but obviously last night, the amount of ruptured vessels was enough to cause his voice to change. He advised at least two weeks of rest before another evaluation to see if surgery is necessary. Zeak wants his son to take a longer period of time off. He’s just afraid that if Zane keeps singing and it keeps happening, scar tissue will build up and cause his voice to change forever.”

“Do you blame him?”

“No I don’t,” I tell River and I feel like shit that I have to put him in a position to do what he didn’t want to do in the first place. But I also know that if I don’t, the band won’t survive. If I have to cancel this tour—the Wilde Ones are done. So I ask, “Did you talk to Dahlia?”

He sighs. “Yeah, I did. She’s cool with it, Xander. I’m just trying to figure it all out.”

“You know I’ll do whatever you need me to do, right?”

“Shit why can’t you just be an ass and make it easy for me to say no?”

“Because you have no idea what this means to me.”

“Actually I do, and that’s why I’m going to make it happen. But Xander, remember I can’t play a twelve string.”

Laughter and relief take hold of me. I feel a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.

“Right now I wouldn’t care if you only played the violin,” I joke.

He laughs and I add, “You’ll be here tonight?”

Now he sounds slightly annoyed. “I said I would. We might be a little late so don’t get your panties in a wad.”

“That’s cool. Thanks for everything. Hey, one more thing.’

“What?”

“Ivy Taylor’s here.”

“No way. Have you talked to her?”

“Fuck no. You know she won’t talk to me. And besides she’s with that asshole.”

“You should talk to her. Tell her the truth.”

“What’s that going to do now? She’ll just think I’m lying.”

“You want me to talk to her? I can explain everything.”

“No. I don’t need my little brother to fight my battles. I’ll talk to her if I feel the time is right. Do you hear me?”

“Whatever you say. Look, I have to run but I want to discuss this later. And Xander…you don’t know he’s an asshole. Just because Dad said his name once doesn’t mean shit.”

“Right. Okay, see you tonight,” I say and end the call. My head is spinning knowing that after all these years I’m actually in the same place she is. I want to talk to her, tell her everything but what would it matter now anyway. Glancing behind me, I catch another glimpse of her with him that turns my stomach. He’s such a slime ball. Since his father was hospitalized and he took over the business, he’s been scooping up labels, tearing them apart, and rebuilding them with bands he thinks are better fits. My guess is he picked up Jane’s label—that’s why he’s here. I heard they were having some financial difficulty and he’s just the kind of bottom feeder that would want to capitalize on not only being her agent but now also her producer. The sight of him touching Ivy makes my skin crawl.

Damon Wolf—two of the last words my father ever spoke to me before killing himself, and I never knew why. Of all the guys in the world Ivy had to end up with him—why him? I look up and they’re gone. But I’m anything but relieved. Rubbing my chin,

I’m antsy, agitated, pissed as hell, but feel more alive than I have in years.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Tease by Sophie Jordan


A born flirt and good-time party girl, Emerson has never had a problem finding a willing guy. She’s always chosen her hook-ups carefully, and she's never broken her three cardinal rules:
Never let them see the real you.
Never fall in love.  
Always leave them begging for more.

Then comes Shaw. A hotty from the wrong side of the tracks, he’s immune to her flirtatious banter and come-hither smile. After rescuing her from a disastrous night at a biker bar, he doesn’t even try to take her to bed—he calls her a tease and sends her home instead. Unable to resist a challenge, or forget the sexy dark-eyed bad-boy biker, she vows to bring him to his knees.

But instead of making Shaw beg, she finds herself craving him. For the first time in her life, she’s throwing out her rulebook. Suddenly, she’s the one panting for a guy she can’t control. A guy who won’t settle for anything less than the real Emerson, who forces her to do things she’s never imagined, including facing a past she thought she'd buried.

A guy who just might leave her wanting more . . .






Sophie Jordan grew up in the Texas hill country where she wove fantasies of dragons, warriors, and princesses. A former high school English teacher, she's also the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Avon historical romances. 

She now lives in Houston with her family. When she's not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes and Diet cherry Coke preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and cramming her DVR with true-crime and reality-TV shows. 

Sophie also writes paranormal romances under the name Sharie Kohler.





Amazon link for part 1: http://amzn.to/1vutLbS
Amazon link for part 2: http://amzn.to/RPY8d9
Amazon link for part 3: http://amzn.to/1j3xraY
Amazon link for full book: http://amzn.to/1ggvAVl


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, May 25, 2014

What Happens Tomorrow by Elle Michaels

Along with Elle Michaels, we are excited to share with you her new release 

“What Happens Tomorrow” 

Make sure to join the Facebook Release & Tour Event, read the EXCERPT & enter the Amazon Gift Card GIVEAWAY below!

No one knows what happens tomorrow...
When Brooke Adams suffers the unimaginable, she knows her heart will never be whole again. Faced with the choice of giving in to her grief, or fighting to regain a resemblance to the life she once knew, she chooses to fight.
Not ready to give up, Brooke starts a new life where no one knows her past. As she slowly puts the pieces of her life back together, Brooke meets her neighbor, Tyler Reynolds. Soon, he becomes her friend, her rock...
and her complicated constant.
Despite her best efforts, she finds herself falling for him, but what will happen if Tyler learns the truth about her past and realizes just how deep the damage is?
The risk might be too much...
What an amazing debut by Elle Michaels. I could not put this book down and stayed up until 3 am reading. It's a story about survival, about second chances, about a love that never gives up and how things aren't always what they seem.

Brooke has had to start her life over. At a young age, she has already loved and lost so much. When she meet Tyler, she never imagined her life with him being so freeing, so amazing, so real. But Brooke has secrets to her past that she is not sure how he will react to. Their relationship turns into something she never thought she would feel again. The only thing is, was what she had before real? Or is Ty able to show her what true friendship and love is. As the secrets get revealed, not only by Brooke but Ty as well - will their chemistry be able to withstand all that is a flurry around them?

I was in awe of Tyler and loved the friendship and companionship that he had with Brooke. How she wasn't going to run him off.  And Brooke's best friend shows up what it truly means to be a BEST Friend.

I highly recommend this book for those who love a well written love story. Can't wait for more from Elle!

I am in such a rush to get home to Charlie that I turn around, steaming coffee in hand, and walk right into this …um
…very handsome man’s chest.
I feel like such a loser.
“Oh my god…I can’t believe I just did that! I am so sorry! Are you all right? Did I burn you?”
Did I burn you? Duh!
Of course I’ve burned him! I’ve completely, second degree burned someone with a cup of coffee.
GAH!
Mortified!
“I’m okay,” he says with a slight smirk across his lips as he pulls his coffee-soaked dress shirt away from his chest. How could he be all right? He’s lying. That coffee was ridiculously hot. I know. I had to ask the barista to double cup it.
Suddenly, I’m completely taken by how handsome my coffee covered stranger is. Trying not to look obvious, I cautiously eye him up and down, drinking in this incredibly sexy, rugged looking businessman. He’s taller than I am, I’d guess around six feet, with short, dark-sandy hair.
And his eyes…
He has the most alluring ice-blue eyes I have ever seen. Definitely the poster boy of what you would expect a man from California to look like.
Those eyes…a girl could seriously get lost in those eyes. Dressed in navy slacks and a crisp, white, linen shirt…okay,
so it’s no longer crisp and white. His sleeves are rolled up, exposing tanned and toned forearms. I wonder how it would feel to have those wrapped around me. Then it dawns on me…how long have I been standing her staring at him?
God, I hope I wasn’t too obvious!
Snapping myself back to reality, it’s apparent that the hot coffee I’ve spilled on him burns as I notice him wince.
“Really, it’s okay,” he says with a small chuckle.
Please say he didn’t notice me staring.
I rush to grab some napkins from the barista, but when I turn back around the handsome stranger is gone.
He’s left without saying a word.
I can’t say that I blame him. I must have looked like a crazy person because I most definitely was acting like one

Elle Michaels is a professional in the tech sector, residing with her family in the Pacific Northwest. Having spent years acting in and directing stage productions, she dreamed of writing a screenplay, but at the suggestion of a friend, she decided to write a novel instead. She has always had a passion for reading and romance. There is nothing she loves more than to get lost in a sexy romance story. When not working or writing, she can be found spending time with the love of her life, her two young children and Yorkshire Terrier.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Elle-Michaels/538029962926582
Twitter: https://twitter.com/elle_michaels
Email: ellemichaels1@gmail.com
 

Friday, May 23, 2014

Edge by Brenda Rothert


One bad hit has left the career of young NHL Center Luke Hudson in question. When he arrives for rehab with a minor league team, his injury has robbed him of the edge that made him great.

Team trainer Adella Price’s job is to help Luke get back in peak condition. But their one on one sessions shake her resolve to remain unattached. Dell is hands-off to all hockey players, even one as charming and successful as Luke.

As Luke starts to get ahold of his game again, he loses his grip on his heart. Helping Luke get his edge back brings to light what Dell is missing from her life. But those who want them apart are relentless, and with their careers on the line, Luke and Dell must decide if their love is worth risking it all.


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20505710-edge?from_search=true

I love this series from Brenda Rothert! I was thrilled to see that Luke was going to get his own story and it surely did not disappoint! Brenda has an extraordinary way of sucking you into the story with witty banter and characters that tug at your heart plus make you hot under the collar. If you love sports romance, then you will enjoy this Series.
Brenda Rothert started her writing career as a print journalist. She now writes Romances, some Contemporary and others with a twist of dystopian society and adventure. Rothert lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three boys.





 

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Thursday, May 22, 2014

COVER REVEAL: Savaged by Nacole Stayton



The twist of a knife shredded Niko Kincaid’s world all around him, leaving him with two choices—accept his fate and die, or fight to live. He chose to fight, but the aftermath became a daily reminder, carved into his once flawless flesh. 

Despite years of self-imposed solitude, Niko hungers for companionship and suffers from an aching loneliness that the darkness cannot satisfy. He temporarily soothes his pain with women, hired women, whose only purpose is to service him. Easy. He didn’t expect a complication like Cambree Evans, but desperation corrupts even the most innocent. When emotions blend with lust, will Cambree's softness and ability to look past Niko's flaws be the one thing that releases him from his own personal hell? 

Will the monster in the dark prove that his savaged heart is worth saving?

 

 

 

Publication Date:  September 12, 2014

Cover Design:  Sommer Stein

Event Organized by: Literati Author Services, Inc.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20765474-savaged


Nacole Stayton is the Amazon Bestselling author of The Upside of Letting Go, as well as other new adult and contemporary romance titles, including A Graceful Mess and In the Lyrics. She is twenty-something years young and currently resides in the Bluegrass State where she spends her days working at a local hospital in the billing department and nights writing vigorously on her current novel. She has a passion for helping others and wears her University of Kentucky gear proudly. While her husband loves all things outdoors, Nacole enjoys the finer things in life, like getting pedicures while reading on her Kindle. She is passionate about her faith, family, and The Vampire Diaries. 


Connect with the Author: 




Wednesday, May 21, 2014

TAINT by S.L.Jennings

Right now, you’re probably asking yourself two things:

Who am I?

And, what the hell are you doing here?

Let’s start with the most obvious question, shall we?

You’re here, ladies, because you can’t f*ck.

Oh, stop it. Don’t cringe. No one under the age of 80 clutches their pearls.

You might as well get used to it, because for the next six weeks, you’re going to hear that word a lot. And you’re going to say it a lot.

Go ahead, try it out on your tongue.

F*ck. F***ck.

Ok, good. Now where were we?

If you enrolled yourself in this program then you are wholly aware that you’re a lousy lay. Good for you. Admitting it is half the battle.

For those of you that have been sent here by your husband or significant other, dry your tears and get over it. You’ve been given a gift, ladies. The gift of mind-blowing, wall-climbing, multiple-orgasm-inducing sex. You have the opportunity to f*ck like a porn star. And I guarantee, you will when I’m done with you.

And who am I?

Well, for the next six weeks, I will be your lover, your teacher, your best friend, and your worst
enemy. Your every-f*cking-thing. I’m the one who is going to save your relationship and your
sex life.

I am Justice Drake.
And I turn housewives into whores.

Now…who’s first?

 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18366077-taint?  ac=1 


Let me just say that Syreeta totally blows me away with each and every book that she puts out! OH to live in her head for a day :) And TAINT does not disappoint in the least. It will land high in my top reads for 2015 because it draws you in and you become giddy wanting to become a housewife who learns to submit to the teaching for Justice Drake. And all I can do is thank the Lord above for giving us Mike Thurston to step into the shoes of Justice Drake. Just having his image as I was reading...well I will let you experience that piece of heaven yourself.

I sometimes have a hard time putting down in words what it is exactly that I am trying to convey. So I will let the trailer I did for TAINT speak for me. You'll get the picture fast. OH and just a little warning...make sure there are no children in the room while watching :)

 





Most known for her starring role in a popular sitcom as a child, S.L. Jennings went on to earn her law degree from Harvard at the young age of 16. While studying for the bar exam and recording her debut hit album, she also won the Nobel Prize for her groundbreaking invention of calorie-free wine. When she isn’t conquering the seas in her yacht or flying her Gulfstream, she likes to spin elaborate webs of lies and has even documented a few of these said falsehoods.





 
Some of S.L.’s devious lies:

FEAR OF FALLING

THE DARK LIGHT SERIES

v Dark Light

v The Dark Prince

v Nikolai (a Dark Light novella)

v Light Shadows- coming in 2014

TAINT- releasing in May 20, 2014

Meet the Liar:

www.facebook.com/authorsljennings

Twitter: @MrsSLJ

www.sljennings.com



The Wild Ones - RK Lilley Chapter Two Preview


Title: THE WILD SIDE
Author: R.K. LILLEY

Saturday, May 17, 2014

ENTICE by Rachel Van Dyken

From #1 New York Times Bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken comes the third book in the
bestselling Eagle Elite Series...

“As burns this saint, so burns my soul. I enter alive, and I will have to get out dead.”

Chase Winter let the love of his life slip through his fingers and into the hands of his best friend and mafia boss of the Abandanato family. Now that he's been given a second chance to right a wrong--he refuses to let his own selfishness stand in the way. The only problem? He's not fully in possession of his heart, so when Mil De Lange, the girl who's innocence he stole, and heir tothe worst of the worst mafia families in the US, asks him for a favor. He actually says yes, not realizing that that one yes has the power to destroy them all.

Mil's been in love with Chase as long as she can remember, but as the years went by, the love turned to hate, and now that he's agreed to help her, she's wondering if she made a fatal error.
Because Chase isn't a teenager anymore. He's a hot blooded male, bent on owning every part of her body and soul, and willing to kill anyone in his path who dares stand in the way.

It's time for secrets to finally be revealed...but make no mistake, it's going to take a lot of bloodshed for those truths to be discovered.

You've never read a New Adult Mafia story like this before...loyalties will be tested, lovers reunited, and friendships obliterated. Welcome to the Family. Blood in--No out. 



“Ten bucks says the only person not packing is Mils grandma by marriage.” Mo said once we’d all finished eating our dinner, which has basically been a painful process of chewing, swallowing, drinking unhealthy amounts of wine and trying to stare at my plate to keep from looking at Trace, while my wife sat next to me. 

Hell had officially risen to earth and I was smack dab in the middle of it trying my damndest to remember how to swallow without choking — without dying a little bit inside each time I saw him touch her face. And trying not to feel like an ass when Mil caught me staring — again. I’d resolved about an hour ago to actually be the man she needed me to be and I was already failing. Horribly. The second time I looked, Mo kicked me under the table but accidentally hit Tex instead causing everyone to look up, which was probably why Mo said what she did.

We all turned heads to look at the hundred year old woman. She was currently on her fourth glass of wine and looked to be about two seconds away from falling into her chicken cacciatore.

“Nope.” Nixon shook his head. “It’s always the ones you don’t expect. My money’s on Grandma.”

“I’ll take that bet.” Tex rose. “Seems like someone needs to fall on their own knife and all that.

This has to be the most depressing wedding I’ve ever gone to and that includes the fake one Mo
made for her kittens when she was four.”

“They lived happily ever after.” Mo tilted her head into the air and narrowed her eyes.

Tex leaned down and tapped Mo on the nose. “Yes if happily means they lived for five damn minutes before marching directly into oncoming traffic.”

“I think the wedding just hit its low point.” Mil muttered. “Save us, Tex. I beg you. Find the gun and I’ll give you a prize.”

“Prize?” Tex’s eyes lit up. “As in—”

“As in her new husband won’t punch you in the face. You’re welcome. Yay, prizes.” I did a fake punch into the air. “Now go create some excitement before Nixon starts picking people off with
his semi-automatic.”

Nixon rolled his eyes. “Right, like I’d even bring—”

“It’s in the SUV.” Trace answered sounding bored. “Saw it when I took out my dress.”

“Damn.” He looked away.

Just then a very drunk looking cousin Vinnie got up and took the microphone from the band. “Look here! I have a toast to the bride and groom!” The feedback from the microphone mixed with his inability to stand up straight caused him to drop the stand and then fall flat on his ass.

“For the love of God save us all.” I pushed Tex towards Grandma.

We all sat at the table, the very depressing bridal party table, and watched as Tex slowly made his way towards the elderly woman.

“This won’t end well.” Trace said under her breath. “The man has the subtleness of a bomb.”

“Exactly.” Mo grinned from ear to ear.“I did say we needed entertainment, didn’t I?”

“Mo… ” Nixon warned.

“He cheated on me Nixon. Let me have my fun.” She said smoothly.

“He what?” Nixon roared jumping to his feet, curious stares pinned in our direction as Mo grabbed his hand and pulled him back to his seat.

“I’ve got this. You aren’t the only one who knows how to use their powers for evil, brother.

Revenge is a bitch, isn’t that what they say, Trace?”

She looked guiltily down at her hands.Yeah, double meanings I could really get without.

Hopefully Mo wasn’t going to get Tex shot at our wedding, not that I’d be against it. This was the first I heard of him cheating, granted, Mo hadn’t really been all that for sharing recently. She was as secretive as ever. Something told me it was for a reason,but I’d been too wrapped up in my own drama to even ask. How bad did I suck as a half brother? Bad, real bad. On a scale of one to ten in the suckiness department I’d be around an eleven.

Tex finally reached her chair and sat down next to her, his smile was wide, I couldn’t tell what he was saying but his hands were all over the place, and then he set one hand on Grandma.

“Oh this isn’t going to end well.” Mo chuckled. “She hates being touched.”

“It is Tex.” I pointed out. “She could do a lot worse.”

“Doubtful.” Mo snorted crossing her arms.

Holy shit what the hell? Had I been living under a rock for the past few months? What went down? And how didn’t I know about it.

I winced when Tex moved his other hand next to Grandma’s leg. Probably wouldn’t be a good time to tell him that she’d seen her fair share of murder. I almost closed my eyes when she looked down at his hand.

“Aw shit.” Nixon shook his head. “You had to challenge him, Mo.”

Mo’s face twisted into a murderous smile as she pointed and exclaimed. “Game. Set. Match.”

Grandma had Tex by the balls.

“Ouch!” This from Mil.




All I can say is that this series just gets better and better with each and every book.

Our Chicago gang takes a little trip to Vegas in this book and there are a whole lot of secrets revealed and even more made. There isn't too much I can tell you about the book without giving away major plot points so I will say this...We learn a lot about the boys that make up the Elite. We also learn that the girls of Elite can take care of themselves and can kick some major booty! You will laugh, cry and swoon with this book and like every Rachel Van Dyken book...she leaves you wanting more more more!

5 STARS!!!
 CLICK ON BOOK COVER TO ORDER on AMAZON
http://amzn.to/1sGa3pj
Book3
http://amzn.to/1t4b7Wm
Book 2
http://amzn.to/1hUEmDD
Book 1



Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, 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 www.rachelvandykenauthor.com

 

Facebook: 
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