4 Smooches!
Nov 13
Just An Illusion by D. Kelly Review
4 Smooches!
Synopsis
One night changed her life…
Bestselling author Amelia Greyson has grown up in the music industry and isn’t the slightest bit fazed by fame or celebrities. However, when she attends a Bastards and Dangerous concert with her best friend Belle, her world shifts on its axis.
Double trouble…
Sawyer and Noah Weston are the front men of BAD. They’re fraternal twins and sexy as sin. When they hear the author of The O Factor is in their green room, they’re intrigued. She’s just the person they need to write their farewell story. The brothers offer Amelia the opportunity of a lifetime, which she reluctantly accepts.
Three hearts…
Noah is sweet and considerate, working hard to make Amelia feel at home on the road. Unfortunately, the closer they get, the more obnoxious Sawyer becomes. Sawyer is arrogant and distant and he wants Amelia, even though she’s not his for the taking. Only during stolen moments does Sawyer show her who he really is.
Can Amelia maintain a safe distance from Sawyer and keep her heart intact? Or will she shatter Noah’s heart by giving hers to his brother instead?
Just an Illusion – Side A is the first book in The Illusion Series
REVIEW
This is the first book in D. Kelly’s Illusion series, and the first time I’m reading this author. I’m going to admit that I went into this book very uncertainly. I read the blurb, and it sounded like this would be a gut-wrenching love triangle. Not my favorite thing at all. Couple that with the fact that this book closed on an enormous (and unanticipated!) cliffhanger – another thing I am not at all a fan of – and for me, that’s a recipe for guaranteed frustration.
Then I read the prologue. It was very intriguing and I can admit I was rethinking my initial impression and diligently trying to approach it with an open mind, despite the two strikes it already had against it. There was a lot going on here, and all of it was interesting. This was no simple rock star romance.
The premise was fresh – Amelia, a best-selling indie romance author who was raised in the music industry and is almost unimpressed by the band’s fame, hits the road with Bastards and Dangerous on their farewell tour as the biographer of the twin brother front-men. Noah and Sawyer are both very sexy, but they’re also night and day opposites and appeal to Amelia in entirely different ways. Noah is sweet, kind and swoony, and Sawyer is cocky, closed-off and broody, and Amelia can’t help being drawn to both. The characters were all well fleshed out and had stories and romances of their own going on in the background, adding dimension and richness to the story. Not to mention that the plot had some surprising twists and turns that I totally didn’t see coming.
I enjoyed this book—despite being annoyed by the huge honking cliffhanger. I’m anticipating the next book, Just an Illusion – Side B, especially with the way this was left. Well-written, well thought out and nicely plotted, this book took me by surprised and I’m definitely looking forward to finding out where all of this is going. D. Kelly’s Just an Illusion – Side A gets 4 smooches from me!
~ Danielle Palumbo
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Nov 13
The Bitter by Delilah Frost Review
3.5 Smooches
Synopsis
My parents didn’t want me.
They had their golden child and I was the interloper who ruined their lives. When I was sixteen, they finally abandoned me. Sure they called it rehab for a drinking problem I didn’t have, and yeah they visited every now and then, but the moment I was eighteen, I was nothing more than a bitter memory to them.
That’s fine. They don’t mean anything to me either.
Rehab is where I met her. She understands abandonment too. A junkie mother and an inconvenienced father who couldn’t be bothered with the daughter they had because one was easy and the other was dollar signs.
We understand each other. We care for each other. Even long after rehab is over and the real world is back in our faces wishing for us to fail.
She’s my everything: My best friend. My sidekick. The only girl I’ve ever been with and ever want to be with.
Until one day.
Until rumors start to spread.
Until the talk is so loud I can’t hear the truth anymore. And she does nothing to really stop them.
I thought she was my girl. I thought she was mine alone. But I hear I may be wrong.
And being wrong…well, that might just be too dangerous to face.
REVIEW
This is my first book by Delilah Frost, and The Bitter is the first book in a two-book duet. This book ends on a pretty significant cliffhanger, but the duet’s conclusion, The Sweet, is available now. It isn’t quite as simple as saying that this book is a fighter story. Truthfully, it’s a lot more than that. Frost takes a swing at some significant issues, and she doesn’t pull any punches while doing it. This book is as raw and gritty as it gets. Addiction is never pretty, and she makes no attempt in this book to dress it up as something it’s not.
Anyone who has struggled with any type of addiction or for someone who’s watched a love one struggle with one, you know the kind of mania, the desperation, the obsession that an addict feels while trying to chase down their high, their next fix. I kind of felt some of that in this book. But the thing is, it had little to do with the hero’s or heroine’s addictions and more to do with all the drama. Oh god. So.much.drama. I’m kind of exhausted from it, honestly, and not in a good way. The plot was interesting, don’t get me wrong, but there was just so drama. The kicker here is that I walked away not sympathizing with the hero, but instead thinking about how he handled everything and how it really just emphasized how immature this guy really was. For me personally, immaturity, at least at this level, is the death knell for a hero. I did not like it, it didn’t work for me, and his constant, never-ending questioning of things, self-doubt and uncertainty was a huge turn off for me. Now, that being said, the conundrum for me lies in the fact that even though I didn’t like the hero (or the heroine for that matter) all that much, the story still held some interest for me.
The heroine was problematic for me for a number of reasons. First, she was just so secretive. I didn’t really feel like this book was Cecelia and Chace’s story as much as I felt it was Chace’s story. The focus was definitely on him, Cece played a big role and we got a good look at her, just not a thorough one. She had no problems being strong and sassy sometimes, but when it really mattered, she didn’t stand and fight, she didn’t defend herself and to me that made her come off as weak. Not to mention, I had serious issues with some of the crap that she pulled – it was, well, disgusting.
There were other problems I had with this book. Such as the crazy, rapid aging of the couple. One minute they’re eighteen and just getting used to Chicago, and on the next page, with no warning or lead-in, it’s suddenly the eve of Chace’s twenty-first birthday. Same thing happened with the jump from twenty-one to twenty-four. Lots can happen between couples in eight years, and yet nothing much changed for these two. No real explanation as to why they weren’t living together either in the beginning or eight years into their relationship. I’m sorry but as two “totally broke” kids alone in Chicago, with no money, wondering where their next meal is coming from, instead of pooling their resources, they are living separately, paying two rents, with strange roommates that they didn’t know from Adam. It just made no sense.
There were other small details like this that just made things so unbelievable for me. And since I’m being honest here, I’ll admit to the fact that I just do not like – DO.NOT.LIKE. – YA books. They’re not my thing at all, I never read them, and on the rare occasions when I do, this is generally how I feel when I finish: annoyed, frustrated, unsatisfied. But I can recognize that is a personal preference – MY PERSONAL PREFERENCE. I don’t think a lot of people have these issues, and for those who don’t, I do whole-heartedly believe that they would enjoy this story. Without question, it is well-written, and as I’ve said, the plot is interesting and exciting. There is a lot of good going on here, and even though it wasn’t necessarily something I enjoyed, I have no problem pointing out the positives of this book.
I don’t know, I’m really on the fence here. I didn’t finish this book with a sense of fulfillment or even of anticipation for next. I’m annoyed right now, frustrated – but yet still curious. Since I definitely didn’t get any sort of satisfaction, I now need to decide if I want to one-click book two, The Sweet, to see how this all ends up, so I guess we’ll just have to see. Let me sum it up by saying that if you’re a fan of YA, if crazy high drama is your thing, trust me when I say you’ll LOVE The Bitter, I promise. I’m not and I don’t and therein lies MY problem with Delilah Frost’s The Bitter and the reason it’s getting 3.5 smooches from me.
~ Danielle Palumbo
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Nov 13
The Hard Sell by Lulu Wright Review
4 Smooches!
Synopsis
Lily Brook works in men’s underwear, but she would love to get Jack Stewart out of his.
Lily hasn’t dated anyone worth writing home about for years. So when she meets the impossible and impossibly handsome Jack Stewart–well, you could say he piques her interest. It doesn’t matter that he’s the cockiest asshole this side of the Mason-Dixon line.
Jack Stewart is destined for success. With his designer suits, intense hazel eyes, and penthouse apartment, he’s the total package. But he’s also the manager of Hamilton’s Department Store–the store where Lily could make or break her career. He would never fraternize with an employee. And there’s no way in hell Lily would risk her job on the hottest guy in Philadelphia. Right?
But she can’t stop imagining what he’d look like in a pair of Flash Fit’s sexy male underwear…
He shouldn’t dip his wick in the company’s ink, but he can’t resist Lily’s curvaceous body and wacky charm. He wants Lily–in the break room, the dressing area, everywhere.
Making a move on Jack could end her career. But can Lily resist his Hard Sell?
REVIEW
Lily has works in men’s underwear and looks at men in their underwear all day long…..but what she would rather do is not only stare at Jack Stewart, the manager of the store she works in, in his underwear but get him out of his altogether…despite the fact he is one arrogant a*****e. But will Jack be able to convince her he is worth the risk to her job? To her career? Jack knows he shouldn’t fraternise with employees but he can’t resist and he knows it will be a hard sell, but he knows it will also be worth it.
“C**ks are in my face all day. I see pictures of hot male models with their legs spread showing off our crotch hugging underwear all the time. Boy beef I can’t touch. Yeah, I have a lot of c**k in my life. Sadly, most of it is just a tease.”
The Hard Sell is just a fun, light hearted, easy to read rom com that will keep you smiling and intrigued and with lead characters that are likeable and fun to read and who you want to get their heavily ever after! The first in this book got me hooked straight away- I knew it was going to a fun read with great banter and I wasn’t wrong.
“I want to explore his body and commit every muscle, every inch of flesh to memory. I want him to kiss me. I want to devour his mouth. His c**k, too. But, ugh, I wish I could give him a personality transplant first.”
Lily is hilarious!! She says it as it is and is strong and determined in what she wants from life….even if her love life is lacking a little at the moment. She was so easy to like and get to know within the story. She was independent but also wasn’t embarrassed about the fact she liked Jack and wouldn’t mind getting close to his…package.
“I can’t be efficient or practical about you, because the way I feel about you is completely impractical.”
And Jack…well what can I say about Jack!! Yeah he seems a bit of hard ass at times and acts a bit dick-ish sometimes but as the story develops you realise his life isn’t just plain sailing and he is battling his own insecurities and troubles- just like everyone else. The fact these troubles affected him made him human and I liked that we could relate to his frustrations with family and annoying ex’s. I think his banter and laughter with Lily just showed what a perfect match these two were!
“What are you going to do, spank me?”
“I think you would enjoy that too much, Miss Brook.”
She smirks. “Maybe. But it’s not like I need to worry. You don’t have the guts, Jack.”
This is definitely a rom com genre story, with the classic tale tell signs of the laughter, banter, sexiness and sexual tensions between the two characters- all things that normally come with a rom com. But we did have drama- the fact this is an employer and employee romance already adds a certain element of risk but we also have Jack’s daddy dearest issues, his problematic ex and Jack certainly has some skeletons in his closet. We also have plot lines you might not see coming which builds some tension and may leave you with some shocks, themes not always common in rom cons.
“She’s insatiable, my Lily. Good thing I can’t possibly get enough of her.”
Overall it was just such a enjoyable read which has everything you love about rom coms but also a little something extra as well- it will make you laugh, make you happy, keep you intrigued and wanting to get to the end to find out if Lily and Jack are able to move beyond everything and realise that they are actually quite perfect for each other!
Bethany
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Nov 11
The Hot One by Lauren Blakely Cover Reveal
From the NYT Bestselling author of THE SEXY ONE, comes a sexy new standalone romance…
THE HOT ONE!
Releasing March 14th, THE HOT ONE will bring readers more of the swoony romance and passion they’ve come to love from Lauren Blakely, as well as plenty of witty humor and clever banter. Check out this fantastic cover created by Helen Williams with photography by Wander Aguiar.
![Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000026_00023]](http://www.inkslingerpr.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/amazonTHEHOTONE_LAUREN_BLAKELY_COVERREVEAL_newbackfinaledited-640x1024.jpg)
At first glance, stripping naked at my ex-girlfriend’s place of work might not seem like the brightest way to win her back.
But trust me on this count – she always liked me best without any clothes on. And sometimes you’ve got to play to your strengths when you’re fighting an uphill battle. I’m prepared to fight for her…and to fight hard. I might have let her slip through my fingers the last time, but no way will that happen twice.
He’s the one who got away…
The nerve of Tyler Nichols to reappear like that, stripping at my job, showing off his rock hard body that drove me wild far too many nights. That man with his knowing grin and mischievous eyes is nothing but a cocky, arrogant jerk to saunter back into my life. Except, what if he’s not a jerk . . ? He’s the one I’ve tried like hell to forget but just can’t. Maybe I’m cursed to remember him. My money is on him being the same guy he always was, but what’s the harm in giving him a week to prove he’s a new man? I won’t fall for him again.
But how do you resist the hot one…88
Preorder THE HOT ONE now!
iBooks: http://tinyurl.com/TheHotOneLB
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/2fDNSRA
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2ftBRQ5
GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/2fY0KGf
BN: http://bit.ly/2eTapgb
Sign up for Lauren’s newsletter to receive an alert when THE HOT ONE is live on Kindle on release day at http://laurenblakely.com/newsletter/.
Add it to your Goodreads now!
THE HOT ONE is coming to audio! Check out this note from Lauren:
“I’m so thrilled that Zachary Webber and Andi Arndt will narrate THE HOT ONE. Zach has an amazing voice and you might know him from GREY, as well as books by Colleen Hoover and Corinne Michaels — I’ve been wanting to work with him for a long time on an audiobook and he is the perfect Tyler!!
(And yes, I’m still working with Sebastian York! Sebastian is narrating Full Package and Joy Stick!)”
About Lauren Blakely:
Since self-publishing her debut romance novel CAUGHT UP IN US three years ago, Lauren Blakely has sold more than 1 million books. She is known for her sexy contemporary romance style that’s full of heat, heart and humor. A devout fan of cake and canines, Lauren has plotted entire novels while walking her four-legged friends. She lives in California with her family. With twelve New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than seventy times. Her bestselling series include Sinful Nights, Seductive Nights, No Regrets, Caught Up in Love, and Fighting Fire as well as standalone hit romances like BIG ROCK, MISTER O, WELL HUNG, and THE SEXY ONE which were all instant New York Times Bestsellers. In January she’ll release FULL PACKAGE, a standalone romantic comedy. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletter
Links:
Website: http://www.laurenblakely.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurenBlakelyBooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaurenBlakely3
Newsletter: http://laurenblakely.com/newsletter/
Lauren Blakely Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6860216.Lauren_Blakely
Nov 10
Jaded Hearts by Harper Sloan Excerpt Reveal
Signing with Brighthouse Records was supposed to be everything we ever wanted—our better life. Our chance at everything we never had but always wanted. All our dreams would finally come true and we were on top of the world. It was our chance at the happiness we never had in life.
Our every desire was at our fingertips and the power of that feeling was all consuming. But then it took every dream we thought would come true and it slapped us in the face with the cold hard reality.
Dreams were just that…something that floated on the cusp of untouchable, taunting you with every graze of your fingertips before slipping even further away.
Happiness…that feeling is a joke.
In the end it became painfully obvious that each of us would always have each other, but we would forever be alone.
Prologue
Signing with the record company of our dreams should have been the best thing that ever happened to us.
And it was…for a short while anyway.
While the glitz and glamour of the fame’s promise was shining as bright as our stage lights we could forget where we came from and live in the glory. The money bought us every happiness we ever craved. Those false securities that you think will make your life better. The instant friends, lovers—you name it—would do whatever we asked just to spend a second in our presence.
We had it all.
The only problem was when we had those quiet moments in between the insanity. When we were slapped in the face with the reality that all we really had—all we could count on—was each other.
My brother, Weston, is the only constant I’ve ever had in my life. He’s the person that I know will never let me down and will always be my biggest support. We grew up with parents that hated us. Really…it sounds ridiculous, the notion that parents could hate their children, but ours did … no, do. They made no secret of it when we were younger. And they continue to attempt to pick at our very souls like the vultures that they are.
My earliest memory of them is somewhere around third or fourth grade. That was the year that they seemed hell-bent on reminding us that we had ruined it all for them. Constant screams and verbal lashings.
According to them, they were on the edge of fame and then we came along and it all went down hill. Even now, I still can’t understand how they came up with that logic. How we were to blame for their reckless behavior. The same reckless behavior that, in reality had ruined whatever path they might have traveled. It has nothing to do with us, but to them, we were essentially their bad luck.
When we hit middle school it got worse, but only because they knew that they could leave us for long periods and we wouldn’t die.
Our parents, like us, were born to be stars…or at least they assumed they were and they had no qualms about reminding us that fact daily. Unfortunately for them, they lacked the drive and ambition to never back down until they had everything they ever wanted. The first challenge that was thrown in their path they decided to take the low road full of scavengers and sinners.
Like I said, vultures through and through.
Our dad knocked up mom in the early eighties, when big hair rock bands were all the rage and theirs was seconds away from signing the record deal that would make their careers.
Then they found out about us.
The twins that ruined it all.
And all those long nights performing in whatever local hole they could find, bouncing from town to town just waiting for their big break was washed away.
Mom was no longer the singer that men would lust over. Not when we ruined her body. And our dad was so deep in the bottle I’m not sure he realized he was swimming in it. Again, something that was blamed on us.
When their band fell apart, they decided hating us was almost easier than hating each other. They had a common goal in their blame and right or wrong, to them we would never be anything other than a reminder of why they aren’t living their dream.
Their band mates obviously didn’t share the same bond that Weston and I have with Jamison and Luke. God forbid I ever found myself in a position like my parents had been in, I know my boys would band together and the show would go on.
Because for us, this is it.
This is our future’s promise of a better life and even if for me it’s starting to look like more of a curse than a promise, it’s something that we would die before we gave up.
Unfortunately for me, I’m pretty sure that there are a few people that would love to make that happen.
I’m getting ahead of myself. You’re probably wondering who am I.
I’m no stranger to you. I’m on every magazine cover. You open social media and I guarentee you there is a spondered post about my group. Turn on the radio, boom – there we are.
I’m everywhere.
I’m Wrenlee Davenport, lead singer of Loaded Replay, and I’ve learned the hard way that there is plenty of people in the world that would love to have a piece of me, but they don’t give one shit about the person behind the voice.
They see the persona. The fake me that the record label loves to market as the sexy singer with the body of a sinner and the voice of a saint, but for me—I’m probably always going to be that stupid little girl that believes that my prince charming will come riding in on his black horse—because really, black horses are so much more badass than white ones—and prove to me that every little jaded piece of my heart is worth loving.
And he will love me for me.
For Wren.
Not the Wrenlee that, for more times than I care to admit, has to drink herself stupid just to face this fucking life I’m living.
Yeah… fame and fortune is far from everything I ever dreamed it was.
It’s my own personal hell and I pray that there’s something or someone out there that can prove to me that the world isn’t screwed because the majority of humanity is too busy licking the windows on the outside to see the beauty behind it. All they care about is what’s at face value when what matters is skin deep.
I should feel bad for prince charming. My knight in tarnished armor. Because he’ll have one giant battle on his hands to make me believe that there might be someone left out there that doesn’t just want a piece of me.
Harper is a NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL and USA TODAY bestselling author residing in Georgia with her husband and three daughters. She has a borderline unhealthy obsession with books, hibachi, tattoos and Game of Thrones. When she isn’t writing you can almost always find her with a book in hand.
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Nov 10
A Stone In The Sea By A.L. Jackson is FREE
“A passionate ride of secrets, surprises, and steaming hot sex.”
~Penelope Ward, NYT Bestselling Author
“Sheer brilliance from start to finish.”
~MJ Loves to Read
Grab Your FREE Copy
From NYT Bestselling Author A.L. Jackson…
Sunder lead singer Sebastian Stone is no stranger to trouble.
It follows him wherever he goes.
From his track record, he should have known Shea Bentley would be a problem. But the soft, innocent Southern girl was all he could see. All he wanted to see. Now they’re both drowning in a sea of desire, sinking hopelessly into a world of lust, and their passion refuses to let them up for air.
No matter how much he wants that to be enough…Shea has an inescapable past. One she would do anything to keep running from.
But some secrets never die.
If her history is dragged from the depths, it could tear his world apart. He has to decide if she’s worth fighting the tide or if they should just sink like a stone in the sea.
Don’t miss more of the bestselling Bleeding Stars Series
Get Details Here
STAY is coming soon!
Get updates or preorder HERE!
A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.
Her bestselling series include THE REGRET SERIES, CLOSER TO YOU, as well as the newest BLEEDING STARS novels. Watch for the next installments, STAY and STAND, coming in 2017.
If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.
Be sure not to miss new releases and sales from A.L. Jackson
Sign up to receive her newsletter http://smarturl.it/NewsFromALJacksonText “jackson” to 96000 to receive short but sweet updatesDownload the app http://smarturl.it/ALJacksonAuthorAppFacebook facebook.com/aljacksonauthorTwitter twitter.com/aljacksonauthorSnapchat or Instagram @aljacksonauthor
Nov 09
Dirty by Belle Aurora Review
5 Smooches
Synopsis
My marriage seemed perfect from the outside looking in.
People envied me. They wanted my life, wanted to be me.
Mrs Alejandra Gambino.
Wife of Dino Gambino. Daughter of Eduardo Castillo.
Respected. Loved. Mob royalty.
They had no idea of the horrors that lurked behind closed doors.
They didn’t know I was at the lowest point a person could reach.
Enter Julius Carter.
Aloof, handsome, blue-eyed Julius Carter.
He saved me.
I screwed him over.
Now everybody was after me. My life was forfeit.
It was only a matter of time. I was a dead woman walking.
The question was, who would get to me first?
Review
WOW!! This book had my heart racing and my brain working overtime. I was in a constant state on trying to figure out what would happen next and it was awesome. Dirty is the much anticipated and long awaited follow up to Belle Aurora’s hit book Raw. Following Julius, Twitch’s best friend and right hand man, and Alejandra, the woman who put him in the worst porition possible.
‘I refused to believe I had married a monster. I was sure the night before had been a one-off situation. I was wrong.’
I am a long time fan of Belle Aurora’s writing, devouring any and everything she puts out. I was nervous going into this that it would not live up to Raw. Raw was exciting, captivating and completely unique, so I was hesitant that she would be able to recreate that kind of magic again in the same world. Let me tell you that Belle did not disappoint. Dirty is just that, gritty, messy and complicated. Nothing is black and white and everyone in it lives in the grey. It was easy to love Julius, even when he was mean and demeaning it somehow worked and you just could not hate him. And let’s talk about Alejandra. That woman was beaten but not broken. She is strong and courageous and in impossible situations she took the hard road. I loved her devotion to her family and her utter will to survive.
Dirty can be read as a standalone since all pertinent information needed from Raw is given to you but I personally highly recommend reading Raw first. It will not only increase your ability to fall into this insane world you will later regret not reading Raw first since then end would be spoiled for you and that is a book you will most definitely want to read.
Dirty kept me on the edge of my seat and with every heart stopping moment I fell harder and harder for Julius and Alejandra. This is a story not to be missed.
~miranda
Nov 09
More Then Friends by Monica Murphy Chapter Reveal
More than Friends ~ Monica Murphy
Chapter 1 reveal
Chapter One
Amanda
I’m cruising on my bike, contemplating everything Livvy just told me. How her mom was so mad when she discovered Livvy had spent the night at Ryan’s house, she grounded her and took away her phone. Livvy is seriously going to lose her mind being grounded for so long, unable to see Ryan unless we’re at school. That won’t be enough for her. When it comes to Ryan, it feels like nothing is ever enough for her.
At least I’m not in trouble like she is.
Liv’s going to stress out over Ryan, though. Over those hours when she’s not with him and he could possibly be up to no good. She worries about him all the time. I get it—sort of. He seems to play games, and that must get exhausting.
Truthfully, I wouldn’t put up with that crap. But I’m not Livvy.
Thank goodness.
The wind blows through my hair as I make a right into my neighborhood, turning the wild strands into a tangled mess. Not that I care. There’s no one I’m hoping to impress. It’ll just be Sunday night dinner with the family, as usual. I’m not even sure if they’re home yet. Dad mentioned something about going to Home Depot to pick out fall flowers for the yard, and Mom said something about shower curtains and Bed, Bath & Beyond.
Bleh. I’m glad I made my escape when I did.
My house slowly comes into view and I smile to myself. I might not live in a giant mansion in a fancy neighborhood like my new so-called friends, but our house is nice. Small and on the older side, but it’s cute, with a pretty front yard and a big porch with a white swing…
Oh. Crap. There’s someone sitting on the swing. His arms are spread out along the back of the wooden frame, his gaze locked directly on me, like he knew I was going to appear at any second.
It’s Jordan Tuttle.
My heart is racing as I press gently on the brakes, taking him in, my gaze roving over every single tiny feature that makes him Jordan. I want to slow down the moment, revel in the anticipation of finding him waiting for me. He rises to his feet, runs a hand over his thick, perfect hair almost nervously, and a shuddery breath leaves me.
The memory hits me, socks me in the stomach and leaves me aching. I remember what it felt like, having those hands on me just last night. His mouth on mine, the words he whispered in my ear. It wasn’t a dream. It wasn’t something I made up inside my head, because seriously, I was starting to wonder if I really was losing my mind when it came to Jordan Tuttle.
But no. Jordan is real. He’s in my life because he wants to be here for some crazy reason. And now he’s waiting for me, his hands on his hips, the faintest smile on his face as he continues to watch me.
“What are you doing here?” I ask as I make my approach, hopping off my bike so I can roll it up the front walkway.
We meet in the middle, Jordan stopping just in front of me. “Nice way to greet me.”
I frown, worried I was doing everything wrong. He had a way of making me feel like that. “How should I greet you?”
“Like this.” His hand is suddenly curled around my nape when he pulls me in for a too-quick yet somehow lingering kiss. My lips tingle when he pulls away, and by the smug expression on his face, I know he knows the effect he has on me.
“Jordan,” I chastise, stepping away from him and nearly tripping over my stupid bike. Luckily enough, he catches me by the elbow, steadying me before I fall over like an idiot. “What if my parents are inside?”
“They’re not.” He grabs the bike from me, nudges the kickstand down and sets it in place on the sidewalk a few feet away from us. “Where’ve you been?”
His confidence makes me crazy. He’s so sure of himself, and I wish I had even an ounce of his self-assuredness.
I don’t. Not even close. He lives in another realm. I’m just a lowly peon compared to His Majesty, Lord Jordan Tuttle.
“I went over to Livvy’s,” I tell him when I realize he’s waiting for my answer. As usual, my mind wanders when I’m in his presence. “I wanted to make sure she’s okay.”
Jordan frowns. “She is, right?”
“Oh yeah, her mom just grounded her for life.” When he sends me a come on face, I readjust. “Fine, she’s grounded for a couple weeks. No phone. No Ryan.”
“It might do her some good, the no Ryan thing,” he mutters.
I say nothing. I don’t understand the relationship he has with Ryan. They’re friends. Then they’re not. They’re teammates always, and that’s something Jordan has to deal with no matter what.
“What are you up to right now?” I ask, hoping to change the subject.
He smiles. Reaches out to tuck a wayward strand of hair behind my ear. I feel that innocent touch all the way down to my toes, which are currently curling in my battered white Converse. “I want to take you out.”
My mouth drops open. “In public?”
The frown is back. It’s not fair, how attractive he still is despite the scowl he’s currently wearing. “Of course in public. What the hell, Mandy.”
I shrug, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. “We haven’t actually been seen together.”
He grabs my hand and pulls me in close. My body immediately goes hot and I wonder if he has some sort of powerful force field I can’t resist. “I want to change that.”
My gaze meets his and I can’t look away. He’s so sincere. So serious. “What happened between us last night was…”
“Real.” He kisses me again. Another brief brush of lips on lips, yet I’m decimated. Shaky all over when he pulls away. When my ex Thad kissed me, I never felt like this. Ever.
Never.
Ever.
Never.
“Maybe we were just caught up in a moment?” I ask tentatively. It’s like I’m always waiting for the bomb to drop. For the joke to be on me. No one in a million years would ever match me with Jordan Tuttle. Not even me. So what’s his deal? Why is he so persistent? I don’t get it.
I like it, but he also scares me. I don’t want to get hurt.
I don’t want my heart to be broken.
“Every time I’m near you, I get caught up in a moment.” One side of his perfect mouth tips up in this semi-smile that is absolutely adorable. I wish I had my phone out so I could snap a pic of him. “Maybe we need to give this a try and see if all we ever experience together is one giant moment.”
“That’s impossible.” The words are out before I can stop them and I slap my hand over my mouth, my eyes wide as I stare up at him.
Jordan actually laughs, shaking his head. It’s a rare sound, but wow, is it amazing. “Nothing’s impossible if you want it bad enough.”
I drop my hand, gaping up at him. “So are you saying that you want—me?”
“Yes.” He dips his head, his mouth hovering above mine. “I do.”
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Nov 09
Tru Blue by Melissa Foster Release Blitz with Excerpt and Giveaway
Title: Tru Blue
Author: Melissa Foster
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: November 9, 2016
Blurb
Imagine falling in love with a man, then finding out he was a killer…
TRU BLUE is a sexy, dark stand-alone novel written in the same loving, raw, and emotional voice romance readers have come to love, and the deeply emotional literary prose women’s fiction readers have come to expect, from New York Times & USA Today bestselling, award-winning author Melissa Foster.
He wore the skin of a killer, and bore the heart of a lover…
There’s nothing Truman Gritt won’t do to protect his family–Including spending years in jail for a crime he didn’t commit. When he’s finally released, the life he knew is turned upside down by his mother’s overdose, and Truman steps in to raise the children she’s left behind. Truman’s hard, he’s secretive, and he’s trying to save a brother who’s even more broken than he is. He’s never needed help in his life, and when beautiful Gemma Wright tries to step in, he’s less than accepting. But Gemma has a way of slithering into people’s lives and eventually she pierces through his ironclad heart. When Truman’s dark past collides with his future, his loyalties will be tested, and he’ll be faced with his toughest decision yet.
Check out our 5 smooches review HERE.
Trailer
Excerpt
TRUMAN GRITT LOCKED the door to Whiskey Automotive and stepped into the stormy September night. Sheets of rain blurred his vision, instantly drenching his jeans and T-shirt. A slow smile crept across his face as he tipped his chin up, soaking in the shower of freedom. He made his way around the dark building and climbed the wooden stairs to the deck outside his apartment. He could have used the interior door, but after being behind bars for six long years, Truman took advantage of the small pleasures he’d missed out on, like determining his own schedule, deciding when to eat and drink, and standing in the f**king rain if he wanted to. He leaned on the rough wooden railing, ignoring the splinters of wood piercing his tattooed forearms, squinted against the wetness, and scanned the cars in the junkyard they used for parts—and he used to rid himself of frustrations. He rested his leather boot on the metal box where he kept his painting supplies. Truman didn’t have much—his old extended-cab truck, which his friend Bear Whiskey had held on to for him while he was in prison, this apartment, and a solid job, both of which were compliments of the Whiskey family. The only family he had anymore.
Emotions he didn’t want to deal with burned in his gut, causing his chest to constrict. He turned to go inside, hoping to outrun thoughts of his own f**ked-up family, whom he’d tried—and failed—to save. His cell phone rang with his brother’s ringtone, “A Beautiful Lie” by 30 Seconds to Mars.
“F**k,” he muttered, debating letting the call go to voicemail, but six months of silence from his brother was a long time. Rain pelleted his back as he pressed his palm to the door to steady himself. The ringing stopped, and he blew out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d trapped inside. The phone rang again, and he froze.
He’d just freed himself from the dredges of hell that he’d been thrown into in an effort to save his brother. He didn’t need to get wrapped up in whatever mess the drug-addicted fool had gotten himself into. The call went to voicemail, and Truman eyed the metal box containing his painting supplies. Breathing like he’d been in a fight, he wished he could paint the frustration out of his head. When the phone rang for the third time in as many minutes, the third time since he was released from prison six months ago, he reluctantly answered.
“Quincy.” He hated the way his brother’s name came out sounding like the enemy. Quincy had been just a kid when Truman went to prison. Heavy breathing filled the airwaves. The hairs on Truman’s forearms and neck stood on end. He knew fear when he heard it. He could practically taste it as he ground his teeth together.
“I need you,” his brother’s tortured voice implored.
Need me? Truman had hunted down his brother after he was released from prison, and when he’d finally found him, Quincy was so high on crack he was nearly incoherent—but it didn’t take much for f**k off to come through loud and clear. What Quincy needed was rehab, but Truman knew from his tone that wasn’t the point of the call.
Before he could respond, his brother croaked out, “It’s Mom. She’s really bad.”
Author Bio
Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and new adult romance, contemporary women’s fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café and Fostering Success. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.
Melissa hosts an Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family.
Visit Melissa on social media. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups, and welcomes an invitation to your event.
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