4 Smooches!
Jun 30
Banking The Billionaire by Max Monroe Cover Reveal
Lawd! Would you look at that smile?
Yes, we promise there’s a smile. Look up. Keep going. There it is!
Get ready, world. This is our favorite book yet. 😉
Preorder on iBooks: https://goo.gl/M8W68J
Add to TBR: https://goo.gl/tScD5W
Release Date: July 26, 2016
Title: Banking the Billionaire
Series: Billionaire Bad Boys Book 2
Author: Max Monroe
Cover Designer: Perfect Pear Creative
Blurb:
Uninhibited. Sarcastic. Confident. Beautiful.
With a thriving photography career that allows her to travel all over the world and capture the hottest of men behind her camera lens, Cassie Phillips is the woman who can’t be tamed.
Adrenaline-junkie. Jokester. Billionaire. Hot-as-sin.
At six-foot-five, with muscles for days, and that perfect playful smile, Thatcher Kelly is the kind of man you don’t want to deny.
Wild for wild.
Prank for prank.
The two most unlikely of people may be the only ones to see that some personality traits only run skin deep.
Uncensored. Hilarious. And too damn hot to put into words.
Grab a fan and get ready for one hell of a ride because when the opposite of opposites attract, things are bound to get a little messy.
Disclaimer:
Authors are not responsible for feelings of lunacy, unhealthy attachment, or withdrawals following the completion of Banking the Billionaire.
Personal injury lawsuits should be fictional in nature and brought against Thatcher Kelly and Cassie Phillips. Honorable Judge MyCover presiding.
Jun 30
Chaos Bound by Sarah Castille Blog Tour with Giveaway and Excerpt
Chaos Bound
Sarah Castille
(Sinner’s Tribe Motorcycle Club, #4)
Published by: St. Martin’s Press
Publication date: June 28th 2016
Genres: Adult, Romance
Love is a wild ride.
After enduring months of torture at the hands of the Black Jacks MC, and betrayed by his own club, Holt “T-Rex” Savage, a junior member of the Sinner’s Tribe Motorcycle Club, will stop at nothing to get revenge. But falling for a beautiful woman with dangerous ties to his sworn enemy was never part of the plan…
Raised by the Black Jacks, Naiya Kelly grew up fast, furiously, and with little to lose. But now that she’s put her MC days behind her, she is free to do what she wants—until she meets a man who imprisons her, body and soul. She swore she’d never give her heart to a biker, but Holt is the most passionate, protective man she’s ever known. But will Holt be forced to betray his one true love to exact his revenge?
Chaos Bound is the fourth book in a full-length, standalone series by New York Times bestselling author, Sarah Castille, featuring red-hot, hard-riding bikers and the women who can’t help but love them
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo
Check out our 5 smooches review HERE.
Author Bio:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Sarah Castille, writes contemporary erotic romance and romantic suspense featuring blazingly hot alpha males and the women who tame them. She is the author of the Redemption series, the Sinner’s Tribe MC series, and the Legal Heat series. A recovering lawyer and caffeine addict, she worked and travelled abroad before trading in her briefcase and stilettos for a handful of magic beans and a home on Vancouver Island.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Amazon / YouTube / Pinterest / Instagram / Newsletter
GIVEAWAY!
Jun 30
Chaos Bound by Sarah Castille Review
5 Smooches!
Synopsis
LOVE IS A WILD RIDE.
After enduring months of torture at the hands of the Black Jacks MC, and betrayed by his own club, Holt “T-Rex” Savage, a junior member of the Sinner’s Tribe Motorcycle Club, will stop at nothing to get revenge. But falling for a beautiful woman with dangerous ties to his sworn enemy was never part of the plan…
Raised by the Black Jacks, Naiya Kelly grew up fast, furiously, and with little to lose. But now that she’s put her MC days behind her, she is free to do what she wants—until she meets a man who imprisons her, body and soul. She swore she’d never give her heart to a biker, but Holt is the most passionate, protective man she’s ever known. But will Holt be forced to betray his one true love to exact his revenge?
REVIEW
I absolutely loved this book and it may be my most favorite in this whole MC series and I have read everyone one of them. I did enjoy the others but this one just took the cake for me. And there are a million reasons why but the main one is how this couple meets. How their journey takes twist and turns. How the relationship between 2 MC brothers can make me have so many damn feels. How freaking hot this entire book was. How practically none of this book happened at the actual MC club but it is still an MC book. Sarah Castille! You knocked this one out of the park.
“You showed me your fire. Moth to a flame, darlin’. I’m sticking around even if I get burned.”
Oh, God. This book. It had so many feelings. It was almost overwhelming but honestly what I love most in my books is some heavy angst and between Naiya Holt and Tank I was filled to the brim with emotions.
‘I never gave up. Never.’
So get ready for some very hot and steamy sexual tension and a couple who is either fighting or making love and MC brother who never gave up on finding his very best friend in the world. These three will ruin you. Loved this one so much! 5 Stars!
“You will never be in my way, darlin’. You are the way.”
~Amie
BUY IT NOW
Jun 30
Just Keep Sweet by Melissa Brown Blog Tour
Just Keep Sweet (Compound Series #3)
by Melissa Brown
Release Date: June 21, 2016
Add to Goodreads
Amazon
SYNOPSIS
Obstacles.
So many obstacles. Nothing but obstacles.
Months ago, I agreed to help Aspen Black take down the Prophet of the FLDS—to prevent her daughter from being married at an early age, and to save innocent lives from systemic abuse on the compound.
The obstacles in this case are mounting, as are my feelings for Aspen. The tension between us is palpable and I know there’s more to our connection than the increasingly difficult case at hand. But, she’s not only married to the Prophet’s brother, she’s equally devoted to her faith. Two obstacles that just may be insurmountable.
But, no matter what happens, I will close this case.
Even if it kills me.
Check out our 4.5 smooches review HERE.
EXCERPT
After receiving a text the following morning from Aspen, I hauled myself to the station at the ass crack of dawn, the adrenaline of anticipation overpowering the pull of grogginess and the desire to stay in bed a couple more hours.
“Seriously?” asked Megan, the receptionist, looking at me over her reading glasses. She let out a yawn behind her hand as she waited for my response.
I froze. “What?”
“You’ve never been here this early … like ever.” She laughed, holding up the hot pink clock from behind her desk.
“And how would you know that?” I flirted, waving the clock away until she placed it back behind her desk. “You’ve only worked here for five minutes.”
Megan had moved to Arizona a month before and was still adjusting to the area. She was originally from Chicago and had a serious accent—like those guys in the “Da Bears” skit on SNL.
God, I’m old.
“Big case?”
“You know it.” I winked, and she blushed. She’d had a crush on me since the first day we met when I winked at her casually and her cheeks turned a deep red. Since then I was guilty of manipulating that crush for my own gain.
I’m an asshole sometimes.
Leaning in, I lowered my voice and pretended to look down her shirt for a brief second. Her cheeks grew darker. “Listen, um …” I looked around the office. “The case I’m working on is highly sensitive and the girl coming in is from the local FLDS compound—”
Her mouth dropped open. “Oh my God, seriously? I haven’t seen one yet.”
I cringed at her phrasing, which was new for me. Just months ago, I wouldn’t have flinched—hell, I said things like it—referring to the members of the FLDS as if they were animals at the zoo, a spectacle to be observed. Aspen changed all that. They were people. People who needed my help.
“Yeah, well, don’t stare, okay? Just direct her to my office as quickly as you can. The sergeant isn’t exactly a fan, if you know what I mean.”
“Got it.” She nodded, aiming to please me.
“Thanks.” I offered one more empty wink and strolled to my office, leaving the door open in anticipation of Aspen’s arrival. Before I had the chance to log my password into my laptop, I heard the alluring tone of her voice.
“Detective?”
Within seconds, I’d hopped to my feet and crossed the room, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her tight. She tensed at my touch which, although it hurt my ego slightly, reminded me that our relationship was supposed to be a professional one. I released her from my grasp, stepping back and holding my hands in the air.
“Sorry, I just—it’s just so good to see you.”
The corners of her lips turned up, and her normally pale cheeks turned a deep shade of pink. “No, no, it’s all right. It’s wonderful to see you, too, you have no idea … I’m just … Well, I’ve never been one for hugs. My mother used to tease me about it all the time.”
“So in other words, it’s not me, it’s you?” I asked with a nervous laugh.
“Something like that.” She smiled, showing her teeth. Something she didn’t do often. They were bright white and straight, especially for someone who couldn’t possibly have had braces growing up.
Am I really falling over myself because of an impressive set of teeth? What the hell is wrong with you, Cooke? Get your shit together.
For the briefest of moments, I studied her … this young woman standing in my office, trying to figure out what it was that made me feel this way in her presence. I certainly didn’t the first time we met. I couldn’t quite put my finger on when she started to creep into my subconscious. Her hair was a generic shade of brown, pulled back into a long braid that hung to her waist. She was wearing the traditional FLDS thick cotton dress that covered every inch of her body. And her feet were covered with worn sneakers. From a distance, there was nothing remarkable about Aspen at all, really.
But there was more to her, and I knew it. Her eyes were a deep aquamarine, so brilliant in color that I would have thought they were colored contacts if I didn’t know better. Her strong eyebrows only served to pronounce those eyes further. Her skin was clear and pale, like that of a porcelain doll and her lips were, despite never being covered with makeup, a dusty shade of pink. They were full and plump, waiting to be kissed. More than her beautiful face was everything that made her Aspen. Aspen was stubborn, clever, and determined … everything Elizabeth called me on a daily basis. Cut from the same cloth. Perhaps that, ultimately, was the reason I was so drawn to her. Or maybe I simply wanted to protect her.
Nope, couldn’t be it. I protected women every day on the job; it was more than that. It had to be. It was her.
Shaking off my mounting attraction, I got down to business. I wasn’t doing either of us any favors by acting like a stupid-ass teenager in her presence.
“Did you bring the note? Is there anything we can use?”
Aspen reached into her bag, nodding. “Yes, but I’m not sure. I’ll leave that to the expert.”
I studied the note, rage building in my gut with each sentence. So much condescension and entitlement in one little piece of paper. When I reached the part about myself, I could feel my neck grow hot. There was no way he could know of my attachment to Aspen, but I felt as if he could read my mind. It creeped the shit out of me.
Aspen could read my face. “There’s nothing, is there?”
I shook my head, feeling defeated despite the anger flaring in my gut. “I’ve spent some time on our database, and it looks as though a few of the prophet’s customers in the ledger have quite the record.”
“Record?” she asked, following me to my desk. I pulled a chair around for her and gestured for her to take a seat as I finished logging into my laptop.
“Criminal record … some were busted for drugs, one was arrested for indecent exposure.”
Aspen knitted her brow. “What is that?”
“It’s when you show your naked body to someone unsolicited and in public.”
Aspen recoiled as if she’d tasted a sour lemon. “Who would do that?”
“Who would pay to spend time in the prophet’s room of horrors? We’re dealing with some fucked-up characters, Aspen.”
“Good point.”
“Sorry about the language.”
She shook her head and grinned. “I don’t even notice it anymore.”
I gritted my teeth. “That might not be such a good thing, Little House.”
“Hm.” She bit her bottom lip and looked down at the floor.
“What?”
“When you first called me that, I despised you for it. You were making fun of me and I knew it. It was infuriating. But now …”
I swallowed hard, looking into her eyes, overwhelmed by their subtle intensity. “Yeah?”
“You have no idea how nice it was to hear it again, to be here with you. I feel safe again, even though I know I’m not.” She shook her head. “Not in the slightest.”
“You will be,” I said with determination. “I’ll make sure of it.”
Aspen tilted her head to the side, studying my eyes as she narrowed her own. “I believe you.”
A knock at the door startled us both. Aspen jumped in her seat, and I clutched the arm of my chair as I looked up, hoping I wouldn’t see Sergeant Ross beneath the doorframe. Instead, I saw another member of the FLDS, a woman I’d never seen before.
“Holly?” Aspen said, confusion in her voice.
The young woman, not much older than Aspen, had deep blond hair and dark eyes. Her presence was meek, unassuming, like most of the women I’d encountered from the compound. Her mouth was dropped open as she stared at us.
“Aspen?” she asked, looking as confused as Aspen sounded. “What are you doing here?
GIVEAWAY
AUTHOR PROFILE
Melissa Brown was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. She attended the University of Illinois and is the mother of two fantastic kids. She’s an avid reader who enjoys making handmade gifts for her family and friends, as well as baking and painting. Melissa has an unhealthy obsession with pop culture. She speaks fluent movie quotes from the 1980s (John Hughes = genius), reads celebrity gossip magazines and never misses an episode of Scandal. She enjoys writing contemporary romance, romantic suspense and young adult novels. All of Melissa’s books are currently available exclusively through Amazon.com and are part of the Kindle Unlimited Program.
Jun 30
Just Keep Sweet by Melissa Brown Review
4.5 Smooches
Synopsis
Obstacles.
So many obstacles. Nothing but obstacles.
Months ago, I agreed to help Aspen Black take down the Prophet of the FLDS—to prevent her daughter from being married at an early age, and to save innocent lives from systemic abuse on the compound.
The obstacles in this case are mounting, as are my feelings for Aspen. The tension between us is palpable and I know there’s more to our connection than the increasingly difficult case at hand. But, she’s not only married to the Prophet’s brother, she’s equally devoted to her faith. Two obstacles that just may be insurmountable.
But, no matter what happens, I will close this case.
Even if it kills me.
Review
“Just keep sweet. Never let him see you sweat. We’ll win this . . .”
First off let’s be clear that Just Keep Sweet is the follow-up to Mother Before Wife by Melissa Brown and you do need to read that book first. I would not recommend reading this book as a standalone. Just Keep Sweet is a romantic suspense heavy on the suspense. I literally was on the edge of my seat as I was flipping pages not only figuring out where Aspen would end up but how everything would all play out.
“Nothing about you is silly to me,” I said with confidence. “Not one thing. You’re the most incredible woman I’ve met. It doesn’t matter to me where you come from or who you’ve been with. None of it matters. I just want you.”
I don’t want to delve into too many spoilers here so let’s not focus on the plot too much here. Know that this picks up right where the last book left off and while much is resolved not everything is. There is still more to come and trust me you will never guess where the story is going next. Just Keep Sweet is a love triangle that isn’t and I know that is confusing but it’s also true. Aspen is married and she loves her husband, Paul, and loves being in a plural marriage. She isn’t looking for a quick out but she is desperately seeking help from the sexy detective Johnathan Cooke. While accusations into his brother has left her relationship with her husband strained she is forced to seek help and comfort from the defective. Her husband isn’t making her feel safe and Johnathan is. But really the romantic aspect is a very very tiny portion of this book. The main focus of the book is saving her daughter from marrying the prophet when she turns twelve and taking the man down.
‘It was time to make Clarence Black pay. I just had to figure out how.’
The storyline is like no other I have ever read and the series as a whole has quickly become a personal favorite of mine. I love Melissa’s writing and her complex characters make me just constantly want more from her. I love that in her books you get one main focus POV with extras thrown in . The last book was mainly Aspen with others and this time you get Johnathan and Paul! If you have not started this series yet then I urge you to try it and if you have then I am sure you are already hooked.
~miranda
Jun 29
The Matchmaker’s Replacement by Rachel Van Dyken Excerpt Reveal
Wingman rule number two: never reveal how much you want them.
Lex hates Gabi. Gabi hates Lex. But, hey, at least the hate is mutual, right? All Lex has to do is survive the next few weeks training Gabi in all the ways of Wingmen Inc. and then he can be done with her. But now that they have to work together, the sexual tension and fighting is off the charts. He isn’t sure if he wants to strangle her or throw her against the nearest sturdy table and have his way with her.
But Gabi has a secret, something she’s keeping from not just her best friend but her nemesis too. Lines are blurred as Lex becomes less the villain she’s always painted him to be…and starts turning into something more. Gabi has always hated the way she’s been just a little bit attracted to him—no computer-science major should have that nice of a body or look that good in glasses—but “Lex Luthor” is an evil womanizer. He’s dangerous. Gabi should stay far, far away.
Then again, she’s always wanted a little danger.
Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AU
I hated him.
HATED him.
Hate, hate, hate. I chanted the words to myself that very next morning as I stomped toward his ridiculously expensive house, next to the ridiculously nice lake, with his ridiculously loud red Mercedes parked out front. Jackass.
I’d be doing society a favor if I set it on fire.
Seriously.
The thing was probably filled with so much bodily fluid and disease that if he got in a car accident he’d infect the entire freeway and start a citywide epidemic.
I shuddered.
I compartmentalized Lex into two boxes.
The first box was Childhood Lex, the friend who used to hang out with Ian and me before he moved across town, never to be seen again. He used to ride with me to school, and when I was sick he gave me my own box of Kleenex—never mind that he stole it from his teacher’s desk. The point is, Childhood Lex was a keeper.
Box number two?
Asshole Lex, also known as the version I was walking toward. The Lex I met when I was eighteen, who momentarily stunned me speechless with his godlike beauty, had been a figment of my overactive, sad, hormone-riddled imagination.
On the outside? The perfect man.
With a brooding and sultry smile.
Biceps the size of my head.
Who gave me the distinct feeling that if I ran my hands over his buzzed hair I’d orgasm before he even touched me.
Whatever. I was over it. So over it.
A lot of people had stupid crushes when they were eighteen, right?
Now all I saw when I looked into his stormy blue eyes was syph or the clap, and that was being generous. The dude was a walking STD and seriously tried every nerve I had. He was an ass. Plain and simple, no sugar coating. He was the type of guy who’d tell a chick that she looked fat in a dress or who refused to share the communal breadbasket. See! He couldn’t even adhere to typical manners during mealtime! Just thinking about him had me tied up in knots.
Last year, when I went shopping and stupidly invited Ian along—which of course meant Lex had to come—I was told in no uncertain terms that if I would just stop drinking chocolate milk in the morning I’d be able to fit into a smaller size.
He’d smiled.
His dimples had deepened.
He’d even crossed his arms as if to say, Look, I did you a favor, pat me on the back.
Instead I had kicked him in the balls and tried to give him a black eye, clocking Ian in the face.
My point? Lex. Was. The. Devil.
I made a point of only hanging out with Lex when absolutely necessary, and even then I almost always had Ian as a buffer. But now that he was playing love nest with my ex-roomie, Blake? Well, I was on my own.
Lex opened the door after my third aggressive knock. Black sweatpants hung low on his hips, a vintage Mariners shirt fell open around his neck, and he was wearing black-framed glasses that made his eyes more appealing than should be legal.
“Sunshine,” he said, his smirk deepening as he crossed his burly arms over his chest.
“Dickhead.” I smiled sweetly. “New glasses? They look thicker than last time.”
“Better to see you with.” He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing into tiny slits. “There they are.” He reached for one of my boobs.
I slapped his hand away so hard my palm stung.
“Probably not the best way to treat your new male clients.” He shook his hand and turned towards the living room leaving the door wide open. Manners were completely lost on him.
Gritting my teeth, I slammed the door behind me and took off my shoes because I knew if I didn’t he’d give me hell.
He was a freak like that.
For as much ass as he got, it was shocking how much Lysol he used around the house. His clothes were never wrinkled; everything was pristine.
Even his breath.
Damn him.
He drank coffee like a Starbucks employee but never had coffee breath.
It was almost painful, staring him in the face, knowing that everything on the outside appeared perfect—but didn’t match the inside at all, not even close!
Beauty like Lex’s was dangerous and wickedly tempting, like something out of a paranormal romance novel. Sometimes, at night, when I dreamed of Lex getting hit by a car, I imagined him as a vampire roaming the streets in his favorite black sweats, shirtless, shimmering under the streetlights, just waiting for whores to line up so he could take a few bites.
A pencil flew by my head.
“Yo.” Lex’s eyebrows shot up. “We have a lot of work to do if we’re going to get you ready for the next two clients. Daydream about chicks on your own time.”
“I’m not a lesbian.”
He bit on his bottom lip, sinking back in his chair as his eyes slowly roamed from my mismatched socks all the way up to my head. “Okay, whatever you say, Gabs.”
I will not commit homicide. I will not commit homicide. “You know,” I said as I tossed my purse onto the table, “it’s offensive that you assume all lesbians dress like crap.” So what? I was wearing a ratty white T-shirt and ripped jeans, and I was pretty sure I still had mascara on from the night before. It was my Lex repellant. He hated sloppiness.
“Offensive.” He nodded. “Also true . . .” He used the spare pencil from behind his ear to slide my purse over to the farthest side of the table. “It wouldn’t kill you to wear something other than jeans and T-shirts, Gabs.” He sighed. “Say it with me: dresssss—”
I grabbed the pencil from his hand, broke it into two pieces, and handed them back to him. “I wear dresses, just not for you. Dresses are your kryptonite, especially short black ones. I refuse to be a part of your ‘shower time.’”
He snorted. “You wish.”
“Yes. Every night when I go to sleep I pray for Lex to dream of me while he jerks off because yet another girl refused to follow his instructions in bed : ‘Damn it, use the manual!’” I said, using my best imitation of Lex’s voice. I’d only heard him shout instructions to a girl once, and it had scarred me for life. What the hell are you doing? Do I look like I’m satisfied? There’s a diagram! Ugh.
Lex rolled his eyes. “Very funny, and the manual is there for a reason. Do you even know how many chicks get confused when I call out sexual positions? It’s like, get there faster, you know?”
My feelings were torn between fascination and disgust. “So,” I changed the subject. “Let’s train, because I have about ten years worth of Organic Chem homework.”
Lex sighed and held out his hand.
“No.” I crossed my arms. “I don’t need help.”
Okay, I needed help, desperately needed help, and Lex wasn’t just passably smart but a certified genius, at least when he applied himself. I refused to ask him to go over my homework just because Organic Chem was, to me, like reading a foreign language.
He cleared his throat.
I didn’t move.
Finally, he stood, slowly walked over to the end of the table, and fished the chem book from my oversized purse. “What chapter?”
“Lex—”
“If I’m teaching you Organic Chem, at least say Professor Lex.”
“Listen very closely, Lex.” I went over and jerked my book out of his hands. “I didn’t need your help last year when I almost failed biology, and I sure as hell don’t need your help now. Let’s just get this training done so I can go home and suffer in silence, alright?”
“Fine.” He dropped my book against the table and then, without warning, grabbed me by my shoulders and pushed me against the counter that bordered the kitchen. My butt hit the cupboard . “Up until now we’ve been helping people find their perfect match. Basically acting like a wingman so that the idiots of this world see the girl who’s been standing in front of them all along .”
Why was he standing so close? Did we have to be touching? I told my body not to respond to his proximity, but Lex was magnetic, even if every part of him was evil. My brain was having trouble functioning while his large palms were pressed into the tops of my shoulders.
“Okay.” I swallowed. “And now that you’re allowing guys to become clients of Wingmen Inc., I basically do the same thing. Give them confidence, help them capture the one girl who’s always seen them as the friend—or worse, who they’ve been invisible to.”
“What’s that like, I wonder?” Lex still didn’t release me. “Being invisible . . . Maybe next time a dude ignores you, take notes.”
And another insult.
“Lex.” I huffed out a breath. “Just get on with it.”
“Right.” His eyes momentarily locked on mine before he rubbed the bridge of his nose where his glasses were perched. It was not sexy. It wasn’t. Really. That. Sexy. “So whenever we take on a new client, we give them a list of questions, meet them in a public place, and then use the power of human emotions like jealousy and curiosity to get the other person interested. That’s where you come in. If another girl sees our client as desirable, he becomes desirable.”
“That easy?”
“Sort of.” Lex leaned forward. “But you can’t suck.”
“Suck?”
“At anything.” His lips hovered near my mouth. He was starting to freak me out. I wanted to run away, but I was pinned.
“Lex, if you kiss me I will bite your tongue off. I swear.”
“If I was actually kissing you”—Lex released one of my shoulders and placed a finger against my mouth—“you’d know it. This, my frumpy friend, is training.”
His lips descended.
They pressed against mine, then pulled back. “Yeah.” He shook his head. “Gabs, you’re going to need to open your mouth a bit more. Guys are stupid. They always assume that more tongue means better kissing, when the opposite is true, but you still need to have your lips parted, not locked down like Fort Knox.”
“What’s happening?” I tried to push away from him.
Lex rolled his eyes. “Gabs, believe me, this is all business. You can even keep your hand on my junk the whole time.”
“What!” I roared.
“So you know without a doubt that nothing about you turns me on.” He grinned menacingly. “Seriously, I don’t mind.”
“I do!”
“Hey!” He chuckled. “I was just trying to help.”
“Grabbing your penis is not the answer, Lex!”
“Weird, because it so often is.”
“I hate today.”
“Is it the rain?” He frowned.
“It’s not—”
“It is.”
“Stop that!” I shoved him. “Hurry up and grade my kissing skills so I can go home and study.”
“Kissing, hand holding, hugging, cuddling, laughing, winking—just a few things you need to master.” He was firing off so many horrible, body-numbing words.
“Just hurry up,” I grumbled in a defeated voice as I tried to block out the fact that he was a good-looking ass who offended me with every single breath he took.
“Ah . . .” Lex held up his hand. “One never hurries a kiss.”
“What about a passionate kiss?”
“A passionate kiss isn’t hurried, it’s frenzied. Damn, don’t you know anything?”
Heat swamped my cheeks.
“How many guys have you kissed, Gabs?”
“Plenty!” Five. I’d kissed five.
“You blush down your neck when you lie.” Lex cupped my chin and then brought his lips down against mine again. “Part.”
Sighing against his mouth, I relaxed my lips while his slid across.
He pulled back, wearing a frown of irritation. “A bit more, Gabs. Guys want access.”
I kept my eyes open.
So did he.
I didn’t want him assuming I was into it, which was probably his exact line of thinking. Only keeping my eyes open was an entirely raw experience, watching him watch me while I felt him.
I shivered.
“Cold?” That stupid smirk was back.
“Frigid.” I glared, putting myself down before he had a chance to.
“You read my mind.” He nodded seriously. “Now stop being a bitch, and let me teach you how to kiss.”
“I know how to kiss!” I don’t know what came over me—maybe it was the need to prove myself, or possibly it was just stress over the entire situation. Needing to stay in school and hating that he was the answer, I wrapped my arms around his neck and jumped, my hips colliding with his as I mauled his mouth with as much passion as I could conjure up, this time closing my eyes and putting everything I had into it.
With a growl, Lex pushed me back against the countertop. As my butt collided with the edge, his tongue plunged into my mouth and his hands dug into my hair, pulling it free from its ponytail while he changed positions his lips demanding a punishing kiss from a different angle as his he gave my hair a harder tug back.
I grasped at his T-shirt, pulling him closer and nearly falling backward into the sink.
And then, just when I was in danger of losing myself to the kiss that would probably be the best kiss of my life, I bit down on his bottom lip.
That move didn’t work out the way I’d planned, not at all. In my head it was smart. I’d piss him off, get him to pull back and leave me alone.
It did nothing of the sort.
Nothing of the sort at] all.
With a hiss he pulled back, fire blazing in his eyes. For a split second that seemed to go on for an eternity, he hovered and I waited, both of us on the edge of something. He wet his lips, I mimicked the movement, and then, like a snake, he struck. His mouth fused to mine in a punishing kiss, one that bruised my mouth while imprinting its essence on my soul.
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, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from readers!
Want to be kept up to date on new releases? Text MAFIA to 66866!
You can connect with her on Facebook www.facebook.com/rachelvandyken or join her fan group Rachel’s New Rockin Readers. Her website is www.rachelvandykenauthor.com .
FACEBOOK / TWITTER / GOODREADS / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE / NEWSLETTER
Jun 29
Into The Nothing by BT Urruela Blog Tour with Excerpt
Title: Into the Nothing
Series: Broken Outlaw #1
Author: BT Urruela
Release Date: June 21, 2016
Xander Evans has been on the road for many years. Never settling. Always moving from one place to another, unable to let go of his past. He lived a tragic childhood, spending most of those years in foster care. He’s never felt like he’s had a home. That is until he stops in the small town of Truman Valley, Missouri, where he meets a woman who will change everything he’s ever known.
Paige Watson has it all. A loving family, beautiful home, and a great career. The only thing she’s missing….is love. After escaping an abusive relationship, she opens her heart up to a stranger. He is unlike any man she’s ever met. He came into her life and turned it completely upside down. Everything is perfect. That is, until one fateful night.
A night that would tear the Watson family apart, never to be put back together again.
A night that would send Xander away to prison for life.
Check out our 4 smooches review HERE!
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks | Goodreads
“How about twenty questions?” I ask.
“I hate twenty questions.”
“How about five questions, then?”
He cracks a smile and lifts an eyebrow. “How about three?”
“Deal!”
“So, have I mentioned how much I fucking hate Tuesdays?” Brandi’s voice cuts right between us. Xander looks relieved.
Me? Not so much. “Damn it, Brandi!”
“What?”
“Oh nothing. Can you grab me Fireball though? Pretty please. Two of them.” I look at Xander. “You’re taking one.”
“Three. I am too, bitch! Fuck Tuesdays!” Brandi calls out from across the bar as she begins filling the shot glasses from the Fireball chiller.
“Question one. You said you’ve been traveling for a while now, right? Do you ever get tired of it? Ever feel like settling?”
“Damn. Starting out with the heavy hitters, huh?” He eyes the shot glasses as if hoping it will somehow make them fill faster.
“Need me to go easier on you? Maybe a finger or two first before I go in with the whole fist?”
He looks at me in disbelief. “Did you really just say that?”
“Just answer the question, two fingers or three?”
BT Urruela was an infantryman in the US Army from August 2004 until February 2011. At the end of a year long tour to Baghdad, Iraq, his vehicle was hit by two roadside bombs, which took his right leg below the knee and the life of his commander. He was awarded a Purple Heart for his wounds, an Army Commendation Medal, and Combat Infantryman’s Badge. He medically retired from the Army in 2011 and moved to Tampa, FL where he currently works as a Director and Brand Ambassador for VETSports, a veteran community sports nonprofit he co-founded in 2012. He also conducts motivational speeches, works as a cover and fitness model and he’s a personal performance trainer. He co-wrote the military romance novel A Lover’s Lament and will be releasing his debut solo novel, Into the Nothing, on June 21st, 2016.
Jun 29
Into The Nothing by BT Urruela Review
4 Smooches!
Synopsis
Xander Evans has been on the road for many years. Never settling. Always moving from one place to another, unable to let go of his past. He lived a tragic childhood, spending most of those years in foster care. He’s never felt like he’s had a home. That is until he stops in the small town of Truman Valley, Missouri, where he meets a woman who will change everything he’s ever known.
Paige Watson has it all. A loving family, beautiful home, and a great career. The only thing she’s missing….is love. After escaping an abusive relationship, she opens her heart up to a stranger. He is unlike any man she’s ever met. He came into her life and turned it completely upside down. Everything is perfect. That is, until one fateful night.
A night that would tear the Watson family apart, never to be put back together again.
A night that would send Xander away to prison for life.
REVIEW
Into The Nothing, the solo debut novel from BT Urruela, is not his first foray into penning romance. He partnered with KL Grayson on the phenomenal A Lover’s Lament, one of my top favorite books of 2015. While he did encounter some production difficulties with this book, ever the professional, BT still managed to turn out a fantastic book, despite some very minor editing issues.
“…the more I let this girl in, the harder it is to keep myself from wanting her.”
This story is a romance – BT refers to it as a modern retelling of Bonnie & Clyde – but it was the suspense plot that had me at the edge of my seat, tapping my Kindle’s screen furiously to turn the pages. The romance was definitely a bit of a slow burn, and this couple really took the time to get to know each other before taking the leap. A real friendship formed between Paige and Xander first, and while their attraction was right there simmering between them, they stayed within the friend zone, taking the time to build and nurture that aspect of their relationship first. And, you know what? In the end, it was a good thing, too, because it was that solid foundation of friendship and trust that gave Paige the ability to hear Xander out, to listen to her heart and to believe in him when it mattered most.
“…getting lost in those eyes captures me. It’s a feeling my ice cold heart has never felt before.”
I was impressed with Urruela’s writing abilities in his previous work, but what he did here was on another level all together. The suspense plot – and I’m purposefully choosing my words here to avoid spoiling it – was so layered with details and multi-faceted. There were many twists and turns, a few of which I did not see coming at all. It was an interesting story, it was exciting, and I found myself examining many of the characters suspiciously. Until I actually read the words, I was not completely certain who was behind everything. I really loved this portion of the book, and if this is what he put out on his first go, I absolutely cannot wait to see where he takes us next.
“This cannot be my life.”
As with any debut author’s first release – and for all intents and purposes, this is BT Urruela’s debut novel – there are always a few issues. Nothing too serious, but little things that could have been tweaked, and I have no doubt that they will be in his next release. For me, they didn’t take away from my overall experience, but they were enough for me to notice. One of the issues I had was that so much time was spent in the beginning 2/3 of the book building Paige and Xander’s friendship, forming the relationship between the main characters, that the “whodunit” portion, or the reveal, of the story felt a little rushed. I definitely would have really liked more depth and more detail there as that part of the plot was unfolding. The last third of the book, I positively devoured, and I guess, well, I just wanted more. I would have also liked a bit more in the way of a romance between the characters. I totally got the friendship – that came through loud and clear. But the romantic relationship was such a slow burn that, given the fact that this book is billed as a romance, I think a little bit more development was needed for me was to fully connect with Paige and Xander as a couple in love.
“I need Xander and he needs me. We’re all each other has, two broken souls fused together.”
All in all, this was a fantastic debut for BT Urruela. I enjoyed Into The Nothing immensely, and I was so very impressed by his first solo outing. I’m not only excited to read the next book in this series, I’m excited about what the future holds from this author. BT Urruela’s Into The Nothing gets 4 smooches from me.
~ Danielle Palumbo
BUY IT NOW
Jun 28
Briarcrest Academy Series by Ilsa Madden-Mills Cover Re-Reveals and NEW NAME and Giveaway
Re-Reveal! New Name! New covers!
Welcome to Briarwood Academy where love can be a little bad, a lot wicked, and sometimes twisted.
FOUR RED-HOT BOOKS about the BAD, WICKED and TWISTED characters of Briarwood Academy, featuring a dirty-talking gym owner, a football player, a sexy rock star, and a British bad boy.
ALL BOOKS ARE ON SALE and FREE ON Kindle Unlimited!
Very Bad Things (Book One)
ONLY $0.99 (Standalone)
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/28XHrd6
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2928nc2
Blurb
Leaving behind her mansion and Jimmy Choos, Nora Blakely becomes a girl hell-bent on pushing the limits with alcohol, drugs, and meaningless sex.
Then she meets her soulmate, but he doesn’t want her.
Sexy gym owner Leo Tate has one rule: never fall in love…until Nora shows up with her list of bad things. He resists the pull of their sizzling connection, hung up on their age difference.
Very Wicked Beginnings
(Dovey and Cuba–prequel novella)
ONLY $0.99
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/298pLcW
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/28VL91T
Blurb
When wicked ballerina Dovey Beckham meets football star Cuba Hudson, she didn’t plan on having her heart shattered into a million pieces. He’s the bad boy with a dark past, and when he falls for Dovey, he knows she can’t be part of his future.
Very Wicked Things
(Dovey and Cuba)
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/28YfFJ3
Amazon UK ONLY $0.99: http://amzn.to/28VMLsO
Blurb
Dovey Beckham is a ballerina from the wrong side of the tracks. Cuba “Hollywood” Hudson is a wealthy football player with fast cars and even faster girlfriends.
Their passion is electric, their connection deep, but once in a lifetime kind of love doesn’t come easy, especially when dirty money, past sins, and old flames come calling.
Very Twisted Things
(Standalone- Violet and Sebastian)
ONLY $0.99!
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/28XK6Dy
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/28VNnOS
Blurb
Violet St. Johns is a talented violinist hiding out in a Hollywood mansion, struggling to forget the devastation of her parent’s sudden death.
Vital Rejects front man Sebastian Tate sees the elusive girl in the mansion next door playing her violin nude, and they begin an erotic game of spying.
When they finally come face-to-face, sparks fly and clothes comes off. But giving his heart to a girl isn’t Sebastian’s plan; falling for a guy who craves attention isn’t Violet’s.
About the Author
