Sep 08
The End Game by Kate McCarthy Release Blitz with Excerpt and Giveaway
Title: The End Game
Author: Kate McCarthy
Release Date: September 8, 2015
Blurb
“Professional athletes are
pillars of their respective communities. They are heroes in the eyes of boys
and girls and are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that positively
represents their community.”
The public loves a good scandal. Seeing someone
fall from the pinnacle of success makes a great headline. No one knows that
better than I do. What started out as a promising career in college football,
spiraled into scandal and shame.
But being a hero is easier said then done.
Especially when there are those who expected to see the great Brody Madden
fail. I craved nothing except being the best—willing to do anything to prove
them wrong. But I went too far, and I tried too hard, and it broke me.
“At the time of going to print,
Jordan Elliott was unavailable for comment.”
I met Brody Madden in my senior year of college. An
Australian native on an international scholarship, I was the female soccer
sensation with stars in her eyes and no room for a hotshot wide receiver with a
chip on his shoulder.
But a heart bursting with ambition and a driving
fire to succeed isn’t made of stone. I became his strength, his obsession, and
the greatest love of his life. Only I wasn’t there when he needed me most.
This is a story about love and a game that takes
everything. Where the path to glory is paved with sacrifice. Where pressure
makes you, or breaks you, and triumph is born in the ashes of failure. Where
two people’s end game will change everything.
Check out our 5 smooches review HERE.
Purchase Links
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Excerpt
Shutting the door, I walk up the slight incline behind Brody. He sits down at the top of the crest and pats the grassy spot beside him.
“You didn’t mention this part when you explained our date.”
“I can’t give away all my secrets now, can I?”
The grass is a thick blanket on the ground and when I stretch out flat, the rich, earthy scent of soil sweeps over me. My eyes lift to the sky and that’s when I get it. It’s perfectly clear and millions of stars are scattered diamonds twinkling above us—bright and magical.
“Besides,” Brody adds as he lies down beside me and sweeps out his arm, encompassing all of it. “How do you explain that?”
He’s right. You can’t. “It’s beautiful.”
“Is this what the stars are like for you back home?”
“No. Back home it’s different.”
“Different how?”
Homesickness swamps me. As beautiful as Texas is, it’s not Australia. Somehow the stars are always brighter where you belong. “Because there’s no place like home.”
“You’re wrong.”
I turn my head and stare at Brody. He’s not looking at me. His head is tilted toward the sky, eyes riveted on the beauty above him. My gaze follows the line of his profile. From the curl of his hair to the perfect line of his nose, down to the mouth I want kissing me right this very instant.
“Home’s not a place where you live. It’s a feeling.” His hand nudges my own. An invitation. I twine my fingers with his and he squeezes them lightly. “Whether it’s where you are, like the football field, or who you’re with.” Brody turns his head, looking at me when he says that. It’s comforting because it unites us somehow, like it’s slowly becoming us against the world. “You can be anywhere, Jordan. Home will follow you if you follow your heart.”
My breath hitches from the beautiful simplicity of his words. Before I can talk myself out of it, I roll over and straddle him. My knees hug his hips, and he stares up at me from my seated position. My pulse pounds a heavy beat in the silence. Thump, thump, thump. It’s so loud in my ears I’m sure he can hear it.
“Show me,” I breathe. A gleam lights his dark eyes, and he sucks his lower lip inside his mouth. He knows what I’m asking, but I spell it out anyway. “Show me one of those wicked things.”
In a move that steals the air from my lungs, he takes both my hands and pulls me down against the broad width of his chest. I’m rolled over and underneath him before I can blink. The squirm in my hips is instinctive, the ache between my thighs relentless.
“Careful what you ask for,” Brody says roughly, every exquisite inch of his body pressing down on mine.
“Why?”
His lips curve. “Because when I give it to you, it won’t be enough.”
My fingers trail down the side of his face, grazing the firm jaw, cupping his cheek in my palm. Foreboding swamps me. I’m falling hard into uncharted territory, and all I see is a broken mess at the end. How is this going to end well for either of us?
“You’re an arrogant man, Brody Madden,” I whisper.
He brings his face to mine, so close I see the brilliant gold in his eyes, like flecks of light in the dark. “And you, Jordan Elliott, will be the woman who brings me to my knees,” he whispers against my lips.
“Show me,” I beg on a shaky breath.
Brody’s lashes lower and he presses a kiss to the corner of my mouth. I tilt my chin upwards, inviting more. Rather than take my lips like I ache for him to do, he shifts sideways and begins nipping at my jaw. His breath is a rasp when he reaches my earlobe, taking it between his teeth. A sharp pinch from his bite forces a whimper from my throat.
“More?” he asks, drawing back to look at me.
“Is that even a real question?”
Brody chuckles as I slide my hand up and around his nape, dragging his mouth down to mine. He groans and kisses me gently, once, and then twice.
“Brody,” I whisper, and he kisses me again, forcing my mouth open hard like he can’t hold himself in check anymore. My hair is loose and he fists chunks of it in both hands while his tongue rubs against mine, hot and aggressive. It’s almost too much, and when I jerk away I’m left gasping.
Brody doesn’t pause. He ducks his head to my neck, his tongue tasting its way down. He finds my pulse point and sucks. It’s fierce and my back arches involuntarily. His mouth shifts further down, moving on before he leaves a mark.
Sitting up, he takes the neckline of my dress in both hands. Five dainty buttons hold it together. A single wrench will rip the flimsy fabric in two. He pauses and looks at me, inhaling raggedly. “Jordan … I don’t want to ruin it.”
My brow furrows. I glance to the hands poised on my dress. They’re tense, veins straining under his skin. My head is lost in a fog when my gaze returns to his face. “Ruin my dress?”
Brody groans, a deep sound of regret and frustration. “Us.”
“You don’t want to ruin us?”
He draws his hands away from the neckline of my dress. “No.”
“How would you do that?”
“I don’t know. I just get this feeling I’m going to.” He shifts away, moving off me and rolling to his back. I turn my head. Brody’s gaze is back on the stars. I watch his throat work as he swallows, the pulse in his neck pounding visibly. “All I’ve ever wanted is to be the best. Whatever it takes. I’ll do anything. That’s how I’ll ruin us, Jordan. How can something so sweet survive a sentiment so dark?”
I roll to my side, holding my head in my hand. Cupping his face with the other, I nudge gently until he’s looking at me. “I won’t let you.”
Brody’s voice is urgent, his eyes fierce. “Promise me.”
I can’t shake the apprehension. It’s set in my bones and when I speak it feels like a lie. “I promise.”
Author Bio
Kate McCarthy is an Australian, living in the pretty sunshine state of
Queensland with her two kids and two dogs, Rufus and Pete.
She
loves to bake sweet stuff and eat it too. With an exciting degree in business,
she works as an accountant by day, and an author by night. In between family
life, she is most often found in bed reading, or at the beach, still reading.
Author Links
Sep 08
The End Game by Kate McCarthy Review
5 Smooches!
Synopsis
“Professional athletes are pillars of their respective communities. They are heroes in the eyes of boys and girls and are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that positively represents their community.”
The public loves a good scandal. Seeing someone fall from the pinnacle of success makes a great headline. No one knows that better than I do. What started out as a promising career in college football, spiraled into scandal and shame.
But being a hero is easier said then done. Especially when there are those who expected to see the great Brody Madden fail. I craved nothing except being the best—willing to do anything to prove them wrong. But I went too far, and I tried too hard, and it broke me.
“At the time of going to print, Jordan Elliott was unavailable for comment.”
I met Brody Madden in my senior year of college. An Australian native on an international scholarship, I was the female soccer sensation with stars in her eyes and no room for a hotshot wide receiver with a chip on his shoulder.
But a heart bursting with ambition and a driving fire to succeed isn’t made of stone. I became his strength, his obsession, and the greatest love of his life. Only I wasn’t there when he needed me most.
This is a story about love and a game that takes everything. Where the path to glory is paved with sacrifice. Where pressure makes you, or breaks you, and triumph is born in the ashes of failure. Where two people’s end game will change everything.
Review
“They say your entire life is mapped out on the palm of your hand.”
Few authors have the unique ability to make me feel. Like REALLY feel. The kind of feels that vary from chapter to chapter. You know what I am talking about. The feels that make you stupidly smile at your kindle while you are reading in public and everyone is just staring at you like your are crazy. The feels that make you try to hold in a gut wrenching sob. The feels that make you so happy that you are smiling through your tears. Kate McCarthy is one of those few authors. Her words evoke such strong emotions in me and when I am done reading her books, I miss her characters like they are friends or family. You get to experience the heart of her characters through her words. And The End Game is Kate McCarthy at the top of her game.
“Don’t go,” he whispers, and his voice cracks with so much pain it squeezes my chest. “You made me want you and need you, and now I can’t live without you anymore. Not for a single second.”
Oh, God. That cover, the blurb, the teasers, nothing quite prepared me for The End Game. I was thinking I was going to be getting a typical NA college sports romance. But no, this was so much MORE. This is NOT the usual I want to be the best sports star pursuing the good girl romance. This is the story of two persevering athletes that HAVE to be the best. This isn’t a choice for them. Along the way of relentlessly pursing their dreams and goals they fall in love. It isn’t really the right time, the right place, or a perfect situation at all but love cannot be stopped, not even for dreams of playing in the NFL or winning The World Cup.
“All I’ve ever wanted is to be the best. Whatever it takes. I’ll do anything. That’s how I’ll ruin us, Jordan. How can something so sweet survive a sentiment so dark?”
I tell you what. I had no idea where this book was going and I found myself so shocked a few times. I would literally put my kindle down and be like that did not just happen. Brody’s story is probably the most surprising. It is dark and sad and it made me want to hug and protect this big man. And Jordan, well she is probably one of my most favorite heroines ever. She is strong, independent, and when she makes a mistake she admits it. She is the strength to Brody’s weakness. Nothing makes me love a heroine more than her ability to stand by her man and Jordan does that and more. I loved her. She is everything.
“We’re opposites, you and I. I’m weak. But you…” he shakes his head “…your strength is like the sun, Jordan. It feeds me. And if you don’t let me go. I’ll just use it all up until you have nothing left.”
(SOB)
Yes, this book had my emotions just all over the place but there was also much needed laughter and fun times through out, I also really found myself enjoying the side characters as well and I am seriously hoping that Kate will come through with some of their stories. I feel like one in particular needs a book definitely. (coughjaxcough)
I cannot express enough that you must pick this one up. It is one of my favorites of 2015 so far. The End Game is a story full of hope, and dreams, and struggle. It is as tragic as it is beautiful. This one was a touchdown for me!
“I need to believe in something.”
“Then believe in yourself.”
~Amie
BUY IT NOW
Sep 08
My Kind Of Forever by Heidi McLaughlin Release Blitz ad Giveaway
Happy Release Day to Heidi McLaughlin and My Kind of Forever! Check out an excerpt from the book below and make sure to enter the giveaway!! Good luck! #LiamAndJosieForever
♥ Purchase My Kind of Forever ♥
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
Liam Page knows music and a life of solitude, but that all changed when he returned to Beaumont. The once notorious bad boy lead singer of 4225 West is now living the domesticated life with his wife and high school sweetheart, Josie, and their son, Noah. Life is good for the Westbury family.
Josie Westbury loves everything about her life. She’s happily married. She has a successful business and a son who keeps her active. The only thing she longs for is another child.
Torn between his love for music and his love for his family, Liam finds he’s needed back in Los Angeles and the place where it all began. Josie is apprehensive, but knows this is what’s best for Liam and the bands career; however, it doesn’t take long for her biggest fears to start coming true.
Liam and Josie’s story continues in this last installment of The Beaumont Series.
Amazon: http://bit.ly/MKoF5
BN: http://bit.ly/BNMKoF
iTunes: http://bit.ly/MKoFi
Kobo: http://bit.ly/MKoFkobo
The way the mirror on my dressing table is angled gives me the perfect opportunity to watch Liam undress. This is my favorite ritual, morning and night. I’ll take the chance anytime I can to watch him methodically peel off his clothes. He’s a man who unties his shoes first, placing them back on the shoe rack. His socks are next, followed by his shirt. My peeping tom ways are often rewarded when he’s wearing a dress shirt. Not only do I get to watch the muscles in his back flex as he pushes each button through the ridiculously small hole, but his undressing is prolonged. He takes his t-shirt off the same way every time and when he pulls the collar from behind and the shirt slowly lifts inch by inch, my mouth waters. My lips become dry and my knuckles ache from my hand clutching my hairbrush. The clank of his belt buckle and the almost too silent pop of the fabric from his button down jeans have me staring intently into the mirror. My make-up is only half off, my mouth wide open and I’m the picture of someone who needs serious help. And let’s not get started on the way he gets dressed…
His jeans drop to the ground and he kicks them aside, depriving me of the chance to watch him bend over to pick them up. I find myself leaning into my vanity to get a better look as his thumbs dip into the waistband of his boxer briefs. Men find women’s lingerie sexy and appealing. It turns them on. The look and feel teases them and they love it. I never thought about men in their underwear until I saw Liam in his. Over the years he’s maintained his muscles, yet has a more defined physique. His boxers aren’t sagging in places they shouldn’t. My husband could be an underwear model with his form fitting briefs, although I don’t know if I’d want the world to see what he only shares with me. The cotton fabric pools at his feet. He steps out of them and turns around, showing me his naked body… a body only for my eyes, my hands, my lips and any other part of me.
“How long are you going to stare at me?” I swallow hard as my eyes flash to his and a wicked grin plays across my lips.
“Until my eyes no longer work,” I tell him. “Or until you tell me to stop.”
“Hmm that’ll be never,” he says as he walks near me.
Heidi is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author.
Originally from Portland, Oregon and raised in the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband and two daughters. Also renting space in their home is an over-hyper Beagle/Jack Russell, Buttercup, and their newest addition of a Highland Westie/Mini Schnauzer, JiLL.
During the day Heidi is behind a desk talking about Land Use. At night, she’s writing one of the many stories planned for release or sitting courtside during either daughter’s basketball games.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest
♥ Other Books by Heidi McLaughlin ♥
Forever My Girl – The Beaumont Series #1
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
My Unexpected Forever – The Beaumont Series #2
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
Finding My Forever – The Beaumont Series #3
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
Finding My Way – The Beaumont Series #4
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
My Everything – A Beaumont Series Novella
12 Days of Forever – A Beaumont Series Novella
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Lost in Us – A Lost in You Novella
The Archer Brothers
Here with Me
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Choose Me
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes
The Reeducation of Savannah McGuire
Heidi McLaughlin’s MY KIND OF FOREVER Release Day Blitz Giveaway
Sep 07
Valid Deception by Jennifer Pfister Review
3.5 Smooches
Synopsis
You would never think that one person, one betrayal, one poor judgment of character could lead to a whirlwind of life-changing events….
Stevie Hampton grabbed her life by the horns at the young age of 25. She worked her way up in her career, had a place to call her own, and had a casual boyfriend, Craig Mundy, who was a SWAT team member in Ocean County, NJ. They had one sure thing in common: both were career driven with barely a personal life.
What Stevie didn’t expect was for Craig to disappear without a word for three days—with no returned calls, no explanation and nothing adding up. Stevie knew one person who would have answers—Austin Kurt, Craig’s partner. The two were inseparable.
But when Stevie unexpectedly sees Austin waiting for her in an empty parking garage, her life suddenly takes a sharp turn and within seconds she’s unconscious. She wakes up with endless questions – like why her life was now literally in the hands of Austin? And what part did Craig play in this disaster?
In a relentless fight to clear up the misunderstanding, harbored feelings grow and fester between Stevie and Austin. Both are blindsided by the hidden connections between them.
Events tested them.
People tested them.
Life tested them.
Stevie is the beauty but is Austin really a beast? Knowing the truth is the only way to set them free, but when the truth comes out can they get past all the mixed feelings and the damage that’s already been done?
**Author’s note – this is a full-length standalone novel. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.
Review
“We were in it to have fun, never thinking it would lead to anything further.”
Stevie Hampton, a 25-year-old hair stylist from New Jersey, was all about her career. She worked hard for the success she was realizing, maybe even too hard. She had her own place, she had a devoted following of clientele and she had a contract to do hair and makeup for a major modeling agency’s photo shoots. She was at the top of her game, and a relationship, friendships and even family fell by the wayside as she pursued her career. She did, however, have a very, very casual, likeminded boyfriend, and they both knew the score – their careers always came first.
“Our relationship never felt pressing that we had to see each other every single day.”
Craig Mundy, a NJ based SWAT officer, served Stevie’s purposes as she did his. Their no-pressure, no expectations relationship was easy, even if Craig was a bit self-centered and quirky. She had a friend in Craig’s partner, Austin Kurt, whom she secretly crushed on. She thought she had everything she wanted, until one night during a work party of Craig’s when she sensed Austin’s attraction to her, and she realized that it was definitely reciprocated. Following the party, she didn’t hear from Craig for days, not all that unusual for them, but it was longer than they normally went without contact. The separation had Stevie questioning their whole relationship and coming to the realization that the relationship, and Craig in particular, wasn’t what she wanted. If she could only track Craig down to talk to him about it…
“What did I ever do to him? What was going on?”
While out with her coworkers for a girl’s night, Stevie is surprised in the parking garage as she is heading home for the night by Austin. Knocked unconscious, Stevie comes to with a pounding headache in a cold room she doesn’t recognize and unable to recall what had happened. She learns that her captor is none other than Austin, and he is positively furious with her for reasons she does not understand. Delivering terrifying threats that she believes he could – and would – easily carry through, Austin forces her to leave everything – her home, her family and friends, her career – behind so that he can take his revenge on her for her role in a betrayal Austin believes was perpetrated against him by Craig and Stevie. Stevie has no idea what is going on, but Austin does not believe her
“He took my life in his hand, looked at it, and threw it to the ground shattering it into a million pieces.”
Weeks go by, and Stevie is no closer to figuring out what happened and why exactly Austin kidnapped her. All she knows is that he believes that she and Craig somehow betrayed him. He will not discuss it with her, despite her repeated attempts. The only thing that is changing – and very, very slowly at that – is their relationship. Sometimes she thinks she sees a hint of doubt in Austin’s normally cold and shuttered eyes, only for it to be gone just as quickly. She occasionally see flashes of the Austin she thought she knew, but then he’s gone and the cold, remote and harsh person is become snaps back into place. She is sinking further and further into an anxious depression, and yet, she cannot help the attraction she feels towards him. It was there even before this situation.
“This felt less like a kidnapping and more like a forced situation just waiting to be figured out.”
Austin assimilates Stevie into his life with the cover story of being his girlfriend. Publicly, they are a normal, albeit unaffectionate, couple. At home, it’s awkward avoidance as they spend their days going about life separately. Stevie has free reign, she can come and go as she pleases, and she does, involving herself in the community and befriending the girlfriends of Austin’s two best friends. Stevie can sense Austin’s turmoil, his doubts and his attraction to her. She questions him constantly to find out if he’s heard anything that will exonerate her in his eyes, and all the while, her feelings for him are deepening. While she is still upset at the havoc Austin’s revenge has wreaked upon her life, she can understand why he did it.
What will happen when the truth comes out? Where do they go from here?
********************************
There were parts of this book that I really, really liked. The premise is a good one – it’s a totally fresh plot line and it definitely intrigued me. I think that some of the way that this plot played out was fantastic. But there were other plot points that just didn’t work well, and I struggled through those areas. Parts of the book flowed very easily, building up the anticipation to what I hoped would be a great pay off. But that never really happened, and in some areas, it got to be very repetitious, dragging this big mystery on and on. My biggest issue, however, was with the ending. There was all this build up leading to this huge make or break, long-time-coming type of moment for them and their relationship, and it wound up being a couple of paragraphs of a very glossed over sex scene (the only one in the book) with a few lines of dialogue including declarations of love that segued right into a six month flash forward of the take down of the real villain behind all of this. Stevie’s confrontation with Craig at the end was disappointing, and the entire ending of the book felt like it just came to a screeching halt. All that build up didn’t really lead to anything, and it was very surprising.
This book held a lot of promise, and parts of it were really good. I think with perhaps a more seasoned team of beta readers giving honest, constructive feedback to this debut author on where it was going wrong, it could have been really great. For me, though, it was a mixed bag. 3.5 Smooches for a great plot idea, though!
~ Danielle Palumbo
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Sep 07
Wicked Games by A.D. Justice Release Blitz and Giveaway
Title: Wicked Nights
Series: Steele Security #3
Author: A.D. Justice
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: September 7, 2015
Blurb
First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes a shiny new baby carriage.
But is life ever really that simple?
Noah and Brianna Steele were living their dream life as husband and wife. The wicked games of the past were behind them, and every day was better than the last. Hopes and dreams, once only fantasies, were, at last, their reality.
Colton Lanier and Chaise Steele found love in their own unlikely way. During their whirlwind romance, they broke the wicked ties that bound them and formed new, unbreakable bonds of love. After they mended relationships with estranged family members, life seemed to give them a new chance for happiness.
But an unknown danger lurked in the distance, and a family’s hope began to fade into despair. Just when everything in life appeared to be perfect, will the family of Steele Security be prepared for the approaching wicked nights?
Also Available
Author Bio
A.D. Justice is the best selling author of the Steele Security Series (Wicked Games, Wicked Ties, and the upcoming Wicked Nights), the Crazy Series (Crazy Maybe, Crazy Baby), and the Dominic Powers series (Her Dom, Her Dom’s Lesson).
When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with her own alpha male character in their north Georgia mountain home. She is also an avid reader of romance novels and enjoys reading many different types of romance books.
She is a master at procrastination, a chocolate sommelier, a twister of words, and speaks fluent sarcasm.
Author Links
Sep 07
Paper Hearts by Claire Contreras Pre-Release Blitz and Giveaway
Meet Mia and Jensen in this beautiful standalone contemporary romance by Claire Contreras releasing September 10th. #ClaireWrites
Pre-order your copy at:
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1KSiifj
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Lben8Y
iBooks: http://apple.co/1JJXiFm
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1M21cgB
Blurb
I lost her.
No, I didn’t lose her. I threw her away.
She was my best friend.
I was never supposed to fall in love with her.
I was careless.
She was heartbroken.
I thought I was doing fine. But here she is, years later, forced to work with me, reminding me why I fell in love with her in the first place.
And this time I’m going to do everything in my power to never let her go.
Haven’t read this series yet?
Start Mia & Jensen’s story for FREE at the following retailers:
(Prequel and is an addition –
Does not need to be read before Paper Hearts)
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1LRDlye
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1I9jPby
iBooks: http://apple.co/1I2ldPy
Author Information
Claire Contreras graduated with her BA in Psychology from Florida International University. She lives in Miami, Florida with her husband, two little boys, and three dogs.
Her favorite past times are: daydreaming, writing, and reading.
She has been described as a random, sarcastic, crazy girl with no filter.
Life is short, and it’s more bitter than sweet, so she tries to smile as often as her face allows. She enjoys stories with happy endings, because life is full of way too many unhappy ones.
Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | Twitter
ARC GIVEAWAY
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Sep 07
Hollywood Dirt by Alessandra Torre Release Blitz
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═══ LIVE BUY NOW ═══
Cole Masten. Abandoned by his superstar wife, Hollywood’s Perfect Husband is now Hollywood’s Sexiest Bachelor: partying hard and screwing even harder. Watch out Los Angeles, there’s a new bad boy in town.
Summer Jenkins. That’s me, a small town girl stuck in Quincy, Georgia. I cook some mean chicken and dumplins, can bluff a grown man out of his savings in poker, and was voted Most Friendly my senior year.
We were from different worlds. Our lives shouldn’t have collided. But then Cole Masten read a book about my small town. And six months later, his jet landed on our dusty airstrip, and he brought Hollywood with him.
From the start, I knew he was trouble. For our town. And for me.
Sometimes, opposites just aren’t meant to attract..
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EXCERPT:
When the door to the production trailer burst open, it brought with it a wave of heat and beauty. Cole looked up from the storyboards and locked eyes with Summer, who blew across the room at him like a tornado on tilt.
“There’s no love story between Ida and Royce.” Summer snapped, throwing down the script, pages fluttering down between them. In the small trailer, conversations stalled and he could feel the attention turn their way. “I’ve read the book. Three times!”
It was good to know that someone had read the damn book. Cole glanced down at her temper tantrum of a mess and back up, raising his eyebrows mildly. “It’s a movie,” he said, turning back to the storyboards. “The writers are adding some excitement. It’s normal. You’d know that if you were in this business.” The dig was unnecessary but he couldn’t help it. This woman turned him into the devil.
“I read the first script. The one you sent over with my contract. Ida and Royce hated each other. Why would Royce…” she snatched up a page from the ground and read out a line. “pushes Ida against the file cabinet and kisses her passionately.” She balled up the page and threw it down to the ground and he could see, in her eyes, the panic. Panic. An unexpected reaction.
“We’ll use that,” Don made the dangerous move of stepping in, putting a soft hand on her shoulder. “You don’t understand. The passion from their hatred will make it hotter.”
“No.” Summer said, her face hard, her eyes on Cole. “It doesn’t make it hotter. It makes it stupid.”
“Aww… come on, Summer.” Cole chided, stepping closer, his hand reaching out to pull at her wrist. She fought him, yanking it back and the moment of their bodies meeting didn’t happen. He leaned down and whispered, right against her ear, the smell of her apple-scented lotion enough to make him want to empty out the production trailer right that moment. “Sure it does.”
She jerked back and twisted away. “If he kisses me on camera I’m going to lose it.” She shot at Don, pointing an accusatory finger in Cole’s direction.
“I know you will,” Cole laughed, crossing his arms to fight from reaching out. “You’ll fall apart under my mouth, baby.”
Summer screamed in response, her hands thrown up in frustration, and spun to leave, her script left behind, the slam of the exit door loud in the full production trailer.
“That went well,” Cole mused. He linked his hands and rested them on his head, rolling his shoulders back. Panic. She’d had panic in her eyes. Fuck.
“What do you expect?” Don said. “You threw this on her without warning. I told you we should have met with her this morning, gone over the changes to prepare her. But no – you just wanted to dump it on her via call sheets and sides.”
“Dump it on her? I was People’s Sexiest Man last year. She’s not mentally adjusting to a war camp for God’s sake. How hard is it to kiss me?”
“It’s actually three kisses,” a dark-haired PA to his left pointed out. “And a grope.”
He gave her a hard look and she withered a little.
“I’ll go talk to her,” Don said. “Eileen, you shoot #4 and I’ll talk to Summer. I want to try to get #14 shot at eleven so let’s get our asses in gear and get this done.”
“I’ll talk to her.” Cole stepped in. “You shoot #4 and I’ll talk to her.”
“No,” Don snapped. “With my luck you two would make up and any authenticity to the scene would disappear. Just stay away from her and be ready at eleven.”
Cole chewed on his cheek, then nodded. “Fine.” Don was right. He should stay away from her. Far. Far away.
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Alessandra Torre is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author of ten novels. Her books focus on romance and suspense, all with a strong undercurrent of sexuality. Torre has been featured in such publications as Elle and Elle UK, co-hosted Dirty Sexy Funny with Jenny McCarthy, as well as guest blogged for the Huffington Post and RT Book Reviews. She is also the Bedroom Blogger for Cosmopolitan.com.
You can learn more about Alessandra on her website at www.alessandratorre.com, or you can find her on Twitter (@ReadAlessandra) or Facebook.
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Sep 07
Triple Play by Sloan Johnson Cover Reveal and Giveaway
Triple Play
by Sloan Johnson
Homeruns #3
Publication Date: September 29, 2015
Genres: Contemporary, M/M, Romance, Sports
Drew Jackson seemed to have it all. He has a family who loves and supports him, a tight circle of friends, and is a rising star with the Milwaukee Mavericks. Then, it all begins to unravel. Cam, the only man he’s ever loved, falls head over heels for Drew’s teammate. He makes a critical mistake in the playoffs that he’s not sure he’ll be able to recover from. And then, his world really crashes around him…
Eric Sapp may no longer play for the Mavericks, but he’s still one of the guys. No one could have imagined how much his life would change when he agreed to help his former teammates mourn the end of their run for the pennant. After stopping a brutal attack, Eric is forced to face the feelings that’ve been growing for his roommate, Drew. That’d be much easier if Drew wasn’t hell-bent on pushing everyone away as he recovers.
Neither of them were counting on Bryce Shaw. He and Drew enjoyed the one night they spent together, but knew it was unlikely they’d be anything more since they lived in different parts of the country. After Bryce is relocated to help a failing LGBT homeless outreach, he wants to explore something more with the Mavericks’ short stop.
As much as Eric wishes he could be the one to help his friend, he knows Bryce holds the key to Drew’s recovery. Will pushing the two back together be the biggest mistake of his life or will they all learn there is strength in numbers?
Also in the Series
There’s never been any question in Sean Tucker’s mind that he’d do whatever it took to make it to the major leagues and be one of the best pitchers of his time. The day he acknowledged to himself that he was gay was also the day he vowed to stay in the closet in order to chase his dreams. The problem is, he never counted on Mason Atley.
Sean showed rookie short stop Mason Atley the ropes, both on the field and off. The two forged a friendship which continued as both of them moved through the ranks of the farm system and into the majors. Unfortunately, there’s always been one secret Mason never felt he could share with Sean. Until now.
For seven years, Sean lived with the fact that he loved a man who would never reciprocate. When Mason admits that he’s always known he’s bisexual but has never allowed himself to pursue a relationship with a man, will Sean be able to put aside his reservations about starting a relationship with the friend he’d always assumed was straight? And more importantly, will they be able to find a way to stay together when their careers keep them apart more than they can be together?
Jason Klein’s living with the fallout from a decision he knew was the right one at the time. He never told anyone about the love of his life, which left him to mourn alone when he found out the man he gave his heart to had been killed in combat. Now, his heart has had time to heal, but he’s not sure he’s ready to let himself move on. Until he meets Cam Morgan…
Without a job lined up following graduation, Cam Morgan took his best friend up on his offer to move to Milwaukee and stay with him until he could get on his feet. The last thing he wanted to do the day after getting to town was go to a party filled with a bunch of jocks. Sure, they were “professional athletes” but Cam was convinced that bigger bank accounts didn’t make them any more accepting of people like him. He certainly didn’t expect to meet Jason, the Mavericks’ catcher who broke every stereotype he’d had.
What started out as one hot, sweaty night together quickly grows into something deeper. Jason welcomes Cam into his home and his life, but now he has to teach the younger man that it’s not a sign of weakness to let people help you.
About Sloan Johnson
Sloan Johnson is a big city girl trapped in a country girl’s life. While she longs for the hustle and bustle of New York City or Las Vegas, she hasn’t yet figured out how to sit on the deck with her morning coffee, watching the deer and wild turkeys in the fields while surrounded by concrete and glass.
When she was three, her parents received their first call from the principal asking them to pick her up from school. Apparently, if you aren’t enrolled, you can’t attend classes, even in Kindergarten. The next week, she was in preschool and started plotting her first story soon after.
Later in life, her parents needed to do something to help their socially awkward, uncoordinated child come out of her shell and figured there was no better place than a bar on Wednesday nights. It’s a good thing they did because this is where she found her love of reading and writing. Who needs socialization when you can sit alone in your bedroom with a good book?
Now, Sloan is a tattooed mom with a mohawk and two kids. She’s been kicked out of the PTA in two school districts and is no longer asked to help with fundraisers because she’s been known to lose herself with a good book and forget she has somewhere to be.
Sep 06
Sacked by Jen Frederick Review
4.5 Smooches!
Synopsis
Knox Masters is a quarterback’s worst nightmare. Warrior. Champion. And…virgin. Knox knows what he wants–and he gets it. All American Football player? Check. NFL pros scouting him? Check. Now, he’s set his sight on two things. The national title. And Ellie Campbell. Sure, she’s the sister of his fellow teammate, but that’s not going to stop him. Especially not when he’s convinced Ellie is the one.
…but he’s never met her before.
But Ellie isn’t as sure. She’s trying to start a new life and she’s not interested in a relationship…with anyone. Beside it’s not just her cardinal rule of never dating her brother’s teammates that keeps her away, but Ellie has a dark secret that would jeopardize everything Knox is pursuing.
Knox has no intention of losing. Ellie has no intention of giving in.
Review
I absolutely love me a sports romance and when I saw this cover and then I read the blurb, I knew that I had to snatch this one up! I mean, an American football player virgin, yes please! This was my first ever Jen Frederick book and I am really glad that I decided to give her a try because I certainly enjoyed Sacked!
So this story was kind of refreshing and here is why. Knox is like a real deal virgin. He hasn’t had the occasional blow job or even gone down town on a million girls. He has literally never ventured south on a girl. He is a virgin in every sense of the word and Ellie isn’t. For once, the girl didn’t want the relationship. Ellie just wants Knox’s sexy time but Knox wants all of her. See, he knows right away that she is the one.
‘When you meet the girl who’ll be sitting on the front porch holding your hand you’re eighty, you don’t let a thing like cool dismissive looks, big brothers, or fucking rules stand in your way.’
Elli just wants to have fun and skip the relationship portion of this college experience. She has been burned by football players before and just wants to have ‘fun’ with Knox but really she bites off more than she can chew with this sexy beautiful well endowed virgin football player.
‘Sweet baby Jesus, Tumblr did not prepare me for this.’
OK, this book was smoking hot, guys. The whole virgin aspect was just phenomenal. Knox was still bossy and alphaish. But, God, the virginity of it all made it even better. To make Knox even more amazing, he was sweet as pie. He really is a truly easy book boyfriend to love.
“You don’t need to say anything, baby. I can hear your heart.’
Sometimes I found myself frustrated with Ellie but I often do with NA reads because really she makes some bad decisions but isn’t that what new adults do? I mean, I know I did. So I love this frustration and angsty feeling I get reading these sexy NA reads. It definitely takes me back. I also really enjoyed getting to know some of the side characters. Like Ellie’s brother and the rest of his teammates. There were some laugh out loud moments with these guys and I am really excited for more in this series.
So, this story was definitely different than other NA sports romances I have read, which is a plus. The writing was good and the story unique. The characters were nicely flawed and the sexy time was, well, sexy. I will definitely be checking out more books from this author.
“So we’ve gotten sacked by love”?
~Amie