Black Number Four by Kandi Steiner Blog Tour and Excerpt

Title: Black Number Four
Author: Kandi Steiner
Release Date: April 4, 2015
Find on Goodreads

Known as one of the youngest and most ambitious poker players in the country, Skyler Thorne has a reputation to uphold in Vegas this year. Her sole focus for spring semester is to perfect her game and get tournament ready – and have some fun with her sorority sisters, of course. Meeting a care-free pledge with incredible arms adds a whole new element of fun to her semester, but when a shocking discovery about his past surfaces, Skyler finds herself stuck in a game she wasn’t prepared to play. 

Kip Jackson is on a mission from his father. His plan was to get in, have a little fun, and then get out – on to bigger and better things. A feisty girl with bright blue eyes wasn’t on his list of things to do, but she quickly moves her way up to the very top. When he realizes completing his dad’s mission means crushing her in the process, he must decide if his dreams are worth the risk – or if he even has the same dreams, at all.

Two secrets. Two hearts. Two hands being played in one twisted game of deceit.

When the cards are on the table, will anyone be left standing?

The perfect poker face can only hide them for so long.

 

Check out our 4 smooches review HERE.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes

We get to my apartment around noon and I throw together a couple of turkey sandwiches for us. By the time we finish eating, we’re both exhausted – both from paddleboarding and from not sleeping last night.
“Why don’t we take a shower and watch a movie?” I suggest as Skyler yawns.
“I don’t have any clothes here besides the ones I have on now and they’re all sandy.”
“You can borrow a pair of boxers and a shirt of mine.”
Skyler chews her lip, unsure. “I don’t know, I’m pretty tired.”
“So am I,” I say, standing and pulling her up with me. “So maybe we watch a movie and maybe we take a nap. Don’t leave yet. I barely see you during the week and I know there’s not many weekends where you don’t have sorority stuff going on.”
“I actually have a sisterhood event tonight.”
“See?” I pull her wrist and lead her toward my bedroom, which really is just my bed separated by hanging curtains on a rack. I rummage through my clothes until I find a clean shirt and pair of boxers, tossing them to her and pointing to the bathroom. “Towels are above the toilet in the cabinet, shampoo and shit’s in there.”
She still seems unsure, so I pull her into me and move the fallen strands of hair from her face. “Come on. Just for a few hours. You’ll feel better once you shower and I know you’re tired. You’re not going to get any sleep if you go home to your sorority house.”
At that she sighs and nods. “You’re probably right about that.”
I smile and nudge her toward the bathroom again.
“Fine,” she says. “But just for a little while. And no trying to ambush me in the shower, either.”
I hold up my hands in surrender. “I promise. You can shower in peace.”
“Mmm hmm,” she says, suspicious, but she walks to the bathroom and closes the door behind her.
I smile and start straightening my bed, turning on the TV to find something for us to watch. I’m flipping through the channels when I hear the shower turn on and the smile leaves my face. Suddenly, I’m completely aware of Skyler’s naked body in the other room.
Shaking my head, I focus on finding something to watch, willing my own body to behave. After a few minutes, I realize I’ve flipped through the channels three times now without stopping or even recognizing what I was seeing on the screen. I bite my lip hard, cross my arms, and pace.
Don’t do it. Don’t make this more complicated than it is. She trusts you, she’s opening up to you – that’s what you need from her. Poker. Poker. Poker.
That’s all.
I pace more. Back and forth. Back and forth. Before I know what I’m doing, my knuckles are knocking softly on the bathroom door. I have no idea what I’m going to say or what the fuck I’m doing, but I can’t stop my hands. The door opens slightly on the third knock, as if it wasn’t completely closed, and through the slit, I see Skyler.
She’s standing there shocked, her mouth open slightly as the water continues to drip down her body, running in rivers down over her breasts and meeting between her thighs. I swallow hard, unsure of my decision. I have nothing to ask, no reason to be staring at her through this door – but Skyler doesn’t cover herself, she doesn’t scream, she doesn’t tell me to get out.
I open the door a little further, still wondering what the hell I’m doing. I consider asking if she needs anything else, if she found a towel, something – but we both know I didn’t come in here to give her a towel.
“I suck at keeping promises,” I admit, just above a whisper, and I wish I could tell her I’m not just talking about the promise to not interrupt her shower.
“And I suck at pretending like I don’t want you.”
Latch
Hannah Trigwell & Nick Howard
Chapter 1: Ante Up
Scene: “Latching onto the transfer already?”
Hell Yeah
Midnight Red
Chapter 1: Ante Up
Scene:  “What do you say we make this party a little more interesting?”
Blank Space
Tyler Ward
Chapter 2: Lady Luck
Scene: “Passion can be a dangerous thing.”
Take U There
Jack U ft. Kiesza
Chapter 3: Ace
Scene: Ralph’s is packed when we arrive, which isn’t out of the ordinary for a Friday night.
Slow to Learn
Manchester Orchestra
Chapter 4: Deuces
Scene: I’ve been too damn distracted by how sexy she is when she’s schooling these tools.
Sledgehammer
Fifth Harmony
Chapter 5: Hot Table
Scene: There’s also the fact that I like being around him. I like it way more than I care to admit and that’s not good.
Heartbreaker
Jayme Dee
Chapter 5: Hot Table
Scene: He smiles and licks his lips, his eyes smoldering, which causes practically the entire chapter room to swoon.
Blame
Calvin Harris
Chapter 6: Nicely Played
Scene: But then I remember that I will hurt her, whether I want to or not. It will happen. It’s inevitable.
Shower
Becky G
Chapter 7: Two Can Play That Game
Scene: “How is it that you infuriate me yet turn me on at the same time?”
What Makes You Beautiful
Boyce Avenue
Chapter 8: Power Moves
Scene: “Hold me so I won’t float away?”
Try
Colbie Caillat
Chapter 9: Poker Face
Scene: “We’re just trying to help,” Ashlei says.
Life of the Party
Shawn Mendes
Chapter 10: Weakness
Scene: “I don’t care about what people think, Skyler. I know you do, but I don’t.
Break Free
Ariana Grande
Chapter 11: Angle Shooter
Scene: There isn’t another option in this game, no matter how badly I wish there was.
Lay Me Down (acoustic)
Sam Smith
Chapter 12: Blank
Scene: How was I supposed to know the kind of drug I was getting into?
Bumper Cars
Alex & Sierra
Chapter 13: Bluffing
Scene: I hate this. I hate this so, so much.
Here We Go Again
Mat Kearney
Chapter 14: Tilt
Scene: “You’re coming home with me tonight.”
Hideaway
Kiesza
Chapter 15: No Limit
Scene: I have no idea what I’m doing.
Same Sea
Lights
Chapter 16: Black Number Four
Scene: “I never thought studying could be so sexy,”
#GetItRight
Miley Cyrus
Chapter 16: Black Number Four
Scene: “You’re killing me, Sky,”
She Looks So Perfect
5 Seconds of Summer
Chapter 16: Black Number Four
Scene: “IT’S SPRING BREAK, BITCHES!”
Give Me Something
Alex & Siera
Chapter 16: Black Number Four
Scene: “Yeah, good luck with that game.
Surrender
Cash Cash
Chapter 17: Bad Beat
Scene: And the rest of the world can just deal with it.
Strip
Jessie J
Chapter 17: Bad Beat
Scene: “And what would make it perfect-perfect
Blame It On Me
Mapei
Chapter 17: Bad Beat
Scene: I can’t lose him.
Tenerife Sea
Ed Sheeran
Chapter 18: Rush
Scene: When we’re alone, that same electricity buzzes to life. The air feels tight, hot, charged.
All About You
Hilary Duff
Chapter 19: Game Changer
Scene: It’s crazy that a simple text can make my stomach flip like this, but it’s exactly what I needed.
Breathe Again
Sarah Bareilles
Chapter 19: Game Changer
Scene: I want him to fix it. To fix me.
It’s Not Over
Secondhand Serenade
Chapter 20: Downswing
Scene: “You don’t want to kiss me.” “Yes I do.”
Growing Up
Alex G
Chapter 21: Tell
Scene: As if I’m a glutton for punishment, I pull his oversized black t-shirt from my bag and slip it over my head, taking everything else off.
Pretending
Glee Cast
Chapter 22: Freezeout
Scene: For a moment she just stares at me, and I just stare at her. We don’t wave or nod or even really acknowledge that we’re both looking. We just look.
The Sun is Rising
Britt Nicole
Chapter 23: Game Over
Scene: And somewhere in those ocean blue eyes of his, I find what I’ve been searching for.
Stay With Me
Janxx
Chapter 23: Game Over
Scene: Love doesn’t care about the games we play.
Real Love
Clean Bandit & Jess Glynne
Chapter 24: Break Even
Scene: “I’m done leaving my life to chance. Black number four can suck it.”
Don’t Go Home Without Me
Lights
Epilogue: Heart
Scene: “I could get used to kisses like this.”

Kandi Steiner is a Creative Writing and Advertising/Public Relations graduate from the University of Central Florida living in Tampa with her husband. Kandi works full time as a social media specialist, but also works part time as a Zumba fitness instructor and blackjack dealer. 

Kandi started writing back in the 4th grade after reading the first Harry Potter installment. In 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.” She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a die hard hopeless romantic (like most girls brought up on Disney movies).

When Kandi isn’t working or writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, talking with her extremely vocal cat, and spending time with her friends and family. She enjoys beach days, movie marathons, live music, craft beer and sweet wine – not necessarily in that order.

Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads

 

 

Black Number Four by Kandi Steiner Review

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4 Smooches!

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Synopsis

Known as one of the youngest and most ambitious poker players in the country, Skyler Thorne has a reputation to uphold in Vegas this year. Her sole focus for spring semester is to perfect her game and get tournament ready – and have some fun with her sorority sisters, of course. Meeting a care-free pledge with incredible arms adds a whole new element of fun to her semester, but when a shocking discovery about his past surfaces, Skyler finds herself stuck in a game she wasn’t prepared to play. 

Kip Jackson is on a mission from his father. His plan was to get in, have a little fun, and then get out – on to bigger and better things. A feisty girl with bright blue eyes wasn’t on his list of things to do, but she quickly moves her way up to the very top. When he realizes completing his dad’s mission means crushing her in the process, he must decide if his dreams are worth the risk – or if he even has the same dreams, at all.

Two secrets. Two hearts. Two hands being played in one twisted game of deceit. 

When the cards are on the table, will anyone be left standing?

The perfect poker face can only hide them for so long.

Review

I’m confident. I’m sexy. I’m Skylar fucking Thorne, damnit! I play boys. Boys don’t pay me. 
Skylar Thorne is a junior at Palm South University and a sister in the sorority Kappa Kappa Beta. The start of the spring semester brings to life the Greek world. Kip Jackson is a transfer to Palm South and has a hidden agenda for his move.
Interested in screenwriting, Kip starts off his semester with a Writing for Television class and guess who is taking the class as well, Skylar. After their first impressions on one another, the chemistry is undeniable between the two. But sometimes life isn’t so black and white. Everyone has dreams to strive for but at what cost would these two go to get what they want?
This is not my first Kandi book and it won’t be my last. I was blown away with Black Number Four! I was drawn in from the very beginning! I loved all the poker references. I could not get over the chemistry Kip and Skylar have! The banter between the two made me laugh and even swoon at times.  I truly enjoyed reading and falling for these two characters. Oh and then that moment when you realize the reason for the title, gah total mind blown! I loved this book!
4 smooches for Black Number Four by Kandi Steiner.

BUY IT NOW

Absolute Love by Erin Everleigh Review

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5 Smooches!

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Synopsis

Phoebe thought she had her Happily Ever After. She had a beautiful little girl and was married to the man of her dreams.

But the unexpected death of her mother causes Phoebe’s world to come crashing down.

Confronted with the realization that the missing pieces of her past are lost to her forever, she watches herself morph into a person she no longer recognizes. A person she quickly grows to hate.

Barely making it through each day, Phoebe struggles to repress her darkest thoughts. But at night, she is held captive in nightmares from which she cannot escape.

With her marriage dangling by a thread, Phoebe fears a future with Justin may no longer be possible.

Refusing to give up, Justin fights for the life they used to share. But when he stumbles upon what could be the missing piece to Phoebe’s past, he is faced with a choice that could cost him everything.

When you feel like all hope is lost, is there a love that can transcend all and revive a broken soul?

**Intended for readers 18+. Each book in the series can be read as a standalone.**

Review

It’s such a cliche to use the term ‘emotional rollercoaster’ but I think there really isn’t a more apt description in this instance. In Absolute Love Phoebe our main heroine spirals in a never-ending cycle of anger, depression, confusion and self-sabotage as she tries desperately to overcome her personal tragedies and find her way back to stability and happiness. In the after-math of so many personal tragedies her marriage ends up suffering as collateral damage. Having shut herself off in a self-contained bubble full of resentment and unsurety Phoebe struggles to see the light at the end of the tunnel and so begins one of the most poignant and memorable stories I’ve come across in a long long time. Phoebe’s character is staggering, the turmoil of her feelings both good and bad and the repercussions that comes out of those feelings of guilt flares off the page and into the readers heart. I cried, a lot and I’m not ashamed to admit that, there’s something in Phoebe that just resonated with me. She’s brave, hurt and isolated. The one consistency through Phoebe’s dark times and even when she was unaware of the support, her husband Justin waits patiently in the wings living is his own personal purgatory not knowing how to help his wife through her grief whilst struggling with his own feelings of inadequacy. Justin is absolute perfection, heroic, humble, beautiful inside and out and even when I started doubting his character he managed to win me round and prove me wrong.

‘I resist as best as I can showing Phoebe how overjoyed I am to receive her offer, not wanting to scare her off with any indication of how high my hopes are for where this temporary arrangement may lead. “I would really like that. Thank you, Phoebe,” I say, my eyes beginning to swell as I struggle to contain my emotion. Phoebe’s expression then turns to reveal the most beautiful and loving smile. A warmth moves through my chest and a flicker of hope ignites within my heart.’

What I thought was going to be a disastrous love triangle with the introduction of Lucas became something so much more profound and realistic and grounded. It was sterling writing and characterisation from Erin. To be able to transform the usually unredeemable and give them substance without any romantic entanglements was magically done. This book is phenomenal and I don’t say that lightly. Your emotions will be all over the place, up and down and just when you think you can’t take anymore angst or revelations, you will probably be sucker punched with just a bit more but it’s so worth it for when you manage to navigate through with the characters to the end you will be so so glad you survived, loved, hurt and experienced this joy of a read.

~Nicole

BUY IT NOW

Intercepted by Emma Hart Blog Tour and Giveaway

Release Day April 13
INTERCEPTED EMMA HART ITUNES EBOOK COVER

Four people. Four goals. Four endings.

In the third and final book of the USA Today bestselling By His Game series, the rules of the game no one knew they’d have to play are blurring, and when the past becomes the opposing team, hearts aren’t the only thing at stake of being lost…

Finding naked pictures of her best friend on her boyfriend’s phone wasn’t in Everleigh White’s five year plan. Neither was moving back to Los Angeles, the city of dreams that never managed to make hers come true. There’s only so many years you can be in love with your best friend before you realize he’s never going to love you back, after all. If only her ex would stop showing up at the gym where she works, she’d be much happier.

Being a father at nineteen wasn’t how Reid North, the Vipers’ wide receiver, imagined his life going, but when his ex-girlfriend tricked him into parenthood, he accepted it. Eventually. Now, with his ex on the verge of being released from prison, he’s holding onto full custody of his seven year old son, Leo. Football and Leo have left Reid no time for dating… Until Everleigh comes back.

His best friend his whole life, Everleigh never knew Reid loved her. She left before he could tell her. Now she’s back in front of him, and he’s not letting go. Even if all he gets is her friendship again. But in a city like L.A., dreams come true when you’re least expecting it.

So do nightmares.

With their exes beating down their doors with demands and explanations, their hesitant and building relationship is threatened at every corner. They’re at serious risk of being intercepted by the past, and that’s a ball Reid is determined to catch.

Except desperation can lead to stupidity—and Reid soon realizes he can’t catch every ball, no matter how perfectly it’s thrown to him. This time a fumble could cost more than a few points.

It could cost him everything.

 

(INTERCEPTED is the third and final book in the By His Game series and can be read as a standalone, although it is advised to read BLINDSIDED and SIDELINED before, in this order.)

Check out our 4 smooches review HERE.

EXCERPT

I follow him down the sidewalk, feeling a little antsy. I mean, he looks like Reid. Okay, an older Reid, but still Reid. He sounds like Reid, he acts like Reid, but he… feels like someone else. He doesn’t feel like the guy who dragged me out from behind curtains at parties and forced me to the dance, or the guy who begged me to go to his high school and college football games because he insisted he always caught better when I was there.

He feels… rawer. Realer. Rougher.

And I’m terrified.

He was always the one person I struggled to say no to. It was his eyes, and his smile, and the fact that I was crazy fucking in love with him. I’m afraid that now, although four years have passed, that I won’t be able to say no, either

That much is obvious by the fact I’m standing outside a sandwich shop I’ve never seen in my life.

“Trust me,” Reid says, smiling as he pushes the door open.

I stare at him flatly. Still, I follow him in like a little puppy because I’m always game for a good sandwich.

“Two meatball subs,” Reid orders. “Both toasted with cheese, but one with extra cheese. No salad or sauces on either.” Order done, he looks back at me and winks.

God. He even remembers the sandwich.

“This isn’t good for my diet,” I mutter, following him along the counter to the register.

“Or mine.” He smirks, glancing at me and running his eyes over my body. “And for what it’s worth, you could probably have another cheat day without it making a difference.”

I hit his arm again. “Shut up. You can’t perve on me. It’s wrong.”

“That’s what you think.” He hands over twenty bucks and raise his eyebrow at me. Then, leaning in, he whispers, “My cock thinks different, Ever.”

I swallow. Well, shit. How am I supposed to respond to that?

I’m not. That’s right. I’m not.

I take my warm sandwich from the counter and grip it tightly, heading toward a table in the corner. I slide into the seat against the wall and unwrap my sandwich at a snail’s pace. Each crinkle of the paper surrounding it seems ten times louder than normal as I studiously ignore Reid’s bulky, muscular form sitting opposite me.

Dammit. I shouldn’t be attracted to him. I shouldn’t consider being attracted to him.

Sure, I was before. In the ‘you’re handsome, be my Prince Charming’ kinda way. Now, though? Now it’s a, ‘holy crap, rip off my clothes and ravish me on your backseat!’ kinda attracted.

I’m not saying either way is bad. I’m just saying that I would prefer for the first type of attracted.

I bite into the sandwich so I don’t have to talk to him. But, apparently, he doesn’t get the message.

“I didn’t know you worked at the gym.”

I swallow. “You say it like it’s the only gym in Los Angeles.”

“It’s just… the gym.” He smirks. He studies me for a second before the curve turns downward. “Why’d you leave, Ev?”

“You knew I was going.”

“Sure I did. I just didn’t know you were going Casper on my ass and fucking off without a word.”

My eyes fall and I focus on my sandwich. Carelessly, I pick at the top of the bread. “I had my reasons, okay? It was easier for me if the media didn’t follow me so intently. You know they thought I was going to star on Broadway instead of college.”

“God, you’re a damn shit liar, Everleigh White.”

“It’s the truth, Reid, okay? They were all up in Dad’s business because of the Hartman movie, and when those Broadway rumors started it was bullshit. I ran without anyone knowing so they wouldn’t follow me. It lasted a week, but I didn’t have them timing my pees on the plane so there we go.” I glance up. “Believe me, okay? I’m not lying.” Not entirely, anyway.

“Whenever you’ve told me you’re not lying, you’ve been lying.” The force of his gaze makes me look up. “I still fucking know you, Ever. You haven’t changed a single damn bit.”

“And you still can’t control your f-bomb,” I shoot back.

“Says the girl who drops it like she drops the word ‘hi’ at a high school reunion.”

“Kiss my ass.”

“You offerin’, firecracker?”

“You taking me up on it?”

“I could flip you over this table in a second and you know it.”

I narrow my eyes and grab my half-eaten sandwich. Standing, I reach toward the trashcan and slam the screwed-up package into it, leaving the lid to slam down as I turn on my heel and head for the door.

Reid says nothing. But he follows me. I hear his footsteps against the tiled floor of the sandwich place, and he grabs the door the second I let it go, stopping it from slamming.

My feet pound against the sidewalk. Jesus, I don’t remember him being this so fucking infuriating before. Was he this demanding? Or frustrating? Or goddamned annoying?

Hell to it all. Was he this fucking sexy?

No, siree. No, he was not.

And that’s the frickin’ problem.

 

 

 

From Emma Hart, the New York Times bestselling author of the

Game series, comes a brand new series where the game is realer, the tension is

tighter, the sex is hotter, and the stakes are the highest of all…

Two people. Two agendas. Two games.

What happens when the out-there It-Boy of football meets the

secret It-Girl of fashion?

As the daughter of Hollywood’s sweetheart, Leah Veronica

can’t even buy a coffee without finding her face on a magazine stand, so it’s no

wonder she’s launching her first fashion line in secret. With it debuting at

New York Fashion Week in just under a month, extra time in the spotlight is the

last thing she needs.

The son of the best quarterback the league has ever seen,

filling legendary shoes as the L.A. Vipers’ quarterback was inevitable for

Corey Jackson. So was meeting Leah Veronica—the first girl to hand him his ass

without putting a hair out of place.

Getting the handsome, prickly blonde into his bed becomes

his number one goal. But getting the sexy, over-confident footballer the hell

away from her becomes Leah’s—at least until she realizes the best way to do

that is to give him what he wants.

If only it was that simple.

When Corey discovers who she is, and private photos of

Hollywood’s finest find their way online, everything they thought they knew is

thrown into disarray.

And when secrets are exposed and hearts are shattered, they

have to figure out if they’ve been blindsided by love or reality, and if it’s

worth running the extra yard to win the game they never meant to play.

 

 

 

Three people. Three motives. Three reasons.
When the game leaves the field in the second book in the USA Today bestselling BY HIS GAME series and mixes with sex, lies, and betrayal, the future isn’t the only thing on the line…
Macey Kelly has sworn off men. Unless they’re going to zip in and out of her apartment—and her vagina—quicker than they can give her an orgasm, she’s not interested. Finding out her boyfriend of three years got her cousin pregnant was a total confidence knock. Luckily for Macey, confidence is
something she has in abundance, so all Mitch’s asshole move did was make her pretty cynical toward men.
The last thing Jack Carr needs at the start of the season is for a dark-haired, sexy as sin, gyspyesque beauty to be consuming his thoughts. Football is his life, which leaves no time for girls. Unless they’re the love ‘em and leave ‘em girls. Becoming one of the best running backs the league has ever seen by racking up the yards is his top priority… not bedding Macey Kelly, despite her affinity for blow jobs and total sexual abandon.
Avoiding each other is the perfect solution, but when your best friends are in a serious living together kind of relationship, that isn’t always an option. Sometimes, sex on tap is the easiest option. And the sweetest.
Until Mitch shows up with a bombshell that could shatter Macey’s perfectly carved out life. It’s been a year, but he isn’t giving her up, not now he has a chance at winning her back. And he knows her buttons. Every single one of them.
Unfortunately for him, Jack Carr isn’t a loser. The star running back has his eye on the Vince Lombardi—and on Macey. But seeing her hanging between them both isn’t something he’s down with, not when he discovers why she’s so against anything more-ish, as she puts it.Macey quickly realizes she’s the ball being passed between two desperate yet opposing teams, and that only one of them can score the touchdown. But will the winner be the guy she lived with and loved for three years, or will the winner be the guy who understands her and makes her body come alive?
In this game, someone will be sidelined, and calling the play isn’t always as easy as it seems.
(SIDELINED is a full-length, standalone novel. It’s not necessary to read BLINDSIDED before this book, but it is advised.)
RELEASE DAY: MARCH 2, 2015

 

By day, New York Times and USA Today bestselling New Adult author Emma Hart dons a cape and calls herself Super Mum to two beautiful little monsters. By night, she drops the cape, pours a glass of whatever she fancies – usually wine – and writes books.

 

Emma is working on Top Secret projects she will share with her followers and fans at every available opportunity. Naturally, all Top Secret projects involve a dashingly hot guy who likes to forget to wear a shirt, a sprinkling (or several) of hold-onto-your-panties hot scenes, and a whole lotta love.
She likes to be busy – unless busy involves doing the dishes, but that seems to be when all the ideas come to life.

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Intercepted by Emma Hart Review

24279536

4 Smooches!

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Synopsis

Four people. Four goals. Four endings. 

In the third and final book of the USA Today bestselling By His Game series, the rules of the game no one knew they’d have to play are blurring, and when the past becomes the opposing team, hearts aren’t the only thing at stake of being lost…

Finding naked pictures of her best friend on her boyfriend’s phone wasn’t in Everleigh White’s five year plan. Neither was moving back to Los Angeles, the city of dreams that never managed to make hers come true. There’s only so many years you can be in love with your best friend before you realize he’s never going to love you back, after all. If only her ex would stop showing up at the gym where she works, she’d be much happier. 

Being a father at nineteen wasn’t how Reid North, the Vipers’ wide receiver, imagined his life going, but when his ex-girlfriend tricked him into parenthood, he accepted it. Eventually. Now, with his ex on the verge of being released from prison, he’s holding onto full custody of his seven year old son, Leo. Football and Leo have left Reid no time for dating… Until Everleigh comes back. 

His best friend his whole life, Everleigh never knew Reid loved her. She left before he could tell her. Now she’s back in front of him, and he’s not letting go. Even if all he gets is her friendship again. But in a city like L.A., dreams come true when you’re least expecting it. 

So do nightmares. 

With their exes beating down their doors with demands and explanations, their hesitant and building relationship is threatened at every corner. They’re at serious risk of being intercepted by the past, and that’s a ball Reid is determined to catch. 

Except desperation can lead to stupidity—and Reid soon realizes he can’t catch every ball, no matter how perfectly it’s thrown to him. This time a fumble could cost more than a few points. 

It could cost him everything. 

Intercepted is the third and final book in the By His Game series and can be read as a standalone, although it is advised to read Blindsided and Sidelined before, in this order.

Review

 Intercepted is the third book in the By His Game series and for me it was definitely the most heartfelt and emotional.  You can totally read this book as a standalone but I wouldn’t.  The first two books are awesome and you get a taste of Reid in them.  The first two books were more funny and revolved around play boy type guys but Reid was a completely different ball game.  Parts of this story absolutely broke my heart.

“I’ll never forget you, Ever.  I promise.”

Ever and Reid were childhood best friends.  Ever leaves as soon as she turns eighteen.  She doesn’t realize that the boy she loves her was waiting for her to be of age before claiming her.  She takes off but after a bad break up and some time away, she is home and Reid still wants her.

“You killed me, and you broke my goddamned heart all in the same second.”

Reid’s life is pretty damn complicated.  He has a son he is raising own his own, he has a busy schedule playing professional football, and his baby momma is in jail.  The problem is that she is getting out soon and Reid is terrified for his son.  Ever proves to be another distraction in Reid’s busy life.

“Fuck.  Will the guilt ever die?”

This book was just as sizzling and sexy as the rest of the series but this one definitely pulled at my heart strings more than Blindsided and Sidelined.  Maybe it was a father fighting for his son or maybe it was the whole friends to lovers aspect but this one was just so much more moving and touching.  Get ready for Emma Hart to make you swoon in this last installment of the By His Game Series.  Grab some tissues, folks.

“It’s Reid.  It’s me.  It’s us.  It’s perfect.”

~Amie

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Until July by Aurora Rose Reynolds Review

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5 SMOOCHES

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Synopsis

Wes Silver wasn’t looking for love, but when July Mayson literally knocks him on his ass during their first encounter, his world is turned upside down by the quirky blonde, and every moment with her makes him more determined to protect her.

July Mayson doesn’t understand the pull she feels toward the bad boy biker Wes Silver, but she knows being with him is like nothing she’s ever felt before. Now all she has to do is tell her overprotective father, Asher Mayson, that she’s found her boom.

Review

“I have grown up around crazy-ass alpha men my whole life, men like my dad and uncles, and as I watch Wes walk to his bike, I know the kind of man he is.” . . . “What have I done?”

Let’s start out by saying I have read ever book that Aurora has written and loved them all, but I can honestly say for me personally Until July blew the others out of the water. This book was everything I want in a small town alpha book. Hilarious, sexy, angsty with a dash of danger, Until July was riveting from the moment July whips her helmet off and proves she is as bad ass as any boy.

“I know I needed to step back, but I can’t. He’s like a drug I can’t get enough of.”

July Mason knocks Wes on his ass when they first meet (both literally and figuratively). Local vet and homebody she never expects to see the sexy biker she had an altercation with again and has no idea how to respond when he walks into her office looking to adopt. Former military man and sexy tattooed motorcycle bad boy Wes Silver was not looking for love or a relationship but from the moment he meets July he knows that she is his and now only has to convince her of this.

“Your pussy’s so hungry you’d think I wasn’t feeding it everyday,”

To make matters more complicated somehow the vet with a huge heart, yup that would be July, has found herself in the middle of trouble. Someone has been dropping dogs off on her office door that are near death after fighting and she is determined to get to the bottom of it but soon finds herself in more trouble than she can get herself out of.

“Give me your eyes,”

There were so many aspects of this book that made it pure gold for me but lets start with our hero Wes. He was all kinds of sexy and brutting and says just enough to make our panties wet. Protective and possessive he was an alpha after my own heart all the while being determined and patient with July. Being the daughter of Asher and November Mayson you would think she would be prepared for find her BOOM but poor July fights it tooth and nail. She makes Wes work hard for it and it was pure delight to watch. Stubborn and fiery July was just enough trouble to keep Wes fighting and chasing!

“You’re soaked, baby. You like pissing me off. Does it make you hot?”

Until July was deviously sexy and hot. The chemistry between July and Wes was off the charts and when they finally come together trust me there is a giant BOOM! HOT DAMN!

“Ruined, I don’t even really know you and you’ve ruined me.”

For me the mark of a great book is my desire to read it again. I don’t re-read everything but those books I love I find myself reading over and over again until the point that I could recite the book. Until July left such a deep mark on me that I just read it a few weeks ago and I am already looking at my reading schedule trying to figure out how to squeeze a re-read in the next week or so!

~miranda

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Dare by Allie Juliette Mousseau Book Bub Blitz

Title: Dare

Series: Brothers of Ink and Steel

Author: Allie Juliette Mousseau

Genre: New Adult, Romance

Josh North – a risk-it-all bad boy – sexy dirty talker – bad ass defender and UFC’s Light Heavyweight Champion— is about to meet his match.

Sophie Garner is a single mom who’s been raising her daughter on her own, fighting for both of their lives ever since going into hiding to escape her abusive husband.

When Sophie gets offered the job of a lifetime as the exclusive massage therapist for Josh “The Jackhammer” North’s team, it’s difficult to say no to the outrageous salary—and the bet—that Josh proposes. But for Sophie it’s a risk that could cost a lot more than just her heart – if she’s found, it could cost her her life.

Should she dare?

Josh wants to break through Sophie’s fortified walls, but is unwilling to put the jackhammer to his own and reveal his secrets and the side of him few have ever known or seen. To do that, he’ll have to confront the darkness of his past.

Will he dare?

Allie Juliette Mousseau is a USA Today Bestselling Author.

She can always be found writing, playing in puddles with her children, hiking with her husband, or adventuring somewhere in the world. Her favorite place to write on warm days is outdoors, but when the weather gets too cold, she’ll be inside at her desk inspired by the mountain view from her home office in Montana where she lives with her loving husband, children and golden retriever. She loves to travel and lived for three years in her RV with her family while visiting the national parks and forests of the U.S. and a couple Canadian provinces. She is excited to add all of Canada and Alaska in the near future!

Sign-Up for Allie’s Newsletter: http://goo.gl/Oyw8G2

Since Drew by J. Nathan Review

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5 Smooches!

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Synopsis

All Andi Parker has ever wanted, all she’s ever dreamed of, is a spot on the Olympic track team. But when an accident leaves her hospitalized with serious injuries and shattered dreams, she’s not only uncertain what her future holds but also completely alone.

Drew Slater is a wanted man. Professional football teams want him for his arm. Women want him for his good looks and magnetic personality. But the well-crafted disguise he wears, the one that helps him score on and off the field, hides secrets. Conceals lies. Threatens the happiness of everyone around him.

One chance encounter brings Andi and Drew together, changing their worlds in ways they never thought possible. Unfortunately, what they thought they knew about themselves—and about each other—might just be the biggest lie of all.

Review

Well, I just happen to come across the title on Netgalley.  I saw the cover and was all, damn that looks yummy.  I am, after all, in a very intense football player phase.  So I read the synopsis and decided to give this book and author a try.  I am so glad that I did because this book was like no other that I have had the pleasure of reading and it was a completely different kind of NA novel.  I absolutely loved it.

There are so many juicy and delicious plot twist and turns in this enthralling page turner of a story that I pretty much feel that I need to keep my description of the plot very short.  Fate brings Andi and Drew together but not under the best of circumstances.

“He was the one who got me moving.  He didn’t let me sulk or stay in my room.  He pushed me to get better.”

These two have a lot to overcome.  So much more than you initially find out in this story.

“I suddenly understood that fine line between love and hate.”

Drew and Andi both I just adored.  Drew being the quintessential cocky sexy book boyfriend and Andi being a tough, resilient, funny, and snarky heroine.  I just couldn’t get enough of them and although I wasn’t sure if they could overcome some of their issues I was really happy that they got their happily ever after.

“I wish I wasn’t your biggest mistake.”

This is my very first book by J. Nathan and I really enjoyed the writing style.  I related well to the characters and they felt very real to me.  The story was funny, sexy, and the humor had a good dose of the sarcasm that I so love.  The story moved along quickly and had a couple of very big plot twist that I was not expecting but that I greatly enjoyed.  I definitely will be reading more from this author.

~Amie

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Full Contact by Sarah Castille Blog Tour and Giveaway

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Full Contact by Sarah Castille
(Redemption #3)
Published by: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication date: April 7th 2015
Genres: Adult, Erotica, Romance

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Synopsis:

When you can’t resist the one person who could destroy you…

Sia O’Donnell can’t help but push the limits. She secretly attends every underground MMA fight featuring The Predator, the undisputed champion. When he stalks his prey in the ring, Sia is mesmerized. He is dominant and dangerous and every instinct tells her to run.

Every beautiful thing Ray “The Predator” touches he knows he’ll eventually destroy. Soft, sweet and innocent, Sia is the light to Ray’s darkness-and completely irresistible. From the moment he lays eyes on her, he knows he’s going to have to put his dark past behind him to win her body and soul.

Check out our 5 Smooches Review HERE.

Purchase:

AUTHOR BIO:

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New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author, Sarah Castille, writes contemporary erotic romance and romantic suspense featuring blazingly hot alpha heroes and the women who tame them. A recovering lawyer and caffeine addict, she worked and traveled abroad before trading her briefcase and stilettos for a handful of magic beans and a home near the Canadian Rockies.

Author links:
http://sarahcastille.com/

Giveaway:
Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)
  • A $25 Amazon gift card and a Team Redemption keychain

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Beautiful Secret by Christina Lauren Book Blitz

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Blurb:

AN UPTIGHT BRITISH EXECUTIVE. AN ADVENTUROUS AMERICAN NEWBIE. A SEXY INTERNATIONAL SCANDAL IN THE MAKING.

New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author Christina Lauren’s Beautiful and Wild Seasons series hook up in Beautiful Secret for an erotic intercontinental romp that celebrates the best of both worlds!

When Ruby Miller’s boss announces he’s sending her on an extended business trip to New York City, she’s shocked. As one of the best and brightest young engineers in London, she knows she’s professionally up to the task. The part that’s throwing her is where she’ll be spending a month up close and personal working alongside—and staying in a hotel with—Niall Stella, her firm’s top urban planning executive and The Hottest Man Alive. Despite her ongoing crush, Ruby is certain Niall barely knows she’s alive…until their flirty overnight flight makes him sit up and take notice.

Not one for letting loose and breaking rules, recently divorced Niall would describe himself as hopeless when it comes to women. But even he knows outgoing California-girl Ruby is a breath of fresh air. Once she makes it her mission to help the sexy Brit loosen his tie, there’s no turning back. Thousands of miles from London, it’s easy for the lovers to play pretend. But when the trip is over, will the relationship they’ve built up fall down?

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Check out our 5 Smooches review HERE.

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Buy The Book

AMAZON US

BARNES & NOBLE

iTUNES

KOBO

TARGET

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Excerpt

A silence fell over the table as everyone turned to watch Ruby leave the bar and head upstairs to bed. She had been utterly charming throughout dinner, and the group had groaned in unison when she’d excused herself because of our early morning. I, too, had been quite sad to see her go.

“Well, well.”

I looked up to see my brother’s smug expression.

“Now that we’re alone,” Will began, “I think we can all agree to drop any pretense that we’re not ruined for civilized conversation, yes?” Each of them nodded in agreement and beside me, his glass now refilled, Will raised his tumbler to take a small swallow of scotch. “I also think we can all agree Bennett will be an important consultant on this case.”

Max snickered.

“The conference?” I asked, confused.

“It’s an all-too-common predicament,” Bennett added dryly. “Knockout intern. Boss in denial. I’ll draft up a step-by-step plan of containment.”

I blinked, swallowing thickly as I realized what they meant. “She’s not my intern. I have absolutely no say in her career.” I shook my head, frustrated because it was exactly the wrong thing to say. “I’m not . . . that is to say, she’s not interested. Nor I.”

All four men laughed.

“Niall,” Will said, leaning his elbows on his knees. “She nearly dropped her drink in your lap when George asked if she was interested in anyone.”

“Was going to say the same thing,” Bennett said.

“And something tells me she’d be first to volunteer to clean it up,” Will added.

“Well, maybe that’s because she’s interested in someone who works with us at R-C.”

“Yeah. You.” Max lifted his glass and finished the last of the amber liquid.

“Sincerely,” I said, fighting a smile. “She’s a fantastic girl, but she’s certainly not a romantic option for me.”

Tilting his head, Bennett asked, “What color are her eyes?”

Green, I didn’t say. I shook my head as if I didn’t know.

“What was she wearing?” Will asked.

A blue dress that hit just above her knee, I didn’t say. A delicate gold chain around her neck and a ring on her right ring finger that I had to resist asking her about until George bulldozed in and asked about a boyfriend.

I rolled my eyes, and my brother laughed again, this time pointing his drink at me. “Blokes don’t notice these things unless they’re interested.”

“Or George,” Will added, and George reached over to grab the back of his neck and try to pull him in for a kiss.

“Well, it’s apparent I needn’t think on this any further,”

I said. “You’ve all decided for me.”

“It’s what we do,” Will said, adjusting the skewed collar of his shirt as he settled back into his chair. “It’s a sickness, we know.”

“I thought we’d lost that muscle, honestly,” George said.

“It’s a relief to know we still have it in us. The ladies will be so proud.” Max rapped his knuckles on the table as he made to stand. “Alas, I’d best be off. New routine: Sara gets the baby to sleep; I do the midnight bottle feeding.”

“Finally taking a bottle from you then? Guess you smell like a woman, too,” I said to Max, reminding him of the little dig he’d thrown my way on my last visit.

Max laughed and patted me on the back, and we all stood, a silent agreement in place that we were ready to call it a night. I watched my brother gather his things and say his goodbyes, feeling the same mix of pride and longing for what he was headed home to: a wife, a daughter. A proper home.

“Kiss the girls for me,” I requested as he made his way out of the bar. He waved a hand, retreating, and then disappeared from view.

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About The Authors

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Christina Lauren is the combined pen name of long-time writing partners/besties/soulmates/brain-twins Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. The coauthor duo writes both Young Adult and Adult Fiction, and together has produced nine New York Times bestselling novels. Their books have been translated into 23+ languages. (Some of these books have kissing. Some of these books have A LOT of kissing.)

https://www.facebook.com/ChristinaLaurenBooks

http://christinalaurenbooks.com/

https://instagram.com/christinalauren/

@christinalauren
@seecwrite
@lolashoes

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