Sunday, August 31, 2014

I Will Love You For 1000 Years by Garrett Carkos


I Will Love You For 1000 Years
by Garrett Carkos 
Genre: Romance (Coming of Age)
Tour Organizer: N K Author Services



A summer romance by a lake turns to forever love. He was born with a gold spoon in his mouth. She was born deaf. Yet, somehow they knew they had found their soul mates. At the end of summer, they blew kisses across the lake, not knowing if they would ever meet again. Years later, they did. The world was their oyster as they traveled the world in style. Their journey of self discovery had them running with the bulls in Pamplona and even enduring the Camino de Santiago, a 700 mile hike known as 'the way'. They had it all. Everyone said they were the happiest and most beautiful couple in the world. Then during a routine Christmas visit back home in Manhattan, everything changed. One would survive. The other wouldn't.


My Review:

I Will Love You For 1000 Years is the first book by Garrett Carkos that I have had the pleasure of reading.
 This is an extremely emotional and well written love story that will tear at the heart strings but at the same time show you what true love is all about.  It is a short story but well worth it.  

Childhood sweetheart that loose track of each other come together years later, reconnect and have a whirlwind love affair that will have you at the edge of your seat.  I don't want to give anything away so I will just say that you should check this book out...





My father was Greek, my step-mother was Italian. I was born in Amsterdam, a product of one of my fathers indiscretions, which should explain why my moral compass is stuck on 'it's ok'.

My family was in the shipping business worldwide. My early years were mostly in Europe and South America. Columbia, Venezuela, Brazil mostly. Living a life of privilege was my heritage, but never realized it until we moved to America.

My teen years were spent in California where I graduated from Beverly Hills High School. Then it was off to Las Vegas and UNLV where I received my degree in marketing. From there, I was off to NYU where I received my degree in journalism.

I apprenticed at NBC for one year as a copy writer, but the chaos of living in Manhattan and the drudgery of touching up field reporters notes were just too much. I disliked cold weather anyway, so I jetted back to Hollywood and went to work in the family business, Carkos Global, as Director of Acquisitions.

It was in Morocco that I first began writing short stories. At first, I thought of it more as a journal or dairy, a way of keeping track of my escapades, but somewhere along the way I discovered I had a knack for erotica and began ghost writing for men's magazines.

I've written over three hundred short stories and published many of them online. Basically, any online publishing site I could find, hey...I slapped something up.

I tend to write things that men can read while getting a haircut, women under hair dryers, factory workers on bathroom breaks, or curious teens behind the garage.

Where my father focused on building his empire, mother was very passionate about the arts; music, painting, opera, sculpting, literature...without which the world would be all vanilla with no toppings.

In my latest story, "I Will Love You For A Thousand Years" I mention hearing Shakespeare from my moms smoky lips (she was a chain smoker) while sitting for hours in the Louve in Paris staring at the masters. I had no clue at eight years old what she saw, or what she was saying, but felt it was important so I soaked it up with my chin in my hands.

My inspiration comes from anything: a sight, a sound, a smell, a neatly turned phrase I hear on TV, kids playing in a park, or simply draw something from my real life and suddenly, I have a story.

I am currently single and living the life in the greatest city in the world. What happens here, stays here...as it should.

https://www.facebook.com/garrettcarkos

Saturday, August 30, 2014

*The Dirty Blonde (Vic Fallon book 3) by Tim Smith




The Dirty Blonde (Vic Fallon book 3)

by Tim Smith

Genre: Romantic Mystery

Publisher: Extasy Books





Former cop Vic Fallon is content to live in Sandusky, Ohio on his disability settlement and take the occasional private eye job when he isn’t fishing. He doesn’t really want to get involved in a missing persons case, but when Amy Bergen comes to town from Tennessee looking for her estranged husband who's avoiding divorce court, Vic is instantly taken in by her southern charm and agrees to help her. His search brings him in contact with a local gangster wannabe, a crooked cop and a gambling syndicate. When another woman shows up claiming to be the missing man's wife, the case takes a bizarre turn. Can Vic find the wayward husband before all of his wives catch up with him? Will his feelings for Amy develop into something more than professional?


Meet Tim Smith




Tim Smith is an award-winning, bestselling author whose books range from romantic mystery/thrillers to contemporary erotic romance. He is also a freelance photographer. When he isn't pursuing those two passions he can often be found in the Florida Keys, indulging his passion for parasailing between research and seeking out the perfect Mojito. His website iswww.timsmithauthor.com




The Manhattan Puzzle by Laurence O'Bryan

The Manhatten Puzzle photo TheManhattenPuzzle_zps0b166063.jpg  photo 18582309_zpsc8904e09.jpg
Title: The Manhattan Puzzle
Author: Laurence O'Bryan
Genre: Thriller
Publish Date: August 26, 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 9781847562906

Synopsis

An international cover-up that could change the course of history…

Sean has been tracking a symbol from another age. It provides a clue to a barbaric conspiracy. A puzzle with an answer feared for millenia.

When Isabel wakes to find Sean hasn't come home she doesn't worry. At first. But when the police turn up on her doorstep wanting to interview him, she has to make a decision.

Does she keep faith in him or does she believe the evidence?
The symbol Sean and Isabel have been chasing will finally be revealed in Manhattan as one of the greatest banks in the world totters. Can Isobel uncover the truth before time runs out…or will she too be murdered?

A thrilling, high-octane race to save civilisation that will engross fans of Dan Brown, David Baldacci and James Patterson.
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The Manhattan Puzzle Excerpt

 
1
‘Go for it. The rougher the better, girl.’ The man had a black silk blindfold tied around his head. He spoke slowly, his voice thick with desire. Xena went to the door and unlocked it. ‘What’s that? Getting your toys out? Wow, this is even better than you promised.’ Lord Bidoner walked into the panic room. He closed the door behind him and pressed the button to turn on the air management system. The scrubber in the roof could remove the smoke from a blazing fire and turn the output into a vapour trail. The man, spread-eagled and handcuffed to the stainless steel bed frame, had an expectant smile on his face. ‘Go on, do it,’ he said. The navy Calvin Klein silk suit hanging from the stool beside the bed gave an indication of who he was. Lord Bidoner examined the man’s wallet. His bank ID card, a credit-card-sized piece of aluminium with an embedded proximity chip and his family name, Hare, embossed on it, confirmed what they already knew. The head of global security at BXH, one of the world’s few truly global banks, was lying face-up and naked in front of him. ‘Don’t keep me waiting, girl.’ ‘I won’t,’ purred Xena. She stroked his leg, then his inner thigh. He quivered in anticipation. The man’s wife would surely appreciate photographs of this event, but Lord Bidoner had more pressing concerns. He nodded at Xena. She was dressed in a low-cut skin-tight black catsuit that fitted her thin frame perfectly. The man laid out in front of them was expecting something memorable from the woman he’d met in the champagne bar opposite Grand Central, two weeks before. Xena’s story, about being an Ethiopian diplomat’s daughter, and her eager smile, had captivated him. She ran her finger down the man’s stomach. It trembled under her touch. ‘Don’t stop, honey. Don’t stop.’ With her other hand Xena clicked on the silver Turboflame blowtorch, the most expensive model in the world with its 1500C flame. She held the gently hissing blue, inch-long flame up and watched it glow brighter as her fingers moved slowly down his stomach. ‘What’s that?’ he said. She didn’t reply. Hare’s voice was still confident when he spoke. ‘Was that your sister who just came in? Is she gonna join us?’ ‘We have a surprise for you,’ said Xena. The man pulled on the handcuffs, which began to cut into his skin. It had taken a bit of persuasion, since this was their third meeting, for Xena to get him to go this far, but he trusted her now. And he’d made it clear that he wasn’t going to put up with any crap. He’d break the bed if she didn’t release him when he gave the password. She’d smiled, hugged him and agreed. They’d even laughed about making a written contract. ‘What’s the surprise?’ He shook the bed, testing its resilience and the strength of the handcuffs. He’d assumed they were easily breakable toys, like a previous pair she’d shown him. But he was wrong. And he didn’t know that the bed was bolted to the reinforced slab of the panic room floor, either. Though he might have guessed that there was something wrong when it refused to move under him. ‘Just a friend of mine. We have a little question for you,’ said Xena. ‘Yeah?’ He was still curious, still expectant of further delights. ‘What is the password for the security system at BXH?’ The man didn’t reply verbally. He shook the bed from side to side, trying to break free. He didn’t know that his only hope was if his thrashing managed to separate his hands from his wrists, and his feet from his ankles. And very few people have strength enough to do that. Xena waved the blue flame, raised it, as if offering it up. It flickered higher. The odour of the burning butane gas filled the room like bad perfume. The sound of the blow torch was a threatening hissing now. Xena placed the tip of the flame against the top edge of the whiskey tumbler the man had been drinking from. The glass turned blue. ‘Wait until you feel this. Then you will tell me,’ said Xena. Her tone had changed. It was demanding now. ‘What? Fu . . .’ The end of that confident word was bitten off by the piercing scream that came from deep within his throat. Xena had touched the flame against the pale skin of his shoulder. He began thrashing. Like a fish flailing. He moved from side to side, squirming away from the skin-blistering heat. But he couldn’t move fast enough. And his legs and arms were stretched out tight. Easy targets. The smell in the room changed and the atmosphere with it. Pain and whimpering, sizzling and guttural roars filled the air. The man had become a dog. Then Xena asked him again. ‘The password, please.’ She spoke softly, as if they were still playing a game. ‘If you give it up, I will release you. You can explain these little burns to your wife. But the ones I will inflict next will require hospital treatment. Or the services of a morgue.’ She clicked the flame off, then pressed the hot tip hard and fast into the biggest blister she had inflicted, near his ankle. ‘What do you say, Mr Hare?’ The man answered with a defiant, animal roar. He shook the bed under him. The last vestige of his pride in working at BXH bellowed out of him. Xena lit the flame again. She reached forward, touched it to his chest, and ran it fast down the middle until smoke from his burning body hair filled the room with a sickly odour. ‘Stop, stop!’ he screamed. His body squirmed to escape the heat. ‘It’s #89*99,’ he shouted. ‘Please! Stop!’ Bidoner keyed the password into his phone and pressed send. ‘I hope you’re not lying,’ said Xena. ‘I want all this to have a happy ending.’ She squeezed his thigh with her hand, then stroked it. Tears streamed from under his blindfold. His cheeks were red. It was good he couldn’t see the weals on his body, because he would know immediately that he wouldn’t be able to explain any of them to his wife. ‘Please, let me go. I promise not to tell anyone. I swear, on my children’s lives.’ Lord Bidoner’s mobile beeped as an incoming message came in. He nodded at Xena. The code had worked. ‘I believe you,’ she said. ‘But there is one more thing I must do for you.’ She put the Turboflame down and went to the fridge. She took out a six-inch-long serrated knife, honed with care to a perfect blade, from the freezer section. She held it in the air, admiring its cold edge. ‘Now you will find release,’ she said. The man’s body went still. His toes, which had scrunched up, half straightened. The only sound was his pain-filled whimpering. The panic room in the apartment on Fifth Avenue, overlooking the skyscrapers of Manhattan, was soundproof. It was why they used the room. Xena flicked the blade across the man’s pale skin, once, then twice, fascinated by how quickly blood gushed, how fast it flowed from a few simple cuts. ‘This is for my brothers,’ she said. ‘Don’t,’ he whimpered. Fear trembled in his voice. ‘I have two children, a wife.’ She growled, psyching herself up. ‘Prima quattuor invocare unum,’ she said, as she grabbed him, jerking him upwards and castrating him with one swinging motion. She held the bloody remains up in the air. His screams of terror and pain vibrated through the room as blood spurted two feet high. A foul smell followed and the man’s words became a babbling. Lord Bidoner held his nose. He’d seen enough. He went out to the main room of the apartment, with its view towards the glittering Jazz-era spire of the Empire State Building. ‘You did good, my dear. The first offering has been done correctly,’ he said, when Xena joined him. She was panting. ‘Come here.’ He pushed her up against the inch-thick glass of the window, as Manhattan glittered behind them. Afterwards, he handed her a balloon glass containing a large shot of Asbach 21. She sipped the brandy, then downed it in one gulp. Then she lay down on the sleek oak coffee table that dominated the room. The canyon of lights stretching into the velvet Manhattan night reflected all the way along the length of the table and onto her ebony skin. He reached down and stroked her shoulder. It was trembling. ‘Three more before the moon rises again. That is what the book says. That is what we will do.’ She smiled up at him. Her white teeth shone as she leaned her head back and stretched.  

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About the Author

HC photo 4869275_zpsed684500.jpg Laurence was born in Dublin. He studied business, then IT at Oxford University.After going to England he paid for his own courses and began rising at 4AM so he could study and work at the same time. One early job was as a kitchen porter near the Bank of England cleaning the plates of the well connected. Laurence was first published by a school newspaper when he was ten, for a short story about aliens getting lost. Thirty-five years later, he attended an authonomy workshop and not long after was offered a publishing contract for three books. The Manhattan Puzzle is his third novel.  

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Friday, August 29, 2014

MISSING (The Brannock Siblings #3) BY Jessica Wilde

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TITLE:
MISSING (The Brannock Siblings #3)
AUTHOR: Jessica Wilde
RELEASE DATE: SEPT 21ST
  Missing Cover

SYNOPSIS:

There are two things in this life that Gus Brannock truly loves; his family and his job. His family is growing and he wants what his brother and sister have before the job he's worked so hard for takes its toll. The woman he's got his eye on, however, isn't interested in being with a man who risks his life every day. When the unexpected friendship with the sassy red head he used to hate turns into something Gus just doesn't want to live without, he will do whatever it takes to have her. The hazards of his job as a detective for missing children may end up proving to be too much, but there's a reason Aiden was brought into his life and nothing will stand in his way to keep her there.
Aiden Murphy used to hate the handsome jerk next door until a surprising discovery spun her world in another direction. Her life of devotion to her sister and niece has been her biggest strength with the exception of her art. That is, until Gus turns out to be the one thing that has been missing from that life all along. Aiden must decide if the unknown is worth the risk of loving the dedicated detective or if being pulled into his world is more than she can handle. When Gus becomes the only way for her to keep the people she loves most safe, will she understand why he treasures her untried strength or will she let her fear of the unknown decide for her?
For readers 18+ due to strong language and sexual situations.

Other Books In this series:

Leverage (The Brannock Siblings #1)

  LEVERAGE COVER

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Synopsis:

Adventure. That's all Aislinn 'Ash' Brannock wanted in her life. Her dad and two brothers - all cops - got to see it all, but their over-protectiveness made her feel like she had been locked away in a tower with three fire breathing dragons watching her every move. Yes, it was that bad. The only silver lining? Lucas Shade. Her brothers' best friend growing up, and apparently the only man she will ever love because let's face it, none of the others even come close. After an unfortunate mistake lands her back in her father's home, her world is turned upside down and Lucas is there in a tightly wrapped package of serious with a big red bow on top. Life just got interesting, but it comes with a price, one she never wanted to pay.
Detective Lucas Shade never had a real family, but the Brannocks took him in as one of their own and he never took it for granted. Ash was a big reason for why he stuck around, but in order to save himself the beating of a lifetime from her two older brothers, he kept his feelings for her hidden. When the case he has been working on for months takes a turn, Ash could become the leverage the bad guys have been waiting for, but keeping her invisible may destroy everything Lucas has worked so hard for. Good thing Ash is the only person he would give up everything to protect.

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Conned (The Brannock Siblings #2)

  Conned Cover      

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Synopsis:

 
Conall Brannock takes his job seriously. He doesn't get attached, he doesn't ask questions, and he protects his family at all costs. Nothing will change that. Not even the sweet, green eyed witness that just burst into his life and shifted his world. He has one job to do; protect Emily until she can testify. He can't let his interest in her get in the way, but the more he finds out about her, the more he can't help but wonder how the beautiful broken girl got into this mess in the first place. And the longer he takes to learn the truth, the deeper he falls for her.
Emily Dawson has a job to do. Stay off the grid, testify, and hopefully get her brother back. He's all she has left of the family she struggled so hard to hold together and she would do anything to keep him safe. Even if it means she has put herself in harm's way or that she has conned everyone into believing she saw something she didn't. She knows where her loyalties lie, but her stoic yet gentle protector and his crazy family makes her question everything she once knew.
Loyalty can be one sided.
Family isn't always blood.
And honesty can destroy everything she has come to love.
 

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About The Author:

Jessica Wilde  
I live in Morgan Utah with my husband, daughter, and dog, Kolo. I write as often as my active daughter will let me and my husband has the patience of a saint. I find inspiration from dreams, people I meet, and life experiences. When I write, I usually end up drinking one too many cans of Peace Tea, eating three too many Fruit by the Foot fruit snacks, and accidently kicking my pup and best buddy, Kolo, too many times since he loves to sleep under my desk at my feet.
I started writing as a teen, but my fear of the unknown won out every time and I threw everything out. After becoming a mother and deciding to stay at home to raise my beautiful little girl, I tried again when I couldn't stop thinking of ideas. I loved every minute, every hour of sleep lost, and every character that came to life in my mind.
It's strange, but my favorite moments are when I have writer's block because I can turn to my husband and find inspiration through him by just doing what we do best together. Talking, laughing, and just being in love. He doesn't like to read, but he never stops encouraging me to keep going.
Writing has become an important part of my life and every book has a special place in my heart.

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*Romance Beach Bundle 1 by Donna Fasano

Romance Beach Bundle 1
by Donna Fasano
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 20, 2014

Thursday, August 28, 2014

*Until You by Melody Heck Gatto



Until You



by Melody Heck Gatto

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Tour Organizer: N K Author Services





Trina just wanted to wake up each morning and go to bed every night at peace with the tragedy that was her past. She had been through hell the last year. After losing something she never knew she had, then almost losing her life, things were finally looking up. Desperately wanting to move on, Trina and her dog, Toby, decided the beach was where they wanted to go. Maybe they would stay here and call this home.

****

The east coast was as far away from home as Sam was going to get. He was still reeling from a losing season riddled with injuries. He was emotionally and physically exhausted. He needed to clear his head before he embarked on a summer of make believe, dress up and baby dolls, with his niece.

Sam never counted on meeting her. The beautiful blonde with the edgy look, amazing voice and hot body. She blindsided him. Before he knew what had happened, he had fallen hard and fast for her. After only one passionate night he couldn't imagine going back to the west coast without her.

Trina didn't see romance coming until it was too late. One night of sex with the hot surfer boy turned into more than she was prepared for. She had demons in her past that he didn't yet understand, and she wasn't sure she was ready to let Sam in. Could only a few days with him change the rest of her life?








































































Until YouUntil You by Melody Heck Gatto

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I read more than the average person and I read for many reasons.  I want to find enjoyment, entertainment, and be able to feel something when I read.  Sometimes you find a book that meet all of these things and in Until you I found this.

This is a short story but very sweet and emotional.  Sam & Trina are a great couple and I would have really liked for the story to be a little longer, but it will leave you with that warm happy feeling.

Great job to Molody Heck Gatto on her debut novella.  Wishing you much success!


View all my reviews



Meet Melody





Melody was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she lives with her husband, son and two dogs. The whole family are avid Pittsburgh Penguins fans and like going to hockey games when they get the chance. Melody enjoys taking her son to meet the players on game days. It's no secret that meeting the players is just as exciting for her as it is for her son; especially when it comes to her favorite player!

Melody has loved writing since she was small, in school she never met a creative writing assignment that she didn't love. She is lucky enough to have a wonderful husband who encourages her to write. When she was laid off from her job of 14 years, he was supportive about letting her stay home and take care of their son. During that time she discovered hockey-romances and found a renewed love of reading as well as a passion for writing.

She spends her spare time reading hockey romances. At holiday time she really enjoys any romance about Christmas. During the hockey off-season, she enjoys swimming and spending her days out in the sun.


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMelodyHeckGatto

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookChick58

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22487513-until-you
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8310618.Melody_Heck_Gatto

Smashwords Profile: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/pensfan621








*Beauty and the Mustache by Penny Reid


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Beauty and the Mustache
Publication Date: August 28, 2014 
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Blitz and Tour: Beauty and the Mustache by Penny Reid


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Synopsis

There are three things you need to know about Ashley Winston: 1) She has six brothers and they all have beards, 2) She is a reader, and 3) She knows how to knit.

Former beauty queen, Ashley Winston’s preferred coping strategy is escapism. She escaped her Tennessee small town, loathsome father, and six brothers eight years ago. Now she escapes life daily via her Amazon kindle one-click addiction. However, when a family tragedy forces her to return home, Ashley can’t escape the notice of Drew Runous— local Game Warden, bear wrestler, philosopher, and everyone’s favorite guy. Drew’s irksome philosophizing in particular makes Ashley want to run for the skyscrapers, especially since he can’t seem to keep his exasperating opinions— or his soulful poetry, steadfast support, and delightful hands— to himself. Pretty soon the girl who wanted nothing more than the escape of the big city finds she’s lost her heart in small town Tennessee.

This is a full-length novel, can be read as a standalone, and is the fourth book in the 'Knitting in the City' series. 

Also in the Series:
Neanderthal Seeks Human (Knitting in the City, #1) Tour: Neanderthal Marries Human by Penny ReidFriends Without Benefits (Knitting in the City, #2) Love Hacked (Knitting in the City, #3)
 
About Penny Reid
Author-Photo-Penny-Reid-300x300


SEX! It all started with sex, between my parents. Personally I don’t like thinking about it, but whatever works for you is a-ok with me. No judgment. The sex happened in California and much of my life also occurred in that state until I moved from the land of nuts (almonds), wine, silicon… boobs, and heavy traffic to the southeast US. Like most writers I like to write, but let’s get back to sex. Eventually I married and gave birth to 2 small people-children (boy-6, girl-4 as of this writing).

By day I’m a biomedical researcher with focus on rare diseases. By night I’m a knitter, sewer, lino block carver, fabric printer, soap maker, and general crafter. By the wee hours of the morning or when I’m intoxicated I love to listen to the voices in my head and let them tell me stories. I hope you enjoy their stories.


Hosted By

Can't Let Go by Michelle Lynn






SYNOPSIS:

Dex is many things, a college senior, the bassist for The Invisibles, a son, a friend, everything but a boyfriend. Everybody knows him as the shallow guy who’s up for a good time anytime. People rarely take the time to see the loyal guy lying just beneath the happy-go-lucky façade.

There are parts of Dex’s life he keeps hidden. Ones he believes no one would understand. Since he gave up on the idea of a dream girl long ago, he thinks he’s finally found the perfect balance of connection without commitment with Sam.

Chrissy used to know everything about Dex. When he left four years ago for college, she was left behind. Four years later, with nowhere else to turn, Chrissy calls the one person she’s always counted on, Dex. One glance at the sad eyes he’s tried to forget and Dex knows it’s out of his control.

With Chrissy's return, lines begin to cross from friendship to something more, but will Dex's secret force them apart forever?

(Can't Let Go is the fourth novel in the Invisibles Series)










EXCERPT:

Picking it up, still shaking in my hands, a number I don’t recognize crosses the screen. Wavering on whether or not I want to chance this being something at the house, I hit ignore because I don’t want to be bothered with my dad’s so-called business today. Then thoughts of someone raiding or maybe some loser found out where my dad’s operation is. Worse case, someone ratted him out. Figuring someone who I have programmed in my phone would have made the phone call to alert me, I wait to see if they leave a voicemail. Which they do—my phone vibrates a second later.

Clicking speaker, I place the black rectangle on my dresser while I gel my hair. My fingers are manipulating each strand, placing it in the perfect spot when her voice comes across. My hands stop mid-air and I my eyes fixate on the phone. Closing my eyes, that sweet sound that’s only lived in my dreams the past years still unglues me to the core.   “Um … Dex. I’m in town and … um … I was wondering … if maybe we could … um … talk.” Her voice is practically shaking from the awkwardness of the phone call.

“HULK!” Brady screams again. Debating in my head what I should do, I could easily claim ignorance that I never got the call. Say that I was already out of town. Excuses run through my head as to why I would leave her wherever she is. Then the images of her alone, or worse, not. Knowing even with the distance that has formed between us over the years, I could never, would never, not go to her if she needed me.

Walking out my door, I peer over the railing to a sour Brady. “Man, I gotta do something. You guys go without me,” I shout down.

“What is so damn important?” he asks, sensitive to the fact he can tell something’s off with me. Brady is like the father of our friends, protective of us all.

“A friend needs me,” I say, remaining vague. If Brady knew the half of what I did when I leave this house, he’d probably have an anxiety attack.

He stands there staring up at me and wavers at the door. Probably counting in his head how long he has before Sadie, his fiancé, comes in search of him. “What’s up, man?” he asks, stepping up a few stairs.

“I’m not sure yet. I need to make a call.” I’m honest with him because Brady has a sense of comfort about him. Although, I’m fairly certain our secrets are shared with Sadie, he keeps things mostly to himself.

“Do that, and we’ll wait.” He jogs back down the steps, and the front door shuts behind him.

Sitting on my bed, I bite my lip. It’s been so long. Not that she hasn’t crossed my mind; I’m not sure a day goes by that I don’t wonder where she is and what’s she’s doing. I question why she left and never answered my calls. The guilt that I somehow left her behind always resonating inside somewhere within me even when she’s the one who disappeared. The small piece of electronics sits in my hands like a ten-pound weight. There’s no turning back, no erasing from my mind once I press that call icon.

Pushing back my fear, I press the call button, release a deep breath and bring the phone up to my ear. She answers on the first ring, confirming something is seriously wrong. “Dex,” she answers. Another stab of the knife that she still has my number programmed, but I don’t have her obviously changed number.

“Chrissy?” I say her name out loud for the first time in four years. How can her name seem foreign on my tongue?

The line is quiet for a few seconds before she continues. “Hi. I’m in Western … at this place called The Loft. Could you come down here?” she asks.


AUTHOR BIO:

Michelle moved around the Midwest most of her life, transferring from school to school before settling down in the outskirts of Chicago ten years ago, where she now resides with her husband and two kids.  She developed a love of reading at a young age, which helped lay the foundation for her passion to write.   With the encouragement of her family, she finally sat down and wrote one of the many stories that have been floating around in her head. When she isn’t reading or writing, she can be found playing with her kids, talking to her mom on the phone, or hanging out with her family and friends.  But after chasing around twin preschoolers all day, she always cherishes her relaxation time after putting the kids to bed.



SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:


Twitter: @michellelynnbks







PURCHASE LINKS FOR THE INVISIBLES SERIES:


Don’t Let Go (Book #1)


Let Me In (Book #2)


Let Me Love (Book #3)


Can't Let Go (Book #4)



RELEASE LAUNCH HOSTED BY:




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*One Day Soon by Edie Hart




One Day Soon

by Edie Hart

Genre: Romance

Tour Organizer: N K Author Services





After Lexi witnesses a murder, she becomes a target for a cold-blooded killer. Will Burg, the detective assigned to her case, be able to keep her safe? 

While checking out a house for a showing, realtor Alexandria Edwards stumbles upon a savage slaying. Now witness to a murder, she soon becomes the target of a cold-blooded killer.

Jonathan Burgess,, Lexi’s brother’s best friend, is the detective assigned to protect the sexy blonde. Burg has always thought of Lexi as a little sister, but seeing her all grown up has turned his innocent thoughts into forbidden fantasies. Will Burg be able to keep Lexi safe while also keeping his growing feelings for her in check?

Edie Hart was born in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago, where she now resides with her husband, two children, dog, and three cats. After spending her childhood making up stories in her head, she finally decided to put them on paper. What came of it was her first novella, One Bad Day. 

Edie also admits that "Edie Hart" is a pen name and an alter ego to an otherwise boring wife and mother. Edie is 20 pounds lighter, loves to skydive, travels to foreign places, and is a total sex kitten as compared to the uninteresting other half who is none of those things.

In reality the other half of Edie is a lackluster 40-something-year-old, whose main goal is to keep The Big One (The Boy) from torturing The Little One (The Girl). This week he hit her in the head with a 12-pack of Juicy Juice. Last week he left ravioli handprints on the back of her white T-shirt. The week before that he told her she was adopted and she believed him.

Edie is a die-hard romantic and believes that everyone deserves to be loved unconditionally—both in print and real life.


Grab Book 1 in the Series



After doing a favor for her boss, Tessa ends up being a mistaken target and falling for the sexy cop determined to keep her safe.

Tessa is having one seriously bad day. After agreeing to dress as a cheesy mascot at a convention for her boss, her clothes get stolen, she gets chased through a sinister parking garage, and her apartment gets broken into and turned upside down. 

Gray, an off-duty police officer, can't resist the sexy legs he sees in costume at a hotel convention. When he catches sight of her running for her life through a dark car lot, he's determined to find out what her story is and ends up promising to keep Tessa safe...even if that means taking her home with him.


Meet Edie

Edie Hart was born in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago, where she now resides with her husband, two children, dog, and three cats. After spending her childhood making up stories in her head, she finally decided to put them on paper. What came of it was her first novella, One Bad Day. Edie is a die-hard romantic and believes that everyone deserves to be loved unconditionally--both in print and real life.

Edie also admits that "Edie Hart" is a pen name and an alter ego to an otherwise boring wife and mother. Edie is 20 pounds lighter, loves to skydive, travels to foreign places, and is a total sex kitten as compared to the uninteresting other half who is none of those things.

In reality the counterpart of Edie is a lackluster 40-something-year-old, whose main goal is to keep The Big One (The Boy) from torturing The Little One (The Girl). This week he hit her in the head with a 12-pack of Juicy Juice. Last week he left ravioli handprints on the back of her white T-shirt. The week before that he told her she was adopted and she believed him.

To learn more about her, and find out what The Big One and The Little One are up to, visit her via her website www.ediehart.com.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

With the Father by Jenni Moen

We are very excited to share the cover for With the Father by Jenni Moen! Check out the excerpt below and tell us what you think!



Title: With the Father
Author: Jenni Moen
Age: Adult
Genre: Dark Contemporary Romance
Scheduled to release: Fall 2014
Goodreads

Blurb:
I had a choice, and I chose wrong.

I thought I lost everything. But when the smoke finally cleared, I discovered that I wasn’t alone. 

Father Sullivan was a force – a living and breathing force, a forbidden desire I couldn’t resist. I didn’t want to resist.  But I wasn’t the only one who wanted him, and by all accounts neither of us should have him.

I had decisions to make, secrets to uncover. Both would tear my heart, my life, and what was left of my family apart.

I wasn’t going to take any chances this time around. If I’d learned one thing during my life, it’s that death is the only certainty. It’s a matter of when, not if.  For every action, there is a reaction. For every choice, a consequence.

If I hadn’t chosen to live again, I would have never known what life could be like …

With the Father


Excerpt

“It looks like Princess Aurora found her soul mate. Who am I to stand in between them?”

“Do you believe that?” he asked, his voice solemn.

“What?”

“In soul mates.” He cocked his head to the side and looked genuinely interested in my answer.

Of course, I believed in ‘the one.’ I also believed that I’d already lost him. “I believe that there’s one special person that is the perfect fit, and that it’s no coincidence when we find them. You?”

“Certainly, some are better suited for each other than others,” he said, nodding to the dogs sitting side-by-side at our feet. “But I don’t believe in ‘the one.’” He leaned against the trunk of my car and eyed me as if he thought I was made of glass and his words would shatter me. He was right to wonder.

Jonathan had been my soul mate. We’d been very young when we’d met – just nineteen. Yet, I’d known immediately that he was it for me, that he was the one. In fact, I’d called my mother the next day and told her that I’d met the guy I was going to marry. There had never been anyone else and he’d felt the same way. If that wasn’t the definition of soul mates, I didn’t know what was.

Father Paul seemed to sense my feelings on the subject but barged ahead anyway. “Have you ever wondered where it comes from … the idea of there being just ‘one’ perfect counterpart for every person?”

“Walt Disney?” I asked, pointing at Princess Aurora.

He shook his head. “Actually, it originated from the Greek philosophy of Plato who believed that man and woman are made of one body and separated by the gods, forced to spend their lives searching for each other so that they can be complete.” He was silent for a moment before continuing, “Obviously that goes against what I believe.”

“Each of us is a complete person all on our own. You are complete person on your own, Grace. That was true six months ago, and it’s true today. You may not feel like it, but even without him, you are complete.”

I scuffed the toe of my shoe in the dirt while I considered his words, noticing that he’d purposefully framed his argument without mentioning God.

Father Paul was walking a fine line with me and he knew it. He was being very careful not to say something that he knew would push me away; yet, he’d still managed to get his message across.

He flipped his ball cap around so that it sat backwards on his head. The act had the dual effect of revealing his face – and the utter sincerity etched across it – and returning the Greek mythology-spewing priest beside me to a mere mortal man again.

I crumbled just a bit.

His mouth turned down as he squinted into the sun. “Of course, I’ve never been in love like you have.”
  
About the Author:
Jenni Moen lives in Oklahoma with her husband and three crazy, exuberant kids that have the potential to burn the house down at any moment. 

When she’s not chauffeuring kids around town, performing her mom duties as a short order cook and maid, or vacuuming for her fastidious husband, she hammers away at her keyboard at her big girl job as a patent attorney. While vodka and exercise have provided some relief from the daily grind, it is reading … and now writing … that are her true escapes.
Website | Facebook | Twitter

*The Office Slave by Opal Carew






On Her Knees
The Office Slave Box Set
by Opal Carew
Genre: Erotic Romance
Tour Organizer: N K Author Services




From New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Opal Carew. 

Four irresistible executives. One powerful boss. Can she surrender to her ultimate sexual fantasy? 

Sylvia loves to read erotica, and after her latest read, she's developed a sizzling fantasy about submitting to the sexual whims of four incredibly hot business partners. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she'd have the opportunity to live out her fantasy... until her friend decides to make it happen. Now she's about to become an office slave to four irresistible executives… 

Just when she thinks that her ultimate sexual fantasies have been brought to life, the fifth partner -- the boss -- intervenes and offers her complete domination.

Can she give up total control to the man behind the voice? 

Books 1 & 2 of The Office Slave series. 

Length: 20,000 words



 Nook    \     Kindle    \     Kobo


Blurb for ON HER KNEES

They brought her ultimate sexual fantasy to life...

Now it gets real.

Her friend had arranged for her to live out her sexual fantasy of being office slave to four hot hunky business partners, and at the end, their fifth partner had called to ask if she wanted to be dominated… for real. His deep, domineering voice had elicited the most compelling and intense sex dreams she'd ever known. Then when she gave up control to him, she was totally hooked.

Now she is exploring what it means to be in a Dominant/submissive relationship with a man who seems to gain more pleasure from watching her with other men rather than giving her what she really wants. Him. 

Mr. Grant has never experienced a submissive as willing and desirable as Sylvia. Everything about her makes him want her, threatening the steadfast control he keeps over himself when mastering a woman. No submissive has ever broken through his carefully erected barrier of indifference. Until now. 

Can Sylvia break through his self-imposed walls to touch the man beneath? 

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This Third installment of the office slave series takes it from a fantasy into a Dom/Sub situation.  If you are into fantasy/fetish then it may be right up your alley.  The ending threw me and I'm not sure where it goes from here, but it is a short erotic read.








Hi. I'm Opal Carew, a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. I write erotic romance for St. Martin's Press and Samhain Publishing, and I self-publish stories. I also write romance as Amber Carew.

So why do I like writing erotic romance? I like being able to push beyond traditional boundaries. I like dealing with a female character who is growing and evolving - questioning her sexual boundaries and pushing past them. My stories usually include menage a trois. It is great fun to write a heroine choosing between two equally appealing heroes... or more.

These aren't women who just jump into bed with anyone. They find themselves in an unusual situation - something exciting and erotic - but a situation where they have to push themselves beyond their comfort level. As a result, they grow as a person. So often fear holds us back - of what others will think of us, of what we will think about ourselves - and we don't follow our hearts. These women push past that fear.

To learn more about me and my books:
http://www.OpalCarew.com
http://www.facebook.com/OpalCarewRomanceAuthor
http://twitter.com/OpalCarew