Today is release day for LOVE AND CHAOS, the third book in the adult dark romance/romantic suspense series, Chaos by S.M. Soto. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, and a couple of exclusive teasers.
About the Author S.M. Soto was born and raised in Northern California where she currently resides with her son. Her love for reading began when she was a young girl, and has only continued to grow into adulthood. S.M. lives for reading books in the romance genre and writing novels with relatable characters. She refers to herself as a bit of a romance junkie. S.M. loves to connect with readers and eat copious of donuts that will surely lead to her demise (carbs are life).
Welcome to the book blitz for KISSING MAGIC, the second book in the young adult fantasy romance series, Portals to Whyland, by Day Leitao. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
KISSING MAGIC (Portals to Whyland #2) by Day Leitao
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: KISSING MAGIC Series: Portals to Whyland #2 Author: Day Leitao Release Date: February 22, 2019 Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
Synopsis Kiss him. Don’t fall in love.
Break a spell with a kiss. Karina has heard and seen enough weird stuff for this request to sound legit.
At 16, Karina has a shot at adventure—and an odd first kiss—when she’s called to Whyland, a kingdom in another dimension, to save a guy she barely knows. Why her? No clue, but she’s happy to help, and kissing Sian isn’t torture, even if he isn’t to be trusted. Karina’s smart enough not to fall in love—or at least to tell herself not to.
Once in Whyland, she realizes that risking a broken heart is the smallest of her problems. Chased by dark magic creatures, she joins Sian and heads to a mysterious castle whose secrets might be tied to her own. But when truths are unravelled, Karina will need to step up and stand between an ancient darkness and the kingdom—never mind her heart.
This is book 2 in Portals to Whyland series but you can jump straight into it without having read book 1. If you like fantasy and adventure with romance and some humor, give Kissing Magic a try. This novel is recommended for readers 13 and older.
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Excerpt The two intruders, or visitors, seemed a bit confused and had their eyes closed. They were surrounded by white fog. A rock star entrance. Of course, had they been rock stars they would have stepped in the room with eyes open, oozing confidence. Cayla held Darian’s hand. Holding hands was necessary for teleporting. But still, they looked cute and warmed Karina’s heart.
Karina wanted to help them out of their confusion. “You’re here. You can open your eyes.”
Cayla opened her eyes, looked around, then walked towards Karina and hugged her. “Good to see you.”
Only then, when she touched Cayla, did Karina believe that it was real, that they were actually there. It had all been so sudden. It was also good to see Cayla and know that she was all right. “Past time you made a visit!”
Cayla laughed. “If I could I would have dropped by earlier.”
Darian looked dizzy, but slowly he opened his eyes, looked around, and acknowledged Karina. “Hi.”
They hadn’t aged more than Karina had, which either meant that there was no significant time difference between the two dimensions, or that people there didn’t age as fast. Cayla wore dark green pants and a jacket in what looked like suede. Her marvelous shiny black hair was tied in a loose ponytail hanging over a shoulder. Darian had his same brown hair to the chin, and wore brown pants and a jacket. His brown eyes reminded Karina of his older brother. In fact, Darian did look a little like him, with the difference that Darian had more delicate facial features and wasn’t as tall. For the first time she noticed that Darian was actually quite good looking. With all the craziness last time and with him being Cayla’s whatever, Karina hadn’t registered his attractiveness level, but now she realized that he and Cayla were quite a stunning couple. Each of them had a necklace with a clear orange stone, and Karina remembered with amusement how she’d been surprised that they could use the stones to communicate with each other. Her surprise hadn’t been silly, as communicating necklaces were rare even in Whyland.
Darian looked at Cayla as if expecting something, and Cayla bit her lip and looked down.
Karina considered their expressions and came to a conclusion. “You want something from me.”
Darian and Cayla looked at each other. Karina was right. She felt giddy because she thought they would ask her to go to Whyland, and she had wanted to go back there for a long time.
Cayla sighed. “It’s a huge favor, and it’s not easy, but Darian believes you can help him.”
Darian? Karina couldn’t imagine what he’d want with her, as she barely knew him. “What is it?”
“My brother,” he said.
The name came as a whisper from Karina’s lips, “Sian.”
Karina’s heart raced. She hadn’t known him well, other than spending some 20 or 30 minutes with him because he wanted to keep Cayla hostage and take the kingdom for himself and his evil father. Despite these small nasty details, Sian had been polite to Karina. She remembered with embarrassment that she felt flustered and speechless because he kept flirting with her. Life had taught her to ignore those types, but, being her first time, she felt confused. Sian did send her a book—Cayla’s mother had brought it to Karina—but all she could picture was a superiority smirk on his face while he told her that she needed to know more about Whyland.
Darian continued, “I know you didn’t get to know each other much, and—”
“What is it? Just tell me.” Karina hated long, unnecessary explanations, and was too anxious to hear them.
He looked at Cayla, who nodded, then said, “He’s under a spell. There’s a way to get him back, and you might be able to help.”
Of course, having magical or even non-magical objects from other dimensions kind of did some trick. “Does it have something to do with the book?”
Darian shook his head. “Not directly. It’s … I think you can break the spell.”
“Me?” It sounded strange, but maybe not so much. Karina remembered that, at least in theory, she had magical power in Whyland, because people have more power when they go to different dimensions. The only issue was that she had no clue on the nature of her power or any idea how to use it. “Because of my magic?”
Darian looked down. “I guess you could call it that.”
Cayla turned to him and squinted. “Just tell her.”
He cleared his throat and spoke fast. “That spell can be broken with a kiss.”
Karina had heard that somewhere. “Like in fairy tales?”
“You mean stories?” He shrugged. “They gotta be based on something.”
Karina was used to enough weird stuff not to argue with that logic. But hang on. What she’d need to do dawned on her. “What do I have to do with a kiss?”
Cayla said, “A kiss, uh, usually involves—you know—two people.” She put her two hands together, mimicking two mouths connecting.
“I know what a kiss is. But why me?”
Darian sighed, then said, “It’s a kiss of true love.”
Karina felt a hollowness in her stomach. “You don’t expect me to—”
“It’s not that,” Cayla said. “It can work both ways. Of course you’d never love or feel anything for Sian. We know that. But it can work the other way around as well. Receiving a kiss from someone you love does the trick.”
Karina didn’t know how to feel. The guy was weird and maybe a little annoying. But love her? “That doesn’t make any sense. I saw him for what? Half an hour at most. He just said I was pretty, but I’m sure he says that to every girl he meets, doesn’t he?”
Darian and Cayla replied at the same time. “Of course not,” he said, while she said, “Well, yes.”
Darian and Cayla glared at each other. She said, “You don’t want to lie to her.”
“I’m not lying. We don’t know it.”
Cayla shook her head in annoyance and turned to Karina. “Sian is not somebody you could trust, and not somebody I’d trust to be in love with anyone but himself.”
Darian said, “But he told me to send the book with all his love. Fair enough, he said he had a broad definition of love, whatever that is. But as far as I know it counts. He went to great lengths to make sure you got a book. So there’s something there.”
Cayla looked up, as if thinking. “That’s true. My mother was freaking out.” She made a shrill voice. “You can’t bring objects across dimensions.” She laughed. “But she agreed in the end.”
Karina was happy to hear Cayla talking about her mother like that.
Cayla continued, “I know in theory it’s a kiss of true love, but I think it’s just because if they called it a kiss of superficial attraction it wouldn’t have the same ring.”
Darian shook his head. “Not necessarily.”
“They barely know each other,” Cayla said.
“So what?” He shrugged. “Never heard of love at first sight?”
“You mean superficial attraction? That’s what I was saying.”
“Fair enough,” Karina interrupted. These two would never reach a conclusion. “Can’t you find any of the other girls comprised in his …” Karina looked up and grimaced. “… broad definition of love, superficial attraction, love at first sight, or whatever?” She didn’t want to upset anyone by using inappropriate terminology. And as much as she obviously wanted to go to Whyland, she also wanted to understand what was going on.
Darian shrugged. “I don’t know him that well. We, we didn’t get along.”
That was an understatement. These were two brothers who had been in opposite sides of an armed conflict.
About the Author Day was born in Brazil and has always loved to write stories. She has a Master’s in English Literature and lives in Montreal, Canada, with her son.
Today is release day for ALL WE WERE the first book in the adult contemporary romance duet, The Ex-Factor,byUSA Today bestselling authors, Elisabeth Grace and Michelle Lynn. See below for information on the books, buy links, and a couple of exclusive teasers.
ALL WE WERE (The Ex-Factor Duet #1) by Elisabeth Grace and Michelle Lynn
About Book 1 – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: ALL WE WERE Series: The Ex-Factor #1 Author: Elisabeth Grace and Michelle Lynn Release Date: February 28, 2019
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
Synopsis Will I ever stop hurting the one person who’s never hurt me?
I’ve done things I can never undo. No matter how much I wish I could, sometimes the wounds I inflict are too deep, too catastrophic, too septic to heal. As I look into the eyes of the only man I’ve ever loved I know I’ve gone too far. I’ve finally crossed the line. Even if he knew my reason for doing this, he’d never forgive me.
He always puts my needs before his own. Now it’s my turn to protect him.
None of that matters though because the betrayal and disgust in his eyes comes from deep within his soul. There’s no coming back from this. He will forever be tormented by what he’s seen, and he will never forgive me.
The last fragment of my heart to hold out hope that we’d share a future, withers and dies.
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Author Elisabeth Grace
About Elisabeth Grace USA Today bestselling author, Elisabeth Grace, has a soft spot for romance novels with happily ever afters and a hot spot for alpha males! She currently lives outside Toronto, Canada with her hubby and two small children. Life is busy, but never too busy for a good story and to share her love of reading and writing with others.
About Michelle Lynn 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 loves all thing romance and cries at happy endings!
Welcome to the blog Tour for LINCOLN, a book between 1 and 2 in the young adult fantasy/romance series, Angelbound Origins, by Christina Bauer. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway. For a limited time, you can pick up the ebook version of DUT BOUND, the prequel, for free, and ANGELBOUND, book 1 in the series, for just $0.99.
LINCOLN (Angelbound Origins #1.5) by Christina Bauer
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: LINCOLN Series: Angelbound Origins #1.5 Author: Christina Bauer Publisher: Ink Monster, LLC Release Date: February 26, 2019 Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | GooglePlay
Synopsis ***Experience the events of Angelbound from Prince Lincoln’s point of view…And then enjoy an all-new part of his story!***
When it comes to fighting demons, Prince Lincoln is the greatest warrior in the history of his people, the thrax. Now Lincoln faces his hardest fight yet…and it’s not on a traditional battlefield.
Lincoln is falling in love. And the girl is part demon.
Between a fated dance at the Ryder mansion…a life-changing walk through a hedgerow maze…and a massive battle with none other than the King of Hell…Lincoln realizes that he wants to share his life with Myla Lewis, the part-demon girl who has captured his heart. However, an evil thrax noble—the powerful Earl of Acca—is prepared to do anything to stop Lincoln and Myla from having a future.
But Lincoln won’t give up on his Myla. Ever.
To fight Aldred, Lincoln works to create a different kind of marriage—an Alliance of the lesser thrax houses against Acca. Sadly, just as Lincoln starts to makes some progress, the nobles who’ve joined his Alliance begin to vanish. Is Aldred behind the disappearances, or is someone else vying for power? When Lincoln discovers the truth, it upends his entire world, threatening his future with Myla in ways no one could ever have imagined.
“I absolutely love Christina Bauer’s style, full of action, intense scenes, and characters that will test one’s imaginations to the max!” – Tome Tender Book Blog
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Excerpt Myla is Taken
As I ride Nightshade into camp, we slow to a walk. At this point, there shouldn’t be anyone running around the compound, but you never know. My horse’s hooves make sloshing sounds in the mud as I navigate through the labyrinth of cabins. Some places are neatly closed up. Others have open doors, the cabin’s interior showing as a mess of quickly piled belongings. Once Armageddon invaded, everyone was forced to evacuate through the temporary Pulpitum station. Clearly, some people handled the rush better than others.
I make a mental note to send servants back here to go through the cabins, inventory leftover items, and ensure they get to their rightful owners. My court wasn’t pleased to be stuck in Purgatory. Leaving in a rush for Armageddon would only make things worse. The least we can do is ensure they get their things.
I turn down the so-called street which holds my old cabin.
Beyond the spindly trees, the horizon line starts to lighten. Between nightfall and morning, there’s a certain kind of magic in the air. That power attracts some demon breeds to cause trouble. Shape shifters, mostly. And although there haven’t been many demons by our compound, that was mostly because the place was overrun with thrax. Now that my people have left, I’d expect more demons to poke about.
All of which is why I’m not surprised when I see a wispy shape before my cabin. Could be a shape shifter. Or a muto demon. Perhaps even a false vision from a hedge witch. As Night walks me closer, my blood freezes. The shape is none of those things.
It’s Myla.
And she’s a ghost.
Terror rattles through my nervous system. I slide off Night and race over to the spectral version of Myla. My girl hunches over in pain.
“Lincoln,” she moans.
I kneel before her, tilting my head to catch her line of vision. “I’m here.”
“Some thrax asshole in a toga showed up. He wants me to serve him for eternity.” She hisses in a breath. “I told him to fuck off.”
I recall what happened with Devak, Silvinio and Jali. “This happened to some of my ministers. They were approached by the Tithe, too.”
She hisses in a pained breath. “What does he want with me?”
“You have angelic blood; he’s obsessed with angels. Beyond that, I don’t know.”
She hunches over into a crouch. “It hurts.”
“That happened to Jali. It’s because you’re not accepting the change. Keep fighting. If you stop and give in, he’ll turn you into an effigy.”
She looks up at me through her mass of hair. “A what?”
“A stone soldier that will serve him forever. That won’t happen, though. I’m coming for you.”
“Then we’ll kill that dickhead.”
“Yes, we will. I promise.”
“Good.” Myla falls over and moans. A moment later, her ghostly self vanishes. I race over to Night, ready to hoist myself back on her saddle and return to Myla’s house. Her body is still alive, even if her ghost has been separated. At least, that’s what happened with Jali, Devak and Silvinio. I must get her physical self to safety. I set my foot in the stirrup, ready to mount Night and take off. That’s when I hear it.
A low moan.
And it’s coming from my cabin.
All the hair on my neck stands on end. I’d know that particular voice anywhere.
It can’t be.
Once again, I set both feet on solid ground. My hurt thuds against my rib cage. I rush over to my cabin and throw open the door.
Walker lies on the floor. The back of his head is a mass of blood.
About the Author
Christina Bauer knows how to tell stories about kick-ass women. In her best selling Angelbound series, the heroine is a part-demon girl who loves to fight in Purgatory’s Arena and falls in love with a part-angel prince. This young adult best seller has driven more than 500,000 ebook downloads and 9,000 reviews on Goodreads and retailers.
Bauer has also told the story of the Women’s March on Washington by leading PR efforts for the Massachusetts Chapter. Her pre-event press release—the only one sent out on a major wire service—resulted in more than 19,000 global impressions and redistribution by over 350 different media entities including the Associated Press.
Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby..
Award-winning author, Bethany Lopez, is unveiling the cover to TOO DANGEROUS, the fifth book in her adult contemporary romance series, The Lewis Cousins, releasing April 29, 2019. See below for the cover, information on the book and series, and pre-order links.
TOO DANGEROUS (The Lewis Cousins #5) by Bethany Lopez
About the Author Award-Winning Author Bethany Lopez began self-publishing in June 2011. She’s a lover of all things romance: books, movies, music, and life, and she incorporates that into the books she writes. When she isn’t reading or writing, she loves spending time with her husband and children, traveling whenever possible. Some of her favorite things are: Kristen Ashley Books, coffee in the morning, and In-N-Out burgers.
Welcome to the blog tour for LOST AND FOUND, the second book in the adult romantic suspense series, Masters and Mercenaries: The Forgotten, by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
LOST AND FOUND (Masters and Mercenaries – The Forgotten #2) by Lexi Blake
About the Book
Title: LOST AND FOUND Series: Masters and Mercenaries: The Forgotten #2 Author: Lexi Blake Publisher:DLZ Entertainment Category: Adult Romantic Suspense Release Date: February 26, 2019 Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK| Amazon CA | Amazon AU| Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | GooglePlay
Synopsis Owen Shaw and his “brothers” lost everything, their entire existence erased. Science had robbed he and all the Lost Boys of their memories and their past, but not their future. Hunted by every intelligence agency in the world, they are focused on two goals: find a cure for what was done to them and ensure that the technology that ruined their lives doesn’t get out into the world. Rebecca Walsh might be the key to achieving both. Owen has been studying her closely, living in her building, and he cannot resolve how such a beautiful, giving woman could have helped design the evil process that destroyed his past.
Dr. Rebecca Walsh has dedicated her life to researching the secrets of the mind. Her atmospheric rise in her field was fueled by the horror of watching her mother’s agonizing journey into madness at the hands of a disease with no cure. She vowed to never rest until she finds it. But obsession takes a heavy toll, and when Owen moves into her building she realizes how much of her life she has missed out on. Owen opens her eyes to a whole new world, filled with joy, laughter, and possibly love.
Owen and Rebecca grow closer, unraveling more about each other and the mysteries surrounding her connection to Hope McDonald. As the sinister forces working against the Lost Boys descend on Toronto, secrets long buried are uncovered that could shatter the bonds holding the Lost Boys together and cost Rebecca her life.
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Excerpt “Becca.” Owen’s voice was low. “Concentrate on me, on our conversation. You’ve done incredibly well. You’ve been able to hold it off, but this has gone on far longer than you ever should have been expected to handle it. This elevator is tight. I feel it, too, but we can hold off the anxiety together.”
She doubted very much the man in front of her was anxious. He looked solid, like the kind of man who took whatever came his way and simply dealt with it. He wouldn’t have needed two freaking years to figure out what he wanted. He would have signed his divorce papers and moved on, not hiding in his work.
It struck her forcibly that she might never have met a man like Owen Shaw. Her childhood had been fairly sheltered. She’d constantly been surrounded by intellectuals, men and women who were far more concerned with their work than anything else.
The ground beneath her shifted and the elevator dropped what felt like ten feet, but she knew in her head it was mere inches. Her heart rate tripled, and she grabbed on to the closest thing she could—him.
His arms went around her, holding her up, and she heard it. He was so tall that her head naturally rested on his chest, and she could hear his heart beating in rapid time.
He was nervous.
The phone rang and Owen cursed, reaching out to grab it. The shaft was so small, he didn’t have to let her go to grasp it.
“What the bloody hell is happening, Colin?”
She could hear his voice over the line. “Sorry. So sorry. We had to lower the shaft the tiniest bit. I should have warned you. It’s not going to fall. Just needed to reposition to get to the problem. Not long now. Another half an hour or so and I’ll have you right out of there.”
“If you do that again, do you know what I’m going to do to you, Colin?”
There was a pause over the line and she could practically hear Colin’s gulp. “Write my father a tersely worded letter of complaint?”
“No, I’m going to pull your heart out through your throat and then I’ll shove it back up your arse.”
“You sound very much like Liam Neeson in that movie.”
“Liam Neeson is Irish. I’m a Scot. I assure you what I’ll do to you will make you run into Liam Neeson’s arms and beg him to save you.” He reached back and hung up the phone with a resounding clang.
His arm went back around her. “It’s going to be all right. They’ll move faster now. So you’ve taken a sabbatical from men.”
She breathed him in, loving how he smelled. Were men supposed to smell so good?
She could feel herself relax as he held her. She’d known him for three hours. She shouldn’t let him hold her like this.
And why the fuck not? Because it wasn’t smart? Because he might think she wanted something she shouldn’t?
She was human. Why shouldn’t she want him? Because society told her that good girls didn’t make out with guys they’d just met in an elevator?
Society sucked, and she wasn’t a good girl. When her husband had tried to put his name on her work, she’d told him to fuck off and write his own paper. When he’d cheated on her, she’d walked away.
She was single.
God, was he single?
She stepped back.
“What’s wrong?” Owen asked.
“Do you have a girlfriend?”
His lips curled up in the sweetest grin, as though he knew exactly why she was asking that question. “No, love. I don’t have a girlfriend and I don’t have a wife.”
He was single. She was single.
The moment lengthened between them.
He stepped back. “I’m sorry. I’m coming on way too strong.”
He wasn’t. He’d been gentlemanly, friendly. Up until the last couple of moments, he hadn’t put a hand on her or leered. She could feel his attraction. It was there in the warm way he looked at her, in the set of his shoulders, relaxed earlier and tense now that he’d touched her. He was thinking about the same thing she was.
“I’m very nervous, Owen. My logical mind knows that it’s far more likely for me to die getting hit by lightning than in an elevator, even one that’s stuck.” Unfortunately, her logical mind was slowly losing control of her dumbass lizard brain.
“Will talking help?” Owen asked. “Because I’m willing to do that. Or whatever you need to take your mind off things.”
There was a wealth of promise in those words. Dirty and sweet at the same time. They’d shared her wine, passing it back and forth between them, her lips touching the same place his had been moments before. When she’d drank after him, she’d thought about kissing him.
It had been too long. Two years was way too long to go without sex.
They had a half an hour or so. At least that’s what Colin—who might be murdered soon by Owen Shaw—said. She even thought his name was sexy.
What exactly would it hurt if she did kiss him? If she touched him and let him touch her? Hell, what would it hurt if she fucked him? They were both single, both a little needy. They had some time to kill. They’d done everything else.
“I would like to kiss you.” If he didn’t want her to, he could say no and they could find something else to do. She wasn’t going to be embarrassed because some guy didn’t want her. Some stunningly gorgeous guy. Some really funny, sexy guy. After all, she wouldn’t see him after this. She’d never seen him before. He’d told her he was moving in, but she went into work early and came home late. He was a bodyguard, so he likely worked odd hours and traveled a lot.
He was safe. She could open that door, enjoy herself, and then close it again. Owen Shaw could be her first really good memory in a long time, the start of many because it was time to get serious about finding some joy and balance in her life.
But only if he wanted some joy, too.
He moved back, placing his back against the elevator wall, the sweetest smile lighting up his face. “You have no idea how much I want you to kiss me. I’m right here, love. Do your worst.”
He was letting her make the first move. And probably the second. And the third. He was obviously a careful man. It would be easier if he took over, but he was right. This needed to be her choice, and she had to make the move.
She’d been the girl who’d told her parents at the age of five that kindergarten was boring and she wanted to move through the grades until she found something challenging. When they’d told her they wanted her to slow down and enjoy her childhood, she’d gone on strike until the teachers at her school begged her parents to let them move her up.
She was the girl who’d put it all on hold to take care of her mother, too.
She wasn’t the girl who didn’t take what she wanted, and she wanted Owen Shaw.
“It’s been a long time since I did this.” But her body was already heating up. Her body remembered. Her marriage might have sucked, but the sex had been fairly good. It had been the reason she’d married him. She’d gotten used to regular, good sex.
She’d get used to it again, just on her terms this time.
“Somehow, I think you’ll remember,” he said. “You play all you like. Stop when you want to.”
She’d been right about him. He was a careful man. “And if I don’t want to stop?”
“Then you should be happy I’m a man who believes in being prepared.”
About the Author NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.
Today is release day for HOLLYWOOD PRINCESS, the second book in the adult romantic suspense series, Hollywood Royalty, by Natasha Madison. See below for information on the book, buy links, and an exclusive teaser.
HOLLYWOOD PRINCESS (Hollywood Royalty #2) by Natasha Madison
Synopsis Behind the “lights, camera, action” of Hollywood lies a world of deception, love, and seduction. Are you ready for Hollywood Royalty?
Kellie An Oscar, a Tony, an Emmy, a Grammy—she has them all. She’s the most sought-after woman in Hollywood. Even if her rise to fame was a fluke, you can’t deny the camera loves her. The problem is so does everyone else, and she’s about to leave on the biggest concert tour of her life. Headlining for the first time in five years.
Around the world in ninety days. Should be a piece of cake. Until her new security detail walks in the room and she’s looking into the eyes of the only man who didn’t fall for her charm.
It’s only a matter of time till he falls for Hollywood’s Princess.
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Author Natasha Madison
About the Author When her nose isn’t buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, she’s in the kitchen creating gourmet meals. You can find her, in four inch heels no less, in the car chauffeuring kids, or possibly with her husband scheduling his business trips. It’s a good thing her characters do what she says, because even her Labrador doesn’t listen to her…
Vesuvian Books and authors Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor are revealing the cover to SEIZE, the third book in their adult supernatural series, by Magnus Blackwell, releasing March 26, 2019. See below for the cover, information on the book and series and preorder links.
SEIZE (Magnus Blackwell #3) by Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor
About the Book Title: SEIZE Series: Magnus Blackwell #3 Author: Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor Publisher: Vesuvian Books Release Date: March 26, 2019 Genre: Adult Supernatural Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks
Synopsis Lexie Arden has a loving husband, a thriving business, and consults with the New Orleans Police Dept on murder cases. Kalfu has given her everything she desires, but challengers to her authority are closing in.
Her dark secret remains hidden from everyone except Magnus. He sees the evil growing stronger, changing her, and hurting her marriage. If Lexie doesn’t rid herself of Kalfu’s influence soon, the consequences will be irreversible.
When she unexpectedly inherits a cottage in the swamp, she uncovers a library of rare books on voodoo. Their spells can reverse the dark lord’s hold and set right the balance between darkness and light. But such magic requires a great sacrifice; one Lexie isn’t willing to make.
With the shadow spirits and raging voodoo gods vying for her attention, Lexie is on the verge of losing everything—her husband, her power, Magnus, and possibly, her life.
The battle for control of the mambo’s soul is about to begin.
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SEIZE (Magnus Blackwell #3) by Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor (Full Cover)
About the Author Alexandrea Weis is an advanced practice registered nurse who was born and raised in New Orleans. Having been brought up in the motion picture industry, she learned to tell stories from a different perspective and began writing at the age of eight. Infusing the rich tapestry of her hometown into her award-winning novels, she believes that creating vivid characters makes a story memorable. A permitted/certified wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, Weis rescues orphaned and injured wildlife. She lives with her husband and pets in New Orleans.
About the Author Lucas Astor is from New York, has resided in Central America and the Middle East, and traveled through Europe. He lives a very private, virtually reclusive lifestyle, preferring to spend time with a close-knit group of friends than be in the spotlight.
He is an author and poet with a penchant for telling stories that delve into the dark side of the human psyche. He likes to explore the evil that exists, not just in the world, but right next door behind a smiling face.
Photography, making wine, and helping endangered species are just some of his interests. Lucas is an expert archer and enjoys jazz, blues, and classical music.
One of his favorite quotes is: “It’s better to be silent than be a fool.” ~Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird).
Welcome to the book blitz for THE WINNOWING, the second book in the young adult historical mystery series, Stanley & Hazel, by Jo Schaffer. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
THE WINNOWING (Stanley and Hazel #2) by Jo Schaffer
Synopsis Darkness descends over St. Louis, a city already rocked by the Great Depression. More and more people are disappearing, and some have turned up dead. A sinister secret society is putting forward their plan known as “The Winnowing,” designed to wipe out those they consider “undesirable.”
After Stanley and Hazel foil the diabolical plans of Charles Chouteau, they become instant celebrities. Hazel is thrust into the role of debutante, and risks loses herself in it. Meanwhile, Stanley must deal with the horrific tragedy of his best friend’s death while being threatened by the unseen forces of the Veiled Prophet.
With things spiraling out of control, Stanley and Hazel’s relationship is tested, possibly beyond repair. As bodies pile up, people become more desperate. The divide between wealthy and poor grows ever wider, threatening to tear their worlds apart. Now, the two must find a way to work together if there is any hope at all of saving their relationship and their futures.
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Excerpt The renegade newsie climbed on top of the metal box and forced the window open a crack with a crowbar he produced from his baggy trousers. Then he sat and lit a cigarette. He puffed on it a few times before reaching into the inside pocket of his oversized coat. He pulled out a bottle that sloshed with liquid and removed the cork.
He took a handkerchief and stuffed it into the bottle of liquid, leaving a tail of it hanging out of the top. Pinching his cigarette between two fingers, he contemplated the tip, while smoke trailed out of his nose.
Henri sniffed the air, and his ears perked. Before Hazel could stop the young dog, he jumped and let out a bark.
Arthur sprung to his feet, turning in Hazel’s direction.
Bananas. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping he wouldn’t see her where she crouched.
“Peek-a-boo,” Arthur said, slow and deliberate. “I see you, Princess.”
Knees shaking, Hazel slowly stood to face him. She gripped Henri’s leash. He was her only defense.
About the Author Jo Schaffer was born and raised in the California Bay Area in a huge, creative family. She is a YA novelist, speaker, writer at Patheos.com, works in film production and is a Taekwondo black belt.
She’s a founding member of Writers Cubed and co-founder of the Teen Author Boot Camp, one of the largest conferences in the nation for youth ages 13-19. She and a crew of local and international bestselling authors present writing workshops to hundreds of attendees at the Utah-based conference as well as hundreds of others worldwide who view the conference online.
Jo loves being involved in anything that promotes literacy and family. She is passionate about community, travel, books, music, healthy eating, classic films and martial arts. Her brain is always spinning new ideas for books and sometimes she even gets around to blogging.
Jo is a mom of 3 strapping sons living in the beautiful mountains of Utah with a neurotic cat named Hero..
Today is release day for LOST AND FOUND, the second book in the adult romantic suspense series, Masters and Mercenaries: The Forgotten, by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
LOST AND FOUND (Masters and Mercenaries – The Forgotten #2) by Lexi Blake
About the Book
Title: LOST AND FOUND Series: Masters and Mercenaries: The Forgotten #2 Author: Lexi Blake Publisher:DLZ Entertainment Category: Adult Romantic Suspense Release Date: February 26, 2019 Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK| Amazon CA | Amazon AU| Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | GooglePlay
Synopsis Owen Shaw and his “brothers” lost everything, their entire existence erased. Science had robbed he and all the Lost Boys of their memories and their past, but not their future. Hunted by every intelligence agency in the world, they are focused on two goals: find a cure for what was done to them and ensure that the technology that ruined their lives doesn’t get out into the world. Rebecca Walsh might be the key to achieving both. Owen has been studying her closely, living in her building, and he cannot resolve how such a beautiful, giving woman could have helped design the evil process that destroyed his past.
Dr. Rebecca Walsh has dedicated her life to researching the secrets of the mind. Her atmospheric rise in her field was fueled by the horror of watching her mother’s agonizing journey into madness at the hands of a disease with no cure. She vowed to never rest until she finds it. But obsession takes a heavy toll, and when Owen moves into her building she realizes how much of her life she has missed out on. Owen opens her eyes to a whole new world, filled with joy, laughter, and possibly love.
Owen and Rebecca grow closer, unraveling more about each other and the mysteries surrounding her connection to Hope McDonald. As the sinister forces working against the Lost Boys descend on Toronto, secrets long buried are uncovered that could shatter the bonds holding the Lost Boys together and cost Rebecca her life.
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Excerpt “Becca.” Owen’s voice was low. “Concentrate on me, on our conversation. You’ve done incredibly well. You’ve been able to hold it off, but this has gone on far longer than you ever should have been expected to handle it. This elevator is tight. I feel it, too, but we can hold off the anxiety together.”
She doubted very much the man in front of her was anxious. He looked solid, like the kind of man who took whatever came his way and simply dealt with it. He wouldn’t have needed two freaking years to figure out what he wanted. He would have signed his divorce papers and moved on, not hiding in his work.
It struck her forcibly that she might never have met a man like Owen Shaw. Her childhood had been fairly sheltered. She’d constantly been surrounded by intellectuals, men and women who were far more concerned with their work than anything else.
The ground beneath her shifted and the elevator dropped what felt like ten feet, but she knew in her head it was mere inches. Her heart rate tripled, and she grabbed on to the closest thing she could—him.
His arms went around her, holding her up, and she heard it. He was so tall that her head naturally rested on his chest, and she could hear his heart beating in rapid time.
He was nervous.
The phone rang and Owen cursed, reaching out to grab it. The shaft was so small, he didn’t have to let her go to grasp it.
“What the bloody hell is happening, Colin?”
She could hear his voice over the line. “Sorry. So sorry. We had to lower the shaft the tiniest bit. I should have warned you. It’s not going to fall. Just needed to reposition to get to the problem. Not long now. Another half an hour or so and I’ll have you right out of there.”
“If you do that again, do you know what I’m going to do to you, Colin?”
There was a pause over the line and she could practically hear Colin’s gulp. “Write my father a tersely worded letter of complaint?”
“No, I’m going to pull your heart out through your throat and then I’ll shove it back up your arse.”
“You sound very much like Liam Neeson in that movie.”
“Liam Neeson is Irish. I’m a Scot. I assure you what I’ll do to you will make you run into Liam Neeson’s arms and beg him to save you.” He reached back and hung up the phone with a resounding clang.
His arm went back around her. “It’s going to be all right. They’ll move faster now. So you’ve taken a sabbatical from men.”
She breathed him in, loving how he smelled. Were men supposed to smell so good?
She could feel herself relax as he held her. She’d known him for three hours. She shouldn’t let him hold her like this.
And why the fuck not? Because it wasn’t smart? Because he might think she wanted something she shouldn’t?
She was human. Why shouldn’t she want him? Because society told her that good girls didn’t make out with guys they’d just met in an elevator?
Society sucked, and she wasn’t a good girl. When her husband had tried to put his name on her work, she’d told him to fuck off and write his own paper. When he’d cheated on her, she’d walked away.
She was single.
God, was he single?
She stepped back.
“What’s wrong?” Owen asked.
“Do you have a girlfriend?”
His lips curled up in the sweetest grin, as though he knew exactly why she was asking that question. “No, love. I don’t have a girlfriend and I don’t have a wife.”
He was single. She was single.
The moment lengthened between them.
He stepped back. “I’m sorry. I’m coming on way too strong.”
He wasn’t. He’d been gentlemanly, friendly. Up until the last couple of moments, he hadn’t put a hand on her or leered. She could feel his attraction. It was there in the warm way he looked at her, in the set of his shoulders, relaxed earlier and tense now that he’d touched her. He was thinking about the same thing she was.
“I’m very nervous, Owen. My logical mind knows that it’s far more likely for me to die getting hit by lightning than in an elevator, even one that’s stuck.” Unfortunately, her logical mind was slowly losing control of her dumbass lizard brain.
“Will talking help?” Owen asked. “Because I’m willing to do that. Or whatever you need to take your mind off things.”
There was a wealth of promise in those words. Dirty and sweet at the same time. They’d shared her wine, passing it back and forth between them, her lips touching the same place his had been moments before. When she’d drank after him, she’d thought about kissing him.
It had been too long. Two years was way too long to go without sex.
They had a half an hour or so. At least that’s what Colin—who might be murdered soon by Owen Shaw—said. She even thought his name was sexy.
What exactly would it hurt if she did kiss him? If she touched him and let him touch her? Hell, what would it hurt if she fucked him? They were both single, both a little needy. They had some time to kill. They’d done everything else.
“I would like to kiss you.” If he didn’t want her to, he could say no and they could find something else to do. She wasn’t going to be embarrassed because some guy didn’t want her. Some stunningly gorgeous guy. Some really funny, sexy guy. After all, she wouldn’t see him after this. She’d never seen him before. He’d told her he was moving in, but she went into work early and came home late. He was a bodyguard, so he likely worked odd hours and traveled a lot.
He was safe. She could open that door, enjoy herself, and then close it again. Owen Shaw could be her first really good memory in a long time, the start of many because it was time to get serious about finding some joy and balance in her life.
But only if he wanted some joy, too.
He moved back, placing his back against the elevator wall, the sweetest smile lighting up his face. “You have no idea how much I want you to kiss me. I’m right here, love. Do your worst.”
He was letting her make the first move. And probably the second. And the third. He was obviously a careful man. It would be easier if he took over, but he was right. This needed to be her choice, and she had to make the move.
She’d been the girl who’d told her parents at the age of five that kindergarten was boring and she wanted to move through the grades until she found something challenging. When they’d told her they wanted her to slow down and enjoy her childhood, she’d gone on strike until the teachers at her school begged her parents to let them move her up.
She was the girl who’d put it all on hold to take care of her mother, too.
She wasn’t the girl who didn’t take what she wanted, and she wanted Owen Shaw.
“It’s been a long time since I did this.” But her body was already heating up. Her body remembered. Her marriage might have sucked, but the sex had been fairly good. It had been the reason she’d married him. She’d gotten used to regular, good sex.
She’d get used to it again, just on her terms this time.
“Somehow, I think you’ll remember,” he said. “You play all you like. Stop when you want to.”
She’d been right about him. He was a careful man. “And if I don’t want to stop?”
“Then you should be happy I’m a man who believes in being prepared.”
About the Author NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.
Welcome to the blog tour for JAGGED INK,the third book in the adult contemporary romance series, Colorado Springs, a spin-off of the Montgomery Ink series, byNew York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, Carrie Ann Ryan. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
JAGGED INK (Colorado Springs #3) by Carrie Ann Ryan
Synopsis The Montgomery Ink: Colorado Springs series continues with a couple fighting to keep what they thought they had and gain what they didn’t know they needed.
Roxie Montgomery met her soul mate when she least expected it. When he asked her to marry her, she thought her happily ever after was only just beginning. Then, she found that walking into the sunset was much harder than her favorite books made it out to be. After a crushing loss, she feels as though she doesn’t know her husband anymore, or rather…she doesn’t know herself.
Carter Marshall has loved Roxie since the first time he saw her. But as the days pass between them, so does the distance. He doesn’t know how to show her that he’s all in, and honestly doesn’t know if she’s in at all. When an accident changes everything, they’ll have to decide if what they have can be salvaged, or if starting over is the answer. Or even possible.
Without fighting, without a true new beginning, sometimes, the remnants of what was lost can leave anyone jagged, shells of what they were before. It will take more than the idea of forever for Roxie and Carter to find themselves again, but as the Montgomerys know, nothing worth fighting for is easy..
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Excerpt #2 She let the tears fall, let them rack her body as she fell to the floor of the shower, crying until the spray grew cold and she had to wash out the conditioner in her hair using ice-cold water. But it woke her up enough that she could finish her shower and know that she would be okay. Because there wasn’t another option.
And when she stood naked in front of her mirror, she wiped the rest of the tears from her face and put on her face cream and the rest of the things that helped her shield from the rest of the world, and knew that she would find a way to be okay. Because she had to be. She had to be brave.
Even if there wasn’t a brave bone in her body.
She missed him.
She missed Carter so much.
And she couldn’t help but wonder why she’d let him walk away.
About the Author Carrie Ann Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romance. Her works include the Montgomery Ink, Redwood Pack, Talon Pack, and Gallagher Brothers series, which have sold over 2.0 million books worldwide. She started writing while in graduate school for her advanced degree in chemistry and hasn’t stopped since. Carrie Ann has written over fifty novels and novellas with more in the works. When she’s not writing about bearded tattooed men or alpha wolves that need to find their mates, she’s reading as much as she can and exploring the world of baking and gourmet cooking.
Welcome to the book blitz for THE IMMORTAL’S SALVATION, the second book in the adult paranormal romance series, Bloodwite, by Cecelia Mecca. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
THE IMMORTAL’S SALVATION (Bloodwite #2) by Cecelia Mecca
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: THE IMMORTAL’S SALVATION Series: Bloodwite #2 Author: Cecelia Mecca Publisher: Altiora Press Release Date: February 21, 2019 Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
Synopsis Even cursed blood can fall prey to love’s bite.
Lawrence Derrickson never wanted to be a chief, let alone a vampire, but fate has always been a fickle beast…callous to the inner-workings of a man’s heart.
Seven hundred years after he was turned, he’s still chief of Clan Karyn, although his clan now consists of only his three siblings. With no more castle to protect and defend, they are dedicated to only one cause—protecting the Cheld—their superhuman descendants.
Lawrence longs for a different life—a life of his own passions, desires, and dreams—but duty drives him further from that with each passing century of protecting the Cheld. Until their mission brings him to Stone Haven. In saving a fledgling Cheld, Alessandra Fiore, he meets her best friend, Toni O’Neill, a human woman who seems to understand him better than anyone has in over ten lifetimes. Too bad she’s already taken.
Lawrence Derrickson is off limits. Or so Toni has been telling herself ever since the first time she saw him. Sure, Lawrence is a devastatingly handsome vampire, but she has a boyfriend—one who’s safe and comfortable, if not exciting or reliable or trustworthy. Besides, what would someone like Lawrence want with her? Toni’s fast approaching thirty, and she still doesn’t know what she wants to be when she grows up. But her heart urges her to take a chance and leave her predicable life behind her to explore the inner-workings of Lawrence’s heart.
Lawrence feels he’s finally found a home, and the love of his long life in Toni, but trouble soon finds him in Stone Haven, forcing him to decide what matters most—desire or duty. Family or his own heart.
Fate can be a fickle, callous, evil tormentor…
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Chapter 1 Stone Haven, Pennsylvania
Weddings sucked.
Scratch that.
Attending a wedding solo sucked. Toni actually liked them otherwise, mostly because they were an excuse to dance. And in the itty-bitty town of Stone Haven, Pennsylvania, the only place to dance was the Jazz Hall, but good dance music was not regularly on their schedule. Although her kitchen made a perfect dance floor, it lacked a certain something in the ambiance department.
As she waited for the best man to finish his toast, which had turned into a rambling story about his drunken escapades with the groom, Toni spun her wine glass around and around by its stem. Finally, someone had the sense to take the microphone away from him, and the emcee announced the couple’s first dance. Toni snuck a glance across the table at Birdie and Uncle Jim, who were watching the bride make her way to the stage with a good deal more interest than she felt. Birdie’s smile was so genuine, Toni vowed to at least pretend to enjoy herself. The mother of the bride, an old friend of her aunt’s, cried as the couple began swaying to a top ten pop song.
A cute couple. And a fine venue for a wedding. The Lakehouse was a highly rated restaurant along the second-largest man-made lake in the state. Decked out in white fairy lights, inside and out, the restaurant looked especially charming that evening. How much must it have cost to rent the place for a night?
Likely more than she made at the shop in a year. But whose fault was it that, even working two jobs, she likely couldn’t afford a wedding here?
No one’s but hers.
“I’m grabbing a drink,” she whispered to her aunt. “Want anything?”
Birdie shook her head, still enthralled by the dance. Her uncle’s drink, a soda, sat full in front of him. Might as well make use of the designated driver. Toni stood, pulling down the black and gold lace dress that had ridden up her legs, and downed the last of her wine.
The indoor bar was closer, but she found herself walking toward the pop-up one on the deck. Toni pushed open the door and breathed in the fresh mountain air. She really should get away from town more often. While The Lakehouse was only twenty minutes away, it was nestled between the State Game Lands on one side and residences on the other, providing an ideal view. During the day. The same mountain range that graced the outskirts of Main Street back home rose high into the night sky, though only shadows were visible in the dark.
“Pinot Noir, please.”
While the bartender refilled her glass, Toni looked down to the docks below and watched the pontoons and speeders sway each time a wave made its way toward shore. Despite the hour, boats continued to roam the lake. During the summer months, Stone Haven and the surrounding areas were popular with tourists, something townspeople bemoaned but were secretly proud of.
“Thank you,” she said, taking her newly filled glass.
“You work at Ye Old Curiosities,” said a woman next to her.
Toni tried to place her.
Nothing.
Remembering people was not one of her finest qualities.
“I do,” she said, her tone polite. “I’m assuming you’ve been there before?”
“Once. It’s a cute shop.”
“Thanks,” she said, accepting the compliment on behalf of her aunt and uncle. Although she’d worked at the shop for years, she was only an employee. Birdie and Uncle Jim were the ones who’d made it their life’s work, selling everything from antiquities to novelties, the more eccentric the better.
“You can practically believe vampires are real when you go in there,” the woman added with a smile.
Toni couldn’t help but smile back. Part of her wanted to shock the woman by revealing the truth—vampires werereal, and two of the originals had just moved to Stone Haven.
“Nice wedding,” she commented instead.
“Extremely,” the woman said as she waited for her companion to get his drink. “Do you know the bride or groom?”
Neither, actually.
“My aunt is good friends with the bride’s mom.”
Toni knew the mother well enough, but the daughter had been sent away to boarding school as a young girl. She’d only come home for holidays and summer vacations, so their paths hadn’t crossed often.
An odd thing, sending your kid away. Her parents had both been career-driven and ambitious, but they never would have considered such a thing. Shaking away the thought, she smiled at the quirky woman and stepped away.
Toni sipped her wine, not a bad Pinot Noir for a wedding, and watched as white dots bobbed and weaved in the distance, the water below nothing more than a mass of black from this distance. Mesmerizing. Even though she couldn’t see the water, just knowing it was there brought her a sense of peace as it always did.
In a former life, Toni must have been a mermaid. Or a pirate. Or something having to do with the water. Did everyone love it as much as she?
Her train of thought was broken by a prickling awareness. Someone was watching her.
She didn’t have a sixth sense like her best friend, Alessandra, did. She wasn’t one of the Cheld—a line of superhuman beings created to counterbalance vampires. She wasn’t the one who’d led the vampires to Stone Haven, and yet she could tell one of them was currently watching her.
Toni turned to look at him, her heart lurching as it did every damn time he was near.
What in blazes was Lawrence Derrickson doing at her wedding?
Well, not precisely her wedding, but she hadn’t seen him at the ceremony earlier or any time before now. She was pretty sure she would have noticed. When it came to Lawrence, she couldn’t help but notice. He was a six-foot-plus, sandy-haired, green-eyed vampire, for heaven’s sake. And sure, it turned out vampires weren’t the gothic, garlic- and daylight-phobic creatures popular culture set them out to be, but they were still practically demigods. They were immortal, and they drank blood, for God’s sake.
Pretending she hadn’t seen him wasn’t an option. There were no more than ten people out here on the deck, the bartender included, and Lawrence was staring straight at her. She couldn’t see his eyes from here, but Toni knew their piercing green color. He was Alessandra’s friend and trainer, an ever-present part of their circle. Avoiding him was difficult, but that hadn’t stopped her from trying. She’d gotten quite good at it in the past two months.
Breathe, Toni, breathe. He’s just a man.
Well, not quite a man, actually. He was so much more.
But it couldn’t matter. Even if Tyler wasn’t the best boyfriend in the world, he was hers. And at least she was committed to something in her life. Being with him felt safe, a word she’d never use to describe how she felt with Lawrence.
The thought of Tyler made it easier to ignore Lawrence and the sidelong glances he always gave her. It made it easier to pretend she didn’t wish there was some admiration or affection in his eyes. Truth was, Alessandra’s friend looked at her as if she’d just stolen a treat from his dog. No, not that. It was like he could see something in her she didn’t even know was there. Like a bit of icing on her nose. If she hadn’t been thinking about that three-tier wedding cake all night, she’d probably have been able to think of a more profound comparison.
As it was, cake seemed as good an excuse as any to dart inside. Avoiding Lawrence. And maybe herself a bit too.
* * *
“Hi, I’m Kat.”
Attractive. Same age he’d been before the change, just over thirty. No ring.
Alas, she lacked long red hair and amber eyes that shot arrows through his soul.
“Pleasure to meet you, Kat,” Lawrence said, watching Toni retreat back into the restaurant. His feet itched to follow her. Instead, he smiled at the pretty blonde guest and took his drink from the bartender.
“When I first moved to Pennsylvania,” he told Kat, “I couldn’t get away from this stuff.” He lifted his Yuengling, remembering. He’d asked for a lager, and the bartender had handed him one of these—a beer with a label he couldn’t even pronounce.
He’d lived in nearly every country around the world, had been alive for over seven hundred years, and still there was so much to discover. A beautiful side to the curse that had created so much ugliness. Despite that, he was more than ready to stay in one place for the foreseeable future. Lawrence was ready to settle down.
“So,” she said, her honeyed tone leaving no doubt as to her intentions. “Do you know the bride or groom?”
Actually, he had become close to the bride’s father, Stone Haven’s mayor, over a business deal, but telling her that would prolong a conversation that he was ready to end.
The floor-to-ceiling windows that gave guests a view of the dark lake behind him also gave him a clear view of Toni. She stood alone, her profile effortlessly elegant, her gold and black gown eye-catching. “Pardon me,” he said to the woman at the bar. “I just got here and want to greet the new couple.”
Lawrence itched to go to Toni, to take her shoulders in his hands, but she wouldn’t welcome it. He forced himself to make a wide berth around her. Trying to distract himself, he found the bride’s father at the table closest to the dance floor. Murmuring apologies for his late arrival, he made up for his tardiness by fawning over the couple as if he were a subject in their court, a role he’d played more than once before over several hundred years.
In England. In France. Though not in his homeland. He’d not seen Scotland for centuries, and though he still dreamed of his homeland, he knew he could never return.
Later, as he made his way to the inner bar, Lawrence’s eyes found Toni once again. He allowed himself to study her for a second—the strands of hair that had escaped her updo, the curve of her neck. What was she doing here? And where was Tyler?
As if you give a shit about that condescending asshole.
“There you are.”
Dammit.
“Caught you!”
Lawrence turned to face his admirer from the deck bar. The time for subtlety had passed.
“You did indeed,” he said. “But you should know, before we take this any farther, I haven’t eaten in nearly two weeks.”
“Oh.” She frowned in confusion. “Are you on some kind of a cleanse? There’s plenty of food here—”
He leaned down, her perfume as overpowering as her personality, and said, “I don’t mean food. Men like me, we need something very different to sustain us. But do not fear. It won’t hurt . . . too much.”
Poor Kat, properly appalled by his innuendo, could only stare. Good. One time he’d used this same trick to ill effect—the woman had smiled coquettishly and put her hand somewhere it didn’t belong.
His sister didn’t like it when he hinted at his true nature. Few knew of their existence, and the only unwritten code of their community demanded it stay that way. All well and good, but they were cursed for eternity. Surely they deserved a bit of fun.
“Hurt?” she muttered. “Uh, yeah. It was nice to meet you.”
She fled without offering a proper excuse for doing so. A pang of guilt nearly made him regret his methods, but the blonde woman immediately sidled up to another man at the bar. A slight grin lifted his lips. No damage done.
He would finish his drink and then leave. At least he’d stayed long enough to pay his respects to the mayor of Stone Haven. If he were to stay in the area, and Lawrence had every intention of settling in the quaint Pennsylvania town for as long as a man who didn’t age could, he would weave himself into the fabric of the place as necessary.
Staring at the bottle of half-drunk lager in his hand, Lawrence heard the music change to a song with a faster beat. Most of the guests would be dancing, he guessed, although he couldn’t bear to turn around and look for her. At least her foolish boyfriend didn’t appear to be in attendance. It killed him to see a woman so beautiful and intelligent waste her time with a man so unworthy of her. A man who disrespected her with his roving eye. But it was her choice, and it didn’t matter in the least to him.
A bald-faced lie.
Toni tugged at him. She always had, right from the first time he’d seen her at Murphy’s Pub, her hair swept up in an effortless bun, her amber eyes sparkling with life. That passion she felt for life, for her friends, and for everything she loved was infectious. It made him feel almost human again. Like he was the man he’d been before his brother died.
The way he felt about her was dangerous. For him and for her.
He drank the remainder of his beer in one long, deep swallow.
“You’re unusually broody this evening.”
He’d sensed her coming. Although she wasn’t a Cheld like Alessandra, Toni had an almost supernatural draw. Maybe it was her perfume, part coconut and part amber and spice. A scent that reminded him of the sun-kissed beaches of Brazil, combined with the sophistication of a Parisian boutique. Though not nearly as pretentious.
This interaction diverted from their usual pattern. Toni typically avoided him—rather, they typically avoided each other.
He turned slowly, careful not to lean too close or appear otherwise interested.
“And you are unusually . . .”
Sexy. Radiant. Desirable.
“Talkative.”
“What are you doing here?” she asked, cocking her head.
“I could ask you the same.”
Toni took a bold step toward him, the proximity making his skin prickle with awareness, and leaned over the bar.
“I’m here,” she announced, “for another drink.” The raven-haired bartender, who was mixing a drink at the other end of the bar, ignored her. Had a man been tending bar, he would have immediately abandoned his other customers to serve her.
“I see,” Lawrence said, leaning back and crossing his arms. He did not respond to the obvious dismissal.
She refused to look at him. He refused to move. One minute passed. Two. Finally, he made eye contact with the bartender, who had been eyeing him as if he were a dessert martini that she intended to drink rather than make. The young woman smiled and glided toward him.
“What can I get you?”
He lifted his bottle in response and added, “And a Pinot Noir for . . .” Struggling, he landed on, “. . . the young lady.”
He’d said it on purpose, knowing it bothered Toni that she was approaching thirty. Though the milestone was still a year off, she’d told Alessandra it made her uneasy.
She gave him a look that said, Go to hell, even as she smiled.
A grin twitched on his mouth. He should back off. Stop provoking her. And he definitely should not say what he was thinking at this moment.
But Lawrence Derrickson had never been a cautious man.
About the Author Cecelia Mecca is the author of steamy historical and paranormal romance that transports readers to another time and place.
Every heroine, from Lady Sara in the Border Series to Alessandra Fiore in Bloodwite, is your best friend– the one who kicks ass and takes names. When these ladies meet alpha-males who try to take control, sparks fly until the very last page.
Cecelia writes the Amazon bestselling Border Series which takes readers to an admittedly romanticized time of knights and castles in 13th century Northumbria along the Anglo-Scottish border. In 2019 she’s bring a new type of bad boy to readers– sexy, wealthy, swoon-worthy vampires.
Our Highlander-loving, vampire-writing author can be found in Northeast, Pennsylvania, chai in hand, thinking up new ways to tame both medieval and paranormal playboys. She is firmly House Stark and Gryffindor.
Today is release day for ON THIN ICE, the third book in the young adult contemporary sports romance series, Juniper Falls, by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Julie Cross. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, and details on her giveaway. Also, check out my reviews of book 1, OFF THE ICE, and book 2, BREAKING THE ICE.
ON THIN ICE (Juniper Falls #3) by Julie Cross
About the Book
Title: ON THIN ICE Series: Juniper Falls #3 Author: Julie Cross Publisher: Entangled Teen Release Date: February 26, 2019 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Sports Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
Synopsis Brooke Parker never expected to find herself in the tiny town of Juniper Falls, Minnesota. Of course, she also never expected to lose her dad. Or for her mom to lose herself. Brooke feels like she’s losing it…until she finds Juniper Falls hockey. Juniper Falls girls’ hockey, that is.
Jake Hammond, current prince of Juniper Falls, captain of the hockey team, and player with the best chance of scoring it big, is on top of the world. Until one hazing ritual gone wrong lands him injured, sitting on the sidelines, and—shocking even to him—finding himself enjoying his “punishment” as assistant coach for the girls’ team.
As Jake and Brooke grow closer, he finds the quiet new girl is hiding a persona full of life, ideas, and experiences bigger and broader than anything he’s ever known. But to Jake, hockey’s never just been a game. It’s his whole life. And leveraging the game for a shot at their future might be more than he can give.
About the Author Julie Cross is a NYT and USA Today bestselling author of New Adult and Young Adult fiction, including the Tempest series, a young adult science fiction trilogy which includes Tempest, Vortex, Timestorm (St. Martin’s Press). She’s also the author of Letters to Nowhere series, Whatever Life Throws at You, Third Degree, Halfway Perfect, and many more to come!
Julie lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She’s a former gymnast, longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former Gymnastics Program Director with the YMCA. She’s a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres.
Outside of her reading and writing credibility’s, Julie Cross is a committed–but not talented–long distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar weather survivor, expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym shoe addict.
Welcome to the book blitz for LOST SOULS, the third book in the adult urban fantasy series, Soul Charmer, by Chelsea Mueller. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
Synopsis Get out of Hell free card? Not for Callie Delgado, Gem City’s newest soul charmer. Sin and salvation collide in this gritty and action-packed urban fantasy.
Callie’s magic is finally her own. She and Derek dispatched Ford. They should have been able to breathe, but layers of sin run deep beneath Gem City. Another mob boss quickly rises, and his sights are firmly set on Callie—and her family.
Mobile soul rental shops begin to bite at the Soul Charmer’s business. His retribution is wicked, but the blowback threatens to crush Callie. If she can’t maintain the tenuous balance of souls in Gem City, more lives will be lost.
Only the more magic she uses, the more danger finds her. A break-in, pools of blood, and bare shelves at the Soul Charmer’s store force Callie to choose the fates of others. But which can she live with? Losing her city, her love, her family …or her very soul?
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Excerpt “I’ve worked security at four other buildings.” Benton held up as many fingers. His nails were short and black. Whether from blood or dirt, Callie didn’t care to guess.
She stood behind him and leaned forward to speak into his ear. Stale cigar stench clogged her nose. “You’ve worked jobs, but haven’t paid the Soul Charmer.”
Benton surged closer to the bar. His whiskey sloshed over the lip of the glass and onto his fingers. He slammed his shoulder backward and shifted to face Callie. The wide, milky eyes and taut tendons in his neck eased. Idiot. He licked the spilled liquor from his fingers. “I have experience, but they still won’t even let me take their exam.”
She gave two fucks about his ability to get a job. “That must suck. You owe the Charmer.”
“What do you mean?”
That’s not how this worked, and he knew it. “Cash or souls.”
“I ain’t got anything on me.”
“How are you paying for that Wild Turkey?”
Benton shot scattered looks in either direction. “It just you?”
It was, and normally she hated that. Her boyfriend Derek typically made these collection calls. He looked the part. Hulking and covered in leather and scars. She hid her wounds on the inside, and wielded dark eyeliner as war paint. Not exactly scary mofo material. Callie needed more from Benton than a simple rented soul, though, and that information need to be acquired alone.
About the Author Chelsea Mueller writes gritty contemporary fantasy. She founded the speculative fiction website Vampire Book Club, blogs about TV and genre fiction for numerous websites, and is co-chair of SF/F charity Geeky Giving. She loves bad cover songs, dramatic movies, and TV vampires. Chelsea lives in Texas, and has been known to say y’all.
For the latest updates, join her email list at ChelseaMueller.net or follow @ChelseaVBC on Twitter and Instagram.
Author Catherine Edward is revealing the cover to LYCAN’S BLOOD QUEEN, the first book in her adult paranormal romance duology, Randolph, releasing September, 2019. See below for the cover, information on the book, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
LYCAN’S BLOOD QUEEN (Randolph Duology #1) by Catherine Edward
About the Book Title: LYCAN’S BLOOD QUEEN Series: Randolph Duology #1 Author: Catherine Edward Publisher: GenZ Publishing Release Date: September, 2019
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
Links: Goodreads
Synopsis Aaron George Randolph, ruling King of the Lycans, is hell-bent on revenge for his mother’s brutal death at the hands of Vampires. But when a suspicious student takes up resident on his turf, he can’t help but be drawn to her despite knowing what she is.
Taken into custody by the ruling family of Brookedge, Mia’s life gets complicated by the whole different world of mythical creatures living among humans. Now she must survive the impending civil war between old rivals, all the while learning about her true self and the power she holds. Torn between the nature of who she is and the overwhelming desire for the Lycan king, her choices are minimal.
With the war on the rise and a powerful enemy at the head of it, their feelings might have to take a back seat…
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LYCAN’S BLOOD QUEEN (Randolph Duology #1) by Catherine Edward (Full Cover)
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Author Catherine Edward
About the Author Hailing from India, Catherine is an author and law graduate, specializing in Intellectual Property & Copyright Infringement. She is passionate about Lycans, Werewolves, Witches and Vampires, and writes sizzling tales of love and betrayal.
Her love for books started from a very young age, when her loving father would gift her books like Russian Tales woven with fantasy. But it was in late 2015 when she found the books of Paranormal Romance author Cynthia Eden, whose books introduced her to the whole new world of paranormals. The more she read the more she got enticed and she penned her first novel in 2016. Since then, she has resigned her full time job as the HR and Operations Manager at a marketing/event management firm to pursue her passion as a writer.
When she isn’t writing, she likes to travel and read. Music and writing goes hand in hand for this night owl. Her family and furbabies are her world.
She also loves to chat with her readers and fellow authors. You can find Catherine often chatting on Twitter or on her Facebook page.
Welcome to the book blitz for BOOK OF ENCHANTRESS, the second book in the new adult fantasy romance series, Book of Watchers, by Mary Ting. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
BOOK OF ENCHANTRESS (Book of Watchers #2) by Mary Ting
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: BOOK OF ENCHANTRESS Series: Book of Watchers #2 Author: Mary Ting Release Date: February 21, 2019 Genre: New Adult Fantasy Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
Synopsis Keira is convinced her guardian, Ezekiel, knows more than he shared about her biological parents, and she will do everything she can to find out who they were. She secretly meets the powerful witch Awan at a nightclub and is promised the answers she seeks on one condition: she retrieves the legendary Book of Enchantresses.
Keira, along with Uriel, Samyaza, Jonah, and her Nephilim friends, must travel to another realm in Gotjawal Forest on Jeju Island to recover the spell book.
But nothing is free, and actions have consequences. When Keira’s team returns to their world, vampires attack a demon stronghold. No one knows who to blame, but the fragile peace has been rocked. And it’s about to get worse—Lucifer has escaped Hell.
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Excerpt #3
Uriel A figure appeared—a long dark shadow. As the silhouette neared me, it shrank to about six feet. He was clad in a black suit, and his blazing fire eyes met mine.
“Hello, Uriel.”
His cooing voice disgusted me. The clang told me weapons were drawn from those standing behind me.
“No greeting for your brother?”
I wanted to tear through his smirk.
“You don’t deserve—”
“What? To be in your holy presence?”
Lucifer paced around us, examining us with those cunning, keen eyes. “Don’t bother with your weapons, friends. They will do no good here. If I wanted you dead, you would already be. You’re in my domain now.”
I felt so helpless as rage gnawed at me. Never had I been at the mercy of this monster. Never had I ever been out of control.
I grabbed Lucifer by the throat and slammed him to the ground. “Give me the book, Lucifer. I’ve had enough of your games.”
“Do it. Kill me. I dare you.” Lucifer struggled to get the words out from under my vise grip.
Power surged and grew inside me. It begged for release, and I gave in.
About the Author International Bestselling Author Mary Ting/M. Clarke resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children’s chapter book-No Bullies Allowed.
Welcome to the book blitz for TRAVEL DIARIES OF THE DEAD AND DELUSIONAL, a stand-alone young adult/new adult contemporary romance, by Lauren Nicolle Taylor. See below for for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt and details on her giveaway.
TRAVEL DIARIES OF THE DEAD AND DELUSIONAL by Lauren Nicolle Taylor
About the Book Title: TRAVEL DIARIES OF THE DEAD AND DELUSIONAL Author: Lauren Nicolle Taylor Publisher: Clean Teen Publishing Release Date: February 18, 2019 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
Synopsis Nineteen-year-old Langley is crazy…like get out the straight jacket and prepare the padded room kind of crazy. She knows it, and the kicker is—she’s choosing to stay that way. She clings to the persistent and intrusive hallucination of her dead sister by choice. Sure, it might be nice to live life in the real world. But not if it means she has to let Sarah go.
Tupper’s life is charmed. He has loving adoptive parents, and several athletic college scholarships on the table. But his passion is for the arts, for the beauty of solid ink lines on paper. His illustrations are eerily similar to a keepsake from his birth mother, Anna: comic-book-style drawings scrawled across an old map…her version of a travel diary. At eighteen, Tupper sidesteps his planned future and starts his journey where Anna’s ended—following her map from Kansas City to Canada. His travels will put him on a collision course with Langley, and their bond is palpable from the start. But secrets will push between them—Sarah and Anna, two ghosts who could sink their icy fingers into the teens and tear them apart.
Perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover’s Hopeless and John Green’s Paper Towns, TRAVEL DIARY OF THE DEAD & DELUSIONAL is a unique and robust novel that explores themes of mental-illness and self-discovery from three distinct perspectives. Lauren Nicolle Taylor is the award-winning and best-selling author of Nora and Kettle and the beloved Woodlands series, among others.
“A story of love and loss, adventure, and coming into one’s own, Travel Diaries of the Dead and Delusional is a thoughtful, poignant road trip adventure that delivers hope through its melancholy.” ~Hannah Williams, Foreword Reviews Magazine
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Excerpt #1 – Tupper NEAR MOAB, UT, 2015 WEATHER: ELECTRIC
She reminds me of the roadrunner cartoon. When she speeds up, dust floats around her churning feet, but then she stops dead, turns around, and walks back. She kneels like she’s praying or talking to someone, then she’s up again and sprinting for all she’s worth.
When she gets to the gate, she pauses and then runs in the opposite direction to where I’m parked. She moves away, getting smaller, her dark hair flapping out to the side like a shredded flag. I pull out my pencil to quickly sketch her figure. She looks like a ghost in my drawing. In thin pajama pants, hair waving wildly around her head. But her feet have these enormous boots on, and she’s stomping away from me in such a determined manner I know she’s real.
She’s real, and she might be in trouble.
I start the car just as fat globs of spring rain hit the windshield, making a muddy mess I can’t see through.
Waiting for more rain to wash the glass, I give up, jumping out and using my sweater to wipe the dirt off. She’s getting away from me, and it seems important that I catch up to her. Especially now since there’s a white van tearing up the driveway to the rusted gate. It really could be the home of a psychopath, and she’s just escaped his clutches.
Turning the key, I speed up and catch her in no time.
Keeping the car moving slowly next to her, I roll down the window.
After I clear my throat, I start to speak. She’s still running, but turns to face me. For a second, I’m taken aback by her face. She’s beautiful. Not like Kris, all big blue eyes and perfectly straightened blonde hair. This girl’s beauty is complicated, the features strange on their own but working in harmony. Her warm ruddy skin is the perfect canvas for a few spare freckles across her nose, and then there are her shockingly big brown eyes. She bats her eyelashes at me once, stops running, and turns around again to walk back a few paces. Kneeling, she whispers something and stands with her hands on her hips in the way my mom used to when she caught me eating the cooking chocolate from the pantry.
Taking a deep breath, I put the car in reverse, bringing it back to meet her.
She notices the van approaching the gate, and her demeanor changes. Turning to me, she gives me a wary smile. My heart jumps a little, which confuses me, but I figure it must be adrenaline.
“Excuse me, Miss,” I say. “Are you in trouble?” I sound so formal, like a cowboy from the fifties, and I’m extremely embarrassed. But she just smiles again and wipes the hair from her eyes, tucking it behind her ear.
She observes me curiously. “Maybe, but how do I know you’re not a psycho with a knife under your seat and a bag full of ladies’ wigs? You know, the real hair kind,” she asks while flicking her eyes to the white van signaling to turn toward us.
That last part makes me laugh out loud, the sound breaking open the bubble of silence I’ve surrounded myself and the Chevy with. “Um… You can check if you like,” I say nervously, tapping the steering wheel and jerking my head toward the mostly empty trunk.
Nodding, she goes to climb in the front seat. Her hand is on the door handle, but she stops, frowns, and gets in the back instead. She bounces around on the backseat as I drive off. When the van passes us, she shrinks down below the window. Then she pops up again and leans delicately over the front seat, her legs dangling in the air as she reaches for the glove box. She fossicks around, sifting through the paper and trash, then pulls out the half-eaten Baby Ruth bar.
“No knife,” she says casually. Peeling back the wrapper, she takes a bite out of the chocolate bar before I can stop her.
“That’s, um, really old,” I warn, but she’s already demolished it like it’s the first chocolate bar she’s ever had.
She shrugs and licks her lips. “Tasted fine.” She slumps into the backseat, breathless. Her face has gone kind of pale since she stopped running, and I realize she might be hurt. Thinking of things to say is hard, so I just hand her the bottle of water over my shoulder.
She grabs it without a word and takes a big drink, coughing and spluttering when it goes down the wrong hole. I don’t laugh, but she gives me a rueful look like I did. Although it’s almost like she’s glaring out the front window, not at me. Then her face softens and there’s something in her eyes, some emotion I can’t peg.
Right there with the dark purple clouds smashing against each other and the moon trying to push against the storm as lightning takes over, she might just be the tiredest and most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.
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Author Lauren Nicolle Taylor
About the Author Lauren is the bestselling author of THE WOODLANDS SERIES and the award-winning YA novel NORA & KETTLE (Gold medal Winner for Multicultural fiction, Independent Publishers Book Awards 2017).
She has a Health Science degree and an honors degree in Obstetrics and Gynecology. A full time writer, hapa and artist, Lauren lives in the tucked away, Adelaide hills with her husband and three children.
Author C.L. Denault is revealing the cover to MIMIC, the second book in her young adult scifi dystopian romance series, The Prodigy Chronicles, releasing March 22, 2019. See below for the cover, information on the book and series, the book’s trailer, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
MIMIC (The Prodigy Chronicles #2) by C.L. Denault
About the Book Title: MIMIC Series: The Prodigy Chronicles #2 Author: C.L. Denault Release Date: March 22, 2019
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction Dystopian Romance
Links: Goodreads
Synopsis In 2012, one cycle of an ancient calendar system came to a close. Humanity predicted its downfall, but it wasn’t the end of their evolutionary climb. It was the beginning.
Willow Kent is discovering that life as a second-phase prodigy comes at a price. Trapped in the London Core, her choices are limited, made difficult by her forbidden romance with Reece and the presence of a new commanding officer who establishes harsh rules. With unpredictable skills and a growing distrust in her birth parents, she is struggling to play the Core’s game. But when opportunity arises in the form of a mysterious shapeshifter, Willow realizes there’s more to her own evolution than meets the eye. She soon learns that keeping secrets is a key move, and the more dangerous they are, the greater her need to evolve into the powerful prodigy nature intended her to become.
But those closest to her have their own secrets, and her status has made her an easy target for betrayal. Who will she turn to, when nothing is as it seems?
About the Author C.L. Denault is a speculative fiction writer who loves dreaming up tales of adventure and intrigue. A former systems analyst, she gave up her nerdy code-writing skills to care for her family (including a son with special needs), and currently lives among the vast stretches of cornfields in Illinois.
Writing and working out are her biggest passions, along with drinking coffee and watching sci-fi. When she’s not hanging out with her husband and kids, she can usually be found at a library or tucked away in the shadowy corner of a hip coffeehouse. She’s also been glimpsed sneaking into her garage, late at night, to work on her time machine.
She enjoys connecting with people—especially those from other planets, nearby dimensions, and the future. To find her, just visit her website or social media pages. Or use a Stargate. Whichever is easiest. .
Welcome to the book blitz for CHILD OF MINE, the first book in the adult contemporary romance series, Masonville, by Jana Richards. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
CHILD OF MINE (Masonville #1) by Jana Richards
About the Book Title: CHILD OF MINE Series: Masonville #1 Author: Jana Richards Publisher: The Wild Rose Press Release Date: February 20, 2019 Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks
Synopsis Lauren didn’t intend to sleep with her brother-in-law Cole on the day of her husband’s funeral. But now that she is pregnant, she’s not sorry. Cole’s given her a baby, a long-wished-for miracle. He’s been her friend forever, though she never told him or anyone else how unhappy her marriage to his cheating brother was. And she’s afraid to tell the small town that considered her husband a hero that the baby isn’t his.
Cole’s been in love with Lauren since he was sixteen. It kills him that everyone believes the baby is his dead brother’s. All he wants is to claim the baby, and Lauren, as his own. Though she marries him, will Lauren’s heart ever be his?
Lauren must tell the truth or risk losing Cole. Is her newly-discovered love for him greater than her fear of scandal in her hometown?
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Excerpt
Author’s Favorite Scene One of my favorite scenes in CHILD OF MINE, my newest release and book 1 in my Masonville Series, is the wedding scene. Lauren and Cole are getting married in a hastily arranged wedding at Cole’s house a few weeks before Christmas. Only a couple of weeks before the wedding, Cole discovered that Lauren was pregnant with his child. He asked her to marry him, and for the sake of the baby, Lauren said yes. She wants her child to know her father.
But things are complicated. Everyone in Masonville, including their families, believes the child Lauren is carrying was fathered by her late husband, Cole’s brother. No one, except for Lauren and Cole, know that the baby was conceived on the day of her husband’s funeral.
Like I said. Complicated.
Lauren and Cole have been friends since they were teenagers, and they care about each other and their child. Because of that, Lauren is optimistic they can make their marriage work. But she can’t help feeling a little apprehensive:
She’d thought the ceremony would be simple and quick, no fuss, no muss. But Isabelle and Greta were obviously planning dinner for far more people than she’d anticipated, and now she and Charlotte had beautiful bouquets. Cole was making this into a real wedding. It was as if he’d guessed her innermost wishes.
For the first time, nervousness made Lauren’s stomach swoop. She desperately wanted to be a good wife to him. More than anything she wanted to make him happy. But they were starting their marriage with a lie that made her wonder if she deserved him.
Her father spoke. “Charlotte honey, you go first. Head toward Cole and Garrett. They’re standing in front of the fireplace. Lauren and I will follow in a minute.”
Charlotte squeezed Lauren’s arm before walking out of the kitchen. Her father grasped her hand. She clung tightly to him.
“Are you ready?”
She focused her concentration on breathing in and out, willing her sudden nerves to relax. There was no need to be nervous, she told herself. The people gathered were her friends and family and they only wanted the best for them. And she was marrying Cole, her best friend. The thought calmed her. She smiled at her father.
“Yes. I’m ready.”
The first thing Lauren saw as she entered the living room on her father’s arm were the flowers. The room was filled with red and white and pink poinsettias. The strains of the wedding march played in the background. The room was filled with people. She saw Audrey and Evelyn, Dr. Waverly and his wife, and Jamie Garven from the clinic. Ella and her sister were there, as were several neighbors, friends, and relatives.
Then she saw Cole standing next to the fireplace, and she didn’t see anyone else. He was her beacon, her lighthouse, and she made her way toward him like a ship to safe harbor.
Starting a marriage with a lie is not the ideal way to begin married life. Lying to their friends and family and their hometown is one thing. But lying to each other about how they feel about each other could mean their marriage is over before it begins.
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Author Jana Richards
About The Author When Jana Richards read her first romance novel, she immediately knew two things: she had to commit the stories running through her head to paper, and they had to end with a happily ever after. She also knew she’d found what she was meant to do. Since then she’s never met a romance genre she didn’t like. She writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and historical romance set in World War Two, in lengths ranging from short story to full length novel. Just for fun, she throws in generous helpings of humor, and the occasional dash of the paranormal. Her paranormal romantic suspense “Seeing Things” was a 2008 EPPIE finalist.
In her life away from writing, Jana is an accountant/admin assistant, a mother to two grown daughters, and a wife to her husband Warren. She enjoys golf, yoga, movies, concerts, travel and reading, not necessarily in that order. She and her husband live in Winnipeg, Canada with an elderly Pug/Terrier named cross Lou. She loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website at www.janarichards.com.
Synopsis In a world on the brink of war, four superpowered teens must learn to work together for peace in CaitlinLochner’s action-packed debut novel, A Soldier and A Liar.
Lai Cathwell is good at keeping secrets. As a Nyte, a supernaturally gifted teenager who is feared and shunned by the ungifted, this skill is essential to survival. Orchestrating her own imprisonment to escape military duty has only honed her ability to deceive others. But when rebels start attacking the city, Lai is dragged back into the fight with a new team of Nytes.
Thrown together with Jay, a self-conscious perfectionist consumed by the desire to be accepted; Al, a short-tempered fighter lying for the sake of revenge; and Erik, an amnesiac hell-bent on finding his memories and his place in the world, Lai realizes she’s facing an entirely different kind of challenge–one that might just be impossible. But if this team can’t learn to work together, the entire sector will be plunged into war.
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My Review I wasn’t sure what to make of A SOLDIER AND A LIAR at first. It starts off slow and the characters are difficult to relate to, but I’m glad I stuck it out. The story and character development really picks up at about the 50% mark and takes off after that. Lai Cathwell is 17-year-old superpowered soldier. She and fellow young adults, Al (Johann), Erik (Mendel), and Jay (Kitahara) form an unlikely team of enhanced humans known as Nytes, on a mission to take out an elite squad of rebel Nytes determined to overthrow the Etiole government. While Nytes have powers, they are shunned for them, treated as second-class citizens at best. Lai wants acceptances and equality for Nytes, while the other three each have their own reasons for accepting the mission. With four different motivators, to say they’re a team would be a massive overstatement. Trust is hard to come by and suspicions run high. As their leader, Jay wants cohesion and solicits Lai’s help to make that happen. The more Lai learns about her teammates, the more she both likes them and distrusts them. But they’ll be forced to work together, whether they like it or not, to prevent all out war.
Plot I think the primary plot is about the mission and stopping the war, but it feels more like it’s abut the relationships between the four Nytes as they get to know each other and grudgingly begin to trust one another. The action scenes are really well done, but they don’t drive the plot as much as the interpersonal scenes do. And it’s those scenes that made me care about the outcome of the action scenes. There’s also a budding romance between Jay and Lai always simmering just below the surface. This relationship came across as forced initially, but as with the rest of the book, it hit its stride about halfway through.
The Characters The characters are my favorite part. Watching shy, socially awkward Jay try to navigate his attraction to Lai, Lai’s heavily armored exterior giving way to friendships, Erik’s selfishness giving way to something more, and Al’s standoffishness meld into someone I could identify with was what made this story really work for me. The author has created deeply authentic characters that are initially tough to get to know, but evolve with time at the same pace for us as they do for Lai. By not trying to force us to care early on, the author does us a favor and allows the reader’s feelings to grow organically as the story progresses. There are a lot of secondary and tertiary characters, who only make sporadic appearances, so I found myself flipping back to reread the scenes where they were first introduced.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About A SOLDIER AND A LIAR 1. Scene setting. The author has a way of bringing her settings to life in this world where people live in underground sectors to protect them for dangers above ground that only Nytes can survive. The descriptions are so vivid, I had no difficulty immersing myself in this world.
2. Friendships. The relationships between the characters develop over the story, so that the reader builds the same relationship at the same time as the narrator.
3. Super powers. This isn’t your typical superhero story, but the powers the Nytes possess are no less fun and shape the story as much as anything else.
4. Equality. Whether it’s Sneetches with stars upon thars, the color of one’s skin, or being a Nyte or Etiole, everyone wants to be seen as equal, and this classic theme is well done.
5. Lai. She’s fierce, independent, and just vulnerable enough to make her a heroine worth rooting for.
Bottom Line A different take on superheroes and dystopian adventures with strong characters.
Disclaimer
I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: A SOLDIER AND A LIAR Author:CaitlinLochner Publisher: Swoon Reads Release Date: February 19, 2019 Pages: 301 Genre: Young Adult Dystopian/SciFi Romance/Adventure Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
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Author Caitlin Lochner
About The Author (Um, so, wow bios are hard.) I studied creative writing at the University of South Florida and used my BA in words to become an English teaching assistant in Tokyo. I’m in love with storytelling of any kind, but especially in the form of books, manga, and video games. If you ever want to talk nerdy, I am VERY down.
