Welcome to the book blitz for THE PERFECT MURDER, the fourth book in the adult romantic suspense series, Maximum Security, by New York Times bestselling author Kat Martin. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
THE PERFECT MURDER (Maximum Security Series #4) by Kat Martin
Synopsis New York Times bestselling author Kat Martin is back with her most thrilling novel yet in the Maximum Security series—The Perfect Murder. Fans of Sandra Brown, Linda Howard and Julie Garwood will fall in love with The Max.
The eldest of the three wealthy Garrett brothers, Reese Garrett is in the middle of a major purchase for his multimillion-dollar oil and gas company, Garrett Resources. The Poseidon offshore drilling platform venture will greatly enhance the company’s value.
But when Reese is on a trip out to see the rig, his helicopter crashes, leaving him hospitalized and two men dead. It’s discovered the chopper was sabotaged, and Reese is determined to find out who’s behind the crash—and whether he was the intended target. Then, when his lover, Kenzie, is accused of her ex-husband’s murder—a man with a vested interest in the Poseidon deal—clues start pointing to a connection that puts Reese, Kenzie and her young son in the sights of a killer.
From the Texas heat to the Louisiana bayous, Reese and his brothers must track down the truth before the body count gets any higher.
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Excerpt #2 “I’ve got a few things I need to add to my schedule,” he said. “Derek Stiles called yesterday. Looks like we’re having more problems with the rig.”
“You’ll get them sorted.” She flashed him a smile. “You always do.”
But there was one thing he was having more and more trouble handling and it was standing right in front of him.
Reese clenched his jaw and went to work.
He was sitting at his desk two hours later when his intercom buzzed.
“It’s Frank Milburn,” Kenzie said. “He has news about the crash.”
Milburn was in charge of the NTSB investigation. “Put him through.” Reese pressed the speaker button and settled back in his chair.
“I know you’ve been anxious to hear from us,” Frank said, a small man with close-cropped brown hair. “I wish we could have completed the investigation sooner, but these things take time.”
“I’m aware. So what have you found out?”
“The last of the reports came in. We’d been waiting for some metal structural tests. Combined with the rest of the information we’ve assembled, the reports revealed what we had recently begun to suspect but until today weren’t able to confirm.”
“Go on.”
“Sometime before the flight took off the morning of the crash, someone tampered with the engine. A piece of metal in one of the gears was filed just enough to cause it to grind itself to pieces. The flight control mechanism disconnected, rendering the helo uncontrollable. To put it in layman’s terms, the helicopter was sabotaged.”
Tension tightened Reese’s shoulders. He didn’t ask Milburn if he was sure. The NTSB team had been investigating the crash for weeks. Two men were dead. The authorities had to be extremely thorough. The question now was who had done it? And why?
“Have you found out who’s responsible?” Reese asked.
“Unfortunately, not yet. As we’ve known from the start and you were informed, pilot error contributed heavily to the event. There should have been room for the chopper to safely auto-rotate down, but the pilot misjudged his position. He came in too close to the building, one of blades clipped the corner, and the helicopter was torn apart.”
“So what, exactly, do you know?”
“As of today, we know a criminal act was committed that ended up causing the deaths of two men. As of this morning, the FBI will be taking over the investigation. They’ll be actively pursuing whoever is responsible for the crime, now a double murder.”
Murder. The news sent a chill down Reese’s spine. He leaned over his desk, shut off the speaker, and picked up the phone. “Whatever you find out, I’ll expect you to keep me in the loop.”
“I’ll do my best,” Milburn said. “It’ll be more difficult once the gears of the FBI begin to turn.”
He understood how a federal agency worked. Lots of interlocking pieces and parts that inevitably slowed things down. The call ended, but Reese had no intention of leaving the matter in the hands of some governmental bureaucracy, not even the FBI. The feds would have to start over, look at the crash from an entirely different angle. It could take weeks, even months.
Two men were dead and he could have been the third. He thought of the accidents that had been plaguing the Poseidon. The helo crash hadn’t been accidental. The chopper was meant to go down.
About the Author Currently living outside Missoula, Montana, Kat Martin is the New York Times bestselling author of over sixty-five Historical and Contemporary Romantic Suspense novels. Before she started writing, Kat was a real estate broker. During that time, she met her husband, L. J. Martin, an author of Westerns and high-action Thrillers. Kat is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara where she majored in Anthropology and also studied History. She spends her winters in Arizona.
“I love to travel and especially like visiting the places where my books are set,” Kat says. “I love history and enjoy spending time in museums and art galleries. My husband and I often stay in out-of-the-way inns and historical houses. It’s fun and it gives a wonderful sense of a by-gone era.”
To date, Kat has over seventeen million copies of her books in print. She is published in more than two dozen foreign countries, including Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, China, Korea, Bulgaria, Russia, England, South Africa, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Japan and Greece.
Kat is currently writing her next Romantic thriller.
Welcome to the book blitz for THE DEVIL I DON’T KNOW, the first book in the adult mafia romance series, Brooklyn Kings, by L.K. Shaw. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
THE DEVIL I DON’T KNOW (Brooklyn Kings Series #1) by L.K. Shaw
My father is dying, and I’ve been called back to Brooklyn to take my place as the head of the Italian syndicate. After a seven year absence, my first test of loyalty is to marry the granddaughter of the Irish mob’s leader. I may not want a wife, but I’ll kill anyone who tries to harm her.
I only hope she doesn’t expect love in our marriage. I can’t–won’t–love her. Not ever. I don’t have it in me.
Brenna Duty
That’s all my life has been. Then, my grandfather signs a marriage contract, and I become a pawn in an alliance between the Irish and the Italians. Once again I’m bound by duty.
I’ve always been invisible–the person who fades into the background–except soon my new husband begins to see me.
He’s a Brooklyn king, but will our enemies destroy my chance to become his queen?
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Excerpt #3 “You’re a dangerous woman, Brenna Ricci.”
“How so?” I ask, a little too breathless.
“Because you make it difficult to maintain control.”
A rush of pleasure surges through me at his words. I’m not the type of woman that makes men lose control.
I’m too bookish.
Too quiet.
Too invisible.
Except Jacob seems to see me.
“I wouldn’t mind, you know,” I whisper.
“Wouldn’t mind what?”
I bite my lip before answering and his gaze drops to my mouth before meeting my eyes again. “I wouldn’t mind you losing control.”
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Author L.K. Shaw
About the Author LK Shaw is the bestselling author of the sexy, sinful suspense. She resides in South Carolina with her high maintenance beagle mix dog, Miss P. An avid reader since childhood, she became hooked on historical romance novels in high school. She now reads, and loves, all romance sub-genres, with dark romance and romantic suspense being her favorite. LK enjoys traveling and chocolate. Her books feature hot alpha heroes and the strong women they love.
Want a FREE short story? Be sure to sign up for her newsletter and download your copy of A Birthday Spanking, a short story set in the Doms of Club Eden world! http://bit.ly/LKShawNewsletter/
Welcome to the book blitz for THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL, the third book in the adult romantic suspense series, Maximum Security, by New York Times bestselling author Kat Martin. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, and exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL (Maximum Security Series #3) by Kat Martin
Synopsis To prove her father’s innocence, she’ll have to turn a killer’s sights on herself
When her father is accused of espionage and treason, journalist Jessie Kegan has no doubt the man she looked up to her entire life is innocent. Worse yet, before Colonel Kegan can stand trial, he’s found dead of a heart attack…but Jessie knows it was murder. Forcing aside her grief, she’s determined to use her investigative resources to clear her father’s name. But going after the truth means Jessie soon finds herself in the crosshairs of a killer who wants that truth to stay buried with her father.
Protecting Jessie Kegan is a job bodyguard Brandon Garrett can’t refuse. Jessie isn’t just a client at Maximum Security—she’s the sister of his best friend, Danny, who was killed in Afghanistan. With dangerous enemies gunning for Jessie from every angle, keeping her safe will mean keeping her close, and Bran finds their mutual attraction growing, though being Danny’s sister puts Jessie out of bounds.
With their backs against the wall, Jessie and Bran will have to risk everything to expose her father’s killer—before his legacy dies with his daughter.
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Excerpt #4 They ordered-in Chinese and Bran turned the TV on in the living room, but neither of them were in the mood to watch. Jessie knew exactly what she was in the mood for. She hadn’t thought about sex this much in the last three years. Now, every time she looked at Bran, having sex with him was all she could think of.
Everything about him turned her on. The cadence of his voice, the way he laughed, the way he moved. Just watching him amble across the living room sent a curl of heat into the pit of her stomach.
What would it be like to kiss him? Run her hands over all the lean, hard muscles she had seen and couldn’t get out of her head? What would it be like if he made love to her?
Would she ruin it the way she had when she had tried before? Start thinking about Ray Cummings and the intimate way he had touched her? Conjure images of the rape he had planned to carry out the third night if she hadn’t managed to escape?
Fidgety and unable to relax, she headed for the pool, Bran reluctantly accompanying her. Exercising in the warm water was the perfect stress reliever. She glanced over to where he paced the deck at the opposite end of the pool, tall and lean-muscled, blue-eyed, and built. Nothing better than swimming–except for hours of erotic sex with the man of her fantasies.
It seemed so outrageous she found herself grinning as she stroked to the far end of the pool. She was still smiling when she came up out of the water, dripping and adjusting her swimsuit, just a few feet away from him.
“What’s so funny?” Bran asked, as grumpy tonight as he had been the night before.
She looked into his hard, handsome face and some little devil made her say it. “If you really want to know, I was thinking what it might be like to have wild, uninhibited sex with you.”
Hunger flashed in his eyes so quickly she took a step back. “Is that so,” he drawled, his gaze running over her, assessing every curve her orange-striped bikini displayed.
Her whole body flushed with heat as she realized she wasn’t the only one who’d been thinking about sex.
She swallowed. “I was imagining what it might be like, but I… I know if we tried, I’d screw it up. After Ray, I’ve got, you know, hang-ups.”
His gaze grew more intense. “What kind of hang-ups?”
She picked her towel up off the mesh table next to a lounge chair and quickly dried off, then slipped on her white terrycloth robe. Fortunately, the overhead lights began to flash, signaling it was time for the pool to close.
“Time to leave.” She started walking back to the room, wishing she’d kept her mouth shut. By the time Bran opened the door and checked inside to be sure it was safe, she was starting to relax.
“What hang-ups?” Bran he as he closed the door behind them.
Jessie’s stomach instantly knotted. What had possessed her to mention it? But Bran had opened up to her yesterday, which meant she owed him the same courtesy today.
Trying to appear nonchalant, she shrugged. “You know, kissing’s okay, but if a guy starts touching me, my mind flashes back to Ray Cummings and I-I start thinking about the way he touched me, where he touched me, and pretty soon sex is the last thing I want to happen.”
Bran’s jaw looked iron hard. “He rape you?”
She swallowed and shook her head. “On the third day, just before he got home, I managed to get loose. I couldn’t get out of the basement, so I searched for a weapon.” Her lips trembled as the memory became all too clear. “I found a wooden box and pried a board loose. The board had a nail in the end so I held it like a bat, and I-I waited till he came down the stairs.”
“Go on,” Bran said so softly she felt a chill.
“He always wore this black knit ski mask with a red ring around the mouth, which made him look even more terrifying. Knowing what he planned to do gave me courage. The minute he stepped off the bottom step, I swung the board as hard as I could and smashed him in the side of the head. As soon as he hit the floor, I starting whacking him over and over with the nail in the end of the board. He was unconscious and bleeding when I took off running.”
“Finish it,” Bran said when she paused, more a demand than a request.
Her voice trembled. “The woman in the house next door let me in and called the police. Ray was still unconscious when they got there. Turned out he was a serial rapist. He had abducted four other women and locked them up just like me. Eventually, he released them somewhere, but they couldn’t identify him or the place he had taken them. I was the only one who escaped.”
She was shaking. She didn’t realize she had tears in her eyes till Bran pulled her into his arms.
About the Author Currently living outside Missoula, Montana, Kat Martin is the New York Times bestselling author of over sixty-five Historical and Contemporary Romantic Suspense novels. Before she started writing, Kat was a real estate broker. During that time, she met her husband, L. J. Martin, an author of Westerns and high-action Thrillers. Kat is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara where she majored in Anthropology and also studied History. She spends her winters in Arizona.
“I love to travel and especially like visiting the places where my books are set,” Kat says. “I love history and enjoy spending time in museums and art galleries. My husband and I often stay in out-of-the-way inns and historical houses. It’s fun and it gives a wonderful sense of a by-gone era.”
To date, Kat has over seventeen million copies of her books in print. She is published in more than two dozen foreign countries, including Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, China, Korea, Bulgaria, Russia, England, South Africa, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Japan and Greece.
Kat is currently writing her next Romantic thriller.
Welcome to the blog tour for TAKING HER CHASE, the second book in the adult contemporary romance/romantic suspense, small town enemies-to-lovers series, Dare to Surrender, by Danielle Pays. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
TAKING HER CHASE (Dare to Surrender Series #2) by Danielle Pays
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: TAKING HER CHASE Series: Dare to Surrender Series #2 Author: Danielle Pays Release Date: June 9, 2020 Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon IT | Amazon DE | Amazon FR
Synopsis He’s in love with his best friend. She’s dating his number one suspect. What could go wrong?
Harmony Brose can’t stop fantasizing about her best friend. After a few drinks, she took a risk. She asked Chase to kiss her. It was the best kiss of her life. Until he jumped up and left, breaking her heart.
Officer Chase Harvey had thought about kissing Harmony for years but never crossed that line until that night. Fearing Harmony was drunk, he had to cut it off until he was sure she truly wanted him. Apparently she didn’t, because Harmony just started dating the new man in town.
Chase doesn’t have time to waste on regrets. A woman vanished from their small town and he’ll do whatever is necessary to solve the case. When evidence points to the new man, Chase must follow the lead. It has nothing at all to do with the fact the man is dating Harmony…
Now he has to decide. Is he willing to risk losing the woman he loves in order to protect her?
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Excerpt #1 They each drank another shot, and whatever Harmony had been mad about seemed to fade away. Then Chase noticed that her skirt was riding high up on her thighs as she sat next to him. He was about to pry his eyes away when a drop of her drink fell right onto her bare skin.
“Oops.” Harmony smiled at him.
What happened next, he could only blame on a combination of the shots and sitting too close to her. He reached down and wiped the drop away with his finger, then brought it to his mouth. When his gaze met hers, her eyes had darkened.
Shit. What was he doing?
“Didn’t want to waste any,” he said as he averted his gaze.
What the fuck? That was the best he could come up with?
Zach turned on some music, and Harmony asked Chase to stand up so she could get out of the booth. At this point, he’d do anything to get her focus away from what he’d just done. Once she was up, he sat back down. Mistake. Her hips were following the rhythm. Right in front of his face. He tried not to watch, but it was impossible.
“Let’s dance!” Harmony grabbed his hand and led him out to the dance floor.
Her body moved in ways he wasn’t used to seeing. When she turned away from him and shimmied closer, he backed up a step. The smile on her face as she glanced back at him was full of mischief. “This isn’t middle school, Harvey. You can touch me.”
Harvey. The name never sounded right coming from her. After entering the police academy, he’d asked everyone to call him by his last name. Even Harmony had finally obliged.
She inched back again and placed his hands on her hips. When her backside grazed against his crotch, his fingers dug deeper into her flesh. He needed to think about something else before his friend discovered she was making him hard as hell.
Swamps, alligators, baseball.
It was working. Then she spun, tossed her arms around his neck, and pressed her body up against his.
About the Author Danielle Pays writes steamy romance novels with a touch of suspense. When not trying to write her characters into some kind of trouble, she can be found guzzling coffee at her kids’ soccer games. Black coffee is a requirement as she lives in the Pacific Northwest.
Welcome to the blog tour for COLD WICKED LIES, the third book in the adult romantic suspense series, Cold Justice – Crossfire, by New York Times bestselling author, Toni Anderson. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
COLD WICKED LIES (Cold Justice – Crossfire Series #3) by Toni Anderson
Synopsis Read the latest FBI romantic thriller by New York Times bestselling author Toni Anderson.
In an effort to halt an armed standoff, FBI negotiator Charlotte Blood tries to unravel the mystery of a young woman’s death on a remote mountainside. Pity she has to fight her stubborn, sexy, Hostage Rescue Team counterpart every step of the way.
As a highly skilled operative, HRT leader Payne Novak doesn’t have time to play detective or make nice with killers who flout the law. His focus is getting inside the compound and ending the siege as quickly as possible.
Forced to work together, the battle-hardened HRT team leader and the quietly determined negotiator figure out they might have more in common than they anticipated. As the clock ticks, Charlotte discovers there are some dangers she can’t talk her way out of, and the race to unearth long-buried lies becomes a matter of survival for everyone on the mountain.
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Excerpt #1 She wagged the pen at him and moved closer. “You know, it’s exhausting trying to keep up with your moods.”
“My moods?”
“Hot one minute. Cold the next.”
“Then don’t bother trying.” His voice was low and terse. He sounded mean. Good. He removed his sunglasses and gave her his flattest stare.
Charlotte blinked and then rolled her eyes. “For some reason I keep giving you the benefit of the doubt, that you’re not actually an ass. That you actually do like and respect me like you said back at the base.”
Novak opened his mouth to respond but she never gave him a chance to speak.
“But you’re grumpy every time I talk to some guy—” She cut herself off and stared at him with eyes that kept growing bigger.
He folded his arms over his chest. “What?”
She held his stare and he wished he had the strength to sever the connection.
“You’re jealous,” she said.
“Ha.” He walked around her waving a hand in defeat as he strode back to the Suburban. “That’s ridiculous.”
“Ridiculous?”
“Nonsensical. I’m not jealous. You’re delusional.”
He got in the cab and she opened the passenger door. “Not delusional. Spot on. Oh my god. I’ve seen more than a few signs. Like when I talk to or about Truman, you scowl.”
“That’s my resting bitch face.” He grabbed the coffee she’d purchased and left in the cup holder and took a slug.
“We’ve already established you’re attracted to me.”
The coffee spurted out. Oh god. She was talking about his hard-on that morning. He almost choked and grabbed a tissue to clean up the mess.
“You’re an attractive woman. I’m not blind.” He wasn’t gonna blush because of an autonomic biological reaction. Fuck.
She strapped herself in and reached for her own cup as he went to pick up his sandwich. Their hands brushed. Both froze.
She didn’t move her hand away and he couldn’t remove his. The connection felt both ephemeral and fragile and like something he wasn’t equipped to deal with, was not trained for. He wanted to turn his fingers over and interlink them with hers. All the anger and embarrassment drained out of him. But the frustration built. Frustration that he wasn’t the sort of guy a woman like Charlotte Blood would want.
About the Authors ToniAnderson writes award-winning, bestselling, FBI Romantic Thrillers. She is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, RITA® finalist, science nerd, professional tourist, dog lover, gardener, mom. Anderson‘s books have won the Readers’ Choice Award, Aspen Gold, National Excellence in Romance Fiction, Book Buyers’ Best.
Originally from a small town in Shropshire, England, Toni studied Marine Biology at University of Liverpool (B.Sc.) and University of St. Andrews (Ph.D.) with the intention she’d never be far from the ocean. Well, that plan backfired and she ended up in the Canadian prairies with her biology professor husband, two kids, a rescue dog, and a laid-back leopard gecko.
Toni started writing while pregnant with her first child and never stopped. Her greatest achievements are mastering the Tokyo subway, climbing Ben Lomond, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, and surviving fifteen Winnipeg winters (fingers crossed). She loves to travel for research purposes and was lucky enough to visit the Strategic Information and Operations Center inside FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. in 2016. She also got to shove another (police) car off the road during pursuit training at the Writer’s Police Academy. Basically she has way too much fun!
Today is release day for TAKING HER CHASE, the second book in the adult contemporary romance/romantic suspense, small town enemies-to-lovers series, Dare to Surrender, by Danielle Pays. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
TAKING HER CHASE (Dare to Surrender Series #2) by Danielle Pays
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: TAKING HER CHASE Series: Dare to Surrender Series #2 Author: Danielle Pays Release Date: June 9, 2020 Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon IT | Amazon DE | Amazon FR
Synopsis He’s in love with his best friend. She’s dating his number one suspect. What could go wrong?
Harmony Brose can’t stop fantasizing about her best friend. After a few drinks, she took a risk. She asked Chase to kiss her. It was the best kiss of her life. Until he jumped up and left, breaking her heart.
Officer Chase Harvey had thought about kissing Harmony for years but never crossed that line until that night. Fearing Harmony was drunk, he had to cut it off until he was sure she truly wanted him. Apparently she didn’t, because Harmony just started dating the new man in town.
Chase doesn’t have time to waste on regrets. A woman vanished from their small town and he’ll do whatever is necessary to solve the case. When evidence points to the new man, Chase must follow the lead. It has nothing at all to do with the fact the man is dating Harmony…
Now he has to decide. Is he willing to risk losing the woman he loves in order to protect her?
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Excerpt Harmony answered her phone. “Good afternoon.”
“Hey, sexy.”
Even through the phone, this man’s voice caused her to squeeze her thighs together.
“Will you be working all night?”
“Actually no. That’s why I called. I’ll be done in about two hours. Do you want to hang out?”
Yes!
“That sounds good,” she said casually.
“All right. I can swing by and pick you up.”
“I’m at Lauren’s. Can you pick me up here?”
He chuckled, and she could imagine the lines by his eyes when he smiled.
“You two having happy hour?”
“Yep.”
“All right. Just don’t get too carried away. I have plans for you later, and you’ll need your energy.”
“What plans?”
She took a drink of wine to keep from laughing. She knew what he was thinking but was curious what he would say when pressed.
“Plans that involve my head between your thighs.”
She spat out her wine. “Holy shit, Chase.”
He laughed. “Too much?”
She grabbed a napkin off the table and cleaned up. “No, just unexpected. I guess I never really knew this side of you.”
“Just thinking of you brings up so many dirty thoughts.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. And I can’t wait to share every one with you.”
“You want to share some more now?”
He chuckled. “I never knew you liked dirty talk.”
“There is a lot you don’t know about me,” she said, hoping her voice sounded sultry.
“Mmm. Is that so?”
“If you play your cards right, I might let you get to know more.”
He growled. “Tonight, I’m going to get to know you really well, babe. I’ll see you in a couple of hours.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
She ended the call. “Damn that man!”
“Someone has it bad.” Lauren walked into the room, carrying a bowl.
About the Author Danielle Pays writes steamy romance novels with a touch of suspense. When not trying to write her characters into some kind of trouble, she can be found guzzling coffee at her kids’ soccer games. Black coffee is a requirement as she lives in the Pacific Northwest.
Today is release day for COLD WICKED LIES, the third book in the adult romantic suspense series, Cold Justice – Crossfire, by New York Times bestselling author, Toni Anderson. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
COLD WICKED LIES (Cold Justice – Crossfire Series #3) by Toni Anderson
Synopsis Read the latest FBI romantic thriller by New York Times bestselling author Toni Anderson.
In an effort to halt an armed standoff, FBI negotiator Charlotte Blood tries to unravel the mystery of a young woman’s death on a remote mountainside. Pity she has to fight her stubborn, sexy, Hostage Rescue Team counterpart every step of the way.
As a highly skilled operative, HRT leader Payne Novak doesn’t have time to play detective or make nice with killers who flout the law. His focus is getting inside the compound and ending the siege as quickly as possible.
Forced to work together, the battle-hardened HRT team leader and the quietly determined negotiator figure out they might have more in common than they anticipated. As the clock ticks, Charlotte discovers there are some dangers she can’t talk her way out of, and the race to unearth long-buried lies becomes a matter of survival for everyone on the mountain.
About the Authors ToniAnderson writes award-winning, bestselling, FBI Romantic Thrillers. She is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, RITA® finalist, science nerd, professional tourist, dog lover, gardener, mom. Anderson‘s books have won the Readers’ Choice Award, Aspen Gold, National Excellence in Romance Fiction, Book Buyers’ Best.
Originally from a small town in Shropshire, England, Toni studied Marine Biology at University of Liverpool (B.Sc.) and University of St. Andrews (Ph.D.) with the intention she’d never be far from the ocean. Well, that plan backfired and she ended up in the Canadian prairies with her biology professor husband, two kids, a rescue dog, and a laid-back leopard gecko.
Toni started writing while pregnant with her first child and never stopped. Her greatest achievements are mastering the Tokyo subway, climbing Ben Lomond, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, and surviving fifteen Winnipeg winters (fingers crossed). She loves to travel for research purposes and was lucky enough to visit the Strategic Information and Operations Center inside FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. in 2016. She also got to shove another (police) car off the road during pursuit training at the Writer’s Police Academy. Basically she has way too much fun!
Welcome to the blog tour for COLD & DEADLY, the first book in the adult romantic suspense series, Cold Justice – Crossfire, byNew York Times bestselling author, Toni Anderson. See below for information on the book, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
COLD AND DEADLY (Cold Justice – Crossfire #1) by Toni Anderson
Synopsis Hostage Negotiators can talk themselves out of anything—except falling in love.
FBI Supervisory Special Agent Dominic Sheridan is an accomplished expert in the Crisis Negotiation Unit. Practiced, professional, used to dealing with high-stake situations under tense conditions, Dominic is a master at manipulating people. Everyone, that is, but the headstrong rookie agent bent on destroying her fledgling career.
As a child, Ava Kanas put her life on the line when the mob executed her father. Now someone has killed her mentor, the man who inspired her to become an FBI agent—and she’s the only one who recognizes it was anything but a tragic accident.
When another agent is murdered and Dominic nearly dies, it becomes obvious a serial killer is targeting the FBI. Together Dominic and Ava search for clues in the investigation, all the while fighting a forbidden attraction that will complicate everything, especially when the predator sets their sights on Ava.
In this exciting crossover series, Toni Anderson introduces new characters alongside some reader favorites. Read the thrilling Cold Justice – Crossfire series today..
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Excerpt #1 The door to the bathroom opened a crack. Ava poked her head out, fingers curled tight around the door. “Sorry. Could you pass me a towel, please?”
Dominic started. So much for getting his overactive imagination under control. Her wet hair was dripping water onto the floor and her naked shoulder taunted him like a fourteen-year-old boy.
“Of course.” He went over to Ava’s bag and pulled out a towel. He grabbed his while he was at it, and fresh boxers and a t-shirt to sleep in.
He held the towel out so she could take it. “Here you go.”
She let go of the door to grab the towel but the damn thing started to swing open. Dominic stuck his foot to stop it.
God. Even the idea of seeing her naked was stirring his blood. Dammit. “If you’re finished in there, how about you get dried and dressed out here while I grab a shower?”
“Good idea. Just give me a second.” She came out wrapped in a towel that hit mid-thigh. Her shoulders were bare. Perfect collarbones emphasized a long, slender neck and pointed chin. She was brushing her wet hair completely unaware that she looked absolutely stunning. “It’s all yours.”
If only.
Dominic hated himself for being turned on by this woman, this junior agent. But there was nothing he could do about it right now except not get involved. They were stuck with each other.
He went inside the tiny bathroom, stripped off and turned on the cold water before stepping under the freezing spray. Anything to get his body under control and his blood cooled.
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Author Toni Anderson
About the Authors Toni Anderson is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, RITA® nominee, science nerd, professional tourist, dog lover, gardener, mom. Originally from a small town in England, Toni studied Marine Biology at University of Liverpool (B.Sc.) and University of St. Andrews (Ph.D.) with the intention she’d never be far from the ocean. Well, that plan backfired and she ended up in the Canadian prairies with her biology professor husband, two kids, a rescue dog, and two laid-back leopard geckos. Toni started writing while pregnant with her first child and never stopped. Her greatest achievements are mastering the Tokyo subway, climbing Ben Lomond, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, and surviving fourteen Winnipeg winters (fingers crossed). She loves to travel for research purposes and was lucky enough to visit the Strategic Information and Operations Center inside FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. in 2016, and she also got to shove another car off the road during pursuit training at the Writer’s Police Academy in Wisconsin. Watch out world!
Toni’s books have hit #1 in Barnes & Noble’s Nook store, and the Top 10 on Amazon, Kobo, and iBooks. Her novels have won many awards.
New York Times bestselling author, Toni Anderson is sharing an excerpt from COLD & DEADLY, the first book in her adult romantic suspense series, Cold Justice – Crossfire, releasing February 12, 2019. See below for information on the book, pre-order links, and the exclusive excerpt.
COLD AND DEADLY (Cold Justice – Crossfire #1) by Toni Anderson
Synopsis Hostage Negotiators can talk themselves out of anything—except falling in love.
FBI Supervisory Special Agent Dominic Sheridan is an accomplished expert in the Crisis Negotiation Unit. Practiced, professional, used to dealing with high-stake situations under tense conditions, Dominic is a master at manipulating people. Everyone, that is, but the headstrong rookie agent bent on destroying her fledgling career.
As a child, Ava Kanas put her life on the line when the mob executed her father. Now someone has killed her mentor, the man who inspired her to become an FBI agent—and she’s the only one who recognizes it was anything but a tragic accident.
When another agent is murdered and Dominic nearly dies, it becomes obvious a serial killer is targeting the FBI. Together Dominic and Ava search for clues in the investigation, all the while fighting a forbidden attraction that will complicate everything, especially when the predator sets their sights on Ava.
In this exciting crossover series, Toni Anderson introduces new characters alongside some reader favorites. Read the thrilling Cold Justice – Crossfire series today..
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Excerpt Did she tell Dominic the truth and risk him sending her away? The thought of losing her job made her feel physically ill. But she wanted to be braver. She wanted to trust…
Was he awake? She listened attentively for the sound of his breathing but she couldn’t hear a thing. Feeling slightly panicked that he’d left her here alone, she caught the bottom of the makeshift curtain and raised it high enough to see the man lying on his back, features softened in sleep.
She stared, taking in the straight nose, thick brows and stubborn jaw. The bruises from the accident looked like darker shadows in this dusky twilight. His mouth was parted and she found herself wondering what it might be like to kiss him.
He rolled onto the side facing her and suddenly opened his eyes.
Ava froze, then whispered slowly, “I thought you might have left me behind…” She tried to swallow her mortification at being caught staring at him. The words revealed more than she wanted.
He reached out and touched her cheek, which was more or less healed now. “Still here, Kanas. Go back to sleep. It’s four AM.”
Her heart pounded crazily as she held his gaze. She should tell him about Gino. Confide the truth. He’d understand and wouldn’t send her away. His palm was so hot against her skin it burned. She wanted to get closer to that heat. The craving was so overwhelming it terrified her, paralyzed her.
He removed his hand with a slight smile that she could get used to and sleepily closed his eyes. Murmured, “Go to sleep, Ava.”
She lay there staring up at the ceiling, until dawn flooded the room with light. She didn’t sleep another wink.
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Author Toni Anderson
About the Authors Toni Anderson is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, RITA® nominee, science nerd, professional tourist, dog lover, gardener, mom. Originally from a small town in England, Toni studied Marine Biology at University of Liverpool (B.Sc.) and University of St. Andrews (Ph.D.) with the intention she’d never be far from the ocean. Well, that plan backfired and she ended up in the Canadian prairies with her biology professor husband, two kids, a rescue dog, and two laid-back leopard geckos. Toni started writing while pregnant with her first child and never stopped. Her greatest achievements are mastering the Tokyo subway, climbing Ben Lomond, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, and surviving fourteen Winnipeg winters (fingers crossed). She loves to travel for research purposes and was lucky enough to visit the Strategic Information and Operations Center inside FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. in 2016, and she also got to shove another car off the road during pursuit training at the Writer’s Police Academy in Wisconsin. Watch out world!
Toni’s books have hit #1 in Barnes & Noble’s Nook store, and the Top 10 on Amazon, Kobo, and iBooks. Her novels have won many awards.
For a limited time, you can pick up the COLD JUSTICE Box Set, including books four through six in this adult romantic suspense series, by New York Times bestselling author, Toni Anderson, for just $0.99! See below for information on the box set and buy links.
Synopsis If you love “Powerful suspense and sizzling romance,” don’t miss New York Times bestselling author Toni Anderson’s award-winning Cold Justice Series—books 4, 5, and 6, plus a short story, in one box collection.
“Superbly crafted stories like these are the reason romantic suspense is my go-to genre.” –USA Today
“OMG! GRIPPING FROM THE GET GO!” ★★★★★ from Darlene AJ
“I binged, reading 9 books in 16 days. It was glorious.” ★★★★★ from Dave
“Mesmerizing from the first word to the last.” ★★★★★ from Kim Tindall
Set Contains: COLD FEAR (Book #4). 2016 Daphne Du Maurier Award For Excellence In Mystery/Romantic Suspense finalist and Bookseller’s Best Award finalist.
COLD IN THE SHADOWS (Book #5). 2016 Booksellers’ Best Awards Finalist in Romantic Suspense.
COLD HEARTED (Book #6). WINNER of the 2017 Book Buyers’ Best for Romantic Suspense. Finalist in the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Awards, and the Booksellers’ Best Award for Romantic Suspense.
Get your hands on the Cold Justice boxset #2 for .99c now.
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Author Toni Anderson
About the Authors New York Times and USA Today international bestselling author, Toni Anderson, writes dark, gritty Romantic Suspense novels that have hit #1 in Barnes & Noble’s Nook store, the Top 10 in Amazon and Kobo stores, and the Top 50 in iBooks. Her novels have won many awards. A former Marine Biologist from Britain, she inexplicably ended up in the geographical center of North America, about as far from the ocean as it is possible to get. She now lives in the Canadian prairies with her Irish husband and two children and spends most of her time complaining about the weather.
Toni has no explanation for her oft-times dark imagination, and only hopes the romance makes up for it. She’s addicted to reading, dogs, tea, and chocolate.
If you want to know when Toni’s next book will be out, visit her website (http://www.toniandersonauthor.com) and sign up for her newsletter. If you want to read other fascinating stories about life in a city that, during winter, is sometimes colder than Mars, friend her on Facebook: (https://www.facebook.com/toniannanderson).
New York Times bestselling author, Toni Anderson is sharing an excerpt from COLD & DEADLY, the first book in her adult romantic suspense series, Cold Justice – Crossfire, releasing February 12, 2019. See below for information on the book, pre-order links, and the exclusive excerpt.
COLD AND DEADLY (Cold Justice – Crossfire #1) by Toni Anderson
Synopsis Hostage Negotiators can talk themselves out of anything—except falling in love.
FBI Supervisory Special Agent Dominic Sheridan is an accomplished expert in the Crisis Negotiation Unit. Practiced, professional, used to dealing with high-stake situations under tense conditions, Dominic is a master at manipulating people. Everyone, that is, but the headstrong rookie agent bent on destroying her fledgling career.
As a child, Ava Kanas put her life on the line when the mob executed her father. Now someone has killed her mentor, the man who inspired her to become an FBI agent—and she’s the only one who recognizes it was anything but a tragic accident.
When another agent is murdered and Dominic nearly dies, it becomes obvious a serial killer is targeting the FBI. Together Dominic and Ava search for clues in the investigation, all the while fighting a forbidden attraction that will complicate everything, especially when the predator sets their sights on Ava.
In this exciting crossover series, Toni Anderson introduces new characters alongside some reader favorites. Read the thrilling Cold Justice – Crossfire series today..
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Excerpt He checked his watch. “I need to get back to Quantico.”
“What?” Kanas stopped and faced him, incredulous. “We need to go talk to the medical examiner. See if they took swabs for DNA. We need to trace Van’s movements the day he died. We might be able to place him with someone—”
“We’re not actively assigned to this investigation, remember?” Although he had an excuse as Aldrich had asked him to look at the files. Kanas didn’t. “You need to get back to the office before your boss notices you’re AWOL. I’ll contact the ME and the lab and—”
“No. No way.” She put her hands on her hips, her t-shirt stretching tight across her full breasts. He had to force himself not to let his gaze get distracted. Ava Kanas had the sort of body that could make a man break every rule in the book, and Dominic was not a rule breaker.
“You are not sidelining me on this,” she insisted.
And the sort of mouth that could drive a man insane. Not in a good way.
“Sidelining you?” Was she serious? “Taking the lead on something is not sidelining. Ever heard of teamwork? Cooperation? Or plain old saving your ass?”
“Saving my ass?” Gold flecks sparked in the depths of her eyes. “You wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for me.”
Dominic strove for his natural calm, the one that usually came so easily to him. “I’m trying to protect your FBI career from the kamikaze spin you seem determined to put it into.”
Her lips parted and her chest rose and fell rapidly as she clearly tried to hold on to her temper.
“There are rules and procedures for this. We have no solid evidence. We have no witnesses. All we have is a man who claims he adjusted the clothing of what is most likely a suicide victim.” He reined in the temper that was starting to fray. Ironic that he found it easier to deal with bank robbers and terrorists than Ava Kanas. “I’ll check the files and see what evidence was collected at the scene and ask the ME what samples they took during the postmortem.” The funeral had been postponed but, given the embalming process, Dominic couldn’t be sure what evidence might still be present. At least he was in a position where he could get them to check without losing his job.
She swallowed tightly. “What am I supposed to do?”
“Just do your job until we have more answers.” He pulled his tie from his pocket and slid it along his collar.
Her eyes followed every movement of his fingers. “I’m not letting this drop just because my ‘superiors’ are telling me to. That’s not what Van taught me about conducting investigations. Question everything. Don’t let anyone tell you to ignore your gut. Trust your instincts.”
God, she was infuriating. “You’re deliberately missing the point. I’m not letting you fuck up your career because you’re torn up with grief.”
“You’re not letting me?” A muscle flexed in her jaw.
“That’s right, Ava.” He got in her face. It would have been a hundred times easier to stare her down if he hadn’t wanted to crush her against him and kiss her until she couldn’t breathe. Fuck. “I’m not letting you. That’s what Van taught me—how not to fuck up a career.”
She stilled at his vehemence. After a long beat of silence, she finally said, “Fine.” But it sounded more like “fuck you.”
She brushed past him, her stride long and confident and pissed. “Let me know if I can do anything else to assist you, sir.”
He shook his head. God she was stubborn, but pissing off her superiors was not a great way of keeping her position. No way in hell would Ava Kanas let this go. The question was, how far would he be willing to go to protect her?
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Author Toni Anderson
About the Authors Toni Anderson is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, RITA® nominee, science nerd, professional tourist, dog lover, gardener, mom. Originally from a small town in England, Toni studied Marine Biology at University of Liverpool (B.Sc.) and University of St. Andrews (Ph.D.) with the intention she’d never be far from the ocean. Well, that plan backfired and she ended up in the Canadian prairies with her biology professor husband, two kids, a rescue dog, and two laid-back leopard geckos. Toni started writing while pregnant with her first child and never stopped. Her greatest achievements are mastering the Tokyo subway, climbing Ben Lomond, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, and surviving fourteen Winnipeg winters (fingers crossed). She loves to travel for research purposes and was lucky enough to visit the Strategic Information and Operations Center inside FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. in 2016, and she also got to shove another car off the road during pursuit training at the Writer’s Police Academy in Wisconsin. Watch out world!
Toni’s books have hit #1 in Barnes & Noble’s Nook store, and the Top 10 on Amazon, Kobo, and iBooks. Her novels have won many awards.
Welcome to the book Blitz for A SHAMELESS LITTLE CON, the first book in the new adult romantic suspense/political thriller series, Shameless, by USA Today bestselling author, Meli Raine. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway. You can now pick up the eBook for free!
A SHAMELESS LITTLE CON (Shameless #1) by Meli Raine
Synopsis I didn’t do it. I never betrayed my friend.
Last year, I was kidnapped along with presidential candidate’s daughter Lindsay Bosworth, forced to help her assailants, my mother implicated in one of the biggest political scandals in American history. I’ve been cleared of any wrongdoing, but that doesn’t matter. Once you’re tried by the media, you’re guilty as sin. The truth doesn’t get the public’s attention.
But shame? Shame sells. And everyone assumes you’re tainted. Now I have my own personal security team, courtesy of the United States government. Not the one you learned about in civics class, though.
I’m being tracked by the deep state. The shadow government. They’ve assigned Silas Gentian to be with me twenty-four seven. He thinks he knows everything about me – all of it bad — and he does. On paper.
Like everyone else, he assumes I’m a traitor. A backstabber. A betrayer. Someone who helped a group of violent psychopaths, puppets of powerful men in Washington who made me into a tool. Yet I see how he looks at me. True desire can’t be faked. Or hidden.
And that goes both ways. He assumes I’m trying to fool him. And he might be right. But not for the reasons he thinks.
A Shameless Little Con is the first book in the Shameless trilogy by USA Today bestselling author Meli Raine.
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Excerpt #2 “You used to be nice,” I spit out, hating my hurt tone.
“And you used to be decent. Or at least you fooled everyone into thinking you were.”
“I am decent!”
He makes that sound again. The one that feels like a knife against my heart. Disgust radiates off him. Maybe that’s what I really smell in the SUV. The scent of my own rejection.
My phone buzzes again. I ignore it. I’m being monitored by every government agency you can imagine, and my mother’s dead. Most of my texts are from sleazy newspapers offering me money for insider info. For nude pictures. Being falsely accused and turned into the villain in the biggest government scandal since Watergate means people offer you seven figures to take off your clothes.
If I were as indecent as Silas thinks I am, I’d take the deal.
About the Author Meli Raine writes romantic suspense with hot bikers, intense undercover DEA agents, bad boys turned good, and Special Ops heroes — and the women who love them.
Meli rode her first motorcycle when she was five years old, but she played in the ocean long before that. She lives in New England with her family.
Welcome to the blog tour for ACE OF HEARTS, the third book in the adult romantic suspense series, Blind Jacks MC, by USA Today and international bestselling author, J.C. Valentine. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
ACE OF HEARTS (Blind Jacks MC #3) by J.C. Valentine
Synopsis Being granted a second chance at life and a first time at love was every man’s dream, but for Ace it came with a price.
Ace
By all rights, he should be dead. Serving ten years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit had affected him in ways he couldn’t begin to understand. He’d rolled out of the slammer and into a revenge plot that almost got him killed. By the grace of God, when he’d hit rock bottom, one person reached out a helping hand.
A beautiful redhead with a penchant for mischief took a shine to him and then disappeared, leaving behind only her number scribbled recklessly on his arm. Assuming he can make out all the numbers, he just might have a chance at something amazing.
Barbara
Finally divorcing her narcissistic husband was the best choice Barbara ever made. After living under his control for seven long years, she might have gone a little wild for a minute, what with jumping the hot biker and all. None of that mattered, though, because today was the day she got herself back on track.
After being given the opportunity to excavate a small cache of fossils in a remote area, Barbara is horrified to discover she’s inadvertently led a small team of her archeology students into danger. When they stumble on a secret dumping site of a vicious serial killer, Ace, the big, handsome biker takes charge. But she may have gotten herself and her students into more danger than even he can handle.
*NOTE*Although a part of the Blind Jacks MC series, ACE OF HEARTS can be read as a STANDALONE and features a new couple!.
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Excerpt #2 Climbing into bed behind his lovely professor seemed different. At the clubhouse, neither of them felt particularly at home. It was clear that Barbara felt totally comfortable in her own home, though. The strange part was that Ace felt very much at home there, too.
“This is all kinds of weird for me.”
“My house must seem like a tiny doll house to you.”
“It feels more like a warm, safe nest that’s been made enticing by the addition of a beautiful and accommodating woman. I’m feeling a bit like the world’s last dodo bird or something.”
“In that case, we had better start making babies before you go extinct.”
“The last time you said something like that it triggered a little episode of self-loathing.” Pulling the blanket up around them, he murmured reassuringly, “Don’t worry, this time I have my head screwed on straight. I’m intentionally not using a condom and will be trying my best to make ugly little dodo babies with you.”
“You’re so funny.”
Ace frowned. “Why do you want to get pregnant?”
“Fertility stays relatively stable until around age thirty in women. After that, it begins to drop off slightly. Since I gave my marriage a dirt nap, I suppose I’ve been worried about missing my window.” Eyeing him with heated admiration, she continued, “You’re a big, strapping biker. You look like you could get the job done with some swimmers to spare.”
Moving closer, he grinned. “This is like a whole new side of your personality that I’ve never seen.”
Running her hand over his chest, she laughed. “It’s the neurotic and slightly panicking side.”
Jerking his chin for her to give him a kiss, he murmured, “It looks good on you.”
Rather than following his nonverbal communication, she asked softly, “So do you have baby-related secrets to share?”
Reaching out, he wrapped one arm around her and dragged her close. “Sure, but I don’t think you wanna hear them.”
“I do, so cough it up.”
Spanning her stomach with his hand, he said, “I’ve thought about how nice it would be to see my child growing inside you. You’d look really sexy with a baby bump. I’d be one of those obsessed dads who listened to your stomach and told our little princess stories so she’d get used to my voice. Since I don’t know any stories fit to tell a baby, we’d have to go to one of those fancy bookstores and buy some. Maybe we’d get one of those fancy coffees you like so much.”
Her eyes damn near sparkled. “That’s about the sweetest baby secret I ever heard.”
Looking down at his hand on her stomach, he whispered, “I’d have to be really careful, ‘cause I wouldn’t want her to be scared when she saw me for the first time.”
About the Author J.C. Valentine is the USA Today and international bestselling author of the Night Calls and Wayward Fighters Series and the Forbidden Series. Her vivid imagination and love of words and romance had her penning her own romance stories from an early age, which, despite being poorly edited and written longhand, she forced friends and family members to read. No, she isn’t sorry.
J.C. earned her own happily ever after when she married her high school sweetheart. Living in the Northwest, they have three amazing children and far too many pets and spend much of their free time together enjoying movies or the outdoors. Among the many hats she wears, J.C. is an entrepreneur. Having graduated with honors, she holds a Bachelor’s in English and when she isn’t writing, you can find her editing for fellow authors..
Today is release day for ACE OF HEARTS, the third book in the adult romantic suspense series, Blind Jacks MC, by USA Today and international bestselling author, J.C. Valentine. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
ACE OF HEARTS (Blind Jacks MC #3) by J.C. Valentine
Synopsis Being granted a second chance at life and a first time at love was every man’s dream, but for Ace it came with a price.
Ace
By all rights, he should be dead. Serving ten years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit had affected him in ways he couldn’t begin to understand. He’d rolled out of the slammer and into a revenge plot that almost got him killed. By the grace of God, when he’d hit rock bottom, one person reached out a helping hand.
A beautiful redhead with a penchant for mischief took a shine to him and then disappeared, leaving behind only her number scribbled recklessly on his arm. Assuming he can make out all the numbers, he just might have a chance at something amazing.
Barbara
Finally divorcing her narcissistic husband was the best choice Barbara ever made. After living under his control for seven long years, she might have gone a little wild for a minute, what with jumping the hot biker and all. None of that mattered, though, because today was the day she got herself back on track.
After being given the opportunity to excavate a small cache of fossils in a remote area, Barbara is horrified to discover she’s inadvertently led a small team of her archeology students into danger. When they stumble on a secret dumping site of a vicious serial killer, Ace, the big, handsome biker takes charge. But she may have gotten herself and her students into more danger than even he can handle.
*NOTE*Although a part of the Blind Jacks MC series, ACE OF HEARTS can be read as a STANDALONE and features a new couple!.
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Excerpt Climbing into bed behind his lovely professor seemed different. At the clubhouse, neither of them felt particularly at home. It was clear that Barbara felt totally comfortable in her own home, though. The strange part was that Ace felt very much at home there, too.
“This is all kinds of weird for me.”
“My house must seem like a tiny doll house to you.”
“It feels more like a warm, safe nest that’s been made enticing by the addition of a beautiful and accommodating woman. I’m feeling a bit like the world’s last dodo bird or something.”
“In that case, we had better start making babies before you go extinct.”
“The last time you said something like that it triggered a little episode of self-loathing.” Pulling the blanket up around them, he murmured reassuringly, “Don’t worry, this time I have my head screwed on straight. I’m intentionally not using a condom and will be trying my best to make ugly little dodo babies with you.”
“You’re so funny.”
Ace frowned. “Why do you want to get pregnant?”
“Fertility stays relatively stable until around age thirty in women. After that, it begins to drop off slightly. Since I gave my marriage a dirt nap, I suppose I’ve been worried about missing my window.” Eyeing him with heated admiration, she continued, “You’re a big, strapping biker. You look like you could get the job done with some swimmers to spare.”
Moving closer, he grinned. “This is like a whole new side of your personality that I’ve never seen.”
Running her hand over his chest, she laughed. “It’s the neurotic and slightly panicking side.”
Jerking his chin for her to give him a kiss, he murmured, “It looks good on you.”
Rather than following his nonverbal communication, she asked softly, “So do you have baby-related secrets to share?”
Reaching out, he wrapped one arm around her and dragged her close. “Sure, but I don’t think you wanna hear them.”
“I do, so cough it up.”
Spanning her stomach with his hand, he said, “I’ve thought about how nice it would be to see my child growing inside you. You’d look really sexy with a baby bump. I’d be one of those obsessed dads who listened to your stomach and told our little princess stories so she’d get used to my voice. Since I don’t know any stories fit to tell a baby, we’d have to go to one of those fancy bookstores and buy some. Maybe we’d get one of those fancy coffees you like so much.”
Her eyes damn near sparkled. “That’s about the sweetest baby secret I ever heard.”
Looking down at his hand on her stomach, he whispered, “I’d have to be really careful, ‘cause I wouldn’t want her to be scared when she saw me for the first time.”
About the Author J.C. Valentine is the USA Today and international bestselling author of the Night Calls and Wayward Fighters Series and the Forbidden Series. Her vivid imagination and love of words and romance had her penning her own romance stories from an early age, which, despite being poorly edited and written longhand, she forced friends and family members to read. No, she isn’t sorry.
J.C. earned her own happily ever after when she married her high school sweetheart. Living in the Northwest, they have three amazing children and far too many pets and spend much of their free time together enjoying movies or the outdoors. Among the many hats she wears, J.C. is an entrepreneur. Having graduated with honors, she holds a Bachelor’s in English and when she isn’t writing, you can find her editing for fellow authors..
Welcome to the book blitz for LOVE ME ONLY, the first book in the adult contemporary romance duet, Love me Only, by Justice K. Chambers and Susan James Pierce. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on their giveaway.
LOVE ME ONLY (Love Me Only Duet #1) by Justice K. Chambers and Susan James Pierce
About the Book
Title: LOVE ME ONLY Series: Love Me Only Duet #1 Authors: Justice K. Chambers and Susan James Pierce Release Date: May 7, 2018 Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
Synopsis Bridesmaids meets Sleeping with the Enemy.
A haunting past. A specific set of rules. One man determined to break them.
Chase Anniston has a haunting past full of drug abuse and heartbreak, and now as a recovered heroin addict, she’s focused on keeping her life and career on track. The way she does it? She’s formed a set of rules to keep her safe from the two things she deems trouble – men and drugs:
Never give into your cravings.
Never fall in love.
Never date your boss’ clients.
And these rules have kept her out of trouble for years… until Jared came along.
Jared Bryan is a country music star who used to be more notorious for partying and womanizing than his music, and he’s now a client at the PR firm where Chase works. A chance run-in with her at a bachelorette getaway in Vegas leaves him both intrigued and perplexed. Chase is like no other woman he’s met before. She’s beautiful. She’s feisty. And she’snot easily impressed.
Chase might be everything he’s ever wanted, but he’s also the last thing she needs. He’s hell bent on winning her over anyway.
Love Me Only is Book One of the Love Me Only Duet, a Romantic Suspense series.
Intended for readers 18 and over. This book may contain substance and domestic abuse triggers for some.
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Excerpt You know the moment you can feel someone standing behind you? Like you can sense their energy? Multiply that by about a thousand, and that’s what this feels like.
I turn to see who’s in my personal space, expecting it to be some drunk idiot, but it’s not.
Holy crap.
It’s a guy who looks exactly like Jared Bryan… the playboy country singer Stella represents – fair skin, eyes so blue they can’t be real. I’ve never met him in person; he’s never come to the Atlanta office. But I’ve seen numerous pictures, and this guy’s dark hair is a little longer than Jared’s. And he seems… taller than I imagined Jared to be. Leaner. Not skinny, but lean in a cut way. In a really tasty way.
He could quite possibly be a hotter version of the singer himself. And apparently he knows it.
He smirks at me as I study him.
I shake my head. Get it together.
“Jared Bryan,” he says, extending his hand for a shake.
I laugh. “Right.” What a douchebag. Going around pretending to be him.
He cocks his gorgeous head. Gives me a ‘you don’t believe me?’ look.
“Okay, Jared,” I say, mocking him, and then shoo him away with my free hand. “Go use this one-man sideshow on someone else.” I’m not buying it. Last I heard, the real Jared was in Nashville working on his latest album. “Like a girl who’s drunk and incredibly desperate.”
He just stands there, still smirking. Like he’s waiting on me to cave.
When I turn back to the railing and scan over the crowd for my friends, I hope he’ll get the hint. But of course he doesn’t.
I take a long sip of my cranberry juice, wishing it had a shot of something strong in it, and suck in a piece of ice.
He moves to stand beside me, abs pressed against the railing. “Full house, huh?” he says.
I ignore him, crunching on the ice.
“Oh my God, look…” a girl says below. “It’s Jared Bryan!”
He waves.
She whips out her phone and takes pictures.
I turn my head away, shielding my face with my hand as much as I can. I don’t want to be seen next to Fake Jared on social media.
Girls flood over to the bouncer to try and get up the stairs.
I’m too amused at this point to be irritated. I can’t help but smile smugly at him. “You’re eating this up, aren’t you?”
He studies me, almost a little too intensely, his smile widening. God, he’s got a killer smile, and I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t make my lady parts melt.
He’s good, I’ll give him that. He’s even wearing Jared’s signature leather jacket.
“I’m not sure how to answer,” he finally says.
“Oh, cut the crap,” I chuckle. “You’re a Jared impersonator looking to get laid.”
He shrugs, looks back over the crowd. “Maybe, maybe not,” he teases.
“Is it safe to look now?” I ask.
“Yeah, she’s stumbled off to the bar. You’re good.”
When I face the crowd again, he says, “Not a drinker?”
I look into my cranberry juice, back to him. “Nope. I prefer to be the sober one. It’s more entertaining.”
As if to prove my point, a guy below attempts to break dance and ends up smacking his head on the floor and passing out. “Like so,” I say, gesturing toward the break-dancer wannabe.
Jared leans against the rail with a small laugh. “Where’s your drink?” I ask. “The real Jared Bryan is a partier, you know.”
He gives me an odd look.
“But you have the playboy part down.”
“Playboy?” he repeats.
“Yeah.” I motion to myself. “Like how you’re trying to pick me up at the moment.”
“You think I’m hitting on you, huh? Maybe I’m just being nice to the lonely sober girl.”
I bark a laugh, but part of me scrambles to think back over this short encounter to see if I misread things.
No. That’s what guys like him are so good at – I’m playing hard to get. Or as far as he knows, I don’t want him to get me at all. And he’s playing it off like I might be conceited to save him from feeling rejected. “I’m sober but I’m not lonely. I’m here with my girlfriends.”
“And where are they?” he asks, almost taunts. Like I’m making them up to not seem like a loser.
Irritation swells inside, and I scan the dancefloor for them. I’ve only known this guy five minutes and I’m not sure if I want to push him over the railing or take him up on a one night stand. Fake Jared would obviously be game.
Truth be known, I’ve thought of Jared several times over the years when I slept with other guys. This might be as close as I’ll ever get to the real thing. At the very least, though, he distracted me from my heroin craving.
“There,” I say, pointing at them a little too eagerly. Why do I feel like I have something to prove to this guy? The three of them are dancing in a circle while holding their drinks, and apparently, Shea had a wardrobe makeover in the bathroom. She unbuttoned her blouse enough to show some cleavage and has tucked the bottom of it up under her bra. A Hildie creation, I have no doubt. But I can’t deny it looks better than before. Who knew Shea had a killer body?
“The blonde, the redhead, and the strawberry blonde?”
“Yep.”
“Why aren’t you down there with them, then?”
I sip my cranberry juice. “Not really my scene.” I say it sharply, hoping he’ll feel the sting of it. This is obviously his scene as well.
“Let me guess,” he says, straightening and rubbing his stubbled jawline. His eyes roam over the tattoos on my arm. Over my little black dress and messy bun. I subtly bend my arms more so he won’t see the injection scars. “Art galleries and poetry readings?”
I shake my head, though the poetry part is pretty accurate. Not that I would tell him.
I smile pointedly and throw his previous answer back in his face, “Maybe, maybe not.”
He tosses his head back in laughter, and when he looks back at me, there’s a flash of something in his eyes – familiarity. Respect. Intrigue. I’m throwing his game right back at him and he’s not used to it. And though I can see he likes it, I can also tell he’s not sure if he can crack me. He’s like every other egotistical man – how much should he try with me before he gets too far into rejection territory? Am I worth the risk?
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Author Justice K. Chambers
About the Author Justice K. Chambers is from the suburbs of Atlanta, GA and is a stay at home mother of two. Her passions include reading and writing poetry, and taking care of her farm animals.
About the Author Multiple Award Nominated and Bestselling Author Susan James Pierce has a degree in Marketing Management, works for a Fortune 500 company in Atlanta, Georgia, and devotes her precious, spare time to writing Paranormal, Sci-fi, and Romantic Suspense novels.
USA Today bestselling author, Kennedy Layne, is unveiling brand new covers to all eight books in her adult romantic suspense/military romance series, Red Starr. See below for the new covers, information on the books, and buy links. STARR’S AWAKENING, book 1 in the series, is now available for free.
Synopsis From USA Today Bestselling Author Kennedy Layne comes a thrilling hostage rescue series that will lead you down perilous paths of passion, intrigue and suspense…
Catori Starr has been lost in a crippling grief since losing her husband, Red. Since learning he went MIA on a rescue mission abroad, she has existed more than lived. She’s a shell of who she used to be. Restarting Red Starr HRT is a last-ditch opportunity to overcome her pain–and keep her husband’s legacy alive. With a team of cherry-picked men, she must now decide if she’s willing to set aside a years-old grief to begin a new life filled with the potential of fated dreams…or deadly peril.
Neal Bauer tried returning home once before and he found that some things aren’t meant to be. When Red Starr HRT, a paramilitary hostage rescue team, offered him a position that would use his specialized skillset that had served him well in the military–he jumped at the chance.
The past has a way of returning…
Charlotte Whitefall has made some really bad decisions in her life…leaving Neal Bauer standing at the altar tops the list. Growing up in Hearth, Missouri has taught her that when someone leaves their small town, they don’t return. She saved Neal from a painful choice by moving on with her life and raising her sister alone.
Coming home…
When a local cult invades the town of Hearth, the citizens do their best to stay clear of the members. Everything changes when Charlotte’s little sister is drawn into their way of life. There is only one man who has the connections to eliminate the dangerous threat. Can Charlotte persuade Neal to come home long enough to rescue her sister? More importantly, can she convince him that she made a terrible mistake all those years ago–and possibly rekindle their smoldering passion?
Synopsis USA Today Bestselling Author Kennedy Layne continues the Red Starr series with a nail-biting mission that will leave you turning the pages well into the night…
Dreams die…
Daegan Murphy lives life the way it’s meant to be lived…not a care in the world. With his motorcycle, sniper rifle, and career choice, some might think he has a death wish. But he’s got a family who loves him, team members that count on him, and hostages to rescue. He wouldn’t purposefully put himself in death’s crosshairs because he knows what it’s like to be the one left behind.
Faith exists…
Ferrin Hewitt believes everything has order and her years in the military reflected that. She runs her civilian life as disciplined and organized as the Navy taught her. So why is it that she finds herself attracted to a former Marine who lives his life on the edge and completely opposite of what she believes in?
Love endures…
Ferrin’s assignment is simple–to keep those saving others safe. When the worst happens and the blame is put on her, Daegan is the only one to come to her defense. She knows help is never given without strings and when their search for the truth leads to a passion she can’t control, the one thing she’ll need rescued is her heart.
Synopsis USA Today Bestselling Author Kennedy Layne continues the Red Starr series with a highly explosive hostage rescue mission that will leave you riveted until the very end…
Risking everything…
Aaron “Stick” Scott spent twelve years of his life protecting his country. He diffused well over fifteen hundred bombs during the course of his military career, expecting each one to be his last. Luck had a huge part in his survival but it was fate that had a laugh at his expense by having a woman shatter his heart.
Playing it safe…
Simone Laurent’s career as a cultural attaché wasn’t exciting by any means, but she did love promoting the culture of her homeland. What she hadn’t anticipated was getting caught up in political war where her life would be at risk. Her situation goes from bad to worse when the man she left behind is the only one who can save her.
Igniting Passion…
Stick’s hostage rescue mission becomes sidetracked when he’s ordered to protect the one woman who couldn’t handle his job. Seeing her in the light of day brings back memories they’d both rather soon forget, but it’s the long evenings together that lights a fuse neither one can ignore. Will their reignited passion survive the highly explosive danger that’s coming their way?
Synopsis Searching for the truth finally unlocks multiple secrets in this exciting continuation of the Red Starr series by USA Today Bestselling Author Kennedy Layne…
Searching for the truth…
Kane “Gunny” Taylor has spent over a year searching for answers in his sister’s death. That time has culminated in the form of a land, air, and sea rescue operation conducted to save the lives of abducted schoolchildren in her honor. He thought he would find peace in this mission, but what he found was so much more.
Unlocking secrets…
Jade Amherst knows only too well the meaning of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. She’s been held captive for over seventeen months and she’s counted every day, hour, and minute that passed. The rescue mission seemed surreal, the reason behind it so poignant, and the man who led the operation all too real—only she couldn’t move forward without putting her past behind her.
Untold devotion…
Gunny finally returns home after being gone for far too long, another successful mission behind him, and a potential future with a beautiful woman who was so much more. He should have known better than to think things would be easy. Jade’s past comes back with a vengeance and another hostage situation ensues. Will they be as fortunate a second time around?
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FULFILLING PROMISES (Red Starr #6) by Kennedy Layne
Synopsis An unforgettable mission hits close to home in this continuation of the Red Starr series by USA Today Bestselling Author Kennedy Layne…
John “Trigger” Dixon returned to his small hometown in rural Mississippi as a favor to an old high school friend. It was meant to be a quick trip, with a short visit to his parents and an afternoon spent spoiling his two nephews. He should have known his vacation wouldn’t go as planned. The rebel in him always got in the way.
Devyn Wilde had lived up to her surname according to the townsfolk–at least by reputation. She’d never let it bother her before, but she’d finally had enough after she was brought in for questioning by the police for her brother’s murder. How could anyone believe that she would forsake her family? In the south, family comes before anyone or anything.
Trigger had last seen Devyn right before he’d joined the Red Starr Hostage Rescue Team, both of them agreeing to end their casual relationship. After all, it had been a temporary diversion–friends with benefits. He hadn’t expected to find that she was a suspect in a homicide investigation, secretly investigating her brother’s mysterious murder. Their sweet passion returns full force despite the danger, but keeping an old promise might just cost him his life.
Synopsis USA Today Bestselling Author Kennedy Layne continues the Red Starr series in a build-up to the one question everyone has been asking…is Brendan “Red” O’Neill dead or alive?
Grady Kenton has loved and lost–and he doesn’t plan on repeating it. He enjoys his semi-retired life as a consultant with the CIA while only taking the cases he finds interesting. He relishes the long seductive weekends with Brienne Chaylse, the beautiful liaison who understands his boundaries and accepts things the way he needs them to be.
Secretly, Brienne doesn’t understand why Grady can’t move on from his past. What she does know is that he’s more emotionally distant than when they’d first met and she can’t accept the friends-with-benefits play any longer. Something has to change, and fate forces her hand when her identity as a CIA special agent is leaked to the media. She and Grady must race to discover whose betrayal runs deep while their true feelings emerge in this perilous time. Unfortunately, the secrets revealed have the potential to shatter the love they’ve shared while on pursuit of a danger that could change everything.
Synopsis USA Today Bestselling Author Kennedy Layne concludes the Red Starr series with an extraordinary mission that will keep you riveted to the very last page…
It has taken Catori Starr years to come to terms with the death of her husband during a failed hostage rescue mission. She’d overcome her tragedy better than anyone could expect, but no one could truly understand the crushing black hole left in her grieving heart. She’d moved on to the best of her abilities, even reopening the doors to their business and operating a hostage rescue team she’d personally recruited.
Brendan “Red” O’Neill’s last mission didn’t go as planned. He’d ended up becoming a political prisoner to a fragmented national government in a country that was supposed to be an ally to the United States of America. He lost count of the endless days spent wasting away throughout his years in captivity, but never once had he forgotten the vision of his wife’s beautiful face. She was the only motivation he’d managed to keep for his own sanity as he clung to life.
Breathe. That’s what Starr had to keep telling herself over and over as she discovered the closely held secrets surrounding the facts of that fated mission. Her husband had been captured alive and she would move heaven and earth to bring him home, even if that meant sacrificing everything they had—including her own life.
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Author Kennedy Layne
About the Author Kennedy Layne is a USA Today bestselling author. She draws inspiration for her military romantic suspense novels in part from her not-so-secret second life as a wife of a retired Marine Master Sergeant. He doubles as her critique partner, beta reader, and military consultant. They live in the Midwest with their teenage son and menagerie of pets. The loyal dogs and mischievous cats appreciate her writing days as much as she does, usually curled up in front of the fireplace. She loves hearing from readers–find out how to connect with her at www.kennedylayne.com..
Welcome to the blog tour for FAST BURN, the fourth stand-alone book in the adult contemporary romantic suspense series, Body Armor, by New York Times bestselling author, Lori Foster. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
Synopsis For the woman who’s his perfect match, he’s willing to break the rules…
The moment Brand Berry meets beautiful, driven Sahara Silver, the connection between them is electric. It’s also something he can’t pursue. Sahara wants him, sure—to join Body Armor, where his MMA skills, size, and cocky attitude make him perfect for her elite crew of bodyguards. For Sahara, the agency always comes first, and Brand needs more. Yet when she’s kidnapped by men searching for her missing brother, he doesn’t hesitate.
Somewhere along the way, flirting with Brand for the sake of business turned very personal. Despite his refusal to join Body Armor, it’s Brand who steps up when she needs him most. Now there’s no more time for games, and no point denying the hunger they both feel. They’ll escape together or not at all. But if they survive, can Sahara finally surrender control to claim this blazing passion?
.
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Excerpt “Brand Berry is here to see you.”
Surprised, Sahara glanced at Enoch, her right-hand man and very good friend. “Brand is here?” She immediately felt flustered. Absurd. “I wasn’t expecting him. Did I miss a meeting?”
“No.” Enoch lowered his voice in a conspiratorial way. “He said he only needed a minute of your time when you were free, and since you’re free right now—”
“Yes, of course. Show him in.” Even as she said it, a tiny unfamiliar thrill ran through her.
She’d made a point of surrounding herself with some of the finest male specimens on the planet—professional fighters that she’d turned into prime bodyguards, each of them in high demand. It was her vision for Body Armor, to get rid of the stuffy Men in Black clones and offer instead real men, with real muscles, certifiable machismo and lethal ability with or without a weapon.
No, she didn’t fire the previously established bodyguards; that would have been disloyal to her brother, who’d hired them. She simply reassigned them to the more boring cases, and overall they were happy with that.
Anything to do with a celebrity, a dignitary or a politician her elite team now covered.
She desperately wanted to add Brand to that team.
Thinking she’d have a minute, she was just circling out from behind her desk when Brand stepped in around Enoch. Instead of waiting in the guest area, as a client would do, he must have been hovering right outside her door.
Her toes curled in her high heels.
Enoch was on the small side, five-two, slight of build, with average brown hair and eyes. It was his keen intelligence and attention to detail that made him so perfect at his job.
But his size didn’t really matter when he stood next to a man who made most everyone seem small, her included. Brand was a big and badass professional MMA fighter with a solid steel frame of muscle all wrapped up in a cocky attitude.
Faded jeans molded to his thick thighs, going well with his running shoes and an ancient Aerosmith T-shirt that stretched over his chest and broad shoulders. Reflective sunglasses pushed to the top of his head made his golden‑brown hair messy. Darker brown eyes held her captive as he murmured, “Sahara.”
Leaning a hip against her desk, she drank in the rugged, virile sight of him. “Be still my heart.”
Wary exasperation rooted him to the spot.
Yes, she always spoke her mind. Why not? She was the boss and her employees knew her interest in them wasn’t personal. Of course, Brand wasn’t yet an employee.
Putting her hands together, her fingers extended to frame him in a square, she remarked, “A photo of you looking just like that could launch my new line of advertisement.”
He crossed his arms. “Advertisement for what?”
“Bodyguards with ability and sex appeal.” He’d look great on a billboard, maybe with a gun in his hand. She could already see it. Maybe she should ask Enoch to keep a camera at his desk for occasions like this?
When Brand just stood there, his expression amused, she smiled. “Tell me you’ve come to give me good news.” She’d been after him for a few months now to join the agency, constantly throwing out bait, trying to reel him in. He’d nibbled, but he wasn’t caught. Not yet.
“I came to talk about that, yes.”
Elation conflicted with disappointment. There were times when she hoped they could take a different path from employer and employee, one more personal, intimate.
Even…sexually satisfying.
But in the end, the business came first. Always.
She hadn’t given up hope for her brother, and when he finally returned, he deserved to find the company thriving.
She’d put her heart and soul into making that happen. There was no time for anything else.
About the Author Since first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and New York Times bestselling author. Lori has published through a variety of houses, including Kensington, St. Martin’s, Harlequin, Silhouette, Samhain, and Berkley/Jove. She is currently published with HQN. Visit her online at LoriFoster.com.
Today is release day for FAST BURN, the fourth stand-alone book in the adult contemporary romantic suspense series, Body Armor, by New York Times bestselling author, Lori Foster. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, and the exclusive excerpt.
Synopsis For the woman who’s his perfect match, he’s willing to break the rules…
The moment Brand Berry meets beautiful, driven Sahara Silver, the connection between them is electric. It’s also something he can’t pursue. Sahara wants him, sure—to join Body Armor, where his MMA skills, size, and cocky attitude make him perfect for her elite crew of bodyguards. For Sahara, the agency always comes first, and Brand needs more. Yet when she’s kidnapped by men searching for her missing brother, he doesn’t hesitate.
Somewhere along the way, flirting with Brand for the sake of business turned very personal. Despite his refusal to join Body Armor, it’s Brand who steps up when she needs him most. Now there’s no more time for games, and no point denying the hunger they both feel. They’ll escape together or not at all. But if they survive, can Sahara finally surrender control to claim this blazing passion?
.
—————————————————————————-
—————————————————————————-
Excerpt “Brand Berry is here to see you.”
Surprised, Sahara glanced at Enoch, her right-hand man and very good friend. “Brand is here?” She immediately felt flustered. Absurd. “I wasn’t expecting him. Did I miss a meeting?”
“No.” Enoch lowered his voice in a conspiratorial way. “He said he only needed a minute of your time when you were free, and since you’re free right now—”
“Yes, of course. Show him in.” Even as she said it, a tiny unfamiliar thrill ran through her.
She’d made a point of surrounding herself with some of the finest male specimens on the planet—professional fighters that she’d turned into prime bodyguards, each of them in high demand. It was her vision for Body Armor, to get rid of the stuffy Men in Black clones and offer instead real men, with real muscles, certifiable machismo and lethal ability with or without a weapon.
No, she didn’t fire the previously established bodyguards; that would have been disloyal to her brother, who’d hired them. She simply reassigned them to the more boring cases, and overall they were happy with that.
Anything to do with a celebrity, a dignitary or a politician her elite team now covered.
She desperately wanted to add Brand to that team.
Thinking she’d have a minute, she was just circling out from behind her desk when Brand stepped in around Enoch. Instead of waiting in the guest area, as a client would do, he must have been hovering right outside her door.
Her toes curled in her high heels.
Enoch was on the small side, five-two, slight of build, with average brown hair and eyes. It was his keen intelligence and attention to detail that made him so perfect at his job.
But his size didn’t really matter when he stood next to a man who made most everyone seem small, her included. Brand was a big and badass professional MMA fighter with a solid steel frame of muscle all wrapped up in a cocky attitude.
Faded jeans molded to his thick thighs, going well with his running shoes and an ancient Aerosmith T-shirt that stretched over his chest and broad shoulders. Reflective sunglasses pushed to the top of his head made his golden‑brown hair messy. Darker brown eyes held her captive as he murmured, “Sahara.”
Leaning a hip against her desk, she drank in the rugged, virile sight of him. “Be still my heart.”
Wary exasperation rooted him to the spot.
Yes, she always spoke her mind. Why not? She was the boss and her employees knew her interest in them wasn’t personal. Of course, Brand wasn’t yet an employee.
Putting her hands together, her fingers extended to frame him in a square, she remarked, “A photo of you looking just like that could launch my new line of advertisement.”
He crossed his arms. “Advertisement for what?”
“Bodyguards with ability and sex appeal.” He’d look great on a billboard, maybe with a gun in his hand. She could already see it. Maybe she should ask Enoch to keep a camera at his desk for occasions like this?
When Brand just stood there, his expression amused, she smiled. “Tell me you’ve come to give me good news.” She’d been after him for a few months now to join the agency, constantly throwing out bait, trying to reel him in. He’d nibbled, but he wasn’t caught. Not yet.
“I came to talk about that, yes.”
Elation conflicted with disappointment. There were times when she hoped they could take a different path from employer and employee, one more personal, intimate.
Even…sexually satisfying.
But in the end, the business came first. Always.
She hadn’t given up hope for her brother, and when he finally returned, he deserved to find the company thriving.
She’d put her heart and soul into making that happen. There was no time for anything else.
About the Author Since first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and New York Times bestselling author. Lori has published through a variety of houses, including Kensington, St. Martin’s, Harlequin, Silhouette, Samhain, and Berkley/Jove. She is currently published with HQN. Visit her online at LoriFoster.com.
Harlequin Books and New York Times bestselling author, Lori Foster, are revealing another exclusive teaser from FAST BURN, the fourth stand-alone book in the adult contemporary romantic suspense series, Body Armor, releasing March 20, 2018. See below for information on the book and series, pre-order links, and the exclusive teaser.
Synopsis For the woman who’s his perfect match, he’s willing to break the rules…
The moment Brand Berry meets beautiful, driven Sahara Silver, the connection between them is electric. It’s also something he can’t pursue. Sahara wants him, sure—to join Body Armor, where his MMA skills, size, and cocky attitude make him perfect for her elite crew of bodyguards. For Sahara, the agency always comes first, and Brand needs more. Yet when she’s kidnapped by men searching for her missing brother, he doesn’t hesitate.
Somewhere along the way, flirting with Brand for the sake of business turned very personal. Despite his refusal to join Body Armor, it’s Brand who steps up when she needs him most. Now there’s no more time for games, and no point denying the hunger they both feel. They’ll escape together or not at all. But if they survive, can Sahara finally surrender control to claim this blazing passion?
About the Author Since first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and New York Times bestselling author. Lori has published through a variety of houses, including Kensington, St. Martin’s, Harlequin, Silhouette, Samhain, and Berkley/Jove. She is currently published with HQN. Visit her online at LoriFoster.com.
Harlequin Books and New York Times bestselling author, Lori Foster, are revealing another exclusive teaser from FAST BURN, the fourth stand-alone book in the adult contemporary romantic suspense series, Body Armor, releasing March 20, 2018. See below for information on the book and series, pre-order links, and the exclusive teaser.
Synopsis For the woman who’s his perfect match, he’s willing to break the rules…
The moment Brand Berry meets beautiful, driven Sahara Silver, the connection between them is electric. It’s also something he can’t pursue. Sahara wants him, sure—to join Body Armor, where his MMA skills, size, and cocky attitude make him perfect for her elite crew of bodyguards. For Sahara, the agency always comes first, and Brand needs more. Yet when she’s kidnapped by men searching for her missing brother, he doesn’t hesitate.
Somewhere along the way, flirting with Brand for the sake of business turned very personal. Despite his refusal to join Body Armor, it’s Brand who steps up when she needs him most. Now there’s no more time for games, and no point denying the hunger they both feel. They’ll escape together or not at all. But if they survive, can Sahara finally surrender control to claim this blazing passion?
About the Author Since first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and New York Times bestselling author. Lori has published through a variety of houses, including Kensington, St. Martin’s, Harlequin, Silhouette, Samhain, and Berkley/Jove. She is currently published with HQN. Visit her online at LoriFoster.com.
