Nona Raines's Blog, page 27

Dakota Hearts Series by Lisa Mondello

Welcome back!

Today we have a bit more of information on the Dakota Hearts series by Lisa Mondello, and I've got to say, these books sound hot, hot, HOT! Check em out below. And be sure to enter the contest at the bottom for the chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card


About the Author:
USA TODAY Bestselling Author, Lisa Mondello, has held many jobs in her life but being a published authors is the last job she'll ever have. She's not retiring! She blames the creation of the personal computer for her leap into writing novels. Otherwise, she'd still be penning stories with paper and pen.Her first book, All I Want for Christmas is You won Best First Book in the Golden Quill. Her books have finaled in the HOLT Medallion, and the Colorado Award of Excellence contests. In 2011 she re-released her award winning book All I Want for Christmas is You along with a re-issue of her romantic comedy, The Marriage Contract, with a new contemporary romance called The Knight and Maggie's Baby.

In 2012 she reissued the first 3 books of her popular Western Romance Series TEXAS HEARTS including Her Heart for the Asking, His Heart for the Trusting and The More I See. Writing as LA Mondello, her romantic suspense, MATERIAL WITNESS, book 1 of her Heroes of Providence series made the USA TODAY Bestsellers List.
You can find more information about Lisa Mondello at lisamondello.blogspot.com
@LisaMondello

https://www.facebook.com/LisaMondello.Author

Book 1: Her Dakota Man 
Genre: Contemporary romance
ISBN: 978-1-9405-12-006ASIN: B00FRSX700
Word Count:  37,000 words
Cover Artist: Purple Girl Design
Amazon  BN  Smashwords
iTunes  Kobo
Book Description:
She needed to risk the truth to get a second chance...
Poppy Erickson had spent the year wondering how all their lives might have been different after hearing the deathbed confession of her childhood friend. She'd left South Dakota years ago because she couldn't bear to watch the man she loved loving another woman. But now she knows the truth. She'll keep the promise she made to a friend, but will Logan understand when he learns the truth? More important, can they again recapture the passion that had been between them all those years ago?
He needed to face the past to get the love of a woman he thought he'd lost…
Everyone knows that the Dakotas didn't get the name Badlands for nothing. Harsh weather and rough living are a way of life. But single dad, Logan McKinnon, had seen more than his share of bad times after the death of his wife a year ago. The last thing he needs is Poppy Erickson, an old flame and his late wife's best friend, showing up unannounced to help after devastating floods nearly washed away their hometown. With no place to stay in town, he has no choice but to offer her a bed at his house.
But can he live under the same roof with a woman he'd once loved passionately without feeling he's betraying his late wife?


Book 2: Badland Bride

Badland BrideDakota Hearts Book 2Lisa Mondello
Genre: western romance
ISBN: 978-1-940512-01-3ASIN: B00GIZ1OD8Word Count:  28,000 wordsCover Artist: Purple Girl DesignAmazon    BN   iTunes
Kobo   Smashwords
Book Description:
She'd spent a lifetime packing armor around her heart...
Raised an Army brat, Regis Simpson was used to calling new towns home, learning to quickly make friends but never letting anyone get too close. When devastating floods tear through the Badlands of South Dakota, she thinks Rudolph is just another town that needs to be rebuilt. Nothing more. The sooner she gets her work done, the sooner the people of Rudolph can heal and she can move on to the next town in need. She never counted on the sexy town doctor, Keith "Hawk" McKinnon or his determination to break down walls she'd spent a lifetime building, making it impossible for her to leave.
He's determined to break down her walls and give her a reason to stay...
Nothing pained Hawk McKinnon more than seeing people he'd known his whole life hurting. He traded a high-paying salary at a city hospital to come back to Rudolph and make a difference where he'd dug his roots. When the beautiful Regis Simpson comes to town offering help, he's immediately drawn to her even though she's spent a lifetime believing that everyone she loves leaves. Now she does the leaving and once her work is done, she'll be leaving again. He's determined to do everything possible to make her stay.


Book 3: Dakota Heat
Dakota HeatDakota Hearts Book 3Lisa Mondello
Genre: contemporary romance
ISBN: 978-1-940512-02-0ASIN: B00H2W66H0
Word Count:  23,000 words
Cover Artist: Purple Girl Design
Amazon   BN  Smashwords
Book Description:
Hotshot Sam McKinnon was always leaving town, chasing another fire until his own hometown became vulnerable during the fire season after a devastating winter flood left debris and destruction in its path. He didn't expect out of town dispatcher, Summer Bigelow, to catch his eye or his heart.
It hadn't been Summer's idea to move from Providence to South Dakota, but when a serial murderer suddenly turns his attention on Summer, her boss insists she leave town...at least until the heat dies down. She's dealt with high tension, life or death situations many times in her job. It isn’t until she meets Sam McKinnon and falls for the sexy Hotshot that she really begins to know fear. The fear of losing someone she loves.


Excerpt from Dakota Heat:
The girl was new.  Sam walked around the Interagency Fire Crew basecamp with familiarity.  He saw faces he recognized from working in different locations over the past few years.  But the girl…  Yeah, she was new.  He doubted he would forget the soft blond color of her hair or the slight tilt of her head as she read through paperwork, pretending she didn’t notice the people around her.He grabbed two water bottles from the bucket full of ice in the back of the Quonset hut and walked toward her.  She didn’t look up until he held the water bottle in front of her.Blue eyes met his with a mixture of irritation and surprise.“You’re dropping ice pieces on my paperwork,” she said.He noticed the smooth as silk sound of her voice before the water splatter on the top page of her paperwork.  He immediately pulled the water bottle back a few inches.  “Sorry.  I thought you might like something to drink.”Her face softened as quickly as it had shown irritation.  She reached her hand out and took the water bottle, and then placed it on the bench next to her before shaking her hand of the residual moisture the bottle left behind. “Thank you.”“You’re new here,” he said as he sat down next to her.   Not looking up, she said, “So are you.”  She smelled like soap and lavender.  After breathing in smoke and dirt for so long, it was refreshing to breathe in the sweet scents of a woman.“Not exactly.  I grew up in Rudolph.”  That earned him a lingering second glance.  One that afforded him a few seconds to really look into her eyes, at her face. “Really?”“My whole life.”She glanced around quickly.  “When I got in last night I was told the basecamp here was new this year.  I didn’t realize South Dakota had a dedicated fire basecamp.”Sam had never worked fire duty in his home state before.  And he’d never come to a new location and been so familiar with faces as well as the location.  His reason for wanting to come back to South Dakota this year was personal.  A lot of his friends who worked with the Interagency Fire Crew were still reeling after the deaths of nineteen Hotshot firemen in Arizona last summer.  Some had quit fighting fires altogether at the urging of their family.  Sam’s own mother had tried her best to do the same during many phone calls since the tragedy, but Kate McKinnon settled for having him come home to Rudolph to work.  “This was just constructed this year.  The Black Hills are a hot spot this year because of all the flood and ice damage that occurred over the winter.  When I found out they were setting up a base here to do fire control for the season, I put in a request to work here.”She nodded.  “Must be nice to be home.  At least for the season.”She glanced down at her paperwork again.He chuckled at how quickly she fell into her reading again.  “You’re looking at that like you’re cramming for a final exam.”She shrugged.  “I feel I am.  This is my first season working fire dispatch anywhere.”“Ah, then that explains it.”“Must feel good to be home after—”  “Summer?”Both Sam and the girl looked up to see the chief calling out from across the tent.  The girl quickly collected her paperwork and stuffed it in a folder.“Be right there,” she called out.  She turned to Sam, lifting the bottled water in her hand.  “Thanks for the water.”“No problem.”But she was already trotting over to the superintendent’s office.  He hadn’t even had a chance to get her name.  But he would before the day was done.  This was one woman he had a feeling he wanted to get to know.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review By Rach: PHOENIX ISLAND by John Dixon

This is a bit of a different and special review for me. Technically, this book is a YA and has no business being on the Divas blog amid all this sexiness, but John Dixon is a good friend (and fellow Troublemaker) of mine, so I really wanted to share my thoughts about this book with you all. 



Rach's Review: 5 Out Of 5 Divas
For those who don't know, Phoenix Island is the inspiration for the new hit show, Intelligence on CBS starring Josh Holloway (Yum) & Megan Ory (Also, YUM) 

This book centers around Carl, a young head-strong, kid with a temper and fists of fury. After several run-ins with the legal system, Carl is sentenced to Phoenix Island until his 18th birthday. It's a boot-camp style island of terrors. Some people have said Phoenix Island is like Lord of the Flies meets The Hunger Games, and I can see both of those things in this book, but it's also so much more! Dixon brings to life the island as a character, lets us deep inside Carl's psyche and doesn't shy away from any of the most gruesome and terrifying parts of the island, and worse, the people who call it home. 

This is not a book for the faint of heart and while Carl meets some friends along the way worth fighting for, Dixon shows us early on that no one is safe in this land of atrocities. And I loved every horrifying moment of it! I highly, highly recommend this book to you all, even if it's not normally one you would pick up off the shelves. 









Here's a bit more info: 


The judge told Carl that one day he’d have to decide exactly what kind of person he would become. But on Phoenix Island, the choice will be made for him.

A champion boxer with a sharp hook and a short temper, sixteen-year-old Carl Freeman has been shuffled from foster home to foster home. He can’t seem to stay out of trouble—using his fists to defend weaker classmates from bullies. His latest incident sends his opponent to the emergency room, and now the court is sending Carl to the worst place on earth: Phoenix Island.

Classified as a “terminal facility,” it’s the end of the line for delinquents who have no home, no family, and no future. Located somewhere far off the coast of the United States—and immune to its laws—the island is a grueling Spartan-style boot camp run by sadistic drill sergeants who show no mercy to their young, orphan trainees. Sentenced to stay until his eighteenth birthday, Carl plans to play by the rules, so he makes friends with his wisecracking bunkmate, Ross, and a mysterious gray-eyed girl named Octavia. But he makes enemies, too, and after a few rough scrapes, he earns himself the nickname “Hollywood” as well as a string of punishments, including a brutal night in the “sweatbox.” But that’s nothing compared to what awaits him in the “Chop Shop”—a secret government lab where Carl is given something he never dreamed of. 

A new life...

A new body. A new brain. 

Gifts from the fatherly Old Man, who wants to transform Carl into something he’s not sure he wants to become. 

For this is no ordinary government project. Phoenix Island is ground zero for the future of combat intelligence. 
And for Carl, it’s just the beginning....  


Check out John's site for even more goodies - http://www.johndixonbooks.com/ 



And here's where you can find this delicious book: 

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Phoenix-Island-John-Dixon/dp/1476738637 
Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/phoenix-island-john-dixon/1115884735?ean=9781476738635 


And also in stores wherever awesome books are sold! :-) 

Super Book Blast: Summertime Dream by Babette James #Free #GoddessFish

Good morning, friends! Today we're featuring Summertime Dream by Babette James. This is a lovely romance that I highly recommend (yes, I've read it). It's a sweet and tender story with well developed, very likable characters. The book also happens to be free on Kindle Tuesday through Saturday this week, so get your copy now! The author is also offering two $10 Amazon gift certificates to random commenters during the tour, so please make sure to leave a comment!
Summertime Dreamby Babette James 
BLURB:
The Fourth of July is over, but for these summer lovers the fireworks have just begun.
An unexpected inheritance brings business consultant Christopher Gordon from Los Angeles to quaint Falk’s Bend. He’s carved a week from his demanding schedule to list his great-grandparents’ house for sale and explore his roots. However, disturbing family secrets and the sweet temptation of writer Margie Olsson derail his plans, challenging him to seize the elusive dream missing from his hectic life — love.

A recent brush with death shook Margie’s life, but not her dreams and she’s ready to move forward. Only, standing up to her loving, over-protective family isn’t easy. Helping Christopher explore the derelict mansion and unravel his grandmother’s mysterious past should be a harmless fun taste of independence. But when her experimental summer fling ignites into unexpected love, how can her small town dreams work with his big city life?
Excerpt:
Margie’s soft mouth and her kisses, as sweet and shy as her voice, raised a tumult of unexpectedly intense and tender feelings.
And they’d just met.
Christopher groaned and wrenched his lips from hers. “I should probably apologize,” he murmured against her cheek. He hadn’t meant to kiss her, and he should get his hands off her. Now. But he held her close, relishing the soft, fascinating warmth of her in his arms too much to be sensible.
“Why?”
“I should have asked, or—” Or something.
“Truth? That was wonderful. And I would very much like another.”
“Yes.” Yes, to both, for him as well.
Determined to prove himself a gentleman, he held her lightly, taking only the kiss, sweet and slow and intense as the first.
But this kiss too had to end.
Christopher rested his forehead against hers. A big mistake, that kiss, but incredible. A chuckle escaped him.
“What’s funny?”
“Just this day turned out so different than I planned this morning.”
“For me, too. A far better day. Thank you.”
An out-of-left-field, disconcerting thought clobbered him. “Shit.” He knew nothing about his roots here...He yanked his hands away.
“What’s the matter?”
Feeling foolish, he had to ask. “We’re not related, are we?” Be just his luck if she ended up being some sort of cousin...
Margie’s laughter rang out. “No, not at all.”
“Thank goodness.” Christopher shifted, hooking thumbs into his pockets to keep his hands in check.
***Summertime Dream is FREE on Kindle from 2/11 - 2/15!***http://amzn.com/B00HJDS3E6
Follow the Summertime Dream Super Book Blast tour! The more you comment, the better your chance of winning an Amazon gc! http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot...
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Babette James writes sweetly scorching contemporary romance and loves reading nail-biting tales with a satisfying happily ever after. When not dreaming up stories, she enjoys playing with new bread recipes and dabbling with paints. A teacher, she loves encouraging new readers and writers as they discover their growing abilities. Her class cheers when it’s time for their spelling test! Born in New Jersey and raised in Southern California, she’s had a life-long love of the desert and going down the shore. Babette now lives in New Jersey with her wonderfully patient husband and extremely spoiled cats.
Summertime Dream on Amazon.com Kindle: http://amzn.com/B00HJDS3E6
Summertime Dream on all other Amazon venues: http://viewbook.at/SummertimeDream
Website: http://babettejames.com/
 Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/ltvyP
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BabetteJames
Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/babette.james
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/BabetteJames...
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.com/e/B007KDJWV8
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/118275338...
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/babettejames
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/babettejames/

Book Tour and #Review: Life Flight by Shaunna Wolf #GoddessFish

**One randomly chosen commenter during this book tour will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Please use the Rafflecopter below!**

BLURB:

Malachi Blackfeather has spent twenty years in the Army. Two of those years as a Vietnam POW. Now that he's out, all he wants is some peace and quiet to figure out what to do with the rest of his life. Between the flashbacks, and an over interest in sex that is now being called sex addiction, finding his path isn't easy.

Kat is trying to escape an abusive marriage. Her soon to be ex is a master at manipulating the system, and her family thinks she should stay with him, "because no other man will want her". She's looking for escape in any form she can get it.

When they meet, sparks fly. Trapped by a blizzard, can two damaged people, who think there is no chance of love in the world for them, find each other, and survive an unforeseen circumstance that puts both of them in danger?

Mystery, romance, and danger, fill this novel, with a story that will draw you in and not let go.

Excerpt:
The heater stood dark and cold.  I should have gotten up after we were done.  Filled it and restarted it.  I hadn’t wanted to move.  Still didn’t want to, despite the cold in the room.  Dim light streamed in through the window, sleety snow still battered the glass.  Shook the door in its frame.  How long could this blizzard go on?
I tightened my arms around Kat.  Forever.  Then she would have to stay right in this room with me--in my arms.  Nothing made sense, everything my life had been for the last twenty-five years rang like a bad dream, a nightmare from the pits of Vietnam.  So dead inside that any feeling fed me, woman after woman, man after man, no one let me hold on to what I felt for more than a few shared moments.  Lies whispered to the tiny ember of my soul that I had left.  This is the one, they told me, this one will make you feel, will bring you back to life. 
They never did.
Kat ran her hand down my arm.  Snuggled closer to me.  A chill that had nothing to do with how cold the room had become, shook me.  Spoke to me.  I could again with her, and I knew I would keep feeling what I was.  Alive.  Warm.  As if I had a soul inside me, not just a demon who preyed on others for my next fix of emotions.
“I should fill that heater and get us some warmth again.”
“Yeah, I suppose one of us should,” she said with no intention to do so in her voice.  I tightened the bear’s embrace I held her in, tangled my legs with hers.  She pushed at my arm, wanted to make me let go of her. 
“I don’t want to let go of you yet,” I said.  If I let her go, the surging emotions inside me would vanish with the warmth of holding her. 

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Life-Flight-S-R-Howen-ebook/dp/B00H83JQ8E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390388600&sr=8-1&keywords=life+flight+by+howen

Publisher: http://www.freyasbower.com/mystery-c-13/life-flight-p-294.html

***Nona’s review of Life Flight by Shaunna Wolf***
Malachi and Kat are two broken people. Malachi’s haunted by the deaths he’s seen in twenty years in the military and the torture he endured as a POW. Kat has suffered from an abusive husband and a family that wanted to punish her for being a free spirit. They meet in what’s supposed to be a hook-up, but the experience turns dangerous when the third person in their threesome tries to trick Malachi into choking Kat, telling him that she “likes it.”
Someone wants Kat dead.  When Malachi understands this, he moves to protect her. He feels close to her in a way he never has to a woman. She helps quiet the “demon” inside him. Kat, meanwhile, falls for him when they find themselves trapped together by a snowstorm. She just doesn’t know if she can trust any man after all the hurt she’s endured. Just when she seems ready to give Malachi her trust, danger swoops in again.
Life Flight is a very compelling read. The mystery had me guessing—just when I thought I knew who the bad guy was, there was a new twist. But it was the main characters that really had me riveted. Malachi and Kat are not “nice” people. They can be crude and rough and unlikeable. But they’re also in pain. Their inner turmoil is heart-wrenching and the love they feel for each other is like a breath of hope. I really rooted for them to be happy together.

Life Flight is an erotic story. Sex is an important way the hero and heroine connect. The book is also an intense mystery and there were some hard-to-read scenes when Kat is imprisoned by her stalker. But most of all, it is a captivating read about two people who never believed in love finally finding it.
AUTHOR Links:
Facebook Author’s Page: http://www.facebook.com/srhowen1 
Blog: Critters at the Keyboard http://srhowen1.blogspot.com/
Author Web page:  http://ww.srhowen.com
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/srhowen/boards/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SRHowen
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3119305.Shaunna_Wolf
Book Blogs: http://bookblogs.ning.com/profile/SRHowen
Authors Den: http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?id=166698
 Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/
Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/shawn-rh/54/1a7/9b6

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Coven of the Courtesan by Yolanda Shoshana

Coven of the CourtesanThe Courtesan ChroniclesBook 1Yolanda Shoshana
Genre: Erotic Romance
Publisher: Bastet Publishing
ASIN: B00G7P079Q
Number of pages: 40
Amazon    Google    Kobo   Smashwords
Book Description:
Coven of the Courtesan follows a coven of witches in New York City who bring back the magick and art of the courtesan. Come on the adventures of Bast, Lola, and Pixie as they take you on a journey that looks like Charmed meets Sex in the City.
Coven of the Courtesan, Book 1- The Courtesan Chronicles Series
Bast Buchanan is about to become CEO of Spellbound Entertainment until the Ewing family swoops down and buys the company. She never saw this coming.
Ramennis Ewing expects to run his father’s new conquest and take over the family media empire. He is ready to prove there is more to him than what is in the press.
When Bast is asked to work side by side with roving playboy, Ramennis, can she continue to keep her guard up with this new enemy, one of the sexiest men she has ever met or does her coven have to open up a can of power of three on him. Just who will seduce whom?
*The mixed media novelette series contains real magick and spells.


Excerpt: As Bast Buchanan got closer, she could see the shadow of a man standing in the distance and hear a voice whispering something that she could not make out. All she could tell was that it was a woman’s voice."Hello, can you hear me, you called to me,” stated Bast.The whispering continued and the words flowed faster. Walking over debris in the darkness, Bast moved closer to the voice speaking to the person who was calling out to her. "What are you trying to tell me, can you speak louder?” Darkness and echos filled the space. From the corners of her eyes, Bast could see other spirits moving around her, but she was focused on the voice that was speaking to her.Every step she took, she began to make out words "By the kissing...." then the words turned back into a whisper. As Bast made it to the door she could see an older woman dressed in a wild colorful outfit. She looked like a rainbow decided to have an orgy all over her body. It was another one of the crazy characters on the lower astral plane connecting with her. Quite often she exercised her witch super powers by astral projecting. There was no telling what or who she would bump into on the astral plane."Hello, do you have a message for me or do you need help,” questioned Bast."By the kissing of my thumbs something sexy this way comes." said the women with a slight grin on her face. Bast was not sure that the lady meant. She was familiar with the original quote "by the pricking of my thumbs something wicked this way comes" from the witches in Macbeth."Ma’am, I don't..." as Bast started to talk, the older lady repeated herself "by the kissing of my thumb, something sex this way comes, you won't know what hit you,” laughed the old lady.Bast was getting a little creeped out. As she started to move closer to the lady, a black cat jumped on her back. All of sudden Bast was on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in her luxury apartment from her outer body experience. It was time for her to get up and get on her grind. When she tended to stay past her time to rise, her midnight black cat, Kinky, would travel to the astral plane to bring her back."Kinky, get your damn tail out of my face. Really, when you come to get me from the plane, can you not jump on me.” Kinky, her diva cat gave a soft me meow as she walked away with her tail sticking straight in the air.As she sat up in her bed she thought about what the older woman said. It did not make sense. The ring of the telephone caused her to leave her train of thoughts."How's my favorite new CEO, today is your big day," said the voice on the other side. It was one of her best friends, Lola Martinez. Every morning they called we other to kick off the day."Nothing has been decided, they could go another way.”"As if,” they said in unison and started laughing."Save your lunch plans for me and Pixie. We are going to celebrate with champagne and all the fixins. Call me when the deal is sealed. Besos." said Lola as she hung up the phone.
Bast looked at the clock, she was running late. Pushing the black satin sheets aside, she felt a rush of energy when her milk chocolate toes hit the plush carpet. She looked over at the corner where Kinky was lounging on a chair throwing her tail back and forth. Bast blew her an air kiss, which Kinky ignored. They had a strong telepathic connection so they tended to communicate with each other through actions and not words. The cat was the animal totem for Bast which was appropriate since her name was inspired by the Egyptian cat goddess. After she stepped out of the shower, she started her morning witch ritual. To begin, she sprayed on the goddess magickal mist that she had conjured up with her coven. Her beloved coven was known as the Coven of the Courtesan, it included her and two other witches: Lola Martinez, the Latina firecracker/public relations guru and the world famous blond starlet/syren, Pixie Peppermint Petersen. All three of them were eclectic witches, meaning that they worked with many different beliefs, rituals, and systems in their witchcraft. The magick of their coven used sensual oils, herbs, and crystals. They were three witches who loved to claim their divine feminine powers and sensuality which is why they choose to bring back the art and magick of the courtesans who were thought to be witches themselves.
About the Author:
Yolanda Shoshana ("Shoshi") is a BadAss Bruja, Celebrity Clairvoyant, Courtesan Curator, and Author. She helps people have amazing love, toe curling sex, and unleash their magick.
Shoshi is the creatrix of Bruja Bespoke, an apothecary for bodacious and sensuous women. When not creating, conjuring, or interviewing, she can be found officiating wedding ceremonies around New York.
Web: http://www.yolandashoshana.com
Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/yolandashoshana
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Shoshi
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YolandaShoshana
Blog: http://www.yolandashsohana.blogspot.com

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+YolandaShoshana-LoveSexMagick

Pushed by Marisa Cleveland

Welcome back ladies & gents.

Today we have our Diva's Spotlight on Marisa Cleveland and her recent release, Pushed. 



Time is not on everyone’s side…
Mortal mess-up Lucy Markson makes one tiny miscalculation and her soul ends up belonging to an evil demon. Forced to serve the newly fallen angels recruited by her master, she must take one of the fallen through the seven deadly sins.
Fallen angel Sawyer Succendo didn’t jump from heaven. He was pushed. And now he’s lost everything, including his halo – which contains his earthbound soul.  
In a race with an evil demon to claim his lost halo, Sawyer must trust a woman designed for sin – literally. Learning the true power of free will, Sawyer just might save them both, if he can keep his mind on the plan and his hands to himself.

But if he can’t find his halo and save the girl, then he’ll be grounded forever. 




Excerpt:           One thing was certain. Fallen angels were hot. And not the ninety-eight-point-six kind of warmth, either. Oh, no. These Fallen fit every corny pick up line she’d ever heard. Because they were exactly what they claimed to be. Created by the hands of God and in His own image.          How would she ever choose one to feed and then… They were all beautifully gorgeous. She tilted her head to the side. Except for him.Dried blood marred the side of his temple and stained his sharp cheekbones. A gash sliced across his left eyebrow ending at the corner of his blackened eye. His swollen lower lip also sported a crack with still-fresh blood threatening to trickle down to the divot in his chin. Naked as the day he was born – or created – his torso and thighs held an interesting pattern of scars that haphazardly healed.He rubbed his chest with one hand, his golden eyes widening in alarm, and in that moment, Lucy knew she absolutely had to be the one to serve him. His entire demeanor differed from the others. He hesitated to join the others at the banquet table, almost like he didn’t want to partake in the feast, even though she knew he had to be starving by now. Still, he reminded her of… her. A reluctant guest.
***
          An unfamiliar weight settled over Sawyer, and he recognized that for the first time in two thousand years he knew sin. How had Azas done that to him? Slapped Original Sin over his shoulders like a thousand pound straight jacket, trapping him to the mortal realm. Born into the angelic dimension of the divine, he’d heard about sin, but he’d never actually experienced it. Now, healed as one of the Fallen on earth, he knew nakedness, and hunger pains gripped his stomach so completely that he didn’t hesitate to join the others at the manifested banquet table.          Woodenly scraping a chair back from the table, he collapsed against the cushioned fabric as it scratched the back of his thighs and bare ass. While the Fallen indulged in the delicacies from every region of the earth, a parade of nude women served and danced around them. Sawyer’s body tightened in response to the naked flesh, and he groaned at his own lack of control. He shut his eyes to the visual feast. He might be a Fallen angel now, but that didn’t mean he had to indulge in whatever the demon offered. Especially if he hoped to have words with his Maker and return to the right side of the Pearly Gates.



About the Author:
Marisa Cleveland loves to laugh, hates to cry, and does both often. As a writer, she writes. Every day. If she couldn’t express herself through writing, music, and dance, she would die. She believes romance novels are the perfect “how to” books, because no matter the obstacles, the characters keep working toward their happily ever after. She loves to connect with writers and readers through social media.
http://www.marisacleveland.com
http://facebook.com/marisacleveland00
http://facebook.com/hotwipssassychicks
http://twitter.com/marisacleveland
http://instagram.com/thereisnobox
http://marisacleveland.tumblr.com
http://hotwipssassychicks.blogspot.com
http://goodreads.com/marisacleveland
https://plus.google.com/102206201174009013772/posts
http://www.pinterest.com/marisacleveland/

#Excerpt Tour: Ever Hopeful by Bestselling Author Lori Ryan #Giveaway #LNBookPromos

Happy Friday, friends! Today we feature an excerpt tour from bestselling author Lori Ryan and her new release, Ever Hopeful. She's offering an awesome giveaway, so make sure you check out the Rafflecopter at the bottom of the post. Enjoy!

Combining heart-soaring contemporary romance with heart-pounding suspense is a trademark of New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lori Ryan—and in her novel Ever Hopeful she delivers spectacularly on both counts. 

Two-months pregnant and trapped in a violent marriage, Laura Kensington realizes that her ruthless and powerful in-laws will never let her go, even after the strange sudden death of her abusive husband. Fleeing far away to the Texas ranch of Cade Bishop, a strong yet tender man who believes in second chances, Laura finds herself irresistibly drawn to Cade’s gentle passion and giving heart. But there is no escaping the shadows of her past and soon danger re-enters her world, pulling Laura into a deadly web of lies, betrayals, and murder. And only Cade Bishop’s quiet strength and unwavering love can set her free.



    Laura smiled but Cade’s comment sent her thoughts in a completely different direction. She was suddenly painfully aware that she wanted him to see her as a woman. How totally inappropriate was that? She was pregnant with her dead husband’s child and running from his family. She might be a grown woman but the fact was, she’d never been independent. She’d always been tied to a man—first her father and then her husband. This was the time in her life when she needed to take charge, learn to support herself, and be independent. Yet, here she was thinking about how gorgeous the man sitting across from her was and wondering if he liked what he saw when he looked at her. 

    Cade frowned at her. “What are you thinking? You seem like you took a little trip in your head for a minute.” 
   
    If only you knew. 

    Laura shook her head. She needed to figure out how she was going to take care of her baby when it came, how she would support them both. How she was going to get away from the Kensingtons and their powerful, seemingly endless reach. How she’d fight them if they tracked her down and tried to take the baby from her. The last thing she should be thinking was what it would be like to be in Cade’s arms, to touch him and feel his mouth on her skin.... 

   “I was just thinking that I need to find a way to support myself and the baby. I can’t live off you guys forever.” 

  “Try telling that to Mama. I think she’s planning to adopt you,” said Cade. 

   Laura felt a sharp pain at his joke and had a feeling she probably grimaced. What would it have been like to be born to May Bishop? To have been raised in a place like this by someone who loved her? To receive the unconditional love that a parent is supposed to have for their child? 

   Fairy tales…. She’d given up on things like that a long time ago. It wasn’t useful to sit and pity herself and cry about her circumstances. But, being so close to a family like the Bishops...made her want to go back in time and rewrite her story. If not rewrite who she was born to, at least change her decision to marry Patrick. 

  “Well, I’ll have to come up with something,” Laura said, but in all honesty waiting tables was about the only thing she was qualified to do. 

   She forced a smile. She may not have ever had a mother like May Bishop, but she’d make damn sure her child did. Her baby would know she was loved no matter what. That nothing could ever take her mother’s love away. If Laura was sure of one thing in her life, she was sure of that. She would love this child with all her heart and all that she was.



Lori Ryan is a NY Times and USA Today bestselling author who writes contemporary romance with a twist of suspense. She lives with an extremely understanding husband, two wonderful children, two mostly-behaved dogs, and a lone little cat in Austin, Texas. It’s a bit of a zoo, but she wouldn’t change a thing. Lori published her first novel in April of 2013 and has written three more books since then. Each of Lori’s books have made their way to the Amazon bestseller list and she quickly climbed the Amazon bestselling author list, as well. In November, 2013, Lori and a group of romantic suspense authors landed on the USA Today and NY Times bestseller lists with an anthology only eight months after the release of Lori’s first book. Lori loves to connect with her readers. Follow her on Facebook or Twitter or subscribe to her blog. Oh, and if you’ve read Lori’s books and loved them, please consider leaving a review on Amazon.com or with the retailer of your choice. Writers live and die by their reviews and Lori promises to do a happy dance around her office every time you write one!
TWITTER | FACEBOOK



ONLY .99 CENTS FOR THE FIRST TWO WEEKS!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1fe8ifD<http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Famzn.to%2F1fe8ifD&h=9AQGOEhEU&s=1>

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1dXL8eJ

Print version: http://bit.ly/1emYufl

Barnes and Noble:
http://bit.ly/L1G24U<http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FL1G24U&h=yAQFajZKW&s=1>

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/ever-hopeful

Goodreads -  http://bit.ly/LX3ZdN




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Where There is Will by @monica_epstein #romance #interview #review

Happy Friday, everyone! Today I'm so happy to welcome Monica Epstein, whose debut novel, Where There is Will was recently published by The Wild Rose Press. She's here today to share the news about her book and also kindly agreed let me ask her five nosy questions. I read her novel and really enjoyed it. (Check the review below.) First of all, though, please welcome Monica!

          1. Hi, Monica! Would you mind sharing a bit about your journey as a writer? (i.e., how long have you been writing, how long were you trying to be published before you got “the call”, etc.)
My writing journey began unexpectedly in midlife. I had enjoyed creative writing as a child, but once I hit high school, and all writing became based on facts, I lost my passion. I wrote well, but I never considered it as a career. Fast forward many years later, when my children no longer needed my full-time attention, I had to figure out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I pursued a Certificate in Editing. Although my preference was to work in a more creative environment like publishing, living outside Washington, D.C. didn’t lend itself to finding such a job, so I took what I was offered—a job as a technical writer for a software company.Writing a novel began on a whim. Friends I had made online liked to share stories they wrote. I decided to try my hand at it too. But after completing my first short story on a cruise, there was still plenty of time at sea. I turned the short story into Chapter One, and by the time my husband and I disembarked, I had Chapters Two and Three written, as well. My characters took control of all of my free time until they were satisfied I had told their entire story. That’s when I knew I had to pursue publishing. But it took me another three years to learn how to turn it into something others would want to read.
       2. The heroine in Where There Is Will is considerably older than the hero. Do you consider the book to be a “cougar romance”?
I never intended to write a cougar romance. I always hated the term cougar. My goal was to write a novel about second chances. I believe I was given a second chance in life career-wise, and I wanted to spread the message that it is never too late to recreate yourself.
The short story I wrote on the cruise was inspired by my son and I having similar taste in music. Once I decided to continue that story, I had the basic premise of older woman/younger man, so I kept going with it.
In one of my last rewrites of WHERE THERE IS WILL, I included some references to the heroine being a cougar, but I did it for comic effect.
3. In your bio at your website, you mention that you’re a technical writer at your day job. Is it difficult to change hats and write romance in your free time? Do you feel your technical writing helps you as a fiction author?
Good question. I haven’t thought much about this.
Being a technical writer means I know how to write. My sentence structure is good, grammar is correct, and so forth. Most of the time, anyway ;-) But writing creatively is very different and it presents a challenge. You see, software manuals are very exact. I don’t want the reader to have to guess. It’s my responsibility to tell them exactly what they need to do. Fiction writing should show rather than tell. This goes against what I do during the day.
One drawback to being a technical writer (maybe it would be a drawback of any full-time job, even one that doesn’t involve writing) is sometimes I lack the concentration I need to write in the evening. The upside to writing technical material during the day and fiction at night and on weekends is that they use different parts of my brain. My creative side gets exercise when I’m telling stories.
4. Your heroine Michelle moves across the pond to London after her divorce. That’s a big step for her. Have you ever done anything similarly adventurous in your life?
Not at all. I would be terrified. In fact, I’m the least courageous person I can think of. But I console myself by telling friends they can entrust me with their purses while they zipline, climb mountains, go on safari, or whatever else is on their bucket lists. Your purse isn’t safe in the car or the hotel, right? Someone has to keep an eye on it.
5. Can you share a bit about what you’re working on now? We’re all ears!

I’m grappling with several different ideas. The one that seems to be ahead is a story about a woman who keeps coming to the rescue of her former husband and his family. The only problem is his current wife doesn’t believe the former wife is really responsible because she’s dead. But when the current wife needs saving, she might have to reconsider her beliefs.
Where There is Will

When she moves to London following her divorce, Michelle Loeser has no interest in looking for love. She needs to focus on surviving without her ex’s six-figure income, coping with a severe fear of heights, and rebuilding her confidence. And if she keeps her promise to her best friend, she’ll pursue her passion for writing too.
Will Sheridan found his passion early in life. At age eleven, he was cast in the starring role in a film series. Now, at the age of 25, he’s a celebrity at a crossroads in his career. He has no time for women who don’t understand his priorities.
When Will offers to help Michelle acclimate to the unfamiliar city in exchange for cooking lessons, she figures what’s the harm? But jealous fans and coworkers, eager paparazzi, and a distrustful mother see it differently.
Excerpt:
Because we had a product release to the American market fast approaching, I stayed late at the office, picked up a bite to eat before boarding the Tube, and headed straight to Caryn’s for mah jongg. I walked into her flat and knew something was wrong immediately by how quiet my friends were. “What’s happened? Or have you been talking about Will and me?”Penny turned to Amanda, who looked at Caryn. I settled my gaze on Caryn. “Well?”“We have, but there’s more to it.” Caryn faced Amanda.“Will you three stop looking at each other and tell me?”“I’ll tell because I saw it,” Amanda volunteered. “I was watching an entertainment news program while eating dinner.” Penny snorted. “A gossip show.”“Call it what you like,” Amanda said, “but the point is you and Will were mentioned.”I brushed my hair away from my face. “What did they say?”“They showed a picture of you and Will entering your flat, and one of him leaving it the following morning.”“How could you tell it was the following morning?”“The one with both of you was definitely taken at night. It was dark and the street light was on. The one of Will alone looked like it was taken in daylight. And he was dressed the same, so I figured it was the next day.”I shrugged. “So what? That’s no worse than the towel picture.”“There’s more,” Penny said.I dropped into a chair at the table.Amanda continued. “They mentioned your name, what you do for a living, where you live and work, and that you’re a forty-five-year-old divorced American.”“I won’t be forty-five until the end of next month,” I corrected, although it wasn’t important. “How do you think they found all this out about me?” “I imagine it’s public record who rents flats where,” Caryn said. “I can call the management company to see if anyone has inquired about you.”“Maybe they followed Will and me. We were together last night. They either saw us at the restaurant and followed us to my flat, or they had been following Will all evening—from the studio, to my place, to the restaurant, and back again. Seems like an awful waste of time.” “Those pictures can be worth a lot of money to them,” Amanda pointed out.“Do you think someone camped out in front of your flat all night?” Caryn asked.“That’s a frightening thought,” Penny said. She gave my arm a comforting pat.“I think you should tell Will,” Amanda suggested. “He should be on the lookout for someone following him.”“But now someone could be following Michelle too,” Caryn added.My stomach was as tight as an overstretched rubber band. “Will warned me there would be issues if our relationship was out. He’s always been so careful not to do anything in public that might be construed as personal.”“Except for running around in a towel,” Amanda mumbled. My glare caused her to smile. “I was trying to lighten things up a little. And for the record, I’m glad you gave in to your desires. How was it?”“Amanda,” Penny said, “our friend’s private life was revealed on telly, and you want to know how the sex was?”“What’s wrong with that?” She turned to me. “Well?”“It was wonderful, fantastic, better than I dreamed of,” I said offhandedly. “But I’d still like to know how the reporter found out so much about me.”Caryn put her arm around my shoulder. “It’s unnerving, but I’m sure you’re not in any danger. Isn’t that right, ladies?” She turned to the others for backup.“That’s right. They’re not out to harm you,” Penny reassured.Amanda remained quiet, and Caryn gave her the eye.“I don’t think they intend any physical harm,” Amanda began, “but, undoubtedly, there have been instances where harm has been done by paparazzi.”“We’re not talking about blood-thirsty paparazzi,” Caryn growled. “Let’s not scare Michelle. Can we play now?”Penny and Amanda began shuffling the mah jongg tiles. I joined them, but my mind wasn’t on the game. Now I understood why Will liked to keep his girlfriends out of the public eye.I took the Tube home from Caryn’s like I always did, but this time I was more aware of my surroundings: the Indian woman dressed in a sari, a cute little girl beside her; the man wearing the herringbone ivy cap, reading the newspaper; and the two teenage girls covered in tattoos and piercings, talking too fast for me to determine what language they were speaking.As I walked the short distance to my building, I kept glancing over my shoulder, feeling like someone was there. By the time I engaged the deadbolt, it felt like someone was playing the bongos in my chest. Despite sleeping alone in my apartment every night without any concerns, tonight I placed a chair against my front door and kept my phone within easy reach, just in case.
Where There Is Will is available at HTTP://AMZN.COM/B00HJE46UA.

***Nona’s review of Where There is Will***
Michelle Loeser meets handsome actor Will Sheridan on a flight to London, when he spills cola on her cashmere sweater. After he apologizes, they begin talking and hit it off. Though Michelle thinks they’ll never meet again, she’s proven wrong when she realizes she inadvertently took his cell phone.
When they reconnect, they discover they have more things in common and Will offers to help her make her way around the city in exchange for her giving him cooking lessons. Their friendship grows, as does Michelle’s attraction to Will. But can he return those feelings, considering she is twenty years his senior and he can’t go anywhere without paparazzi on his trail.
I very much enjoyed Where There is Will. The love affair between Michelle and Will unfolds gradually. They begin with friendship and help each other in a number of ways. Michelle helps Will become more self-sufficient around his home while he helps her overcome her fear of heights. He also boosts her self-confidence, which was shattered by a bitter divorce.  He encourages her desire to write.  In return, she helps reacquaint him with his Jewish heritage. As the story goes on, you can see that their relationship has a strong basis in friendship from which romance can blossom.
Of course, not everyone is in their corner. Some of Michelle’s friends warn her not to get her hopes up. Will’s mother is not exactly in their camp, either. And Will’s rabid fans definitely do not like the idea of him dating an “old lady.” Michelle also has some trouble with difficult co-workers. Worst of all is the crippling self-doubt that Michelle must overcome in order to make things work with Will.
I loved the way the author showed London as Michelle took it all in, as well as the inclusion of British slang. I learned a few new terms. I also really enjoyed the inclusion of Judaism and the religious holidays. There are a lot of interesting layers to the story and Michelle’s self-growth becomes as important as her romance with Will.

Though their relationship becomes intimate, the love scenes are all behind closed doors, so readers who prefer clean romance will not be offended. Where There is Willis a lovely story of a woman “of a certain age” who, in making a fresh start, finds a new life and new love. I highly recommend it.
Author Bio:Monica Epstein writes about topics that appeal to women like herself—over 40 and nowhere near ready to throw in the towel and call it a life. Her first novel, Where There Is Will, is published by The Wild Rose Press.
Monica lives in a suburb of Washington, D.C. with her husband, their teenage daughter, and a small collection of hats and fascinators. She dreams of being the Queen of England in her next life.
Learn more about Monica at the following:
Website: www.monicaepstein.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/monicaepsteinauthor Google+: http://plus.google.com/+MonicaEpstein

Character Interview: Wyck from SEAL OF AWAKENING by Traci Douglass

Welcome back readers to the Divas of Desire. As you know by now, this is your one-stop shop for all things sexy and behind the scenes (of the books, that is).
Today we have a super special guest, Wyck, the hero of Traci Doulass’s third book in the Seven Seals series, Seal of Awakening.
Welcome, Wyck. It’s soooo nice to meet you. Thanks ladies. Great to be here.
What brings you by our little page today? Well, when Quinn said that you called and invited me, I was a bit collywobbles about it.  You know, nervous. I mean I’m a bloke and you ladies are… well, the Divas of Desire. Then, of course, I checked out your website and saw all the steamy reads, and I knew this was definitely the place for me.
What’s it like to be immortal? I’ve always wondered what I would do with that kind of time… how many books I could write… ooh, how many could I read if I had eons of time??? Well, contrary to what some of my other stodgy Scion brethren might have you believe, it doesn’t blow.  Seriously. It’s rather brilliant most of the time. Especially now that I’ve got Quinn to share eternity with. It’s great to have someone to spend time with besides my adopted brothers. Quinn sure is prettier to look at and she smells better too, especially after a long night of surveillance work.
Could you tell us a little bit about what it’s like to go undercover for the Scion? Oops, was I not supposed to mention that? I wouldn’t have except, danger’s just so… sexy. No worries, love. Just don’t tell Xan, my commander. He’s a bit… uptight about those sorts of things. Then again, he gets his knickers in a twist about virtually everything I do, so I guess it doesn’t matter much, eh? Since you’ve mentioned it, having led my own covert op was fun, but a bit dodgy at times and yes, a few of my plans sadly went balls-up. Still, I’m glad for the opportunity to regain my title of King of the Mission again and I never would’ve found the love of my life otherwise, so it’s all good. Working behind the scenes suits me better though and has much better hours and benefits. You know, creating mass Internet mayhem, screwing with those Nephilim wankers, and all that. Always fun times.
And now for what everyone really wants to know… how’s your little friend, er I mean wife, Quinn (of whom none of us are jealous… promise…) :-p My wife’s fine. Well, actually she’s better than fine. I mean she’s smokin’ hot and she’s got me, right? (Ducks to avoid flying debris from the sidelines). Oh sweetheart! I forgot you came with me today… What? Well, I’d try doing that to myself, but I don’t think it’s anatomically possible. (Laughs, crosses arms and leans back in his chair). See? She’s bursting with love for me. Things are great. Despite some doubts about us, we’re a perfect match. Quinn’s the ying to my yang, the peanut butter to my jelly, the tea to my scone… Well, you get the idea.
I just lurve your accent. Where’s home base for you these dreams, Mr. Dreamy? Um, I mean, Wyck? Sorry, love. Can’t divulge that secret either. Top-secret headquarters under construction and all. If I told you, Xander really would have my todger in a sling.  But speaking of home base, I have been missing my English homeland more frequently these days. Maybe Quinn and I should take a trip to Cumbria. After all, we never took a proper holiday after the wedding. What do you think, sweetheart? (Looks at Quinn) Hmm… I‘ll give that some serious thought.
What is it about modern technology that attracts someone who’s seen so much history? Interesting question. For me, it’s not so much about what’s evolving, it’s about what stays constant—the mathematics, the formulas and codes and binary languages. There’s a legacy in those that stretches back farther than I do. I find such consistency comforting. Plus, while I do love my gadgets, I’ve found I love a woman who can challenge me intellectually and shag my socks off even better. (Winks at Quinn)
If you could live in any time period in any country where and when would you go and why? Oh, no question I’m happiest in the here and now. Bugger all, I mean look at how fantastic this time is? So much great invention and innovation and so much left to discover. Oh yeah, I’m a modern man through and through. Though I will say, you can take the man out of Britain, but you can’t take the Brit out of the man. Give me a nice stroll through Piccadilly Circus or a ride in the London Eye anytime.
Thanks so much Wyck for stopping by today and letting us chat it up. It was so nice to meet you.
And thanks so much for the ace interview! I can see why they call you ladies the Divas of Desire. (winks at Rachell) Cheerio.



Fallen in love with Wyck yet, ladies? 
Check this out for more of him: 
Socially awkward geneticist Quinn Strickland has willingly forgone the pleasures in life to reach her career objectives. Alone and approaching thirty, she uses her independence to mitigate any risk of a broken heart. Her strategy works until the day a handsome stranger bursts into her lab and her orderly plans shoot straight to Hades. He claims to be her personal divine protector, a powerful, ancient warrior sent to defend a prophetic time bomb existing within her own genetic code.
The Scion’s alpha-geek Wyck is offered the opportunity of his immortal lifetime as head of his own covert operation. He arrives at a Colorado lab expecting starched white coats and sterile surroundings—not a redheaded spitfire in charge of both his project and his libido. His skills have carried him from the battlefields of ancient England to the pits of Hell and he has no plans to be felled by one woman, regardless of her shag-worthy charms. Divine duty requires him to protect the apocalyptic Seal encrypted within Quinn’s DNA, but his heart has other ideas. When his personal feelings interfere with his age-old vendetta, he’s forced to decide between desire and retribution.
Amazon     Paperback
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/dAJ9tKiiUOQ


And if that wasn't enough to whet your appetite, here ya go... 
Short Excerpt:
For the band of adopted heavenly brothers known collectively as the Scion, covert ops generally fell into two categories, crashing bore or glorious adventure. And after more than nine hundred years of divine missions, Wyck could tell the difference before the first volley fired.He double-checked to make sure his ID badge was prominently displayed.  Divinity had finally given him a second chance as mission leader and he intended to make sure this operation fell squarely into the epically awesome range despite his less than glamorous surroundings. This time, he vowed, there’d be no messy diversions to waylay his goals, no damsel in questionable distress to shred his heart to smithereens. Nope. This time he was fully prepared and would see his mission through to a successful end. Wyck trudged up the sidewalk toward the imposing glass and steel Eugenicorp Labs building, craning his neck to see the top of the six-story structure. He was so engrossed in his perusal he nearly squashed a bedraggled squirrel limping across the pavement in front of him. Wyck glanced down and spotted a half-cracked acorn near the toe of his boot. Poor bugger must’ve dropped it in his hasty retreat. His first inclination was to reach down and retrieve it, maybe place the nut near the roots of the giant tree where the squirrel now hid.  But now wasn’t the time to get sidetracked. As his commander, Xander, had already warned him, such kindness had only added to his past failures. He kicked the nut, watching as it hurtled through the open grassy area surrounding the complex, then strode through the automatic doors and into the cavernous lobby. Empty. Sterile. Utilitarian, covered in gleaming metal and glass. The décor - neutral grays and bland beiges - screamed restraint.  Okay, he amended. Maybe epic and awesome were pushing the envelope for this mission. Best to start with solidly successful. He blinked several times in the early morning sunshine and spotted the pinched, schoolmarm expression of a receptionist across the expanse. Brilliant. In his experience, mulish females appeared to be the rule in academia. Just one more reason he steered clear of the smart ones and stuck to his technology. Emotional evisceration was another, but he refused to dwell on that now. Gadgets and science had always been his safe refuge. They trustworthy.He proceeded across the pristine white-tile floor and when the receptionist steadfastly ignored him, Wyck coughed and summoned his most charming smile. “Hi, I’m Orson Parrot, the new bloke.”The woman glanced up from her computer screen and ran a disdainful eye over him, her glare burning a hole through his extended hand.  Her scowl increased as she snatched a clipboard from the desk’s immaculate surface and skimmed a bony digit down the list.  She tapped her finger twice beside one line and stared back at him, her demeanor cold enough to freeze hydrogen, then pointed toward a pair of glass doors across the lobby. “Through there.” He leaned forward to thank her only to be confronted by a strip of red fabric. Dangling from the receptionist’s hand, it swung in crazy, lopsided circles to tap him squarely on the chest. “You’ll need this,” she said, her tone a perfect match for the Queen’s after a distasteful tabloid scandal.Wyck caught the twirling lanyard, with its attached security keycard, and placed it around his neck.  He couldn’t resist giving the woman a wink and a grin on his way out, and was delighted when she stiffened like rawhide. A fellow had to have some fun.He headed toward the double doors across the atrium, his mind ticking with details. This rare shot at redemption, plus the added potential for delivering a digital smackdown to his longtime enemies, the Nephilim, had him jumping at the chance to infiltrate the Eugenicorp’s computer system. Getting back in the field again would prove more enjoyable than his usual long hours of tedious research for his brother’s quests. Not to mention turning down an assignment from Divinity wasn’t really an option. She’d given the Scion many blessings, but freewill over their assignments wasn’t one of them. If his hunches were correct, his new logic bomb would blow the fucking cork right off the half-breeds’ schemes for a new world order. By utilizing their legitimate business arm in the human realm, Tolbert International, the Nephilim had been quietly amassing huge quantities of money for centuries, branching out into everything from pharmaceuticals to produce. The Internet had been buzzing for months with rumors of an eminent Tolbert takeover of a genetics research facility and Divinity had sent him to Eugenicorp to make sure those takeover plans didn’t include the Seal currently hosted by one head scientist or the top-secret project she commandeered. He used his new keycard to enter a glass-lined walkway and caught sight of his reflection. Christ Almighty. He’d done a wicked job of turning his normal hipster persona into Orson Parrott—Super Brain Extraordinaire. Attired in a scholarly turtleneck and khakis, he couldn’t have been further from his normal choice of t-shirt and jeans. Between his helmet hair and the tatty, empty briefcase he carried, there was little sign of the tousled charmer who’d enticed a cute barista to bed during his last reconnaissance mission here a few months earlier.Goodbye quick tumbles. Hello brainy celibate. Wyck passed from the atrium into another adjoining lobby and glanced at the office number scribbled across his palm in blue ballpoint ink. 5324. He pushed the button for the next arriving elevator, whistling while he waited. Sure, he’d performed a teensy bit of cyber-fraud by uploading his own credentials and employee demographics into the Eugenicorp HR files and he’d picked out a nice cushy office with a window, close to his target and close to the vending machines. Perfect.Speaking of his target, the buttoned-down woman wasn’t one he looked forward to meeting. From everything he’d read about the third Seal’s unwitting host, she was smarter than sin and as enticing as a good bout of bubonic plague. No thank you.A determined clack of heels echoed against the tile behind him and he swiveled toward the noise, just in time to see a flash of bright red hair barge through the gathering crowd and into the elevator. People stepped back, some headed for the stairs, as if the woman now occupying the compartment might spontaneously combust at any moment.


And thanks so much to Traci who brought Wyck to life and to us for today! 
Traci is the author of paranormal romance/urban fantasy and contemporary romances featuring a sly, urban edge, including her current Seven Seals series. Her stories feature sizzling alpha-male heroes full of dark humor, quick wits and major attitudes; smart, independent heroines who always give as good as they get; and scrumptiously evil villains who are—more often than not—bent on world destruction. She enjoys weaving ancient curses and mythology, modern science and old religion, and great dialogue together to build red-hot, sizzling chemistry between her main characters.
She is an active member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), Indiana Romance Writers of America (IRWA) and Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal Writers (FF&P) and is pursing a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Writing Popular Fiction through Seton Hill University. Her stories have made the final rounds in several RWA chapter contests, including the 2012 Duel on the Delta, the 2012 Molly Awards, and the 2012 Catherine Awards. An earlier draft of the first book in the Seven Seals Series, Seal of Destiny, won the paranormal category of the 2012 Marlene Awards sponsored by the Washington Romance Writers.Other current projects include upcoming books in the Seven Seals series, a new contemporary novella series due out in early 2014, and a new futuristic suspense series with hints of the paranormal and plenty of romance.
Website and blog: http://www.tracidouglass.net
FB Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/TraciDouglassAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Traci_Douglass       
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/8112113-traci-douglass
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/tracidouglass

#Win #Books and #Prizes Galore at Tall, Dark and Alpha #Giveaway!

Good morning, friends! I'm not usually here on Saturday, but I want to let you all know about an awesome giveaway event that's going on. Loads of books and prizes are being offered by the Give Me Books blog in their Tall, Dark and Alpha Giveaway. And guess what--I'm participating! Yep, a digital copy of erotic BDSM romance Uncollared is one of the many prizes. All you need do to take part is use the handy Rafflecopter I've posted.

Here's a bit of info on my prize:

Submissive Mia Manetti is devastated when her first Master uncollars her just as she was hoping for a permanent relationship with him. Trying to move on, she agrees to sub for a powerful and sexy new Dom.Chess Ryan has wanted Mia from the first moment he saw her at Club Restraint, but it was always "hands off" because she belonged to his friend Philip. Now, thanks to that friend's maneuvers, Mia is finally his. But only for a little while.Mia finds it increasingly difficult to keep her feelings in check as she experiences erotic delights with Master Chess, sensual and sexual fantasies that she's never known before. Is she setting herself up for another heart ache?
Guilt, secrets and misplaced pride all keep Chess and Mia from being completely honest with each other. As they connect sexually and emotionally, they realize their relationship has grown too serious to be called "play". How far are they willing to go as Master and slave?
Don't forget, plenty of prizes are available, so make sure you don't miss out! Check out the Rafflecopter below.

To find out more about the giveaway and the prizes offered, stop by the Give Me Books website!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com

Facebook, Twitter, Blog