Lori L. Clark's Blog, page 111

Release Blitz & Giveaway: Greetings from Sugartown

Title: Greetings from Sugartown (Sugartown #3)Author: Carmen JennerPublisher: IndependentGenre: Contemporary New AdultRelease Date: September 9, 2014
SynopsisLife in Sugartown hasn’t always been easy, not for an ex-con like Elijah, and certainly not for Ana, who grew up desperate for a way out.

Meeting Elijah changed all that; Elijah changed a lot of things.

You’d think that after three years together and the worst behind them that life would be a walk in the park, but Sugartown’s sexiest couple may be about to face their biggest obstacles yet. Between failed marriage proposals, a trampy ex-lover and a tempting new biker, Sugartown is suddenly not so sweet.

They’re head-over-heels in love. It should be simple—but it rarely is.

Will they make it down the aisle to the happy ever after they deserve? Or are some relationships just destined to fail?

Intended for an 18+ audience. Contains explicit sex, violence, a crap-tonne of profanity, and naked encounters with disastrous outcomes.






Purchase Greetings From Sugartown (Sugartown, #3) today! Amazon US | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Welcome to Sugartown (Sugartown, #1)Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AUS | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords
Enjoy Your Stay (Sugartown, #2)Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AUS | B&N | Kobo


Excerpt I come up onto my knees and yank my shirt over my head, then I go to work on my belt and jeans, allowing them fall down around my ankles. My belt hits the floor with a thud, and I kick off the scratchy, oil stained denim. “Take your clothes off.”

“You don’t think maybe we should talk some more about this?”

“Ana, baby girl, take your fucking clothes off before I rip them from your hot little body.”

She raises her hands in a warding gesture. “Okay, okay, taking them off.”

“You’re taking too long,” I growl, and pounce on the bed. I don't hear what she says next because I'm too busy burying my face in her tits and inhaling. She smells like she always does, a mix of vanilla and baked goods, only now she smells like my favourite whiskey, too. Ana arches her body towards me, and there's a mixture of both fear and excitement in her gaze as it meets mine. She's not wearing a bra, so her full, beautiful tits are in my hands the second I lean up and free her body from her singlet. I close my mouth over one nipple, gently biting down on the pink flesh. She moans.

“I should make you mad more often.”

“No, you really shouldn't.”

“I don’t know. The make-up sex is always a little more intense.”

“You want intense, baby girl?”

She nods, and gives me a devilish smile as she strips off her underwear.

“Close your eyes,” I command. She does as I ask, and I pull the top sheet out from underneath her, tearing the edge with my teeth and ripping through the soft cotton. Ana’s eyes spring open and she leans up on her elbows. She’s horrified.

“What the hell are you doing?” she yells. “Those are two thousand thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets.”

“Do I look like I give a flying fuck about your bed sheets? Close your eyes, and lie back on the bed. I’m not going to ask you again.”


Author Bio Carmen Jenner is a thirty-something, USA TODAY Best Selling Author, doctor, pilot and CIA agent.

She's also a compulsive, flagrant prevaricator who gets to make things up for a living.

While Sugartown may not technically exist, Carmen grew up in a small Australian town just like it, and just like her characters, she always longed for something more. They didn't have an Elijah Cade, though.

If they did, you can be sure she would have never left.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Welcome to Sugartown Website



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Release Day: Beast 3

Return to La Rosa Prison as Annabelle tries to save Beast from his grizzly fate. Her tongue and hands are doing most of the saving.
Just kidding.
There's suspense and a healthy dose of smut, too. You know that's how you like it...

In all seriousness, this is an adult book that deals with a variety of intense and mature topics. It's also a novella. If you dislike reading stories in installments, or are a prude, a whiner, or other unsavory sort of character, this may not be a good read for you.

*Part 3 is on sale for 99 cents for the first 12 hours only. Tell your friends!
*Part Four is coming September 22. I expect it to be the final installment in the Beast serials.

Book Review: Beast 2

Beast, Part II (Beast #2) by Ella James: Continue the dark, erotic journey of Annabelle, the warden's daughter, and the man she's pined for since her girlhood. No longer Cal Hammond, actor, Beast is a brutal man who runs the prison's gangs from behind a shroud of secrecy and lies. Can Annabelle's love save him from his tainted past, or will his deceit ruin both of them?

*Beast 2 is a serial novella. If you don't like novellas, or reading stories in installments, this probably isn't for you. It deals with intense subjects and features absolutely panty-melting sex. If you're on a bus, in the subway, in your office, or babysitting innocent children, I'd advise you to read this story later. If you just can't wait, be warned. Beast will make you wet.
*Part 3 will be out September 8.
*This story will be either three parts or four parts.
Lori's thoughts: I really enjoyed this book! This series is captivating and I'm enjoying it thoroughly. Beast may be a dark, brutal man, but there's another side of him lurking in the shadows. The situation between Annabelle and the Beast is sizzling. I highly recommend you start reading book one right now, then pick up books two and three.

Book Review: All That Matters

 1/2

All That Matters (Broken #2) by Michelle Congdon: ***Recommended for ages 18+ due to mature situations, sensitive issues, alcohol and drug use, and language***

She is a teen sensation and also the infamous daughter of a renowned rock star and a Hollywood starlet.

Eighteen-year-old Harper Hudson is spoiled, wild and troubled. Still dealing with the loss of her twin sister and surviving a horrifying event that she has kept secret, Harper relies on constant partying, alcohol and drugs to help her forget.

He is her cousin and a straight ‘A’ student trying to juggle football and a medical degree.

Adopted as a baby, there isn’t anything twenty-one year old Jackson Hayward wouldn’t do for the people who raised him. But the last thing on his mind is to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a doctor. And Jackson has a secret of his own. He isn’t the perfect son his family are led to believe.

A forbidden romance they never saw coming.

Sent away to live with her Aunty and Uncle in Australia, as punishment for her latest stunt, the last thing Harper wants is to be babysat by her over-achieving, do-gooder cousin, Jackson. He is moody and overbearing, but there’s something about him that Harper can’t seem to ignore.

Jackson didn’t mean to fall for the rebellious wild child. But seeing small glimpses of her true personality shine through made it impossible not too. He knows the secret she keeps is the reason behind her destructive behavior and he is willing to risk whatever it takes to try to help her. But can something so broken ever be truly fixed? And can someone with painful secrets of his own save her without getting caught up along the way?
Jennifer's thoughts: Harper Hudson was born into a life of privilege and fame. Her dad is a "rock god" and her mother is a Hollywood "starlet". Of course she is both a singer and an actress. Harper has one problem. She can't seem to stay out of trouble. When things begin to go from bad to worse her parents ship her to Australia to stay with her aunt and uncle.

Jackson is a med student and struggling with the pressure of both school and his hectic football schedule. He was adopted as a baby and has spent most of his life trying to do what is expected of him. And then she happens. His spoiled rich cousin is thrown into his world.

The chemistry is not immediate, but over time Harper and Jackson are drawn to each other. At first their relationship seemed kind of weird, but technically they are not related since Jackson is adopted.

This novel touched on some sensitive topics and may not be for everyone, but overall the story was good. Jackson and Harper were able to work through their problems and find each other in the end. There is no cliffhanger ending.

 1/2

Book Review: The Captured Heart

The Captured Heart by Beverly Rae: A chance to win money. A chance to find love. But only one can be claimed.

Dear Ms. Pierce,

This is your opportunity to fulfill all your dreams.
Do you yearn to capture a man’s heart and have him capture yours? Do you dare to find a man who will treat you to your deepest desires, awaken your heart, and claim you for his own? Are you strong enough to find an extraordinary man?
If so, read on…

Erin Pierce and her two closest girlfriends seek adventure and love. After each receives an invitation to enter The Claiming Games, they travel to Fang’s Bar and Grill, ready to take on the challenge of a lifetime. When they arrive, they’re greeted by the amazing, sexy men of The Kings of Beasts MC. But these men have a dark side. They’re bad boys with fangs and claws.

If Erin survives the games, she has a choice to make. Claim $250,000 in prize money or the man of her dreams. But Erin doesn’t believe in dreams coming true. She has a terrible secret, one she believes will send a man running, destroying any chance at love.

When Erin meets Colter Quaid, she has no idea that his secret is just as shocking as her own. Can they forget their terrible pasts? Or will Erin survive the challenge only to lose her future?

Enter The Claiming Games and find out.

Watch for THE CAGED HEART (The Claiming Games 2) coming in September 2014.

PLEASE NOTE: This work contains graphic sexual situations and language and is intended for readers 18 years and older. All characters are over the age of 18.
Nicole's thoughts: What a cool book! This one is a bit left of center, but truly an enjoyable read. I feel a bit naughty saying this, but it has a Twilight vibe to it...but better. The flaws Erin has feel genuine and the struggles she has are easy to relate to. Colton is sexy as hell and the fact he knows what he wants and does not waiver makes him even hotter! The twist is well done and though it's very unusual it is also quite sensual. I would definitely recommend this one!!



Tina's thoughts: This is a book for one looking for that night in shining armor. The heroine in the story, Erin was plagued by darkness and suffered a bad break up as the story begins. I felt she was a troubled soul and needed someone to pick her up, of course that is where Colter comes in.

I did enjoy the romance of it and the sex was steamy, but I felt Erin was a little to dark for my taste. I really did like Colter though, he was close to perfect. Over all not a bad read.

Book Review: This is Falling

This is Falling (Falling #1) by Ginger Scott: First, I had to remember how to breathe. Then, I had to learn how to survive. Two years, three months and sixteen days had passed since I was the Rowe Stanton from before, since tragedy stole my youth and my heart went along with it.

When I left for college, I put a thousand miles between my future and my past. I’d made a choice—I was going to cross back to the other side, to live with the living. I just didn’t know how.

And then I met Nate Preeter.

An All-American baseball player, Nate wasn’t supposed to notice a ghost-of-a-girl like me. But he did. He shouldn’t want to know my name. But he did. And when he learned my secret and saw the scars it left behind, he was supposed to run. But he didn’t.

My heart was dead, and I was never supposed to belong to anyone. But Nate Preeter had me feeling, and he made me want to be his. He showed me everything I was missing.

And then he showed me how to fall.

*This is a standalone in a three-part series that will focus on different characters. Each book can be read on its own.
TeriLyn's thoughts: **This is Falling generously provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

What I love about a great New Adult romance Ginger Scott fully provides in This is Falling. That being the way this time period of our lives fills us with possibility. We’re so vulnerable as young adults figuring out who we want to be, creating a persona for ourselves based on the values our parents instilled in us and what we’ve come value as individuals. It’s a time when falling in love is most precarious because of the discoveries we’re making yet the most exciting because we’re open to the possibility. A time in our lives when falling in love happens so naturally, on instinct with a fluttering we get just from flirting. It’s a delicate balance. Can we find ourselves and find everlasting love? Ginger Scott presents this to her readers in a beautiful love story between two people with the added challenge of the heroine’s tragic past.

The main characters of this story, Nate Preeter and Rowe Stanton, make an automatic connection felt through dynamically scripted words of this author. I felt connected to them, wanted to hang out with them, laughed at their banter and most of all – I believed in them. Rowe’s past gives us a unique kind of tragedy. It’s not labored over but the emotion is felt all the same. It makes you question what you would do in Rowe’s situation. How would you feel having suffered this same brutality? And on of top of it calls into question the timing of moving on. The all-American guy next guy, Nate Preeter, definitely makes us want him. I love when baseball weaves itself into the pages of a romance. His reactions to Rowe are heartfelt. He’s a guy you want to be with because he believes in the simplicity of women, of relationships. I’d be remiss not to mention the incredible cast of secondary characters, specifically Ty and Cass. All the secondary’s help make the book amazing with their involvement and friendship, I’m very much looking forward to Ty and Cass’s story next.

Through dual points of view and simple, believable writing Ginger Scott provided me a story I’ll remember with characters in which I rooted for and wanted to strive. This author wrote a great new adult romance and I’m beyond happy to have to read this story. It’s funny. It’s sad. It’s challenging. It’s creative. It’s fulfilling. This is Falling reminds us what young love is supposed to look like. I very much look forward to the next in the series.

Book Review: #Forfeit

#Forfeit by Caroline Batten: Getting divorced at twenty-five sucks

Teaching over-confident rich kids instead of designing handbags for Mulberry sucks. In fact, every single aspect of Daisy Fitzgerald’s life is one big…

#fail
Enter Xander, a veritable Knight-in-Shining-Cricket-Pads, who knocks her off her wedge heels and into his world of It-girls, players and Michelin stars.

Buoyed up on cocktails & escapism
Daisy agrees to play Forfeit, the ultimate game of dares, where a simple kiss sparks her relationship with Xander. But £25,000 is up for grabs and the game's called Forfeit for good reason.

Blackmail • Betrayal • Revenge
Move over Gatsby, there's a new bunch of bored young things in town.
Toni's thoughts: I completely fell in love with this book. Once I read the blurb for this book I couldn't wait to get my hands on it and wow did she deliver. I loved every twist and turn that this book took and I loved how twisted and real it was. It is so refreshing to read a real love story that isn't all sunshine and rainbows. I also loved everything the characters went through and the different things they did. The author gave you the raw and gritty characters that were so far from perfect and she made you fall in love with all of them even the misunderstood James. I would suggest this book to anyone if you couldn't tell from my gushing. I would definitely be interested in playing a game of forfeit ( if it did exist).



Nicole's thoughts: I wanted to love this book, I really did. The reality though, is that I really don't. What I found difficult is that all of the primary characters are morally corrupt and as a result I didn't particularly like any of them or care what happened to them. Now, I love dark and twisted characters. I love the flawed people the most in the majority of books I read, however this group was just not likable. Daisy was unbelievably selfish and Xander was hot, yes, but completely and utterly deceitful. I was confused by the game and found it rather funny that such dishonest people were left to be "trusted" that they completed the dares.

The concept of the book was pretty original, and I did enjoy that. I certainly didn't have any idea where this was going to end up. I was on the edge of my seat wondering who was behind the game. I just wish I could have found a connection to Xander and Daisy!

Not a bad read at all, but not one I would put on my must read list.

Book Review: The Hot Streak

The Hot Streak by Cecilia Tan: “The Hot Streak is an interesting take on loving someone who is in the limelight. I enjoyed the book and found it to be an entertaining read.”
--Coffee Time Romance

Casey hits it big when she meets major league baseball player Tyler Hammond at a photo shoot and they start up a steamy romance! Traveling with Tyler, she’s living it up and enjoying all the hot sex she can get between games! Now Tyler’s on a winning streak, and he thinks it’s thanks to Casey- but she has to decide for herself if this is the real deal, or just a summer fling.
TeriLyn's thoughts: **The Hot Streak generously provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
The Hot Streak unfortunately didn’t work out all that well for me. I love contemporary romance, baseball stories. There’s always a little bit of magic in a good baseball romance. Rather than feel the magic for this title I just felt put off. It seemed farfetched and unrealistic to a point where I couldn’t help but skim through some pages. The characters made a connection earning the two star rating. I enjoyed how the characters met. There wasn’t a big, angsty chase but more of a romantic, fun entanglement that could have led to a more interesting story for me. As they began to delve deeper into each other’s lives the relationship and plot went places I just couldn’t get into and place. Some of the characters actions drove me crazy. The inevitable conflict came out of nowhere and the almost immediate resolution happened in a way that didn’t seem natural at all; where they were and how they were communicating. The very end got back to the cute, fun part of the story and made me interested in how the couple ended up. This story overall just wasn’t for me. Nothing blew me away and made me stop and really indulge in this. But if you like baseball romances, give it a shot maybe you’ll find The Hot Streak is for you.

Book Review: Upside Down

Upside Down (Off the Map #1) by Lia Riley: If You Never Get Lost, You’ll Never Be Found

Twenty-one-year-old Natalia Stolfi is saying good-bye to the past-and turning her life upside down with a trip to the land down under. For the next six months, she'll act like a carefree exchange student, not a girl sinking under the weight of painful memories. Everything is going according to plan until she meets a brooding surfer with hypnotic green eyes and the troubling ability to see straight through her act.

Bran Lockhart is having the worst year on record. After the girl of his dreams turned into a nightmare, he moved back home to Melbourne to piece his life together. Yet no amount of disappointment could blind him to the pretty California girl who gets past all his defenses. He's never wanted anyone the way he wants Talia. But when Bran gets a stark reminder of why he stopped believing in love, he and Talia must decide if what they have is once in a lifetime . . . or if they were meant to live a world apart.

Book #1 in the OFF THE MAP series
TeriLyn's thoughts: **Upside Down generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
Upside Down tells the story of two young people journeying to discover themselves apart from the actions of the past defining them. The plot starts off on Talia’s adventure to Australia where she’s separating herself from a life she longer recognizes. Continuing there we meet Bran, with a past weren’t privy too but a disposition that makes you eager to know more about him.

Written mostly from Talia’s POV with glimpses from Bran we get a personal look into Talia’s processing mind. The author delicately traces the line of the mania overcoming Talia in times of struggle, weakness, and anxiety. The ways she deals with her emotions tax her as she’s trying to redeem herself to freedom from her mind. Her character provides a good balance between hardship, fun, angst, and redemption. She meets Bran and short circuits. His character, full of charisma and dark charm, makes the mystique of him more appealing. There’s such sweetness under his hardness that when Bran is at his most vulnerable and open we understand Talia’s attraction. Their stories mesh in such a way you want them to move forward and find what they’re seeking.

I liked both these characters as individuals. I felt for them, rooted for them. This is a good read when you’re looking for young love between two lost people. While I wanted them to master their issues and felt myself cheering for a victory there was never a time I truly felt their connection to one another. The conflict of story I wish had been more developed. I enjoyed it and think it’s a story that many will enjoy as well. The end of Upside Down left questions able to be explored but didn’t leave me hanging in a way that the need for the next is great yet has me quite excited to see where the development of Bran and Talia’s lives leads them.

Book Review: Submit

Submit (Songs of Submission #3) by C.D. Reiss: "You’re mine. The minute I told you to spread your legs and you did it, you were mine. When I told you to beg for it and you did, you were mine. When you put your hands behind your back without being told, I owned you."

No. God, no.

My name is Monica, and no matter what Jonathan says, I am not submissive.
TeriLyn's thoughts: I'm slowly re-reading SoS in bits and pieces. No one does it for me like Jonathan Drazen - he's my ultimate book boyfriend. Reiss's writing is cunning and witty with flawlessly executed plots. Conflicts arise and resolve leading to the end where you're just starting at your Kindle wanting MORE. Even knowing the story and having read it several times the writing still pulls at my heart. Reading a Reiss book is like watching a movie play out in your mind. Every installment gets better and better. I love Monica; her personality, her wit, her charm. And Jonathon Drazen is awesome for all the same reasons. Oh...and he calls her goddess and I think it's super hot. They're playful, they're in tune with each other and they're fun. The writing continues to amaze me. It flows so flawlessly I can believe it's the end of the story yet I still learn so much about these characters; it's completely engrossing.



Lori's thoughts: Johnathan Drazen is amazing. CD Reiss weaves an amazing tale with the Songs of Submission. I breezed right through the first 3 in the series, and am anxious to read the next books. Monica and Drazen are great together. I highly recommend you start reading this series today. You won't be disappointed!