Lori L. Clark's Blog, page 171

Cover Reveal: Rivals and Renegades

Rivals and Renegades by J.D. Nock
(The Hurley Vance Series #2)
Publication date: March, 2014
Genres: Dystopia, New Adult

Synopsis:
Hurley Vance. It is a name spray painted on alley walls, and spoken in careful whispers. But to Lessers, it’s more than a name.
As a deranged Financial Minister and an arrogant President grapple for control over an obedient population, a violated Lesser underclass can only wait and see which dictator triumphs. 22-year-old Hurley Vance embarks on a plan to manipulate the warring Equals and liberate Evangeline Street, an imprisoned rebel leader idolized by her followers. Alongside a brutally rough friend named Sig Jaxson, Hurley leads a troublesome band of Lesser renegades. They are out to stoke a revolution, and defend a group of people who have been abused for far too long.

But the oppressors are everywhere. Roaming Watchers prowl the streets. District Speakers champion thoughts of forced equality. Filtering Houses cleanse literature, and Alteration Clinics punish the different. Unfortunately for Equal statesmen and their worshipping legions, Hurley Vance is determined to end their reign.

Cover Reveal: Donners of the Dead

Donners of the Dead by Karina Halle
Publication date: February 24, 2014
Genres: Horror, Romance

Synopsis:
***A Standalone Horror Romance coming February 2014***

Jake McGraw was unlike anyone I’d ever known. He was brash, rude, unapologetic and arrogant; chauvinistic, close-minded, and terribly stubborn. He was built like a tree, tall with a hard chest and wide shoulders and hands that looked like they could wrestle a bear. He was a cigar-chomping, scruffy-faced, beast of a man. I was pretty sure I hated him. And I know he hated me. But among the flesh-eating monsters in these snow-capped mountains, he was the only thing keeping me alive

The year is 1851 and pioneers in search of California gold are still afraid to travel on the same route as the tragic Donner party did years before. When the last wagon train to go into the Sierra Nevada mountains fails to arrive at their destination, Eve Smith, an 18-year old half-native girl with immense tracking skills is brought along with the search party, headed by an enigmatic former Texas Ranger, Jake McGraw.

What they find deep in the dangerous snow-covered terrain is a terrifying consequence of cannibalism, giving new meaning to the term “monster.” While the search party is slowly picked off, one by one, Eve must learn to trust Jake, who harbors more than a few secrets of his own, in order to survive and prevent the monstrosities from reaching civilization.

***This is NOT New Adult***





AUTHOR BIO
The daughter of a Norwegian Viking and a Finnish Moomin, Karina Halle grew up in Vancouver, Canada with trolls and eternal darkness on the brain. This soon turned into a love of all things that go bump in the night and a rather sadistic appreciation for freaking people out. Like many of the flawed characters she writes, Karina never knew where to find herself and has dabbled in acting, make-up artistry, film production, screenwriting, photography, travel writing and music journalism. She eventually found herself in the pages of the very novels she wrote (if only she had looked there to begin with).

Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently lives on an island on the coast of British Columbia where she's preparing for the zombie apocalypse with her fiance and rescue pup.

Author Links:Website: http://experimentinterror.com/Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4785031.Karina_HalleFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Karina-Halle/140649372629593?ref=ts&fref=tsTwitter: https://twitter.com/MetalBlonde

Book Blitz & Giveaway: Forever, Jack

A feisty small-town girl and the Hollywood star who broke her heart

An all-consuming love threatened by fame

One last chance at FOREVER

Keri Ann Butler’s life changed on the night she met movie star, Jack Eversea. She thought she knew a Jack that was very different to the man adored by fans the world over. In the wake of his betrayal and abandonment, Keri Ann has had to pick up and move forward with the life she was supposed to live and has put off far too long.

Suddenly Jack is back, and his explanations for why he left seem more and more plausible, and his declarations more seductive. But being Jack’s latest tabloid accessory isn’t on Keri Ann’s career agenda, no matter how much she is attracted to him. And how can she can ever trust him again?

Jack knows he let the only ‘real’ thing that ever happened to him slip through his fingers. And his hands have been tied to try and stop it. Until Now.

Jack is now fighting to save his relationship with Keri Ann, even as his crazy life threatens to tear them apart. Again. The question is, can he convince her she can have it all? And have him? Forever?

Read how it all began in "Eversea"





AUTHOR BIO:
Natasha Boyd is a writer with a background in marketing and public relations. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and lives in the coastal Carolina Lowcountry, complete with Spanish moss, alligators and mosquitoes the size of tiny birds. She has a husband, two sons and a host of scared relatives that worry the next book will be about them. She is a member of Georgia Romance Writers, Romance Writers of America and Island Writers Network, where she has been a featured speaker. Forever, Jack is the sequel to her award-winning and first full-length novel, Eversea.

https://www.facebook.com/authornatashaboyd
http://pinterest.com/lovefrmlowcntry/
twitter @lovefrmlowcntry
http://www.natashaboyd.com
http://eversea.tumblr.com
instagram @lovefrmlowcntry

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Release Blitz & Giveaway: Divided

Title: DividedAuthor: Livia JamerlanRelease Date: December 3, 2013Hosted By: Love Between the Sheets









Add to Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18135199-divided
Buy the BookAmazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon CA
Amazon AU

SynopsisAlani LaBelle has it all. A great job, amazing friends, and a loving fiancé. Traveling to Las Vegas for her bachelorette party, she never expects to come across someone who rocks her world the way Ryan Kraft does. Though they only share a few hours together, the connection she feels with him is undeniable. Thinking that her feelings for him may be old feet she brushes it off and attempts to focus on her fiancé and their impending nuptials.

Heartbroken by her fiancé only days before their wedding, she finds herself needing to escape, needing to hide from reality. Though Alani knows that Ryan lives in Grand Forks, North Dakota, she never thought their paths would cross again while she is there.

Their friendship changes to something more with a good night kiss. Needing to be with Ryan, she leaves her old life in New Jersey behind and moves halfway across the country. As they journey together in a new relationship Alani has to adapt to life in a new city, new job, as well as dealing with Ryan's ex-girlfriend Stephanie, who is waiting for the perfect moment to get Ryan back.

But will her fiancé let Alani walk away from him without a fight? Will Alani's love for Ryan be enough for her to stay with him through turmoil? Or will Stephanie’s secret tear them apart?

Excerpt“Ally baby please. I fckd up but please, I can do better. Please forgive me.” He begged

“Marco, there is nothing between us anymore. I’m done. We are done. Shouldn’t you be off with Trish somewhere?” Her name was like bile in my mouth.

“Ally it’s not like that with her, I was just scared.” I raised my hand to stop him; I didn’t want to go through this with him all over again.

“Stop. Just Stop. There is nothing between us anymore Marco, please just leave.” I swallowed back any tears that were threating to show. Stepping back I closed the door and leaned my back on it, slowly sliding down to the ground. Inhaling deep I tried to calm my nerves and heard the flower arrangement being placed on the ground as Marco spoke.

“I know you can still hear me Ally, and I want you to know that I’ll never give up on us. Never! You hear me? I fucked up. I know I did but I love you.” As the tears dripped from my eyes I wiped them away as quickly as I could. I wasn’t crying because I was sad. I was just so tired of repeating the past five years in my head and seeing it end like this.

“Marco, please just leave me alone.” I shouted from behind the door
“I’ll always fight for you. I’ll find a way to make you mine again. Mark my words Alani, you will spend the rest of your life with me.”

About the Author Livia Jamerlan is a hopeless romantic she is always looking for her next love story to pop in her head. Though Livia kept a journal throughout her early life, she never thought about pursuing a career in writing, she always used it as form of therapy, pouring her heart out into words. It wasn’t until a story developed in her head that she decided that maybe she could write a book. At first it was just an escape from reality but now she use it as a power to put all her feelings, hopes, and fears on paper. Deciding it was time to tell her story she began to write, with each passing day the story grew, characters we formed, and what seemed like a hobby at first has now become a passion for Livia.

When Livia is not writing she is spending time with her husband and their two dogs, she might also be curled up with a new book, or she is out traveling the country to support indie authors at their book signings.
Connect with the AuthorFacebook | Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Email
Giveaway(5) 5 eBook copies of Divided
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Book Review: The Gift

The Gift by Karli Perrin: It was the weekend before Christmas and the whole world was on countdown.

Except for me.

Last Christmas, I met a boy.

Last Christmas, we made a pact.

Christmas would never be the same.
Life would never be the same...



Please note that this is a short story, not a full length novel. It is a standalone and is intended to be a quick, fun and flirty read.

Emma's thoughts: I received this ARC as part of the release day blitz.

I so loved this novella ~ I was straight into it and it was over before I knew it which I was slightly gutted about coz I wanted more of Imogen and Blake. I love the fact that this was a Christmas short story and very apt for this time of year.

I would love for Karli to delve into the lives of Imogen and Blake more, they intrigue me and I love their banter. I would even like to see Hannah and Riley get their own story (hint hint) :)

Well done and congratulations to Karli on another amazing book.




Amazon UK
Smashwords





About the author: Karli Perrin is a 25 year old English Language & Linguistics graduate from Manchester, England. She has always been a big lover of books and is the author of the 'April' series.

She is a big believer of fate and is a sucker for a happy ending. She honestly believes that there is a reason why you are reading this right now (apart from the fact that you are awesome!) 
Her ultimate goal in life is to live in a house made entirely out of books with her best friend, who also happens to be her fiancé.
...Hogwarts is plan B.

twitter.com/karli_uk facebook.com/authorkarliperrin goodreads.com/karliperrin karlijperrin.blogspot.co.uk

Book Review: Before We Fall

Before We Fall (Beautifully Broken #3) by Courtney Cole: Sometimes, one dark moment is all it takes to turn your world black...

For 24-year old Dominic Kinkaide, that moment took place on the night of his high school graduation. One dark incident changed him forever. He's a hardened actor now, famous in the eyes of the world, but tortured in his own. He doesn't care about much of anything, except for losing himself in the roles that he plays.

23-year old Jacey Vincent doesn't realize how much her father's indifference has affected her. She is proof that sometimes it isn't one specific moment that wrecks a person, but rather it's an absence of moments. She's like a bird with a broken wing-strong yet fragile, as she tries to float through life, finding acceptance in the arms of random guys, one after the other... to fill the void that her father left in her.

Until she meets Dominic.

After jaded Dominic and strong-willed Jacey are thrown together, his secret and her issues create a dark and damaged energy that will soon turn their attraction to each other into an explosive storm.

Even though when the clouds have cleared and the dust has settled, both of them are almost obliterated... they've learned a priceless lesson.

Sometimes, before we fall... we fly.
TeriLyn's thoughts: Release Date: December 3, 2013

**ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

Courtney Cole has done it again. Before We Fall is another amazing installment of the Beautifully Broken Series. This story is darker than the previous two and just as addicting. The author possesses the awesome ability to shed light on darkness, to heal what is broken. One of my favorite aspects of Ms. Cole’s Beautifully Broken stories is her ability to make me admire the strength and fortitude of her incredible heroine’s. She writes fascinating love stories about two characters that are essentially lost but start to find their way when they meet their counterpart.

Dominic and Jacey’s story is a prime example of Ms. Cole’s story-telling. Both characters are head strong and stubborn. Dominic is completely broken, a shell of his former self. He’s beautiful, arrogant, and crass; the ultimate bad boy who’s not really a bad boy. Dominic is shaped by a very unfortunate sequence of mysterious events in his past and he has completely shut himself off to others. The darkness inside of him eats him alive every day. However, he’s playful, funny, and romantic when he’s in the right mood. Thanks to the exceptional writing, I found myself being drawn to him as much as Jacey. Dominic’s enigmatic presence coupled with his banter and protectiveness make him practically irresistible. I felt every ounce of pain for him; when he finally opens himself to vulnerability I crumbled right along with Jacey. His story is powerfully tragic.

Jacey is another incredibly strong heroine. She’s a savior for Dominic and she does it innately. Jacey didn’t set out to save Dominic, it just happened. She feels something deep for him almost immediately, even before she admits it out loud. She constantly refers to the darkness in his eyes and from the very first time she looked inside them I could feel the connection. Jacey fights her own demons and she is far from perfect however she accepts herself as is. She’s carefree and light. She’s funny and quick witted. She makes you want feel as light as she acts. It was easy to see how Dominic is drawn to her. I think the reason Courtney Cole writes a great heroine is because her heroines have all befallen great tragedies in their lives yet they have picked themselves up, made some mistakes, and just keep going. Their all strong without even realizing their strength or the impact that strength makes on others.

This is a series to read. Before We Fall makes you feel both dark and light; makes you see the light at the end of the tunnel. The characters are honest and real and their development is consuming, you’ll feel and be rooting for Dominic and Jacey. Honestly, you’ll be rooting for Dominic because of Jacey. The plot grabs hold of you and makes you part of their world. The writing is seamless and addicting. Yes, Courtney Cole has definitely done it again. Before We Fall could be read as a standalone however I believe you would be selling yourself really short. The stories and events that led up to this amazing story are so worth the read. They made Jacey’s story that much more consuming. I’m so glad I have read these books and can’t wait to read them again. I highly recommend you read them too. Bravo.

Book Review: Layers Deep

Layers Deep (Layers Trilogy #1) by Lacey Silks: He needs her to save a friend.
She needs him to plan her revenge.
Their pasts scar them Layers Deep.
Their passion distracts them...
...and distractions can be fatal.

Tristan Cross is battling emotional demons from the past. He lives in a world where trust is earned, loyalties are tested, and love is impossible. That is, until he meets Allie Green. She’s the only woman who can help him find a kidnapped friend and to top it off, she captivates him. All he has to do now is persuade her to work for Cross Enterprises, his top investigations firm.

Allie Green is a rookie cop seeking revenge and she’s willing to sell her soul to get it. With an opportunity to use Tristan Cross's resources Allie calculates her time for payback. As vengeance boils her blood she can’t keep her mind off her new boss and Allie finds it difficult to keep her employment professional. With the mouth watering Tristan Cross distracting her, she struggles to prioritize an undercover job she’s been assigned and her hunger for revenge.

And when you’re ready to give up your life to save someone else, distractions can be fatal.

Note: This book is the first part of a Trilogy that is designed to be read in order. Tristan and Allie will get their happy ending but not until book 2 and 3. This book contains a cliff hanger ending you will not expect. A prequel to the series which can be read alone is Dazzled by Silver.

Warning: This title contains erotic situations, and graphic language. Intended for adult audience 18+.
TeriLyn's thoughts: **Received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Layers Deep is between 3.5 to 4 Hearts for me. The story is intriguing. The writing is interesting and different from other books I've been reading. The author is very concise in her writing; not much is a mystery and you're not kept waiting in suspense until the end. The plot starts off slow in the beginning but really picks up through the middle. The book is on the shorter side, I was able to finish it in one short sitting. The writing flows easily enough moving from event to event seamlessly. Allie and Tristan are interesting characters, each tainted by their past. Allie meets Tristan very early on and their relationship progresses from there. Allie's seeking revenge and Tristan is on a life-saving mission and needs her help. The only mystery throughout the whole story is whether or not Allie and Tristan's relationship will withstand once the mission is completed. We are not kept in the dark about the revenge Allie's seeking for very long. Tristan's story was a bit confusing a first because while we learn what happened we don't learn why. Tristan's brother is a secondary character and his story confused me. The connection between he and Tristan's pasts is strange to me because I think there is more to the story that we don't know. There is a big cliffhanger at the end of this book that raises many questions. Overall, it was a good read and I'm definitely intrigued enough to want the second book right now.

Release Event & Giveaway: Sleeper

Sleeper by SM Johnson: A new heart should mean new life, not a living nightmare.

Mishca Richardson’s life is at an all-time high after her heart transplant. With new boyfriend, Ryder, the two of them have the perfect summer romance. Even the nightmares that have been plaguing her sleep since her operation can’t dull the high she’s on.

Things start to unravel as Mishca develops superhuman abilities. She does her best to hide them so as not to end up a science experiment in a lab. But she can’t ignore the instant attraction she experiences when she meets her university professor, Colin Reed.

Torn between the blossoming love and the obsession, Mishca must decide if she wants Ryder or Colin. But the organization responsible for her changes and her connection to Colin, is moving to secure Mishca for himself so that she can be the weapon he always intended her to be. If Mishca can’t resist her programming she’ll have a lot more to worry about than romance.

Title: Sleeper (Book I in the Toy Soldiers series)
Author: S. M. Johnston
Release Date: December 2, 2013
Publisher: Entranced Publishing, Rush
Genre: Upper YA/NA speculative fiction

Excerpt:
SOMEONE WILL DIE SO I can live. I’ve come to terms with that. It used to turn my stomach, how my donor might die, but now I’m used to it. It’ll most likely be a car accident or a drunken fall from a height, especially at this time of year, with all the end-of-school parties. But
not from illness or any other “natural” causes. A violent, painful death will be my savior. That’s how I will get my new heart.

I open my eyes and stare upwards, hoping the white, fluffy clouds that splotch against the blue sky will distract me from the images of people dying that flow through my head. I guess I’m not as used to the idea of getting someone else’s heart as I thought. The harsh Australian sun brings beads of sweat to my brow and a squint to my eyes. I swing my legs around and hoist myself upright on the stadium bleacher, looking out over the sports field. I readjust the singlet
strap that had slipped off my shoulder and try to think happier thoughts. At least I won’t be responsible for the person who dies so I can get a new heart.

Yeah, happier thoughts.

I let out a sigh. This is not how I expected to be spending my schoolies week, with my dad as he puts hopeful rugby league players through their paces. My friends are all doing the traditional, Aussie, end-of-high-school celebration with a weeklong party, but instead of Airlie or the Gold Coast, they’re all in Bali, where I should be. It’s the big party to start our summer holidays before we find out which university we’ve been accepted into. When Mum and Dad found out I was at the top of the transplant list, they vetoed my November plans in case someone croaks this week. So all my friends left, minus me. I know it’s because Mum and Dad care. They’ve proved time and time again that you don’t need blood ties to be great parents, or
overprotective ones.

“All right, boys. That wraps it up for today,” Dad calls out to the pack of sweaty guys. “Hit the showers, and I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

I do my best not to stare as the group heads towards me. Half of them are shirtless, their muscles glistening after the training session. Okay, so I’m staring. A cute, red-haired guy catches me looking and winks. So, I reward him with a smile. A guy from school, who obviously chose a potential sporting career over a party week, nudges Cutie Ginger and then shakes his head. I hold back a huff. I thought with the end of an era, I could have a fresh start, but my reputation
looks like it will haunt me beyond high school. Mishca the untouchable.

Dad lingers behind, deep in discussions with the managers and trainers, no doubt discussing the fates of the young men desperate to break into rugby league at a national level.

They were all trying so hard to get Coach Tom Richardson’s attention. If only I had that many guys chasing after me. I wipe the sweat that’s formed at the edge of my almost afro, before it trickles down my brow. Yuck. Finally, Dad makes his way towards me, leaving his entourage behind.

“So, any contenders in your latest batch of victims?” I ask, picking up my discarded copy of West Side Story. I’d been rereading my university audition piece, torturing myself on how I could have performed it better. I wish I had tried out for plays at school, but I was a closet actor, only performing in drama class for fear that somehow my weak disposition would get in the way.

But next year will be different. A new heart and new hope.

“There may be some. Tomorrow will be the clincher,” Dad replies, humouring me. He knows I’m not that interested in his latest player acquisitions. He puts his hand on my shoulder.

“I’ve got to grab some paperwork from the office before we go.”

“Sure thing,” I say to his back as he retreats up the tunnel under the stadium. I trudge behind him, my book clutched in my hand.With each step the tips of my curls brush lightly against my bare shoulders. It tickles and I regret agreeing with Mum to grow my hair out. I shove my hands into the pockets of my denim shorts and focus on the cool shade I’ll get once I’m inside.

My nose wrinkles the moment I step in the door. The whole place smells like dude, and not in a good way, but in the male equivalent of a stinky, wet dog way. I walk down the corridor and lean against the cool cement wall outside Dad’s office.

My heart transplant operation is like a ticking time bomb waiting to go off, only there’s no countdown to watch. Evil thoughts invade my mind again, only now about my parents.

Would they still have wanted to adopt me if they’d known I had a congenial heart disease, or in simpler terms, a hole in my heart?


Sharon is a writer from Mackay in Queensland, Australia who has short stories published in anthologies and was also runner-up in the Australian Literary Review's Young Adult short story contest with KARMA. By day she is a public relations executive and by night she writes weird fiction and soulful contemporaries while her husband, two sons and cat are fast asleep.
Social Media Links:

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/authorsmjohnston
Twitter: https://twitter.com/S_M_Johnston
Website: www.smjohnston.com
Blog: www.downunderwonderings.blogspot.comGoodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4019418.S_M_Johnston Goodreads Sleeper Page: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17837453-sleeper



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Book Highlight & Giveaway: Drowning

Title: Drowning

Author: Rachel Firasek

Series: Tears of Sin (#1)

Pages: 263

Published: October 26th, 2013 by Naedge Publishing

*Drowning is a New Adult Contemporary Romance suited for 18+ due to some violence, language, and sexual content* 



"I dare you."



Those words would change adrenaline junkie, Alice Harrison's life forever. She's a party girl that doesn't believe in love until she meets a man that only writes about it.



Seth James escaped his overbearing father and moved into one of the James family's vacant condos, hoping to create the music he loves in peace. But the fragile calm he's envisioned shatters when a tiny woman with a world full of energy bounces out of the elevator and nearly takes him out.



With the patience of a saint, Seth seeks the dark that keeps Alice from enjoying life. He challenges her to exorcise the demons in her past in order to discover the true meaning of love. But when the walls fall down, the hidden deceptions will bare the ugly truth about a woman drowning in sorrow and a man who may not know how to be her hero.

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In the hall, arms laden with musical equipment, four large and totally hot guys fill the space—Seth James leading the pack. He stops, drops the cymbal dangling from an index finger, and stares. His too bright gaze travels down my scantily, and very sweaty, clad body and back up. When our eyes meet, he grins. “Come to help?”

“No.” I have no idea what makes me do it, but I snatch his cymbal off the floor and carry it into his apartment. I’m asking for trouble, but can’t seem to stop myself. They follow me inside, jaws still slack. Okay, so I’m cute, but not worthy of jaws dropping. I plop it down on his couch and rush back to the door. Taking on Seth doesn’t scare me, but a crew of hotties is a little much.

His strong fingers wrap around my shoulder before I make it through the walkway. It’s not controlling or holding me back. His hand is simply resting on me. “Hey, thanks. I’m sorry if we…uh…interrupted your day.”

His words sound sincere and slightly slurred, and I can’t find it in my heart to be bitchy to the first guy in a long time that has only shown me kindness. I sigh and pivot to face him. “It’s not me I’m worried about. My sister is asleep.”

He glances at his watch and frowns.

“She’s recovering from an accident. So, if you don’t mind, keep it down in the halls.”

He leans forward. “Will do and I’m sorry.”

When he enters my personal space, my heart speeds up. His eyes stare into mine. I feel this incredible connection, like he knows my pain. Like he can see my guilt.

The distance between us seems to be shrinking, and I’m not sure if it’s me shuffling closer or him.

He snags the zipper on my jacket and runs it up and down. “Is she going to be okay?”

I pluck at a button on his shirt and glance up. “Eventually.”

His friends form a half-moon circle around him and gape at me. I flick a glance at each of them. They all have a very different style of dress, which only raises more questions about the man in front of me. “Am I the first girl they’ve ever seen?”

Blondie, with the coal lined eyes, on the left snickers. “In Seth’s apartment? Hell, yes.”

Seth elbows him, but grins.

The tall guy in a kind of hot-nerd ensemble leans over and shakes my hand. “Deacon. Would you like a beer?”

I eye the leering men again. “It looks like you started without me, and I’m not into gang-bangs.” I disengage the overlong hand play with the nerd and back away from the group. “G., I’ll catch you later.”

“Hey, wait. I’ll walk you back over.”

The hotties chuckle, high-five, and rib Seth as we walk toward the hall. He shuts the door to their gazes and catches my hand before I can cross back to my apartment. “Hey, are you going to tell me your name?”

“Nah, this is more fun.”

“Why?”

“I think you’re used to having your way.”

He smiles. “Maybe.” He leans against his door and crosses his arms. His smile slips into a smug grin I’d seen on so many rich boys in this city. He thinks he has me. “I’d like to have my way with you.”

He’s quite the talker when he’s sauced. Good to know. It’s nice to see his thoughts. “That’s the beer talking.” I step close, arch up on tip-toe, and tap a finger to his slightly parted lips. “A few hours ago, you didn’t have much to say. I’m okay with keeping this awkward tension between us. It’s all we’ll ever have.”

He scowls at that and twists the knob back to his apartment. “Whatever.”

Mission accomplished. I’d succeeded in pissing him off. If he stayed mad at me, then we could squash this weird attraction that we obviously both feel.

I grin. “Bye, G.”

His brows dip low, and I shove the door behind me, sagging against it. My breath swooshes out from between my clenched teeth. Damn, he is going to be trouble. I feel it all the way to my pinky toe.

A soft knock against my back drives home the point. I twirl and open the door before he disturbs Molly—or maybe because I’m not ready to share him with her yet. “What?”

He tucks a hand into the waistband of my shorts and hauls me into the hall, pulling my door shut behind me. “Where did you get that?” His gaze lingers on the small bump decorating my forehead.

I reach up and touch the sore knot. “Oh, I fell.”

“How?” He raises his free hand and traces the swelling.

I don’t even feel the careful prodding. No, my concentration is solely focused on the fingers tucked inside my shorts and only inches away from becoming way too familiar with me. “Um…I was doing yoga when you guys came down the hall.”

“And?” He tugs me closer. His thumb rakes a small path below my belly button.

Oh my. “Uh…I fell out of…of…my pose and banged my head on the floor.”

His eyes darken and those beautiful lips part. I want to snake my tongue across the bottom one to find out if it is as soft as it looks.

He winces and lowers his eyes to mine. “So this is my fault?”

I grab onto his wandering hand and pull it free of my shorts. If I didn’t, I’d be asking him for a wall orgasm in less than two minutes and random teasing and fleeing was a no go for me now. “No. It was an accident. Lighten up, G.”

“I don’t want to cause you pain.”

Wow, that feels like a loaded proclamation. “Okay. Well, keep the noise down, and we should be good.”

He drops the hand that had been rubbing away my bruise. Funny, I’d totally forgotten it. “I don’t want to cause you pain. It’s a personal thing.” A deep shudder races over him, and for some reason, I don’t think he is with me anymore.

“You didn’t. I’m fine.” I lift a hand and cup the side of his face, bringing his gaze to mine. It is the gentlest moment I’ve ever had with a man, and we’ve just met. “I’m not sure what this is, but I think I should go inside.”

He glances down the corridor, takes a deep breath, and nods. “Yes, you should.”

“Go play with your friends. Be men or whatever that means, and I’ll go back to my yoga.” I was going to need it after this.

He groans and drops his head back, his hint of an Adam’s Apple bobbing down the column of his neck, begging for my tongue to taste him there. “Did you have to bring that back to mind?”

I grin. “What? Me all hot and sweaty in contorted positions? Do you like that?”

He groans, and one side of his mouth slants up. “I have things to do and don’t need no-named neighbors distracting me.”

Rachel Firasek spends her days daydreaming of stories and her nights putting the ideas to ink. She has spent a dull life following the rules, meeting deadlines, and toeing the line, but in her made up worlds, she can let the wild side loose. Her wonderful husband and three children support her love of the written word and only ask for the occasional American Idol or Swamp People quality hour.

She has a philosophy about love. It must devastate or it isn’t truly worth loving. She hopes that you all find your devastating love and cling to it with all your heart! 

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Amazon Top 10 New Adult Books: December 1, 2013

These are the top 10 bestselling New Adult books as listed on Amazon.com at the time of posting! (Single titles only - No box sets.)


1. Damaged: The Ferro Family by H.M. Ward: Life sucks. And, as soon as Sidney picks up the pieces something always knocks her back onto her butt. It's never pretty, but this time is different. This time pretty isn't even the right word.

Peter is the personification of perfection. It's like he fell off his angel perch in purgatory, because let's face it--any guy that hot has got to be naughty. He was probably sent here to ruin her life.

Peter is beyond beautiful with his sexy blue eyes, dark hair, and toned body. Add in his charming wit and Peter is everything Sidney ever wanted in a man, but when things get hot and heavy Peter shows her the door. Sidney takes the walk of shame and leaves. It's the end of the worst blind date ever. Her life couldn't possibly reach higher levels of suckage, but it does.

The next morning everything comes crashing down. The insanely hot guy from last night, the one that saw her half naked, is teaching at the front of the class room.


2. Trouble by Samantha Towle: Mia Monroe is running. Running from a person she doesn’t ever want to find her. Running from a past she doesn’t ever want anyone to know. Desperate to find a future, that yesterday, she could only dream of having.

Jordan Matthews likes easy. Easy women. Easy life.

Then he meets Mia.

She’s damaged, troubled and has more baggage than any person can carry. But the more Jordan gets to know Mia-for the first time in his life-he finds himself wanting to try hard for something … for someone … for her.

And then life isn’t so easy anymore.


3. Forever, Jack (Eversea #2) by Natasha Boyd: This is the sequel to Eversea : a love story.

A feisty small-town girl and the Hollywood star who broke her heart

An all-consuming love threatened by fame

One last chance at FOREVER

Keri Ann Butler's life changed on the night she met movie star, Jack Eversea. She thought she knew a Jack that was very different to the man adored by fans the world over. In the wake of his betrayal and abandonment, Keri Ann has had to pick up and move forward with the life she was supposed to live and has put off far too long.

Suddenly Jack is back, and his explanations for why he left seem more and more plausible, and his declarations more seductive. But being Jack's latest tabloid accessory isn't on Keri Ann's career agenda, no matter how much she is attracted to him. And how can she can ever trust him again?

Jack knows he let the only 'real' thing that ever happened to him slip through his fingers. And his hands have been tied to try and stop it. Until Now.

Jack is now fighting to save his relationship with Keri Ann, even as his crazy life threatens to tear them apart. Again. The question is, can he convince her she can have it all? And have him? Forever?


4. The Edge of Never by JA Redmerski: Twenty-year-old Camryn Bennett thought she knew exactly where her life was going. But after a wild night at the hottest club in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, she shocks everyone-including herself-when she decides to leave the only life she's ever known and set out on her own. Grabbing her purse and her cell phone, Camryn boards a Greyhound bus ready to find herself. Instead, she finds Andrew Parrish.

Sexy and exciting, Andrew lives life like there is no tomorrow. He persuades Camryn to do things she never thought she would and shows her how to give in to her deepest, most forbidden desires. Soon he becomes the center of her daring new life, pulling love and lust and emotion out of her in ways she never imagined possible. But there is more to Andrew than Camryn realizes. Will his secret push them inseparably together-or destroy them forever?


5. Keep Me Still by Caisey Quinn: Layla Flaherty had the perfect life, or close to it. Until a stranger gunned her parents down right in front of her, leaving her with seizure inducing PTSD. After years of trying to pass as normal and failing miserably, she resigns herself to being invisible. But new to town Landen O’Brien sees her, and he likes what he sees. Much to Layla’s surprise, he doesn’t freak out when she has a seizure in front of him. He does the exact opposite, calming her until the tremors subside. But Landen has secrets of his own. Secrets that both bind them together and tear them apart.


6. All the Pretty Lies (Pretty Series) by M. Leighton: Her…
Sloane Locke has led a sheltered life. However, with a history like hers, she can understand why her brothers and her father want so much to protect her. She has gone along with it for twenty long years, but those days are over. For the girl who never makes promises, Sloane has made a pact with herself that things will change on her twenty-first birthday. So when the clock strikes midnight, Sloane strikes out to spread her wings and break a few rules.

Him…
In addition to inking skin, Hemi Spencer possesses many talents. Controlling himself has never been one of them. It’s never had to be. He’s lived a life of indulgence for as long as he can remember. Right up until tragedy struck. Now, he’s nothing but controlled. He’s a man on a mission, one who will let nothing and no one stand in his way.


7. Crash Into Me (Heart of Stone) by K.M. Scott: What would you give up for everything?

Tristan Stone was powerful, commanding, sex incarnate. And he wore it all so well. From the moment his mesmerizing gaze met mine, I had no choice but surrender to everything he was. His power. His decadence. His passion. He was all I never knew I needed.

He wanted to possess me, and I wanted to be his everything. All I had to do was accept what he offered. But everything has a price.

The world he gave me fulfilled my wildest dreams, but would that be enough when the past crashed into the present?


8. REBEL (The Rebel Series) by Elle Casey: Teagan Cross, college senior, rebel, and wiseass extraordinaire, goes from princess to pauper in a single phone call. Overnight, her life of privilege becomes one of survival, and no matter where she turns, it seems like the world is out to get her. She's not going to fall apart, though. She's a rebel and she's strong ... determined to live life on her own terms ... and nothing's going to stop her from getting things done and making things right. But when a twist of fate brings her to the doorstep of a different kind of Rebel, she's forced to figure out when something's worth fighting for and when something's worth letting go.


9. Fall Into Me (Heart of Stone) by K.M. Scott: The second book in the Heart of Stone series continues the sensual and emotional story of Tristan and Nina that began in Crash Into Me...

Wealthier and more powerful than most men his age, Tristan Stone merely has to give voice to his desires and whatever he wants is his. Money has given him the ability to say nothing and no one is beyond his reach.

Except for Nina. Stripped of her memory after an accident, she doesn't remember the man who loves her. Now he must find a way to show her why she fell in love with him, but the past is always just a step behind, threatening to take her away forever.

Unsure of everything about the past four years, Nina believes Tristan loves her. But will the secrets he holds tear them apart just when she needs him most?


10. Beautiful Disaster: A Novel by Jamie McGuire: The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn't drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.