Lori L. Clark's Blog, page 174

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Better

Better (Too Good #2) by S. Walden: Their relationship has been exposed, and now their lives are changed forever.

For Cadence Miller, the fast track to adulthood proves intimidating and frustrating. She’s a little girl lost—abandoned by her family and uncertain of her future. She doesn’t think she “fits” anywhere. She’s eighteen. She wants to be older. And the result is both comical and heartbreaking.

Mark Connelly will do anything to provide Cadence a stable, loving home—to be her protector. But he’s just as broken and lost, and his heart won’t let go of his past so easily. He knows he should share his secret with Cadence. He should trust that she’ll understand. But what if she doesn’t? What if their love doesn’t grow stronger?

What if it doesn’t get better?






FOLLOW UP TO -Good by S. WaldenGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17801215-goodAmazon: http://amzn.to/18jbbEUPaperback: http://amzn.to/18NTMr4Smashwords: http://bit.ly/151En2rKobo: http://bit.ly/19yBwPlB&N: http://bit.ly/15lL4QkiBooks: http://bit.ly/HKMCKH
B&N: http://bit.ly/179PCaeiBooks: http://bit.ly/1envOIa
SaleGood will be on sale for only .99¢ to help celebrate the release of Better! Amazon only!Amazon: http://amzn.to/18jbbEU
GiveawayGRAND PRIZE:-signed copies of Good and Better- DJ Shadow's Endtroducing... CD-$15 Amazon gift card-$15 iTunes gift card1st RUNNER-UP:-signed copies of Good and Better2nd & 3rd RUNNERS-UP:-signed copies of Better
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Ginger Voight’s Birthday Bash GIVEAWAY!

Ginger Voight's Birthday Bash Sale, New Release, Scavenger Hunt & Signed Paperback GIVEAWAY!Make sure to check out all the Sales listed below - options for everyone!BEST DEAL: Two Complete Series (6 books) = Sale $9.99 for a limited time!! Join Ginger for her Birthday Scavenger Hunt - CLICK HERE - it is her birthday, but YOU get the prizes!The COMPLETE Groupie Trilogy by Ginger Voight!When Andy Foster met the sexy front man of an up-and-coming rock band, the most she could imagine was a steamy stolen night of passion. But her attraction to Giovanni Carnevale hit her like a bolt of lightning. Soon she was traipsing all over the country, an unintentional groupie, finding herself thrust into his path even when she knew it was a very bad idea. Over four years their romance would face indiscretions, crazed stalkers and the interloping paparazzi, keeping these star-crossed lovers circling around a happily ever after they could never quite catch.In the beloved "Groupie" trilogy by Ginger Voight, three books tell the passionate and angst-driven tale of Andy and Vanni. Now, "Groupie," "Rock Star" and "Mogul" are available in one volume that tells their story from that first meeting in Philadelphia to an explosive conclusion on the opposite coast.This is your backstage pass to find out why readers, reviewers and book bloggers have fallen for a love story that was never supposed to happen.
The Complete Groupie Trilogy (all 3 books) - $5.99 Groupie/Rock Star Bundle - $1.99 Groupie - Book #1 - $2.99 Rock Star - Book #2 - $2.99 Mogul - Book #3 - $3.49 NOW AVAILABLE (Release: Nov. 19th)The COMPLETE Fierce Trilogy by Ginger Voight! Fierce: The Complete Trilogy contains all three books in the series: Fierce, Unstoppable and Epic. These books are a spin-off of the best-selling GROUPIE trilogy by Ginger Voight. As such, many characters you already know and love come back to help Jordi tell her coming-of-age story, all against the exciting, glittering backdrop of fame and celebrity.Eighteen-year-old Jordi Hemphill had a dream. It was much bigger than she was ever encouraged to have because it was much bigger than those around her thought she deserved. These perceived limitations were all directly tied to her double-digit figure. When she finally realizes she has reached a dead end in her small Iowa hometown, Jordi makes a break for the bright lights of Hollywood. And that's where the fun begins.Her audition tape fortuitously lands in front of media mogul Graham Baxter. Jordi is cast on a new reality show called "Fierce." As a show billed to find talent outside of the picture-perfect pop idol machine, Jordi joins a cast of irregulars and nonconformists to vie for her opportunity to win over America and become the newest singing sensation.It is the first of many instances where Jordi gets exactly what she thinks she wants, only to find it was nothing at all like she could have ever expected. Instead she finds herself on a two year saga to make all her big dreams a reality, fighting unexpected antagonists all along the way. Her true antagonist, however, is herself. The only thing bigger than Jordi's dream is her sneaking suspicion that everyone else is right... that she doesn't deserve to be happy, to be successful... to be loved. It takes a cast of colorful characters to show Jordi that ultimately the only key to success is self-acceptance, whoever you are, whatever you have and whomever you love.Fierce - The Complete Trilogy (all 3 books) - $5.99 Fierce/Unstoppable Bundle - $1.99 (Sale of the Week) Fierce - Book #1 - $2.99 Unstoppable - Book #2 - $3.99 Epic - Book #3 - $3.99
GIVEAWAY (provided by Brandee's Book Endings)SIGNED Paperback - Winner's Choice of Groupie OR Fiercea Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Event: Ayla

In the blink of an eye, Brooklyn is torn from Ryder's arms and thrown back into her own world...



Vowing to find a way back to Necoh, she goes to dangerous lengths and embarks on a deadly mission to find her love and help him destroy Grishma once and for all.



Lives will be lost, trust will be shattered, and secrets will be revealed...



Will Brooklyn find Ryder?



Will they finally put an end to Grishma's murderous reign?


Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble

Come and celebrate with Kelly Anne Blount on Tuesday November 19th from 7-9 pm EST!! We will have tons of fun games, and some cool prizes.

Stalker links
http://www.kellyanneblount.com/https://twitter.com/KellyAnneBlount
http://pinterest.com/kellyanneblount/http://www.amazon.com/Kelly-Blount/e/B00BSKKA5Q/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Hope to see you all there!!












Brought to you by the Release Day Diva

Cover Reveal: Walk Into Me

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance

Expected
date of release: December 2, 2013
Add to your shelf!


















I know I will never get over her. Watching her walk away with him ripped my heart out and left it bleeding on the floor. But I can’t hide anymore. I have to face my life without her.
Brad has been in love with Lisa for as long as he can remember. One night years ago they took each other’s virginity but while it was the best night of Brad’s life, for Lisa it was a way to forget about Bobby. Or was it?
Brad re-emerges right when Lisa needs him most. Only Brad knows everything about her and when Lisa’s insecurities come to the surface the shoulder Lisa needs is Brad’s. Now Brad has to decide if he has it in him to trust his heart.


I walk through the door into the crowded house, looks like the gangs all here and then some.  I look around and see all my friends but the person who sees me first is her mom, “Brad! So good to see you,” she hugs me, “Lisa will be so glad you’re here. She’s missed you.”
I don’t know what to say to that. I know that Lisa loves me like a brother but I want so much more with her, “I’ve missed her too.” It’s the truth, staying away has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I even took the boat over to Fire Island for a couple of weeks hiding out at my sister’s summer house. She was not happy about that until I started to fix the outside shower. Now she tells me I can use it anytime I want as long as I fix something each time I’m there. Her husband can’t fix shit, damn Ivy League pretty boy.
I turn back toward the party and suddenly Lisa is in my arms kissing my cheek and holding me tight, “Don’t do that again,” she tells me. “I missed you too much.” She is running her hands over my shoulders and through my hair and if I don’t get her off me soon she will know exactly how much I missed her.
I release her and put my hand in the pocket of my jacket, “Happy Birthday Lisa,” I pull out her gift and hand it to her. She smiles up at me but keeps her hand on my arm like she doesn’t want to let me go. Maybe she does feel more than friendship towards me.  I look into her eyes and hope she can’t see how much I want her.
She looks down at the box in her hand then back up to me, “Do you want me to open this now?”
I want to see her reaction but I don’t want an audience, “No later, after the party.”
“Does that mean you will stay ‘til everyone leaves?” her smile widens.
“If you want me to,” I can’t say no to her, I never could.
Then he comes up behind her pulling her back to him and extending his hand to me, “Brad, good to see you.”
I know he is staking his claim but he doesn’t have to remind me that Lisa is not mine. I have known that for a long time, “Bobby,” I can’t bring myself to say more than his name. I really want to yell at him to get his hands off of her but he has every right to touch her. She is his.

There's still time to read book one of the series:

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I live in Northern New Jersey. I am a wife and mother of two girls. 

I have been an avid reader my whole life, I cannot remember a Sunday afternoon that did not include my parents reading. We had a huge bookshelf in our den with a diverse set of authors like Ayn Rand, Stephen King, Mario Puzo & Danielle Steele. 

I have always had ideas and characters running around my head but it took a few good friends to push me to start putting them down on paper. 

I hope you enjoy my musings. Please feel free to contact me I would love to hear from you.

Amazon Top 10 New Adult Books: November 17, 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. 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.


2. REBEL, a New Adult Romance Novel (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.


3. 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.


4. Eversea by Natasha Boyd: When his co-star and real-life girlfriend is caught cheating on him with her director, A-list hottie, Jack Eversea, finds himself in sleepy Butler Cove, South Carolina. Jack hopes the sultry southern heat in this tiny coastal Lowcountry town will hide him not only from the tabloids and his cheating girlfriend, but his increasingly vapid life and the people who run it. He doesn’t count on meeting Keri Ann Butler.


5. Text (Take It Off) by Cambria Hebert: One text can change everything. Honor Calhoun never thought her life would ever be like the books she writes for a living. One morning while out for a run, she learns not all bad things are plots in novels. Some horrors can actually come true. She faces off with a persistent attacker, holds her own, but in the end is taken hostage and thrown into a hole. In the middle of the woods. But Honor didn't go down there alone. She took her kidnapper's phone with her. With a spotty signal and a dying battery, her hope is slim.


6. The Arrangement 11 (Ferro Family) by H.M. Ward: Sean Ferro is my addiction. I can't tell him no, no matter what he asks for, and I know there are so many dark questions behind those blue eyes, so many things he wants me to do with him. When I watch him go down on one knee, with his sexy body covered in sand, and hold up a glittering ring, I can barely stand. It looks like he's going to propose, and I know exactly what I'm going to say.


7. Beautiful Broken Mess (Broken, Series #2) by Kimberly Lauren: When life's always been a mess, can you still turn it into something beautiful?

Jace Riley’s close connection with his identical twin brother, Jaxon, is put to the test when he tries to choose between keeping his promises and following his heart. Is this girl that still haunts his dreams, even after four years, really worth it? Jace can’t help but wonder if he made a huge mistake all that time ago when he let her walk into someone else’s arms, especially since that someone was his twin.

Audrey Mills often wonders at what point she should throw her hands up in defeat and allow all of the horrible circumstances of her life to overtake her. Despite the demons she has faced, however, something inside her won’t give in. When she leaves her small town in Texas to attend college in California, Audrey runs into the one guy who could make her or break her. But is the past they share too painful for them to overcome?


8. Treasure Your Love by J.C. Reed: Meeting Jett was like a drug. Dangerous. Addictive. And better forbidden. In his game, there's a high price to be paid. But how much is too much?



Brooke Stewart, a realtor in New York, was never in love until she met the green-eyed, sexy as sin, six foot two sex god, Jett. The man to whom she surrendered. The man who hurt her once only to conquer her heart again.



Sexy, handsome, and arrogant Jett Mayfield knows he has found his match. Brooke is like no other woman he's ever met and he has every intention of keeping her in his bed.

Their future seems full of promises...until the past is catching up with them and dark secrets threaten to destroy their lives. Soon they realize that to love means to lose, and some choices are harder than others.

When everything comes crashing down, can mistakes be amended...or will he lose her forever?


9. Escaping Reality (The Secret Life of Amy Bensen) by Lisa Renee Jones: At the young age of eighteen, tragedy and a dark secret force Lara to flee all she has known and loved to start a new life. Now years later, with a new identity as Amy, she's finally dared to believe she is forgotten-even if she cannot forget. But just when she lets her guard down, the ghosts of her past are quick to punish her, forcing her back on the run.

On a plane, struggling to face the devastation of losing everything again and starting over, Amy meets Liam Stone, a darkly entrancing recluse billionaire, who is also a brilliant, and famous, prodigy architect. A man who knows what he wants and goes after it. And what he wants is Amy. Refusing to take "no" as an answer, he sweeps her into a passionate affair, pushing her to her erotic limits. He wants to possess her. He makes her want to be possessed. Liam demands everything from her, accepting nothing less. But what if she is too devastated by tragedy to know when he wants more than she should give? And what if there is more to Liam than meets the eyes?


10. Sweet Home by Tillie Cole: At age twenty, Molly Shakespeare knows a lot. She knows Descartes and Kant. She knows academia and Oxford. She knows that the people who love you leave you. She knows how to be alone.

But when Molly leaves England's grey skies behind to start a new life at the University of Alabama, she finds that she has a lot to learn—she didn't know a summer could be so hot, she didn't know students could be so intimidating, and she certainly didn't know just how much the folks of Alabama love their football.

When a chance encounter with notorious star quarterback, Romeo Prince, leaves her unable to think of anything but his chocolate-brown eyes, dirty-blond hair and perfect physique, Molly soon realizes that her quiet, solitary life is about to dramatically change forever.

Cover Reveal: Beautiful Failure

Title: Beautiful FailureAuthor: Mariah ColeGenre: New Adult RomanceExpected Release Date: December 12, 2013YouTube Video Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D61-vaYmKfU

SynopsisIf you're looking for a heartwarming story about a girl who falls deeply in love with a troubled boy who changes her life— a sob story with pretty metaphors and a million ways that'll tell you how "broken" she is, STOP. Don't read another word of this.

I'm not that type of girl.

My name is Emerald Anderson and I'm not going to bullshit you: I flunked out of college after my sophomore year, I've been fired from every job I've ever taken, and I've never had a fully functioning relationship in my life.

I wish I could say that I had a cheerleader in my corner, someone who says, "No, Emerald—You're great and you are good at something!" but I don't. My grandparents are completely oblivious to my life, and my mother's dying words to me were "You're going to end up just like me one day. A beautiful nothing."

She was right.

As I decide to start my life over and take two jobs that will forever change me--one from the inside, and one from the outside, I keep my mother's words close to my heart so I can keep the sexy and mysterious Carter Black away.

He's the first man who's ever pursued me, the first man who seems bent on finding out why I am the way I am, but he's wasting his time.

I'm not broken. I don't need to be fixed. I'm perfectly fine being a beautiful failure..

Prologue*subject to change before publication*My mother was a whore.

Her name was Leah Isabelle Anderson—“Leah Belle” for short, and she was one of New Jersey’s most sought after escorts.

With deep green eyes that could take any man’s breath away, and skin so porcelain and smooth that it looked too perfect to touch, she was breathtakingly beautiful. Often compared to a supermodel, her raven black hair fell past her shoulders, and her naturally long eyelashes were always coifed to perfection.

Growing up, I had no idea what she did with the men who picked her up in their shiny and expensive cars—the men who wore thousand dollar suits and patted me on the head while saying, “Your mom is really something special.”

In a way, these strangers became the closest thing I had to a family since I never knew my father: Her regulars, Christian and William, sent me gifts every Christmas. Arnie bought me my first bike, Steve taught me how to change a tire, and her most ruthless suitor—Vincent, took me shopping for designer clothes once a month.

Leah Belle—she never ever let me call her “mom,” wasn’t exactly a mother to me; she was more like an older friend. An older ‘I’ll-be-there-when-it’s-convenient’ friend.

She missed every elementary school play, every middle school writing competition, and never gave a damn about my grades. At first, the involuntary loneliness bothered me, but after I created an army of invisible friends and easily accessible fantasies, I came to terms with her neglect and happily accepted any attention she was willing to give me.

When I became a teenager, she started to hang around me more often—promising that she would do better, promising that she would make sure that “from here on out, [we’d] be best friends.” Since she’d run away from her parents after having me at sixteen, she made a point to never lecture or discipline me. But, she did teach me three very important lessons:

1.) “Always put tons of effort into the way you look. You need to be beautiful on the outside, no matter how fucked up you are on the inside. If you ever feel sad or depressed, suck that shit up and add more mascara.”

2.) “Don’t make friends. Make sponsors. If you can’t get anything out of someone or use them for a specific purpose, kick that person out of your life ASAP.”

3.) “Beauty wins over brains every time. Your body will always be your most important asset. Remember that.”

For my fourteenth birthday, she poured me my first shot and offered me a short line of coke, saying, “Welcome to life, Em!”

I shook my head at the coke—I’d read about the effects, but I happily took the red shot glass from her hand.

“To the best fuckin’ daughter in the world!” She lifted her glass in the air, waiting for me to do the same, and then she ordered me to toss it back.

The initial burning sensation was painful—disgusting, but in the years to come, that bitterness tasted better and better, and I looked forward to the two of us drinking together. It was the only time that she gave me her undivided attention.

In those moments, I would tell her about another writing competition I’d won or how I’d received more early college scholarships. When it was her turn, she would tell me about “turning tricks” like other parents told their kids about a day at the office.

“I can’t tell you how weak Ben’s dick was today,” she’d say. “I mean, I feel like I should be charging him double for the weak ass fucks he puts me through.”

“You don’t enjoy it with him? Ever?” I’d ask.

“No. Never with him. But he’s a sponsor, I’m getting his money, and that’s all that matters. I just lie there, scratch his back, and say ‘Harder… Harder’ to make him think I’m into it until—”

“Until he cums?”

“Yep.” She’d pass me a cigarette before sighing. “With him and a few others, I usually have to take a few shots beforehand to numb my mind. With the really good ones, all I have to do is relax. Sex can be fucking incredible when it’s done right…”

One particular Friday, after she let one of her regulars take me shopping for a Chanel bag, I unlocked the door to our home and saw droplets of blood all over the floor.

“Leah?” I set my shopping bag down. “Did you get another nose bleed?”

No answer.

I headed into the kitchen, looking for her usual remedies—hot tea and Q tips, but she wasn’t there.

“You here?” I walked around our living room and checked all the rooms upstairs. Confused, I pulled out my cell phone and called her.

No answer again.

I shrugged and opened a bottle of vodka, tossing back a few shots. I figured she’d left with one of her sponsors for a quickie and would be back by the time our favorite show started.

I decided to take a shower before it came on and headed into the downstairs bathroom.

The second I hit the lights, my heart fell out of my chest.

I wanted to believe that what I was seeing was simply a sick joke by my imagination—a twisted fantasy I’d snap out of in seconds.

Pale and blue, Leah’s body lay lifeless in our tub. Her left arm was dangling over the edge, and the small velvet bag where she kept her cocaine was dangling from her fingertips.

Scattered across the floor were hundreds of prescription pills and empty orange bottles that bore the names of strangers. On the vanity, there was an empty syringe and a folded note that read “For my Em…”

Trembling, I rushed to her side and pressed my finger against her neck, hoping for a pulse.

Nothing.

I tilted her head back and tried to breathe life into her—pressing her chest with my hands every few seconds, but it was no use.

She was gone.

I sank down to the floor in tears—cursing her, hating her, for doing this to me. To us.

I had no friends to call, no family either, so in my numb and dazed state I somehow managed to call 9-1-1. While the operator attempted to calm me down by asking me to take deep breaths, I walked over to the vanity and unfolded Leah’s last note:
Em,I know you’re confused right now, but I want you to know that I love you. I love you so fucking much… You were the only thing that made my life worth living, and I wish I was strong enough to keep that in mind…I’m not.I’m tired of living a lie and I haven’t been happy in a very long time… I just can’t take it anymore…I’ve fucked up a lot of things in my life, but the biggest regret I have is the way I raised you…I’m so sorry… This is going to be hard for you to believe—especially since I’m gone, but I need you to forget all that shit I taught you. Right now.Fuck using your looks to get what you want. Go to college and do some good shit with your life, like write or something. You’re a good writer, you’re very smart, and you need to use your brain to get ahead. Can you promise to do that for me, Em?Then again…It’s probably too late and I’m willing to bet that you’ll end up just like me: A beautiful nothing…It won’t be your fault though. It’ll be—

I stopped reading and flushed that note down the toilet. Her last words were clearly written out of sadness and they were only compounding my pain.

As far as I was concerned, Leah had raised me the best she could and she was far from a “beautiful nothing” in my eyes. In fact, I cherished every single thing she’d taught me.

Even though I was beyond hurt that she’d selfishly left me all alone, I was determined to remember her at her best and for everything she was to me:

My mother.

My best friend.

My role model.





About the Author

Mariah Cole is a Starbucks addict (hazelnut shots please!), New Adult author, and an incessant daydreamer. Known for pushing the envelope, she’s an avid reader of indie books and is always looking to chat with readers and authors alike.


Connect with MariahAuthor Goodreads | Author Facebook | Beautiful Failure Goodreads
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Cover Reveal: The Return

The Return by AL Parks: Eve Carlisle had a singular purpose - sell the rustic house nestled in the Colorado ski resort town.

Tortured by her husband’s betrayal, the beautiful divorcee refused to give her heart to another man. But Jake had been a happy surprise, with his mesmerizing blue eyes, warm smile, strong but gentle nature – as well as being incredibly sexy.

She had convinced herself the relationship with Jake was nothing more than a fling. After all, she had a life in Newport, with society friends and a lucrative career as a family court judge. Still, Jake had a definitive hold over her, and she was finding it hard to think clearly where he was concerned.

The demons of prior failed marriages haunt them both, and threaten to end things just as they are beginning. When Jake tells Eve he is falling in love with her, Eve refuses to believe it can last. Returning to Newport, the hollowness of her existence exposed, she must confront her fears before she loses Jake forever.

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Come to Me Softly

COME TO ME SOFTLY by A.L. Jackson has a cover and we get to share it with you today! Isn't it gorgeous! Read all about Book 2 in the Closer to You Series coming SUMMER 2014!!

Title: Come To Me Softly (The Closer to You Series, Book 2)Author: A.L. JacksonExpected Release Date: Summer 2014Genre: New Adult RomanceCover reveal organized by: Shh Moms Reading, Literary Mania Reviews, and Brandee’s Book Endings

SYNOPSIS
From the New York Times bestselling author of Come to Me Quietly comesa scorching new adult romance in the Closer to You series.
A second chance at life… A second chance at love…

Jared Holt never thought he deserved either—until he found both in the arms of Aly Moore. Aly has loved Jared for as long as she can remember, and she’s more than ready for the future they’re making together. But Jared can’t help remembering his own family. And he’ll never forgive himself for what happened to them. How can he allow himself the very happiness he once destroyed?

To live a life worthy of Aly, Jared knows he has to stop running and finally put his past to rest. But when he decides to face his demons head on, he encounters more than he bargained for: a dangerous mix of jealousy, lies, and dishonest intentions. When those intentions threaten Aly, Jared loses all control, giving into the rage that earned him his bad boy reputation years before. And he’ll fight to protect her no matter what it costs…even if he destroys himself in the process.


EXCERPT

I gasped when strong. arms wrapped around me from behind. Then I melted when he buried his face in my neck. Jared spun me around and pressed me up against the cool metal of my car door. His hands were on my face, in my hair, slipping down my sides before he brought them back up to force me to look at him. “Thank you.” Desperation poured from him, his hold increasing as he stared down at the shock I felt lining my face. “Thank you for fucking believing in me, Aly. For getting me.”

Fear lashed across his face. Or maybe it was remorse. He swallowed hard, his voice hardened with strain. “I’m scared to think of where I’d be right now without you.”

That fear that had flashed on his face coiled in my stomach. Because I didn’t know where he’d been. Had no idea where the last three months had taken him. How far. How low.

I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

“You’re here with me now.” I had to believe that was all that mattered.

He grimaced. Gripping my face, he leaned down and kissed me, hard and demanding. There was no soft affection, none of the playfulness from upstairs. This was a seal. A branding. He jerked back. A storm raged in the blue of his eyes. “Don’t think I can’t see all those questions burning in your mind, Aly. And I may not have all the answers right now, but we are going to figure this out. Do you understand me? I promise you that.”

And I saw it all there, the torment that plagued Jared, this beautiful man who had lost his way, the one desperate to find his way home.

Join us for the COME TO ME SOFTY Cover Reveal Party happening all day today! A.L. will be hanging out talking books, boys, and giving away a ton of special prizes from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm MST! Join the Party HERE!!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of Take This Regret and Lost to You, as well as other contemporary romance titles, including Pulled, When We Collide, and If Forever Comes.

She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children.

Look for Come to Me Quietly and Come to Me Softly coming soon.


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Book 1 - Come to Me Quietly releasing January 7, 2014 Synopsis
Aleena Moore is content with her life. She has goals and dreams and an easy smile. She also has a secret she holds locked inside.

Jared Holt believes he doesn’t deserve to love or be loved. He destroys everything he touches. Haunted by the mistake that shattered his life, he’s fled from the memory of that pain.

Jared doesn't know why he’s compelled to return, but finds himself drawn back to the place where it all began. The exact place where it ended. When he runs into his childhood best friend, Aleena’s older brother Christopher, he agrees to share Christopher and Aleena’s apartment while he looks for a place of his own.

Aleena is no longer the little girl Jared remembers from his past and evokes feelings in him he never wanted to feel again. Terrified of destroying her, he fights to keep her away. But her touch is something he can’t resist—the touch that sealed his fate.

Their pasts are intertwined and their futures uncertain. The only truths they know are the secrets they whisper in the night.

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Book Blast: The Art of Letting Go

The Art of Letting Go by Anna Bloom

New Adult Contemporary Romance

393 pages; Published September 25th, 2013

One year. One woman. One Diary. One question: can you ever stop history from repeating itself and if you could what would you do to stop it?

When Lilah McCannon realises at the age of twenty-five that history is going to repeat itself and she is going to become her mother—bored, drunk and wearing a twinset—there is only one thing to do: take drastic action.


Turning her back on her old life, Lilah’s plan is to enrol at university, get a degree and prove she is a grown-up.

As plans go, it is a good one. There are rules to follow: no alcohol, no cigarettes, no boys and no going home. But when Lilah meets the lead singer of a local band and finds herself unexpectedly falling in love, she realises her rules are not going to be the only things hard to keep.

With the academic year slipping by too quickly, Lilah faces a barrage of new challenges: will she ever make it up the Library stairs without having a heart attack? Can she handle a day on campus without drinking vodka? Will she ever manage to read a history book without falling asleep? And most importantly, can she become the grown-up that she desperately wants to be.

With her head and her heart pulling her in different directions can Lilah learn the hardest lesson that her first year of university has to teach her: The Art of Letting Go?

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16th
September   6.00 a.m.    Holy shit!
My head.There are no words. Just pain.
Pounding. Pounding, pain. Why? Oh why? Oh why?Oh yes,
that’s right. Champagne, Tequila, Beer, Wine.That would do it.Oh, God, the pain!Water would be very good right now, but water means keeping my eyes open and using my legs, and I know that is going to hurt even more. Too much too cope with. My mouth feels like the Sahara with no oasis in sight. I would do anything for an Oasis right now, or an Evian. Who am I kidding? I would do anything for tap water right now.I wonder if I can crawl myself to the bathroom and just lay in the bath with my mouth positioned under the tap for an hour. I wonder if the other girls got home okay?I cannot for the life of me remember anything. I have just woken up in my bed. I am just thankful that it is my bed. Wait a minute. How did I even get home? I have no recollection of the walk across campus or the however many flights of stairs it is to the dorm, and I most certainly do not remember entering my room and getting into bed.Shit.I am definitely in my room, so that is good. My unpacked boxes are still scattered around and I can see remnants of last night’s whirlwind dress-up scattered where I left them. Wish I had not bothered.I have just peeked under the duvet. I am also dressed, which I am pleased about, considering. As slowly as I can manage without causing my brain to bleed or eyeballs to fall out, I sit up. I need to get out of the tangle of silk dress and cotton sheets, which are cutting off the blood supply to my legs.Honest to god, I think my brain may be about to explode. There is a searing pain above my right eye, and a steady banging located in the back of my skull. It may be my brain attempting an escape.Okay. That’s strange. There are three bottles of water lined up in a row next to my neatly placed shoes. Where the hell did they come from? Meredith, perhaps? Nope. It's no good. I need to lie down again. I sat up way too soon.    The Fresher’s Ball  7.00 a.m.OH, FUCK! Oh no, no, no, no, no.I can’t believe it! I have woken up and can now remember the Fresher’s Ball, in all its high-definition 3D glory. This is all I can remember of how I broke every single one of my Uni rules. I am going to write it down and then I am going to forget about it until the day I die, which may very well be later today. The Fresher’s Ball completely rocks, but this may be because I break the ‘No Drinking’ rule by consuming:
Half a bottle of champagneThree tequila shotsThree bottles of beerThree glasses of water (to keep a balance)Two glasses of wine  Note to self: This amount of alcohol causes significant pain and memory misplacement.   Halfway through the evening, the room is spinning in an alarming fashion and I am using the wall as a support. I would like to move away from it and dance with my roommates, but I am scared that: A. My legs will fall off, or B. I will be sick. So instead I just stand and lean, sipping some more water.The live band is great, though unfortunately I have to look at them through one eye. If I open both eyes, everything gets a bit blurry. The lead singer is damn hot: tall and slim with a shock of dark hair and flashing blue eyes that I can see all the way over from my safety spot against the wall. Ha ha! If I open both eyes there are two of him!One eye, one singer. Two eyes, two singers. One eye, one singer. Two eyes, two singers.I think he may be glancing in my direction, but cannot be sure. Maybe he is just working out if he needs to get someone to call an ambulance for me. Oh no! I probably look like I am winking at him. I am such an idiot!I decide to head back to the bar and get another bottle of water. Without a backwards glance at the stage—let’s be honest I am in no condition to be glancing anywhere—I make my way to the bar. Froebel college is an old mansion house made up of a rabbit warren of rooms that I stumble my way through until I find where they have hidden the bar. Once there, I attempt to communicate with the barman for a bottle of overpriced water. Sipping my drink, I turn from the bar, but someone is blocking my path back to the exit. I look up and see a pair of blue eyes twinkling down at me.Ah, pretty, blue sparkly eyes like the sky at midday. I appear to be completely at a loss for words. Again. A dark head lowers to examine me closer. “Ben,” he introduces, holding his hand out to me, his blue eyes crinkling. On closer inspection, I see they are surrounded by the cutest freckles I have ever seen.“Lilah,” I respond, taking his hand. I don’t shake it, I just hold it. That is so not cool.I hope I am not still looking through just one eye. “You’re the singer guy, right?” At least my tongue still works.He flashes me a wicked smirk. “Singer guy, I am,” he replies, his hand still holding mine.I have no urge to move away.“You’re the girl in the knock out white dress,” he adds. I have nothing to say to this, but he laughs all the same. “Would you like to go outside for some fresh air?” he asks, leaning forward slightly and talking right into my ear. His warm breath sends shivers down my arm and various other places. “I shouldfind my friends,” I say. I don’t want to. I want to follow the blues outside, but there is a teeny tiny part of my inebriated brain that knows this may be a bad idea.“Come on, Lilah.” He tugs at my hand, and my willpower crumbles like a sandcastle in the tide and I follow him without a second thought.   I Will Not Talk to Boys . . .Much  Hold on a minute. It gets worse.Outside, he takes a crumpled packet of cigarettes out of his jeans pocket. I cannot help but focus on his hand sliding into the tight space of his dark blue jeans. I am a dirty pervert.He offers me one, and I automatically accept. Well, that is a pile of Crap!I have broken all four of my cardinal rules within twenty-four hours of starting Uni. Well done, Delilah! I offer myself an imaginary clap on the back.“I wasn’t winking at you, by the way.” I assure him.“What?”“Um, nothing.”“So you here as a guest or a student?” he asks, leaning in and lighting my ciggie for me.“Student,” I reply, attempting not to slur. He lifts an eyebrow at this. “Yes, I know I am old!” I retort. I should just walk away but my legs are not responding to any command my brain makes. Apart from the one that instructs me to stand there like a dick.“Hardly.”
The blues hold mine.“Twenty-five is pretty old compared to all the spring chickens in there.” I motion my head to the hall behind me full of dancing teenagers. Motioning of head is not such a great idea. My vision is about 5 seconds behind.“I’m twenty-five,” blue-eyed Ben informs me.“Oh.”“So what are you studying?” He is standing really close, very close indeed. I seem to be staring at his lips as he speaks, they are all I can focus on. Everything else is blurred or doubled. I take a long drag of my cigarette.“History,” I tell him, waiting for the laugh. None comes. “So, have you been with the band long?”“Ten years.”“Wow! That’s a long time.” It really is. “Yeah, I guess.” He throws his cigarette away and I follow suit. He still does not move away from me. This guy obviously does not follow the rules of etiquette regarding personal space.  “You don’t recognise me, do you?” Of all the questions I am expecting, this one is not it. “No. Should I?”“I played at a Christmas party last year. You were there.” I stare at the blues as he speaks; they are a little mesmerising. Let’s just hope I have my mouth closed.I remember the band now, and I vaguely remember him. Well, not him exactly, but something about the colour blue. John had been a complete arsehole that evening, not leaving me alone for a minute. It had been suffocating and in the end we had left early. The evening was so bad I have forced myself to never think about it again.“Sorry,” I offer. I kind of am.“I think I prefer the white dress to the red.” What?! He can remember the dress I was wearing nine months ago! I am about to say something . . . anything . . . Then he is kissing me: his mouth warm and firm on mine. WHAT ON EARTH AM I DOING? It should be strange, but it is not as strange as you’d think. I automatically lean in and slide my hands into his black hair, pulling him down closer. His hand grazes down my back and over my left butt cheek. I am not complaining though. Nope, no complaints here. None at all.Just like that my knees start to go. His arms slide around me holding me up and I think he may be chuckling, but I am not sure. It is hard to hear anything above the roaring in my ears. This is the point I realise I am going to be sick all over a complete stranger I have just snogged.“I think I should help you home,” he says into my ear.“What? No way! If you think I am going to let you take me home so I will have sex with you, you’re sorely mistaken! I am not some gir—” My words are cut off by his lips. I try to protest but soon give up. It is not the most convincing protest I have ever made. I have protested more over cold toast.“I am not taking you home so I can take advantage of you,” he says after finally pulling away so I can gasp a breath. “You are really rather drunk and I think you should let me help you home,” he continues, a smile playing on his lips. He is probably right. I can barely stand up, though I am not sure if that is through lack of oxygen whilst kissing or from too much booze.“Besides,” he says with a twinkle of blues, “when I do have sex with you, I would rather you were a little more sober.” I start to protest again but his arms lift me up and throw me over his shoulder in a very unflattering fireman lift.“Where do you live, Lilah?” he asks. He is never going to knowdoes not have a clue. To my immense surprise he just starts striding off across campus. I try to think of ways to get down, but in the end just give up and stare at his rather tidy arse as my eyesight starts to go black.  This is all I remember.So kill me now.I can’t believe that I got drunk enough to snog a stranger, even a hot one. What a complete bloody idiot. I may never, ever leave this room again. Ever.I am going back to sleep. Hopefully when I wake up I will realise that this has all been a hideous nightmare.




Anna Bloom is a contemporary romance writer who writes about life as it happens. Combining a busy schedule of looking after two small children whilst working in a local school and completing The Uni Files series she also spends a lot of time imagining kissing hot guys – all in the name of her art.


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Book Review & Giveaway: Fearsome

Fearsome by S.A. Wolfe: Jessica Channing’s big city life should be more exciting than sixty-hour work weeks and popcorn nights with her girlfriends, but it’s not. She has worked hard fulfilling her role as a child prodigy and graduating college years before her peers. She’s the good girl, the brilliant girl.

Unfortunately, she’s also the dateless young woman.

That all changes with one phone call. Jess’s rigid, predictable life upends when she must visit a small, obscure town to deal with a relative’s death. This isn’t just any little speck of a town, though. Long lost memories come crashing down on Jess’s world when two men, the Blackard brothers, seem to lure her in.

Dylan is cover model handsome, and pursues Jess the minute she comes to town. Then there is tall, dark and gorgeous Carson, who hides his own secrets behind his hardened reserve.

For someone who has been governed by her own obsessive behaviors and fears, Jess lets her guard down and jumps at the opportunity to have an affair with a man she actually finds attractive for a change.

There’s just one problem. Jess discovers that she can’t have a simple romantic fling because true passion does indeed come with some very big strings attached to it. She will have to own up to her own truths about love and face the two extraordinary men; both troubled in their own ways and both determined to have her.

Genre: Romance
This novel contains graphic sexual content and strong language. It is intended for mature readers.

Kath's thoughts: Well… It’s my second book that I've read about a prodigy and also about siblings being in a love triangle, but that book was about two sisters fighting over one guy. Also this book helped me overcome from a book hangover and trust me when I say that I find it hard reading a new book after having a book hangover. What I’m saying is… that I love this book because it catches my attention; it pulled me from being hungover from an emotional book. Then when I found that this book is also about a love triangle between two brothers I was like “Oh hell no! This isn't like The Vampire Diaries where Damon and Stefan fought over Elena” but in the end, even there’s a sibling rivalry over Jessica Channing, it’s not like the others. Meaning I find it unique, amazingly written, plotted and well described.

Jessica Channing skipped the whole part of fun in being a teenager because of her being genius, and of course it’s also because of her uptight parents so she didn’t exactly enjoyed her so called ‘life’ it’s always just about school, graduate, work and all those complicated IT thingy that nerds can fix. So when her Aunt passed away, her whole life kind of changed. She was informed that her Aunt’s last will and testament left her everything. So in an instant she had to leave her ‘city life’ in New York and go to this small town where everybody knows everything.

Then there are the Blackard brothers, her long lost childhood friends. Dylan and Carson *sigh* those two hotties! Yes! HOT brothers! Well one thing for sure is that they’re both hotties, eye candy men material but still totally different characters. Dylan welcomed Jessica will all his hospitality well okay more like with his flirting while Carson acted like an uptight brother who lectures her everything what to do or not.

So basically is the story is about a girl torn between two brothers which one to love, but hey I liked that Jessica really thought of not getting with the other after her break-up with the other (okay, figure out who is who) and what I honestly liked about this book is that it didn’t let me get angry with Jessica because there’s an acceptable reason why she got confused with her choices between the Blackard brothers. All in all I understand Jessica, Carson and most especially Dylan. I loved those three amazingly different characters.

OH! And let’s not forget the good news Fearsome is on sale OOHHHHYEAAAHHH!!! .99 sale! So grab your copies now!






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