Lori L. Clark's Blog, page 181

Spotlight Saturday: Antoinette Candela

Spotlight Saturday: Antoinette Candela, author of Breaking Elle

Ten fun facts about Antoinette:

1. I hated English in High School
2. I'm allergic to cats
3. I'm ticklish..everywhere and I hate it.
4. I love to watch scary movies but i cover my eyes when there's a scary scene. Don't ask.
5. I can't drink wine. It makes me sick. So i drink cosmos and martinis and do shots of patron instead.
6. Nickname is Nena
7. I played the clarinet for 10 years. I was a bit of a nerd in middle school.
8. I can't leave the house without fixing my bed.
9. I have a major shoe and purse fetish. (Don't we all)
10. I am scared of heights

Ten fun facts about Breaking Elle:

1. Based in Boston (Where I live)
2. Elle is the last 4 letters of my daughter name.
3. Elle is a runner like me
4. Elle is a NY Yankee fan and Dallas Cowboys fan (like me)
5. I used my favorite Boston locations, Newbury Street, Gypsy Bar.
6 Elle hates the Red Sox like me.
7 The Pierce Center is a teen center located down the street from my house
8. The track that Elle runs on is the same one that I run on.
9. Cane is the name of one of my favorite soap opera characters. Only natural to use the name in my book.
10. Elle loves the ocean.... LIKE ME.


https://www.facebook.com/pages/Antoinette-Candela-Author/338524812920607
http://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Elle-ebook/dp/B00EX6BDFS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1380119676&sr=1-1&keywords=breaking+elle
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17831233-breaking-elle?from_search=truehttp://antoinettemcandela.blogspot.com/

Giveaway & Review: Gentling the Cowboy

Gentling the Cowboy by Ruth Cardello: 

Tony Carlton knows trouble when he sees it—especially when it comes in the form of a gorgeous, innocent and very naked blond stranger dancing in his shower. When circumstances force his uninvited guest to spend the night, Tony decides that there are some home invasions he could get used to.

Sarah Dery is a frustrated writer who takes her twenty-fifth birthday as a wake-up call. She sets off for Texas thinking that a summer on a working ranch will finally inspire her. When one wrong turn leads her into the arms of a hot, broody cowboy, she’ll discover her spicy inner voice.

But is it enough? He says he’s not capable of love. Can she gentle this cowboy?

Emma's thoughts: I received an ARC of Gentling the Cowboys as part of the blog tour.

Ok, let me just start by saying that I loved this book, I was hooked and couldn’t put it down and didn’t want to put it down, was desperate to find out how it ended.

Sarah is a very likeable character, very kind and thoughtful, although at times I found her frustrating but that’s only because I wouldn’t let a man treat me the way Tony does at times and let him get away with it, he’d have to grovel a whole lot more I can tell you, lol.....Now, Tony the hot brooding cowboy who is broken and has issues as does Sarah, who I also found annoying at times but that’s only due to his past and understandably so....is one hot sizzling guy who knows exactly what to do with a lady in the bedroom department or even the tree department (lol), the sex scenes are so well written and very oooooooooo eeeeeerrrrrrr ;) I would quite like a cowboy for myself!! Aw and the ending...argh trying not to give anything away.....Amazeballs :)
I’ve tried to keep this review as spoiler free as possible as I’m not a fan of spoilers.... so all I’m gonna say is.......Read it for yourself, you won’t regret it.
This is the first book I have read of Ruthie’s and I’ll definitely be reading more....Congrats to you on an amazing book :)




Ruth Cardello is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She started her career writing about alpha billionaires and now has expanded to rugged cowboys. She lives on a small farm in Northern Rhode Island with her husband, three kids, two dogs, and two horses. If there is a happier place on Earth, she hasn't found it.


FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS AUTHOR | WEBSITE

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Cover Reveal: Destry

Expected Publication:  End of January 2014
Destry (Rough & Hard #1)by Lola Stark

Blurb
Rancher Destry Reeves is your typical country boy; he believes in hard work and the easy life. None of which he recognises in Amelia Highsmith. 
When a chance encounter involving a cow, a truck and a dark Texan night puts the two on a collision course, it's not long before the fireworks begin and the simple life is turned upside down.
The last thing Amelia expects is for a brute of a cowboy to get in the way of her new life. She's left behind a world of high class dinners and city lights in an effort to escape a life she never wanted.
Amelia finds herself in a world so far removed from home that it becomes impossible to break free without finding herself first.
Drawn together by an inexplicable attraction, Destry and Amelia must decide if such an unlikely pairing can ever survive.



About the Author
Lola Stark lives in Australia, Is an at home mummy with no filter raising a hoard of minions and a husband who sometimes appears not to have grown up. Lola has loved to read for as long as she can remember. When not wrangling the family she can be found sitting at her computer , writing, facebooking or just generally messing around.
Connect with Lola:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads



Lola is the author of Tattered Love (Needles Kiss #1)

Blurb
When ex-Special Ops bad-ass Mace walks into Needle's Kiss tattoo parlour, he never expected to find the girl who would turn his life upside down.

Hard as nails Scarlett has been unlucky in love: she’s been burnt, chewed up and spat out. Reluctant to have another relationship, can she keep her wits about her when hot-as-sin Mace walks into her tattoo parlor? Or will he break her down and leave his mark within her ink?

What starts out as a little fun, turns into something so much more.

Can Scarlett look beyond Mace's devastating past or will his demons come back to haunt them both?

Content warning: contains steamy, anywhere-goes sex, an alcohol induced embarrassing night out and two headstrong lovers taken on a whirlwind of crazy.



Purchase Links
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Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Storm

Expected Publication: 26th November 2013
Storm (Storm MC #1)by Nina Levine

Blurb
Life can be a bitch but love can get you through any storm.


Madison Cole’s family is the Storm Motorcycle Club. Her father is the President and her brother is the VP. She grew up surrounded by bikers, crime and violence. Two years ago she walked away from her family and the world they live in. Her soul was shattered, her heart was broken and she had an addiction she couldn't shake. She picked up the pieces and put herself back together. Now her family wants her back. The club is being threatened and they send a club member to return her home to safety; the one person that could destroy everything she has worked so hard to build.


Jason Reilly has sacrificed a lot for the motorcycle club he calls family. Two years ago he made the biggest sacrifice of all; he gave up the woman he loved for them. Now he is being sent to bring her back and he is conflicted. He thought he was over her but discovers their connection is as strong as ever. Their love was all-consuming, passionate and fiery. It was also their undoing and he doesn't know if either of them is strong enough to battle the demons that ripped them apart, to find love again. 


Madison and Jason are brought back together by a force out of their control; one that pushes them to a breaking point. Can they overcome their past and discover a love worth fighting for or will the harsh reality of their world finally and completely break them both?


EXCERPT
F*ck, she wasn't
going to make this easy for either of us.
I was convinced that Scott was handing me my balls on a plate by sending
me here. One look at Madison and I
wanted to shove them at her and get the fuck out of here. Christ, she was still as goddamn sexy as the
last time I laid eyes on her. I ran my
eyes down her body and took in the low-cut, short dress and fuck me heels; god
I loved those shoes and my dick twitched just thinking about wrapping those
legs around me.

“Can we talk
outside for a minute?” I asked.

She pursed her
lips and appeared to be assessing the situation before she gave me a curt nod
and said, “Fine.” And with that she grabbed
her purse, brushed past me and stalked towards the front door. I watched her ass sway as I followed her out
and told my dick to settle the f*ck down.
No way were we going there again; I was here for one reason and one
reason only.

Once we were
outside she reached into her purse and pulled out a cigarette. She quickly lit it and took a long drag. God, I hoped she was still sober; last I had
heard she was and she looked pretty healthy but the way she sucked on that
cigarette looked like a junkie fixing for their next hit.

“Scott told you
I was coming, yeah?” I asked, taking in the glare she had levelled on me. Yep, balls on a plate.

“No,” she
snapped, “He said someone was coming but he failed to mention it was you.” She looked like she was going to say
something else but took another long drag on her cigarette instead.

“Well, you’ve
got me until he pulls me back home so I say we make the best of a shitty
situation and put our crap aside.”

She took
another long drag on her cigarette, threw it down and ground it out before
scowling at me, “You’re a fucking asshole, J and for all I care you can go
to hell.”


About the Author
Nina Levine is an Aussie writer who writes stories about hot, alpha men and the tough, independent women they love. You won't find any whiny, spineless women in Nina's books and you certainly won't find any weak men. 


A warning though, you will find hot, dirty sex, lots of swearing, occasional violent encounters and men and women who live fast and love hard.


Nina's debut book Storm will be releasing in November 2013. It is based around the Storm Motorcycle Club and is the first book in an MC series.

Connect with Nina:  Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY
Nina is giving away 3 ARC's of Storm.These will be sent out the week prior to publication in November.


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Blog Tour & Giveaway: Schasm

SCHASM by Shari J. Ryan: When reality utterly fails you, there is always the comfort of the land of dreams. Chloe Valcourt, a tormented nineteen-year-old young woman, has for twelve years hovered between a daily life dominated by an abusive mother and an imagined alternate world that exists only in her mind’s eye. Can she keep track of which is real—and whether or not she is real, too? Schasm is the mind-bending young adult romance by Shari J. Ryan that mines the heart of darkness, where one young woman seeks light in her own shimmering daydreams.

A psychological condition has captured the body, mind, and soul of Chloe, and thrust her into the hands of probing doctors at the continued mercy of her tyrannical mother. As she struggles to break free of the grim life into which she was born, she continues to suffer the daily assaults from her mother and the dispiriting weakness of her dejected father. When Chloe unexpectedly finds herself drawn into a new, warm life abundant in love and romance with a kindhearted man named Alex, the escape at last gives her a happiness that she's never been allowed to feel. However, when hidden truths reveal a life that she cannot remember, Chloe finds herself lost between what is real and what isn't.

Blending extreme daydreaming, alternating realities, and multiple personalities, Schasm is a gripping tale that treads the thin line between a harrowing reality and the captivating terrain of an imagined world. As Chloe plays too close to the edge of insanity, her multiple realities clash, leaving her to question everything, including her own existence. Anyone who relishes a flight of fancy with richly drawn characters and surprising twists of plot will be immersed in the strange new world of Schasm, where nothing is at it seems.
Buy Links:
Amazon
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iBookstore
Kobo





Shari J. Ryan has always dreamt of becoming an author and finally decided it was time to pursue her lifelong aspiration by writing her debut young adult novel, Schasm. She has long nurtured a passion for art, reading, and writing, and those hobbies have become a mental escape from her busy life. In the past year, she has put her heart and soul into the creation of her novel, which has taught her that it is never too late and nothing is too hard. The author graduated with a bachelors of science degree from Johnson & Wales University and has written hundreds of articles for various online publications. She is married with two sons.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Book Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads 

Tour Wide Giveaway!

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Blog Tour & Giveaway: I Stand Before You

Title: I Stand Before You (Judge Me Not #1)

Author: S.R. Grey

Release date: September 2013

Age Group: New Adult

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Tour organized by: AToMR Tours

Goodreads

Amazon

Barnes and Noble


Book Description:

When it comes to tattooed bad boys, Chase Gartner is the real deal. Partying, engaging in meaningless sex, getting into fights---Chase indulges in it all during his late teen years, thus firmly solidifying his status as a heartbreakingly gorgeous but way-too-dangerous-to-trust guy in his hometown of Harmony Creek, Ohio. Then, following one fateful night of reckless decisions, Chase's actions finally catch up to him and land him in prison.

Now, four years have passed and Chase finds himself a free man. He returns to Harmony Creek, ready to pick up the pieces and start rebuilding his shattered life.

Things are off to a promising start when he meets Kay Stanton, a young woman with a tragic past of her own. Despite a powerful attraction, Chase and Kay are naturally hesitant to become involved. That's why friendship feels like the safest option. But when passions ignite and love blossoms, a relationship that is destined and meant to be can only be resisted for so long. When Chase and Kay finally succumb to their feelings they realize being together feels more right and true than anything they have ever experienced.

But their love is soon tested. Chase's wild past still haunts and tempts him, and Kay is keeping a secret that could tear them apart.

I Stand Before You is a journey of hope and forgiveness, coming to terms with the past and moving forward. But mostly it's a story of two damaged people who take a chance, open their hearts, and find true love.

New Adult/Contemporary Romance genres. First in a series.

***Warning: contains graphic sexual situations, drug use, some violence, and profanity***

Recommended for ages 17+

Kath's thoughts:  I Stand Before You (Judge Me Not #1)

My thoughts: I pretty much liked it at first. It was really a good start. Bad guy of the town Chase Gartner had my heart the very first I read his point of view and of course the goody good girl Kay Staton. Both have a heart breaking past that they wanted to be forgotten, to be erased and start a new life without the judgment.

I love (my boy) Chase Gartner thoughts it’s pretty much the thought of an ex-drug user, whose hopes and dreams are crushed by a sudden change in his past. You know, I really understand Chase for using drugs to be high, to get away even for just a while because his past is… just… sudden? I don’t know the right word to describe it but I really understand him. All of a sudden change in his family that it affected him to use drugs. And that was his mistake! For using drugs being, a bad-ass boy in his past but the past is past right? “As I stand before you, judge me not” and that was exactly what Chase Gartner needs. A person who will give him a second chance who will not judge him that he’ll repeat the same mistakes he has done in the past.

Then there’s Kay Staton a girl who hides her true self in Sunday floral dresses and cardigans, and doll shoes, a typical description for the girl next door right? But no, Kay also suffers from a wrecking past. A lost that she still blames herself every single time she could.

So basically what I’m saying is there’s two broken people in the past who found each other whole when put together. Find out their past and how they’d overcome it together and also don’t judge this book as a typical NA story because yes they’ll end up being together but no is wasn’t that easy for the both of them. Well as I said I liked the beginning of it but in the end I felt like there’s still more into the story, that should have been describe too, but it felt like it was rushed or then again maybe it’s just on hold for the upcoming book 2 titled Never Doubt Me

3 Hearts!






S.R. Grey is the author of Harbour Falls and Willow Point, first and second novels in A Harbour Falls Mystery series. She is also the author of I Stand Before You, first novel in the Judge Me Not series (New Adult/Contemporary Romance).

Ms. Grey resides in western Pennsylvania. She has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Robert Morris College, as well as an MBA from Duquesne University.

She is currently working on Wickingham Way, the third installment in A Harbour Falls Mystery series, to be released in January 2014, as well as Never Doubt Me, second novel in the Judge Me Not series.

Other interests include reading, traveling, running, and cheering for her hometown sports teams.


Author Social Media Links:

Goodreads

Twitter

Facebook

Website


Giveaway:

(1) $50 Amazon Gift Card - International
(5) eBook copies of I Stand Before You (mobi and epub) - International

Approx. value = $60 USD

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Strangers is On SALE!

STRANGERS by AL Parks: Bereaved bride Abby Clark is tortured by visions of the fatal crash that took her fiancée on their wedding day. She succumbs to a dark existence where loneliness, sadness and nightmares dwell; until handsome, brooding Bryce Holden walks through the door of her favorite coffee shop, wearing the same cloak of despair and grief. Abby discovers in Bryce someone who understands love and loss, and soon their close friendship grows into a deep love. But ghosts make strange bedfellows, and Abby is forced to battle the tormenting images that continue to haunt her, and confront the ethereal presence of a beloved wife to protect her future with Bryce.
Lori's thoughts:  I loved this book. I loved Abby. And who wouldn't want their very own Bryce? This book is about loss and proves that just when you believe you're destined to be alone for the rest of your life -- perhaps have even convinced yourself that's okay -- love walks though the door unexpectedly. It can happen anywhere, any time. Abby and Bryce are two broken people, trying to cope with the terrible tragedy of having lost the people they love, their soul mates, in separate circumstances. I think when love ends due to one or the other person moving on, it's different than when a loved one dies. This book is a reminder that when you least expect it, it happens. I laughed, I cried, and my emotions rode the same roller-coaster hills as Abby. Abby's relationship with her mother was like oil and water, and also very real to life. Bryce and Abby are two strangers who happen to meet in a coffee shop one Saturday morning. They become best friends -- first. Read this book! You will not be disappointed!

About the Author

A.L. Parks currently lives outside Washington D.C. with her family. They spend many hours exploring the area and the deep history of this beautiful land, while experiencing as much of life's wonders as possible. She has traveled abroad and lived in almost every corner of the U.S., and hopes her writing reflects various cultures, people, and places.


Author links:
Blog
Facebook
Twitter

On Sale for only 99c !!!

Book Review & Giveaway: Dark Wings

DARK WINGS (The Never Dark, #1) by Skyla Madi: Violet Ashton is an exemplary angel with ninety-nine kills under her belt.

Nothing could make her underestimate herself until she's sent to hunt down Death, one of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse. Or as Violet knows him--Lucas Cross, her ex-mentor and ex-lover. Defining the line between what her job requires and what her heart wants is the hardest decision she's ever had to make.

Lucas Cross is an angel turned demon.

The only thing he had to worry about was helping his brothers end the world, that was until Violet blew into town. From the moment he saw her again his normal self has fought hard to keep down the demon that desperately wants to kill her. Torn between love and hate, Lucas is determined to push all of Violet's limits.

The feud between the Never Dark realm and The Underworld is at boiling point and if Violet can't complete her mission Earth will pay the ultimate price.

AL's thoughts: Angels that live among us, and fight the demons we are unaware threaten our existence on a daily basis. Violet is one of these angels, sent to Earth to kill one of the Four Horsemen that seek to destroy Earth. Death, as he is now called, was once Violet’s mentor and lover, Lucas. Talk about drawing the short straw on assignments!

So, this was an interesting story. It was sometimes difficult to remember that Violet was an angel, since so much of her life, on Earth and in the Never Dark, where so, well, human. It was explained that she died, but she still ate food, breathed the air, could be killed with a knife… but she did have some kick-ass super human strength.

I really wanted her to be a little more conflicted, and dwell in the grey area of her relationship with Lucas/Death. It was either all on, or frigidly cold…there was no in between. Lucas – I loved! Which, without spoiling it, made the ending a total bummer…











Raffle Copter Code: (Ebook copy of Dark Wings {International})
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Book Review: Jane's Melody

JANE'S MELODY by Ryan Winfield: What boundaries would you cross for true love?

That's the question a grieving mother must answer when she takes in a young street musician to learn about her daughter's death and finds herself falling for him. A sexy but touching love story that will have you equally tantalized and in tears, Jane's Melody follows a forty-year-old woman on a romantic journey of rediscovery after years of struggling alone.

Sometimes our greatest gifts come from our greatest pain. And now Jane must decide if it's too late for her to start over, or if true love really knows no age.

Jane's Melody may not be suitable for younger readers due to sexual content.

Lori's thoughts: When I finished this book the other morning I was at a loss for words to describe it. It put me in a peaceful state of mind. A place, where I had been struggling to find for myself lately. I realize this book already has several reviews, but I just had to add mine to the mix.

I laughed. I cried. Seriously. I cried a lot. 

Mr. Winfield is the kind of author I strive to be. I loved this book. Seriously loved this book and really hope I can one day find my very own personal gardener. It's so much more than a love story. It's a very poignant story about love, loss, and following your heart in spite of all of the "logical" reasons why you think you shouldn't.

Time waits for no one. The heart knows what the heart wants, and no amount of trying to convince it otherwise will ever change that.

I would not classify this as a New Adult read, but I definitely recommend it!!!

Book Review: Unattainable

UNATTAINABLE (Undeniable, #3) by Madeline Sheehan: Warning: This is not a virtuous and tender love story. It’s chaotic, ruthless, and tragic. This story takes love and kills its innocence, steals away the pure moments, and crushes the hearts of the broken. A story born in childhood, tying one girl to one boy, leads to a destructive path—that hurts more than it doesn’t, that shatters more than it heals—testing the love that binds the two through a lifetime.

Tegen Matthews is the daughter of Dorothy Kelley, a club whore in the Hell’s Horsemen. A plain little girl, Tegen falls into the gritty world of the motorcycle club. When she meets a sweet, caring boy, she embraces the warmth and affection he shows her. Cage West is the son of the president of the Hell’s Horsemen. Tall and blond with deep brown eyes, as he grows up Cage realizes the power of his dimpled smile and smooth drawl. With one chance encounter, Tegen becomes forever tied to Cage. Following is a wayward journey that is filled with regrets, mistakes, and heartache, pulling at the threads that hold them together. Cage and Tegen fight hard but love harder, and in the end, what matters is where the journey takes one girl and one boy, who have been twined with one another since the beginning.

This is Tegen and Cage’s story.

Love doesn’t erase a broken heart, and it sure doesn’t change people. But no matter how old, how flimsy, how frayed the rope of love is, it keeps you tethered to the people you love.

TeriLyn's thoughts: Madeline Sheehan can do no wrong with me. The woman can write a phenomenal MC novel. Her writing is engrossing. The crazy love stories of Deuce and Eva as well as Ripper and Danny were so good and she's done it again!

Cage and Tegen's story was just as hard, raw, and crazy as the others but it works for them perfectly and it captivated me. They fight hard and love harder. Cage wears his heart on his sleeve while Tegen keeps her guarded. The passion they ignite in each other is evident every time they see each other. I forgot after what Cage did to her that they were once extremely close friends, always sharing a connection even as children. As Tegen starts to remember that friendship for what it was and sees Cage as he sees her, their relationship becomes a beautiful mess. They're both hard as nails. Their act-before-you-think attitudes are a whole lot of fun. Tegen's sarcasm is one of my favorite things about her. They both give as good as they get it. They have shaped each other throughout their lives, always parallel to each other. Their love is just as inevitable as their fighting; it defines them. As a side note about Cage, I feel it important to mention the love he has for his sisters and his step-mother. Eva and Cage have sustained a great relationship and he genuinely loves her and I love that about him.

Dirty and Ellie's story was just as powerful. The raw emotions elicited from the two of them about his past/present/future and her present were so full of hurt and despair. I was unsure about Dirty and Ellie from the teasers but they did not disappoint at all. At the beginning it seemed that these two were just so different, I could not see where this was going and I'm glad I couldn't, because their story was so different and emotional. They found something in each other that they never realized they could have. It was a thrill to read about their connection and how they both handled one another and moved forward.

All four of their journeys are so uniquely crafted they will make you hurt with them, laugh with them, and want to jump on the crazy train and ride away with them. Of course all the characters were as great as always. Getting glimpses of Ripper and Danny happy made me happy. Cox and Kami were as hilarious as always. The Dorothy, Jase, & Hawk saga makes me want Unbeloved so bad. ZZ's presence was quite a surprise and he will shock you, I'm so excited for his story. And of course Deuce and Eva, the reigning King and Queen, without them the Undeniable series wouldn't be. They're my favorite and I'm so glad we get see them in each of the subsequent stories. The world just wouldn't be the same without Deuce! Eva states it perfectly "from chaos, the strongest sort of love is usually born" and there isn't a more accurate statement for this series.