Lori L. Clark's Blog, page 59

Giveaway & RDL: Heart-Shaped Hack

When Kate
Watts abandoned her law career to open a food pantry in Northeast Minneapolis,
she never dreamed it would be this difficult. Facing the heartbreaking prospect
of turning hungry people away, she is grateful for the anonymous donations that
begin appearing at the end of each month. Determined to identify and thank her
secret benefactor, she launches a plan and catches Ian —a charismatic hacker
with a Robin Hood complex—in the act.
Ian
intrigues Kate in a way no man ever has. But after learning he’s snooped around
on her personal computer, she demands retribution. Impressed with her tolerance
and captivated by her spirit, he complies and begins to slowly charm his way
past her defenses. Time spent with Ian is never boring, and Kate soon finds
herself falling for the mysterious hacker.
But Ian
has enemies and they’re growing restless. In the hacking world, exploiting a
target’s weakness is paramount, and no price is too high to stop an attack. And
when Kate learns exactly how much Ian has paid, she’ll discover just how strong
her love is for the man who has hacked his way into her heart.


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© 2015 Tracey Garvis GravesHeart-Shaped Hack EXCERPT


“Oh, hi,” she said.

“Imagine running into you here.”

“This is quite a coincidence.”

“It’s not a coincidence at all. I knew you were following me.”

“You did not.”

“I spotted you hiding behind the plant when I walked into the bank. Plus I could smell your perfume as soon as I stepped out here.”

“Did you”—she used her fingers to make little air quotes—“appropriate money from this bank?” she whispered.

“Of course not. I do all my work from the Batcave. Believe it or not, I actually bank here. I was just signing some papers.”

Kate had never seen a man look so utterly scrumptious while wearing glasses. There was something about the combination of his hair, his scruff, and the semi-rimless designer frames that made him irresistible. “Are the glasses a disguise? Because I totally knew it was you.”

“The glasses are real. I often suffer from eyestrain since I spend so much time on the computer, and I was up late last night, working.”

“They make you look very smart.” She took a moment to imagine how his scruff would feel rubbing against her skin if he were to kiss her.

“I am smart, but I think you mean devastatingly handsome. More so than normal, that is.”

“You’re so humble.”

“Ready?” He walked to the door and held it open for her.

“Yes.”

“Follow me.” He looked at her and laughed. “That shouldn’t be a problem for you.”

They took the elevator to the basement, and when the doors opened to the parking garage, Kate followed Ian to a row of cars. He stopped beside one and pulled a set of keys from his pocket.

She gasped.

Ian smiled. “It’s a—”

“1964 Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe.”

“’65. But color me impressed.”

“My brother Chad was obsessed with this car. He used to have a poster of it on his bedroom wall. There were only six built between 1964 and 1965.”

“A bit rare indeed.”

The last authentic Shelby had sold at auction for around seven million. Ian’s was obviously a replica, of which there were quite a few, but it was still a very notable vehicle with a price tag that started in the low six figures. “Helena called it an old blue car.”

He grinned, looking contemplative. “Technically, that is correct.”

Kate could not resist running her hand lightly over the Guardsman Blue paint and the white racing stripes on the hood. The Shelby was unmistakably race-car-like in appearance with its aerodynamic design and unique body style. Chad was going to be so jealous. “For someone who values his privacy, isn’t this a bit ostentatious?”

“How so?”

“Rakishly handsome playboy who makes grand philanthropic gestures and drives a flashy car. Any of this ringing a bell?”

“Rakishly handsome playboy?”

“Well, if the Prada loafer fits. Wouldn’t you fly under the radar more easily in, say, a Ford Focus?” she asked.

“A Ford Focus? You want me to tool around town in a Ford Focus? Jesus, would I still have my balls?”

“No, they cut them off when they hand you the keys. Of course you’d still have your balls. What kind of question is that? This conversation has gotten way off track.”

“You mean because we started out talking about my car and now we’re talking about my balls?”

“Are we?”

“I believe so.”

“Maybe we should go back to talking about your car.”

“You want to drive it, don’t you?”

“Why would I want to drive your car?”

“Why wouldn’t you want to drive my car? Can you handle a stick shift?”

“Yes, and rather competently I might add.”

“That’s an enormous turn-on. Truly.”

She pretended not to hear him. “This is not a good car for Minnesota winters.”

“Horrible, I agree. My other car has four-wheel drive, but it’s not nearly as fun to operate as this one.” Ian dangled the keys in front of her.

He was right. Kate was dying to drive his car and couldn’t wait to see how it handled. She took the keys, opened the door, and reached over to unlock the passenger side for Ian. They belted up, and she started the car.

“Please note that I’m already making good on my promise, Katie. Because I assure you, driving this car will be the opposite of boring.”


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Tracey Garvis Graves is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author. Her debut novel, On the Island, spent 9 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, has been translated into twenty-seven languages, and is in development with MGM and Temple Hill Productions for a feature film. She is also the author of Uncharted, Covet, Every Time I Think of You, and Cherish. Tracey loves to interact with her readers and can be found on Facebook and Twitter.
Goodreads      Amazon Author Page

Cover Reveal: 21

Title: Twenty-One (21)Author: Clarissa WildPublication Date: October 7th, 2015Genre: Dark Romance (18+)

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25143793-twenty-one

Synopsis



21 years

On her 21st birthday she’s taken. Collected by a rich family as an unpaid debt. Her body sold. Her mind his.

21 weeks

For 21 weeks she carried a burden no girl should ever have to carry. Now she loses her freedom to a man born to destroy her.

21 days

His name: Angel DeLuca. His mission: to break her in 21 days before she sees through his lies. But she won’t give up without a fight.

21 minutes

It takes only 21 minutes for their lives to be forever entwined.

21 seconds

21 seconds to spill. Time is running out.



Secrets ruin them … but not all truths are worth the price.



This is a STANDALONE Dark Romance novel. WARNING: contains explicit situations, dubious consent, graphic violence, drug abuse, and other disturbing content.




Exclusive preorder on: iBooks



Excerpt:
(Copyright 2015 Clarissa Wild. Unedited. Subject to change.)
Day 1

Sky

A
never-ending darkness shrouds me, the surrounding void like space, swallowing me whole. Eyes open or eyes shut, it doesn’t make a difference to the vast emptiness around me. It seeps into my bones like poison, clouding my mind from the memories that I had.Where am I?My body feels cold, and my limbs solid, like they’re not mine. I notice myself breathing, however. The only thing I hear is the steady, rhythmic beating of my heart. The only sound in this dark hole. Thud, thud … thud.For a moment I doubt my own existence.Who am I, even?A drop of water falling onto a surface pulls me back into reality. I’m here, but how?My fingers tighten and relax in an attempt to regain control. My muscles feel stiff, but slowly the sensation is returning to the tips of my fingers, giving me a small bit of hope that I might find out what happened to me.With slow movements, I let my hand slide only a few inches, but it’s enough to determine that I’m lying on a concrete floor. My head begins to hurt and every passing second the pain increases. I move my fingers to my head and touch the back of my scalp. The searing pain stops me and tells me I’m wounded.When I touch my face I gasp. There is a bag over my head with a hole near my mouth and nose through which I can breathe. For a second, I contemplate removing it, but then I realize they might be watching me.A buzz moves through my body, bringing life back to my limbs. And even though I’m regaining my sense of touch, my vision is still impaired. However, my eyes feel fine as I touch them, so it must be the lack of light.I push my elbows underneath me and lean up. A sudden queasiness overtakes me, causing me to buckle and heave. I puke on the floor beside me, which surprises me, because I hardly ever puke.I tally up the sensations that I’m feeling. Nausea, loss of motor skills, buzzing nerves, botched memory … it all leads to one conclusion: I was drugged.Stabilizing myself on the floor, I focus on regaining control over my body before moving again. This place is unfamiliar to me, and I dig into my mind to find clues as to how I ended up here. The pain that’s slowly creeping to the surface of my skin distracts me, but I still manage to catch a glimpse of a memory in the back of my mind.Men with black masks and fire weapons dragging me out of a room. A cloth with a sharp odor pushed against my mouth. Drowsiness engulfing me. A big SUV, also black, doors sliding to the side. A blow to the back of my head. All lights went out.My skin pricks with anxiety, and I shiver to shake off the fear. It doesn’t help, because I know deep down that there is more to come.There is one question in my mind that can’t help but repeat itself. Why me?This is the single question every victim of abduction asks.Except, I already know the answer.It was only a matter of time before they came for me.My papa once told me that goodness always comes at a price. Now more than ever, do I realize the truth in his words. However, I don’t regret making the decision for even a second.Now, I’m here in a darkness so deep it consumes me whole.And still the light of rebellion sparks inside my heart, fueling a fire I haven’t felt before. An uncontrollable need to defy whoever is keeping me here.But I will wait. Lying in the cold, harsh, emptiness of this space, I will await my captor’s arrival and take whatever he’s going to give me. Punishment. Pain. I’ll endure it all.Because that’s what a good person does when they’ve made their choice.They bear the burden of their choice, because it’s the only thing they can do.

***

I don’t know how many hours pass before a noise wakes me. I can’t remember when and how I fell asleep, but I must’ve been very tired from the ordeal. A metallic door is slid open, a crack of light splitting through the opening. The burlap bag over my head makes it difficult to see, but when I narrow my eyes and focus I can still determine where I am.Only now do I see how small my cell really is.The vast emptiness I thought would overwhelm me, turns out to be not much more than a bedroom-sized cell. A quick look at the walls reveals iron rings of all shapes and sizes, used to hook a chain around and snare whoever needs to be contained and subdued.In other words; me.Squinting, I watch as a man steps inside, and I focus solely on his presence. Even though the door is open, and freedom is luring me on the other side, I stay put and watch. No matter how much I’d try, I’d never be able to flee. Not like this, with my muscles weak and my body aching. There are probably a bunch of guards waiting outside, wondering whether I’m going to try anything.So I won’t. I’ll sit right here on this cold, hard concrete, observing my captor as he walks into the room with a certain aloofness. His feet are bold, his body brawny, his face hiding behind a Guy Fawkes mask. If I weren’t so scared, I would’ve pondered why he chose that specific mask to conceal his identity, but now is not that time.His footsteps sound more like sand scraping off a harsh surface as he circles
around me like a snake ready to attack its prey. The door is left open like a silent seducer, a tool to entice me to run. I look up at my captor, giving him a deadly stare, and even though I can’t see him, I know he can feel the determination in me.I won’t let myself be tempted to flee like a wounded deer.Not when I know that this is merely a distraction, like a lollypop being dangled in front of a child while the adult knows full well he’s never going to give it to the child, and the child knows he can never reach far enough to grasp it.I refuse to be that child.My captor walks some more, and then returns to the door to close it.His experiment failed.I control my emotions.He doesn’t know who he’s up against.In the darkness I hear him come closer, the only sound being his steady breath and soft steps. He’s still testing me. Seeing if I’ll give in to the fear. Alone with him, the predator, in a cage filled with blackness. But I’m not afraid of the dark.My soul has already been tainted and defiled. Nothing he does can hurt me. I already went past the breaking point once … and I survived.“Up.”The sound of his voice suddenly breaking through the façade makes me take in a breath. It’s familiar and yet so unknown, the way he speaks to me with full authority, resoluteness resounding in every spoken letter, even if there are few.I crawl up from the ground, slowly, steadily, maintaining my posture. My aching back and pounding head won’t stop me from attempting to keep my dignity as I stand up straight and stare ahead.My captor’s steps are everywhere, resounding in the darkness like echoes that disappear into the night. He’s confusing me, and I try not to concentrate on the sound, but on my own heartbeat instead.Suddenly, he’s right in front of me, and the air is sucked out of my lungs. I struggle not to let my breath come out in short gasps, but I won’t let his tactics work on me.His breathing sounds like that of a bull, short and loud, as if he’s readying for charge.But he doesn’t move. He just stands there, gazing at me.“Do you know where you are?” he asks with a low, gruff voice that brings goose bumps to my body.I compose myself before I answer. “No.”“Good.”I can hear a faint smile behind that word, but the second my eyebrows move, he puts his hands on my chest and shoves me. I fall down backwards on the hard floor, bruising my groin.After a while, he says. “Do you know why you’re here?”I don’t answer. I refuse to. Why would I? He is only here to intimidate and hurt me. There’s no benefit for me in answering his questions. As a matter of fact, I think he owes me some answers instead.“Why am I here?” I ask.He’s silent for a few seconds, and then a smug laugh is dulled by the mask.“Bold. I like that.”“Who are you?” I ask, putting emphasis on every word as if they’re the last that’ll come from my mouth.He muffles another laugh. “Who am I? I am the man who will break you.”I shake my head, still lying on the floor as if I’m taunting him. Maybe I am. I want him to speak, and for that to happen, I have to be the one asking the questions, not the other way around.“Where am I?”“Where you belong,” he growls, and then he takes a step forward, grabs my arm, and pulls me up from the floor.“Why—”Smack. His hand hits my cheek, silencing me.“You do not talk unless spoken to.”My head is still to the right, as I refuse to look at him. I will not bow to his violence. If he hits me, my body will remain rigid, unmoving. Not an inch of pain will exude from me.“You may be wondering why you’re here, but you’re forgetting the most important question. What have you done to be here?”My lip quivers, so I force it to stop. I can’t show weakness. Not now, not ever.He grabs my chin. “You don’t seem to remember, so let me refresh your memory,” he says. “You stole something. It’s time to give it back. You have twenty-one days to come up with an answer.” He pulls me closer with a pinch. “Lie and I’ll know. Do you understand?”I nod while blankly staring at his mask. If I’m to obey to survive, I’ll do just that, but no one can take away my pride.He let’s go of my chin and pushes me away. “It’s time for you to pay back what you owe.”Fear ripples through my veins. “Pay what back?” I say, taking a step forward.He shoves me so hard my back hits the wall and the air is ripped from my chest. I sink to my knees against it.“Don’t think I will go easy on you. Just because I know about you, doesn’t mean I won’t rip you apart if you don’t tell me the truth.”“What truth?” I gasp. “What do you know about me?”He turns around, but waits, standing still in the darkness with only the sound of ragged breaths filling the room.“You tell me,” he says, his voice softer than before, almost as if he himself doesn’t know the reason.Frowning, I look up at him, and for some reason the way he cracks his knuckles feels so familiar.But then the feeling immediately disappears as he starts walking toward the door.“Wait, you haven’t told me why I’m here yet. How am I supposed to know what to tell you?”I can hear him knock on the door. Then there’s a pause. “Oh … you’ll now soon enough.”The forewarning brings chills to my skin.The door opens with a squeak and in comes the blinding light again. It’s so bright, my captor’s clothes almost look pale as snow. But then I realize that’s only because I haven’t seen light in such a long time … and I won’t be seeing it any time soon.The last words he speaks remain with me for the rest of the day, echoing in my mind over and over again. “Welcome to your own personal hell.”



Author

Clarissa Wild is a New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author, best known for the dark Romance novel Mr. X. Her novels include the Fierce Series, the Delirious Series, and Stalker. She is also a writer of erotic romance such as the Blissful Series, The Billionaire's Bet series, and the Enflamed Series. She is an avid reader and writer of sexy stories about hot men and feisty women. Her other loves include her furry cat friend and learning about different cultures. In her free time she enjoys watching all sorts of movies, reading tons of books and cooking her favorite meals.
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Cover Reveal: Finding Bliss

BOOK & AUTHOR INFO:
Finding Bliss by Cassie Strickland
(The Bliss Series, #1)
Publication date: September 18th 2015
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Synopsis:
Clara
One phone call was all it took. A voice on the answering machine, a man oblivious to what calling me would do, uprooted my entire existence. He revived old hurts, dug up past nightmares. He destroyed everything I’d built for myself.
But I found bliss through Grey, in Grey.
Grey
I had no idea that making a simple phone call, one that devastated me because of the reasons behind it, would make me question my truths, my friendships, everything I held dear in my little town. Calling her was the best and worst decision I’d ever made, but it brought her to me, to Bliss.
And I could never take that back.
Finding Bliss is a story about redemption, of love, of finding true, irrevocable bliss. It’s about new beginnings and the heights you can attain during them.
Not intended for readers under the age of eighteen due to language and sexual situations.


Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26005424-finding-bliss

AUTHOR BIO:Cassie Strickland lives in East Texas with her husband, her daughter, and her Jack Russell terrier. With the support of her family and friends, she recently changed her career path to something new and exciting, something she loves to do - writing.

Author links:http://www.cassiestrickland.com/https://www.facebook.com/cassiesbookshttps://twitter.com/CasStricklandhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7830109.Cassie_Strickland

RDL: Capture

Losing your ability to
speak at the age of seventeen; it’s not normal or fair. But trauma, has a way
of throwing normality out the window.
Dani lives anything
but a normal life. Her sister is married
to one of the biggest names in Hollywood. Her best friends are
rockstar duo AD2.And she has more love
around her than most people experience in a lifetime. But that doesn't
change the fact their parents are dead. Or that it's her fault.




It seems her new
normal is being a mute, living on the inside, unable to actually communicate on
the outside. That is until
Hollywood’s newest heartthrob Lincoln Greene hires her as his assistant for the
summer. He's gorgeous,
completely unavailable, and unobtainable.But that doesn't stop
her from wondering...if things were different...would he want her?

If she was whole, would he be the other half? 


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EXCERPT
“Finally!” Jaymeson
pointed at both of us. “Lincoln, show her to her mark. Dani, for this scene
you’re simply staring at him like you want to eat him. Think you can do that?”I nodded.Any woman could do
that.Most men too.“Cue music!”
Jaymeson called out. “Action.”A techno mix of
AD2’s latest song filled the air as the extras started dancing around us. I
stayed glued to the wall while Lincoln delivered his lines to Pris, and then he
lifted his head, meeting my gaze.It’s just a movie.
It’s just a movie.The breath left my
chest on one slow exhale as he moved toward me, his body making fluid
purposeful movements through the crowd.My lips parted; my
entire body felt heavy as he approached.He stopped in front
of me, his forehead grazing mine as he leaned in a few inches. Our breath
mingled as the music and scene faded around me.“Cut!” Jaymeson
yelled.Holy crap on a
cracker. I almost experienced my first stroke — at seventeen.“You okay?”
Lincoln’s eyebrows knit together in concern.I licked the
lipstick from my lips and nodded quickly.Jaymeson approached.
“Time for the kiss, remember kissing, not hockey. Clearly, you were confused
earlier.”Lincoln gritted his
teeth and let out a little groan.I patted his arm and
grinned, my way of encouraging him. He seemed to pale more.My stomach sank.Maybe it was me.I was the problem.Not the kiss, but
me. If he’d had trouble kissing my gorgeous sister, how was he going to be able
to kiss me?“Hey…” Lincoln
cupped my cheek. “… focus on me, nothing else, alright? It’s only us.”I nodded.“You ever been to a
party?”I rolled my eyes.“Ever made out with
a guy at a party that wasn’t your boyfriend?”I thought about it
then slowly shook my head.“So that’s what this
scene is about. It’s about a guy seeing a girl from across the room and wanting
her so badly that he’s willing to cheat on his own girlfriend for just one
taste. Granted, he’s supposedly drunk and high, but that just takes the romance
out of it, doesn’t it?”He released my cheek
and stepped back. “Imagine you’re trying to attract me, make your body as
inviting as possible. Hell, just stand there and look at me, and you’ll sell
it.”Sell it. I repeated
the words in my mind.I could do that.Because I wanted him
to kiss me.It made my heart
beat faster.My blood pump
harder.And for the first
time since my parents’ death, I was actually excited about something. Nervous,
but excited.“Okay,” I mouthed.I must have
surprised him again because his eyes darkened, and then he grinned. “One day,
Dani. One day I’m going to hear my name coming from that gorgeous mouth of
yours, and I’m not going to be held responsible for my actions… damn the
consequences.”My breath hitched.“Quiet on set! And
action!”There was no
warning. Suddenly, Lincoln’s mouth was fused against mine, no teeth, just his
soft lips pushing, prodding, moving slowly back and forth until his tongue slid
through and made contact with mine.Heart racing, I
opened my mouth enough to deepen the kiss as heat washed over me.He groaned and dug
his fingers into my shoulders then slid his hands down my back and gripped my
butt. I let out a squeak of surprise as I flicked his tongue with mine.“Cut!” Jaymeson
yelled.I kept kissing.So did Lincoln.His chest brushed
roughly against mine; my breasts ached at the sharp contact. I let out a little
hiss at the exact time Linc let out a groan and nudged his knee between my
legs.“Cut!” Jaymeson
yelled again.Slowly, Lincoln
pried himself away from me, chest heaving.“Good enough,” said
Jaymeson.“No,” Lincoln argued
without taking his wild grey eyes off me, “I went off script. We need to do it
again.”“The hell you do,”
someone mumbled. I wasn’t surprised to see Demetri glaring daggers at Lincoln’s
back. Alec was next to Jaymeson, giving him an earful. I noted the strong tick
in his jaw.“Fine.” Jaymeson
waved them both off. “We’ll do it again.”“Take two, and
action!”This time the kiss
was slow, languid in its movements. Hot waves of pleasure coursed through my
body as his tongue slid seductively pass my lips. His taste, the feel of his
mouth was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. Greedily, I moaned, desperate
for more of him as I reached for his shirt then fisting it with my hands and
tugging him tighter against my body, wanting more contact with him. I felt
every plane of muscle as he slowly turned us so his back was semi facing the
camera. His knee nudged my legs apart as pressure increased down the middle of
my body. I hadn’t really looked long at the script, but I was pretty sure that
this wasn’t part of it.Not that I was
complaining.He rocked into me,
my back connected with the wall. With a possessive growl, he nipped my lower
lip then started kissing down my neck. Kissing in public had never been my
thing — but maybe that was because I’d never kissed Lincoln.I would kiss him
anywhere.All he needed to do
was ask.Body humming with pleasure,
I let out a little gasp as his warm lips met the pulse on my neck. Then his
tongue licked where his lips had just been.His knee rose higher
and higher as my body sank onto his; the first contact of his leg had my body
screaming with pleasure — just a little higher, just a little more.“Cut!” someone
shouted, though it didn’t sound like Jaymeson.Suddenly, Demetri
was pulling Lincoln away from me and glaring daggers at both of us. “I think
you guys got the scene.”Embarrassed, I
looked down, tucking my silky hair behind my ear. Did I really almost just dry
hump Lincoln Greene’s leg? In front of about twenty people, including my
sister?“You sure?” Lincoln
asked, voice hoarse. I glanced up at him, his chest was heaving with exertion,
his lips swollen. “Because I could have sworn I messed up my lines.”“There are no lines,
you bastard,” Demetri muttered under his breath.“Damn it!” Jaymeson
shouted. “Hey, guys, I’m going to need you to shoot it one more time. Remember,
Lincoln, you’re supposed to proposition her.”Lincoln grinned
smugly at Demetri.
Demetri didn’t move.




Rachel Van Dyken is the New
York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency
and contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her drinking
coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.

She keeps her home in Idaho
with her Husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from
readers!

Want to be kept up to date on
new releases? Text MAFIA to 66866!

You can connect with her on
Facebook www.facebook.com/rachelvandyken
 or join her fan group Rachel's New
Rockin Readers. Her website is www.rachelvandykenauthor.com 
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Giveaway & RDL: Life Rewritten

Title: Life Rewritten
Author: Andrea Johnston
Release Date: Aug 20, 2015
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I never thought that, at 40, this would be my life. Mourning the loss of the man I vowed to love for life was hard enough. Online dating, starting a business, and falling in love was never the plan.

Victoria Bennett has been blessed with a loving husband, a wonderful son and amazing friends. Always the organized planner, Victoria was thrown life's curve ball when she found herself a widow and single mom before 40. After mourning the loss of her husband and rejoining her friends and family in her once simple life, Victoria finds herself venturing into the world of online dating with little success.

After hanging up her keyboard and focusing on new experiences and hobbies, Victoria is as surprised as everyone else when her favorite pastime leads to a new career and passion for life. When a friendship turns to romance, her life is once again thrown for a loop. Like everything new in her life she takes on the relationship with gusto, and a series of mishaps. 

Victoria soon learns that sometimes the life you've planned isn't the life you lead. It is still your life, just your life rewritten.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo




Everyone manages to keep me distracted and on task for a solid thirty minutes. With how I’ve been feeling, that is quite the success for them. When the doorbell rings I’m a little taken aback. It is far too early for the guests and if they are already arriving, what am I going to feed them? Lunch at 10:30 in the morning? I guess, but I could go for those baked goods and Sara isn’t here and … just answer the door. Relax. I head to the door feeling as nervous as I did the day I took my driver’s license test. It’s like a swarm of butterflies has taken up residence in my stomach while a dragon flaps its wings next to them. Basically, I want to throw up.

What lies before me is a shock. All six-foot something of him, swirly blue eyes, and dressed like a gift from the hunk heavens … Dillon.

“Mornin’,” he says with that toothpaste-commercial smile. Oh boy.

“Hi. Uh, what are you doing here? What’s all that?” I say, pointing at the bags of what appear to be groceries he is holding. Groceries? Has word gotten back to him that I am not exactly Rachael Ray in the kitchen? We’ve been spending afternoons together working on my plan and I suppose becoming friends, yet none of this has come up. We don’t really get too personal, just talking about movies, my love of books, baking, and our town.

“Goodies for your guests. Well, not quite, but the ingredients to create them,” he replies with a simple shrug and a move into the house.

I step aside and hear Justin chuckle and whisper, “Close your mouth, Mom, it’s just groceries.” Justin gives Dillon the “what’s up” nod as he’s heading to the kitchen.

“Ello, ladies. Beautiful mornin’, isn’t it?” Dillon says as he starts emptying his bags. He wasn’t kidding, he even brought his own measuring cups. Just because I choose to eat culinary treats created by others doesn’t mean I don’t have the means to create my own. I have measuring cups, for goodness sake. Of course mine are from Target and hot pink, but that is neither here nor there.

Anna kicks my shin while I hear Charlotte giggle. Apparently I’m still standing there with my mouth open. Classy. “Hello, Dillon, it is a lovely morning. Isn’t it, Victoria?” Anna asks as I give her the evil eye and pull up a chair. Not one to be deterred by my so-called evil eye, Anna continues, “So, Dillon, what brings you by?”

“Well, I knew Sara was supposed to bring the treats for today and to be honest I couldn’t see her here. She has referred to reading as ‘so, like weird and scary.’ Plus, I feel compelled to see this first day through. Plus, I wanted to be here to help Victoria with Pages and Quiet if she needed it.”

He says all of this without a single misstep as he moves with ease about my kitchen. I’m sure my kitchen appreciates his presence. Dillon begins pouring ingredients into a bowl, never once pausing to squat down and check his measurements. Show off.
“What better way to get people to relax than the smell of freshly baked muffins? Don’t you agree, ladies?”

Oh sweet baby jeebus. He’s going to bake. In my kitchen. He could only be sexier if he mopped the floors after. Get it together, girl, he’s just a guy. Barely a friend and definitely not interested in a forty-year-old single mom with a fondness for spending her nights with a pint of ice cream and book.

“Well, don’t let us stop you. We’ll just be right over here watching the show,” Anna coyly replies.

A show is putting it mildly. The three of us sit there like we are watching the creation of a new civilization. He’s a master with a whisk. How is he not getting stuff all over him? I have to shower, spray down the kitchen, and still don’t get everything clean after I make some break ‘n bake cookies. And is it normal to find forearms sexy? There’s a hint of a tattoo above his shirt sleeve. And Charlotte has already whispered how he must obviously work out to have that chest. I’m ignoring her assessment. I couldn’t care less if he’s just blessed, I could watch this show all day.

“Victoria?” I hear my name but I’m so focused on those arms it takes yet another kick to the shin before I look up, thoroughly embarrassed when I realize Dillon has been talking to me.

“Sorry. I just spaced out for a sec. What was that?” Please don’t ask me anything that requires me to leave the room. I don’t want to miss any of this.

“I was asking if you wanted to come over here and help me. That way you’ll be honest with your guests when you say you made muffins.” Swoon. I’m swooning. And apparently, so is Charlotte because she lets out the sigh I am holding in. Suddenly I hear hysterical laughter coming from the doorway. Justin. He’s lucky I love him.

“Justin, really? Is it really that funny?” I ask as I stand and face him with the best Mom face I can manage.

“Mom, it really is. I don’t think Dillon has any idea what he’s asking and I think I’ll go outside and play with Tilly just to keep her safe,” he says as he grabs an apple and heads out the back door.

“Don’t mind him, come over here and help me. Nothing will feel sweeter than proving him wrong,” Dillon says with a big grin.

I want nothing more for Dillon to be right. I grab my apron off the hook and tie it as I make my way to his side. He looks at my apron and lets out a chuckle as he shakes his head. I look down and can instantly feel the blush creep up my neck to my cheeks. “Wine Not” is displayed directly across my chest. I love this apron and really, “wine not”.

Over the next thirty minutes Dillon patiently tries to help me melt chocolate. I don’t care what anyone says, anyone can catch a pot of chocolate on fire. Dillon ushers us out of the kitchen so he can finish just as the first guests arrive.





Andrea Johnston spent her childhood with her nose in a book and a pen to paper. An avid people watcher, her mind is full of stories that yearn to be told.  A fan of angsty romance with a happy ending, super sexy erotica and a good mystery, Andrea can always be found with her Kindle nearby fully charged.

Andrea lives in Idaho with her family and two dogs.  When she isn’t spending time with her partner in crime aka her husband, she can be found binge watching all things Bravo and enjoying a cocktail. Nothing makes her happier than the laughter of her children, a good book, her feet in the water, and cocktail in hand all at the same time.

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Giveaway & RDL: Guiding Lights

It’s release day for Jessica Florence’s Guiding Lights. I’m so excited about this fantastic new release and I’m thrilled to be sharing it with you! Jessica is sharing an excerpt and fantastic giveaway with us, so be sure to check it all out! Blogs Taking Part in the Release Day LaunchOnce Upon a Book Blog This Literary LifeA girl and her booksThe Book DisciplePages AboundJackie's Book WorldTextteaser Indy Book FairyGreyland ReviewsLittle Book HeavenMischievous ReadsEvermore Booksdeal sharing auntCoffee Books & ArtPBCResch Reads and ReviewsI Bookin' Love to ReadOh My Growing TBRthe bookdragonRoxy's ReviewsFor The Love of Fictional Worldsflirty fiction blogThe Dark RealmLost in Ever After Zili in the SkyMama She's Crazy About BooksLiterary MeanderingsShe Reads New AdultJordansBookReviews Romance Obsessed Book BlogKris & Vik Book Therapy CafeNicole's Book MusingsBetween The LinesTypical DistractionsAdventures in WritingWorks of FictionKitty Kats Crazy About BooksAlpha Book ClubG & T Indié Cafeundercover book reviewsThe Divas Book Lounge Book ClubJax's Book MagicMikky's World Of BooksThe Book HookupCosying Up With BooksSummers Book BlogBook Lovers ObsessionA Beautiful Book BlogSugar Shack Book Blog Word ForwardBook Boyfriend Hangover Book-LoverSarah & Kirsty's Book Reviews2 Girls Who Love BooksFabulously Naughty BooksDreaming of a Book BoyfriendFriends Till The End Book BlogI Love Book Love About Guiding Lights:He sings of suffering. His eyes hold the pain of living in sorrow.The moment our gaze meets recognition flares within. We are tortured souls drifting in a sea of darkness.He knows I have secrets that I'll never tell.I am numbI am brokenI am dirtyI can never be the guiding light through the darkness he thinks I am.I have forsaken my past, I rely on keeping myself shut off.But he has secrets too, secrets that would destroy everything I have left.I wish things were different, that maybe we could be each other's lifeline.But destiny drags us down like an anchor.The broken can only drift in the sea barely staying afloat.Buy Links:Amazon | Barnes and NobleExclusive Excerpt: “Alright ye braw laddies 'n' lasses, shut yer traps,” the singer spoke into the mic. A small smile broke out at his demand for them to close their mouths. I hoped for his sake that they didn’t end up throwing their fish supper at him once he got started. His fingers started strumming low notes on an old acoustic guitar. I checked over everyone at the bar and turned back to the singer. The way he started humming against the mic sent tingles into the pit of my stomach. His eyes were closed, but even from twenty feet away, I could tell he was very attractive. Long brown hair was pulled back and tied in a little bun on the top of his head. His beard was thick and surrounded his perfectly shaped mouth. Even with his beard you could see his strong, sharp jaw. I found myself leaning against the bar, waiting to hear his voice. Would it be rough and broken with his accent? He kept his eyes closed as he started to sing, and my body trembled at his voice.Satin lips taste of champagne Her leather pants leave a stain upon her skin A couple sniffs, the line disappears She stays in my bed, wanting to be hidden, beggingHis was voice was low and deep. It was smooth and reached down into your soul. You could feel him baring himself for all to hear. I looked around to see I wasn’t the only one enthralled. He had the whole room watching him. Hanging on for every morsel of word he would give us. When my gaze flicked back toward him, I was shocked to see honey-colored eyes staring back at me. Trapping me like quicksand, I couldn’t look away. About Jessica Florence:Jessica Florence makes her home in Southwest Florida where she runs her own business, and of course writing! She one day after reading a book a day for a year just sat down and started writing, thus finding a new amazing hobby that she was looking for, for years, and that was also very therapeutic. She spends her days reading, writing, watching TV, working, playing with her cute as hell baby, and black German Shepherd Rogue aka Rogue-i-bear, and of course tormenting her husband ;)She also enjoys taking naps, bubble baths, eating pickles like candy, and having Harry Potter marathons.Links:Facebook | Twitter | WebsiteRafflecopter Embed Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: A Bit Witchy

Check out this gorgeous cover of A Bit Witchy by Danielle Fisher! Don't forget to add it to your TBR!

Title: A Bit WitchyAge Group: Young AdultGenre: Paranormal RomanceCover designed by: Okay Creations

Release Date: September 14, 2015 Goodreads
Book DescriptionEighteen year old Lena Ashlen is in the middle of an identity crisis, and the people in her life aren’t helping. Half of her school thinks she’s crazy while the other half has no idea she even exists. Her father and stepmother barely see her through the bottom of their wine glasses, and her only friends are guardian angels who are terrible cheats when it comes to poker. The only constants in her life are her obsessive crushes on both chocolate and Glenn Storm. In between losing her bra, her pride, and her best friend, Lena has no idea how she’ll survive her senior year.



When guardian angels begin disappearing and everyone thinks she’s to blame, Lena becomes trapped in a case of mistaken identity. But when Glenn and his chaotic family offer to help her find out the truth, she’s forced to ask herself whether she’s the one who’s mistaken. In between the lies and secrets of a past life gone bad, Lena soon learns that if she’s ever going to prove they have the wrong girl, she’s going to need more than just snark and cleavage to convince them.







Join us for the release events!September 14-19: Review TourSeptember 20-Oct 3: Promotional EventSIGN UP HERE!
About the Author:

Danielle is a writer, a reader, and a lover of everything covered in cheese. When she’s not adding books to her “Want to Read” list on Goodreads, she’s trying to corral her three daughters into a semi-normal life in Bel Air, Maryland. She shares this insanity with her incredibly patient husband, her favorite black, golden retriever, an occasional snake, mouse, and a family of squirrels. The latter 3 live in the attic, but she counts them anyway. Connect with me! E-mail: Danielle.C.Fish@gmail.comhttp://danielle-fisher.com/ Facebook Twitter

Blitz: Seaside Nights

Title: Seaside Nights (Love In Bloom: Seaside Summers, #5)Author: Melissa FosterGenre: Contemporary RomanceRelease Date: August 12, 2015 SynopsisFall in love with Sky Lacroux and Sawyer Bass in Seaside Nights, the fifth book in the Seaside Summers series by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster!

Sky Lacroux has finally realized her dream and opened her own tattoo shop in Provincetown, Massachusetts. She's happy as can be, preparing the shop for its grand opening and renting a cottage in the Seaside community while renovations to her new apartment are being completed. The only thing missing is the one thing she longs for, and has no control over—love.

Sawyer Bass, a professional boxer, plays his guitar at a local bar to escape the painful reality of his father's deteriorating health and a recent health warning of his own. But when he spots a stunning brunette across the room, escaping reality goes out the window, and the beautiful woman becomes the focus of his next song—and maybe even the rest of his life.

When Sawyer walks into Sky's tattoo shop and sees the woman from the bar—Sky—the chemistry between them is instant. Sawyer is everything Sky could ever hope for in a man. He's honest, loving, sensitive, and potently virile—but boxing goes against everything Sky believes in. The closer they become, the more she realizes that her alpha boxer is waging his own emotional battle—only the battle she thinks he's waging isn't the one that threatens to tear them apart.
Buy The Book Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Itunes | KOBO
About The Author Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance (M/F, M/M, F/F), romantic suspense, thrillers, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa also co-writes the Love on Rockwell Island series with New York Times bestselling author Bella Andre. Melissa's emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented. Her books have been recommended by USA Today's book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café. When she's not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success.

Melissa has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Her interests include her family, reading, writing, painting, friends, helping others see the positive side of life, and visiting Cape Cod.

Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomes comments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa on social media or her personal website. Never miss a release! Follow Melissa here on Amazon and sign up for her newsletter: www.MelissaFoster.com/Newsletter

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Review: Before We Were Strangers

Before We Were Strangers
by Renee Carlino

To the Green-eyed Lovebird:

We met fifteen years ago, almost to the day, when I moved my stuff into the NYU dorm room next to yours at Senior House.

You called us fast friends. I like to think it was more.

We lived on nothing but the excitement of finding ourselves through music (you were obsessed with Jeff Buckley), photography (I couldn’t stop taking pictures of you), hanging out in Washington Square Park, and all the weird things we did to make money. I learned more about myself that year than any other.

Yet, somehow, it all fell apart. We lost touch the summer after graduation when I went to South America to work for National Geographic. When I came back, you were gone. A part of me still wonders if I pushed you too hard after the wedding…

I didn’t see you again until a month ago. It was a Wednesday. You were rocking back on your heels, balancing on that thick yellow line that runs along the subway platform, waiting for the F train. I didn’t know it was you until it was too late, and then you were gone. Again. You said my name; I saw it on your lips. I tried to will the train to stop, just so I could say hello.

After seeing you, all of the youthful feelings and memories came flooding back to me, and now I’ve spent the better part of a month wondering what your life is like. I might be totally out of my mind, but would you like to get a drink with me and catch up on the last decade and a half?

M
TeriLyn's thoughts: ***Before We Were Strangers generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***

My first Renee Carlino novel most definitely slayed me. Reading this great love story gave me reason to immediately one-click this author's previous love stories. Needless to say, this won't be the last time I fall entranced in the words of Renee Carlino.

Before We Were Strangers gives the reader a little bit of everything and gives in such a way I felt part of the New York City landscape in which this love story was set. It's a contemporary romance with New Adult woven into the middle of the story. Carlino structured the story in such a magnificent way that we meet Matt first as the book opens fifteen years after the year he met Grace at a time in his life he's holding to something he lost so many years ago. He's a man trying to make sense of his life. Learning of his current life and feeling so powerfully towards his melancholy outlook on where he ended up leaves a permanent mark on our reading hearts setting the stage for this book beautifully.

Jumping back in time, fifteen years in time, to Matt's senior year at NYU when he meets Grace. Two young, budding artists in their own right who click from the very moment they meet in such a natural way the readers know it's right. The wistful way in which Matt & Grace relive the memories of this vulnerable time in their lives perfectly represented the fragility and lasting effects of falling in the love for the first time. Carlino writes this time of their lives with such reverence and honesty as though nothing else is sacred to them. This author's words elevate the connection between these two characters for the reader in such a way we feel the joy of their friendship, the love of their passion, and the heart break of their devastation.

As they meet again in the present the story travels the theme of second chance love. How much can be forgiven? Will the scars of their past heal to seal their future? What went wrong all those years ago and how can we possible fix it now? For a while it's unknown but there was so much poignancy and beauty in that unknown that the story forever cemented itself in my heart.

I loved the characters of Matt and Grace, I love being told the story in parts and from both of their points of view. The secondary characters, friend and foe alike, all added something really special to the development of the book and the relationship between Matt and Grace.

I read Before We Were Strangers on a beautiful summer afternoon in the sun the perfect way to read this story full of angst, heartbreak, first love, second-chance love, regret, friendship, forgiveness - all set in a city where the impossible becomes possible where magic and music surrounds you - in the sun reading I felt alive with that same magic and music thanks to the excellent writing and story telling of Renee Carlino. I'm grateful for the opportunity allowing me to read this book and am so excited to discover more stories from this author.






BUY LINKS:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1cWjrnx
B&N: http://bit.ly/1I2SlKd
iTunes: http://apple.co/1D6wj1B

ABOUT RENEE CARLINO:
Renée Carlino is a screenwriter and bestselling author of romantic women's novels. She lives in Southern California with her husband, two sons, and their sweet dog June. When she’s not at the beach with her boys or working on her next project, she likes to spend her time reading, going to concerts, and eating dark chocolate.

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Book Review: Deeper Than Dreams

Deeper Than Dreams (Love & Steel #1.5)
by Jessica Topper

Will wedding bells rock out for Louder Than Love’s most beloved couple in this Love and Steel novella?

Falling in love with rock star Adrian “Digger” Graves was a dream come true for former librarian Kat Lewis. But with a little help from friends and family—including Kat’s adorable daughter, Abbey—Adrian has planned an evening and a proposal beyond her wildest dreams.

The night before, Kat witnessed the triumphant reunion of Adrian’s rock band at Madison Square Garden. Tonight, he will escort her to the elegant, ultra-exclusive Library Lion’s benefit. It seems like a fairytale, but even fairytales have a deeper, darker side. When old habits return to tempt her knight in shining heavy metal armor, will Kat’s happily ever after come crashing back to reality?

THIS IS AN EPILOGUE NOVELLA THAT PICKS UP THE DAY AFTER LOUDER THAN LOVE ENDS. This novella is intended to be read after Louder Than Love.

Don’t miss the next Love and Steel novel, Softer Than Steel, coming in September 2015 from InterMix.
TeriLyn's thoughts: **Deeper than Dreams generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**


Deeper than Dreams was a super cute novella written as a follow up to the first book in the series, Louder than Love, that totally satisfied my reading needs. It was lovely to catch up with the elusively romantic Adrian Graves, the sweet and semi-neurotic Kat and her darling daughter Abbey.

The novella picks up the morning after the first book ends and the way it opened might have been my most favorite part about it because it was as though we got to live a morning in their lives as a family and got a glimpse as to what the future holds for these three. In the span of the novella, we're only with these characters for a full day but the amount of information we learn and the depth of their commitment and love for each other you'd never think it was a novella at all. In the morning, we learn Adrian has a special day planned for Kat and his execution of the day and all the surprises was just so satisfying. In the course of this day we see maturity from Kat and understand more fully the growth of Adrian's character thanks to a revealing look into Adrian's past.

The information Jessica Topper reveals giving us more into Adrian's past mixed with a lot of revealing information about Riff gives us clues into the next book of the series, which will be Riff's. I look forward to where Topper and her great story telling skills take us next in the journey of the Love & Steel series. I want Riff's book because I'm intrigued greatly by his story and because I want to see more Adrian, Kat, and Abbey through Riff's eyes where I'm sure interesting revelations will happen.