Lori L. Clark's Blog, page 98

Blog Tour: Little Things

Title: Little Things (Second Chances #1)

Author: Madison Street

Release Date: June 2, 2014

Find on Goodreads


Everything in Duke Grayson’s life was all he could ever ask for: A loving family, loyal friends, a beautiful girlfriend, and a scholarship to his top choice college. It’s his senior year of high school, and all he needs is to focus on his grades, lacrosse, and keeping his girlfriend happy. That is until Raya walks into his life. From the moment they meet, Duke is drawn to her, not only for her natural beauty and her stunning crystal blue eyes, but because he’s aware there’s more to this girl than just his alluring pull to her. He senses secrecy and fear. 

Throughout the year, their bond grows stronger, and his feelings for her become undeniable. Just when he is about to express his love, tragedy strikes and Raya disappears.

For six years, Duke is tortured by his struggles, as he’s unable to find her and blames himself for failing to protect her. Until the day, she’s found, and he’s given a second chance. Will Duke become her beacon of hope and make her see that it’s the little things that make life worthwhile? Can Raya overcome her fears and fight against the terrors that haunt her? Or will her dark and torturous past be too much for her to battle against?

*Warning: This book contains some disturbing situations, strong language and sexual content. Suited for 18 years and over.*


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I hear a whisper come up from behind me, “So, how’s your first party?” I know that voice anywhere. I turn around to find Duke smiling at me.

“It’s great! I’m having so much fun!”

“I’m glad. You’ve danced with Taylor all night. Usually he doesn’t dance at parties, so that was surprising.”

I glance towards Taylor who’s across the room, talking to Adam. “Oh well. He’s a good dance partner.”

“Wanna bet?” Duke grabs my hand and leads me onto the dance floor just in time for a new song to start. The speakers start to play “Timber” by Pitbull and the crowd goes wild as people begin to flood the dance area. My heart literally stops beating and I swear I can’t even breathe, I’m so freaking nervous. I notice that my hand fits so perfectly in Duke’s hand.

The crowd is so packed together that Duke and I are forced to dance closely; maybe a little too close. As the song starts, he sings the lyrics and we begin to groove to the music.

I laugh out loud and raise my hands above my head and sing along with him. The crowd is compact and everyone’s bodies continuously bump into one another. Duke looks at me and places his hand on my lower back. A shocking jolt of electricity flows through his touch and my eyes widen. He immediately removes his hand from my back and instead keeps his hand by his side. I can still feel the heat flow, where his hand was placed, and I miss it being there. We continue dancing as I give him a reassuring smile. He winks and continues to sing and twirls me around.

I bob my head to the beat and shake my body with every fiber I have. As we dance together, I no longer pay attention to what’s around me. It’s as if Duke and I are the only ones dancing and as I stare at him, I get lost in the wonder of what could be. Someone from behind me pushes me forward and I fall against Duke’s strong and broad chest as he catches me. We stare into each other’s eyes for a brief moment before he breaks the contact and helps me stand on my own.

“You alright?”

I laugh nervously, “Yea sorry. Just crowded, that’s all.” 

The song ends and the crowd begins to clear leaving only a few stragglers. Duke looks at his watch. “It’s getting late. We should get going.”

“Ok. I have to use the restroom first.”

After I use the restroom, Duke finds Melanie among the crowd and we say our goodbyes. Taylor tells me he will call soon and he hugs me and kisses me on the cheek. As we pull up to my driveway, Melanie asks, “So, was it a night to remember?” I smile and catch Duke looking at me through the rearview mirror, “Yes, yes it was.”





Little Beginnings (Second Chances #1.5) - Find on Goodreads
After you took her from me, everything changed. I knew my life would never be the same, and it wasn't. But just because I was isolated, trapped, and afraid, I never gave up. I kept on fighting. You thought you could control me, but you were wrong. 

There’s one thing that you could never take from me; HOPE. And with that, I overcame the struggles and the despair. I battled against my inner demons and confronted the tortures that surrounded me. And here I am today; free. 

And now, it’s you that’s confined. You cannot escape; you cannot win. There’s no one to help you now. Everyone sees you for what you truly are; a monster. 

I’m not afraid of you anymore. I will start a new life; one that you cannot control. And as I take steps toward a new beginning, I won’t ever look back.




Madison Street was born in New York City and was raised in the Bronx, where she resided until she was 17 years old. After 9/11, Madison joined the United States Navy to serve her country. 

During the deployments, Madison constantly wrote short stories and she discovered her passion for writing. You will find Madison always on the computer, whether she's on Facebook, designing websites, messing with Photoshop, or writing for her blog.

Besides writing, her second passion is music and dance. Even though she's a terrible singer, she’ll still belt it out in the shower, especially if the song is her jam! She currently resides in Virginia with her husband of 8 years, 2 children, a dog, and a cat. She is so excited to start this amazing journey and is honored to be part of such a compassionate and loving community.

Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads

The Field Party: Abbi Glines

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THE FIELD PARTYby Abbi GlinesComing Fall 2015
About the Author:
New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of TWISTED PERFECTION, FALLEN TOO FAR, NEVER TOO FAR, JUST FOR NOW, WHILE IT LASTS, BECAUSE OF LOW, BREATHE, THE VINCENT BOYS, THE VINCENT BROTHERS, THE EXISTENCE TRILOGY.Facebook | Twitter | Website | Tumbler

Blitz & Giveaway: The Game

Today is the day!  Chapter 1 of THE GAME.  Find out who the blonde beauty is who gives Levi THE GAME of his life.



Who is ready for THE Game ?  
Who wants to win a $100 Amazon Gift card?Read the details below and make sure to follow each step for your chance to win!  Winner announced on December 16th.  
HOW TO WIN...


Send a screenshot of your pre-order confirmation of 

THE Game to hjbellus@gmail.com.   


Subject line MUST read  

THE Game  to be eligible.  All entries


without this subject line will be disqualified.  Please make sure to add the photo to the body of the e-mail.  Attachments will not be opened . Winner will be chosen on release day, December 16th at release day party.  Watch for the link to be revealed in the NEAR future. Contest is limited to USA only.
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➞ The Game Facebook Event



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Is Levi Wilks ready for her? Is he ready for “The Game” of his life? 







Chapter
1Levi“Surgery went well, Levi, but it looks like you’ll still be out about two full months. You should be back on the field mid-season. My advice is to rest up and follow your
physical therapy to perfection.”
“Two months?” I question, hoping I heard him wrong.
“Levi, your body can’t take many more hits, and it definitely deserves a full
recovery.”
Trying to sit up in the bed, I begin to argue again. “But football is my…”
“It’s only going to take one wrong hit on your spine, and you’re done. Done, as in the
rest of your career, or finished, as in a wheelchair. Without a full recovery, your chances
of being in a wheelchair the rest of your life is heightened.” Dr. Valentine hesitates a
moment, jotting down some quick notes on a prescription pad, and then continues. “It’s
your choice, Levi. You need to give your body the time it needs to heal. I will be the
only one clearing you to play again.”
The doctor’s words are crystal clear, and I can see none of my razzle dazzle and shit
talking will convince him otherwise. The words finished and done scare the living shit
out of me. They are my worst nightmare and truly haven’t been a reality for me until
now. I feel it every morning when I get out of bed. Muscles, bones, and joints all scream
in protest with every single movement. Just the simple act of tying my shoes has been
painful.
I knew it would be a vicious tackle to take me out, and it was.  In a fucking preseason
game where it’s understood to take it easy on the players, especially the first string.  I
guess karma is a bitch. I saw number eighty-two flying in my direction, but chose to put
all my faith in my linemen to block him or at least hold him off until I released the ball.
There was a wide-open receiver for a gain of about twelve yards, but I wanted the long
bomb for the TD. When I saw my receiver finally open up in the end zone, it was just
about the exact time the defender took me out. Lost the ball, lost the game, and lost my
opportunity to play for two months.
“Want me to contact your father? You’ll need someone around.”
“No, I’m good.”
“Levi, I can’t stress to you how important this recovery is. You’ll need someone
around for physical and mental support. I don’t think any of your blonde bombshells
will be much assistance at all.”
His last words make me laugh because he’s absolutely right. None of my frequent
weekend entertainment is in it for the long haul. They’re all plum satisfied with a
weekend full of hot and heavy sex.
“No, don’t call my dad. I don’t need his judgmental, overbearing ass on me.”
“Well, you’re going to need some type of assistance over the next two months. Who
else is here in Dallas?”
While finally being able to shift my head enough to look out the window, I answer,
“I’ll have my driver pick me up.”
“You’ll need help, Levi.”
“I’ll fucking take care of it.”
Everything inside of me wants to pick up the nearest object and chuck it at the
window or the doctor’s face. Glass breaking or some bones crushing under my hands
would feel brilliant right about now. I have nothing left to live for until I can get back
out on that field.
If I were my brother, Lincoln, I’d have a loving wife and a dog at home to comfort
me while I heal. Instead, I have trophy case after trophy case to console me—oh, and my
three Super Bowl rings. The one thing about the trophies and rings is they are amazing
and life altering to win in the heat of the moment and during the passion of the game,
but the metal grows cold mighty fast, leaving behind rapidly fading memories.
My dad has always groomed me to be a living legend, something to talk about for
years and years. Football was and has been my only option, throwing the pigskin in the
back yard after school and on weekends, attending every single football camp within a
hundred miles of home, and watching tape after tape of game films. I could recite any
playbook when I was six years old. Lincoln, on the other hand, loves football as well,
but played it his way. He did it without dad’s approval. And that’s my biggest regret; I
wish I could’ve been strong like him. Instead, I was molded into my dad’s dream.
Feeling guilty and like a typical ass, I finally let the surgeon know I’ll be okay and
taken care of.
“I’ll call my driver and fly back to Colorado to one of my homes.”
“Who is there to help you?”
“Lincoln and Lynlee.”
“Good, I’ll set up a physical therapist for in home services. We’ll do everything on
our end to get you back out on the green.”
“How many nights do I have to stay here?”
“With how smoothly the surgery went, I’d just like to observe you for the next couple
days. Why don’t you make arrangements to fly out on Thursday?”
“Fine.”
“Do you want to call any family or friends?”
“Nope.”
“Levi, I’d like to help you through this.”
“Then I need more pain meds.”
Moments later a nurse walks in, and I watch as she injects something into the tube of
my IV. She’s quite the hot piece of ass. I’d definitely be tapping that shit all night long.
She even has a sweet smell covering her body that I could easily visualize myself
consuming.
“Levi, this will make you drowsy,” she says, capping the needle.
I can’t seem to pry my eyes from the back of her as she reaches up to dispose of the
needle and syringe in the red container.  A strip of her flesh peeks out between her
scrubs, and this narrow glimpse sets me on fire.  I find my hand willing itself to reach
out and touch her before she turns around.
 “I’ll be your night nurse, so if you need me, push this button. Oh, my name is
Ashley, so just let me know if you need anything, and I do mean anything.” She finishes
off her words with a flirty little wink in my direction.
My insides turn with her looks, scent, and presence. I’d definitely be taking this one
home for a couple nights. Yes, she’d be granted a VIP pass to the Wilks’ Wild Weekend
Express, hosted smack dab in my bed at my mansion in Dallas. My hand finally
responds, stretching out in her direction, and when she places her petite little palm in
mine, I know I have her.
“Ashley, I could do so many things to you. I’d love to see those panties of yours…”
Before I can finish my last word, everything goes black.
***
“Sir, you’re not supposed to walk. I’ll get your wheelchair.”
“Just shut the fuck up and get my bags.”
I let Lincoln know I was coming to stay for the next couple months. For fuck’s sake,
in reality it’s my house. Lincoln and Lynlee have lived here since they married. They
both wanted to stay in Colorado since it was the place they met, and Lynlee wanted to
go to college. Lincoln lucked out and was drafted to Denver.
The assholes have the perfect life just the way they want it. I can’t deny the fact; they
fought tooth and fucking nail to get it. They didn’t pussy out and let someone else call
all their shots, and I, for one, wasn’t going to allow them to live in the home Lincoln and
I were raised in.
Dad and Lincoln have truly worked through most of their shit, and Lincoln still came
out the way he wanted. Played defense, went to the college he wanted, majored in what
he wanted, dated who he desired, and let his middle finger fly to the rest who didn’t
approve. Not me. I’m the oldest, and yearned for approval around every corner, leaving
me with a hollow life.
“Sir, you are not supposed to walk.”
Turning to the naive puke of a driver, I lay into his ass. “Do you fucking realize
you’re talking to? Do you?”
The young douche clams up. The look on his face is almost comical. Even in my
weakest state, I have the power to bring pussies like him to his knees, and I enjoy every
fucking second of it. It might make me an arrogant ass, but being a dick is the only
saving grace I posses.
“And you weren’t supposed to be born, so shut the fuck up, already,” I add to sting
the wound a little more.
I feel muscles rip and tear as I try to peel myself out of the limo. The pain is familiar
and immediately reminds me of my younger days when my dad demanded perfection
from each pass. I now have the same sensation years later trying to simply walk from a
car to the front fucking door of my own home. The pain is so intense I want to ask the
young puke to honk the horn to get Lincoln’s attention to come help me, but then again
it might even be worse to have the brother I envy help me.
I never would’ve thought ten simple steps would be the longest of my ever-loving
life, but I want to be the dick to knock on my own door. I bet Lincoln is about to sit
down and eat dinner with his wife, with his dog lying obediently at his feet. Fuck, I bet
she’s the kind of woman to bake his ass chicken potpie every Thursday night. What a
douche.
Before my hand instinctively turns the doorknob, I decide to ring the doorbell at the
last minute. I chuckle to myself, imagining Lincoln complimenting Lynlee on his dinner
and petting her knee under the table, only to mutter curse words when he hears the
doorbell ring. Lincoln may be a wild spirit, and we might as well have different fathers,
but I can call his next move from a mile away. Some might say we haven’t been brothers
for years, yet I know him better than anyone on this earth, and right now he wants to
knock the lights out on the fucker ringing his doorbell, because he was moments from
taking his wife to bed.
When the door opens, it’s neither Lincoln nor Lynlee looking back at me. To my utter
amazement, my fucking little bro has gone and hired the hottest fucking home nurse. A
blonde bombshell stands before me, and I try hard as I can to keep my jaw from
dropping wide open. Every muscle in my body is aching, yet my cock has no problem
springing to action for the juicy blonde. It’s obvious my home nurse hasn’t had the
chance to change into her naughty little nurse outfit.
“Well, are you going to invite me in, Nurse Nancy?”
“Excuse me?”
Talking slowly and deliberately, I say, “Are. You. Going. To. Invite. Me. In?”
“Who the fuck do you think you are?” she asks, and the rush of her hot breath
brushes my lips.
The smell is so sweet and tender it makes my cock bulge even further. I know one
thing for sure; this nurse will be checking my blood pressure topless tonight.
“Levi,” comes a familiar voice, Lincoln. “You’re supposed to be in a wheelchair.
What the fuck you doing walking already, bro?”
“Well, if Nurse Nancy here could help a fellow out...”
Not only do I say it, I also gesture with my hand, grabbing myself.
Another voice joins the mixture, and it’s Lynlee’s this time. “Levi, you made it.”
When her gaze hits mine, I see the same concern as in my brother’s eyes. They know
I should be sitting and not standing. They know the consequences all too well.
Without allowing her to respond, I relieve their stress. “Well, if Nurse Nancy would
move her ass, I could get up into my bed and get down to business. I knew Valentine
was setting up in home therapy, but not an in home nurse.”
Grabbing the inside of the doorjamb, I force myself up into my house, and looking
around the place, I really like what they’ve done with it. Looks like a home, the perfect
loving home complete with two dogs to kick.
The big tittied blonde looks mystified and almost a little horrified with my arrival.
Doesn’t the bitch realize this is, in fact, my house? Or maybe she has no idea a three-
time world champion just graced her with his presence.
“Weren’t expecting your patient to arrive so early or what?” I finally ask, breaking
the silence.
“I’m not a nurse.”
Losing my patience with this stuck up bitch, I demand, “Then who the fuck are you?”
The bitch really has some balls, as I watch her step up into my face, pinning me down
with her best death stare.
“Stop,” Lynlee yells and pushes her way in between us. “Levi, this is my best friend,
Jazzy. She’s staying here with us.”
Stay
tuned for more details and teasers at www.hjbellus.com

Book Release & Giveaway: Coming For You

Coming For You by J.A. Huss
(Dirty Dark and Deadly #3)
Publication date: November 19th 2014
Genres: Erotica, Thriller

BOOK ONE – COME – IS FREE TODAY! GET IT HERE-->http://amzn.to/1umllnz
James, Harper, and Sasha are products of their environment. Born into a secret organization that runs a global shadow government, and taught to kill since they were small, they find themselves both indispensable and expendable to all the people they used to trust.

Twenty-eight year old James Fenici has been an assassin since he was sixteen. He’s amassed debts and favors from countless Company brothers and participated in hundreds of Company jobs. But there are not enough favors in the world to clear his debt and make him worthy of the only girl he’s ever wanted.

Eighteen year old Harper Tate is the girl who doesn’t exist. Born and raised on a megayacht in a tropical paradise, she was destined to be a secret until now. No history, no records, and manipulated into having no opinions or ambition of her own, Harper is suddenly presented with more choices than she can handle.

Thirteen year old Sasha Cherlin is the girl who knows everything and understands nothing at all. Her future is filled with vengeance and death, but her dreams are filled with hope and a promise. A promise who no longer wants her.

The game is on, the pieces are in place, and the players have everything to lose. But who can you trust when everyone’s a traitor?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23281775-coming-for-you

Purchase:
--Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/JA-Huss/e/B009BNUTTO/
--B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/j.-a.-huss

EXCERPT:

HARPER

The rolling of the ship eases me out of my slumber. I’m home. That thought bounces around my head for several seconds before I remember, this is not home. I’m on my father’s yacht. I don’t open my eyes and I don’t stop breathing heavily. Instead, I give off a long sleepy sigh and turn over. I crack one eye as I do that to try and figure out if I’m alone in the room.
“How are you feeling?” my father asks.
Not alone.
“It’s wearing off, Harper. The doctor gave you a drug to make it wear off. I hope you realize we only drugged you so that Tet would leave quietly. But you became combative the last few times we brought you out of it—”
The last few times?
“—and since you’ve been known to make rash and dangerous decisions, we were forced to subdue you.”
Well. Since there’s no use pretending I’m still asleep when they know for a fact I’m not, I open both my eyes. He’s staring down at me and he looks worried, but then he smiles.
I hate to admit that it’s reassuring. He’s my father. It’s hard to turn that off.
“How are you feeling?” he asks again. “OK?” His smile makes the corners of his eyes crinkle up. My father is handsome, even at fifty-one. His hair is not gray, it’s still dark and it’s still thick. His suit, however, is gray. And his tie is navy blue. When I was a girl I always loved to touch them. “Harper, answer me,” he demands, but not unkindly.
I pause for a few seconds and then nod. “I’m OK.”
His smile grows and I get a warm feeling that I don’t immediately understand. I mean, who is this man? How can he call himself my father when he’s part of this organization and all they want is to use me as a whore to marry off?
“We’re having dinner in an hour. I’ve had them prepare your favorites to welcome you home.”
I don’t know what to say to that, so I look away.
“Harper,” he says sternly so I refocus on him. “I’m glad you’re home.”
I don’t know what to say to that either.
“Did you even miss me?”
Why is he asking me these things?
“Because this ship was not the same without you two.”
I look up at him for that. “Is Nick here?”
“No.”
I look away.
“He’s hiding. But once he hears you’re back, he’ll come for you, Harper. I know he will.”
“So I’m a trap? To catch him.”
“Why in the world do you think I’m trying to catch him? He’s a grown man now. He can do as he pleases. I admit, he’s messed up my plans for you two. But I’m not wholly dissatisfied about that.”
I glance at him again. “You’re not?”
“Why would I be unhappy that you were not given away on your birthday, Harper. I love you. I might not have been the perfect father, but I was present more than most parents in this modern world. I did my business on the ship to stay near you. I really do not understand where this distrust comes from.”
“You promised me to someone.”
“I had to. It’s required. Which is why I’m not upset that didn’t happen.”
“James said you promised me to him.”
“Tet is mistaken.”
“I remember him, though. From the beach party when we trend Six.”
“He said no, Harper. I gave him the opportunity and he said no. That was the end of it for me.”
“But you sent for him every year.”
This makes him hesitate and when I look up at his face I see the shift. He wasn’t expecting me to know that.
“Tet told you that?”
“James told me that.”
My father sucks in a breath through clenched teeth. “It would be a very big mistake to mix them up, Harper. James is not Tet, and Tet is not James.”
I get a really sick feeling in my stomach at that comment. “What are you talking about?”
“He’s insane. He’s been this way for a very long time. Years.”



AUTHOR BIO
J. A. Huss likes to write new adult books that make you think and keep you guessing. Her favorite genre to read is space opera, but since practically no one reads those books, she writes new adult science fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and books about Junco (who refuses to be saddled with a label).

She has an undergraduate degree in horses, (yes, really–Thank you, Colorado State University) and a master’s degree in forensic toxicology from the University of Florida. She used to have a job driving around Colorado doing pretty much nothing but shooting the breeze with farmers, but now she just writes, runs the New Adult Addiction and Clean Teen Reads Book Blogs, and runs an online science classroom for homeschoolers.

Author Links:
http://jahuss.com/
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJAHuss
https://twitter.com/JAHuss
www.goodreads.com/author/show/6446815.J_A_Huss

GIVEAWAY
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
Signed copy of Coming For You
The BEND Anthology signed by all eight authors

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Release & Giveaway: City of Champions

Title: City of Champions (Gateway to Love, #2) Author: Chloe Barlow Genre: Contemporary Romance Release Date: November 10, 2014


SynopsisHow do you find the will to try, when you've spent all of your life playing on a field strewn with shattered lives and broken rules?



Tragedy and betrayal taught Jenna Sutherland early on that her safest bet was to fiercely avoid any risk, whether it is in work, life, or love. Now a respected orthopedic surgical resident on the cusp of finally breaking through in her career, she’s more guarded than ever.

When injured NFL quarterback Wyatt McCoy bulldozes into her life there’s no denying he’s cocky, selfish, and downright dangerous — everything Jenna’s sworn she doesn’t want.

Suddenly the levelheaded doctor finds herself facing down her greatest fear, and she’s tempted to gamble all she’s fought so hard to build. The two embark on an intense holiday love affair that quickly teeters on obsession, and tempts them both to think they could go all-in on a real future together. Yet Wyatt's desperation to stay on the field — and out of the operating room — lures him to take dangerous risks with Jenna's trust.

Will they win at love or lose everything­ — including their fragile chance at happiness?




City of ChampionsAmazon Kindle | Amazon Print | iTunes | Nook | KoboThree Rivers Amazon Kindle | Amazon Print | iBooks | Nook | Kobo
Excerpt"Look at me, Jenna," he ordered.

The foreign sound of her given name on his lips jarred her back to the moment and she opened her eyes in a flustered frenzy, her heart pounding erratically inside of her.

"I don't want you to hide from me anymore, Jenna. No more excuses, because I've heard all of yours and I don't buy any of them. I want you to open up that margin of error for me. Do you understand me?"

Wyatt's voice was thick, his hot breath tickling her face with each of his words, causing her core to spasm violently. Jenna was becoming wet between her tensing thighs with each of his delicious commands. She tried to stand up straight and collect herself, but she couldn't move her legs.

Her mouth parted but no words came out — the insistent touching and rubbing of his fingers through her hair and against her scalp was too distracting, the flashing of his eyes on hers too hypnotic. All she could do was nod her head again as she looked wordlessly at his face. He was all hard lines and desire and all she wanted was to feel more of him.

What would it be like to taste him? To bring that scent and his breath inside her body — would it overwhelm everything inside her and leave nothing else behind but him?

Hesitantly, Jenna lifted her hands and rested them on his waist — so lightly that her fingertips barely toughed the leather of his belt. That was all the encouragement he needed, because he immediately descended onto her mouth.

His lips were so soft against hers, but his kiss was hot and demanding. It was the most powerful combination of gentle and hard that she'd ever experienced.

Jenna slid her hands up his sides, underneath his jacket, and rubbed them against the hard ridges of his back until he groaned into her mouth. She slipped her tongue deeply into his mouth, as he pressed his full body against her. The metal of her car door dug into her back and the handle pressed uncomfortably against her butt, yet she couldn't be bothered to care.

In this moment, all she wanted in the world was more of him, every part of him. She bit down on his bottom lip, then licked against it with her tongue and he responded with nibbles and licks of his own. He slid his hands down her body, grasping her bottom in his large hands and pulling her roughly against him.

She could tell he was hard through his jeans and it made her feel like a ravenous lioness, desperate for food after seemingly unending deprivation. She wanted to sate that hunger — eager to tear him apart with her teeth, if only to taste him that much more completely.


About the Author Chloe is a contemporary romance novelist living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with her husband and their sweet dog. She is a native Washingtonian that graduated Duke University with a degree in English and Chinese language. She met her husband at Duke and he brought her to Pittsburgh over a decade ago, which she has loved ever since and made her adopted hometown. She also attended the University of Pittsburgh Law School where she continued to be a book-loving nerd.

Chloe has always loved writing and cherishes the opportunity to craft her fictional novels and share them with the world. When Chloe isn’t writing, she spends her time exploring Pittsburgh with her husband and friends. She also enjoys yoga, jogging, and all Pittsburgh sports, as well as her Duke Blue Devils.

She also thoroughly enjoys every opportunity to communicate with her readers. Since the release of her debut novel, Three Rivers, she has enjoyed the honor of meeting and talking with numerous fans, and looks forward to getting to know many more.


Connect with ChloeFacebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Email | Google+ | Chloe's Crew (Chloe Barlow Street Team) | Pinterest | Amazon Author Page
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Book Blitz: By Way of Accident

Title: By Way of Accident

Author: Laura Miller

Release Date: Oct 21, 2014

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They say in every guy’s life there’s a girl he’ll never forget and a summer where it all began. Well, for me, 1999 is that summer, and Brooke Sommerfield is that girl. But that was nearly nine years ago. And what they don’t tell ya is that you’ll blink, and both the summer and the girl will be gone. 

I have no idea where Brooke ended up. She disappeared that same summer I met her. And kind of like when you move something on a wall after it’s been there for a long time and everything around it is faded, that’s how I feel about Brooke. She wasn’t there very long, but when she left, everything around her memory sort of dimmed. That is until a letter postmarked the year she left mysteriously resurfaces. And call me crazy—everyone else has—but I have to find her. I have to know what became of the green-and-gray-eyed girl who stole my last perfect summer. I have to know if she believes in second chances—because I do—even if they do come with good-byes.


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Prologue

They say in every guy’s life, there’s a girl he’ll never forget and a summer where it all began. Well, 1999 is that summer, and Brooke Sommerfield is that girl. I’m convinced she was an angel. My grandma always used to say that angels come in blinks. Brooke was just like that. She flew into my life and then flew right back out again—almost as if she were never there at all. But she was definitely there. And I’ve got her invisible memory to remind me of it. But anyway, that was years ago and yesterday when she flew in by way of accident. At thirteen years old on that hot June day, I only had three things on my mind: Cooling off, girls...and girls. So, I’d have to say that June 22, 1999, was also the best day of my life.

See, there was a creek that ran through the back of our property when I was growing up. It stretched the entire length and then jutted north and disappeared behind old man Brandt’s land. I had followed it one day when I was bored. There’s not too much more to do in Detmold, Missouri. They say the town, or what’s left of it, is named after some big city in Germany somewhere. I’ve never been, but I hear they’ve got old castles and big museums over there. And while we don’t have old castles or big museums, we do have an old building with weeds growin’ in it that used to be a post office...and big fields. We’ve got lots of big fields.

But anyway, after old man Brandt’s property, that winding, narrow stream crawled past a turn-of-the-century white farm house owned by a little old lady named Samantha Catcher. She doesn’t live there anymore. I guess that house eventually just got too big for her because not too long after Mr. Catcher passed, she moved to a tiny one-bedroom in the next township over. And now, she rents the old farm house out to people who are just passing through our little town. They stay a little while, and then soon enough, they’re on their way again. When I was young, kids would tell stories about why Mrs. Catcher kept the old place. Some said it was because it was haunted by her late husband. Some said she needed the money because Mr. Catcher gambled their life savings away before he died. But I know that Mr. Catcher wasn’t a gambler—well, beyond being a farmer—and I was pretty sure he wasn’t a ghost either. See, I was convinced that Mrs. Catcher kept that old place because it made her happy. I’d catch her in between renters plantin’ flowers in front of its porch or hangin’ a new welcome sign on the front door. She’d always be smilin’ then. See, Grandma also told me once that memories are invisible to everyone but the beholder. So I just assumed that Mrs. Catcher was looking at all her memories that nobody else could see when I would catch her smilin’ at that old house.

But all the same, that creek kept crawlin’. It kept on goin’ for miles after Mrs. Catcher’s place, but I didn’t. It was gettin’ close to supper time by then, and I was gettin’ awful hungry, so I turned around that day, and I walked back home. But the point here is that I knew that creek like the back of my hand, and I knew everyone who lived anywhere near it too. So that’s why June 22, 1999, was different. It started off normal. I baled hay. I got hot. I went to the creek. Believe it or not, I was on my summer vacation—right here at home, helpin’ my grandpa out around the farm. To me, it wasn’t much of a vacation, but my parents thought spendin’ some more time with Grandpa would do him and me some good. So, there I was on a Tuesday evening gettin’ ready to jump into that creek when I spotted somethin’—somethin’ that would stick with me for a really long time. And that day in the summer of ’99, I walked home with the best souvenir I ever got from a summer vacation—an invisible memory—of a shiny, little thing that would change my life forever.

But again, that was years ago. And now, I’m just left here smilin’ at this old creek just like Mrs. Catcher used to do at that old farm house. My mind just keeps replaying the little time I held Brooke Sommerfield. That beautiful girl is gone now, but I can still hear her in the wind. If I listen real hard, I can hear her laughter over the whip-poor-will, and I can hear her whisperin’ softly about the sky and its secrets and dreams and being happy. I close my eyes and breathe her in. She smells like daisies and fresh creek water—and summer. And all of a sudden, I hear a soft sigh rustlin’ through the trees, and I force my eyes open just in time to see a flock of geese—wings wide, toes spread—landing on the water.

“Life passes you by when your eyes are closed,” I whisper back to the wind. And then I smile wide, and I sit back against the grassy creek bank, and I watch my invisible memories play out just as if she had never left me.

That summer came slow, but it went so fast. Turns out, those endless days were never meant for the two of us. I never seemed to get enough time with her. Maybe it was because she taught me how to live. Maybe it was because she taught me how to love. Or maybe it was just simply because I loved her.

I sit back further into that grass, and I watch those geese float down the creek. All around me, the tree frogs are startin’ to call, singin’ back and forth about whatever it is frogs sing back and forth about. And I just sit there, and I think about that beautiful girl.

“I’ll find my way back to you, Brooke Sommerfield. As sure as the sun is gonna rise in the mornin’, I’ll find you,” I whisper to the wind. I tell it what I wish I could say to her. I tell it what I told her once before in a letter—a letter she would never receive until years later. See, that’s the funny thing about fate; it works around us, despite us, in spite of us, even. And it’s near impossible to figure out, until all the pages are in place. But all the same, that doesn’t stop me from prayin’. Every day, I pray that this wild ride fate’s got me on ends with her. I pray that you, Brooke Sommerfield, are on my last page. And I pray that page is a happy one. But whether it is or it isn’t, either way, I have to know what became of you. I have to know what became of the girl who stole my last perfect summer. And I have to know if she believes in second chances—because I do, even if they do come with good-byes.

But until then, Brooke Sommerfield, my summer angel, you and I will be what my grandpa always liked to call...unfinished business.




LAURA MILLER is the national bestselling author of the contemporary romance novels: BUTTERFLY WEEDS, MY BUTTERFLY, FOR ALL YOU HAVE LEFT and BY WAY OF ACCIDENT.

She was born on a farm in small town, Missouri and attended the University of Missouri-Columbia (Mizzou). She later graduated from Mizzou with a degree in newsprint journalism and was a newspaper reporter in her former life.

Laura spent some time in San Diego, Calif., and Charleston, S.C., before moving back to the Midwest in 2011. She now lives in Kansas City, Mo., with her husband, a TV meteorologist.

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Book Review: City of Champions

City of Champions (Gateway to Love #2) by Chloe T. Barlow: How do you find the will to try, when you've spent all your life playing on a field strewn with shattered lives and broken rules?

Tragedy and betrayal taught Jenna Sutherland early on that her safest bet was to fiercely avoid any risk, whether it is in work, life, or love. Now a respected orthopedic surgical resident on the cusp of finally breaking through in her career, she’s more guarded than ever.

When injured NFL quarterback Wyatt McCoy bulldozes into her life there’s no denying he’s cocky, selfish, and downright dangerous — everything Jenna’s sworn she doesn’t want.

Suddenly the levelheaded doctor finds herself facing down her greatest fear, and she’s tempted to gamble all she’s fought so hard to build. The two embark on an intense holiday love affair that quickly teeters on obsession, and tempts them both to think they could go all-in on a real future together. Yet Wyatt's desperation to stay on the field — and out of the operating room — lures him to take dangerous risks with Jenna's trust.

Will they win at love or lose everything¬ — including their fragile chance at happiness?
TeriLyn's thoughts:  **City of Champions generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.**

While City of Champions could be read as a stand alone novel, I'd highly recommend you reading book one of the series, Three Rivers, before diving into Wyatt and Jenna's story.

Chloe Barlow creates unique stories with engaging characters and diverse plots richly entrenched in the setting of her novels. The Gateway to Love series opens new doors for romance readers thanks to Barlow’s simple writing layered with character depth throughout the story. The fresh setting of Pittsburgh enhances the quality of these characters as the importance of family and community are not only vital parts to the magic of the city but also to the magic of Barlow’s characters.

City of Champions showcases two characters both wholly content in their lives – wanting simple pleasures, steadfast in their beliefs, loyal to their families, and dedicated to the perseverance and maintenance of their careers. Through the fluidity of the writing this author rewards the reader with complex character depth delving into feelings neither character expected. Wyatt and Jenna need something from each other. One much more vindictive than the other but both needing something to help their coveted positions. Through the coupling and needs we find a couple who’s engaging, smart, passionate, and funny. The thrill of this couple for me stems from the fun of the chase – the vulnerability they both come to find in themselves through the chase of the other. With a cat and mouse game they both play stolen glances, mischievous grins, and flirty play ingratiate the reader to both Wyatt and Jenna. As with the first book in the series, the comradery of the three woman in this book, the way they support, cherish and foster each other while being brutally honest through good times and bad – the reader feels every last feeling of the goodness they provide.

As my rating suggests, I really did enjoy this story. However, what didn’t work for me thusly effecting my overall rating come from the motivations of one of the main characters. As not to spoil the story, I won’t say who or what the motivations were but there comes a point when a reader needs to believe in the honesty of a character. For a big chunk of the story I questioned everything from this character and felt bad for the other. Since the story is told from dual points of view, I knew the workings inside their minds and what I saw made me question the integrity of the character as well as the value of the relationship because I couldn’t get past the outright deceit I kept feeling. After the conflict resolution, I understood better even I didn’t agree with the action. Had I believed this character had better intentions even when they started falling it could have been a five star book for me.

I still very highly recommend City of Champions. Chloe Barlow takes two characters scarred from their pasts yet very much living in the present and morphs them into people who continually grow and face change with admirable strength. The characters are put through tests of their fortitude in life and how each of them handles those tests endears them to the reader more. We learn more about the main characters from Three Rivers and become further intrigued with the next set of main characters starring in book three. I can’t wait to learn more about Wyatt, Jenna and the whole gang.

Try this author – her writing speaks volumes with well-structured plots taking you on a magic ride through the serene yet chaotic beautiful city of Pittsburgh.

Book Review: Work of Art

Work of Art (The Inspiration, #1) by Ruth Clampett: In a life driven by passion, famed artist Maxfield Caswell lives in a world of brilliant color and drama, pushing his art and affairs to his emotional edge. He’s stunning, charismatic and celebrated in the art world, but are the trappings of fame also destroying him?

For years intelligent and bright-eyed Ava Jacobs has worked diligently toward a career in the art world. Ava is swept off her feet when she meets the passionate artist. She soon realizes, however, that he’s on a destructive path—one she doesn’t intend to join him on.

In the decadent world of patrons, art groupies, and predators, feisty and beautiful Ava knocks Max off his pedestal. A stunned Max sees something special in Ava and offers her an opportunity she can’t refuse. As their lives and passions collide, will he realize that she alone has the power to heal him? Can their hearts come together to create their own work of art?
TeriLyn's thoughts: **Work of Art generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.**

Books set in the world of art constantly intrigue me. After seeing the cover and reading the blurb for Work of Art my curiosity bested me. Ruth Clampett delivers a deliciously daring tale. Beautiful and fluid prose perfectly balances the light and the dark of not only the art world, but of the artist’s mind through the sharp lens of an engaging, smart protagonist. The voice of this New Adult contemporary novel, Ava, delicately preserves the reader’s opinions between the grotesque and the extraordinary.

The writing style of this author fully engages. The story structurally designed by Clampett leaves much room for growth. While it’s not an “edge of your seat” style of writing, the intrigue to want to learn more about these people presents itself fully. More often than not, I found myself lost in Clampetts words, engaged in the pages. Each character the reader meets provides a different aspect to the story.

Work of Art is told from Ava’s point of view. It’s a circular point of view as Ava engages with a variety of characters and subsequently a variety of attitudes and personalities. She’s oddly star struck by the intensity of her feelings toward Maxfield Caswell – the artist. Conversely, she’s similarly puzzled regarding the force of feelings from Jonathan – the publisher. Through a whirlwind of excellent opportunities surrounding a project for Max, Ava subtly walks a tightrope tethering her to both men in very different ways because each represent something different.

Maxfield Caswell – the artist – entrances the reader. As an artist he’s conflicted. The dark inner workings of his mind we aren’t privy to but from Ava we see the difficulty straining him to maintain the level of his work coinciding with the level of his fame. He’s an enigma. A puzzle we must work to solve. The author blends into his character a pattern of conflicted artist and soulful man. The weaving of the two extremes in his personality, the difference between the beautiful light and the ominous dark in Max gives the reader a very intriguing character. The purity from Ava in his life cleanses his soul. However, it’s not enough to keep his demons at bay.

There were certain parts of the book that became mundane to me, details I found not important to the story or the development of these characters. Even though a few times while reading, I felt easily distracted more often than not I was consumed by Ava’s voice. Ruth Clampett wrote an intriguing book with Work of Art. Her writing is superb and her vivid telling of the art world mysterious and engaging combined with characters I want to know more about. I can’t wait for more the subsequent books to learn more about Ava, Max, Jonathan and the excellent cast of supporting characters. Work of Art does have a mild cliff hanger. Nothing over the top. You’ll definitely want book two but know the wait will be worth it.

City of Champions

Fun of the chase

Release Day: Breathless

Title: Breathless

Author: Vanessa Marie

Release Date: Nov 11, 2014

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For once in Charlie’s life, she has something she'd never allowed herself to have before.

Hope.

All because of Sam’s love.

He fought for her. No matter the cost.

He loved her even when she couldn't allow herself to feel loved.

Now, when things feel like they might go smoothly for once in her life...

The unexpected happens. Her fate. Her constant date with Death.

A reality that completely blindsides her when life once again rears it’s ugly head.

Shattering any sense of a future she ever felt she could grasp, even if only for a second.

Will she give in and surrender to her fate?

Will she retreat, pushing away everyone she loves to hold onto her secrets?

Or will she fight? Fight for Sam, fight for their love, the way he's always fought for her?


Amazon



"You suck, old man. This is blackmail." She grit her teeth like she always did when he baited her.

"If the only way to get you to talk is to withhold food, well, then so be it." Joe slowly lifted another heaping spoonful toward his mouth. The craving for marshmallows, chocolate, and nuts was suddenly so overwhelming that it was too much to take.

"Fine! I'll talk, but don't you dare eat that bite."

An evil smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he shoved it in his mouth.

"You asshole. That's a party foul."

"Did you just call your father an asshole?"

"Hey, if the shoe fits…."

"Just for that...." Joe cocked an eyebrow at her and brought the bowl to his chin, shoveling the rest into his mouth.

Charlie narrowed her eyes at him and gave him a menacing shake of her head. "I hope you get brain freeze."

"You can't freeze what's not there," he mumbled with a laugh as ice cream dribbled down his chin to his shirt.

She covered her mouth and looked away with her face scrunched up in disgust. "That's freaking gross. You're not even senile yet and you're already drooling 'n shit."

Joe let out a laugh. "Well it's good to see you have some semblance of your sense of humor left."

"Oh, look at you and your big words."

"Oh, bite me."

"I should since you ate all my ice cream."

Giving her his best stern look, she knew the jig was up. Their verbal dance was over and there was no more avoiding the dreaded conversation.

"So, when are you going to talk to him about it?" He moved from the table to the chair next to her.

"I'm not."

"Come on, kid. I've raised you better than that. Don't do this to him."

Was he really going there and pulling that bullshit? "What the hell is that supposed to mean? The only thing I'm doing is protecting him from inevitable pain."

"Seriously? Don't pull that bullshit with me."

Her heart pounded rapidly in her chest as her cheeks flushed with heat. "It's not bullshit," she said with a growl.

"Charles, I think you forget I've been in your shoes-"

Is he out of his fucking mind?

She didn't even let him finish before she cut him off. "The hell you have. You think you have an idea because you were with mom, but you have absolutely no idea what it's like to actually go through any of this." Tears welled in her eyes as she sucked in a ragged breath and forced herself to look away.

"That's what I wish you'd pull your head out of your ass about. Just because we aren't the ones being cut open doesn't mean this doesn't affect us. We have been on this ride with you from day one, every step of the way. So, no, you don't get to tell me how I feel—or anyone else, for that matter."

Deep down, she knew he was right to some degree, but it still wasn't fair for him to compare what he was feeling to what she was dealing with. Not that it was a competition to her, but he always tried to make it seem like everything was so simple and in black and white.

But it wasn't, and she was slowly sinking to the murky grey in the middle of it all.








Always the cause of shenanigans, Vanessa is a heavily tattooed, sarcastic motorcycle enthusiast who started her career as a Jeep tech at the age of sixteen. The happily married mother of three little monsters—oops, children—lives in Kentucky by way of Las Vegas, Nevada. Once her life took a different direction—sidelined by Heart Disease at 26 and becoming a pacemaker recipient—she decided to write as a creative outlet, and Heartless was born. She realizes life can be dark clouds and acid rain at times, but her outlook on life puts a positive and sarcastic spin on it all.

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Amazon Top 10 New Adult Books: November 16, 2014

Amazon Top 10 New Adult Books: November 16, 2014. 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. Also: No pre-orders! Sorry.)

Top 10 Paid:

1. Game: (Gentry Boys) by Cora Brent
4.7 out of 5 stars

2. Make Mine a Ranger: (Special Ops: Homefront Book 4) by Kate Aster
4.7 out of 5 stars

3. Fighting for Love: (A Second Chances Standalone Book 4) by L.P. Dover, Melissa Ringsted
4.3 out of 5 stars

4. Master Over You: A Dark Romance Novel (Extended Version, Author's Preferred Text) by Cerys du Lys, Ethan Winters
4.1 out of 5 stars

5. Mr. Miracle: A Christmas Novel by Debbie Macomber
4.1 out of 5 stars

6. Saltwater Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story Book 1) by Krista Lakes
3.9 out of 5 stars

7. Risk: (Gentry Boys#2) by Cora Brent
4.7 out of 5 stars

8. Wreck Me: (Nova) (Breaking Nova) by Jessica Sorensen
4.6 out of 5 stars

9. Kisses From Jack: The Other Side of a Billionaire Love Story (Saltwater Kisses, Book 2) by Krista Lakes
4.2 out of 5 stars

10. Rainwater Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story (Saltwater Kisses, Book 2) by Krista Lakes, Mel Finefrock
4.3 out of 5 stars

Best Sellers in Two-Hour Romance Short Reads

1. RUIN - Part Three (The RUIN Series, Book 3) by Deborah Bladon
4.6 out of 5 stars

2. RUIN - (The RUIN Series, Book 1) by Deborah Bladon
4.4 out of 5 stars

3. RUIN - Part Two (The RUIN Series, Book 2) by Deborah Bladon
4.7 out of 5 stars

4. Yours for Christmas (Fool's Gold series) by Susan Mallery
4.7 out of 5 stars

5. On Her Father's Grave: (Rogue River Novella, Book 1) by Kendra Elliot
4.3 out of 5 stars

6. #4 Chosen by the Vampire Kings: BBW Romance by Charlene Hartnady
4.8 out of 5 stars

7. Her Grave Secrets: (Rogue River Novella, Book 3) by Kendra Elliot
4.6 out of 5 stars

8. #1 Chosen by the Vampire Kings: BBW Romance by Charlene Hartnady
4.5 out of 5 stars

9. Gone to Her Grave (Rogue River Novella, Book 2) by Melinda Leigh
4.5 out of 5 stars

10. Faith (Running With Alphas Book 5) by Viola Rivard
4.8 out of 5 stars