R.E. Hargrave's Blog, page 124
November 21, 2020
BOOK BLITZ: The Time Gatherer by Rachel Dacus #GIVEAWAY
The Time Gatherer
Rachel Dacus
Publication date: November 10th 2020
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Traveling in time he found love. And became a target.
Young George St. James doesn’t know how to unfold the wings of his gift, but a timegathering medieval monk and a 23rd century geneticist can put him on the right track. He learns the genetic nature of his ability. He finds that his destiny is to nudge history in the right direction. Unfortunately, it brings him enemies. The Optimalists are a secret society that wants to change the genome, get rid of the timegathering gene, and control humanity.
Brother Bernardo shows George how to use his ability and counsels him on its purpose. He takes George to Philadelphia in 1776, as the American colonists hesitate to sign a Declaration of Independence from England. He wants to inspire George as a timegatherer move the Colonists to act.
George struggles to thwart the Optimalists and evades their attacks. But love unexpectedly arrives to divert him from his goal. Beautiful, talented 17th century painter Elisabetta Sirani is destined for an untimely end. Passionately determined to save her, George changes history in the service of love—but it may cost him his future.
“A fine tale of time travel, romance, and adventure” ~ Reader review.
THE TIME GATHERER is the second book in the spellbinding Timegathering Series that began with THE RENAISSANCE CLUB. Plunge into a suspenseful story of love and adventure tangled up in history!
—
EXCERPT:
Her hand was limp in his, and her eyes had ceased to move under closed lids.
“Elisabetta?”
He couldn’t take a breath until she took one, but her breathing was shallow and slow. George finally inhaled, a lump in his throat. But he couldn’t allow the tears. Not yet. Not while she lived.A single window above her bed let in a feeble shaft of light, but not much air. The stone walls oppressed him. This backward place. If only he could have transported his beloved to the airy apartment he lived in, four hundred years in the future. She could have recovered there. No one could get well in this backward century.He had offered to take Elisabetta with him, knowing that she would die of this unknown disease. In his time, they might have been able to cure her, but she’d refused. He wouldn’t force this brilliant young painter to leave everything she’d ever known when that might ruin her and disturb history.
This was all his fault. If George hadn’t allowed his teenage passion for rock and roll to lead him to an even deeper passion for delving into history, he might not be sitting in this stone-walled room in the seventeenth century, keeping vigil at the bedside of the only woman he would ever love.
He could jump right now to the future and ask Dr. Zheng for another remedy, but since this one had gone so wrong, the next cure could be worse. And he couldn’t leave Elisabetta alone now.
Author Bio:
Rachel Dacus writes about love, history, art and adventure, with a touch of the supernatural. Her newest book, THE TIME GATHERER, is Book 2 in the Timegathering Series. Her novel THE INVISIBLES is a story of sisterhood and sacrifice, set in a haunted cottage on the Italian coast. In her first novel, THE RENAISSANCE CLUB (Book 1 in the Timegathering Series), a 17th century genius artist meets his superfan from the future. Dacus has published four poetry collections and many anthologies. Her most recent collection is ARABESQUE. She lives in Northern California with her husband and a tiny but mighty Silky Terrier. She's a member of the Women's Fiction Writer's Association, Alliance of Independent Authors, and Authors18. Learn more at racheldacus.net.
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November 20, 2020
BOOK BLITZ: Office Grump by Nicole Snow #GIVEAWAY
Office Grump
Nicole Snow
Publication date: November 12th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Wall Street Journal bestselling author Nicole Snow returns with a fierce and hilarious office romance where two sworn enemies make undeniable lovers.
My “interview” with bosshole supreme was anything but normal.He picked the worst day ever to chase me off my favorite park bench.I retaliated with a spray of cinnamon latte all over his Italian shoes.Then—for some unholy reason—Magnus Heron offered me a job. Even his name sounds like a piece of work.Guess what? He is.But when you’re single, broke, and barely surviving in Chicago, you hop on the gift horse offering a six-figure salary and ride.I picked the stallion on a one-way trip to hell. It’s not the impossibly long hours working under Grump-zilla.It’s not the fact that he’s snarly, demanding, horribly rich, and chiseled.It’s not even the pesky way he makes me blush every flipping time we’re together.Mag is my boss. I’m his lowly assistant. Some rules are carved in stone. That’s my mantra until we’re sharing a sunset too beautiful for life.Alone with wandering lips, whispered secrets, and disaster in the making.The plan was simple: punch the clock, get paid, and keep hating my boss.What’s the blueprint when the office grump brings me to my knees?Full-length enemies-to-lovers romance with the banter, intrigue, and slow-burn love worthy of a Happily Ever After. The bossman from Hades meets the hellion he totally can’t stand—until he can’t live without her.
—
EXCERPT:
Heron chuckles, burning me alive with that lightning in his eyes. “You must have eclectic taste for an English major. Wasn’t that the other degree listed next to fine arts on your resume?”
I scan the menu. “Huh?”
“I mean, to enjoy The Fireman’s Pregnant Tinkerbell.”
I’m busy reading the entrees—and frowning because there are no sandwiches, probably no fries, ugh—so it takes a second for his words to click.
Fireman’s Pregnant Tinkerbell? He must’ve seen my Amazon search.
Oh, great.
I decide to play it cool. After all, my personal shopping has zilch to do with him.
“Why would it have to be eclectic? There’s a literary reference right in the name. Sounds very English major-y to me,” I say.
“English major-y? Is that a word?” He holds his water up, taking a long, sardonic pull off the glass.
God. If only I could clock him in the nose right here.
“It is now,” I say without looking up.
“Interesting. I must’ve missed the part in Barrie’s work where Tinkerbell even met the fireman.” The bastard winks.
Winks.
My face heats at his words and I abhor how good he is at getting me all riled in more ways than one.
Yeah, no, I decide.
He’s not getting the satisfaction.
I scoff—I have to do something with the fire in my veins—and set the menu down so I can meet his eyes. “I’d love to meet a fireman. If I ever have an evening off in time for dinner, I’ll cruise Tinder or Match for one.”
“You’re serious? Firemen are your type?” His face becomes more serious and slightly angrier than it was like two seconds ago.
Oh, God. Thanks, Mom, for putting me in this predicament. You couldn’t just write a book with a more mysterious title?
I take a deep breath and look him square in the eye.
“Why does that shock you, Mr. Heron? Are you fireman-phobic? They’re heroic, hardworking, protective, and risk their butts all day to save lives,” I say, registering his grump-face growly mood with some satisfaction. I can’t resist adding a dollop of icing to the cake. “Plus, they’ve got big hoses. I know those are things preppy business guys probably wouldn’t know about, right?”
His face is, for once, completely blank.
I’ve caught him off guard.
Ha. I like being the one on top, so I continue while I’m on a roll.
“Especially the big hose part. I mean, you wouldn’t even know what to do with equipment like that. It’s not your fault. There’s no need for a long, thick hose in boardrooms.” I smirk at him and flip through my textbook of a menu again.
A second later, I’m actually a little mortified. My face heats, no doubt giving away the fact that I’m not as confident as my words.
What’s gotten into me?
Author Bio:
Nicole Snow is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author. She found her love of writing by hashing out love scenes on lunch breaks and plotting her great escape from boardrooms. Her work roared onto the indie romance scene in 2014 with her Grizzlies MC series.
Since then Snow aims for the very best in growly, heart-of-gold alpha heroes, unbelievable suspense, and swoon storms aplenty. With over a million books sold, she lives for the joy of making two people fight with every bit of their soul for a Happily Ever After.
Current fan favorites include her Enguard Protectors series, accidental love novels, plus long beloved MC romance thrillers like the Grizzlies and Deadly Pistols.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub
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BOOK BLITZ: Igniting Love by Sara Ohlin #GIVEAWAY
Igniting Love
Sara Ohlin
(Rescue Me Series, #2)
Publication date: November 17th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
When an embittered artist crosses paths with a young widow, the heat is on…
When personal chef and single mom Katie Walsh jumps back into the dating game, Leo Treversini’s gaze in the doorway of a local bar lights up her whole body. Bumping into him a week later, Kate thinks fate is calling—until Leo’s bitter words hit her like a punch to the gut.
Recently returned to the up-and-coming Corvallis neighborhood, metal artist and loner Leo feels the beautiful power of Katie’s eyes like the flame from his torch, but discovering his muse is married and the young mother of three daughters cuts him to the quick.
Except…Katie is widowed, which means she’s free to love again—if she can trust a man with her heart and her most precious gifts, her daughters. As Leo is free to love her, if he can overcome a past betrayal and believe in Katie’s love. Add in the meddling community, Katie’s family and teenage internet crime and it’s going to be far from easy…or even likely.
Katie’s love might be just the balm Leo’s wounded heart needs, but will he have the courage to face his crushing past to accept it?
Can the artist with the wounded heart love his muse?
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—
EXCERPT:
He was so fierce and striking, almost a mirage as the heat swirled around him, and something pulled her to him, almost as it pushed her away. Fire, flame and heat and it was all consuming and not enough at the same time. She dragged her arm up and pushed her hair back off her neck. Gosh I’m hot! Is the entire fricking sky the sun? It’s relentless. “Um.” She smiled because for some reason her body whispered ancient words, You know him.
She wanted to run her hands all over him. See if he felt as beautiful as he looked. Oh my God. She smacked her hand over her eyes. She was having a conversation with herself and she wasn’t sure how many selves were involved. Her brain was trying to talk her down from the cliff of ridiculousness, but her soul was electrified for the first time ever. Or was it woozy, icky and hot? I don’t feel so good.
“It’s hot out.” Wow, she was such a stellar linguist. But she didn’t dwell on how stupid she sounded, because his eyes blazed over her, like he wanted to devour her, but would hate every second of it. He is angry. The veil was back from the other night, and not a hint of a smile graced his beautiful face…more like scorn. His weird demeanor was one more thing she could add to the crazy list of things happening at the moment. She liked lists. Car in ruins, check. Feel like I might faint, check. Sweating like pig, check. Beautiful mystery man I can’t stop dreaming about from the bar Friday night glaring at me, check. She unstuck herself from her car and tried to communicate even while her thoughts tornadoed together.
“I need a mechanic,” she said, taking a step toward him. She wanted to be closer. “My uh…” She gestured to her van. “I think my starter’s having a tantrum again.” She wiped the sweat off her forehead. Not one single muscle moved in his body. He waited, his arms tight across his chest. She couldn’t even tell if he’d heard her. “Can you, uh, are you… Do you work for Matt?”
“Nope.” That one word, again. She wasn’t sure whether to feel lucky, relieved or insulted. Why did she feel such burning around him? And why did he glare at her like he hated her?
“Did I, um, do something?” she asked. Lordy her tongue was like sludge.
He pulled a water bottle out of his back pocket and guzzled some down. Oh, cold water. “We’re booked up. You’ll have to take your infidelity and your piece-of-shit car somewhere else.” And with his final punch thrown, he tossed the empty water bottle in the dumpster, turned and walked away.
“What?” she whispered. Standing there boiling under the sweltering day on asphalt so hot it even smelled like fresh tar, with sweat sticking her curls to her cheek and forehead, his words hit her like a lance. A hidden thorn from the most beautiful rosebush. Unexpected pain.
Author Bio:
Puget Sound based writer, Sara Ohlin is a mom, wannabe photographer, obsessive reader, ridiculous foodie, and the author of the contemporary romance novels, Handling the Rancher, Salvaging Love, Seducing the Dragonfly and Igniting Love.
She has over fifteen years of creative non-fiction and memoir writing experience, and you can find her essays at Anderbo.com, Feminine Collective, Mothers Always Write, Her View from Home, and in anthologies such as Are We Feeling Better Yet? Women Speak about Healthcare in America, Take Care: Tales, Tips, & Love from Women Caregivers, and Chicken Soup for the Soul.
Although she's the author of many essays about life, grief, motherhood and the connections we make through delicious food and shared meals, Sara loves creating imaginary worlds with tight-knit communities in her romance novels. She credits her mother, Mary, Nora Roberts and Rosamunde Pilcher for her love of romance.
If she's not reading or writing, you will most likely find her in the kitchen creating scrumptious meals with her two kids and amazing husband, or perhaps cooking up her next love story. She once met a person who both "didn't read books" and wasn't "that into food" and it nearly broke her heart.Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Pinterest
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November 19, 2020
B@@K REVEAL: Masters' Escape by Jamie Schulz
Masters’ Escape
Jamie Schulz
(The Angel Eyes #2)
Publication date: December 2020
Genres: Adult, Dystopian, Romance
A night of red-hot passion.
A morning of soul-crushing rejection.Bret Masters is ready to run. Living as a slave was humiliating enough. But to have his Mistress take him to her bed only to callously dismiss him at sunrise is too much for his wounded heart to bear. Somehow, he must escape her tender trap. Success meant freedom. Failure, a gruesome death. When guard patrols ruin his schemes, Masters is cruelly dragged back to the woman who enslaved him. Her reaction to his deceit, however, is far more damaging to his injured pride than the abuse of the guards. He accepts his assigned penalty as reasonable until unexpected developments force Bret to become his Mistress’ personal servant as well. He wants to deny his feelings for Angel, but can he? Will he be able to resist the overwhelming desire to hold her in his arms again? Or will he plow deeper into the painful abyss loving her might unearth?
Angel Aldridge cannot escape the haunting mistakes of her past. And, now, she’s doomed to repeat them. Bret is every bit the fantasy she dreamed of, but she cannot love him. She made a vow never to fall again. She made another to protect the people she brought to her ranch. If she allows herself to care for Masters, she could fail at both. As her autumn despondency drives her deeper into mental and emotional darkness, she is determined to keep her promises. But her heart has other ideas. When danger appears on her doorstep, will she be able to protect Bret from the enemies she fears? Or will a mysterious illness finally crack their protective walls and allow the seeds of love to find purchase in their damaged hearts…
*Masters’ Escape is the second book in an HEA sextology series. Angel and Bret’s story continues from book to book with the conclusion in the final installment.
Sequel to:
Author Bio:
Jamie Schulz lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her family, her husband, and their fur babies. Writing has always been a big a part of her life, and she hopes to one day reach the best sellers lists.
Cowboys, ice cream, and reading almost any kind of romance are among her (not so) secret loves. To her, every one of her stories, no matter how dark, must have a happy ending, and she strives to make them impossible to put down until you get there.
She balances her free time between reading her favorite romance authors--in genres ranging from erotica and dark romance to sweet historicals and contemporary romance--and spending time with her family.
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BOOK BLITZ: Wicked Idol by Becker Gray #GIVEAWAY
Wicked Idol
Becker Gray
(A Hellfire Club Novel)
Publication date: November 17th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
The new girl doesn’t belong here. So why can’t I stop thinking about her? Iris Briggs a goodie two-shoes with a headmaster father who aims to ruin my school year before it’s even begun. She gets under my skin. With her demure skirts and braided hair, Iris flits around the periphery until she runs right into me, hot coffee soaking me as she looks up at me with wide, innocent eyes. We start off scalding.
In the library, we reach lava levels.
And then in the city? We go nuclear.
She’s a good girl, but I’m a Constantine. My duty is to my family. At least, it was until I started unbraiding the good girl and realizing there’s more to life than duty.
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Author Bio:
Becker Gray is the brainchild of two best friends who love rich boys in peacoats. The Hellfire Club is their first series together.
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DUET BLITZ: Forbidden Fantasies and Darkest Desires by Lauren E. Rico #GIVEAWAY
Forbidden Fantasies
Lauren E. Rico
(TEMP/sub #1)
Publication date: November 17th 2020
Genres: Adult, Dark Romance
Alison Armitage has more responsibility than God. At least, that’s what it feels like some days as she manages her multi-billion-dollar business. She’d give just about anything to NOT be in charge. Just for a little while. Just behind the closed doors of her incredibly expensive and incredibly lonely apartment
One night after one too many cocktails, she stumbles upon a chat room for people like her—dominant in their everyday lives, looking to be dominated. Just a little bit. Titillated, she explores further and soon finds herself with a very exclusive invitation to participate in a very unique ‘experiential’ resort. A place where people can come to live out their fantasies in an immersive environment, for a short term period. Where all guests have been carefully vetted and all “play” is consensual—and closely monitored for safety.
Too late, Alison discovers that the sexy world of her fantasies is a long way from the reality she now faces. And the only thing keeping her on the right side of safety and sanity is the dark and brooding man she’s been made to call “Master.”
The problem is, she’s not so sure which side is the “right” side anymore.
—
Darkest Desires
Lauren E. Rico
(TEMP/sub #2)
Publication date: November 17th 2020
Genres: Adult, Dark Romance
Alison Armitage is a powerful woman at the top of her field. But just once, she’d like to give up control to someone else…control of her decisions, her body, her life. It was only a fantasy…until it wasn’t. Until the day she was abducted and brought to a remote island where she was trained to serve a man known to her only as Master. A man who promised to cherish her and keep her safe. A man who considered her to be his personal property.
What she never anticipated was developing feelings for the stranger with the dark, stormy eyes and commanding tone. Nor did she expect that his touch would ignite her body with a passion she thought only existed in movies and romance novels. Now, with each passing day, she falls harder and deeper for him and for this lifestyle as she finds a freedom and contentment she never imagined possible.
But no sooner has she come to terms with her new role and her new life than her world is up-ended once more, leaving her bereft, heartbroken and furious. This time, it’s Alison who has the upper hand and she’ll stop at nothing to get what she wants…as soon as she figures out what exactly that is. And until she can untangle fantasy from reality, she is destined to be a slave to both.
—
EXCERPT BOOK 1:
I would swear that, just for a moment, he looks as if he’s going to cry. Like he really, truly, absolutely believed I wouldn’t emerge from the fog of the last… I don’t know. How long have I been out?
“H-how…” I start to speak again, but have to stop because I’m sounding so raspy.
He puts a finger to my lips.
“Shhhh. Just give me a second,” he murmurs, getting to his feet quickly, only to return a moment later with a bottle of water with a straw inside. He uses some unseen controls on the side of the hospital bed to elevate me until I’m sitting up slightly, then holds out the water. But when I make a move to take it from him, he shakes his head. “Just sip. I’ll hold it for you.”
I feel a little silly. Despite the dull ache in my head, I feel fairly decent. Certainly well enough to hold my own bottle of water. But I already know that this doesn’t matter. He has every intention of taking every precaution where my health is concerned. I mean, I am his property, right? Only… somehow, somewhere deep down, I know that it’s more than that between us. If it weren’t—if I really, truly believed in my heart that he only considered me to be so much chattel, I don’t think I could feel the way I’ve come to feel toward him.
No, he may be an alpha male, he may enjoy a little of the BDSM lifestyle, but, at the end of the day, he cares. If I’m to believe the look in his eyes right now, then this man—whose name I will likely never know—loves me. I know it. Because I know that, against all odds, I have fallen in love with him. With the gentle way he touches me. With the smoldering way he looks at me. With the way every square inch of my body burns with desire under his touch.
Author Bio:
Award-Winning radio host Lauren Rico is one of the top classical music broadcasters in the country. Her voice is heard nationally on SiriusXM's Symphony Hall channel, as well as on radio stations in New York City, Charlotte and Tampa. She's even been known to accompany travelers as they fly the skies over Thailand, Oman and China as part of the in-flight entertainment on several airlines. Her love and passion for classical music have allowed her to breathe new life into the stories of the great composers.
And now Lauren is telling some stories of her own...
Beginning with her erotic thriller, Reverie (Harmony House Productions, 2016) she set out to "put the sexy back in Bach" --creating a riveting tale of passion, deception and redemption set against the backdrop of an international music competition. She rounded out the trilogy with Rhapsody (Harmony House Productions, 2016) and Requiem (Harmony House Productions, 2017).
From there, Lauren partnered with Entangled Publishing, LLC to create the first in her Symphony Hall series of romances, Solo (Entangled Publishing 2017). Her most recent release, Blame it on the Bet, is the first in the five-book Whiskey Sisters series (Entangled 2017). Upcoming projects include four more Whiskey Sisters romances, a follow-up to Solo and a super-secret, as-of-yet-unnamed thriller.
Lauren hopes to bring classical music to a new audience by showcasing it in twisty, steamy stories that grab the reader and keep them turning pages--and YouTubing the music--into the wee hours.
When she's not on talking on the radio or typing on her laptop, Lauren enjoys time with her husband and spectacularly spoiled mini-schnauzer.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter
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BOOK BLITZ: Graves' Anatomy by Jace Anderson & Adam Gierasch #GIVEAWAY
Graves’ Anatomy
Jace Anderson & Adam Gierasch
Publication date: November 17th 2020
Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy
Tattoo artist Luna Graves’ life turns upside down when her estranged father dies and she learns it’s her destiny to be a doctor…to monsters.
Destiny? Fairy tale endings? Things that go bump in the night? Luna Graves doesn’t believe in any of them. Her father took off when she was three, and she’s worked hard to become one of the best young tattoo artists in Los Angeles. Of course, there was that mysterious exchange she had when she was 12 with Heath Guillaumet, who might not have been human…naw, that was just her imagination.
When her estranged father dies, Luna discovers that he led a secret life as an uphir, a doctor to the shadowkind — what we would call monsters. Now that he’s gone, she has to take his place — or be killed by the powerful Council. Thrust into a world she doesn’t know, the stubborn Luna refuses to give up on her original dreams. Soon Heath Guillaumet will return to unleash a disease last battled by the Knights Templar…the Black Death.
BOOK TRAILER:
—
EXCERPT:
The ornate padlock dangled from Luna Graves’ neck, suspended by a silver ball chain. It was a beautiful piece, really, so she usually didn’t have to explain why she wore it. The truth was, Luna didn’t know why she had held on to it for the past dozen years, and she’d started wearing it to justify keeping it for so long. If anything it reminded her to listen when a little tingle rose up in her stomach, to pay attention to that little flinch of fear.
Most people wouldn’t think of Luna as scared. Here she was in her element, the tattoo parlor, leaning over hulking Tony Ramirez with his three-quarter sleeves of horror movie creatures. But Luna knew it didn’t take courage to deal with Tony. Talk to him for two minutes and you’d realize that, behind the all-black clothing and hardcore punk T-shirts, he was just a sweet guy who liked make-believe monsters.
Monsters. Luna didn’t believe in them – of course she didn’t. Over the years she’d pushed the memory of that strange man Heath down into the recesses of her mind and scrubbed it clean of those elements that didn’t make sense. If the needle-sharp teeth entered her consciousness – a fleeting thought as she sketched one of Tony’s new designs, maybe, or a half-formed nightmare – she dismissed them. Her scared twelve-year-old mind had seen things that weren’t there. End of story.
Luna’s arms told a different tale: like Tony’s, they were covered with deliberately macabre designs. A Lovecraftian being, all tentacles and scales in bright colors of emerald green, purple and burnt orange, was splashed across Luna’s right shoulder. One long tentacle snaked all the way down her arm to encircle her wrist, where a needle-toothed, looming vampire peered out from a rocky precipice. Bats circled a harvest moon on her elbow, and a rugged scaly creature emerged from a lake on her forearm. The theme continued on her left arm, where two bristling hellhounds bounded down her triceps, nearly colliding with the ghoulish hag with backwards feet on her lower arm.
The designs were beautiful, haunting, each one a Luna original…and each one taken from her nightmares. Creatures had started peppering Luna’s dreams after her encounter with the strange man in the alley. She’d wake up panting with fear, her eyes probing the darkness, seeing flashes of monstrous faces at her window. Her parents would tell her they were just dreams, but they didn’t feel like Luna’s other ones. She felt that she could reach out and touch these creatures. Drawing them was the only thing that allowed her to go back to sleep; it was as if getting them on paper got them out of her head, if only temporarily. Getting them on paper also transformed them from terrifying to beautiful – under the influence of her pens, paints and pastels, the monsters that tormented her during the night became as spectacular as strutting peacocks.
“Ow!” Tony whimpered. Luna flipped her hair – naturally blond but currently dyed with streaks of aqua-blue that set off her pale green eyes – over her shoulder. She was dressed for work in old overalls and a tank top that showcased her ink-splashed tawny arms; just a bit of lipstick and mascara adorned her face.
“Deep breaths in and out,” she instructed, adjusting the position of the tattoo gun. “Focus on your breathing, not the pain.”
Tony was her last appointment of the day. It had been a busy Saturday at Tattoo du Monde, and Luna had spent most of the day inking standard flash on bewildered tourists. (Tattoo du Monde was located on Hollywood Boulevard just west of Highland, flanked by not one but two smoke shops, and as such was frequented by tourists confused as to why Jennifer Lawrence and Ryan Gosling weren’t getting pizza across the street.) Working on Tony was a treat – it was the first original design she’d done all day – even if he loathed needles just a little less than he loved tattoos.
Tattoos had been Luna’s calling since she got her first ink at sixteen, much to her mother Ramona’s chagrin. She and her best friend Jess had ventured east into trendy Silverlake, exploring dusty record shops and secondhand clothing stores, when Luna had spotted Mizayaki Tattoo, its windows filled with colorful custom flash. Even though the art was beautiful, Luna already knew that she wanted to use one of her own drawings as the basis for her tattoo. She had flipped her notebook open to a detailed drawing of an orange demon. “I want this.”
For the next hour she had gritted her teeth, listening to the steady buzz of the tattoo gun and regretting every extra stroke she’d put in her drawing. The demon had been a frequent visitor to Luna’s dreamscapes, but it took her three weeks to realize that once the devilish imp resided on her body it no longer visited her at night. After the hellhounds took up residence on her right arm, they disappeared from her dreams as well. The logical part of Luna’s brain knew there couldn’t be a correlation between the two and that there had to be another explanation for her newly uninterrupted nights of sleep…but deep down she believed that by permanently fixing the horrific creatures on her body she’d pulled them out of her dreams. In the space of eighteen months, her body had become host to her most frequent tormentors and Luna slept better that she had since she was a little girl.
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November 18, 2020
B@@K REVEAL: We Don't Lie Anymore by Julie Johnson
We Don’t Lie Anymore
Julie Johnson
(Julie Johnson)
Publication date: December 8th 2020
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
“We were never just friends…”
One year ago, I gave my heart to my best friend. He threw it in the dirt and walked out of my life without a backward glance.
Or so I thought.
When our orbits cross once more, everything I thought I knew about my relationship with Archer Reyes is turned upside down. The captivating boy I fell in love with is gone; in his place stands a haunted man with secrets burning in his eyes.
Secrets I’d do just about anything to uncover.
It’s been 365 days since I told my best friend I loved him.365 days since he didn’t say it back.365 days since he lied straight to my face.WE DON’T LIE ANYMORE is a breathtaking story of forgiveness, friendship, and the fight for true love… It is the second installment in THE DON’T DUET, directly following the events of WE DON’T TALK ANYMORE.
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Author Bio:
JULIE JOHNSON (born July 3, 1991) is a twenty-something Boston native and USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen contemporary romance novels. When she's not writing, Julie can most often be found adding stamps to her passport, drinking too much coffee, striving to conquer her Netflix queue, and Instagramming pictures of her dog. (Follow her: @author_julie)
She published her debut novel LIKE GRAVITY in August 2013, just before her senior year of college, and she's never looked back. Since, she has published more than a dozen other novels, including the bestselling BOSTON LOVE STORY series and THE GIRL DUET. Her books have appeared on Kindle and iTunes Bestseller lists around the world, as well as in AdWeek, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today.
Be on the lookout for her new series, THE FORBIDDEN ROYALS TRILOGY, now available at all e-retailers!
You can find Julie on Facebook or contact her on her website www.juliejohnsonbooks.com. Sometimes, when she can figure out how Twitter works, she tweets from @AuthorJulie. For major book news and updates, subscribe to Julie's newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bnWtHH
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BOOK BLITZ: Savage Beginnings by C. Hallman & J.L. Beck
Savage Beginnings
C. Hallman & J.L. Beck
(The Moretti Crime Family, #1)
Publication date: July 31st 2020
Genres: Adult, Dark Romance, Romance
It started with a single look… my obsession, my desire, and need to possess the sweet, and incredibly naive Elena Romero.
Dark raven hair, and piercing green eyes. She would make a beautiful bride.
Ten-millions dollars and a forced signature later and she was mine.
Like a thief I came in the dead of night and stole her away from her protected castle and placed her in a gilded cage made of gold.
The deal had been settled.
She would become my wife.She would bear my children.She would bend to my will.But most importantly she would help me destroy the man she loved most. The man who took everything from me: her father.
*This is a dark mafia romance that contains mature themes, graphic violence, and sexual content. This is a complete standalone that ends with a happily ever after. 100,000+ words long. There is NO cheating either.**
Only 99¢ for a limited time!
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EXCERPT:
Every word she speaks resonates through me. I don’t want to be like her father. I don’t want to lock her in a cage, but I have to. I can’t risk her leaving or someone getting to her. She’s reached a part of me no one ever has and as terrifying as that is, I can’t let her go. I won’t. I’ll kill, destroy, and hold her against her will if need be.
She is mine until death.
“Sleep, I will keep the nightmares away,” I whisper into her hair, my lips grazing her forehead.
“Will you ever let me go?”
“Untie you from the bed, yes. Leave me? Never. If you ever get away from me, I’ll hunt you down, find you and drag you back here. The day you signed your name on that contract is the day you became mine. I will never let you escape me. Never let you go.”
Silence settles over us, and even though she doesn’t say anything, I know she’s still awake. I ignore that fact and hold her until we both fall asleep, wondering if things have to change so much, or if I can keep her like this forever.
Author Bios:
J.L. Beck is a USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, she has written over fifty different romance novels. She started her journey of writing back in 2014 and hasn't slowed down a second since then.
She's captivated by real romance, and loves reading about strong "ALPHA" males, as well as sassy heroines that know or may not know what they want. She is best known for delivering a happily ever after but has ended things on a cliffhanger a time or two.
When she's not typing away at her next book you can find her being a mom to her two adorable kiddos and wife to her high school sweetheart.
She's obsessed with Starbucks, social media, and is definitely more of a dog person than cat.
Author links:
Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / InstagramBorn and raised in Germany, Cassandra moved to the United States when she was eighteen. She always had a love for reading, that love slowly transpired into writing. She put fingers to the keyboard and started writing about the dark side of romance.
Cassandra is one half of the international bestselling author duo Beck & Hallman, who are most knows for the writing the Northwood University series.
The pair also write under the pen name Jenna Reed.Author links:
Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Bookbub / Instagram
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BOOK BLITZ: The Cry of the Lake by Charlie Tyler #GIVEAWAY
The Cry of the Lake
Charlie Tyler
Publication date: July 21st 2020
Genres: Adult, Psychological Thriller
A gruesome discovery unravels a dark trail of murder and madness.
A six-year-old girl sneaks out of bed to capture a mermaid but instead discovers a dead body. Terrified and unable to make sense of what she sees, she locks the vision deep inside her mind.
Ten years later, Lily is introduced to the charismatic Flo and they become best friends. But Lily is guilt-ridden – she is hiding a terrible secret which has the power to destroy both their lives.
When Flo’s father is accused of killing a schoolgirl, the horrors of Lily’s past come bubbling to the surface. Lily knows that, whatever the consequences, she has to make things right. She must go back to the events of her childhood and face what happened at the boat house all those years ago.
Can Lily and Flo discover what is hiding in the murky waters of the lake before the killer strikes again?
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EXCERPT:
Death smells of macaroons.
Amelie was slumped over the kitchen table, face in a plate of meringues. Spearmint-green flakes stuck to her left cheek. Her glazed irises remained fixed upon a vase of spiky dahlias, cut and arranged by Grace that very morning. Every tangerine petal was bug and blemish free; my sister was well known locally for her green fingers.
My body sagged and my A level folders fell onto the floor.
‘About time, considering this is all your fault,’ said Grace, appearing from the pantry in a veil of chlorinated steam. She threw a ball of latex at me.
This was really happening.
I peeled on the gloves, unable to stop gawping at Amelie’s violet lips.
‘Would you believe it?’ continued Grace. ‘I ran out of black sacks. Had to nip out and get some more.’ She took a step closer towards me and lowered her voice to a whisper. ‘Where have you been?’
I reached into my tunic pocket for my phone. Grace cocked her head on one side so that her marmalade curls parted, revealing a tiny sliver of snowy hair against her scalp. She narrowed her eyes for a second then flapped her hands about her temples. ‘Never mind. You’re here now.’ She leaned forward and pecked the top of my forehead. ‘We’ve got lots to be getting on with. You can start by bagging her up. The packing tape is in the top drawer of the dresser.’
Grace wafted out of the room, her strappy sandals clicking across the hallway.
For some reason Amelie wasn’t wearing any shoes.
After I finished, I stared down at my handiwork; a black shiny parcel criss-crossed with brown tape. Grace stood there, leaning on the mop, her toe tapping to some hidden melody within her mind.
‘We’ll put her in the utility room for the mo.’ It was as though she was talking about an old hat-stand that was going to the charity shop.
Author Bio:
Charlie signed with Darkstroke Books in May 2020 and The Cry of the Lake is her debut novel.
Charlie lives in the UK and is very much a morning person. In fact, she likes nothing more than committing a fictional murder before her first coffee of the day. She studied Theology at Worcester College, Oxford and now lives in a Leicestershire village with her husband, three teenagers, golden retriever and tortoise.
She is currently working on her next novel The Curse of the Emerald Cross. Two dead bodies are found down a priest hole within the grounds of Collyhurst Abbey; a sixth-form boarding school for girls run by nuns. One of the bodies belongs to a local drug dealer, the other is the charred remains of Mother Agnes who went missing ten years ago and is found with an emerald cross stuffed inside her jaw. But what are they doing there? DS Ruby Simmonds is sent in, undercover, to investigate. She must puzzle her way through well-dressed scarecrows, bonfires, emerald crosses and fallen oak trees before she breaks the wall of silence and discovers exactly why both the victims were killed and by whom.
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