Deliza Rafferty's Blog, page 2

Author Spotlight - Connie Ann Michael

Today I'm happy to be putting the spotlight on Connie Ann Michael and her latest book, 1000 Sleepless Nights. Check it out!





Synopsis:
There are two absolutes in war, people get killed and you can’t stop it. Twenty-three year old Corpsman Emme Sawyer doesn’t believe in absolutes. Exceling in school Emme graduated early flew through undergrad work and was on her way to med school when she realized she wanted more. Joining the Navy, Emma deploys as a medical corpsman with a Marine Infantry Unit heading into the Helmand Providence in Afghanistan.
When the bullets start to fly Emme learns that medical school doesn’t prepare you for war and being a girl doesn’t make getting killed off limits. Emme struggles against the cultural biases of a foreign land and the limitations her unit is put under while trying to push the Taliban out.  After her guard is killed by an IED, Emme shuts off her emotions—until her commanding officer, Raven takes the job of looking after her, arousing feelings she doesn’t want and isn’t supposed to have.  As Raven begins to reciprocate Emme realizes she missed out on a lot more than classes when she skipped high school. Unsure how to deal with the loss Emme turns to Raven, for support.  As their connection grows Emme hesitates to take it further, knowing that developing feelings in a combat zone is dangerous when each step could be your last. Aware of the regulations against starting a relationship with someone in his unit, Raven tries to suppress his feelings but knows they are too strong to deny.  Soon Emme and Raven learn you can’t choose when and where love finds you and sometimes you have to take a chance.  

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Meet The Author



Connie Ann Michael was raised a city girl but was converted to a country girl after college and now resides in a speck of a town in Central Washington State.  Connie is married to her former boss as she worked at the local Pizza place and has two college age boys that provide endless material for books.  She loves the outdoors and can be found mountain biking, kayaking, or camping with her family.  Being a busy family she can be found working on edits and her newest novel while on long road trips.

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Cover Reveal - 'Tatooed Dots' by Kimberly Knight

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Title: Tatooed DotsAuthor: Kimberly KnightRelease Date: Early 2014Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:
Easton Crawford put his modeling career and good looks before his marriage until it was over. Years later, he is finally learning how to be the father his daughter needed him to be. He’s not looking for a new mom for his daughter—just nightly casual hook-ups. When his best friend, Avery, convinces him that a good way to meet a lot of single women is to go on a single’s cruise, Easton finds more than just a hook-up when he meets a fellow cruiser, Brooke.                          
Brooke Bradley has taken care of her younger sister, Bailee, for most of their lives. While their mother was enjoying not being a mother, Brooke became the adult in the household at thirteen. She had always taken care of the people in her life, especially her boyfriend, Jared. If it wasn’t for Brooke, Jared wouldn’t know how to function throughout the day. 
When Brooke’s best friend, Nicole, gives her a gift of going on a cruise without telling her that it’s a single’s cruise, will Brooke find someone willing to be her constant and finally leave Jared? 
Brooke and Easton learn that people are brought into their lives for many reasons. Over time, they find out what those reasons are. Some are to be a temporary acquaintance while others are there for life. 
What will Easton do when he meets Brooke and realizes that she is someone that is meant to be in his life forever, especially after Brooke has an unexpected surgery and Easton is scared of losing her forever? 




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Meet The Author


Kimberly Knight is the Amazon bestselling author of the B & S Series (Where I Need To Be, Wanted, Anything Like Me) and an office manager/paralegal by day. She lives in the Bay Area in California with her loving husband and spoiled cat, Precious. In her spare time, she enjoys watching her favorite reality TV shows, playing co-ed slow pitch softball in a few local leagues, and playing computer games like World of Warcraft and online poker. However, the bulk of her time is dedicated to writing and reading Romance and Erotic fiction.

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Cover Reveal - 'A Hero's Heart' by Amber Daulton

Title: A Hero’s HeartAuthor: Amber Daulton Publisher: Books to Go NowRelease Date: TBAGenre: Contemporary RomanceLength: 37kSexual Rating: Spicy

Synopsis:
Ten years ago, Jarrett Brandt left home and abandoned everyone of importance. After a hard reality check, the irresponsible young man matured into a ballsy DEA agent with a kickass Harley Davidson and a million-dollar bounty on his head. Ordered by his superior officer to take refuge at a safe house just days before Christmas, he headed back home to Washington State, instead, to make peace with his deceased brother’s memory.
Marissa Reinn Brandt never expected to see Jarrett again. Best friends since childhood and lovers as teenagers, immaturity, over-demanding parents and illicit drugs ripped them apart. Now a successful chef at a posh restaurant, the young widow and her son offered Jarrett a place to stay for the holiday. Even though she expected nothing from her former lover—the twin brother of the man she married—fate intervened.
As Jarrett and Marissa rekindled the flames of love and lust that once bound them together, an enemy from his past and a trusted mentor from his present vied their time in the snowy dark and threatened to destroy everyone he held dear. Needing a Christmas miracle to save his family, Jarrett needed the love of a good woman to save his battered heart. His second chance with Marissa meant the world to him and nothing, no one, would stand in his way of cherishing her for all time.

Excerpt:
Jarrett seethed. Ready to hit the highway on his Road King Classic and find a biker bar where he could bloody his knuckles, he turned and headed back toward the caretaker’s station. He reached the cracked sidewalk just as someone called out his name. His heart somersaulted as he flipped around. He’d know that voice anywhere. The woman who haunted his dreams skidded down the small hill in clunky shoes with damp auburn hair cascading around her shoulders. He expected her to stop a few feet from him just as his parents did but she jumped into his arms, instead, and knocked him back a few steps. She wrapped her arms around him. Her sweet scent filled his nostrils. He buried one hand in her curly hair and pressed her close to his chest with the other.
This one moment made the trip worth it.
“Marissa,” he breathed her name like a talisman. God, it felt so right to hold her again. She fit against him perfectly. Just a few inches under six feet, while he was a few inches over, their bodies meshed like a work of art. He should have married this woman, fathered children with her and lived his life to make her happy. Instead, he chose something just as intoxicating, just as beautiful to his ignorant mind, and abandoned her on the curb outside his family’s home. More than anything, he regretted that he’d left her behind.

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Meet The Author


Amber Daulton lives in the beautiful foothills of North Carolina with her wonderful husband and their five crazy kitties. Writing takes up most of her time, aside from her day job in the retail industry. As a fan of contemporary, paranormal and historical novels alike, she can’t get enough of feisty heroines and alpha heroes. Her mind is a wonderland of romance and adventure, laughter and awesome ways of kicking a guy when he’s down. Writing is her passion and she probably wouldn’t be too sane without it. After all, what’s a girl to do when there are people jabbering away in her head and it’s hard to shut them up? Write! Nothing else works. 

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Sexy Sunday - 'Twelve Doors To Ecstasy' by John Tucker

This Sexy Sunday we're featuring a steamy excerpt from John Tucker's Twelve Doors To Ecstasy! Check it out below. 
Thank you for visiting and please don't forget to subscribe (→)!

*THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS GRAPHIC SEXUAL CONTENT AND STRONG LANGUAGE  AND IS INTENDED FOR MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES 21+ ONLY.*






Synopsis:
Twelve Doors to Ecstasy is about a sexually naïve woman who is determined to broaden her sexual horizons. When Tryst Sanyon answers an advertisement guaranteeing her that opportunity, she finds herself in the presence of a millionaire voyeur who offers her a lucrative sum to participate in his 'experiment.'  She is spirited away to a four story building with six different colored doors on each floor. Each door hides a different sexual task, fetish, or role-playing situation and Tryst must complete three 'doors' on exh floor to complete her goal. Along the way she finds sexual fulfillment, sexual dilemmas, and a growing danger that will threaten her very freedom.

Excerpt:
The massive hunk chuckled and stepped up to Tryst's lower back. He removed the cover by slowly dragging it across her prickling skin. Electricity raced from the affected area and gathered at the nerve endings to her nipples and clit. She twisted her waist and released a soft moan that brimmed with a hint of satisfaction. Tryst heard a muted noise and assumed he armed himself with more of the fragrant oil. She gasped when he placed his warm hands on her ass and squeezed. He alternately gripped and massaged her bottom while she sighed at the sensations that coursed through her fragile psyche.
     “You have a spectacular body,” he rumbled, barely loud enough for her to hear. “And possess one of the more remarkable backsides I’ve seen here.”
     God, I think I’m in love. “If you say so,” she cooed. His remarks made her melt into the pink sheets underneath her. “What’s your name…if you don’t mind?”
     “It’s Trevor,” he said as a furtive hand ran between her ass cheeks. He pressed a gentle finger across her anus, rubbed the bottom of her vagina for just a few tantalizing seconds, and resumed his attentions to her ass. “I’m a full blooded Cherokee Indian.”
     And I’m a hot blooded girl from Virginia. Her green eyes fluttered from his relaxing touch. “You’ve got really big hands. Is it true what they say?”
     His silence distressed her. For a moment, Tryst wondered if it was the opposite. She chewed her inner lip and mentally dismissed her thought. No, if he works here, he’s got to have a big dick. A new fear suddenly pierced her thoughts. What if he fucks me? He’s got to be way bigger than any guy I’ve been with.
     Trevor moved to the head of the table. “Turn over please.”
     Tryst did as commanded, albeit awkwardly. He applied another dollop of oil to his palm, rubbed them together, and put them on her breasts. His warm hands made her hardened nipples explode with pleasure. She groaned when he pressed on her pectorals and used his fingers to frame her tits with a carnal intensity that curled her toes. Curious to see if he was just as stimulated, Tryst checked out Trevor’s shorts. The outline of his cock strained against the silky fabric.
     He’s hung like a fucking horse. After assuring herself that Trevor’s focus was on her breasts, she took another look at his bulge. He’s got to have the biggest dick I’ve ever seen. She sucked in a breath when he moved closer to the table, his covered cock now just inches from her face. Did he see me? Is this an invitation to touch it?
     Trevor moved down to her stomach, pressing her skin with a gentleness that belied his rock hard physique. She stared at his shorts, made out the head of his massive dick tented against it, and wished she had the nerve to reach out and stroke it. Tryst cried out when his attentions turned to her pussy. She moaned in delight as his fingers slid between her silky folds and rubbed the tip of her clit upon their return. The slick oil, combined with her hot juices, made the experience one that sent her eyes to the top of her skull. He reached underneath her, cupped her ass cheeks with one hand, and used the other to invade her vagina. Trevor steadily pumped her with a pair of thick fingers and, little by little, increased his motions until they easily brought her to the precipice of an orgasm. She clenched her toes, welcomed the flood of sensations that swept over her body, and choked out a scream she muted with the side of her fist. Trevor’s soft laugh at her expense thrilled her.
     “You’re welcome to touch my cock, Tryst.” He smiled at her shocked expression. “In this room, in any room here, don’t be afraid to do whatever you want.”
     “Um…I think I will.” She sent out a nervous laugh and pulled down his shorts while he continued to stroke her pussy. Tryst groaned at his manipulations and finally laid her eyes on his rock hard dick. He’s got to be twelve-inches and he hasn’t been circumcised. I’ve always wondered what one looked like. She wrapped a hand around the girth, unable to touch her forefinger to her thumb. Holy shit he’s big.  

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A life-long Georgia native, John D. Tucker has burned through three wives, raised two sons, and has persevered despite being brought up in a wonderfully dysfunctional family. Following on the heels of his novels Divisive, The Little Girl You Kiss Goodnight, Romancing the Fox, Terpsichore in Love, The Fifth Game, and The Mark of Cain, he plans to release three more books over the course of the next few months - the erotic fantasy Twelve Doors to Ecstasy (available now), the morally raw Splits in the Skin, and the third book in the "Bemused and Bedeviled Series," The Seventh Seal. He is a proud member of IWW (The Internet Writers Workshop) and Scribeslice, both of which he highly recommends to aspiring authors. 
CONNECT WITH JOHN ON FACEBOOK

Author Spotlight - Eve Rabi

Delighted to be spotlighting author Eve Rabi and her series, My Brother, My Rival on the blog today! 


(click for a larger view)


Synopsis:
Cody Garrett, a former Navy SEAL, has never met a skirt he didn’t fancy. His six-pack, rugged looks and bad boy image ensures a steady stream of hot babes waiting to slip him their phone numbers wherever he goes. 
So, he is confused when Bridie Barker refuses to go on a date with him. 
It’s not like she’s a stunning beauty or something. According to him, her ears are big, she’s well-rounded and she’s not even a D-cup. 
In spite of her shortcomings, the more she pushes him away, the more he finds himself thinking of her. 
Twenty-year-old Bridie Barker has control issues. Every detail in her life is planned. 
Her closet is color-coded and she has an array of storage containers, to ensure that everything is in its correct place. Her whole world is black and white, and grey areas are a no-no. 
When she meets the warm and grounded Scott Garrett, she thinks she has found her soul mate. Unfortunately, and to her disappointment, things don’t pan out with Scott. 
While waiting tables, she has a disastrous run-in with his brother, wild boy Cody Garrett, King of Body Shots, who parties every night with a different girl. 
Even though he’s good to look at and makes her laugh, she turns down his advances as he’s clearly the tag-and-release kind of guy.
Besides, she is pretty sure he owns not a single storage container, and she’s certain that his closet is not color-coded. 
Problem is, Cody Garrett finds her rejection an aphrodisiac and pursues her. 

“You will laugh, cry and yell with this book,
you won't be able to put it down once you start reading it!”
~Amazon.com reviewer


Excerpt:
My urge to destroy returned with a vengeance. I turned my Hummer around.
“Where you going to, Cody?” my mother demanded, her voice frantic.
I didn’t answer, but hit the gas and gunned the Hummer toward Bridie’s old place.
“Cody, where are you going?” my dad demanded.
I stared ahead as I floored it.
“Cody, just stop!” Jenna said. “I know where you’re going! You stop right now, Cody!”
Ignoring all their pleas, I drove on until I pulled up into the parking lot outside Bridie’s old place.
Just in time – I spotted her standing outside Scott’s Roadster in the parking lot.
Scott was still in the driver’s seat, talking on his phone.
I braked and without killing the engine, I hopped out of my Hummer.
Within seconds, my family was running behind me, pleading with me to leave them alone.
Bridie spotted me first. “Cody!” she mouthed, fear in her eyes.
I picked up a brick from the side of the road and walked toward Scott.
“Cody!” Bridie screamed. “What are you doing? STOP!”
I ignored her and walked over to my brother. I was going to smash his skull with the brick until his brains lay all over his Roadster.
His window was opened. Good. When he saw me above him, brick high up in the air, ready to hit him with it, he dropped his phone.
I raised the brick to smash it down his face.
His eyes grew large.
“CODY, NO!” Bridie screamed.
When I looked into Scott’s eyes, I wavered.
He stared, I glared. 
I willed myself to do it, to kill Scott.
But I couldn’t do it. He was still my brother.
Even though he stole my girl, even though he hurt me like no one in this world had ever hurt me, I couldn’t hurt him.
How I wished he was some other fucker at that moment.
Frustrated, I booted in the Roadster’s door three times. The door caved into him.
Scott tried to open his door, but the door wouldn’t budge.
He scrambled toward the passenger’s side and tried to open that door, but I dropped the brick and pushed the Roadster until it fell onto its side.
“What are you doing, CODY?” Bridie screamed.
With the Roadster on its side and Scott trying to boot out the BMW’s windshield, I spun around to look at Bridie.
With eyes as big as saucers, she walked backward. “Cody, stop, please!”
I walked faster. She turned and broke into a run, away from me.
There’s no way she could outrun me. I raced after her. She ran faster and in a bad move, toward my Hummer. I caught up with her and grabbed her hair.
“Where the FUCK are you going to, sister-in-law? Huh? We need to talk.”
“No, leave me alone!” she cried as she tried to free her hair from my fingers.
“You owe me an explanation,” I said, as I dragged her to the Hummer and shoved her into it. I got into the driver’s seat and sped off.
Behind me, Jenna, my mother, and father were running after the Hummer, screaming my name. I didn’t stop.
“Slow down, Cody!” Bridie cried.
“Why? Why the fuck should I, huh? Let us both die. Today. NOW!” I stepped on the gas.
“CODY, PLEASE STOP!” she begged.
I flashed her a mirthless smile. “Scared? Huh?”
“Why are you doing this?” She was crying now.
“Because I thought I was in a bad dream, but guess what; it’s true, my brother and my FUCKING GIRL! Not a dream, honey, just my reality.”
“Cody…”
“What the fuck are you CRYING FOR?” I yelled.
“Cody, I don’t understand; you cheated on me. Why are you acting like you’re so cut, huh?”
“Cheated on you? What the fuck are you talking about, Bridie? I never cheated on you.”
“You did!”
“When? When the FUCK did I cheat on you, huh? You talking about that stupid body shot? That was fucking cheating? Huh?”
“No, not the body shot, Cody. The night of the party – you cheated with Nicole!”
“What are you talking about, Bridie? You’re hallucinating. I did not cheat with Nicole.”
“Yes, you did, Cody! I walked into your room and saw you both in bed. I left straight away.”
I shook my head in disbelief. She could lie so blatantly? Fury overtook me. I locked the steering wheel of the Hummer. It slid across the road like it was on snow.
“Today, both of us are going to die,” I warned.

“I'd give it six stars if I could.”  ~Amazon.com reviewer




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Meet The Author

Eve Rabi lives in Sydney Australia, but she hails from South Africa.
She is the author of 20 modern-day love stories and is known for her kick-ass leading ladies, her alpha males and her ability to make you laugh and make you cry while falling in love.   Eve is currently single and is looking for a man who resembles George Clooney (the young one, not the grey and white one).He must also have the abs of Channing Tatum and the sense of humor of Johnny Depp.
If he doesn’t have all these prerequisites, he must be willing to undergo plastic surgery to look like George (at his own expense, so he must also be loaded) and endure rigorous physical training on a daily basis to acquire a six pack.
Or have ab implants, she’s not fussy.
And most importantly, since Eve hates shallow people, he must accept her for who she is. 

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  →  ALL BOOKS BY EVE RABI  ←

Sexy Sunday and Blog Tour/Giveaway - 'Rotten' by J.L. Brooks

Hooray! It's Sexy Sunday and J.L. Brooks second novel, Rotten, is here! I loved her first one, Distractions (read my one and only 5 smooch review here), and was very much looking forward to this one. Happy to be part of her blog tour and it just so happens that I have snagged an EXCLUSIVE excerpt from a deleted scene for you (thanks, J.L.!). Read on for my review and other cool stuff!
As always, thank you for your support of my blog. I love to receive your comments and if you would like to subscribe, I'd be tickled! (over here →)


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Synopsis:
Growing up on the outskirts of Las Vegas as the daughter of notorious strip club owner, Stephen Knox, and a mother who abandoned her at birth, life was less than kind to a young Antoinette.
After a failed teenage suicide attempt, Toni hit the road in search of a life free of undeserved cruelty and any resemblance to her past. 
Years later, Toni is lost in a dead end marriage and makes a painful confession that sends her back to the one place she always wanted to escape. But can she really right the wrongs that haunt her? Toni soon finds that the only place where things stay the same is in your mind.
When her path crosses with David Stark, childhood playmate turned one night stand, she cannot deny the spike in temperature she feels every time he's near or the scorching dreams that flood her at night.
Digging through the years of heartache, Toni soon finds herself torn between the man she is committed to and the one who has always held her heart. As each layer unfolds before her, she discovers the root cause of her pain. Always believing the source was external, nothing could prepare her for the truth.
*This book contains sexual content and adult language. Intended for readers 17+.                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                      
                                         
 Excerpt: 

*Exclusive*
(snippet of deleted scene)
While enjoying my impromptu pool lesson, I felt another cue slide back and forth between my legs. Shane still had both hands on me, causing me to turn in panic and yelp. I made eye contact with David just as he busted out laughing. Quickly narrowing my eyes, I waited to see if he was jealous. It was remarkable how well we could communicate without saying a word, and I could see David ready to challenge Shane, yet he looked away and headed into the office. 
Shane followed him with his eyes until the door closed. 
“Do you two have something going on?  ‘Cuz I’m not one to intrude.”
I smiled and reached my hand up along his cheek to feel the coarse hair tickle my fingertips. Shaking my head back and forth, I placed my hand behind his head and drew him closer into a kiss. I had never kissed a man with a beard like this before. The whiskers brushed against my mouth aggressively, a sharp contrast to his soft lips. He tasted as sweet as I knew he really was. With a gentle tongue he began to dance against mine, unhurried and unconcerned with the spectators. Shane moved his hands languidly along my spine before trailing towards my ass and lifting me up effortlessly onto the pool table.
My ankle curled around his calf and raked up and down as the kiss intensified. Lifting off his cap and setting it beside us, his pupils dilated and his cheeks flushed.
“I really like kissing you,” I whispered. 
“Thank you,” he responded back softly.
I wanted to giggle again -- he was so adorable -- but his fevered lips stopped me and continued to melt any reservations I had. I knew I was acting out because I was safe. Shane would be gone in a few days, and unless he came back into the club, our paths would never cross again.
Reaching his fingers into my hair, he started to massage my scalp as his teeth grazed my bottom lip. I moaned in delight as my legs squeezed his waist tighter. Bystanders be damned if this wasn’t one of the hottest moments of my life, and I wasn’t about to stop now. If it weren’t for the sudden jerk of Shane’s lips ripping away from mine, I possibly would have gotten naked right here on the table and let him have his way. This was a strip club after all, and naked women were the standard. He would however be the only lucky bastard that got to touch me. But I wasn’t a dancer; fuck, I wasn’t even available. Even though I didn’t belong to David, I should have known it was only a matter of time before he became territorial over me.
The shouting sounded like a freight train as a sea of blue clothing, black leather, and flying fists surrounded me. The two men towered over the rest of the brawlers, and I feared for Shane knowing who David really was. Jumping off the table to try to stop them, it was only a matter of seconds before I heard the pop and the world went black.


Trailer:





Playlist:
My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light 'Em Up) - Fall Out BoyMiss Jackson - Panic at the DiscoMy Side Of The Bed - Little Big TownAnother Love - Tom OdellSkinny Love - Bon IverFall Apart - Every AvenueMore Than Life - WhitleySail - Awol NationRadio Active - Imagine DragonsCrazy - AerosmithPoison - Alice CooperCherry Pie - WarrantCommunity Property - Steel PantherKnocking On Heaven’s Door - Guns N Roses



My Thoughts:
Ah, yes. As I was hoping, J.L. Brooks has written another contemporary romance novel that doesn't feel stale or have boring characters I wouldn't want to even be friends with. Her second offering has a less complicated story line than her first, but her characters are still as complex and agonizingly effed up as her last. This may at first glance appear as a diss, but no, no, dear reader, Ms. Brooks has managed to make damaged people strong and interesting at the same time. Bullseye.
After a failed suicide attempt, Toni Knox fled her small town outside of Las Vegas, where she was bullied relentlessly in school for the fact that her father owned the local strip club. She reinvents herself in Indiana, becoming a psychologist and marrying "the right guy." When her father falls ill ten years later, she comes home to prepare for his passing and is forced into close proximity with her childhood love and "first time," former pro hockey player David Stark, who has plenty of demons of his own (well of course, cuz that's what we like in our book boyfriends, don't we girls?  ). There were moments I admit in which I flat out disliked our heroine, who has a penchant for doing things for the sake of shock value (misplaced rage, anyone?), but sometimes I flat out dislike my oldest and dearest girlfriends, too, so I don't judge whether a book is good or not based on whether I am in constant bliss with a character. But I digress...
Toni also has cajones of steel. Long gone is the girl who was the brunt of jokes and bullying and in her place is a tough broad who is equally non-judgemental toward others most would consider outcasts. The kindness she shows the strippers who work for her father was endearing and when she gives her high school nemesis a job when she desperately needs one, I caught myself saying out loud, "Well, she's more woman than I'll ever be!" Toni is a woman who needed saving, cuz she's a fantastic disaster, and yet I felt that if salvation never came, she still would've been just fine. My kind o' heroine. 

David makes a fine hero: gorgeous, built and hung (of course - yeah, daddy! ), but broken since his career as a hockey player imploded due to his explosive behavior (I guess even the NHL has its limits!). He's also a horn dog and we find out it's because he's only ever really had eyes for Toni (again, of course!) and he blames himself for her skipping town and never coming back. I found it interesting that Ms. Brooks turns the tables a bit - David seems to be the one acting more responsibly than Toni, seeing that she's married, while Toni seems to take great pleasure in tormenting David sexually every chance she gets. I can hardly blame her, since she hasn't been laid by her douchebag husband in four years, but still. Her past anger rears its head in all sorts of ways in this story. When they finally get together (and seriously, there were a couple times where I was like, "OH MY GOD, CLOSE THE DEAL ALREADY!!!"), it is worth it and morally everything ends up working out. 
A highlight of this story for me personally was J.L.'s descriptions of Las Vegas and the outlying desert, as I used to visit the area at least once or twice a year (when I had money haha!) and I really miss it. Her descriptions are expedient yet still vivid. Her writing style is edgy but she can easily draw you back with a simple tug on your heart string. Never overtly sappy, she can tell a romantic story without making you need a visit to the dentist afterward. Her characters almost always have foot-in-mouth disease, which I find very interesting and far sexier than the formulaic dialogue of most romances (no sir, you do NOT complete me, thank you very much  ). She has a gift with creating imperfect characters you love, hate and root for all at the same time. This is a book I was excited to get back to whenever real life got in the way of my reading time. So far, she's proven her work can stand toe-to-toe with anything in its genre from a brick-and-mortar publisher. These reasons are why J.L. Brooks is currently one of my favorite indie authors and I anxiously await book number three. 
AND NO CLIFFHANGER!!! 

GO BUY THIS BOOK. DO IT. 
Rating: Four and a half smooches! (out of 5)          (the only reason it isn't five is simply cuz I think I her first book, Distractions, just barely wins out as my fave of the two with its intricate, heart-stopping plot line)  

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Meet The Author


JL Brooks is a former columnist turned novelist. What started as a bet changed her entire course in life. With a passion for adventure, she believes everyone has a story to tell. Chances are she will try to convince you to tell yours.
Previous works: Distractions Stories for Amanda (Contributing Author)

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Author Spotlight - Andrea Johnson Beck

Happy to be spotlighting Andrea Johnson Beck and her novel Deadly Deception today at Deliza's Dirty Dramas! 






Synopsis:
Dr. Anne Jamison, a brilliant neuropsychiatrist, is living the concrete jungle life in Minneapolis with her fiancé, prominent attorney Adam Whitney. But the mysterious death of Carter Leeds, her beloved former boyfriend, still haunts her…
After three years of unanswered questions, a mysterious package finds its way to Anne. The note inside reveals the possibility that Carter may, in fact, be alive. Even more shocking, her very own fiancé may have had a hand in his attempted demise. Anne doesn’t know what—or who—to believe, and the deeper she digs, the more she is overcome by a dangerous game of cat and mouse. But will Anne’s trust be restored—or will she be the one left plotting revenge?

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Meet The Author




Andrea was born a Midwestern girl, grew up in Iowa and South Dakota. She came out of the womb writing, her parents have recorded evidence of Andrea's whimsical imagination. She has had many poems and short stories published over the years, even did free verse sessions at a local coffee shop but there isn't any recorded evidence of that. Andrea is thankful for the lack of technology in the 90's.
After twenty-nine trips around the sun, she decided it was time to sit down and write her first book. And, she did. Two weeks before her 30th birthday, Andrea completed Deadly Deception. Sadly, it sat in her laptop for two years before she decided to self-publish in November 2012.
Montlake Romance loved Deadly Deception and Deadly Redemption so much, they wanted them and their author. Andrea and Montlake Romance decided to interweave the two stories into one novel. The "new" Deadly Deception was released October 8th, 2013.
Andrea resides in North Carolina with her quirky family, where she home schools her son and writes about the craziness that pours from her mind. Her son, Logan, has caught the writing bug. He talks about being on the Autism Spectrum and homeschooling at his very own blog, The Quirky Mustache. Logan has touched many lives and is her hero.

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Review - 'These Foolish Things' by Susan Thatcher

Pleased as punch to be reviewing new novelist Susan Thatcher's first release, These Foolish Things, today. I've been promising her a review for weeks and weeks and FINALLY here it is! I hope you will feel free to leave a comment for me or Susan at the bottom of the blog post because we LOVE to hear from you! And if you haven't already, please subscribe to my blog to be notified of future reviews and features (over here →). Thank you as always for visiting. 

(click the cover for a larger view)


Synopsis:

Meet Elizabeth Gardner. She’s given up on being anything but a single woman who plays a supporting role in the lives of those around her. Fate, however, has a different plan for her. During a softball game, handsome, successful Tyrone Hadley literally runs into her and a stealthy kiss opens a world of new possibilities to her. What might have been “happily ever after” in most stories is just the beginning. Is love strong enough to survive?
                                      Liz

 Ty                               



My Thoughts:
Well, it's certainly nice to read a book containing characters I'd actually want to know in person if they were real. Not particularly because I have anything in common with them (they are softball-playing attorneys...WAY beyond my social, economic or athletic aspirations in life), but because they are smart. And they've accomplished something in their lives. And they listen to good music. And they are productive members of society who do charitable things. And...the pièce de résistance...THEY AREN'T 20 YEAR OLDS.

Ah. How refreshing. A love story about people who might actually know what the hell it is when they finally find it! 
With the exception of the beginning of the story, which I personally found a little dry only because I'm not a sports person so the description of the softball game wasn't of much interest to me (take that with a grain of salt though, because it's still well-written), I found myself continuously interested in the story and characters. I particularly enjoyed the witty banter between not just our hero and heroine (Ty and Liz), but also between the secondary characters. It's obvious the author is smart as a whip and she wrote all her characters as such as well (including Beanie the Cat, who obviously can't speak but is still loaded with personality). When I was in my early 20's voraciously reading historical romances, it was always the snappy dialogue that sucked me in - to the point that I'd get to the first sex scene and flip through it without even reading it cuz I wanted to get to more dialogue. That was how I felt reading These Foolish Things. So kudos there.

Speaking of sex (since I am an erotica writer, I should probably bring it up), it's very discreet in this book, but I felt the characters were developed enough for it not to be a glaringly obvious omission. Because the author knows what she's doing, it felt perfectly suited to the story. In fact, I'm not sure I'd have enjoyed it as much if there had been extensively written sex scenes. Less is more in this case.
I think it's safe to say that the general formula of a romance novel is as follows:
1) Boy meets girl2) Boy and girl fall in love3) Boy loses girl4) Boy gets girl back

I am not entirely sure I am in love with the "boy gets girl back" part of the story because, without giving anything away, it just felt way too quick and easy for Ty. I felt he should've had to work harder. But a) sometimes humans are flat out STUPID when we want someone back so badly that we can taste it (that is reality, whether we want to admit to it or not) and b) I know a sequel is forthcoming and I suspect more shenanigans will ensue before Liz and Ty get their true HEA anyway. 
As an aside...YAY, NO CLIFFHANGER!!! This is a stand alone read, which I VERY much appreciated.

I'm also gonna give Ms. Thatcher a lil bit o' shite about how Liz and Ty end up on their first date. It's really quite outrageous and would never in a million bazillion years happen in real life. HOWEVER...I will give her that she wrote it in such a way that I was able to suspend my disbelief just enough to carry on with the story. She covered her bases (heyo! see what I did there? softball reference, snap!) - and her arse - rather well, I'd say.
That said though, overall this is one of the better contemporary romance novels I've read lately and I highly recommend it. 

Rating: Four and a half smooches! (out of 5)          

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Meet The Author


Susan Thatcher was born in New Hampshire and raised in Vermont, graduating from the University of Vermont (including a stint in Salisbury, South Australia as an exchange student starting in January 1982; she hates winter that much). She contributed occasional articles to UVM’s newspaper, the Vermont Cynic. Susan has also contributed to Morning Edition on NPR (they read her letter on the air.), the Boca Raton News and www.dognewsteam.com, a news parody website. Susan also earned a Juris Doctor from Franklin Pierce Law Center.  
She presently lives in Southern California because the climate and topography suit her. And she is writing more material.
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Sexy Sunday - 'Breaking Elle' by Antoinette Candela Blog Tour & Review

For this week's Sexy Sunday post, I'm glad to sneak in on the last day of the tour celebrating Antoinette Candela's first novel, Breaking Elle! Scroll away to check out all the teaser goodies, a smokin' excerpt AND my review. Also be sure to hit up Antoinette's Facebook page to enter the giveaway! 
Please feel free to leave a comment below and don't forget to subscribe to my blog (over here →) if you haven't already. Thanks for stopping by! 





Synopsis:
How is it that the one person who you have avoided is the same person who could give you true happiness?
When Elle Bennett meets Reed Austin she can't deny the attraction. She discovers that certain people come into your life who make you question everything that you've ever believed about love and life. Will she risk everything for something exciting and dangerous or will she choose what is familiar and secure? 
Reed Austin isn't looking for love when he moves to Boston. The distance was supposed to help him escape the trouble he left behind. Once he meets, Elle, everything changes. Reed can't figure out why he's drawn to Elle, but one thing is certain - he needs her.
Passion. Betrayal. Solace. Confusion. Desperation. 
Love and life are not simple and emotions and relationships are tested. Will attraction be enough or will their secrets and past keep them apart?

Excerpt: *HEADS UP: CONTENT BELOW IS NOT PG-13*

"Hey,” she whispers, standing on her tiptoes gazing at me passionately. I lean in, crushing my lips to hers, wanting to taste her again, feel her body under my hands, and hear the sounds she makes when I'm pleasing her. "These won’t do," she murmurs in my mouth, and I feel her tug at the waist of my shorts. I groan when she slowly slides them off and kicks them aside. She grins when she sees how primed I am for her. I moan when she reaches down, curls her fingers around me, and strokes me up and down several times.
I lift her by her thighs and press her up against the wall; she curls her legs around my waist, pinning her hips tightly against me. Grabbing my face, she kisses me slowly at first, but then all control is out the window. The kiss becomes deep and hungry. Pulling away breathless and panting, she stares into my eyes. I haven't seen this look before, and I hope I see it again. From where I stand, things look good for me.
“No good girl tonight," she whispers in my ear. "Give me all you got. I want what we share tonight to hold me over until you come back." She breathes as she continues to kiss me, my mouth exploring hers. The heat in the room doubles, and I react by grabbing her waist tighter. "I want you to be rough with me." She purrs, tugging at my hair. I'm already insane for her, but those last words she speaks take me over the edge.
Locking eyes with her, I reach down and caress between her legs. “I need you. So. Bad. Baby." I utter, pressing into her. She moans and steals my lips, taking it to a frenzied pace, her hips meeting mine. The noise that escapes her when she feels my length pressed against her is nothing short of ecstasy. I want her so fucking bad. I nip at her swollen breast, slowly working my way back to her sweet lips, tracing and teasing every inch of her body with my fingers.
"Baby, please." She moans. "I need you now." The sound she makes right before I slowly sink into her is pure music to my ears.




Teasers:










My Thoughts:
Okay...straight up, here. Should you buy this book (and I do recommend it, as it's certainly one of the better written ones I've read since I started doing this reviewing thing - and understand I quit reading more books than I actually finish and review here), there are a few things that got a wee bit under my skin... 
First off, be prepared that this is a book full of excessively hot people who all seem to know they are excessively hot. But not necessarily in the way that the cocky hot guy is gonna get cut down to size once he meets his OTL, but in the way that everyone - EVERY. ONE. - in this book is above average in appearance and there isn't a troll or nerd or even a quirky hipster to be found. It's as if Boston were freakishly Stepford-esque (and I know that ain't right cuz I'm from the East Coast, holla...we can grow some fugly up there!). 
Next, prepare yourself that our heroine, Elle, appears to have super powers because every man in her immediate vicinity seems to fall madly in love with her. Now how am I supposed to like a girl like that??? (j/k...sorta  )
Finally, prepare yourself that our heroine is also a bit of an emotional hot mess and has no idea what she wants, who she wants, why, how or when she wants it/them. Although, I suppose if I was that gorgeous, built like a brick shithouse and had three minor gods after me all at once, I wouldn't know if I was coming or going, either. But I left the book feeling like this girl wouldn't know what true love is if it literally bit her in her "super snatch," (to quote the vampiress Pam from HBO's "True Blood"). If she loves one, she loves them all. To be fair, I do recognize that Elle's discombobulation is very obviously part of her character's journey and because of the skill of the author I am confident that in subsequent books she will find her way; it just made me a little crazeballs at times.
That said...let's talk about the stuff that I really liked... 
I simply enjoyed reading this book. It kept my interest 90% of the time and that's saying a lot because the majority of contemporary romances I read bore me to tears by chapter two.
I really enjoyed that each chapter switched the POV from Elle to Reed (one of our hunks, who I assume is the eventual HEA, since we aren't privy to any of our other hotties' thoughts - at least not in this installment). This is a very refreshing take on the popular first person writing format in our genre. Since I personally prefer to know what everyone's thinking, I very much liked this twist. 
I also thought the characters were well-developed and the subplots were interesting. Everyone's motivation was clear - or their frustrations were clear, as in Elle's case - and that is due to the author's detailed attention to exposition and her distinct writing style. After reading (and not finishing) so many books that are written with all the flare of a newspaper article, I appreciated that the author actually gives us more than just "then they went here....and then they went there...and then they fucked...and then it was true love," etc. The author lets us inside their heads, which as a reader and an author myself, is my favorite place to be. At times I felt like some of the exposition got a little repetitive and could have used a bit more editing, but I'd rather that than feel like I'm reading the outline of a book instead of the book itself.
There's lots of erotic tension and sexing up. Fun, sizzly, angsty yearnings and sweaty, scorchin' monkeylovin' between uber-hotties. Yeah, daddy.   
Breaking Elle of course ends abruptly with a gargantuan cliff hanger, as we do in the ebook world, but it did leave me wanting to read the next one to find out how Reed manages to get out of his self-made mess and if Tyler (Elle's long time best friend whose love she doesn't reciprocate) gets to find himself a woman that actually deserves him, and I'm of course anxious for Elle to get her pretty little head on straight (what she really needs is TIME ALONE!!! A BREATHER!!! But then we wouldn't have a story, would we?  ). With all the characters to explore (and a little brother who should get his own story, too!), all of whom I actually like, the stage is set for a fun series.
Overall I think Antoinette Candela made a very respectable debut she can be proud of with Breaking Elle and I look forward to reading her future works. Now go buy the book and let me know what you think!
Rating: Four Smooches! (out of five)     

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Meet The Author


Antoinette Candela is a little shy with a larger than life personality. Suffering from Peter Pan syndrome, she refuses to grow up. She finds inspiration for her writings from everyday life, through her fun and quirky interactions with friends and family and the drama that never ceases to disappoint.
One thing is for certain, Antoinette lives by her own rules. As a Bostonian she loves the Yankees and is proud to wear her “I Love Derek Jeter “T-shirt. You can catch Antoinette on the beach soaking in the rays, but when the rumble of the thunderstorm rolls in, she’s curled up with a book or tapping away on her keyboard.
Mother, Writer, Reader, Lover of Music and all things learning, Antoinette is the charismatic author of Breaking Elle.

5 Fun Facts about Antoinette:
1. I hated English in High School2. I'm allergic to cats3. I'm ticklish everywhere and I hate it.4. I love to watch scary movies but I cover my eyes when there's a scary scene. Don't ask.5. I can't drink wine. It makes me sick. So I drink cosmos and martinis instead and do shots of patron.

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Book Blitz - 'Withstanding Me' by Crystal Spears

Happy to blitz out best-selling Amazon author Crystal Spears' new novel in the Breakneck Series! Withstanding Me is now available...check it out! 

*THE FOLLOWING MATERIAL IS NOT RATED PG-13  AND IS INTENDED FOR MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY.*









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Blurb:

While the chaos and bloodshed have slowed for a short period, life is never quiet in the world of Breakneck. The club is taking time to regroup from internal betrayal and the changing of the guard in a rival group.
Zig Zag became a father at the age of thirteen. While raising a child has never been easy, now his eighteen year old daughter Tatiana makes his life downright hard. She has caught the eye of Travis, the new President of the rival MC Gunners, but all she really wants is Shadow, the newest addition to the Breakneck family. When Shadow’s rejection sends Tatiana running from the only family, home, and safety she’s ever known, ZZ is crazy with worry. The distraction caused by Tatiana’s disappearance could prove to be Zig Zag’s downfall.
If that isn’t enough, ZZ finds himself rampantly attracted to the one and only Storm. She’s beautiful, quick and witty. Their friendship is the one thing that keeps him from growing crazy, and Storm stands by ZZ through all the turmoil. Zig Zag is not accustomed to hearing the word no, so Storm’s constant withstanding just draws him in deeper. Their friendship is one thing keeping him from going crazy, until one night…
The club is regrouping and rebuilding from the mayhem known as the Russian Mafia. A hit is ordered on Tatiana, Storm, Winter, and Piper.
Tatiana’s egg donor reveals secrets that a thirteen year old Zig Zag was too young to understand.
Braxxon is out of reach while he helps Greg Cage deal with some dirty business.

Bloodshed… Secrets… Betrayal…Trauma… Welcome back to the Breakneck world.





Excerpt:


It’s been two fuckin weeks since Mira stopped by the damn clubhouse wanting to talk to my daughter. What gives her the fucking right? She left me to raise a child at the age of thirteen, and eighteen years later, she thinks she can magically return into Tatiana’s life? Yeah, that’s right; I’m a thirty-one year old man with an eighteen-year-old daughter. Judge me bitches. I don’t give a shit. I admit I’m sitting at Club Sated and getting wasted off my ass over this shit. Why am I here, and not at Breakneck? Well, there’s plenty of naked pussy around, and when any man is upset and feeling down, he wants to be around pussy. Don’t let any of them lie to you. But there’s this one bitch here that I want and for the first time in my life, a bitch doesn’t want me back. I don’t see what the big deal is. I just wanna take her home and fuck the shit outta her. Hell, we don’t even have to leave the club. I can fuck her right here. I’m sure Winter and Braxxon wouldn’t give a shit, but then again, they just might because the bitch my cock is aching for is their manager Storm. And shit do I wanna ride that Storm. 
Storm is just another piece of ass, but for some reason, something about this woman fascinates me. She’s a fucking young buck too. She’s Winter’s age, only twenty two. That’s literally only four years older than my own daughter is. You would think that alone would detour my cock, but it doesn’t.




Meet The Author


Crystal resides in Indiana with her family, her dog Dozer and two fancy rats. She enjoys the outdoors and in the summer you will rarely catch her at home. Her other passions aside from writing are dancing and photography. She is a retired blogger and professional book reviewer. She is the Bestselling Author of Seize Me and just released Withstanding Me, both from her “Breakneck Series.” 

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