Nicole Andrews Moore's Blog, page 141

Bad Boys of Romance Blog Hop & Giveaway

I love bad boys...

I love bad boys so much that I married a hot tattooed ginger.  I love bad boys so much that I write about them all the time.  Let's face it, bad boys come in all different forms.

The most recent bad boy was one that is much beloved...Adam Davenport of Finally Found.  He's the classic bad boy, the playboy who sleeps around and never really considers the ramifications.  This doesn't make him as bad as it makes him misguided, inconsiderate, and irresponsible.  





There's that other kind of bad boy.  The real bad boy, the true villain.  He can be kind of fun to write, but I wouldn't want to be married to him.  Still, these villains keep cropping up in books.  In Stormy Surrender, the readers loved to hate Blaine.  There was plenty to hate.  For one thing, he cheated on his wife.  If that wasn't enough, he never even visiter her in the hospital when she miscarried their child, and finally...when she wanted a fresh start and thought they should move, he sent her ahead and never followed.



Finally, the first big villain I ever wrote about was Evan Winters.  I have a problem with spoiled rich kids who are used to always getting their way.  Evan was such a case.  He didn't like taking 'no' for an answer.  He would try anything, stoop to any level, and even outright break the law to achieve his desires.  Find out if good triumphs over evil in Worth the Wait.





To meet the baddest boys of all...Dark Dawn will be released on June 11th! Add to your shelf!

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Be sure to visit the other blogs in the hop!

Cover Reveal and Giveaway: Him by Carey Heywood

Blurb:






Sarah Miller hasn’t been home in seven years. She thought she could stay away forever. If it wasn’t for her big brother's wedding, that is. Part of her even feels silly for staying away this long. It's not like anyone even knew what happened. Well, except for him.

That guy. The one she compared all others to. The one who set the bar so high no other guy after him could even compete. The one who made her feel like anything was possible. The one she thought she would never be good enough for. The one she spent the last seven years trying to forget.

All she needs to do is make it through the next week without running into him.





















Author Links

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Bio:



Here's my bio...
I make up stuff and write it down. Here are some things that make up who I am, in no particular order; Books, Swedish Fish, Rivers, Kids (I have some), Husband (I have 1), Dog, Wuss, Reader, Elephants, Mermaid Shows, Belgian Chocolate, Plastic Rings, Fizzy Water, Abs (I don't have them...well yes, I have them but they're nothing to look at I meant Abs that I like to look at), Twitter (@careylolo), Making up Words, Chair Dancing, Old Movies, Cartoons, Belgian Waffles, Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, People, Kayaks, Screen Porches, Laughing, Colored Paperclips, Junky Green Laptop, Golden Rule, Falling in Love, Jumping in Puddles, Spellcheck, Windy Days.











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Review: Stages of Grace by Carey Heywood

Amazon Buy Link




Blurb:




Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance...

When facing death a mourning period is to be expected. But what if it's not a person but a relationship that dies? Grace and her boyfriend Jon have been together for three years. They live together and have shared many beautiful memories. Those memories are what keep Grace from admitting Jon has changed and is no longer the man she fell in love with.

Afraid of being alone and holding on to something that no longer exists Grace is a shadow of her former self. Her daily objective is to hide her pain from the world. Then, an unexpected letter sets off a whirlwind of potential life changes. In life sometimes the hardest thing to do is let go.




Leary says:
















Stages of Grace is a story that follows the main character,
Grace, through the five stages of grief as she goes through the process of
deciding whether or not to end her three year relationship with her boyfriend
Jon.




Denial

Anger

Bargaining

Depression

Acceptance




These stages are central to the entire story. At first I had a
hard time connecting with Grace. As we being learning about what has transpired
in her relationship with Jon over the last year I found myself thinking that
she was a bit weak and unable to stand up for herself. I took a little break
from reading the story to sit back and put myself in her shoes and I realized
that if I were in the same situation I most likely would have had the same
reactions.




Grace and Jon were madly in love for two years and had a
fantastic relationship. Jon was easy going and loving in the beginning but over
the last year his personality has done a complete 180. All Grace wants is it
get the old Jon back and to be happy again but is that even possible? Does the
Jon she first met still exist?




As each stage passes Grace becomes a stronger character. Her life
really begins in change when she receives a letter that takes her from Ohio to
Florida. What happens in Florida and the people she meets are the catalyst to the
final stages of grief. We meet a few fantastic characters about half way
through the book that speed up the final stages.




I definitely enjoyed reading this book. Even though it was a
light read I did find myself feeling the same emotions as Grace but it wasn’t a
gut wrenching roller coaster ride which was a great change. We got partial
glimpses into the relationship between Grace and Jon when everything was
amazing. These glimpses gave me the ability to connect with Grace during the
first couple of stages as I felt anger for the loss of what use to be.




I felt that there was a lot of development during the first two
stages but as the story continued I found the story to be a bit underdeveloped.
After I took my reflection time in the beginning I was extremely connected to
the story but as Grace was entering Bargaining and Depression I felt myself
drifting.  During the Acceptance stage I
was able to reconnect with Grace and thoroughly enjoyed her relationships with
the new characters. Overall I thought it was an enjoyable read and I was
delighted that even though it was about the ending of a relationship it was
still lighthearted.




* 3.5 Stars *




Elle says:















In college, I minored in Psychology and when I saw in the
synopsis where this story tied in to The Five Stages of Grief, I was intrigued.
Carey Heywood brings a new twist to the rise and fall of a relationship.




Stages of Grace introduces you to Grace, a twenty-something
who is stuck in a relationship rut with her long-term boyfriend, Jon.




The story is told through her point of view and is mostly
done through Grace’s inner monologue. I typically prefer books to have a fairly
equal balance between dialogue and narration (or what I call “showing and
telling”). To my surprise, I found Grace’s narration enjoyable. Heywood won me
over by incorporating thorough imagery and detail, with a moderate amount of
dialogue, amongst characters that are either easy to fall in love with or very
easy to hate.  When all of the elements
combine in Stages of Grace, the final product is a heartwarming story about
building relationships and finding closure.




Grace and Jon’s relationship starts just like any other.
They are absolutely smitten with one another. Through flashbacks in Grace’s narration,
the author highlights the happier moments between the couple.




Locked in the gaze of
the bluest eyes I had ever seen, Jon leaned in to kiss me. I had felt lit from
within, as though every nerve ending on my body was emitting heat.




These tender moments are a stark contrast from Grace’s
relationship in present day.




I used to live for the
weekend, for curling up with a good book or taking a day trip somewhere fun.
Nowadays, weekends seem like staring contests until Jon finds some reason to
scream at me.




“Don’t worry Grace.
You have nothing I want to see.”




The author takes you on Grace’s journey through the Five
Stages of Grief (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance) as she
tries to cope with her failing relationship.




Now all I feel is as
though I am walking a tightrope suspended over a deep canyon with no hope of
making it across.




As Grace progresses through each stage, her character adapts
and changes. She forms new friendships, embraces new experiences, and is given
the opportunity at a fresh start, all while trying to mend the broken parts of
her life. The transformation Grace’s character undergoes within these pages
makes her relatable and likable.




With each paragraph, I could see Grace’s confidence grow, as
she was one step closer to finding her place and purpose in life. I never
stopped rooting for her to reach the final stage of Acceptance.




Overall, I found Stages of Grace to be a delightful
journey through the ups, down, and sometimes new beginnings of a relationship. The
story is a quick read that’s easy to follow and you can’t help but fall in love
with the characters. I recommend adding this book to your TBR list as well as
becoming a fan of Carey Heywood’s on Facebook and Goodreads to keep up with
what she is publishing next.












Author Links




 Goodreads * Amazon




Bio:




I make up stuff and write it down. Here are some things that make up who I am, in no particular order; Books, Swedish Fish, Rivers, Kids (I have some), Husband (I have 1), Dog, Wuss, Reader, Elephants, Mermaid Shows, Belgian Chocolate, Plastic Rings, Fizzy Water, Abs (I don't have them...well yes, I have them but they're nothing to look at I meant Abs that I like to look at), Twitter (@careylolo), Making up Words, Chair Dancing, Old Movies, Cartoons, Belgian Waffles, Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, People, Kayaks, Screen Porches, Laughing, Colored Paperclips, Junky Green Laptop, Golden Rule, Falling in Love, Jumping in Puddles, Spellcheck, Windy Days.

Review: In Too Deep by Brandy Rivers

Amazon Buy Link




Blurb:




Fallon is a brilliant tattoo artist with inherent magic. Tired of men and their games, she climbs onto her Harley and leaves her old life behind.


Brody is a talented motorcycle mechanic and werewolf stuck in his painful past. It's just another depressing night until he's attacked by vampires. Thinking he killed them, he runs into the night and crashes into Fallon.


Unwilling to walk away from anyone in need, she heals Brody and then takes out the vampires who aren't as dead as he thought. Her past collides with the present, and she finds herself stranded in Edenton, Washington where an old friend lives. With no ride and no real plan, she winds up staying in Brody's empty apartment.


Feeling alive for the first time in years, Brody is determined to claim Fallon's heart and keep her safe from the shadows in her past. However, she prides herself on her independence and would rather keep him safe, even from herself.


With the impending danger from the group of vampires and dark mages, they will have to work together. The closer they get, the harder it is for her to fight her attraction.
Be prepared for monsters, magic and lots of ink.




Leary says:






In Too Deep is the first book in the Other of Edenton series. This is a paranormal book that vampires, werewolves, other were animals (weretiger, etc.), druids, and other magical beings. I have found that in most paranormal series the first book tells a lot of history to set up the whole series and it usually takes me at least a third of the book for me to really get into it. In Too Deep is not one of those books. We don’t hear much about the history of all these paranormal beings the author dove right into the story about Fallon (a druid) and Brody (a werewolf).




We are introduced to Brody and Fallon when Brody is in a hurry running from two vampires that attacked him and runs directly into Fallon on her motorcycle. Fallon was using her druid magic to turn out her headlights and quiet her motorcycle to avoid being pulled over again. Fallon immediately feels a connection to Brody while she is working to save him from the vampires but she can’t explain why she feels such a strong pull to Brody. While Fallon is using her magic Brody is enthralled with her and feels a strange completeness he hasn’t felt for years.




Fallon has wasted two years of her life on her loser ex who is a weretiger and believes she has been the problem in all her relationships and tries to push Brody away before her heart is involved. Not only do Fallon and Brody have to worry about the vampires that are hunting them but they also have to overcome the obstacle of obsessive exes. Will Brody breakdown the wall that Fallon is trying to build or will Fallon successfully keep her heart safe?




I enjoyed the story and I thought that the series was set up nicely through this first story. There were times when I felt that the story was rushed. I would have liked to read more about how someone becomes a were animal and how someone has all these magical abilities. I think that skipping over the history completely took away the background knowledge of how this whole fantasy world was created and how these characters came about. I know that vampires and werewolves are very common in the fantasy story world but I would have preferred to learn more about how they all came to be through the authors eyes.




What is unique about this story is that we get POVs from almost every character that is introduced. I thought it was beneficial to get these POVs since each characters has different abilities and it also gets us more aware of the character for the subsequent stories. I did enjoy the story but I would have preferred a more background detail. We do get some steamy scenes!!








Author Links




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Bio:







I've always loved books, especially about monsters and magic, so I started writing. I'm working on a prequel and the next few books in the Others of Edenton series, and I have a head full of stories to share.

I'm a stay at home mother with a wonderful husband who lets me write and write to my hearts content.

Blog Tour: First I Love You

Synopsis:



One part Godfather, two parts Emma and a dash of Casablanca mixed together, "First, I Love You" isn't a detective novel, a gangster novel, a mystery, a romance or a family saga. It's a little of all of the above.



Imagine being a detective with a mobster for a father, or a mobster with a straight arrow, good cop for a son. This is a relationship that is tricky on its best day. Add in some well-meaning meddling from a mob princess sister, an arrogant DEA agent, and gangsters running a human trafficking ring and you have a recipe for a book that refuses to follow the rules. Told from the perspective and point of view of each the six main characters this is the first novel in a trilogy about love, loyalty, revenge and redemption.



Omaha Detective Tommy Gates has kept his gangster father at arm's length his whole life. Mickey Downey has spent the better part of the last two decades trying to find ways to get back the son he lost through Witness Protection. Now Tommy has taken an opportunity to work on a Federal Human Trafficking Joint Task Force in Chicago where his father lives. Tommy's sister Kiki and his mother Mary see this as an opportunity to build a relationship between the two. Tommy's new DEA partner James Hoffman sees it as an opportunity to gain leverage over Mickey Downey. Tommy's other partner, FBI Agent Ginny Sommers wants to keep Tommy's family as far from the case as possible. When Kiki and James join forces, sparks fly and it sets fire to a maelstrom of unexpected consequences for everyone involved.









Elle says:



First I Love You is the first book in The Downey Trilogy by Genevieve Dewey. This novel is unlike anything I’ve ever read. When I saw the story was told from the perspective of six different characters, I worried it would be difficult to distinguish between the characters’ narration and follow along with the story.



Genevieve Dewey wastes no time introducing the players and does so in a way that allows the reader to easily follow along without getting lost or confused. Each of the first six chapters is told from a different character’s point-of-view. Within those chapters, I learned so much about each character – their background, their motives, their personalities – and I couldn’t help but get hooked into the story and want to keep reading.




Tommy Gates – He’s a police officer for the Omaha Police Department and son of notorious mobster Michael “Magic Mickey” Downey. His entire life has been a constant battle to distance himself from his estranged father so he may pursue his dream of law enforcement. Tommy wants little to do with his father despite Mickey’s endless attempts to forge a relationship.

“He had read once that a sign of intelligence was the ability to hold two opposing ideas at the same time and still be able to function.” 

DEA Special Agent James Hoffman – Coming from four generations of Federal cops, James relies on his intuition to stay one step ahead of everyone. He’s determined to break the human trafficking case by any means necessary, even if that means doing whatever it takes to get close to Mickey Downey. What his instincts didn’t prepare him for was Tommy’s firecracker sister, Kiki.

“Sometimes as a cop one just had a feel for these things. No other explanation, James just sort of knew.”

Kiki Downey – Unlike Tommy, Kiki embraces her heritage and strives to make her father proud. All these years as Mickey’s only daughter have made her savvy, which is why she refuses to let herself become a pawn in James’ game. She’s making her own rules and she came to win.

“The trouble with having a father who adored her unconditionally was being left with the feeling of never quite having earned his approval.”

Mary Gates – Two decades ago, Tommy’s mother and Mickey’s former mistress, thought she was doing the best thing for her son and herself when she testified against Mickey. All these years she’s been conflicted over her decision and the irreparable damage it caused. Although her guilt has waivered, one thing hasn’t. Mary is still deeply in love with Mickey.

“She’d made a rash choice that day, one that had changed the course of her life forever.”

Michael “Magic Mickey” Downey – The ultimate mobster. Since retiring from the mafia lifestyle and moving to Chicago, Mickey’s only goal is to make amends and build a relationship with his oldest son, Tommy. However, temptation lurks regardless of what city Mickey inhabits. Is Mickey really ready to leave the only lifestyle he’s known behind for a relationship that may be damaged beyond repair?

“Most of his life, Mickey had figured the world was made out of fools, willfully blind to the realities of life, and it was their own fault if greater men were able to get one over on ‘em.” 

FBI Special Agent Eugenia “Ginny” Elaine Sommers – She thrives in the background, choosing to go unnoticed in order to gain the upper hand. Combine that with her meticulous research skills, and she’s a total package. Yet once she meets Tommy, she wants nothing more than to be in the foreground and noticed by him.

“The end result being that the bad guy routinely miscalculated with her and her coworkers routinely saw her as pleasantly feminine yet benign, minimizing their resentment if she outshined them with her casework.”

These characters are intermingling in a web so thick, no one character can escape. There were moments when I utterly despised Mickey Downey, and other moments where I couldn’t help but pity him.


I’d absolutely recommend adding this book to your TBR List, and I can’t wait to dive in to the second book of The Downey Trilogy, Second of All!






Author Links




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Bio:






Genevieve Dewey is the author of The Downey Trilogy and the Downey spinoff short stories featuring Katelyn & Dominic. She is a wife, mother, sister, friend and recovering Anthropologist. She loves intelligent debates but has zero tolerance for uninformed opinions (unless it's stated up front it is based upon an irrational belief in which case props for your honesty!). She was raised partly in Nebraska and partly in Arizona. Her parents are from Chicago. Don't get her started on the subject of Chicago unless you want to be bored to death about how awesome Chicago is.




Gen got her Bachelors in Anthropology from Texas A&M University (Whoop!) and a Masters degree in Anthropology from University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Go Big Red!). She worked as an Applied Anthropologist for years (even ran her own research company for awhile) before deciding to be a stay at home mom. She has three insanely brilliant and diabolical children and an incredibly funny and patient husband who is not a Dewey (for which he is thankful because that would be gross) and who hates Chicago (for which his wife forgives him on account of the funny and patient part).

Cover Reveal: Hot Mess by Anne Conley

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Blurb:




Coming July 2013

Sam is a single dad, trying to get over the death of his ex-wife, and help his daughter move on from the loss of her mother.
​
Rachel is a single mom with a secret of her own that has kept her out of the dating scene for years.

What happens when this drop-dead gorgeous firefighter moves in across the street from the reticent woman with a past?

Sparks fly as the heat level rises in this new novel of Serendipity.










Author Links




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Bio:




I raise goats. I raise children. I write. I don't do any of it well, but I try to have fun with all of it. And I read. I'm not too terribly technologically savvy, but I'm working on that. My life is a continual work in progress. And when it gets to be too much for me (quite frequently, I'm a little embarrassed to say) I read some more.

Review: Bed, Breakfast, and You by Lacey Wolfe

Amazon Free Download Link




Blurb:




Claire holds the keys to her future, in more than one way.

As if the recent death of Claire Stevens’ parents isn’t enough, someone wants to steal Honeycreek Bed and Breakfast right out from under her. But Claire isn’t about to roll over and let them. She’s prepared to fight.

Jace Brown is Brookfield’s main attorney, and after delivering the bad news to Claire about her property, he knows all about being on her bad side. 

As Claire gets to the bottom of this scandal, she’s surprised to have Jace by her side, fighting along with her. The attraction is instant, but can it last after the dust settles?




Review by Becky S.:






















So we have already established that I am a sucker for books
in a small town.  A thing I look for even
more is a series.  I love them!  I love when an author takes a small town,
introduces you to all of the community, and makes you feel like you belong
there.  Bed, Breakfast, and You is one of those kind of books.




Bed, Breakfast, and
You is a prequel novella taking place in the small town of Brookville
Wyoming.  You meet Claire Stevens, who
after the recent death of her parents has inherited Honeycreek Bed and
Breakfast. Claire is one of those girls that don’t take crap from anyone and is
going to fight for what she believes in. 
Jace Brown is the town attorney and has the unfortunate job of letting
Claire know that there are some problems with the taxes and she is going to
lose the property.




I love that I never knew where the story was going to
go.  It was a Light, Fun, Flirty read
with lots of action and suspense to help you fall in love with Claire and Jace
and the town of Brookville.  Just when I
thought I had figured it out, Lacey Wolfe threw in a little twist that made me
wonder why I thought what I did.




The only problem I had in this book was that I loved it so
much, that I wanted more!  I had to
remind myself that this was a short story, but there was more to come as I get
to know all that there is to know about the characters and stories that Lacey
provides in her other Brookville books.











Author Links




Facebook * Website * Goodreads




Bio:




It's always been my dream to be a writer. Ever sense I was a child, creating stories has been a passion of mine. I have always said that one day I would be an author. Finally, I am working on this dream of mine. I have two children who have been keeping me busy for the past 7 years. My youngest is starting pre-k this year and I have more time for me and to concentrate on what I want out of this life. So I am picking up pen and paper...well I guess keyboard and screen, and working on this dream. It isn't going to be easy. There will be many ups and downs, but I am ready. I know this dream will come true, my mom told me so, "You can be anything you want to be when you grow up." Thanks mom, here goes nothing!

Kicking off the Spotlight Tour! Check out Forgiven by JB McGee

Buy Links





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Blurb:





Everyone has a past…good or bad, they are always there. They lurk and linger in the shadows, sometimes reappearing at the most inconvenient times.


Gabby and Bradley thought that their pasts would remain dormant, that happiness was theirs for the taking. Still the strongest of relationships can be rocked by the ugliness from a previous life, even if it seems to be a world away. The fact remains an ugly past is never distant. It taints everything it touches, drives permanent rifts between loved ones, and sometimes can ruin everything. Gabby and Bradley must find the only way to battle the past. Forgiveness becomes a light through the darkness, a guide for the lost, and hope for the hopeless. With forgiveness comes bright, new beginnings.


















Author Links





Facebook * Twitter * Website * Goodreads





Bio:





J.B. McGee was born and raised in Aiken, South Carolina. After graduating from South Aiken High School, she toured Europe as a member of the 1999 International Bands of America Tour, playing the clarinet. While attending Converse College, an all-girls school in Spartanburg, South Carolina, she visited Charleston often. It quickly became one of her favorite vacation spots. She met her husband, Chad, during Christmas break her freshman year, and they married in 2001 and she moved back to her home town. 


In 2005, the couple welcomed their first son, Noah. J.B. finished her Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education at the University of South Carolina-Aiken in 2006. During her time studying children's literature, a professor had encouraged her to become a writer.



In 2007, she welcomed their second child, Jonah, and she became a stay at home mom/entrepreneur. In 2009, the found out their two children and J.B. have Mitochondrial Disease. In 2011, a diagnosis also was given to Chad. Please take a moment and learn more about Mitochondrial Disease. Awareness is key to this disease that has no cure or treatments.



J.B. McGee and her family now reside in Buford, Georgia, to be closer to their children's medical team. After a passion for reading had been re-ignited, J.B. decided to finally give writing a shot. Broken (This Series), is her first book and first series.
























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Cover Reveal: Made for You by Vi Keeland

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Blurb:




****** The sequel to Belong to You (Book two of a two part series) *******

Jack and Syd spent a week in paradise. It was only supposed to be a fling. But life can be funny sometimes, and circumstances brought them back together again. Together they seemed to have found their happy ever after. But when Sydney is offered a chance at the career she has always wanted, she must leave Jack behind to follow her dreams. Can their love survive long distance? Sydney’s touring with a man every woman wants, but he only has eyes for Syd. And an unexpected tragedy leaves Jack feeling remorseful. Can the two find a way through to forever?







Author Links




 Goodreads * Website * Amazon




Bio:







Vi Keeland is a native New Yorker with six uniquely insane siblings. She has three children of her own that occupy most of her free time, which she complains about often, but wouldn't change for the world. She is a bookworm and has been known to read her kindle at stop lights, while styling her hair, cleaning, walking, during sporting events, and frequently while pretending to work.

She is a boring attorney by day, and an exciting smut author by night! After years of thinking about writing her own book, she finally took the leap in 2012. Her most recent book, Belong to You, was published in April 2013 and hit number 8 in the Amazon Erotica Best Seller's list in its first five days! The sequel to Belong to You, Made for You, is due out on July 1st, 2013. 

Blog Stop and Giveaway: Darkness Before Dawn by Claire Contreras

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Book Title: Darkness Before Dawn

Author: Claire Contreras

Genre: Romance Mystery/Suspense/Romance

Release Date: May 31, 2013

Cover Designer: Okay Creations




Blurb:




Is love ever enough?

Faced with obstacles she could have never imagined, Blake is brought to darkness and back by forces in her past she never knew existed.
Desperate to stay connected to the only thing he loves, Cole is forced to revisit his past and align himself with the people who knew about Blake’s disappearance.
Separation has forced both Blake and Cole to learn how to live under the worst circumstances, each of them alone in their own hell.

When they reunite, can they be the same two people they were before darkness swept upon them?
Told in separate points of view, Darkness Before Dawn is the continuation of Blake and Cole’s fight to make it to the light.




Excerpt

Loud pounding on the bathroom door breaks me from my daydream and I get up quickly to turn off the water and get out of the shower. The pounding on the door continues until I yell out that I’m almost done. Once I’m dressed, I take a deep breath and decide that I will not let them break me; I won’t let my family down. I open the door and find Dean on the other side of it, wearing a plaid blue button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, jeans, and black boots. His voluminous dark hair is perfectly styled, and even though I hate facial hair, I notice that the shadow of a beard displayed on his face looks pretty good on him. My eyes trail down his slim body and stay glued to the tattoo I see on his left forearm, until his chuckle brings me to meet his twinkling hazel eyes.

“Well, this is a change,” he says, the side of his mouth forming in a slight smile.

“What is?” I ask crinkling my eyebrows.

“You. Checking me out instead of glaring at me,” he says as a slow smile spreads on his face.

My mouth pops open for a moment before I recover my thoughts. “I was not checking you out! I was trying to figure out what your tattoo is. There’s a difference. Besides, you’re not in your uniform today. It’s weird to see you wearing grown up clothes.” I mock.

He doesn’t really wear a uniform, but most of the time he’s dressed in jeans, a white T-shirt and a leather jacket.

He shakes his head. “If you say so.” I can hear the disbelief in his voice and it makes me want to throw something at him.

“Do you have another magazine for me?”

He’s been bringing me magazines to help my boredom. I have to hide them whenever Alex comes to check up on me just in case, but that’s a small price to pay for entertainment. I may not know what’s going on in the world, but I know what celebrity couples are together and what the latest trend fashion is. So far, Drew Barrymore got married and Jessica Simpson had a baby. Maybe if I would have kept up with gossip before, this would be exciting for me to know, but frankly, I don’t give a damn. I sigh dreamily at my own thoughts and daze off thinking of Gerald O’Hara. God, I need to get the fuck out of here! You know it’s bad when you’re day dreaming of an old dead guy.

“You’re such a pain in the ass,” Dean says with a laugh, and then suddenly stops. “Shit. I was kidding, chick, you didn’t have to go and cry about it.”

I wipe my tears, but can’t stop the sobs from escaping my throat before I bury my face in my hands. How pathetic am I that I can’t be called a pain in the ass without crying? How pathetic is it that everything reminds me of Cole? Once I calm down, I wipe my face again and bring the tray onto my lap, avoiding his gaze.

“So, you don’t like being called a pain in the ass?” he asks quietly. I know he’s trying to keep the conversation light, but I’m not in the mood for any of it.

“No,” I grumble before taking a bite of toast. “I don’t like being called anything.”

He sits in front of me and watches me eat in silence. When I finish, I get up and head to the bathroom, leaving him sitting on the floor by my bed.

I wash my hands before sitting up on the counter and lean my back on the mirror hoping that he gets tired of waiting for me and leaves. I idly begin to draw circles over the green bruises on my calf and it hits me that that’s all I am these days: cuts and bruises, inside and out. At the sound of thunder outside, I snap back to reality and hop off the counter, picking up my hair in a messy pony tail as I open the door, hoping to walk into an empty room, but Dean still there flipping through my magazine.

“You gonna sit here and read old gossip all day?” I ask.

He raises an amused eyebrow. “This is new gossip.”

As he walks over to me, I notice our difference in height, for some reason I had never noticed the way he towers over me. Probably because I’m always looking at the ground unless I’m sitting on it. He’s definitely not as tall as Cole, nothing about his physical appearance is like Cole’s. Cole is tall and muscular, Dean is tall and lean. Cole has more of a playboy face, whereas Dean is more of a rugged pretty boy. The only thing they have in common is that swag, or spark that some guys have. The one that draws you to them, even though you know in the back of your mind that you will get burned once you get too close. When he leans close to hand over the magazine, making me flinch a little, I take in his scent of nicotine and cinnamon.

He holds my stare as we both grip either side of the magazine. “I wouldn’t hurt you, Chick, okay?”

“You are hurting me,” I whisper as I take it from his hand and sit down on the bed. I downcast my eyes and look at it, but it looks blurry through my eyes and I can’t make out who’s on the cover. He cups his hand under my chin and lifts my face to look at him, but I turn my face out of his hold. “Don’t touch me, please.”




Buy Links:



Darkness Before Dawn

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D3VWA7E/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/darkness-before-dawn-claire-contreras/1115465173?ean=2940016764498




There is No Light in Darkness

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00AZNWSS4

Barnes and Nobles - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/there-is-no-light-in-darkness-claire-contreras/1114106198?ean=9781481936606







***Jennifer's 5 Star Review***






First can I start with Claire Contreras is a damn genius!  This story is so well written with so many twist and turns and end the end having you saying WHAT!!! If you have not read There is No Light Before Darkness, what are you waiting for?!?!  This series is full of suspense, romance, and the hotness that is Cole Murphy… enough said right there!  Cole… Cole… Cole… You have to get to know this one… he’s hot, he’s smart, and always gentlemen.  I love that the book rotates POV from Blake to Cole.  Nothing like getting into a man’s head! 




So… we start off right were the last book ends.  Blake has been kidnapped.  She awakes to a small room that has only a mattress, a small 80’s era TV and a bathroom.  She is bruised and beaten but still hold onto her love for Cole that she will find a way out.  She recognizes her captors from her past but a new face is the one that will end up befriending her.  Enter Dean…  he’s part of the drug cartel that is keeping her hostage but has the pretty boy face but has some edge to him that intrigues Blake.  He is not like the others and is actually kind to her.  With his help Blake is able to escape her captures.  But with this brings more questions about her and Cole’s disappearance many years before.  

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Blake




While Blake is in captive, Cole struggles to find answers to her disappearance. He then reaches out to the one person that can give him answers, the one person he hates that he has to turn to, his Father.  Cole finally comes face to face with his parents.   With this more lies and deceit are exposed and more OMG moments are revealed!  

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Cole




Once Blake is free, she and Cole struggle to find their way as she continues to reach out to Dean.  But with this Blake is able to help piece together the puzzle that is her and Cole’s life and the mystery behind their disappearance. Will they be able to work past their struggles? Can Cole work past the new relationship she tries to build with Dean? Or will their families’ lies and deceit be the end of their relationship?  You will have to read to find out!

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Dean




There are just so many moments in this book where I could not stop turning the page!  We even get a cameo from Jack Fn’ Carter!!  Cole and Jack in the same book!!!  Be still my heart!!!    My heart was racing, and my jaw dropped on more than one occasion.  I love Cole even more in the book and commend the author for growing her writing process as this book, I feel, is exceptional!  I LOVED… LOVED… LOVED this book and sad that this is the end of their story! 

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book...

“Blake is everything to me. She’s not somebody I’m involved with, she is my reason, my everything”

“We both stare at each other for a long moment, with tears in our eyes, before his arms swallow my body in his, shielding me from everything; the light, the dark, and everything in between”

“In this moment I realize that I’m not sure how long I’d been kidnapped, but nothing, nobody, can hold me hostage like Cole’s eyes can.”

“My soul belongs to you , Blake.  I got where you go, I cant live without you. I don’t want to live without you. If you die tomorrow, I die with you.” (omg… so swooning!!!)

“Love is knowing that one day when I’m old and my body aches, my heart won’t because I’ll be with you.” (sigh……)



About The Author: 


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Claire Contreras graduated with her BA in Psychology from Florida International University. She lives in Miami, Florida with her husband, two little boys, and three dogs. 


Her favorite past times are: daydreaming, writing, and reading.

She has been described as a random, sarcastic, crazy girl with no filter. 

Life is short, and it’s more bitter than sweet, so she tries to smile as often as her face allows. She enjoys stories with happy endings, because life is full of way too many unhappy ones. 




Author Links:  




Goodreads: http://www. goodreads.com/author/show/ 6655354.Claire_Contreras

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ ClariCon

Facebook: Facebook.com/CContrerasbooks




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