Kate McCarthy's Blog, page 6

Fighting Redemption is COMING SOON! Read on…

December 2, 2013 – Fighting Redemption and SAS Soldier Ryan Kendall is coming to you!

“6 brilliant, breathtaking stars! This story was intense, heartbreaking, gut punching, inspiring, and beautiful. An amazing, poignant journey that I will never forget. Ryan’s story is one that should not be missed.”

-   Kim, REVIEWS BY TAMMY & KIM

“6 gripping, intense, emotional, heartfelt stars. Ryan captivated me from the very first page. This is a beautiful story of love that you will get lost in. An absolute must read.”

- Kylie, GIVE ME BOOKS BLOG

BLOGGERS:  Sign up for the cover reveal (by Damonza) with Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews:

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READERS: Mark your calendars for Ryan

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18304765-fighting-redemption

Give Me Strength – Bonus Material

Want to know what Travis was thinking when he first met Quinn at the Florence Bar in GIVE ME STRENGTH?

Let’s not forget Casey. What WAS he thinking during that chat scene on the couch with Quinn? Read on…

TRAVIS

I broke into a light jog as I left the Florence Bar, keeping my eyes peeled for a bright scrap of yellow so I wouldn’t miss her. There! I jogged towards the kerb, the odd mix of lust and relief at finding her not confusing me at all. When I saw something I wanted, what was the point in playing games or wasting time? I saw her, I wanted, hence no time to waste.

Unfortunately she tipped her glass of wine all over me, and that was after I caught her accidently spraying her friend with her drink earlier. It was apparent she belonged to the klutz club. Not that I minded, as long as all that stumbling she was doing was over me, I could work with it.

Reaching her side, I forced deep even breaths in an effort not to appear breathless. “Running away?” I asked.

She spun around and once again, I was struck stupid, just like at the bar where I first saw her. Wild flutters had hit my belly when I first ran my eyes over her. I tried soothing them by swallowing from the cold bottle of beer in my hand, but damned if that didn’t work. She’d been sitting in a booth opposite her pretty friend looking like a wild daisy in the middle of thorny roses. Her pale hair spun under the soft lighting and my eyes lingered on her mouth—the soft, full lips definitely captured my attention. When she caught me looking at her, those eyes—hazel? Green? I couldn’t tell from the distance—flared wide and that’s about when clumsiness took the reigns. Going by the wild flush of pink on her cheeks, I probably shouldn’t have saluted her efforts with my beer, but how could I resist? She was fucking adorable. Seeing her flustered was pretty much the highlight of another night out when I’d rather have been at home.

So I bought her a wine as an apology and was just about to take it over and offer it up, along with myself, when suddenly she appeared right next to me. What luck!

After I called out a drinks order to the bartender, Vince, she spun around and I caught her eyes—deep, rich pools of chocolate. Jesus. She was tiny. I would bet that without those sexy shoes of hers, she would only reach my chest. Visions of picking her up, slamming her back into the wall and kissing those lush lips hit me hard.

Realising I was staring, I said the first thing that came to mind. “You’re not gonna toss your next drink at me, are you?”

Her mouth fell open. “My drink?”

I chuckled at the confusion clouding her eyes. “Yeah, your drink.”

“Oh.” She paused. “I don’t have one.”

I nodded to the bar where Vince was just setting it down for her. She followed my direction and frowned. “I didn’t order that,” she mumbled along with something else I didn’t quite catch and gave me her back.

Holy fuck me. Her back. It was entirely naked. I swallowed. Her dress was a stealthy torture device because it snuck up on a man, then dared him to keep it together instead of leaning in and running his tongue from her neck down to the tip of her ass. My dick jerked wildly, taking an obvious liking to that idea.

That was unfair. Surely she had to know that turning her back and showing me all that creamy expanse of naked skin would get me hot.

Payback is going to be a bitch, sweetheart.

Eyes narrowing determinedly, I leaned in towards her ear, stopping just shy of licking the lobe into my mouth and splayed my hand across the small of her back. My dick jerked again, liking the fact that my hand was touching naked skin. “I ordered it,” I rumbled softly and took pure, male satisfaction at feeling her shiver beneath my touch. Yeah, two can play this game, baby. “For you,” I added.

“You did?” she asked breathlessly.

“Uh huh,” I replied into her ear, my lips curving at her response. “When I saw you throw your drink at your friend, I thought you could do with another.”

My words were rewarded when she spun around, her breasts brushing my chest for a brief moment. I sucked in a quick breath when all the blood in my body headed in one, single-minded direction.

Hmm, that round to you, sweetheart.

Determined to best her, I tried not to frown.

“I didn’t throw it,” she denied.

“Sure you didn’t,” I replied. I smiled at her, slow and lazy, and chuckled to myself when her eyes lost focus. “You know, you could just say thank you.”

“What?” she muttered.

Oh, she was making this too easy. I leaned in again and caught her holding her breath. Stretching out my arms around her until I was almost pinning her to the bar, I picked up the beers Vince left for me with a thanks and twisted sideways to hand them to my friends.

“Now,” I murmured, returning to my pretty blonde. “Where were we? Oh that’s right. I believe you were thanking me.”

“Umm…thank you,” she replied, flustered, and I was utterly charmed. How did she do that—come across so sweet and sexy all at the same time? Fuck, I want to see if she tastes the same way.

Fighting the urge to adjust myself inside my jeans to get desperate relief, I realised it was time to kick it up a notch. “Pity,” I murmured with a shake of my head, letting disappointment creep into my voice.

Her smile fell. “What?”

“I was hoping I’d get more than words,” I replied, keeping my voice low and suggestive.

“What were you hoping for?”

Her eyes dropped to my lips. Bingo! I licked them lightly and with my beer in one hand, I used the other to grip her hip lightly and leaning in again, said, “You.”

There. You couldn’t get much clearer than that. See how quick and easy the whole process was? Minimum effort, minimum fuss, no time wasted.

She pulled back, her eyes wide with fear and panic as they searched my face. It was a like a punch to the gut. Fuck. Did I put that there? I could feel her closing off from me and suddenly I realised my mistake. She wasn’t flirting at all.

You dumb, stupid asshole!

How the fuck was I supposed to fix this?

“Excuse me,” she mumbled. “I have to get back to my friend.”

The thought of her leaving tied a knot in my stomach but I didn’t have time to ponder the odd sensation because suddenly her icy cold wine was splashing its way down the front of my T-shirt.

The shock of being doused in alcohol rendered me speechless.

“Oh God,” she cried out, looking like she was ready to be sick. “I’m so sorry!”

Ignoring the catcalls of my friends behind me, I brushed a hand down the sopping mess, only succeeding in spreading it around further. “Vince?” I called out over the blonde’s shoulder. “Towel, mate.”

She took hold of the towel Vince offered and handed it over. Averting those pretty eyes, she mumbled another apology and turned to leave.

Did she think a minor blip like that was going to put me off? Newsflash, sweetheart, I still want you. Reaching out, I grabbed her arm before she could take another step. She paused and met determined eyes. I arched a brow at her. “Leaving me?”

My chest tightened at the sadness flitting across her face. Who or what had made her look so damn lost and unhappy? The sudden urge to throw a punch stumbled across me.

“I’m really sorry,” she whispered. “I can’t do this.”

My brow furrowed with confusion as the towel I held hovered over my chest. “Can’t do what?” I asked.

“Life,” she muttered so softly it was obvious I wasn’t meant to hear. “It wasn’t meant for me.”

Stunned and shaken, my hand dropped from her arm and she spun around and disappeared so quickly my eyes couldn’t keep up with her. Which brought me back to now, outside the bar, catching her by the kerb before she could disappear from my life completely and asking her if she was running away.

“Absolutely,” she answered, her voice clear and honest.

“Me too.”

Her eyes flared with disbelief. “You are?”

I nodded seriously towards my sopping shirt. “I bought someone a drink, and they threw it at me. Seems like a good excuse to ditch my friends in there and head home.”

Well, that’s what I told her anyway, but I wasn’t running away, I was chasing, and heading home alone was not my intention. Catching the flush of embarrassment heating her cheeks, I chuckled.

Seemingly skittish, I realised a bit more finesse than just a direct, “I want to fuck you,” was going to be needed here. “Share a cab?” I asked.

Letting her respond wasn’t going to work in my favour, so before she could speak, I lifted an arm and let out a piercing whistle.

Her eyebrows flew up, appearing stunned when a passing cab squealed to a stop. Baby, if getting a cab to stop impresses you, then wait to see what else I can do.

With manners ingrained into me by my mother since I could remember, I stepped forward and after opening the door, I turned to her expectantly, suddenly feeling like I was trying to coral a skittish horse.

Satisfaction thrummed through my veins when she slid inside the car. Getting in beside her, I shut the door and asked, “Where do you live?”

“Campsie.”

“Campsie, mate,” I told the cab driver and looked at her. “Campsie’s a bit of a hike for cab ride,” I replied, suddenly frowning. Did she live on her own or with friends? Maybe her place wasn’t such a great idea. Mine wasn’t that great either because my best mate, Casey, was at home.  Having to leave early to catch a flight, it was likely he was in bed though, so my place was looking more like the better option, not to mention it was a hell of a lot closer, and there was that whole time wasting factor to take into consideration. So how did I work this?

“Do you mind if I get dropped off at Woolloomooloo first? I need to get out of this wet shirt.”

“Um…sure.” Her shoulders slumped with obvious disappointment.

So far, so good. I smothered a grin and gave the cab driver new directions while she texted her friend. The girl was being safe. Good. Done, she found me appraising her intently, imagining all the places I wanted to kiss and lick her. I shifted slightly in my seat.

“So… What do you do?” she asked me.

“I’m a consultant,” I replied. Feeling the heavy weight of my job come crashing down on my shoulders, I waved it off as unimportant. “What about you?”

“I’m uh…in between jobs at the moment.”

“So what do you do when you’re not in between jobs?”

She bit down on her lip and desire coiled in my belly like a barely restrained spring ready to pounce. I wanted to bite her lip, then run my tongue over it to soothe the sharp hurt.

“Sorry?” she repeated, pink hitting her cheekbones.

I repeated the question.

“Um…I just finished uni doing business management actually, but that was part time. During the day I worked full time as a receptionist.”

After directing the cab driver, I turned back to her. “Sounds like you’re a busy girl. Who do you work for?”

“Jettison Records,” she supplied.

“Oh yeah?” My eyebrows flew up in surprise. Small world, what with my little sister, Mac, managing a band that just signed with the big Australian music label. “That’s—”

The cab driver squealed around a sharp corner, cutting off my words.

“Ouch!” the girl cried out when her head cracked into the side window.

“Goddamn stupid sonofabitch,” I cursed under my breath, anger at the idiot cab driver heating my blood. “Are you okay?” I asked her. Cupping her cheeks gently, I tilted her head, checking for an injury. “Goddammit, mate,” I growled at the cab driver as I let go of her soft skin reluctantly. “You bastards need to learn how to slow the fuck down.”

Squealing to a stop out the front of the loft apartments where I lived, he had the nerve to say, “Time is money, man.”

I bit back the urge to tell him where he could stick his time and money, when I suddenly realised I’d been provided with the perfect opportunity. “Come on,” I told her while fighting the upward curve of my lips. I threw money at the cab driver and before she could protest, I unbuckled her seatbelt and hauled her out of the car with minimal effort. “I’m not sending you home with this speed demon.”

Lacing our fingers together, I led her towards the entrance of my building, shuddering under the feel of her soft hand in mine. “I’d drive you home…” I told her as punched the code into the security panel and heard the door unlock, “…but I’m probably over the limit.”

When I pushed the door open, ready to invite her upstairs for a drink, and hopefully into my bed if I played this right, she tugged her hand free.

“Well that’s okay,” she told me. “I can just get another cab.”

Pausing, I frowned. No. Just…no. Not ready to let you go just yet, sweetheart. “You think I’m gonna leave you out here wandering the city streets waiting for a cab to pass by?”

There she went with the lip biting thing again. I stifled a groan. My restraint around her was non-existent—holidaying on some remote, inaccessible island. With my eyes burning into hers, I told her she had to stop doing that.

“Doing what?” she asked. Her breathless voice and lowered lids told me one thing—she wanted me just as much.

The realisation had me letting go of the door. “Biting your lip like that,” I replied, taking both her hands in mind and inching closer.

“Oh,” she muttered as I stepped inside her space.

My eyes lowered to her lips. “Your mouth gets all red and swollen until I want to lick it better.”

Planning to do just that, I cupped her face in my hands, angling her body towards the red brick wall of my building so it could bear the force of the kiss I was about take from her.

She stumbled.

“Shit,” I cursed. “Sorry.”

“My fault,” she breathed, her chest fluttering up and down as I pressed my body into hers. “I ahh…should probably get going.”

She didn’t sound like she wanted to get going and I didn’t want her to go. “Uh huh,” I placated.

Then she went and licked her lips. God, but she knew how to flirt without even realising what she was doing. Groaning, I ducked my head until my mouth hovered over hers.

“Can I kiss you?” I whispered against her lips. Not wasting time waiting for a response, my grip on her tightened and I crushed my lips on hers. What was it she did to me? She looked like she needed gentle, but the way she responded to my rough, desperate touch was wild. She moaned when I fisted her soft, silky hair, tilting her head so I could get better access to her lips and tongue. Hard and throbbing, I pressed my hips into her, not wanting to let go of her lips, but needing that hot, wet mouth to move south, and fast.

Christ, Travis, you want her to blow you in the fucking street?

I pulled back, panting, my eyes widening in shock at my complete lack of control.

“Jesus,” I gasped, my eyes falling to her swollen lips. That was a mistake, or not, depending on how you looked at it, because I only gave her a second to catch a breath before I was slamming my mouth back down on hers. I didn’t just want her right now, I needed her like I needed to breathe.

“Do you want to come in?” I breathed against her lips.

Please, God, don’t say no.

I couldn’t remember the last time someone made me feel like this—out of control, desperate and so achingly alive.

CASEY

Exhaling loudly, I rapped reluctantly on Travis’s door, not really wanting to interrupt whatever the hell he and Quinn were doing in there. Well, it wasn’t really whatever the hell, I did have a good idea, and I wished I was doing it right now too. Lucky bastard. I had a shitty day. Having it wiped out by someone like Quinn would have turned it all around.

“Um, sorry, guys,” I called through the door as I shoved the thought away, “but Travis, it’s the phone, mate. It’s one of your work assignments.”

Moving quickly away, I went for the fridge and a beer. It would have to do the job that sex couldn’t. So would television. I flopped back on the couch, bottle in hand and stared blankly at the screen. The movie I’d been watching with Travis and Quinn was paused, silently reminding me that there was still another hour of the torture to get through. It was a sappy love fest with some supposed action thrown in, but I’d yet to see it. I’d lived through more action sitting at my desk filling out endless police reports.

Travis slipped out of the bedroom door, tying back his hair and sliding his shuttered expression into place. I knew that face. It’s the same one I wore almost every day. It was a good face. It didn’t tell people shit and in our line of work, that could sometimes mean the difference between staying alive or getting shot.

“Take care of my girl,” he muttered as he slipped by me, heading for the front door.

Travis glanced over his shoulder at me and unable to resist, I grabbed my crotch and grinned. “I’ll make sure she’s well looked after, don’t you worry.”

My words smacked the shuttered expression right off his face in favour of narrowed eyes and flared nostrils. Getting the desired reaction, I laughed out loud.

Shaking his head, Travis disappeared out the door, shutting it none too gently behind him. Well, that was fun for a few seconds, what now?

“Quinn? You can come out. I don’t bite!” I yelled out. “Much,” I muttered under my breath.

She emerged from Travis’s room in a tank top and little pair of sleep shorts. Fuck me, but she was cute. We were already close after knowing each other for such a short time because we shared a connection. Not a good one, but one that brought us closer together. I could honestly say I loved her and with everything going on right now, I wanted to be the big brother she could turn to when things went to shit.

Finished pouring a wine, she joined me on the couch and glanced at the television. “Prolonging the torture?” she asked.

I shrugged, liking that she didn’t show me the same reservation I saw come out in her around others. “Didn’t want you to miss it. If I have to sit here and watch this crap, you have to too.”

With that I pressed play, tilted my head back on the couch, and zoned out. What felt like a lifetime later, the credits rolled.

“Mmm,” she mumbled sleepily. “That movie was shit.”

A smile spread slowly across my face at the understatement of the century and I chuckled. Not yet ready to face a cold, empty bed, I asked, “Wanna watch another one?”

I probably should have let her get some sleep, but she agreed. Relieved at having the company, I loaded my movie choice in the DVD player this time while she returned to the kitchen. Disappearing in my room, I grabbed a pair of sweatpants and got changed.

I came back out to an open fridge door and Quinn bent over, her head buried inside it. To give myself credit, I really did try not to stare at her ass, but I was a man after all. It was almost an automatic requirement. Maybe not so much when the woman in question was your best mate’s girl, but she was female, and breathing, and sometimes that’s really all it took.

“Tea, coffee, beer?” she called out.

“Sex,” I muttered under my breath, but obviously that wasn’t on tonight’s menu. Jesus. I needed to get laid and get sex off the brain. “Beer me, Quinn,” I told her.

Shrieking a little, she jumped and elbowed me in the chest. Obviously she wasn’t expecting me right behind her. “Oh God, sorry.”

I smothered a grin at her pretty flush. “My fault.”

Drinks in hand, we returned to the couch and I snatched up the remote, not willing to let Quinn even look at it, let alone touch it like she did last time.

She glanced at me sideways. “This job Travis got called out to. He’s not in any danger is he?”

After taking a deep pull of my beer, I exhaled heavily. “Nah,” I lied casually. Having Quinn up half the night worrying wouldn’t do her any good. “Just another sorry custody dispute.” That was the truth, but it was one that was escalating wildly out of control. With my eyes trained to the television, I explained, “We get called in when it gets out of hand. You know you’d think it’s good—both parents loving the kid so much they can’t agree who gets to spend more time with them—but that’s hardly ever what it’s about.”

“What is it about?”

“Winning,” I muttered bitterly, swiping a hand across my face. All those parents who claimed to give a shit. It wasn’t about their kids. It was about them. What they could get, and how far they’d go to get it. It made my stomach roll. “But for there to be a winner, there’s got to be a loser, right? And we all know who that turns out to be.”

Not wanting to take the conversation further, I pressed play on the movie.

“Is that what happened with you? Travis says he does what he does because of you.”

Is that what happened to me? My chest tightened painfully at the loaded question. My fuck up lost me everything, including myself. Maybe I could tell her one day. Quinn would understand at least some of it, but other parts might be too much for her to hear. I swallowed hard and forced a chuckle. “Travis and I have been friends since we started uni, so I know how you feel around the Valentines, Quinn. They’ll be quick to tell you they’re not the perfect family, and they aren’t. But they’re not perfect in the way that it counts.”

“What way is that?”

“Love of course. They grew up with it. People like you and me, Quinn, we grew up with fear.” Perfect didn’t matter when you were loved, because love—the type the Valentine family share—that’s unconditional. No matter how hard I tried, and eventually failed, I never experienced anything like it, not until I met Travis, and even then it took years for me to trust it. No matter what, a Valentine always had my back. I wanted that for Quinn and after the fallout from their Melbourne trip, it still burned that I hadn’t been there. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you in Melbourne,” I told her, effectively changing the subject.

“Casey—”

“But if there’s a next time…” God fucking forbid, “…you get straight on your phone and ring Travis. If you can’t get Travis, you ring me. You can’t get me, you ring Jared, you can’t get—”

“Casey.” She held up a hand, cutting off what appeared to be the beginning of a rant. Since when the fuck did I rant? Since now, apparently. Huh. “I’ve had this chat with Travis already. And Mitch. And Jared,” she added.

Good. I would have been disappointed if they hadn’t stepped up and told her how it was going to be, but damn it all if I didn’t want to have my say. “It’s my turn, and this won’t take long.”

Quinn nodded, sipping at the last of her wine before placing the empty glass on the coffee table. Sitting back, she appeared to be bracing herself. I wasn’t that much of a hardass, was I?

“I know what Travis was like before you, and I know what he’s like since you, and I like the latter.” My voice was firm as I held her eyes and spoke the truth. Travis had been there. He’d seen me through the worst. I always had his back, and him, mine. Seeing the change in him, the spark of happiness in his eyes, was deserved. “He smiles like he means it, even after a long shitty day like he’s dealing with today.” I tapped a finger to my temple. “Up here, there’s you at the back of all that, making his day not so shit because at the end of it, he gets you. You leave, he loses that and we lose him, and I don’t like that. I already feel guilty enough getting him involved in what he does, but it doesn’t come as easy for him to deal with because he hasn’t lived it. So you understand me when I say don’t ever think about leaving again.”

Taking a deep breath, Quinn looked away, nodding at the television. “We’re missing the movie.”

Understanding the diversionary tactic, I saluted her with my beer and we both settled in to watch The Fast and the Furious.

“Paul Walker’s hot,” she blurted out. “He reminds me of Henry.”

I tilted my head, watching the apparent man of the hour on screen. I didn’t see it. Paul Walker was dressed like a ten year old. Shaking my head, I glanced sideways at Quinn. “So you think Henry’s hot?”

“Well I’m not blind,” she mumbled.

I smirked.

“Oh shush,” she muttered, slapping my shoulder.

“I like having you here, Quinn,” I told her, because I did. I felt comfortable, like I could be myself around her and not have to think carefully about what I said, or what I gave away.

“You do?”

“Yeah.” I cleared my throat, swallowing a hard lump in my throat. She was like family, and mine was gone. “I had a brother but I never had a sister.”

A multitude of emotions crossed her face, but eventually, her eyes, wide with shock, found mine, realising what I’d admitted to. “Wait. You had a brother?”

I nodded towards the television, gripping tight to the empty beer bottle in my shaky hands before it smashed to the floor. “We’re missing the movie.”

With relief, I felt her let it go and face the television, and as the movie played out I fought to get myself under control until I could breathe again.

 

Give Me Strength Blog Tour has kicked off! Win a $100 Amazon Gift Card

Yep. That’s right.

Over here in Oz I released another book, pinging it off into cyberspace for your eyeballing pleasure. Now we all get to sit back and see what your Book Blogger Oracles think of it by running this FAB BLOG TOUR for GIVE ME STRENGTH.

Book Blog Tours are usually frought with danger. Dodging wild, kickass reviews will give you whiplash, but don’t fear, I’ll be sure to post them ALL on my page, ensuring you get smacked in the face with them every day. My only question is – will you stick with me through it all?
I hope so. Stick with me. I’ll give you signed paperbacks. I’ll give you ebooks. I’ll even give you an epic cold hard Amazon gift card worth $100 smackeroonies. Unfortunately what I CAN’T give you that everyone is clamouring for – is a Travis and Casey sandwich. And if I could, there’s already quite a line up for these two members of the Badass Brigade so expect lots of hair pulling, back stabbing, eye gouging, teeth gnashing fights to get past my editor and beta readers to win the coveted first place in line.

“Wow McCarthy!” I hear you say. “You’re offering us up so much, so after I bitch slap you silly for not giving us that sandwich, I shall bow down to your awesomesauce.”

But wait. I’m not finished yet.

I have cast photos, excerpts, I have Quinn’s Peanut Butter and White Choc Chip Cookie RECIPE (YES!!!!!) and I also have ALTERNATE POVs written just for you. From Travis AND Casey.

Read them. Just read them.

So yeah, that’s it for now. I know I’ve forgotten to tell you something but that’s just the kind of person I am. I’m the distracted twat who does things like puts the milk in the dishwasher, my handbag in the fridge, and can never find my car keys meaning I’m always running late.

Here’s the link to the rafflecopter:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/f229a424/

“So where’s our alternate POVs, bitch?” I hear you ask.

Steady on. Relax. Deep breaths.

Here they are. You can find the links to them in this Fab review by the Book Reader Chronicles, okay? I’ll post them again at a later date just in case.
http://bookreaderchronicles.com/review-alt-pov-give-me-strength-give-me-2-by-kate-mccarthy/

What else? Oh yeah, here is the link to buy Give Me Strength:
http://amzn.com/B00F80CJ7Y

Feel free to buy it and yeah, review, and if you want to tell me all about it, the good, the bad and the ugly, email me (katemccarthyauthor@gmail.com) or just use the handy contact tab on my blog page. I do respond personally to each message because I love hearing from you and yeah, I am just THAT nice. Sometimes. Mostly. Just catch me on a good day, okay?

Signing off with this, and if you need to ask why, then consider yourself slapped, albeit in a nice, friendly, “I’m not really a bitch” kinda way.

Give Me Strength is released!

Buy it here (still waiting on Apple and Kobo!):

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00F80CJ7Y

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00F80CJ7Y

Barnes & Noble: http://goo.gl/zYy7yN

Smashwords: http://goo.gl/MBmfzT

Quinn Salisbury doesn’t think she’s cut out for this whole living thing. Even as a young girl she struggled. Just when she thinks she’s found a way to leave her violent past behind her, the only thing that’s kept her going is ripped away, leaving her damaged and heartbroken.

Four years later, she is slowly rebuilding her life and lands a job as an assistant band manager to Jamieson, the hot new Australian act climbing their way to the top of the charts. There she meets Travis Valentine, the charismatic older brother of her boss, Mac.

From his commanding charm to his confidence and passion, Travis is everything Quinn believes is too good for her, and despite her apprehension, she finds their attraction undeniable and intense.

When her past resurfaces, it complicates their relationship. Instead of reaching out for help, Quinn pushes Travis away, until a staggering secret is revealed that leaves her fighting for her very life.

Torn between running and opening her heart to the man determined to have her, can Quinn find the strength within herself to fight for her future?

ARC Giveaway – Give Me Strength!

WIN one of 5 ARCs of Give Me Strength (Book #2 of the Give Me series) – hosted by Reviews by Tammy & Kim and Book Addict Mumma!

This is your chance to read it by 4 September 2013 (actual release date 16 September 2013)!!

Enter via Reviews by Tammy and Kim

Enter via Book Addict Mumma

Synopsis:

Quinn Salisbury doesn’t think she’s cut out for this whole living thing. Even as a young girl she struggled. Just when she thinks she’s found a way to leave her violent past behind her, the only thing that’s kept her going is ripped away, leaving her damaged and heartbroken.

Four years later, she is slowly rebuilding her life and lands a job as an assistant band manager to Jamieson, the hot new Australian act climbing their way to the top of the charts. There she meets Travis Valentine, the charismatic older brother of her boss, Mac.

From his commanding charm to his confidence and passion, Travis is everything Quinn believes is too good for her, and despite her apprehension, she finds their attraction undeniable and intense.

When her past resurfaces, it complicates their relationship. Instead of reaching out for help, Quinn pushes Travis away, until a staggering secret is revealed that leaves her fighting for her very life.

Torn between running and opening her heart to the man determined to have her, can Quinn find the strength within herself to fight for her future?

 

READ AN EXCERPT:

Hands in his pockets, Travis shrugged and walked towards me. “Have I given you enough space yet?”

“Space?”

“Yeah.” Leaning his hip casually against the table, he reached out and brushed a lock of hair from my face.

“Space for uh, what?”

“Us. I don’t know if you’re ready for what this is between us, but I can’t seem to make myself leave you alone.”

I shook my head slightly. “I don’t…”

Travis cupped my cheeks in his hands and leaned in. “You’re so guarded and wary, Quinn. I can understand why, but maybe space is not what you need.”

“What do I need?” I breathed, my heart thundering in my chest.

He pressed a sweet kiss on my mouth and against my lips whispered, “Me.”

Pulling back, his hands remained, his eyes taking in every inch of my face as though committing it to memory.

I ducked my head from his gaze. 

“Don’t,” he said gruffly. “You’re so beautiful.”

“Travis,” I whispered, both warmth and confusion warring within me. Confusion won. Why did he think I was so special? I had nothing to offer except a sordid, violent past and a broken future. I was timid, unsure of myself, and emotionally unstable. The sleek, flashy women I’d seen at the Florence Bar were a much better fit for him than I was. 

I took a step back and his hands fell away.

“I wish I could see what you seem to because I’m nothing like those beautiful girls you were with at that bar. What’s here,” I waved a hand at my face, “doesn’t matter because that’s not what I see. I see what’s in here…” I thumped a hand against my chest “…and what’s in here is ugly, and I live with it every day.”

“Is that what you think?” He shook his head at me, swallowing hard. “Quinn,” he said hoarsely. “I watched you. From the moment you walked in that bar, I saw you. Amongst all the shallow and the fake, you looked like spring, and then you got close and I was right because you smelled like jasmine. When you turned around to leave I thought I was wrong because why did someone as sweet as spring think that life wasn’t meant for her? There was no light in your eyes, and somehow, even though I barely knew you, it left an ache in my chest. How could I let you walk away?”

“You heard me say that?”

“That life wasn’t meant for you?”

I nodded and closed my eyes.

He sighed heavily and reaching out, trailed his fingers through the wild curls of my hair. “Life is hard, Quinn, and the hardest part is being yourself in a world of people trying to make you someone you’re not. I saw you standing apart from everything that was the same, and that was beautiful, not sad. When I was holding you and inside of you, I watched your eyes come alive, and fuck spring because you were hotter than summer, and I want to see that again.” His voice was low and as I opened my eyes and met his, he brushed his thumb across my lips. “I want to see you smile, and I want to touch you again and feel you burn brighter than the sun while I’m doing it.” 

My heart swelled until I thought it would beat its way out of my chest. I reached up and covered his hand with my own.

“Travis…” 

I stood there, maybe breathing—I couldn’t be sure—but wanting to tell him that no one had ever said anything so beautiful to me in all my life. That no one had ever looked at me the way he was doing right now—as though nothing else existed but me.

My lips parted as I tried to find the words, and at the invitation, his mouth slammed down on mine. I moaned at the wild force as he thrust his tongue in my mouth, arms winding tightly around me until I was sure I’d never breathe again and didn’t care to. Travis lifted me and turned, backing towards the couch until he was sitting down, my legs straddling him. He groaned as my tongue rubbed against his, greedily wanting more and fearing it would never be enough. My hands slid up the hard ridges of his chest, reaching his neck and twining through his hair until he broke the kiss, breathing heavy as he shifted his lips to my neck, his tongue licking a path downwards as my body burned.

“Oh God,” I moaned breathlessly, my back arching.

“Want you so much,” he muttered, slipping his hands beneath my tight shirt, frantically pushing my bra out of the way until warm naked skin filled his palms.

Someone’s phone rang. We both ignored it. Instead, Travis returned his lips to mine, his hips grinding into me along with his tongue.

The phone kept ringing.

“Shit,” he muttered, and it stopped as he pulled away.

It was good that he did because there was no way I could. He could have ripped off my pants and filled me right then and there, and I would have been his. That was not good. Anyone could have walked in. In fact, we were both supposed to be working.

I informed him of that very fact and he chuckled. “Maybe you are, but we have enough security out there that I’m not really needed. I’m just here for you.”

“Me?”

Travis cocked a brow. “You’re a full time security job yourself.”

My mouth fell open. “I am not.”

His eyes dropped to my lips. “Careful doing that. It seems to get you in trouble.”

I scrambled off his lap, brushing at my hair and tugging my bra back into place. Nodding at the table where my iPad and pen sat, I said, “I need to do…some stuff.”

Travis stood and my cheeks heated at the obvious bulge he was adjusting in his pants.

I tried not to look. “Maybe you shouldn’t go out there with uh, that.”

He winked. “That is not gonna go down if I stay in here. I’ll leave you to your stuff, but tomorrow night you’re all mine. I’ll pick you up at six.”

“You mean like a…date?”

Travis gave me a short nod.

I’ve never been on a date before. Even with Ethan, most of our time together had been spent at his house, at the beach, or at school.

His eyes widened and I cringed. “Did I just say that out loud?”

“Uh huh.” He reached the door and opened it, letting the wild beat of music pump through. “Don’t worry. I’ll be sure to make it good for you,” he said with a wink and shut the door behind him.

I shivered and practised deep breathing for several moments. Minutes later, the door flew open and Mac strode through. She eyeballed the walls of the dressing room with exaggerated fashion. “If these four walls could talk, I bet they’d have a lot to say, but unfortunately they can’t.” She shook her head in mock sadness before narrowing those knowing eyes on me. “So spill.”

“How do you even know?”

“Because my brother came back all tight lipped, but his eyes were telling me a different story.”

“Oh? What story was that?”

“The same story they told when he was twelve and got the cadet go-kart he’d been hounding our parents about since he was eight.”

I averted my eyes because if she saw all that in his, imagine what she saw in mine? 

Attention Bloggers! Sign up for Give Me Strength Blog Tour!

Blog Tour: Give Me Strength (Give Me series #2)

Hosted by: Literati Author Services

Book Release Date: 16 September 2013

Blog Tour Dates: 17 – 24 September 2013

Sign up here: http://form.jotformpro.com/form/32146764964968

Give Me Strength – Cover Reveal, Synopsis & Book Trailer

We’re into the final countdown for Give Me Strength and I’ve promised myself lots of wine on release day so it can’t come fast enough for me!!!!

Title:  Give Me Strength (Give Me #2)

Author:  Kate McCarthy

Genre:  Romantic Suspense 18+

Publication Date:  September 16, 2013

Cover Design:  Okay Creations

Event Organised by: Literati Author Services

Love all the characters from the Give Me Series? They now have a FB page! Like it here

Synopsis

Quinn Salisbury doesn’t think she’s cut out for this whole living thing. Even as a young girl she struggled. Just when she thinks she’s found a way to leave her violent past behind her, the only thing that’s kept her going is ripped away, leaving her damaged and heartbroken.

Four years later, she is slowly rebuilding her life and lands a job as an assistant band manager to Jamieson, the hot new Australian act climbing their way to the top of the charts. There she meets Travis Valentine, the charismatic older brother of her boss, Mac.

From his commanding charm to his confidence and passion, Travis is everything Quinn believes is too good for her, and despite her apprehension, she finds their attraction undeniable and intense.

When her past resurfaces, it complicates their relationship. Instead of reaching out for help, Quinn pushes Travis away, until a staggering secret is revealed that leaves her fighting for her very life.

Torn between running and opening her heart to the man determined to have her, can Quinn find the strength within herself to fight for her future?

Add to Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17611308-give-me-strength

Book Trailer:

Giveaway! 4 x $20 Amazon Gift Cards

In conjunction with Give Me Books (a brand new book blog by my beta reader Kylie) we are giving away 4 x $20 Amazon Gift Cards to celebrate Kate McCarthy Author reaching 2,000 likes on Facebook!

Enter now via this link:

http://bit.ly/ZLACzY

Title Reveal – book #3 in the Give Me series

Add to your Goodreads now!

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18169153-give-me-grace?ac=1

“Casey steals the show no matter how small his role in Give Me Love and Give Me Strength is. Underneath the boy next door personality and sexy as hell exterior lies a dangerous man full of layers and secrets that leaves you yearning to the be the one to unravel them. He’ll make your insides melt and your heart skip a beat at every word and every gesture. Casey will leave you captivated, breathless and begging for more.”

- Tammy (Reviews by Tammy & Kim and beta reader for Give Me Strength)

“I know what it’s like to lose what you love and have nothing left.”

- Casey, Give Me Strength, release date 16 September 2013

** this is the title reveal of book #3 in the series and not the actual book cover.

Give Me Strength – update

Give Me Strength goes to my editor on 8 July, my proofreader on 5 August and my formatter on 12 August. It’s a busy few weeks coming up but I have some dates for you all!!!

Give Me Strength

21 August – Cover Reveal

27 August – ARC Giveaway Competition – co-hosted by Reviews by Tammy & Kim and Book Addict Mumma (read it before anyone else!)

16 September – Give Me Strength official release date

17 September – Give Me Strength official blog tour (will include $100 Amazon gift card and 2 signed paperbacks)

I’m excited – hope you are too!