Heather Gunter's Blog, page 52

November 12, 2013

Release Day Launch: All the Pretty Lies by M. Leighton

R E L E A S E  D A Y ! !   R E L E A S E  D A Y ! !   R E L E A S E  D A Y ! !
 Congratulations M. Leighton - it's release day!!!
All the Pretty Lies 
is available now!






All the Pretty Lies


“Live, no regrets”


Her...

Sloane Locke has led a sheltered life. However, with a history like hers, she can understand why her brothers and her father want so much to protect her. She has gone along with it for twenty long years, but those days are over. For the girl who never makes promises, Sloane has made a pact with herself that things will change on her twenty-first birthday. So when the clock strikes midnight, Sloane strikes out to spread her wings and break a few rules.

Him…

In addition to inking skin, Hemi Spencer possesses many talents. Controlling himself has never been one of them. It’s never had to be. He’s lived a life of indulgence for as long as he can remember. Right up until tragedy struck. Now, he’s nothing but controlled. He’s a man on a mission, one who will let nothing and no one stand in his way.

Them…Nothing in their lives could’ve prepared Sloane and Hemi for what they’d find in each other—distraction and obsession, love and possession. But the one thing they can’t find is a future. Neither one has been totally honest. And they’ll soon learn that the devil is in the details. In the details and in the lies.

How far will two people go to live in the now when the now is all they’ve got?ALL THE 


I take another step toward him, building up the nerve to just do it, just kiss him. But Hemi surprises me when he takes the step that will bring us near enough to touch.

He’s so close, my chest almost brushes his every time I inhale. I sway toward him the tiniest bit, craving the contact. With him. A perfect stranger.

“Sloane,” he whispers, the sound of my name on his lips bringing chills to my arms again. He reaches out to push my hair back over my shoulder. His fingertips linger on the skin of my neck before they fall away.

“Hemi,” I sigh, melting into the heat of his eyes. I knew there was something between us. Well, I’d hoped. Hoped I wasn’t imagining it. But now I know I wasn’t. It’s there, staring out at me from behind his hooded midnighteyes. Blatant and unabashed, he wants me. And I want him, too.

“You need to walk out that door and never come back.”

My heart stops. Of all the things I thought he might say, this came out of nowhere. “What?” I ask in a small, uncertain voice.

“You need to leave. And don’t look back.”

I scramble to recover. “But…but what about the rest of my tattoo?”

“I’m not talking about your tattoo and you know it.”

“Then what are you talking about?” I inquire, playing dumb to save what’s left of my crumbling pride.

“I’m talking about you. And me. This. Us.”

“There is no us.”

“There will be in about thirty seconds if you don’t get the hell out of here.”

“What if I don’t want to leave?” I’m confused. Is he saying that he wants me? Or that he wants me to go?

“I’m not asking.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why do you want me to go?”

“Because guys like me change girls like you.”

“Girls like me?”

“Innocent girls.”

“What if I’m not that innocent?”

His lips quirk in a wry grin. “Oh, you’re exactly that innocent. I can practically smell it on you. Sweet, pure, untouched. And, if I’m being honest, I’d like nothing better than to taste that on the tip of my tongue.”

“Then what’s stopping you?”

I watch him wrestle with…something. “I don’t have the time or the inclination to get involved in ruining someone else’s life.”

“What makes you think you’d ruin my life?”

“Oh, trust me. I would.”

“But—”

“But nothing. For tonight, I’ll be the good guy you need me to be. Whether you know you need it or not. I’m asking you to leave, Sloane. But I promise you—promise you—that if you so much as darken my doorway again, I won’t let you walk back out again.”

I’m torn between heady elation and harsh rejection. “Hemi—”

“Go, little girl,” he says softly. “Go before I change my mind.”


M. Leighton is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Wild Ones and The Bad Boys romance trilogies. She is a native of Ohio, relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she lets her mind wander to romantic settings with sexy Southern guys much like the one she married and the ones you'll find in her latest books. When her thoughts aren't roaming in that direction, she'll be riding horses, swimming in ponds and experiencing life on a ranch, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office. 
For more about M. Leighton, visit her website at www.MLeightonBooks.blogspot.com or follow her on Twitter@mleightonbooks.


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Published on November 12, 2013 03:00

November 11, 2013

Cover Reveal: Out of Time by Jen McLaughlin

We're really excited to be part of the cover reveal for Out of Time by New York Times Bestselling Author (that really sounds impressive, doesn't it?) Jen McLaughlin.
With no further fuss ... here it is!!



Release Date: December 3rd, 2013


Desperate to keep him...
I've finally gotten everything I ever wanted: love, freedom, happiness, and, most importantly, Finn. Our love is everything I expected it to be and more. We've finally found each other, but the world seems determined to tear us apart. We thought my father was the only obstacle between us, but now it's the military. With Finn’s departure looming, we’re squeezing in every moment together before we run out of time.

Trying to make every moment count…

Being Carrie’s bodyguard was one thing. Being her boyfriend is another. Every day she’s mine is a day the sun shines in my life. Yet our time together is running out. Her father will never think a tattooed Marine will be good enough so I’ll do with whatever it takes to be worthy of her love. But the road will take me away from the girl who makes me feel alive--the girl I can't live without.

Time only gets us so far...








Special Contest!
Jen McLaughlin (aka Diane Alberts) is also offering up a special contest. For every 200 adds she gets on goodreads for OUT OF TIME before the release (December 3rd), she will reveal 5 pages of the book early!

If the book hits 2500 adds before the release, she will release a bonus scene from Finn's POV!

Be sure to add Out of Time to your Goodreads TBR!!!







Jen McLaughlin is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She writes steamy New Adult books for the young and young at heart. Her first release, Out of Line, came out September 2013. She also writes bestselling Contemporary Romance under the pen name Diane Alberts.Since receiving her first contract offer under the pen name Diane Alberts, she has yet to stop writing. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, a cat, and a Senegal parrot. In the rare moments when she’s not writing, she can usually be found hunched over one knitting project or another. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name.




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a signed paperback copy of OUT OF TIME (US only)

5 ebook copies of OUT OF LINE (international).


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Published on November 11, 2013 21:00

November 10, 2013

Blog Tour: The Perfect Distraction by Melissa Rolka



Welcome to our stop on the blog tour for The Perfect Distraction by Melissa Rolka.There's a stack of stuff for you to check out including a Book Trailer and Playlist, as well as a giveaway to enter!!


Title: The Perfect Distraction (Book #1)Author: Melissa RolkaGenre: New AdultRelease Date: October 1, 2013Hosted By: Love Between the Sheets


When Katherine “Kate” leaves for her freshmen year at college, a grounded and stable piece of her is missing. She pushes away the ghosts of her past, determined to start her college life single, carefree and distracted.

Throughout high school Kate was reserved and shy, with little experience. Now, on her own, with little holding her back, Kate is ready to branch out. She bonds with a tight knit group of friends and even starts casually dating. What starts out as innocent flirting on the tennis courts slowly turns into a friendship and eventually something more complex. Reed comes into her life giving her the distraction she craves more than anything; but is she ready to give her heart away so easily?

Things get complicated when Kate’s ex-boyfriend and first love continues to pursue her. Kyle deeply regrets breaking her heart when he left for college the year before and is now on a mission to reclaim her. Kyle’s persistence and relentlessness is nothing short of obsessive. He will stop at nothing to win her back and prove his love.

Kate finds herself torn between her past and the unknown of the future. Her determination to stay distracted may just be her downfall or the beginning of something new and wonderful.








http://animoto.com/play/m3k5bgbi0qqwVDmgETIGVg




Once we reach the bottom of the stairs, I gain my confidence and take his hand leading him to the dance floor.

“Let’s dance!” I don’t give him time to respond, nor do I stop to look at his face to see his expression.

Instantly, Maggie spots me and her eyes light up like a deer in headlights. I smile and threw my head back as I grab onto Reed. I start swaying my hips and moving provocatively to Promiscuous by Nelly Furtado. The look on his face is priceless.

“You don’t fool me, little girl,” he whispers in my ear as he moves my hair to the side. Goosebumps travel all the way down my neck and down my spine. Then he moves his hands to my waist and turns me with my back to his front. This reminds me of last night in my dorm room. Maggie moves closer and mouths to me “bad girl”. I throw my head back into the crook of his neck and giggle.

Kelly and Derek are still dancing nearby. I can’t read the look Derek is giving me, but then I see him gaze at Kelly with amusement. I think he may be surprised to see me with Reed again. In this moment I feel at ease and carefree. I turn back around and quickly become aware that Reed is in a sandwich. Luckily it is just Quinn dancing behind him and when I look at her she winks at me. Soon after she is pulled by her hips to Matt’s grinding moves.

The music turns to a slower Cold Play song and Reed pulls me closer to him. He starts to sway us softly. I dare myself to look up and when I do his eyes look heated and deeper, almost sapphire. Nervously, I bite down on my bottom corner of my lip. Reed runs his hands up to my cheeks and kisses me teasingly slow while lightly sucking on my bottom lip. It feels so good to be like this with him and I am wishing we were back upstairs in the bathroom or back in his room. Moving his head into the crook of my neck he plants sweet kisses just under my ear. As I feel myself getting lost in this moment, I am suddenly broken from it when someone grabs at my shoulder pulling me out of Reed’s arms and turns me around.

With alcohol swimming in me I lose my balance, but I immediately notice the mixed green and hazel eyes that I had once found so loving. Reed shifts behind me and moves his hands protectively around my waist. The anxiety I had been feeling earlier quickly consumes me. I stare in disbelief and fear.










Melissa Rolka grew up in the Chicagoland area all of her childhood and has always had a love of writing. She started by keeping a journal at a young age and then in high school she started writing poetry. A couple poems were published anonymously. Then in college she majored in Philosophy, which required lots and lots of writing. After graduating from Marquette University she traveled west to Los Angeles. There she worked for the Writers Guild of America and found herself submerged in the writers world. She worked on small writings, but never pursued them. On the side she became involved with a small theater group. Eventually she made her way back to the Midwest, where her heart belongs, and worked in business for several years. She found love, got married and has two beautiful children. Being at home has allowed her to keep following her love of reading and writing.The Perfect Distraction is her first full length novel. A second continuation of this story is in the works with hopes for a third. When Melissa is not writing she is caring for, playing with and loving her two kids. In between taking care of her family and writing she almost always has her nose buried in her Kindle.




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Published on November 10, 2013 21:00

November 9, 2013

Cover Reveal: Chasing Olivia by Micalea Smeltzer

Today we get to share with you the cover of Chasing Olivia by Micalea Smeltzer.  This is book 2 in the Trace + Olivia series and is due for release in December.


Cover Design by Regina Wamba of Mae I Design Model Kimberly Tallman 

How far would you go to reignite the spark you once had? Two years later, Trace and Olivia are as much in love as they’ve always been. But the spark they once had for life is waning and Trace is determined that they find it again. His solution? A road trip. But he doesn’t tell Olivia the real reason they’re heading north.
Olivia is happy to go on a road trip and have more adventures with Trace. Besides, she needs a distraction from the soap opera her life has become. With college over, this is the perfect opportunity to chase down the carefree girl she once was. But life isn’t a fairytale and you can only escape reality for so long.
Love, laughs, and a hidden agenda.
That’s the name of the game when you’re Chasing Olivia.


Micalea Smeltzer is an author from Virginia. Her name is pronounced Muh-call-e-uh. She is permanently glued to her computer where she constantly writes. She has to listen to music when she writes and has a playlist for every book she’s ever started. Micalea has enough books, and she’s read them all, to start her own library and that doesn’t include all the ones on her Kindle. She has three shih-tzu’s, Benvolio (Bennie), Balthazar (Zar), and Tucker.




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Finding Olivia is on sale for .99 cents Saturday & Sunday only

How far would you go to find yourself?

That’s the question that’s been haunting Olivia Owens for years.

All Olivia has ever wanted to do is live and make mistakes, but her preacher father has made that impossible. She believes that her years at college will be her ticket into the real world and her chance to be wild and spontaneous.

But she’s never been able to do it on her own.

At the start of her sophomore year, she only has four things crossed off her Live List, but that’s all about to change thanks to a chance encounter with Trace Wentworth. She’s about to learn that there’s more to this reformed bad boy than just his looks and panty dropping smile.

Trace can’t explain what it is that draws him to Olivia.

All he knows is that he wants to get to know the girl with the sad smile but sparkle in her eyes.

When she tells him about her list, he knows that this is his chance to get to know Olivia Owens. Trace is determined to show Olivia that she can do all the things she’s ever wanted to do. So, he begins to help her cross things off her list, even the more outlandish requests.

What happens along the way is more than what Olivia or Trace ever expected.

Love, laughs, and a list.

That’s the name of the game when you’re Finding Olivia.

*New Adult Contemporary Romance intended for readers 18+.*




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Published on November 09, 2013 06:00

November 8, 2013

In the Spotlight: Keep You From Harm by Debra Doxer



Released: September 27, 2013Upper Young Adult/New Adult Paranormal Romance


Secrets…

They weigh you down. I’ve kept a secret all my life. It’s my mother’s secret, too. I inherited it from her along with a unique ability that only we possess. She’s gone now, another victim of addiction. If her death isn’t enough to bring me to my knees, her betrayal flays me to the bone. Because the secret my mother and I have been keeping is just one of many she’d kept. She never told me I have an older brother. And now he’s here, eager to be my guardian.

There is no one else. So I move across the country to live with this stranger, my brother. But experience has taught me that most situations are temporary and forming attachments only leads to hurt in the end. That’s why I’m determined to keep to myself in this new place, struggling to seem aloof while I’m quietly breaking apart.

Then I meet Lucas…

His magnetism is hard to resist, and most girls at school aren’t resisting. I don’t fall so easily though, especially not for guys who use their good looks as a weapon. From the start, our interactions are tense and volatile. I know it’s because I’m denying the unwelcome desire that grips me when he’s near. I think he feels it, too. He looks at me with an intensity that threatens to unhinge my resolve. Soon he’s trying to break through the walls that past hurts have built.

But I’m not what I appear to be, and it wouldn’t be fair to get involved with him. At least that’s what I tell myself. Until a terrible act of violence reveals that Lucas has a secret, too. It’s a secret that links us together and ties us to an evil history I never could have imagined.


There were so many things to love about Keep You From Harm - it is beautifully written and the story unfolds at a pace that hooks you in, keeping you engaged right to the end. It is a fabulous mix of paranormal and romance, and Raielle is a wonderful character with strength and integrity. I just wish it didn't end when it did!
Raielle has spent her life believing her mother is her only family. Having inherited her mother's 'special gift' Raielle has invested considerable effort in staying apart from others, rather than risking people discovering what she is capable of. Her mother has battled addiction as she has tried to bury the pain from the consequences of using her gift. Raielle is torn between the love she feels for her mother and the frustrations of living with an addict. Her mothers death reveals a family that Raielle never knew existed and has Raielle questioning almost everything she believed about her life. 

As Raielle settles into her new life with her older brother, his wife and their daughter she starts to discover a desire to belong and be part of a family. She also starts to establish friendships at her school and from the very first time she sees Lucas, there is an attraction between the two that neither has felt before.

I really liked Raielle. Despite an incredibly challenging childhood that forced her to grow up way to quickly she had an incredibly balanced and mature head on her shoulders. She was also a genuinely nice person and her interactions with others, particularly Lucas were a delight to read. Lucas was also a fabulous character. Hiding the pain and trauma of a mother with a severe mental illness Lucas had created a rather aloof persona that keeps people away from his home life. Of course that fact that he is simply gorgeous means he has no shortage of attention from the girls at school, but it is not until Raielle that a girl catches more than a passing interest from Lucas.
I loved that the paranormal element was not overwhelming. I'm actually a huge paranormal fan, so love all the extreme aspects that usually come with the genre, however, in Keep You From Harm the gift that Raielle had was something that you could almost believe as being real. The romance between Raielle and Lucas was gorgeous to watch unfold and again very realistically portrayed. It wasn't all hearts and flowers all the time and the struggle that each of them had coming to terms with their feelings was evident in many of their interactions.

At the outset I didn't realise this was the first book in a series and I was wondering how the story was going to end. As I read further and started to recognise that the end of the book was fast approaching I realised it wasn't going to give me a proper conclusion and I'll admit that I was really frustrated by that. I'm not a huge fan of cliffhangers, but I did develop a strong connection with the characters in this story and I do really want to know what is going to happen next for Raielle. She is such a generous spirit and has suffered so much that it doesn't seem right the she didn't get a 'happily ever after' in this book and in all honesty, there is not a clear indication that she will get absolutely get one - although I really hope she does.

A check of Doxer's blog revealed a post from 27 September 2013 that says "the second book in the series ... is tentatively scheduled to release this spring. I'm working away on it now. We'll be hearing some of the next story from Lucas's point fo view". I'll be watching for this one.

4 out of 5 stars
*Into the Night Reviews was provided with a free copy of Keep You From Harm in exchange for an honest review.

Debra Doxer has always loved to write. She also loves to read, often finishing several books a week. Debra works as a writer in the network and software security field. For fun, she writes fiction novels.

Debra lives with her family outside of Boston and is currently working on her next book.



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Published on November 08, 2013 21:00

November 7, 2013

Cover Re-Reveal: When You're Ready by J.L. Berg


When You're Ready by J.L. Berg has got a pretty new cover - we love it, how about you?!





Can his love mend the pieces of her grieving heart?Years after suffering the tragic loss of her husband, Ethan, which left her alone to raise their young daughter, Clare Murray still holds the last letter he wrote with the words "When You're Ready" written in his familiar messy handwriting, unable to break its weathered seal. Ready for what? He was her entire world, and Clare had accepted a life without him, without love. Until years later, fate brings her to an emergency room, and face to face with a stormy-eyed doctor intent on changing her mind.

Logan Matthews is the son of a billionaire who has spent his entire life trying to make his absent father proud. Years of living up to a man who was more ghost than father, and a publicly failed marriage has left Logan cold and emotionless until he walks into an exam room and discovers a woman who can stop his heart, make his body burn with desire and leave his entire world altered.

But how far are Clare and Logan willing to go for love? When their love is tested, is Clare ready to put her whole heart on the line again? Can Logan learn the true meaning of love, even if it means sacrificing his own happiness? When a second chance at love is given, Clare and Logan learn you never know if you are truly ready until you're ready to risk it all.



J.L. Berg is a California native living in the South. She's married to her high school sweetheart and they have two beautiful girls that drive them batty on a daily basis. When she's not writing, you can find her with her nose stuck in a romance book, in a yoga studio or devouring anything chocolate. J.L. Berg is represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency, LLC.





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Published on November 07, 2013 22:00

Cover Reveal: Exquisite Betrayal by A.M. Hargrove

Today we are thrilled to be part of the cover reveal for Exquisite Betrayal by the fabulous A.M. Hargrove.  But not only do you get to see this gorgeous cover, you get an excerpt of the first chapter AND a couple of graphic teasers.  On top of that A.M is offering a great giveaway!!  What more could you ask for??
Check out this cover - don't you love it??



A male Romance Author… a convention in Vegas… a female book blogger… a goal to lose her virginity… what happens when you mix all the above?

Fallon McKinley is headed to Vegas for the Wicked Wenches Romance Con and losing her virginity is only one of her goals. The other is to meet her favorite author of romance novels, R.T. Sinclair. What she doesn’t realize is that the sexy green-eyed god she rams into at the airport is the real R.T. When they keep running into each other, she’s shocked, but excited, because the attraction is irresistible.

Ryland Thomas Sinclair doesn’t want anyone to know his true identity. He’s the author that all women love, but everyone thinks he’s a female. He hides his persona behind the public face of his twin sister, keeping his own a secret. But after meeting the lovely Fallon, his intentions to avoid a relationship come to a screeching halt. She’s put an unwanted kink into his perfectly laid out plans. His unusual reaction surprises him because after a heart-shredding breakup a few years ago, he’s managed to avoid women at all costs.

Resisting Fallon becomes more difficult than he imagines. Soon things are spiraling out of control, until a major miscommunication has Fallon walking out of his home and his life. Will Ryland Thomas succeed in losing the woman he loves? Or can he win her back?






Chapter One ~ Fallon ~


Ever since this bucket of metal called a plane left the ground, I’ve been asking myself if spending my last nickel on this trip will be worth it. Even though it means going without food at times, I stashed away every tip I earned to save for this. My mountain of debt is enormous, but then again, I keep telling myself, you only live once, right?

When the plane suddenly lurches, I know it’s going to roll completely over at any minute. I want to get off this carnival ride so badly I can taste it. My fingers tightly clench the armrest and I’m pretty sure if I ever deplane, my imprints will be left behind forever.

I feel a light patting on my arm and then I hear, “It’ll be just fine, dear. Those are only crosswinds from the desert. We always have those in Vegas.” The flight attendant announced moments before that we’ve been cleared for landing, but from the motion of the plane, I fear we won’t make it.

Glancing to my right, I see the tiny, elderly woman sitting next to me. My nerves are so shot, my attempt at smiling is an epic fail.

Fallon, sweetie, always remember to keep your chin up. Negative thoughts will only bring you down.

Dad’s words come back to me, a soothing balm to my tattered nerves and empty bank account. God, how I wish he were still here. I wouldn’t be in this damn mess of debt right now. It’s been six years, but sometimes the pain is so raw that it feels like yesterday.

“Honey, is this your first time flying?” The voice next to me breaks me out of my daydreaming.

“Hmm? Oh, yes, ma’am,” I squeak.

“Ah, I see. Well, this is all part of flying and very normal.”

“Really? I feel like I’m on a sideways Tilt-A-Whirl at the county fair.”

“Oh no, honey, this is smooth. I’ve been on some real doozies, I tell you. So what brings you to Vegas? Are you going to lose all your money to the slots?” she laughs.

“Huh?” My anxiety has me so edgy, I’m not following the conversation for a second and then it hits me. “Oh, no, ma’am. I’m here for the Wicked Wench’s Conference.” I don’t have a spare nickel to spend on the slots as it is.

She nods and eyes me for a second. “So, are you a Wench then?”

“Oh no! I’m a blogger,” I tell her, glad for the distraction from the chaotic flight.

The noise of the engines has picked up so she is leaning closer to me now, trying to hear. “A what? A booger?”

“No! Not a booger! A blogger!”

“Oh, a blogger. I’ve always wanted to see you girls dance. Do you have those fancy clicking shoes? Can you kick your legs high up in the air? I bet you can. You look like you could be limber like that.”

By the time I start to explain that I’m a blogger and not a clogger, the plane rolls to a stop and the seatbelt light goes off. For an elderly woman, she moves like lightening as she shoots out of her seat and flies down the aisle. I sit and stare at her with my mouth hanging open. Obviously she knows the ins and outs of flying much better than I do. I’m lost in the sea of shoving people as eager as I am to get off of that death trap.

As I’m pushed along the jetway, I finally emerge into McCarran International Airport. The place is huge! Taking a deep breath, I knock the monster of intimidation back and follow the signs to Baggage Claim, eager to meet my fellow book bloggers for the first time.

We are a gang of five that met online over our love for romance novels. We teamed up through Twitter first and then Facebook. As we found ourselves chatting and becoming friends, our interest in the same genre triggered the idea for us to start a book blog where we could review and post about our favorite books. I think it was Kat’s idea originally, but it took off like a forest fire in a Santa Ana wind.

We decided to celebrate our first anniversary by attending the Wicked Wenches Con in Las Vegas together. It would finally give us the chance to not only meet each other in person, but also some of our favorite authors of romance. Kat Graham, Amanda Cook, Mandy Henderson and Andrea Simpson are my partners, though I look at them as my family. They’ve done more for me in the last year than my mom has in the past five. Honestly, if they had purchased me a paper clip, they would’ve done more than my mom, however that’s another story.

I finally locate the conveyer belt thingy and watch for my bag when my phone dings. I look to see it’s a text from Kat.

Kat: I’m here. Are you?

Me: Yep…just waiting on my suitcase.

Kat: Where?

Me: Carousel #15

Kat: On my way!
Five minutes later, the bags start to roll down and mayhem ensues. I’ve never seen anything like it. From what I can tell that belt keeps going around in a big circle and eventually it’s going to get back to me again. I can’t figure out why those people are in such a frenzy over it.

Suddenly, I hear a giant screech followed by a squeal and turn around to see a blur with long, light brown hair flying towards me. It comes as no surprise that we both end up on the ground, hugging and laughing. As women tend to do, we find ourselves talking a mile a minute and eventually notice the area around Carousel #15 has cleared out and mine is the only bag still circling on the belt. We laugh for another few minutes before standing up to collect it.

Kat takes one look at my bag and breaks out in peals of laughter. She’s hugging her sides and bent over while I’m worried she’s going to topple on her head.

“Stop already!”

“I’m sorry, but damn, Fallon, where the heck did you get your luggage? From duct tape’s anonymous? You need to go to duct tape rehab.”

I shrug as I give Kat the evil eye, but then I break down in giggles. My suitcase does indeed look like something the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz would carry since it’s mostly silver. Granted, underneath the strips and strips of tape, there is a black bag somewhere, yet I’ll be damned if I can see it now.

“Okay, you win. It is awful, isn’t it? I didn’t have a choice, though. It was either that or less money for shooters and the shooters won.”

Kat nods. “Excellent choice. Come on, let’s go hunt down Amanda.”

We head out of Carousel #15 and don’t have to look far. Walking towards us and shouting at the top of her lungs is a gigantic hot dog nestled inside of a bun, complete with squiggles of mustard and ketchup. The only thing human about it is the face and it’s yelling out, “Where’s the Virgin for Vegas? Where’s the Virgin for Vegas? Have I got a wiener for you!”

I take one look at her and do a one-eighty with the intention of running away. However Kat grabs my wrist before I get the chance. “Oh, no you don’t. You have to take this like a woman!”

“Oh my God. You can’t do this to me!” I’m ready to drop to my knees and beg.

“Oh, yes we can! Now smile and look pretty,” she laughs.

I can’t believe this. What are they doing? Amanda approaches, dressed up like a fully loaded hot dog and hands me a tequila shooter. “How ‘bout a nice shooter for the Vegas Virgin?”

At this point, I down the tequila and want to crawl inside my bundle of duct tape. “Please, you all. Don’t do this.” I frantically look around to see if anyone’s watching.

“We’re not doing anything except for kissing that dreadful virginity of yours good-bye,” the wiener announces.

“Shit, shit, shit!”

“Don’t worry, Fallon. It’ll get better with more tequila,” Kat assures.

I poke out my arm and say, “Then give me some more and make it fast.”

Amanda hands me another shooter. “How ‘bout a nice, juicy wiener to go along with that, ma’am?”

“Oh, dear God.” If anyone ever died of embarrassment, I was sure it would be me. Like right this minute!

Kat puts her hand on my face. “Amanda, I think we need to cool it. Her face is on fire and I’m not sure if it’s the tequila or you.”

“It’s her.” I grab my hunk of duct tape and march straight outside.

Behind me I can hear, “Little Virgin, wait up. Little Virgin, we have to meet Mandy and Andrea!”

I frenetically wave my hand behind my butt. Right now, I only care about one thing and that’s getting away from the giant wiener that’s determined to get me drunk on tequila shooters and announce to the world that I’m a ‘Little Virgin’. I continue to shoo them away as I turn to check if they’re following me when I barrel into something quite firm and hard that sends me flying flat on my ass. The concrete is scorching and my thighs instantly feel like fried eggs hitting the frying pan on sizzling butter.

“Aiyee,” I scream as I try to stand back up. By this time my ass is in the air as I roll to my hands and knees. Now my palms and knees are on fire. “Dammit! Shit, that’s hot!” I say as I jolt to my feet, arms flailing while I try to straighten my skirt.

I finally glance up to find two, deep, emerald green eyes gazing at me. Well, that’s not exactly true. They’re slowly scanning me from top to bottom until they then stop and lock onto my cleavage. The reason for this is that my left nipple is more than half exposed. Okay, it’s completely exposed.

“Oh fuck!” I squeal as I tug my bra up and adjust my top. Why does this crap always happen to me?

I look back to see that Amanda and Kat are just awestruck. Not at me, but at green eyes because, glory-freakin-hallelujah, he’s one beautiful man. And why wouldn’t he be? Only I would fall down, ass in the air, boob hanging out in front of a gorgeous man. It wouldn’t happen in front of a wrinkled up, old, toothless man. Nope, never. I go for full on nipple exposure with the well-built, rugged, green-eyed blond that looks like a sex god, orgasmic-producing Eden.

“I’m sorry,” I say. “Forgive me. I should watch where I’m going.”

“Are you all right?” he asks and then scrapes his teeth across his lower lip right before he bites down on one corner.

Holy-put-my-panties-in-a-wet-wad! That voice and mouth. Green eyes has a sexy British accent to match the rest of his perfect self. Heart meet pink sparkly toe nails.

My head tilts a bit, as if I’m trying to figure out what he just asked me. “Huh?”

“I asked if you were okay. You took a good fall there on your bum. Just wanted to know if all was okay there?”

Somehow my hand starts unconsciously rubbing my butt. “Oh. Yeah, I guess so. All’s good on the bum here.” My voice has gotten all throaty on me.

Tall with unruly dark blond waves falling over his forehead, he stands there and stares at me. Then those magnificent orbs slowly rake me from head to toe again. Even though it feels like it’s a hundred and fifty degrees in the Las Vegas August heat, chills break out over my entire body. Every single hair—even the microscopic ones that I so diligently try to keep waxed—stand at attention, reminding me of their existence. An overwhelming urge to grab and kiss this hunk of sexiness charges into me, and I have no idea who he is. I can’t stop ogling his face… his bottom lip is full, and when he runs his tongue along it, I have to clamp my lips together to keep myself from moaning.

“So it looks like you’re here for a visit then?”

“Yes, a long weekend.” My voice still sounds funny to me, all husky and throaty.

“Well, perhaps I’ll see you around the strip then.” And again, those magnetic greens of his inspect me from head to toe. “Have a nice day then,” I hear him say.

I can’t move. I’m as still as a marble statue until the girls each grab one of my arms.

“If Vegas is full of those, I’m never going home,” the giant wiener claims.

We walk back inside to meet the other two of our gang, while I’m still addled by my encounter with green eyes.

***
We collect Andrea and Mandy and then seek out our transportation to the hotel. As we wait in line for the bus to take us there, the chills I had earlier have morphed into rivulets of sweat as they stream down my body. Not a single thread of my clothing is dry. This place is a freaking oven. When they talk about desert heat, they aren’t kidding. The only good thing to come out of it is Amanda had to ditch the giant wiener outfit. I think she would’ve died if she hadn’t.

“Did you all realize it was gonna be this damn hot? I feel like I’m in Hell,” Andrea says.

“Hell can’t be this hot, and if it is, well then, I’m gonna start really doing some serious prayin’ cuz you all, this is crazy!” I say. “I think I just sweated off my right butt cheek.”

Our bus finally shows up and we about knock the other people over to get on board. I’m ashamed to admit I’m not sorry in the least for that ghastly behavior of mine. It’s either that, or walk around with only one butt cheek, and the way I am thinking, it will be really hard to lose my virginity with only one butt cheek.

At least the ride to the hotel doesn’t take very long. When we pull up to it, though, we’re kind of disappointed. “Well, they sure made it look a lot nicer online,” Andrea harrumphs.

We all agree with her, but there isn’t anything to do except go inside and check in. So that’s what we do.

The lobby is a bit outdated and has a space odyssey look to it, but it’s clean with a casino and bar. What more can we ask for, right? The other nice thing is it is only a couple of blocks from the conference and all the cool hotels. The Space Nugget will do just fine for the next five days.

We had booked two adjoining rooms so we could share two bathrooms. The rooms are tidy, but they’re seriously lacking in decor.

“Well, it’s clean and cool and what do we care about anything else, right?” Mandy asks.

“Yeah, it’s not like we’re gonna be in here a lot anyway,” Kat replies. “I’m happy if the air conditioning works.”

So we all unpack and decide what to do that night. The convention kicks off in the morning, so that leaves tonight open. Tomorrow night is our big party with R. T. Sinclair.

Everyone starts tossing around ideas of what to do and our excitement mounts. We’re in the world’s largest adult playground and we have a plethora of places to choose from.

Amanda has a look in her eye that I’m beginning to understand. She once talked about hitting the male strip clubs and I’m all for that, but right now my stomach is telling me it wants some food. I’m relieved to hear her say, “Hey, what do y’all say we hit the town? Grab a little food, hit a casino and then do some shooters!” she shouts.

Everyone is on board with her suggestion, so we all get ready for our first night out on the town.



One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn't do something soon, it would quickly be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life. So, she rolled down the passenger window of her fabulous (not) company car and tossed out her leather briefcase. Luckily, the pedestrian in the direct line of fire was a dodge ball pro and had über quick reflexes enabling him to avoid getting bashed in the head. Feeling a tad guilty about the near miss, A. M. made a speedy turn down a deserted side street before tossing her crummy, outdated piece-of-you-know-what laptop out the window. She breathed a liberating sigh of relief, picked up her cell phone, called her boss and quit her job. Grinning, she made another call to her hubs and told him of her new adventure (after making sure his heart was beating properly again).

So began A. M. Hargrove's career as a YA/NA and Adult Romance writer. Her books include the following: Edge of Disaster, Shattered Edge and Kissing Fire (The Edge Series); The Guardians of Vesturon series (Survival, Resurrection, Determinant, reEmergent and Beginnings); Dark Waltz and Tragically Flawed.

Other than being in love with writing about being in love, she loves chocolate, ice cream and coffee and is positive they should be added as part of the USDA food groups.



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Published on November 07, 2013 03:00

November 6, 2013

Book Blast: Beautiful Chances (The Beautiful Series #1) by Alicia Rae




Title: Beautiful ChancesAuthor: Alicia RaeGenre: Contemporary Romance 18+Publication Date: September 10, 2013 Cover Designed By: Okay CreationsEvent organized by: Literati Author Services, Inc.


After losing her parents and sister in a tragic car accident, Lily distances herself from those still around her. As she solely focuses on her work, she refuses to form any emotional attachments in fear of struggling through another unbearable loss.

…until Kyle enters her life with his possessive and overbearing personality. Instead of running, Lily finds herself drawn to him. Helping her on a path to healing, Kyle stands by her side and lends her his strength.

A bond is formed, but it is tested when the unthinkable happens.

Can taking a chance on love conquer all?




Alicia Rae is a Contemporary Romance Author who lives in Dekalb, Illinois, with her husband and three beautiful boys. Alicia has a passion for reading all types of romance, writing to bring a story to life, and photography.

Thank you to my dear sister, Kels, who showed me a few years ago how much I truly missed reading. And to my loving husband, for not throwing away my Nook, and planting the seed of writing into my mind. I am forever grateful. Xo

Readers, words cannot thank you enough for supporting me along this incredible journey. I hope you enjoy my novels as much as I do writing them. I thank each and every one of you.

Believe in yourself and follow your dreams…


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Published on November 06, 2013 21:00

Cover Reveal: Stolen by Keren Hughes


Coming November 2013…




Roshanna O'Dare wakes up in her own home in shock when she discovers part of her memory is missing and her parents are dead…

With no clues of any kind as to what happened to her parents, and no other close family, Roshanna must move to Texas, Austin, to live with her last living relative, Uncle Joe after the funeral. But this means leaving her best friend, Marissa Mason behind.

That’s when she meets Bodhi Vincent, her uncle’s chauffeur, who seems to understand Roshanna in a way no one else has…

Bodhi is her rock after the death of her parents and the longer she stays with her uncle, the closer they become.

But before moving away, Roshanna was confronted with a shocking secret that Marissa had kept from her, a secret that changes how she sees life and the people in it—Marissa is a pure soul and her foster parents are soul drainers who need her pure energy to survive.

More shockingly, her parents’ souls were stolen by their murderer.

When Roshanna and Bodhi try and track down Marissa’s father, Leith Mason, in order to retrieve her parents’ souls back, they find themselves held hostage at gunpoint.

Will Roshanna and Bodhi survive? Will she ever find her parents souls? Or will their souls be the next ones to be taken?



Keren lives in the UK and is an avid bookworm; she has been since she read things like Black Beauty, What Katy Did and The Hobbit as a child. Her first real memories of reading are the summers she used to lie on her bed and re-read What Katy Did and What Katy Did Next.

Over the years she has come to realise that she is a bit OCD about books. They have to be in perfect condition without the slightest bit of damage.

She is a book reviewer and has been for the past 18 months or so.

The idea for Stolen came to her one day but she never thought she’d actually write it let alone publish it. If it wasn’t for her author friend Kira Saito, the idea would still be stuck in her head not on paper. But constant love and support from Kira is why you are now able to read Stolen.

Stolen is her first novel but now that she’s written one, she knows she needs to write more. There will be one sequel, called Freed which will be from Bodhi’s POV. This will be set a couple of years on.

Then, the plan is for her to write either NA or Adult Contemporary Romances. She has a big crush on Lady Antebellum’s music at the moment and their songs have inspired a few book ideas.


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Published on November 06, 2013 10:00

November 5, 2013

In the Spotlight: Speak of the Devil by Shawna Romkey

Today we are featuring Speak of the Devil by Shawna Romkey.It is a YA paranormal romance released earlier this year.  Book two in the series,
The Devil Made Me, is due out early in 2014.



What happens when falling in love and falling from grace collide?

After dying in a car accident with her two best friends, Lily miraculously awakens to grief and guilt. She escapes to her dad’s to come to terms with the event and meets some people at her new school who seem all too eager to help her heal. Sliding deeper into sorrow and trying to fight her feelings for two of them, she finds out who…what they really are and that they are falling too.

Can she find the strength to move on from the past, reconcile her feelings for Luc, find a way to stop a divine war with fallen angels, and still pass the eleventh grade?










Rain fell, not uncommon for late spring in Missouri. “If you don’t like the weather here,” my grandfather would say, “wait five minutes.” Of course, I’d visited distant relatives in Maine once before, and they said the same thing.

Julie fumbled with the wipers while I pulled the sun visor down to check my face in its little rectangular mirror, even though I’d only left my vanity like five minutes ago. The lights on either side lit up the interior of the car. I reached into my tiny party purse to find my lip gloss, which was easy to locate since I’d only packed the essentials in my bag: phone, some cash, and make-up. As I glanced at myself, I saw Mike in the reflection, smiling at me from the back seat. I stuck my tongue out at him, making him laugh, and put on the lip-gloss, fully aware of how flirty I acted.

The windshield wipers couldn’t keep up with the sudden downpour. The pitter-patter turned to thumping. Hail came down in gumball-sized pellets. “Damn.” Julie jerked the steering wheel to keep The Whale off the curb.

“Slow down, Jules.” Mike gripped Julie’s headrest. “We can pull over until it passes.”

“Yeah.” She squinted to see the road before her.

I pressed my lips together to smooth out the gloss. “Damn is right. I didn’t bring a jacket.”

The Whale swerved to the right crunching along the gravel on the side of the road. I braced myself in my seat. Julie leaned up to the steering wheel and peered over it as my grandmother sometimes did when she drove. I squinted because of the stupid light up visor mirror. I slammed it shut, but Julie panicked and over corrected, pulling The Whale to the left and careening over the yellow dotted line in the middle of the street.

“Julie!” Mike shouted.

Time slowed and ticked out in heartbeats.

Ba bum.

Julie cringed, her hands moving up to shield her face. Her head turned away from the highway.

Ba bum.

Mike reached protectively from the back seat.

Ba bum.

The headlights illuminated the rail of the overpass.

Ba bum.

The car hit the rail on the opposite side of the road with a hard thud.

Ba bum.

Crap. We’re going over the bridge.

Ba bum.

The Whale’s nose pointed down toward the water.

Ba bum.

A jolt forward and my forehead slammed into the dashboard.

Ba bum.

The Whale flipped in the air. I’m upside down.

Ba bum.

Pain.

Ba bum.

Did my mom say good-bye when I left?

Ba bum.

Cold water rushed into the car.

Ba bum.

Is this it?

Ba bum.

I can’t breathe. Oh my God, I can’t breathe. I can’t see or breathe!

My heart quickened. It pounded. The Whale leaned on its side under the surface of the water which rushed in fast, and I couldn’t see a damn thing.

Calm, stay calm. Don’t panic. They say when you’re drowning not to panic because you use up your air faster.

Dammit, am I drowning?

I tried to get myself upright and jerked out of my seatbelt. Luckily, it gave way. I fought the latch to open the door facing up, but the pressure of the water from Black Water River held it closed, trapping me inside.

Jesus. I know this river. It’s more of a creek. It can’t be more than fifteen feet across and ten feet deep.

I pushed at the door. Opening my mouth to scream, I swallowed water.

I couldn’t see or hear Julie or Mike. My watch ticked. Or was it my heart beating?

Ba bum. Ba bum. Ba bum.

Darkness.

Silence.

Cold.

Wet.

Defying gravity.

Nothing.

The dreams came. Like a good sleep you don’t want to wake up from. I felt heavy and floaty. I wore this long white gauzy gown and the wind blew my dress and my hair like in some feminine hygiene commercial. I could breathe slowly and deeply. Completely relaxed and at peace, but I was alone.

I floated along in a white space for a while. Drifting. Breathing. Relaxing. Had I gone to a spa? After an immeasurable amount of time, others appeared. They wore white clothing, too, and they floated like me, reaching out. They opened their arms as if to welcome me to them.

I stopped and frowned. I heard no sound, and I didn’t know who these white floaty people were or why they welcomed me. They smiled, genuinely happy, and held their arms out to me. I panicked.

Where’s my mom? My family? Wait, Mike and Julie were just with me, where are they? Are those wings?

I noticed the others floating with me had white feathery wings.

“Lily,” one of them called out.

Holy hell. I’m dead.


Speak of the Devil is a gorgeous YA/Paranormal story.  It deals with a number of issues such as loss, questioning faith, belonging and of course love.  It is a fabulous debut from Shawna Romkey.
In the early stages of the story Romkey established the mystery about a number of characters really well.  I was intrigued as to what Mo, Luc and the band of theatre students were and loved the way the story unfolded and the characters developed.  Lily was a wonderful character.  As a teenage girl she endured some terrible losses and grappled with the grief, but despite that she had a strength to her character that I admired.  There were some minor elements to the story that I didn't think were completely realistic - such as the limited interest from Lily's parents - while their level of engagement was plausible, for me they seemed too absent without good reason, particularly given the significant loss Lily had endured.
Speak of the Devil was a relatively quick read and the story moved at a good pace.  I was a little disappointed that there wasn't a bit more 'romance' for Lily, but really the love story wasn't the primary focus of Speak of the Devil.  Having read a number of Angel vs Demon stories I still felt that there were unique elements to this one.  I also thought there was some consistency with the Angel 'lore' that I've encountered in other books that added to the integrity of the story.

While the ending left an opening for a sequel, there is a conclusion to the story in this book.  I would definitely pick up the next book in the series as I feel a strong connection with Lily and I'm keen to see what will happen for her next, both in the new relationship that she has established with .... now that would be a spoiler ;) .... you'll have to read it to find out who it is ... and also what happens in the battle between Angels and Demons.
4 out of 5 stars

Shawna grew up around farms in the heart of Missouri but went to the University of Kansas, was raised in the US but now lives on the ocean in Nova Scotia with her husband, two sons, two rescue dogs and one overgrown puppy from hell. She’s a non-conformist who follows her heart.

She has her BA in creative writing from the University of Kansas where one of her plays was chosen by her creative writing professor to be produced locally, and two of her short stories were published in a university creative arts handbook. She earned her MA in English from Central Missouri State University where she wrote a novel as her thesis.


She’s taught English at the university and secondary levels for close to twenty years and can’t quite fathom how all of her students have grown up, yet she’s managed to stay the same. She’s a huge geek and fan of Xena, Buffy and all kick ass women, and loves to write stories that have strong female characters.


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Published on November 05, 2013 21:00