Heather Gunter's Blog, page 60

Blog Tour: Out of Line by Jen McLaughlin

Welcome to our stop on the Out of Line blog tour!  As well as Heather's review, we get to share with you one of Jen's Top Fives ... and it's her top five TV villains to watch.




Desperate to break free…

I've spent my entire life under my father’s thumb, but now I'm finally free to make my own choices. When my roommate dragged me to my first college party, I met Finn Coram and my life turned inside out. He knows how to break the rules and is everything I never knew I wanted. A Marine by day and surfer by night, he pushes me away even as our attraction brings us closer. Now I am finally free to do whatever I want. I know what I want. I choose Finn.

Trying to play by the rules...

I always follow orders. My job, my life, depends on it. I thought this job would be easy, all the rules were made crystal clear, but when I met Carrie Wallington, everything got muddy. She's a rule I know I shouldn't break, but damn if I don’t inch closer to the breaking point each time I see her. I’m ready to step out of line. And even worse? I’m living a lie. They say the truth will set you free, but in my case…

The truth will cost me everything.





Top Five Villains to WatchAs I visit a handful of blogs, talking about my newest release, Out Of Line, I was thinking about villains. A lot of movies, books, and shows have them…but what makes a good villain? What makes you come back, week after week, wanting to watch them? To get that answer, I complied my favorite villains on television.

The Evil Queen on Once Upon a Time. I love how well-fleshed out she is. She does bad things, but she cares at the same time. You never know what she’ll no next.Klaus on Vampire Diaries. I mean, who doesn’t love him? He’s evil. Very, very evil—but yet you see the way he looks at Caroline, and you root for him to win her. He’s fun to love and hate, all at once.Moriarity on BBC Sherlock. Man, he’s crazy and evil—but he was fun to watch, right?Amanda on Nikita. She’s pure evil, I’m thinking, but there might be some good buried within her somewhere. Maaaybe….And last, but not least, Rumplestiltskin on Once Upon a Time. Again, a well-fleshed out character that you get to see all sides of.

So, who are some of your favorite villains to watch? Do they match up with mine?








I thoroughly enjoyed this book. 

I'm going to start with Finn. Delicious Finn with the surfer body, longer wavy hair and guess what? He's a marine. Swoon. I loved his Alpha male attitude he tries to portray when we first meet him. It isn't long after that we see another side; a softer one. A side that is soley reserved for Carrie, the Senator's daughter whom he's sworn to protect. Something in Carrie softens him and everything he thought the daughter would be like he soon learns was completely judgmental and he couldn't have been any more wrong.

Carrie sees herself as geeky and awkward and describes herself as so. I would actually describe her as quirky, funny, sweet, compassionate, caring and selfless. So many books have the main character that comes from a well to do family spoiled rotten. Carrie was completely different and it was wonderful to find a character that was opposite then what one might have assumed she would be like. 

Hats off to the Author for grabbing in from page one and sucking me into the entirety of the story. It was a quick read that had me wanting more. I guess it's a good thing there will be. I'm not ready to let go of Finn just yet, that's for sure.

4 out of 5 stars






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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Blog Tour: Skipping Stones by J.B. McGee

Today we get to share with you Skipping Stones by the incredibly talented J.B. McGee





They say there are five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

Not everyone will grieve in this order, nor will everyone go through every stage. It’s during the stage of denial when Alex Hart meets Andrew Foster. He takes her one-step closer to acceptance: the stage when new, meaningful relationships are formed. The stage when the realization occurs that this is now the new state of normal.

Just when Alex thinks she is on her way to healing, she enters the bargaining phase. That’s the phase where you wonder what you could have done differently. You wonder “what if?” Specifically, what if the ones you loved hadn’t left you?

Leaving…this is what makes heading off to war so difficult and frightening for Alex. She knows all too well what it’s like to be the one on the losing end of life, which is why she’s made it her personal mission in life to save as many lives as possible. The extreme high she gets from treating trauma victims turns into Alex’s own form of therapy, or so she thinks.

When faced with her world being turned upside down, Alex may just find that her true therapy is in the one who has always saved her.



He pulls my arm back like a slingshot and as we’re gaining momentum to release the stone, I hear, “Alex!” being proclaimed through the entire neighborhood. It causes my already racing heart to speed out of control. I lose complete concentration, virtually spinning myself around as the stone is released, plummeting me into his arms, our lips just mere millimeters away from each other.

We stare into each other’s eyes. Speechless seems to be my middle name for one reason or another today. I blink. “I...”

“You can’t skip a stone to save your life, can you?” He smirks.

I breathe for what seems like the first time in five minutes and start to laugh. “No. No, I can’t.”

He brushes a piece of hair out of my eye. “You will. I’ll teach you.”

“I am not sure I’m teachable. Been trying for years with Papa.”

“Come back to me. I’ll teach you. If it’s the last thing I do...” His entire face lights up. “I’ll teach you everything I know.”

I feel him, every inch of him. I know there’s more to that statement. I must admit that I’m curious. “Everything you know, huh?”

“Everything.” He caresses my cheek, just below my eyes. “Come back to me. I’ll teach you how to deal with those beautiful tears of yours. I’ll teach you how to breathe again. I’ll teach you everything.” He looks down to his pile of rocks. “I’ll share those with you. And I’ll teach you how to skip stones. It’s a promise, and I don’t break promises.”







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

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

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

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

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Release Day Blitz: Tragically Flawed by A.M. Hargrove

Today's the day that Tragically Flawed by A.M. Hargrove is officially released!!  Congratulations A.M. - we've been waiting for this one.


Riviera Benson has a talent...one she discovered by accident. She’s a painter, but canvas isn’t her medium. She creates her lovely masterpieces on walls and ceilings of million dollar homes as murals and faux finishes. Her art is in high demand now, but life wasn’t always that way. Riviera has secrets from her past she intends to keep tightly locked away...terrifying secrets that keep her awake at night...that prevent her from getting close to anyone...anyone that is, until she meets Shan.

Benjamin Shandon, owner of Shandon Homes, works like a thousand demons are chasing him...because perhaps they are. His business has boomed, ever since the forest fire swept through the canyon and destroyed hundreds of million dollar homes. He demands excellence in everything...from his employees to his women. He slows down for nothing, keeping a schedule that no sane person would want. But Riviera interrupts everything, twisting his guts inside out, and wedging her way into his heart, destroying a promise he made to himself.

Will they let their pasts control their future, or will they decide to let go and allow their hearts to discover each other’s?

This book contains mature content and is not intended for younger readers.




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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Cover Reveal: Royally Lost by Angie Stanton

Royally LostA novel by Angie Stanton and Harper Collins(Author of Rock and a Hard Place and Snapshot)Contemporary Young Adult/New AdultComing May 2014



Dragged on a family trip to Europe’s ancient cities, Becca wants nothing more than to go home. Trapped with her emotionally distant father, over-eager stepmother, and a brother who only wants to hook up with European hotties, Becca is miserable. That is until she meets Nikolai, a guy as mysterious as he is handsome. And she unknowingly finds herself with a runaway prince.
Nikolai has everything a guy could ask for-he's crown prince, heir to the throne, and girls adore him. But the one thing he doesn't have...is freedom. Staging a coup, he flees his kingdom and goes undercover on his own European tour.
When Nikolai and Becca meet, it’s their differences that draw them together. Sparks fly as they share a whirlwind of adventures, all the while dodging his royal guard. But Becca's family vacation ends in a matter of days. Will Nikolai and Becca be forced to say goodbye forever, will his destiny catch up to him, or will they change history forever?




Angie Stanton never planned on writing books, she wanted to be a Rockette. However, growing up in a rural setting with her brothers' 4-H pigs as pets, dance didn't work out. Instead she became an avid daydreamer. After years of perfecting stories in her head she began to write them down and the rest is history. She loves dipping french fries in chocolate shakes, natural disaster movies and Broadway Musicals. When not writing, Angie is concocting ways to make more dreams come true, whether it be tickets to a Broadway show or convincing her family they should rent an RV and travel the country. She's still working on that one. Angie is a proud double finalist of the 2011 National Readers Choice Awards for Love 'em or Leave 'em, as well as a finalist for the Golden Quill Awards. 



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ARC Tour: Finders Keepers (Lost and Found #3) by Nicole Williams

Nicole Williams has done it again!! 
While Garth Black seemed to evoke frustration and angst in Lost and Found and
Near and Far there is no doubt he found a soft spot in most readers.  Well be prepared ladies, Garth Black gets his own story in Finders Keepers and I promise you're all going to love him after reading this!


Title: Finders Keepers (Lost and Found, #3) Author: Nicole Williams Release date: September 16, 2013 Age Group: Mature YA/New Adult Genre: Contemporary Romance Tour organized by: AToMR Tours


There’s tortured. And there’s Garth Black.

His life has been a constant carousel of tragedy and disappointment, including his love life. Of course, applying the term “love” to Garth’s conquests is a gross misuse of the word. Some people were made to give and accept love, and others weren’t. Garth Black redefines the “others” category. He’s made a vow that the day he meets a woman who could sucker him into falling in love will be the day he runs away.

Garth’s plan has one flaw. What happens when he’s already fallen hard for a girl before the warning signs and red flags go up? What happens when the love he’s avoided his entire life brings him to his knees? What happens when Garth Black lets the dirtiest four letter word he’s ever known into his dark, lonely life?

This cowboy’s about to find out he can control some things, and he can’t control others. Number one on the what he can’t control list?

Love.




We met Garth Black first in Lost and Found - he was the quintessential bad boy: drinking, fighting, womanizing were key elements of his persona. In Near and Far we saw a side to Garth that confirmed our suspicion that he really wasn’t as bad as he wanted people to think he was and were left wanting more of Garth’s story. Nicole Williams hasn’t left us hanging - in Finders Keepers we get a whole lot more of Garth and his story and it is one you should read.

Beautifully written, Finders Keepers is a really easy read. Having developed a bit of a relationship with the characters in the first two books in the series I found myself lost in the story very quickly. I tend to have a bit of a soft spot for the ‘bad boy’ so it was no surprise (to me anyway!) that I became a huge Garth fan as I read. His slow, but very definitive transition was an absolute pleasure to watch unfold. I loved that he finally let down his walls and took some chances. I loved that we got to understand a whole lot more about his background, about his life long friendship with Jesse and Josie and we got to see all the possibilities for his future.

Josie was the perfect match for Garth. If I had to describe her with one word it would be feisty. She didn’t put up with his crap and she stood tall and strong in the face of some very challenging situations. We got to understand some of the history to Garth and Josie’s friendship in Finders Keepers and for me this gave me an even greater appreciation of their feelings for each other. The final outcome of their relationship isn’t disclosed until the very end and I was on the edge of my seat reading the final chapters.

If you’ve read the first two books in this series I think it really is not a matter of if you’ll pick up Finders Keepers , rather when. My first exposure to Nicole Williams was with her Eden Trilogy, followed closely by the Patrick Chronicles - with the addition of the Lost and Found series she has cemented a spot on my ‘must read’ author list.

4 out of 5 stars




I'm the New York Times and USATODAY bestselling author of the CRASH series (HarperTeen, S&S UK), LOST & FOUND series, UP IN FLAMES (S&S UK), The EDEN TRILOGY, and a handful of others. I write stories about everyday kinds of people who find themselves in extraordinary kinds of situations. I tell love stories with happy endings because I believe in making the world a better place, and that's one tiny way I can make it so. I'm one of those people who still believe in true love and soul mates, and would rather keep my head in the clouds any day over having my feet firmly on the ground.



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Cover Reveal: After the Storm by M.L. Stratton

Today we get to share with you the cover for After the Storm by M. Stratton. 


Hosted by Hooked on books



Alexia “Lexi” Hanson moved across the country to rebuild her life after the attack that almost destroyed her. She enjoys the simple things in her beach cottage. Life is finally complete.

Noah Matthews is Rock & Roll’s hottest star and on top of the world. After years without a break he finds the solitude he craves at his beach house. Enjoying his early morning coffee, Noah is surprised to see his neighbour sneak into his garden and crawl around.

They never saw that fateful morning coming. Someone was watching them. Someone who thought Lexi belonged to him and would stop at nothing to have her.

Lives are changed forever when they meet amongst the blooms in his garden. Even when things seem darkest, there is always light After the Storm.


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Prologue

(unedited - subject to change)

He walked out into the hot summer air and breathed in deeply. It had been so long since he could breathe freely. His shoes crunched across the gravel in the parking lot and he thought of her. It’s all her fault I have lost these past five years of his life. She took his freedom away. His rage built with every step he took as he approached the cab that was waiting for him. He hated these disgusting things but he did not want anyone to know he was back. He carried himself with a refined grace of the social elite. He stood just over six foot two inches with broad shoulders, dark wavy hair, piercing blue eyes and chiseled features. He had a scar that ran about an inch long from the outer edge of his left eyebrow and continued down below his eye. A souvenir courtesy of his father he saw every time he looked into the mirror, it didn’t detract from his beauty, and in fact it had the opposite effect. It added a dangerous flare to him that women found irresistible. He could have his pick of any woman at any time. He loved the power he had over them.

After giving the driver his address he sat back and watched the city go by trying to keep his mind off of her. He was trying to focus on what had changed and what had stayed the same, anything to distract his thoughts from her. He was thankful that he had enough money so he could ride out this whole unfortunate situation without losing everything. He chuckled to himself at the knowledge that she would never know what was coming for her. He smiled for the first time since he walked out in the heat. He unlocked the front door and strode into his home, his castle. Everything was as it had been the last time he was there all those years ago. This was good because he didn’t want to take the time to contact the caretaker if he had done anything wrong. He had a limited time to do what he needed to do before heading to the east coast. He climbed the stairs and went to the secret room that he had built himself behind the master bedroom closet and held his breath before entering, scared that someone might have found it. But if they had found it things would be quite different now. It was a small room, only twenty-five square feet with the walls covered with pictures of his women. One of the walls had what he considered miscellaneous “tools” he liked to use on his women, while another whole wall was dedicated floor to ceiling to women that he had killed. It showed them in all different scenarios from being out in public to in their own homes. He paused for a moment remembering raping and killing each and every one of them. As always it brought a calm over him to remember them. He lightly kissed each one before he slowly turned his attention to the other pictures on a wall of their own. This wall belonged solely to her, the one that got away. It still angered him that he was unable to finish what he had started. He crossed to his favorites of her. One night while she slept he had snuck into her home and took a picture of her sleeping. She had a smile on her face; he liked to think she was dreaming of him. While she slept he had hid the cameras and bugs in her home. It was daring doing that while she was their but he needed the extra thrill of possibly being caught. He closed his eyes remembering going back up to her bedroom for one last look. It had taken everything he had not to take her then but there are times when it makes it better to wait. He moved to absolute favorite picture of her, the one that made him hard every time. She was naked and tied to her bed just before she woke up. It was the moment before her eyes opened and she figured out what was going on. The calm before the storm. A smile spreads across his face. He unzipped his pants aching for the release and started jerking off to the thought of doing it to her again, but not being interrupted. This time he would make sure he killed her while he was coming inside of her. He threw back his head and screamed her name as he came.

Copyright 2013 M. Stratton

M. Stratton is a wife and mother who grew up in a small town north of Chicago before moving to Arizona. She is currently working in accounting for a plumbing company.

M. Stratton has spent years telling herself stories to fall asleep at night before deciding it was time to get them down on paper for the world to see. She currently has eight different stories fighting to be told. Like everyone else she was afraid to put the stories down and send to publishing companies. With today’s Indie market she decided now is the time.

Things you don’t know about M. Stratton:
She loves the movie Twister… she can say all the lines along with the actors. She will also use those lines in real life as often as possible.Halloween is her favorite holiday. She starts planning months in advance. She has more Halloween decorations than Christmas.She once made up a monologue about her love of chocolate chip cookie dough for her high school drama class.There are times she thinks she is so funny she has tears running down her face while laughing at herself.She is a smart ass and very sarcastic.Cary Grant is her favorite actor.Reading has always been an escape for her. She can devour a book in hours. When she moved in with her husband she literally donated over 1,000 books and saved over 1,000 for herself. She can reread books over and over again if she loves them. There are some that she has reread about once a year for the past 20 years.She eloped after knowing her husband for only two months in 2006. They are still married, almost seven years later.

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Book Blitz: Trust by L Chapman

Synopsis graphic designed by Perfect Pear CreativeTrust cover designed by Indie Pixel StudioFacebook Cover designed by  Book Addict MummaTrailer made by Lexi Buchanan / Alison Chaffin Higson


Lovely Megan Madden has lost her faith in men. But this has not kept her from the joy of her best friend's upcoming wedding. While in London shopping for the big event, Megan's life takes a surprising turn when a quick drink brings changes to her life she never saw coming. Join in the roller coaster of emotions Megan must endure as she attempts to regain her TRUST.

Who knew a quiet drink could change your life?





























  
L. Chapman was born in and continues to live in North Yorkshire, United Kingdom. She has spent most of her life helping others. At one time, a DJ for a special needs club. Blending her love of helping others and her love of children, L dreams to one day own and operate a childcare nursery that will help mainstream special needs children with others.

In the rare ...times that L. is not working to help others or maniacally writing, she enjoys making a mess of things while creating beautifully detailed greeting cards. She spends time relaxing with family, friends, and good books. L. loves to travel and has been to many places in the United Kingdom; her favorite places all involve the ocean. She hopes to one day share a kiss with her happily-ever-after in the romantic shadow of the Eiffel Tower. Should she ever get over her fear of flying, those kisses may be shared in the shadows of the Egyptian Pyramids.

Ever the fussy eater, L. has never once tasted peanut butter, and she despises coffee. If you should feel the need to bribe her, it is suggested that you bring chocolate, as that is one of her known weaknesses.



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Jenny has always wanted a fairytale life: the perfect house, her own Prince Charming and the wedding to go with it.

After a five year engagement Jenny and her fiancé Rich are counting down to the "Big Day"... 
And lets not forget one hell of a Hen Party For Jenny her life as the perfect wife is all she has ever wanted but secrets are never far away... 
Will Jenny make it to her own fairytale wedding... 
All will be revealed in "Veiled"




(from Veiled)
    I made a speech prior to booking the wedding date that there would be no sex the week be-fore we got married. I wanted our wedding night to be special. Now, I think I will be strug-gling with this decision. I plan to make sure I get plenty before our wedding weeks begins. I am wearing Rich's favorite little black halter dress that barely covers my bum and shows just enough of my cheeks to drive him wild. He loves it. I have been a little bit naughty. Okay, very naughty. I am not wearing underwear and have added my black stilettos. Perfect. My hair is down, exactly the way he likes it, and no makeup. This is how my baby likes to see me.


    "Honey, I'm home," Rich yells as he comes through the door, looking all hot and sweaty from his run. He always goes for a three to five mile run after work. He is a fitness freak some-times, so I would love for him to take a day off from running once in a while.



     "Hi," I say leaning against the doorway in a suggestive manner, my arm above my head in the full-on come and get me pose. "Oh. Wow, are you trying to kill me, Jen?" He winks. "Never." I giggle, hoping I am killing him. I plan to make that man work his ass off after dinner. "Quick shower and I am all yours, baby girl," he says, placing a little peck on my lips before smacking my bum and running up the stairs. Rich began calling me baby girl the second time we saw each other. I can't help but blush when he says it, even after all this time together. I sit myself on a bar stool in the kitchen and wait for him. He is only gone for five minutes be-cause he takes quick showers when I am not with him. If I didn't have a nice meal planned, I would join him. I might take him for another one later. "I am back, baby girl," Rich announces as he walks into the kitchen wearing only black trousers. His bare chest on full display and his perfect back sparkling from the water that is left on him. His hair is also wet. He looks so fuckable. Food first. We need to eat first I try to convince myself.





 

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Blog Tour: Freeing by E.K. Blair

Welcome to our stop on the Freeing Blog tour.  E.K. Blair has done it again with this fabulous companion story to Fading.  If you liked Jase in Fading, you'll love him in Freeing , not to mention Mark ... 

BOOK GENRES:  Coming of Age/New AdultRELEASE DATE: Sept 13, 2013**THIS IS A FULL-LENGTH COMPANION NOVEL TO FADING**

Knowing who you are and accepting who you are come at different prices.

Jase Kinrick grew up in your typical, all-American household. But after the death of his sister, his parents shut down, forcing him to deal with everything life throws his way alone. Terrified of the person he’s discovering himself to be, Jase has his way with every willing girl to try and rid himself of what he fears he is—gay.

Escaping California and moving to Seattle to attend the University of Washington, Jase frees himself to the reality that he likes men. Never staying with any guy long enough to get to know them, he doesn’t realize that he’s still hiding from who he is until he meets Mark. Scared of having real feelings for another guy stirs up the questions and fears he’s fought hard to bury.

To strip away the barriers to the heart of what is real, and to be okay with what lies underneath, will be Jase’s moment of truth. But he’ll need Mark to lead him there.






(Mark Catches Jase and Kyle)

Picking up my cell, I quickly call Kyle.

“Hey, man,” he answers.

“Hey. Jase is on his way over. I’m running late, but heading home now. I should be there in fifteen or so,” I tell him.

“No problem.”

“Thanks.”

“Yeah,” he says before hanging up.

Traffic is backed up as I make my way home. Something about knowing that Jase is at my place waiting on me causes my heart beat a little quicker, but that’s nothing new. I really like this guy. I could tell he was hesitant with me the other night, but the fact that he didn’t skip a beat when I asked him to hit the gym with me today reassures me that maybe I was just being paranoid.

Pulling next to his car in my drive, I park and hop out. When I walk in and toss my keys onto the bar, I turn around. My beating heart wanes.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

Jase is on top of Kyle, tongue shoved in his mouth, before Kyle jumps off the couch from underneath him.

“Shit, man,” Kyle pants out, and I can’t even focus on him as I’m watching Jase, disengaged from the scene playing out in my living room. Completely void of emotion, he walks to grab his keys, and his demeanor is so irritating.

“You’re not gonna say anything?” I snap, and he doesn’t as much as look my way.

Asshole.

“Jase! What the hell, man?”

Nothing.

He walks past me and out the door. I should have trusted my gut when I first saw him. I knew about him. How he hops from bed to bed. But something about him, something I should have been more cautious of, told me that he felt differently with me. Who the hell am I kidding? I barely know him at all.

“Dude, I’m sorry,” Kyle says and when I turn around, I let my frustration play out on him.

“What’s your problem, man?”

“He said you guys weren’t anything, so I . . .”

“So you what? Forget it. You know what? I don’t give a shit. You’re just like him, always dragging ass in and out of here,” I sling at him as I start making my way to my room.

“Don’t be a fucking bitch, Mark.”

Turning around, I throw back at him, “Fuck you, Kyle. Just get your shit and get the fuck out.”

He laughs, as if I’m kidding.

“Serious. I want you out.”

Slamming my door, I’m beyond pissed. I don’t even know how this guy, in a brief period of time was able to get underneath my skin the way he had. Foolish of me to think that I could have had feelings for him, but I do. Shit.







In Fading I absolutely loved Jase - he was selfless and supportive and endlessly there for Candace as she dealt with the fall out of her brutal rape. While we got to see Jase as Candace's best friend, we didn't get the insight or back story to Jase ... until Freeing . 

Freeing is not Fading from Jase's perspective, it is his story. It develops him, his character, his relationship with Mark - all of the things that were hinted at in Fading are addressed, his story is told in detail and it is beautiful.

Jase is such a wonderful character. He is so incredibly complex. His family has impacted who he is, his self acceptance and who he will allow himself to be. Moving to Seattle, away from home, has given him the opportunity to be open about his sexuality. But in reality, Jase hasn't fully accepted that he is gay. He avoids intimacy for fear it will confirm who he is. Instead, he has meaningless flings with many guys, which only adds to his guilt. Jase's world is turned on its head when he meets Mark. Mark is different and evokes feelings in Jase that he hasn't encountered before. While I absolutely loved Jase, Mark was by far my favorite character in Freeing. As Jase struggled to deal with his feelings and the relationship that was developing with Mark he made some pretty poor choices. Each time Mark dealt with the situation just beautifully; he was strong, loving and somehow managed to show Jase a path forward. Mark also accepted Candace unquestioningly and offered her support as she recovered. Where Jase was sometimes indulgent, Mark was always honest and pushed both Jase and Candace to be less reliant on each other. He showed them that they could, in fact, trust another with their hearts.

"I look over at him and take his hand, holding it, lacing my fingers with his. He's beautiful and perfect and all I'll ever want. He has no idea what he's given me. He'll never understand no matter how much I tell him. Everything I've been searching for from the time I realized I was gay, he's given me: my realization, my understanding, my accepting. He makes it okay for me to be who I was always meant to be."

E.K. Blair has such a wonderful writing style. Her books are so easy to read, her characters are well developed and realistic and Freeing is a perfect companion to Fading. While you could probably read Freeing without having read Fading I think the story has that much more substance if you read Fading first. I loved knowing more about Jase and I loved watching his character evolve into one that finally allowed himself the freedom to love unequivocally. I cannot wait for Falling to be release - E.K. Blair is firmly on my must read list.

4 out of 5 stars


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Blog Tour (with Deleted Scene): Before the Storm by Sarah Dosher

Welcome to our stop on the Before the Storm blog tour.  We've got a ton of treats in store for you today so read on for a Deleted Scene, the playlist, an excerpt and some awesome teasers - oh and don't miss Heather's review or the giveaway!!  





Life isn’t always what it seems.

What you think you know can change before your eyes. Fathers abuse, mothers deceive, best friends betray, sisters dismiss, love controls, and anger consumes.

After graduating from high school, Easton Grace knows exactly what he wants and how to get it. His goal for the summer includes two things: avoiding his father’s wrath and protecting his sister. His carefully laid plans are quickly changed when a new girl comes to town causing him to lose his tight grasp of control on everything, including himself.

Easton believes in only two choices – right and wrong, black and white. But he will soon discover that the lines between the two sometimes blur.

Can Easton find his path before it’s too late - before the storm?




Unedited 


Sometime between Chapter 15 and Chapter 19 - Before the Storm

Easton

Present…

I finally got away from my sister’s watchful eye. I didn’t have anywhere I needed to be today and even more importantly there wasn’t anywhere I wanted to be. I wanted a break, a timeout from life. Everything was spinning out of control because they were all losing their minds…or I was losing my mind, I wasn’t exactly sure.

I heard footsteps approaching in the dry sand of Sunflower beach.

“What in the hell are you doing here?” I yelled at Dean.

“Well I assume the same thing you’re doing here – trying to get away from you and everyone else.”

I didn’t respond I just glared at him.

“Lily’s upset.” He said like I didn’t know my own sister was unhappy and that we were the cause.

“I know! What did you say to her?” I demanded.

“I told her what you wanted me to, I told her we were done and we could never be.” He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“No, that’s not what I wanted. I wanted you to stay away from her in the first place. Stay away from her until you grow up enough to deserve her.” I stood from my place on the rock and moved toward him. “Why would you think you could be with Lily when you were just messing with that red head? Are you trying to hurt her?”

“I didn’t do anything with Mindi. Not that I expect you to believe me, but it’s the truth. You’re determined to turn me into the bad guy and I think you’re doing a good job at it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I snapped.

“The harder you push the more you hurt her, not me.”







Not available on Spotify: Break in the Storm by the Great DivideThe Storm of Life by Randy Travis






A kiss that is never tasted, is forever and ever wasted.  —Billie Holiday 
Past… I walked through the field until I was near the barn and I could hear Dean and Lily.

“So you never have?” Dean asked her.

“No, have you?” she asked.

“Yes, but it didn’t mean anything.”

I stopped outside the barn and peeked between two loose boards. Lily was sitting on a hay bale, and Dean was standing right in front of her. He reached up to push her hair out of her face, then stuck a sunflower behind her ear. I watched as he slowly leaned in and put his lips on hers.

I immediately ran around the corner and into the barn.

“What are you doing?” I shouted.

They jerked apart and looked at me, but neither spoke.

“You kissed my sister!” I snapped at Dean.

“Umm, I…uh, we…”

“You do not kiss my sister.” I grabbed Lily by the arm and pulled her behind me.

“We were just kidding around, Easton,” Lily said from behind me. “I’ve never kissed a boy before, so Dean showed me.”

I turned around and glared at her.

“You don’t need to know how to kiss a boy.”

“Calm down. All her friends had, but she hadn’t. No big deal.”

“It is a big deal to me. Keep your lips to yourself, okay?”

“Okay.” He laughed.

“We’re going home,” I said and led Lily from the barn.

Before we were through the barn door, I saw Dean wink at Lily, and she blew him a kiss.

“Oh, come on. I totally saw that. Stop it, you’re weirding me out.”

“Hey, wait. Was that movie good? I wanted to watch it with you!” Dean yelled as we walked toward home.

“Yeah, the movies real good. Not scary at all, so you can watch it all by yourself tonight after Grandma Violet goes to bed.” I laughed to myself.




5 Glorious stars!!

Let me start off first by saying that Sarah Dosher is a friend of mine but she's also an extremely talented writer. If she ever stops writing I will drive my butt on over to Oklahoma and beat some sense into her. Now having said that and getting my peace out...

Before the Storm is a freaking fantastic read that had me on a roller coaster ride chock full of emotions. She did something that some of us are too scared to do. She went back to the beginning. The very beginning, before the storm when things were still not alright but it was before tragedy struck Easton. This is Easton's story. Having read Haven from the Storm and getting to know Easton some in that book made me love him all the more in this one. I went into this story with my eyes wide open already knowing the outcome with tears constantly brewing and then finally falling hard. 

Taylor is the girl from Easton's past that has now come back to town. A pivotal point in the book for me was Easton's reaction to seeing Taylor for the first time; an awareness that was lingering. There was that instant connection where you just knew that they were meant to be.

Easton's character is one for the record books. I don't mean character as fictional, I mean his overall character as a man. I loved his compassionate and and care taker attitude. Always one to protect his litter sister Lilly from the dangers of their father as well as the dangers of falling for his best friend. 


Before the Storm is a book that will leave you with tears pooled in your eyes and your heart begging for more. I'm glad that Sarah took the chance and wrote his story because it was certainly worth telling. Easton is a hero and one that will forever live on!






Sarah Dosher was born and raised in rural Oklahoma where she currently resides with her cowboy husband and twins (one cowboy and one cowgirl).

She is addicted to books and The Golden Girls. Her love for reading inspired her to write her first novel, Haven from the Storm. The prequel, Before the Storm, was published in August 2013 and the final in the series, Sanctuary from the Darkness, is set to publish early 2014. Dosher's first contemporary romance titled A Blue Tale will be released December 2013.


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Cover Reveal: Tied up in Heartstrings by Felicia Lynn

Check out this beautiful cover for Tied up in Heartstrings by the absolutely fabulous Felicia Lynn. This is definitely one you should add to your TBR list.


Book: Tied Up In HeartstringsAuthor: Felicia Lynn Genre: Contemporary Romance Release Date: September 20, 2013 Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions

Tragedy ripped the security from her life. Left a single mother, Alexis's fear of loss insulates her from the rest of the world. Her best friends from college and close family are the only people she keeps close. A man from her past has always been in love with Alexis. He’s never met anyone that measures up to her. Garrett is a musician, who never really imagined he’d have the fame and fortune that he's found. But, even with that, what he's always wanted is out of reach... or is it? When Garrett and Alexis meet up by chance a relationship begins. Neither expected what happens. She can’t be sure she’s ready for the complications a relationship brings. He will have to work overtime to win her heart without any assurances it will be successful. Alexis is learning about life without Jed, and is feeling more secure with parenting on her own. Garrett appreciates his fans and is enjoying his life on the road but misses having a private life. The lives they have built separately leave little room for a budding relationship, but their hearts won’t take that into consideration. Will the cards they’ve been dealt get in the way of a love that is meant to be? Is love enough to overcome loss and heartbreak? Can they accept all that the other is, without feeling like they are living in the shadow of their former lives?



Felicia Lynn is a transplanted Florida girl, born and raised, who lives just north of Atlanta, GA with her husband, daughter, dog and cat. She spends most of her days holed up in a cozy chair with a cup of tea and her laptop, writing about the characters that live in her head. When she’s not writing you’ll find her hanging out with her family and friends! She loves reading, taking long walks, chatting with her Facebook family, and listening to music, especially live music. A self-declared lover of all things baseball, she is obsessed with every aspect of the game!! Felicia writes contemporary romance, because love stories make people happy. Even in the midst of anguish and turmoil, true love can turn life around, and the process is beautiful. Most of Felicia's stories are based on real life experiences that she embellishes to tell a story. She is currently at work on her second novel.



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