Heather Gunter's Blog, page 74

Blog Tour Stop with Giveaway: Wanted: Wife by Gwen Jones

Welcome to our stop on the Wanted: Wife blog tour.  Gwen Jones has done an outstanding job with her debut book - it is a perfect combination of wit, humor and romance with a dash of sexiness thrown in for good measure.  It's a light-hearted and satisfying read that will appeal to many.




Title: Wanted:  WifeAuthor:  Gwen JonesGenre:  Contemporary RomancePublication Date:  June 4, 2013Event organized by Literati Literature Lovers and Literati Author Services


Andy Devine is advertising for a wife on a utility pole, and interviewing him is the last thing TV reporter Julie Knott needs. Especially after her cheating fiancé just tweeted their disengagement. Now she has got to choose: get the story—or become it?

Wanted: Wife
Landed, Financially Secure 40-Yr-Old Male
* Handsome, but with old-school communication skills and a secret past *Seeks Healthy, Athletic Female* Preferably a pretty reporter with a messy love life who has never spent a day in the woods *For Marriage and Family* What could possibly go wrong? *If you love the humor and romance of Rachel Gibson and Susan Elizabeth Phillips, don't miss the fabulous debut of Gwen Jones



Wanted: Wife  is a quirky story about finding love in the most unexpected places - a fabulous debut book from Gwen Jones.


Julie Knott is a TV reporter on the upward climb of her career.  Engaged, viewer popularity growing and a wedding to end all weddings just two weeks away – what more could you ask for??  How about your fiancé NOT leaving you for his ex and tweeting the ‘disengagement’ before he’s even finished the conversation with you??  That’s exactly what happens to Julie and before she knows it she’s single, homeless and seemingly all out of options.

That is, until she heads out to cover the story of Andy Devine, who’s advertised to find himself a wife by posting flyers on utility poles.  She arrives in Iron Bog with camera man Denny in tow to interview Andy and film the wife interview process.  What she is not prepared for is “the most stunning man I’d ever laid eyes on” who also happens to be incredibly smooth, intelligent, and absolutely set on having Julie as his wife.  The two enter into a rather unconventional relationship and the story follows what transpires between them.  Both Julie and Andy aren’t being completely honest with each other from the outset.  Told from Julie’s point of view we know what her angle is and whether you agree or disagree with it, you at least have some understanding of why she’s agreed to enter into the relationship with Andy.  When it comes to Andy, there’s this mystery surrounding him.  He seems almost too good to be true at times but I did wonder just what it was that was going to come to light and bring everything unstuck.  The two have an undeniable chemistry and some of the banter and exchanges between them were gorgeous:

”So . . . I guess we can pretty much agree we’re attracted to each other.”
God, he was so cute.  “You can say that.”
He leaned back against a post, taking me with him.  “Even though we may have nothing in common?”
I pushed up on my toes, brushing my lips against his.  “Seems like we’ll have a lot of time to find out.  We’ve already taken a big leap.”
“By getting married”, he concluded, kissing the corner of my mouth.
“By falling seriously in lust,” I said, kissing him right back.

For a “wordly” television reporter, Julie is incredibly naive when it comes to relationships.  Mind you, not having had great success with them in the past, and starting off in such an unorthodox fashion as she does with Andy, it’s not really that surprising.  There was lots of lessons for Julie throughout the story and she really did become a different person:

Where was Andy?  But then, where was I?  And where in hell was I going?  If this was a precursor to what my life would be like later on, then I’d better get used to it.  Damn reckless of me not to see what lay down the road, naive of me to think it would be easy.  And shame on me for thinking I could come out the other end the same.

I really enjoyed Wanted: Wife .  It was funny, it was sexy, it was romantic and is definitely worth picking up.

4 out 5 stars


Gwen Jones, after spending years writing several unpublishable novels, decided to learn what she was doing wrong or give it all up. So after earning an MFA in Creative Writing from Western Connecticut State University, she’s now so good they even allow her to teach there. An unabashed born-and-bred native of Southern New Jersey and the Jersey Shore, she lives with her husband, Frank, and the absolute cutest cat in the world, Gracie.

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Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CABarnes & Noble | Kobo (Paperbacks not available until July 2)Buy Wanted: Wife in ebook or paperback !


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Blog Tour Stop and Giveaway - Lost and Found by Lori Otto

This is the beginning of an atypical romance.

When artist Nate Wilson falls in love, he falls hard. The problem is, he’s only been in love once, and the girl of his affections is his best friend, Emi Hennigan. In high school, the two bonded over painful breakups, and swore off a relationship to save their friendship. Thirteen years later, Nate has had more than his share of emotionally-unfulfilling, sexual relationships with beautiful women to distract himself from his true romantic feelings.
When a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity takes Nate away from his friend and his comfortable lifestyle, he is forced to reflect on the distinct void that Emi’s absence leaves in his life. To Nate’s surprise, Emi has a similar experience; but as the friends embark upon their journey toward happiness together, destiny reveals other plans for Emi.



Lori thank you so much for taking some time out to answer a few questions from us. 

Lets start with what was your inspiration for Lost and Found?
These characters – Nate and Emi – sort of came to me over a couple of weeks.  They developed before the plot, and just about the time I understood who they were, I realized how their relationship would play out.  The idea of life-long friends becoming more than that has always seemed romantic to me.
 
Describe yourself in three words Emotional.  Driven.  Creative.
  What has been your most memorable author moment so far?
It was early on, before the books were published.  I modified a chapter I had written for the Emi Lost & Found series and entered it into the Writers’ Digest short story competition.  I received an honorable mention, which blew me away and really did push me to keep going at a time when I was doubting my talent.

  What are the things you "must have" when you’re writing?
I need my computer and music, and maybe a Diet Coke.  I’ve learned to adapt to my surroundings, and can write in almost any environment.


What would you say is Nate’s most admirable quality?
His commitment to the pursuit of love.  He knows love, he just isn’t always free to express it the way he really wants to.


What three words do you think best describes Emi?
(She matures quite a bit over the course of the books I’ve written, which span nearly thirty years… so I’ll answer this for Lost and Found’s Emi.)  Sensitive.  Stubborn.  Hopeful.


What/who is your favorite book/author?
I have a horrible memory, and can’t recount a lot of what I’ve read.  The books I’ve devoured recently (mostly YA) are good – many are quite good – but thinking back to reactions I’ve had of other books, they just don’t affect me in quite the same way.  I will say that I walked away from Lolita in awe of the way Nabokov crafted his prose.  Truly.  And I know there was a lot of controversy over A Million Little Pieces by James Frey, but I think that was the first book I read that broke all the rules of writing, and really opened my eyes to a whole new world of possibilities.    

What would you say is your ultimate guilty pleasure?
New Kids on the Block.

OK, I did a bit of a double take there.  Not actually what I would have picked and very, very different to some of our other author interview responses - but you go girl!!
 
To give everyone a little bit more insight into Lori Otto - pick one of each of the following:

Paperback or e-book?     e-book White, Milk or Dark chocolate?     DarkWhite or Red wine?     WhiteSleeping in or Staying up late?     Staying up late
Summer or Winter?     Winter 
Facebook or Twitter?     Facebook
I would have picked Facebook as your preference for the last question.  I was sure Twitter would have too many similarities to your billboard industry experience!! Thanks again for taking the time to share with us Lori.  All the best for the blog tour.





After graduating from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1997 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Lori Otto worked in the billboard industry for ten years.  Frustrated with trying to communicate entire messages in “seven seconds or less,” she decided to leave outdoor advertising and return to her love of creative writing.


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Amazon Links:   Book 0.5 | Book 1 | Book 2 | Book 3 | Books 1-3

B&N Links:     Book 0.5 | Book 1 | Book 2 | Book 3 | Books 1-3

Smashwords:    Book 0.5 | Book 1 | Book 2 | Book 3 | Books 1-3

To purchase a SIGNED copy of Not Today, But Someday - click here

   Blog Tour Giveaway - 3 book grand prize bundle(books 1-3 in the Lost and Found series)
- Open Internationally - a Rafflecopter giveaway
Just for Into the Night Review followers - one e-book copy of Lost and Found- Open Internationally -a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Bring Me Home (Shattered Hearts #3) by Cassia Leo

We're so excited to be involved in the Cover Reveal for Bring Me Home - book three in the Shattered Heart series by the amazing Cassia Leo.  Currently scheduled for release August 6th, here's the cover and an excerpt to hold you over until then!

Author: Cassia LeoGenre:  New Adult Contemporary RomanceCover reveal organized by: Shh Moms Reading
   Claire Nixon is a college student with a past full of secrets and heartbreak. She was saved once by her first love, and rock star, Chris Knight. But when she encouraged Chris to leave town to pursue his dreams, both Claire and Chris didn’t realize it would be the biggest mistake of their lives.After a devastating year apart and thousands of miles of distance between them, Claire met sexy surfer Adam Parker. With his awful jokes and profound patience, he helped Claire pick up the shattered pieces of her broken heart for the second time.But now Chris has returned and he is willing and determined to make Claire’s dreams come true—the same way she did for him when she let him go.With Adam’s former girlfriend in the picture, Claire finds herself torn between the new, passionate love she shares with Adam and the family she shares with Chris. 
   Chapter Seven Claire
“Did Eddie call you again?” She nods and the anger I felt when Senia’s cheating ex-boyfriend called her last week returns. “You don’t need to be with an asshole. You are beautiful and smart—”“And I give a mean bj.”“Exactly. You don’t need a guy who’ll fuck anything with legs. You deserve a guy who’ll worship you.”“So you think Tristan’s just looking for a fuck?”I don’t even answer because this question is ridiculous.“Do you think Chris gave him my number? How did he get my number?”“I don’t know, but if it was Chris, I’m going to have a talk with him about that.”“No, don’t get mad at him. I’ll take care of Tristan. I’ll text him a picture of my bunion. He’ll never text me again.”I try not to laugh because, sadly, I know Tristan is too persistent to be deterred by a bunion pic. I stand from the bed and make my way to the dresser where she has a picture of the two of us framed in a pink “Best Friends Forever” picture frame. It’s a picture taken last Thanksgiving when her uncle took us to his house in Carolina Beach. I was four months pregnant, so I wore a big T-shirt to hide my bulge and hardly spoke to anyone the whole weekend, afraid they’d hear the betrayal in my voice.“I’m going to see Abigail on Monday,” I say as I pretend to be interested in the other framed pictures on her dresser.“What? How did this happen? Oh, my god, Claire! Are you sure this is what you want?”She leaps off the bed and rushes to my side. I pause a moment before I look up into her eyes and respond firmly. “I need to see her, even if it’s just this once. I don’t know if I can even explain to you the ache I feel inside. It’s excruciating and it consumes me, day and night. I just want to see her.”“You don’t think it might make it worse?”“I don’t know, but this is not the kind of thing I want to play it safe with. This is my daughter. I’ve never seen her and I already feel like I might die without her. I just need to see her, at least once. I need to know that she’s real. I need to see this beautiful person that Chris and I created.” I pause to wipe the tears from my face. “I don’t know if you can understand that, but that’s how I feel. It’s what I need.”She stares at me for a moment and her big brown eyes shine as if she’s hatching a devious plan inside her twisted mind. “Claire, I’ve known you long enough to know that you wouldn’t do this unless it was what’s right for you. You have some kind of weird radar for that shit. I also think that I may have misjudged Chris.”“Are you being serious?”“Yes, I was pissed about the fact that he never got in touch with you all those months you were living here, but I think I just realized something and I’m sorry I didn’t realize it sooner.” She pauses as she takes a breath and steels herself to speak whatever words she’s about to say. “I think you needed Adam to show you how much you still love Chris.”That is not at all what I expected her to say and I’m actually a little pissed. “I don’t think so.”“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to say that Adam was a stepping-stone.”“No, I don’t want to hear that. Can we just go downstairs?”She nods and hangs her head apologetically, but I’m still upset with her. I clench my jaw to keep from uttering an angry retort. Adam was not a stepping-stone.


USA Today bestselling author Cassia Leo loves her coffee, chocolate, and margaritas with salt. When she's not writing, she spends way too much time watching old reruns of Friends and Sex and the City. When she's not watching reruns, she's usually enjoying the California sunshine or reading--sometimes both.





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Sneak Peek: Epiphany by Christina Jean Michaels

With such an eye catching cover Epiphany by Christina Jean Michaels is going to attract lots of interest.  Add the Excerpt below into the mix and you're not going to be able to resist.  Scheduled for release on 19 July this is definitely one to add to your TBR.




Title:    EpiphanyAuthor:    Christina Jean MichaelsGenre:     Contemporary/romantic suspenseAge Group:     New Adult/AdultExpected release date:    July 19, 2013Event organized by:    AToMR Tours

"I had my first psychic dream when I was nine. Psychic implied power, and powerful wasn’t a word I’d use to describe myself. I couldn’t foretell the future or conjure visions at will, but I couldn’t think of a more fitting word to describe what I sometimes saw in my dreams.”

For 23-year-old Mackenzie Hill, tossing her life down the garbage disposal is easy after a painful incident shatters her life. Her heart is bleeding, and moving to Watcher’s Point is a chance to start anew, only she isn’t prepared for the guy who walks out of her dreams and into the flesh. Literally . . . because she’s been dreaming about this sexy stranger for years. Mackenzie is even less prepared to face the dark nature of her dreams. They’ve turned disturbingly gruesome, full of blood and murder, and when they begin to coincide with the media’s headlines, she and Aidan realize her visions might be the key to stopping a madman from killing again. Only Aidan has painful secrets of his own, and perhaps the biggest danger of all is falling for him.



Prologue
I awoke in murky stages, the first being a nauseating sense of movement.  The second was the realization that something was wrong.  Horribly wrong.  The third was the clearest and the most horrifying - my wrists were tied together, as were my ankles.
A low groan vibrated in my throat as I pulled at the bindings. Despite the persistent throb at my temples, I focused on the misty recollections; the wafting fog on the highway, the beam of a flashlight, and the splintering sound of glass.
I forced my eyes open and met total blackness. My cheek rested against the floor of what I assumed was a van, and a putrid smell burned my nose—an odorous mixture of mildew and bleach. I held my breath as the vehicle bounced over uneven ground, and my ribs hit the floor hard with each lurch.
Where the heck am I?
My heart beat out of control as I tried to remember, but I drew a blank. I couldn’t recall anything beyond a blinding light and an explosion of pain in my head . . . then nothing.
“Don’t panic,” I chanted in a whisper as I tested the rope. Come on! I slid my wrists back and forth, and the knot loosened the slightest bit as the van came to a violent stop. The engine shut off, and I didn’t dare move or make a peep. A door creaked open and then slammed with an echo. I ceased to breathe as his footfalls drew closer, crunching on gravel with each step. I counted them.
One, two, three, four, five . . .
Keys jingled from the other side, and the handle squeaked and turned. The van dipped under his weight as he entered. I wished I could see him, but I was lying on my stomach . . . completely vulnerable.
“Where am I?” It wasn’t the question I wanted to ask—the one I could barely think of.
What are you going to do to me?
My body went rigid as he came near. He rolled me to my back with rough hands, and his silhouette loomed large, a dark shadow blocking the soft light of the waning moon. He shifted, causing the moon’s beam to glint off the cigarette lighter in his hand.
“No . . .” My plea came out a squeak, an ineffectual cry for mercy. I was only an object to him, something to torture and kill for his perverse pleasure.
I squeezed my eyes shut and yanked at the rope, ignoring the pain biting into my wrists. Hysteria wouldn’t help my situation, so I held it in. In fact, from what I knew of the Hangman, my cries and pleas would only heighten his pleasure . . . his arousal. Vomit burned in my throat, accompanying the rancid taste of fear, but I forced my eyes open anyway.
He sparked the lighter to life, and the flame illuminated his face. His eyes peered at me, two expressionless voids holding no remorse for what he’d done to all of those other women.
For what he was about to do to me.
His expression was so empty—distorted into something unrecognizable—that it took me a few seconds to realize who towered over me. I couldn’t comprehend what I was seeing.
“Why?” My voice broke on the question, but he didn’t answer. A tear slid down my cheek as acceptance nicked at my composure. I wasn’t getting out of this. Aidan would find my body—I didn’t know how I knew, but I did. The bastard would dangle my death in front of him like a trophy. A muffled sob escaped. Not panicking was impossible.
For all the times I’d witnessed the murders of other women in my dreams, I’d failed to see my own.


Christina Jean Michaels was born in Paradise, California, but she has found the true home of her heart in Eugene, Oregon where she finds plenty of inspiration for storytelling.

When she was young, her mother said she hated words. Now she can't imagine not writing. She became an avid reader when she was thirteen and discovered the world of Sweet Valley High. About a year later she realized she could play God and write about her own characters. She has been writing in some form ever since.

She lives with her husband and their four children—three rambunctious UFC/wrestling-loving boys and one girl who steals everyone’s attention.


The first three chapters of Epiphany  are available to download from Goodreads until release date: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17704279-epiphany

Cover Reveal: Twinsequences by Jenn Foor

Twinsequences   is the latest work from the amazing Jennifer Foor - author of the Mitchell Family Series, The Bank Shot Series, The Somonian Series and several stand alone books.  Currently scheduled for release on 7 July there's not long to wait!  In the meantime, here's a peek at the stunning cover ...






Book Title:   Twinsequences
Author:   Jennifer Foor
Release Date:   Tentative release date July 7th

I’d shared everything with Ivy since we were born. She was my exact double. We were only two minutes apart. I never thought that my own twin sister would steal away my one chance at happiness, but that is exactly what she’d done. She didn’t even know that I was in love with him. How could she? Ivy was too busy being Miss Popular to notice what I wanted.
After having my heart broken, I’d decided to leave my town, and my sister, to go to college out of state. For the past four years, I’d done nothing but work to make a life for myself. We were still the best of friends, but going home was too hard for me to face and I hadn’t been back since they’d gotten married.
I wanted my sister to be happy, even if it meant I never would be. She didn’t have the brains, or the successful future that I knew was coming to me. But, she’d always have the one thing I wanted.The one thing, I could never have.
Stoshua Wheeler.A late night phone call brought me back to town. I should have never considered her request. It wasn’t right to pretend to be her, but she said she was in trouble. I had to help her.I’d dreamed of being her for five years. I envied their relationship. I wanted her life.What was I willing to risk to take it for myself?I’m Willow Green and this is my story.



Jennifer Foor is a YA and Contemporary Romance Author. She is married with two children and spends most days running around like a chicken with her head cut off. She enjoys reading (especially Indie Authors)watching shows from her DVR, and writing.

Jennifer Foor is the Author of the Mitchell Family Series, The Bank Shot Series, The Somonian Series and several stand alone books.


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Tour organised by The Rock Stars of Romance Promotions

Cover Reveal: Very Bad Things by Isla Madden-Mills

We are so excited to be part of the Cover Reveal for Very Bad Things by
Isla Madden-Mills.  Scheduled for release in September
be sure to add it to your TBR today!



Title: Very Bad Things (#1 Briarcrest Academy)Author: Ilsa Madden-MillsExpected release date: September 10, 2013Genre: New Adult Contemporary RomanceAge Group: Mature YA and NACover Designed by: Toski Covey Photography and Sommer Stein from Perfect Pear, Model is Mariah Jane Scott


Born into a life of privilege and secrets, Nora Blakely has everything any nineteen-year-old girl could desire. She’s an accomplished pianist, a Texas beauty queen, and on her way to Princeton after high school. She’s perfect…

Leaving behind her million-dollar mansion and Jimmy Choos, she becomes a girl hell-bent on pushing the limits with alcohol, drugs, and meaningless sex.

Then she meets her soulmate. But he doesn’t want her.

When it comes to girls, twenty-five-year-old Leo Tate has one rule: never fall in love. His gym and his brother are all he cares about…until he meets Nora. He resists the pull of their attraction, hung up on their six year age difference.

As they struggle to stay away from each other, secrets will be revealed, tempers will flare, and hearts will be broken.

Welcome to Briarcrest Academy…where sometimes, the best things in life are Very Bad Things.









Ilsa wrote her first work at the age of twelve when she penned a little ditty about a handsome prince who had no sense. Since then, she’s written plays, poems, and numerous short stories. Very Bad Things is her first full-length novel and part of a new series called Briarcrest Academy.

She graduated summa cum laude with a master’s in English. After graduation, she directed plays, worked with autistic children, helped start a children’s clothing company, and eventually had a family. Now, she spends her days with two small kids and her Viking husband. When she’s not typing away at a story, you can find her drinking too much coffee, jamming out to Pink, or checking on her carefully maintained chocolate stash.

She loves to hear from fans and fellow avid readers. You can find her on Facebook and a soon to come author website.



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Blog Tour Stop and Giveaway: The Art of Love by Anne Whitney

Welcome to the Into the Night Reviews stop on The Art of Love blog tour. 




“The well rounded, dimensional cast of characters really made this shine and I look forward to more from Anne.”    - K.T. Grant, author of “Xavier’s Loving Arms” & “The Princess’s Bride”
 “A delightful and sweet story.”    - L.H. Cosway, author of “Painted Faces”.


Marina Phillips has spent her entire life as her father’s victim. But enough is enough. All it took was one moment of realization to send her fleeing across the country into the unknown of New York City with no plans and no money. A new life without the constant torture is all she wants, but what she finds waiting is something she never expected.

Fitz is New York’s premiere playboy artist. Sexy, tattooed, and coveted by women and men alike, his performances are heralded as the coming of a new god of modern art. But when Marina wanders into his show, she becomes the inadvertent piece he’s always waited for – a girl to sculpt, to change, and to craft in his own image.
She never expects to fall head over heels into the world of parties, drag queens, agents, and artists craving for her and her benefactor. She didn’t even expect to begin falling in love with someone like Fitz, the sexy, pretentious man of her nightmares.
Above all, Marina never expects her father to stage a cross-country mission to paint her as a kidnapped girl taken by a psychopath.
With her life on the line, Marina has no choice but to accept Fitz’s proposal – change everything she is, inside and out, for the chance to start anew. But Marina has plans of her own. Plans that will rock her world forever.

(Book length: 75k words approx.)



I look in the mirror, glad to see that my makeup has not sweated off my face and my hair is still in place, if a little less neat. The thing I notice that surprises me is the irrepressible smile on my face. I genuinely feel happy right now, and for the first time in I don’t know how long, I feel welcome somewhere. Granted, I’m still massively out of place amongst the worlds of Fitz’s nude art and Derek’s drag extravaganza, and I’m sure they enjoy dragging me into public performances of supreme awkwardness a little too much, but I’m still wanted here. Luck has been good to me.

I exit the restroom and see Fitz waiting for me. He has a look on his face I recognize from our first encounter; wide eyes, open mouth and exuding complete vulnerability. His blazer
is open, revealing the tattoos interlaced over his chest and down his stomach over strong muscle. My eyes are drawn to a pair of swallow silhouettes on his collarbones. There’s something written on his abdomen, but I can’t quite make it out.

“Hey,” I mumble.

The tension has grown unbearable all of a sudden. As he approaches me, it only increases.

Surprisingly, the corridor leading to the bathrooms is empty besides a couple making out in the corner and us. The other two, men with bulky arms and tight shirts, have their hands wrapped in the others’ hair. It leaves Fitz and me alone.

The corridor is narrow and the beats on the floor thump once again. My heart races with the rhythm, thump thump thump. I take a deep breath and blink. When I open my eyes, he’s standing inches away from me, staring down into my eyes from his great height.

He puts one hand on the wall beside my head and leans over, mouth slightly agape. I brace myself for a kiss. Instead, his other hand lifts up to brush aside a stray strand of mousy hair that had fallen over my shoulders. It doesn’t stop me from letting out a tiny gasp.

“All better,” he murmurs with a smile.

His mouth is so close to mine, his eyes still glued on mine. I have never been kissed in my life, not once, except for my grandmother smacking her lips against mine in photos before
she kicked the bucket. My mother never got a chance to give me a kiss, lying dead on the operating table as infant me cried and cried in the doctor’s arms. And my father would never think of giving me even a second glance of compassion.

A lock of hair flops over into his face. He purses his lips and blows it out of his eyes with the barest hints of a smirk.

At the same moment, a feeling I’ve never felt before rises low in my belly. The feeling of... lust? Sexual excitement? Forbidden desire?

Is it forbidden, though?

We stay like that for several moments before he pulls back. I almost melt into a puddle there on the tiled floor. He notices my disappointment - it couldn’t be more evident - and grins.

“Come on,” he says. “Before V sends out the rescue team.”

He takes my hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze. I have no idea what’s going on between us and it’s making me dizzy. Does he want to kiss me or is he just messing around? I wouldn’t put it past him to stage this as another performance for his dedicated fans without my knowledge. Viridian’s voice enters my head, repeating the conversation we had earlier in the day. She talked of Fitz pitying me and how I was most certainly not his usual type, but that he was also a good man. He wouldn’t screw with me like that, would he? We may still practically be strangers to one another but my gut told me he wouldn’t do something so
heartless. I also remember the look in his eyes, and his explanation for his work.


The Art of Love was quite different from the books I've been reading of late.  With a bit of a schedule of books to read based on the blog tours we have listed I picked this up as the next on my list and didn't re-read the synopsis before I began, so wasn't really sure what to expect at the outset.  I was quickly intrigued about where the story was going to go and found myself quite engaged by Marina, Fitz, Viridian and Derek.

Marina Phillips has had a lifetime of torture and control at her fathers hands.  Finally reaching a point where she is not prepared to stay in Spokane any longer she hastily packs a bag, boards a train and finds herself alone, starving and next to penniless in New York City.  Her only driver, to escape the life she had known:

I wanted to become invisible.  If I could manage that then everything would be okay.  It had to be.

Wandering the streets on her first night there, unsure of where she is going or where she will spend the night she stumbles into a modern art gallery and takes advantage of the free buffet.  As she stands there eating her fill and considering her options an artist begins his 'performance' and much to the amusement of the audience and embarrassment of Marina she is drawn into the show.  This is her first encounter with Fitz, the sexy performance artist, and from here begins Marina's discovery of life, love and a future away from the control of her father.

Marina is a very interesting character.  Having spent twenty years as her father's slave she is accustomed to keeping secrets and keeping to herself.  Her exposure to the art world of New York City is an eye opener to say the least, but she definitely holds her own amongst the chic and sophisticated 'artists' who befriend her.  I was surprised, and not always convinced, by Marina's wisdom.  Having lived her life under the control of her father she had a surprisingly insightful perspective to many of the situations she faced and sometimes I wondered how she could convey such maturity given her upbringing.
The Art of Love is as much about Marina's evolution as it is about Fitz's enlightenment.  A young artist, rebelling against the expectations of his father, Fitz is complex and confusing.  He openly objects to the life his father wanted for him and yet a significant proportion of his lifestyle is funded by his father's money.  There is a challenging mix of innocence, creativity and pretentiousness evident in Fitz - but underlying all of it I detected his desire to love and be loved. 
The story takes place over a relatively short timeframe, and in some ways this had me questioning the relationship development between the characters.  There was this instant connection and trust between Marina and Fitz as well as with Marina and Fitz's best friend Viridian and brother Derek.  The pragmatist in me questioned it, and yet Whitney's writing made it believable. 
As Marina struggles to find her place in New York her father mounts a very public campaign to find her and Marina must grapple with hiding all over again, all the while trying to determine who she is, what her relationship with Fitz means and how she can have a future of her choosing.
I enjoyed the Art of Love.  It wasn't filled with sappy romance or steamy sex scenes - it took a very different approach to the coming of age of a young woman.  It may not appeal to everyone, but I appreciated the art culture and Marina's honesty and was satisfied with how it ended.

Anne Whitney lives near New York City and spends most of her time writing stories in her head. When she’s not putting those stories onto paper, she can be found browsing art galleries, watching sci-fi and reading whatever she can get her hands on. “The Art of Love” is her first novel.



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Book Launch and Giveaway: Bad Things by R.K. Lilley

Available today - we give you Bad Things by R.K. Lilley!!
Read on for an Excerpt that will definitely have you heading over to Amazon for some 'one-click' therapy.
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Danika hasn’t had an easy life. Being insanely attracted to bad boys has never helped make it easier.

One look at Tristan, and every brain cell she possessed went up in smoke. This man was trouble with a capital T. It was a given.

She knew better. Bad boys were bad. Especially for her. Considering her history, it was crazy to think otherwise. So why did crazy have to feel so damn fine?

For as long as she could remember, Danika had been focused on the future with single-minded purpose. Tristan came along and taught her everything there was to know about letting go, and living in the present. She fell, hard and deep. Of course, that only made her impact with the ground that much more devastating.



“I have an idea,” Tristan said, moving around the kitchen counter, and into the dining room. 

He opened up a drawer of the desk that ran along the far wall. 

“That sounds ominous,” I said, following him.

“On a scale of one to ten, how much do you like the last guy that you slept with?” Tristan asked me with an arched brow and a crooked smile, flashing those dimples at me. He used those things like a weapon.

“My ex? Negative five, since I’m feeling mellow right now,” I said instantly.

He nodded. “Exactly. The last girl I hooked up with threw a drink at another chick for smiling at me, and the one before that started nagging me about my drinking after we’d hooked up one time. Sex turns women into nagging psychos, and it turns men into straight-up assholes. Now, how much do you like me?”

I wrinkled my nose at him. “Right this second? Well, this little speech is kind of annoying but I do kind of like you most of the time. I’ll give you a solid five.”

He just grinned, not at all offended. I don’t think he would have known what to do with me if I wasn’t giving him shit. “Well, I give you a ten, which averages our friendship out to a solid seven, making you one of my favorite people of all time. I’d like to maintain our average, so I say we make a list.”

He had actually gotten a pen and paper out, and I made sure he saw me roll my eyes.

His grin just widened. “That’s what I love most about you. I never have to wonder what you’re thinking. It’s all right there on your lovely face.”

My scowl just deepened as I saw what he was writing. 

‘THE FRIENDS DON’T LIST’ –

Because I like you too much to sleep with you

I sighed loudly. “What is the point of this? We don’t need to write it down.”

He straightened, giving me a look that made things low in my body clench in the most delicious way. His gaze was borderline obscene as he eyed me, top to bottom. 

He swallowed hard. “I need to. God, Danika, even your feet are fucking sexy to me, and I like you too fucking much to screw it up. I want to be around you. I’d be sad if we didn’t see each other anymore, and I’m batting zero at the relationship thing. I’m a good friend, though, so yeah, I need a real clear ‘don’t’ list, so I don’t screw it up.”

I smirked at him. “My feet, huh? My feet are really that sexy? You crazy horn-dog.” 

I didn’t want a relationship with him, either. I knew that it would mean the end of us as friends, but knowing that he found me that sexy made me warm all over. It didn’t make me feel dirty to have him look at me like that, it made me feel special. It was a novelty for me, to be sure. 

He laughed and nodded, giving me really good eye contact. “Yes. It’s a problem. I’m a man-whore, and you would tempt a saint. Let’s find a way to keep our friendship safe.”

I liked that, liked that he valued my company more than my body. I nodded, finally giving him smile for smile. “Yes. That makes sense. Sex isn’t worth it anyway. It never leaves me with anything but a need for a date with my vibrator, and that’s if I’m lucky.”

He groaned and slapped his forehead. “I need to get that image out of my head. That was cruel. Do you mean that your last boyfriend didn’t make sure you got off?” He asked the question like he just couldn’t help himself. I knew him well enough to know that he couldn’t.

I laughed, trying not to make it sound as bitter as it actually was. “No. I’m saying that none of them did. They couldn’t find a clit with a map. Selfish pricks.”

He ran a hand over his face, and it went a little slack before he looked at me again. “That hurts me deep in my soul, Danika. I wouldn’t do that to you. I’d make sure you came, first and last. I’d go down on you every time, if that’s what you like. I’d lick—“

I held up a hand, giving him an arch look, though I was far from unaffected by his little speech. I wanted badly to see if he was really that good, but I shook myself out of it.

He grimaced. “Sorry, sorry. That was out of line. You can’t tell me stuff like that. It makes me want to punch somebody and, well, do things to you that do not need to be spoken out loud. But it does prove my point about me needing a ‘don’t’ list.”

I nodded. It was becoming apparent that we both needed one. “Yes. Don’t you worry about poor old me. I like my vibrator just fine. Better than any cock that’s ever come near me, in fact.”

He closed his eyes, lowered his head, and held up one finger as though he needed a moment. 

I giggled, because I had been trying to torment him, and I saw by the oversized bulge in his jeans that I’d succeeded.

I snapped my fingers at him. “Okay, okay, let’s get on with it. Get started with your list.”

1. No sex, no making out, no kissing.

“No getting off and thinking about you?” I asked. Yes, I was trying to torment him.

He held up that finger that made me giggle again. He looked like he was thinking hard for a long moment, finally shaking his head. “Nope. Can’t do that. Sorry. It’s like saying I won’t get hard when I see you wearing a bikini. It would just be a lie. But I won’t torture you with the details, I swear.”

I nodded, still smiling. Teasing just never got old with him. He made it so much fun. He made absolutely everything fun. “The same,” I told him. “I’ll try not to be too loud when I cry out your name as I get myself off.”

He shook his head, looking pained. “So jacked up,” he muttered under his breath. 

After a long pause, he started writing again without another word.

2. No getting jealous or complaining about who the other one is dating or hooking up with.

“That goes for you too, right?” I asked archly. “No hitting guys in bars for looking at me funny.”

“I didn’t hit him. I just choked him a little.”

“Um, yeah, that sounds worse than punching. Not helping your argument.”

He completely ignored that, writing.

3. We can hang out whenever we want, but we won’t call it a date, even if we’re doing date-like things

“Would oral be considered date-like?” I asked, just messing with him, as usual. I’d never been able to have sexual banter with a man that didn’t end up making me feel like shit. It was just the opposite with Tristan. For some reason, it made me feel warm and fuzzy every time.

He sent me a twisted grin. “I’m pretty sure that would be breaking the no kissing rule.”

“Pretty sure leaves wiggle room.”

He gave me a look that could only be described as longing. “I do love the way you wiggle.”

I giggled.

He went back to writing.

4. No nagging.

“That counts for you, too. No telling me when I’ve had too many shots. That’s for me to decide.”

He sent me an exasperated look. “Well, if you drink enough shots that you climb on the bar to dance, and some guy grabs you, don’t nag me for beating the shit out of him.”

“That sounds like a clear violation of rule number,” I pointed out.

“That’s not jealousy. That’s me being protective of my buddy.”

I rolled my eyes. It was a fine line.

He started writing again.

5. Always remember that we like each other too much to sleep together, and that sleeping together will ruin EVERYTHING.

6. If the words ‘I love you’ are ever mentioned, it will be assumed that it is in a friendship type context.

7. No talking dirty, or talking about dates with your vibrator.

He sighed, immediately crossing #7 out.

7. No talking dirty, or talking about dates with your vibrator.

“That one is just no fun at all,” he explained.

I giggled. Only Tristan could make me giggle. 

He sent me a warm smile.

“I named my vibrator after you,” I told him with a smirk. “He’s small, but he makes up for it by working hard.”

He straightened, moving a little close to show me just how small he wasn’t. I backed up to the edge of the table, and he followed.

He gave me his sinful smile. “I’m big like this everywhere. Don’t make me prove it to you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Every guy says that. It would be refreshing to meet a guy that just admitted to being average-sized, or God forbid, small.”

He shook his head. “You want me to do something crazy. I see your game now. Not falling for it.”

I couldn’t hold back a smile, because I had been egging him on. The man was so outrageous, he’d do anything on a dare. I shrugged. “I’ll never know, but in my imagination it’s very clearly average, bordering on small. No way to change it.”

He pursed his lips, his fingers going to the button on his jeans. 

I slapped my hands over my eyes, running away and giggling like a kid. 

He overtook me in seconds, picking me up easily. He flung me over his shoulder, heading to the back door. 

I knew where this was leading. 

“Put me down!” I screeched between giggles. “I just washed my hair!”

“Every time you make me want to pull my dick out for you, for any reason, I’m throwing you in the pool. This is for the sake of our friendship, Danika.” 

I was already flying through the air before he’d finished talking. I heard him say Danika right before my head went under. 

The bastard. A quote from Danika not long after...

“It wasn’t a don’t list, you douche bag! It may as well have been a fucking to-do list!”


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Blog Tour - Review and Giveaway: Jet by Jay Crownover

Title: Jet (A Marked Men Novel #2)
 Author: Jay Crownover
 Genre: New Adult
 Publication Date: May 28, 2013
 Event organized by: Literati Literature Lovers
With his tight leather pants and a sharp edge that makes him dangerous, Jet Keller is every girl’s rock and roll fantasy. But Ayden Cross is done walking on the wild side with bad boys. She doesn’t want to give in to the heat she sees in Jet’s dark, haunted eyes. She’s afraid of getting burned from the sparks of their spontaneous combustion, even as his touch sets her on fire.
Jet can’t resist the Southern Belle with mile-long legs in cowboy boots who defies his every expectation. Yet the closer he feels to Ayden, the less he seems to know her. While he’s tempted to get under her skin and undo her in every way, he knows firsthand what happens to two people with very different ideas about relationships. Will the blaze burn into an enduring love. . . or will it consume their dreams and turn them to ashes?



I knew this was going to be a good read I had no doubts considering I loved the first book about Rule. I was curious about Jet in the last book. I don't know, I guess you could say he spoke to me... The Author made him his own and he was completely different then Rule, I am certainly a Jet fan.
I love Ayden and her country roots. I love her take no crap, strong and a good head on her shoulders attitude and the way she is perceived by others. However, we all hide things we don't want others to see and sometimes perceptions are just that, perceptions. Ayden has a past she doesn't want others to see. She's afraid that those she cares most about most won't be able to except her and think differently of her. I know we've all felt that way at some point and time. We work so hard at trying to be different that by doing that we begin to lose a little of ourselves while trying to keep up the masquerade. Essentially that's what that is. We can all learn to change and be different people but there has to be a balance. And there are things and mistakes we would all like to forget about. But there can always be an even medium. We can still be who we are from our past and mix them together with who we are and want to be today.
Jet has things he worries about as well and is a lot more then meets the eye. His rock god status stays on stage and he is still the guy that worries about his mother and his future. He still has a thing for Ayden even though they are roommates. All these girls he lets in like a revolving door he realizes will never be her. Deciding to take things easy, they start out as only sex buddies, hoping this will be enough. Obviously this isn't how it stays and feelings emerge that are beyond what they both expected or are willing to admit.
The Author brings up the importance of family and sometimes it doesn't mean blood relation. With both characters having things that they need to come to terms with with their past and their growing feelings that they have been so unwilling to accept. It's a series with relatable characters that we can all identify with on some level.
To the Author, thank you for writing a series that is so so hot but written so tastefully that makes me want to find me a tattooed, pierced and funky haired man of my own. I love the female leads in this series that are 'normal' dressed girls but see past a look with no judgment. It's a great series that I look forward to. I am seriously looking forward to the next!!

Jay Crownover is the bestselling author of Rule. Like the characters in her Marked Men series, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she'll settle for writing stories with interesting characters and that make the reader feel something. She lives in Colorado with her three dogs.




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Note:  UK and Australia:  Jet’s release date has been moved to June 20th.


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Blog Tour: The Trouble With Goodbye by Sarra Cannon

 
Welcome to the Into the Night Reviews stop on Sarra Cannon's The Trouble with Goodbye blog tour.  We are so pleased to be part of the promotion of this truly beautiful story and we hope that you're inspired to go a grab a copy for yourself.   To see other stops on the tour for reviews, guest posts, and excerpt click here or the tour button at the bottom of the post. 


Title:The Trouble With Goodbye
Author: SarraCannon Release date: May 2013 Publisher: Dead River Books (self-published) Age Group:  New Adult Genre:  Contemporary Romance Tour organized by: AToMR Tours


One night can change everything…
Two years ago, Leigh Anne Davis shocked everyone in tiny Fairhope, Georgia when she broke up with her wealthy boyfriend to attend an Ivy League university a thousand miles away. At school, she finds a happiness and independence she’s never known.

Until one terrifying night takes it all away from her. 

With no place else to go, Leigh Anne heads home to reclaim her old life. A life she worked so hard to escape. On the outside, she seems like the same girl everyone has always known. But deep inside, she’s hiding a terrible secret. 

That’s when she meets Knox Warner, a troubled newcomer to Fairhope. His eyes have the same haunted look she sees every day in the mirror, and when she’s near him, the rest of the world fades away. But being with Knox would mean disappointing everyone all over again. If she wants to save what’s left of her old life, she has no choice but to say goodbye to him forever. 

Only, the trouble with goodbye is that sometimes it’s about courage and sometimes it’s about fear. And sometimes you’re too broken to know the difference until it’s too late.
 


The Trouble with Goodbye is a beautiful story about a young woman and an experience that can only be described as horrendous.  Author Sarra Cannon has managed to tell this story in such a way that it conveys hope, instills courage and shows that some risks are worth taking.

Leigh Anne Davis is a young woman that chose to leave the security of her home town and the wealth of her family to pursue a college education in Boston.  Her decision is in small part a rebellion against the pre-determined life path her parents, particularly her mother, have for her.  It was out of character for her, particularly leaving behind Preston Wright, the gorgeous son of the wealthiest man in town who everyone thought Leigh Anne would marry. 

At university Leigh Anne finds happiness and a sense of herself that she has not known previously.  She begins to properly move on from Preston and start to look forward to a life the way she wants it to be.  As is often the case, in one night Leigh Anne loses the independence she has fought so strongly for, and she chooses to return home in the hope that the familiarity of her old life may give her back some of what she has lost. 

Dreading the trip home and worrying at how successful she will be at fitting in, Leigh Anne has a rather stressful return to Fairhope.  In amongst that she encounters Knox Warner, who is new to the town and very different to everyone else.  Different in the sense that he seems to carry a burden of his own and different because he doesn’t seem to be concerned with what people think.  Knox helps Leigh Anne and supports her in a way that she has never experienced.  A complete stranger and yet he understands exactly what she needs:

I lean forward and bury my face in my hands. I turn away as a sob escapes my lips. My body shakes with it and I struggle for air against the crushing weight of guilt and sorrow and anger. Everything I haven't been allowed to feel or express breaks loose, and I don't have the strength to control it anymore. 

I don't know what I'm expecting him to do, but somehow this stranger, this guardian angel, knows exactly what I need. 

He scoots across the leather bench seat. Without a word, he pulls me into his arms.
And he lets me cry.

Despite the damage caused by her experiences and knowing Knox is not the sort of guy her family and friends would approve of, Leigh Anne can't deny what she feels when he's near or how he seems to want to be with her:

I think of the way he held me that night in the dark. He pulled me into his arms without a second thought and never questioned my pain. I think of the butterflies I feel every time I'm near him. Butterflies I just tried to force with Preston just to prove I'm still alive. That I'm not broken.

Only the truth is I am broken.

And the guy right here in front of me is the only one who sees it. For some reason, he seems to like me anyway.

Leigh Anne must grapple with what has happened to her, her return home and what it is she wants to do.  She struggles in her relationship with her Mother, who is more concerned with what others might think than how her daughter truly feels.  Leigh Anne reconnects with her high school friends and while there is a level of comfort, Leigh Anne can never really move beyond her experience at college and struggles to properly fit in.  Her disappointment at having to return home and her frustration with her families response to events surrounding her return mean that she feels very alone and disconnected.

She encounters Knox at different times (generally when she really needs help!) and each time he accepts what she has to offer and responds in a way that gives her comfort, confidence and a sense that perhaps she will be okay.  Knox is just wonderful ... his past is troubled and yet he has found a way to be comfortable in his skin and make the most of what he has.  He is not from the wealthy circles that Leigh Anne's mother prefers, and yet he is rich in ways her mother and some of those people will never be.  He is honest about who he is and encourages Leigh Anne to look beyond expectations of others, to find enjoyment in simple things and most importantly, seek acceptance from herself.

"I'm not afraid", I say, but I'm lying. I'm terrified. Not of the water or the swing. I'm terrified of what I'm feeling for him and how perfect he seems to be. I don't deserve this. I don't know what to do with this.

"If you're not afraid, then what the hell are you waiting for?"

The sadness I've been carrying around for so long urges me to take a step back, away from the edge of this mountaintop. But there's a growing hope that tells me to seize this moment with both hands.

What the hell am I waiting for?

Breathless, I jog toward the woods, slip out of my jeans and toss them to the side. I reach out for the swinging rope, catching it on its second pass toward the shore. There are several tight knots and I grip the highest one with two trembling hands. I back up the hill until the rope is taut, and with my heart beating fast, I hold on tight.

And I fly.

The Trouble with Goodbye tackles a story that I suspect happens more frequently than we know.  Despite the negative events and their consequences for Leigh Anne I actually felt a sense of hope as I read.  Leigh Anne is a wonderful character - broken by events, but not to the point of losing who she is and with Knox's strength she finds herself again.  I really enjoyed The Trouble with Goodbye.

4 out 5 stars

 
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  Sarra Cannon grew up in a small town in Georgia where she learned that being popular always comes at a price. She is the author of the young adult paranormal Peachville High Demons series, which she first began self-publishing in October of 2010. Since the series began, Sarra has sold over 120,000 copies and recently signed a contract with Sea Lion Books to create a graphic novel adaptation of Beautiful Demons, the first book in the series.

Sarra lives in North Carolina with her amazing husband, her new baby boy, and her teeny tiny Pomeranian, Snickerdoodle.

 
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