Category Archives: Marvelous Monday Reads
Marvelous Monday Reads: A Mate For the Sheriff
Welcome to another edition of Marvelous Monday Reads, angels! Today I’m featuring April Zyon and her hot new shifter romance A Mate For the Sheriff (Shifters Match.com 4). Take it away, April!
Jessica Morris has a secret that could get her killed. Hiding in plain sight, pretending to be normal, is all she’s ever known. And even though she’s been lucky so far, she knows that she can’t hide in Shifter Falls forever. Getting involved with the town sheriff is the last thing she needs, but lately it’s all she can think about.
Novak Porter has watched Jessica since the first day she came into town. He suspects that, like everyone else in Shifter Falls, she’s got a skeleton or two in her closet. She’s nervous around him, and for years he’s forced himself to give her time. But when a chance encounter throws them together for more than five minutes, Novak decides he’s tired of waiting. He’ll do whatever it takes to keep her around. Convincing her to work for him is easy, but getting her to believe in happily ever after might be a little more difficult.
Story Excerpt
Jessica turned to the voice in the darkness. The sexiest voice on the face of the planet. “Sheriff,” she said, her pulse increasing when she turned to look at him.
He looked as if he had been built of stone, and again she wondered just exactly what sort of shifter he was. No one seemed to know, or be willing to share, which was very strange in a town like Shifter Falls. Then again, she didn’t let anyone know what she was, either, so it could just be a privacy thing.
“I’m not sure what’s going on, but suddenly all the electronics inside the car went completely dead. The lights, dash, everything. I’m afraid it’s the alternator, since it has a brand-new battery.” She might be a lot of things, but she wasn’t completely stupid. “And I think that Jagger’s cub swiped my cell phone, again, so do you think you could maybe call a tow for me?” She shook her head. “That little guy gets me every single time. I swear he’s taken more cell phones off of me than I can count. Phi is never able to find them, so there’s no telling what he does with them.” She was snickering as she said that. She didn’t know why she was talking so much, but she was.
The sheriff was watching her intently and didn’t seem all that bothered by her random rambling. He merely pulled out his cell and put in a call for a truck. “Mick will come get your car. He said to leave the keys on the passenger front tire since he might be a while. They had to pull a couple cars from a slough after some young twits decided that drag racing with their parents’ cars was a good plan. Come on, I’ll give you a ride home.”
She whistled. “Oh boy. I bet there are going to be some kids in serious trouble about right now. Thanks for the offer of the ride.” She grabbed her purse, locked the car, and put the keys on the front passenger tire as she had been instructed. “You’ll probably be going out of your way a bit. I live at twenty-nine Forest Acre Road.” It was a dirt road surrounded by forest and she loved it. Nature called to her, and at least there she didn’t have to worry about nulling any abilities as she typically did when she was near other witches.
“No worries at all. It keeps me out of the station until the parents have finally wound down to a dull roar and the kids have had a few minutes for everything to sink in. Anyhow, I think that an hour’s worth of stewing before I arrive to come up with some interesting charges might help the situation. By then I’ll know if the lawyers have actually been called in or not and can figure out how to play this to keep the kids from doing something worse down the line.” The sheriff held her door for her, then shut it when she settled into her seat. A minute later he was setting out reflective markers behind her car before sliding in behind the wheel to take her toward town and home.
“You are a good man. Too bad you can’t keep a secretary to save your gorgeous ass.” She felt her face turn red from heat when she realized she’d blurted that out. “Crap, ignore me. I don’t know what I’m saying.” She cringed, but then shrugged. Since it was too late to take her candid observation back, she pressed on. “Well, from what I understand, you have gone through thirteen of them inside of three months. That’s outstanding right there.”
He leveled a look on her she couldn’t read. She was only thankful he seemed to ignore her initial comment and it allowed her cheeks to cool. “I have a specific way I expect things to be done. And, I admit, my temper can get the best of me. Everything we do can be called into question inside a courtroom. If even one I isn’t dotted right, or a T was missed being crossed, that is potentially a dangerous offender being allowed out on the street due to clerical error. Unacceptable in my book so, yes, I have some impossibly high standards I expect to be carried out by every man and woman in the department.”
“No, not impossibly high standards. They are perfectly reasonable. The way that everyone made it sound you were seriously a neat freak nut job, but what you’re saying doesn’t sound like that at all.” She understood the importance of perfect record keeping, of ensuring that everything was where it should be at all times. “When the council took me on as their secretary, I had to redo a hell of a lot of stuff because the person before me couldn’t seem to understand that paperwork is filed by number then letter. Idiots.” She smirked and looked over at him. “I guess I have high standards as well. Then again since I’m a witch without abilities, I have to be able to contribute somehow, right? Especially with my mother’s coven proclaiming me to be nothing but a human.” That’s what all of Shifter Falls thought of her, and she was happy to keep it that way. When she’d first started out on her own, she’d wondered if it wouldn’t have been smarter, and safer, to try to hide even the fact that she’d been born into a witch family. Ultimately she’d decided that it was better to stick as close to the truth as possible. So she never tried to hide the fact that she had been born to witch parents. It was unlikely that she would ever run into anyone from her old coven, but on the off chance that she did, she didn’t want to arouse suspicion by being caught in a lie. Besides, being known as a witch without powers—therefore, more or less, human—kept her just as safe as if she’d tried to pass herself off as a normal human.
“I’m glad you understand. Few do,” he muttered. “I think the council foisted their rejects my way for some form of payback. They all loved the idea when the mayor had me run for office and I won by a landslide, but the minute I arrested the first council member and wouldn’t take a bribe, they started to wonder. Told them the same thing I told the mayor when he hired me—I was going to run things my way, and if they found someone that could run against me and get elected that would be the only way they’d get me out of that seat. They haven’t had any luck yet.”
Jess knew it was because the sheriff was respected by every citizen in the Falls as well as the other two cities that made up their exceptionally small county. While not everyone agreed with his methods and strict by-the-book ways, they liked how he’d cleaned up and kept the area protected from a drug problem several years back when he’d first taken the position.
“You cleaned up the area. No one would run against you. You’re too good at your job, so it is what it is.” She shrugged. “You are strict and you can be an ass from what I’ve been told, but then again there are a lot of falsehoods that fly through Shifter Falls, aren’t there?” she asked with a smile.
“True enough. The trick is determining what’s truth and what’s lie in everything that goes around town. It’s amazing what one can discover the moment they find that tiny thread and give it a tug. After all, there’s not a soul in this town that is exactly who they appear to be on the surface once you dig down a little further.”
Where to Buy
Evernight Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble
Bookstrand | Smashwords | iTunes
About April Zyon
Having been a lover of the written word all her life April has always wanted to expand her horizons and write something that could be shared with the world. Only one thing held April back, the fact that the letters and numbers mixed and jumbled more often than not. Diagnosed with Dyslexia when she was eight years old April had to work her butt off just to be able to keep up with the other kids in reading and writing, so her love for fictional writing was tossed to the wayside for the moment.
Time marched on, as it always does, and she forgot her childhood dream of becoming an author and instead focused on what she had to – creating a career for herself. As the endless waves of time passed the shores became less rocky and more sandy, a place where she could find an even foot. That and Microsoft invented Word. Hallelujah. This is where April began her journey into the written world, the world that her imagination had been ceaselessly creating for her entire adult life.
Now she has been given a chance to let her literary wings unfold and fly, thanks to the amazing publishers with Evernight Publishing and Secret Cravings Publishing. Now its time to let the dream take flight and watch it soar!
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Marvelous Monday Reads: Cover Me
Welcome to another edition of Marvelous Monday Reads, angels! Today I’m featuring Kacey Hammell and her delicious new May/December romance Cover Me. Take it away, Kacey!
Thank you so much for sharing my new release with your readers! I hope everyone enjoys the story as much as I did writing it.
Wanting her son’s best friend shouldn’t feel so right …
Jay Savage is one of the most sought after models in the business who seems to have it all. He’s the face of romance novel covers from coast to coast, and has expanded his brand to an executive role. Despite the endless possibilities in his life, Jay doesn’t have the one woman he wants most. She is everything he needs, and everything he can’t have. Their age difference isn’t the only obstacle standing in the way of convincing her they were made for one another. Leanne is also his best friend’s mom.
On Nita Lake to celebrate the marriage of her son, Leanne Hogan is faced with the most delicious temptation she’s ever encountered. Their smoldering heat burns down her defenses, and Leanne finds herself giving in to the only man who tempts her banked desires. They shouldn’t work. Can’t work. So why does it feel so right when she’s in his arms?
Story Excerpt
Leanne finished tying the strap of her bikini top, stomach rioting with butterflies, a permanent grin on her face.
Oh, you besotted fool. Chill the fuck out.
In the bathroom mirror, she scrutinized the red bikini and the small stretch marks across her tummy that she still loved because they reminded her of Beau. She cringed at the darker and more prevalent marks across her hips and over her ass. Not the perfect markings a man might want his lover to have.
What the hell. Jay hadn’t minded them last night, and she didn’t want to dwell on them now. He’d promised lighthearted fun and having a good time. Those were two things she needed in her life right now. Thoughts of tomorrow, a week away or six months down the road, weren’t to be discussed or pondered. The here and now was what mattered.
And what woman in their right mind wouldn’t love to have one of the hottest and sexiest models on her arm wherever she went? Leanne laughed, a foreign sound to her, but happiness bloomed inside her.
After admiring herself once more, she turned the doorknob and strode into the living room. Jay’s eyes lit up seeing her. Her breath caught in her throat as his gaze darkened and heat arced its way through the air, surrounding her. Body tingling, she lifted the sundress in her hands and drew it over her head. While she didn’t mind his eyes following her, or lounging on a beach, there was no way she’d stroll through the hotel on full display for everyone to see.
“Damn, had to cover that glorious skin, didn’t you?” Jay wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her lips.
“The hotel guests won’t want to see me half-naked, thank you very much.” She grinned up at him, her fingers brushing his chin. “As much as I love you looking at me, I’m not that adventurous.”
“Hm.” He hauled her in tight. So tight, the hardness in his shorts poked against her. She smiled, thrilled she had such an effect on him. “Yes. Good idea. But my reasons are selfish. I don’t want other men setting eyes on your hot bod.” He slid his hands down her spine and cupped her ass. “I claim it as all mine.”
She kissed his chin, loving the fun and his sexy words, then stepped back. “Well, a man has never claimed me like that. I kinda love it.” She winked, grabbed her shoulder bag off the hook, and strode to the door.
Jay followed close behind. He slung an arm over her shoulder as they walked to the elevator and kissed her cheek. “I need to stop in my room, change, and grab beach stuff.”
Leanne pressed the down button and nodded. “Why don’t I meet you in the lobby? I’d like to grab water and snacks, unless you need a huge breakfast? Or a few snacks from the kitchen?”
He led her into the elevator when the doors opened and pressed the button for the third floor. “Sounds great. I shouldn’t be long. Just make sure you’re waiting for me, woman.”
Leanne snickered as he backed her into the wall and crowded against her. Her nipples tightened behind her bathing suit, and it almost hurt to breathe. It was as if her body were on fire, stoked and raring to go, and his touch was nearly too much while it soothed her deep.
“I’ll definitely be waiting for you,” she said breathlessly.
Jay groaned and lowered his head to claim her lips. She gripped his biceps as he took her into the decadent abyss of his taste and passion. As though they’d never spent last night making love, her body strained against his; she was more than eager to be with him again. The image of her climbing his body with her legs, settling around his hips, invaded her thoughts.
Leanne clutched his shirt in her fists, desperate to keep him this close as he swirled his tongue inside her mouth, giving all his passion to her. The walls of her pussy clenched. Maybe they should go back to her room for a few hours. Urgency filled her and made her want to sate herself in everything he had to give. Who was she kidding? Even a few hours wouldn’t be enough to satisfy her.
He lifted his head, his breathing deep as he laid his forehead against the wall beside hers. “Jesus, woman, you’re going to fucking kill me. My cock’s so hard, I swear these shorts just grew two sizes too small.”
As if to convince her, his hips shifted, and the length of his dick was very noticeable.
The ding of the elevator rang loud in her ears, and Jay drew away.
He opened both arms, holding the doors apart. His lips red and swollen, he was mussed like a man well loved. Leanne grinned at him.
“Don’t look so pleased with yourself.”
She winked and glanced down at the tent in front of his shorts, then licked her lips.
Where to Buy
Evernight | Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Bookstrand
About the Author
Canadian-born author Kacey Hammell is definitely a book-a-holic. A romance reader from a young age, she fell in love with happily ever afters. These days, as a multi- published erotic romance author, she enjoys adding a lot of heat, sass, and emotion to the many genres she writes.
Mom of three, Kacey lives her own happily ever after with her perfect hero in Ontario, Canada.
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Marvelous Monday Reads: Race to Redemption
Welcome to another edition of Marvelous Monday Reads, angels! Today I’m featuring Shari Elder and her new SF romance Race to Redemption. Take it away, Shari!
Thank you so much for hosting me. I’m thrilled to be here and have the chance to share my story. Race to Redemption (Green Rising Book #1) is science fiction romance jam-packed with action, one panty-melting hero, sexy alien races, and a kickass heroine. In the story, a pilot and a doctor race across the desert to prevent a deadly plague while fighting the pull of their own hearts.
A woman who lost everything.
Intergalactic storm racing champion Elaina Carteret had it all – fame, wealth, men – until a horrific accident took it away. To get it back, she agrees to pose as Lainie Carter, medical transport pilot and corporate spy. Her risk-taking attitude infuriates Dr. Erik Johansen, who runs the outpost with an iron hand, a permanent scowl and the tightest bod on the planet.
A man desperate for redemption.
Unable to forgive himself for a past tragedy, Erik works himself into an early grave. He has no patience for the insubordinate Lainie Carter, who can’t take an order, disrupts routine and flames his body to ash.
A planet at risk.
When the outpost is attached, they’re thrown together in a race across the desert to stop a deadly biogenetic weapon As a fragile trust blossoms between two damaged hearts, their pasts resurface and threaten their growing bond.
Story Excerpt
Elaina and Fintarl transferred the meds from the craft to the supply hut. This was her last stop today. Her routes varied daily her first month on the job. Someone was either trying to ramp up her knowledge of the terrain and facilities quickly, or prevent her from finding out too much. The collections of mysteries and snippets of information she’d gathered made her head hurt. All she wanted was a bath to wash away the stink of too much desert driving and a nap to give her mind a few minutes to turn off. Fintarl’s toothy scowl warned her that wasn’t on the agenda.
“Boss man. Want.”
She raised an eyebrow at the Ranharran and took a deep breath before heading to Erik’s office. He kept their exchanges to a minimum during her regular drop-offs at this facility. She was getting under his skin, she knew it. A meeting had to mean she pissed him off somehow. Good. It gave her another opportunity to ramp up the heat. Anger was close enough to lust to wedge open a door.
Shoulders pulled back, head high, she barged into his office. She’d always been good at bravado and she liked to keep him off balance. “Hey farm boy, you wanted me?” She flashed him a flippant smile to push the double entendre right into his face, and all she got was a grimace in return.
I’m only getting started, Dr. Johansen.
Settled on the mud blocks that passed for seats, she arced her back to offer up breasts wrapped to perfection in a tight white tank. The perspiration worked in her favor. It molded the top around her so she was as good as naked, maybe better. Her bare legs, firmed by countless hours in the gym, crossed in front to put all that toned flesh on center stage. Take a good long look, boss man.
Days of beard growth and a rumpled shirt signaled erratic hours and insufficient sleep. It seemed to have gotten worse since the last time she’d seen him. Was it only days ago? The world of secrets and hurt he dragged around on his shoulders was devouring him from the inside out. Why he avoided her when he could benefit from the physical release she offered confused her. He didn’t even have to like her to screw her. Still, he stayed away.
Erik pushed his too-long hair off his face with one hand and a package across his desk toward her with the other. The flicker of lust that darkened his eyes when she ran her hand from breast to thigh, he quickly buried. Droplets of sweat glistened along the carved muscle of his forearms. A tattoo—a yellow sphere sitting on a black line encased in a blue circle—peaked out from his shirtsleeve. Like Saskia. How odd.
“One of my better ideas, yes?”
“Ms. Carter.” Stiff formality. “On the job for a month and you’re already messing with the medical packaging? Until you show me a pharmacology degree, don’t do it again.”
“Seriously, Erik? It’s the Ranharran equivalent of string and paper. No harm done to the medicine, and I can increase the load by thirty percent. The more I move the better for everyone.”
“You’re missing the point.” He enunciated each word like it hurt to say. “The meds are volatile. Any shift, no matter how small… Damn it, Lainie, do you have any idea how dangerous this stuff is? You could get someone killed.”
“I’m trying to save lives.” Her eyes closed, she swallowed hard, trying to keep her frustration from spilling out. A raised voice wouldn’t get her very far. She already tried that. “I don’t get you, Erik. This compound is thirty miles from the Karas border. Your medical supply closet’s always running on empty, the transportation infrastructure on this planet is deteriorating and rumors that the Den Vedran Corporations are arming the Ranharran mercenaries are escalating. With unpredictable storms that can close transit corridors at any time, I’d think you’d welcome ways to move more medicine.”
His faced blanched at one point through her tirade, but was now back to its normal grim. “Not. The. Point. I won’t have my orders questioned by anyone. Without some discipline, I can’t ensure the safety of everyone under my protection. I’ll make it easy. Don’t tamper with my meds, or I’ll get a different pilot.” His lips thinned so tight they trembled. She wanted to kiss them calm after she beat him with a stick.
“You don’t want to get rid of me. Whose face would you use for target practice?” Her voice lowered, forcing him to lean closer. “And whose body would you think about when you jack off in those late hours when you’re crawling for relief?” She was guessing, but the way he struggled to suppress those flashes of longing when she got close to him convinced her she was on the mark.
“You’re trying to annoy me. Okay, it worked. No tampering, no arguments. Meeting over.” He ran his hands through his hair and pulled at the roots. His eyes looked haunted and decades older than his thirty-six years.
This was not about packaging or her rule-breaking proclivities. Whatever he kept sealed down tight was driving him to an early grave. Without thinking, she leaned over the desk and traced a finger along a blond eyebrow. He recoiled like he always did when she touched him.
“Yes, I do it to piss you off. You’re wound up so tight, farm boy, you’re going to snap.” Her finger slid down his cheek to his chin. “Let me in, Erik. I could help you reduce all that tension, but you stay so far away. So I poke.”
She pressed her breast against his arm to make her offer clear. “No commitment required. Just two people trying to get through the long, lonely nights.”
He pulled back. “I said we’re done here.”
She swallowed her anger and flipped him a bow. “Your highness. I’ll visit Sen and Qirta before I head back to Mendasa.”
“No miskberries.”
Sen’s favorite treat were hidden in a secret pocket in her bag. What Erik didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.
Where to Buy
Evernight | Amazon | Bookstrand
About Shari Elder
Hello, I’m Shari. By day, I crawl out of bed, mainline coffee, walk the dog, get my kid off to school, hop on the metro, and save cities within the four walls of my office. Usually by email.
At night, the other Shari emerges. I take off the suit, curl up on the couch and let my imagination play, with words and images until stories take shape (while periodically checking on my teen-ager, hiding out in the bedroom and plotting world domination). As my alter ego, I save cities in a cape and spangled tights, wander space and time on a surfboard, fly over the Himalayas on feathered wings, make six-toed footprints in indigo talc snow on the sixth planet in the Andromeda galaxy or eavesdrop on Olympian gods while pretending to whip up a bowl of ambrosia.
In all these wondrous worlds, romance and passion blossom. I can’t resist a happy ending. And I am particularly prone to writing happy endings for those who have given up on ever getting one. That gives me immense satisfaction.
Join me on my journey. The best ideas emerge from team work.
Marvelous Monday Reads: Bound By Destiny
Welcome to another edition of Marvelous Monday Reads, angels! Today I’m featuring Allyson Young and her new shifter romance Bound By Destiny (Blue Star Shifters). Take it away, Allyson!
River Fortuna’s wolf is awake and pacing, anticipating their first heat. Traumatized by early misunderstandings of shifter sexuality, River intends to avoid being claimed at all cost. She doesn’t plan on meeting handsome, virile Alpha Jett Reeves.
Jett is instantly drawn to River, his pheromones flooding to trigger her heat and force her sexual surrender, despite her tangible—and unlawful—means of avoidance.
Initially a mindless slave to her hormones, River comes to accept Jett past his ability to assuage her sexual need and falls in love with him. Unable to label his myriad of feelings, Jett doesn’t reciprocate, and she is devastated, realizing she is locked in a lifelong, loveless partnership.
Attacked by a rogue shifter, River wakes with no memory, and Jett must face the fact that what he felt for River all along was love—and find a way to bring her back to him.
Story Excerpt
They rode the elevator to the sixth floor in near silence, the eddies of lust making the small space nearly insufferable for him, and his mate leaned against the wall as though she might slip to the floor any moment. Her brow and temples glistened with sweat and her fingers twitched spasmodically. She was coming into her full heat and fighting it all the way.
Stepping off when the doors opened, he strode in the direction the small arrow indicated and found the room within several yards. The key card gave them entrance and he flicked on the light. He shoved the cases just inside the door, blocking the heavy panel with his forearm so it wouldn’t close. “In you go, River.”
Did women trudge? His woman did, despite the trembling of her entire body. His heart ached at her trepidation despite the all-encompassing lust he experienced. Her head down, intense need radiating to pull him in, he threw the deadbolt, and then gave in to what their nature decreed.
Thrusting his hand through her thick mane, his fingers weaving among the long, silky strands just as he’d fantasized, he drew her head back and forced her to look him in the eyes. Hers were dilated, the rich brown irises nearly eclipsed by the stark black of her pupils. Square, white teeth clenched her full bottom lip, presumably to control panting, because she drew draughts of air in through her nose. He could detect the threads of resignation weaving through her vast need, her intense heat rapidly eclipsing any coherent thought. Regret that he’d caused this once again pierced his own narrowly shrinking focus—but only briefly. He lowered his head and took her mouth.
Sweetness and life burst over his senses at his first taste, and he groaned against her full lips even as his tongue made a foray past them. River totally surrendered, as female wolves do when they met their fated mate, and he barely had time for that thought—fated mate—before he wrapped an arm around her limp form. Two steps and they fell to the big bed, the mattress compressing beneath their combined weight as he ravished her mouth. She opened to let him in and gave up all the flavor that was uniquely her.
He reluctantly tore his lips away to rear up and shred the plain shirt that hid her from his view. Her lightly tanned skin filled his vision as her utilitarian bra met the same fate, and he noted with pleasure how modest her tan lines were. His wolf rose up. Mine. The growling claim resounded in the room and her eyes fluttered open and she blinked. Behind the thicket of her dark lashes, a sexual haze again blurred the rich chocolate, and her lids drifted shut.
Once they came to know one another, their coming together could be slowed and savored, but for now, he needed to visibly establish his claim. His frantic cock shuddered in agreement as he demolished the tough denim of her jeans, taking care not to score her soft skin with a claw.
With her nude beneath him, his gaze drawn to the soft, pale fur at her apex, he willed his other-self back, and his claws retracted. Lord knew what she’d seen when she’d stared up at him. Probably a wild-eyed beast intent on its succulent prey, and he blessed the Mother and the mating heat that River hadn’t screamed in fear. Only an alpha could partially shift, and it was unlikely she’d seen one in such a state before.
His own apparel fell away as he quickly stripped and then blanketed his mate’s writhing form. Velvety flesh met his own in a haze of heat and sensation.
“Please.” Her plea was strangled and all the more evocative because of it.
“I’ll take care of you,” he promised. “Always.”
Where to Buy
Evernight | Amazon | Bookstrand | All Romance eBooks
About Allyson Young
Allyson Young lives in cottage country in Manitoba, Canada with her husband and numerous pets. She worked in the human services all across Canada and has seen the best and the worst of what people bring to the table. Allyson has written for years, mostly short stories and poetry, published in small newspapers and the like, although her work appeared in her high school yearbooks too! After reading an erotic romance, quite by accident, she decided to try her hand at penning erotica.
Allyson will write until whatever she has inside her is satisfied- when all the heroes man up and all the heroines get what they deserve. Love isn’t always sweet, and Allyson favours the darker side of romance.
Marvelous Monday Reads: A Forever Kind Of Thing
Welcome to another edition of Marvelous Monday Reads, angels! Today I’m featuring Elodie Parkes and her new MM erotic romance A Forever Kind of Thing, now available from Emcompass Ink. Take it away, Elodie!
Businessman Will has hoped to meet musician Josh for so long, he’s astonished and elated when Josh finally notices and pursues him at one of the band’s gigs.
After a heady night of love, Josh is devastated when Will turns out to be a millionaire. He’s not a hustler. He couldn’t take and he couldn’t compete. He retreats into his music.
Will is sure they could have something special and tries to prove his love for Josh in the only way he knows how. Trouble is—it’s the wrong way.
Josh is shocked to discover he can’t forget Will.
They want each other. Their chemistry is scorching.
But Josh is running in the opposite direction as Will longs to love him.
Can love triumph?
Story Excerpt
Josh saw Will at one end of the bar and his heart leapt. Flutters started up in his stomach and he took a deep breath trying to steady himself. The encounter had rocked him to the core. He’d never in his wildest dreams expected to feel the way he did about a man whose name he still didn’t know. I want to, though. I want to know all about him. I want him in my life, and from the way he responded, he wants me bad. That’s great. I need it.
He watched the play of emotions cross Will’s face as he approached and stood close.
“Hi. I’m Josh Winters and you are…?” He grinned mischievously.
“Will—Will Trenton.” Will’s eyes held warmth, affection, and desire.
A spark of recognition lit in Josh’s mind. “That’s a familiar name, but I wouldn’t have been able to put a face to it. Are you famous or something?” He gestured to the bartender.
“A beer thanks—and for you?” He gave Will a tender look designed to tell the guy he liked him a lot.
“The same but let me … let me get them.”
Josh shook his head. “We have a tab.”
He saw a look of worry flit through Will’s eyes.
“It’s really okay, Will.” Josh moved even closer to Will. The toe of one boot touched the toe of Will’s. He gazed into Will’s eyes. Time slowed for Josh. This man was even more attractive close up with his handsome face lit by the bar’s sparkling white downlights. He took in the shade of stubble and wanted to bite Will’s chin. He ached to grab Will and thrust his tongue between those perfect lips. He recalled the way Will’s thick hair had felt as he grasped a handful. Softness filled his stomach. He didn’t know if this was love, but it sure was tenderness.
Where to Buy
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon Global
About the Author
I’m a writer who is in love with happy endings, currently based in southern UK.
I love music, art, flowers, trees, the ocean. I work with antiques by day and words by night. Like a vampire, darkness is my friend, that’s when the silence is only broken by an occasional hoot of owls in the woodlands opposite my home, and I write.
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Marvelous Monday Reads: Lost In Magic
Welcome to another edition of Marvelous Monday Reads, pumpkins! Today I’m featuring Rose Wulf and her newest romance, Lost In Magic. Take it away, Rose!
Hello! Thank you for having me today! I’m super excited to share with you my latest release, LOST IN MAGIC (Night Shadows 4)!
Nearly a year after losing her best friends to vampires, Allison Drake knows it’s time for a change. And a nice cruise to the Bahamas sounds like just the ticket. She meets a sexy man on day one and knows it’ll be the vacation of a lifetime. But she’s not prepared for passengers to start disappearing under mysterious circumstances, or the implications that follow.
Mick Darringer is on the cruise not for the destination, but for the distraction. He needs to lay low and he knows the Council would never think to look for an earth witch on a cruise. It wasn’t part of his plan to meet a beautiful woman, but he’s not about to walk away. Ali captivates him from the moment he lays eyes on her.
But it’s not long before they learn that this cruise has problems. Problems in the form of vampires.
Story Excerpt
I should call Mick. He was bound to start worrying. And it wasn’t like she didn’t want to hear his voice. She was just worried the distance of a phone call would actually make her feel worse. You’re stalling. But calling herself out on her cowardice didn’t seem to be working this time.
Ali nearly jumped out of her skin when someone knocked loudly on her door.
She tightened her arms around herself and looked toward the locked door. Would it be Warner again?
“This isn’t over, Ali,” Warner had said with one hand on the door handle. Whether he’d actually said it as a threat or she’d simply heard it is as one she’d never know. But it’d been nearly half an hour since that conversation and he didn’t strike her as patient.
I wish these doors had peepholes. She didn’t understand why those things weren’t standard. But sitting alone on her bed wasn’t going to chase away whoever was at the door. Just answer it, tell them off, and then call Mick. He was surely waiting. It’d been a few minutes now since the announcement that the impromptu lockdown was over and they were all free to roam about the ship again. There was even the chance, she supposed, that the person at the door was Mick.
That was the thought that finally propelled her to her feet.
Still, her stomach clenched as she slid back the deadbolt. Just a peek. Mick was probably waiting by his phone. Why would he be worried about her?
It was a long moment before Allison realized she was staring into concerned green eyes. Gorgeous, familiar green eyes. She almost felt like crying. Almost.
“Mick?” As if that face could belong to anyone else.
“Ali,” he said on an exhale. There was an echo of fear in that voice. “I was worried.”
Her heart swelled and she opened the door properly, managing a smile. “Come inside,” she said. She didn’t want to be out and about in her hall at the moment.
Mick didn’t need to be asked twice. He stepped in, waited for her to shut the door, and then promptly pulled her by the hips up to his chest. He found her lips hungrily and she moaned as his tongue slipped into her mouth.
Ali curved her arms around his shoulders, letting one hand thread its way into his hair as their tongues danced. There was something in this kiss. Something more than attraction and opportunity. And whatever it was, she liked it. Wanted to lose herself in it.
Which was probably why he released her lips moments later.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice thick and his hands still heavy on her hips. Possessive. Comforting.
Stupid tears threatened her eyes for a moment but she fought them back and rested her head on Mick’s strong shoulder. Lie. Tell him yes.
“What’s wrong, baby?” This question was soft, washing right through her, punctuated by the arms he wrapped around her waist.
She hadn’t really wanted to lie to him, anyway.
Where to Buy
Amazon | Evernight | Barnes & Noble | All Romance eBooks | BookStrand | Kobo | Website
About Rose Wulf
Rose Wulf is a giant romance fangirl. Hot, protective, sometimes even downright barbaric heroes and spitfire heroines are her favorites. Rose has been writing for as long as she can remember, and over the years she’s only grown fonder of it. The bonds between characters have always captivated her, and as an author those are Rose’s favorite things to play with – not always to the relief of her fictional babies!
Behind the scenes Rose is a quiet personality. She enjoys spending her non-writing time with her German Shepherd, Shadow, her mom, and her friends. Be it a fun game of Cards Against Humanity or a relaxing movie night, Rose believes everything is better with company. As for her own romance, she’s still searching for her hero (and hoping that, when she does find him, he’ll be willing to cook!).
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon | Goodreads | Triberr | Instagram
Marvelous Monday Reads: His Mafia Princess
Welcome to another edition of Marvelous Monday Reads, pumpkins! Today I’m featuring April Zyon and her new erotic romance His Mafia Princess (Family First, Book 1). Take it away, April!
Thank you, for hosting me today. This book was truly one of those books that simply had to be written, it was one that was inside of my head and demanded to be let out. I hope that everyone loves it as much as I loved writing it.
I am doing a giveaway; 10 lucky winners will win a free copy of His Mafia Princess… read to the end to learn how.
Gregorio Bosco worked his way up the ranks of The Family. He never had trouble killing, selling, or anything he was tasked to do. He’d been trained to take over for Giovanni when he stepped down, but that all changed when Alessandra was taken. She was the only good in his life, and he’d do anything in order to protect her—no matter the cost to anyone around him.
Alessandra Morello was born into a life that she didn’t understand. She thought she was the daughter of a wealthy industrialist, however she learned it was far from the truth. She’s pulled into the center of a war with Gregorio as her only constant. Her attraction for the older man has only grown over the years, but can there be a future for them in their twisted world?
Story Excerpt
Gregorio was pissed off that he had been called to the mansion, again. He had to get a hold of his men, or the Boss wouldn’t let him take over in the timeframe given to them. It wasn’t because of his fuck up, but one of his underlings. The little bastard was dead now. Greg had personally seen to it. No one got away with stealing from the family, not under his watch. Period. Now if only he could get the Boss to agree that times needed to change and the stakes had to be higher so that their family ran even tighter, because the Russians were trying to move in on their turf and usurp their power. It was up to Gregorio as the Boss’s right hand—and eventual heir—to ensure that they died trying instead of taking over the area that they had carved out for themselves.
When he was let into the Boss’s study, he stood loose in front of the man. Gregorio was armed and ready for anything. “You called?”
“Gregorio, take a seat.” The man didn’t pose it as a question, and Gregorio knew it. It was an order. Once he was sitting, the Boss nodded. “I hear you took care of the mistake.” The Boss sneered as he said the last word, as if it were dirty. “And you made an example?”
“Yes, sir. I did. He’s currently hanging with his hands cut off and his gullet filled with molten silver. His silver-filled body was left on the lawn of the Russian Boss’s home, as per your request. We will need to be more careful with our recruits. How this one passed as Italian, I will never know. It was the theft from the small general store that got him. The girl recalled him speaking Russian as he stole from her. She was injured and in the robbery, she remembered our underling because he had come to collect the protection fee two days earlier.”
Gregorio smiled. It was a smile of pure darkness as he thought of the pain the man suffered. He then tilted his head slightly as he asked the next question. “You let your daughter leave without a guard?” Gregorio changed the subject to one he really wanted to know. That woman had gotten under his skin and had been there since she was sixteen when he saw her naked in the pool house. That was when he was third in the organization. Gregorio killed the second because he was jacking off to Alessandra. Only he was allowed to even think of her in that capacity, and he ensured that every-fucking-one knew it. Even the Boss knew now that Gregorio had declared himself to the man.
“She plays golf with her friends every Thursday. Her guards are with her. Have you learned more of her mugging?”
“I have.” Another reason Gregorio was angry; he was here when he should be tracking the bastards that hurt her. No one hurt her and lived.
“And?” the Boss asked impatiently.
“One of them is sitting in my basement tied to a chair. I was in the middle of discussing respect with the man when you called.”
“It’s more than respect,” the Boss said angrily. “You would do well to remember respect yourself.”
Gregorio had to bite the inside of his cheek. “Yes, Boss. I’m sorry.” He hated those words because it was a reminder of just how much more Gregorio had to learn. Just saying them had him wanting to kill someone.
“That’s better. You have to remember who you are speaking with at all times. Yes, I have been grooming you to take over, but that’s in the near future. In the meantime, you’ve much to learn, things I had to learn the hard way through trial and error and a lot of blood lost.”
“Thank you, sir.” Those words came from his mouth in a near growl. It wasn’t that Gregorio didn’t appreciate what the Boss was doing for him, but the simple fact was that he was impossibly impatient at times.
“Now, what was offered to Tomas to make him turn from his Family?”
“Half million and the promise of a new life. Beyond that, it was the tie to his long lost relative who was a Russian that we didn’t know about.” He shook his head decisively at that statement.
“The Russians are growing bolder. They are searching out long lost Russians in our family’s men and enforcers. Seems as if we need to work on our own genealogy so we can head these off at the pass when possible.”
“They want what we have. They want the docks. They want the refinery and everything else we have. Everything we’ve worked so hard to get.”
“That I worked so hard to get. That my Father worked so hard to get. Don’t forget, Gregorio, you are only being groomed because I didn’t have a son but a daughter. One that I would kill for and one that will never know the reality of her life.”
Greg knew the truth though. The old man had twin sons that were older than Alessandra, but they were born from his whore so they would never hold any sort of position of power inside of the organization.
“I agree. She’ll never know the truth of this life. Not as long as I live. That’s my blood vow to you, Boss.” He would give it too, his blood to keep Alessandra safe, to keep her pure and to keep her out of this life.
He was going to say something else when the doors opened. Gregorio was on his feet with his weapon drawn on reflex.
The man who stood in the doors literally pissed his pants. “I’m sorry, Boss, but we got a note you have to read.”
“Bring it.”
Gregorio holstered his weapon and watched. He was curious about what would have anyone daring to open the door when he and the Boss were in a conference. No one but Alessandra dared do such a thing. She would breeze in when they were planning war and not realize what she walked in on.
When the Boss stood fast enough to send his chair flying behind him, Gregorio knew it had to involve Alessandra. She was the only one that would garner that sort of reaction in the man. “Those fucking bastards!” The Boss yelled out his frustration. “Get everyone here.” He looked at Gregorio. “Someone took Alessandra. Took her in the middle of a crowded lunch at the Country Club.”
Gregorio saw red. He shook in his fury. “Who?” He spoke to the man that brought the note. “Where are her guards?”
“They were found in their cars, both with holes in their foreheads. Whoever did this made it personal. They wanted these men to see who killed them.”
“Boss?” Gregorio waited for his orders to find the woman that held both of their hearts.
“Go. Find her. Take her to safety. I’m done with these Russian bastards on our turf.”
“You calling a war?”
“They did when they took her,” the Boss said as he pulled his weapons from his desk.
Where to Buy
Evernight | Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Bookstrand | All Romance eBooks | Smashwords | iTunes
Giveaway
Simply click this link. (PS only available in the US, sorry!): https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/2f09835d46c86b22
About April Zyon
Facebook | Facebook Fan Page | Reader Group | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter | Website
Marvelous Monday Reads: R.I.L.Y. Forever
Welcome to another edition of Marvelous Monday Reads, pumpkins! Today I’m featuring Norah Bennett and her debut romance, R.I.L.Y Forever. Take it away, Norah!
Julia and Ethan meet at the age of sixteen and are drawn to one another, first as friends then as lovers. When everything and everyone Julia holds dear is threatened, Julia is forced to do the unimaginable. Under a veil of secrets and lies, the young lovers are violently separated. The last time Julia sees Ethan, he gives her a heart-shaped silver locket with the inscription, R.I.L.Y. Forever.
Twenty-two years pass before Ethan and Julia’s lives intersect again in a small town in Northwest Jersey. Their reunion is unexpected and emotional. Their passion reignites and their relationship flourishes despite Julia’s abusive ex-husband and Ethan’s possessive ex-wife. But the past rears its ugly head and the lovers soon discover that a foundation built on secrets will always crumble. Can Ethan and Julia overcome their painful past and learn the lessons of honesty, trust, and forgiveness in time to save their love?
Story Excerpt
Julia stopped walking, thinking, breathing! Her world narrowed to him—his tousled, thick, brown hair, his mesmerizing gray-blue eyes that changed with his every mood, and his long, thick lashes that were the envy of every girl in high school. Julia devoured Ethan with her eyes. She couldn’t help herself. She was starved. He was taller and more built than she recalled, but his handsome face with its square chin, slightly crooked nose from years of playing football, and full, sensuous lips, was the same image that visited her dreams nightly.
Julia knew the instant he became aware of her. He stopped answering Aimee as his gaze shifted and centered on her. His pupils widened and his eyes darkened to a smoky gray. Aimee followed his gaze. Her brows furrowed and she took a step toward Julia. But Ethan grasped her elbow and shook his head.
Julia’s eyes never left Ethan’s tall, muscular frame as he walked toward her. The room and all its inhabitants fell away until there was only him. The soft caress of his eyes touched every inch of her. She studied his face, but his expression was neutral. He stood silently examining her and it was left to Julia to break the silence. The problem was she had no idea what to say. No words were adequate to express how she felt. But as her eyes locked with his, she hoped they voiced what her lips couldn’t. She missed him. Missed him every second, minute, and hour they were apart. When he was hers, he was her best friend, her lover, her confidant. He was her everything. When she lost him, the ground beneath her feet shook so violently, it brought her to her knees and it took years to learn how to stand on her own, without him.
Tears pooled in Julia’s eyes and spilled down her cheeks. She wrapped her arms around herself. Ethan’s assessing gaze tracked her every movement and then his eyes, followed by his mouth, softened.
He remembered.
Where to Buy
Amazon US
Evernight
All Romance eBooks
About Norah Bennett
Norah is a contemporary romance writer living deep in the woods on a lake in NW Jersey. She has been married for thirty years to the love of her life. She has two adult children, a Great Dane, a Maltipoo, and a Cockatoo. There is never any peace in her house and she likes it that way.
By day she is a serious professor and administrator at a university in the Northeast. By night she lets her imagination flow as a romance writer. Although it is incredibly hard to balance both worlds, it’s a hell of a lot of fun walking around having this delicious secret, this alternate life that few people know about. Welcome to the world of Norah Bennett.
Marvelous Monday Reads: Beauty in the Beast
Welcome to another edition of Marvelous Monday Reads, pumpkins! Today I’m featuring Elyzabeth M. VaLey and her yummy new erotic romance Beauty in the Beast. Take it away, Elyzabeth!
With a flick of a wand a pumpkin can turn into a carriage. If you meet an old man on the road and are kind to him, you’ll be rewarded with a golden goose, or great riches. An ugly duckling can turn into a beautiful swan… do you remember the stories that made you dream? The stories that made you believe that anything was possible? The stories in which good always won over evil?
Yep, I’m talking about fairy tales. We’ve all read them, seen them, heard about them, in one way or another. I love fairy tales and when Evernight Publishing announced its submission call for a line of Naughty Fairy Tales, I knew I had to participate. The Golden Cock came to life together with a whole new world full of possibilities: The Witches’ Mischief series.
For centuries Soussanna Wiles has created strife in the world, but her powers have unleashed a force that can only be contained with the help of another: her daughter, Morgana. Now, the darkness is coming and the women must unite forces to fight against it with the strongest magic ever known: love.
But will it be too late?
Beauty in the Beast is the last book in the series. Now, is the time for good to prevail over evil… but will it?
In any case, don’t believe the myth that fairy tales are only for children. They’re for adults too and below is a list of things you’re going to love about these magical stories.
Top Ten Things to Love about A Naughty Fairy Tale (and The Witches’ Mischief series)
- Fantasy. Magic. Flick that wand. Show me some powers, baby. Soussanna Wiles knows how to use her magic to seduce and tease.
- The ancient powers of good versus evil are back. There’s a dark presence that looms over the world in The Witches’ Mischief series. That means…it’s adventure time, sweetheart!
- Did someone say adventure? Yep! Live it up with the characters. Get into a sword fight, climb out a window, outrun a group of thieves, run naked through a forest, and fight the shadow that threatens to destroy us…
- Speaking of naked, the key here is in the naughty. These aren’t kids running around. These characters are adults with needs. Things can get heated up before you can say abracadabra. The big bad wolf can be a Dom, the three little pigs can be three women, a bear can be a shifter, and a cock can have magical proprieties…
- Hot sex. Scorching hot sex.
- Humans, paranormal creatures, whatever they are, they have feelings, emotions, things we can relate to because we feel them too. For instance, Simon, the hero in Bear Heart carries heavy guilt in his heart for his past deeds. On the other hand, Christopher Bexley, the hero in Beauty in the Beast is more of a trickster at hear.
- The hero doesn’t always rescue the heroine. Sometimes it’s the other way around. Whatever the order, there’s always love. As Morgana the witch says: Love is power.
- Everything is possible in the fairy tale world.
- There’s a HEA. Of course there is a Happily Ever After. What kind of fairy tale would it be if it didn’t have one?
- These stories are all about hope and in this day and age we all need some more of that, right?
What are your favorite things about fairy tales?
Morgana Wiles has spent her life, alongside her mother, fighting against the arrival of the creature known as The Darkness. Unfortunately, neither of them were able to stop him and now he’s here, ready to destroy all that is good in the world. Morgana must face him, but now that the time has come, she finds that things are not as simple. Her mother is gone, self-doubt is creeping in, and her visions are unclear. To make matters worse, a man with evil intent has entered her life and is bent on complicating her mission. Will she be able to resist him in time to fight The Darkness or will she succumb and become that which she despises?
Christopher Bexley is no gentleman. He enjoys trickery, deceit, mischief and above all seduction. Sexual intercourse is the greatest source of power there is or at least there was, until he heard about the Gem. Now that he has discovered there’s a stone that can make him the most powerful magic user of all time, he must have it. The only problem is that the only other person that might know where it is, is a stickler for rules and being good. Morgana is too innocent for his liking, and there’s only one thing he can do to change that: corrupt her.
Story Excerpt
“Going anywhere, little one?”
She stared at Christopher. His hair was all over the place, his robe open to reveal a chest smattered with dark hair. His eyes glistened deviously, matching his grin.
“Are you keeping watch over me, Mr, Bexley?” She crossed her arms over her chest, hoping that he couldn’t see her beaded nipples.
Christopher laughed.
“No such lucky, Miss Wiles. I thought I heard a noise and came to investigate.” He looked her up and down. Her cheeks burned. “I suppose you heard something, too, or you would have dressed more appropriately before coming out of your bedroom.”
She hastened to cover herself up. Sweat dripped down her back.
“Don’t do it on my account, I’m quite enjoying the view.”
Morgana scowled. Where was this heat coming from? “No. I couldn’t sleep. I’m waiting for Anne.”
“Are you? I haven’t seen her since we arrived”
She licked her lips. She needed a fan. Christopher shifted his weight and it hit her. It was him. His energy was like a hot ball of fire. Like an animal that had come from a hunt, or from a run. Primal. He took a step toward her. His robe shifted, revealing more of his chest. How would it feel to run her fingertips across his flesh?
“Yes.”
“Are you all right? You seem flustered.”
“I’m fine.”
Christopher raised his eyebrows.
“I’m fine,” she repeated. She tucked her hair behind her ears. “I’m just tired.”
“Maybe you should try and get some rest. If you can’t sleep, I’ll be happy to hold you.”
“Like you’re holding the woman in your bedroom? I think I shall pass down your offer, Mr. Bexley.”
He shrugged. “Your loss.”
He started to turn around but stopped. “You know, Miss Wiles, I don’t think your rejection sounded very convincing.”
Morgana stared at him. “I beg your pardon?”
Christopher’s eyes lit up as he sauntered toward her. Morgana backed up against the wall. He crowded her against it, placing his arms on either side of her head.
“You’re smothering me.”
“Good.”
“Mr. Bexley, this is—”
Christopher dipped his head so that she was staring into his eyes. They were the color of crushed pine needles. “Mr. Bexley this, Mr. Bexley that.” He gently grabbed her chin. Her heart skipped a beat.
“You’ve been watching me, little one. Watching me and wondering about my energy. I can tell a woman’s, a witch’s curiosity, and you are dying to know what my energy feels like. Will it really make you feel more powerful? Will it hurt you? Is it what you need to defeat that dark thing you’re so afraid of? I don’t have the answer to any of that, but I can tell you the surge of power you feel when you share your body with another human being. It is amazing. Your powers will be heightened, and you will have the ability to be faster, stronger, and to learn things quicker.”
Morgana swallowed. She should get out of here now that she could, but she was mesmerized. Yes, she was curious, but she knew better than to be led on by a man like him. She took in a deep breath, determined to say something witty and be rid of him. Instead his scent curled around her. He smelled musky and masculine, different from anything she knew.
“I’m going to kiss you now, Morgana. I’m going to kiss you and show you an inkling of what this feels like.”
His lips mashed against hers before she could think to protest. Morgana froze. They were warm and soft. He pulled back a bit and kissed her again. Her eyes drifted shut. Christopher put his arms around her and pulled her closer. He took her bottom lip between his teeth and tugged. She gasped. Her heart hammered against her chest. Butterflies rushed throughout her body, touching her with their wings and making her fly. She wound her hands into his hair, the silky strands slipping against her fingers. His tongue wormed its way into her mouth, curling around hers. Sparks danced behind her eyes. She arched her back and moaned. She could feel the outline of his cock beneath his robe. Liquid fire rushed to melt between her legs. Her swollen nipples rubbed against the material of her gown, begging for attention. Energy crackled between them. She could hear it, feel it, and taste it in his kiss, in his touch. It was palpable. Christopher slid his hands down her waist, over her hips. She held her breath. He tugged her bottom lip between his teeth. She groaned, following his mouth even as he pulled back. He grasped her chin and tilted her head. Morgana opened her eyes. Christopher looked at her as if bewildered. His brow was furrowed and though desire still shone deep in his eyes, there was also something akin to amazement.
“What?”
He blinked and the moment was gone. His eyes lightened and he grinned mischievously. “There you have it, little one. The power of a kiss.”
Where to Buy
Evernight Publishing
All Romance Ebooks
Bookstrand
Amazon US
Amazon UK
About Elyzabeth M. VaLey
Considered weird by normal standards – what is normal anyway? – Elyzabeth M. VaLey enjoys making up songs about mundane things, doodling stars and flowers on any blank sheet of paper, talking to her Lab whenever he feigns interest and coming up with love stories to make readers dream.
From contemporary to historical or fantasy, she enjoys writing stories about good and evil, love and passion and all that comes in between happy ever after.
Blog | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Beauty in the Beast Pinterest
Marvelous Monday Reads: Clouded Hell
Welcome to another edition of Marvelous Monday Reads, pumpkins! Today I’m featuring J.R. Gray and his deliciously depraved new erotic romance, Clouded Hell. Take it away, J.R.!
I survive on avoidance. Physical pain to avoid the mental. Disposable flesh to avoid relationships. Work to avoid attachment. My club became my empire of avoidance. Inside the ring millions are won and lost. The fight is confined to breaths, actions and reactions, fists and pain. Rules don’t exist. Only my opponent exists.
I’d been avoiding my needs for far too long when Remi stumbles into the Inferno and I’m hungry. The promise of a submissive with no attachment is far too tempting. I can’t resist him. He was only supposed to be a distraction, but I know I’ll never get over him. There isn’t a chance in this clouded hell.
Story Excerpt
If I hadn’t seen the video of the fight, I wouldn’t have believed it. I clicked the button on my laptop to rewind it, to see the way his body moved. I gripped myself through my shorts and glanced over at Kai. He was busy inking a full back piece, and I doubted he’d even take a break for another hour. He couldn’t see me from where I sat. It would be so easy.
I trailed my fingers over the places Dante had left marks. I could almost taste them, even if the bruises had faded. I’d looked at them in the mirror over my bed and fucked my hand every night since I’d left. I groaned as I slipped my hand into my shorts.
I squeezed my shaft, digging my nails into the sensitive skin. I had to bite back a hiss of pain. Kai could easily walk out and see me. The rooms in the shop were three-quarter walls to divide the space with wide open doorways. Maybe I wanted to be caught. I kicked my feet out, watching a bead of sweat drip down Dante’s neck. When he threw a punch his muscles tightened, and it took me back to him swinging his belt. The sound of his fist hitting flesh was close, so close, to the way the leather sounded against mine.
I shouldn’t be imagining him touching me, but it was impossible not to. I wanted his hands on me. I wanted him to mark me with them. I was hit with the sudden realization he’d been acting when he was in the ring with me. He hadn’t even gone at half speed. He was a monster when he fought. It took every ounce of self-control I had to keep from getting up and into my Jeep to drive to the airport.
I used my free hand to unbutton my shorts and slide down my zipper, freeing my cock.
Where to Buy
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon CA
Print
Goodreads
About J.R. Gray
When not staying up all night writing, J.R. Gray can be found at the gym where it’s half assumed he is a permanent resident to fulfill his self-inflicted masochism. A dominant and a pilot, Gray finds it hard to be in the passenger seat of any car. He frequently interrupts real life, including normal sleep patterns and conversations, to jot down notes or plot bunnies. Commas are the bane of his existence even though it’s been fully acknowledged they are necessary, they continue to baffle and bewilder. If Gray wasn’t writing…well, that’s not possible. The buildup of untold stories would haunt Gray into an early grave, insanity or both. The idea of haunting has always appealed to him. J.R. Gray is genderqueer and prefers he/him pronouns.
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Nicola Cameron Writes 