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Fabulous Friday Reads: The Hotter The Love
Let’s kick off this lovely weekend with Lea Bronsen’s third and last book of her Hot Model Mine trilogy, The Hotter The Love. Take it away, Lea!
The Perfect Shoot (book #1)
When Andrea Johnson, writing as author Cindy Vega, signed up for a Meet & Greet with the cover model of her latest book, she didn’t expect sparks to fly. Yushka is dangerously good-looking and too young for her. But their connection is instantaneous, and during a photo shoot with the two, the photographer picks up on their growing attraction. Seeing the potential for THE cover photo of the century, he decides to push their comfort limits…
Get The Perfect Shoot at http://www.evernightpublishing.com/the-perfect-shoot-by-lea-bronsen/
Mine to Love (book #2)
The writing conference in sunny Cannes was fantastical, a dream. Back at home, reality catches up with author Andrea Johnson and the sexy cover model of her book, Yushka. With tough working schedules, challenging family relations, and seductive temptation from all sides, the couple’s explosive romance is put to the test. Will their love be strong enough to have a future?
Get Mine to Love at http://www.evernightpublishing.com/mine-to-love-by-lea-bronsen/
After sexy cover model Yushka proposed, life is more turbulent than ever for erotic romance author Andrea. He is expecting a baby with his ex-girlfriend, who says she doesn’t want to keep it. How will Andrea’s sons take upcoming life changes? To make things more complicated, her ex goes to great lengths to coax her back, and one of her sons’ girlfriend is a tad too interested in Andrea’s young and very handsome fiancé…
On the writing front, Andrea anxiously awaits news on her latest manuscript submission, and she has to decide whether to accept her publisher’s offer to model in a sexy photo shoot—the same kind she and Yushka did in Cannes—in the hopes of making a new “Cover Photo of the Year”. Considering the erotic poses the previous photographer demanded, can Andrea model with another guy other than Yushka?
Story Excerpt
We enter a hall so big the tiniest sound echoes. It’s quite humbling. I shrink in my clothes and barely dare to breathe. Dark wood furniture towers over us, with a mix of contradictory smells—orchid-scented sanitizer and old dust—filling the space.
Shoes clamping on a hardwood floor, we follow the tall, silver-haired man into a living room with exquisite furniture, gold-framed mirrors, and classic paintings on the walls. Heavy velvet curtains adorn the windows, and an impressive floor-to-ceiling library on one side has to contain literary curiosities from every part of the world. Marveling, I study each magnificent object.
The man stops and glares across the room, his facial expression clearly one of annoyance. What an oppressive atmosphere.
Yushka stands beside him and stares in the same direction.
I follow their gaze. A young and strikingly beautiful woman is half-seated on a green velvet couch with her legs folded underneath her. Dark doe eyes and pink lips stand out in a pale, oval face. A waterfall of rich, glowing auburn-colored hair contrasts with her white dress. She looks cast in a scene from the Russian classic Doctor Zhivago. Beneath full breasts, a pregnant belly protrudes, far too round and big for her frail frame. Jekaterina?
My chest tightens. The more I look at her, the more her beauty takes my breath away. She’s the woman Yushka was in love with last year. The one he slept with and impregnated.
Her gaze is riveted on him, the recognition and warmth fiery.
I shoot him a glance. His features are tight, as if he’s trying to hide his reaction, but he doesn’t take his gaze off her. This is exactly what I feared. They’ve had feelings for each other. Maybe meeting now will revive them. He has fallen for her once, so why would he not fall for her again?
I feel bad, nauseous, want to get out of here. But she’s carrying the baby girl I’m going to call mine very soon. I need to overcome my unease. Hopefully, once the formalities are done, this is the only time we’ll have to meet.
She tells him a few words in Russian, her voice the cooing of a turtledove.
Yushka replies calmly, but his throat sounds choked. He grabs my hand, palm sweaty, and leads me to a sofa opposite hers. His discomfort is more than clear in his features. He tears his gaze from her and searches me, his expression vibrating with an intensity I seldom see. It hits me—he’s afraid.
I squeeze his hand. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes,” he replies instantly, but his tension is palpable.
My chest tightens to a painful level. What is he so nervous about? From his interaction with Jekaterina, this has nothing to do with the baby. It’s about them, their relationship, and me. Is he afraid he’ll have to choose between us?
Goodness, I’m delirious. I sit very still, take small, shallow breaths, and pray for everything to be all right. Then bolt out of this house after the arrangements are resolved.
Jekaterina addresses me, her dark pupils glimmering. “You’re very beautiful. Are you a model, too?”
I’m as taken aback by her speaking a fluent English as I am by her compliment, and need a few seconds to shake myself. “Um, no, I’m not.”
She raises a brow. “That’s funny. I would’ve sworn you were a model. So how did you two meet?”
“At an author conference.”
Yushka clears his throat. “Andrea writes books, and I’m featured on the cover of her last one.”
“Oh, how exciting.” Her lips curve upward. I can’t decide whether it’s a genuine smile or she’s faking it.
“Yes,” he continues. “That’s why we … uh … were bound to meet. They had organized a Meet-and-Greet for authors and cover models of their books.” Why does he sound like he’s trying to make an excuse?
She flutters her long lashes at me. “What kind of books do you write?”
Before I can answer, her father walks over to a cabinet and picks up a bunch of papers. “All right, enough chit-chat.” His voice booms like thunder.
Where to Buy
Evernight Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Bookstrand | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | All Romance eBooks | Goodreads | Pinterest
About the Author
I like my reads hot, fast, and edgy, and strive to give my own stories the same intensity. After venturing into dirty inner-city crime drama with my debut novel Wild Hearted, I divide my writing time between psychological thriller, suspense romance, and erotic dark/contemporary romance.
I love to hear from my readers! Write to leabronsen@yahoo.com or meet me on:
Website | Lea’s Crazy Nights Blog | Facebook profile | Facebook page | Twitter | Amazon
Houston, we have liftoff!
I pulled the trigger and the Palace of Scoundrels file and cover are now at Amazon awaiting approval. I’ll post links here as soon as I get them. I’m currently setting up the Smashwords and ARe files, and again, links when they’re live. For those of you who prefer to hold a book in your hands, the print version will be up at CreateSpace by this weekend.
In the meantime, here’s a sneak peak of the cover. Enjoy!
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
Fabulous Friday Reads: Ever So Madly
Let’s kick off this lovely weekend with J.R. Gray’s newest romance, Ever So Madly, now available from Evernight and other online purveyors of fine romance. Take it away, Gray!
Love is for peasants, nobles marry for power. These are the rules Jocelynn has lived by. She is expected to be the poised and perfect vision of relentless power. Set to inherit the House of Akillie she was bred to rule. Men have never turned her head, until now
Madden achieved the impossible, the first in over a century to escape the life of hard labor and earn a place among the elite. With the chance for a fresh start, he has to stay focused, not damn himself by falling for the one girl forbidden to him.
Madden was an experiment in freedom, and she didn’t mean to fall. But now she can’t live without him. Some choices are easier than others, while some aren’t choices at all. He’s worth running from everything she’s ever known.
Jocelynn turns to a formidable group of rebels to escape her fate. But with a war to be won, the rebels have their own agenda. Drowning in a game of power and politics, Madden and Jocelynn can’t trust anyone if they want make it out alive.
Story Excerpt
A grin spread over his face. “Like that?”
I bit down on my lip and nodded as he slid lower replacing his hand with his mouth. My lips parted in a silent gasp as he hooked his thumbs in my shorts inching them lower.
“Yes…” My toes curled as I pulled my knees up, opening up for him further. “Too much.”
He explored my stomach with his mouth, blowing his hot breath over my skin. My eyes slid half closed as I toyed with his hair.
“If you keep saying too much, I’m going to start thinking you want me against your will.” He glanced up as me as he pushed my shorts even lower still with his chin.
“It’s not that…” My words trailed off turning into a soft moan when he bit at my hip.
“Then what is it?” His voice was low and husky, laced with need.
I had visions of us hot and sweaty, all wrapped up in each other. I flushed all over at the thought of how he would feel against me.
“It’s…” I pressed my eyes closed, tilting my head back. “I’m afraid no one else will ever feel this good, that this is my only chance, and you’re five hundred light years away.”
Where to Buy
Evernight
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon CA
Goodreads
Bookstrand (TBA)
All Romance eBooks (TBA)
Giveaway
J.R. is also offering a $20 dollar Amazon gift card giveaway! To enter to win, click the Rafflecopter link here.
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.
Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook | Tumblr | Tumblr | Mailing List | Blog | Amazon
Fabulous Friday Reads: The Alpha’s Taboo Mate (Blood Moon Lynx #1)
Let’s kick off this lovely weekend with the first entry in Ravenna Tate’s new Blood Moon Lynx shifter series, The Alpha’s Taboo Mate. Take it away, Ravenna!
Writing shifters was something I was asked to do by so many readers, I felt I had to try it. Did I hit a home run? Only time will tell.
THE ALPHA’S TABOO MATE is book one in my new Blood Moon Lynx series. Here is the link to the series page on my website: http://ravennatate.blogspot.com/p/blood-moon-lynx.html
Here’s the series blurb: One thousand years ago, in an unholy alliance, a male lynx shape shifter and a female vampire became lovers. Both knew their mating was forbidden, but their desire for each other was too great to ignore. Under a blood moon, they mated. The lynx bit the vampire woman, marking her as his mate. The vampire in turn bit the male lynx shifter, marking him as hers forever.
But then the lynx took a human female as a lover, betraying the vampire and pack law. When the vampire discovered his infidelity, she struck out against the two, but in the end couldn’t kill her lover. The human female and the lynx turned on the vampire. While she slept in her coffin during the day, they drove a stake through her heart. Unbeknownst to them, in doing so they turned the vampire’s mark of possession on the lynx into a powerful curse that affected his descendants for all eternity.
Despite centuries of mating with other female cat shifters, the male lynx shifters still have vampire blood in their DNA. Because of this, they possess powers that include being able to see minute details at great distances, and being able to travel with tremendous speed while in partial or full shifted form. Their powers are strongest during a blood moon. When they mate with a human, however, the offspring possess enhanced negative traits such as greed and contempt for the pack and its laws.
As the legend of the unholy alliance grew into a myth, fewer cats believed in it, thus exposing all the packs to dangers that still lurk today…
Alpha lynx shifter Canyon Benedict has always known Fiera Kent was his mate. When leopard shifter Hawke Medina tries to claim her, in order to use her as leverage to gain control of the Kent fortune, Canyon takes matters into his own hands. But even after he and Fiera are officially mated, the threat from the Medina family is far from over.
Fiera has loved Canyon from the time she was a child, and is thrilled when he sneaks her away to his family’s secret cabin across the river so they can be mated. But Hawke won’t let it go. Canyon and his father eventually discover illegal business practices that uncover the Medina family’s web of deceit and lies affecting their entire village.
But is it enough? Will Canyon have to fight Hawke to determine which alpha can finally claim Fiera for life?
Story Excerpt
A powerful orgasm overtook her. In response, Fiera arched her back and cried out. Surely his dick inside her couldn’t feel better than this. If it did, she’d pass out from sheer joy. He continued sucking her clit and finger fucking her until the contractions began to subside. Once they did, he lay on top of her again and kissed her.
Fiera wrapped her arms and legs around his hot, hard body and shoved her tongue into his mouth. She tasted her own juices, but she didn’t care. This was so damn wonderful she might never leave this cabin. They could stay here, making love until they couldn’t walk, and she’d be just fine with that.
“Oh, Fiera…” Canyon sat back on his heels and stroked his dick again, then moved closer to her and guided it toward the opening to her wetness. “Are you ready?” His voice was so rough and gravelly, but that only added to the excitement.
“Yes!” She’d been ready for this most of her life. “Take me, Canyon. Make me yours.”
With a loud groan, he began to ease his cock into her pussy. Fiera held her breath and bit her lip because it hurt. “It’s all right, sweetheart. Try to relax your muscles.”
“Okay.” She smiled up at him, touched that he’d noticed her discomfort.
Canyon bent down and kissed her again, gently working his lips over hers until Fiera was so focused on the kiss and the heady sensation it sent coursing through her body, she didn’t realize his cock was finally inside her. There was no pain now, only a fullness that sent shockwaves of desire out to her fingers and toes.
“Oh, yes. That’s it.” When Canyon began to move, Fiera threw back her head and moaned loudly as the most exquisite pleasure flooded her senses. “You’re mine now, Fiera. No one can take you from me. We’re bonded forever!”
Where to Buy
Evernight
Amazon
All Romance eBooks
Bookstrand
About Ravenna Tate
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads
Blog Tour: The Fundamental Theory of Us
Today’s guest post goes to Alyse Raines and her amazing new NA erotic romance The Fundamental Theory of Us, now available online from Evernight Publishing and other purveyors of fine erotic romance. Here are ten fun facts about Alyse!
- Six is my fav number. I don’t know why, it just is!
- I cried when I met Carrie Ann Ryan. Like, hands shaking, ugly tears, panda eyes crying. And she hugged me. #allthelove
- I have a Fender Strat and a ukulele and can’t play either of them because of a neurological disorder (Chiari I) that makes my hands weak and shaky. Doesn’t stop me from trying, though!
- When I told a fellow author friend I’m bisexual, her response was texting me nude pics of her in the bath. Yeah, I made that WTF?!?! face too.
- Most of my hair fell out (all over my crown and two big patches on the right side of my head) thanks to my condition, so I shaved my weird-shaped head. Sometimes I wear a wig.
- The crown Prince of Norway (Haakon the HAWT) heard me say he was sexy. And he said thanks. And blushed. And I died.
- I think redheads are sexy. Men AND women.
- But I also have a thing for tall, dark, and inked dudes.
- Don’t make me choose between Starbucks coffee and my own iced mint-and-green tea.
- My family is my life, and I am blessed to have them.
Andrew Warren’s future was with the Marines, until an IED took his leg and derailed his career. Now he’s flunking Fundamentals, and he enlists the help of his fellow App State freshman and off-campus neighbor, Sawyer Layne. It’s not just the beautiful blonde’s looks that intrigue him, but the hurt in her eyes.
Sawyer spends her days surrounded by numbers and nights with a bottle of vodka to numb the darkness of her past. Guys like sexy, tattooed Andrew are exactly what Sawyer needs to avoid. Look but don’t touch—that’s the rule. If only his eyes weren’t so blue, and his abs not so chiseled….
When Sawyer resists his brand of charm, Andrew uses every devious tactic he knows to pull her from her shell. Falling in love was never part of the plan.
Story Excerpt
Sawyer reached her floor and wondered if she should head into town and find an internet café to do some searching and get ahead on some of her schoolwork. Her gaze went to Andrew’s door. Stupid. She shouldn’t get involved. Everything Sawyer touched turned to shit—her entire life served as proof.
She had just put her key in the lock when his door opened, and Rosie bounded into the hall, followed by Andrew. He filled the doorway, his face half-hidden in shadows. His eyes shone, two impossibly blue beacons in the night.
While Rosie licked Sawyer’s fingers, Andrew sucked in a breath and she felt his gaze moving down her body. He never lingered too long, but everywhere he looked, her skin tingled. He looked up at her and she heard him swallow.
“Rosie,” he said, his voice rough and deep. It vibrated through her. The dog gave Sawyer’s hand one last lick and bounded back across the hall, her tail whacking the wall. “Sorry about that.”
“It’s fine.” Sawyer wished he hadn’t seen her in this. “Um, sorry about skipping out like I did. Rachel needed my help.”
Her mouth went dry as Andrew stepped out into the hall, wearing a pair of track pants and nothing else. The man was magnificent. The kind of model sculptors dreamed of carving into marble. Perfectly imperfect with all his scars, tattoos, and muscle. Powerful, but beautiful, too. Oh boy, those abs. If she could move at all, Sawyer would fan herself. Yep, Global Warming was all his fault.
“No worries.” Andrew’s fingers idly moved behind Rosie’s ear. “You left your pizza here, though.”
Sawyer shook her head. “No, it’s yours.”
She thought he’d press the issue, but Andrew only shrugged. “Big night?” He nodded at her outfit.
Sawyer laughed. “Like I said, Rachel asked me to do her a favor.”
One dark brow rose. “And that involved…?” He looked her leather Tinkerbell outfit over once more.
A prickly blush broke out every inch of her bare skin. “Not my idea. I don’t—dress like this. Ever.”
“Well, you look good.” He cleared his throat and glanced at the floor. The muscles in his chest tightened. “I’m just diving into this Fundamentals stuff. Well, drowning, more like it.” He smiled, reaching one arm behind him to scratch his neck.
Go inside. Lock the door. Hide. Sawyer squeezed her eyes tight, filled and emptied her lungs. When she opened her eyes, she saw Andrew watching her, a curious yet guarded shadow in his gaze.
“Do you need some help?”
He let his arm fall back to his side. The muscles flexed and relaxed, making his tattoos dance. “Only if you’re not busy.”
They had an agreement—and Sawyer always kept her word, when she could. “Give me a couple minutes?” She motioned to the leather, and regretted it when Andrew’s eyes darkened.
“Sure. I’ll be here.” He jerked his head toward his apartment.
Sawyer nodded, turned on her heels, opened her door, and slipped inside. For a few seconds, she leaned on the back of the door, giving her pulse a chance to calm down. The wood felt cool against her legs. She stripped out of the jacket, pulled the zipper on the dress, and let it pool around her feet, then stood in her bra and panties and heels, absorbing the chill. Five minutes with Andrew and her core temperature went way past critical.
After a minute, she straightened and gathered the expensive leather, and carried it to her closet, which was mostly empty. Everything she wore could be folded. What was the point of buying nice things when she didn’t want to be noticed? No one paid attention to the girl in oversized thrift-store clothes. No one except Andrew. And now he’d seen her like this. Sawyer caught her reflection in the closet door mirror. Through her white cotton bra, she saw the four long pink marks on her chest.
Sawyer turned away from the mirror. She hung the dress and jacket up, removed her heels and placed them on the closet floor. In her dresser, she pulled out a baggy sweater and a pair of jeans. She removed the makeup Rachel had painstakingly applied and she ran a brush through her hair, remembering that Andrew’s place didn’t have too much light. Besides, they’d be in school mode. Unlike most people she knew, studying to Sawyer was serious business, not an excuse to … do what other people seemed to do.
She left her apartment and knocked on Andrew’s door, keeping her gaze glued to the floor. She didn’t want to see the disappointment in his eyes when he saw her this time—now that he knew what she could look like when she made an effort. Because no amount of hell was worth taking that risk.
Where To Buy
Evernight
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon CA
Barnes & Noble
All Romance eBooks
Smashwords
Kobo
About Alyse Raines
Alyse Raines was born in Canada, and now lives in Los Angeles. She writes romance, and her obsessions include books, tea, sandals, turquoise jewelry, nail polish, and online shopping. Her debut NA contemporary romance The Fundamental Theory of Us is out now from Evernight.
Website & Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads
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.
Nicola’s Sunday Shoutout: April Zyon
Today’s Sunday Shoutout goes to April Zyon and the newest installment in her Space Wars series, The Royal Mate, now available online from purveyors of fine erotic romance. Take it away, April!
It all comes down to this. The truth about what started the war between the Imarian and Craegin is coming out, along with the fact that there is one true royal left. One man to rule them all.
Markus Rothschild wants to live a simple, quiet life but when faced with the truth of what’s happening in his world, he knows he has no choice but to take his rightful place.
Paisley Ralston is a woman who loves teaching small children. She’s never even held a weapon, let alone fired one. Playing bodyguard to the royal heir is the last thing she expected to do. But when Markus’s security team is sabotaged, she may be his only hope.
Paisley didn’t realize that meeting Markus meant finding her mate. Hidden in a special bunker, Paisley and Markus will test their limits and prepare for what’s coming. Together they will come out stronger, bonded, and ready to face both galaxies.
Story Excerpt
She looked at her mother and frowned. She couldn’t have heard the woman correctly. Paisley wasn’t a militant; she wasn’t a protector. For the love of all the saints, she was a teacher for young children.
The marshal looked at Paisley with a frown, then sighed. “Because you are about the one and only person that I will trust to be around him right now, and since you know where the safe house is I will leave you to take him. It’s too dangerous right now for him to remain on his ship with Fintan.”
“Wait, you mean, The General?” There was awe in Paisley’s voice and she knew it but she had seen what the man had gone through for his mate. He was the only reason that Paisley believed in love once more. It was the reason why, with her mother’s help, she’d broken the arranged marriage and begun to live for herself and not for what she should do.
“He’ll be arriving soon with several guards. You are all going to the bunker. The guards will take the outer shelter, and you and Markus will take the inner sanctuary.”
The inner sanctuary was a place that none could enter if they weren’t of the Ralston family. It literally took living blood and a tie to the blood and heartbeat of a Ralston to keep the air actually on in that sanctuary. It would be either a haven or a tomb depending on if people knew it or not.
“And what about you, Mother? You’ve kept a low profile while they sorted out the issues that were evidently in your offices.”
“This is very true and it’s past time for me to get back to what it is that I do. Besides, this way I know that you will be safe as will Markus.”
“You could always go into the shelter with him instead of me,” Paisley pointed out.
“No, because they would use you to get to me. You are my one weakness, Paisley.”
Paisley moved and gave her mother a hug. “There are not many that know of me, Mother. You’d probably be safe, you know, and so would I.”
“No, there is too much to be done.”
“But—”
“No buts, Paisley. This is an order. You are to keep him safe.”
Paisley bowed her head and nodded. “As you say. Just remember I don’t know how to fight.”
“You don’t, but he does.” Her mother gave her another hug, then pushed her toward where the family bunker was. It was something that no one and nothing could get into. Even if the world exploded, the bunker would eject into space and hook up with a waiting ship that would become their own private spaceship. It had been designed with the ultimate of protections in mind. Her great-grandfather had designed it and it had kept her mother safe when this war began to truly heat up as it had in the last several months.
“I trust you,” Paisley told her mother. She took a deep breath and smiled. “I’ll go pack.”
“Your things are already in the bunker. I had my assistant go to your home and empty your closets and drawers, and I personally put everything into the bunker. It’s fully stocked with food for the two of you for as long as you might need to be in there as well as the machines to recreate foods if you wanted or needed it. I doubt that much time will be needed, but just in case.”
“A career military man,” Paisley mused. “And how does he feel about having to hide?” she asked with a knowing grin. She knew the type.
“About like what you think he’s feeling,” the marshal stated with a laugh. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Fin had to tranquilize him to bring him in. Now, go.”
And just like that Paisley was summarily assigned a duty that she had no business taking care of. She wasn’t a fighter and never had been. She was soft, short, and more than a little pudgy. Paisley was not anything that anyone really would ever look a second time at.
Where To Buy
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
All Romance eBooks
Bookstrand
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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Fabulous Friday Reads: Sparks of Blue
Let’s kick off this lovely weekend with the second entry in Rose Wulf’s Dark Light series, Sparks of Blue. Take it away, Rose!
Hello my lovelies! Thank you so much for having me today!
I’m here this time to talk about my brand new release, Sparks of Blue (Dark Light 2)! I am beyond excited for this particular book and I just know you’re going to love it!
Nearly a century ago warrior angel Kai and Nephilim Belle were lovers. Then he broke her heart and never looked back.
Now Second in Command of the angel armada, Kai knew he was the obvious choice for this long-term mission. And his job was clear: keep Belle and her patient alive. But he wasn’t prepared for the resurgence of old memories and long-ignored feelings. He’ll have to face what he did a hundred years ago if he wants a chance to be back in Belle’s arms…but even then, angels are forbidden from laying with Nephilim. If they were caught, Belle would be executed.
Born a Nephilim, Belle was neither angel nor human. But she was a healer, and she was damned good at it. Her reputation got her noticed by the armada and eventually earned her the title of Master Healer. It also earned her a terrible assignment: save the life – and therefore the soul – of a cursed human…under the protection of her ex-lover. And it turns out the chemistry they’d once shared may have been buried, but it’s a flame that could never burn out.
Story Excerpt
She shoved the frustration of the never-ending struggle to prove herself from her mind as she checked out, doing her best to ignore the obvious flirtation attempt from the man at the desk. He could hardly meet her gaze long enough to smile. But she didn’t care, she just wanted to get out of there. As soon as she was done she moved out of sight, heading for a couple of trees that would make disappearing a little easier.
“You want me to smite him for you?”
Kai’s question startled her, as did the sound of his voice coming from behind her, and Belle jumped. “Kai, you scared the crap out of me!” she exclaimed as she turned to face him. His words hit her, then, and she couldn’t stop the tease. “Smite, really?”
“Seemed appropriate,” Kai said by way of explanation as he stepped into her personal space. Before she could catch her breath at his nearness he’d slipped her bag from her shoulders with one hand and caught her hip with the other. “Stop taking risks,” he added, the order roughened by a distantly familiar thickness to his voice that sent shivers of anticipation down her spine. Before she could process what he was doing he’d tugged her up against his chest and caught her lips in a hard kiss.
Belle moaned as he plunged his tongue into her mouth, demanding and teasing at the same time. He kissed her like a man starved, winding both arms around her as she kissed him back. Her skin burned beneath his heavy, heated touch and she threaded her fingers through his hair. It was thick and soft, exactly the way she remembered. He rolled his tongue over hers, stroking and sliding, reminding her body of exactly what he was capable of. Heat pooled low in her belly and she leaned into him instinctively.
For a long, blissful moment it was as if nothing had ever changed between them. The past ninety-plus years never happened. They were just two people with a powerful attraction to each other. They’d never broken up. He hadn’t ripped her heart out and torn it to shreds with his cruel words.
Except that he had. And that reminder was enough to dampen the flame he’d reignited in her blood. No matter how mindlessly good a kisser he was, no man was worth that. She had more self-respect than to throw herself at someone who could think so little of her.
Belle pushed back, taking a full step away from him as she fought to catch her breath. Her body rallied against her, remembering all too well the pleasure he could bring, but she held strong. She just hoped he couldn’t see the tears stinging her eyes.
Where to Buy
Amazon
Evernight
Barnes & Noble
AllRomance
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!).
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Marvelous Monday Reads: Be Mine (Love With A Price #3)
Happy Monday, folks! Getting back to the work week doesn’t have to suck, especially when it means you have N.J.Young’s new erotic romance Be Mine (Love With A Price #3) waiting for you. Enjoy!
Today is the release day for Be Mine (Love With A Price, Book 3). Dylan may just be my favorite hero so far. He’s a veterinarian, and I can’t resist a man who has a soft spot for animals. I hope you enjoy the love story of Dylan and Carly as much as I enjoyed writing it! See below for an excerpt, as well as links to read excerpts from the first two books in the series.
After a bad breakup, Dylan Price is ready to give up on love. That is, until Carly Peters walks through the door of his veterinary clinic on a stormy night. Even though she’s drenched and holding an angry, pregnant cat, Dylan can’t stop the thrill of excitement he feels when Carly looks at him. Could she be the one? Or is she just after Dylan for his money?
When Carly Peters comes back to Oakville to help her mom run the local animal shelter, the last thing on her mind is falling in love, especially with the town vet. But no one told her Dr. Dylan Price was a gorgeous ball of sexy. And she certainly wasn’t expecting him to tug on her heart. Can she convince Dylan to take a chance on her? And will she be able to truly fall for a man who doesn’t trust her?
Story Excerpt
She ran her fingers through her cat’s soft fur, shooting a glance at Dylan, who stood at the counter. She hadn’t seen him since high school, and the years sure had been good to him. He wore a lab coat over a rumpled blue button-down shirt and a pair of worn jeans. Carly found herself itching to slide the lab coat off his shoulders so she could get a better look at his physique. His apparel did nothing to hide the fact that he was perfectly cut, but she wanted to see for herself. She wanted to slide her hands down his arms and feel the muscles there. She thought of her arms circling around his waist and tilting her head up for his kiss as she cupped his muscular backside.
Suddenly Dylan turned to her, and she realized she’d been staring at him. He smiled, revealing perfect white teeth. “Something wrong, sweetheart?”
Blushing furiously, she turned back to her cat. “No, nothing,” she mumbled, but her pink parts were throbbing with need. Damn, she needed to get laid.
Wow, when has that thought ever crossed my mind? She’d finally given in and had sex with her one serious college boyfriend, then wondered what all the fuss was about. Somehow, she’d bet Dylan could show her what it was about.
When he walked slowly toward her, she realized she’d been staring at him again. She stood up straight and faced him, expecting him to stop within a couple of feet of her. But then she noticed his expression—his hooded eyes, his parted lips—and her heart sped up.
Dylan backed her up against an empty cage, not touching her, but standing so close he trapped her nonetheless. “Carls, I’m trying to be a good boy, but it’s very hard when you keep looking at me like that.”
She almost giggled at the double-entendre. Yes, sometimes she had the sense of humor of a twelve-year-old boy.
Dylan smirked and raised one dark eyebrow, immediately catching her meaning. Her smile quickly disappeared as he pressed his lower half to hers. She gasped as she felt his erection. My God, he must have a monster in his pants. She lifted her hands, thinking she should push him away, but instead she fisted his shirt, pulling him closer. When he bent his head to kiss her, she let her eyes float shut.
His lips had barely brushed hers when…
Where to Buy
Amazon
Evernight Publishing
All Romance eBooks
BookStrand
Abut N.J. Young
N.J. Young has been a writer since she was old enough to hold a pencil. After realizing the trials of corporate America weren’t for her, she decided to leave that world behind and pursue her true dream of writing.
Instead of spending her days writing sexy texts to her husband and engaging in “that’s what she said” jokes, she took that energy and poured it into her books. Sprinkle in a couple of hot guys, a little suspense, and a few sexual fantasies, and her first book was born. She now spends her days drinking coffee at her computer, while diving into the adventures of the imaginary friends who live in her novels.
N.J. Young was born and raised in the Midwest, and currently resides in the Kansas City area with her husband, two children, and a menagerie of animals. When she’s not writing, she enjoys horror movies, live music, cooking, and telling her kids why they can’t read mommy’s books.
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Nicola Cameron Writes 