M. O'Keefe - The Debt excerpt reveal

The Debt by Molly O'Keefe is NOW LIVE and TOTALLY FREE! Grab the prologue to The Debt Duet now & keep reading for an excerpt!

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LOVE AND SECOND CHANCES ARE NEVER FREE For the five kids who live at St. Jude’s Home for Court Placed Juveniles, life is a nightmare. Carissa, the youngest, has been there the longest. And barely speaks. Rosa is sixteen and pregnant. Simon keeps his head down and studies, hoping to get back the life he lost. Beth and Tommy, in the middle of the darkness, have found each other, and all they want is to be together. But when they get caught making out at school, it puts everyone in danger. Tommy is used to the beatings from their foster father, but when Beth is singled out for punishment, Tommy can’t sit back and let it happen. AND ALL DEBTS MUST BE PAID What happens that night rips apart the lives of the five teenagers forever. After the blood has been spilled, a bargain is made. A deal with the devil that should have solved things. It should have fixed everything. But nothing is free - not love, not innocence, and certainly not freedom. And sooner or later, all debts must be paid...

 

EXCERPT:

“What do you want, Tommy?” she breathed. So close. So beautiful. With her free hand she took off her glasses and tossed them on the ground. Her eyes, lined in black liner raked over me. ​And mine raked over her. ​“You,” I said, so raw I was practically inside out. “Just once.” ​She laughed low in her throat. “You have a few questions you want answered, do you?” she asked. ​“Don’t you?” ​“God yes.” ​She stepped forward until she was nearly touching me. It took my inhale for my chest to brush hers. I exhaled and our bodies retreated. She inhaled and we touched. Exhaled and retreated. ​We each did it again. And then again. Breathing each other in, in turns. Finally it wasn’t enough and I stepped toward her, and my cock pressed against her stomach and she pushed against me. Her breasts and belly imprinted on my skin. ​“One time,” she said. “One time and we go back to our lives and get on with things. I’m going to forget you, Tommy. And you’re going to forget me.” ​I doubted it, but I wasn’t going to argue. Not with my dick pushed up against the tight muscles of her stomach. Not with her breath, sweet from the pop and the candy she’d eaten, making me crazy. ​“I’m serious, Tommy,” she said as if she could read my mind. “I don’t want to be hurt anymore, and I really, really don’t want to hurt you anymore. Promise you’ll forget me.” ​“I promise,” I said, because when threatened with the idea of hurting her, I’d agree to anything to stop that. “I’ll forget you, right after I fuck you.”

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About the Author:

Molly O'Keefe is an award-winning author of over 30 romance novels. She lives in Toronto, Canada with her family and the largest heap of dirty laundry in North America. Sign up for her newsletter to get release day news, exclusive excerpts, sale announcements and in-depth author interviews!

  Connect with Molly:

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Vi Keeland - Beautiful Mistake cover reveal

The #1 New York Times Bestselling author Vi Keeland is back with a brand new standalone, Beautiful Mistake releasing on July 17th and we have the amazing cover for you today!

 

Model: Lucas Barbosa Gil

Photographer: Chuando & Frey

Cover designer: Sommer Stein, Perfect Pear Creative

     
The first time I met Caine West was in a bar. He noticed me looking his way and mistakenly read my scowling as checking him out. When he attempted to talk to me, I set him straight—telling him what I thought of his lying, cheating, egomaniacal ass. You see, the gorgeous jerk had wined and dined my best friend--smooth talking her into his bed, all along failing to mention that he was married. He deserved every bit of my tongue-lashing and more for what he'd done. Especially when that lazy smile graced his perfect face in response to my rant. Only it turned out, the man I'd just told off wasn't the right guy. Oops. My mistake. Embarrassed, I slunk out without an apology. I was never going to see the handsome stranger again anyway, right? That’s what I thought…until I walked into class the next morning. Well, hello Professor West, I’m your new teaching assistant. I’ll be working under you…figuratively speaking. Although the literal interpretation might not be such a bad thing—working under Professor West. This was going to be interesting…

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 Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times Bestselling author. With more than 1.5 million books sold, her titles have appeared in over eighty Bestseller lists and are currently translated in sixteen languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six. 

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Jennifer Probst - Somehow, Some Way release blitz

 

Today we are celebrating the release of SOMEHOW, SOME WAY by Jennifer Probst. This is a 1001 Dark Nights novella in the Billionaire Builders series. Check out the teasers, excerpt, and buy link below!

 

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SOMEHOW, SOME WAY by Jennifer Probst

Billionaire Builders, #2.5

BLURB:

Bolivar Randy Heart (aka Brady) knows exactly what he wants next in life: the perfect wife. Raised in a strict traditional family household, he seeks a woman who is sweet, conservative, and eager to settle down. With his well-known protective and dominant streak, he needs a woman to offer him balance in a world where he relishes control. Too bad the newly hired, gorgeous, rehab addict is blasting through all his preconceptions and wrecking his ideals…one nail at a time…

Charlotte Grayson knows who she is and refuses to apologize. Growing up poor made her appreciate the simple things in life, and her new job at Pierce Brothers Construction is perfect to help her carve out a career in renovating houses. When an opportunity to transform a dilapidated house in a dangerous neighborhood pops up, she goes in full throttle. Unfortunately, she’s forced to work with the firm’s sexy architect who’s driving her crazy with his archaic views on women. Too bad he’s beginning to tempt her to take a chance on more than just work…one stroke at a time…

Somehow, some way, they need to work together to renovate a house without killing each other…or surrendering to the white-hot chemistry knocking at the front door.

 

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EXCERPT:

“I’m already working my ass off for you.”

“No, your list. For what you want in a woman. Have you graduated to date four yet?”

Irritation skittered across his features. She tried to tamp down her delight. “Not yet.” She waited him out, learning he liked to space out his responses. “I’m seeing her again this Friday,” he added grudgingly.

“Ooh, exciting. Okay, so tell me what floats your boat, Casanova.”

He shuddered. “God, please don’t call me that. Or talk like that.”

“Sorry, I forget you’re a bit high class.”

“No, I just speak proper English.”

“Stop stalling.”

He looked away but she caught the edge of a grin. He’d be loath to admit it, but she made him laugh. And from what she’d seen, this man desperately needed someone to balance all that seriousness. It must be exhausting.

“Fine. What do you want to know?”

She practically clapped her hands with glee. “The same question I answered. Tell me the traits in your perfect woman.”

His arms flexed as he worked the hammer, and her gaze snagged on the lean, sinewy muscles under gorgeous brown skin. Wood chips and dust clung to his figure but it only added to his attractiveness, giving a sense of ruggedness to his normal poised elegance. Yes, women would definitely seek him out for his appearance alone, but she wondered how many stayed after they got a dose of his attitude. He must be on his best behavior to trick them.

“I don’t know why you’re interested in this,” he muttered.

“Tit for tat.”

“It’s simple, really. I know exactly what I’m looking for. I’m ready to get married and have a family.”

“Right away?”

“Yes. My future wife will have a few core qualities that I won’t compromise on. Loyalty, honesty, and dual respect are at the top.”

She cocked her head, studying him. He’d managed to surprise her. “Very thoughtful. Excellent choices.”

“So glad you approve. I need a certain amount of intellectual stimulation, as I’m sure she will, so she cannot be just a pretty face.”

Huh. Maybe she’d been wrong about him. So far, she wholeheartedly agreed with his choices. “Can’t argue with those.”

“I don’t need laugh-out-loud funny, but a sense of humor helps get you through hard times.”

“Agreed.”

“And then she needs to obey, of course.”

 

 

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AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Jennifer Probst - Bio: 

Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She took a short hiatus to get married, get pregnant, buy a house, get pregnant again, pursue a master’s in English Literature, and rescue two shelter dogs. Now she is writing again.

She makes her home in Upstate New York with the whole crew. Her sons keep her active, stressed, joyous, and sad her house will never be truly clean. She is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of sexy and erotic contemporary romance. She was thrilled her book, The Marriage Bargain, was ranked #6 on Amazon's Best Books for 2012. She loves hearing from readers. Visit her website for updates on new releases and her street team at www.jenniferprobst.com.

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Liz Crowe - Lightstruck review, excerpt and giveaway

Brewer Ross has given up on love…until he meets a 

woman who turns his life—and brewery—upside down.

LIGHTSTRUCK

The Brewing Passion Series #2

Liz Crowe

Releasing May 30, 2017

Totally Bound

Brewer Ross has given up on love…until he meets a woman who turns his life—and brewery—upside down.

Ross Hoffman held the potential for a perfect life in his hands—a life with Evelyn, the only woman he’d ever allowed himself to love, their baby and…her husband, Austin Fitzgerald, who also happened to be his best friend. But the challenge of trying to make a threesome into something acceptable—let alone the thought of actually sharing Evelyn with anyone—forces him to bolt. Determined to put all thoughts of their relationship behind him, Ross jumps headfirst into a new brewery job in Colorado, and back into the sort of sexual decadence that he hopes will distract him from his misery.

When he agrees to assist Austin through a spate of brewery mishaps, he lays eyes on his true fate—in the form of the petite, mysterious and exotic Elisa Nagel. Hired as assistant brewer, Elisa is absolutely everything he believes he doesn’t want in a woman. But he’s drawn to her in ways he can’t explain, and he can’t help but fall hard, fast and deep, which places him square in the middle of her horrific, until now secret backstory.

Ross is determined that his love will conquer and overcome the horrors of Elisa’s past, allowing her to trust him with the only thing he desires—her heart.

Reader Advisory: This book contains a scene with attempted rape and violence, as well as a brief scene alluding to person being drugged and raped.

My Review

I really enjoyed this read. We got to know Ross in Tapped, but I enjoyed finally getting his story.  He had given up on love and walked away from a relationship he thought mattered to him.  He was just getting by when his friends called him needing help.  Elisa was a woman who had a rough past. I enjoyed how Liz gave the readers pieces of her story, bit-by-bit.  It angered me for her, what she had been through. However, she had toughed up and cut herself off from everyone, which was no way to live. I enjoyed watching Ross break down her walls and watch their relationship develop. Their banter was fun and I kept cheering them on.  I didn't see everything coming in this story and I found myself on the edge of my seat, waiting for the other shoe to drop! I couldn't read this book fast enough and I didn't want it to be over.

Don't miss ANY of the Brewing Passions Series

Excerpt  (Rated R for language/implied sexual content)

The next morning, she slunk into the brewery, the dread at having to face him like a noxious smoke filling her chest. Perversely, she craved the sight of him, the sound of his country-Bavarian accent when he spoke to her in their native tongue. All the while knowing that he didn’t deserve to get caught up in her shit. Period.

But that kiss…Dear Lord, if anything were more wonderful in this world, she was hard pressed to know what it might be.

She sighed and hid behind a row of fermenters when she heard him barking orders at some hapless brewery assistant. Her scalp tingled and the tiny hairs on her arms rose as she listened to him. 

“Don’t do it, Elisa. Don’t trust him.”

She heard Austin holler for him from upstairs and breathed a sigh of relief when he replied that he’d be right up, leaving the main brewery floor free for her. Ears buzzing, she tried to make herself even smaller than she was—a trick she’d learned well during her time spent as a so-called submissive to The Monster.

A few hours of work calmed her jangling nerves. The smells and sounds of a brewery always did that for her. As she was checking the specific gravity of the IPA, pleased with how it had turned out, she sighed and allowed herself to relax. Whatever Austin had needed him for, Ross had stayed scarce for most of the day, thank the Lord in heaven. 

“Hey,” he said from right behind her. She screeched in shock, flinching to violently the hydrometer went flying up into the air. After juggling it a few times, she held it to her chest and turned to face him. “Nice catch.” He smiled. Her heart wanted to melt. But she kept a tight grip on it, refusing to give in to that ever again.

“Persistent? Or perhaps just—”

He held up a hand. “I know, I know. Mouth-breathing idiot.” He leaned against the stainless-steel sinks. She tried not to let it, but her gaze was drawn to his shoulders, his arms, his chest…and lower. Gulping, she focused on the floor. When he cleared his throat, she met his deep blue gaze. “All right. I have a plan.” His tone was light and easy-going. 

“Oh?” She set the expensive piece of brewery equipment beside the sink and turned on the water so she could wash out some of the stacked-up containers. Ignoring him, or at least attempting to, at the same time. “Does this plan involve the two of us? Because if so, you can forget it.”

“It does. And I won’t. Because I am persistent.”

Fury nearly blinded her. She turned to face him, hands on her hips. “Do you want to fuck me?”

He blinked fast, and took a small step away from her. “I… I’m…”

“Because I can accommodate that. And then we can stop all this foolish…flirting or whatever. Let’s clear the air.” Her knees were shaking so hard she had to grip the edge of the sink for balance. “What do you say?” She jerked her chin up, trying to look brave. “A quick screw in the locker room, maybe? It’s what you wanted last night, I think.”

It’s also what she wanted, but that was beside the point. He would be the first man to touch her intimately in almost eleven years. Also beside the point, because she was not going to let it happen.

“Stop it,” he said, his brow furrowing into the familiar stubborn lines. “I am here to ask you out on a proper date. Like a nice guy. But if you want to fuck…” He lifted his chin. “I can accommodate that.” 

In a heartbeat, he’d pulled her close, his grip around her arms gentle, but firm. He slanted his lips over hers, grazing her cheeks with the roughness of his beard in a way that drove her half mad with lust. His tongue parted her lips and she let him, wrapped her arms around his neck and went way up on her tiptoes. She had never, ever felt this way about any man. Her need to have him, to be with him, to have him all over her, inside her, was so strong it took her breath away. 

“That’s right, little whore. That’s what you want to do. You fuck that big Viking and see what happens to you when I find you and get you back where you belong. Just wait.”

She gasped and struggled away from him, slapping hands over her ears. His gaze wasn’t angry, or reproachful. It was soft and sympathetic.

“Okay, now that we have that out of the way, how about that date?” He raised an eyebrow, making her drop her hands to her sides and sigh. 

“I am…how do you say…one hot mess. You don’t want any part of me.” She said this in English, something she always reverted to when she was trying like hell to reject him.

He thumped his chest with his fist and his grin widened, filling her with that ill-considered, yet oh-so comforting sensation of hope. “I am a big strong man. I like hot messes, especially yours.” He reached out and touched the corner of her lips with his fingertip. She closed her eyes, turned her face away and grappled with herself a few seconds. 

Amazon best-selling author, mom of three, Realtor, beer blogger, brewery marketing expert, and soccer fan, Liz Crowe is a Kentucky native and graduate of the University of Louisville currently living in Ann Arbor. She has decades of experience in sales and fund raising, plus an eight-year stint as a three-continent, ex-pat trailing spouse.

Her early forays into the publishing world led to a groundbreaking fiction subgenre, “Romance: Worth the Risk,” which has gained thousands of fans and followers interested less in the “HEA” and more in the “WHA” (“What Happens After?”).

With stories set in the not-so-common worlds of breweries, on the soccer pitch, in successful real estate offices and at times in exotic locales like Istanbul, Turkey, her books are unique and told with a fresh voice. The Liz Crowe backlist has something for any reader seeking complex storylines with humor and complete casts of characters that will delight, frustrate and linger in the imagination long after the book is finished.

Don’t ever ask her for anything “like a Budweiser” or risk bodily injury.

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Sarah Robinson - Nudes review

NUDES: A Hollywood romance standalone from

bestselling author Sarah Robinson!

ONLY $0.99!

**limited time**

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Blurb

Ben Lawson is making a comeback...
After a few tabloid headlines, they think they know me. They don't know a damn thing.  As CEO of a movie production company, I'll show them who I really am when we hit it big at the box office. My ex thought her smear tactics would ruin me, but I'm unbreakable. Rising from the debris, I swore I'd never let a woman distract me like that again. But then, my leading actress walked on the set and changed everything.

Seductive, sexy, and unapologetic, Aria Rose could break me. I wanted to help her, protect her...love her. Instead, I destroyed her.

Aria Rose is baring it all....
I knew better.  I knew not to trust another Hollywood heartthrob with a reputation like his. He was my boss and became my ruin. I should have stayed far away from him. Ben Lawson promised me the world.  He even promised me his heart.
But he destroyed everything--my heart, my career, us.

My Review

This was my first Sarah Robinson book and I look forward to reading more from her! This is one of those books that you shouldn't judge by the cover. Not saying the cover is bad, but if you look at it and think ehhh, it's not for me, you might want to think again.  I was sucked into Ben and Aria's story! There was an immediate, intense attraction between them and both of them knew they should stay away, mainly due to their roles with the studios.  Their interactions felt believable and neither had been looking for someone else. Not only was this a sweet love story, it was so much more. There is more to a person than just what you see and this book encapsulates that idea in more than one way.  I felt for Aria and what she was going through and there were a few times I wanted to throw my kindle across the room, but alas, I just keep reading. I feel like I can't say anything about this book to do it justice. It was a great read and a powerful message. I'm glad I took a chance on this book and I highly recommend it! 

Excerpt

"Aria?" A deep voice cut through the crisp nighttime air.
She turned to see Ben approaching her, the shadows from the upper deck of the yacht moving across his face as he came closer. "Oh. Hi, Mr. Lawson."
"Please, like I said, call me Ben," he reiterated, leaning against the railing next to her.
"Right. Ben. Sorry, the last exec wasn't quite so..."
His lips curved into a smile. "So, what?"
She wasn't sure what to say, because her honest answer was sexy. That didn't seem like the best thing to a man who now funded and controlled her film. "Approachable?"
Ben laughed—a deep chuckle that she felt vibrate through her bones. "I hope that's a good thing."
"It definitely is," she assured him, placing a hand on his arm. The moment she touched him, she pulled back, immediately embarrassed.
He. Is. My. Boss. Get it together, Aria.
He didn't chide her, or look uncomfortable, which she took as a good sign.
Aria returned to her original position beside him, and they stared out at the darkened water lapping the sides of all the boats docked around.
"Want to hear something funny?" Aria finally broke the silence, but kept her voice low. So low, he had to lean in to hear her.
"Tell me."
"My parents met in this very marina. She was a caterer and he was a deckhand—still teenagers. Barely old enough to know who they were, let alone what they wanted out of life. Still, they knew what love was when they stumbled upon it, and they knew enough to never let go." Aria's heart beat a little faster, warming at the memories.
"Wow. Are they still together?"
Aria nodded. "Barely spent a day apart since. My mother is actually my manager, and she works insanely hard for me, but my father always comes first. He's the love of her life."
"Love like that is special. Rare."
"Is it?" Aria tilted her head to the side. "I'm not sure it's as rare as it is a choice, a commitment, and the strength to follow through each and every day. There were times they could have given up—maybe lived an easier life with someone else—but they made a decision that this was the love they wanted, this was the life they wanted, and in that choice comes a confidence, a happiness, that most people deny themselves."
Ben was quiet for a minute. Finally, he inhaled loudly, then blew it out in one long breath. "That's really beautiful, Aria. Hits a bit close to home, I have to admit."
"I'm sorry." Aria frowned, turning to face him and just leaving one elbow on the railing. "I didn't mean—"
He shook his head. "No, it's fine. I just finished going through a divorce about six months ago, though we'd separated the year before that. I think you're right—love is a choice. Making love work is a choice. And yet...if it's not with the right person, then it's the wrong choice."
"Soul mates." Aria raised one brow. "You believe in that?"
Ben stared at her for a moment...a long moment. The kind of moment that made her shift her weight from one leg to the other, her skin heating under his gaze. "Yes. I believe in soul mates."
She tilted her chin up ever so slightly, going for lightheartedness. "Well, we all have our flaws. You couldn't be entirely perfect."
Ben laughed again. "Believing in soul mates is a flaw?"
"Buying what you're selling is definitely a flaw. You're a movie producer, so you sell fantasy to the world."
"I think we can have the fantasy." His eyes danced, but his smile was gone. "Don't you want the fantasy?"
Aria turned back to the ocean, looking out at the waves. This was too much, too real, too soon with a man she barely knew. A man who was pretty much her boss. "Who wouldn't want the fantasy?" she said dismissively. "Some would say I'm already living it."
"That's certainly true. Everyone on this yacht, everyone in this city...Hollywood. It's all a fantasy of some sort." Something in his tone sounded so...sad? A small ache pulled at her heart, and she felt like they'd opened the door to something different. Something different than studio exec and actress. Something more than strangers who just met today.
Her humanity connected to his, and they were just two people standing on a boat wishing it could float them away from their picture-perfect lives.
"Do you know why I love Scarlet's Letters?" she said softly, her voice barely above the whistle of the wind around them.
He stepped closer, his elbow pressed against hers on the railing now. "Why?"
"It's something I can be proud of. A story I'm proud to tell. The strength of a woman in wartime, a French woman saving innocent people during the Holocaust...a woman picking her truth over a man, over love. Have you read the script?"
Ben nodded. "I have. Two years ago, when it was making the rounds. It's powerful, and from what I've seen, you do an amazing job in it."
"Thank you. When I first saw this script—or rather, read the book it's based on—I knew I had to play this part. No matter what I had to give up. This was mine."
She'd never connected to anything more than she had this script. It was empowering, and taught courage in the toughest of circumstances. It was a tiny snapshot of a much larger scale event, showing the decisions and atrocities suffered at such a human, personal level. It was a woman denying her own privilege and luxury to help fellow humans who didn't have that reach.
"The way you talk about it...I'm jealous," Ben admitted.
That got Aria's attention, and she turned to face him. "Jealous? Of what?"
He pushed off the railing, looking up at the stars before settling on her gaze. "Passion. Excitement. Purpose. You know what you want. You know who you are and what your goals are."
"And you don't?" He had to be nearly thirty, if not over. Striking and fresh faced, but his features still said experience. Aria was only in her twenties, but at times she felt decades older.
Ben shook his head. "I thought I did. I built a life. Got married. Worked my way up in Maguire Industries. Everything was mapped out. Everything was...easy."
The ache from earlier was back, the sadness in his voice. Aria placed her hand on his forearm, a comforting gesture. Partly for him, but mostly for her. She needed a physical connection when they were connecting on so much more.
"What happened?" she pried, squeezing his arm ever so slightly.
Ben looked down at her hand, his eyes lingering. He didn't move or pull away, and when he lifted his head to face her again, there was a need in his eyes that made her insides heat. "The woman I trusted with all my secrets? She sold them to the highest bidder the moment I wasn't able to be a stepping stone for her career."
Aria didn't reply, sensing there was more.
"She used every connection she had to get me blacklisted. Took everything. Now Maguire Industries acquired Shepherd Films, expecting me to fail. Pushing me out."
"Not many would call being the CEO of a film studio a demotion," Aria pointed out.
"When you're used to being the landscaper, it's hard to become the rose."
Aria laughed, letting go of his arm. "First, soul mates. Now, roses. You're a poetic man, Ben Lawson. A true romantic."
Suddenly, his fingers intertwined with hers, pulling her to him. Pressing her body to his, chest to chest, heartbeat to heartbeat. His eyes never left hers, and she watched him wrestle with something...doubt, uncertainty. As if he didn't know why he'd just hugged her to him, but then need. Pure need darkened his eyes as something deeper pushed the rest away.
Her breath was lost as she concentrated on standing, her knees already threatening to buckle. She'd taken every second of the journey with him, and now she wanted more. Something about the way he smelled ignited every nerve ending in her body. The way he held her, one arm wrapped around her back, was so secure, so comfortable, so protective, so intimately. No one had ever held her like that in her entire life.
She didn't want him to let go.
He was fire. She wanted to leap into his flames.
"And what are you, Aria Rose?" Ben's fingers tipped her chin upward, her eyes finding his. "Who are you?"
The words rumbled in his chest, vibrating against him as he spoke. There was a genuineness to it that terrified her, unnerved her, and completely overwhelmed her. Their souls were laid bare and he was asking for more.
A perfect stranger. A moment of truth. An absolute mistake.
She couldn't do it. Her walls shot up and she let go of him, fear coursing through her. "I'm an actress, Mr. Lawson. Just an actress."
And just so much more.

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About the Author

Sarah Robinson is a native of the Washington, DC area and has both her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in clinical and forensic psychology. She is married to a wonderful man who is just as much of an animal rescue enthusiast as she is. Together, they own a zoo of rescues, as well as volunteering and fostering for multiple animal shelters.

Stalk Her:  Website | Facebook | Author Group | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon | Pinterest | Instagram | Tumblr

J. Kenner - Hold Me review and excerpt

My life with Damien has never been fuller. Every day is a miracle, and every night I lose myself in the oasis of his arms.

But there are new challenges, too. Our families. Our careers. And new responsibilities that test us with unrelenting, unexpected trials.

I know we will survive—we have to. Because I cannot live without Damien by my side. But sometimes the darkness seems overwhelming, and I am terrified that the day will come when Damien cannot bring the light. And I will have to find the strength inside myself to find my way back into his arms.

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MY REVIEW

More of Damien and Nikki? Yes, please! I love how deeply Damien and Nikki love each other. It's so profound and palpable through the pages. The reader feels it oozing out of the book. I always love seeing into their lives and even though J. Kenner just released a full-length novel, I'm a greedy reader and devoured this novella! It picked up where Anchor Me left off. And I love seeing their lives with their friends and family as well. But I enjoyed that the majority of this story was focused on just them and their growing family.
I adored watching Nikki and Damien parent. Nikki is trying to get back into the swing of things with work and being a mommy. I love how supportive Damien is and how he knows just how strong she is as well. While they both juggle work and parenting, they also make time for each other. I loved being wrapped up in their world and immersing myself in their love. This book gave me the FEELS and I highly recommend it! Another fantastic Stark story from J. Kenner. Grab your copy RIGHT NOW! :)

       EXCERPT

 I already know that Damien is running later than I am, because he’d called while I was stuck in traffic. Now I dismiss Bree for the night, then go peek in on both my girls. I want to wake them, to cuddle them close, but I let them sleep, contenting myself with watching the steady rise and fall of their little chests. Then I take a quick shower, change into yoga pants and a T-shirt, and stretch out on our lovely iron bed, surrounded by paperwork. That’s where I am when Damien finds me—although I’m asleep instead of busily working. “Hey,” he says, brushing a kiss on my shoulder. “Long day?” As I claw my way back to consciousness, he gathers my papers and sets them on the bedside table. There’s a glass of wine, too, and he hands it to me. I try to avoid alcohol since I’m breastfeeding, but I also did the research and know that a little bit isn’t a problem so long as I wait to pump or feed Anne. “The longest,” I say, then take a grateful sip. I lean sideways against him, my back supported by the pile of pillows that rest against the wall. I give him the full rundown, the highlight of which is Eric’s surprising departure. “You can handle continued growth,” he says, his loyalty giving me a nice warm boost of confidence. “But you’re also well-positioned to simply hold the line if that’s what you want to do. Even to downsize if it works out that way.” I push away from him, frowning as my chest tightens uncomfortably. “What?” “I’m just saying that you don’t have to go back to work full-throttle.” I sit up straight. “Excuse me? Why? Because you can support us?” “I can support us. But what I’m—” “So I’m supposed to feel guilty about wanting to work just because you bring in billions?” Dammit, he knows how important my job is to me. How hard I’ve worked to build my business on my own, not relying on money that comes from Stark International. He stares at me like someone might stare at a wild hyena. “That’s not what I’m saying at all.”      

     

J.Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and #1 International bestselling author of over seventy novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.

Though known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been writing full time for over a decade in a variety of genres including paranormal and contemporary romance, “chicklit” suspense, urban fantasy, and paranormal mommy lit.

JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations” and by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swoon for them.” A five time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy). Her Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series (as Julie Kenner) is currently in development with AwesomenessTV/Awestruck.

Her books have sold over three million copies and are published in over twenty languages.

In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas. She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YouTube | Amazon Author Page

 

Lauren Layne - I Knew You Were Trouble excerpt reveal

A feisty beauty must choose between winning back Mr. Right 

or giving in to Mr. Wrong.

I KNEW YOU WERE TROUBLE

Oxford Series #4

Lauren Layne

Releasing June 13, 2017

Loveswept

New York City’s hottest bachelors are stirring up trouble in this fun, flirty Oxford Novel, as a love triangle forces a feisty beauty to choose between winning back Mr. Right or giving in to Mr. Wrong.

Taylor Carr has it all—a sleek job in advertising, a stunning Manhattan apartment, and the perfect man to share it with: Bradley Calloway. Even after Bradley dumps her for a co-worker on move-in day, Taylor isn’t worried. She’ll get her man eventually. In the meantime, she needs a new roommate. Enter Nick Ballantine, career bartender, freelance writer—and longtime pain in Taylor’s ass. Sexy in a permanent five-o’clock-shadow kind of way, Nick knows how to push Taylor’s buttons, as if he could see right through to the real her.

Nick’s always trying to fix people, and nobody could use a good fixing more than Taylor. Sure, she’s gorgeous, with mesmerizing silver eyes, but it’s her vulnerability that kills him. Now that they’re shacking up together, the chemistry is out of control. Soon they’re putting every part of their two-bedroom apartment to good use. Then Taylor’s ex comes crawling back to her, and Nick figures she’ll jump at the chance to go back to her old life—unless he fights for the best thing that ever happened to him.

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Bradley froze when he saw her, and she was pretty sure she saw the urge to turn and run flicker across his face.

Again she felt a stab of disappointment. In him. And in herself for apparently having misread him. She’d thought he was better than this.

Bradley’s eyes moved between her and Nick, and though he didn’t look all that surprised at seeing them bickering, his gaze grew hard as he saw Nick’s hand on Taylor’s face.

Nick, naturally, took his sweet time removing it, and she resisted the urge to kick his shin.

“Morning, Bradley,” Taylor said, pleased that her voice sounded calm and friendly. As well it should. She’d had plenty of practice over the better part of a year pretending that she and Bradley were nothing more than colleagues.

Other than a few close friends who knew they were dating, they’d done a mostly decent job of hiding their romantic relationship from coworkers. Better than she and Nick had done hiding their antagonistic one.

“Hey, Taylor. Nick,” Bradley said.

He entered the room and reached for a coffee mug, turning his attention toward the other man. “Didn’t realize you’d taken on another assignment. What for?”

“Not sure,” Nick said, checking his watch. “Have a meeting with Cassidy in a few to find out.”

“Here’s hoping it’s an offsite gig that takes you far, far away. Maybe he needs someone to cover Siberian winters,” Taylor said to Nick, even as she watched Bradley out of the corner of her eye.

“Don’t need to travel to find severe winter. It doesn’t get any chillier than right here,” Nick retorted, waving his hand over her head in a storm cloud gesture.

She shoved his hand aside, her attention still on Bradley, who was determinedly avoiding her gaze.

Coward.

It was going to be darn hard to get him to see reason when he wouldn’t even make eye contact.

Nick, ever too perceptive for his own good, noticed the tension and gave a quick look between her and Bradley, his gaze turning speculative.

She shot him a warning look that clearly said, Don’t.

He shot an answering smile that clearly said, Watch me.

“Bradley, don’t suppose you’re in the market for a roommate?” Nick asked, his voice deceptively casual.

Bradley’s head snapped up, and finally, finally his blue gaze collided with Taylor’s. Dammit. Why did he have to be so beautiful? He was like a mischievous angel, all twinkling blue eyes, dimples, a sexy cleft in his chin, dark blond wavy hair . . .

“What?” he asked Nick distractedly, still looking at Taylor.

“Taylor here wants to share her original crown molding with someone.”

Bradley winced, and Taylor felt a little surge of gratitude toward Nick. He couldn’t have known it, but it was the perfect jab. She and Bradley were both into prewar architecture—had eaten up the broker’s description of all the building’s original elements.

Taylor should be sharing that crown molding with Bradley. And he damn well knew it.

His eyes met hers in silent misery—an apology that she wasn’t quite ready to accept. Heck, she wasn’t even ready to acknowledge it, because she had no intention of being dumped. Not by him, not by any man.

Taylor ignored the guilt written all over Bradley’s face as she held his gaze. “Yes, it seems I unexpectedly have a free bedroom and more rent than I can afford. If either of you knows anyone looking for a roommate . . .”

Bradley’s handsome face twisted regretfully, and he set his coffee aside, taking a step toward her, apparently forgetting—or not caring—that Nick was still in the room.

“Taylor. Damn it. I told you—”

“Actually, I do,” Nick said, interrupting.

Taylor forced her gaze away from Bradley’s pleading face toward Nick’s smug one. “You know someone who needs a roommate?”

“Yup.” He crossed his arms and watched her.

She made an impatient gesture with her hand. “Who? It can’t be one of your ex-girlfriends—I don’t want to inadvertently hear any gross details about you. And not one of your frat-boy guy friends—my living room isn’t cut out for Call of Duty.”

“Yeah, because that’s all I do all day.”

She rolled her eyes. “Okay, for real, who is it?”

His grin was slow, sly, and the very definition of trouble. “Me.”

Lauren Layne is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen romantic comedies.

A former e-commerce and web marketing manager from Seattle, Lauren relocated to New York City in 2011 to pursue a full-time writing career.

She lives in midtown Manhattan with her high-school sweetheart, where she writes smart romantic comedies with just enough sexy-times to make your mother blush. In LL's ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books. 

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