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Monday, October 31, 2016

✯BOOK BLITZ:✯ Trillionaire Boys' Club: The Connector by Aubrey Parker {EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY!}





Trillionaire Boys' Club: The Connector by Aubrey Parker

Release Date: November 1st 2016
Genres: New Adult, Romance

They say money can’t buy love. Fortunately, it can buy everything else.

A week ago, I didn’t know who Nathan Turner was. That’s because doesn’t own deals; he makes them instead. He’s the man behind the curtain — more powerful even than the man in front of it.

He’s a multi-billion-dollar networker. A connector, in his own words.

Nathan’s job is to pull strings. And when I butted my way into his office, he told me he planned to pull my strings, too.

I thought I could make my own deal with Nathan, but now I’m in over my head.

What he’s connecting now isn’t a takeover or a buyout.

I think he’s forming a secret society instead: a Syndicate of billionaires who want to pool their assets into a trillion-dollar pool, then rule the world.

I’m not up to this. I’m just an 18-year-old girl.

But there’s no way Nathan will let me out now.

The Connector is the first book in the Trillionaire Boys’ Club series by Aubrey Parker. Each book tells the story of another of the Club’s powerful members … and you’re going to want to collect them all.


Purchase: Amazon, B&N, iBooks, Kobo


{EXCERPT}

I dragged her away so that I could shout at her to stay the fuck out of my business, but somehow she’s turned things around and punched me in the gut.

I’ve spent too much time checking up on her. I’ve spent too much thought on her, when I should have already trashed her like a soiled tissue. But whatever the reason, I feel I know Alex Wynn, and this girl in front of me isn’t the girl I thought I knew.

The Alex Wynn I met that first day had all the hallmarks of a classic daddy’s girl: strong and bold, loyal and moral. She knew how to scrap, but knew not to bend. I broke her a bit, by applying pressure where no girl that age is immune.

But this? This flagrant, slutty, whorish talk? This isn’t her, and I want to shake it out of her.

“You didn’t fuck him,” I say.

“Maybe I did.”

My jaw shifts. I want to slap her. I want to leave her behind, break the door between me and Ashton, and put my fist through the back of his neck. I grip her shoulders, teeth gritted.

“Maybe I licked the tip of his cock for hours,” she purrs, “until he came all over my—”

I push Alex back against the utility closet’s single bare wall — the only one not lined with shelves. She practically trips over the mop bucket, but I kick it aside. Then she’s pinned, and her mouth finally shuts. I don’t have my hand at her neck, but that’s the way this feels. Her bravado is gone. Her sex kitten protestations all pop, and now there’s only this scared little girl in front of me, her eyes like saucers, delicate throat swallowing a lump.

“Nathan,” she says. “Please.”

“Don’t you ever go behind my back again. Do you hear me?”

I wonder if I’m talking about business. I think I am, but there’s something else in the air. And it shouldn’t be there at all.

Alex nods. Swallows again, and I’m reminded of an animal caught in a snare, facing a hungry predator.

“Get on your knees,” I say.

Something snaps again, and she blinks at me.

“Do it.”

She looks around as if for help, then complies. She slides down the wall, as if trying to stay as far away from me as possible.

When she’s on her knees, I unbuckle my belt.

“What are you doing?”

“What the fuck do you think I’m doing?”

My cock springs free, already at full mast. It feels harder than I think it’s ever been, swollen with fury and lust.

“Do to me what you did to him.”

“Nathan,” she says, looking up, “I didn’t—”

But I don’t want to hear her words. Not right now. So I move forward and fill her yapping mouth with my cock. She gags in surprise, then pulls back to look up at me. One hand grips my root as if to push me away. A single line of saliva forms an upside-down rainbow between my cock and her pink lips.

“Suck it.”

“Here?”

“Of course here.” I’m irritated. But she’s turning me on so hard, as she looks up at me with her beautiful face and big brown doe eyes. So I add, “But take off your panties before you start.”

She obeys without question. She reaches under her skirt, then lifts one foot and the other to slide them off. Doing so hiked her skirt up, and I can see the small patch of hair above her pussy. Her legs open, like she can’t keep them together.

“Now suck my cock while you touch yourself.”

Alex’s eyes are still rolled up to look at me, her mouth inches from my tip. Her right hand is still stroking me, but her left moves between her legs, opening her pussy, rolling across her clit.

She sighs. As her mouth opens, I put my cock back into it, tired of waiting for her to comply.

But then her warm lips wrap around me and her hand begins to stroke. The sensations are intense, and within a minute I feel like I’m about to come in her mouth. Instead I pull back and order her to stand.

She does.

“Tell me what else you did with Moran.”

“I didn’t do anything with Moran. I swear.”

“Tell me what you did with other guys.”

“The …” She stammers, then catches up to try again. “The usual kinds of stuff.”

“I’m not usual.” It’s hard to keep my voice even. Ever since I withdrew from Alex three days ago, I’ve wanted to shove myself back inside her. I already miss her mouth. I’m on a hair trigger, balls high and tight as my eyes prowl her half-naked body. I could explode right now looking at her, without being touched. I could come all over her, twitching, jetting spunk down her leg. “Ordinary is boring. I like to do what’s new. What’s different.”



AUTHOR BIO:

I love to write stories with characters that feel real enough to friend on Facebook, or slap across the face. I write to make you feel, think, and burn with the thrill that can only come from getting lost in the pages. I love to write unforgettable characters who wrestle with life's largest problems. My books may always end with a Happily Ever After, but there will always be drama on the way there. 



{GIVEAWAY!}



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Saturday, October 29, 2016

✯BOOK BLITZ:✯ The Decision by L.K. Kuhl {EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY!}





The Decision by L.K. Kuhl 

Release Date: October 20th 2016
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult

The guests are invited. The cake is all set. In just a few short hours Sophia Bandell will be saying “I do” to a guy she isn’t sure she loves. But where does she go from here? She feels her life is headed in a downhill spiral. Her first and real true love, Tate Forester, is a ghost. But he’s the man she wants to be with…the one she can’t live without. Sophia is faced with the toughest decision of her life. Does she forget about Tate and marry the egotistical lawyer, Aaron Stuart? Or does she take the plunge and join Tate to be with him for eternity?


Purchase: Amazon, iBooks

{EXCERPT}

I turned again and caught a glimpse of Aaron coming into the backyard, dressed to the nines in a black tuxedo, his arms splayed wide. He advanced toward my sister-in-law Kristy, who had just come out the backdoor, his voice tight and full of despair. “No sign of her. I’ve looked everywhere. I don’t know what to do next.” His arms flopped down to his sides, and he slumped into a lawn chair on the deck. “This is so unlike Sophia to do something like this.”

Just then, all of my bridesmaids, my best friends—Claudia Bunker, Jenny Staid, and Laura Anderson—came out of the house to join them on the deck. All three of them, along with Kristy, were dressed in their lacy purple bridesmaid dresses, long diamond earrings, and flattering braided up-dos.

“Sophia, you’d better go break the news to them now. Don’t put them through this any longer.” Tate gave me a gentle nudge, urging me to put an end to this.

My chin trembling, I answered him with a small nod. I couldn’t speak, couldn’t answer, my mind tossing a stormy chaos of what to do next. Did I go break the news to everyone that the wedding is called off? Everyone go home. It’s over. There will be no Mrs. Aaron Stuart today. My eyes slanted back to the yard again. This time Aaron sobbed into his hands. I blinked, then blinked again, my vision blurry.

My chest ached, and I shivered as though the wind had shifted, wind that carried in cooler air— air consumed with an acidic premonition and a feverish guilt. My hands fell limp and I sagged against the tree, sliding down the length of the trunk to deposit my butt on the ground, too weak to stand.

I rubbed my face, trying to come up with the right words, words that wouldn’t disintegrate me— kill us. There were none. This was going to be the hardest thing I’d ever done in my life, but I’d been weighing the consequences since early this morning. Ever since Tate told me there was no possible way there could ever be a future for us, not in this life anyway. Carrying out this agonizing feat would mean shredding my existence, tearing every piece of livable being out of me and turning me into a hollow shell. But I saw no other way.

My breathing picked up pace, amped, making the dizziness spin my world out of control. I was losing it. It got so bad I could no longer breathe. I gasped and wrenched my body, reaching for the sun— grasping, grabbing, trying to save my life. But the air was gone. Nothing to sustain me.

Tate knelt beside me and clutched my shoulders to keep me sitting upright. “You going to be okay, Ladybug? I knew it was going to be hard, but I didn’t think it would be this difficult for you.”

Finally, my voice spewed the bitter, vile words out like a hot rush of lava. The knife had already sliced its way through and gutted me, my heart pierced to the end of the blade, long before they spilled forth. I was too debilitated to even clear my throat. I gurgled out. “I’m letting you go, Tate.” The repugnant, volcanic ashes floated to the ground in a hushed whisper, singeing the ground as they lit.

Tate tipped his head, his mouth falling open. His eyes wouldn’t move, they drilled into me. “What are you saying?”

The tears… I couldn’t stop them. They surged forth like a rapid river, spilling down my face. “I’m so in love with you and… and I know that this time… this time I’ll never be able to forget you. And I know what that means. It means that in six weeks you’ll be going away. But I can’t fight it anymore. My love for you is too strong, and I’m too tired.” Now that I said the words I knew there was no going back for Tate. He would be gone.

Tate lowered his head, his lips pressed into a thin line. He swallowed twice, a small sound escaping from the back of his throat like something wanted to burst forth but couldn’t quite get the job done, caught somewhere between hurt and anger. He sat back on his heels, looking at his hands that trembled on his thighs, then finally whispered. “Do what you have to do. For as much as it hurts both of us, I think it’s for the best. You’ll find someone besides Aaron and move on, and we’ll be together in eternity.”


AUTHOR BIO:

L.K. Kuhl lives in Nebraska with her husband Gene of twenty-nine years, young son, Nathan, and Greg, their Black Lab dog. She has two older daughters, Morgan and Brittani and son-in-law, Trevor. L.K. has been writing for over twenty years. She first began writing children’s books and poetry, moved on to writing music, and is now writing Young Adult and Adult novels. She loves spending time with her family, vacationing, writing, reading, and taking long walks. It’s the characters who write their own stories in her novels, and she is just their messenger, sharing it with the world. 





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Friday, October 28, 2016

✯BOOK BLITZ:✯ Definitely Yes by Ella Miles {EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY!}





Definitely Yes by Ella Miles

Release Date: October 25th 2016
Series: Definitely #1
Pages: 191
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

One question from an ex-lover. 

One text message from a complete stranger. 

The same answer to both…Yes. 

Scarlett Bell has found a way to move beyond a dark past that threatened to take her best friend, Kinsley, from her. Now ten years later Scarlett has everything. A multi-billion dollar fashion and beauty empire. A fabulous New York apartment filled with everything a girl could need. And an awesome best friend. What more could she want? Love, marriage, and a baby. Everything her best friend has. 

One ex-boyfriend could give her everything she thinks she wants. Even if he is a little too nice… 

One dark stranger could give her everything she never knew she wanted. But he could destroy her life… 

Two men. Two choices. One answer to both: Definitely Yes. 

**Definitely is a 3 book series featuring Scarlett from the Maybe series. Each book is full length and will end on a cliffhanger. Each book in the series will release one month after the previous book. 

**You do not have to read the Maybe series to understand the Definitely series but it will contain some small spoilers from Maybe series. So if you plan on reading the Maybe series read it first before the Definitely series.


Purchase: Amazon


{EXCERPT}

CHAPTER ONE

Scarlett

Why are there no hot men in this bar? I sigh. Why are there no hot men at any bar—ever?


I take a sip of my gin and tonic as I scour the room, looking for anyone who will do for tonight. This bar used to be the best bar in New York City to pick someone up for a one-night stand. Now, it is just another bar to add to my list of has-beens.

It’s a shame really. This bar has everything. It’s clean; it has a live band every night, not just on the weekends; and the bartenders here know my drink order without me having to order. It used to be full of life, full of energy, but now, it is nothing more than an overpriced bar with crappy music and no hot men.

As I glance around the large bar, I don’t count more than six other people in the bar, only two of which are men. One is too old—my best guess, mid-forties—and the other, I doubt he’s eighteen.

“It just ain’t what it used to be, is it?” Todd says.

“No, it isn’t. I hate to say this, but I’m going to have to find a new bar,” I say.

Todd wipes off the counter in front of me. “I hate to say this, but me, too. The tips aren’t what they used to be. And if my favorite tipper leaves me—”

“Your only tipper and most attractive customer,” I say, smiling.

Todd flashes me his smile that is missing one front tooth. “Only tipper. I won’t be able to survive on the measly salary this place pays me. I guess it is off to find greener pastures.”

“Yeah, I guess.” I frown as I finish off the last of my gin and tonic.

Todd immediately places another glass in front of me, making me smile.

“Thanks, Todd.”

“You bet, Scar,” he says.

I take the full glass and raise it to my lips, sipping the perfect, cold liquid that I find myself needing more and more after a long day of work. I love what I do, but running Beautifully Bell Enterprises, the fashion and beauty company I own, is exhausting by the end of the day. I need something cold to relax me and a hot man in my bed to reenergize me for the next morning.

As much as I love spending my evening talking with Todd, it’s not enough. I need more. I need thrills and excitement to invigorate me. To make me excited to wake up the next morning. I used to have that every night when I was twenty-five and a model. I always knew the hippest bars to find an attractive man. Half of the time, I didn’t even have to go to a bar to find a man. The male models I worked with that day would more than do.

Now, at thirty-two, I’ve found that it is harder to find a good man for one night. I don’t model as much anymore. I just don’t have time with my fashion empire. And then men my age are beginning to become more and more interested in more than just one night. They want marriage and babies and the whole package. I’m just not ready for that yet.

That leaves me with the twenty-something-year-old men who are practically still babies themselves. Men who are excited about the idea of one night only. Men who don’t care that I’m older than them. Men who like being controlled by a more domineering woman.

My phone buzzes against the table, and I turn it over to see who messaged me.

Kinsley: Emergency! Can I meet you tomorrow? Have news!

My heart races when I see the words Kinsley and emergency in the same line.

My best friend has been through too much in the past. It’s been almost ten years now since she found out her family was money launderers, smugglers, and killers. Ten years since my best friend almost died at the hand of her own grandfather. Now, she’s living her happily ever after here, in New York City.

But seeing her text message has me worried that something has happened again. It’s after midnight, and my best friend is never awake this late on a Thursday.

I type frantically.

Me: Where are you? Do I need to call the police? What’s happening?

I stare at my phone, gripping it much too hard, as I wait for the message to get sent and read.

Come on, come on, I think as I frantically bounce my legs up and down, hoping that she will respond quickly. I should have just called her, but what if she is stuck in the back of a trunk somewhere? Then, if I called her, it would let her kidnappers know that she had a phone? What if her mouth is taped shut with duct tape, and she can’t speak? What if—

Then, I watch as three dots appear on the screen, indicating that she is typing a response. My phone buzzes in my hand as the message comes through.

Kinsley: LOL. Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. There is nothing wrong. I’m completely fine. Just have some happy news that I can’t wait to tell you tomorrow! We’ve been having trouble with finding time for each other lately, so I just wanted to make sure you knew that I really need you to drop everything and just be my best friend tomorrow.

I shake my head at my friend.

Me: Chica, you just about gave me a heart attack, and then you wouldn’t have been able to share your news with me. Just name the time and place, and I’ll be there tomorrow.

Kinsley: Eileen’s Cheesecake. 1:30 p.m.?

I laugh at her message. Since when does my friend think it is a good idea to skip lunch and just go straight for dessert? Sounds like I am finally rubbing off on her.

Me: Done.

I smile, excited to take a break tomorrow to go be with my best friend. It has been a while since I have seen her. Three months? Or is it four?

Even though we live in the same city, we might as well live on different continents. With my busy schedule, it’s too hard to find time to see each other. Especially since Killian, her husband, doesn’t like the idea of us going out to pick up guys for me at night. I need to change that.

I pull up my calendar on my phone. Shit. I have meetings all afternoon. Not anymore, I think, smiling. I hit Delete on every single one that starts after one o’clock and then type in Afternoon with Bestie, starting at one thirty p.m. instead.

I open my email and type a quick message to my assistant, Preston, to cancel everything and reschedule for later. I also tell him to make sure I have an hour or two in the afternoon at least once a week to make time for my friends. I’ve worked hard enough these last ten years. I think I deserve an hour or two break to actually enjoy the money I make and spend time with my friends.

I should also think of planning a vacation soon. Maybe see if Kinsley and Killian would want to tag along. I’m sure I could find plenty of men to enjoy my time with if we went to a beach in the Caribbean or Mexico. So, I tell Preston to find a good time in my schedule to do that, too. I hit Send, knowing that Preston is going to hate me when I come into the office tomorrow, but he can handle it. It’s my business, and if I decide I need a break, then I need a break.

I feel better already as I take another sip of my gin and tonic. I might not be going home with a man tonight, but at least I can go home, feeling good from the alcohol and knowing that tomorrow is going to be a good day.

I finish my fourth drink.

“Another?” Todd asks although he knows I usually stop after four, my usual limit for feeling good without overdoing it.

“A shot of tequila and then another gin and tonic.”

Todd raises his eyebrows at me, but doesn’t question me as he goes about making my drinks. “What’s got you in a better mood?”

“My best friend has good news that she is sharing with me tomorrow.”

“I thought I was your best friend,” Todd says, placing the shot and glass of gin and tonic in front of me.

“Best guy friend.” I wink at him. I raise the shot glass. “To my best guy friend.”

Todd smiles, and to my surprise, he raises his own shot glass. We clink the glasses together and then both down our shots. The tequila burns in the best possible way as it goes down my throat.

My phone buzzes again, and I expect to see a message from Kinsley. Maybe she wants to meet up tonight after all. I doubt she will be able to keep her good news to herself any longer. But it’s not from Kinsley. In fact, I have no idea who it is from. I open the text message.

Unknown: I want you, just for tonight. I want to make you feel things you have never felt before. I’ve been watching you all night, Beauty. You’re exactly what I want.

I stare down at my phone, confused as to what is going on. I glance over at Todd, assuming it is a prank, but he is deep in conversation with the older gentleman who is now sitting at the bar instead of at one of the pub tables.

Hmm…

Me: I think you have the wrong number.

My phone buzzes again almost immediately.

Unknown: I have the right number, Beauty. I want to shred into pieces that little red dress you’re wearing that hugs your overwhelming curves. I want to tame that mane of long, wavy brown hair. I want to feel your tan legs wrapped around my waist until you dig your black pumps into my back so hard that I have to punish you for the pain you have caused me.

I bite my lip as I stare at the seductive message I just received. A message that seems like it is meant for me. The woman he is describing fits me to a T. I uneasily shift in my seat at the thought of having a stranger stalking me. Someone has been watching me, but I can’t deny that the thought of a sexy man trying to seduce me via a text message turns me on. It does—more than I would ever admit to this stranger.

I pick up my gin and tonic and spin in the barstool until my back is to the bar, trying to act as casual as possible as I scan the room. But I don’t see anyone new who could be sending this. I sigh. And how would a stranger get my number anyway?

Todd.

I turn back around and wait impatiently for Todd to find his way back down the bar to me.

“Did you give my number to any strange men?”

“Nope. Why would I want to give any other man a chance to snag my girl?” He smiles.

I wonder if Todd really thinks that way or if it’s just a joke in the same way we tease each other about our choice of TV shows. Todd isn’t bad-looking. The only odd thing about him is his missing tooth that he told me he’d lost when playing ice hockey. To some women, that would even be a turn-on. He’s about my age, but he’s just not my type. Not dangerous enough. And I see him more as a friend than a lover.

I look back at my phone. If Todd didn’t give this person my number, then who did?

Me: Who is this? Who gave you my number?

Unknown: It doesn’t matter who I am. All that matters is, we both want the same thing. One night of danger, passion, and mystery. One night that will forever be burned in your memory. One night that will ruin you, so every time you fuck another man, you will think about tonight and wish he were me. Wish he could thrill you the same way that I could.

I read his message, and it’s like he has been reading my thoughts. It’s exactly what I want. It’s what I need. But I still don’t know exactly what he is proposing. I begin typing to ask him that very question, but I receive his message first.

Unknown: Will you meet me in my room on the top floor of the Waldorf, Beauty? I want to fuck you until you’re so sore that you can’t walk without thinking about me tomorrow.

My eyes widen as I read his text. I’m supposed to go to a hotel room without even knowing who he is. He could be planning on raping me. He could kill me.

Or he could give me the best night of my life.

I begin to type, No, but then stop. Why am I even considering this? This is crazy! I can’t go.

Kinsley would kill me if she found out. I wouldn’t have to tell her though. It would just be one night, and then I would never see this man again. Whoever he is.

He picked the Waldorf, one of the nicest hotels in New York City. He has money.

What if he is that old man sitting down the bar from me? I glance over at him. I study his jeans and button-down shirt. There is nothing fancy or designer about his clothes. His watch is a knockoff. And he’s drinking cheap whiskey. He couldn’t afford a hotel room like that.

I could ask Todd to go with me. Check out this man and let me know if he’s okay first. But that would take all the excitement out of it.

I reach into my purse, making sure the pepper spray I bought after Kinsley had gone missing is still there. It would be my only defense.

I do a lot of kickboxing to stay in shape. I’ve taken some self-defense classes. Being a single woman, living in New York City, I felt I needed some level of protection. But I know my skills would be no match for a man who is prepared to rape or murder. If he has a gun, I’m fucked. If he surprises me, I’m fucked. If there is more than one man, I don’t stand a chance. It doesn’t matter how many classes or how strong I am for a woman; most men are still stronger than me. I shouldn’t even be considering it.

I hear the door open, and warm, humid air fills the room. I turn just in time to see a tall, dark man leaving. A man in a suit with tousled hair on top of his head. He looks like any typical businessman my age who works in New York. But there is one thing not typical about him. He turns to look at me just before the door closes, and for a split second, I see the danger lurking in his eyes as he stares at me like no man ever has. A danger that pulls at my heart.

I glance back down at my phone and hit the Delete button until I erase, No. And then I type, Yes, and send the text.



AUTHOR BIO:

Ella Miles writes sexy romance with strong females that could kick your butt if you piss them off, which they often do to the men that fall for them. She's currently living her own happily ever after near the Rocky Mountains with her high school sweetheart husband. Her heart is also taken by her goofy two year old black lab that is scared of everything, including her own shadow. Ella is the author of the Aligned series. Get a free book by visiting her website. Or by stalking her on Twitter or Facebook. 





{GIVEAWAY!}



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Thursday, October 27, 2016

✯BOOK BLITZ:✯ The Broken One by Christine H. Bailey {EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY!}





The Broken One by Christine H. Bailey

Release Date: April 30th 2016 by Vinspire Publishing
Pages: 231
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

Sixteen-year-old Farris is picking up the pieces after the untimely death of her best friend. But even one year later, she can’t seem to find “normal” again—not until Lane Evans pops back into her life and pushes her to face reality. 

When he offers her the chance to find the truth, Farris fears what will surface. Is it too much too soon or just what she needs to move forward?


Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Kobo

{EXCERPT}

Flashes of the silver car I’d been in a million times flew by in my mind, spliced in with another image—of the body I’d just seen at the bottom of the ravine. I kept seeing it over and over like a trailer for the latest horror movie. But it wasn’t some actress in a film. It was my best friend’s lifeless body at the bottom of that rocky cliff. The stark image taunted me: large, jagged boulders breaking out from a coating of pure white snow forever marked with her blood—her body, splayed across them, crooked and broken.

AUTHOR BIO:

Christine H. Bailey teaches creative writing and written composition at a private university in west Tennessee. Before teaching English, Christine worked as a journalist, a marketing/public relations writer, and a freelance editor. To learn more about the author and her work, visit her website at www.cibailey.com.







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Wednesday, October 26, 2016

✯BOOK BLITZ:✯ Concealed by Christina Bauer {EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY!}





Concealed by Christina Bauer

Release Date: October 25th 2016 by Monster House Books, LLC
Series: Beholder #2
Pages: 350
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

As a Grand Mistress Necromancer, Elea’s a witch who commands the ultimate power over spirit and bone. It’s magic that she’ll need in order to stop the Vicomte Gaspard from killing her Sisters by draining their magic along with their life force. 

To find and free her fellow witches, Elea must venture into some of the most dangerous places in the realm. What starts off as a rescue quest could easily turn into a suicide mission. And with the handsome warlock Rowan along to help, Elea may be risking more than her life. Her growing feelings for Rowan might put her heart on the line, too.


Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Kobo, iTunes


{EXCERPT}

Rowan stepped into my path, forcing me to stop. “We can’t worry about the Tsar just now.”

“How can I not? This is the Tsar we’re talking about. The man killed off thousands of my people. If he comes back, I’m his top target.”

“No one is getting anywhere near you, Elea.” Rowan’s voice was a rough rasp. “You have my word. I know what you care about, and it’s your Sisters. That’s all you need to think about. At least, for the next two days. Promise me?”

Rowan’s words helped to center my thoughts. “You’re right. Little time remains to save Ada and the others. I need to stay the course. Thank you, Rowan.”

“I’ll always be here for you.” Rowan stared at me for a long moment. I thought he might have more to say. Instead, he shook his head, stepped across the cave floor, and picked up the loops of rope. “Any ideas on where your Sisters are imprisoned?”

“Amelia wants to check the Havilland mansion first.”

“I can send in someone from my team. They’re experts at subterfuge.”

“No. These are my people. I have to go.”

Once again, Rowan moved to stand so close our bodies were only inches apart. “Trust me on this. My people can handle the Royals.” He brushed the backs of his fingertips up my cheek and I melted into the touch. “I want you safe, Elea.” He leaned in until his mouth was only a breath away from mine.

This wasn’t the time for emotion. I couldn’t seem to stop my zuchtlos feelings, though. My heart thumped with such force I thought it might burst from my chest. Rowan’s voice became low and gentle. “Return to Braddock Farm. Stay safe. I will end this. Once it’s done, I’ll find you there. I swear it.”

My legs felt wobbly beneath me. In my mind’s eye, it all appeared so easy and clear. Rowan could handle this. I’d return to my farm and help the faithful servants who’d kept it thriving. Then one day, Rowan would arrive and we’d be together. How wonderful would that be?

I closed my eyes and stepped away from his touch. This was impossible. My people were my responsibility. No one else’s. And the idea that Rowan and I could be together? That was an illusion.

“It’s a sweet dream. We both know it isn’t the truth. You’re part of the Caster Imperial family. Your uncle is none other than Genesis Rex. You can’t have a life with me as a farmer, can you?”

Rowan’s gaze intensified. “No.” He stepped closer once again. “I’ll still find you, though.”

“And when you do, what will I be?” I wanted to touch him and to be with him. I knew that now. But not at any cost. “Your mistress? Your absentee wife?”

“You’ll be mine.” He pulled me into his arms. Every ridge of his hard body pressed against my soft curves. I’d never craved anything more in my life than I wanted to kiss Rowan right now. He leaned in closer than ever before. His warm breath cascaded over my lips. “Don’t fight this. Please.”

My control snapped, and I pressed my mouth to his. Yes. Our first few tastes were tentative. Gentle. Rowan was as delicious as I’d imagined, a flavor that was somewhere between musk and desire. Every touch of his lips sent spasms of want through my core.

Our kiss quickly turned rough. Rowan nipped my bottom lip, and I let out a rough groan. This kiss could go on forever. Still, some small part of my brain shouted for me to stop.

I didn’t know how I found the strength, but I pushed Rowan away. “I want you too. That’s not enough for me. We’re from different worlds. Your place is with your people. I need to save mine. Once this is over, we’ll never see each other again. I can’t afford to feel more for you than I already do.”

Rowan’s eyes took on that intense look I knew so well. A muscle worked in his jaw for a long moment. “I understand. We both have work to do.”

I exhaled. “I’m glad you can accept the truth.”

“I didn’t say that.” He scooped up the ropes and offered them to me. “This isn’t over.”

I stared at the green cords coiled around his palm. I wanted real ties between us as well. Yet wanting a thing wasn’t the same as having it. I pulled the rope from his hand and looped it around my shoulders. “We better get back.”


AUTHOR BIO:

Christina graduated from Syracuse University's Newhouse School with BA's in English as well as Television, Radio, and Film Production. Her day job is in marketing for companies like Microsoft, Cisco, and Zerto. Back in the go-go 90′s, she founded her own software start-up, Mindful Technologies. Christina believes that, upon close examination of Tolkien's text, it's entirely possible that the Balrog was wearing fuzzy bunny slippers. 






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Tuesday, October 25, 2016

✯BOOK BLITZ:✯ My Junior Year of Loathing by Jennifer DiGiovanni {EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY!}





My Junior Year of Loathing by Jennifer DiGiovanni

Release Date: October 25th 2016 by Swoon Romance
Pages: 186
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

Junior year is supposed to be tough. Exams, term papers, homework, college tours, and participation in extra-curricular activities can all add up to non-stop stress. But Melinda Banner has goals to achieve and dreams to make real. This year, she’ll be unstoppable. But even over achievers need a break.

While walking in the woods to take a break from the stress of it all, Melinda meets a boy named Connor. After a few more run-ins, the two settle into an uneasy friendship, if you can even call it that.

But Connor's closed and mysterious. Whenever Melinda asks too many questions, he suddenly has to go or is no longer interested in talking. When they’re together, she’s torn between wanting him to open up and running away as fast as she can. Still she can't seem to shake her budding interest in him.

Connor has his own way of looking at the world, and his views often conflict with Melinda’s practical nature. Can you like someone and loathe them at the same time? Is he even worth the emotional tug on her heartstrings or distraction from all things Junior year?

And, as if she needs another project right now, Melinda starts to obsess over the abandoned estate she passes on the way to school each day. Between Connor and the old estate, Melinda's beginning to think she's taking on too much.

But Melinda's smart. She finds a way to indulge her interest in the estate and fulfill her obligations. She will uncover the truth behind the aging edifice for an epic article in the school newspaper.

But when her investigation reveals a connection between Connor and a tragedy long-since forgotten, Melinda has a choice: put off her junior year achievements to save a local landmark and a boy who constantly pushes her away or put them both out of her mind for good and focus on making the grade.


Purchase: Amazon

{EXCERPT}

My eyes land on the monstrous wall running the length of the block ahead of us. What was once red brick has now faded to ashy gray and tan, adorned with splotches of green lichen. To me, the Westerly Estate has always looked completely out of place in Harmony, like someone froze time and plunked a long-forgotten fairy tale castle in the center of mid-town Manhattan.

Becca’s renegade curls swat the side of my forehead when she turns away from Will. “I’m sure you’ve heard the story behind the Westerly wall.”

“Something about Old Man Westerly building it because he hated his daughter’s boyfriend?” The memory is fuzzy, but I recall my father telling me about the local legend when I was younger.

Will laughs. “Dude must have been a fun parent.”

Becca nods. Finally, they agree on something. “Judging by the state of the wall, the estate behind it must be a total wasteland. I wonder why the mayor doesn’t force whoever owns it now to fix it up.”

I straighten my spine, searching for tall stone turrets, perhaps the tower of London, or at least a mansion like Brian’s. Only the top floor of a tired-looking manor house with faded clapboard siding and a shingled roof pokes over the top of the brick barrier. In the distance, I spot a redwood barn and two corroded metal silos.

“Old man Westerly built the wall a long time ago—maybe the seventies,” Becca says. “According to the story my gran told me, he completely despised his daughter’s boyfriend.”

“Yeah, and I bet the wall was his bright idea to separate them,” Will cuts in.

“All that to keep out one guy?” I ask.

“He was probably her one true love.” Becca enhances the mood by fluttering her eyelashes faster than a crazed hummingbird’s wings. “Then, right after the wall was finished, the Westerly family moved away and sold the land. Apparently, there was some sort of accident.”

“So the place is cursed,” Will says.

“Supposedly haunted,” Becca adds.

Will huffs. “No one believes the ghost stuff. But whoever bought it made a bad investment. Must be a toxic-waste dump or something if you can’t build on it.”

The light switches to green. Will punches the gas, and Becca slams into me, her shoulder knocking mine.

“You’re out of control, Gamen,” Becca gripes. “Sorry, Mel.”

Two cars roll through the intersection before the light shines yellow and then red. Will swears under his breath. “First-day-of-school traffic. Everybody wants to show off their new wheels.”

“Do you really think there’s a ghost?” I turn to Becca.

“Of course there’s a ghost,” she says. “People see her all the time.”

“Like who?” Will asks, arching an eyebrow.

She shrugs. “Just people.”

“Name one person. Have you seen her?”

“No, Will,” she answers with a sigh. “But everyone knows about her, so the story must be true. She’s waiting for her true love to come back and rescue her.”

Will barks out a laugh. “True love. Right. More like a sex fiend.”

“Awesome. We’re talking about ghost sex now,” Becca says.

“I wonder what the real story is,” I say. “The truth could make a great headline for the paper. If I find out what really happened to the estate, maybe someone would clean the place up. I’m sure it was beautiful, back in the good old days.”

“Don’t you have enough to worry about this year?” Becca asks. “You can’t spend time researching a story like that. You’re assistant editor of Out of Tune. You’re on student council. You play basketball and run a whole bunch of other clubs. Our school would not exist without you.”

“You’re exaggerating.” My face flames.

The light flips to green, and Will floors the gas. As we pull away from the Westerly Estate, I glance at the second story of the old manor house. A shadowy profile appears in the left window. I blink, stare hard, and blink again. It’s gone.


AUTHOR BIO:

Jennifer DiGiovanni is the author of the School Dayz Series. When she’s not writing or reading, she likes to try new sports and activities from archery to ballroom dancing, with varying degrees of success. 










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☼Freebie Tuesday (Edition #142)☼



 Happy Tuesday!

I will be tweeting random freebies that I can find on any given day so if you're looking for more free books make sure to follow me on twitter @JackieBookWorld. :)

***Note that there will be some books that will be free for limited time only, so make sure to download them as soon as you can. Also if there is any specific genre that you guys want me to find books of, let me know in the comment section below. (:  Enjoy! 

*Older Editions will be linked on the menu section (above) under Freebie Tuesday:)


Maid for the Rock Star 
by Demelza Carlton
Release Date: August 3rd 2015 by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
Series: Romance Island Resort #1Pages: 308
Genres: Romance, Contemporary
Author's Links: Goodreads, Website, Twitter


A maid at the exclusive Romance Island Resort, Audra knows how to handle rock stars, billionaires and celebrities. She keeps their secrets, cleans up their mess and makes sure their holiday is a memorable one. There's just one rule: no relationships with guests. And Audra never breaks the rules.

Jay Felix is rock royalty and he knows it. When one of his bandmates threatens to break up the band, he goes into hiding at the Romance Island Resort. Looking for a distraction, he sets his sights on the unattainable Audra. But what's a rock star to do when the girl he wants is the one woman he can't have?

Welcome to paradise, where the romance is as hot as the weather and the tides aren't all that's surging under the surface.
(Synopsis taken from Goodreads)


       

Rock Me Hard 
by Olivia Thorne
Release Date: November 13th 2013 by Perihelion Publishing
Series: The Rock Star's Seduction #1
Pages: 333
Genres: Romance, Contemporary
Author's Links: Goodreads


The newest release from Olivia Thorne, author of The Billionaire’s Seduction series! 

Kaitlyn Reynolds is a year out of college and fighting to become a journalist when she gets the biggest break of her young life: the shot at a cover story in Rolling Stone magazine. 

But there’s a catch. 

She’ll be covering the hottest bad-boy in rock, Derek Kane, whom Kaitlyn met when she was a freshman in college and he was a struggling unknown. It was passionate two-week affair: tumultuous, sensual, exhilarating...

...and it ended very, very badly.

Now Kaitlyn has to decide whether she can face the pain of the past, her fear of the future – and the man who might just have been the One. 
(Synopsis taken from Goodreads)


       


Happy Reading! :)