★BLOG TOUR:★ Live Me by Celeste Grande {REVIEW + GIVEAWAY!}

Live Me by Celeste Grande

Release Date: October 27th 2015 by Createspace

Series: Pieces of Broken #1

Pages: 398

Genres: Contemporary, New Adult

Broken…

Shattered…

How can you begin to live again when you’ve already been forced to… die?

Evangelina Ricci is trapped in a world that’s a never-ending nightmare, a constant ache in which consumes her every breath. Unable to bear the torture any longer, she does the one thing she can to take back control. 

Run.

With her best friend Jace in tow, Evangelina attempts to escape her darkened past by leaving for college and diving head first into an aggressive schedule, determined with everything she is to make a name for herself. There’s only one problem—she can’t run away from the demons she struggles with. The demons that’ll forever be there, locked inside, battering her soul. Hiding behind a flawless façade, Evangelina faces her ghosts until her world is turned upside down, invaded by… him. 

Blake Turner. Sweet, witty, flirtatious and drop-dead gorgeous, he finds Evangelina at every turn. Scared he’ll uncover the truth she keeps so well guarded, Evangelina tries her best to put on her act, deterring him like she has so many times before—only this guy’s different. He’s relentless. Utterly, absolutely and completely relentless. He sees her and he wants her and won’t stop until she’s his.

Will Evangelina succeed in pushing Blake away? Or will he break down her walls and be the person to make her realize life is worth living?

Purchase: Amazon, B&N

My Review:

Live Me is a story that will definitely leave you wanting for more...

At the beginning of the story we get to meet Evangaline, a college student who has pulled away from her family to go to college. For reasons that we don't get until much later in the story, Evangaline has done anything in her power to escape the nightmare that went through when she was little. Now she has gone off to college where she has friends who have protected her until one day she comes across a guy that makes her feel safe and protected. With fear that she might destroy his life as well, she does everything in her power to stay away from him, but Blake is persistent and he is willing to fight for the girl he can't seem to forget. 

There is a roller coaster of emotions that one goes through while reading this book. Mostly we get flashbacks of what Evangaline went through that will leave you wondering what really happened to her. Blake comes at her rescue when she needed someone the most and after that he is everywhere. He can't seem to stay away from her, which I think it cute and swoon worthy. He is kind and protective which is what Evangaline needs in her life.  As the two get to know each other, the more they start to realize that they are attracted to each other. Now the real question is of whether Evangaline is going to give their relationship a try or not. I really enjoyed reading the story it really tugs at every emotion as you read their story. Though the writing is alright, I still liked the overall plot and characters. Overall I would still recommend reading this book, it's definitely worth reading. :)

***ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.*** 

My Rating: 

AUTHOR BIO:

Celeste Grande grew up loving words. From an early age, it was easy for her to open her heart through pen and paper and come away with something poetic. She never thought anything more than releasing her emotions would come of it though. A workaholic that can’t keep still, in her ‘real’ life, she’s a Certified Public Accountant who dreams of writing sexy books all day long. When she isn’t working, she’s reading, writing, mommying and being a wifey to the love of her life. She lives in New York, still putting pen to paper and anxiously awaiting the debut of her first novel, Live Me, a new adult romance, in October of 2015. 

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✯BOOK BLITZ:✯ Love Found by Caylie Marcoe {EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY!}

Love Found by Caylie Marcoe

Release Date: October 2015 by Createspace

Pages: 252

Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Haley Cavanaugh’s heart is broken. 

Shattered into a million pieces, and that’s just how she’d like it to stay.

She doesn’t believe she deserves happiness. She doesn’t understand how to move on while her life is falling apart and her reality is destroyed.

Enter Eli Park. 

Eli is someone Haley thought she knew, but who turned out to be so much more than she remembered. He sees through her pain and refuses to be pushed away, even when she lashes out. 

Eli’s patience is both frustrating and surprising. Haley was so sure she wanted to go on feeling nothing, but Eli stirs emotions she can’t deny.

Will Haley allow Eli to help her through this horrific time so she can find herself again? Or will she lose the only person who can help heal her heart?

Purchase: Amazon, B&N

{EXCERPT}

I swung back and forth for a while, letting the breeze settle my nerves. I don’t know how long I was out there for, but eventually, I heard a car pull up. The door shut and footsteps thumped up the stairs.

“Hello,” a masculine voice drifted towards me.

I opened my eyes and was greeted with crystal blue eyes, messy brown hair, a lopsided smirk and six feet of tall, lean man.

“Er…um…hi,” I croaked out. Okay…the man was gorgeous. Pretty sure I was blushing.

“Haley?” gorgeous mystery man asked.

I nodded. I didn’t know who this guy was, but he seemed to know me. And if I opened my mouth to ask him, I’m sure I would sound like an idiot again.

He gave me that adorable lopsided grin again. “Eli.” He pointed at himself, like I should know who he was. Eli was leaning against the porch railing, staring at me with amusement in his eyes. Maybe if he wasn’t so damn attractive I could get my brain to start working again. But for now, I could only stare.

“You don’t remember me, do you?” he asked. “The four of us hung out together when I roomed with Noah in the dorms.”

Holy shit. This man in front of me couldn’t be Noah’s roommate. There was no possible way he was the same guy. I hung out with the kid all the time, and this guy…no, not him. Not him at all.

“You look nothing like you did freshman year.” I blurted out. Then quickly turned red and clamped my hand over my mouth.

Oh God, he’s going to think you are the biggest idiot.

Eli laughed. “I was a lot scrawnier back then. Had longer hair. Wore thick framed glasses all the time.” His voice still sounded the same. That was something at least. “When I moved back home to help my mom, I worked with my uncle at his construction company. I guess that helped me gain a little muscle.” He shrugged like he was not confident with how he looked.

The more I stared at him, the more he was becoming familiar. Freshman year, he was this quiet, slightly nerdy kid. He always wore comic book t-shirts. He had spent most of his time on his computer or playing video games with Noah. Kyler had kept telling me that he had a crush on me, and she even begged me to go out with him a few times, but I always came up with reasons I couldn’t. Mostly those excuses dealt with my crush at that time—Drew. Blah. I was so not going to think about that douche when Eli was standing in front of me.

I mean, I enjoyed hanging out with him as a friend, but dating? He was definitely not what I thought my type was. Though, what I thought my type was turned out to be a bunch of jerks, so maybe I should have given the nice guy a chance.

“You okay?” he asked gently, pushing off the railing and taking a seat next to me on the swing. “You seem lost in thought.”

I shrugged, not knowing what to say.

“You don’t remember me, do you?”

“Oh no, I do.”

AUTHOR BIO:

Born and raised in the frozen tundra of Wisconsin, Caylie fell in love with reading at a young age. With her lively imagination, she created numerous stories in her head throughout her childhood and teenage years.

Her first novel, Choose Us, released in April 2014 and became an Amazon Bestseller.

When she isn't slaving away at the keyboard, Caylie is an avid reader, and lover of coffee... copious amounts of coffee. She also has an unhealthy addiction to coffee mugs, chapstick, water bottles, football, and tv shows--binge watching is her favorite.

She chases her two kids around the house all day, and has a husband whom she adores.

If you want to stay tuned in to all of the new release news, sign up for Caylie's spam-free newsletter. It only comes out when something exciting is happening...promise!
http://eepurl.com/T7sp5 

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✯RELEASE DAY LAUNCH:✯ Act Like It by Lucy Parker {EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY!}

Act Like It by Lucy Parker

Release Date: November 30th 2015 by Carina Press

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

This just in: romance takes center stage as West End theatre's Richard Troy steps out with none other than castmate Elaine Graham

Richard Troy used to be the hottest actor in London, but the only thing firing up lately is his temper. We all love to love a bad boy, but Richard's antics have made him Enemy Number One, breaking the hearts of fans across the city.

Have the tides turned? Has English rose Lainie Graham made him into a new man?

Sources say the mismatched pair has been spotted at multiple events, arm in arm and hip to hip. From fits of jealousy to longing looks and heated whispers, onlookers are stunned by this blooming romance.

Could the rumors be right? Could this unlikely romance be the real thing? Or are these gifted stage actors playing us all?

Purchase: Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes

{EXCERPT}

It would have helped if she’d got further than the couch part of the couch-to-5k training plan she’d printed off the internet. Lainie crossed the finishing line and immediately dropped her head toward the ground, leaning her hands against her thighs and fiercely rejecting the urge to vomit. She was embarrassingly unfit, but if the chain-smoking, foulmouthed comedian two steps ahead of her could finish with a smile on his face and no visible signs of nausea, then so could she. She straightened with an effort, cringing as her back made an audible cracking sound. Performing in a play was a physical job, for God’s sake. It required stamina. She didn’t even have the excuse of sitting behind a computer all day.

Camera lights flashed as more participants made it over the line. They included several soap actors, a controversial political commentator, a popular abstract artist, and a DJ from Radio 1. The fund-raising committee had managed to put together a respectable hit list of names for the Shining Lights UK 5k, considering that Fun Runs were among the least popular of charitable events. She couldn’t even say the term without an ironic inflection on the first word. What kind of half-witted masochist actually enjoyed running on a drizzly October morning in London? On a weekday, no less, when there were plenty of people about with laptops and coffee cups, observing the mania with perplexity.

Lainie had tried to suggest an alternative—a bake-off, a rock concert—but the director of the foundation was a jogging enthusiast who refused to believe that other people might not share his predilection for spandex. She saw him now, standing by the refreshment table, doing some kind of yoga stretch and looking cool and unfazed. He didn’t even have sweat stains in his armpits. Unnatural.

“Well done!” he called to her. “How was that?”

About thirty-five minutes of pure, wheezing hell, thank you for asking.

“Great,” she said, desperately sucking air into her abused lungs. “Brilliant way to start the day.” If you enjoy unrelenting pain. “I beat my personal best time.”

Which was true, in the sense that she had never run a 5k before and hopefully never would again.

Oh, well. It was all money for worthy coffers.

“Couldn’t agree with you more,” he enthused. “Nothing more invigorating than an early morning run.”

The poor man had obviously never had early morning sex. Or a caramel latte.

He nodded toward the throng of spectators, shivering under their support banners. “Good to see the SOs out in force, as well.”

“The SOs?” she asked blankly, trying to follow the direction of his gaze. Had she failed to swot up on necessary athletic jargon as well? Safety Officers? Sports Officials? Sulky Octopi? She had no idea.

“Significant others. Always helps to have a cheerleader on the sidelines, doesn’t it?” He chuckled. “Yours looks a bit worn around the edges. Dragged him out of bed early, did you?”
Completely at sea, Lainie didn’t respond. Then she finally saw what—or rather whom—he was looking at. Richard was leaning against a pop-up art installation. The enormous statue of a polar bear wore an identical frown and a similar amount of facial hair. The bear was evidently very worried about the status of global warming; a stroppy and still unshaven Richard appeared more concerned with his own warmth, or lack thereof. His hands were thrust in his pockets and he was doing the standing jig-dance of the cold and crabby, bobbing from one foot to the other.

Absently excusing herself from the grinning director, Lainie hurried over to him, blowing on her own ungloved hands. Now that she had stopped running, the chill was creeping in.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, amazed and irritable. This had not, as far as she knew, been on their agreed list of activities, and she couldn’t imagine he was pining for her company. She felt justifiably annoyed with him for turning up when she was a red-faced, snot-nosed mess. Not that she had ever exactly bowled him over when she was a painstakingly curled, professionally made-up siren, either.

Although he hadn’t seemed repelled during that one rain-saturated moment earlier in the week. Which she was never going to think about again. She’d been telling herself so all week.
He hadn’t wanted to kiss her.

Had he?

Lucy Parker:

Lucy Parker lives in the gorgeous Central Otago region of New Zealand, where she feels lucky every day to look out at mountains, lakes, and vineyards. She has a degree in Art History, loves museums and art galleries, and doodles unrecognizable flowers when she has writer’s block. 

When she’s not writing, working or sleeping, she happily tackles the towering pile of to-be-read books that never gets any smaller. Thankfully, there’s always another story waiting.

Her interest in romantic fiction began with a pre-teen viewing of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (Firth-style), which prompted her to read the book as well. A family friend introduced her to Georgette Heyer, and the rest was history. 

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★BLOG TOUR:★ Inconceivable! by Tegan Wren {REVIEW}

~BLOG TOUR!~

Inconceivable! by Tegan Wren

Release Date: November 16th 2015 by Curiosity Quills Press

Pages: 354

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

A popular, young royal couple can't produce an heir? INCONCEIVABLE!

When Ozarks native Hatty goes “whole hog” during karaoke, she catches the eye of Prince John. He isn’t what she expects the heir to a small European nation to be: he's affable, witty, and isn’t put off by her tell-it-like-it-is demeanor. Their flirtation should be short lived, but a force stronger than fate—Hatty’s newspaper editor—assigns her to cover the royals. After spending time together, she and John soon begin dating, and Hatty finds herself making headlines instead of writing them. 

But challenges loom that are even more complicated than figuring out how to mesh Hatty's journalism career with life at Belvoir Palace. Hatty and John soon find themselves embroiled in an unusual sex scandal: they can't produce an heir. Tabloids dub Hatty a “Barren-ess,” and the royals become irate. Hatty politely tells them to shove it. But beneath her confident exterior, she struggles to cope with a heartbreak that invades her most intimate moments with John. Pressured to choose between invasive medical procedures and abandoning John’s claim to the throne, the couple feels trapped until a trip to Ethiopia shows them happy endings sometimes arrive long after saying “I do.”

Purchase: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads

My Review:

Inconceivable is a touching story that was both realistic and romantic that would ultimately leave you wanting for more.

What immediately attracted me the most was the beautiful cover and the synopsis. I'm a sucker for these types of books that I just couldn't wait to read the book. From the start we get to meet Hatty, she is a reporter who has absolutely no filter when it comes to the things she believes in. She is at a karaoke bar when she stumbles upon a mysterious stranger who ends up been Prince John. His fun personality is magnetic and they both flirt with each other, until is time for them to go their separate ways. When she is assigned to cover the royals, Hatty doesn't know what to do, especially since the royals don't always react well with the press. But it is after they spend time together, that the two start to realize that they are meant to be with each other. Soon their relationship blossoms as the two start dating, but the pressure and rumors that they start to get thrown into starts to shake their relationship. Now Hatty is forced to make a choice of whether to keep pursuing her career or marry the man she loves and leave everything behind. The real thing that starts to make things worse is after they get married, and that is her inability to produce an heir.

There were a lot of things that I liked about the story, it's one of the books that has a very realistic feel to it that makes it that much more intriguing to read. The characters have a lot to overcome and their struggles as individuals and partners is what keeps them stronger. John is your typical charismatic character that is full of live when he first meets Hatty. On the other hand, she is confident and has no filter saying what she thinks. Overall their personalities brings them closer, but it is when they start dating that everything changes. The pace of the story becomes rushed and the characters change very quickly. We get playful at the beginning and serious later on that for me changed the mood of the book. Having to read the struggles that Hatty went through were touching and sad. The theme of infertility was well written in the story that I applaud the author for bringing a sensitive subject to the book. Though I wished some things that happened in the book were better answered at the end, I still liked how the author ended the book. It's not what I expected and that made it even better. I would highly recommend the book to those that are looking for something different in your typical romance books. It's worth picking up. : )

***ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.***

My Rating: 

About The Author:

The best compliment Tegan Wren ever received came from her sixth grade teacher: “You always have a book in your hand!” Guided by her love of the creative process, Tegan grew up acting in theatre productions and writing poetry, short stories, and plays. She turned her eye to writing about real life when she worked as a journalist, producing reports for various radio and television stations in medium and large markets in the Midwest and also filing some stories for a major national news network. She spent several years writing online content, which ranged from creating descriptions of toilets for a retail website to composing a blog post about visiting Maui.

She’s had the opportunity to travel overseas, and uses those adventures to inform her writing. She also draws inspiration from her own struggles and life experiences. Tegan and her husband, Patrick, experienced infertility for five years before becoming parents through adoption. 

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★BLOG TOUR:★ The First Last Boy by Sonya Weiss {REVIEW + EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY!}

The First Last Boy by Sonya Weiss

Release Date: October 20th 2015

Genres: Adult, Romance, Erotica

 Sex was the plan. Falling in love wasn't.

Eighteen-year-old Montana "Tana" Shaw has a plan for her life and she follows it to the letter. That includes losing her virginity to her best friend, Ryan Collins before she leaves for college. He's wild, tattooed, and oh-so-tempting. She never meant to fall for him. But when Tana learns that Ryan's past is responsible for her family's heartache, she's not sure her heart or their relationship can survive.

Ryan Collins is the foster boy from the wrong side of the tracks. He's scarred, no good, and knows with a past like his that he shouldn't get involved with Tana even if the sparks are hot enough to drive him crazy. But when the past rears its ugly head, he'll become the guy he hates in order to save the girl he loves.

Purchase: Amazon, B&N

My Review:

From the very beginning I was intrigued with the title and the synopsis. Though the story is nothing new, the author does a good job at making intense scenes that you can't stop reading until the very end.

Both Montana and Ryan are the complete opposite, yet they both somehow end up connecting really well with each other. But when Montana asks Ryan to be her first, he freaks out and that's when their relationship starts to change. As an eighteen-year-old, Montana is ready to go to college, but not before losing her virginity. So when Ryan starts to pull away, she is ready to move on. Soon Ryan starts to act protective and he can't help but to give in to Tana's request. As the two start to spend more time with each other, their growing connection slowly starts to turn into something else that neither of them is willing to admit to each other. But their moment of bliss comes crushing to an end when Ryan's past shows up and ready to destroy whatever is dear to him, and that very much includes Tana. 

As a foster boy, Ryan Collins has lived through so much in his life. He struggled when he was younger and made some very bad decisions, but when he found his now “foster mom,” he has tried to make his life better. When Montana asks him to be her first, he is overwhelmed and doesn't know what to do. He has always liked her, but he doesn't want to hurt her, especially if she finds out about his past. Now when his past is back ready to destroy all the people that he loves, he is willing to do anything to keep Tana safe, and hopes that she forgives him when she finds out the truth about him. 

Like I mentioned before, both of the characters are different, for one Tana used to be rich and lived in a good neighborhood. Now she lives in a small house with her mother and younger brother. She is ready to go to College, but on the inside she is scared of leaving her mother alone. On the other hand, Ryan doesn't have a family and his only home is filled with other foster kids who he considers “family.” Although the story itself was intriguing, their were times when it was going either too fast or very slow.  We also get dual point-of-views in the story that made it that much more appealing to read as it kept me reading all day long. Overall, I really enjoyed the story, though some scenes could have been executed differently I still liked it. I would recommend picking it up if you like friends-to-relationship type of stories. : )

***ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.***

My Rating: 3.5/5

{EXCERPT}

CHAPTER ONE

TANA

Three nights ago I’d asked my best friend, Ryan Collins, to have sex with me. The request blew up in my face and I didn’t even have being drunk to use as an excuse for asking him. I closed my laptop and rolled over onto my back, staring at the brown ringed water spot on the bedroom ceiling.

Eighteen years old and still a virgin. There were half a dozen boys I could hook up with before heading off to my freshman year at Bayside College in Illinois, but I wanted my first time to be with someone I trusted, someone who made my heart beat faster just by being near him.

Grabbing my phone, I texted him. Hey, wanna hang?

Montana, no.

Usually Ryan called me Tana, the shortened version of my name. The one he’s used since the day we met. He only used Montana when he was pissed off. Like he’d been ever since I’d asked him, like I’d suggested he let me rip out his nipple piercing or something. He’d recoiled and shut me out the second I’d mentioned sex.

Whatever, I texted back, trying to convince myself I just wanted company and not specifically his. I had to get a grip and stop lying to myself, stop ignoring how Ryan affected me.

It was Friday night and since my friends went to a concert I couldn’t afford, I didn’t have anything to do. Ignoring the incoming text, I rolled off the bed to see if Mom made it home yet. If she hadn’t, it was up to me to fix something for supper so Creature, my eight-year-old brother, Mark, wouldn’t starve. We called him that because ever since he’d seen the Harry Potter movies, he’d wanted to be called Creature after Kreacher in the movies. He’d walked around for weeks after seeing them muttering insults like the house elf.

Mom wasn’t home. I didn’t mind cooking or helping out when I wasn’t working my shift as a waitress at the Blue Seagull. Mom had busted her ass for us since the divorce. My father bailed three years ago when Creature was five and I was fifteen. No big loss. We were better off without his drama. He showed up hit and miss and only stayed long enough to stir up reality show type shit.

“Hey, Creature! You want some pizza?” I yelled down the hallway when none of the options at hand in the ancient, rattling refrigerator looked appealing.

He flung open his bedroom door and poked his head out, blinking, readjusting to the real world from his virtual one. “Real pizza, not the kind you make?” he asked with a mixture of suspicion and hope.

So I’m not known for my culinary skills. “Yeah, real pizza.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out the change I had left. “Let me get my purse and I’ll see for sure if I have enough.”

He followed me back to my room and did a dive landing onto my bed, narrowly missing my laptop while he made explosive noises. “Where’s Ryan? He always comes over on Friday.”

“I dunno, and careful with my laptop.” I picked up my purse and dug through my wallet for the leftover tip money.

“There’s enough.”

“Yay!” He leaned over the bed and plopped the computer onto the crappy carpet I thought was left over from the seventies. He bounced up to his knees, then his feet and started jumping on the bed. “Hurry up and order it before Mom comes home and does this.” He pulled his eyebrows into a frown. “You need vegetables, young man.”

I laughed at the imitation and picked up my phone, ignoring a second text message. I knew Ryan wanted to explain the reasons why sex with me was such a god-awful bad idea but I was too humiliated to deal with it. I dialed the number of the pizza place at the strip mall a few miles away and ordered a pepperoni with extra cheese.

“Mom’s gonna complain.”

“Sit,” I said after I hung up. With my hands on his shoulders, I scowled into his face. “About Mom…don’t tell her. Problem solved.”

“She might not notice anyway. She’s always working,” he said. He swung his bare feet back and forth. “Who’s gonna take care of me when you leave for college?”

My heart twisted at the worry reminder. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I’d wondered the same thing. “There’s no…c’mon…what is it?”

“Bridge to cross yet.” He jumped off the bed. “Wanna play one of my games? I’ll let you win.”

I followed him into his room that smelled like wet socks, half-eaten Cheetos, and sweaty little boy. I wrinkled my nose. “How can you stand this? It’s almost toxic in here. You should clean.”

“You’re not Mom.” He slumped his shoulders and dragged his voice out in another weary imitation of hers. “Look at this room, son. How can you find anything? It looks like the city dump. One day, you’ll get lost in here and I’ll have to call search and rescue.”

“She’s right.” I laughed and grabbed him around the neck to scrub the top of his head. His hair was thick and chestnut brown just like mine and he also had the same brown eyes. He looked so much like me that when we were out together, people sometimes asked if he was my kid. I loved him like he was. Thanks to some stuff the absentee father put him through, Mark had what his doctor called arrested emotional development. It made him act younger than he was.

He pulled away, rolled his eyes, and handed me a controller. “C’mon.”

We’d only played for fifteen minutes when the doorbell rang. That was fast. I hoped the pizza wasn’t doughy this time. “Coming,” I yelled and tossed aside the controller.

“You can’t do that! Your man will die.” Mark made a frantic grab for the controller and saved me from virtual destruction.

I hurried into the living room and yanked open the door. Under the soft illumination of the porch light, Ryan stared back at me in all his holy hell hotness. My stomach clenched, then dropped to my feet. I experienced the suspended-in-space sensation every time I saw him.

His eyes were a mix of blue and green that made my friends talk about how beautiful they were. They reminded me of the colors found in a turbulent storm. He had a hand on each side of the doorframe and leaned slightly forward. With his dark hair, handsome face, and tattooed body, he was every girl’s bad boy fantasy. When he wore the white tank undershirts he favored, like he was doing now, it showed off his well-defined muscles and made it difficult to think about anything but how good he looked.

“What?” I managed to snap out like his being there didn’t affect me at all. I was getting good at hiding the way my body had started reacting around him.

He motioned to the storm door. “Let me in.”

I shrugged and didn’t move to undo the latch. “What for?”

His lips tightened and the storm in his eyes grew more pronounced. “Come on, Montana. Don’t be like that.”

Behind him, a car with a pizza sign on the roof pulled up. Ryan jogged off the porch, paid for the pizza, and when the delivery guy left, said, “Let me in or I’ll hold your pizza hostage.”

I would have told him so what, but then Creature ran up behind me yelling Ryan’s name in an excited tone. He thought of Ryan like a brother and sometimes I think Mark loved spending time with Ryan more than he did with me.

Mark barreled past me and shoved open the door. “Gimme.” He took the box and dashed into the kitchen leaving me alone with Ryan and the most awkward question in the world hanging between us.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sonya Weiss is a freelance writer, ghostwriter and author. She's addicted to great books, good movies, and Italian chocolates. She's passionate about causes that support abused animals and children. Her parents always supported her bringing stray animals home although the Great Dane rescue was a surprise. 

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✯BOOK BLITZ✯: There We’ll Be by Alla Kar {EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY!}

There We’ll Be by Alla Kar

Release Date: November 27th 2015 by Swoon Romance

Series: Together #3

Genres: New Adult, Romance

Respect your elders.

Stay off Sawyer property.

And don’t even think about that Sawyer girl…

Boone Cross was raised with three simple rules, and falling for Josie Sawyer broke every one of them. That is, until a year ago, when he ​did the unthinkable and she moved away.

Josie Sawyer never thought she’d be on a plane, flying back to Arkansas for the summer, only a year after her heart was crushed into a thousand pieces by the boy her parents forbade her to love. But ​her father is dying, and being stubborn isn’t an option.

In a town this small, it’s only a matter of time before she runs into Boone Cross.

A lot’s changed since she last laid eyes on him, but some things have remained exactly the same. Boone’s got designs on her and he won’t give up until he gets what he wants.

​But as they give in to the need to be together once more, ​secrets ​come to light ​revealing​ a ​history of a hatred between their families that runs ​so ​deep that even the strongest love may not be able to survive. 

Purchase: Amazon

{EXCERPT}

Josie

Something tickled my feet, but I was too tired to move. I had stayed up most of the night, crying into my pillow. Once I realized I wasn’t going to sleep anytime soon, I packed my suitcase. I’d only fallen asleep three hours before.

“Josie,” someone whispered.

I knew by the smell of cigarettes and that raspy voice that it was Samantha. Opening one eye, I stretched my arms above my head. Samantha’s face was coated in glitter from brow to chin. Her belly shirt and go-go boots told me she’d just gotten in. Go-go dancing wasn’t her first choice to pay the bills, but neither of us complained when those tips started rolling in.

She threw her purple wig to the floor, revealing a nest of brown curls. “What the—” she said, picking up one of the wads of Kleenex that littered my bed. “Is something wrong with my Sookie?”

I sat up straight, feeling my puffy eyes with the tips of my fingers. “Yes,” I said, looking into her eyes for the first time. Bags hung underneath each painted eye, and her frown told me I looked as bad as I felt. “I’m going home. My mom called.”

Samantha arched a brow. She knew the relationship between my mother and me was rocky.

“My dad is dying,” I choked out.

Samantha’s arms flew around me. “I’m so sorry, Sookie. Are you okay? God, that’s a stupid question. When are you leaving? Do you need me for anything?”

I relaxed into her arms. I couldn’t have asked for a better friend. When I moved from Arkansas to California, I was as lost as a damn goose trying to get around. But then I met Samantha in freshman calculus. She took me under her wing and, three weeks later, rented me the empty bedroom in her apartment. We’d been best friends ever since. “I’m leavin’ at two. I just need a ride to the airport.”

She nodded against the crown of my head. “I can do that. In the meantime, how about some pancakes?”

I pulled away. The thought of eating made my stomach turn but I couldn’t say no to that hopeful face. “Pancakes sound nice.”

Fifteen minutes later, after I called the diner and told them I had to take some time off, we sat at our small kitchen table eating buttery pancakes.

“How long are you going to be gone?” she asked. She’d taken off her makeup and looked like an actual person now. Her high cheekbones and full lips were bare, and she’d never looked prettier. She was one of those girls who didn’t have to try to be gorgeous—she just was.

I shrugged, pushing the pancakes around on my plate. “They said he has a month. So I guess I’ll be gone a month.”

Sam’s frown deepened. “Sweetheart, I’m so sorry. So, so sorry. I can’t believe this is happening to you.” She kept her eyes on mine and I could see she wanted to ask something else.

“Go ahead and ask.”

The corner of her lip rose into a small smile. “I know you have to go, of course, but wasn’t there a reason you hadn’t gone back in the first place? I mean, you never really told me why you didn’t want to go home.”

More pain assaulted my chest, and it took everything in me not to burst into tears. I hated feeling so weak and helpless, but the memories were dancing at the corners of my vision, taunting me.

And all because of him. Because I’d fallen in love with a person that unlovable. Heartless. That’s the only reason I could think of why he would leave me. Alone. He’d been my anchor for an entire year. I’d spent a year in the woods, each night letting him hold me in that deserted treehouse of his.

Until one day—he vanished. Not literally, but emotionally. All those memories, stories, kisses—his touch. Those eyes. Everything had vanished from my life without as much as a goodbye. And as many times as I’d lain there, waiting for him to come back, he never did.

“It’s a long boring story, Sam. You don’t want to hear it.”

AUTHOR BIO:

My name is Alla Kar. I live in the deep south with my fiancé and Chihuahua. I love to write about alpha males, southern gentlemen and swoon-worthy men! :) 

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✯Black Friday Blitz✯: Once Upon A December by Sydney Logan {EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY!}

Once Upon A December by Sydney Logan

Release Date: November 28th 2014 by Mountain Media

Pages: 56

Genres: Romance, Holiday

Christmas is in the air, and best selling author Sydney Logan is gifting readers with a short story collection, just in time for the holidays. Once Upon a December features Sydney’s latest story, “What Child Is This,” along with her previously published holiday stories in one complete collection. Available for the first time in both paperback and ebook, these heartwarming and romantic tales are sure to bring you joy this holiday season.

What Child Is This?

Estranged from his family and the love of his life, Thomas Fisher finds himself stranded in an airport on Christmas Eve. Imagine his surprise when a young boy takes him by the hand and shows him the way home.

Mistletoe Magic

Melanie Taylor is on a mission to find the perfect Christmas gift for her husband. Something special. Something expensive. Something that will save her marriage. Can a chance encounter on an elevator make her Christmas wish come true?

The Little Drummer Boy

It’s Christmas Eve, and Justin Banks is on the hunt for a last-minute gift for his wife, Megan. With the help of a homeless man and the beat of a drum, Justin stumbles upon the one thing Megan has always wanted. The one thing money can’t buy. It's amazing what we can hear if we just take a moment and really listen.

Purchase: Amazon | Nook | iBooks | Kobo

{EXCERPT}

Mistletoe Magic

“Doing some last-minute shopping?” Ethan asked.

Melanie blinked rapidly before nodding.

“I am,” she replied stiffly. “You?”

He lifted the gold bag, giving it a little shake.

She nodded. “For someone special?”

“For my wife. You?”

“My husb—”

Her reply was cut short when the lights dimmed, and the elevator lurched to a stop.

“Fantastic,” Melanie mumbled.

The emergency lights flickered on, and Ethan pushed the alarm button before grabbing the elevator’s phone. Melanie listened intently as he barked orders to someone before slamming down the receiver.

“The entire block is in the dark,” Ethan grumbled. He removed his jacket before settling himself on the floor.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting comfortable,” Ethan said. “The guy said it might be a while.”

Melanie glanced down at her silk dress.

“I’m not sitting on this dirty floor.”

Ethan shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

Melanie eyed his jacket.

“Speaking of suits, isn’t that Armani?”

“I have no idea which expensive name is stitched on the label.”

She smirked. “But you know it’s expensive.”

“There isn’t a suit in my closet that didn’t cost a fortune. My wife insists upon it.”

“Maybe that’s because your wife has good taste.”

“Maybe that’s because my wife is too hung-up on labels.” Ethan loosened his tie and sighed tiredly. “Just sit down. I hate enclosed spaces, and you’re making me nervous.”

A stubborn Melanie remained on her feet, but the four-inch heels of her favorite boots weren’t the most comfortable, and after a few minutes, she finally relented and removed her coat. It was far less expensive than the dress, after all. She placed it on the floor before slowly sitting down.

“See? Isn’t that better?”

Melanie sighed loudly.

“One of us should probably conserve our cell battery,” Ethan suggested, pulling his phone out of his pocket. “My Blackberry has a full charge, so I don’t mind keeping mine on if you’d like to save yours.”

With a nod, Melanie reached into her bag and turned off her iPhone.

“You don’t want to text someone first?” Ethan asked. “Your husband might worry if you come home late.”

Melanie somehow resisted the urge to laugh.

“No one worries about me,” she said.

A brief look passed between them before they both quickly looked away.

Sydney Logan Bio:

Amazon best-selling author Sydney Logan holds a Master's degree in Elementary Education. She is the author of five novels - Lessons Learned, Mountain Charm, Soldier On, Once Upon a December, and Pros & Cons. Sydney has also penned several short stories and is a contributor to Chicken Soup for the Soul.

A native of East Tennessee, Sydney enjoys playing piano and relaxing on her porch with her wonderful husband and their very spoiled cat.

Visit her website at www.sydneylogan.com.

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✯BOOK BLITZ:✯ The X Factor by Ivan Sivec {EXCERPT}

The X Factor by Ivan Sivec 

Release Date: August 16th 2015 by ICO d.o.o., Slovenia

Pages: 248

Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

It takes three mistakes to be swallowed up and spat out by the fashion industry.

You trust the wrong people.

You think you know everything there is to know about life.

You take drugs.

Maja started off as a regular 17-year-old high-school kid, fighting her inner insecurities while dreaming to become an actress like Marilyn Monroe.

At a party her boyfriend Klemen introduces her to a renowned modelling agent. He sees a special X Factor hidden insight her. And a great business opportunity for himself…

Fast forward a few weeks later. Maja’s charm and talent land her a modelling contract in the trendy and exciting fashion capital of Milan. She’s completely enchanted and determined to make it in the fashion world.

But things don’t turn out the way she had planned.

Exhausting long photo shoots, stressful fashion shows, strict dieting and wild parties start taking their toll on her soon enough. In desperate search for help Maja reaches out to her agent and other false friends from the fashion industry that emotionally and physically exploit her to the point where ‘Maja the Great’ is merely a shadow of her former self.

She starts battling drug addiction that ends up in a tragic event.

Maja has been finally swallowed up and spit out by the fashion industry with its endless traps. What price will the girl with the X Factor have to pay for her naivety?

The young adult novel The X Factor by the bestselling Slovenian author Ivan Sivec is based on a true story and takes the reader on a frightening journey into the world of drug addiction among teenager fashion models.

Purchase: Amazon, B&N

{EXCERPT}

It started like this:

“I’ll give you a fourteenth of an ounce,” Monica was unusually generous and understanding. “For extremely difficult times. Stop by if you need more. But be careful not to get used to it too much. Heroin, for example, is only meant for critical moments, but can otherwise ruin a person.”

At the time she didn’t know the director was a drug trafficker. A true drug dealer. By selling drugs to models she lured their hard earned money into her own pocket. Business is business, of course.

Everything in the world is about business.

And exactly because of this Maja was now even more convinced that this was the first and the last time she would resort to the white powder.

But destiny had other plans for her.

Maja felt lost after the incident. She thought everyone was talking about her behind her back, that everyone was judging her. At the time she didn’t have a hunch about the fact that she was only an insignificant speck people can crush easily without any bad conscious.

However, it all depended on whether this insignificant speck would allow others to crush her.

But time ran by relentlessly.

9th June 2004.

A gala dinner.

All the Crème de la crème of Milan society was invited. The models were keeping the guests company, but also the whole fashion show staff gathered.

The fancy invitation that had a big red rose on the cover page said:

After the very successful, attention-grabbing fashion show, our great fashion designer Riccardo invites his dear guests and co-workers for a gathering. The reception will take place on Wednesday 9th June 2004. “Wow, you’re Riccardo’s co-worker now!” Svetlana sincerely hugged Maja, after she showed her the invitation.

They both knew the only reason why the great designer Riccardo was organising this reception was to easier sell his new designs. Amongst the cream of society in Milan were mostly moneybags that liked to show off with Riccardo’s creations in theatres, luxurious receptions and other events.

Maja felt awkward because Svetlana wasn’t invited to the dinner party.

“I’m not going anywhere without you. I don’t know anyone there.” “What do you mean?” Svetlana tried to comfort her. “You know the great designer himself! And the whole of Milan, actually the whole of Italy knows you, after all you were on the cover of the Italian issue of Bravo.”

“They also know me because I stumbled at the fashion show,” she added bitterly.

“That’s publicity as well.”

Despite Svetlana’s convincing, Maja decided not to attend the gala dinner. Out of solidarity to her friend, but mostly because she was afraid that the reason why she fell was written all over her face, even though everyone accepted her stumble as if it was nothing special; as if things like that happened a thousand times before.

And then the phone rang.

“Hello, this is Monica.”

AUTHOR BIO:

In his rich and thriving career the writer, poet and publicist has written in many genres. His broad ‘repertoire’ includes historical novels and stories, biographies, psychological novels, adventure novels and travelogues, books with sporting themes, youth book series, picture books and books for the youngest readers as well as humorous stories.

He published over 125 books and is one of the most popular Slovenian authors.

As a poet he has written more than 2,500 lyrics for ethnic and entertaining music for which he received many awards. 

Please visit facebook.com/the.X.factor.the.book for more information! 

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