Sunday, May 11, 2014

Book Blitz: Intimidator by Cari Silverwood - Excerpt & Giveaway




Intimidator
Book 2: Preyfinders

Cari Silverwood

New Adult Sci-Fi Romance
May 7, 2014

Amazon * Smashwords * All Romance



This is Book 2 in the new Preyfinder series.
Book 1, Precious Sacrifice, is currently in the anthology, Kept.


Willow has her hands full scraping out a life in a grungy neighborhood where drugs and crime are the norm. Life is hard, but it's about to get harder. Being transformed into a sexual pet for an alien warrior may be her only way out.

But Stom, the man she's been awarded to as a battle honor, has no use for a female, not when his heart is still in a million pieces.

Though the need to be Stom's mate is overwhelming her, mending his heart isn't going to be enough. His enemies are searching, looking for the women who are more than they seem, but she's in their hands before she discovers she's more-than-human.

Sometimes it sucks to be a chosen one.


Excerpt
Stom has been observing Willow at a pub, waiting for his chance to kiss her, so he can claim her.
*****
He’d follow after a few minutes, see where she went. Then Stom’s warrior-enhanced hearing picked up a small shriek, far away, but close enough to be just outside this building.
Her.
As he ran for the door behind the bar, hurdling the counter and sweeping glasses and bottles to the floor with the tail of his coat, he left behind a thunder of smashing glass. People yelled for him to stop. But out of all this, apart from his anxiety over her safety, his one other concern was that he’d recognized that cry. Anyone else he’d seen here tonight could sing an entire song and he’d not know who it was.
Why was this so?
Be inconspicuous? So he guessed that meant he shouldn’t use the twin 357 Magnums he wore in a double underarm holsters, or the sub-compact Heckler & Koch MP5 slung at his back beneath the coat, or the... Pity. He could make such a mess with all these neat human weapons.
On his way through the kitchen, he snatched up a bunch of knives and forks and stuck them into a pocket.
He thrust open the back door and counted back the number of spectators he’d run past. Five, minus whoever was outside. It would do. He could hear the two men somewhere around the corner murmuring threats at Willow. He growled and stalked forward. If he killed these two, maybe that meant he didn’t have to count them?
The brick wall of the pub dog-legged to the right and he followed it into a short alley. At the far end, past a half-open dumpster, was a quiet street with a warehouse and a few cars. One insect-shrouded streetlight shed meager light. He kept going past the dumpster and found them.
They had her backed into a double door, with Turf holding her wrists above her head. Skull-head had his palm over her mouth and was shoving her T-shirt up above her bra. She was trying to kick them and screaming muffled curses. The man removed his palm from her face long enough to slap her hard, once.
A rage like he’d not felt for eons shrieked in and tore his notions of serenity into scrap-sized pieces.

About the Author

Cari Silverwood is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of BDSM stories and dark erotic fiction.

She writes the way the world should be - dangerous and sexy with bullets piercing the darkness and lovers wrenched close by ropes. When you need escape, when you need that rough lover to bring you to your knees, here you will find stories to singe your fingers. The taste of adventure, the tang of BDSM, the burn of fantasy run wild. Brace yourselves, if you dare to read.

And...in this real world, she has a lovely family in Australia, with the prerequisite teenager who dwells in the dark bedroom catacombs...a husband who raises eyebrows when he catches glimpses of what she writes, and a menagerie of other animals barking, meowing, and swimming about the place.

Author links:


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Saturday, May 10, 2014

Blog Tour: Break Free by Amber Garza - Excerpt, Review & Giveaway




Break Free

Amber Garza

Contemporary Romance
April 18, 2014

Amazon



Jade Mathews is on the run. Running from an addiction that almost destroyed her, and a man who wants her dead.

Kyler James is a writer, a recluse locked in a prison of his own making.

When Jade and Kyler meet they find solace in one another and start to heal. Until Jade stumbles upon Kyler’s latest manuscript and is shocked to find that it is her story. One he couldn’t know. Jade fears she’s trusted the wrong person once again, and this time it may be her undoing.

Is the past destined to destroy them or will they finally break free?


Excerpt
“Good thing you’re not a vampire,” I said in a shaky voice. Even though I was trying to act nonchalant on the outside, nothing inside of me felt calm at all. Not with him standing this close. “Between the nosebleed and me cutting my hand open, you would have so bitten my neck by now.”
He froze, his gaze dropping to my neck. With his free hand, he reached up and touched it gingerly as if by my mere mention of it, I had made it impossible not to. My pulse throbbed, and I sucked in a breath.
A nervous laugh escaped. “Is this the part of the story where you tell me I’ve figured out your secret and that you are indeed a vampire?”
“No, this is the part of the story where I tell you that I would never bite you. I would never hurt you at all.” His fingers ran along my neckline, at the trail of bruises Heath had left. I was immobilized, unable to move and hardly able to breathe. When he drew his hand away, I finally exhaled.

My Review: I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Break Free manages to be both heart-wrenching and heart-warming in one story.The very first scene is truly disturbing, as are all of Jade's flashbacks. I liked the message in this story, the strength Jade shows when she finally decides to stand up for herself and change her life.
Jade is running from an abusive relationship and a meth addiction. She's truly an amazing character. To recover from one or the other would be extremely difficult, and yet she has to deal with both. Fortune smiles on her when she finds shelter in Kyler's barn. Over time she begins to learn to trust again. Unfortunately for Jade, she discovers she may have trusted the wrong man.
Kyler is also suffering. He is a loner, a recluse in his farmhouse. A writer by trade, Kyler convinces Jade to stay with him and be his assistant. Frankly he comes across almost too good to be true. He's so sweet and understanding to Jade. The reason becomes clear at the end, but you'll have to read it yourself to find out.
Jade was an easy character to like. From the moment she was introduced, I wanted to give her a place to stay and protect her from the abuse she'd experienced. Kyler also was wonderful. He seemed to always know just how to treat Jade to make her feel safe in his presence. I appreciated how the story ended, found it quite satisfying.

About the Author

Writer of romantic fiction. Singer. Reader. Wife. Mother. Wine enthusiast. Candy addict. Lover of Jesus.

Links-










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Book Blast: I'm With You by Taylor Dean - Giveaway

I'm with youI'm With You
Taylor Dean

Can three little words irrevocably change your life? When the doctors inform Chloe Brennan that her pregnancy is “incompatible with life,” her subsequent choices will change her path forever. She becomes one of the quiet, unsung heroes of this world, incredibly strong, yet somehow wrongly looked upon as damaged. Three people will pierce Chloe’s existence: her husband, a stranger, and a precious baby. One will say goodbye, one will say hello, and one will say both at the same time. I’m With You is a novel about selfless love and the sacredness of life.

Please note: While this book is a romance novel, it also deals with the sensitive issue of baby loss grief. The emotions are real, and sometimes dark. If you are sensitive to this issue, this may not be the book for you.





 


Praise for I'M WITH YOU:

Taylor Dean creates a beautiful story of loss, grief, and love.
~Jana (Book Reviewer)

Chloe’s story of grief, growth and healing is poignant and had me wanting to shed tears one moment, and then smiling as hope took root and bloomed in her heart.
~Charissa of Joy in the Moments

It's amazing how these tragic moments in our lives shape our futures, and this wonderful grandson of Ms. Dean's gave her the strength, courage and words to let others know about grief as well as Trisomy 18.
~Katherine (Book Reviewer)

Excerpt from I'm With You:

Jack turned and looked at her, his eyes wet with tears. “I’m sorry you had to go through it alone.”

“If I could have, maybe I would’ve left too. I didn’t have that option. I don’t blame Mark, I really don’t. Who wouldn’t want to escape? It was a horrific experience.”

“I don’t think it was,” Jack stated quietly.

Startled by his words, Chloe said, “Excuse me?”

“I don’t believe you.”

Chloe felt surprised by his perceptiveness. Her breath caught in her throat as she said, “You’re right. Losing him was horrific. But the experience was one of the most precious times of my life. I’ve never felt so full of love for another individual. It consumed me. I loved him with an intensity I’ve never felt before. He’s the greatest blessing I’ve ever received in my life and I don’t regret a single moment. Maybe I never actually heard him speak, but he said more to me in his short life than anyone has ever said to me in my lifetime. He spoke to my heart in ways that are unfathomable. He changed me and left an imprint on my life that I will never forget. He taught me the true meaning of love and what it’s like to love someone else more than yourself.”

Jack shook his head, fighting emotion. “I can see that, I can feel that. This room is a testament to that love. I can feel your overwhelming love for your child just by glancing in here. That’s how strong it is.”

“Not everyone would agree with you. Mark hates this room. It represents loss to him.”

Jack took a step closer, his eyes blazing. “It represents love, completely unselfish love that few people in this world will ever understand or experience. I’m amazed by you, Chloe.”


A word about I'm With You:

Baby loss is a difficult subject. The accompanying grief is complicated and heartbreaking. In December of 2011, my daughter lost a baby at eight months gestation to Trisomy 18. If you don't know what that is, I didn't either, until it happened to us. (You will learn all about this devastating condition during the course of the book.) I'm With You is a romance novel that includes my daughter's Trisomy 18 story. I knew I wanted to write about the experience one day, but it took me awhile to emotionally prepare myself to actually do it. It has been highly therapeutic. My daughter granted me permission to share her Trisomy 18 story with the hope that it will help others who are dealing with baby loss grief. There is a song written for and dedicated to the families of Trisomy 18 and 13 babies. It is beautiful and deeply expresses the love parents feel for these special babies.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep




Taylor DeanAuthor Taylor Dean

Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it's paranormal, contemporary, or suspense-you'll find all sub-genres of CLEAN Romance in her line-up.







book blast buttonBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/31/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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Friday, May 9, 2014

Book Spotlight: Worth the Effort by Kai Strand - Excerpt & Giveaway

Worth the Effort ~ Ella's Story
Kai Strand

Ella Jones is a coward. There is a teen boy living in the alley behind her work and she is terrified of him.

Desperate to leave behind the stereotypical and judgmental world she was raised in, Ella forces herself to make a true connection with seventeen-year-old Ayden Worth. As their friendship grows Ayden’s quiet, gentle ways teach her true courage.

But there’s more to Ayden’s story than Ella knows. When their worlds collide in the most unexpected place, Ella feels betrayed. Will she find the courage to learn who Ayden really is, or will she determine he’s not worth the effort?




Excerpt:

I jog from the parking lot to the back door of the restaurant the next morning, heart pumping, panting, but not out of fear this time. I had a difficult time waking up, and I don’t want to be late.
I shove the key into the lock.
“Ella.”
I jump and squeal. Ayden is standing next to me, looking like he just woke up. He’s wearing a black hooded sweatshirt under his green army jacket. He must have washed it because I would have smelled him. He’s standing so close.
“Ayden. When did you get here?”
My question catches him by surprise. He cocks his head and opens his mouth, but I cut him off.
“I’m sorry, I can’t talk today. I’m late.”
He nods. All expression erased from his face.
“You’re on break from school, right?” he asks.
Turning the key, I frown at his unexpected question and nod.
“What time do you get off work?”
I pause with the door open. He’s never asked anything like that before, and it kick-starts this crazy emotion inside me. Excitement maybe?
“Ten.”
His smile is almost shy and very playful. “Coffee?”
I can’t help myself. I laugh. “You buying?”
He laughs too. “Uh…”
“I’m kidding. I’ll bring some with me. Where should I meet you?”
“How about the library?”
“It’s a date.” I say with a grin. The spark in his eyes fans that strange emotion, making me laugh again. “Now I’m really late.”
Inside, I slide the deadbolt back into place and pause long enough to press my palm against the door, picturing Ayden on the other side. A sense of rightness fills me. I whisper, “I have a date with a homeless boy.”



About the author:

When her children were young and the electricity winked out, Kai Strand gathered her family around the fireplace and they told stories, one sentence at a time. Her boys were rather fond of the ending, “And then everybody died. The end.” Now an award winning children’s author, Kai crafts fiction for kids and teens to provide an escape hatch from their reality. With a selection of novels for young adult and middle grade readers and short stories for the younger ones, Kai entertains children of all ages, and their adults. Learn more about Kai and her books on her website, www.kaistrand.com.


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Thursday, May 8, 2014

V-Log Tour: My Clarity by M. Clarke



Check out the Tour Page >>HERE<< for more chances to win!

Welcome to day two on the My Clarity V-Log Tour! 



My Clarity
By: M. Clarke (Mary Ting)
Available May 12, 2014 for ONLY $.99!!

** This is a New Adult romance novel recommended for ages 18+ due to sexual content and mature subject matter.**

Still reeling from the death of her father, Alexandria hopes to find both independence and reprieve from her grief by heading off to college. However, life throws her a serious curveball when she discovers that her roommate isn’t quite the person she had imagined.

Smoking, tattoos, and street racing for fast cash are Elijah’s only interests. A harsh life has made him apathetic and indifferent, until Alexandria enters his life. When their paths cross, turmoil abounds.

An inevitable encounter, an undeniable attraction, and an unexpected chance at love—will it be enough?





May 8th - Video Two







You could win a Kindle Paperwhite, or a $100 Gift Card to either Amazon or B&N! Winner's choice!

2nd place winner will win a beautiful bracelet made by Mary Ting/M. Clarke herself!

If you are international you will automatically win a $100 gift card.

Make sure to check back every day! New entries will be added daily!

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Mary Ting resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children’s chapter book-No Bullies Allowed.



Website † Facebook † GoodReads † Twitter † Instagram † Pinterest 



Mary Ting is also a featured author at Chapter by Chapter Book Rave happening in NY on September 20th! 100+ authors will be signing! There will be YA BOWLING, BILLIARDS PARTY, and more!



Tickets available today! www.cbcevent.com



Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Blog Tour: Broken Arrows by Chelsey Butler - Review & Giveaway



Broken Arrows
The Cupid Chronicles #1

Chelsey Butler

Adult Fantasy Romance
February 6, 2014
174 pages



Cari Harris lives what should be a charmed life. She owns a quaint bed and breakfast in a charming southern town, is surrounded by loving friends and family, and possesses magical powers. Most of the residents in Fable, GA, are descended from mythical creatures straight out of fairy tales, and Cari is no exception. As a descendent of Cupid, she has the ability to see when two people are soul mates and the power to make sure they fall in love. However, this power is sometimes more of a curse than a blessing, because Cari is also the town screw up.

While hosting a murder mystery weekend at her inn, she tries to match a young couple and makes a huge mistake. Now she must fix her mistake before the guests leave at the end of the weekend, all while making a bigger mess of things along the way, in her typical fashion.


As if Cari didn’t have enough to worry about already, her old boyfriend just moved back to town. Years ago, she forced herself to stop thinking about Mike, but now that he’s back, there is no avoiding him. It’s a small town and she keeps running in to him, no matter how much she hopes to avoid it. When she stumbles across some unexpected secrets, and Mike helps her with her current matchmaking dilemma, all of her feelings from the past come flooding back.

My Review: I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

Broken Arrows is a cute, fun fantasy story with adorable, quirky characters. It takes place in a small town called Fable, GA in which most residents are descended from supernatural beings such as elves, fairies, and even Cupid. The story just flies by, and I was done before I knew it. My only real beef was that I didn't want it to end.

Cari is a direct descendant of Cupid and can see a couple's auras when they are soul mates and ready to be together. She crafts all sorts of love potions in order to help the process along. Running an inn, she has lots of folks coming and going and that keeps her pretty busy. Unfortunately she's a bit clumsy when it comes to her Cupid duties. It makes for some funny scenes and Cari's utter mortification.

I really liked the characters in this novel. Best friend Roxy is descended from the Tooth Fairy and works as a dentist. Roxy is a really fun character and I'd love to learn more about her. Old flame Mike I'm not so sure about yet. We never get the complete story about what went wrong in the past with Cari. 

Like I said earlier, my major disappointment was that it seemed to end to abruptly. I know this is part of a series, but so many questions were left unanswered. It was a bit frustrating. That said, I think this will be an interesting series to read. I can't wait to read more about all of the interesting characters residing in Fable. Broken Arrows is a lighthearted, quick fantasy with just a touch of romance, some intentional, some accidental. All in all it was quite enjoyable.

About the Author

Chelsey Butler was born and raised near Fort Worth, Texas. She still lives in north Texas with her husband and four daughters, but she rebels against the Texan stereotype. She loves God, her family, and all things involving books, and is a self-proclaimed nerd, a history buff, and vintage enthusiast. She also writes young adult fantasy under the name S.G. Tillery. Chelsey loves hearing from her fans and encourages them to find her on Facebook.
  









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Harlequin Presents Project Reveal - Giveaway




The Chatsfield

* Harlequin, has launched The Chatsfield, a “first of its kind” digital series from Mills & Boon on 6th May.

* Set in the luxury hotel “The Chatsfield”, this digital series provides an extra journey for the reader to continue engaging with the characters of a book and series beyond what is just on the page, thereby extending the life of the story.

* The Chatsfield is a digital journey that blends fiction and reality and comes across multiple mediums including print (The Chatsfield Presents books), video (YouTube), digital (blogs and the main Chatsfield website) and social (twitter, Facebook).

To be a part of the digital journey, you can explore here:
The Chatsfield opened its doors on 6th May at www.thechatsfield.com

Other important links:

Hashtags

#TheChatsfield – wherever possible

Trailer: This is the trailer for the Chatsfield webisodes, called The Loedown: http://youtu.be/1AEBSteF1Mc

Coming May 2014

Sheikh’s Scandal

Lucy Monroe

Sheikh Sayed of Zeena Sarha and his harem of beautiful women are staying at the exclusive, opulent Chatsfield Hotel, London, for the last stop on his worldwide tour before his wedding. But when his engagement is unceremoniously broken, Sayed sets his sights on his sexy chambermaid! 
Liyah Amari only took the position as chambermaid to find the truth about her birth father. But her search ends in heartache, leaving Liyah vulnerable to this powerful Sheikh's desires. Now their one night of passion could result in a scandalous consequence for the proud Sheikh! 
Welcome to The Chatsfield, London!


Coming June 2014
Playboy’s Lesson
Melanie Milburne

Lucca Chatsfield has one simple motto: no rings, no strings. Adored wherever he goes, he has yet to meet a woman who can resist him. Until he's sent to the small principality of Preitalle and meets his greatest challenge ever…. 
Poised and polished, princess Charlotte does not do drama. The very last person she needs interfering in her life is this reckless playboy! Lottie is determined to resist Lucca's seduction, but his charm is potent, and practically perfect Lottie finds herself risking everything for just one more touch….









Coming July 2014

Socialite's Gamble

Michelle Condor

As the darling of London's party scene, Cara Chatsfield isn't surprised when her father's CEO sends her to Las Vegas to host The Chatsfield's world-famous poker tournament. And if behind the glitz and glamour there's a girl hurt by her past? She'll never tell.  
Aidan Kelly detests women like Cara, but when his biggest rival includes Cara in the stakes, Aidan must win—and not just for her protection! But getting to know the stunning socialite, he discovers a beautiful, vulnerable young woman awoken by his own personal brand of passion!  
Welcome to The Chatsfield, Las Vegas!


About the Authors
Lucy Monroe
Award-winning and bestselling author Lucy Monroe lives in the gorgeous Pacific Northwest, surrounded by a plethora of pets and children (her own, the neighbors, her sisters…). She finds inspiration for her stories everywhere as she is an avid people-watcher. So much so that she disconcerted her husband upon first meeting him when she watched the other dancers as much as she watched him. He thought she wasn't interested…silly man.
She believes there is no stronger emotion than love; that it truly can overcome pain, past rejection and the challenge of finding happiness despite the hardest things life has to offer. She believes in the victorious conclusions found in today's romance. To her, the passionately sensual romance novel is a beautiful expression of the reality of love, packaged in a fantasy readers can enjoy.
When she's not writing, Lucy likes to read—big surprise, that. She can't tell you the latest show going on television, but she loves romantic movies, action adventure and the theater. She adores her family, and is a smatterer when it comes to hobbies…a little of this, a little of that.
Since selling her first book to the Harlequin Presents line in September of 2002, she has sold more than thirty books to three publishers and shows no signs of slowing down in the near future.
Visit her web site to read about all of her books and see flash movies for select releases, including her Harlequin Presents title. She truly loves to hear from readers, and can be reached at lucymonroe@lucymonroe.com.
Melanie Milburne
It was while she was supposed to be studying for her final high school exams that Melanie Milburne read her first Mills & Boon novel. She was 17 and decided right then and there she would continue reading romance novels, and not only that, she would settle for no less than a tall dark handsome hero as her future husband. Well, she's not only still reading romance but writing it as well! And the tall dark handsome hero, you ask? She fell in love with him on the second date and was secretly engaged to him within six weeks.
They moved to Scotland so he could work and study for his M.D. in surgery, and two sons later, arrived in Hobart, Tasmania—the jewel in the Australian crown. Once their boys were safely at school, Melanie went back to university and upgraded her teaching qualifications to a bachelor's and then master's degree.
As part of her final assessment she conducted a tutorial in literary theory concentrating on the romance genre. She had the tutorial room decked out with hearts and champagne and roses and was standing at the front of the room reading a paragraph from the novel of a prominent Harlequin Mills & Boon author when the door suddenly burst open. The husband that she thought was safely tucked away in an operating theater doing what surgeons are supposed to do was actually standing there dressed in a tuxedo, his dark brown compelling gaze centered on her startled blue one. He strode purposefully across the room, hauled Melanie into his arms and kissed her deeply and passionately before setting her back down and leaving without a single word. The lecturer gave Melanie a High Distinction and her fellow students gave her jealous glares! You can see by now her pilgrimage into romance writing was more or less set!
As well as writing full-time, Melanie is also a keen athlete. She enjoys long-distance running and is a nationally ranked top-10 master's swimmer in Australia, holding several individual state records. She learned to swim as an adult, so for anyone out there who thinks they can't do something—you can! Her motto is "Don't say I can't; say I CAN TRY."
Melanie loves the pace and passion of the Harlequin Mills & Boon Presents series and hopes fans enjoy reading her stories as much as she loves writing them.
Michelle Conder
After graduating from the University of Melbourne, Michelle Conder took a variety of jobs before packing her bags and traveling and working overseas. When none of the career opportunities she encountered grabbed her she returned to Australia, and after more study decided to follow her lifelong dream of becoming a writer.
Michelle now lives in Melbourne with her husband and three children; when she isn't writing, she loves to visit faraway places and spend time with her family and friends.
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