Tuesday 31 December 2013

Release Day Launch: Excerpt + #Giveaway: Three Broken Promises by Monica Murphy







Breakout New Adult sensation Monica Murphy returns with a hot new contemporary romance—a heartfelt story of second chances, forgiveness, and redemption.

Commitment. That’s what I really want from Colin. Ever since my brother, Danny, died in Iraq, Colin’s done so much to help me, including giving me a job at his popular restaurant so I can leave my crappy waitressing job at the strip joint. But lying in bed with him every night to comfort him from his horrible nightmares isn’t enough anymore. I know he feels guilty about Danny’s death, about not going to Iraq, but I can’t keep living this double life.

I love him desperately, but he’s got so many demons, and if he can’t open up to me now, then he’ll never be the real partner I need him to be. I gave him a month, and now I’m out of here. If he truly loves me like he says, he knows where to find me.





EXCERPT

“You’re going to turn me away yet again, aren’t you?” she asks when I don’t say anything. The irritation in her voice rings clear as her entire body goes tense. “I can’t believe it. I offer myself up to you with no strings attached and you’re trying to figure out how to let me down easy. God, I am such a moron.”
Unable to hold myself back, I rush toward her, angry that she would insult herself. Panicked that she really is going to walk away and I’m going to lose my chance. Thinking too much sucks. I need to just let it happen. Take this opportunity that she’s presenting me.
And let her go when our time is up.
“You’re not a moron,” I murmur, reaching for her. I cup her face in my hands and position her so she has no choice but to meet my gaze. I skim my thumbs across her cheeks, feel her shudder at my touch. “You make an offer like that and a man needs to process it first.”
The unshed tears still glimmer in her eyes and one escapes, leaving a damp trail across her skin. Leaning in, I stop its descent with my lips, tasting the salt, hearing the catch in her breath. “We do this and it’s not going to be some half-assed thing, you know,” I whisper.
She closes her eyes, her tears tangled in her long, thick lashes. “What’s it going to be, then?”
“A discovery.” I nuzzle her nose with my own, breathing in her scent, her very essence. God, I could devour her! It’s taking everything within me to keep calm and not unleash all over her. “An exploration.”
“That sounds like . . . research.” Her breath hitches in her throat when I drop a tender kiss on the tip of her nose.
Chuckling, I shake my head. “It’s the farthest thing from research.” I drift my lips across her cheek, blazing a hot path on her petal-soft skin. “You’re right when you said I don’t do commitment. The closest thing I’ve ever been to commitment is . . . what I share with you.”
She tentatively places her hands on my hips, her fingers curling into the waistband of my jeans. Having her hands on me sends little darts of fire throughout my insides, making me harden in an instant. She has no idea what sort of effect she has on me. How much restraint I’m using at this very moment not to throw her over my shoulder like an oversexed caveman and cart her off to my bedroom.
“But it can be no more than friendship with added . . . benefits.” I lift my head so I can look into her troubled gaze. She doesn’t like what I have to say and I don’t like it either, but I have to be honest. Stringing her along and making her believe this is something more is a mistake.
The two of us together would never work. I’m too damn selfish. I’d disappoint her. I’d hold her back when she needs her freedom. I’m not worthy of her. She’s everything sweet and good in my life, where there’s little sweet and good remaining.
I’ve kept her—and our relationship—as pure as possible even after all of these years. With the realization that she’s leaving me, that we’ll never be together again, I need to take my opportunities where I can.
Jen bites her lip and drops her gaze. “I can handle that.”
Her body language is more than telling me she doesn’t really want to handle that, but I can’t worry about it now.
I want her too damn much.


GIVEAWAY




a Rafflecopter giveaway





ABOUT THE AUTHOR


New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Monica Murphy is a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite. A wife and mother of three, she writes New Adult and contemporary romance for Bantam and Avon. She is the author of One Week Girlfriend and Second Chance Boyfriend.













Monday 30 December 2013

Release Day Blitz: Review + #Giveaway: Kiss Me At Midnight by Diane Alberts #KISSMEATMIDNIGHT


Kiss Me At Midnight by Diane Alberts

Entangled Publishing - December 2013





Her New Year’s resolution was seduction.

Doctor Ashley Hanes has one mission and one mission only—end her annoyingly long dry streak and ring in the New Year with abang. Literally. When her long lost and oh-so-sexy ex-best friend, Ethan Pierce, shows up as if he hadn’t broken her heart all those years ago, suddenly she doesn’t want to bring home just any man. She wants Ethan.

What should have been one night of blow-your-mind make-up sex quickly turns into another. And another. Before long, Ashley thinks maybe she and Ethan should reunite for good. If only the elusive bachelor will stop running from his tortured past and trust a future in Ashley’s arms.











REVIEW


I'm a huge fan of Diane Alberts, but even though this was a fun, quick read, I didn't quite feel the passion and emotions I've come to expect from her novels. I felt very disconnected from this story as a whole.

At times it was a little predictable, but I did enjoy the romance aspect - even the cheesy karaoke serenade. I also really liked that Ethan, no matter how gorgeous and manly he had become, still had those little quirks that Ashley loved so much about him when he was a boy. They were a cute couple and it was great that their relationship was one built over time; even though it was broken and needed some major repairing, I got the sense that they knew each other well enough that even though they made a deal to keep things "no strings attached", they both knew that deep down they still cared enough that neither would want to walk away, or lose what they had, after rekindling their friendship after so many years. 

Readers looking for a quick, romantic read will enjoy this story. 


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BLITZ GIVEAWAY


Diane is giving away an ebook set of her 'Take a Chance' series, which includes Try Me, Love Me, Play Me, and Take Me. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway







ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Diane Alberts is a multi-published, bestselling contemporary romance author with Entangled Publishing. She also writes New York Times and USA Today bestselling new adult books under the name Jen McLaughlin. ON ONE CONDITION hit #18 on the Barnes and Noble bestseller list, and TRY ME hit #76 on Amazon. CAPTIVATED BY YOU hit #31 on the Barnes and Noble bestseller list. Diane is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency. Her goal is to write so many fantastic stories that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

Diane has always been a dreamer with a vivid imagination, but it wasn’t until 2011 that she put her pen where her brain was, and became a published author.  Since receiving her first contract offer, she has yet to stop writing. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, a cat, and a Senegal parrot. In the rare moments when she’s not writing, she can usually be found hunched over one knitting project or another.




Saturday 28 December 2013

Book Blitz + #Giveaway: Schooled by Michelle Lowhorn




Schooled
The Teacher Series Book # 1
By- Michelle Lowhorn
 
Genre- Romantic Suspense
Publication Date- October 16, 2013
Published By- Rebel Ink Press


Feisty fourth grade teacher, Emmelynne Johnson, is fiercely independent and has a vocabulary that would make a sailor blush. While hiking at an area national park, she finds herself lost and alone. Just when she thinks she’s found her way, she unknowingly witnesses a brutal murder sanctioned by a local crime boss.


Colt Christianson, homicide detective for the Fort Worth Police Department, is known for his dedication and willingness to do whatever necessary to solve the crime. Still grieving for his late partner, Colt is called to investigate a murder that has connections to his partner’s death.

When the killers attempt to silence the only witness, the detective switches roles to become her protector. Together they will be forced to fight two battles, one against the killers and one against their burgeoning mutual attraction.


Friday 27 December 2013

Release Day: Entropy by Addison Moore

 
 
 
 It's time to celebrate the release of Addison Moore's Entropy,
the third book in The Countenance Series!
 
 
HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY!!
 
 
 
 



Title: Entropy
Series: The Countenance #3
Author: Addison Moore
Release Date: December 27, 2013
 
 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18071004-entropy?ac=1
 
 
Laken Stewart is sure of one thing—she must free her loved ones from the notorious Celestra tunnels.


Laken along with Cooper Flanders set out to free their families from the hands of the Countenance before it’s too late. Laken will do anything to assure their safety, even if it means losing the one she truly loves.


When Laken finds herself in a position that might embed her into the Countenance organization for all eternity, her faith in her ability to pull off the ultimate sacrifice wavers.


Once her old boyfriend, Wesley, realizes who he really is, and what the Counts have cost him, he’s more determined than ever to win Laken back.


Laken’s heart becomes divided, and yet she knows she must make a decision that has the power to shape all of their destinies forever.



Laken has fallen hard for Cooper, but Wesley is back, and now her heart is torn.
Cooper would give up his life to protect Laken, and he might just have to.
Wesley remembers everything from his true past, and he wants Laken more than ever—nothing or no one will stand in his way.


 
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR
 

 
Addison Moore is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author who writes contemporary and paranormal romance. Previously she worked as a therapist on a locked psychiatric unit for nearly a decade. She resides on the West Coast with her husband, four wonderful children, and two dogs where she eats too much chocolate and stays up way too late. When she's not writing, she's reading.


 






 

Monday 23 December 2013

Review + #Giveaway: The Courtlight Series by Terah Edun






Sworn to Raise
Courtlight Series #1
By Terah Edun

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Coming of Age


Seventeen-year-old Ciardis has grown up in poverty, a cleaner in a small vale on the outskirts of the empire. But beneath her empire’s seemingly idyllic surface lies a hidden secret. Whispers of an inept crown Prince are growing ever louder—intensified by the five year anniversary of the soulbond initiations.


Amidst scandalous whispers, Ciardis finds herself chosen to train for the Companion’s Guild. She leaves her home and sets off on a personal journey to become a Court Companion. A position she’d never thought possible for a lowly servant to obtain, she must prove that she has the skills to attract a Patron.


But she must master those skills quickly. If the legends are true, only Ciardis can harness the power to raise a Prince in an Imperial Court sworn to bring him down.


This sensational series debut melds intricate storylines with remarkable characters and unforgettable magic. Sworn To Raise is ideal for fans of Kristin Cashore, Michelle Sagara, and Maria Snyder.


Links-


Read my REVIEW of Sworn to Raise




Sworn to Transfer
Courtlight Series # 2
By Terah Edun

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Coming of Age



Eighteen-year-old companion trainee Ciardis Weathervane has won the friendship of the royal heir and saved his claim to the throne. Yet her interference in the inheritance rights leaves more harm done than good. The Ameles Forest lies unprotected and its inhabitants are dying.


As humans begin to die in gruesome deaths, the Emperor dispatches the royal heir to the forests with the solution to the kith concerns.


With enemies closing ranks in Sandrin, Ciardis can little afford to leave the city’s nest of vipers to take on a new task. But she’s given no choice when her loyalty to the crown and courts are called into question.


To keep the Companions’ Guild happy and the favor of the Imperial Court, Ciardis will be tested in frightening new ways, especially when she’s faced with an obstacle that could risk the lives of her friends and the family she never thought she had.


This second novel continues the story of Ciardis Weathervane from Sworn To Raise.


Links-


REVIEW

I was super excited to continue with this series, and it did not disappoint one bit. It was even more exciting and action-packed than the first book.

I really loved seeing the changes in the characters. Sebastian seemed to have transformed in the blink of an eye. He was no longer the young Prince Heir first introduced in Sworn to Raise. His confidence had grown and he matured into a fair and noble prince who I could finally see as the hero of this story. Of course, Ciardis was still constantly getting into trouble or finding mischief. She was still battling with the control of her powers and it caused more harm than good.

There was quite a bit of intrigue thrown into this story with the Duke of Cinnis out for blood, and the threat of war between humans and kith due to a strange being who controlled the shadows and so much more. The Shadowwalker was wicked and felt no mercy for those he slay. Even more intriguing was the sudden appearance of another Weathervane. Who was he? Why was he with the Shadowwalker? And then there was The Shadow Council. What was their purpose? And what did they want from Ciardis?

It was really strange that Maree Amber suddenly took over Ciardis' training and then for her to send her off to the Ameles Forest, I had to wonder if it was just a way to get rid of her for a while, or if she really believed she served a purpose and could be of great help. The trip to and through the forest was a fantastic fantasy adventure that introduced a variety of strange and fascinating creatures. Some wild and vicious, and others a little more subdued.

This was a wonderful story filled with mythical beings and plenty of mysticism. I enjoyed watching as Ciardis learned to wield her mage powers; how to manipulate them and use them for good, rather than causing the chaos she had in the Courts. The ending left me enthralled and I am eager to dive right into the next book.

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Sworn to Conflict
Courtlight Series # 3
By Terah Edun

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Coming of Age




Ciardis Weathervane fought for the living dead and won. But worse than taking on a mass murderer, was her discovery that she had been deceived by her friends. Now she needs to not only fight a war in the North and survive, but also decide where she stands in the midst of competing sides.


A threat to all she holds dear lies in the North and her heart is not the only thing she might lose. A massive army awaits in the mountain pass, surging closer to the gates of the southern lands. Nothing the Algardis army has done so far has dissuaded their march forward and Ciardis finds out that her powers to enhance are needed now more than ever.


As she faces her greatest fears on the battlefields and her heart is torn between her love of Sebastian and loyalty to her family, Ciardis must choose her fate carefully. For in her path, lies the destiny of the empire.


This third novel continues the story of Ciardis Weathervane from Sworn To Transfer.


Links-


 
REVIEW

This story left off right where the last book ended, with Ciardis in the middle of the battlefields of the North, and once again I was whisked away on a magical adventure that saw her fighting her own battle with love and trust.

This story was shrouded in mystery, and many questions came into play. Was the empire as noble as it made out to be or was there a sinister plot to bring down the kith of the North, using them for a darker purpose. As Ciardis slowly unraveled the truth behind the war, so many questions surrounding her mother's death were answered. There were quite a few twists and turns within the story and a few major surprises which kept the tension and excitement of this book at the max.

The choices Ciardis had to make were not easy. She had to choose between her loyalty to her family or to the boy she shared a deep bond with, the boy she loved. I'm not sure how things will pan out for her and Sebastian after all is said and done, but he also had a duty to his people, to his empire, and I can only hope that Ciardis has learned enough about him to trust in his kindness.

The end of this book can only mean more action and adventure lies in store for Ciardis. Will her family's appearance in the Court result in more chaos, or will the past finally be laid to rest? I look forward to reading more from this series.

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About the Author

Terah Edun is a young adult  fantasy writer born and raised in the Atlanta metropolitan area, who transplanted to the Northeast region for college, and has spent years living abroad in South Sudan and Morocco. She writes the stories that she always loved to read as a young girl.


Links-

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