April 30, 2015

Excerpt Reveal: Two of Hearts

Meet Dakota & Shane in this standalone second romance!


two of hearts by christina lee.jpg
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Blurb

A gripping standalone adult contemporary romance about finding yourself while taking a second chance at your first love...

Dakota Nakos was always the resilient, strong-willed achiever. But when her father dies and she's entrusted with the family's casino, she feels vulnerable, scared, and more than a little emotional --not exactly the best time to see an old lover she's never really gotten over.

Dakota once meant the world to Shane Garrity. Then suddenly he left town to train as a U.S. Marshal, and their love for each other crashed into a memory. Now he's come home for her father's funeral, and one look at the girl he left behind stirs up both memories and regrets, and reignites a fire he feared he'd lost forever.

Dakota may be the same driven girl she always was, but she's also changed in ways neither could have anticipated. She's not just a young woman searching for own identity in the Native American community in which she was raised, but one questioning her new life outside her father's shadow. Above all she wonders if Shane can push past her weakened defenses to rekindle what they once had, or whether the intense blaze between them will ultimately reduce her heart to ashes.

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EXCERPT
“Still so damn gorgeous,” he said, and his mouth was on me again, his fingers reaching up and pulling my hair out of its tie. As it fell and hit my shoulders, his throat rumbled with desire. I pushed his shirt up and over his neck and gasped at the muscles I saw.
But that was short-lived because he was kissing me so hard, with such profound need, that all I could do was run my hands along his shoulders and the smooth ridges of his back. I couldn’t believe how ripped he’d gotten. He had always been toned, but now, good God, he was beautiful.
His mouth was on my neck, at my collarbone, on my breasts and he groaned into my skin murmuring my name as he went. I was overcome with emotion and longing, wetness pooling between my legs. It was like a dream that he was here, that he was kissing me again. I never wanted it to end.
He lifted me and turned, moving deeper into the room. The back of my knees hit the chaise longue, the same one he’d sat in countless times over the years. One night we had even secretly made out in it, the summer we’d hidden our attraction. I could scarcely sit there without remembering how it felt to have his tongue in my mouth. But the reality was so much better.
He stood and began unbuttoning his pants, his gaze roving all over me, his eyes glittering pinpoints of hunger. My breath faltered just watching him and I couldn’t hold back any longer. I leaned forward and began touching and kissing every inch of his skin that I could reach.
He squatted down in front of me and hooked his hands beneath my knees, hauling me toward him so that the crux of my thighs was at eye level. His palm glided over the damp center of my underwear and my legs begin to tremble. “Your smell turns me on.”
I moaned as he corkscrewed two of his fingers into the soft middle panel, locating my entrance. “Oh God.”
I was a panting, quaking mess and all he’d done was touch me over my panties.

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About the Author
christina lee bio.jpg
Mother, wife, reader, dreamer. Christina lives in the Midwest with her husband and son--her two favorite guys. She's addicted to lip gloss and salted caramel everything. She believes in true love and kissing, so writing romance novels has become a dream job.

Author of the Between Breaths series from Penguin. ALL OF YOU, BEFORE YOU BREAK, WHISPER TO ME and PROMISE ME THIS available now. Book five in the series, THERE YOU STAND, coming in April, 2015.

Also, her Adult Contemporary Romance, TWO OF HEARTS is releasing on May 5th, 2015.

April 29, 2015

Midweek Obsession

This week's obsession is all about beards.  With terms like "Lumbersexual" invading the Urban Dictionary, we've become obsessed with all things unshaven.  In honor of this bewhiskered trend, I give you some hairy hotties to obsess over.  Who is your favorite?  









             




All photos found via Pinterest

LIFT week 4




The last week of LIFT is here! What an amazing ride the last month has been, raising awareness, acceptance and action on behalf of families living with Autism.
And if you missed the LIFT t-shirts, there’s still a chance! Reserve yours in our “round two” LIFT order today! Don’t be left out when we have LIFT selfie day!


This week’s MegaGiveaway highlights and benefits Autism Speaks, the largest Autism organization in the world, fighting for research, legislation and services for ASD families.
And our LIFT "anchor" authors, bringing it home this last week with amazing prizes:






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April 28, 2015

Review: Threefold




ménage à trois (French for "household of three") is a domestic arrangement in which three people having romantic and/or sexual relations with each other occupy the same household.




Cover Art by: Jessica Hildreth

Title: Threefold
Author: Scott Hildreth
Published: 4-24-15, Eralde Publishing, LLC
Genre: Erotica, Suspense

       5 hearts



Blurb:

Author's note: This book, although a MMF erotic novel, contains no cheating.  (yes, really). It is an HEA love story depicting the love between one woman and two men. This is NOT your typical MMF novel.

Rain Bauer has had an awful life. After living with the abuse of her stepfather for 15 years, she finally develops the courage to leave. Now 22 and homeless, she yearns for change in her life. As a young girl, she hoped for a prince, white horse, and a HEA.

While sitting on a park bench one day, her prince comes not on a white horse, but a Harley.

Ethan Hawthorne is a 32 year old Harley riding tattooed hunk. After inviting her to his apartment for dinner, Rain learns Ethan and his roommate Cade are loving, caring, kind, and compassionate.

When she is invited to stay the night and wait out a terrible storm, the changes she has been hoping for begin to unfold...

But is she ready for what life is going to toss her way?

"I had always hoped one day love would call my name; and when it did, I’d be able to answer. I had no idea the call would come from two different directions at the same time." – Rain


Buy Links:



Review

Scott Hildreth, dude, you blow me away Every. Single. Time.  I think I have you figured out and then you throw me a curve ball like Threefold and I think…danget….did not see this one coming at all….  I devoured this book!  Read it in one setting.  I know it is billed as an erotic story but I beg to differ.  This is a story about humanity.  About how a society treats people who are “different”.  About how friendships can turn in to deep emotional love.  It’s about people who help us find meaning in our lives. The story crosses the boundaries for what society has deemed “appropriate” and lets it’s characters feel the emotions that bind us to another human being. 

The story is about three individuals, two men and one woman, a ménage if you will, who have an unconventional bond. They complement each other.  Each brings their own story into the relationship.  What this story is not about is erotica.  There are some sexy times peppered throughout the book, but sex is not the focus of the story. What I have come to love about this author is his innate ability to make me feel.  I am right in there rooting for his characters. The man understands the human condition more so than most authors I have read recently.  I won’t go into much more detail here about the story.  Read it.  Hopefully it will open you up to a change in perspective. 




About the Author

Scott Hildreth is a very analytical sort who bases his beliefs on statistics he compiles in his head. Often going as long as a month without so much as a single sip of water, he drinks coffee as if it were the lifeblood of his writing. 


Scott fears flying, clowns, and amusement park rides. Tall and lean with a cleanly shaven head and covered in tattoos, he doesn’t blend in well. After reading his writings, this makes perfect sense. His vibrant characters, backstories, and plots, although always relatable, generally stand out as much as he does. 

Willing to discuss matters at length most people shy away from, Scott’s writing has revolved around such subjects as domestic abuse, suicide, alcoholism, drug abuse, cancer, divorce, homosexuality, religion, and lack thereof. 

Born in San Diego, California, Scott now calls Wichita, Kansas his home. He is a proud father, and lives devoted to the love of his life, Jessica. When he isn’t writing, he may be found on his motorcycle or in a local coffee house. 

Scott's novels include Broken People, Undefeated, Unstoppable, Unleashed, Unbroken, Baby Girl - Ruined, Baby Girl - Owned, Baby Girl - Loved, To the Depths of Hell, The Alpha-Bet, Finding Parker, Karter, Confessions of a Smut Author, When It All Began: A Jessie Jayne Novella, Making the Cut: Selected Sinners MC Book I, Taking the Heat: Selected Sinners Book II and now his newly released Threefold.


Keeping Up With Scott:

May 2nd:  Hard Rock Authors Event in Tulsa, OK
May 19th:  Takeover at the First Annual Mental Health Awareness Event 
3 pm CDT, 4 pm EDT located here: 
May 21st: Takeover at Relentless Book Chic Rambling & Reviews 7K Soiree
8 pm CDT, 9 pm EDT located here:



April 27, 2015

Release Blitz and Review: Kissing Madeline




Title: Kissing Madeline (Dearest, #3)

Author: Lex Martin


Release Date: April 27, 2015


Genre: New Adult  Contemporary Romance


Cover Design by: Krista Ritchie


goodreads




Blurb



What’s the worst thing about wanting a sexy NFL football player? Everyone else wants him, too.

After catching my boyfriend getting deep-throated by a skanky cage girl, I’ve learned my lesson – never date a professional athlete. Never. Besides, I have more important things to worry about, like not blowing my shot to make it as a broadcast reporter. I won’t let anything get in my way, not even the new “it boy” of the NFL and my hot-as-hell neighbor.

What's the worst thing about getting death glares from his new neighbor? It doesn't make him want her any less.

I’ve worked my ass off to make it to the pros. The last thing I need is the complication of a relationship, especially since my last one was a total train wreck. But I can’t stop thinking about the feisty girl next door with the smart mouth. And I’d love nothing more than to show her what to do with that mouth.

Friends with benefits might be the best idea he’s ever had. Or the worst.


Kissing Madeline is a companion novel to DEAREST CLEMENTINE and FINDING DANDELION. Each book is a stand-alone.



Review

      5 hearts




This is the 3rd and final book of the Dearest series by Lex Martin.  I have been meaning to read this author for a few months now and am so thrilled to finally meet all of her characters!  This book takes us back to Daren, childhood friend of Clem and Jax from the first two books. I admit, I wasn’t terribly drawn to Daren earlier in the series.  He had been kind of a dick to Clem and although he apologized, I wasn’t interested in knowing his story.

Thank you Lex for making me see the light!  Daren is oh so perfectly yummy!  Whether he is flirting, signing autographs for fans, joking with teammates, sending flowers, or sharing hot fudge sundaes, the man is a catch!  Most importantly, he finds himself wanting to spend time with Madeline in whatever capacity she will allow. And he is willing to go as slow as it takes, to convince her she is just as attracted to him and he is to her.  Their relationship starts out as neighbors, then turns into friends with benefits.  Eventually, their feelings get the best of them.  I appreciate that both characters were honest and open about what was going on, even if it made them uncomfortable. 

I also liked how playful their relationship was. A good sense of humor goes a long way in cementing a friendship.  Both maintained their professionalism--whatever was happening at home didn’t overtly bleed out into their business connection.  It was great to see all the other couples from the series pop up and hang out together.  There is some suspense and I admit to being wrong about who was to blame for all the issues happening.  That’s good writing! 


Finally, I am a sucker for an epilogue and Lex wraps this series up in a bow and delivers it in the final chapter of the book.  Very satisfied with the ending!  Wonderful author to read.  So happy that she took a chance and published her words for all of us!  You will want to read this series in order, just to understand the dynamics but the book could be picked up as a standalone without missing out on too much.  I look forward to reading this author again in her future endeavors! 







Dearest Series Book links


DEAREST CLEMENTINE (#1 - Clementine & Gavin):



Twenty-year-old Clementine Avery doesn't mind being called bitchy and closed off. It's safe, and after being burned by her high school sweetheart and stalked by a professor her freshman year of college, safe sounds pretty damn good.


Her number one rule for survival? No dating. That is until she accidentally signs up for a romance writing class and needs material for her latest assignment. Sexy RA Gavin Murphy is more than happy to play the part of book boyfriend to help Clem find some inspiration, even if that means making out...in the name of research, of course.


As Gavin and Clem grow closer, they get entangled in the mystery surrounding a missing Boston University student, and Clem unwittingly becomes a possible target. Gavin tries to show Clem she can handle falling in love again, but she knows she has to be careful because her heart’s at stake…and maybe even her life.



FINDING DANDELION (#2 - Jax and Dani):



When soccer all-star Jax Avery collides with Dani Hart on his twenty-first birthday, their connection is instantaneous and explosive. For the first time in years, Jax isn’t interested in his usual hit-it and quit-it approach.


But Dani knows better. Allowing herself a night to be carefree and feel the intensity of their attraction won’t change anything when it comes to dealing with a player. So when Jax doesn’t recognize Dani the next time he sees her, it shouldn’t be a total shock. The fact that he’s her new roommate's brother? That’s a shock.


Dani doesn’t regret that night with Jax, just the need to lie about it. Since her roommate has made it clear what she thinks about her brother’s “type” of girl, the last thing Dani wants is to admit what happened.


Jax knows he’s walking a fine line on the soccer team. One more misstep and he’s off the roster, his plans to go pro be damned. Except he can’t seem to care. About anything… except for the one girl who keeps invading his dreams.


Despite Jax’s fuzzy memory of his hot hookup with his sister’s friend, he can’t stay away from her, even if it means breaking his own rules. But there are bigger forces at work–realities that can end Dani’s college career and lies that can tear them apart.


Jax realizes what he’s losing if Dani walks away, but will he sacrifice his future to be with her? And will she let him if he does?





About the Author


Lex Martin writes new adult novels, the sexy kind with lotsa angst, a whole lotta kissing, and the hot happily ever afters. When she's not writing, she lives a parallel life as an English teacher. She loves printing black and white photos, listening to music on vinyl, and getting lost in a great book. Bitten by wanderlust, she's lived all over the country but currently resides in the City of Angels with her husband and twin daughters.


Connect with Lex


Dearest Series Fan Group: http://on.fb.me/1oJN3mZ
Newsletter:  http://bit.ly/1CgVvUO




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