Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Blog Tour Excerpt ft. Giveaway—Never Been Good Christi Barth

Today we have the blog tour for Christi Barth’s Never Been Good! Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!

Title: Never Been Good

Author: Christi Barth

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Never Been Good:

USA Today bestseller Christi Barth returns with another steamy Bad Boys Gone Good novel! Flynn Maguire isn’t really a bad guy. Sure, he worked for the mob, but he ran a legitimate business—on paper anyway—and it paid enough to keep his brother out of the lifestyle. Until they turned on him. Now he’s stuck in Witness Protection, tending bar in Nowheresville Oregon… and pissed the life he knew is gone. The only bright spot? Fantasizing about his quiet, secretive, beautiful coworker. Sierra Williams is a woman on the run. All she wants now is to settle into small town life… and ignore the brooding, sexy bartender who can’t seem to take his eyes off her. Flynn’s bad-boy vibe pushes all her buttons, but Sierra fell for the wrong man once already. She can’t afford to let her guard down again. Except Flynn’s tough exterior is slowly melting away to reveal the sweet man beneath and their attraction is too strong to resist. Sierra and Flynn are falling fast, but they’re both keeping so many secrets. The truth could ruin everything… unless a girl who’s a little bad is perfect for a guy who’s never really been good.

Get Your Copy Today!

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About Christi Barth:

USA TODAY bestselling author Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage. A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes award-winning contemporary romance, including the Naked Men and Aisle Bound series. Christi can always be found either whipping up gourmet meals (for fun, honest!) or with her nose in a book. She lives in Maryland with the best husband in the world.

Excerpt: “Sierra. You are completely special. You’re stronger than those rocks out there. Not giving up no matter how battered life makes you. Sweeter than anyone I’ve ever met. Most of all, you make me feel special.”
“That, I’ll cop to.”
Flynn pointed at the Well. “They think it’s a collapsed sea cave. The water only drops down about twenty feet. The tide sends it surging back up, through holes in the cave walls, as waves come over the top of the rocks. See, instead of draining to nowhere? The water’s actually filling up that hole, over and over and over again.”
“You’re saying that you thought you were an empty cave. Except that you’re actually all filled up and just sexy and powerful as all get-out?”
His low chuckle rumbled heat against her ear. “Not the words I would’ve chosen. But yeah. I didn’t know exactly how to explain to you what I went through. Figured that showing you might get the point across better. Getting called sexy and powerful is just a bonus. Go ahead and call me that anytime.”
Feeling reckless—and more than a little sexy and powerful herself—Sierra said, “How about I say it to you when we’re both naked?”
“That’ll work, too.”
She twisted in his embrace to look up at those knife-sharp cheekbones that pointed down to the full lips she found so darn kissable. “All kidding aside, you sound like you were in a very bad place. But you’ve never told me what put you there?”
“That’s a story for later.” Flynn slid his hands along her neck as he leaned his forehead against hers. “For now, know that you’re the ocean to me. You’re what keeps filling me up. I can’t thank you enough. Hopefully, today’s a start.”
“You’ve got to stop. Every time you thank me, I’m compelled to come right back and thank you. For helping me work past my fear to embrace my life here. For showing me how strong you see me, which gives me the courage to feel it, too.”
Flynn stopped her from saying anything more by taking her lips. Right there, in the bright sunlight with a solid row of other sightseers crowded elbow to elbow with them along the railing. He kissed her long and hard and just this side of way too much tongue for a state park.
“That’ll be our punishment. The next one of us to thank the other will get kissed. Relentlessly.”

Connect with Christi:

Website | Blog | Pinterest | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Instagram

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Friday, January 5, 2018

Blog Tour Giveaway + Excerpt—Between the Blade and the Heart by Amanda Hocking





SUMMARY:
When the fate of the world is at stake
Loyalties will be tested
Game of Thrones meets Blade Runner in this commanding new YA fantasy inspired by Norse Mythology from New York Times bestselling author Amanda Hocking.
As one of Odin's Valkyries, Malin's greatest responsibility is to slay immortals and return them to the underworld. But when she unearths a secret that could unravel the balance of all she knows, Malin along with her best friend and her ex-girlfriend must decide where their loyalties lie. And if helping the blue-eyed boy Asher enact his revenge is worth the risk—to the world and her heart.

ONE
The air reeked of fermented fish and rotten fruit, thanks to the overflowing dumpster from the restaurant behind us. The polluted alley felt narrow and claustrophobic, sandwiched between skyscrapers.

In the city, it was never quiet or peaceful, even at three in the morning. There were more than thirty million humans and supernatural beings coexisting, living on top of each other. It was the only life I’d ever really known, but the noise of the congestion grated on me tonight.

My eyes were locked on the flickering neon lights of the gambling parlor across the street. The u in Shibuya had gone out, so the sign flashed SHIB YA at me.

The sword sheathed at my side felt heavy, and my body felt restless and electric. I couldn’t keep from fidgeting and cracked my knuckles.
“He’ll be here soon,” my mother, Marlow, assured me. She leaned back against the brick wall beside me, casually eating largejackfruit seeds from a brown paper sack. Always bring a snack on a stakeout was one of her first lessons, but I was far too nervous and excited to eat.
The thick cowl of her frayed black sweater had been pulled up like a hood, covering her cropped blond hair from the icy mist that fell on us. Her tall leather boots only went to her calf, thanks to her long legs. Her style tended to be monochromatic—black on black on black—aside from the shock of dark red lipstick.

My mother was only a few years shy of her fiftieth birthday, with almost thirty years of experience working as a Valkyrie, and she was still as strong and vital as ever. On her hip, her sword Mördare glowed a dull red through its sheath.

The sword of the Valkyries was one that appeared as if it had been broken in half—its blade only a foot long before stopping at a sharp angle. Mördare’s blade was several thousand years old, forged in fires to look like red glass that would glow when the time was nigh.

My sword was called Sigrún, a present on my eighteenth birthday from Marlow. It was a bit shorter than Mördare, with a thicker blade, so it appeared stubby and fat. The handle was black utilitarian, a replacement that my mom had had custom-made from an army supply store, to match her own.

The ancient blade appeared almost black, but as it grew closer to its target, it would glow a vibrant purple. For the past hour that we’d been waiting on our stakeout, Sigrún had been glowing dully on my hip.

The mist grew heavier, soaking my long black hair. I kept the left side of my head shaved, parting my hair over to the right, and my scalp should’ve been freezing from the cold, but I didn’t feel it. I didn’t feel anything.

It had begun—the instinct of the Valkyrie, pushing aside my humanity to become a weapon. When the Valkyrie in me took over, I was little more than a scythe for the Grim Reaper of the gods.

“He’s coming,” Marlow said behind me, but I already knew.
The world fell into hyperfocus, and I could see every droplet of rain as it splashed toward the ground. Every sound echoed through me, from the bird flapping its wings a block away, to the club door as it groaned open.

Eleazar Bélanger stumbled out, his heavy feet clomping in the puddles. He was chubby and short, barely over four feet tall, and he would’ve appeared to be an average middle-aged man if it wasn’t for the two knobby horns that stuck out on either side of his forehead. Graying tufts of black hair stuck out from under a bright red cap, and as he walked ahead, he had a noticeable limp favoring his right leg.

He was a Trasgu, a troublemaking goblin, and his appearance belied the strength and cunning that lurked within him. He was over three hundred years old, and today would be the day he died.

I waited in the shadows of the alley for him to cross the street. A coughing fit caused him to double over, and he braced himself against the brick wall.
I approached him quietly—this all went easier when they didn’t have time to prepare. He took off his hat to use it to wipe the snot from his nose, and when he looked up at me, his green eyes flashed with understanding.

“It’s you,” Eleazar said in a weak, craggy voice. We’d never met, and I doubt he’d ever seen me before, but he recognized me, the way they all did when their time was up.


“Eleazar Bélanger, you have been chosen to die,” I said, reciting my script, the words automatic and cold on my lips. “It is my duty to return you to the darkness from whence you came.”
“No, wait!” He held up his pudgy hands at me. “I have money. I can pay you. We can work this out.”

“This is not my decision to make,” I said as I pulled the sword from my sheath.
His eyes widened as he realized I couldn’t be bargained with. For a moment I thought he might just accept his fate, but they rarely did. He bowed his head and ran at me like a goat. He was stronger than he looked and caused me to stumble back a step, but he didn’t have anywhere to go.

My mother stood blocking the mouth of the alley, in case I needed her. Eleazar tried to run toward the other end, but his leg slowed him, and I easily overtook him. Using the handle of my sword, I cracked him on the back of the skull, and he fell to the ground on his knees.

Sigrún glowed brightly, with light shining out from it and causing the air to glow purple around us. Eleazar mumbled a prayer to the Vanir gods. I held the sword with both hands, and I struck it across his neck, decapitating him.

And then, finally, the electricity that had filled my body, making my muscles quiver and my bones ache, left me, and I breathed in deeply. The corpse of an immortal goblin lay in a puddle at my feet, and I felt nothing but relief.

“It was a good return,” my mother said, and put her hand on my shoulder. “You did well, Malin.”

Copyright © 2018 by Amanda Hocking in Between the Blade and the Heart and reprinted by permission of St. Martin’s Griffin.

Review:

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Social Links:

Author Website: http://www.worldofamandahocking.com/

Twitter: @Amanda_Hocking

Facebook: @AmandaHockingFans



AUTHOR BIO:
Amanda Hocking is the author of over twenty young adult novels, including the New York Times bestselling Trylle Trilogy and Kanin Chronicles. Her love of pop culture and all things paranormal influence her writing. She spends her time in Minnesota, taking care of her menagerie of pets and working on her next book. a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Review + Excerpt - Unknown Trilogy by Wendy Higgins



 

From New York Times and USA Today bestseller Wendy Higgins comes a frighteningly realistic apocalyptic America brought to life and entwined with searing romantic tension that will leave you eager for more. UNDONE, the stunning conclusion in the Unknown Trilogy is now available! Grab your copies of the Unknown Trilogy today!




About UNKNOWN (Unknown Trilogy #1):


Amber Tate believes the worst thing she’ll suffer in life is dealing with the unrequited love she feels for her brother’s best friend, Rylen Fite. She also believes war is something unfortunate that happens places far, far away fro

m

 her rural Nevada town. She’s wrong on both counts.

When an unknown organization meticulously bombs major cities in the United States and across the globe, a trickle-down effect spreads to remaining towns at an alarming speed—everything from food and water sources to technology and communications are compromised. Without leadership, the nation is split between paralysis and panic, but Amber isn’t one to hide or watch helplessly. She’s determined to put her nursing skills to use, despite the danger, even if it means working alongside the man she can never have.

In this first installment of NY Times bestselling author, Wendy Higgins’s debut New Adult series, a frighteningly realistic apocalyptic America is brought to life, entwined with searing romantic tension that will leave you eager for more.


Excerpt from UNKNOWN, book 1: Amber and Rylen
​I sat outside on the old tire swing, lost in thought until late in the night, determined to see them come home. At nearly two my eyes were drooping from boredom. I was just about to go inside when I saw headlights crest over the hill at the top of our street. My stomach wobbled and I held the tire tighter. I’d probably be covered in dirt and black marks, but I didn’t care.
​I didn’t recognize the sporty coup that pulled up or the girl in the driver’s seat. I stayed very still until I realized it was Tater in the front with her, and Rylen in the back. Rylen got out and Tater proceeded to swallow the girl’s face. Actually, I couldn’t really tell, but that’s what it looked like from far away. Rylen came straight toward me.
​“Saw you when we pulled up,” he said, leaning against the tree. I could smell beer on him. “What are you doing out here in the dark all by yourself?”
​“Waiting for you,” I said. The words sent a tremor of nerves through me like roller skates on rough pavement.
​A sly grin pulled the side of his mouth upward and he shoved his hands in his pockets. “We’re big boys. You don’t need to wait up for us.”
​“Maybe I just wanted to see you again.”
​He cocked his head at me, as if trying to study my face in the dark.
​The door of the car closed and tires crunched in the driveway as the girl reversed. Tater came loping over and I gritted my teeth in irritation. 
​“What are you still doing up?” he slurred. “Dontcha got school ‘omorrow?”
​“It’s summer, duh,” I said. “And you’re trashed. You should go drink some water and go to bed.”
​“Imma eat everything in the fridge first,” Tater said with a big smile. He patted both of my cheeks and squeezed them in his fingers, pinching me. I could smell hard liquor on his breath. “Aw, my wittle sissy.”
​“Stop it.” I pulled back, laughing at his stupidness. He grabbed the tire and gave me a hard swing, making me squeal as I flew high. And to my joy he walked toward the house, and Rylen stayed.
​When I started to slow, Rylen pushed off from the tree and his hot hands touched my back, gently pushing me. I swung like that for five minutes in the silence of night, looking forward to each downward swoop when his hands would touch me to push me upward again. Then he grasped the tire with a jolt to stop it, and spun it so that I was facing him. He stood close. His eyes glistened in the moonlight, slightly unfocused. I wondered how much he’d had to drink. 
​“It’s weird to see you all grown up,” he said softly. 
​My stomach did that truffle-shuffle thing as my brain searched for a response and found nothing.
​“You know,” he said, “when you were little I used to pretend you were Krystal.” Oh my God…his little sister who he lost. I held my breath as he kept talking. “I used to get mad at my mom for making me take Krystal everywhere I went, like I was her constant babysitter or something. I’d get mad at my mom and take it out on Krystal. I was mean as shit to her.”
​“Rylen…” He’d definitely had a lot to drink. He never let himself talk about his past or his feelings. “You were just a boy.”
​He shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. And no matter how mean I was, she still stuck to me like a puppy. Loyal.”
​I swallowed hard. “I’m sure she knew you loved her.”
​He didn’t say anything for a minute, just stared off toward his darkened house. “I just always wanted to do right by you.”
​“You have,” I whispered. But I’m not your sister, I wanted to say.
​He stepped even closer, enough for us to really see each other’s eyes in the starlight. “There’s so much shit out there in the world. So much fucking evil. There’s times where I’m submersed in it and I start to wonder what the point is—of life—of everything. And then I get a letter from you and it’s like…you’re this beam of light shining from across the world. Like a piece of gold, making me remember the good that’s out there. The things that are worth fighting for.”
​He thinks of me like gold? Swallow. Breathe. Do not cry. What do I even say to that? 
​“If I’m gold, Ry, you’re like…titanium. Stronger than you think.”
​My words made him rock back slightly on his heels and he grasped the tire to pull himself forward and study my eyes. When I kept my gaze steadily on his, letting him know I was completely serious, he shook his head in wonder and let out a huff of disbelief. I reached out and touched his chest, gently at first, and then fisting his shirt in my palm, pulling him gently toward me. He stared into my eyes as I urged him closer. He wet his lips and my heart pounded a steady rhythm, chanting finally, finally, finally.

✦ Amazon ✦ Amazon Paperback ✦ Barnes & Noble ✦ iBooks ✦ Kobo





About UNREST (Unknown Trilogy #2):

Being on the run in the desert means food and sanctuary are hard to come by, but Amber Tate and her crew are not about to give up. Not after having so many of the things they love brutally ripped from them by an unknown enemy who sent their world into the apocalypse.

Survival takes precedence, but once safe shelter is found, their guards fall and the emotions they’ve been holding in are finally released. Anger, insecurities...lust. In their tight quarters, Amber, Rylen, Tater, and Remy can't escape it. The past must be faced, and passions run even stronger in the darkest of times.

In the midst of unrest, their worlds are rocked again when they discover the

 truth about the war that’s ruined their lives. They thought finding out the enemy's identity would give them the edge; instead it’s revealed terrifying dangers they never thought possible.

 Unrest Review:

‘Unrest’ starts off where ‘Unknown’ ended. The whole book sort of The Host by Stephenie Meyer. The pack trek the backroads on their way to Utah where they find a group that’s basically a resistance group. It’s there that they are all given jobs, shelter, and food. After being on the verge of starvation and grief, Amber and the gang quickly become adapted to life underground.

I will say this, this was so much more romantic than the first book. Ry is probably the most clueless man to ever walk the freaking planet. Besides that, I enjoyed watching the tension grow between Ry and Amber. Unrest delves so much deeper in who is attacking and why. It’s so scary to think about. Wendy brings a new take on alien invasion and to be honest, after we finally learn more about the attacks, I fell a little more in love with the story.

It has my mind racing with so many questions. Most importantly though, how in the world will they win? I need my questions answered. I need more of these group of people who I’ve come to care for. Not just Amber but everyone. Now onto what happens in the next book!

✦ Amazon ✦ Amazon Paperback ✦ Barnes & Noble ✦ iBooks ✦ Kobo





About UNDONE (Unknown Trilogy #3):

Amber Tate never dreamed their heart-wrenching escape from the enemy’s attack would lead them to the most beautiful place she’s ever seen. Like everywhere else in the world, Elmendorf military base in Alaska has been taken over, but it’s time to take it back—all of it—one base, one city at a time. After losing so much, Amber clings to the one precious person she has left, and vows to sacrifice everything to help save the Earth.

Remy Haines is a lover, not a fighter, so when she finds herself in enemy territory, expected to feign allegiance while gathering intel for the rebel cause, she’s never been more out of her element. Tensions only increase when her feelings for Jacob “Tater” Tate won’t go away, and the enemy’s leader takes an interest in her. She’s torn between what her heart wants, and what she knows she should do. As for what her body needs…well, it’s always had a mind of its own.

Undone Review:
After the ending to Unrest, I anxiously dove into the next book. With the way it ended, you can’t help but have your heart in your throat. Terrified. That’s one word that comes to mind when I think of the ending. In Undone, we actually start having the point of view from both Amber and Remy. I thought that was genius. I really love Remy and it was awesome being inside her head.
So Remy, Tater, and Lisette have been taken by the Baelese, the aliens sent to wipe out humanity and make earth their own. It’s there we find out who their leader is and let’s just say, it’s pretty obvious from earlier books who it is. I wasn’t surprised in the least. Remy grew a lot as a character since the first book. She has to play the game in order to beat the Baelese. Even if that involves seducing their leader...maybe.
Amber and Ry are in Alaska at another military base. The two must stop at nothing to get back what was taken from them. This thrilling conclusion with leave you absolutely breathless. The writing is perfection, the characters are better than ever, and the everlasting message of love and hope. My happy tears are streaming down my face. Well done, Wendy!
*Thank you to the author for providing a copy for an unbiased and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

✦ Amazon ✦ Kobo ✦ Barnes & Noble ✦ iBooks














Wendy Higgins’s Unknown Trilogy Series Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:
December 6th
Candace Reads – Review & Excerpt
Literary Dust – Review
Once Upon a Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
The Lovely Books – Review & Excerpt
December 7th
By Valia Lind – Review & Excerpt
Ficwishes – Excerpt
Mes Livres – Review
YA Fantasy Worlds – Review & Excerpt
December 8th
Nice Ladies, Naughty Books – Review & Excerpt
Sister Sister Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Taylor Fenner’s Bookish World – Review & Excerpt
December 9th
Amy’s Review Obsession – Review & Excerpt
KDRBCK – Review & Excerpt
Rad Babes Read – Review
December 10th
Ceres Books World – Review
Julalicious Book Paradise – Review & Excerpt
December 11th
Lovely reads publishing – Review & Excerpt
Nerdy Soul – Review & Excerpt
Two Chicks on Books – Excerpt
Words We Love By – Excerpt
December 12th
Binding Addiction – Excerpt
For The Love of Fictional Worlds – Review & Excerpt
Moonlighting Scrivener – Review & Excerpt
Reese's Reviews – Review & Excerpt
December 13th
Book Reader Chronicles – Review & Excerpt
Jen in Bookland – Excerpt
Milky Way of Books – Review
The Book Maven – Review
December 14th
Books Make Me Happy – Excerpt
Ms. Me28 – Review & Excerpt
December 15th
Novelgrounds – Review
PBC – Excerpt
Sharing Inspired Kreations – Review & Excerpt
The Butterfly Reader – Review & Excerpt



About Wendy Higgins:
Wendy Higgins is a soccer mom and backstage drama mama. Most people in her tiny bayside town don’t know she’s a USA Today and NYT bestselling author of paranormal, fantasy, and science-fiction romances. Wendy is a former high school English teacher who now writes full time in her pajamas, and lives on the Eastern Shore of Virginia with her veterinarian husband, daughter, son, and little doggie Rue.
Wendy earned a bachelor’s in Creative Writing from George Mason University and a master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from Radford University.




Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | UNKNOWN Goodreads

UNREST Goodreads | UNDONE Goodreads | Wendy Higgins Goodreads






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Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Blog Tour Excerpt - Spider by Ilsa Madden-Mills

SBPRBanner-Spider-BT

From Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills comes a new standalone romance about a flawed hero and the woman he can’t forget.

SPIDER-FINAL-FULL

Spider, a sexy and forbidden new standalone, is available NOW!

Title: Spider Author: Ilsa Madden-Mills Publication Date: November 13th, 2017
From Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills comes a new standalone romance about a flawed hero and the woman he can’t forget.
"She crossed my path and changed my whole direction."
He calls himself Spider.
I just knew him as the sinfully gorgeous guy with eyes of fire that fate sat next to me on the airplane.
I didn’t know who he really was…British rock star…my stepbrother.
He kissed me because he thought we’d never see each other again. We would.
Everyone warned me about him.
They told me he was ruthless and cold and screwed up.
They said he’d leave me with a hole in my heart.
Maybe I should have listened.
Maybe I should have built up a fortress to keep him out.
But I crumbled instead.
They say an unbreakable thread connects those who are destined to meet. If that’s true, then the moment he sat next to me, we were bound together forever.
He just had to figure it out before it’s too late…

Excerpt:

How can one human man be so hot?
Spider sits on my toilet, shirtless, while I dab at his swollen eye. I’m doing my best to keep my eyes averted from the ink on his body, the way his tattoos swirl underneath his jeans, the way his chest is carved from stone.

Of course, I’m the stupid person who suggested he remove his shirt so I could see if he has any bruising on his chest. A cracked or broken rib can cause a lot of pain, and I want to be thorough, that’s all—I swear to baby Jesus.

He grinned at my request and whipped it off—which is the reason I’m now a mess.
There’s hardly any room to breathe with him in my small bathroom. I wipe at the spot of blood on his cheek as he watches me stoically, never taking his eyes off me, tracking my every movement.
“This will look worse tomorrow,” I murmur, just to ease the tension. I stand between his spread legs, acutely aware of his fresh scent, his pure magnetism. My hands shake and I have to focus to push an image of me straddling him, both of us naked, out of my head. I want to run my tongue over the tattoo on his neck. I want to bite him like an animal while he—

Good grief, Rose, stop the fantasy!

“You’d make a good nurse,” he says softly, his long black lashes fluttering softly against his chiseled cheekbones.

“Doctor of Psychology,” I correct him.

“Your dream?”

“Yes.” Although right now I’m dreaming of him… “I know that feeling. That’s how music is to me.” His golden-brown eyes watch me as I reach over to the medicine cabinet for more antiseptic and antibacterial cream, my chest perilously close to his face. I swear my nipples are reaching for him.

“Why psychology?”

I nod, pretending like I’m not all discombobulated. “My granny mainly. She loved to read people—literally. She ran a little palm-reading business out of her home before she died. All the old ladies of the neighborhood would come to see her. She’d make them coffee and they’d just…talk. She’d tell them what they needed to hear while I sat on the floor next to her and listened. There wasn’t any magic involved of course.” I laugh. “But…she was incredibly intuitive. She just got people. If someone twitched or looked left or right while they were talking, she’d have a reason for it and she’d tell me all about it after they left.”

“I think I would have loved your granny.” He curls an arm around me, tugging me close until my chest is a hair’s breadth away from his face. I recall our epic kiss on the plane. I feel the pressure of his taut thighs and my breath quickens as desire unfurls inside me.

A hum warms my blood. I want him—desperately.

And it’s entirely foolish.

He’s my stepbrother.

He doesn’t call girls back.
“Why does it seem like I’ve known you forever?” I ask, feeling myself gravitating closer.
He thinks about it, pushing a piece of hair out of my eyes. Cupping my nape, he pulls me in tighter until our noses meet. The back of his hand caresses my cheek and the heat from his touch burns, yet there’s a tautness in the roped muscles of his arms, as if he’s holding himself in check.
“Because I am you,” he says softly. “We’re so much alike, it’s staggering.” He pauses and stares deep into my eyes.

I nod. I can’t think. He’s so close to me, his eyes burning into mine. He closes his eyes and exhales. “I want you, Rose. You’re intoxicating.”

I suck in a sharp breath, our lips inches apart.

Is he going to kiss me? I want him to.

His eyes open after the silence has gone on too long, a smirk forming around his mouth. “You scared of me, Rose?”

Never.

“I’m scared you’ll rip my heart out.”

He stares at the LOST tattoo on his hand. “I probably will.”

 Spider-AvailableNow-KU.jpg

Read Today!

(Free in Kindle Unlimited)
Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2zcQDni

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About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills writes about strong heroines and sexy alpha males that sometimes you just want to slap. She's addicted to dystopian books and all things fantasy, including unicorns and sword-wielding females. Other fascinations include frothy coffee beverages, dark chocolate, Instagram, Ian Somerhalder (seriously hot), astronomy (she's a Gemini), and tattoos. She has a degree in English and a Master's in Education. When she's not pecking away on her computer, she shops for cool magnets and paints old furniture.

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Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Release Blitz ft Excerpt + Giveaway - Back in the Game by Erin Kern


BACK IN THE GAME by Erin Kern
A Champion Valley Novel
will be published on October 31, 2017 by Forever.

Goodreads | Mass Market: $7.99  | eBook: $6.99 | ISBN: 9781455536009

About the book: Stella Davenport wasn't made for small-town life. Sure, teaching ballet in Blanco Valley, Colorado, is great, but she longs for the chance to perform in a big city. Stella swore she'd never let anything get in the way of her dream-until sexy, broad-shouldered Brandon West walks back into her life. Stella is determined to resist him, even if arguing with Brandon is sexier than any foreplay.

For Brandon, it's always been just him and his son, Matt. Knowing that love only leads to heartbreak, he isn't looking to expand his family any time soon. Stella, with her long, gorgeous legs and infectious laugh, is a breath of fresh air he didn't even know he'd been missing. But when she's offered her dream job in Chicago, will he be willing to put his heart on the line? 

About the author: Erin Kern lives in north Texas with her husband, two kids and their dog. She loves BBQ, Texas sunsets, antiquing and high school football games. The Champion Valley series was inspired by Erin's love of Texas football, small towns and happy endings. When she's not at the computer working on her next tale, she can be found spending time with her kids or curled up with a good book.
Excerpt from BACK IN THE GAME by Erin Kern
Was it just her, or had their almost-kiss a few months ago not been this hot? This intense? She didn’t remember her panties almost going up in flames or her desire threatening to choke her.
“A kiss doesn’t equal a relationship,” Brandon told her.
Stella nuzzled her nose against his. “But we’re not kissing.”
“Keep telling yourself that, Stella.” Before she could respond, before she could even exhale the breath she’d been holding, his mouth was there. Fitting over hers, exerting a gentle pressure that had her fingers digging into the flesh on the back of his shoulder.
When her eyes dropped closed, her other senses took over and magnified the virile man who was so much bigger and harder than she was. His arm enclosed her waist, tugging her closer, inch by slow inch until she was flush against him. Chest to chest. Feet to feet. Leg inserting between hers so that his muscled thigh was nestled perfectly in between her softer flesh.
Best. Kiss. Ever.
Brandon West could use his mouth as a lethal weapon to bring women to their knees. Because if he hadn’t been holding her to him with such firmness, she would have sank the second his mouth touched hers. And then she didn’t have time to think about all the other things she wanted him to do to her, because his tongue smoothed over her lips in gentle, yet not-so-subtle invitation to open the hell up.
He didn’t have to ask her twice. Without thinking about where they were, or the cars and people hovering around outside, even her looming anxiety, Stella obliged and parted her lips. With a hesitation that was sweet, yet longing, his tongue slowly pursued hers, touching just the tip before retreating again.
Since it wasn’t enough, since the minimal contact had opened an emptiness she’d been living with for a long time, Stella did her own pursuing. Her tongue chased his, testing the warmth of his mouth. When he groaned against her and tightened his hand on the back of her head, the heat was kicked up a notch. The passion she’d once possessed but that had gone dormant from lack of use awakened with an explosive burst of fireworks. She returned his groan with one of her own when he tilted her head to change the angle of the kiss, allowing him to dive deeper.
And she let him, because Brandon West was an overpowering man who held her passion and trust in the palms of his hands. The question was, what would he do with it?
Their tongues continued to dance and weave around each other until someone opened the front door of her studio, and the outside sounds of cars and people intruded on their moment of intimacy.
“Oh!” the startled voice announced, ripping her and Brandon away from each other like two teenagers who’d been caught necking by the principal.
Her mother stood by the door, her eyes wide to match the smile on her face, as though to say, Score one for the team, honey.
Only Gloria Davenport.
She held her hands up and backed toward the door.
“Don’t mind me,” she told them. Then offered Stella two thumbs up. For Pete’s sake. “But good job, honey. Way to take my advice.”
And then she was gone, blowing back out the door as quickly as she had interrupted them, taking Stella’s dignity with her.
One of Brandon’s dark brows lifted, showing nothing of the passion he’d exhibited just a second ago. “Advice?” he repeated.
“Ah . . . ,” she began, not sure how to explain Gloria Davenport to someone who didn’t know her. “Just ignore her. She obviously hasn’t taken her medication today.”
The slight curl of his mouth widened. “You look like her.”
Please God, don’t say that. “Okay.”
His brown eyes narrowed, scrutinizing way too much. “Is this another thing you don’t want to talk about?”
Right on. She lifted a shoulder and pretended her heart wasn’t still pounding from their kiss. “I have no issues with my mom.” At least none that she was willing to share.
Brandon nodded. “You know, one of these days all those walls you’ve thrown up are going to come crashing down.”

As Stella watched Brandon saunter out of her studio as though he hadn’t just knocked her socks off with his mouth, all she could think of was how right he was.


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