Saturday, January 31, 2015

Bye-bye Baby

Title: Bye-Bye Baby
Author: Morgana Phoenix 
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance Expected Release Date: Jan 31, 2015
Hosted by: Lady Amber's Tours
Blurb: ​Love has no expiration. The morning Beth packed her bags and walked out of Cole’s life was the day he swore the only girl for him would be the six year old who called him daddy. He didn’t have time for love, not between raising his baby girl and trying to figure out what the hell he was going to do with his life. But fate has a funny way of coming around and kicking you when you least expect it. Cole’s new life was no exception.   As a product of a severely broken home, Beth Doan knew better than to ever get married. She’d seen what that commitment did to people and she loved Cole McClain too much to let marriage destroy them. But the minute she boards that bus she knew she was making the biggest mistake of her life. Only maybe she wasn’t, not when she goes running back home to the only man she ever loved and finds him in the arms of another woman.  When an unexpected accident throws them together four years later, the last thing either anticipated was to become responsible for a little person who needs them a whole lot more than they need their bitterness and hurt feelings. Can Cole and Beth forgive and forget long enough to save the life of a child neither one of them predicted falling in love with? Or are some wounds just too deep to heal?
Airicka Phoenix lives in a world where unicorns, fairies and mermaids run amok through her home on a daily basis. When she’s not chasing after pixies and rounding up imps, also known as her four children, she can be found conjuring up evil villains, bad-ass heroines and swoon-worthy heroes to play with. Airicka is singlehandedly responsible for her greatly anticipated collections, The Touch SagaThe Lost Girl DuologyThe Regeneration SeriesGames of Fire & Betraying Innocence. She also writes mature paranormal & contemporary romance under the dark guise of Morgana Phoenix. To date, she is responsible for The Sons of Judgment SagaIn The Dark SeriesForever His Baby & Bye-Bye Baby. For more about Airicka and the realm she rules with an iron fist—and tons of chocolate—visit her at:

The Chronicles of Rain & Dreams

Title: The Chronicles of Rain and Dreams
Series: The Legend of the Archangel book 4
Author: L.L. Hunter
Genre: YA paranormal romance/ urban fantasy
Cover Designer: Regina Wamba of Mae I Design and photography
Release Date: January 31st 2015
Formats: eBook and Paperback
Blurb
Thirty- nine days ago Dyston disappeared, and the world suffered for it.
Scarlett doesn’t understand why he had to leave, but Dyston is being haunted by the demons of his past, and also the truth of what he is – he is tainted.
But leaving is also a ploy.
Dyston can’t let Scarlett find out the real reason for his leaving, for if she does find out, he fears she could never forgive him.
In the search for the missing journals of the nine archangels, Dyston also discovers some things he didn’t know about himself.
But little does he know, the one journal he can’t find lies with his heart.
Will Dyston be able to forgive himself and return to his loved ones, or will he hide away forever?
In the fourth installment of the Legend of the Archangel series, will love prevail over darkness?
Stalk links:
Instagram: @llhunter
Google +: google.com/+LLHunter

Tagged for Life

Title: Tagged For Life
Author: Sam Destiny          
Genre: Contemporary Romance Expected Release Date: Mar. 31, 2015Hosted by: Lady Amber's Tours
Blurb: A career. A perfect future. Everything he could wish for. That’s what Corporal Jesse ‘Jazz’ Connor thinks about his life. He can’t understand why his comrades feel the need to find a girl and settle down when the Army career latter has so many steps to climb. Up, up, up; that’s where he’s looking – and that’s the reason, too, why he stumbles over the only thing that maybe can change his view on life forever: Tessa.
No job. No plan. An open future. That’s how Tessa Connor likes to see her life as she starts a trip to see some friends half way across the world. And Jazz will be her first step to the new Tessa. Build up your confidence; show the world what you can do, that’s her new motto. The problem is that Jazz maybe turns out to be so much more than she could ever have hoped for – and still not be able to hold onto.
Together they need to find a way to make A and B come together with an ocean between them that threatens to drown everything – maybe even their love.
Once upon a time there was a young girl with her head full of dreams and her heart full of stories. Her parents, though not a unit, always supported her and told her more stories, encouraging her to become what she wanted to be. The problem was, young Sam didn't know what she wanted to be, so after getting her A-levels she started studying Computer Science and Media. After not even one year she realized it wasn't what her heart wanted, and so she stopped, staying home and trying to find her purpose in life. Through some detours she landed an internship and eventually an apprenticeship in a company that sells cell phones. Not a dreamy career, but hey. Today she's doing an accounting job from nine-to-five, which mainly consists of daydreaming and scribbling notes wherever she can. 
All through that time little Sam never once lost the stories in her heart, writing a few little of them here and there, writing for and with her best friend, who always told her to take that last step. Only when a certain twin-couple entered her mind, bothering her with ideas and talking to her nonstop did she start to write down their story - getting as far as thinking she could finish it. Through the help of some author friends, and the encouragement of earlier mentioned best friend, little Sam, now not so little anymore and in her twenty-seventh year,  decided to try her luck as an Indie author. She finished the story of the first twin, Jaden, and realized she couldn't ever stop. So, it is only after five that the real Sam comes out. The one that hungers for love, romance, some blood, a good story, and, at the end of the day, a nice hot cup of Chai Tea Latte.
And if the boys are still talking to her, she'll write happily ever after.
Author links: 
C

Maximum Risk





Title: Maximum Risk - The Andrades, Book Three
Author: Ruth Cardello
Release date:01/27/2015
 Price: $3.99


Book description: From NY Times & USA Today Bestselling author!

Max Andrade: Rich, bold, unapologetic. He is a man who doesn’t hear the word no until he meets Tara. In his obsession to have her, he’ll offer her anything except his heart.
Tara Holmes: Outspoken, hardworking, levelheaded. She makes her living by exposing unfaithful spouses. She doesn’t believe in love, especially not with a man who sees her as nothing more than a challenge.
When Madison D’Argenson hires Tara to uncover the truth about Aunt Patrice, Tara is pulled into Max’s world.
How far would you go to help a man who doesn’t want to be helped?
And how long would you give yourself over to the pleasure of his touch if you knew it would end as soon as he discovered your lie?


Purchase links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Maximum-Risk-Andrades-Book-3-ebook/dp/B00OAJUDZY/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Maximum-Risk-The-Andrades-Book-ebook/dp/B00OAJUDZY/
IBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/maximum-risk/id926869367?mt=11
Barnes & Noble (NOOK) & kobo links will be available on 01/27/15



Author Bio:
Ruth Cardello was born the youngest of 11 children in a small city in northern Rhode Island. She spent her young adult years moving as far away as she could from her large extended family. She lived in Boston, Paris, Orlando, New York--then came full circle and moved back to Rhode Island. She now happily lives one town over from the one she was born in. For her, family trumped the warmer weather and international scene.

She was an educator for 20 years, the last 11 as a kindergarten teacher. When her school district began cutting jobs, Ruth turned a serious eye toward her second love- writing and has never been happier. When she's not writing, you can find her chasing her children around her small farm, riding her horses, or connecting with her readers online.


Author Contact:
Website: www.RuthCardello.com
FaceBook: www.facebook.com/RuthCardello
Twitter: @RuthieCardello
Email: Minouri@aol.com
Email Notice of New Releases: www.RuthCardello.com/Signup


Other Books by Ruth Cardello:

The Legacy Collection (*also available in audio)
Book 1: Maid for the Billionaire (Free at all eBook retailers)
Book 2: For Love or Legacy
Book 3: Bedding the Billionaire
Book 4: Saving the Sheikh
Book 5: Rise of the Billionaire
Book 6: Breaching the Billionaire: Alethea’s Redemption

The Andrades (*also available in audio)
Book 1: Come Away with Me (Free at all eBook retailers)
Book 2: Home to Me
Book 3: Maximum Risk
Book 4: Somewhere Along the Way (preorder now, release date 05/26/15)

Lone Star Burn (*also available in audio)
Book 1: Taken, Not Spurred
Book 2: Tycoon Takedown (preorder now, release date 03/10/15)

The Temptations
Book 1: Twelve Days of Temptation
Book 2: Be My Temptation


Taken by a Trillionaire (preorder now, releases 05/12/15)


Sunday, January 25, 2015

Sanctuary

Sanctuary - Banner

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – Sanctuary SERIES – Sanctuary AUTHOR – Pauline Creeden GENRE – YA Thriller/Science Fiction PUBLICATION DATE – Sept 2013 LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 268 pages PUBLISHER – AltWit Press COVER ARTIST – Najla Qamber
Sanctuary - Book Cover

BOOK SYNOPSIS

First Place Winner of 2014 Gold Award Readers Favorite YA Horror First Place Winner of 2013 Dante Rosetti Award in YA Fiction
What if the Biblical End Times unfolded in a way no one told you about and the rapture didn't happen before the tribulation began...
"Makes you afraid of the end times again." - D. M. Dutcher for Sword Cross Rocket
"Sanctuary crosses boundaries and borders and incorporates elements of all kinds of action and intrigue, from thriller-like adventure to a post-apocalyptic tale of life after aliens invade. Thus it will delight readers seeking something truly different, while disappointing those who anticipated a shallow, one-dimensional subject and story line." - Midwest Book Review
Left Behind for the Hunger Games generation
In a heart-racing thriller described as Falling Skies meet The Walking Dead, Jennie struggles to find a safe place for what’s left of her family. But it seems as though there is no place sacred, no place secure. First the aliens attacked the sun, making it dimmer, weaker, and half what it used to be. Then they attacked the water supply, killing one-third of Earth’s population with a bitter contaminate. And when they unleash a new terror on humankind, the victims will wish for death, but will not find it…
When the world shatters to pieces around her, will Jennie find the strength she needs to keep going?

BUY & TBR LINKS

EXCERPT

When Jennie reached the back door, she saw them. Four large dog-like creatures with pinched faces like bulldogs and lion-like manes. They snarled, and one of them leapt at the window on the top half of the door when it saw her.
Jennie jumped back and fell hard on the cold tile floor. The bottle of painkiller bounced across the kitchen tiles. The creature slammed against the window a second time, cracking it. She blinked hard. Her heart sunk, and the hairs on her arms stood on end. A horrendous gargling howl rent the air, causing a shiver down her spine. She held her breath and waited for the creature to slam into the door again.
“What on earth?” she whispered to herself.
When the third attempt never came, she scrambled toward the door. Blinking hard, she used the door knob to help herself stand. Out the cracked window, her mother was still out of sight, but the last of the dogs headed across the field behind her backyard.
“MOM?” Jennie called out.
The rumbling faded, and the vibrations in her chest receded with the dogs. She pulled open the door and rushed onto their back deck. “Mom, where are you?”
When she reached the banister, she looked over the side. Her mom lay sprawled with one hand on the lattice. Blood gushed from Mom’s leg and her opposite arm. Jennie’s ears rang and flooded with every beat of her heart.
Jennie didn’t know how she got to the second floor of her house, but she found herself shaking her sleeping father. How had he slept through the rumbling? “Outside, it’s Mom…”
Her father leapt from the bed. Mickey, her little brother, lay asleep and undisturbed. Dad ran down the stairs and outside in his flannel pajama bottoms and white t-shirt. He scooped Mom up to his chest and carried her inside. Blood stained his shirt in crimson.
“Jennie, call 911!” Her father had said it at least three times before it finally registered in her brain.
She pulled the cell phone from her pocket, but it refused to connect. With a groan, she grabbed the cordless from the wall receiver, glad her heart stopped pounding in her head so she could hear.
“All operators are busy at this time,” a mechanical voice deadpanned, “Please stay on the line, and the next available operator will take your call.”
“They have me on hold, Dad. Should I hang up and try again?” She held the phone in both hands away from her face.
“No, just stay on the line.” Her father lifted the shredded jeans from Mom’s leg. “It looks like a shark bite. What on earth happened?”
Jennie took in the damage through tear-filled eyes. A huge chunk was taken from her mother’s calf, exposing the fibrous tendons that covered the bone in her leg. A bloodstain grew on the beige couch. Was she going to die? Panic rose up.
“What happened, Jennie?”
“I...I...They looked like lions, or dogs, or something. The rumbling shook the whole house…I tried to go outside to get Mom, but—” A sob blocked her throat.
Her father grabbed a throw pillow and held it against the leg. Mom’s exposed forearm laid across her chest in much the same condition as her calf.
“Grab me the duct tape.”
Jennie suddenly remembered the phone, put it back to her ear, and headed to the hall closet. She reached for the shelf above the jackets and grabbed the junk basket next to the toolbox.
“Please stay on the line. An operator will be with you shortly.”
She shoved the phone in the crook of her neck and fished through the box. Half the contents dropped around her feet. Who cares? When her fingers wrapped around the silver duct tape, a short-lived relief sent prickles down her arms. But the urgency gripped her chest in less than a heart beat, and she threw the junk basket on the ground with the rest of the items.
“Hurry, Jennie!” her father called from the living room. “And turn on the TV. Maybe they’ll have something about what’s going on.”
She handed her father the tape and turned toward the TV. The mechanical voice on the phone came through again, followed by more easy listening.
When she clicked on the TV, the shouting and wailing began before the picture warmed up on the screen. A sideways picture of New York City broke through, with the shaky voice of the newscaster voicing over.
“What we are watching now – I can’t believe it – is live footage of Times Square,” the newscaster’s voice paused for a deep breath. “We’ve lost our man on the scene and his camera man to what appears to be some kind of new alien creature. Just a short half-hour ago, the doors to the ship that hovered above Central Park opened and these dog-like creatures flooded out.”
Jennie couldn’t pull her eyes from the screen. She straightened and dropped the phone on the hardwood. The battery popped out and skidded across the floor.
Sanctuary - Author Photo 1
AUTHOR BIO
Pauline Creeden is an award-winning author, horse trainer, and overall book ninja. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long.
Armored Hearts, her joint effort with author Melissa Turner Lee, has been a #1 Bestseller in Christian Fantasy and been awarded the Crowned Heart for Excellence by InDtale Magazine. Her debut novel, Sanctuary, won 1st Place Christian YA Title 2013 Dante Rosetti Award and 2014 Gold Award for First Place YA Horror Novel.

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

Blitz Organized & Hosted by buttonmfh

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Hero by Night - First Chapter Reveal

Hero By Night Banner (1)Hero By Night
Book Three:  Independence Falls
January 20, 2015
Synopsis
He was nobody's hero until he landed in the wrong bed … Armed with a golden retriever and a concealed weapons permit, Lena Clark is fighting for normal. She served her country, but the experience left her emotionally numb and estranged from her career-military family. Staying in Independence Falls seems like the first step to reclaiming her life until the town playboy stumbles into her bed … Chad Summers is living his dream—helicopter logging by day and slipping between the sheets with Mrs. Right Now by night. Until his wild nights threaten his day job, leaving Chad with a choice: prove he can settle down or kiss his dream goodbye. But when he ends up in the wrong bed, the one woman in Independence Falls he can't touch offers a tempting proposition. Chad is ready and willing to give in to the primal desire to make Lena his at night—on one condition. By day, they pretend their relationship is real. But their connection extends beyond the bedroom, threatening to turn their sham into reality if Chad can prove he's the hero Lena needs night and day … forever. Order Hero by Night for only $2.99!! Links to Buy:  Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iBooks ~ Google ~ Kobo  Other Books By Sara Jane Stone SJS12-2
FullExposure (1)
Full Exposure
No touching allowed …
After serving her country, Georgia Trulane craves adventure—and sex. She's set her sights on her brother's best friend—now her boss, since she took a temporary job as his nephew's live-in nanny. Only problem? Eric refuses to touch her. That doesn't stop Georgia from seducing him. But an earth-shattering encounter leaves her fully exposed, body and soul.
Eric has a long list of reasons to steer clear of the woman he has wanted for as long as he can remember. For one, he refuses to be her next thrill ride. When he claims her, it will be for good. But the attraction is undeniable, and the more they fight it, the stronger it pulls. But will it be enough to conquer their obstacles?
Caught in the Act caught in the act
Falling for his rivals' little sister could cost him everything … For Liam Trulane, failure is not an option. He is determined to win a place in Katie Summers' life before she leaves Independence Falls for good. But first, he needs to make amends for the last time they got down and dirty. Only problem? His professional success hinges on striking a deal to buy Katie's family business. And after Liam's relationship with their Katie went south years ago, the Summers brothers are more enemy than friend. If both parties agree to set the past aside, they can reach an understanding. But when Katie welcomes him back into her bed, Liam risks everything to make her his. After Liam betrayed her trust, Katie Summers will do anything to keep him from walking away with the family business. She decides to seduce him, knowing that when her brothers find out, they will back off from the deal. And she'll finally have her revenge. But when her plan spirals out of control, Katie learns that payback may come at too high a price …
SJSauthor photo
Author Bio After several years on the other side of the publishing industry, Sara Jane Stone bid goodbye to her sales career to pursue her dream—writing romance novels. Sara Jane currently resides in Brooklyn, New York with her very supportive real-life hero, two lively young children and a lazy Burmese cat. Visit her online at www.sarajanestone.com or find her on Facebook at Sara Jane Stone.
Giveaway
Two Signed Sets of Caught in the Act and Full Exposure along with a $10 Amazon Gift Card

First Chapter Reveal

“Thirty minutes,” Lena murmured. “That has to be a record.”
Lena Clark stared at the Cascade Mountains, the postcard-perfect backdrop to the backyard barbecue on the verge of turning into a full-blown party. Hero, her golden retriever, sat at her feet by the man-made pond in Eric Moore’s yard. Although the cleared field behind the sprawling timber-framed structure, home to the owner of the largest timber operation in Oregon, could hardly be classified as a “yard.” Inside the Portland city limits, where she’d lived on and off for the past six years—more off than on, really, due to training and deployments—people had the traditional postage stamp–size grassy areas behind their homes.
But she’d escaped Portland. And landed in Independence Falls, hoping to find her way to normal. Now she was thirty minutes closer.
“I talked to half the people here,” Lena continued, her fingers brushing her dog’s golden fur. Hero’s ears perked up, his head cocked to one side in what she’d come to think of as his I’m-listening expression. A stuffed yellow duck, the doggie toy she’d bought to keep him from chewing on furniture, hung from his mouth. “I mingled without running away and hiding.”
She hadn’t shaken a single hand, and Hero had been by her side the entire time, but she wasn’t looking for major breakthroughs or big victories. At twenty-eight, she knew a war was not won overnight. It took time, bravery, and determination. She possessed all of those things. Even if she had lost more than she liked to admit on the battlefield—like the ability to let anyone get close to her.
“Hey, Lena. Are you OK?”
She turned at the sound of Katie Summers’s voice, glancing past her friend to the crowd gathered on the blue stone patio. “Fine. I just needed some space from the party.”
And a chance to talk to her dog …
OK, so maybe normal was still out of reach.
“Georgia told me that you were looking for a place to stay,” Katie said.
“Just for a night, maybe two. I’m planning to find my own apartment soon.” Along with a job and her equilibrium. “But I wanted to give Georgia and Eric some space seeing as Nate is visiting his grandmother.”
“You think they might get down and dirty on the kitchen table while the three-year-old is out of town?”
“Yes. I do.” Lena looked up the hill. Eric stood behind Georgia, his arms wrapped around her waist, holding her close against his body. Georgia held a beer in one hand, her other reaching back, brushing against Eric’s leg as if she had to touch him. The kitchen table would only be the beginning for those two—if their home was free and clear of a guest who moved in for a couple of nights, and more than a week later, still hadn’t left.
“The apartment over our barn is yours for as long as you need it,” Katie said.
“Your brothers won’t mind?” Lena slipped her hands into the hidden pockets in her long halter dress. Katie still lived with her three older brothers on their family farm. Granted, Josh, the youngest of the three, was in the hospital right now recuperating from a logging accident that had landed him in a coma. But Chad and Brody might object to Katie lending out the apartment to an almost-stranger. Lena hadn’t met Chad yet, but she knew the family was close and the brothers were protective of their little sister.
Liam Trulane, Georgia’s older brother and the man head-over-heels in love with Katie, might not like the idea either. “And you don’t need it?”
“Liam and I have other plans,” Katie said. “Far away from my brothers’ watchful eyes. There is a spare key under a rock to the left of the door. Once you’re inside, move it to the right and take the key upstairs with you. That is the in-use signal.”
“But Hero—”
Katie’s expression turned serious. “Lena, I would never ask you to leave Hero behind. He’s welcome in the apartment too.”
Lena felt a rush of relief. The thought of leaving her golden retriever outside, even for a night, sent her barreling toward panic. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow? Georgia and I were planning to take a hike. Nothing crazy. I made her promise.”
“Sure.” Lena knew all about Georgia’s need for adventure, the drive that had followed Georgia home from a war zone. And Lena understood it too. Probably more than most, even if she didn’t share the same pull. PTSD refused to follow a linear, predetermined path. Nightmares and survivor’s guilt haunted Georgia. Those symptoms were on Lena’s list, but anxiety topped the chart.
In Lena’s shattered world, every little touch triggered fear. If her ex or one of her friends wrapped an arm around her, took her hand, or pulled her into a hug, she would brace for an attack. Fear would build until panic won. And afterward, once it receded, she’d sink further into depression, cutting herself off from the world around her.
Anxiety had become her constant companion, leading her to an isolated place. Until she’d decided to do something about it, entering therapy and finding the golden retriever lying at her feet, gnawing on a stuffed dog toy.
Katie turned to head up the hill. Lena watched, wondering if she should go back to the party and try for another thirty minutes. She scanned the group of people mingling and drinking—and spotted him.
Jeans and a button-down flannel shirt hugged his body, not too tight, but enough to suggest that this man had muscles begging to be touched. He raised a hand, running it through his short, wavy brown hair. Everything about him screamed for hands-on exploration. That chiseled jaw, the light dusting of stubble as if he hadn’t shaved in a day, the way he smiled …
Lena drew a sharp breath and tried to look away. But her brain short-circuited and her eyes refused. His sex appeal flowed down the grassy slope like rushing water. And if she weren’t careful it would sweep her off her feet, and leave her fighting for air. Looking at him, she wished the road to normal led straight to orgasms.
He turned his head and their gazes met across the empty space. And she swore his warm, I-promise-you’ll-like-me-if-you-get-to-know-me grin touched his eyes.
Lena dropped her gaze to the ground, breaking the contact. He wasn’t touching her, not even close. But that smile …
She turned to face the water. It was better not to look at what she couldn’t have. And that man—he was one giant step beyond thirty minutes of small talk.

Sometimes beauty knocked a man on his ass, leaving him damn near desperate for a taste, a touch, and hopefully a round or two between the sheets—or tied up in them. The knockout blonde with the large golden retriever at her feet took the word “beautiful” to a new level.
Chad Summers stared at her, unable to look away or dim the smile on his face. He usually masked his interest better, stopping short of looking like he was begging for it before learning a woman’s name. But this mysterious beauty had special written all over her.
She stared at him, her gaze open and wanting. For a heartbeat. Then she turned away, her back to the party as she stared out at Eric Moore’s pond.
Her hair flowed in long waves down her back. One look left him wishing he could wrap his hand around her shiny locks and pull. His gaze traveled over her back, taking in the outline of gentle curves beneath her flowing, and oh-so-feminine, floor-length dress. Chad had nothing against jeans on a woman. But he loved clothes that offered access to a woman’s legs. The thought of the beauty’s long skirt decorating her waist propelled him into motion. Chad headed in her direction, moving away from the easy, quiet conversation about God-knew-what on the patio.
He appreciated the fact that Eric Moore—who’d recently become his boss/business partner after Moore Timber bought the Summers Family Trucking business—had decided to throw a party celebrating Chad’s little brother’s return to the land of awake and alert. But the laid-back gathering lacked excitement. Music. Dancing. Something more than a small group of people he’d known most of his life—three dozen at most—drinking beers and eating burgers.
The blonde, a mysterious stranger in a sea of familiar faces, might be the spark this party needed. He was a few feet away when the dog abandoned his post at her side and cut Chad off. Either the golden retriever was protecting his owner, or the animal was in cahoots with the familiar voice calling his name.
“Chad Summers!”
The blonde turned at the sound, looking first at him, her blue eyes widening as if surprised at how close he stood, and then at her dog. From the other direction, a familiar face with short black hair—Susan maybe?—marched toward him.
Without a word, Maybe Susan stopped by his side and raised her glass. With a dog in front of him, trees to one side, and an angry woman on his other, there was no escape.
“Hi there.” He left off her name just in case he’d guessed wrong, but offered a warm, inviting smile. Most women fell for that grin, but if Maybe Susan had at one time—and seeing her up close, she looked very familiar, though he could swear he’d never slept with her—she wasn’t falling for it today.
She poured the cool beer over his head, her mouth set in a firm line. “That was for my sister. Susan Lewis? You spent the night with her six months ago and never called.”
Chad nodded, silently grateful he hadn’t addressed the pissed-off woman by her sister’s name. “My apologies, ma’am.”
“You’re a dog,” Susan’s sister announced. The animal at his feet stepped forward as if affronted by the comparison.
“For the past six months, my little sister has talked about you, saving every article about your family’s company,” the angry woman continued.
Whoa … Yes, he’d taken Susan Lewis out once and they’d ended the night back at his place, but he could have sworn they were on the same page. Hell, he’d heard her say the words, I’m not looking for anything serious, and he’d believed her. It was one freaking night. He didn’t think he needed signed documents that spelled out his intentions and hers.
“She’s practically built a shrine to you,” she added, waving her empty beer cup. “Susan was ready to plan your wedding.”
“Again, I’m sorry, but it sounds like there was a miscommunication.” Chad withdrew a bandana from his back pocket, one that had belonged to his father, and wiped his brow. “But wedding bells are not in my future. At least not anytime soon.”
The angry sister shook her head, spun on her heels, and marched off.
Chad turned to the blonde and offered a grin. She looked curious, but not ready to run for the hills. “I guess I made one helluva first impression.”
“Hmm.” She glanced down at her dog as if seeking comfort in the fact that he stood between them.
“I’m Chad Summers.” He held out his hand—the one part of his body not covered in beer.
“You’re Katie’s brother.” She glanced briefly at his extended hand, but didn’t take it.
He lowered his arm, still smiling. “Guilty.”
“Lena.” She nodded to the dog. “That’s Hero.”
“Nice to meet you both.” He looked up the hill. Country music drifted down from the house. Someone had finally added some life to the party. Couples moved to the beat on the blue stone patio, laughing and drinking under the clear Oregon night sky. In the corner, Liam Trulane tossed logs into a fire pit.
“After I dry off,” Chad said, turning back to the blonde, “how about a dance?”
“No.”
Chad waited for an excuse, expecting a lie—her dog would be lonely or she had a boyfriend. That latter one, lie or not, would send him on his way. But she didn’t say another word.
He stepped toward her, as close as the dog would allow. He was close enough to smell her floral scent. It was too faint for a perfume, most likely her soap. There was a hint of lavender and a touch of honey. As if the sight of her wasn’t enough, the smell made him want to taste her. He leaned in, a fraction of an inch, nothing more. But the next thing he knew, her dog was pushing at his legs.
“Hero is protective of my space.” Lena’s voice had a breathless quality that suggested maybe this time she wished her dog would butt out. Or maybe that was his imagination.
Chad moved back, looking at the golden retriever with renewed interest. For a breed with a reputation for being kind and friendly, this one looked as if he was debating dropping his chew toy and sinking his teeth into Chad’s leg.
“So what brings you two to Independence Falls?” he asked, keeping one eye on Hero.
“Georgia offered me a place to stay. While I get back on my feet.”
“Between jobs?” The rest of the country might be headed toward recovery, but rural Oregon was still suffering high unemployment. A lot of people around here were doing their best to “get back on their feet.”
“I guess you could say that,” she said.
She didn’t give an inch. And hell, he liked that. Rocking back on his heels, Chad pretended to think. “What did you do before? I might know someone who is looking.”
“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “I can’t go back to it.”
“Being a model is that tough?” He offered her a teasing look that he knew for a fact helped separate women from their panties.
Lena raised an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t know. And you can drop the sweet-talking act.”
“You’d prefer I talk dirty?” Chad cocked his head, studying her. There it was. A spark of interest in her blue eyes. But she hid it quickly.
“I’ve spent most of my life on army bases. I’m betting you don’t have anything I haven’t heard before.”
So the drop-dead gorgeous, not-a-model woman was a military brat? He took that tidbit and filed it away. He wanted to know more about her—where she’d grown up, where she’d worked, if she screamed during sex or maintained the calm control he was finding wildly attractive.
“I might use some of the same words,” he said. “But they would have a different effect on you.”
“You’re that good with your words?”
“Yes. And that’s not the only thing I’m good with.” He paused for a beat, expecting a laugh and hoping for a breathy sigh. Nothing. Her face was an impartial mask. “So how about that dance? I could whisper naughty things in your ear.”
“No.” The way she said that one word sounded like a reflex.
“A walk under the stars?”
“Romantic, but I can’t.” She stepped away even though he’d been careful not to move a muscle in her direction. “I wish I could.”
This time her words were not a quick dismissal. She said the word “wish” with the fervor of a kid looking up to the stars and asking for a snow day in July. Hell, if there was one thing he understood, it was wishing and hoping for things he couldn’t have.
His mother walking through the front door to the farmhouse and admitting that leaving her family had been a mistake … His dad seated beside him in a helicopter one last time …
“Can I ask you something?” Chad said.
She nodded. A strand of blond hair fell across her face and he resisted the urge to brush it away. With any other woman, he would not have thought twice about an innocent touch in a public space. But he sensed Lena had boundaries that demanded respect.
“Where did you meet Georgia?”
“In therapy.”
The words, coupled with her matter-of-fact tone, nearly knocked him on his ass. “You’re a veteran. I never would have guessed that one.”
“A little different from a model,” she said with a small smile. “I was in the army. Until eighteen months ago.”
“The job you can’t go back to,” he said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
She nodded, her blue eyes trained on him as if tracking his movements. Had someone hurt her? The thought of it pissed him off. Or had the time spent serving her country left her battle-scarred on the inside? Either way, he wasn’t the man to fix her problems. He’d never been drawn to wounded creatures.
Chad glanced at the dog. Whatever had happened to her, Lena already had her hero. She didn’t need him. And he didn’t want a woman in his life he couldn’t walk away from come sunrise. Or a woman he couldn’t touch …
He looked up at the patio and spotted another blonde. With her jeans and low-cut blouse, the other woman possessed the same petite build as Lena. But there was nothing striking about her. Looking at her didn’t leave him wanting to pull her hair, or hear his name on her lips, never mind learn her secrets.
“She looks like fun,” Lena said.
Busted.
He glanced at the woman who made him want to do all those things and more. “Sure you’re not?”
“I can be,” she said with a wry smile, as if this bit of information was a carefully guarded secret. “But not the kind you’re in the market for. Not tonight.”
“That’s a shame. I was looking forward to whispering dirty things in your ear.”
She pursed her lips, her eyes filled with wistful wanting. “I’m not ready for that kind of fun,” she said, her voice low, but certain. “Not yet.”
“That’s fair.” Yeah, those words made it crystal clear she wasn’t up for his no-strings-attached, down-and-dirty nights. But it didn’t keep him from hoping.
“If that changes, I’d like to know,” he added. Chad slowly backed away from the woman and her dog, offering her one last smile. “Try and have a good time tonight, Lena. This is a party.”
“I’ll take that under consideration,” she said, the golden retriever returning to her side. “Good-bye, Chad Summers.”

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Ricochet

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Title: Ricochet
Author: Jessica Wilde
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: February 23, 2015
Ricochet Cover..
Ricochet Full Cover
Synopsis
Fear.
It's the last thing I remembered.
I was afraid.
Afraid to fight, afraid to run… afraid to breathe.
Then, everything had gone dark. As if life was finally hearing my pleas, my cries to end the torment. To end the fear.
But even in the dark, I still felt it.
I always felt it.
My life had been a ricochet of one event leading to the next. Bouncing back and forth from good to bad. Happiness to despair. Hope to fear.
My name is Arianna West. I'm stronger now. Steady. Alive.
I can find a way to survive on my own. I can see what is coming for me. I can channel my fear into strength.
Except… I didn't see Jack.
And Jack changed everything.
For readers 18+ due to language, violence, and sexual content.
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Teasers
Ricochet Teaser 1
Ricochet Teaser 2
About The Author
I live in Morgan Utah with my husband, daughter, and dog, Kolo. I write as often as my active daughter will let me and my husband has the patience of a saint. I find inspiration from dreams, people I meet, and life experiences. When I write, I usually end up drinking one too many cans of Peace Tea, eating three too many Fruit by the Foot fruit snacks, and accidentally kicking my pup and best buddy, Kolo, too many times since he loves to sleep under my desk at my feet. I started writing as a teen, but my fear of the unknown won out every time and I threw everything out. After becoming a mother and deciding to stay at home to raise my beautiful little girl, I tried again when I couldn't stop thinking of ideas. I loved every minute, every hour of sleep lost, and every character that came to life in my mind. It's strange, but my favorite moments are when I have writer's block because I can turn to my husband and find inspiration through him by just doing what we do best together. Talking, laughing, and just being in love. He doesn't like to read, but he never stops encouraging me to keep going. Writing has become an important part of my life and every book has a special place in my heart.
Jessica Wilde
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Hero by Night

Hero By Night
Book Three:  Independence Falls
January 20, 2015
Synopsis
He was nobody's hero until he landed in the wrong bed … Armed with a golden retriever and a concealed weapons permit, Lena Clark is fighting for normal. She served her country, but the experience left her emotionally numb and estranged from her career-military family. Staying in Independence Falls seems like the first step to reclaiming her life until the town playboy stumbles into her bed … Chad Summers is living his dream—helicopter logging by day and slipping between the sheets with Mrs. Right Now by night. Until his wild nights threaten his day job, leaving Chad with a choice: prove he can settle down or kiss his dream goodbye. But when he ends up in the wrong bed, the one woman in Independence Falls he can't touch offers a tempting proposition. Chad is ready and willing to give in to the primal desire to make Lena his at night—on one condition. By day, they pretend their relationship is real. But their connection extends beyond the bedroom, threatening to turn their sham into reality if Chad can prove he's the hero Lena needs night and day … forever. Order Hero by Night for only $2.99!! Links to Buy:  Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iBooks ~ Google ~ Kobo  Other Books By Sara Jane Stone SJS12-2
FullExposure (1)
Full Exposure
No touching allowed …
After serving her country, Georgia Trulane craves adventure—and sex. She's set her sights on her brother's best friend—now her boss, since she took a temporary job as his nephew's live-in nanny. Only problem? Eric refuses to touch her. That doesn't stop Georgia from seducing him. But an earth-shattering encounter leaves her fully exposed, body and soul.
Eric has a long list of reasons to steer clear of the woman he has wanted for as long as he can remember. For one, he refuses to be her next thrill ride. When he claims her, it will be for good. But the attraction is undeniable, and the more they fight it, the stronger it pulls. But will it be enough to conquer their obstacles?
Caught in the Act caught in the act
Falling for his rivals' little sister could cost him everything … For Liam Trulane, failure is not an option. He is determined to win a place in Katie Summers' life before she leaves Independence Falls for good. But first, he needs to make amends for the last time they got down and dirty. Only problem? His professional success hinges on striking a deal to buy Katie's family business. And after Liam's relationship with their Katie went south years ago, the Summers brothers are more enemy than friend. If both parties agree to set the past aside, they can reach an understanding. But when Katie welcomes him back into her bed, Liam risks everything to make her his. After Liam betrayed her trust, Katie Summers will do anything to keep him from walking away with the family business. She decides to seduce him, knowing that when her brothers find out, they will back off from the deal. And she'll finally have her revenge. But when her plan spirals out of control, Katie learns that payback may come at too high a price …
SJSauthor photo
Author Bio After several years on the other side of the publishing industry, Sara Jane Stone bid goodbye to her sales career to pursue her dream—writing romance novels. Sara Jane currently resides in Brooklyn, New York with her very supportive real-life hero, two lively young children and a lazy Burmese cat. Visit her online at www.sarajanestone.com or find her on Facebook at Sara Jane Stone.

Hero by Night 1
Giveaway
2 Signed Copies of Full Exposure and Caught In The Act
$10 Amazon Gift Card

Hot Houston Nights: Graham & Isabella PART 2

Title: Hot Houston Nights: Graham & Isabella PART 2
Author: S. N. Garza
Genre: Erotic RomanceExpected Release Date: Jan. 24, 2015
Hosted by: Lady Amber's Tours
Blurb: How do two soul mates stay away from each other? Simple. They don't. Not long after their one night, both Graham and Isabella both long for more. Fate lead them back to each other and they aren't letting go. Their passions run high and Graham wants to take it to the next level. Until Isabella gets taken. As she hangs on for dear life, is she strong enough to save herself? Or, does she fall to her doom, never to see Graham again?

S. N. Garza is from Southeast Houston, Texas, with her husband and two small children. She is a full time Chilihead employee at Chili's Bar & Grill. Author of steamy, sexy, sinfully beautiful stories about strong alpha men and the women who fall for them.
When she's not taking care of her family, working her tail off at her all day job, you can find her writing well into the night, and reading another steamy romance novel, attaining another fictional boyfriend.
Remember
Where the men are strong, the women, stronger.
Author Links:
Twitter: @SNGarza_author
Amazon author link: Amazon.com/author/stephanienicolegarza Author page: www.facebook.com/Stephanienicolelg
I opened my door and before anyone else spotted us, shoved him inside. When you he lock clicked in place, I felt him come up behind me.
“No one’s gonna hear us right now, are they?” His warm breath over my ear made me shiver and everything around me seemed to heighten in response.
“Ha-ha. Ha-ha. I don’t think so. I’ve never tested out the wall strength.”
I felt his rock hard cock against me and my eyes shut at the hard strength. I knew without a doubt I wanted another go and I might just get it right now.
His hands caressed and tendered some of the tension in my shoulders before caressing down my back, tracing my curves until his fingers found their way into the band of my jeans.
His lips found the pressure point on my neck, kissing a line up to my ear before tugging on it gently.
His hands were warm as they skirted back and forth and then he undid my belt with swift, easy proficiency.
“Okay, sweetness?”
“Yes!” My mouth hissed out the reply and I just wanted him to hurry. He was making my blood boil. He skimmed down my jeans and panties until they were resting tightly around my thighs. I didn't need him to check to see if I was wet. I already felt my arousal leaking from my core, coating my vagina and inner thighs.
But he did anyway. His hand was hot to the touch as he slipped two fingers between my legs, circulating my juices and drawing his fingers up to my clit where he tried gripping it, but my slickness would only allow hard pressured massaging.
“Fuck, you're so damn wet for me. Keep your legs spread just like this for me. ‘Kay, sweetness?”
I nodded my head and leaned it against the door. His hands drew up my shirt and he tossed it over his shoulder. I felt his fingers dance down my neck and shoulder blades to unclasp my plain (ugh. Have to buy sexy under things) bra and threw it towards my shirt. The swift coolness toughened my nipples until they were stiff peaks.
Graham didn't tease them but instead, he cupped my breasts and massaged the swells until my breath was unbalanced. Then his hands fell away and I heard rustling behind me. Unbuckling, unzipping, and something being ripped open.
Whoa. Was he really going to take me like this? So barbaric and wild? Did I want him to?
My answer?
Hell freaking yes