Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Release Day Blitz: The Fine Art of Pretending, by Rachel Harris

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The Fine Art of Pretending

Synopsis

 According to the guys at Fairfield Academy, there are two types of girls: the kind you hook up with, and the kind you're friends with. Seventeen-year-old Alyssa Reed is the second type. And she hates it. With just one year left to change her rank, she devises a plan to become the first type by homecoming, and she sets her sights on the perfect date—Justin Carter, Fairfield Academy’s biggest hottie and most notorious player. With 57 days until the dance, Aly launches Operation Sex Appeal and sheds her tomboy image. The only thing left is for Justin actually to notice her. Enter best friend Brandon Taylor, the school’s second biggest hottie, and now Aly’s pretend boyfriend. With his help, elevating from “funny friend” to “tempting vixen” is only a matter of time. But when everything goes according to plan, the inevitable “break up” leaves their friendship in shambles, and Aly and Brandon with feelings they can’t explain. And the fake couple discovers pretending can sometimes cost you the one thing you never expected to want.


Excerpt
 An exhale of breath leaves Brandon’s lips, almost like a laugh, and he scoots closer to me on the blanket. I twist my legs under myself, sitting tall as I face him. He cups my chin and tilts it toward him, drowning me in the now dark-green depths of his eyes, the cologne I gave him for his birthday filling my head. It’s woodsy and yummy and I always loved how it smelled on the store testers, but on Brandon, it’s even sexier. My eyes flutter closed, and I inhale again, this time slowly. Goose bumps prickle my arms, and my head gets fuzzy. Brandon slides his hand down the column of my neck and brings the other up, threading his fingers through the hair at my nape. His breath fans across my cheek, and everything south of my bellybutton squeezes tight. When his mouth first meets mine, it’s hesitant, questioning. But as I move my lips with his, he quickly grows bolder, coaxing them apart. Desire, pure and raw, electrifies my veins as his tongue sweeps my mouth. A whimpering sound springs from my chest, and instinctively, I wrap my arms around his neck, tugging him closer. Needing more. My teeth graze his full bottom lip, and I pull it, sucking on it gently. He moans and knots his fingers in my hair, and a thrill dances down my back. Brandon is an amazing kisser, just as I knew he would be. I have no control over my body’s reactions. I lose myself in his lips, his tongue, and his strong arms, forgetting time and space and even my surroundings—until Gabi’s snicker brings reality crashing around us, reminding me we have an audience. And that I’m kissing Brandon. We break apart, out of breath, and stare into each other’s eyes. That was unexpected.


About Author Rachel Harris
 Author PhotoAward-winning and Bestselling author Rachel Harris writes humorous love stories about sassy girls next door and the hot guys that make them swoon. Emotion, vibrant settings, and strong relationships are a staple in each of her books...and kissing. Lots of kissing. An admitted Diet Mountain Dew addict and homeschool mom, she gets through each day by laughing at herself, hugging her kids, and watching way too much Food Network with her husband. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romance, and LOVES talking with readers.  

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Author Goodreads | THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING Goodreads

Release Day Blitz: All Things Pretty, by M. Leighton

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  All Things Pretty
Amazon


Synopsis
Pretending to be something they’re not, afraid to trust anyone completely, destined to tear each other apart– this is the story of unlikely love and unbearable consequences. Sig Locke is a cop. He was raised by a cop and all his brothers are cops. He bleeds blue, believes in right and wrong, and sees in black and white, never in shades of gray. But that was before he met Tommi. Tommi, with her long legs and bright green eyes, she captured Sig’s interest from the moment he saw her. Even after he discovered who she was–the girlfriend of a drug dealer, the beauty behind a criminal–he still found her utterly irresistible. What Sig doesn’t know, however, is that she has a secret even a cop can’t uncover. Tommi Lawrence hasn’t had an easy life, and it only got more complicated the day she met Sig. She learned long ago that she can’t trust anyone. Her gut tells her that Sig is no exception, her heart tells her that he is. But that was before she found out his real identity. Can love be forged in a fire of lies? Or will the truth destroy them both?


Excerpt
 Her lips are still curved when she turns her attention back to me. Something about the moment hits me like a punch to the gut. I think for a second that I could stand here and stare at her, just enjoy her smile and her happiness for hours. Days, maybe. But I can’t. We can’t. So, instead, I brush a clump of mud from the end of her nose. “Have fun?” “I did. Thank you. This was so good for him.” “And you.” “And me,” she concedes. “You can be the real you around me anytime. I won’t tell a soul.” “So you prefer this?” “Oh, hell yeah! I don’t need glamorous. Or proper.” “I’m not proper.” “You forget that I heard your…expressiveness that day on the side of the road. And it didn’t consist of ‘darn’ or ‘golly gee’. But I haven’t heard anything like that come out of your mouth since then.” “Ladies aren’t supposed to talk that way, according to Lance.” “I don’t want a lady. I want a woman. One who knows her own mind. One who wears what she’s comfortable in, one who says what she’s thinking.” I take a step closer. I can’t help myself. Her scent draws me in. Even covered in mud, she smells like sexy sunshine. “I want the woman who kisses like she’s on fire and makes me feel like I’m the only one who can put her out.” “Sig,” she begins. I break in to cut her off. I know her objections. And I know how much I don’t want to hear them. “I’m just being honest. I’m not even touching you.” Her eyes are glued to mine, a damn near irresistible gravity pulling us together. “It’s not like you can anyway. I mean, we’re in public. With my little brother. What could you possibly touch?” I reach down and smear my hand in mud. With her eyes locked on mine, I reach between us and flatten my palm on her chest, right over her heart. “This. I’d touch this.”


About Author M. Leighton
  Author Photo
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, M. Leighton, is a native of Ohio. She relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she can be near the water all summer and miss the snow all winter. Possessed of an overactive imagination from early in her childhood, M. Leighton finally found an acceptable outlet for her fantastical visions: literary fiction. Having written over a dozen novels, these days M. Leighton enjoys letting her mind wander to more romantic settings with sexy Southern guys, much like the one she married and the ones you'll find in her latest books. When her thoughts aren't roaming in that direction, she'll be riding horses, swimming in ponds and experiencing life on a ranch, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office.
A note from M. Leighton: I love coffee and chocolate, even more so when they are combined. I'm convinced that one day they could be the basis for world peace. I also love the color red and am seriously considering dying my hair.

Twitter | Author Goodreads | Website | ALL THINGS PRETTYGoodreads | Facebook

 

Monday, September 29, 2014

Pre-Release Event: Apolonia, by Jamie McGuire



We would love for you to join us in celebrating the release of   APOLONIA by New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Jamie McGuire!


TitleAPOLONIA
Author: Jamie McGuire
Age: NA
Genre: Sci-Fi Romance
Publisher: Jamie McGuire LLC (October 6, 2014)
Cover Design: Okay Creations, Sarah Hansen
PreOrder:

Synopsis
“They killed me, but I survived.”

Three years after Rory Riordan foiled her own murder, she still trusts no one. Not Dr. Z, the eccentric college professor who has taken her under his wing, not Benji, the endearing, attractive classmate who insists on following her around, and certainly not Cy, the beautifully dark and mysterious boy who sits on the first row in Dr. Z’s Astrobiology class and asks far too many questions.

When Rory witnesses Cy being abducted by soldiers in the middle of the night, she finds herself submersed in a world that holds even more secrets than she could imagine--even darker secrets than her own.

From #1 New York Times Bestseller Jamie McGuire, experience the perfect combination of her bestselling books Providence & Beautiful Disaster. This New Adult Sci-Fi Romance is an action-packed, whiplash-inducing roller coaster ride. Page after page, this unpredictable, dark and sexy nail biter will keep readers guessing until the very end!


Excerpt
Halloween night, while everyone was dressing up and attending parties, Cy and I were in the basement, punching numbers. The Fitz was one of the oldest buildings on campus, and it struggled to keep itself comfortably heated in the winter and cooled in the summer. The basement was particularly miserable and felt like an icebox on very cold nights.

I sipped my water and pulled the sleeves of my sweater further down my hands.

Cy cleared his throat and, for the first time in weeks, spoke to me first. “I can talk to Dr. Zorba about a space heater.”

“He’ll never go for it,” I said, putting down my water and wiping my lips with the cuff of my sweater. “He wouldn’t risk a fire or a significant temperature change affecting the specimen.”

“It won’t affect the specimen. It came from space.”

“Exactly. Where it’s cold.”

“Who says the planet it originated from wasn’t able to retain higher temperatures?”

“Like Venus?”

“Exactly like Venus. I mean . . . I’m sure that it’s possible. I’ll look into a space heater.” I watched him expectantly. “What?”

“No Uranus jokes? I’m disappointed.”

“What do you mean?”

I chuckled. “Never mind.” My fingers began clicking against the keyboard again, and I was sure that I’d caught Cy staring at me from the corner of my eye. I glanced over at him. “What?”

“You’re much more attractive when you smile. And your laugh is lovely.”

“Uh . . . thank you.”

“You’re—”

“I’m welcome. It’s okay. I say thank you to you a lot, apparently.”

“I just want you to . . . I don’t know what I want.”

He stared at me for a few moments more then continued with his work. My face caught fire as the blood pooled under my cheeks. My fingers wouldn’t work after that, and I couldn’t concentrate on the numbers.

Cy stood up and left the room without a word. Right about the time I’d decided to get up and look for him, he returned, setting a Butterfinger on my desk.

“Trick or treat, right?” he said.

“Is that a Halloween joke? I mean that’s cool. I just didn’t know you had a sense of humor.”

“I’m surprised you’re here. There are costume parties all over campus.”

I shook my head. “I don’t really do parties. Just once in a while when I’m bored out of my mind, but I avoid Halloween parties at all costs.”

“Why is that?”

“Fake blood. Dead people. Slutty costumes. None of it screams fun to me.”

Cy grinned. “I suppose not. We still have an hour or so of work to do. Would you mind if I walk you home when we’re finished?”

“Why?”

My response took Cy off guard. He blinked a few times and then cleared his throat. “I think that maybe my insistence not to form attachments here was incorrect. We spend a lot of time together down here, and I’d like to get to know you better.”

“So that’s why you’ve been ignoring me? Because you know you’re leaving?”

He hesitated. “In part, yes.”

“What’s the other part?”

He squirmed in his chair. “You . . . intrigue me.”

I wanted to high-five myself. The few times we’d interacted before I thought he was being nice in spite of feeling an extreme loathing towards me. Instead, it was the opposite. To Cy, I was intriguing. I shrugged, trying to pretend I wasn’t irrationally pleased. “If you want.”

He smiled then continued with his work. Despite the difficulty I had focusing, I forced myself to get through the pages of data on my desk. My mind kept wandering off, questioning why I felt so drawn to him. Cy wasn’t my type. He was leaving. His lack of concert T’s told me that we likely had nothing in common. But even then, I had a strong feeling that there was a reason life had thrown us together.




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About Author Jamie McGuire
Jamie McGuire was born in Tulsa, OK. She attended the Northern Oklahoma College, the University of Central Oklahoma, and Autry Technology Center where she graduated with a degree in Radiography.

Jamie paved the way for the New Adult genre with international bestseller, Beautiful Disaster. Her follow-up novel Walking Disaster debuted at #1 on the New York TimesUSA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. She has also written apocalyptic thriller Red Hill, a novella titled A Beautiful Wedding, and the Providence series, a young adult paranormal romance trilogy.

Jamie lives on a ranch just outside Enid, OK with husband Jeff and their three children. They share their 30 acres with cattle, six horses, three dogs, and Rooster the cat.

Find Jamie at www.jamiemcguire.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Friday, September 26, 2014

Cover Reveal-Here With Me by Heidi McLaughlin

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00074]

Today we are revealing the cover of the novel HERE WITH ME by New York Times Bestselling author Heidi McLaughlin. The book will be released on Thursday, October 23rd.

 

Synopsis for HERE WITH ME:

 

Ryley Clarke has grown up with the military in her blood, with both parents serving their country. Ryley knows the risks of being married to the military. But when the unthinkable happens, and her future husband is killed in action, Ryley can barely survive... until Evan's twin brother, Nate, helps her pick up the pieces.

After serving on a special mission with the military for six years, Evan Archer returns home to find the unthinkable - the love of his life, Ryley Clarke - engaged to his brother, Nate. With Nate on deployment, Evan needs to figure out what happened in his absence, and more importantly, how to win Ryley back from the man he once considered his best friend, but now thinks of as his rival.

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00074]

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18948703-here-with-me

 
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AUTHOR INFORMATION

HeidiM
BIO: Heidi is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband and two daughters. Also renting space in their home is an over-hyper Beagle/Jack Russell and two Parakeets. During the day Heidi is behind a desk talking about Land Use. At night, she's writing one of the many stories planned for release or sitting court-side during either daughter's basketball games.   Author Links: Website: http://heidimclaughlin.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeidiMcLaughlinAuthor Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeidiJoVT Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6568302.Heidi_McLaughlin Blogger Button

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Release Day Blitz: Stay With Me, by J. Lynn

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  Stay With Me Cover

Kobo 

Synopsis
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wait for You and Be with Me comes a daring tale that pushes boundaries . . . At 21, Calla hasn't done a lot of things. She’s never been kissed, never seen the ocean, never gone to an amusement park. But growing up, she witnessed some things no child ever should. She still carries the physical and emotional scars of living with a strung-out mother, Mona—secrets she keeps from everyone, including her close circle of college friends. But the safe cocoon Calla has carefully built is shattered when she discovers her mom has stolen her college money and run up a huge credit card debt in her name. Now, Calla has to go back to the small town she thought she’d left behind and clean up her mom’s mess again. Of course, when she arrives at her mother’s bar, Mona is nowhere to be found. Instead, six feet of hotness named Jackson James is pouring drinks and keeping the place humming. Sexy and intense, Jaxis in Calla’s business from the moment they meet, giving her a job and helping her search for Mona. And the way he looks at her makes it clear he wants to get horizontal . . . and maybe something more. Before Calla can let him get close, though, she’s got to deal with the pain of the past—and some very bad guys out to mess her up if she doesn't give them her mom.  




Excerpt
 As I lay there, trying to swallow a loud, obnoxious yawn, I remembered something he’d said when we first met, about life being too short. I imagined he had firsthand experience with shortened lives while he was serving. That mentality came from experience. I got that now. Could even understand it, but there was something I didn’t understand. “Why?” I asked. There was a beat. “Why what?” Jax sounded tired, and I should shut up or point out that I was now tired and could sleep, so he could leave. But I didn’t. “Why are you here? You don’t know me and . . .” I trailed off, because there really wasn’t anything left to say. A minute went by, and he hadn’t answered my question, and then I think another minute ticked on, and I was okay with him not answering because maybe he didn’t even know. Or maybe he was just bored and that was why he was here. But then he moved. Jax pressed against my back, and the next breath I took got stuck in my throat. My eyes shot open. The sheet and blanket were between us, but they felt like nothing. “What are you doing?” I asked. “Getting comfortable.” He dropped an arm over my waist, and my entire body jerked against his. “It’s time to sleep I think.” “But—” “You can’t sleep when you talk,” he remarked. “You don’t need to be all up on me,” I pointed out. His answering chuckle stirred the hair along the back of my neck. “Honey, I’m not all up on you.” I freaking begged to differ on that point. I started to wiggle away, but the arm around my waist tightened, holding me in place. “You’re not going anywhere,” he announced casually, as if he wasn’t holding me prisoner in the bed. Okay. The whole prisoner thing might be melodramatic, but he wasn’t letting me up. Not when he was getting all kinds of comfy behind me. Oh my God, this was spooning. Total spooning. I was spooning with an honorary member of the Hot Guy Brigade. Did I wake up in a parallel universe? “Sleep,” he demanded, as if the one word carried that much power. “Go to sleep, Calla.” This time his voice was softer, quieter. “Yeah, it doesn’t work that way, Jax. You have a nice voice, but it doesn’t hold the power to make me sleep on your command.” He chuckled. I rolled my eyes, but the most ridiculous thing ever was the fact that after a couple of minutes, my eyes stayed shut. I . . . I actually settled in against him. With his front pressed to my back, his long legs cradling mine, and his arm snug around my waist, I actually did feel safe. More than that, I felt something else—something I hadn’t felt in years. I felt cared for . . . cherished. Which was the epitome of dumb, because I barely knew him, but feeling that, recognizing what the warm, buzzing feeling was, I fell right asleep.  

  Stay With Me Teaser 2    
  

  Stay With Me Teaser 1  


About Author J. Lynn
  Author Photo# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.  

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** J. Lynn Goodreads ** Jennifer L. ArmentroutGoodreads

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Release Day Blitz: Lost in You, by Heidi McLaughlin

  LIY_Blitz

Today we are celebrating the re-release of LOST IN YOU, a New Adult contemporary romance by New York Times Bestselling author Heidi McLaughlin. 

   LIY New AmazonGRSW

Amazon


Synopsis
Ryan Stone is a less than average teenager. He doesn’t have fancy clothes. He doesn’t carry around the latest smartphone and he definitely doesn’t have an MP3 player. Instead, he goes to school, does his chores and dreams of a new life away from Brookfield where he’s expected to follow in his blue collar family’s footsteps. Hadley Carter is America’s Pop Princess. A successful recording artist living her dream with a sold-out tour and a handful of Grammy’s there isn’t much that she wants for, except love. But finding love on the road is near impossible when all she longs for are romantic dinners, a nighttime stroll on the beach and holding hands with someone who isn’t going to exploit her. When a chance encounter introduces Ryan to Hadley, will he be like her adoring fans looking for a way in, or will it be Hadley who pursues Ryan even though it might cost her the only career she's known.
Lost in You is a story about following your dreams, taking risks and getting lost in love.

LIY_Release1


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About Author Heidi McLaughlin
  HeidiMHeidi is the author of USA Today, Digital Book World, Amazon and Barnes & Noble Bestselling novel, Forever My Girl. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband and two daughters. Also renting space in their home is an over-hyper Beagle/Jack Russell and two Parakeets. During the day Heidi is behind a desk talking about Land Use. At night, she's writing one of the many stories planned for release or sitting court-side during either daughter's basketball games.
Author Links: Website  Facebook  Twitter  Goodreads


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Monday, September 22, 2014

Blog Tour and Review: My Control, by Lisa Renee Jones


Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Goodreads

Synopsis
Mark's POV novella
I have lost the man I once was, letting guilt and heartache define who I am. Darkness has controlled me, and one woman has seen what no one else has seen in me, what I do not wish to exist. My hunger for her has driven me to the edge of sanity, but no more. She's about to find out that the Master has returned.



Review
4.5 out of 5 stars

My Control was another great glimpse into Mark Compton's life and left me craving the next full length novel.  It was also the first opportunity of getting to see inside Crystal's head.  I have to say I enjoyed getting a better look at her feelings towards Mark, what drives her, and how she truly feels about the mess Mark has gotten himself lost in.  I think a part of me has kept her at bay because I thought if Mark developed feelings for someone other than Rebecca it would be a slap in Rebecca's face, it would dishonor her memory and their relationship.  But if there is anyone who can "rescue" Mark, who can help free himself from his constant need for control, who can bring him back to life I think its Crystal, and if I am being perfectly I honest I really want to see it happen.  I want Mark's life to be so completely out of his control that he actually finds and allows himself happiness with Crystal, because if he doesn't ever allow himself to fall head over heels in love then I can't help but think Rebecca's death would be all for nothing.  Without a doubt Rebecca is was the catalyst but Crystal will be the one who helps put him back together.  Both women are important and both women will have played a large hand in helping Mark Compton reach his full potential.  All I can say is hurry up November!  And if you haven't read any of the books in this series then you are seriously missing out, this is a fantastic addictive series that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

About Author Lisa Renee Jones
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT SERIES, and is now in development by Suzanne Todd (Alice in Wonderland, Austin Powers, Must Love Dogs) for cable TV. In addition, her Tall, Dark and Deadly series and The Secret Life of Amy Bensen series, both spent several months on a combination of the NY Times and USA Today and USA Today lists.
Since beginning her publishing career in 2007, Lisa has published more than 40 books translated around the world. Booklist says that Jones suspense truly sizzles with an energy similar to FBI tales with a paranormal twist by Julie Garwood or Suzanne Brockmann.
Prior to publishing, Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by Dallas Women Magazine. In 1998 LRJ was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.
Lisa loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at www.lisareneejones.com and she is active on twitter and facebook daily.



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Saturday, September 20, 2014

Celeste Fest


We're super excited to share our love for Flat-Out Celeste! 


Title: FLAT OUT CELESTE
Author: Jessica Park
Release date: May 22, 2014
Amazon | B&N 

Synopsis
Whether you were charmed by Celeste in Flat-Out Love or are meeting her for the first time, this book is a joyous celebration of differences, about battling private wars that rage in our heads and in our hearts, and—very much so— this is a story about first love.. 

For high-school senior Celeste Watkins, every day is a brutal test of bravery. And Celeste is scared. Alienated because she’s too smart, her speech too affected, her social skills too far outside the norm, she seems to have no choice but to retreat into isolation. 

But college could set her free, right? If she can make it through this grueling senior year, then maybe. If she can just find that one person to throw her a lifeline, then maybe, just maybe.
Justin Milano, a college sophomore with his own set of quirks, could be that person to pull her from a world of solitude. To rescue her—that is, if she’ll let him. 

Together, they may work. Together, they may save each other. And together they may also save another couple—two people Celeste knows are absolutely, positively flat-out in love.

Celeste-isms
  • "Hot yoga does not need to be for everyone.  But it will be for me.  I feel sure that I can become a yoga enthusiast...I do believe that I am well prepared, yes?  I have this yoga mat, a skidless towel that all of the online yoga sites say is quite the trend, and I spent the past few days hydrating sufficiently so that my body will not suffer when I sweat.  Of course, I also have this decorative water bottle.  My outfit is similar to yours, and I think that it is essential that I look the part as I delve into this new area of interest."

  • "I cannot believe I suggested that painfully extricating the entirety of one's pubic hair in any manner - not to mention such a barbaric one - is a requirement for garnering the commitment of a man.  No, no, I refuse to advocate that a woman do anything uncomfortable to her body simply because men have the perverse cultural expectation that all women come to them hairless.  Or worse, with assorted gems adorning their genitalia!"

  • "I'm completely dry.  It was an accident, so please do not fret over this.  One does not cry over spilt milk, and so one certainly does not feel even the slightest pang of remorse over spilt water."

  • "Good God, yes, there were clothes on!  It was my first kiss!  I didn't exactly fling myself at him and strip down after one kiss.  Granted, it was totally spectacular kiss, and, as I mentioned, I experienced some sore of primal sexual awakening, but that didn't mean I was ready for intercourse."

  • "You be the responsible adult, and I shall be the out-of-control teenager who is experimenting with alcohol consumption."

  • "...I had no idea that you had such good taste.  Given your wardrobe and general chintzy nature, I am entirely shocked, albeit delighted."

  • "I am choosing a love that defies boundaries and a life that defies boundaries.  That is the power of Celeste."
About Author Jessica Park
Jessica is the author of LEFT DROWNING, the New York Times bestselling FLAT-OUT LOVE (and the companion piece FLAT-OUT MATT), and RELATIVELY FAMOUS. She lives in New Hampshire where she spends an obscene amount time thinking about rocker boys and their guitars, complex caffeinated beverages, and tropical vacations. On the rare occasions that she is able to focus on other things, she writes.

Please visit her at jessicapark.me and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/authorjessicapark and Twitter @JessicaPark24

Friday, September 19, 2014

Review Tour-Pulled by AL Jackson






Synopsis
Melanie Winters and Daniel Montgomery shared a love most only dream of, a love they believed bonded them together for life.

When their world is shattered by the tragic loss of their daughter, overwhelming grief and misguided guilt distorts the truth, and their relationship ends in uncertainty and unanswered questions.

For nine years, they drift through life, each unable to forget the one who holds the strings to their heart. In an attempt to escape the pain of her past, Melanie finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage, while Daniel loses himself in a career that means nothing without Melanie by his side.

Now, when their lives again intersect, neither can deny the connection they felt so long ago. But will the power that drew them together be enough to heal the wounds from their past, and will they have the courage to overcome the insecurities and fears that threaten to keep them apart?

Pulled is a story of attraction and separation, of destiny and duty, of a love so strong it refuses to give up even when all others have.

"Okay, this one did it for me in a big way. I'm an angst-lover. And by that I mean, I'm a Thoughtless, Beautiful Disaster, Love Unscripted, Slammed, Fifty Shades of Everything, kind of reader. But there's gotta be an HEA. And not a half-done HEA but a real yeah-this-story-has-been-agonizing-but-look-it-was-all-worth-it HEA. So, that said, I earnestly recommend this book. If you're like me, you'll like this. Enjoy!" LitJunkie

Excerpt
I stared down the hallway. Both fear and longing consumed me. I willed myself to walk, but every footstep was heavy, dragging with what I feared I would soon be regret. I stalled outside his door, my heart listening to his. I could feel it pounding, drawing me forward. 
I didn’t even knock. I turned the knob and pushed the door open. My feet locked in place when I saw him. Daniel. I blinked several times as I took him in. He was leaning over, bracing himself with his palms flat on his desk. He must have realized that it was me just before I opened the door. His head was cocked, his hazel eyes wide. 
I couldn’t move. I felt as if I were caught in time and the second hand was unable to tick on. 
Finally he rose, cautious and slow. His eyes were fierce and desperate, a fire that I’d never seen before burning behind them. My feet moved of their own accord and my arm dropped from the door. Silently it closed behind me. Everything in the room was still except for the energy roaring between us. 
“Melanie,” he called to me, a whisper directly to my heart, pumping it with life. I was mesmerized as he wet his dry lips. His shoulders were held rigid, his chest trembling with his staggered breaths. I felt it all—his longing, his desire, his hunger. And I knew he could feel mine. Quivering under his intense stare, my muscles twitched in anticipation. My knees went weak when I saw him snap, undecided no more. 
I could barely register the movement before he rounded his desk, and his lips crashed against mine. His hands sank into my hair, pulling my body roughly against his. 
It felt as if my body had burst into flames with his sudden touch. Everything about him was overpowering, consuming, dominating. Rough and gentle at the same time. 
I pressed into him, my chest against his, our hearts beating in rhythm. Digging my fingers into his neck, I struggled to get closer. We were desperate as we clung to each other. We needed to feel, to heal the scars disfiguring our hearts, to erase some of the hurt. His hands rushed with need, twisted through my curls, down my back, and then into my hair again. His kiss was forceful—too intense—ice and fire and sweet—all Daniel. I breathed him in, touched him, memorized the way he smelled, the way he felt.
 His hair was so soft between my fingers. A shiver traveled down his spine. 
With a sudden slant of his head, he swept his tongue across my lip. I opened to him, drawing him in. There was no teasing or testing. Aggressively, he moved his mouth with mine, sucking in my bottom lip at the same time he bit at it. Rough. Hard. Perfect. He pushed me back against the door, his body flush with mine. A moan escaped my mouth. 
Oh, how I had missed this body. 
I ran my hands over his shoulders and down his arms, his muscles firm under my touch. His lips were incessant, his tongue hot and wet. 
Fisting a hand in my hair, he pulled it tight, exposing my neck. His movements slowed as he licked down the sensitive skin, seeking out the spot behind my ear he knew would ruin me. He sucked, tugging with his lips, lingering at the delicate hollow below my jaw. I drew in a ragged breath, and my emotions caught up with me. He remembered. 
He kissed his way back up, found my mouth again. Fingertips caressed and massaged the back of my neck, the skin afire with his touch. 
When he grabbed the back of my knee and hooked my leg over his hip, I gasped.  His palm traveled up the exposed flesh of my thigh, his thumb rubbing circles, coaxing, persuading, demanding a reaction. I pushed back into him, my body deprived of his for far too long. 
“Melanie, my love,” he whispered, the words vibrating against my lips. 
“Daniel,” I breathed into his mouth. 
He pulled back, hooded eyes flaming in their intensity as they sought mine. I couldn’t look away as I peered deep into his soul. The love I found there was never ending, but shrouded in vast regret, grief imprinted on his heart. He ran his nose along my cheek, murmuring in my ear, this time the words dripping in sadness. “Only you.”
Those words resonated in the air, and as much as I knew he wanted to convince himself that they were true, they weren’t. 
The weight of what I was doing crushed me. Thoughts of his wife and child lay heavy on my heart, and I remembered how we had gotten here in the first place. He hadn’t chosen me. He didn’t want me.
With trembling hands, I shook my head, trying to keep my insecurities from pouring out. It was impossible. The feelings of complete rejection I’d swallowed down and harbored for all these years came bubbling to the surface and spilled over, erupted as  tears rushing down my face. 
“You didn’t want me.”




Review
4.5 out of 5 stars

I've always thought the sign of a great author is who who can tell a story so perfectly, so intensely you're find yourself so completely sucked into the story you hardly notice anything else, almost as if you are actually living and breathing the story.  A.L. Jackson has mastered this ability!  Over the course of this past year she has truly become one of my favorite authors.  Her stories always take me on these incredibly wonderful journeys.  She never hesitates to take her characters down difficult paths, breaking them down, yet by the end of the story she's rebuilt each of them, they've grown, and we're left with these heartbreakingly beautiful HEA's, which are oftentimes better than we could have imagined ourselves.   

I recently went on vacation where over the course of the week I read a new book each day.  Yeah, it was pretty awesome!  That being said, because I read so many books, so many stories by lots of different authors, it was surprising to see which ones really stuck out and which ones kind of left me wanting more.  Pulled was one of the books in this marathon of reading week and not surprisingly if you've ever read any A.L. Jackson stories it was one of the few that stuck out to me.  

Pulled is the story of a couple, Melanie and Daniel, who fell head over heels in love at a young age, who were committed to one another in almost every way possible, but unfortunately when faced with real tragedy, overwhelming guilt and grief, and what seemed like uncontrollable circumstances their love and commitment is tested and broken.  Instead of communicating, both make decisions which they feel are best for the other, but truly aren't and years later their lives become almost unrecognizable.  Miles apart, they've never stopped loving one another and are simply going through the motions of life, so when fate brings them unexpectedly back to the same city will their love be enough to save them both?

Melanie and Daniel have some real hurdles to cross, and their reunion isn't without lots of bumps, and I actually wondered if the bumps were going to be too much.  I was completely captivated by this story and these two characters.  I think part of what made their story so beautiful was watching them dig through the messes of their lives, watching them find the strength to trust one another, to believe in themselves, to follow their hearts.  I loved the ending!  It wasn't simply a quick epilogue to tie up a few loose ends, it was so much more satisfying, completely and perfectly written.  When I finished I couldn't have asked for a better break from reality!   

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About Author A.L. Jackson

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of Take This Regret and Lost to You, as well as other contemporary romance titles, including If Forever Comes, Pulled and When We Collide, as well as the New Adult Romance Come To Me Quietly due out January 7, 2014.

She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves. 







Thursday, September 18, 2014

Blog Tour: Beautifully Awake Series, by Riley Mackenzie

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Title:  Beautifully Awake (Beautifully Awake #1) 
Author: Riley Mackenzie Genre: Contemporary Romance 18+ 
Publication Date: September 26, 2013 

Synopsis
Diagnosis: Sleep-running
Treatment: Truth 
Prognosis: Beautifully Awake

Lili Porter hates the rain. Bad things happen in the rain. As a small town social worker dedicated to protecting children, she is forced to start over to escape her rural disaster. Determined to follow her father’s advice—head up and chin high—Lili finds herself in a new city, taking on a new system, this time healthcare. In doing so, she gets something she never expected, an intimate behind-the-scenes look at life in the hospital.

 Lili learns that a surgeon’s hands have the power to heal more than physical wounds. And a prescription for truth can cure three years of sleep running and leave you beautifully awake    


     
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Title:  Beautifully Done (Beautifully Awake #2) 
Author: Riley Mackenzie 
Genre: Contemporary Romance 18+ 
Publication Date:  July 16, 2014

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Synopsis
Diagnosis: Borrowed time 
Treatment: Trust 
Prognosis: Beautifully Done

Asher Craig drives fast, flies high, and screws hard. But make no mistake, he’s a gentleman. He learned way too young that we’re all on borrowed time. Fair or unfair, you only get one ride.

He vows to live for the moment because it’s the only time he owns. The past is beyond his control and the future may not exist. With his only loyalties being his family, he thrives for that edge where plunging over is always in the realm of possibility. 

When a beautiful familiar face tilts his axis, he re-examines everything and realizes that second chances are overrated and a lifetime of firsts are irreplaceable. In the end, it’s not her medical degree but his trust that needs to prove that the ride together is worth it ... until it’s Beautifully Done.

 ***Author's note*** Contains spoilers from Beautifully Awake. We highly recommend reading Chase and Lili's story first. For readers 18+    

About the Authors
author picture
Yep. That's an “s.” There are two of us!

We’re East coast girls separated by Long Island Sound who met in Physician Assistant School and have been besties ever since. We can safely say that thirteen miles of water does not get in the way because we talk or text, no exaggeration, at least 150 times a day. No, really, we do—about everything and nothing. Shockingly, we never (we mean never) run out of things to say. Umm, ever. We definitely laugh A LOT and we’re a tad sarcastic. And if we’re being totally honest, one or two people might have, on occasion, used our names and ‘dramatic’ in the same sentence. But it’s hard to trust the sources since they married us.

It only took twelve years, two husbands, five kids, two dogs, and a two-week vacation in Cape Cod later to decide the romance world needed a splash of medicine. Write what you know.
So you can easily find us at 4 o'clock on Bank Street beach with a glass of cold Prosecco brainstorming. And guaranteed if we bump into you, literally, it’s only because our iPhones are glued to our hands (totally out of our control) either writing or editing our next novel (and yes, it is possible to do from your iPhone, we mastered it … damn those straight quotations).

When we are not working on our book or reading the latest angsty romance on our kindles, you basically name it and we have it going on. Soccer, lacrosse, golf, swimming, dance, gymnastics, football, chess, baseball, basketball, skiing, ice skating, school, homework, and more school. Oh yeah, did we forget to mention our careers in medicine?

Needless to say, we realized fast that something had to go, so we opted for sleep. It’s completely overrated (yet so AMAZING) and delirium makes everything funnier. Good thing we share a brain and can pretty much complete each other’s sentences (definitely weird, we know), otherwise it might have taken us two years to write Beautifully Awake rather than one.

 So that’s our story, who we are … just add AUTHORS to the list!  

Connect with the Authors



Giveaway

One Signed Set of Books (US Only) and 5 $10 Gift Cards (Amazon) Open Internationally

 
 

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