Two Blue Lines TOUR & Lines In The Sand #REVIEW @SC_Montgomery

I am so excited about this book by S.C. Montgomery!! Check out S.C.'s excerpt, and all the fun details about the book, and make sure you enter her fantastic giveaway!!

Two Blue Lines Synopsis
His fear . . . Her secrets . . . Their choice. What if the only girl you’ve ever loved lied to you? Lied to everyone? Those two blue lines changed everything for Reed Young and Melissa Summers. In more ways than one. And now, he must decide for himself . . . Man up or walk away? SC Montgomery has created an emotional tale of first love, difficult choices, and impossible secrets. A deliciously angsty debut you need to read for yourself. ***Reader Warning*** Two Blue Lines is the emotional, honest story of two teenagers whose lives are about to change forever. While not glorified, or portrayed in detail, there are themes of sexual assault and teen pregnancy, as well as allusions to teenage drinking and some foul language. It is all meant to create an honest, relevant novel, but please be aware and read only if you’re comfortable. ***Note, while this novel is a standalone that deals with mature subject matter, it may be helpful to read Lines in the Sand first to understand what makes Reed Young tick and hear about the summer that changed his life forever. Well, before this one.

Amazon | Kobo 

Exclusive Excerpt

We were going to be Reed and Melissa again today. Not parents-to-be. Not the kids who screwed up. Not the scared idiots who didn’t know how they were going to raise a baby. Just us. My plan? To excavate the Melissa Summers who didn’t worry about being adopted. I wanted the girl back who loved horror movies and junk food and hot pink and koala bears and that boy band that made me gag and laughed at my dumb jokes. And who was my best friend who loved me. Selfish, maybe. Necessary, I thought so. I drove into the glowing horizon until we reached our destination with its signature arching sign and the slowly spinning Ferris wheel, and she sat up with a kid-like grin. “You’re kidding!” “Nope.” I hopped out and rounded to open her door. “My lady.” I helped her out then whisked her against me and pressed my lips to hers, swallowing her surprised squeak. It only took her a moment to melt against me, her arms circling my neck, her fingers threading through my hair. I tilted my head, deepening the kiss, tasting her unique sweetness, sliding my tongue along hers. She pressed against me, her little moans rippling down my flesh, riding my nerve endings like electrical shocks. I loved this. I loved her. Call me a sap, but I couldn’t help myself.

ALSO READ THE PREQUEL, Lines In The Sand.
Two best friends. One emotional adventure.

When Reed Young and Jonah King unearth some mysterious remains at their favorite beach hangout, their summer is thrust into an exciting tailspin.
Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, they embark on a heartrending journey to find out the truth . . . and make it right.

But neither of them expected the secrets they would find.

QUICK REVEW
This is a quick short story that takes place a few years prior to the series start and introduces the two boys to readers. A sweet mix of mystery and personal discovery, the story is touching and leaves an impression once completed. I recommend readers consider taking a few hours to read Lines in the Sand first. You'll enjoy it.

Enter SC's amazing giveaway!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

S C Montgomery Bio

SC Montgomery is a self-proclaimed nerd and readaholic. She has dabbled in telling stories since she was very young by letting her imagination play out with her Barbie dolls and her bestie many a weekend. She also writes Contemporary adult romance under the pen name Shauna Allen, and it was in one of those novels that the YA bug bit when she wrote in a teenager loosely based on her own son. Her first story, Lines in the Sand, was penned as a gift for her mother, but was published with her blessing, and it’s just taken off from there. SC is married with three teenagers of her own, who give her plenty of inspiration and advice, and are a constant source of laughter and new terminology. Besides writing, she loves reading, movies, singing and dancing reality shows and going to the beach. 

You can sign up for her newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/RLQQz

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Humpday Hello to the Cat's Cradle

String of Fate series is an off-shoot and sub-set of Tales of the Were, featuring primarily, big cat shifters originating in Europe and elsewhere, and their monarchs. These stories intertwine with the Redstone Clan series.

Cat's Cradle, Bianca D'Arc
String of Fate #1

A match made in adventure... and blessed by a feline Chuck Norris.

As bad days go, this one qualifies as one for the books. Elaine knew being late for her jiu jitsu class could earn her a reprimand from her sensei. But the sensei's not there. And suddenly, neither is her car. Even walking home becomes problematic when she stumbles onto things that most definitely do go bump in the night. One of whom is too handsome for his own good - and too sexy for hers.

An Alpha Pantera Noir - black panther shifter - Cade operates on his immense skill, superior strength, and dominant personality. There's something about this small spitfire of a human woman that threatens to bring him to his knees. She blundered into the middle of his mission to transport his queen to safety, and now it's his responsibility to keep Elaine safe as well. Except no matter what he does, danger finds her at every turn.

Thrust into a world where the supernatural is commonplace, Elaine finds her considerable martial arts skill tested to the limit-and her ability to resist Cade crumbling by the second. But when nothing is as it seems, the last things she can trust are her own instincts...
REVIEW:

Cat's Cradle brings our beloved Tales of the Were into the mainstream flow! Enjoy going over to the D'Arc side as the author is known to say....I'm betting readers will think it isnt a bad place to start, Who doesn't love a good shifter story? As an "old school" fantasy/paranormal writer, D'Arc knows how to deliver. Her world building is complex but her story lines move quickly and her characters are great. You really can't go wrong with a powerful alpha shifter and a badassed heroine. Most readers will agree having a strong female to balance the alpha makes for a more enjoyable read.

With a classic cute-meet, Ellie crashes into Cade, literally outside her jiu-jitsu studio one night. And a fateful night it is. Nurse, green belt, all around independent Miss finds herself entranced with the uber-Alpha pantera noir Cade. Neither lives will be the same and their meeting may indeed be the catalyst (no pun intended) for change in BOTH their races.

The story has little lags which seem to happen in the first of a series and for those who haven't read the Tales of the Were, there are things that may not readily click. That being said, the story is well written, the character and dialogue are great and the intense connection between Ellie and Cade is like sunshine on a tin roof - hot, hot, hot!

I am so ready for the next book in this series King's Throne!

RATING: 4 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries.

 

King's Throne by @biancadarc #REVIEW #ULTIMATEINDULGENCE

King's Throne, Bianca D'Arc
String of Fate #2
A woman living in secret, hiding her true nature...

Gina is a medical doctor living in the city. What nobody knows is that she’s also tiger-shifter royalty, living in exile. Keeping her secret has kept her safe, but all that is about to change.

An injured soldier who heals in a way that makes him more than he ever was before...

Mitch is injured. Out of the action. He wakes up in a strange place, with a beautiful woman. Normally, not a problem, but this woman is special. She’s a white tiger. Daughter of the lost tiger king. Too good for the likes of him, but there’s an undeniable spark of attraction drawing them closer and closer.

A love that will make the very earth tremble beneath their feet...

When evil Challenges, Mitch will fight to keep Gina safe. A harrowing journey to the side of a living volcano brings secret knowledge and a power none of them ever expected. Will it be enough to prevail?

Only victory will keep his lady safe. And only victory will allow Gina to claim the man she truly loves.

REVIEW:
Suspense and Royal intrigue are the name of the game in King's Throne.

We met Gina in Cat's Cradle and you just knew there was going to be something between the Princess in hiding and the brooding Royal Guard she was trying to save. Mitch didn't meet Gina under the best of circumstances. He was flat on his back, dying from poison and would not have been able to protect a kitten let alone the exiled Tigre Princess.

What happens to Mitch while he is recovering is the catalyst that changes his life forever. He will battle til the end to save all Tigre's but most importantly the woman who has become his everything.

Mystical battles and a love that is meant to be are the cornerstone of paranormal romance and both are showcased in this novel. I love a strong heroine and when she has an even stronger mate it just makes the relationship even hotter to read.

I am so ready for the next book in this series Jacob's Ladder!

RATING: 5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries.

 

Cat's Cradle by @biancadarc @samhainpub #REVIEW #ULTIMATEINDULGENCE

Cat's Cradle, Bianca D'Arc, Samhain Publishing
String of Fate #1
A match made in adventure...and blessed by Chuck Norris.

As bad days go, this one qualifies as one for the books. Elaine knew being late for her jiu jitsu class could earn her a reprimand from her sensei. But the sensei's not there. And suddenly, neither is her car. Even walking home becomes problematic when she stumbles onto things that most definitely do go bump in the night. One of whom is too handsome for his own good--and too sexy for hers.

An Alpha "Pantera Noir"--black panther shifter--Cade operates on his immense skill, superior strength, and dominant personality. There's something about this small spitfire of a human woman that threatens to bring him to his knees. She blundered into the middle of his mission to transport his queen to safety, and now it's his responsibility to keep Elaine safe as well. Except no matter what he does, danger finds her at every turn.

Thrust into a world where the supernatural is commonplace, Elaine finds her considerable martial arts skill tested to the limit--and her ability to resist Cade crumbling by the second. But when nothing is as it seems, the last things she can trust are her own instincts...

REVIEW:
I was so excited when the book club decided to to a Bianca D'Arc book for October. I have been a fan of hers ever since I discovered Lords of the Were many years ago. She is a wonderful storyteller and the worlds that she creates while fantastical always feel so very real.

Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Elaine's timing couldn't be worse. She stumbles into a conspiracy and a world that is beyond her belief. She may just be a human but she is not going to back down.

Cade is the ultimate Alpha. He is strong and protective and needs to be in control. He has a hard time understanding his attraction to the spit fire that literally slammed into his life.

Both Cade and Elaine try to fight the attraction they have for one another since human/shifter relationships are very much frowned upon, but when a fire brings Elaine back into Cade's life he isn't giving her up a second time.

Magic, shifters, scary motorcycle rides, fires and one very cool house cat add to the story and keep it going at such a fast pace I was done long before I wanted to be. This was a great read with fun characters and an exciting story line. I will most definitely be picking up the 2nd and 3rd books!

RATING: 5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries.  

 

Nearly Broken @NetGalley #REVIEW of Author Devon Ashley

Nearly Broken (Nearly #1) by Devon Ashley

We’d both gone missing at one point, but Claire had one thing I didn’t. Someone to notice. So why was I the one still here and she the one still gone?

Nineteen year old Megan Smith has spent the past year working in a small town diner in the middle of nowhere. Life is quiet, simple, safe. Then comes the news that her look-a-like has gone missing.

Claire.

Still damaged both physically and mentally, Megan's not looking to be noticed. Wherever she goes from here, it's a road she needs to take alone. But when Nickolas Ellis takes the job as the new nightshift cook, it scares her how easily her defenses crumble down, down, down for him. But there are secrets she can't bear to share with just anyone, unspeakable acts that continue to haunt, and when the similarities of Claire’s abduction couples with the fear of an unwanted visitor in town, the urge to run before it all happens again intensifies, threatening the only happiness Megan's ever found.

New Adult Romantic Suspense / Dark Realistic Fiction
Recommended for 17+ for mature and disturbing situations, language and sexual content.

REVIEW
Nearly Broken is a nicely done romantic suspense story. The main characters were endearing, particularly Nick. Megan, despite the story being told from her POV, was difficult to relate. She developed her fire -her anger- late in the book and I kept expecting it sooner. I mean, if it were me, I think I'd be pissed. There were a few things that just didn't shake out for me but that's the way with romantic suspense. The author developed diverse characters to fill out the story which connected me with the world Megan lived in, something I think is great about secondary characters.

I'm curious just where book two in the series will take us.

RATING
3 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
This book was provided to us through NetGalley. Many thanks.

NEW RELEASE! Court by Cat Patrick @seecatwrite

About Court
For more than 400 years, a secret monarchy has survived and thrived within the borders of the US, hiding in plain sight as the state known as Wyoming. But when the king is shot and his seventeen-year-old son, Haakon McHale, is told he will take the throne, becoming the eleventh ruler of the Kingdom of Eurus, the community that's survived for centuries is pushed to the limit. Told through four perspectives, Court transplants us to a world that looks like ours, but isn't. Gwendolyn Rose, daughter of the Duke of Coal, is grudgingly betrothed to Haakon -- and just wants a way out. Alexander Oxendine, son of the Duke of Wind and Haakon's lifelong best friend, already grapples with external struggles when he's assigned to guard Haakon after the king dies. And commoner Mary Doyle finds whispers in the woods that may solve -- or destroy -- everything, depending on your bloodline. Money. Love. Power. Community. What's your motivation?  

Amazon

Q&A with Cat

Where did the idea came from? After writing The Originals, I wanted to write something from multiple character perspectives. Around that time, I was thinking of my home state of Wyoming. A friend had recently driven through, and I thought about how people who aren’t from there don’t really know that much about Wyoming—it could be its own world, hiding secrets. It could be its own kingdom.
Out of all the 4 perspectives, which is the hardest to write? Surprisingly, the boys’ voices came easiest. (And there used to be two more!) As for one POV being more difficult than the others, I think the real challenge was developing each voice individually with only a heaping handful of chapters per character.
How do you think you’ve evolved creatively? Any craft grows with practice, and I hope that I’ve become a more controlled writer as I’ve published more books. I’m definitely more of a risk-taker than I was in the beginning, as well.
What 5 things would you like readers to know about you? That I’m the greatest mommy in the world. (Say my children.) I love, and am inspired by, wind. I can kill it at Dance Central on Xbox. I share a birthday with one of my siblings. I once met Muhammad Ali.  

Excerpt
HAAKON Before he was the enemy, James Haakon McHale III was just a seventeen-year-old in what most people knew as the state of Wyoming, wishing he was somewhere other than the predawn forest with a rifle in his grip. “It’s colder than moonlight on a tombstone,” Haakon muttered, blowing on his fist. His thick-soled boots swish-thumped on the hard earth as he skillfully avoided twigs, rocks, and low branches. Alexander Oxendine—youngest son of the Duke of Wind, wide receiver, video game button masher, and Haakon’s best friend—laughed into his collar. It could’ve been mistaken for a cough. “It’s colder than a whore’s heart,” Alexander said, his tone cautiously low. They were the youngest members of the hunting party, and were only allowed to take part because of their rank. Haakon could think of a thousand superior privileges. He glanced around to make sure none of the other men were paying attention—especially his father. Smirking, he said, “Colder than a polar bear’s balls.” The pair stifled laughter. “Than a witch’s—” “Too easy.” “Colder than a dead woman’s touch,” Alexander said. Haakon checked again, dialed down his voice even more, and said, “It’s colder than Gwendolyn Rose’s kiss.” “Quiet!” It was Haakon’s father: dictator, fun-spoiler, and—regrettably for his son—the tenth ruler of the Kingdom of Eurus, also known as the Realm, the monarchy hiding in plain sight in the depths of the Democracy known as the United States of America. Every schoolchild knew the story. In 1670, after Joseph Dyer’s wife died in the Great Plague in London, he brought his five daughters to what would become the United States one hundred years later, seeking a better life. But it soon became apparent that his family would never thrive under strict Puritan rule in New England–which banned higher education for girls and taught submissiveness above all else, and which centered around extreme religious beliefs that were counter to Dyer’s own. A friend, John Seymour, who was—controversially—married to a Native woman, suggested that they set out together in search of a new home deep within America’s treacherous unknown. Seymour’s wife had been attacked; her family persecuted. Seymour believed that rather than fighting the Natives, they should live in harmony with them. Dyer, Seymour, and several other men and their families snuck away. After a long and dangerous journey, together they created their version of paradise: a kingdom that blended the best of England with Native cultures. Dyer was thought of as the Father of the Realm, and Seymour’s Native wife, who ensured their survival through tribal relations, the Mother. Rather than cause a revolution, the founders decided to keep the kingdom secret. Inside the borders of what they’d eventually stake claim as Wyoming, they’d follow their own rules. Outsiders wouldn’t know they were different because they wouldn’t understand. Outsiders weren’t to be trusted. Dyer’s youngest daughter, captivated by the ancient Greek she wouldn’t have been allowed to learn in Puritan society, named the new kingdom Eurus, meaning east wind. She pronounced it “air-us.” “But the winds here blow from the west,” Haakon had asked his father once—before Dad was King James. That was when it was okay to ask questions. When curiosity wasn’t an imposition. “That’s right, Haakon,” his father had replied, straw between his teeth. They’d gone on a walk together. The sun was setting on an easy day. His dad had pointed toward the eastern horizon. “The wind here does primarily blow from the west, but our founders blew in from the east. That day, the wind changed directions.” Haakon frowned away the memory of days never to return, and refocused on the trees. He walked as soundlessly as he could in his camo fleece jacket and vintage Levi’s, his rifle nestled in the crook of his left arm, a round in the chamber. He was on the left edge of the group, three rows behind his father. Evenly spaced gaps between them, the men were like migrating geese, locked in formation. Geese hunting deer. “Were you drinking last night?” Haakon’s father had demanded on the way to the meeting point that morning. “Is that why you’re so tired?” “I’m tired because it’s so early that the birds aren’t even awake yet.” “Good. Because you know what the consequences will be if you start drinking again.” They’d shared the backseat of the armored SUV; Haakon had done his best to preoccupy himself with his cell phone. “Yes, sir, I know.” “You need to turn that thing off before we arrive. And when’s your next haircut? You look slovenly.” Will you just get off my back? Haakon had thought at the top of his lungs. What he’d said, though, was simply, “Yes, sir.” There, in the forest, Haakon toyed with the idea of raising his gun and shooting King James square in the back of the head. Right there under his hat, just above the rise of his custom down hunting vest. He could do it. Even with the others present, he knew there’d be no trial, no trip to Corby. But offing his father wouldn’t solve anything. In fact, it would make life a lot worse. Because with his father gone, Haakon would be in charge. Haakon would become the King of Eurus. The thought made him want to puke.    

About Cat Porter
Cat Patrick is an author of books for teens. Her debut novel, FORGOTTEN (available now), is about a girl who can remember the future instead of the past, and was praised by NYT bestselling author of Thirteen Reasons Why, Jay Asher, as a "mindbending," one-sitting read. The book is being translated into 21 languages and Paramount bought the movie rights, with True Grit's Hailee Steinfeld attached to star as the main character, London Lane. Patrick's second (unrelated) novel, REVIVED, is about a girl who's part of a secret government program to test a drug that brings people back from the dead. REVIVED will be available in the US May 2012, and in the UK and Australia Summer 2012. Patrick lives near Seattle with her husband and twin 3-year-olds, and is afraid of zombies, planes, and zombies on planes. Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads   a Rafflecopter giveaway    

    

 

Fix the Past Friday

Goddess in Time by Tera Lynn Childs

As a descendant of Greek gods, Nicole has attended the Academy alongside other students with magical powers on a Greek island. Life is pretty perfect—except for the fact that she was sentenced to stay there because of a childhood prank that also resulted in her parents' banishment. When Nicole discovers a book that teaches the forbidden magic of time travel, she knows she must take a chance to right her wrong. With the help of her friends Troy and Phoebe, Nicole sets off on a quest that will take her from the heights of Mt. Olympus to the ocean depths of Poseidon's home and to the bowels of Hades. Can she mend her mistakes? And is changing the past, what she really wants? The past and future combine in thrilling, unpredictable ways—especially when Greek gods are involved!


I was looking for something quick to read in a small time frame and stumbled upon this on my Kindle. Saw the words Greek gods and thought to myself…yes please. Wasn't at all what I expected. Turned out to have a young adult feel to to it. Not a problem at all, in fact I will recommend it to my younger group of book buddies. As always I don't want to give all the good stuff away since it's a shorter read but I really like the story line. Nicole has to collect items. Although I feel she was a little hard on Persephone. Love makes us do crazy things. What may appear to some as a miserable situation may not  be misery at all.


I give this book 3 chocolate dipped strawberries and a pomegranate seed.
PEACE

NEW RELEASE! Underneath It All @KCanterbary

Title: Underneath it All

Author: Kate Canterbary

Date of publication: October 21st, 2014

About Underneath it All:

If I had known I'd have a hot architect balls deep inside of me before the end of the weekend, I'd have made time for a pedicure.

Lauren

It's all the little things—the action plans, the long-kept promises—that started falling apart when my life slipped into controlled chaos.

After I met Matthew Walsh.

I couldn't decide whether I wanted to run screaming or rip his pants off, and most days I wanted a little of both. If I was being honest with myself, it was rip his pants off, ride him like a workhorse, and then run screaming.

Matthew

A rebellious streak ran through Lauren Halsted. It was fierce and unrelentingly beautiful, and woven through too many good girl layers to count, and she wasn't letting anyone tell her what to do.

Unless, of course, she was naked.

She wasn't looking for me and I sure as shit wasn't looking for her, but we found each other anyway and now we were locked in a battle of wills, waiting for the other to blink.

Sometimes the universe conspires to bring people together. Other times, it throws people down a flight of stairs and leaves them in a bruised and bloodied heap.

Q&A with the Author

What made you write this book?

The Walsh Series originated from a project I was consulting on last year. An educational organization was attempting to get the legislature to revise regulatory guidance around repurposing Industrial Revolution-era mills and factories for schools, and I met an incredible team of architects in the process. They were some of the most brilliant, complex individuals I'd ever encountered, and they were ridiculously adorable, too.

At the time, I was also running into brick walls with my work-in-progress. I took a vacation from that manuscript and started imagining a family of brilliant, adorable architects, and within a few days, Patrick, Matthew, Shannon, Riley, Sam, and Erin were born.

Do either of your characters relate you to or someone close to you?

One of my beta readers is also very close to me, and she suggests that touches of me and others in my world show up in my characters, but none of my characters are based on anyone else.

In fact, I've tried that and failed – my characters have a mind of their own, and pushing them to conform to preexisting models of speech, behavior, or motivation doesn't work well for me.

What can we expect from your book that's so different from other authors out there?"

Architects are a rare breed, and the Walshes take it one step further by dedicating themselves the worlds of sustainability and historic preservation. They're creative and instinctual, and know something about expertly tailored suits and husky growls, and the genre hasn't introduced us to many of their kind.

Beyond the focus on architecture is my desire to write people that we think we know, but we have no idea. Andy and Lauren are great examples of characters we think we know – their types – but when we peel it all back, we realize we didn't know them as well as we thought.

What is your writing process like?

My brain is a little funky. I'm quite talented with action plans and project management, but I hate forcing myself into those parameters.

I can outline a book, but I'll start writing and promptly deviate from the outline. After fighting all of my instincts, I stopped with the structures and apps and rules, and just let the words flow. It exists in a chaotic ecosystem in my head, and I'm praying the dementia doesn't set in too soon.

Excerpt

Tipsy. I was definitely tipsy.

Tequila was to blame for the current state of blissfully inebriated affairs, such as they were. His tie sat crisply folded beside his beer bottle, green with small pink shapes, and the collar of his white shirt gaped open. And I wanted to taste him right there.

It was late, the bar nearly empty, and far, far past the proper end for a normal business meeting, but this stopped being a business meeting when we walked through the door.

None of my other first dates—or fourths, for that matter—involved hole-in-the-wall bars or innuendo-laced discussions of architecture. They never involved Matthew Walsh either. This was all rather peculiar, much like that fun, buzzy feeling in my body. He smiled at me, a smug, knowing expression that told me he was watching my inhibitions evaporate by the minute.

"If you hadn't come out with me? What would you be doing tonight?"

"I'm not winning at work-life balance these days," I said with a grimace. "I'd probably be working on a few overdue projects."

Matthew held up his palm and I stared at it for an embarrassingly long time before meeting his high five. His fingers laced with mine, and for a moment, I could only gape at the way they layered together. He was touching me and I liked it, and somewhere in my head I knew this was strange. I wasn't into boys right now. I mean, I wasn't into girls, either, but I wasn't doing the whole boys and dates and worry about whether I shaved my legs thing.

"Balance is overrated."

I laughed. "Yeah? And what would you be doing? If you didn't maneuver me into drinking with you all night, that is."

"Maneuver? That's strong."

He rubbed his thumb against my palm, and I bit down on my lip to prevent the tipsy giggles from leaking out.

It was just a thumb circling a palm, and it shouldn't have been especially delightful, but if confronted with a choice between this and calorie-free cupcakes, I saw no contest. I liked this, and I didn't want it to stop.

About Kate Canterbary
Kate doesn't have it all figured out, but this is what she knows for sure: spicy-ass salsa and tequila solve most problems, living on the ocean--Pacific or Atlantic--is the closest place to perfection, and writing smart, smutty stories is a better than any amount of chocolate. She started out reporting for an indie arts and entertainment newspaper back when people still read newspapers, and she has been writing and surreptitiously interviewing people—be careful sitting down next to her on an airplane—ever since. Kate lives on the water in Rhode Island with Mr. Canterbary and the Little Baby Canterbary, and when she isn't writing sexy architects, she's scheduling her days around the region's best food trucks.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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A Bittersweet Haunting/A Holiday Job Zombie Run by @TaChase & @JackieNacht @MLRPress @eXtasyBooks #CONTEST

A Bittersweet Haunting/ A Holiday Job Zombie Run

 TA Chase Jackie Nacht/ Jackie Nacht

Author Bio: Jackie Nacht

Short, sexy and sweet— where a little love goes a long way.

That’s the best way to describe Jackie Nacht’s stories. She was introduced to M/M Romance through her sister, Stephani, and read it for years. Then, she thought it was time to put her own stories on paper. Jackie began writing short and sweet stories that ended with a happily ever after.

Thinking back to her own book addiction, where there were many nights Jackie stayed up way too late so she could read just one more chapter— yeah, right— Jackie decided to write short romances for young adults as well as adults. Hopefully, they will give high school and college students, or working men and women something they can read during their lunch hour, in between classes or just when they want to briefly get away from the daily stresses of everyday life.

You can find Jackie at:

www.jackienacht.com  |  www.jackienacht.com/blog

https://www.facebook.com/jackie.nacht?ref=tn_tnmn  |  https://twitter.com/JackieNacht

Author Bio: T.A. Chase

I’m T.A. Chase, and I write stories about men loving men, but my stories are more than that. It’s about one person finding the other half of themselves. It doesn’t matter whether that person is male or female. I’m a happily married woman living in the Midwest with my husband of fifteen years. I’ve been writing for six years now, and because of my awesome readers, I’ve been able to do it full time for over a year.

You can find TA Chase at:

https://www.facebook.com/people/Ta-Chase/100001595721283  |  https://twitter.com/TaChase

Publisher: MLR Press/ eXtasy Books
Cover Artists: Kris Jacen/ Carmen Waters


A Bittersweet Haunting

In a moment of youthful curiousity, these six men were marked forevermore.

Jersey Paranormal Investigation was created when Braden and his five friends were marked by the Jersey Devil during their childhood. Now, they all have special gifts when it comes to the supernatural. Years later, Braden finds himself on his next job only to come face to face with the beautiful victim, Mack. Not all is it seems and Braden and his team will have to figure out why Mack is being targeted and to keep from falling for the man in the process.

A Bittersweet Haunting EXCERPT

Turning, Mack made his way to the old flight of stairs that creaked with every step he ventured. Goosebumps popped up on his flesh the more he ascended. Breathing heavily, Mack took the last step and cautiously made his way down the hallway. The air hung thick, and he almost choked on it. The closer he got to room 212, the more his flight instinct raised its red flag. The only reason he kept going was that he did not want to embarrass himself by returning empty-handed because he had been spooked.

Standing in front of the door, Mack’s hand trembled as he reached for the handle, finally turning it. Blowing out a breath, Mack decided to just get it over with. As fast as he could, he entered the room, searching for the box that held the spare linens.

Out of nowhere, a blast of freezing cold air hit him in the face, knocking him on his ass. Whipping his head around, Mack searched for an open window, only to find that all of them were tightly shut.

I’m getting the fuck out of here.

Climbing to his feet, he grabbed a box, praying that it was the right one and took off out of the room, not even bothering to close the door as he descended the steps two at a time.

Clutching the box to his chest, he leaned against the wall at the base of the stairs and caught his breath.

“Hey, are you okay?” Nick came up to him, relieving him of the box.

Mack wiped his sweat-soaked forehead. What the hell was that? His heart was still pumping, and his mouth couldn’t even form the words to lie to Nick and tell him he was okay.

Megan came up next to Nick. “You all right?”

Nodding, Mack rasped out, “I’m fine…just…” He just couldn’t say it. There was no way he was going to say something weird happened upstairs, especially when he actually didn’t see anything. Hell, was it all in his head because he was freaked about going upstairs? Possibly.

Shaking it off, he finally answered, “I’m fine. Let’s go, Nick, and get the Ivy Room set up.”

“Are you sure?” Megan eyed him with concern.

“Yes, tea starts in forty-five minutes. I better get moving.”

For the next half hour, Mack and Nick set up the room. The linens were placed on the tables—thankfully Mack had grabbed the right box. They both worked in unison, setting the silverware up and getting the china out for each member of the party coming in.

“I’m just going to fill up their water glasses,” Mack called over to Nick who was doing the final touches on center pieces.

Going behind the bar, Mack grabbed a pitcher and began getting ice out of the bar well. As they both worked, the curtains billowed as a gust of wind came into the room. Mack shot a look toward Nick to see him wide eyed as the room's temperature suddenly plummeted. Before Mack even had time to think, the bar rack above him came crashing down upon him.

“Mack!” Nick cried out from across the room as glasses began shattering all around him.

Stunned, Mack couldn’t even move an inch as the shards of glass surrounded him. The floor, the bar, even his body was covered in the sharp glass. He feared if he moved so much as an inch, he would cut himself. The sounds of people screaming and hollering broke him out of his shock, and he slowly raised his head, feeling glass fall from his hair, to stare at Megan from across the room.

“Don’t move, Mack. We’re coming to help you.” Megan gingerly made her way to him, accompanied by the sound of glass crunching under her feet.

“Not…moving.” Mack felt the glass slide down from the top of his head and fuck if that didn’t give him the biggest case of the willies.

“I’m going to need some help and a pair of gloves,” Megan called to Nick.

Nick nodded and ran out of the room.

Megan pursed her lips as she began pulling large pieces of glass off him.

“Are you okay?” Megan asked quietly as she worked the glass out of his hair.

“Not even close.” Mack’s voice trembled, and he hated that.

“What happened?” Megan asked.

Nick came up behind them and answered. “There was this blast of cold air, and then the whole bar rack came crashing down on Mack. It was a ghost.”

“It wasn’t,” Mack denied. If he denied it enough, maybe he would eventually believe it himself. Maybe.

“Hon, that rack is oak. It’s as solid as they come. Wind wouldn’t have caused it to break. Plus the windows aren’t open. I think you had an encounter, and a violent one at that. I think I’m going to need to make a call.”

“It’s not that bad.” Even as Mack said that, he knew it was a lie. Something inside him felt violated, and an air of malice hung thick over him.

“Then let’s just have it checked out for peace of mind. Okay?” Megan grabbed the gloves from Nick and began plucking the tiny shards off his shoulder and neck. Her gloves came away from his skin with a trace of blood.

Swallowing, Mack gave in. “Maybe you’re right. Make the call.”

A Holiday Job Zombie Run
This Halloween, Drake is about to meet one guy he can’t say goodbye to.

And Drake is about to meet his match.

After a casual encounter, Drake can’t seem to stop thinking about Wilson. Even though Wilson pretty much thanked him for a nice time and walked out of his dorm and his life.

Now Halloween is approaching, and Drake is being roped into volunteering for the charity fun run. Having to dress as a zombie is horrible enough, but seeing Wilson at the starting line has Drake ducking for the trees. Will Wilson look past the gory makeup to see Drake actually cares about him? Will Drake finally be able to capture Wilson’s heart?



A Holiday Job Zombie Run EXCERPT

 “Will you knock that off?” Drake batted Ian’s hand away.
    “Look, asshole, I need to put this makeup on you. You volunteered!” Ian charged back in and began putting the prosthetic on his face.
    “Don’t you think you’re going overboard on this? I mean, why don’t you just squirt some ketchup on me?” Drake was thoroughly annoyed.
    He’d volunteered to be a zombie for Ian’s frat charity run. He had thought he would just tear some holes in a white shirt and put a little makeup on, but no, Ian wanted to scare the hell out of everyone. The guy thought he was on Skin Wars or some shit. Drake wanted to scratch the prosthetic on his cheek that was currently being painted to look like a zombie. He thought he looked ridiculous. Shaun was splattering paint all over his shirt.
    “This is just a Zombie Run, guys. I’m not going to be in a movie or anything.” Drake stared up at Ian, annoyed.
    “Have fun and live a little. You’ve been in a pissed-off mood for the last month.” Ian pointed out.
    And why shouldn’t he be? He hadn’t found the guy he’d hooked up with last month, and it was now his all-new obsession. He hadn’t had sex with anyone since and was constantly long necking the corridors in hopes of finding that white-blond head.
    It didn’t matter how hard he tried; the guy was nowhere. Drake was beginning to wonder if the guy even went to their college. Shaun had helped him, but so far, his friend couldn’t spot him either.
    Drake had never been so caught up with a person in his life. Unbelievably, he’d had dreams of the guy and those sapphire eyes, but it was like this damn race. Whenever he tried to go after him in the dream, the guy took off in a crowd and he couldn’t find him. Drake growled in irritation at his own thoughts.
    “It’s not that bad,” Ian chastised, probably mistaking his growl for a complaint about the stinky paint that was being applied to his face.
    Drake wasn’t going to correct Ian on the matter. Then, he would have to explain to all his friends again about the big about face he’d had this year. They all had looked at him like he had lost his ever-loving mind. And he had. He didn’t even know the guy’s fucking name, yet he was hunting him down all over campus like some stalker.
    Shaun came in with a grotesquely painted face and a smile. “Didn’t Quinn do a great job?”
    Shaun was actually happy to look like the dead. Really. Didn’t that shit all over his face itch like crazy, or was it only bugging the hell out of me?
    “You look like you got ran over by a truck.”

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Sales Links:

A Bittersweet

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00OHT4J3Y/ref=mp_s_a_1_25?qid=1413576885&sr=8-25&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70

http://www.mlrbooks.com/Bookstore.php?bookid=TACJNABH

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-abittersweethaunting-1652406-340.html

Zombie

http://www.extasybooks.com/A-Holiday-Job-Zombie-Run/

 

Tour Dates: October 22nd
Tour Stops: Parker Williams, Tara Lain, BFD Book Blog, Guilty Indulgence Book Club, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, The Blogger Girls, Jade Crystal, My Fiction Nook, Andrew Q. Gordon, Multitasking Mommas, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Cate Ashwood, MM Good Book Reviews, Amanda C. Stone, Love Bytes, Kimi-Chan, Fallen Angel Reviews, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

Last Marine Standing by @Rjscott_author @LoveLaneBooks #REVIEW #CONTEST #ULTIMATEINDULGENCE

Last Marine Standing
Book two in the Heroes series.
Book 1 - A Reason To Stay
OUT 8 October
When the people you trusted turn on you, when you are the last one standing, should you take your secrets to the grave? Or make the murderers pay?

Former Marine Recon, Mackenzie ‘Mac’ Jackson has secrets. The things he did for his country, the things he saw, must never be spoken about. Until that is, his team is targeted.

A shift in political alliances means one particular mission undertaken by Mac and his Fire Team needs to be wiped from the history books. Starting with the team itself.

Forest Ranger, Samuel Larson III wants to find the Marines who saved his life. He just wants to say thank you. What he can’t know is that he's walking into a firestorm of betrayal and murder.

When Samuel arrives at Mac's place he throws Mac's plans for hiding out of the window. Abruptly Mac has to protect a man that threatens his heart, only this time he can't be sure he will succeed in keeping Sam alive.



BUY LINKS:
http://rjscottauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/SEALHeroes2.html



AUTHOR BIO:
RJ Scott has been writing since age six, when she was made to stay in at lunchtime for an infraction involving cookies. She was told to write a story and two sides of paper about a trapped princess later, a lover of writing was born.

As an avid reader herself, she can be found reading anything from thrillers to sci-fi to horror. However, her first real true love will always be the world of romance where she takes cowboys, bodyguards, firemen and billionaires (to name a few) and writes dramatic and romantic stories of love and passion between these men.

With over sixty titles to her name and counting, she is the author of the award winning book, The Christmas Throwaway. She is also known for the Texas series charting the lives of Riley and Jack, and the Sanctuary series following the work of the Sanctuary Foundation and the people it protects.

Her goal is to write stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, that hint of a happily ever after.

mailto:rj@rjscott.co.uk

http://www.rjscott.co.uk/

http://www.facebook.com/author.rjscott?ref=ts&fref=ts

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3432558.R_J_Scott

https://twitter.com/Rjscott_author

http://www.librarything.com/author/scottrj

EXCERPT:

Mac pushed open the kid’s door. The first thing Mac noticed as he shut the door behind him was how cold it was in the room. The window overlooking the parking lot wide open. The second was that Sam was leaning out of the window, too far over, the pivot of the balance on his tummy on the sill. A lift of his bare feet and the kid would topple out of the window. Mac saw a thin trail of blood from the bed to the window—Sam had pulled out his IV. Trying not to spook him, Mac moved to stand close enough to Sam to be able to grab him if he did anything stupid.

Sam’s shoulders stiffened, but he didn’t look at Mac.

“Go away,” he said softly. There was no emotion in the words. They were flat, not grieving, not angry, not hyper. Just nothing.

“What are you doing over here?” Mac asked conversationally. He moved a little closer to peer out the window. They were five floors up, plenty enough height to get Sam killed on the concrete. How was it even possible that the window was open this wide? Surely, even in private rooms like this one, the hospital would cover themselves against jumpers? Then he noticed the shards of a plastic knife, probably left over from dinner, and the screws on the floor. There was intent in the knife and the screws and the open window. Sam was pale, near white, and covered in bandages, his left ankle in a cast, and his breathing labored.

“You wanna talk?” Mac began.

Sam didn’t move to look at him. “Nooo,” he slurred from what Mac assumed was a combination of pain and the meds he was using to control it.

“I think you should.”

“Leave me alone.” Sam’s face flushed scarlet against the white as he spoke, but he still refused to look at Mac.

For more information, buy links and excerpts click here: http://rjscottauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/SEALHeroes2.html

COMPETITION:

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REVIEW:
This is the second book in the Heroes series and it's even better than the first. One of my favorite things about an RJ Scott book is the addition of family. I have yet to read one of her books where the family dynamic didn't play a big part in the story line. To me that gives her books a sense of realism and authenticity.

I fell for Mac the minute he walked into Sam's hospital room to try and comfort him. He may not have known what the right words should be but that didn't stop him from trying to connect.

You know Sam is strong. To have survived such a horrific experience at such a young age and become the man that he does says so much about his character.

The story is fast paced and will grab your attention from the beginning. The mystery element in this is well thought out and will keep you reading just to find the answer. And while the boy Sam may have had some hero worship going on for Mac, the adult Sam feels so much more. But getting the Marine to let his guard down and trust Sam with his secrets isn't easy.

Suspenseful, and sexy make a great combination. I for one can't wait until the next installment!

RATING: 5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries.  This book was given to us by the author. Many thanks.

 

NEW RELEASE! Lessons Learned @SydneyALogan

Title: Lessons Learned

Author: Sydney Logan

Date of Publication: October 17th 2014

About Lessons Learned:

A young girl needs to spread her wings, but a young woman needs roots.

English teacher Sarah Bray never thought she’d return to Sycamore Falls, but a traumatic event at her inner-city school leaves her desperate for the sanctuary of home. By returning to her roots, an older and wiser Sarah hopes to deal with the demons of her present and confront the ghosts of her past.

She discovers a kindred spirit in Lucas Miller, a teacher from New York with demons of his own. As the newest faculty members at Sycamore High School, they quickly become friends – bonding through Lucas’s culture shock and their mutual desire to build new lives. When they open their wounded hearts to each other, their friendship effortlessly evolves into romance.

Their love is put to the test when Matt, the quarterback of the football team, shares his deepest secret with Sarah. When the conservative community finds out, Sarah and Lucas – along with the town of Sycamore Falls – are schooled in the lessons of acceptance, tolerance, and love.

NOTE: Sydney will be donating 10% of all sales during the month of October to http://www.pacer.org/bullying/ in honor of October's Bullying Awareness month. In LESSONS LEARNED a secret of the quarterback of the football team sends a small conservative community reeling. Bullying can take on all forms and Sydney would like to give back to this worthy cause.

BUY LINK: Amazon

Excerpt (Chapter 1)

The piercing chime of my phone jerked me awake. Disoriented and shaking, I grabbed my cell and struggled to focus on the screen.

Congratulations, Sarah. You slept a whole three hours.

Falling asleep had been difficult. My restlessness could easily be blamed on yesterday’s long drive or spending the night in a new place, but I hadn’t slept well in months, so my fitful sleep wasn’t all that surprising.

However, I could do without the nightmares.

It was nearly three in the morning when I’d finally arrived in Sycamore Falls. Exhausted from the drive, I’d collapsed on the couch, but sleeping proved impossible. It was just too quiet. I’d grown accustomed to noisy neighbors and blasting car horns.

A change of scenery could be exactly what I need, my therapist had told me.

Sycamore Falls was definitely a change in scenery.

Stiff and sore from the uncomfortable couch, I groaned as I struggled to sit up. My body trembled when my bare feet hit the hardwood floor. I’d forgotten how cold this house could be, even in the summer, but anything with long sleeves would be in a box, and all the boxes were arranged in a chaotic mess in my living room.

Maybe some sunshine will warm me up.

I wrapped my blanket around me and circled the maze of boxes before shuffling toward the kitchen. It was neat and tidy as ever, with its faded yellow wallpaper. Grandma Grace had always loved wildflowers, and I smiled as I gazed at the collection of daisy canisters lining the wall next to the sink. Mom had been a terrible cook, so grandma had taken it upon herself to teach me. Baking was my favorite, and we’d spent countless nights in this kitchen with my apron covered in flour. Grandma had been fine with making a mess—as long as I cleaned it up—and that freedom had led to many honest discussions throughout the years.

“Sycamore Falls has its issues,” Grandma had told me one autumn day while teaching me how to make fried apple pies. “We’re too sheltered from the rest of the world. Sometimes that’s a good thing. Sometimes it isn’t. The world can be a scary place. It’s good to know you have a safe place to come home to when the world gets a little crazy. You’re one of the lucky ones, Sarah. You will always have a home here. Remember that.”

I remember.

I opened the front door and was instantly greeted with cool morning air. Eager to see the house in the daylight, I gingerly walked down the steps and onto the sidewalk. Thankfully, Mr. Johnson had hired someone to mow the grass before I arrived, which allowed me to mark one thing off my to-do list.

As I gazed up at the house, I could see my list would be long.

Growing up, I’d thought my grandmother’s home was the most beautiful in Sycamore Falls. Majestic and blue with its white shutters and wrap-around porch, it was the place I’d always felt the most comfortable and safe.

Time hadn’t been kind to the house, and that was my fault. Mr. Johnson had done his best, but a house needs tender loving care, and its last two years without an occupant had been rough on the place. The chipped siding needed a coat of paint, the flowerbeds resembled a jungle, and some of the shingles needed to be replaced, but none of that mattered.

I felt a small sense of satisfaction and breathed a sigh of relief.

I was safe.

I was home.

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About Sydney Logan

Amazon bestselling author Sydney Logan holds a Master's degree in Elementary Education. She is the author of three novels - Lessons Learned, Mountain Charm, and Soldier On. Sydney has also penned four short stories and is a contributor to Chicken Soup for the Soul. A native of East Tennessee, Sydney enjoys playing piano and relaxing on her porch with her wonderful husband and their very spoiled cat.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Q/A with Sydney Logan

How did you come up with the idea for this story?

They say to write what you know, so for Lessons Learned, I knew I wanted to write about teaching since that’s my “day job.” Thankfully, I haven’t had to deal with the traumas my main character faces. I also knew I wanted to write a love story with a message, and bullying is such an epidemic in our society that I wanted to highlight that in this book.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

The most challenging thing is balancing writing and promotion. I’m not very good at it. It was easier when I only had one book, but the more I write, the harder it gets to juggle it all. I’m not complaining, because I love it, but that’s the biggest challenge for me.

What are your current projects?

I’m getting ready to release a holiday collection of short stories titled Once Upon a December. It will include two previously published Kindle short stories along with a new short story. It will release on November 28. I’m also working on my fourth novel.

RIDING DIRTY #Review @JillSorenson Dirty Eleven MC

Wanna get Dirty? There's no way around it with Jill Sorenson's newest book, RIDING DIRTY.

BLURB

He's her weapon of choice.

Psychologist Mia Richards wants revenge. Her new client, tattooed Cole "Shank" Shepherd, provides the perfect means. She just has to manipulate the felon-turned-informant into eliminating her husband's killers—members of Cole's rival motorcycle club. The first step, seducing Cole, is simple. As for walking away before she falls hard—it's already too late…

Dirty Eleven practically raised Cole, and he plans to double-cross the cops rather than sell them out. But smart, sexy Mia is an irresistible distraction. While she's evaluating his mind, all he can think about is her body…until he discovers her true intentions. Walking a fine line between desire and betrayal, they'll have to outrun her past, his enemies and the law for a love that's dangerously real.

BUY LINKS
Harlequin  |  Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble

REVIEW
This is romance at its dirtiest. Mia is no saint... at least not in her thoughts and she needs Cole more than she knows, not just for revenge but to break her from the bonds that keep her living like the dead. Life hasn't been easy for these characters and there's no guarantee the future will get any easier but the author leaves readers with a sense of hopefulness and no doubt that these two are not only hot for each other but also in love. Sorenson gives readers a unique take on the MC lifestyle from the point of view of a member who's looking to get out, unhappy with the changes while he was away, and willing to go to any lengths to find his freedom and his happiness.

The writing is flawless, flowing from one scene to the next with purpose, as readers fall head over heels for these damaged characters who find their salvation in one another.

RATING
5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
This book was given to us by the author. Many thanks.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jill Sorenson is the RITA-nominated author of more than a dozen romantic suspense novels,

including the Aftershock series by HQN. She lives in the San Diego area with her family. She’s a soccer mom who loves nature, coffee, reading, twitter and reality TV. Jogging keeps her sane. Riding Dirty is her first erotic suspense novel.

Easy links to find Jill online...
Website: http://jillsorenson.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JillSorenson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jill-Sorenson/166660960064023

Unconditional Surrender - A M/M Military Bundle #REVIEW #TOUR #CONTEST

Unconditional Surrender - A M/M Military Bundle, Various Authors
Strong. Sexy. Sizzling.

There's nothing like a man in uniform, and thirteen of today's hottest gay romance authors are celebrating military heroes and the men brave enough to love them.

These brand-new novellas feature all branches of the service and offer something for every reader. Almost 300,000 never before published words!

Character interview with Parker from Cruise Control by Kerry Adrienne

Where did you grow up?

I grew up right here in Centerville, Georgia. This land’s been in my family for generations, though that made no difference to my parents. When I was four, they took off for parts unknown and left me here with Gramma and Grandpa.



Tell us about the first time you met. Was it love at first sight?

(laughs) When I first met Blake, I thought he was the hottest man, no, hottest jerk I’d ever seen. Definitely not love at first sight, though I will admit that I admired his looks way before I ever got to know his heart.



What drew you to each other?

A car. Can you believe that?



What is your favorite part of him?

Well, besides the obvious, I love Blake’s “command voice”. He slips into it occasionally, often when he’s stressed or anxious. He’ll bark an order then realize he’s not in the service any more. I think it’s adorable.



Do you love a challenge? If so, how do you handle it?

I love mechanical challenges, not people challenges. I’ll take a broken airplane engine or car any day, but stay away from me if you’ve got drama. With a machine, I can work through issues methodically and with a good chance of success. People aren’t so simple.



What’s your favorite childhood memory?

Our family has a special place out behind the farmhouse in the woods. It’s the only place I don’t need noise to calm me. When I’m there by the stream, I’m able to wrangle problems into submission—or at least perspective.



What’s your favorite vacation spot?

When you have a family farm, you don’t take many vacations. One of the few trips I remember was to Hatteras Island. With the tall dunes, miles of beaches, and water all around—I can’t think of a better place to relax.

Excerpt from CRUISE CONTROL:

The passenger door opened and a man’s deep voice rang out, “You won’t touch it.” The man stepped out of the truck. “Unless I am directing you. Clear?”

Parker licked his lips, Maserati forgotten. Maybe if the porn magazines had men like this specimen, he’d have at least peeked. Tall and muscular, the man seemed to have stepped off the pages of his imagination.

“Did you hear me?” The man put his hands on his hips.

Parker nodded and took a wobbly step. A Maserati and a hot man? More excitement than he’d seen on a Friday night since he’d been home. Maybe ever.

The man smiled, and Parker flushed. A moment later, the smile was gone and the man was all business. 

“Blake Best.” He stuck out his hand. “This is my car, Leon.”

Parker took Blake’s large hand and held on while the other man shook for both of them. He looked into Blake’s blue eyes, or were they brown? He couldn’t tell in the half-light, but whatever their color, they were framed by gorgeous dark lashes matching Blake’s cropped, dark hair.

“P-Parker Monteith.”

“Good to meet you.” Blake squeezed his hand. “I’m making it clear up front. You don’t touch my car unless I say so.”

“Hey, I gotta get to another call,” the tow truck driver yelled. “Let’s get this showboat off my truck.” He pushed a button and the truck bed squealed lower.

Parker looked down. He was still holding Blake’s hand. He pulled away and cleared his throat. “Help get this car into the garage so I can take a look.”

Blake headed to the truck bed and Parker followed. Parker couldn’t help but watch Blake’s ass. Clad in thick jeans, it was difficult to tell exactly how firm it was or its exact shape, but damn, it was the first exciting ass he’d seen in forever. 

“Be careful, that’s my baby,” Blake called.

“Huh?” Parker’s face flamed, and then he realized the man was talking about the car. Oh my God, the car. It sat, or did it float, on the truck bed, a vision in creamy white with dark shadows spiraling along its side. It’s black top was closed, but Parker knew exactly what the car looked like with the top down. He stuck his hands in his pockets. Yeah, it was just a car, but oh, what a car it was.

“Stand back!” The tow truck driver unlatched the last of the wheel lashings and pushed the button to extend the winch. 

Blake turned toward Parker. “I can’t watch.”

“He knows what he’s doing.”

A loud screech sounded. Blake cringed and whirled toward the tow truck driver. “What in the hell?”

“Calm down. Your precious car is fine.” The driver lowered the front end of the car then released the winch. 

They pushed the car into the garage without a problem, though Blake insisted they wear cotton gloves, which he provided from the trunk. In the stark garage lights, the white car appeared even brighter, like a gleaming star, lit from within. Blake fussed over the car, running his hand along the body and cupping the headlight and squeezing.

“Sign for it.” The tow truck driver shoved his clipboard under Parker’s nose. 

Parker signed for receipt of the car and the driver capped his pen and stuck it back in his pocket.

“He’s your problem now.”

Parker gathered he wasn’t talking about the car.

Blurb:

Retired soldier Blake Best drives hard—his car, his life, and his choices. Former Airman ParkerMonteith is fighting to keep his life on cruise control so he doesn’t lose it all.

One Maserati brings them together. Can Blake slow down enough to discover the important things aren't in the fast lane?

Buy links:

**INTRODUCTORY PRICE OF $0.99/77p IS ONLY AVAILABLE UNTIL THE 21st OCTOBER!**

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MQIJXRU/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00MQIJXRU&linkCode=as2&tag=lucyfelt-20&linkId=3BGPEY53VXGJASC3

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00MQIJXRU/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00MQIJXRU&linkCode=as2&tag=lucyfelthouse-21&linkId=QMMOIU4CQOMSCOIR

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-unconditionalsurrenderanmmmilitarybundle-1597774-153.html?referrer=6bdb1f9160564c0525b41f36e51861a0

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id909507461

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unconditional-surrender-an-m-m-military-bundle-cat-grant/1120159289?ean=2940046269734&itm=1&usri=2940046269734

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/unconditional-surrender-an-m-m-military-bundle

Author Bio:

Kerry’s a mom to three daughters, six cats, and many small animals, including a panther chameleon.

In addition to writing, she’s a college instructor, artist, costumer, guitarist, and editor. Her newest love is her Mini Cooper Convertible, Sheldon, and they have already gone on many adventures together.

Links:

http://kerryadrienne.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/KerryAdrienne/216668511686869

https://twitter.com/kerryadrienne

http://www.pinterest.com/kerryadrienne/

http://instagram.com/kerryadrienne

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5823718.Kerry_Adrienne

REVIEW:

This was a fantastic bundle and well worth the read. There are several stories in here that I would love to see the characters revisited in full length novels. These were great teasers that whet my appetite and left me wanting more. Like with most anthologies some stories are stronger than others and the stories where the MC's had some sort of history worked better for me. The variety that you get with this bundle is incredible from all the different branches of the military, some active and some retired, some dealing with wounds and/or PTSD, there is truly something for everyone. 

Cruise Control - Kerry Adrienne
So I am pretty sure that everyone that reads this story will start out thinking that Blake is an ass! He does redeem himself a bit but I had a hard time rooting for him. Parker is wonderful but so lonely it made my heart ache.


Resilient Heart - Annabeth Albert
This one was definitely one where I wanted to know more. Xander has basically given up after he is injured, he is angry and scared and lashes out at everyone. But Mackay won't let him give up. Real emotions and their consequences made this a hard read but so worth it.

Arctic Fire - Kiera Andrews
This was a bit of a slow start for me but once the story got going it was over too soon. I would love to see a sequel that deals with the base opening and how Jack and Kin make their relationship work.

Storm Out - Brit Blaise
Because of the short length of these stories there isn't a lot of room for secondary characters but this one had my favorite. Cowboy's grandfather Boss was a fun character that really brought a lot to this story. I will definitely be seeking out more of the books in the series that this novella is a part of.

Civilian Master - Cassandra Carr
When I read through the blurbs for each story this is the one that jumped out at me and once again Cassandra Carr did not disappoint. Clay's need to submit reads very real. I loved the way that Flynn took him in hand but also made sure that Clay knew what he was getting into before anything started. I would love to see how their relationship grows and all the ways that Flynn brings Clay to submission.

His Guarded Heart - Lia Davis
Really loved this story from beginning to way too soon ending. Unfortunately when you are dealing with stories of this length whenever there are errors they really stand out, and this story had quite a few editing errors.  Aside from that the characters were engaging and the action made for a quick read. I would love to read more about Beau and Judd and of course Angel.

Hometown Hero - Sasha Devin
JJ and Colin were adorable. This was a sweet short read that I enjoyed immensely.

Blood & Peyote - Rhi Etzweiler
I found this story interesting but a little hard to follow with the mix of, I think, Norse and American Indian rituals. This kind of information needed more than the pages it was allowed. It was beautifully written but hard to understand.

Desert Heat - Lucy Felthouse
Work romances are hard but trying to start a romance in the middle of a war zone is even harder. This was a nice story of two men possibly finding something more.

The Houseboy: Initiation - Amelia C Gormley
Wow. This one was very different from the other stories in this anthology. Intense is the first word that comes to mind. Well written but a little rough for my tastes.

The Only One Who Cares - Cat Grant
Wonderful story of an established couple who are dealing with some major life changes. Navy SEALs and diapers!

Irresistible Forces - Em Lynley
This was a new author for me but one I will most definitely be on the look out for more. Emotional and very satisfying!

Flight Risk - LA Witt
Good story but it would have been so much better if it had been longer. It needed just a bit more to feel fully flushed out. I hope to read more for these characters.

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RATING: 4 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries.  This book was given to us by one of the authors. Many thanks.