Thursday, May 31, 2018

Excerpt Reveal for Unexpected Love Story by Natasha Madison


EXCERPT

Crystal

“I’m going to the restroom.” I giggle to Dawn, who nods her head at me. Making my way through the crowd of people around the bar, I bend my head to watch my feet. Walking into the dim hallway, I smash into a man who has just come out of the bathroom. His arm automatically flies to wrap around my waist and bring me against him. His smell intoxicates me further, and I giggle as I try not to fall. I put my head back, looking up at him, and my smile gets even bigger. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going.” I look up into his blue eyes, and he smiles down at me.

“It’s my fault.” His voice comes out deep. “I should have looked right and left when I walked out of the bathroom.”

I throw my head back and laugh. “I get it. Like crossing the street.”

He loosens his hold on me, and I step back, finally taking him in. His hair is cut short on the side, the top longer. His t-shirt looks like he is bulging out of it, especially his biceps. Ink decorates both arms to his wrists. His jaw looks chiseled, his nose perfect. I don’t know if it’s the booze talking or not, but this man is fucking perfect. “Are you here for the convention?” I ask him, and he nods.

“Are you?” He puts his hands in his back pockets.

“No, I’m a nurse over at the hospital,” I tell him as someone walks by me and nudges me with their shoulder, sending me flying into him again. “Sorry.”

“You’ve fallen into my lap twice now, and I still don’t know your name.” He smiles at me, holding my arms in his hands.

“I’m Jane,” I tell him, hoping he gets the joke. “Jane Doe.” This time, he is the one throwing his head back and laughing.

“Well, Jane Doe, I’m John.” He holds out his hand, and I take it in my hand, shaking it. “John Doe.”

“I think we’re related somehow.” I smile at him, and this time, his eyes go serious.

“I really fucking hope not.” He takes a deep breath.

“I have to go to the bathroom,” I say, dropping his hand. “Excuse me.” I look down and then back over my shoulder once I walk away to see him staring at me. “Enjoying the view?”

“More than you fucking know.” He smiles, and I push open the bathroom door, whispering, “Holy shit,” the whole time.


Gabe

I watch Jane Doe walk into the bathroom, thinking this night just got a whole lot better.

When we first arrived an hour ago, even with a large crowd I spotted her. My gaze found her right away and then she moved her hips, and I just couldn’t look away. It was as if fate handed her to me when she smashed into me.

I look toward the bar and then back at the bathroom door as I list the pros and cons of staying and leaving in my head. Everything tells me this is a bad idea, but I go with my gut, which brings me back to the women’s bathroom door. I lean against the wall, facing the door, one foot on the wall, and both hands in my pockets. I haven’t done this in forever. I was never a one-night stand kind of guy, but something tells me not to walk away.

The door swings open, and there she stands. If I thought she was good looking through the crowds of people in the dim light, then nothing compares to her standing in the fully lit bathroom. Her blond hair falls down her back and her blue eyes shine with mischief. Her neck bare and white gives me the sudden urge to bite her. “You waiting for me?” she asks, walking to me.

“I wanted to know if maybe you wanted to grab a drink.” Her citrus smell hits me in the stomach. Fresh and clean. “I was thinking,” I say, tracing my finger down her cheek, “we could maybe go over our family tree.”

Her hands go straight to my waist as she leans into me. “Let’s go have that drink.” She winks at me, walking away from me as I follow her to the bar. “What are you having?” She turns to ask me.

“Scotch on the rocks,” I yell to the bartender, who then looks at her. “I’ll have the same,” she says.

“So.” She leans in, the noise of the bar drowning out her voice. The bartender returns with the two scotches and places them in front of us.

“Put it on my tab,” I tell him, and he nods his head. I pick up the glass, holding it in front of me. “To long-lost family.”

She picks up her glass. “To living in the moment.” I clink her glass in a toast, then she drinks a sip and looks at me. “Are you married?”

I shake my head. “Nope. Single. You?” I ask her. Even though I want to do this, I don’t want to cross that line.

“Always single.” She smiles, taking another sip, this time longer. “So, John”—she looks at me, stepping into my space—“there is just one more question that needs answering.”

I down the scotch, not even hissing when it burns my throat to my chest and then straight down to my stomach. I place the glass on the bar. “Do you want to go someplace where it’s quiet?” I ask her. She nods and smiles at me. It’s a smile that I’m not sure I ever want to see go away. It’s a smile that lights up her whole face. I don’t know if it’s the booze or not, but I’m not ready for it to be over just yet.

“I just have to tell my friends I’m leaving.” She points behind her and goes to tell them something while I close up the tab. A couple of women look over her shoulder, waving their hands at me, and one high-fives her. She shakes her head, laughing, while she walks back to me. “So where to?” she asks me. I grab her hand and walk outside to the building next door. “Well, that wasn’t too far.”

I guide her to the elevator and press the button standing next to her. I’m nervous; I haven’t had sex with someone new since Bethany and that feels like forever ago. I start thinking about different moves when the elevator dings, and the doors open. She steps in before me. “What floor?” she asks.

“Twenty-seven,” I say, and she presses the button. She leans on the wall while I lean on the other across from her. “I don’t usually do this.”

The little minx smiles at me. “A one-night stand or sex?”

I smile at her. “Very funny. A one-night stand.”

She stands straight and walks over to me. Her hands go straight to my chest, causing my heart to beat faster. “Well, then”—she inches closer, her hands moving to my neck, and my hands going to her waist, pulling her close to me, “let me start then.”

She goes on her tippy toes, and something in me takes over. I turn her so she is the one against the wall now. My hand runs over her bare neck, coming up to cup her chin. “I’m the one driving this car,” I tell her right before I hear her breath hitch and my mouth crashes into hers. I taste the scotch on her when her hand touches my cheek, and I angle my head to get more of her. To get all of her. The elevator dings, letting us know we are on our floor. Our lips separate from each other as our chests rise and fall rapidly. I hold out my hand, and she places hers in mine. As soon as our fingers intertwine, I pull her out of the elevator before the doors shut us in. She laughs as she follows me, and I make the mistake of looking over at her, seeing her with her hair going everywhere, the smile on her face, and the twinkle in her eyes. I make sure to remember it all.

UNEXPECTED LOVE STORY
by NATASHA MADISON

When one man’s death exposes a complex web of lies, three couples discover the true meaning of love, loss and redemption.

Crystal

I was the strong one, they said, until two words brought me to my knees.

It was a secret I didn't share with anyone. A secret that made me promise I’d never fall in love.

I no longer wanted that white picket fence of every woman’s dreams.

Until the unthinkable happened.

Gabe

I thought I had it all with the best medical practice in the state and the woman of my dreams.

I wore a smile on my face every single day.

I couldn't wait to watch her walk down the aisle and start our forever, except she never did.

My runaway bride made me realize love isn't worth it.

What happens when your dreams unexpectedly come true?

This is the story of unexpected love.

PURCHASE LINKS:

UNEXPECTED LOVE STORY #2

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OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES:

PERFECT LOVE STORY #1

AMAZON        iBOOKS        KOBO        B&N

BROKEN LOVE STORY #3

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~MEET NATASHA MADISON~
When her nose isn't buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, she's in the kitchen creating gourmet meals. You can find her, in four inch heels no less, in the car chauffeuring kids, or possibly with her husband scheduling his business trips.

It's a good thing her characters do what she says, because even her Labrador doesn't listen to her...

~CONNECT WITH NATASHA~

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Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Excerpt Reveal for A Wish for Us by Tillie Cole


Cromwell
Brighton, England

The club pulsed as the beat I was pouring into the crowd took over their bodies. Arms in the air, hips swaying, eyes wide and glazed as my music slammed into their ears, the rhythmic beats controlling their every move. The air was thick and sticky, clothes slick to people’s skins as they crammed into the full club to hear me.

I watched them light up with color. Watched them get lost to the sound. Watched them shed whoever they’d been that day—an office worker, a student, a copper, a call-center worker—what the hell ever. Right now, in this club, most probably high off their faces, they were slaves to my tunes. Right here, in this moment, my music was their life. It was all that mattered as their heads flew back and they chased the high, the near nirvana I gave them from my place on the podium.

I, however, felt nothing. Nothing but the numbness the booze beside me was gifting me.

Two arms slipped around my waist. Hot breath blew past my ear as full lips kissed my neck. Spinning my final beat, I grabbed the Jack Daniels beside me and took a shot straight from the bottle. I slammed the bottle down and moved back to my laptop to mix in the next tune. Hands with sharp fingernails ran through my hair, pulling on the black strands. I tapped on the keys, bringing the music down low, slowing the beat.

My breaths lengthened as the crowd waited, lungs frozen as I brought them to a slow sway, readying for the crescendo. The epic surge of beats and drums, the insanity of the mix that I would deliver. I looked up from my laptop and scanned the crowd, smirking at seeing them on the precipice, waiting . . . waiting . . . just waiting . . .

Now.

I slammed my hand down, holding my headphones to my left ear. A surge, a thundercloud of electronic dance music plowed into the crowd. Bursts of neon colors filled the air. Greens and blues and reds filled my eyes as they clung to each person like neon shields.

The hands around my waist tightened, but I ignored them, instead listening to the bottle of Jack as it called my name. I took another shot, my muscles starting to loosen. My hands danced over the laptop’s keys, over my mix boards.

I looked up, the crowd still in the palm of my hand.

They always were.

A girl in the center of the club drew my attention. Long brown hair pulled back off her face. Purple dress, high necked—she was dressed nothing like everyone else. The color surrounding her was different to the other clubbers—pale pink and lavender. Calmer. More serene. My eyebrows pulled down as I watched her. Her eyes were closed, but she wasn’t moving. She was still, and she looked to be completely alone as people crashed and pushed around her. Her head was tipped up, a look of concentration on her face.

I built up the pace, pushing the rhythm and the crowd as far as they could go. But the girl didn’t move. That wasn’t normal for me. I always had these clubbers wrapped around my finger. I controlled them, in every place I spun. In this arena, I was the puppet master. They were the dolls.
Another shot of Jack burned down my throat. And through another five songs, she stayed there, on the spot, just drinking in the beats like water. But her face never changed. No smile. No euphoric high. Just . . . eyes closed, that damn pinched look on her face.

And that pink and lavender still surrounding her like a shield.

“Cromwell,” the blonde who was all over me like a rash said into my ear. Her fingers lifted up my shirt and tucked into the waistband of my jeans. Her long nails dipped low. But I refused to tear my eyes away from the girl in the purple dress.

Her brown hair was starting to curl, sweat from being sandwiched by clubbers taking its effect. The blonde who was one step from wanking me off in full view of the club snapped my fly. I keyed in my next mix, then grabbed her hand and threw it away from me, snapping my fly closed. I groaned when her hands slid back into my hair. I looked at my mate who had spun before me. “Nick!” I pointed to my decks. “Watch this. And don’t mess it up.”

Nick frowned in confusion, then saw the girl behind me and smiled. He took my headphones from me and moved to make sure the playlist I’d set up played on cue. Steve, the club’s owner, always let a few girls backstage. I never asked for it, but I never turned them down either. Why would I refuse a hot bird who was up for anything?

I swiped my Jack off my podium as the blonde smashed her lips to mine, pulling me back by my sleeveless Creamfields shirt. I wrenched my mouth from hers, replacing it with the Jack bottle. The blonde dragged me into a dark spot backstage. She dropped to her knees and started again on my fly. I closed my eyes as she went to work.

I sucked on the Jack as my head hit the wall behind me. I forced myself to feel something. I glanced down, watching blond hair bounce below me. But the numbness I lived with every damn day made me feel virtually nothing inside. Pressure built at the base of my spine. My thighs tightened, and then it was over.

The blonde got up. I could see the stars in her eyes as she looked at me. “Your eyes.” She reached out a finger to trace around my eye. “The strangest color. Such dark blue.”

They were. Coupled with my black hair, they always drew attention. That and the fact that I was one of the hottest new DJs in Europe, of course. Okay, maybe it was less to do with my eyes and more to do with my name, Cromwell Dean, gracing the headline spot on most of the biggest music festivals and clubs this summer.

I zipped up my fly and turned to see Nick spinning my next mix. I cringed when he failed to transition the beats like I would have. Navy blue was the backdrop to the smoke on the dance floor.

I never hit navy blue.

I brushed past the girl with a “Thanks, love,” ignoring her hiss of “Prick” in response. I took my headphones off Nick’s head and put them on my own. A few taps of the keyboard later, the crowd was back in the palm of my hand.

Without conscious thought, my eyes found their way to the spot where the girl in the purple dress had stood.

But she’d gone. So had the pale pink and lavender.

I threw back another shot of Jack. Mixed another tune. Then zoned the fuck out.

* * * * *

The sand was cold under my feet. It may well have been the start of summer here in the UK, but that didn’t mean the night wind didn’t freeze your balls off the minute you stepped outside. Clutching my bottle of booze and my cigarettes, I dropped down to the sand. I lit up and stared at the dark sky. My phone buzzed in my pocket . . . again. It’d been going off all night.

Pissed off that I actually had to move my arm, I pulled out my mobile. I had three missed calls from Professor Lewis. Two from my mum, and finally, a couple of texts.

Mum: Professor Lewis has been trying to get hold of you again. What are you going to do? Please just call me. I know you’re upset, but this is your future. You have a gift, son. Maybe it’s time for a fresh start this year. Don’t waste it because you’re angry at me.

Red-hot fury shot through me. I wanted to throw my phone in the damn sea and watch it sink to the bottom along with all this messed-up shit in my head, but I saw Professor Lewis had texted too.
Lewis: The offer still stands but I need an answer by next week. I have all I need for the transfer except your answer. You have an exceptional talent, Cromwell. Don’t waste it. I can help.
This time I did drop my phone beside me and sank back into the sand. I let the rush of nicotine fill my lungs and closed my eyes. As my eyelids shut, I heard quiet music playing somewhere nearby. Classical. Mozart.

My drunken mind immediately drifted off to when I was a little kid . . .
“What do you hear, Cromwell?” my father asked.

I closed my eyes and listened to the piece of music. Colors danced before my eyes. “Piano. Violins. Cellos . . .” I took a deep breath. “I can hear reds and greens and pinks.”

I opened my eyes and looked up at my father as he sat on my bed. He was staring down at me. There was a funny expression on his face. “You hear colors?” he said. But he didn’t sound surprised. My face set on fire. I ducked my head under my duvet. My father pulled it down from my eyes. He stroked my hair. “That’s good,” he said, his voice kind of deep. “That’s very good . . .”

My eyes snapped open. My hand started to ache. I looked at the bottle in my hand; my fingers were white as they gripped the neck. I sat up, my head spinning from the mass of whiskey in my body. My temples throbbed. I realized it wasn’t from the Jack, but from the music coming from further down the beach. I pushed my hair back from my face then looked to my right.

Someone was only a few feet away. I squinted into the lightening night, summer’s early rising sun making it possible to make out the features of whoever the hell it was. It was a girl. A girl wrapped in a blanket. Her phone sat beside her, a Mozart piano concerto drifting quietly from the speaker.
She must have felt me looking at her, because she turned her head. I frowned, wondering why I knew her face, but then—

“You’re the DJ,” she said.

Recognition dawned. It was the girl in the purple dress.

She clutched her blanket closer around her as I replayed her accent in my head. American. Bible Belt was my guess, by her thick twang.

She sounded like my mum.

A smile tugged at her lips as I stayed mute. I wasn’t much of a talker. Especially when my gut was full of Jack and I had zero interest in making small talk with some girl I didn’t know at four in the morning on a cold beach in Brighton.

“I’d heard of you,” she said. I stared back out over the sea. Ships sailed in the distance, their lights like tiny fireflies, bobbing up and down. I huffed a humorless laugh. Great. Another girl who wanted to screw the DJ.

“Good for you,” I muttered and took a drink of my Jack, feeling the addictive burn slide down my throat. I hoped she’d piss off, or at least stop trying to talk to me. My head couldn’t take any more noise.

“Not really,” she shot back. I looked over at her, eyebrows pulled down in confusion. She was looking out over the sea, her chin resting on her folded arms that lay over her bent knees. The blanket had fallen off her shoulders, revealing the purple dress I’d noticed from the podium. She turned to face me, cheek now on her arms. Heat zipped through me. She was pretty. “I’ve heard of you, Cromwell Dean.” She shrugged. “Decided to get a ticket to see you before I left for home tomorrow.”
I lit up another cigarette. Her nose wrinkled. She clearly didn’t like the smell.

Tough luck. She could move. Last time I checked, England was a free country. She went quiet.
I caught her looking at me. Her brown eyes were narrowed, like she was scrutinizing me. Reading something in me that I didn’t want anyone to see.

No one ever looked at me closely. I never gave them the chance. I thrived on the podium at clubs because it kept everyone far away, down on the dancefloor where no one ever saw the real me. The way she was looking at me now made nervous shivers break out over my skin.

I didn’t need this kind of crap.

“Already had my dick sucked tonight, love. Not looking for a second round.”

She blinked, and even in the rising sun, I could see her cheeks redden.

“Your music has no soul,” she blurted. My cigarette paused halfway to my mouth. Something managed to stab through my stomach at her words. I shoved it back down until I felt my usual sensation of numbness.

I sucked on my cigarette. “Yeah? Well, them’s the breaks.”

“I’d heard you were some messiah or something on that podium. But all your music comprised was synthetic beats and forced repetitive bursts of unoriginal tempo.”

I laughed and shook my head. The girl met my eyes head-on. “It’s called electronic dance music. Not a fifty-piece orchestra.” I held out my arms. “You’ve heard of me. Said so yourself. You know what tunes I spin. What were you expecting? Mozart?” I glared at her phone, which was still playing that damn concerto.

I sat back, surprised at myself. I hadn’t talked that much to anyone in . . . I didn’t know how long. I took in a drag, breathing out the smoke that was trapped in my chest. “And turn that thing off, will you? Who the hell goes to hear a dance DJ spin, then comes to a beach to listen to classical music?”
The girl frowned but turned off the music. I lay back on the cold sand, closing my eyes. I heard the soft waves lapping the shore. My head filled with pale green. I heard the girl moving. I prayed she was leaving. But I felt her drop beside me. My world darkened as the whiskey and the usual lack of sleep started to pull me under.

“What do you feel when you mix your music?” she asked. How the hell she thought her little interview was a good idea right now was beyond me.

Yet, surprisingly, I found myself answering her question. “I don’t feel.” I cracked one eye open when she didn’t say anything. She was looking down at me. She had the biggest brown eyes I’d ever seen. Dark hair pulled off her face in a ponytail. Full lips and smooth skin.

“Then that’s the problem.” She smiled, but the smile looked nothing but sad. Pitying. “The best music must be felt. By the creator. By the listener. Every part of it from creation to ear must be wrapped in nothing but feelings.” Some weird expression crossed over her face, but hell if I knew what it meant.
Her words were a blade to my chest. I hadn’t expected her harsh comment. And I hadn’t expected the blunt trauma that she seemed to deliver right to my heart. Like she’d taken a butcher’s knife and sliced her way through my soul.

My body itched to get up and run. To pluck out her assessment of my music from my memory. But instead I forced a laugh, and spat, “Go back home, little Dorothy. Back to where music means something. Where it’s felt.”

“Dorothy was from Kansas.” She glanced away. “I’m not.”

“Then go back to wherever the hell you’re from,” I snapped. Crossing my arms over my chest, I hunkered down into the sand and shut my eyes, trying to block out the cold wind that was picking up and slapping my skin, and her words that were still stabbing at my heart.

I never let anything get to me like this. Not anymore. I just needed some sleep. I didn’t want to go back to my mum’s house here in Brighton, and my flat in London was too far away. So hopefully the cops wouldn’t find me here and kick me off the beach.

With my eyes closed, I said, “Thanks for the midnight critique, but as the fastest-rising DJ in Europe, with the best clubs in the world begging for me to spin at their decks—all at nineteen—I think I’ll ignore your extensive notes and just keep on living my sweet as fuck life.”

The girl sighed, but she didn’t say anything else.

The next thing I knew, the sun was burning its light into my eyes. I flinched when I opened them. The screech of swarming seagulls slammed into my head. I sat up, seeing an empty beach and the sun high in the sky. I ran my hands down my face and groaned at the hangover that was kicking in. My stomach growled, desperate for a full English breakfast with copious cups of black tea.

As I stood, something fell from my lap. A blanket lay on the sand at my feet. The blanket I’d seen beside the American girl in the purple dress.

The one she’d been wrapped in last night.

I picked it up, a light fragrance drifted into my nose. Sweet. Addictive. I glanced around me. The girl was gone.

She’d left her blanket. No. She’d covered me with it. “Your music has no soul.” A hard clenching feeling pulled in my stomach at the memory of her words. So I chased it away like I did anything that made me feel. Caging it deep inside.

Then I took my arse home.

ADD TO GOODREADS

OH MY GOSH!!! This makes me want to read it that much more!! I am so excited to read this book!!
~BEE
A WISH FOR US
by TILLIE COLE

Nineteen-year-old Cromwell Dean is the rising star of electronic dance music. Thousands of people adore him. But no one knows him. No one sees the color of his heart.

Until the girl in the purple dress. She sees through the walls he has built to the empty darkness within.

When Cromwell leaves behind the gray skies of England to study music in the South Carolina heat, the last thing he expects is to see her again. And he certainly doesn’t expect that she’ll stay in his head like a song on repeat.

Bonnie Farraday lives for music. She lets every note into her heart, and she doesn’t understand how someone as talented as Cromwell can avoid doing the same. He’s hiding from his past, and she knows it. She tries to stay away from him, but something keeps calling her back.

Bonnie is the burst of color in Cromwell’s darkness. He’s the beat that makes her heart skip.

But when a shadow falls over Bonnie, it’s up to Cromwell to be her light, in the only way he knows how. He must help her find the lost song in her fragile heart. He must keep her strong with a symphony only he can compose.

A symphony of hope.
A symphony of love.
A symphony of them.

PREORDER FOR A JUNE 11th RELEASE DATE

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~MEET TILLIE COLE~
Tillie Cole hails from a small town in the North-East of England. She grew up on a farm with her English mother, Scottish father and older sister and a multitude of rescue animals. As soon as she could, Tillie left her rural roots for the bright lights of the big city.

After graduating from Newcastle University with a BA Hons in Religious Studies, Tillie followed her Professional Rugby player husband around the world for a decade, becoming a teacher in between and thoroughly enjoyed teaching High School students Social Studies before putting pen to paper, and finishing her first novel.

Tillie has now settled in Austin, Texas, where she is finally able to sit down and write, throwing herself into fantasy worlds and the fabulous minds of her characters.

Tillie is both an independent and traditionally published author, and writes many genres including: Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance, Young Adult and New Adult novels.

When she is not writing, Tillie enjoys nothing more than curling up on her couch watching movies, drinking far too much coffee, while convincing herself that she really doesn’t need that extra square of chocolate.

~CONNECT WITH TILLIE~

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Friday, May 25, 2018

Book Review and Giveaway for Rebel Heart by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward


How to screw up a great summer in the Hamptons:

Sleep with your boss. Check.

Blow all your money on a rental you can't afford. Check.

How to walk away from a man you fall in love with at the end of a summer:

...I'll let you know when I figure it out.




REVIEW: 3 STARS
"Life should be about living with uncertainty while we watch beautiful sunsets with the people we love."

I don't know why I am so disappointed. Ok, that's a lie - I know exactly why. It took me a bit to sit down and write this review, and it's with a heavy heart that I say that in comparison to the first book, this one was just not right. It was a dud for me. I was so freaking upset by the time this book was over, I was legit sad. My mood shifted. And for everyone that wants to say, it's just a book. I know. <sigh> I am very aware of that, but you know how you have such high expectations for something that was so amazing at first, but then it fails you? Yeah, that's exactly how I felt about this one. I will say this: they nailed a real, true and honest love. Sadly, it was one compromised by circumstances, but enhanced by real emotions and life. I give them that. But....ugh.

I just feel like this book went from relatable and honest to a complete circus act - stupid drama and unfinished business. Rush was the man. To be privy to his thoughts, it added a whole new element for me. As badass as he was, he was genuine and that just upped the swoon factor. His banter made me giggle and his naughty mouth made me blush. He did everything for Gia and made sure she was always taken care of; emotionally, mentally, and physically. He had forethought, always one step ahead to make sure Gia never needed for a thing. He always went above and beyond, always having stuff in order and never missing out on important things. It's because he was responsible. He made plans to make sure their life was going to be stress-free and drama-free. Again, going above and waaaay beyond. And then he misses the ENTIRE thing he so desperately wanted to be a part of!!? What is this?? Is it life? Yes, it is. I get it. People miss things all the time. I get that. I do. But I don't like how this all played out and it turned something that was so perfect into unnecessary drama and actions that didn't line up with the other 185% of the total sum of both books (100% from the first and 85% from the second - book math!!). When all of the sudden characters stop doing what we have grown accustomed to, it starts to make the book take on a different theme, and that is what ruined this one for me. I was so upset and I can't believe it upset me that much. Ridiculous, right? It is. I know it is and I accept that this is not rational behavior. But dammit, I expected more from these two because they have delivered repeatedly for me and I just think I feel completely let down by the finished product.

I accepted the back and forth of 'can we/do we' that the characters waded through, because that totally works for me when it's warranted and written well, and this one was!! Oh, it so was. Because in this case, it was so warranted because of the circumstances. The nature of the emotional upheaval that Rush had was pure. I could totally feel his pain and why he was questioning everything. It was organic. It was authentic. It was real. I got it. They wrote that sooo well, and his emotions were legit. I'm trying not to give too much away, because that would ruin the entire duet for many....but his pain was real. It was palpable. It was evident. And then for this buildup to continue to escalate and the drive for a better life was planned and executed, and he is pushing for what he believes is right in their world only to have it ripped away, leaving a gaping hole? It didn't make sense!! It didn't line up with the rest of everything he had done previously, with his actions and his words. So it made ZERO sense why the last 15% went and spiraled downhill like this one did.

I will say this much: this duet started out so promising with the first book being so so good. So interesting. There were some relatable characters to laugh and connect with. There was some drama that I could actually see happening and not even question it....and believe it or not, that drama was my favorite part because I knew it was going to showcase the emotional side to a sometimes funny, and sometimes naughty story. It provided an element of pain and suffering on one front, but also turmoil on the heart on another. Bottom line: perfect storyline. The ending just sucked royally. Why a 3 if I'm so mad? Because the storyline was perfect. The initial drama was perfect. The desire and love and lust was perfect. It was so good until that very end when all of the sudden we were dealing with four completely different characters than what we started off with. That was not perfect. That was heartbreaking.

"Gia - My beautiful Gia. I loved her more than I thought I could handle."
~BEE


PURCHASE REBEL HEIR: AMAZON

PURCHASE REBEL HEART: AMAZON



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~MEET VI KEELAND~
Vi Keeland is a native New Yorker with three children that occupy most of her free time, which she complains about often, but wouldn't change for the world. She is a bookworm and has been known to read her kindle at stop lights, while styling her hair, cleaning, walking, during sporting events, and frequently while pretending to work. She is a boring attorney by day, and an exciting smut author by night!

~CONNECT WITH VI~

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~MEET PENELOPE WARD~
Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor, before switching to a more family-friendly career. She is the proud mother of a beautiful 11-year-old girl with autism and a 9-year-old boy. Penelope and her family reside in Rhode Island. 

~CONNECT WITH PENELOPE~

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Thursday, May 24, 2018

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Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Book Review and Giveaway for Rogue Royalty by Meghan March


ROGUE ROYALTY
by MEGHAN MARCH

Unthinkable. Unbelievable. Inconceivable.

I don’t recognize what my life has become. I can’t tell where the lies end and the truth begins anymore.

He came into my world and urged me out of my safe little corner.

All my dreams are coming true except the one thing I want most—my own happy ending.

But I’ll fight for it.

For now.

For always.




REVIEW: 3.5-4 STARS
"He chose his path, and you chose yours. You reap what you sow, Temperance."

Ok....I never saw that coming!! What a turn of events that made me shake my head with the final book in this series!! While I could kind of figure out some of it before it happened (because we knew we were getting a HEA out of this one), there were quite a few secrets to untangle. I honestly think that's what makes her books so fun for me. Her books are a whirlwind of activity and secrets, with a great love and passion between the two main characters, and they are so easy to get caught up in. But that ending? That was beyond anything I would have imagined! Completely caught me off guard! I didn't realize it was happening.....until it was happening.

I have to be very careful with how I word this review because I don't want to spoil any chance of discovery while reading this final chapter. So in the beginning of this book, I will say that there was a lot of heartbreak behind the darkness. I loved the way she wrote the beginning, and the emotions that Temperance was going through after how the second book ended was pretty palpable. I really liked how convincing that beginning pain was portrayed.

"Love and hate are two sides of the same coin."

Overall, when thinking about it...this one wasn't as explosive as I thought it would be for a finale in this series - but I couldn't put the book down. Weird, right? I mean, sure....we had some emotions in the beginning and a woah! moment in the end, but the in between was very calm and cool while we watched the love grow and the secrets get uncovered. With the first book building up the story, the second book exploded with action and consequences. This one was a lot more subdued in that aspect, but heavy in the revelations department. I saw a little bit of a softer side to HIM and I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about it at first, but watching it play out brought it all together  - the alpha and the protective side, mixed in quite nicely with his tender side. He was so perfect for Temperance. Weird as it may be, I love an alpha that is in touch with his feelings and can completely admit when he is weak in the knees for his woman. And HE did it for sure. HE was a good man and I loved how hard he loved Temperance.

"No one threatens my woman and lives to tell about it."

By the time this story ended, I felt like this was a pretty good ride!  Some of it may have come across as cheesy, some of it may have even been a little clichĂ©.....but it was so sweet and freaking entertaining! I will give it to MM. Totally. She can write a story that sucks me in, no matter what I quirk my lips at, but I still thoroughly enjoy the story she brings. It's no lie. I've said these aren't super emotional books in this series, but there was some in this book. No angst. Not really a deep story emotion-wise, but a crazy ride from the very first page, and that ending was just too perfect and sweet. I definitely smiled at it. Very entertaining series!

"Sometimes your body recognizes things before your mind."
~BEE

PURCHASE LINKS:

SAVAGE PRINCE     IRON PRINCESS     ROGUE ROYALTY

SERIES LINK: SAVAGE TRILOGY



MY REVIEW FOR IRON PRINCESS CAN BE FOUND HERE.



MY REVIEW FOR SAVAGE PRINCE CAN BE FOUND HERE


~MEET MEGHAN MARCH~
Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She's also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she's ever had. She loves hearing from her readers at meghanmarchbooks@gmail.com.

~CONNECT WITH MEGHAN~

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Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Book Review and Giveaway for Filthy Gods by R Scarlett


FILTHY GODS
by R SCARLETT

Prelude in the American Gods series.

Young. Wealthy. Elite. Attractive. The gentlemen’s secret society at Yale was filled with them.

And Nathaniel Radcliffe, the bane of my existence, was one of them.

As the right hand of the American Gods, he was conceited and arrogant. A dangerously handsome man in a tailored custom suit and shiny black oxford loafers.

The classroom was our battlefield. We made a sport out of arguing and debating, ready to do anything in order to win over the other.

Deadly opponents, deadlier minds.

I'd sworn I'd never give him the upper hand, until...

The secret I’ve been hiding for the last three years?

He just discovered it… and now he has all the power.


REVIEW: 4.5 STARS
"Ad astra"

I can't believe this was a starter book for a new series. I just can't!! For being a 35k novella, Scarlett sure packed a ton of backstory for Nathaniel and Juliette, as well as the other "Gods", into it but also set the stage for what's sure to be an epic series full of wealth, intrigue, and positions of power being abused by the (m)asses. But, I already know that she will be giving us the other side to the privileged lives these men lead. As with Nathaniel and Juliette, Scarlett showed us the value in the knowledge that everyone's struggle is truly their own, and no one really knows what goes on in anyone else's world - no matter what the perceptions may be. I loved that we got so much more than meets the eye.

I love when an author can write a scene that embodies lust and devotion, need and desire. I felt like Nathaniel wanted to crawl inside Juliette and just worship her, move her and love her. I felt that hunger he had, and that fear she felt. That fear of falling for something that isn't real. This book completely swept me away, and not just with the love story that was brewing, but also with the mystery and the depth in which she took their story. The writing was easy to understand, the flow of the story was well-paced, and the emotions were all over the place - which was fitting for what was actually happening. Outward appearances, understanding secret worlds, privilege and expectations - what a tragic, yet fascinating look into that life! And I loved that she used some latin in this one because it allowed for us to fall away into their secrets that they were forming as well. So in love....

When I opened this book, I immediately got sucked in - instant love. With a dirty talking alpha that knew exactly what he wanted, hidden agendas aside, I loved breaking down the different layers on Nathaniel. There was so much more to him than what he originally presented himself as, and I couldn't get enough of him. Calculating and meticulous in his thought process, he surprised me with the truth of who he really was. He was waaay too easy to fall in love with, and I did it rather quickly. He made me smile all throughout the book with his actions and comments, and he kept me guessing at every turn. The fact that Juliette was more than skeptical of his motives, that added a different element of discovery for me because while her secrets were hers to bear, Nathaniel was a perfect but naughty gentleman to her. Oh so swoony and perfect he was.

The crazy part about this whole ride was that R Scarlett was highly recommended to me for her PNR Series and so I scooped those up recently, but haven't made the time to read them yet. I saw Filthy Gods being promoted and was confused at first, thinking it was PNR and possibly another spin-off. Come to find out it wasn't, so I jumped into this series with a fresh mind and I couldn't be happier. Needless to say, after reading this quick story, the title of this series couldn't have been more perfect - aaaand I need more. I seriously loved this book! I cannot honestly wait for more from the American Gods in this series. It was just a feel good, easy read that packed some heat!! With three more stories coming, I am sure we are in for a treat with each one.

"I'm a greedy, overachieving bastard, Juliette. I examined the risks and you're worth the fall."
~BEE


PURCHASE LINKS



~MEET R SCARLETT~

R. Scarlett lives in a small quaint town in Southern Ontario, Canada and has an unhealthy obsession with mythology and romance. 

From studying English literature and minoring in History, she loves losing herself in a good book and snuggling up to her Brittany Spaniel. 

When she's not writing or plotting a delicious novel, she can be found hanging out with friends and family, going on long car rides, exploring small towns, or watching reruns of Sex and the City.

~CONNECT WITH REBECCA~

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Friday, May 11, 2018

Book Review and Giveaway for AIDEN by Melanie L Moreland


AIDEN
by MELANIE L MORELAND

Haunted by memories of his past, Aiden plays the part of the happy-go-lucky friend. Always ready with a teasing smile or a joke, he is good at hiding his pain.

Using his impressive physique as a shield, he keeps his past buried beneath his rugged exterior.

Except, one woman sees through his façade.

Her green eyes see too much, even as her body tempts him.

Even as his heart yearns for her.

Cami is determined to make him realize that he is worthy of being loved.

He pushes her away at every turn, yet finds himself unable to keep her at arm’s length.

Who will win this battle of love?



REVIEW: 4 STARS
"From the moment I saw her, kissing her was a temptation, fucking her was a fantasy, and hurting her was inevitable."

Ok, I honestly wanted to say, "Move over Bentley, Aiden is here!" But that would probably be mean (but funny!!). I fell hard for Aiden in this book. I really truly did. After reading Bentley, I knew Aiden was going to be a story I definitely wanted to read. Melanie Moreland did his background story and painful past some justice. I am not usually one for stories about overly horrible parents or their kids' upbringings because I hate the anger I feel going in to the book, but I couldn't stop reading this one - and that's a huge plus! I know this is just a personal preference, but since we knew that Aiden had a horrible past, hearing about it in this one was not only sad, but angering. But that's the foot he started out on, so we did too....

I love a tortured man with the inability to let go and love fully with all his heart. When we talk about walls up to protect the heart, Aiden is the poster child for that. He did a really good job hiding his insecurities, but he used those walls to hold everyone at an arm's length too. I just wanted to hug him!! I could feel him warring with himself between staying unaffected by Cami's love and wanting to protect himself and having to pull back. I know it must have been hard, given everything he'd been through, but that mental argument was very valid and very hard to watch him wade through.

"Love came with pain and rejection."

I love a woman that can unknowingly bring a man to his knees and nurture and love so hard, that he has no choice but to give in to his fears. Cami was such a good woman for Aiden, but I feel like she may get lost in the excitement of my love for Aiden. I mean, I know I loved Aiden and I could talk about how perfect he was but I also know that I loved the emotion that Cami had. The strength and subsequent pain she had while trying to love Aiden? I think Melanie nailed that emotional turmoil perfectly! I felt her excitement, but I wallowed in her pain. I really liked the dynamic that these two had and that pushed the story forward.

"Smart, funny, and gorgeous, she was difficult to resist."

Melanie has a really good outline and story for this series, and the nice thing is, it's easy to follow and read. I don't want to undermine this statement because I really am enjoying this series and will continue with it, but I have to admit I had a hard time with the drama in this book. To have something harrowing happening to every heroine just to be saved in each book is a little draining sometimes. I know these things happen in the public in general, but for them to happen to the same circle of friends? The drama is obviously different with each story, but I just don't like the create-a-drama romance just so the heroine can be saved. However, as crazy as the antagonist was in this book, it actually worked with the story so I was getting caught up in everything happening. While some of it was predictable, I was actually looking forward to seeing how it all came together. While this book wavered between a 3.5 and a 4 star read for me, by the end I settled on a 4 because of how it wrapped up. I really, really enjoyed this book, overall, and am looking forward to reading Maddox!

This book was a great addition to the series, and connecting with Bentley, Aiden, and Maddox again just made me smile. I got quite a bit of giggles with their banter while they hung out, and being able to catch up a little with Bentley and Emmy was pure sweetness. I smiled a lot during this book. A lot. As damaged as Aiden was, this book made me fall that much deeper in love with him so I can and will easily recommend this book. Oh, and that cover? Matched Aiden to a "T". Sexy and strong with a side of badassery mixed in. I love when a cover matches the man on the inside....so perfectly, I might add. Aiden will hold a soft spot in my heart for many books to come.

"He had a damaged soul, and as much as I wanted to help him, he had to want that from me."
~BEE


PURCHASE BENTLEY HERE: AMAZON

PURCHASE AIDEN HERE: AMAZON

PREORDER MADDOX HERE: AMAZON




~MEET MELANIE L. MORELAND~
New York Times/USA Today bestselling author Melanie Moreland, lives a happy and content life in a quiet area of Ontario with her beloved husband of twenty-seven-plus years and their rescue cat, Amber. Nothing means more to her than her friends and family, and she cherishes every moment spent with them. 

While seriously addicted to coffee, and highly challenged with all things computer-related and technical, she relishes baking, cooking, and trying new recipes for people to sample. She loves to throw dinner parties, and also enjoys travelling, but finds coming home is always the best part of any trip. 

Melanie loves stories, especially paired with a good wine, and enjoys skydiving (free falling over a fleck of dust) extreme snowboarding (falling down stairs) and piloting her own helicopter (tripping over her own feet.) She's learned happily ever-afters, even bumpy ones, are all in how you tell the story.

~CONNECT WITH MELANIE~

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