Spotlight: A Love Stolen by Ella Jade @ellajade1 @Shades_of_Rose

A Love Stolen
by Ella Jade

Can time forgive the mistakes of the past?

After a six year absence, Lila Crofton has returned to her hometown of Steeple to bury her father. Hopefully she can avoid Trevor Matheson, her ex-boyfriend, long enough to take care of her business and get back to the city. With everything she's dealing with the last thing she needs is to run into the man who betrayed her and broke her heart.

Recently divorced Sheriff Trevor Matheson is picking up the pieces of his life. When his high school sweetheart, Lila, returns to Steeple, Trevor sees it as a sign. He's getting over a failed marriage and she's grieving the loss of her dad. They need one another. The timing couldn't be more perfect. But can they move past the events that tore them apart six years ago?

Is there a second chance in their future, or is their stolen love gone forever?

Content Warning: contains graphic sex and strong language

Note: This book has been previously published.

Excerpt:

As Trevor helped Lila up the porch steps, she wrapped her arms around his neck and brushed her lips against his jaw. She hadn't taken her hands off him since they'd left Tate's.

"I love to feel your stubble." She ran her fingers along his cheek. "It's sexy."

"Keys?" He held out his hand and waited as she dug through her bag. She had him rock hard and ready to go. The fact that she'd rested her hand on his thigh the whole ride home hadn't helped matters. It was the alcohol lowering her inhibitions, but that didn't make it any easier not to respond.

"Here they are." She dropped them into his hand. "Come inside with me."

He opened the door and led her into the foyer. As soon as he let her go, she stumbled forward. He caught her by the waist and pulled her against him. He couldn't take his eyes away from her lips.

"Do you want to kiss me?" Her warm breath caressed his mouth.

More than you know.

"Let me help you upstairs. I don't want you to fall down the steps." He scooped her up and carried her to the staircase. She was so light and dainty. She was still his perfect fit.

"You didn't answer my question." She placed soft, open-mouth kisses along his neck as he made his way to her old bedroom. He remembered sneaking up those steps many times, while her father slept down the hall. They still creaked, but this time he didn't have to worry about getting caught.

"Of course I want to kiss you." He pushed the door open with his shoulder and set her down by the bed.

She closed her eyes and leaned into him. He swiped the hair from her face, took her chin between his fingers, and placed a chaste kiss on her lips.

She opened one eye and peered at him, waiting for more. "That's it?" Disappointment flooded her beautiful features.

"For tonight." He tapped the tip of her nose with his finger. "I want you to remember when I kiss you."

"I'll remember." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're not easy to forget."

He pried her arms from his body. "Believe me, I want to, but not tonight."

"Why?"

"Because four hours ago you ran away from me," he said. "Something made you run. Tell me why." He may not have wanted to take advantage of her physically while she was intoxicated, but he didn't see why he couldn't let her drunken lips tell him what she was afraid of.

"I can't."

"You can't what?" He needed to know what she thought about the two of them.

"I'm tired now." She lifted her dress over her head and tossed it in the corner of the room. She stood before him in nothing but her white push-up bra and matching lace thong.

"Hell." He couldn't take his eyes off her toned, tanned body. He mindlessly licked his lips when he discovered her rose-colored nipples poking through the thin, silky material of her bra. Struggling with himself, he tried not to lower his gaze. He lost the battle as he greedily took in her scantily covered sex.

"Want to kiss me now?" She ran her fingers down her neck and over her breasts. "Want to touch me like this?" She moved her hand down her stomach and to the waistband of her panties.

He stepped closer to her and grabbed her wrist. He had to get her to stop or he'd lose all control.

"You want to do it?"

Buy Links: Beachwalk Press

About the Author:

Ella Jade has been writing for as long as she can remember. As a child, she often had a notebook and pen with her, and now as an adult, the laptop is never far. The plots and dialogue have always played out in her head, but she never knew what to do with them. That all changed when she discovered the eBook industry. She started penning novels at a rapid pace and now she can't be stopped.

Ella resides in New Jersey with her husband and two young boys. When she's not chasing after her kids, she's busy writing, attending PTO meetings, kickboxing, and scrapbooking. She hopes you'll get lost in her words.

Author Links: Site Facebook Author Page Twitter

Giveaway:

Ella is giving away to a lucky winner and eBook off her backlist. And to five runners up Swag packs!

For a chance to win please fill out the rafflecopter below.

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Review of Heart of Mercy By C.C. Marks @CherieMarks

Heart of Mercy
The Mercy Series #2
By C.C. Marks

Goodreads Summary:

Charlie Little exists in a dangerous world. Her best chance of survival is to disguise herself as a boy and guard her secrets well. Yet just when things can’t possibly get worse, they spin completely out of control.

With Zeke and her sister Star by her side and the fresh memory of Thomas’s kiss still on her lips, she narrowly escapes the horrid plans of Jonas Bannon, a monster of a human being. Forfeiting the safety of the community, they leave and begin the search for the city of Mercy, the one secure place Charlie knows. However, as she struggles to reach her sanctuary, doubts creep in that anywhere is truly safe. If the Draghoul don’t get them, the human scavengers just might, and the assumption Mercy is a place of protection could be the most dangerous risk of all.

Amazon Smashwords Goodreads

Excerpt:

 

Sleeping soundly just wasn’t an option. I woke almost every hour. A couple times, I went to the door of the locked room and looked through the dingy window. Zeke slept fitfully as sweat poured down his face and neck, soaking his clothing. At one point, weakness nearly overcame me, and I wrapped my fingers around the cool metal of the key, reached for the lock with shaking hands, but stopped. I forced myself to lie back down and not think about the infection coursing through Zeke’s body, changing him forever into something unrecognizable, like my mother, like Snap’s mother, and so many other people.  

Light streamed through the upper window before I opened my eyes again, and the events of yesterday came rushing back to the forefront of my mind. I brought my hands up and covered my face as the emotions came too. I felt so guilty. So very, very guilty. I’d tried to save Zeke but had doomed him to a horrible death instead. How much worse could it get?

My Review:

I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.

Charlie Little has a secret that she must keep hidden. Charlie's secret is that she is a girl. But everyone thinks she is a boy. Charlie had to disguise herself has a boy in order to survive. If anyone finds out that she is a girl she will be thrown out of the Community. But Thomas and Zeke will do whatever it takes to keep her alive even if it means putting their own selves at risk or die trying. When the leader of the community Jonas Bannon finds out Charlie's secret she is forced to leave and go outside the walls of the community where the Draghoul or the undead are. Draghoul are monsters that were once human. They have long claws for finger nails and razor sharp teeth. They go into hiding during the day but at night they come out to feed on the living. The one thing you don't want is never ever get bitten or scratched by a Draghoul if you don't want to become one of them.

Charlie, Zeke and Star (Charlie's baby sister) all head out to find a safe place to live. They are trying to find a place called Mercy. Charlie believes that Mercy is their only hope and they will be safe from all of the monsters. They believe that at Mercy they will find a cure for the virus that turns people into Draghoul when they die. But once outside the walls of the community they find out real quick like that the Draghoul are not the only monsters that they have to worry about. There are humans out there that will kill them just as fast as or faster than a Draghoul if they are not careful.

All Charlie wants is to get Star and Zeke to Mercy where they will be safe and they will not have to worry about where their next meal is coming from or worry about the Draghoul or the bad people either. Charlie will protect them both with her own life. She also wants to bring help to all the people they left behind at the community as well especially Thomas. Charlie cares about Thomas a whole lot. Charlie is in love with Thomas but she is afraid that she may never see him again. Thomas has known from day one that Charlie was a girl and not a boy but he never told anyone not even his own father. He knew if he told then Charlie would be sent back to the outside. Women are not allowed inside the community.

About a year ago I was searching for something on the internet and I ran across this website that had this short story eBook that I could download for free. This book was called Mercy. After reading the summary I just had to give it a try and I am so glad I did. While I loved the short story called Mercy it was not long enough and I wanted to know more about Charlie and how she came to be at the community and about the Draghoul as well. Luckily I did not have to wait too long before Cherie contacted me about reading the first book in The Mercy Series. Can you image how ecstatic I was to hear that I was going to get to find out more about Charlie and her little sister Star?

I have truly 100% loved reading about Charlie, Zeke, Thomas and little Star and can't wait to read more. If you love reading apocalyptic books then you will love the new/different twist that C.C. Marks has put on the walking dead people in The Mercy Series. If you have not read any of this series yet then I recommend that you do and while you would probably want to start with Edge of Mercy I do suggest that you read the short story Mercy as well as it is a great read that won't take you long to read and is well worth it. So why don't you go pick up your copies today and follow along with Charlie, Star, Thomas and Zeke on their journey with the undead.

About The Author:

It all started with an old fashioned typewriter. When my family brought it home, I knew what I wanted to do. All those stories rolling around in my head could finally get out. The press and click of the keys were satisfying in their own right, but when I pulled out a finished page, I knew this was for me. Since then, I 've graduated to a laptop, but the stories still find a way out.

I’m a breast cancer survivor, a teacher, a wife, a mother, and from the very beginning—a storyteller. Always a hint humorous and honest to a fault, I love to make people laugh, smile, and have “a-ha” moments. My goal in life is to achieve tact and stop procrastinating. The battle wages on.

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Review of Range of Mercy By C.C. Marks @CherieMarks

Range of Mercy
By C.C. Marks

Goodreads Summary:

Thomas's side of the story.

Saving the world on a daily basis didn’t make you a hero. Thomas Morgan knew that much from experience. The hard decisions he was forced to make weren’t pretty and not all that heroic. He was the one who did whatever it took to maintain security. Each day he climbed into the guard tower and kept the microcosm that was the community safe from Draghoul, the once-human monsters that attacked every night. More importantly, he watched out for the vulnerable, especially Charlie and her sister Star.

Charlie disguised herself as a boy, but Thomas knew the truth, and though she wasn’t aware and though it put them all in danger, he kept her secret from the others. Reality was harsh in this unmerciful world, and if Jonas Bannon ever figured out the truth, Charlie didn’t stand a chance against the schemes of the self-appointed leader. Doing the right thing didn't make Thomas a hero. But it did keep him human, and it did put him in range of mercy.

Amazon

Excerpt:

It didn’t take long though for the truth to sink in. The look on her face said everything. She understood how they would use her, and it obviously turned her stomach as much as mine.

The sound of my boots echoed on the wooden platform as I crossed back to her. Everything deep inside me said this was the moment to tell her. No more hesitation. I set the weapon against the wall, gripped her arms in my hands, and whispered, "No one will find out, Charlie. That won't happen to Star...or to you."

Our gazes locked, and I pulled a hand free to wipe away a tear sliding down her cheek. A place in my chest squeezed sympathetically, knowing how scared she clearly was. But now she understood I knew the truth and that I meant her no harm. Time seemed to slow and the air felt heavy as I waited for her to acknowledge my confession. But she didn’t.

At first I stood in silent confusion. I’d expected immediate denials or questions, but she gave neither. Instead, she looked…well, she looked relieved. Maybe, like me, she’d felt the awkwardness and danger in constantly holding onto a secret only you knew, and she was thankful not to have to pretend any longer. I had to admit, I felt like we’d crossed a wide chasm and met somewhere in the middle. I no longer felt so alone.

My Review:

Thomas always tried to do what was right and follow all the rules. But sometimes times you had to break some rules and do bad things or things that others may have thought was wrong in order to keep people safe and alive. Thomas didn't like doing the things that he had to do or hurting anyone but he did the best that he could or the best he knew how. He was always looking out for the less fortunate and taking up for the ones that could take care of themselves or needed a little help along the way.

Charlie was a girl pretending to be a boy. She had to pretend to be a boy or she would get sent back outside the walls of the community with the monsters and be eaten alive. Charlie kept her identity a secret in order to survive. She thought no one knew her secret but Thomas knew her secret and had known since the day Zeke brought her inside the walls of the community along with her baby sister Star. Thomas cared for Charlie as a man cared for a woman and was determined to do whatever was necessary to keep her safe and alive.

Charlie tried so hard to keep her emotions in check and not let anyone see or know that she was afraid. She had to always stay on guard with her feelings and the way she acted to keep anyone especially Jonas Bannon their leader from finding out that she was a female. Things could turn out very bad for Charlie if anyone but especially him ever found out the truth about who Charlie really was.

I have really loved reading all of the Mercy books. But I am not real fund of the world that Charlie lives in. It is a male's world and the women have no place in it. The males give up all of their women so that they can stay alive. Although they are trying to find a cure for the virus the world cannot go on without both male and female. It takes both to keep the world going. Life will not continue without both a man and a woman. What are these men all thinking and where is their hearts at to send all the women away so they can live. Why would they not protect them? What gives them the right to think they can play god?

About The Author:

It all started with an old fashioned typewriter. When my family brought it home, I knew what I wanted to do. All those stories rolling around in my head could finally get out. The press and click of the keys were satisfying in their own right, but when I pulled out a finished page, I knew this was for me. Since then, I 've graduated to a laptop, but the stories still find a way out.

I’m a breast cancer survivor, a teacher, a wife, a mother, and from the very beginning—a storyteller. Always a hint humorous and honest to a fault, I love to make people laugh, smile, and have “a-ha” moments. My goal in life is to achieve tact and stop procrastinating. The battle wages on.

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