Blog Tour + Review + #Giveaway: Nine Candles of Deepest Black by Matthew S. Cox @mscox_fiction @XpressoTours

Nine Candles of Deepest Black
Matthew S. Cox
Published by: Curiosity Quills Press
Publication date: September 15th 2016
Genres: Horror, Paranormal, Young Adult

She saw it coming. She knew it would happen―but no one believed her.

Almost a year after tragedy shattered her family, sixteen-year-old Paige Thomas can’t break free from her guilt. Her mother ignores her, doting on her annoying little sister, while her father is a barely-functioning shell. He hopes a move to the quiet little town of Shadesboro PA will help them heal, but Paige doesn’t believe in happiness anymore.

On her first day at school, a chance encounter with a bullied eighth grader reawakens a gift Paige had forgotten, and ingratiates her into a pack of local outcasts. For weeks, they’ve been trying to cast a ritual to fulfill their innermost desires, but all they’ve done is waste time. After witnessing Paige touch the Ouija board and trigger a paranormal event, the girls are convinced another try with their new fifth member will finally work.

Once the darkness is unleashed, it’s not long before they learn it will give them exactly what they asked for―whether they want it or not.

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My Review:

Have you ever heard that old saying “be careful what you ask for”? Haven’t we all. Well that is what Nine Candles of Deepest Black is about or that is what I get from it. Five girls do a little witchcraft and ask for something they want. Oh and they do get it just maybe not in the way they wanted. But you have to be very careful when messing with dark magic.

A sixteen year old, Paige Thomas and her family move to a small town after the death of her older sister hoping that it will be quieter and they can hopefully move on with their lives. Paige is the middle child and thinks she is invisible to her mom and dad and that they don’t care for her. Since the death of her sister Amber her dad is very depressed and her mother only dotes on her little sister Melissa.

Paige has never had any friends of her own but on her first day at her new school she meets a group of misfit girls whom she becomes fast friends with and they are Mackenize, Renee, Santana and Sofia. These girls like playing around with witchcraft but so far have not had anything to happen but after an encounter with an Ouija board they decide that Paige is their fifth person and she can help them with a spell.

This one little spell causes them more problems than any of them ever thought possible. People are turning up dead and Paige is running her butt off trying to keep all these people safe. I guess they learnt real quickly to be careful what you ask for. As I always say you have to pick your words wisely sometimes in order not to say something that is not your story to tell or not to lie.

Oh man I have truly loved and enjoyed reading Nine Candles of Deepest Black. I kept picturing everything in my mind as if I was watching a movie. From the beginning to the end I kept seeing me and my family sitting in front of the tv watching it on the big screen. I love horror movies, tv shows, books ect… and I would definitely watch Nine Candles of Deepest Black on the big screen. I think anyone who loves horror or even a good story would love Nine Candles of Deepest Black. This is not the first book my Matthew S. Cox that I have read and it won’t be the last. 

Author Bio:
Born in a little town known as South Amboy NJ in 1973, Matthew has been creating science fiction and fantasy worlds for most of his reasoning life. Somewhere between fifteen to eighteen of them spent developing the world in which Division Zero, Virtual Immortality, and The Awakened Series take place. He has several other projects in the works as well as a collaborative science fiction endeavor with author Tony Healey.
Hobbies and Interests:
Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom systems (Chronicles of Eldrinaath [Fantasy] and Divergent Fates [Sci Fi], and a fan of anime, British humour ( 

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Nine Candles of Deepest Black

by Matthew S. Cox

Giveaway ends September 30, 2016.
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Book Tour + Review + #Giveaway: FRENCH FRIES WITH A SIDE OF GUYS by Rebekah L. Purdy @RebekahLPurdy @SwoonRomance

French Fries with a Side of Guys

Author: Rebekah L. Purdy

Genre: YA Romance

Blurb:

Payton Carter is one of six kids (all of which are named after famous football players), not to mention the only girl in the Carter household. With this much testosterone and no mother, it’s no wonder she’s absolutely clueless when it comes to makeup, dances, and talking to guys she’s crushing on. And now she’s about ready to start her freshman year of high school, which is nerve wrenching enough, but when she ends up running into her crush, Chance Montgomery, at her dad’s sports restaurant, she finds out that the quarterback for their rival team is moving to Aller Falls. This is nothing short of fate.

Payton realizes she has to find a way to impress Chance and get him to ask her out or at least know she’s interested in him—preferably without dropping a plateful of fries on his head, like she did last time. After taking her two oldest brothers’ advice, she decides to go out for the freshman football team, figuring that between practices and games she and her crush will surely be able to talk. And maybe talking will lead to something more permanent or at least to a first kiss. Only this plan backfires in ways she never imagined, when she beats Chance Montgomery out of the starting quarterback position. Now not only does she make him the laughing stock of the team, but also has to figure out how to avoid the snotty cheerleaders, a traitor best friend, not to mention winning games for her team. Too bad this is just the beginning of her freshman year.

Excerpt:

“Hey, pumpkin,” her dad called out, hurrying across the field to talk to her. “You nervous yet?”

Nervous? That was an understatement. But she pasted a smile on her face. “A little, but I’m ready.” She cracked her knuckles then attempted to slow her breathing, which in no way did anything to calm her.

“Hey, what are you Carters doing here?” The coach jogged over. “I thought you didn’t have another one due to come up until next year?”

“Hi ya, Bill, actually my little girl is trying out.” Dad grinned from ear to ear, giving the Cheshire Cat a run for his money. “She’s tough as nails and has a pretty good arm on her.”

Coach Youngman’s face went slightly purple, as he seemed to choke on his words. “Mr. Carter, may I have a word?” His eyes were pretty close to bulging out of his head, and Payton watched her father’s smile fade as he followed after Coach Youngman.

Great. This definitely didn’t bode well for her. Already she saw some of the other guys watching the interaction. Payton couldn’t hear a word her dad and Coach Youngman were saying, but her father’s wild hand motions told her all she needed to know. She probably wasn’t welcomed on the team.

“Don’t worry. Dad will set him straight.” Marino nudged her arm as if sensing her distress. “Besides, you’re a Carter, he’d be insane to turn you away.”

She nodded but knew there were some battles her brothers and dad couldn’t fight for her. She’d have to show the coach how good she was on the field. Well, if she was given the chance.

After a few minutes, Coach Youngman came back over with her dad and gave Payton a forced smile. “We’ll be glad to have her. If she’s got the right moves, she’ll have a place on the team.”

It seemed to Payton that the word “if” was getting a bit more emphasis than the rest of the words in the sentence, and she suddenly wondered if she’d even make the cut.

Marino slapped her on the backside. “Don’t worry about anything. You’ll be great. You’ve got this.”

She watched as the rest of her brothers came in, all of them standing around waiting to see what she could do. It almost made her more nervous, because that meant a bigger audience if she screwed up.

“Just look to the sideline if you need us. We’ll give you some helpful gestures.” Rice held up his middle finger.

Payton socked him in the arm. “Sometimes you’re a douche bag, you know that?” Knowing she couldn’t prolong it any longer, she ran out onto the field. 

My Review:

What is a girl to do when the guy she has a major crush on moves to her home town and starts going to her school? How does she get this guy to notice her? Oh did I mention that he is a football player? Yeah he played for their rival school and he was the quarterback. So what does a girl do in a situation of this nature? Well she goes out for the football team of course. Payton Carter has had a crush on Chance Montgomery since like forever?

Payton maybe a girl but she knows what she is doing when it comes to football. Payton has five brothers and they are all named after famous football players herself included. Payton’s dad is a big football fan and owns his own restaurant. All of Payton’s brothers have played football for their school and are very good. So needless to say Payton has played football with her family for as long as she can remember. They lost her mother when Payton was just a little girl.

Payton’s brothers all encourage her to go out for the football team that way she can spend a lot more time with her crush Chance and hopefully get him to at least notice her. Oh she gets him to notice her alright. When she tries out for the team she goes for the quarterback position and she beats out her crush. She makes the team alright but her little plan has now backfired on her. Chance doesn’t seem to want anything to do with her now after being beaten by a girl. She has succeeded in making him the laughing stock of the school. So what is a girl to do? What does she do now?

When I first ran across French Fries With A Side of Guys it really caught my eye but I was like this is not my favorite genre besides I don’t have time to read it. I am not even a big fan of football either. But I kept seeing it pop up all over the place and it stayed on my mine. Then the next thing I know I was looking for it. The next time I saw it up for review I jumped on it. I just had to read it and boy am I glad I did because I absolutely loved it! I laughed and I cried at times and I even cheered for the Tigers! I really liked cheering for the Tigers it was like being back in school myself cheering for my alma mater. Go Tigers!

I really liked being there with Payton and her team mates when they were playing in a game I kind of felt as if I was there with them playing too. All of the character seemed so real just how a lot of kids in high school would probably act. The characters were all amazing well with the exception of a few that is. Some you wanted to pick up and give them a hug but then there were some you would love to punch in the face.

If you have not read French Fries With A Side of Fries then let me suggest that you do. It is a fun and awesome read. It will pull you in right from the start and won’t let go even when you have read the last page. It will stay with you for a long time to come. 

Author Bio

Rebekah was born and raised in Michigan where she spent many late nights armed with a good book and a flashlight. She’s lived in Michigan most of her life other than the few years she spent in the U.S. Army. At which time she got a chance to experience Missouri, Kansas, South Carolina, and California. Rebekah has a business degree from University of Phoenix and currently works full time for the court system. In her free time she writes YA stories, anything from YA Fantasy to YA Contemporary Romance. Rebekah also has a big family (6 kids) she likes to consider her family as the modern day Brady Bunch complete with crazy road trips and game nights. When not hiding at her computer, Rebekah enjoys reading, singing, soccer, swimming, football, camping, playing video games, traveling, and hanging out with her family and gazillion pets.

 

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Blog Tour + Giveaway: The Art of Rebellion by Brenda Joyce Leahy @BrendaJoyceLeah @chapterxchapter @rebelightbooks

The Art of Rebellion by Brenda Joyce Leahy

Publication Date:  June 15, 2016

Publisher:  Rebelight Publishing

Art is Gabrielle's passion, but her parents have other plans for her future-marriage to a man three times her age who holds nothing but disdain for art. Gabrielle is determined to escape life as the baron's trophy wife and the confinement of traditional roles. She flees her privileged home in the French countryside for Paris and the grandmother who understands her passion. When she cannot locate her grandmother, Gabrielle is left on her own in the City of Lights. The art world of Paris, 1900, brims with excitement, opportunity, and risk. Should Gabrielle trust her new friends, or will they take advantage of her hopes and dreams?

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Excerpt:

A shrill blast of the train’s whistle jolted through me. I ran through a veil of steam and scrambled up the rail car steps, my heart thudding in a prayer of thanks for slipping away unnoticed.

I ducked inside, quickly found my seat, and settled my art box and bags beneath it, my parasol on the seat beside me. My eyes were drawn to the window. The early morning light revealed a handful of people on the platform waving farewell. I turned away. No one would be out there to wish me a safe journey. I’d made sure of that.

A loud thump on the panel behind my head informed me the adjoining compartment was occupied. Children argued loudly over where to sit and a thin, tired woman’s voice begged for quiet.

I smoothed my blue kid gloves, a secret parting gift from my older sister Nacia. She alone was privy to my plans. My blue felt hat, speared into submission by Grand-mère’s hat pin—six inches of sterling silver topped with a crimson cloisonné bead—hopefully created the impression of a young woman much older than sixteen years. I tucked my undesirably large feet, pinched into fashionable heeled slippers, under a froth of petticoats and skirts and waited nervously for the train to depart.

Despite the early hour, a slick line of sweat snaked a path between my shoulder blades and dampened my corset laces. Was sneaking away like a thief in the night a mistake? I glanced out the window once more, for it might be the last I saw of Laval.

The clouds of steam thinned, and I locked eyes with a tall, imposing woman wearing an outrageous hat of stuffed birds.

I gasped. Madame Dupont, the worst gossip among Maman’s society friends.

Her eyes widened. She took a few steps forward but an attendant blocked her path as he stopped to assist a woman overloaded with baggage. Madame Dupont tilted one way then another, craning her neck as she searched me out.

I flinched and turned away. When I dared look again, she was gone. No doubt she would rush to spread the scandalous news: Sebastian and Désirée’s youngest daughter rode the express train bound for Paris—without a chaperone.

With a deep breath, I shoved Madame DuPont to the back of my mind. I could not stop her. There was no going back.

I pulled a creased envelope out of my purse and stroked it for courage. It held Grand-mère’s photograph and an address acquired only recently. An address in the capital. Paris. The very word promised the fulfillment of every wish.

One more whistle, and the sharp grinding of iron wheels on the rails signalled our departure. Just as the train shuddered and began to leave the station, a man boarded the car. He stuck his head into my compartment and gestured to the empty bench across from me. “I believe this is my seat, mademoiselle.”

I nodded sharply, trying to disguise my dismay. I’d paid extra to have the compartment to myself. That cheat of a ticket seller!

The stranger stowed his bags on the rack above, setting his top hat beside them with care. He sat down and snapped open a newspaper. Every now and then, he let the paper drop and peered at me over his wire-rimmed spectacles. I averted my gaze each time, but not before sneaking my own look at him.

He appeared to be in his mid-twenties, about the same age as my older brother, Charles. His suit wasn’t custom tailored, yet he held himself with the same dignity as any high-born gentleman. Even behind spectacles, his cobalt blue eyes exuded a notably intense hue. Clean-shaven with a slim build and broad shoulders, he looked strong and athletic. As a caricature, he would make a fine thoroughbred horse, albeit one with a jagged scar spoiling his facial features.

Brenda Joyce Leahy has travelled to France five times but finds there’s always more explorations awaiting her. She loves historical fiction and thinks she was born a century too late but can’t imagine her life without computers or cell phones. So, perhaps, she arrived in the world at just the right moment to tell this story.

She grew up on a farm near Taber, Alberta but now lives with her family near the Rocky Mountains in Calgary, Alberta. After over 20 years practising law, she has returned to her first love of writing fiction. She is a member of several writing organizations, including the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI): her profile there is http://www.scbwi.org/members-public/brenda-johnson-2. The Art of Rebellion is also profiled on the Humber School of Writers’ website at http://creativearts.humber.ca/programs/school-writers/published-books. Brenda is also a member of the Historical Novel Society: http://www.historicalnovelsociety.org, and leads a YA/MG writers’ critique group in Calgary.

The Art of Rebellion is her first Young Adult novel, published by Rebelight Publishing, spring 2016.

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Giveaway: 

·        Two (2) winners will received a physical copy of The Art of Rebellion by Brenda Joyce Leahy (US/Canada)

·        Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of The Art of Rebellion by Brenda Joyce Leahy (INT)

Ends September 30, 2016

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Book Blitz + #Giveaway: Stadium of Lights by Tia Lewis @authortialewis @XpressoTours

Stadium of Lights: A Second Chance Sports Romance
Tia Lewis
Publication date: September 19th 2016
Genres: New Adult, Romance, Sports

He can’t help claiming her. But can he love her?

Max Anderson enjoys all the perks of being a star NFL quarterback―including the women. He has no intention of changing his carefree, hard-loving lifestyle … until a twist of fate reunites him with the girl he knew growing up.

Abby Morrison has worked hard to become a physical therapist. She knows she needs to keep things professional with Max — but the truth is, she’s always loved him. Back then, she hid it. Now, it’s not so easy.

As they rekindle their friendship, the heat between them is impossible to ignore. Soon it flares out of control, and the fallout threatens to ruin everything. Can they salvage a future together … or will the consequences wreck their lives?

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—

EXCERPT:

I thought back to all the times she had stood by and watched me with my many girlfriends and hookups. Whenever I had a problem with any of them, I’d ask her what to do since she was a girl. I never once thought of her the way I thought of them, not once. And when I met her again, that same old image was in my head. The dorky, geeky girl with glasses who always bumped into things and knocked them over, who didn’t have any friends except for me. When the other kids would ask why I was friends with her, I could never explain why. It was probably because of that early friendship, back when we were little kids. I couldn’t just drop her because she wasn’t cool. She was my little sis.

My little sis had grown up, but I made her cry when I reminded her of the girl she used to be. How stupid! I finally understood why she had cried the day before. I kept thinking of her as the old girl, who she obviously hated. I wouldn’t let her be the new person she’d become. I was so blind.
It was actually sort of funny, watching the guys trade places just so they could sit with her. When Trey got up for another plate, Joe took his place. Brett took Randy’s place. On and on, and Abby just kept drinking her wine and laughing and having fun. I just kept watching to see who would ask to take her home.
The time came around nine o’clock when we’d all stuffed ourselves. Abby stood up from the table, a little wobbly. I swooped in, waiting for her to decide it was time to go.
“Come on. I’ll take you home,” I murmured, taking her by the elbow. She looked up at me.
“No,” she murmured.
“What?”
“No. I don’t want you to take me home. Now will you move?”
“Wait. Slow down.”
“I want somebody else, Max. Now move.”
“Who?”
“Anybody. It doesn’t matter. Just not you.” She shook me off—thank God we’d both been whispering, or practically, because it didn’t seem like anybody else noticed. I followed her out the door to the restaurant’s entrance.
“You can’t drive in this condition,” I warned her.
“Then I’ll get a cab. You can leave now.” She glared at me, her cheeks flushed.
“What?”
“You ruined it. You always ruin it.”
“How the hell did I ruin anything?”
She looked back into the restaurant, frowning. “I was having fun. People were talking to me, seeing me, liking me. And you had to take over like you always do.”
My car pulled up in front of us, and I took the keys from the valet. “Come on. I’ll drive you home, and we can talk about it on the way.” I practically threw her into the car before she could curse me out, then got in myself. Once I locked the doors from my side, she couldn’t open them.
“What the fuck Max!” She slapped the dashboard, then sank into her seat with a groan. “I was having fun. I was about to get laid, damn it!”
I bit my tongue until I calmed down. “By whom?”
“I don’t know! What did it matter? I was gonna get some for me, for once. And you won’t let me. I have to always be there for you, but you can never be there for me. You couldn’t just let me enjoy myself. No, you probably wanted to tell me all about your stupid fucking cheerleader girlfriend and ask me what you should do about her!” There was so much venom in her voice. She hated me.
I pulled over to the shoulder of the road. “What are you doing?” she asked. I unbuckled my belt without saying a word, then turned to her.
“You wanna know why I wanted to take you home?” I reached out, grabbing her by the shoulders. I pulled her to me before she could push me away and crushed my mouth against hers.
She only fought me for a split second before giving in. She sighed, relaxing, and I wrapped my arms around her. Her lips were so sweet, soft and yielding. When I slid my tongue between them, they opened to give me better access. I tasted the inside of her mouth, taking my time. This girl who had been my friend for so long, and she was right—I’d used her in a way. This girl who was always there for me without asking anything in return. This sexy, incredible girl.
The kiss deepened, with her tongue dancing alongside mine. She wrapped her arms around my neck, almost growling. Sounding hungry, desperate. I ran one of my hands over her body, listening to the way the breath caught in her throat. She whined a little, pressing against me, and when I made contact with her tits she moaned into my mouth.
By the time the kiss ended, we were both breathless. Her eyes were wide, stunned.
“That’s why,” I whispered, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Author Bio:
Want to be kept up to date on new releases? Text LEWIS to 31996 or go to: www.NextBookRelease.com
Tia Lewis is a romance author from the Midwest who writes about smart, sexy, sassy women and hot, possessive alpha males. Her favorite bad boys to write about include sports players, mafia, bikers, billionaires and the bad-ass next door. You can find her cooking, reading, or traveling when she’s not busy working on her next release. 

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Book Blitz + #Giveaway: Anything You Ask Of Me by Heather Curley @Heather_Curley @XpressoReads

Anything You Ask Of Me
Heather Curley
Publication date: July 31st 2016
Genres: Historical, New Adult

Although her home state of Maryland hasn’t sworn allegiance to either Union or Confederacy, twenty-two-year-old Elizabeth Archer’s life is shattered. Her father has fled North, abandoning the household. The man she loved—and who married her sister instead— is killed in battle. Elizabeth’s life of parties and societal obligations dwindles down to isolation and too many empty hours; hours to mourn the man who gave her up to chase an inheritance.

She meets Confederate general Jeb Stuart by chance and, in an instant, she’s the center of his attention.

As commander of the Army of Northern Virginia’s cavalry division, General Stuart doesn’t ask, he orders. The attraction seems mutual and, flattered by his affection, Elizabeth agrees to spy for the Confederacy. She’s Stuart’s La Belle Rebelle, the Beautiful Rebel; the siren of the south. She’s notorious in the Union and lauded in the Confederacy. And she’s falling in love with him.

Notoriety, however, is a spy’s worst enemy. Now pursued by a Federal officer tasked to stop her at any cost, Elizabeth faces the sentence of hanging if she’s convicted of treason against the Union. Devoted to a cause she doesn’t believe in and with Federal blood on her hands, Elizabeth must save herself—or die a traitor.

Time is running out. And no one, not even La Belle Rebelle, can outrun the war.

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—

EXCERPT:

He stood alone in the parlor, examining a horrendous portrait of her mother that Sarah insisted be left above the fireplace. Hat hooked over his first two fingers, he tapped it against his leg with a certain sense of idleness common in someone tired of waiting.

“It is not a decent likeness of my mother.” She tilted her head toward the portrait. “Maybe in the eyes, but the artist was paid far greater than his ability deserved.”
“It does me well to see you again, Miss Archer.” He smiled and bowed slightly.
“It is a pleasure to be in your company again, General Stuart.” He wasn’t much taller than she, enough that she had to tilt her chin up to look him in the face, but there was something intimidating about him. Perhaps it was his broad shoulders, or the cut of his uniform. She wasn’t entirely sure, but he made it hard to keep her wits. “Did you fare well in Virginia?”
“I always do.” He held her hand a moment, then pressed her knuckles to his lips. “Although, I must say I much prefer the company I find in Maryland.”
“You only say that now. It will be a less desirable place if the Yankees decide to return.” She flushed.
“Do you anticipate their return?”
“Should I?”
He chuckled, looking much younger when he laughed. She couldn’t imagine he was that much older than her. Not that it mattered. “I do believe they would find fierce resistance in you, Miss Archer, should they attempt to cross the threshold of this fine home.”
“When my father left, he certainly did not leave behind a coward.” Heat filled her cheeks. He still hadn’t let go of her hand.
“I wasn’t aware your father had left.”
“He relocated to the North when the war started.” She glanced away from him. The act was more than just leaving; he’d fled as fast as he could and never once looked back. “Said he wanted to preserve his business interests.”
“I should think leaving you behind is a decision he will regret but once,” he kissed her hand again, “and that will be continually.”
She smiled and looked back to his curiously bluish green eyes. His gaze was direct, much too steady to be appropriate.
She liked that.
A rustle behind her drew her attention.
Sarah, mouth pursed in so tight a line her lips nearly disappeared. “Martha has finished the noon time dinner preparation, General Stuart, if you’d care to follow me.” Her glare switched to Elizabeth. “Miss Archer.”
“Mrs. Cooke.”
Sarah narrowed her eyes in response, then flounced from the parlor. Her heavy footsteps echoed down the hallway.
Elizabeth bit back a giggle and glanced at General Stuart. “As the notable Mr. Shakespeare wrote in, As You Like It, ‘Let us make an honorable retreat.’”
He coughed, probably to cover his laughter, and offered her his arm. She slid her hand over the crook of his elbow, the gray wool of his uniform rough under her fingertips. The dining room was the next room on the eastern wing of the house. If she could have found a way to take a longer route down the hall, perhaps up the stairs, past the bedrooms, and then back down the servant’s staircase, she would have done so, just to enjoy his company a little longer.

Author Bio:
Heather Hambel Curley was born in West Virginia and raised in Western Pennsylvania. She graduated magna cum laude from Robert Morris University with a degree in Communications in 2004. Heather has been involved with Civil War reenacting since 2001. In 2004, she volunteered at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park with the living history and archeology departments. Currently, she is a corseted living historian with the Baltimore Light Artillery, a group of historians who provide artillery demonstrations in parks such as Harpers Ferry, Gettysburg National Military Park, and Antietam National Battlefield. Heather resides in Western Pennsylvania with her husband and two children. She is a member of Pennwriters and the Historical Novel Society.

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First Look Celebration: Cowboy Karma by Mia Hopkins @MiaHopkinsxoxo @Barclay_P

See the First Look at the Newest Mia Hopkins Book, COWBOY KARMA…

"Who needs luck when you can get Lucky?"

About COWBOY KARMA 

When Harmony Santos’s boyfriend dumps her on her birthday, she doesn’t get mad. She gets lucky…with a mysterious cowboy whose bedroom eyes and rough edges bring out her inner bad girl. But when their one-night rodeo turns into more than a rebound, Harmony worries her heart hasn’t healed enough to take on someone new—even if that someone is as sweet as he is sexy.

Tie-down roper Lucky Garcia can’t believe his good fortune. A shot at national finals and now this—his longtime crush, in his arms at last. The more time he spends with Harmony, the harder he falls for her. But financial demands and family responsibilities take him further and further away from her—as does his secret fear she hasn’t quite gotten over her dickhead ex.

Behind closed doors, Lucky and Harmony are filthy perfection. But when reality comes knocking, the star-crossed lovers must decide: walk away intact, or risk it all for a chance at happiness.

On Sale in Digital: October 4, 2016

Pre-Order Your Copy Today on Amazon!

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Excerpt:

They drove a short distance to a large, two-story house in an older part of town. Cars were parked up and down the street. The front of the house was lit up with floodlights. Lucky took her hand as they made their way up the concrete walkway.

“You look so beautiful tonight,” he said as they climbed the steps.

“Stop.”

“No. I won’t. Don’t you know how beautiful you are, Harmony? Hermosa. Preciosa.”

She smiled shyly at him. “You’re not so bad yourself, cowboy.” A little dimple formed in her left cheek. He wanted to lick it. He wanted to taste her. No—he needed to taste her.

“Wait.” Right before she rang the doorbell, he leaned down and kissed those cherry red lips. He whispered, “You know, we don’t have to go in. We can just…get back in your car…drive back to your place…and have our own party.” He dropped tiny kisses along her jaw. Desire roared in his chest when her breath hitched in her throat. Her cheeks flushed pink. She paused, staring at him as though she were a heartbeat away from taking his suggestion.

Lucky held her gaze. “I’ve been thinking about you all week.” He brushed his fingertips back and forth across the cool, silken skin of her throat. “How about you? Have you been thinking about how good it was?” He lowered his lips to her ear. “Don’t you want to play together again?”

Her eyes fluttered closed. “Lucky,” she murmured.

“You do, don’t you, belleza?” He rested his thumb lightly in the hollow of her throat. “Tell me the truth. You’ve been thinking about me, haven’t you?”

The pulse in her neck tapped wildly against his fingers. “Yes, but—”

“Come on,” he whispered. “Let’s go.”

See what people are saying about the Cowboy Cocktail series:

"Mia Hopkins knows how to put characters on a page."  - HEROES AND HEARTBREAKERS

"Mia Hopkins is an imaginative author who doesn’t take the easy road to a formulaic book."
- USA TODAY

"Sweet and filthy at the same time, just the way I like it. This book made me so happy."

- READ ALL THE ROMANCE

"The writing is excellent, the emotions leap off the page, and the sex is downright earthy."
- JILL SORENSON, AUTHOR

"Beautifully descriptive...hot, sexy and full of yearning!"  - DELILAH DEVLIN, AUTHOR 

“Off the charts hot.”  - THE ROMANCE STUDIO

 “A tantalizing slow seduction of the senses.” - STRANGE CANDY REVIEWS

"Hopkins packs a lot of heat and romance on the pages...Caution: hot, sexy times ahead!"

- READER GIRLS BLOG

 “Filled with sizzling chemistry, hot sex, and just enough sweetness to leave me wanting more…And those sex scenes…Holy hotness!”  - CRYSTAL BLOGS BOOKS

Check out the other books in The Cowboy Cocktail series!

Forget chocolate and flowers. This homegrown honey is all the sweetness he craves.

Small-town life is nothing but a waiting room for eighteen-year-old honor student Corazón Gomez. Work and school leave little time for love, but with a full-ride Ivy League scholarship and a one-way ticket out of the boondocks, who needs it?

The answer appears on Valentine’s Day when her old cowboy crush ambles into the ice cream parlor where she works, inviting her to go on a late-night ride in his truck. For the first time she wavers between staying on the straight and narrow, and going off-road with the handsome heartbreaker.

After four years working on ranches all over the country, Caleb MacKinnon is back on the family farm helping out his mom and brothers while his father fights cancer. The one bright spot: smart, funny, and wickedly sexy Cora.

From the start, they both know this blazing-hot love affair can’t last. But when autumn comes and Cora has to leave for the East Coast, Caleb must find a solution to keep himself—and his heart—from falling apart.

Warning: Contains hard, cherry-poppin’ sex in a pickup truck and a cowboy charmer who talks dirty in two languages.

Book 1 Available at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Google Books | Kobo | BAM

Ball-busting business woman meets no-holds-barred cowboy. He’s gonna need a longer rope…

Marketing hotshot Monica Kaur has put her big-city life on hold to help bail out her brother’s failing business. Now she’s got three months to plan and promote a rodeo, the first her tiny hometown has ever seen.

To ensure the rodeo’s success, Monica enlists a local hero, a rancher’s son who’s made a name for himself on the bull-riding circuit. Problem? She can’t stop daydreaming about the cocky bastard—and all the things she longs to do to him out behind the chutes.

Professional bullfighter Dean MacKinnon is home helping his family while his father fights cancer. Haunted by bad memories, jaded by love, Dean finds escape in a no-strings-attached go-round with brainy, sexy Monica, whose close-knit Sikh-American family would sooner run him out of town than see her with a notorious rodeo Romeo.

In private, Monica and Dean play as hard as they work. But as the rodeo draws near, that clean break they promised each other is getting more and more hung up in the rigging.

Book 2 Available at:  Amazon  |  B&N  |  iBooks |  Kobo  | Goodreads

For eight years, Melody Santos played the game of love and lost—big time. Now she’s back in her tiny hometown looking after her younger sister, making ends meet with an assortment of odd jobs. When her childhood best friend hires her to help him sell his family’s grass-fed beef, the last thing she anticipates is falling in lust with the legendary, brown-eyed player.

To put his family’s cattle ranch back in the black, Clark MacKinnon has his sights set on big contracts—gourmet chefs and restaurateurs. If that means long hours traveling from farmer’s market to farmer’s market, Clark doesn’t mind. Particularly since his new assistant is his childhood crush, all grown up and sexy as hell.

One night in bed leaves them breathless and hungry for more. But when his love-’em-and-leave-’em reputation collides with her trust issues, Clark and Melody must face the truth about what they’ve become: not friends, not lovers, but players in a game that’s impossible to win.

Warning: Contains filthy banter, raunchy sex, excessive Johnny Cash references, and hundreds of pounds of raw beef.

Book 3 Available at: Amazon | Kobo | iTunes | B&N | Samhain | AllRomance | Google Play | Books-A-Million | Goodreads

 Author Bio:

Mia Hopkins writes lush romances starring fun, sexy characters who love to get down and dirty. She's a sucker for working class heroes, brainy heroines and wisecracking best friends.

When she's not lost in a story, Mia spends her time cooking, gardening, traveling, volunteering and looking for her keys. In a past life, she was a classroom teacher and still has a pretty good "teacher voice" and "teacher stare."

She lives in the heart of Los Angeles with her roguish husband and two waggish dogs.

You can also visit her online at the following places:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads | Pintrest | Instagram

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