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Thursday, March 2, 2017

Release Week Celebration + #Giveaway: Caramel Beach by Audrey O'Connor @audrey_writes @Barclay_PR



In Audrey O’Connor’s steamy, stormy follow-up novella to Lessons in Pure Life, Diego and Lia reunite after weeks apart for dance-floor revelations, midnight confessions, and a run-in with the law. Fans of Karina Halle's Racing the Sun won't want to miss this exciting new release published by Tryst Books!

Tryst Books is offering one (1) lucky winner a Kindle Fire! To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below:


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Title: Caramel Beach
Author: Audrey O’Connor
Publisher: Tryst Books
Series: Lessons in Pure Life #2
Release Date: February 27, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Series Romance
ASIN: B01MUAWZR0

In Audrey O’Connor’s steamy, stormy follow-up novella to Lessons in Pure Life, sun-soaked days melt into restless nights for Diego and Lia, kept apart for weeks by long hours and miles of coastline. When an A-list wedding reunites them in Caramel Beach, the tension is higher than ever.

Over the course of an electric twenty-four hours filled with sugar, sex, and magic, the couple faces their share of personal demons, angels, and unlikely prophets. While Diego confronts his problems with the help of a surf champ and a bottle of whiskey, Lia stumbles into a bathroom-stall seduction and possibilities she never knew existed. Amid the chaos, Lia and Diego try to reconnect. What comes after is a life-altering odyssey into uncharted territory.

Add to your TBR list:  Goodreads

Available for $0.99!
Amazon






Excerpt:

We meander back to the hostel in the wet sand, the surf to our left. The moon is full and bright, bouncing off the gentle waves that roll into the bay.

My first few months in Costa Rica were rich with the exhilaration of my new environment. I landed in the lap of a whole new life, just like that. After working all month in Pacifica without him, being with Diego again sends those early memories bobbing up to the surface. He’s got this sharp energy beneath the layers and layers that make up a man. Intimidation is what he inspires, followed closely by strange physical sensations that spell your undoing. He triggers an energy in me that could tear the hood off a car. And I’m sure as hell not on flakka.

He slides his arm around my waist like he can hear me. We walk a few steps before he stops and turns to face me.

“I wouldn’t hate it if you’d let me hold you.”

The waves crash endlessly behind us, a soaking wet heartbeat. I’m still strung up in his words when he closes the empty space between us.

“You’re on fire,” he tells me, hands making a ring behind my back so we’re suspended in some kind of stained glass embrace.

“Hey, thanks.”

“You sure know how to put yourself together, gringa.”

Blush.

“I’m not the only one.”

He sighs and I wait patiently. Indecision slows his expression, crystalizing in his delay.

Whatever it is goes away.

“Did you enjoy your time, you know, without me distracting you?” he asks.

“It was busy, but we got a lot done at the new school. I can’t complain.”

“I wish you would.” He pulls me in closer.

That one gets me. His slow kiss disappears everything around me before I’m even sure it’s happening. Lips softer than I remember, the light scrape of his chin on mine. A rugged feeling so welcome it can stay for dessert.

“You’re trouble,” he breathes.

“The best kind of it,” I reply.

“There’s nothing I can do about it, is there?”

“I doubt it.”

Bowing his head, he lowers his eyelids.

“I forgot what this is like,” he laughs tiredly, rubbing his cheek with his hand. “You still take me by surprise.” He tilts his head, considering me tenderly but wincing, like it hurts to admit it.

Watch and see my defenses lower to unprecedented depths.

I press against him, not sure whether I’m teasing him or me. His palm is warm on the back of my leg.

“How’d you get your skin so soft, anyway?” he whispers, stroking my thigh gently until it evolves into a grasp, the tips of his fingers pushing into my flesh.

“Magic.”

“It’s working.”

I laugh, breathless. “So what do you wanna do?”

“Right now?”

I nod.


He pulls me in by the bottom with both hands. “Get to know you all over again.”






For a limited time you can purchase Lessons in Pure Life for $1.49! Don’t miss out on this spectacular deal!


Title: Lessons in Pure Life
Author: Audrey O’Connor
Publisher: Tryst Books
Series: Lessons in Pure Life #1
Date Released: January 15, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Series Romance
ASIN: B01N5Q2HA1


Freshly minted grad Emilia Noble arrives in Costa Rica to teach English in the tropical community of Pacifica. Its carefree, pura vida lifestyle is a welcome contrast to her dark and wintry origins. Tossing caution aside like an old winter coat, she plunges headfirst into an exotic cocktail of sensory pleasure.

Diego is a local whose surfer body and cool detachment make Lia buzz with a long-lost thrill. Fascinated by her new environment, she can’t help but wonder about the moody inner workings of the boy with triceps like Wolverine and a grimace to match.

Diego seems to have no problem ignoring Lia, though. Caught up in his family’s conflicted attitude toward foreigners, he notices her only when it’s convenient. But as Lia thrives in her new surroundings, Diego might just find reason enough to defy his embattled, insular father. When north and south are mixed together, the results are intoxicating.

Add to your TBR list:  Goodreads

Now on Sale for $1.49 for a LIMITED TIME!




About Audrey O’Connor:

Audrey O’Connor is inspired by art, science, compassion, and rare moments of transcendence. She writes in Chelsea, Quebec, and enjoys river swims, woodsy gatherings, live music in Wakefield, and a deep, dark cabernet sauvignon.


Website  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads


Book Blitz + #Giveaway: Dangerous Victor by Aislinn Kearns @ardentaislinn @XpressoTours


Dangerous Victor
Aislinn Kearns
(Soldiering On, #3)
Publication date: March 2nd 2017
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

Radha Iyer knows there’s something terribly wrong happening at the casino she manages. Her staff are acting cagey, the finances don’t add up, and then her Head of Security is found murdered in his own home. She’s out of her depth and desperate for help.

Zack Walker has kept to himself since the day an IED left him permanently scarred. When Radha calls Soldiering On for help, his degree in math makes him the obvious choice to go undercover as the new Head of Security to help her discover what’s going on and who’s responsible.

But the conspiracy they uncover goes deeper than either of them could have imagined. When their investigation is compromised, it puts them both in mortal peril and on the run. With nowhere to turn they must rely on each other, but danger and betrayal lurk in every shadow…




EXCERPT:

A sickly smell reached Zack; at the same time a sense of foreboding settled over him. He hadn’t noticed it at first, presuming it was from the kitchen remains. But this was something else.
He swallowed, trying not to breathe as he made his way towards the room. It had to be the bedroom—the only room yet unexplored.
“Stay here,” he growled to Radha. The rustling behind him stopped.
He tugged the sleeve of his hoodie over his hand as he reached for the knob. Careful not to leave any prints, he opened the door.
The smell assaulted him immediately, making him gag. His eyes watered, and he blinked to clear them.
“What is it?” Radha asked.
He didn’t know how to answer. Louis—at least, he assumed it was Louis—lay on the thin carpet. Dried blood, black in the wan light, pooled beneath him. Flies buzzed and writhed around him. He no longer looked human—a specialist would need to tell them how long he’d been there, but Zack’s best guess was about a week—the length of time he’d been missing.
Louis hadn’t fled to Mexico with the casino’s money. He’d bled to death on his bedroom floor.
The puzzle pieces shifted and rearranged themselves in his mind, becoming more entwined and complex, leaving gaping holes of knowledge.
“What?” Radha’s voice was thinner now, anxiety dripping from the word. She shuffled closer, and Zack wrenched the door shut. He spun, blocking her with his body, forbidding her from entering that room. She didn’t need to see her friend like that.
“I’m sorry, Radha.” He kept his arms out, stretched across the hall in case she tried to dart around him. Instead, she stared up at him as tears pooled in her eyes.
“He’s not…” she couldn’t finish.
“I’m so sorry,” Zack repeated.
The tears slipped from her eyes and slid down her cheeks. She let out a gasping sob, and Zack gathered her into his arms and half-carried her out the front door. He breathed in deep gulps of the fresh night air as he held her close.
She cried quietly against his chest, and all Zack could do is offer murmured words of comfort as he stroked her back. When was the last time he’d comforted a woman? Held her close?
Too long.
“We need to call the police,” Zack told her softly as her tears subsided.
She nodded, eyes vague. “Yes.”
“They’ll need to ask us some questions,” he warned her.
“Of course.” The nod was slower this time.
“Radha, you’ll have to tell them about the strange finances at the casino.”
At this, her eyes snapped to his. “Why? We can’t tell them.”
“I think it’s best we do,” he coaxed softly.
“But it doesn’t have anything to do with…” Her eyes widened as it dawned on her. He had to say it aloud, anyway.
“He was murdered, Radha. And there’s every chance it was to do with the casino.”



Author Bio:
Aislinn is an Australian Expat living in Qatar. She completed a Bachelor of Arts in English and History, which she loved, and then went on to do a Masters in an unrelated field. She now largely pretends that last degree never happened.
She is the author of the 'Soldiering On' books, a Romantic Suspense series. She enjoys reading, writing, travelling, and fantasising about her future cottage in a forest. Now that she's published, her next life dream is to own a dog. 
This is where she would list her awards if she had any. 

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Blog Tour + #Giveaway: Still You by Amy K. McClung @AmythaMcclung @HotTreePromos


Title: Still You (Trade Me Collection)
Genre: Gay Romance
Release Date: February 11, 2017
Publisher: Hot Tree Publishing
Cover Artist: Soxsational Cover Art
Add to Goodreads

For Eden, life revolves around making sure his sister and niece are taken care of while building his landscaping business. Love certainly hasn’t been a priority. From the moment he meets his new client, his outlook on what’s important changes.

For Adam, the last two years have been spent helping his best friend, Maggie, grieve for her late husband while helping take care of her kids. Between his work at the hospital, and supporting his friend, finding time for himself has not been his priority. When Eden knocks on his door one summer morning, he knows life will never be the same.

Mistakes and misunderstandings are always difficult to navigate. Can Adam convince Eden he’s still the only man for him before it’s too late?


Hot Tree Publishing Exclusive M/M Romance Collection

Trade Me is a new genre-linked collection of 30,000 - 50,000 word novellas. With so many sexy trades to pant over, Trade Me stories offer heat, swoon-worthy men, and HEAs that will leave M/M romance lovers completely satisfied.


Strolling back into the kitchen, I stopped in my tracks as the sexy gardener stood in front of the window with his tank top raised enough to give a glimpse of his rock-hard abs. Fuck. The man was losing all the water in his body, and all I wanted to do was watch him wash the grime off and see water cascade over those taut fucking abs.

I grabbed a water bottle from the fridge, then opened the back door and whistled to get Eden’s attention. “Want some water, man? You look like you’ve lost yours.” Eden cocked his eyebrow at my rather lame joke. It made me wonder for a moment what his full name was. And I needed to tone back the immaturity a bit with him. Maggie and I acted like kids when we were together, but I didn’t want to look like a complete tool around this man.

“Thanks, I appreciate it. I usually keep a cooler in my truck, but I was running late this morning and forgot it.” He raised the bottle, and I watched with awe as he wrapped his beautiful pink lips around the opening, mesmerized as his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he drank. Adam’s apple? Fuck yeah, I could totally claim him right now and devour him like a sweet, succulent apple. Damn. It’d been too long since I’d had sex.

Taking a look around at the work he’d done, I was amazed at how different the yard looked in comparison to the last time I tried to fix it up for Maggie. “I’m positive Mags is going to want you back. It looks amazing out here. Did you do that?” I pointed toward a birdbath in the yard, previously covered in filth with weeds grown all around it, now gleaming in the sun with fresh water and surrounded by tiny purple flowers.





Amy McClung was born in Nashville, TN. She is the second oldest of four girls and occasionally suffers from middle-child syndrome. She met the love of her life online in August of 2004, on his birthday of all days, and married him in September 2005.

Currently they have no human children, only the room full of colourful robots that transform into vehicles and the large headed Pop Funkos who represent their favorite characters. Collecting movies, shot glasses, Pop Funkos, and dust bunnies are some of her favourite pastimes.

Amy began writing in September of 2011 and independently published her first YA novel, Cascades of Moonlight, Book one of the Parker Harris series the following May. Her first book was a means of therapy for her, enabling her to escape reality for a while during a difficult transition in her life.



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Cover Reveal: Shopping for a CEO’s Wife by Julia Kent @jkentauthor @XpressoTours


Shopping for a CEO’s Wife
Julia Kent
(Shopping for a Billionaire, #12)
Publication date: April 25th 2017
Genres: Adult, Romance

Snowbound. Sounds so romantic, with visions of cuddling before a roaring fire, hot chocolate spiked with brandy, and a secret elopement.

Wait. What?

My fiancé’s father won’t stop trying to turn our pending wedding into a three-ring media circus so he can get free publicity for his family’s Fortune 500 company. My mother has decided she’s done with All Things Wedding and asks her teacup Chihuahua for mother-of-the-bride advice.

They’ve all gone certifiably mad.

Then the stress from the wedding puts my mother in the hospital, I scream at my future father-in-law in front of a camera crew and the video goes viral, and the romantic wedding that started with Andrew’s grand Pride and Prejudice proposal looks less like Jane Austen and more like Dostoyevsky.

So what do you do when you’re a fixer and you can’t fix something?

You give up on it.

Not on Andrew, silly.

The wedding.

Shopping for a CEO’s Wife is the 12th book in Julia Kent’s New York Times bestselling Shopping series. As Shannon and Declan enjoy their newlywed bliss, Andrew’s father wants to exploit Amanda and Andrew’s nuptials, much to Amanda’s chagrin. Can she learn to stand up to her future father-in-law and fight for what’s right? But the real question is: will Spritzy the teacup Chihuahua end up being a flower girl?




Author Bio:
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men's room toilet (and he isn't a billionaire). She lives in New England with her husband and three sons in a household where the toilet seat is never, ever, down. 

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Book Blitz: Fight For Me by Rebecca Chase @rebeccahchase @starange13



 Title: Fight For Me
By: Rebecca Chase
Publication Date: November 25, 2016
Genre: Erotic Romance

#fightformebookblitz

This short story is available as part of the Crave For Me anthology or as a stand alone story here. It is over 17,000 words and contains sexual situations and language only suitable for those aged 18+

Ever had one of those men in your life that you want no matter what? They've spent a lifetime in your head when what you really want is to have them wanting every part of you. This is a standalone short story about that guy and a women who's had a crush on him for too long. Her crush might finally be the one who takes her to all the places she's desired and give her the romance she's longed for.

Jules finally comes face to face with the one man she's been avoiding for years; her brother's best friend, her first kiss and the guy who taught her what lust is. The soldier is home on leave for a wedding but where does Jules fit in to this? Joe might want her more than he's ever let on or maybe he just wants to get some release before he heads back to barracks. Is he just another bad boy who will break her heart before she gives him his marching orders or will he set her body on fire as they engage in a battle of wills and pleasure?


Rebecca Chase is an English rose with a taste for sex and romance. She started life as a superhero but found she liked stockings more than tights so writing erotic romance was the obvious next step. When she's not busy going on amusing and thrilling dates with sexy suitors, she's whacking shuttle cocks, dancing the night away, watching rugby men battling with balls and finding interesting story ideas in everyday life.

Social Media Links

Team Epic: Why I Love Epic Fantasy! @YABookShelf @EntangledTeen



Team Epic: Why I Love Epic Fantasy!







Erica Cameron - Island of Exiles (The Ryogan Chronicles, #1):

Why do I love epic fantasy? It's a blank slate. We can erase all of our preconceived notions of society and law and even science, throwing all of that over the side of a cliff. Epic fantasy lets us push humanity well past the breaking point with ever more impossible landscapes and situations. It lets us see what we could be if only we let ourselves get there. Plus, epic fantasy is, well, epic!

Book Description:

In Khya’s world, every breath is a battle. On the isolated desert island of Shiara, dying young is inevitable. The clan comes before self, and protecting her home means Khya is a warrior above all else.

But when following the clan and obeying their leaders could cost her brother his life, Khya’s home becomes a deadly trap. The only person who can help is Tessen, her lifelong rival and the boy who challenges her at every turn. The council she hoped to join has betrayed her, and their secrets, hundreds of years deep, reach around a world she’s never seen.

To save her brother’s life and her island home, her only choice is to trust Tessen, turn against her clan, and go on the run—a betrayal and a death sentence.







Amber Mitchell – Garden of Thorns:

When I read and write, it’s because I want to escape and nothing gets you farther from your troubles than the distant shores of entirely new worlds. Epic fantasy invites you onto its tropical beaches, into its lush jungles and through its exotic cityscapes, shaking out its uncharted map for you to explore. Every page brims with fantastic characters questing, battling men and extraordinary beasts alike with magic flowing from nimble fingertips and daring sword fights. The allure of entirely new cultures, the epic stakes, swoon-worthy romances, and the flowing dresses of epic fantasy will always have my heart.

Book Description:

After seven grueling years of captivity in the Garden—a burlesque troupe of slave girls—sixteen-year-old Rose finds an opportunity to escape during a performance for the emperor. But the hostage she randomly chose from the crowd to aid her isn't one of the emperor's men—not anymore. He's the former heir to the throne, who is now leading a rebellion against it.

Rayce is a wanted man and dangerously charismatic, the worst person for Rose to get involved with, no matter what his smile promises. But he assumes Rose's attempt to take him hostage is part of a plot to crush the rebellion, so he takes her as his hostage. Now Rose must prove where her loyalties lie, and she offers Rayce a deal—if he helps her rescue the other girls, she'll tell him all the Garden's secrets.

Except the one secret she's kept for seven years that she'll to take to her grave if she must.








L.E. Sterling - True North (True Born, #2):

Don’t get me wrong -- #TeamUrban is great. I love time jumpers and magicians running around a book. They make you blink and question what you saw. But I prefer life in a funhouse mirror. Give me a goblin market. Give me a warrior queen with immortal blood. I want the snow queen’s glass shard to be embedded in my eye. I want to completely escape the bounds of reality -- not be shackled by them. I don't want to just question my perceptions -- I want to know I’m not in Kansas any longer.

Book Description:

Abandoned by her family in Plague-ridden Dominion City, eighteen-year-old Lucy Fox has no choice but to rely upon the kindness of the True Borns, a renegade group of genetically enhanced humans, to save her twin sister, Margot. But Nolan Storm, their mysterious leader, has his own agenda. When Storm backtracks on his promise to rescue Margot, Lucy takes her fate into her own hands and sets off for Russia with her True Born bodyguard and maybe-something-more, the lethal yet beautiful Jared Price. In Russia, there's been whispered rumors of Plague Cure.

While Lucy fights her magnetic attraction to Jared, anxious that his loyalty to Storm will hurt her chances of finding her sister, they quickly discover that not all is as it appears…and discovering the secrets contained in the Fox sisters' blood before they wind up dead is just the beginning.

As they say in Dominion, sometimes it’s not you…it’s your DNA.







Nicole Luiken - In Truth & Ashes (Otherselves, #3):

First for the endlessly inventive magic. Second for the fascinating new worlds to explore. Third for the fantastic creatures that dwell there: dragons, gargoyles, demi-gods and phoenixes are just a few of the ones I've used.

Epic fantasy gives a writer a bigger canvas to paint. Instead of a city, a country or even worlds. Wars. Heroes. Villains. Destinies. Everything is bigger is epic fantasy. The stakes are higher, instead of a single group, the fate of a world can hang in the balance.

Book Description:
The Mirror Worlds are but dull reflections of the True World, where magic and technology blend together…
On the True World, Belinda Loring has known from childhood that she must Bond with the son of another noble First Family. Uniting the families ensures hers will hold onto its powerful position, and so she’s always pushed down the tender feelings she has for her best friend—gorgeous, steadfast Demian, who isn’t noble.
But when the ceremonial magic goes disastrously wrong, Belinda becomes a national disgrace. Scorned as Broken, she turns to Demian for help getting revenge on the man who ruined her: the radical Malachi.
But the seeds of Malachi’s murderous plans lie buried in Belinda’s past, in the dark days of her kidnapping—a period of which she has no memory. And Demian may hold the key to recovering all that she’s lost—and saving the worlds.









Renee Collins - Relic:

Book Description:
After a raging fire consumes her town and kills her parents, Maggie Davis is on her own to protect her younger sister and survive best she can in the Colorado town of Burning Mesa. In Maggie’s world, the bones of long-extinct magical creatures such as dragons and sirens are mined and traded for their residual magical elements, and harnessing these relics’ powers allows the user to wield fire, turn invisible, or heal even the worst of injuries.
Working in a local saloon, Maggie befriends the spirited showgirl Adelaide and falls for the roguish cowboy Landon. But when she proves to have a particular skill at harnessing the relics’ powers, Maggie is whisked away to the glamorous hacienda of Álvar Castilla, the wealthy young relic baron who runs Burning Mesa. Though his intentions aren’t always clear, Álvar trains Maggie in the world of relic magic. But when the mysterious fires reappear in their neighboring towns, Maggie must discover who is channeling relic magic for evil before it’s too late.

Relic is a thrilling adventure set in a wholly unique world, and a spell-binding story of love, trust, and the power of good.







Rebekah L. Purdy - The Summer Marked (The Winter People, #2):

Epic Fantasy is an escape from the “real world” and takes you to other lands, places you can only dream of, which is why I love it so much.  And there’s so much more opportunity to really explore new creatures and characters within these worlds. I mean, who doesn’t like the idea of stepping through a closet and finding a cool fantasy world? LOL.

I’m also a big fan of the epic battles (think Lord of the Rings or Throne of Glass). Girl with a sword=Awesome.

Book Description:

Fresh off a break-up with her boyfriend, Kadie’s glad to be home from college for Thanksgiving. All she needs is a rebound guy, a box of chocolates, and some girl time with her best friend, Salome. Problem is, Salome isn’t returning her calls, and her family won’t say where she is. Feeling sorry for herself, Kadie ends up at Club Blade, a place filled with pumping music, dangerous guys, and promises of a good time. However, when midnight strikes, Kadie’s fun turns into a nightmare as she’s ripped from the human world into Faerie by a vengeful Winter Prince named Etienne. For the first time in her life, she realizes the monsters Salome always spoke of are real, and they’ll stop at nothing to destroy her friend.

Salome thought the winter curse was behind her. But winter has left its mark. Not just on her, but on the whole summer court. The Kingdom of Summer is falling apart, and Nevin is hanging onto his throne by a thread. With war on his doorstep, he has no choice but to send Gareth into enemy territory, which means Salome will be left alone—vulnerable in a world she doesn’t understand. A place where beauty is deadly and humans are pawns in the macabre games the Fae play. Both Kadie and Salome will have to call on all their strength to survive in a world where humans aren’t meant to be. With death and enemies all around them, it’ll be a miracle if they can survive.











Chloe Jacobs - Greta and the Goblin King (Mylena Chronicles, #1):

Book Description:

While trying to save her brother from a witch’s fire four years ago, Greta was thrown in herself, falling through a portal to Mylena, a dangerous world where humans are the enemy and every ogre, ghoul, and goblin has a dark side that comes out with the eclipse.

To survive, Greta has hidden her humanity and taken the job of bounty hunter—and she’s good at what she does. So good, she’s caught the attention of Mylena’s young goblin king, the darkly enticing Isaac, who invades her dreams and undermines her will to escape.

But Greta’s not the only one looking to get out of Mylena. An ancient evil knows she’s the key to opening the portal, and with the next eclipse mere days away, every bloodthirsty creature in the realm is after her—including Isaac. If Greta fails, she and the lost boys of Mylena will die. If she succeeds, no world will be safe from what follows her back…