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Wednesday, September 26, 2018

New Release: This Thing of Ours by Sarah Curtis









This Thing of Ours 
by Sarah Curtis 


“I want you for who you are, not in spite of it.” - Gabriella Conti

For ten years, Gabby had wanted only one person—Marco Bianchi. But he was off-limits. Right-hand man to her brother, Nico, she knew he would never think of her as more than his boss’s little sister.

But when tragedy strikes, things change.

Leaving Gabby to wonder if maybe her feelings weren’t as one-sided as she’d thought. 

"I threaten, torture, maim, and kill. My honor is the only good piece of me I have left.” - Marco Bianchi

Growing up with nothing, honor and loyalty meant everything to Marco. Which was why Gabriella Conti was off-limits, even if she was his obsession. Because, as badly as he wanted Gabriella, he knew her brother would never approve.

And he owed Nico everything.

But with the Russians in town, things were about to change.

Marco needed to protect his girl.



**********


Available on KU!

Amazon link: hyperurl.co/wi717f












Review:


4 stars
****


Aww, this was a good book! This Thing of Ours is a mafia romance featuring Marco and Gabby. Gabby is Nico's younger sister. As we learned in Bad Beat, Nico is the capo of the Conti family mafia. Gabby lives the life of a mafia princess and protected daughter of the family. Marco is one of Nico's right-hand men. Gabby has had feelings for him for years, and secretly he for her, but neither acted on their feelings because Marco is much older and he didn't think he brother would approve. But when Gabby is threatened by the enemy, Marco steps in to protect her and their relationship develops from there.

I loved Marco and Gabby. Marco was fiercely protective, loyal and hot, while Gabby was sweet, strong and sassy. They were great together and balanced each other perfectly. I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop. With this genre, some books are too violent or too dark for me, but this book was the perfect amount of darkness and suspense for me. This was an easy, quick, entertaining read full of suspense, sexiness, sweetness and a dash of humour. It was also fun to catch up with Nico and Olivia and their family.

Overall, this was a great mafia romance! A good story with interesting characters, a fast pace, excitement, and a spicy romance. I look forward to more from Ms. Curtis in the future!








Author links: 


Website (sign up for all my latest news): http://sarahcurtisauthor.wix.com/sarahcurtisauthor


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Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Blog Tour: Strong by Kylie Scott + Review & Excerpt!

   



  




From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kylie Scott comes a new story in her Stage Dive series… 

  When the girl of your dreams is kind of a nightmare. As head of security to Stage Dive, one of the biggest rock bands in the world, Sam Knowles has plenty of experience dealing with trouble. But spoilt brat Martha Nicholson just might be the worst thing he’s ever encountered. The beautiful troublemaker claims to have reformed, but Sam knows better than to think with what’s in his pants. Unfortunately, it’s not so easy to make his heart fall into line. Martha’s had her sights on the seriously built bodyguard for years. Quiet and conservative, he’s not even remotely her type. So why the hell can’t she get him out of her mind? There’s more to her than the Louboutin wearing party-girl of previous years, however. Maybe it’s time to let him in on that fact and deal with this thing between them. 

  **Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**    


AVAILABLE NOW

AMAZON US | AMAZON AUS | AMAZON UK




      


REVIEW:

3 stars
***
Strong is a novella addition to the Stage Dive series and is Martha's story. Martha is David's ex and Ben's sister. This novella focuses on Martha's romance with Sam, who is a longtime bodyguard of the band. Martha has been living in NY for years. She finds herself at loose ends so she moves back home and is living with Jimmy and his family. A romance blossoms between her and Sam, who has secretly had feelings for her for years.

This was an ok book for me. I was weary about reading Martha's story because she was such a witch in previous books. She is slightly improved here, but I still didn't completely love her character. I was able to empathize with her a little bit, though. Sam was okay to me. He was very proper speaking with not much personality. I didn't feel much chemistry between them either. This novella was pretty short and not much to it. It felt like just a series of scenes.

Overall, though, this was a quick, easy read. While I didn't totally love it, it was still not a bad book and kept me entertained. I still love this series and this author and look forward to more from her in the future!



 EXCERPT:
 “Ooh, busted,” said Lizzy. “The bodyguard caught you looking.” “Shut it.” I inched my chin up a bit, trying not to frown because frowning gave you lines. “Sam and I have known each other for years and nothing has ever happened. You’re completely wrong about this.” “Am I?” “Yes, there’s nothing between us.” “So that’s why you were staring at him?” I chose not to answer that. “And you know he prefers to be called executive protection officer instead of bodyguard.” At this, Lizzy burst out giggling, a malicious glee in her eyes. No wonder I liked my sister-in-law these days. Ben shot us both an irritated glance. We both ignored it. Of course, I’d known Sam would probably be here. Rock stars going out in public could be a delicate thing. People had a tendency to get overexcited. And while one person wanting an autograph wasn’t a problem, twenty or thirty of them suddenly swarming definitely could be. Having once been part of the entourage, I’d seen it happen to Ben and his fellow Stage Dive band members enough times to be wary. And you couldn’t get by with ordinary security. Rock stars needed protection from their over-zealous fans, but on the other hand they didn’t want the fans roughed up or hurt in any way. It required a delicate balance: control, experience, and a whole gamut of scary physical skills. Hence Sam. Still, Portland seemed generally less crazy than the good old days back in LA. All of the guys seemed calmer and more settled away from the constant craziness of the party scene. Not to mention the effect of all of the wives/partners and various offspring. The biggest rock band in the world had officially been domesticated. It was kind of cute. Or sad. I don’t know. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to stir you,” she lied. “What do you think of your brother’s new musical bromance?” On the small stage set up in the corner of the room, a young man wailed his heart out while playing an acoustic guitar. Much angst about a girl who only called him after midnight. Trust a rockster to turn a simple booty call into a heartbreaking ballad. The song was damn good though. He had talent. If only I hadn’t had my fill of the type when I was younger. The kid looked to be in his early to mid-twenties. Lanky with lots of tattoos. Your typical rock ’n roll Prince Charming. Gag. These days my type ran more toward…actually, what I needed or wanted in a male was a total mystery. And my gaze did not stray back to Sam. That did not happen.  



     




      Kylie is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year, 2013 & 2014, by the Australian Romance Writer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet. 

 You can learn more about Kylie from http://www.kylie-scott.com/

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Blog Tour: Hot Winter Nights by Jill Shalvis + Excerpt & Review!

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Hot Winter Nights by Jill Shalvis 

Release Date: September 25, 2018


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Hot Winter Nights, a stand-alone Heartbreaker Bay romance, by Jill Shalvis is a sexy romance in which hero Lucas Knight wakes up with a woman in his bed with no memory of how that happened. What the heck?


Who needs mistletoe?

Most people wouldn’t think of a bad Santa case as the perfect Christmas gift. Then again, Molly Malone, office manager at Hunt Investigations, isn’t most people, and she could really use a distraction from the fantasies she’s been having since spending the night with her very secret crush, Lucas Knight. Nothing happened, not that Lucas knows that—but Molly just wants to enjoy being a little naughty for once . . .

Whiskey and pain meds for almost-healed bullet wounds don’t mix. Lucas needs to remember that next time he’s shot on the job, which may be sooner rather than later if Molly’s brother, Joe, finds out about them. Lucas can’t believe he’s drawing a blank on his (supposedly) passionate tryst with Molly, who’s the hottest, smartest, strongest woman he’s ever known. Strong enough to kick his butt if she discovers he’s been assigned to babysit her on her first case. And hot enough to melt his cold heart this Christmas.



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REVIEW:


4 stars
****



Hot Winter Nights is a good book! This is Molly and Lucas's story. Molly and Lucas both work in Heartbreaker Bay at Hunt Investigations. Lucas is one of the investigators and Molly is the office manager. Molly wants to begin working as an investigator too, but the men in the office are protective of her, especially her older brother, and reluctant to give her a chance. When her neighbor, an elderly woman who works as an elf at a Santra attraction, comes to her for help finding out why Santa isn't paying them the wages they are owed, Molly decides to take the case. Lucas is secretly assigned by his boss to help her with her investigation and keep her safe. Lucas and Molly both have an attraction and chemistry between them but neither act on it until they start spending time together working on this case. As they spend time together, they begin to fall for each other and heat up the cold Winter nights together.

I really liked Lucas and Molly. Both had been through a lot in their pasts. But I loved that, despite their vulnerability, they had open hearts for each other. They did not push each other away too much. Lucas and Molly were sweet and sexy together and they also made a great investigative team. I really liked the elves and Santa theme; it was funny and cute. I did think the conflict wrapped up a bit too close to the end. I wanted to see a bit more happy times and resolution before the end of the book. Still, I enjoyed this book and Lucas and Molly's relationship progression and journey to love.

Overall, this was a cute, sexy, emotional and funny book! I love this series. All of the books are good and enjoyable. I can't wait for more from the Heartbreaker Bay series!



Download Today!

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2vt20Yc 
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2MtoY7T 
 Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2vxyP6a



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Excerpt:

“You’re staring at me funny,” he said. Probably because she was confused over how badly she wanted him. Okay, not so suddenly, but still, denial had been her friend and now that friend had deserted her. “No, I’m not.” “Yes, you are. You’re staring at me like …” She turned her back on him and grimaced to herself, knowing exactly how she’d been staring at him. “Like I’m annoyed by your presence?” she asked. “Like I’m dinner.” She closed her eyes. “Oh, please,” she said on a low laugh. “I’ve slept with you now. Trust me, I don’t need a repeat.” “So you keep saying.” His voice sounded right in her ear now. He’d moved, shifting close enough that his chest nearly brushed the entire length of her spine. She could feel the heat of him and nearly moaned. Nearly. But she caught herself. It was just that his body heat was soaking into her and she found herself wanting to back into him. He smelled amazing and he was still dressed from his job, and that was a shocking turn on too. As was the sexy smirk she heard in his voice. Which didn’t make any sense. From the time she’d come into her sexuality as a teenager, complete with all the baggage of her kidnapping still hanging over her head, she’d only ever felt comfortable when she was the one doing the charming and chasing. She’d dated guys here and there, all very different from her brother and men like Lucas. They’d been … beta. Not pushovers, but non-threatening. Nice and sweet. Emotionally available. The exact opposite of Lucas. But the truth was, no one had ever really invested in her, and she wasn’t sure Lucas was the investing type either. In fact, she was fairly positive he wasn’t, but it still felt a little bit like he was chasing her and she wasn’t at all certain what to do with that.



About the Author: 

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jill Shalvis writes warm, funny, sexy contemporary romances and women’s fiction. An Amazon, BN & iBooks bestseller, she’s also a two-time RITA winner and has more than 10 million copies of her books sold worldwide.

Jill lives with her family in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters (Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is mostly coincidental). She does most of her writing on her deck surrounded by more animals than humans. Which is quite astonishing considering she’s a city girl who was plucked from the wilds of L.A. to the wilds of the Sierra’s. Most of her books come from a combination of hard work, cookies, and hot guy pics, and not necessarily in that order.

Jill often travels to reader weekends & conventions where she LOVES getting to meet and hang-out with readers. The only problem being she tends to get lost in her hotels. So if you ever see Jill Shalvis roaming the halls, someone please return her immediately.


Connect with the Author:

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Blog Tour: Perversion by T. M. Frazier + Excerpt & Review!

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“T.M. Frazier sucked me in from the very first page and then slayed me with the end of Perversion. This trilogy is EPIC!”

— Meghan March, New York Times bestselling author


PERVERSION, book one in the Perversion Trilogy from USA Today bestselling author T.M. Frazier is available now!



PERVERSION FRONT AMAZON



Love is supposed to be a fairy tale.
Ours is a death wish.
I'm the executioner for the Bedlam Brotherhood.
She's a con artist working for my greatest enemy.
I use her.
She manipulates me.
We find ourselves on opposite sides of a bloody war.
My heart and head tell me I have to stay away.
My lust for her doesn't give a sh*t.
Nothing's fair in love and gang war.


PERVERSION IS BOOK ONE IN THE PERVERSION TRILOGY
BOOK TWO: POSSESSION
BOOK THREE: PERMISSION


Download your copy of PERVERSION

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/perversionGR



PERVERSION TRILOGY



Pre-order POSSESSION now

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2xsJXCn


Pre-order PERMISSION now

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/Permission
Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2Np7gHa



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REVIEW:


4-4.25 stars
****
Holy Cow! Perversion was so good! Book one in the Perversion trilogy, this is Emma Jean and Grim's story. As always with Ms. Frazier's books, this one is a twisty, page turner. I won't go into much detail about the story so as not to spoil anything. I will say this... This book is set in the small, desolate town of Lacking, a crime-ridden town run by three rival gangs. EJ amd Grim meet when they are young and feel a connection, but they lose touch. When they meet again, they find they are on opposites sides of a bloody gang war. This is modern day Romeo and Juliet story. Loyalties are tested, crimes and atrocities are committed, and at heart, there is a love story for the ages.

I don't always love trilogies, because I sometimes feel like the author is dragging one book out into three books unnecessarily. But I did not feel that way about this book. I am happy that this is part of trilogy because I love this storyline and the characters and can't wait to spend as much time with them as possible. There is a lot packed into Perversion. It is a fast paced and action packed book. I loved both Grim and Emma Jean. They are awesome characters. EJ is spunky, strong and a fighter. Actually, Grim is too. They are quite the perfect pair. All of the characters are great and I am definitely intrigued by some of the side characters, so maybe they will get their own stories one day too.

This story is fast paced, dark but not too dark for me, and super interesting and different. I love the small town feel and world that Ms. Frazier built. It was gritty, sexy and all-around great storytelling. There are moments of high emotion, humor and suspense. Also, I loved the cinematic feel of the book. I could picture everything exactly, as if it were a movie.

Overall, Perversion was a great book! I am so excited about this trilogy. This book ranks right up there with my favorites by Ms. Frazier. Yes, it ends on a cliffhanger, but I was satisfied with the ending spot and I wasn't even mad about it. I can't wait to find out the rest of EJ and Grim's story with the final two books in the trilogy!
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Excerpt:


Emma Jean

When I was younger, I fell in love with magic. I learned every card trick there was from library books and unmasking magic TV specials. I used to put on shows for Gabby that included escaping from complicated knots and trick handcuffs. But what’s magic besides a sleight of hand? It’s a lie. And lying is what I’m damn good at. My ability to spin a tall tale or two lead to stealing wallets and conning people into taking stray pets for the thrill of it. Now, I’m using it to earn for Marco. The thrill is there, but it’s muted, hindered, lost under his pile of mounting threats. The inside of the casino smells like stale cigarettes, spilled beer, and burnt coffee. We’re not supposed to be in here. It’s Bedlam territory. But that’s also why it’s perfect. It isn’t like anyone would recognize us here. We’ve made friends with a few of the cocktail waitresses by giving them a small cut, and they don’t ask questions or ring any alarms when they see us working. I’ve also been straightening my hair over the last few years since my crazy curls stand out like a reflector on a dark highway. I’ve dyed it a few shades darker than my normal honey blonde to help blend in. Tonight is starting off well. Gabby and I are working a con we’ve run a few times before. Gabby walks away, her long dark hair swooshing behind her. She gives me a nod as she passes me by on the slot machine I’m pretending to play. She’s just faked losing an expensive engagement ring at another slot machine. I watched out of the corner of my eye as she frantically looked around for it, then loudly announced a thousand-dollar reward would be waiting at the casino cage for whoever returned it. She is flawless. She should be an actress. And in another life, she would be. But we don’t live in another life. We live in Lacking and belong to Los Muertos. Our lives are not our own. A few people casually look around the area, then return to their machines when they don’t find the ring Gabby was ranting about. They won’t either. Because it’s not there. Yet. It's go time. I strut over to the area Gabby just left and put a dollar in the machine. While the wheels spin, I pretend to pick up the dime store ring I already have in my hand. By the time the machine dings to tell me I’ve lost my dollar, I’m turning the ring over, inspecting it like I don’t have half a dozen more just like it in my drawer back at the apartment. “Would you look at that?” I mutter to myself loud enough so others around me can hear. A man in an Adidas jumpsuit with a potbelly taps me on the shoulder. “I’ll take that. I saw the woman who dropped it. I’ll go return it to her.” Liar. You just want the reward. “That’s so nice of you,” I say. I hold it out, about to drop it into his hand when I pull it back. “I bet there’s a reward for something this valuable.” I start to walk around the man. “I’ll take it up to management. Maybe, they know…” “Here,” the man says, holding up a hundred-dollar bill. “Take this. I’ll take it to her. I just…you know, as I said, I want to make sure it gets back to the right person.” You’re not even a good liar. Sometimes, it’s just too freaking easy. And this scam wasn’t even an Emma Jean and Gabby original. We saw it a long time ago in a movie starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. Doesn’t anyone else watch movies? I shrug and pass him the ring. Plucking the bill from his hand, I tuck it into my bra. “Thanks,” I say before quickly making my way toward the large glass front doors. It’s Thursday. Marco’s money is due in two days, and we’re short this week. Really short. I walk slowly and wave goodbye to the valets with a smile on my face. “Any luck, tonight?” One asks me. “I think so,” I answer with a smile. Once I’m down the sidewalk and out of view, I scramble to the side of the casino where I kick off my heels and change from the sequined dress I’d stolen from a dry-cleaner into a pair of cut-off shorts and my yellow Keds. Now, all I have to do is wait for Gabby. I don’t have to wait long. “Run!” Gabby yells, darting from the doors of the casino with two large men wearing tight black security t-shirts close behind. Running from security is terrifying enough, knowing that we’re running from members of the Bedlam Brotherhood kicks it up a notch. I grab my backpack and sling it across my shoulders. I move as fast as I can until I’m running right alongside her. We race through the gates, cross the street, narrowly avoiding being hit by two cars. We duck into a hole in a fence and run through one backyard after the other. “One of those cunt waitresses must have tipped them off!” Gabby says, through shallow breaths. She’s barefoot in a black mini-dress hiked up to her ass to give her long legs room to run. Her long thick hair is wrapped around her face, sticking to her mouth. We hit the sixth backyard. Without another word, we separate behind a clothesline. We’ve mapped out this escape plan a thousand times, but this is the first time we’ve ever had to use it. When I make it into the central part of town, to the Los Muertos/Bedlam border, I can no longer hear the shouts of the security guards. I lost them. Hopefully, Gabby did, too. I use a tower of stacked-up wooden pallets on the sidewalk like a ladder to scale a concrete wall, then drop down into the alley. I grow more panic-stricken the longer I wait for Gabby. I bite the inside of my lip, pacing back and forth along the high wall. The Bedlam Brotherhood runs the security at the casino. If they catch her and find out who she is? Or worse? Who her brother is? They'll... I shake the thought from my mind. She’ll be fine. She HAS to be fine. Please be okay, Gabby. Please. I’m trying to catch my breath and pull myself together when I hear a clink echo through the alley as if someone dropped some spare change, followed by the sound of something heavy dropping to the asphalt. “Gabby?” I ask into the darkness. Thinking it’s her, relief washes over me like rain on a barren desert. My only answer is the flickering of a fluorescent light mounted high on the roof’s edge of the adjoining building. And the hiss of what sounds like a cat behind a dumpster. I walk over and peer around it. “Gabby? Are you hurt? Say something!” I whisper-shout. Someone moves from within the shadow. “Get out here, Gabby. We’ve got to go before Mar…” The light flickers again, for just a second. That second is all I need to see that the someone slowly stalking toward me is not Gabby. It’s a man…twice my size. “Who are you?” I ask, shuffling backward as the man cloaked in a black leather hood emerges from the shadows. The front of his jacket is open. Underneath, he's shirtless, covered in a sheen of sweat, and more tattoos than visible skin all the way up the front of his throat. His muscled chest and abs flex with each step he takes. The hood shadows most of his face, but when the lights flicker again, yellow eyes glow from within. And they’re locked on me. My ‘save your ass’ mode kicks in. The man is blocking the only exit. My only other chance of escape is to scale the same wall I used to drop into the alley. I keep moving backward as he approaches until my back hits the wall. I look left and right for something to use to climb on. There’s nothing but emptiness. My stomach sinks, but surrender is not an option. I swallow hard as the alarm bells scream in my head for me to run. Somewhere. Anywhere. There’s nowhere to go! My legs tremble. Fear crawls like a million spiders along the backs of my legs. I push myself further against the wall as if I can squish the feeling away, but it’s useless. Fear consumes me. Swallows me whole. He continues toward me. As he gets closer, I realize it’s not just sweat glistening on his skin. There’s something else splattered across the tattoos on his chest and on his stubbled jaw. It almost looks like wet paint. My breathing stops when he’s close enough that I can make out the tattoo on the front of his throat. A bleeding black rose. The symbol of the Bedlam Brotherhood. I’ve heard stories about Grim. The man in the hood. The executioner for Bedlam. They were all terrifying, but not nearly as terrifying as the reality of coming face to face with the man himself. “We didn’t do anything,” I blurt. “I mean, we did, but it wasn’t a big deal. I’ll…I’ll give the money back. Just tell your men not to hurt my friend. It was all my idea. Let her go, and you can take me.” “Who the fuck are you?” he asks. His voice is so thick and deep I feel it more than hear it. Shivers erupt all over my body. He raises his arm, revealing a long curved blade. For the first time in my life, I can’t seem to be able to hide my fear with my wit or sarcasm. My throat tightens. I can’t swallow, never mind speak. I’ve lost my words completely, along with my nerve. The man’s blade drips red onto the pavement from the serrated tip. Every fear response I didn’t even know I had runs rampant. I’m holding my breath. My muscles tense as if running was still an option. The hairs on my arms and the back of my neck prickle my skin as they stand on end. I raise up to my tip-toes and push back, trying to make myself disappear into the wall. I glance from the knife back to his chest, then back again. The splatters across his skin? It’s not fucking paint. Before I can process what the hell is happening, he switches from slow-stalking mode into hyper-speed, pinning my wrists above my head. His hard, bloodied chest pushes against me, smearing blood across my white tank top, forcing the back of my head to connect roughly with the wall. “I’ll only ask you this one more time. Who the fuck are you?” His low guttural growl rattles my bones. His unblinking, angry, golden eyes lock onto mine. Without the fluorescent light, they’re more golden brown than a glowing yellow. As much as I want to, I can’t look away. He could be the last person I ever see. The thought is just the spike of adrenaline I need. “Let me go,” I say, finally finding my words. I try and jerk my wrists from his grip with no luck. I’m trapped. My fear and anger rise to the surface, but I shove it back down. Fear won’t get me out of this situation, so it will have to wait for its damned turn. He digs his rough fingers into my skin. “Answer me. Who the fuck are you?” The bite of pain only makes me angrier. I throw his question back at him. “Who the fuck are you?” He glances down at my rapidly rising and falling chest before pinning me with his stare. The corner of his mouth tugs up in a half-smirk. “So much confidence for someone who's trembling,” he says with an amused glint shining in his demonic eyes. I shrug. “Maybe, I’m just not a fan of enclosed spaces,” I say through gritted teeth. “You didn’t answer me,” he says. “Why do you have blood all over you?” I answer him with yet another question. “You know, if you were committing some kind of crime back there, you should be more careful. I recommend a bleach bath and death by fire for your clothes the first chance you get. If it’s self-harm, I’m sure there’s a helpline you can call.” He cocks his head to the side. His nostrils flare. His face is only inches away. I can feel the heat from his body against mine. His cool breath flutters against my neck. I’ve never been this close to a man before. My trembling grows. My inner thighs shake sending a rippling wave of something very unfamiliar coursing through the center my body. I try and press my legs together to stop it from happening again, but when he uses his knee to wedge my legs apart, caging me in even further, it only grows, uncoiling from within like a slinky being pulled apart at the ends. I swallow hard as the stubble of his jaw presses against my neck. “Name,” he demands, his voice raspier than before. I shut my eyes tight for a beat, trying to gain composure, control, something that will help me as I try and reason my way out of this. “Listen, I didn’t see anything,” I blurt. “That is if you did anything. I’m not going to call the police if that’s what you're worried about. I wouldn’t anyway, even if I saw something, which I didn’t.” His brows knit together in a harsh line. “Why?” His question confuses me. “Why what?” “Why wouldn’t you tell the police?” Because Marco owns them. “Let’s just say that I haven’t exactly been a model citizen myself tonight. Let’s face it. If the police around here weren’t being paid not to do their jobs, half this town would be locked up.” I take a deep, shaky breath. “Especially people like us.” He stills. There’s no more talking. Only heavy breathing and a battle of wills. He releases one of my hands. I think he’s reaching for his knife. My blood turns cold. I can feel my face pale as my heart starts beating as faster and faster as if it wants to get in as m I’m surprised when he doesn’t go for his knife. Instead, his hand travels slowly down my chest into my cleavage. “No, don’t!” I say, but it’s too late, he’s already yanked on my locket. “Please just give it back, and let me go,” I plead. Feeling like it’s my real heart he's torn from my chest. “It’s the only thing in this world that means anything to me. Besides my best friend, it’s all I have.” I hate the desperation in my voice, but it’s the truth. He’s silent for a moment. He raises his arms. I flinch, raising my arms over my face defensively. But when nothing happens, I lower them, just in time to see him push back his hood, revealing his face. “Why?” I ask, closing my eyes knowing full well that the only time a criminal reveals himself to a witness is right before they take them out. “Look at me,” he demands, holding my face in his hand. “No!” I say, shutting my eyes tighter. “Look at me!” he bellows. He’s on me again. This time, he holds my head in his large rough hands. “Open your fucking eyes so you can see me.” With no other choice than to get my head squished like a turtle under a car tire, I do as he demands. Opening my eyes, I blink through the haze, and when it clears, I’m met with tousled, medium-length, light brown hair, slicked back on the top, shorn close to head on the sides. His nose is slightly crooked like it’s been broken a few times before. The stubble on his square, defined jaw is a few days over needing a shave. A jagged scar runs through his chin like an angry white lightning bolt. He’s the most fucking beautifully terrifying man I’ve ever seen. He’s searching my eyes for something, but I don’t know what. “Why?” I ask in a whisper. His hands release mine, but he doesn’t step back. He leans in closer, speaking against my cheek in a rumble of a whisper. The strange feeling from earlier comes back as a zap of electricity bouncing around my insides looking for somewhere to ground. I’m breathing heavy. Our lips are so close, almost touching. He slides one hand off my face, snaking it around my neck, pulling me closer. He starts to answer in a rumble of a whisper, causing goosebumps to rise on my already prickled skin. “Because I want you to see the face of the man who’s just—” “Where the fuck are you?” calls Gabby from the other side of the wall. “I lost them!” The moment, whatever it is, is now broken. The man releases me so suddenly I brace myself against the wall to keep from falling. I turn my head toward her voice. “Gabby!” I shout back. My heart is beating out of control. Out of habit, I raise my hand to my chest, seeking familiar comfort. I look up. The man in the hood is gone. And so is my locket.





TmFrazier
About the Author

T.M. (Tracey Marie) Frazier never dreamed that a single person would ever read a word she wrote when she published her first book. Now, she is a five-time USA Today bestselling author and her books have been translated into numerous languages and published all around the world. T.M. enjoys writing what she calls sexy‘wrongside of the tracks romance’ with morally corrupt anti-heroes and ballsy heroines. Her books have been described as raw, dark and gritty. Basically, what that means, is while some authors are great at describing a flower as it blooms, T.M. is better at describing it in the final stages of decay. She loves meeting her readers, but if you see her at an event please don’t pinch her because she's not ready to wake up from this amazing dream.


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Cover Reveal: Preach. by Stylo Fantome








Title: Preach.
Series: Church Duet #2
Author: Stylo Fantôme
Genre: Dark Romance

Cover Design: Najla Qamber Designs
Release Date: November 9, 2018



Blurb

A shattered woman.

A changed man.

Church Logan wanted to kill someone, and Emma Hartley wanted to die - they were a match made in hell.

But one little cut, a pint or two of blood, and suddenly everything between them is different.

Are they still destined for greatness? Or has the darkness finally eclipsed them and torn them apart?

Looks like it's time for Church to practice what he preaches.

Ignition, meet explosion.


Warning: if you have triggers - this story will touch on a lot of them. This book is a dark romance, 65,000+ words.







Also Available





AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited






Author Bio



Crazy woman from a remote location in Alaska (where the need for a creative mind is a necessity!), I have been writing since ... forever? Yeah, that sounds about right. I have been told that I remind people of Lucille Ball - I also see shades of Jennifer Saunders, and Denis Leary. So basically, I laugh a lot, I'm clumsy a lot, and I say the F-word A LOT.

I like dogs more than I like most people, and I don't trust anyone who doesn't drink. No, I do not live in an igloo, and no, the sun does not set for six months out of the year, there's your Alaska lesson for the day. I have mermaid hair - both a curse and a blessing - and most of the time I talk so fast, even I can't understand me.

Yeah. I think that about sums me up.



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