Blog Tour - Excerpt of Runaway

Blurb

At seventeen years old, Courtney Apuzzo is fed up. With a dead mom and an alcoholic father that beats her every chance he gets, Courtney decides that enough is enough. Packing up only what she needs, Courtney leaves home without telling a soul and heads off to find her new life.
Life on her own is not exactly as she thought it would be. With nowhere to stay, Courtney finds herself sleeping on an old stoop in an abandoned apartment alleyway. A chance meeting with a new group of friends seems like a great beginning to her second chance at a real life. But everything is not as it seems.
Tricked into a life she never wanted and fears, Courtney needs to run away, again. She needs to find a way out of this new and dangerous life. With the help from a man she barely knows, will Courtney find her way out? Or will she find herself on the run from a dangerous past, and a hopeless future? Faced with a choice that will change her life forever.

Excerpt

Amanda enters into the room, quickly closing the door behind her. “Oh, hey. Didn’t expect anyone to be in here yet.” She goes to her bed and hops up. “What did you do today? Anything fun after the drop?”...Courtney trembles. “Yo, babe! What’s up?” She says sarcastically, with a New Yorkers accent. “A police officer…” Amanda stops her. “No, a donut muncher.” Courtney swallows. “A donut muncher chased me and Kara earlier. I don’t know if Kara made it.” “Awe, shit. That’s tuff luck.” Amanda holds the bottom of her boot with one hand as she tries pulling it off. “What if they caught her?” “There’s a lot of what ifs. She’s a big girl. I’m sure she’ll be fine.” Amanda tosses her boot to the corner of the room. She slides off her socks, letting her feet air out as she wiggles her toes. “You aren’t worried?” Courtney is confused. She felt all the girls thought better of one another. “No. She put on her big girl panties this morning. Why would I be concerned?” Courtney lays back onto the bed hearing the door squeak open. Seeing Kylee she flies over to her. “Go downstairs with me?” “Sure.” She looks at Amanda and she shrugs, pulling the left side of her face down, shaking her head. As the two girls reach the door Dane puts his hand up. “You two are staying in for the night.” “Dane this will only take a minute. We are only going right out front.” Kylee eyes him. He motions no with his head, returning his arms crossed to his chest. “Look!” Courtney speaks louder. “You will see us, dammit.” Dane squints his eyes, definitely not happy with Courtney as his nostrils widely open. “You have five minutes.” “The pigs followed us earlier today. Kara and I split up and she still hasn’t made it back today.” Kylee’s eyes grow wide. “Oh, that could be a problem.” “If she didn’t beat me back, do you think they got her?” “If they did she is toast.” Courtney lowers her head. “That’s what I was afraid of.”.... 

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*Review* Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover
Series : No

Released : 5th August

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Format : Paperback

Source : Publisher

Buy : Amazon (UK/USA)

Overall rating

 .................................... The Blurb  ....................................

An unforgettable love story that breaks all the rules.

When Tate Collins finds airline pilot Miles Archer passed out in front of her apartment door, it is definitely not love at first sight. In fact, they wouldn't even consider themselves friends. But what they do have is an undeniable mutual attraction.

He doesn't want love and she doesn't have time for a relationship, but their chemistry cannot be ignored. Once their desires are out in the open, they realise they have the perfect set-up, as long as Tate can stick to two rules - never ask about the past and don't expect a future.

Tate convinces herslelf she's ok with it, but soon realises that it's harder than she thought. Will she be able to say no to her sexy pilot when he lives just next door?

 .................................... My Thoughts   ....................................

In Short

- Ugly Love took total power over my mind.

- Both Tate are real and fascinating characters with so much depth.

- Written in a beautiful and heart wrenching way.

In Long

This is a hard review to write because I want to do Ugly Love justice but I am not sure I can. It’s such a powerful, intense read that I honestly couldn’t put it down. It took over my life for not just the time I was reading it but all the time between and even after finishing it the characters were still in my head, especially Miles!

I actually love that this book is an emotional rollercoaster which leaves you with mixed emotions not just at the end but throughout the whole book. Usually when finishing a book I feel a sense of completion and I did in a way but the mixed emotions left me with a feeling of confusion on how to feel! I can’t say what I want to without writing a spoiler but you will know what I mean if you read it. The meaning and feelings behind Miles and his character is a beautiful but heart wrenching one which will pull at your heart strings.

Tate and Miles are the most fascinating and real characters I have had the pleasure to meet in quite a while and I totally fell in love with both of their characters. They both have so much depth to them that they really came alive to me. Being told in alternating point of views really helped me as a reader get into both their heads and see the world from their mind, I always think this makes a book that much more interacting with me as the reader.

The writing is just beautiful and completely gripping. Even when not reading Ugly Love I was thinking about Tate and Miles and what would happen to them. I am definitely a huge fan of Colleen and she has definitely set a high standard for herself!

Final Thoughts

All I can say is READ IT! But before you do, get some snacks, a drink and climb into bed, make sure you prepare yourself to fall head over heels in love with a guy called Miles! I bet you won’t want to put it down.

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Guest Post - More Than Pancakes by Christine Depetrillo

Why Pancakes? 

Why would someone write a book with a pancake theme? Well, pancakes are awesome. They are an instant mood lifter. Really. Try eating them when your energy is on the negative side of the spectrum and just watch the needle on your moodometer zip to the uber-positive side—to the beaming-a-smile-from-ear-to-ear side. You simply can’t be down with pancakes around. 

Hey, that’d make a great T-shirt. 

And with pure Vermont maple syrup? Yowzers! You’ve got yourself a lethal weapon right there, folks. Add in fresh fruit—I suggest blueberries—and you’re playing with nature’s goodness in a way that will start your day out on the right foot. Or the left one. Your choice. Either way, pancakes and real syrup is a power combination that will lead you to a successful day. 

You know, if you don’t screw it up somehow. Pancakes and syrup can only do so much, people. The rest is up to you. 

The inspiration for my new series, The Maple Leaf Series, came from spending time in the woods of Vermont. I have a chunk of property up there that I visit when I want to get away from the perils of suburbia in Rhode Island. The first book in the series, More Than Pancakes, grew from seeing men—rugged, mountain men—trek across my land in the snow with sleds of equipment to work on the sap lines that course through the woods. I watched them on one frigid winter day, in their knit hats, snow pants, fleece-lined jackets, and boots, and thought, “Now that’s sexy. I have to write about them.” It helped that they were solid, sturdy built men… with beards. 

Sigh. 

That one image, plus my love of pancakes and an obsession with pure Vermont maple syrup, gave birth to an entire storyline within moments. I ran for my writer’s notebook, scribbled furiously for an hour, and knew who my hero and heroine were going to be and what would draw them together. Of course, I also needed something to get between them too. I always hate coming up with that part, because sometimes you have to make really bad things happen, but it’s comforting to know that in romance, love always prevails. 

Rick Stannard is a quiet maple syrup company owner who loves his woods and his solitude. Lily Hinsdale is a hotel designer who craves city action. When Lily wants Rick’s land for a new resort, the two of them will have to fight for what they want. Maybe, just maybe, they’ll end up wanting the same thing. 

And they’ll definite eat pancakes. 

What’s your favorite kind of pancakes? 

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Blog Tour - Tempting Sydney Extract

Blurb

“Someone needs to make you come completely undone, Sydney Parker.” His tongue moved slowly over his lips. “That someone is going to be me.” 

Goal-oriented Sydney Parker has never had a problem focusing. She’s about to start law school, the first step on her way to the Supreme Court. With no time for relationships, she lives vicariously through her best friend Brynn, who has recently decided to use sex as a research tool. Sydney, however, hasn’t been laid in years. Men are a distraction, one Sydney has diligently avoided…until Jackson West crashes into her life, and under her hood. 

The last thing Sydney needs is a hot mechanic working on her ‘69 Camaro. Especially a hot mechanic with eyes like the ocean and lick-me abs, who claims to be better in bed than a werewolf. 

Jax thinks that’s exactly what Sydney needs.

But Sydney has goals, and a relationship with the enigmatic Jax would challenge her. 

Distract her. 

Tempt her. 

Sydney is about to find out that temptation is very hard to resist.

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Excerpt 
Love love this!

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Cover Reveal - Unspoken Endings by Gabbie S. Durran

Love the look of this cover and seems to fit the story very well!

 Release Date: October 1, 2014

Blurb

Will the distance tear them apart? 

With every difficulty Matt and Abigail have faced since the day they met, they’ve depended on their trust and love in each other to see them through. But what happens when absence becomes their biggest obstacle? 

When Abigail follows her heart to pursue her career, she is forced to leave Matt behind. Confident that their love is strong enough to withstand the distance put between them, they believe they will soon come back to each other. But when a danger from their past threatens their future, Matt may just lose her forever. 

Their love in one another will be put to the test, and only time will tell if they can truly find their unspoken ending.

 

Excerpt 

I can’t breath. He’s literally stealing the breath from me as his fingers tighten around my throat, his body pinning me down. His hand squeezes harder. My heart accelerates to a dangerous level, feeling as if it will burst from my chest, but I refuse to give up. I can’t. It would mean he wins. With all the strength I have left, I keep trying to push his body off. My hands claw at his face and somehow I manage to gouge his eyes with my fingernails. With a wail, he rises off my body and loosens his grip around my neck. 

With all my might, I swing my arm up and my fist makes contact with his face; it shocks him momentarily, allowing me to push him off enough to wiggle my way from under him. I’m still breathless, barely able to move, but my only thought is escape.

“Get back here, you bitch!” he shouts as he grabs onto my ankle, my body pulled to a stop. Turning around, I kick him with my other foot and manage to break free once more.

I don’t have the strength yet to stand up, but I manage to frantically crawl from his grasp to keep him from pulling me down again. My fear and determination is what keeps me moving. Sucking in a deep breath of air, I force myself up to my feet and start to run.

I’m running for my life at this point. My feet are moving on instinct, doing what they know best as they attempt to put distance between us. I can hear him chasing me; his panting breaths mere steps behind me, but I keep running, never looking back.

“You think you can get away from me, Abigail?”
His words fuel my fear, causing my legs to pump harder and my body to move faster, the air swooshing by me, the world passing in a blur. I know he’s no longer behind me, but I can still hear his panicked shouts.

“You belong to me! I’ll find you and you’ll regret ever leaving me!

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Author Interview - Enemies on Tap by Avery Flynn

Thanks so much for having me over today to celebrate Enemies on Tap! I raise a virtual beer in your honor. :)

What was your favorite part of Enemies on Tap to write and what was the hardest?
My favorite part? The banter and the sex. Oh, that was so much fun! I love the whole Hepburn and Tracy thing that Logan and Miranda had going on. As for the hardest, that is always the end. I hate having to say goodbye.

How would you describe Miranda and Logan?
Miranda is the kind of girl you’d love to sit down with and have a beer. She’s smart and funny and she knows what she wants out of life—to get the hell out of Salvation, Virginia but not until she proves Logan Martin wrong. Logan is a cocky alpha hero who can’t resist a bet or Miranda Sweet, which is awkward since their families are sworn enemies.

Describe Enemies on Tap in a sentence?
As satisfying as a cold beer on a hot summer day, Enemies on Tap brews up sassy, sexy fun on every page.

What's in the future for you with your writing?
More books. :) RT Book Reviews named This Year’s Black a Top Pick last month and I’m finishing up the third in that series now. A second Sweet Salvation Brewery book is in the final editing stages too.

Thank you again for letting me come over! If you’re thirsty for more, check out Enemies on Tap and don’t forget to enter the giveaway! 

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Blog Tour - Excerpts

Blurb

Adam Harkness pulled himself out of poverty to become one of the world's most respected Finance professors, but at the cost of his personal life. When a well-meaning friend gifts him with a dance course, Adam decides to attend one class out of courtesy, but no more than that. He has work to do, after all - or at least, that's what he tells himself.

After being bullied in high school, Julie Stanton took refuge in her studies. But now that her hard work has paid off and Julie has found success in her job, it's time to focus on finding the same happiness in the rest of her life.

When Adam walks into the same tango class that Julie signed up for, she recognizes him immediately as the professor whom she had a crush on in college. Both Adam and Julie have proven themselves to be excellent scholars. But when the attraction between them turns into something more, will they be able to open their hearts and learn a new lesson - how to love.

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Entangled

Blurb 

As a reward for a hard-won contract, best friends Drea and Joe head to Buenos Aires for sun, wine, and the tango. But their week of relaxation is off to an ominous start when a reservation mix-up leaves them with only one option: one room…and one bed.

Exhausted from travel, the two friends figure it won’t be a big deal to share a bed for one night—right up until they wake wrapped around each other and seconds away from, well, you know.

When the two decide to follow through on their impulse, they protect their friendship by agreeing that when the vacation’s over, the fling’s over. While Drea’s convinced it’s nothing more than a mutual itch, Joe discovers Drea might be everything he’s ever wanted. Now all he has to do is convince her that what happens in Buenos Aires doesn’t always have to stay in Buenos Aires.

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*Review* The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Series : #1 The Winner's Trilogy

Released : 3rd July 2014

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Format : Paperback

Source : Publisher

Buy : Amazon (UK/USA)

Overall rating

 .................................... The Blurb  ....................................

Winning what you want may cost you everything you love

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

 .................................... My Thoughts   ....................................

In Short

- I really liked Kestrel and her strong mind

- A fresh and unique read for me

-  Thoroughly enjoyed getting to  know this new and different world from what I know and lived in.

In Long

Kestrel is a character I pretty much liked instantly. She is such a strong minded young lady who has compassion for others but at the same time won’t take any rubbish from anyone. I always wish I was a bit more like someone like Kestrel.

The Winner’s Curse isn't a book I would necessarily say is action packed. A lot goes on and it most definitely kept my attention throughout the book but the storyline is built on gradually throughout the book and the characters become stronger and more developed with every page. I really liked this as it felt like I was personally getting to know them, after all you don’t suddenly know everything about someone.

I liked the little twists and unique things to this book. A girl buys a guy as a slave? Don’t think I have read a book with a slave for a long time! The whole book just felt very fresh to me and it was just what I needed and in a way, totally unexpected. ! I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know about the world in which Kestrel lived in, it enthralled me. I am not usually a sucker for descriptions and can get bored easily if something is described too much but I really feel this got the right balance between not enough descriptions and too much to the point where it gets boring.

Final Thoughts

The Winner’s Curse really does have a bit of everything; romance, uniqueness, fighting, action and of course it keeps you hanging on for the next page

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Cover Reveal - Twist of Fate by Jaime Whitley

Blurb

Lilly Hughes hates traveling, but her job requires it. Learning her flight gets grounded leaves her stranded with no place to go.

Silas Harper is on his final stretch of R&R and just wants to get to his destination when fate intervenes putting him in the company of Lilly.

Intending never to see each other again they settle for one night of heat and passion. Denying their undeniable connection they part ways as agreed, but will they stay parted forever? Or will a twist of fate bring them back together?

Teaser

Jaime Nicole Whitley is a wife and a stay at home mom to her two children. She grew up in New Jersey where she continued her education and became a medical assistant before moving to Las Vegas. She now lives in North Carolina where her husband is stationed with the Army. Jaime also co-writes novels under the name Lena Nicole.

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Blog Tour - No Regrets by Claire Kent

No Regrets

By Claire Kent 

July 22nd, 2014

On my last birthday, I made one vow for the year. Live with no regrets. Eleven months have passed, though, and nothing has changed. I still sleep alone, spend my life working, and never move out of my comfort zone.

Then the loss of my dog throws my whole life out of orbit, and I end up in bed with a very hot and slightly-too-young veterinarian, who has recently made a vow of his own. Live with no strings. Josh is more than happy to help me with the things I’ve been afraid to try. Semi-public sex. Spanking. Anal sex. He’s a willing partner for everything I’ve wondered about, as long as I don’t demand more.

He’s serious about his no-strings philosophy. As serious as I am about living with no regrets. I can’t help but fall for him, even though I know better. So my biggest regret might be a broken heart.

Excerpt:
I couldn’t stay on this park bench forever. I hadn’t moved yet. I was still staring blindly at the dogs and people on the path when I noticed from the corner of my eye a man slowing down from a run and then jogging toward me. Glancing over, I expected him to head past me toward the parking lot, but he seemed to be coming directly toward me. When he got close, I realized it was Dr. Bennett. He looked different than he had this morning. He wore a t-shirt and gym shorts, both wet with perspiration. His face and short brown hair were wet too. He’d obviously been running hard. His eyes rested on me as he approached. Obviously, he’d recognized me. Before I’d recognized him. “Hey,” he said, breathing heavily. “How are you doing?” “Fine.” It was a stupid question and a stupid answer, but that’s what people do. It was part of living in a civilized world. You made up nice-sounding lies and you said them to each other, instead of talking about how much the world sucked. His face was flushed, and he was having trouble catching his breath. Bending at the waist, he rasped, “I better do a lap to cool down. I’ll be right back.” “Okay.” I had no idea why he’d bother coming back. We didn’t know each other. We had nothing to say to each other. And I wasn’t really in the mood for talking. He’d killed my dog that morning, but I could hardly hold it against him. He took a slow jog around the track and ended up back at the bench with a water bottle in his hand. His breathing was less ragged as he sat down beside me. He didn’t say anything, and I felt a little strange. I didn’t know exactly what he expected from me. I certainly wasn’t going to cry on his shoulder, if that was what he was thinking. So I just asked a casual question. “You’re done with your shift for the day?” “Yeah. I got off at three.” “Do you always come here to run afterwards?” “Sometimes.” His vivid blue eyes rested on my face, searching or questioning or something. “It’s on the way home.” “Have you lived in Lexington long?” “I grew up here—in Versailles, actually. But I just moved back to the area.” “Where were you before?” “Vet school.” “Oh.” I blinked, slightly surprised. I’d landed on his age as younger than me but still in his thirties, but he must be quite a bit younger if he was just out of vet school. “So you just got your degree?” “Yeah.” As if he could see the surprise in my face, he added, “I started late. I didn’t go right after college.”

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Excerpt - Undeniably You by Jewel E. Ann

Sounds like such a fun book!

Undeniably You 

Jewel E. Ann 

August 18th, 2014

One crazy dog––one awkward vet––one naked pool guy––and one life-changing month in California to make friends, fall in love, and twist fate.
Who gets paid to walk a dog and recline by the pool all day? Sydney Montgomery, aspiring museum curator and professional house-sitter, that’s who.
When her aunt and uncle need a house and dog sitter for thirty days in Palo Alto, Sydney can’t turn down the chance to be closer to her sister in L.A. Within twenty-four hours of her arrival, Sydney’s cleaning up runny dog poo, taking an uncooperative pooch to a handsome yet awkward vet, and being rescued from the bottom of the pool by a naked “pool guy.”
Lautner, “pool guy,” has a hot body and a cool persona. With eyes of iridescent blue oceans, he is mesmerizing, sexy, and addictive. What he is not––the pool guy.
Dr. Lautner Sullivan is a college wide receiver turned pediatric resident. He knows how to woo a woman with flowers, pastries, and sweet tea. Lautner is every girl’s dream, but Sydney is not every girl. She’s immune to rainbows, fairytales, pixy dust, and the “L” word.
The attraction is immediate, the friendship is earned, and the love is undeniable. Thirty days is their forever, but forever is not long enough.

Excerpt: 

I pour a glass of iced tea and start to walk toward the deck. Then I turn around and pour another glass. “Hospitality is a good thing,” I tell myself, needing only to convince the rational part of my brain.
“Tea?” I offer, walking over to the pool.
Aaron sets the skimmer net along the side of the pool.
“Thank you.” The smirk on his face is suspicious and makes me feel like I’m missing some inside joke. He takes the glass from me and I move past him to get a closer look at the pool because I can’t look at him without his shirt and not break into a sweat.
“What are you skimming?”
“Nothing really. I’m stirring the water,” he says matter-of-factly.
This guy is not for real. What does he mean by “stirring the water?” He’s up to something. It’s obvious why Aunt Elizabeth hired him. She must properly clean the pool after he leaves so Trevor doesn’t get suspicious and fire his ass … a very fine ass I will confess.
“And why is it you need to stir the water?” I turn toward him and my eyes dart straight to his broad muscular chest and well-defined abs all kissed by the sun. Jeez, he’s too perfect and I’m … something. Distracted? Mentally lethargic? Crazy? Horny? BINGO!
“So there’s an even consistency of chemicals when I test the water.”
My mouth is agape and I cannot stop looking at him. He bends down to physically capture my attention. Shit! I show no shame staring at his bare chest.
“Hello?” he says, forcing my eyes back to his.
Shaking the inappropriate thoughts from my head, I take a quick sip of my drink to mask my embarrassment.
“Do I need to put my shirt back on?”
I choke on my tea. “No––” I can’t stop coughing. “I mean––” Clearing my throat, I notice his cocky smile. “Put your shirt on or leave it off. Why would I care?”
God, Sydney, could you be a bigger disaster today? The flap of the dog door distracts me. Swarley leaps down the deck stairs. Aaron hunches down like a lineman in anticipation of his overzealous greeting. The problem is, as Swarley races closer I realize he’s not aiming for Aaron. He’s aiming for––
“Oh shit!” I’m catapulted backwards into the pool.
My body makes its descent to the bottom while I open my eyes to see the blurry magnification of Mr. Sex on Legs pool guy standing at the edge looking down at me. I’m considering seeing how long I can hold my breath. Maybe he’ll decide to leave and I can surface from the depths of my own personal Hell without an audience.
Yes! That’s it. I can do this.
I still hold many records from my high school swimming career. Holding my breath until he leaves should be easy. Unless he decides to be heroic and jumps in to save me. Not a bad scenario either. Then at least we’ll both be drenched in our clothes.
Like a leaky raft, I release my breath one bubble at a time and take a seat at the bottom of the pool. Ha! He’s emptying his pockets. Looks like I won’t be the only drowned rat. Wait. What the hell? No he’s not. Oh dear God, yes he is. Sex on legs dives into the pool, sans shorts and underwear! The two haunting notes from Jaws sound in my head while I scramble to the surface in the opposite direction, desperate to get away from him.
The sweet relief of air filling my lungs is squashed by the anxiety of being chased by a naked stranger.
“Oh my God! What are you doing?” A frantic yell breaks out with the remaining breath in my lungs while I swim toward the ladder, barely escaping him. I leap out of the pool with superhuman speed. Wrapping my arms around myself, I scramble to the pool house, my heart racing and my whole body shaking as I fumble for a towel.
“The water feels great today.” His voice sounds behind me.
I whip around and gasp, wide eyed. A wet, naked, sinful-as-a-hot-fudge-sundae body greets me a few feet away. Hands fisted, his arms are casually crossed at his wrists covering part of his junk in the front. The perfect cover to Sports Illustrated stands before me, and all I want to do is smack him across the face to wipe the stupid smirk off it. Then, of course, I want to jump him and rub every sensitive part of my body against his, because right now I’m so pissed and so turned on, I need to dive into the pool again before I self-combust.
“Finish up and get out,” I mumble as I toss him a towel and stomp toward the house. On my way, I pass Swarley beached out in a lounge chair by the pool.
“Evil demon dog!” I scowl at him.

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Excerpt - Road Tripping By Noelle Adams

Road Tripping 

Noelle Adams 

Release date: July 7th, 2014

Blurb

Ethan was Ashley’s secret crush, until he became an asshole.

Asshole is too good a word for him. It’s bad enough that he stopped talking to her brother, who was his best friend since preschool. It’s even worse that he went wild and got involved with criminal types. But the worst thing of all is the way he trapped her on this ridiculous road trip. 

That’s what it is. Ridiculous. It just isn’t normal for a girl to get dragged from Virginia to South Dakota in a stolen car with just $1000 in cash. With Ethan Moore, who is way too hot and way too infuriating to be tolerated. But she’s stuck with him on a trip that is taking way longer than it should, sharing cheap hotel rooms, destroying cars, and eluding bad guys.

Yep. There are bad guys chasing them. Even worse guys than Ethan, and that’s saying a lot.

Plus, she’s having trouble keeping her hands off Ethan. In fact, she’s falling for him hard—when she isn’t wanting to wring his neck.

So, for two crazy weeks, her pride, her heart, and her life are all threatened. Ashley isn’t sure which she’ll lose first.

Excerpt:

Their stolen car was low on gas, so they had to stop at a travel plaza off the interstate in Beckley to fill up. Ashley went in with Ethan as he paid so she could go to the bathroom, and they were walking out together when they saw a police car parked not far from their car. Two officers were standing nearby, talking. Ashley jerked to a stop, her heart jumping into her throat. “Don’t look so guilty,” Ethan said, stopping beside her. “They’re probably not paying any attention to us.” “What if the car was reported stolen?” Ashley crossed her arms tightly across her chest, thinking about how all her hard work at being good over the last eighteen months would be thrown out the window if Ethan got her arrested. “What if they’re trying to act casual and are waiting to see who gets in the car?” “I doubt that. They look like they’re just killing time.” Ethan’s tone was laidback, but he didn’t move forward to the car, so he must not be absolutely sure. “We can’t just stand here like this in the middle of the lot for no reason.” When she saw one of the police officers glance their way, Ashley pretended to be straightening Ethan’s shirt. “We’ll look suspicious, even if they’re not waiting for us.” “I know that. Pretend we’re having a conversation, and it got so intense we had to stop.” Still fidgeting with the buttons of his camp shirt, she couldn’t help but notice that the t-shirt underneath was so thin it was almost threadbare. “You really need to dump this stupid t-shirt.” “What are you talking about?” His body stiffened, like he was offended. Leave it to Ethan to not care when she insulted him or swore at him but get all upset when she threatened his favorite t-shirt. “You’ve had it since you were in high school. It’s falling apart. I’m surprised it even still fits, since you were skinny back then.” He frowned. “I wasn’t that skinny.” Despite his frown, there was an unexpected warmth in his eyes that she used to see there a lot. “Yes, you were.” She couldn’t help but feel a sudden wave of fond memory at the thought of Ethan in high school. He’d made her laugh and teased her and had once he’d gotten into a fist-fight with a guy who had stood her up for the Christmas dance. Even Mark hadn’t done that much for her. “They’re looking at us,” Ethan murmured, his eyes still soft with that something. “I’m going to do something so we don’t look suspicious, so try not to get all upset about it.” She had no idea what he was going to do. She was too distracted by the memories. So she was stunned when he raised a hand to the back of her head and then leaned down to kiss her. She’d never kissed Ethan before, and she had no desire to kiss him now. He was smug and obnoxious and infuriating, and he’d brought nothing but trouble into her life. She didn’t pull away, though. At first, she was so surprised she couldn’t. Then, when his mouth started to move against hers and he eased her closer against him, she didn’t really want to pull away. It felt good. Amazing. He was a really good kisser. He was Ethan. And she wanted to kiss him back. When she realized that she was genuinely responding, she sucked in a breath and tried to pull away. “Don’t,” Ethan murmured against her mouth, holding her head in place with his hand. “They’re walking toward us.” So she couldn’t pull away like she wanted—since kissing him was a better option than being arrested. But her heart was pounding painfully, and she fisted her hands in his old t-shirt to channel her surging nerves. “Not in the middle of the parking lot, kids,” one of the policeman said as he passed. “At least make it back to your car.” They broke apart, and Ashley heard herself giggling as the anxiety eased into relief. “Sorry, sir,” Ethan said, much more compliantly than he would ever respond under normal circumstances. So they returned to the car, which the police obviously hadn’t flagged as being stolen. Ashley, feeling an intense wash of guilt and confusion, rubbed at her mouth with the back of her hand. She shouldn’t have liked kissing him so much. Having feelings like that would throw her whole life into a mess. “Sorry,” Ethan said, obviously noticing the gesture. “I wouldn’t have done it if it hadn’t been an emergency.” “I know. I didn’t say anything, did I?” He didn’t reply, and Ashley was so embarrassed—thinking that he might have noticed she was an enthusiastic participant in the fake kissing—that she pretended to take a nap.

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Allure by Lacey Weatherford

“Everyone said he was bad, dangerous, and not a good fit for any respectable girl. But for some reason, I couldn’t seem to resist him. To me, he was perfect . . . in all his wicked glory.”

- Allure by Lacey Weatherford

Blurb

Seventeen-year-old Brooklyn Hall has had her eye on uber sexy tattoo artist, Six Jagger for a while. There’s only one problem—she’s pretty sure he doesn’t even know she exists. A friend of her older brother, Six is five years older than her. Plus, there’s the pesky fact that he’s had a steady girlfriend for months. Still, even though she knows there’s no chance for her, she can’t seem to let the fantasy go.

Six Jagger has had a thing for Brooklyn Hall since the first time he laid eyes on her a year ago. However, after finding out her age, he wiped her off his list of possibilities. That should’ve been the end of it, but for some reason, he can’t stop watching and admiring her from afar. Happy that he’s successfully maintained his distance, all that changes on the night Brooklyn walks into Inked Edges, asking him for an illegal tattoo. After that, all his carefully constructed barriers come tumbling down, taking them on an explosive ride of lust, passion, and desire.

"All’s well that ends well, right? Too bad that wasn’t the end, but merely the beginning…”

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Lacey Weatherford is the bestselling author of the popular young adult paranormal romance series, Of Witches and Warlocks, and contemporary series, Chasing Nikki and Crush, and Tell Me Why. Lacey resides in the beautiful White Mountains of Arizona. She lives with her wonderful husband and children along with their dog, Talley, and cat, Minx. When she’s not out supporting one of her kids at their sporting/music events, she spends her time reading, writing, and visiting with her readers on her social media accounts.

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Blog Tour - Love After Dark

Blurb

Love After Dark features nine bestselling authors who create worlds and love within them. Not only will you find love between the pages but new content relating to their fabulous series! This bundle will include Brina Courtney, Ella James, Quinn Loftis, A.O Peart, Alivia Anders, Heather Hildenbrand, Julia Crane, Melissa Pearl and Anna Cruise.

Excerpt 

I knew I was being evasive, but what could I tell her? I had no access to whatever part of me knew whatever there was to know. I could feel things going on behind the scenes—Like knees and elbows poking through a stage sheet as the company changed set—but it was all vague, unreachable…

Until the rock. I’d felt…like someone else. Something else, because I wasn’t anyone. Somewhere else, but not any place I could understand.

And whoever or whatever I had been, I knew Milo. Not only did I know her… I had some kind of weird… thing for her.

Even now standing in the grass by her house, I could feel the power of the memory. And I could almost remember something else. A cold purpose, lurking somewhere behind it.

Blog Tour - Writing Process by Jennifer Chance

Thank you so much for such an awesome guest post. I am always so intrigued by the writing process and how much it takes to get to the stage of a finished book!

Fake It 

By Jennifer Chance

The Ever-Evolving Writing Process

Thank you so much, Jodie, for hosting me today, and for asking about the writing process!

When I was an aspiring author, wondering if I would ever sell a book (this was in the days before Indie Publishing had become such a viable option for authors to reach readers), I never missed an opportunity to learn about a successful author’s writing process. 

Surely, I thought, if I could JUST figure out what worked for these other authors, I would stumble upon the exact perfect formula for me. I listened to talks by Pantsers and Plotters and Plotsers, I pored over spreadsheets and index-card systems and project plans. I learned about “listening to your muse” and “honoring the process” and memorized acronyms like BICHOK (Butt in Chair, Hands on Keyboard) and NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). 

And I wrote a book, then finished it. Wrote another book, and finished it. Wrote a third book, and finally sent it out. And a fourth. And a fifth. I generally followed the same process for each—loosely plotting the thing out, then writing it, then rewriting and rewriting and rewriting it. 

With the very first book I sold, a YA historical called Maid of Secrets (published under the name Jennifer McGowan), I actually wrote the book—scrapped it, and then rewrote it again, this time with several very fast rounds of revision. That second version sold, and I thought “ah ha! I now know how to write a book successfully!”
Only when I wrote the second book in the series, Maid of Deception—I was on deadline. I didn’t have time to revise several times, and so I had to learn a new process. But it went very well and I thought “ah ha! Now THIS is the way to write a book successfully!”
And then I sold Rock It, the first book in my Rule Breakers series, on proposal. That means I’d written the first three chapters and a synopsis. . . but nothing else. So I had to write the rest of the book. . . in six weeks. And then draft the second book—and the third—in quick succession. So I had to learn a new process. “Ah . . . ha?” I wondered. “Is this how to do it?”
Just as I got a handle on that series of books, however, my next YA historical was due, and. . . you get the idea. J
So now, with three books and one novella published in just over a year, and two more on the way yet this year, and at least two more on the way next year, here’s what I’ve learned about the writing process!

1. It will evolve because your life will evolve. 

That first book may have taken you five years to write—but the next one may require you to write it in five months. Or, heaven forfend, five weeks. Be adaptable and open to new ways of doing things, so that your process grows with you. 

2. What works for Nora Roberts works because she makes it work. Ditto with your process. 

Even if you stumble across the Holy Grail of writing processes, don’t be fooled: it’s still work. You still have to put in the time, show up at the computer, and put words on a page. The best writing process in the world won’t be effective if you never fire up your laptop. Even when—especially when—you don’t feel like it. 

3. No process? No problem. You’re a professional. . . and that’s what counts. 

If, like me, you study authors far and wide and still aren’t sure what the perfect plan is for you, that’s okay! Just show up anyway and put words on the page. It may not be elegant, it may not even be efficient, but no readers will ever read your spreadsheet . . . they will only read your finished book. So however you can finish that manuscript, finish it! And send it out to be edited and prepared for publication. That’s the only writing process that matters in the end.

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