Category Archives: ARC
ARC Review: Unforgettable by Cherie M. Hudson
Unforgettable
Cherie M. Hudson
Always Series, Book 2
My name is Brendon Osmond. I’m a 25 year old post-graduate student who knows three things with absolute conviction. I know damn near everything there is to know about keeping in peak physical shape. I have a plan to make a lot of money from that knowledge. I’m an optimist who’s not easily rattled. But then the girl I fell in love with almost two years ago texts me out of the blue and everything I know is thrown out the window.
Am I rattled?
No.
Not until I fly to the other side of the world and discover the girl I fell for has kept a very big secret from me.
A secret that mocks all my knowledge of the human body and how to keep it healthy.
A secret that shatters my plans for my own personal training business.
A secret with my eyes.
A secret who needs me more than I can comprehend.
Ask me again if I’m rattled.
Now ask me if I’m still in love.
5 Stars
Amazing, heartbreaking and hopeful.
Going into a book where you have a preconceived dislike of the heroine, that you have yet to meet, is a bit trying and harder than you think. Then Ms. Hudson gives the reader a story of ups and down, tragedy and blessing, loss and love, devastation and triumph with an amazing amount of optimism.
I loved Brendon from the moment I met him in Unconditional. He’s a true friend, and a damn good man. Always seeing the good in people. Brendon is the kind of person who will support you when you need it, push you just enough and alway be by your side.
Amanda was a wonderfully written character however I did not love her. I thought her to be very selfish. She made a move of desperation that I found tackles. Upon her reasoning I to a point understood, I still didn’t like her decision. By the end she did grow on me a bit. I still don’t love her but found her to be one of the strongest women I have read in a very long time.
I flippin loved this book. And I cried every kind of tear known to man while reading Unforgettable. No, I didn’t love the heroine and I gave this book 5 Stars. Why? This story is heartbreaking, gut wrenching, and raw. Hopeful and passionate. The characters, writing and author make it all blend together to give the reader a roller coaster ride of emotions, a fight against something neither of them could control and showing sometimes hope and faith all we really have. That is what makes a damn good book.
I’m not the biggest fan of New Adult romance. If Cherie M. Hudson is writing it, I will be reading it. Grab your tissues and dive in. You will need them.
Review copy provided by netgalley.
ARC Review: Seductive Reasoning by Melissa Schroeder
Seductive Reasoning
Melissa Schroeder
Task Force Hawaii, book 1
280 pages
Harmless Publishing
Publish Date: Oct. 12, 2015
Join Melissa Schroeder for a new Harmless spinoff series filled with suspense, hot men, and breathtaking romance.
TASK FORCE HAWAII
Even paradise has a dark side…
Working with local, state, and federal agencies, the men and women of TASK FORCE HAWAII work on cases ranging from bank heists to terrorism. A diverse team filled with ex-military, law enforcement, medical, and technical support, they are Hawaii’s last defense against the worst criminals.
SEDUCTIVE REASONING
Resisting her might just kill him.
Former Army Special Forces Officer Martin “Del” Delano has enough on his hands chasing a serial killer and heading up TASK FORCE HAWAII. He definitely doesn’t need the distraction of Emma Mitchell. From the moment they meet, she knocks him off his feet, literally. Unfortunately, she’s the best person to have on the team to make the connections to help them catch their killer.
A temptation she can’t ignore.
For Emma, it’s hard to ignore the lure of a man like him. Tats, muscles and his Harley cause her to have more than a few fantasies about Del. He’d never be interested in a geek like her, but she can’t resist toying with him. When she pushes the teasing too far, she ends up in his bed. She convinces herself she can handle it until the moment he steals her heart.
A killer obsessed.
Del can’t help falling for the quirky genius. She’s smart, funny and there’s a sweet vulnerable side to her that only he can see. As Emma gets more involved with the investigation, she becomes the target of the psychopath. When the danger escalates, Del promises to do anything to save the woman who not only captured his heart but also his soul.
5 Stars
Seductive Reasoning is a fast paced, character driven book that keep you on the edge of your seat. The plot keeps you on the move and guessing, while quirky, sassy and witty characters draw you in for the ride. Del and Emma’s attraction and chemistry is off the charts that creates a lovely sexual tension. The secondary cast of characters demand the same attention as Del and Emma. Intriguing readers to want their stories as well. Passion and personality are two thing I have come to expect from every Melissa Schroeder book I read, she has never failed me.
Melissa Schroeder once again has captivated this reader with a perfect balance of page turning suspense and steamy romance. There is no genre of romance that Mel can’t nail. Seductive Reasoning, in my opinion is her best work to date and a perfect romantic suspense read.
Review: Obscured by Tara Sue Me
Obscured by Tara Sue Me
Date of Publication: October 12, 2015
Blurb
From Tara Sue Me writing as Cat Waters:
There’s the truth you know….
At age 16, Athena Hamilton traded her body for survival when a powerful Vegas hotelier and pimp lured her into his world. Ten years of turning tricks has taught her to trust no one and feel nothing. Yet a chance meeting with a childhood crush sparks hope for something more.
The truth you believe…
There’s no way Isaiah Martin could want her. He’s a pastor. Too good. Too pure. But when she learns her days are numbered, she runs into the safety of his arms and trusts his promise of protection.
And the truth you never imagined…
The aftermath of a tragic accident and a bitter betrayal leaves her destitute and alone. The one man she shouldn’t trust offers her a chance to escape. But when good and evil collide, what do you do when the truth is Obscured?
Available From
About Tara Sue Me
Tara Sue Me wrote her first novel at the age of twelve. It would be twenty years before she picked up her pen to write the second.
After completing several clean romances, she decided to try her hand at something spicier and started The Submissive. What began as a writing exercise quickly took on a life of its own. An avid reader of all types of fiction, she soon discovered she enjoyed writing a variety as well.
Tara lives in the Southeastern United States with her family, two dogs, and a cat.
Find Tara Sue Me Online
Teaser
Chapter One
The day I meet Isaiah Martin for the second time, I am running late. I pride myself on my punctuality, not to mention that my clients demand it, and I’m not paying attention to my surroundings.
I look at my watch again. Five minutes after. Shit. I scurry through the hotel lobby, making a beeline to the elevators. If luck happens to be on my side, I won’t have to wait, but the elevators in the largest hotel in Las Vegas are notoriously slow.
Will the stairs be quicker? I glance over my shoulder. The stairwell is located on the other side of the large open atrium. With my client’s room on the thirtieth floor, the elevator is faster, even if I have to wait. I turn back to the elevators.
And run right into a man standing in my path, overcorrect, and twist my ankle.
“Excuse me, ma’am,” he says in a soft, cultured Southern accent, reaching out a hand to steady me. “You okay?”
“Damn it!” My ankle throbs so much I’m not sure I can walk. I gingerly put my weight on the hurt ankle and curse again at the pain.
Suck it up, Athena. This is nothing. Think about what’ll happen if you don’t make it upstairs in the next few minutes.
“Ma’am?” Mr. Southern Gentleman repeats.
“I’m fine.” I tentatively move my foot side to side. “Just give me a minute.”
“Why don’t you come sit down and let me take a look at that ankle?”
“You a doctor?” Odds are Odds are he’s just your standard pervert wanting the chance to run his hand up my leg. Even if he is a doctor, I’m not about to let him put his hands on me. Not a wise thing to do, since it’s almost a certainty Mike will find out.
“No, ma’am,” he says. “But I think you may need to rest that ankle just a bit.”
“Really, I’m fine.” I put my full weight on the ankle and nearly fall over as the pain sparks up my leg. “Ow. Ow. Ow.Hell.”
He doesn’t speak again, but takes me by the arm and leads me to a bench near the elevators. His head drops down and he runs a finger along my anklebone. Pokes and prods me. “I don’t think anything’s broken, but you should probably stay off your feet for the next little bit.”
“Easy for you to say,” I snap. “You’re obviously not the one running late.”
He looks up and our eyes meet.
Warm caramel eyes. His thick, black hair is long overdue for a haircut and curls up the tiniest bit at his neck. His firm lips give way to a perfect “O” of surprise at the exact moment I recognize him.
“Athena?”
“Isaiah?”
He embraces me with a crushing hug. “Imagine seeing you here. How are you?”
My spine goes rigid, and I don’t return the hug. “I’m….I’m fine,” I stutter while my eyes dart around the lobby, trying to see if anyone’s watching me.
“I can’t believe it’s you.” He is oblivious to my discomfort. “Are you in town for long?”
I force myself to stop scanning the area and focus on Isaiah instead. A cold chill runs down my spine as I take in his handsome features. The last twelve years have treated him well. No longer is he the awkward teenage boy plagued by acne and thick glasses. He’s grown into the handsome man I always knew lay beneath the surface.
He looks at me in expectation. What did he ask?
I fiddle with the hem of my skirt. It rests just above the knee. “I live here.”
4 Stars
This book is one crazy ride. And nothing like I thought it would be when I started reading.
Athena is trapped in a dark cycle that repeated itself every day for ten years. When a friend from the past stumbles upon Athena’s world of darkness turns to danger. Trust in not something she can afford to give. The lines of friend and foe cross leaving confusion in its wake. And yet this woman finds the strength and courage to keep fighting a battle that shatters her heart and hopes.
I was truly amazed at not only this story, the depth of the writing is amazing. The flashback with current happening put the reader in tune with Athena. Emotional, heart breaking and raw. This one was truly heart clenching. I felt the despair, hope and pain. And loved the real heart felt passion that comes through in the end. A great raw story.
Contest
ARC Review: Rock Redemption by Nalini Singh
Rock Redemption
Nalini Singh
Rock Kiss series, Book 3
Kit Devigny could have loved rock guitarist Noah St. John. Their friendship burned with the promise of intense passion and searing tenderness…until the night Noah deliberately shattered her heart.
Noah knows he destroyed something precious the night he chose to betray Kit, but he’d rather she hate him than learn his darkest secret. All he has left is his music. It’s his saving grace, but it doesn’t silence the voices that keep him up at night. Chasing oblivion through endless one-night-stands, he earns a few hours’ sleep and his bad boy reputation.
When a media error sees Noah and Kit dubbed the new “it” couple, Kit discovers her chance at the role of a lifetime hinges on riding the media wave. Wanting—needing—to give Kit this, even if he can’t give her everything, Noah agrees to play the adoring boyfriend. Only the illusion is suddenly too real, too painful, too beautiful…and it may be too late for the redemption of Noah St. John.
4 Stars
Nalini Singh surprised me with the darkness, emotional depth and desperation that comes through the pages of Rock Redemption.
Noah’s a sexy asshat with demon that go as deep as his soul. He’s a broken man. Indulging in excesses of his rockstar lifestyle that lead him on the path of total destruction.
Kit is sunshine in a darken day. Full of hope and dreams she doesn’t back down from. This woman holds amazing strength and gives every bit of herself in everything she does. Kit is the true hero of this story.
Emotional, raw and dark. Ms. Singh gives the reader a pretty accurate look at what it’s like to love someone with deep demons. Addiction is frustrating, confusing and ugly. Just like Kit and Noah’s story. Lines are crossed, hope seems lost, and friendship is tested. Love hurts, then heals. Rock Redemption feels like real life to this reader. A high complement.
Rock Redemption by Nalini Singh~Blog Tour
Kit and Noah’s rock star romance is finally here in the newest addition to Nalini Singh’s Rock Kiss Series!!
NOW AVAILABLE
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1hP7G54
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1XBZsOB
Nook:http://bit.ly/1VIYkH2
iBooks: http://apple.co/1ITi0i7
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1VIYoXo
Blurb
Kit Devigny could have loved rock guitarist Noah St. John. Their friendship burned with the promise of intense passion and searing tenderness…until the night Noah deliberately shattered her heart.
Noah knows he destroyed something precious the night he chose to betray Kit, but he’d rather she hate him than learn his darkest secret. All he has left is his music. It’s his saving grace, but it doesn’t silence the voices that keep him up at night. Chasing oblivion through endless one-night-stands, he earns a few hours’ sleep and his bad boy reputation.
When a media error sees Noah and Kit dubbed the new “it” couple, Kit discovers her chance at the role of a lifetime hinges on riding the media wave. Wanting—needing—to give Kit this, even if he can’t give her everything, Noah agrees to play the adoring boyfriend. Only the illusion is suddenly too real, too painful, too beautiful…and it may be too late for the redemption of Noah St. John.
Excerpt from ROCK REDEMPTION by
Nalini Singh
Kit groaned at the sound of her phone. Reaching out blindly toward the nightstand, she hurled mental curses upon herself for forgetting to turn it off so she could catch some uninterrupted sleep before her four-a.m. makeup call.
It’d be fun and great for her career, her agent had said when recommending Kit take the superhero flick. Coming off two serious and emotionally wrenching projects, Kit had taken Harper’s advice and jumped on board the high-budget, high-octane venture. Unfortunately, Harper had forgotten to mention the four hours it would take to put her into the head-to-toe makeup required for the role. Daily.
“What?” she snarled into the phone without checking to see who it was.
“Hey, Katie.”
Every cell in her body snapped wide awake. Lifting her eyelids, she just stared at the ceiling through gritty eyes. Her heart thumped, her throat moving convulsively as she swallowed. She hated that he could still do this to her, hated it, but her visceral response to Noah wasn’t something she could stop. She knew because she’d tried for the past two years and three months.
“Noah,” she said flatly. “Do you know what time it is?”
“Two fifteen,” he answered.
Kit should’ve hung up. God, he’d hurt her. So much. But there was something in his voice that had her sitting up. “Are you drunk?” One thing she knew about Noah: no matter his bad-boy rep, he was never wasted. He might give a good indication of it, but look closely and those dark gray eyes were always sober.
“Probably.” A silence, followed by, “I just wanted to hear your voice. Sorry for waking you.”
“Wait,” she said when he would’ve hung up. “Where are you?”
“Some dive.” He took a deep breath, released it in a harsh exhale. “I’m sorry for being an asshole. I wanted to tell you that. I don’t want to go without saying that.”
“Noah,” she said, a horrible feeling in her stomach. “Where exactly are you?”
“The Blue Flamingo Inn off Hollywood Boulevard. Far, far, far off.” He laughed, and it held no humor. “It has a neon sign of a blue—surprise!—flamingo that’s flashing right through my window. Looks like someone stole the curtains.”
Having already grabbed her laptop, which she’d left beside the bed after answering some e-mails before sleep claimed her, she found the Blue Flamingo Inn. But Noah was already gone, having said, “I love your voice, Kit,” in an oddly raw tone before hanging up.
He didn’t pick up when she called back.
“Damn it! Damn it!” She shoved aside the blanket under which she’d been buried, having turned the AC to ice-cold as she usually did at night. Shivering, she tugged on a pair of jeans and an old sweatshirt over the panties and tank top in which she’d gone to sleep.
Pulling her black hair into a rough ponytail to keep it out of her eyes, she ran through the house, phone in one pocket, credit card and driver’s license in the other. In the kitchen, she grabbed her keys off the counter and shoved her feet into the tennis shoes by the door that led to the garage.
She was in her car and on the way to the motel three minutes after Noah had hung up, mouth dry and an ugliness in her gut. “Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay,” she kept saying, the mantra doing nothing to calm her down, but at least it kept her mind focused.
She wanted to call Molly and Fox, or the others in the band, but no one was currently in the city. Schoolboy Choir had completed the final show in the band’s hugely successful tour just over two weeks earlier. Day after that, they’d all gone their separate ways to recharge and regroup.
“Much as I love these guys,” David had said with a grin that reached the dark gold of his eyes, “I’ve been looking at their ugly mugs daily for months. We need to go blow off some steam separately before we start snarling at each other.”
At the time, Kit had nodded in understanding, having had that same experience while working on location for long periods. Tonight, however, she wished the others were all here, not scattered across the country, because something was very wrong with Noah.
“Noah doesn’t do drugs,” she told herself as she drove as fast as she dared, not wanting to risk getting pulled over and further delayed. “He isn’t the kind to—” She couldn’t say it, couldn’t even think of Noah ending his life. “No,” she said firmly, her hands white-knuckled on the steering wheel. “Noah isn’t like that.”
If you’d like to read the rest of this chapter, as well as the next, click this link: http://nalinisingh.com/books/rock-kiss-series/rock-redemption/
The Rock Kiss Reading Order
Rock Addiction (Book One) Rock Kiss Series
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/WqA2rj
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1G9piir
Nook: http://bit.ly/1t5T7Zt
iTunes: http://bit.ly/1ng9zE9
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1lPqB19
Rock Courtship (Book 1.5) A Rock Kiss Novel:
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/XXjjxG
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1G9pmhZ
iBooks: http://bit.ly/1lzgNIi
Nook: http://bit.ly/1COgaC6
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1pEeCy6
Rock Hard (Book Two) Rock Kiss Series
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1BXhHWB
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1G9oslz
iBooks: http://bit.ly/1utQDee
Nook: http://bit.ly/1KEyBIx
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1APyqnU
Rock Redemption (Book Three) Rock Kiss Series
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1hP7G54
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1XBZsOB
Nook:http://bit.ly/1VIYkH2
iBooks: http://apple.co/1ITi0i7
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1VIYoXo
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Psy-Changeling, Guild Hunter, and Rock Kiss series Nalini Singh usually writes about hot shapeshifters and dangerous angels. This time around, she decided to write about a beautiful, charismatic guitarist with a dark past. If you’re seeing a theme here, you’re not wrong.
Nalini lives and works in beautiful New Zealand, and is passionate about writing. If you’d like to explore her other books, you can find lots of excerpts on her website. Slave to Sensation is the first book in the Psy-Changeling series, while Angels’ Blood is the first book in the Guild Hunter series. Also, don’t forget to swing by the site to check out the special behind-the-scenes page for the Rock Kiss series, complete with photos of many of the locations used in the books.
GIVEAWAY
$50 AMAZON Gift Card
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ARC Review: Fire Me Up by Rachael Johns
Fire Me Up
Rachael Johns
Can a scorching affair with a bohemian beauty tame a motorcycle man with a dark side? Rachael Johns takes the wheel in the sexy series co-written with Megan Crane, Jackie Ashenden, and Maisey Yates.
Travis “Cash” Sinclair values only two things from his days with the Deacons of Bourbon Street: his prized Harley Davidson and the man who gave it to him. But now Priest Lombard is gone, and Cash has inherited the Deacons’ clubhouse—not to mentions its unexpected tenant. She’s exactly the type of woman he tries to avoid: all incense and art, with a sharp tongue that promises trouble. So why does Cash want to push aside those flowing skirts and lose himself between her legs?
Billie Taylor fled a bad marriage to start a new life among the grit and glamour of the French Quarter. She refuses to let another man distract her from her dreams, especially an outlaw biker with nothing to offer except hot sex and an eviction notice. Cash is dangerous, with an untamed streak he tries desperately to conceal. He drives Billie wild, sending her too close to the edge for her own good. And she won’t fall under his spell—or into his bed—without a fight.
4 Stars
Billie is awesome. Smart, sassy and is able to see the good in people. A woman who has been burned, but has a thing for the bad boys. An Australian transplant making a new life for herself in New Orleans gets flipped inside out when the death of her landlord sends one hot as sin, bad ass biker moving into her spare bedroom. Temptation is too much when that much hotness is right in her face.
Travis “Cash” Sinclair has a love/hate New Orleans. He’s got a big chip on his shoulder and a lot of attitude about being brought back to the city by the death of the man that pushed him away. While Cash has all the alpha qualities that I love in a Biker, he was brash with a ego a little too big.
It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Biker Romance. Fire Me Up is different from most I have read. Rather than being in the middle of full club action, it more like putting the pieces back together. Making a new start with with broken pieces. A great concept and in return gives the reader a good story. I truly wish I could have liked Cash more than I did. His brashness took a star from this otherwise great story.
Hard As Steel by Laura Kaye: Review and Excerpt Tour
We so excited to be able to bring you the Review & Excerpt Tour for Laura Kaye’s HARD AS STEEL!! HARD AS STEEL is a Hard Ink/Raven Riders Crossover Series Novella brought to you by 1001 Dark Nights. It is due to be released on September 22, 2015! Grab your copy of this sexy novella today!
Amazon eBook ** Amazon Paperback
Laura Kaye’s HARD AS STEEL – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:
September 23rd
The Book Hammock – Review & Excerpt
What I’m Reading – Review & Excerpt
Smut Book Junkie Reviews – Review & Excerpt
Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews – Review
JB’s Book Obsession – Excerpt
Love Affair with an e-Reader – Review
Book Reader Chronicles – Review & Excerpt
September 24th
Coffee-Books-Life Blog – Review & Excerpt
East Coast Book Chicks – Review & Excerpt
Obsessive Reading Disorder – Review & Excerpt
Blushing Reads – Review & Excerpt
Krista’s Dust Jacket – Review & Excerpt
Red Hot + Blue Reads – Review & Excerpt
Kelsey’s Corner Time – Review & Excerpt
Wicked Reads – Review & Excerpt
A little fiction of every flavour – Review & Excerpt
Fangs, Wands and Fairy Dust – Review & Excerpt
September 25th
Naughty Book Eden – Excerpt
Reviews by Tammy and Kim – Review & Excerpt
Deluged with Books Cafe – Review & Excerpt
What Is That Book About – Excerpt
mignonmykel : reviews – Review & Excerpt
Adventures in Writing – Excerpt
Hot Guys in Books – Review & Excerpt
JordansBookReviews – Excerpt
Books According to Abby – Review & Excerpt
September 26th
Little Read Riding Hood – Review & Excerpt
I Heart YA Books – Excerpt
Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Excerpt
Becky on Books – Review & Excerpt
Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess – Review & Excerpt
A Tasty Read Book Reviews – Review
Ashleyz Wonderland – Excerpt
Those Crazy Book Chicks – Review & Excerpt
September 27th
Ramblings From This Chick – Review
Connected by Books – Excerpt
Ripe For Reader – Review
Inner Goddess – Review & Excerpt
Cocktails and Books – Excerpt
Southern Vixens Book Obsessions – Excerpt
Ticket To Anywhere – Review & Excerpt
My Favorite Things – Review
September 28th
MrsLeif’s Two Fangs About It – Review
Echoing Books – Review & Excerpt
Book Sojourner – Review & Excerpt
Edible Pages Book Blog – Review
Dark Faerie Tales – Review & Excerpt
The Book Reading Gals – Review & Excerpt
My Girlfriends Couch – Review & Excerpt
Romancing the Readers – Review
Bewitching bibliophile – Review
September 29th
Obsessed With Myshelf – Review & Excerpt
Sultry, Steamy Reading – Review & Excerpt
Love Affair With Fiction – Excerpt
Feeling Fictional – Review
Alleskelle Blogs – Review & Excerpt
Becky’s Book Bytes – Review & Excerpt
Teatime and Books – Excerpt
September 30th
Wickedcoolflight.net – Review & Excerpt
The Fairest of All Book Reviews – Review
Typical Distractions – Review & Excerpt
Booklover Sue – Excerpt
Renee Entress’s Blog – Review & Excerpt
The book obsessed momma – Review
Always YA at Heart – Review & Excerpt
We stole your book boyfriend – Review & Excerpt
Friends Till The End Book Blog – Excerpt
October 1st
Books Need TLC – Review
The Book Junkie – Review
Bitten By Love – Excerpt
Sweet Reads: You’re In For A Treat – Review & Excerpt
Sofia Loves Books – Review
Viviana, Enchantress of Books – Review
Confessions of a Bookfreak – Review & Excerpt
Read-Love-Blog – Excerpt
October 2nd
Somewhere Lost in Books – Review & Excerpt
Cupcakes and Vodka Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Grownupfangirl – Excerpt
My Book Snack – Review & Excerpt
Talking Books Blog – Review & Excerpt
Nose Stuck in a Book – Review & Excerpt
Once Untold – Review & Excerpt
G & T Indie Café – Excerpt
Brooklynn Gibbs – Excerpt
About HARD AS STEEL: A Hard Ink/Raven Riders Crossover Novella
After identifying her employer’s dangerous enemies, Jessica Jakes takes refuge at the compound of the Raven Riders Motorcycle Club. Fellow Hard Ink tattooist and Raven leader Ike Young promises to keep Jess safe for as long as it takes, which would be perfect if his close, personal, round-the-clock protection didn’t make it so hard to hide just how much she wants him—and always has.
Ike Young loved and lost a woman in trouble once before. The last thing he needs is alone time with the sexiest and feistiest woman he’s ever known, one he’s purposely kept at a distance for years. Now, Ike’s not sure he can keep his hands or his heart to himself—or that he even wants to anymore. And that means he has to do whatever it takes to hold on to Jess forever.
HARD AS STEEL EXCERPT: Good Night
I’m thrilled to be here celebrating the release of my 21st book, HARD AS STEEL! After a midnight break-in at her apartment, close friends and Hard Ink Tattoo co-workers Ike Young and Jessica Jakes are forced into hiding—and forced to confront the feelings they’ve always denied for one another. I have always adored friends-to-lovers and forced proximity stories, and HARD AS STEEL delivers that and more, including a taste of both my award-winning and best-selling Hard Ink and upcoming Raven Riders series! Check out this excerpt:
“Night,” she said, heading up the steps.
“Night,” he replied, watching her hips sway in a pair of silky black shorts. Combined with the form-fitting black tank top and those perfect-for-grabbing pigtails, she was going to make it damn hard for him to fall asleep tonight.
Damn hard, indeed.
He turned out the light and went horizontal, the soft couch so comfortable against his sore back even though it was a little too short to fit his whole body. He adjusted his erection, willing it to get with the no-sex-with-Jess program. Problem was, in the quiet darkness, Ike could hear her moving around in the loft. Soft footsteps on the wood floor. The shifting of covers. The squeaking of the box spring. And all that did was invite his imagination out to play. Easy since he had so much material to work with after sleeping with Jess wrapped around him the past two nights.
His shoulders and chest knew what the silk of her hair felt like when it skimmed over his skin. His hip knew the heat of her core when she slept with her knee across his thighs. His hands had memorized the curve of her lower back and the shape of her biceps and just how much of her luscious ass he could fit in his palms.
Ike knew what her mouth tasted like, how tight her legs could wrap around his waist, and how fucking beautiful the combination of ink and steel was on her skin.
Jesus, his cock was never going to let him go to sleep at this rate.
And was it fucking hot in here or what? He tossed the cover off, wishing he had a ceiling fan downstairs, too. Something for the to-do list around this place.
Ike sighed and flung his hand over his head. And wondered why the hell he was torturing himself this way.
He could just go up there and get in the bed—and take what he wanted, and what he knew Jess would be only too happy to give. Neither of them was immune to the mutual attraction that had always been there between them. And her reaction to his kiss the other day made it crystal fucking clear that she was waiting for him to make his move.
Jess had plenty of one-night stands and casual hook-ups. Ike knew she was perfectly capable of handling that kind of relationship.
Except.
Except Ike wasn’t a clueless idiot, and he wasn’t in the habit of doing things he knew damn right well would hurt someone he cared about. Jess wore her emotions like she wore her ink—out loud and unapologetically. He had a pretty good idea that she was rocking some more-than-friendly and more-than-physical feelings for him. Right now, she thought them unrequited, and that kept a kind of sexually tense equilibrium between them. But if he let himself off the leash—even just once—he’d very likely raise and dash her hopes, give her all kinds of mixed signals, and screw things up royally between them.
He shook his head and heaved a deep breath. If he wasn’t going to go the distance with her, he had no business taking the first step.
Chick here to read Coffee-Books-Life’s review of HARD AS STEEL
About Laura Kaye:
Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty books in contemporary and paranormal romance and romantic suspense. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.
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ARC Review: Hard As Steel by Laura Kaye
Hard As Steel
Laura Kaye
Hard Ink/Raven Riders crossover novella
1001 Dark Nights Series
Ike Young loved and lost a woman in trouble once before. The last thing he needs is alone time with the sexiest and feistiest woman he’s ever known, one he’s purposely kept at a distance for years. Now, Ike’s not sure he can keep his hands or his heart to himself—or that he even wants to anymore. And that means he has to do whatever it takes to hold on to Jess forever.
Edgy, hard and hot!
Ike and Jess have continued a dance of friendship wanting more for years. When forced to lay low in Ike’s cabin the truth of wants and needs becomes to hard to ignore. Temptation, small spaces and chemistry push Jess and Ike beyond their limits.
Jess is sassy, funny and wears her heart on her sleeve. Ike is protective, hard as steel and so sexy. Opposites that compliment each other perfectly. Chemistry that turns passion into a raging fire. A darker edge that makes the romance sinfully wicked! Jess and Ike together creates a whole new meaning to the word HOT!
Laura Kaye gives her readers a sexually tense and emotionally intense fueled ride straight into the world of the Raven Riders. Hard As Steel is a perfect example of what I have come to love from Laura Kaye. An emotional, sexy and tempting story with passion and heart. Leaving the the reader with a racing heart. And so wanting more. This is one you truly don’t want to miss. Bring on the Raven Riders!
A complimentary copy was provided for an honest review.
ARC Review: Mine by Stacey Kennedy
Mine
Stacey Kennedy
Club Sin Series, Book 7
Pub Date Oct 27, 2015
Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept
Dmitri and Presley—the scorching-hot couple who started it all in Claimed—return to save Club Sin in the exhilarating new short novel from USA Today bestselling author Stacey Kennedy.
Dmitri Pratt is living out his dream. Not only does he own the ultimate playground for the BDSM lifestyle, he’s found a special connection with his deliciously sexy sub, Presley Flynn, the woman who complements him in ways that go far beyond the bedroom. But when an anonymous blackmailer threatens to expose the elite, high-profile members of Club Sin in a notorious tabloid, Dmitri’s perfect world spirals out of control.
Before she met Dmitri, Presley never imagined she would find a Master who could deliver on all her hottest fantasies. Dmitri’s love and his sensual artistry surprise her every day, until he suddenly turns distant and cold. For the first time, Presley wonders where Dmitri’s heart truly lies: with her, or with Club Sin. As the life they’ve built together begins to crumble, Presley can only trust that Dmitri has what it takes—to defend what’s his, and win back the woman he cannot live without.
Mine is intended for mature audiences.
4 Stars
Stacey Kennedy concludes the Club Sin series with an emotional and sexy tale that will leave the reader satisfied as any good Dom would.
Presley and Dimitri hit a snag in their relationship as trouble falls upon Club Sin’s doorstep. Emotions fly and trust is tested as control slips from the Masters hands. Watching Dimitri struggle was something of a surprise. He discovered a new side of himself that makes him a better man. Presley has grown so much since meeting her in Claimed. Confident and strong, she stands up for herself, even to her Dom. Bringing out a new woman within herself. One you have to smile at and be proud of.
An exceptional finish to a fabulous series. Stacey Kennedy gave her readers an amazing look at the many sides of BDSM. Tasteful with real and raw emotions. It’s only right that the couple that started this memorable series, Dimitri and Presley, be the ones to finish it.
ARC Review: Beneath These Scars by Meghan March
Beneath These Scars by Meghan March
Date of Publication: September 22, 2015
Blurb
I’m the guy you love to hate.
In every story in my life, I seem to end up playing the villain—and I’ve got the scars to prove it.
That role works fine for me, because I’m sure as hell not anyone’s hero. I run my life and my empire with an iron fist—until she knocks my tightly controlled world off its axis.
She’s nobody’s damsel in distress, but I can’t help but want to save her anyway.
I guess we’re about to find out if there’s a hero buried … beneath these scars.
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About Meghan March
Meghan March is the author of contemporary and erotic romance novels.
Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She’s also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she’s ever had. She loves hearing from her readers at meghanmarchbooks@gmail.com.
Find Meghan March Online
Teaser
Chapter 1
Lucas
SWEAT DRIPPED INTO MY EYES as I bounced on the balls of my feet. Someone had to be calling out how much time was left in this round soon. My pride was on the line, and there was no way I would hand it over to Con Leahy. He’d already gotten the girl, and I wasn’t about to let him humiliate me in the ring in this piece-of-shit New Orleans gym too.
My muscles burned, but that was nothing compared to the heat of victory—or the sting of defeat. What had started out as a boxing lesson had quickly transformed into an all-out brawl for dominance and respect.
Only you would pay a million dollars to get your ass kicked, Titan. The voice in my head mocked me as I bobbed and weaved. But I hadn’t paid a million to get my ass kicked. I’d done it because that night at the charity auction I’d been drunk, pissed off, and determined to prove a point—he might’ve gotten the girl, but I was still the one with the power. I got a sick sense of satisfaction that every time Con bought something for his gym and these kids, he had to think of me.
I swung with another right hook. The blow connected with Con’s jaw and snapped his head to the side.
Yeah. That’s right. But my mental cheer came a moment too soon, and pain exploded in my left side.
Shit, that’s going to hurt tomorrow.
I stumbled back but threw myself forward again, shooting out my fist with an uppercut that knocked Con back a step. This was how it had gone for the last several minutes—trading punches and circling each other.
There was no love lost in this ring, that was for damn sure, and I was ready for this to be over. I would walk out of here with every bit of the respect I was owed. Fuck anyone who thought otherwise.
Con moved toward me and the circling started again. The cheers and chants from the crowd surrounding the ring in the old warehouse gym seemed to grow every time I glanced beyond the ropes. A flash of blond hair caught my eye as I stepped left and Con shifted to the right.
Vanessa.
She threw her head back and laughed at something said by her redheaded friend, Elle. I turned my attention back to the man in front of me, but my focus wandered again when a huskier, sexier laugh echoed through the room.
My eyes strayed from Con for a second too long as I tried to track down the source of the laughter. Pain burst through my jaw, catching me by surprise, and I stumbled back into the ropes. Using their momentum, I shoved off to the side, my pride stinging from my momentary lapse in concentration. Embarrassed and now thoroughly pissed off, I surged forward and attacked.
One punch. That was all I landed before the bell rang, signaling the end of the round and my very expensive “lesson.”
I pushed off Con, and my knee might have slipped as I stepped back . . . and caught him directly in the balls. It was probably an accident. I huffed out a chuckle, but Con didn’t share my humor.
“Goddamn it!” he roared. “Are you fucking serious?”
It was like stabbing a bull with a matador’s sword, but I was ready for him. I jumped out of the way as Con charged, and shifted into a defensive stance when he swung.
“Should’ve expected a cheap shot from you, motherfucker.” Unrestrained anger flashed over his face as every shred of coaching mentality fled, along with that smug superiority he’d been giving me.
Good. You aren’t better than me, Leahy. I could buy and sell you a hundred times over.
He might’ve gotten the girl, but I wasn’t going to let him get away with her clean. I wanted blood.
“Should’ve expected you to strut around this ring like a fucking cock of the walk,” I shot back.
Con feinted and swung again, but I’d been studying his movements. I bobbed and weaved, and got the hell out of the way.
I threw my own punch as soon as I had a clean shot. It landed just below Con’s left eye, splitting the skin over his cheekbone and sending blood spattering everywhere.
The taste of victory was sweet. “First blood,” I said under my breath.
Apparently my words weren’t quiet enough because Con’s head snapped up and he glared at me with disgust, as if I needed to be put down like a rabid animal. “This ain’t a fuckin’ duel, you piece of shit.”
“It sure isn’t a friendly competition either.”
“Paid a million to get that cheap shot in, didn’t you?”
My lips twisted into a mocking smile. “I sure didn’t pay a million to have you show me up.”
Con dropped his hands and shook his head. “Just when I thought you weren’t a complete fucking asshole.”
“You were wrong,” I replied, turning for the ropes.
Con’s fists lifted and before I could react, one connected with my cheekbone. The instantaneous gush of blood told me I’d have a scar to match his, but it didn’t matter. One more scar wouldn’t hurt my banged-up face.
I roared as I charged, but I didn’t get the chance to retaliate. Shouts filled the room, and beefy arms wrapped around my body, holding me back.
“You’re not half bad when you’re not being a shady rich prick,” Lord’s voice said in my ear.
I lunged toward Con, but Lord’s grip only tightened. “Get your goddamn hands off me,” I growled at him.
Leaning closer to my ear, he lowered his voice. “When you calm the hell down and realize you’re making an ass of yourself in front of a bunch of kids and women.”
I glanced out to the crowd and read disgust on so many faces, including Vanessa’s. Like it mattered what a single goddamn person in this gym thought of me. I could buy and sell them all.
Lord was still holding me back when Con came toward us. He yanked his gloves off and wiped at the blood still dripping from the gash on his face.
“You’re also not half bad when you’re paying attention—and when you’re not throwing a knee into my nuts. But I think you’ve overstayed your welcome.”
I jerked at the arms trapping me. “Call off your dog, and I’m gone.”
“You ever want another round, it’s gonna cost you two million next time,” Con said.
“For another chance to make you bleed? I’d pay even more.”
Con nodded to his brother, and Lord let me go. The crowd had already started to disperse. The only person in the building who probably didn’t want to run me down in the parking lot was my COO, and arguably my friend, Ryder Colson. And he was nowhere to be seen.
Instead of Colson, I saw a group of women moving toward the door—Vanessa Frost in her white cotton dress, Elle Snyder in her yellow retro number, and two others I didn’t know. One looked familiar with tanned skin the color of honey, her hair in dark waves, and a curvy body displayed by a funky teal dress with hot-pink polka dots. She hooked her hands on her hips, and that husky laugh echoed through the room again. Apparently she was the one who had distracted me in the ring. My eyes didn’t move from her to take in the fourth woman.
Colson came up beside me. “Who knew there’d be so many hot pieces of ass in this shit warehouse?”
I turned toward him. “Give any of them a shot, and you’ll probably find yourself bleeding on the floor.”
Ryder shrugged off my comment. “Go get your shit. I’ll wait.”
He was gone before I could tell him he didn’t need to wait around for me. But then again, he was my only ally in a building full of people who undoubtedly would have preferred to see me KO’d on the floor of the ring. Just one more place I’d never be welcome.
Good thing I didn’t give a fuck.
I’d showed up, gone toe-to-toe with Con, and had taken back a piece of my pride. That was enough.
For today.
I was already thinking of hiring a trainer as I went for my bag.
5 Stars
Meghan March seduces her readers perfectly with the man should not want.
Lucas Titan makes you want to strip your clothes off and slap him upside the head within two minutes of meeting him. An egotistical, dominating, and power hungry man, who’s this amazing complex character that you would have never seen coming. Irritating and enticing, once Lucas has sank his claws in, there’s no stopping this sinful wicked man.
Yve Santos is a sassy, snarky and will lay it out like it is. She’s not afraid to go toe to toe with the best of them. Yve has am amazing strength that keeps her moving forward, when most would retreat and hide. Yve surprised me at the powerhouse of a woman she is.
I never thought I would ever say I like Lucas Titan. If you have followed Ms. March’s Beneath Series you know Lucas is not a good man. Everything he does benefits himself in every way. Rude and crude are great description of this man. And now we learn the other of side of man who I thought couldn’t feel.
Lucas and Yve challenge each other on every level. Hate with attraction, that moves to sexual tension like none other, to insatiable chemistry. This dirty talking arrogant man needed the right kind of woman to stop in his tracks, question himself, and look beyond his wants. Seeing what love does to this hard ass man makes Beneath These Scars a top read of 2015.
Review copy provided by netgalley
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