Category Archives: Release Day
Review: A Santini in Love by Melissa Schroeder
A Santini in Love
Melissa Schroeder
Santini series book 6
She was the last woman standing.
Madison Baker was born and bred to be a Marine. When a roadside bomb ends her first deployment—not to mention her career—she is left to pick up the pieces of what is left of her life. She’s returned to Oceanside to regroup and move on. It doesn’t mean she’s ready for a relationship, even if a particular Santini has different plans.
Love happens when you least expect it.
When he first met Madison back at the Academy, Dante Santini is sure the woman was put on the earth to irritate him. She’s prickly and mouthy. She always thinks she’s right. Worse—she almost always is. She hasn’t really changed over the years. One disagreement ends up with them lip locked and very nearly falling into bed, Dante discovers he might need to rethink his first impression.
When Madison is convinced she witnesses a murder, the only person who believes her is Dante. Together, they sift through the meager evidence, trying to unearth the secrets someone is trying to hide. Neither one of them expecting it would draw them closer—or that a killer is hell bent on making sure those secrets stay buried.
5 Stars
Madison Barker is one hell of a woman. She’s literally been through hell and back and she still standing on her feet. Some days maybe better than others, but she could take you down in two seconds flat. Smart and witty, however Madison is still healing and is stronger than most women.
Dante will make your heart flutter. Sexy and built, this marine is going to make you sweat. He is also plagued by the family curse. Dante said he didn’t believe in the curse. But the moment he saw her, he knew what it was and the only thing he wanted was Madison by his side.
Dante and Madison are perfect together. Having the past they did and reacquainting themselves gave such wonderful life to the story. Add in a bit of mystery, melding family members, witty banter, a sexy marine, some steamy passion and you have A Santini in Love.
It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of this series. No I can’t call it a series, it’s more than that, it’s a family. Melissa Schroeder has made more than a few women fall in love with her beyond sexy, military men known by the name Santini. Their reputation precedes them. I was beyond excited when Melissa said she was continuing with family. A Santini in Love was everything I enjoy from a Melissa Schroeder book.
A complementary copy of this title was provided by the author/publisher for an honest review.
A Little Harmless Secret by Melissa Schroeder Release Day Blast
Just because you love someone doesn’t mean you can trust them.
Devon Stryker is a man with no past—not one anyone can dig up that is. His made up identity has kept him safe from everyone, except one woman. Five years earlier he let his guard down once, one night of unforgettable passion. He has yet to get her out of his mind. When he thinks he sees her in Seattle, he becomes obsessed with finding her.
Alicia Hughes hasn’t forgotten Devon either. She had been on assignment from MI-6 to find him. Since he disappeared, her life has fallen apart. When she comes face to face with the one man she loved—and the one she fears the most—she panics. When he catches up to her, he finds the woman he has always loved—and the child they made together.
As the old lovers form a tentative alliance, the feelings they both had for each other rise to the surface. They have to let those things go to protect everything they hold dear in the world because someone is intent on destroying them…by any means possible.
WARNING: This title includes secrets, guns, a sexy know-it-all hero, spies, a heroine who doesn’t trust the hero, meddling inlaws, even more spies, double crosses, cool computer things, and two people who can’t seem to keep their hands off each other even though they know it isn’t the right thing to do.
From an early age, USA Today Bestselling Author Melissa loved to read. First, it was the books her mother read to her including her two favorites, Winnie the Pooh and the Beatrix Potter books. She cut her preteen teeth on Trixie Belden and read and reviewed To Kill a Mockingbird in middle school. It wasn’t until she was in college that she tried to write her first stories, which were full of angst and pain, and really not that fun to read or write. After trying several different genres, she found romance in a Linda Howard book.
Since the publication of her first book in 2004, Melissa has had close to fifty romances published. She writes in genres from historical suspense to modern day erotic romance to futuristics and paranormals. Included in those releases is the bestselling Harmless series. In 2011, Melissa branched out into self-publishing with A Little Harmless Submission and the popular military spinoff, Infatuation: A Little Harmless Military Romance. Along the way she has garnered an epic nomination, a multitude of reviewer’s recommended reads, over five Capa nods from TRS, three nominations for AAD Bookies and regularly tops the best seller lists on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Since she spent her childhood as a military brat, Melissa swore never to marry military. But, as we all know, Fate has her way with mortals. She is married to now retired AF major and is raising her own brats, both human and canine. She spends her days giving in to her addiction to Twitter and spends her days thankful for their new home and the short trip to Wegmans.
HARD TO HOLD ON TO – RELEASE DAY
We are so excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for Laura Kaye’s HARD TO HOLD ON TO! HARD TO HOLD ON TO is a Contemporary Romance filled with suspense and is a novella in the Hard Ink Series, published by Avon Impulse (an imprint of HarperCollins). And if this novella weren’t hot enough on its own, Laura is donating 100% of her proceeds from the first two weeks’ sales to a national non-profit organization that assists veterans transitioning back to civilian life!!
Amazon | Amazon.ca | Amazon UK | B&N | iTunes | Kobo
EXCERPT:
Easy tugged down the covers and gestured for Jenna to get in. She chose the side that would allow her to lie on the uninjured side of her face.
“After what you’ve been through, I don’t want to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable,” Easy said.
Propping herself on an elbow, Jenna shook her head. “You won’t. You’re the—” She blanched as if she hadn’t meant to say whatever she’d nearly said.
Which made Easy need to know. He crawled on the bed as if lured by the words. “Finish. That. Sentence.”
She eased back onto the pillow, red hair sprawling around her shoulders like silk, and stared up at him. And it took everything Easy had not to settle himself on top of her and tease the words out with his hands and tongue.
“The only one who makes me feel safe,” she whispered.
Satisfaction humming through him, Easy turned and stretched out on his back. Because if he kept looking at her while she was looking at him like that, he might not be able to restrain himself from having what he wanted. A taste. A chance.
None of which she was in any shape for. And given the shitstorm in his head, probably neither was he.
“Good. That’s good,” he murmured, blowing out a long breath. Damn, he was tired. Not just because he hadn’t slept much the night before. But because of the size of the load he’d been shouldering for the past twelve-plus months. If he could only figure out how to put it down. He scrubbed his hands over his face, wishing he could shake himself out of this fucking slump.
If Rimes were here, he’d kick Easy’s ass for being such a morose motherfucker.
But he wasn’t here. Which was the damn problem in a nutshell.
He dropped his arms to the bed and peered over at Jenna.
She lay on her side facing him, hand tucked under her chin, not looking the least bit settled or relaxed.
“Whatchu need?”
“You.” She spoke the word without any hesitation, any doubt, any seeming self-consciousness.
“Have me, Jenna. Whatever you want,” he said, his cock stirring no matter how hard he reined himself in.
Holding his gaze, she moved closer until her head rested on his shoulder and her body trapped his arm between them. And, suddenly, she wasn’t fucking close enough.
“Here,” he whispered, lifting his arm and inviting her closer. And damn if his heart didn’t soar when she fitted herself the rest of the way against him, her face against his throat, her breasts against his ribs, her leg curling up onto his thigh.
He wasn’t sure whose sigh was louder. All Easy knew was that this was the first time in more than a year he didn’t feel alone. Wrapping his arm around her, he couldn’t resist squeezing her in just a little closer.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her breath ticklish against his neck.
He laced his fingers between hers where they rested on his chest. “I gotchu. You just close your eyes and know I’m here.”
Did you have a favorite line? Thanks for reading!
About Hard To Hold On To:
Edward “Easy” Cantrell knows better than most the pain of not being able to save those he loves—which is why he is not going to let Jenna Dean out of his sight. He may have just met her, but Jenna’s the first person to make him feel alive since that devastating day in the desert more than a year ago.
Jenna has never met anyone like Easy. She can’t describe how he makes her feel–and not just because he saved her life. No, the stirrings inside her reach far beyond gratitude.
As the pair are thrust together while chaos reigns around them, they both know one thing: the things in life most worth having are the hardest to hold on to.
Hard to Hold On To on Goodreads
Other Books in the Hard Ink Series:
Hard to Come By (11/25/14)
Hard to Be Good (3/10/15)
Untitled (7/28/15)
Praise for the Hard Ink Series:
For Hard As You Can:
“TOP PICK! There is a sinister and desperate edge to this tale that will keep readers glued to their seats. Kaye has dark romantic suspense nailed!” ~ RT Book Reviews Magazine
“Hard As You Can is another five star read. The characters Ms. Kaye has created are wonderfully broken and the drama is gritty, but the burgeoning romance and the tight-knitted relationship of the team leaves you with a sense of redemption. A must read series!” ~San Francisco Book Review
For Hard As It Gets:
“Edgy, sexy and full of suspense! A great read from a great new author!” ~ #1 NYT Bestselling Author J.R. Ward
“Sizzling romance… The intriguing tattoo parlor and military background will appeal to fans of Suzanne Brockmann and Lindsay McKenna.” ~Publishers Weekly Review
“Kaye’s depiction of sexual tension and her sex scenes are masterful and this will appeal to fans of Maya Banks’ KGI and Julia Ann Walker’s Black Knight’s series.” ~Booklist
About Laura Kaye:
Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen books in contemporary and paranormal romance. 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.
Website | Blog | Facebook | Hard Ink Puppy FB | Twitter | Newsletter SignUp | Goodreads
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Flight From Hell Release Day!
“Yasmine Galenorn creates a world I never want to leave” – Sherrilyn Kenyon
Yasmine Galenorn’s Otherworld series is long running, best selling, and has unique, well developed world building. This rich environment has more than one story to tell… and it’s time for a new one to begin.
FLIGHT FROM HELL IS OUT TODAY!!!
FLIGHT FROM HELL is the novella bridge-piece that loosely links Yasmine’s existing Otherworld series with her upcoming Fly By Night series. To help celebrate the release of the novella, Yasmine has a contest happening on her site, and today is the LAST DAY to enter!!! Click HERE for prize details and instructions for entering.
When Carter, half demon, comes to Menolly and her sisters, asking for their help, they think he’s just had a tiff with Shimmer, his blue dragon girlfriend.
But after talking to Alex Radcliffe, the owner of the Fly By Night Magical Investigations Agency where Shimmer works, they suspect that she has been kidnapped by an old enemy of Alex’s.
Now, Alex joins forces with the D’Artigo sisters in a desperate race to find Shimmer before Julian, a powerful vampire from Alex’s past with a grudge to settle, can use the dragon to wreak havoc on Seattle as revenge.
Next summer, in the Fly By Night series, we’ll meet new characters and have new adventures, but each book will have Yasmine’s signature depth and edge. Answering questions about the similarities and differences between the two series, Yasmine recently posted this on her blog:
- They ARE both set in the same universe/same city/same time.
- The Fly By Night Series is NOT just another venue for the D’Artigo Sisters. The focus will be on Alex and Shimmer—there will be crossover of minor characters, but the two series are definitely their own and Fly By Night belongs to Alex and Shimmer.
- The Fly By Night Series will be from Shimmer’s viewpoint, and she and Alex hang out in vastly different circles than the D’Artigo sisters overall.
- FLIGHT FROM HELL is an OTHERWORLD novella that introduces Alex and Shimmer to you—here, the characters do interact but the Fly By Night Series will be focused on the Fly By Night world.
- Fly By Night is more of a mystery/thriller series. I’ll give you these spoilers:
- Alex and Shimmer are not privy to the demonic war going on.
- The FBN books will be more standalone. While the characters will evolve, there’s not all that much of an overwhelming series arc.
- The FBN gang is a little more humorous, though the series is not really ‘lighter’ than Otherworld.
You can read the rest of this post on Yasmine’s blog HERE.
Click on the FLIGHT FROM HELL cover above to see its info page on Yasmine’s site (with excerpt and playlist). And each of the covers below will take you to their individual pages. Now is a perfect time to get to know the Otherworld series, or catch up where you left off!!
DESIRED by Stacey Kennedy Release Day Extravaganza
The wait is over! Meet Kyler and Ella in
DESIRED (CLUB SIN, BOOK 3)
Stacey Kennedy
Publisher: Loveswept
(Random House Publishing Group)
ISBN: 9780553391183
Release date: July 22, 2014
“Characters you care about in a fast-paced story . . . one heck of a sexy read!”—New York Times bestselling author Shayla Black
Readers of Fifty Shades of Grey are sure to love Desired, Stacey Kennedy’s latest seductive, electrifying novel of Club Sin, where fantasy becomes reality.
Kyler Morgan, Master at the legendary Club Sin in Las Vegas, knows how to give women what they want—too well. He hasn’t had a real challenge in a long time. Then Ella Snow enters his life. Beautiful, inhibited, and innocent in the ways of submission and domination, Ella is the new blood he’s been lusting after. Soon, the thrill of training her to embrace his world brings forth desires Kyler cannot control.
After ending an abusive relationship, Ella makes a promise to herself to start living life to the fullest. It’s one of the reasons she seeks out Club Sin. Here, Kyler’s every touch is a lesson in liberation, stirring passions that have no bounds. But as she falls under Kyler’s command, Ella discovers that some secrets are so dark they must come to light. Submission alone may not be enough to save her, leaving her Master with only one question: How can he help Ella heal while unlocking the deep pleasures she craves?
Desired is an erotic romance intended for mature audiences.
Buy links:
B&N – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/desired-stacey-kennedy/1118636169?ean=9780553391183
More buying options – http://www.randomhouse.com/book/240353/desired-by-stacey-kennedy
About the Author:
STACEY KENNEDY is the USA Today bestselling author of the CLUB SIN series. Growing up, Stacey’s mind wandered the path less traveled and that path most often led to love. She has always broken rules and she continues to feed off emotion – staying true to her heart. Those traits are now the bones of her stories. She lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, who puts any of the heroes in her books to shame, and their two young children. If she’s not on mom duty or plugging away at a new story, you’ll find Stacey camping in the summer, hibernating in the winter and obsessing over Penny Dreadful, Game of Thrones and Sons of Anarchy.
Website – http://www.staceykennedy.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/authorstaceykennedy
Twitter – https://twitter.com/#!/Stacey_Kennedy
Loveswept website – http://www.readloveswept.com
DESIRED EXCERPT:
Forgive me.
Ella’s shoulders slumped and she sighed at her phone. Laughter and joy surrounded her, music and happiness, but her stomach plummeted as she read her husband, Rory Snow’s text. When would he give up? Didn’t a domestic violence protection order say This relationship is over?
As the band played a slow song, she ran her fingers over the scar by her right eye. The mark was a constant reminder of Rory. Every day she looked in the mirror she saw it and thought of him.
All she wanted was to forget. Heck, she’d been doing exactly that. Rory was the jackass who couldn’t let it go. Ella knew she should probably call the Savannah police department to inform them that Rory was contacting her, but she was so damn tired of it all. She had moved on and put Rory into her past of big mistakes.
She’d hoped Rory would do the same.
That didn’t look like it was going to happen anytime soon.
With a grumble, she slipped her phone into her dress pocket and zipped it closed. She scanned through the crowd on the dance floor and her gaze landed on the bride. Aidan’s new wife was beautiful. Thin and elegant, Cora belonged on a magazine cover.
Ella’s heart twisted in the midst of memories of her wedding. Her day hadn’t been so lavish. Rory hadn’t rented out an entire resort at Lake Las Vegas for the event, ensuring their guests had a place to stay. Her wedding had cost all of two thousand dollars, but it had been enough for her.
She’d loved the high school sweetheart she’d met when she was fifteen and married five years later. Had loved him. Right up until Rory started drinking and drowning himself in booze.
Sober Rory was a good man.
Drunk Rory had a violent side.
That violence had shoved Ella face-first into a table. The night she’d got the stitches was the night she’d walked away from him. Six months later, she had left her life in Savannah. She moved to Vegas for the excitement, landing herself an amazing job at Knight Law Firm, working as the assistant for a highly respected defense attorney.
Ella enjoyed working for Aidan, and actually liked him as a person, too. He paid her almost triple what she had made in Savannah. Her professional life couldn’t get any better. It was the personal side of things that remained murky.
As she watched Aidan twirl his new wife around, dancing proudly for all to see, Ella tried to find her smile, but it remained hidden behind pain. Even if ten months had gone by since the night of the abuse, she couldn’t ignore the dark thoughts and her failed marriage.
It took six months to find the courage to file divorce papers, and another four months since leaving Savannah to pull herself together again, but she was over Rory in every sense of the word. She refused to let him ruin this special occasion. Grabbing her wineglass, she downed the remaining contents.
Tonight she hoped for a little liquid happiness.
When she lowered her glass to the table, a tingling sensation spread across her skin. Lifting her head, she gazed across the patio, and sitting at one of the patio sets was one of Aidan’s groomsmen. She’d never seen him before today, but that wasn’t a huge surprise, since she didn’t know most of the people at the wedding.
Except for a bunch of lawyers from the firm and Aidan’s parents, everyone else was a stranger. Aidan never mixed pleasure with business, and in the four months she had worked for him, she’d never met a single friend of his. Heck, she hadn’t known Aidan was dating. One day she’d thought he was single; the next he told her he was getting married.
Oddly enough, she was drawn to Aidan’s groomsman. Staring into his warm blue eyes, pins and needles and other sensitive feelings traveled up her body, settling between her thighs. She squirmed against her seat, avoiding the heat, and the side of his mouth curved. Her heart tripped and she glanced to her high-heeled shoe dangling off her toe.
Geebus, if he didn’t stop looking at her with those piercing eyes, she would combust. All night he’d been sneaking glances at her. They weren’t simple interested looks, either; they were outright assaults on her hormones. But a man’s attention was the last thing she was looking for.
No, thank you.
When she still sensed his gaze, she peeked to discover she wasn’t wrong. His intense stare was right on her. The power of it sucked the air from her lungs. Though she’d never believed in lust at first sight, perhaps it was because she had never experienced it.
Whoever he was, he was hot!
“More wine, miss?”
Ella gasped, looking up to the waitress standing next to her holding a bottle of white wine. She gave a shaky laugh. “To the top, please.”
The waitress smiled, filling the glass to the rim. “Why aren’t you dancing?”
“I look like a dying fish when I dance,” Ella said with a laugh. “I have two left feet.”
“We’ll need to work on that, won’t we?”
The waitress was looking over Ella’s shoulder with wide eyes. And something in that masculine voice made Ella stiffen in her seat. The tone was low and seductive, but mischievous all the same.
Then he was there.
The groomsman who’d been staring at her from across the patio now stood in front of her. Ella’s mind went blank. He smelled of sandalwood, and the rich scent puckered her nipples. From afar she thought he had blue eyes, but up close she realized they were a blue-green color. Pretty. In fact, the whole package was beautiful, especially covered in the tux.
He leaned down toward her and offered his hand. His messily styled light brown hair dangled over his forehead. He was tall, much taller than she, and he filled out his tux nicely.
Hell’s bells!
“Dance with me,” he said.
Ella quivered under his clever smile, and a slow heat slid through her. He happened to be one of the hottest guys she’d ever seen. Well, in person and not on some magazine she figured was Photoshopped. Though, hot or not, there was still a problem. “I’m sorry, but I can’t dance.”
“Everyone can dance.” His potent stare held hers and his hand never lowered. “It’s all about who is leading.”
Persistent sexy man.
Under his intense scrutiny her insides went mushy. The power this man exuded burned through her, reminding her she hadn’t felt this way in a long time. The attraction was intoxicating, and something needy inside her unfurled, yearning to explore it.
No, her mind argued.
At her pause, one sleek brow arched. “If you wait any longer to take my hand, you might give me a complex.”
The waitress hadn’t moved, watching the exchange. Even if Ella hated dancing and wasn’t looking for a relationship, she couldn’t refuse the urge to be squished up against him. Besides, what was a dance? This hunk was the perfect way to get her mind off Rory and onto something a lot better.
As she rose and slid her fingers into his warm grip, his gaze remained on hers. Heat stormed into her, spiraling low in her body with a wicked thud. She didn’t doubt that smile got him into many women’s beds.
It had power and charm.
He tightened his fingers around hers, and something passed in the air between them, so hot and so damn unforgettable, her body all but liquefied. He tugged her closer and she felt something odd inside awaken, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.
Something she wanted to lose herself in.
A sensation that made her mind shut off.
He led her into the middle of the crowd on the dance floor, pulling her tight against him as if she belonged right there in his arms. He had no hesitation about placing his hand low on her back, quite close to her bottom, and sandwiching their bodies together.
Ella swallowed and avoided his gaze, staring at the band as they played a classic song. She wasn’t blind to the glaringly obvious fact that the groomsman had an erection. She thought she should be offended or something, but found herself fighting against the desire to rub against him.
“Ella, right?”
She cleared her throat, angling her head. His face was chiseled and smooth, but his eyes were what made this man sexy. They held mischief with a sense of confidence. “Yes, and you would be?”
“Kyler Morgan.”
Of course, the sexy man came with a sexy name. She swayed her hips, trying to follow his movements, only feeling more uncomfortable. Not a second later, she stepped on his foot. “Oh, shit!”
He chuckled. “It’s a foot. I’ve got two, so it’s okay.” He pressed his hand tighter against her back, erasing the distance. Then he shook their clasped hands. “Stop fighting me. Relax.”
Ella sighed. I suck at this!
He leaned down, placing his mouth near her ear, and whispered, “So you work for Aidan, yes?”
His voice raised goose bumps across her flesh, and she shivered. “Yes.” She glanced to the others on the dance floor. It pleased her that no one was watching her horrible dancing skills. Then she stared up into Kyler’s handsome face, since he didn’t allow her any room to do otherwise. “Since you’re Aidan’s groomsman, you must be a good friend.”
A low noise hummed in his throat, and the sound spoke to her on a level she couldn’t have anticipated. It warmed her from head to toe, and her muscles went lax. His fingers slid across her lower back, squeezing her against him, and the heat of his touch burned to her core. “Been good friends for a long time now.”
Good grief, the man seemed not to care they were strangers. He touched her as if they were well acquainted. In the midst of that confidence, Ella forgot the world around her. Her mind focused on him and the way he moved her across the dance floor.
He continued to guide her movements and never once took his eyes off her. “I didn’t see a date with you tonight. Are you unattached?”
Her insides somersaulted with his question, as he appeared interested in finding out if anyone stood in his way. She pondered whether to spill out the details that she was in the process of getting divorced and not looking for another relationship. Well, she would be if Rory’s lawyer stopped dragging his feet. But why tell that depressing shit to a smoking-hot man sandwiching her against the hard planes of his body? “Nope, not attached.”
His chin dipped, bringing his mouth within centimeters of hers. “A good thing for me, Ella, since I’m enjoying this.” The music soared through the air, and as her hips swayed with his, his erection pressed against her stomach.
Trapped in his intense gaze, her body flushed as desire simmered. Holy Jesus, she hadn’t felt this aroused in the presence of a man. No one had ever made her burn with a dance, a look, or the sound of his voice.
Kyler’s mouth twitched as he ran his thumb over the top of her hand. “See, sweetheart, you can dance.”
She blinked, realizing she had completely relaxed in his hold, and he was moving her around the dance floor, effortlessly. She leaned in to him, consumed by the strength of his hold. “Apparently, you’re a good teacher.”
He winked. “You bet your pretty little ass I am.”
See our review of DESIRED here:
https://coffeebookslifeblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/26/early-review-of-desired-by-stacey-kennedy/
Stacey Kennedy Giveaway!
Prizes are: a $100 Amazon gift card, a $50 Babeland.com Gift Card, and 5 CLUB SIN swag packs
Coffee Books Life 