Rebecca Zanetti’s Top 5 Must Haves While Writing Blind Faith + a giveaway

Books-n-Kisses is super excited to have one of our favortiest people ever on the blog today to help celebrate the paper release of Blind Faith. So Rebecca my dear the blog is all yours!!!

Hellooooo Books-n-Kisses! You know I love visiting here, and thanks for having me over again. I’ll try to behave this time. LOL! I was asked about my top 5 must haves while writing Blind Faith, and here they are:

1. A picture of Dean Winchester (AKA Jensen Ackles). To me, Dean is the most wounded of anti-heroes, and I felt like Nathan in Blind Faith was pretty darn wounded and had to fight hard for the people he loved.

2. Comfy socks. I usually wear those thick, comfortable socks when I write, and I have a big basket next to my desk full of socks.

3. Coffee. I bought the absolute coolest, and I mean the BEST, latte machine for my house. It’s very simple (Keurig Rivo R500 Brewing System), that is amazing. The mixer thing goes in the cup, so you can just toss the whole thing in the dishwasher to clean. I’ve been making lattes with almond milk, and I’ve probably saved a fortune already.

4. My iTunes playlist. I always write to music and have a playlist for every book. For Blind Faith, I listened to: WAYWARD SON by Kansas, COMPLICATED GIRL by Sara Haze, HEY BROTHER by Avicii, and I’D COME FOR YOU by Nickelback…to name a few.

5. Pringles. For some reason, I went through a Pringles chip phase while writing BLIND FAITH. Just loved them.

Thanks to Kelly and the gang at BnK for having me over to play today! Happy 2015!

Now for a little look-seey at Blind Faith

*****

Blind Faith

by Rebecca Zanetti

(January 27, 2015; Forever Mass Market; $8.00)

Amazon | B&N | BAM | IndieBound | iBooks

A betrayal he couldn’t forget . . .
For Nate Dean, love is a four-letter word. As part of a secret black-ops military unit, he and his brothers were genetically engineered by the government to be ruthless soldiers with an expiration date. They were loyal only to one another . . . until Nate laid eyes on the woman who stole his heart and blew his world apart. Now, years later, his family is still paying the price for his mistake. But as time runs out, there’s only one person who can save his family: the very woman Nate swore he’d never trust again.

A love she couldn’t deny . . .
The moment Audrey Madison spies Nate across a crowded ballroom, she can barely breathe. He’s just as undeniably sexy as she remembers, yet there’s an edge to him now that’s as irresistible as it is dangerous. When he asks for her help, Audrey can’t refuse. But she has secrets of her own–secrets that, if Nate ever discovers them, may cost them both their lives . . .

An Excerpt from Blind Faith:

“I’m sorry I hurt you.” She pulled her legs to sit cross-legged on the sofa.

“So why did you?”

She picked at a mar in the cushion. “We became too close, and the commander knew you wanted a life outside of the military group. He said either I ended our relationship, or you were going to die as an example to the rest of his soldiers.”

Nate lifted his chin. “So you trusted him over me.”

Audrey started, and her breath caught. “No. I broke up with you to save you.”

“I figured out why you broke up with me. But again, you trusted the commander over me. I would’ve figured out a way for us.” Determination and anger blazed hot in his eyes. “You had no right to make that decision for both of us.”

She gasped, anger spiraling through her. “This is about your ego? You beating the commander?” Ending her relationship with him had nearly killed her, and he couldn’t see that? Standing, she kicked her heels out of the way. “Fuck you, Nate.”

He grabbed her elbow and yanked her back around without making a sound of moving. “My ego? No. This is about you being too frightened to take a chance, to make a stand, and to fight for us, for what you said you wanted.”

Oh, if he had any damn clue about her fight.

She shoved his chest. Hard.

The man didn’t move an inch.

“Let go of me,” she said, her chin rising.

“No.” Then his mouth was on hers. The gentleness always alive in Nate had fled, leaving heated, pissed-off male.

Her knees weakened, and her breath heated. She opened her mouth to protest, to argue, but his tongue swept inside, and she was lost. Lost to the passion instantly igniting between them.

Her nipples hardened to rock, while her nails curled into his chest, no longer pushing.

He yanked her into him, taking control. His tongue explored her, tasting, claiming. Taking with a lava-hot desperation so hot it should’ve scared her. Should’ve provided warning that she was out of her element.

But fear remained so far in the background as to be inconsequential.

Or maybe she just wanted to feel alive. For the first time in five years, the pain of the present, the fatality of the future—disappeared.

Only here and now existed—only pleasure so sharp it cut through her with a delicious blade of ecstasy. One man on earth could provide such an overwhelming escape, and she wanted the freedom he offered. A temporary relief from the reality of her life, of who’d she’d become and what she must do now.

So she jumped head-first into the storm he’d unleashed, her tongue mating with his. A low growl rumbled up from his chest like a lion about to attack.

He reached down and tugged her still-buttoned blouse over the top of her head. Cool air brushed her skin, and her nipples sang a whispering hello. She protested when he jerked his mouth free and then sighed when he nipped her jaw, tracing the fragile bone.

Fire lashed from his mouth and through her, assaulting her with a need too dark to avoid. She held no illusions that this was one night to scratch an itch. She’d given her heart to Nate years ago, but no future existed for them.

She had this moment, and she was experiencing every second, no matter how quickly it ended.

Somehow her bra ended up across the room.

“Oh God,” he murmured, his gaze hot and on her breasts. “These haunt my dreams.” His mouth found her, licking along her breast and engulfing a nipple.

She sighed, her hands burrowing through his thick hair and clenching tight. Both knees weakened, and only a strong arm banding around her waist held her upright.

Her wildest memories didn’t come close to the hunger replacing all thought. A smart girl would stop him. She didn’t want to be smart, and she didn’t want careful. She wanted right now.

He switched to the other breast, laving and sucking, nipping with a hint of violence that shot liquid to her thighs.

Finally, he lifted up, his unique eyes a color she’d never seen. Not gray nor black, but something in-between. “Audrey?”

The low, guttural tone nearly propelled her right over the edge into orgasm.

She swallowed, trying to force out words. “One night, Nate. Just us. You, me, and now. No past, no future.”

Regret twisted his lips, and desperation flashed across his face. He wanted to refuse, to maybe protect them both.

The time for protecting them had disappeared five years ago. She felt an apology shine in her eyes as she reached out and cupped his erection. Full and pulsing, even through the jeans, his cock overwhelmed her palm in size and heat.

A furious struggle cut grooves into his rugged face.

She squeezed.

His eyelids shut, and when they reopened, the fight was over.

Make sure to check out Kelly & Kimberly’s reviews of Blind Faith HERE

About the author:

New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti has worked as an art curator, Senate aide, lawyer, college professor, and a hearing examiner – only to culminate it all in stories about Alpha males and the women who claim them. She is a member of RWA, has won awards for her works throughout the industry, and has a journalism degree with a poly sci emphasis from Pepperdine University as well as a Juris Doctorate from the University of Idaho.

Growing up amid the glorious backdrops and winter wonderlands of the Pacific Northwest has given Rebecca fantastic scenery and adventures to weave into her stories. She resides in the wild north with her husband, children, and extended family who inspire her every day-or at the very least give her plenty of characters to write about.

Learn more about Rebecca and her awesome books here: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

*****

Giveaway Time!!!!

We’ve got a fantastic Rafflecopter giveaway which includes a grand prize of all three books in the series, plus an ARC of TOTAL SURRENDER, a “Who Shot Jory Dean?” T-shirt and a Blind Faith dog tag:

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January 27, 2015January 27, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: In Your Wildest Scottish Dreams by Karen Ranney

Seven years have passed since Glynis MacIain made the foolish mistake of declaring her love to Lennox Cameron, only to have him stare at her dumbfounded. Heartbroken, she accepted the proposal of a diplomat and moved to America, where she played the role of a dutiful wife among Washington’s elite. Now a widow, Glynis is back in Scotland. Though Lennox can still unravel her with just one glance, Glynis is no longer the naïve girl Lennox knew and vows to resist him.

With the American Civil War raging, shipbuilder Lennox Cameron must complete a sleek new blockade runner for the Confederate Navy. He cannot afford any distractions, especially the one woman he’s always loved. Glynis’s cool demeanor tempts him to prove to her what a terrible mistake she made seven years ago.

As the war casts its long shadow across the ocean, will a secret from Glynis’s past destroy any chance for a future between the two star-crossed lovers?

Amazon/B&N

“You’ve come home,” Lennox said.

Glynis wanted to pull away but stood still. Precipitous gestures could be misunderstood. Better to allow him to hold her hand than cause a scene, especially when whispers swirled around them.

“It’s the MacIain girl, home after all these years.”

“Wasn’t there some scandal about her?”

“Is this the first time she’s been seen in public?”

Were people recalling those times she followed after Lennox as a child? At five years old she marked him as hers. As a young woman she was prepared to tell him she adored him.

Foolish Glynis.

He must not affect her. She wouldn’t allow it. She was no longer nineteen and desperately in love.

“Why didn’t you come home sooner?” he asked now, still holding her hand.

Instead of answering, she only smiled. The diplomatic ranks did not value honesty and so she became adroit at sidestepping it.

He still smelled of wood and the ocean. Whenever anyone said the word “ship” or she tasted a brine filled breeze, he would appear in her memory with a twinkle in his eye.

The hint of beard showing on this important occasion wasn’t due to any sloth on his part. He had to shave more than once a day to eliminate a shadow appearing on his cheeks and chin.

“I think God wants me to have facial hair,” he said to her. “But God and I are going to disagree.”

He was a foot taller than she was, dressed in black evening wear accentuating his shoulders and height. All his life he’d worked hard and it showed in the breadth of his chest and muscled legs. Something about him, though, hinted at power and always had. In a crowded room people sought him out the way they looked to leaders and confident men.

Lennox Cameron resembled a prince and a devastating Highlander and he’d been the hero of most of her childish dreams.

No longer, however. Too much had happened in the intervening years.

About the Author:

Karen Ranney began writing when she was five. Her first published work was The Maple Leaf, read over the school intercom when she was in the first grade. In addition to wanting to be a violinist (her parents had a special violin crafted for her when she was seven), she wanted to be a lawyer, a teacher, and, most of all, a writer. Though the violin was discarded early, she still admits to a fascination with the law, and she volunteers as a teacher whenever needed. Writing, however, has remained the overwhelming love of her life.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of In Your Wildest Scottish Dreams

Review (4.75 Stars): I’ve been a big fan of Ms. Ranney’s books for quite some time and I jumped at the opportunity to read her new book, In Your Wildest Scottish Dreams. Glynis MacIain has always loved Lennox Cameron but when she declared her love for him as a young girl and received nothing in return but embarrassment, she accepted another man’s proposal which led her to America. Coming back to Scotland after several years away has brought back so many memories of her past and has put her face to face with the one man that she has never forgotten. Lennox has made a name for himself as a shipbuilder while Glynis has been away and now that she is back, he can’t believe the beautiful woman that she has become. She now wants nothing to do with Lennox, but the more she runs away, the more Lennox tries to get her attention. With war waging around them, these two may finally have a second chance at the love that they should have had all along.

Glynis was such a complex and wonderful character for me. She went from this love struck teenager in the beginning of the story to a much more refined and mature young woman. She had been through quite a bit while she was in America and being home in Scotland brought back all those feelings that she had for Lennox the moment that she saw his face. The interaction between Glynis and Lennox was fun to watch over the course of this book because she never knew that he cared about her all along but just didn’t know how to act on those feelings.

Ms. Ranney does an fantastic job of weaving a well-written story that will draw readers in and have you falling in love with her delightful characters. In Your Wildest Scottish Dreams has everything for me, humor, romance, suspense and murder with the beautiful backdrop of historical Scotland that will keep you entertained for hours. I’m dying to read more from Ms. Ranney and can’t wait to read book two in the series.

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January 26, 2015January 27, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Worth The Risk by Claudia Connor

When a McKinney brother falls in love, powerful emotion and overwhelming desire are never far behind.

Two hearts locked away . . . Hannah Walker spends her days coaching children through injury and trauma, one therapeutic horseback ride at a time. She knows all too well how violence can change a child and leave scars that never heal. It’s easy for her to relate to the kids; what isn’t easy is the thought of facing her own harrowing past.

Millionaire playboy Stephen McKinney could use a little coaching himself. Five years ago he encountered his most horrible nightmare—and the nightmare won. No matter what he achieves, nothing can make up for that awful night . . . or so he believes.

Both desperate for a second chance . . . Stephen is used to getting what he wants. And he wants Hannah. So when she turns him down, he’s intrigued. What he doesn’t know is that her secrets will lead him to a place he never wanted to go again . . . to a side of himself he’s tried to forget . . . a side that would scare Hannah away from ever loving him. Now his only chance to win her trust is to bare his soul, risking everything he tried so hard to protect.

Amazon/B&N

Hannah’s eyes burned and her head ached from the effort not to cry as she pulled into a parking spot at Foodland. At eight o’clock that morning she’d walked into the veterinarian’s office a dog owner. Three hours later she’d walked out . . . not.

She cut the engine, her forehead dropped to the steering wheel. She’d known Max wasn’t himself, that he might be sick, that eleven was old for a dog, especially a large shepherd mix. But she hadn’t expected to hear the words nothing we can do, or best thing for him.

Biting her lip against tears, she forced herself out and into a spring day so bright and beautiful she couldn’t decide if it was cheerful or a slap in the face.

She grabbed a cart and mentally planned her route, hitting produce first. Avocados, jalapeños, tomatoes. She searched her fuzzy brain for what else she needed for guacamole, her standard contribution when she went to her brother’s. Exactly where she did not want to go tonight. She didn’t want to watch the brothers who’d raised her tiptoeing around, giving one another worried looks, thinking they needed to fix it like they always did. They couldn’t fix this. A lot of things couldn’t be fixed.

Finished with that, she silently repeated the rest. Chips, bread, beer. Chips, bread, milk, beer. She added things and ticked them off as she went. But old habits were hard to break, and like a car on autopilot, she found herself in the dog food aisle.

All she saw were Max’s big eyes fixed on hers. Trusting her when she said it would be okay, not understanding the vet’s syringe was filled with enough anesthesia he’d never wake up. The lump in her throat swelled until she couldn’t swallow past it. Her nose burned and the bags in front of her blurred.

Just get the beer and go. She wheeled around and turned the corner of the next aisle.

She couldn’t handle a pity party tonight. Of course if she didn’t go, if she said she just wanted to hang out at home, they’d cancel the whole March Madness deal and insist on coming to her house. Her house, where a certain brown-eyed shepherd wouldn’t be waiting. An enormous weight settled on her chest.

Don’t cry. She scanned the beer case and swiped at her eyes. She wasn’t going to cry. She bit down on her bottom lip.

Damn it. She was. No wonder her brothers treated her like glass. Broken glass.

“Bad day?”

Hannah jerked at the deep voice beside her. Right beside her and way too close. Dark, tall, and wide, the man filled out his expensive-looking black suit like an athlete entering the stadium tunnel before a game.

“I’m fine.”

He angled his head, smiled, and her heart actually stumbled.

“You know, people usually cry in their beer after they drink it. Just saying.”

He continued to study her with soft brown eyes, and for the first time in a long time, she didn’t want to look away. But she did. And pulled the sides of the long-sleeved shirt she wore open over a tank top closer together. Because of the frigid air coming from the beer case, and because no matter what she had on, no matter how covered, she could never shake the feeling people could somehow see through to what lay beneath.

“Well, I’m done now.”

He looked back to the case as well, but even from the side she could see a smirk pulling at his lips. “That’s good.”

She grabbed a six-pack of AmberBock, spun her buggy around, and headed to the front, feeling the stranger’s eyes burning her back the entire way.

About the Author:

Claudia attended Auburn University, where she received her undergraduate and masters degrees in early childhood education, and completed her studies in Sawbridgeworth, England. Always a lover of happy endings, she enjoys movies, reading, and travel, but spends most of her time typing out the love stories of the almost real people that live in her head. Claudia lives near Memphis, Tennessee, with her husband and three daughters.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Worth The Risk

Review (4.5 Stars): Worth The Risk grabbed me from the very beginning and through most of the book I wanted to give hug Hannah while wanting to smack the crap out of Stephen. Hannah was such a sweet and loving character and was in a very vulnerable place emotionally when she first met Stephen. She had been hurt before and she needed someone that she could trust to not hurt her again.

Stephen went through a horrible loss in the past that still haunted him and he was used to doing whatever he could to numb the pain, no matter if it was at the cost of hurting others. I was glad that he redeemed himself because Hannah’s character deserved happiness in her life for all that she did to help others. I have to say that these two tortured souls needed to find one another to start the process of healing and finding the love that both of them desperately needed in their lives.

This is the second book in the McKinney brothers series and after reading the beautiful yet emotional story of Hannah and Stephen’s journey to love, I can’t wait to read more from Ms. Connor. I will definitely have the tissues ready next time around.

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January 25, 2015January 25, 2015

Kissin’ the week of Jan 19th-24th Goodbye

01.19.15

Kimberly reviews Under His Touch by Jeffe Kennedy

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Dangerous by Patricia Rosemoor

Blog Tour & Giveaway: A Single Kiss by Grace Burrowes

01.20.15

Kelly reviews Grilled by Jacey Conrad & Gia Corona

Kimberly reviews Worth The Risk by Claudia Conner

Blog Tour & Giveaway: The Duke of Dark Desires by Miranda Neville

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Blood Assassin by Alexandra Ivy

01.21.15

Spotlight & Excerpt from Melinda Leigh’s Hour of Need + a giveaway

Gifts for the Book Lover #15

Natasha reviews The Same Sky by Amanda Eyre Ward

Cover Reveal of Stacey Kennedy’s Commanded

01.22.15

Natasha reviews Vanished by Elizabeth Heiter

Kimberly reviews Hunger’s Mate part 2 by A.C. Arthur

01.23.15

Spotlight Feature of Demon Storm by Dianna Love

Kelly reviews The Prince by Sylvain Reynard

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Love Me If You Dare by Toni Blake

01.24.15

SINsational Saturday Series

Kresley Cole’s The Arcana Chronicles

January 24, 2015January 21, 2015

SINsational Saturday Series: Kresley Cole’s The Arcana Chronicles

Poison Princess

The Arcana Chronicles #1

She could save the world—or destroy it.

Sixteen-year-old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can’t do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side.

*****

Endless Knight

The Arcana Chronicles #2

In this seductive follow-up to Poison Princess, #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole takes us deeper into the dark world of the Arcana Chronicles.

Shocking secrets

Evie has fully come into her powers as the Tarot Empress, and Jack was there to see it all. She now knows that the teens who’ve been reincarnated as the Tarot are in the throes of an epic battle. It’s kill or be killed, and the future of mankind hangs in the balance.

Unexpected allies

With threats lurking around every corner, Evie is forced to trust her newfound alliance. Together they must fight not only other Arcana, but also Bagmen zombies, post-apocalyptic storms, and cannibals.

Gut-wrenching treachery

When Evie meets Death, things get even more complicated. Though falling for Jack, she’s drawn to the dangerous Endless Knight as well. Somehow the Empress and Death share a history, one that Evie can’t remember–but Death can’t forget.

*****

Dead of Winter

The Arcana Chronicles #3

Can Evie convince her rival loves to work together? Their survival depends on it in this third book of #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole’s Arcana Chronicles, a nonstop action tale of rescue, redemption, and a revenge most wicked.

Heartbreaking decisions

Evie was almost seduced by the life of comfort that Death offered her—until Jack was threatened by two of the most horrific Arcana, the Lovers. She will do anything to save him, even escape Death’s uncanny prison, full of beautiful objects, material comforts…and stolen glances from a former love.

Uncertain victory

Despite leaving a part of her heart behind with Death, Evie sets out into a perilous post-apocalyptic wasteland to meet up with her allies and launch an attack on the Lovers. Such formidable enemies require a battle plan, and the only way to kill them may mean Evie, Jack, and Death allying. Evie doesn’t know what will prove more impossible: surviving slavers, plague, Bagmen and other Arcana—or convincing Jack and Death to work together.

Two heroes returned

There’s a thin line between love and hate, and Evie just doesn’t know where she stands with either Jack or Death. Will this unlikely trio be able to defeat The Lovers without killing one another first…?

January 23, 2015January 22, 2015

Spotlight Feature of Demon Storm by Dianna Love

*****

Demon Storm

Amazon| B&N | Kobo | iTunes

We all have demons… some are more real than others.

With Treoir Island in shambles after a Medb attack that left the survival of the missing Belador warrior queen in question and Belador powers compromised, there is one hope for her return and their future – Evalle Kincaid, whose recent transformation has turned her into an even more formidable warrior. First she has to locate Storm, the Skinwalker she’s bonded with who she believes can find the Belador queen, but Storm stalks the witch doctor who’s threatening Evalle’s life. When he finally corners the witch doctor, she throws Storm a curve that may cost him everything, including Evalle. The hunter becomes the hunted, and Evalle must face her greatest nightmare to save Storm and the Beladors or watch the future of mankind fall to deadly preternatural predators.

PLUS BONUS SHORT STORY – DEADLY FIXATION, from the Belador world.

Excerpt:

Until recently, Storm wouldn’t have cared if he lived or died.

But now he had Evalle’s safety to consider first. Nadina, the witch doctor he’d been hunting, would die painfully if she touched Evalle. Wind swirled past his face and he picked up a new scent.

Something old that smelled of decay. He had no time to spare for whatever unnatural being crept through the city at this hour unless it was connected to Nadina.

As long as it wasn’t another of the witch doctor’s tricks, he’d leave the creature to VIPER agents–Beladors and other supernatural warriors who kept such beings from preying on humans. Those humans were unaware of the deadly things that prowled the night, or of the guardians who held them at bay.

Nadina’s nasty scent continued to burn strong on each inhale Storm drew. Clouds cleared and moonlight dusted an old brick building at an intersection up ahead. Ignoring everything but stalking his prey, Storm continued the hunt, searching far ahead of him in the dimly lit streets.

A blur slashed across his field of vision, moving toward one of the large windows on the street side of the brick structure. A tall window swung open and the blur disappeared through the opening, then the window closed. Nadina was leading him where she wanted him to be. If she hadn’t been, he wouldn’t have seen her at all.

Fine. One place was as good as another for her to set her trap, and for him to evade it.

With no humans present to witness his nonhuman speed, Storm took off running toward the building. Just as he passed two tall evergreens at the street corner, he felt power coil and snap at him.

He whirled away, but not fast enough to dodge a chain that slapped across the back of his neck.

Shoving his hands up to his chin, he spread his fingers to stop it from wrapping his neck.

Razor sharp metal thorns jutting out along the chain slashed his skin. Pain seared his hands, but he spun away from his attacker and the chain fell away.

The foul smell of decay overpowered Nadina’s licorice scent.

A seven-foot tall demon stared down at Storm, with red eyes glaring bright as two warning beacons in the night.

No coincidence that the creature was here in this spot. It had to be Nadina’s, because he couldn’t place this demon as any particular type. What had she traded to end up with this one?

Storm didn’t know and didn’t really care. He had to kill it quickly or risk losing Nadina. Moss-green hair stuck out in a scattered mohawk that arced over the demon’s

oversized head and turned into a rattail falling past a sharp shoulder. Claws as long as Storm’s fingers curved on the hand holding the end of the chain, and sores covered the gray skin clinging to its bony body.

Storm caught a familiar smell mixed with the putrid decay. Not just alongside it, but part of it. The demon stank of Nadina’s scent.

An anaye? Had Nadina created this thing?

The demon opened his wide jaws and released a gurgling snarl.

If this was a test, Storm had no time for it. His body shook with the drive to shift into his jaguar and get that extra burst of power. Wouldn’t Nadina love for him to lose control right now? Yep, this had to be her abomination. The anaye stomped forward, slinging the jagged chain around and around. Power sizzled along the metal this time.

Ah hell. That was not good.

Winding the metal whip faster, the demon released it. Storm dove beneath the spinning links that would slice his head if they made contact. The chain whistled as it passed overhead, close enough for him to feel the wind created by the spinning weapon.

The demon had been ready for Storm’s defensive move and lifted a foot to crush his head.

Staring up at a four-toed foot the size of a garbage can lid, Storm shoved both hands up to grab it. The damn demon must weighed as much as a car. He wouldn’t be able to hold that downward force for long.

His muscles were shaking already. Searching all around for something he could use to knock this hulk off his feet, Storm’s gaze latched onto the chain.

If Nadina had also created those deadly links, that weapon would answer to Storm. He called out a chant, ancient words rolling with power he directed at the metal.

The demon was too busy trying to break Storm’s arms to notice the chain silently snaking through the tall weeds.

Dark blood boiled inside Storm just from interacting with Nadina’s majik, a connection he’d fought his whole life, but he had no other choice at the moment. He forced his beast to stay inside and held that control in an iron grip.

To the chain, he shouted, “Huelga para matar!” Strike to kill!

Coiling behind the anaye, the razor links shot up in the air and struck the demon in the throat then wrapped itself around and around.

The demon stumbled backwards.

With the pressure against Storm’s arms finally gone, he rolled away and shoved up to his feet.

Storm couldn’t leave this demon free to walk the streets of Atlanta. He uttered a command and the chain tightened, cutting through the anaye’s neck. The severed head fell to the ground. In the next three seconds, the head and body shriveled until it became liquid. A wide maw opened up in the earth and sucked in demon liquid as if pulling it through a straw. Storm whispered a last order and the chain slinked over the edge, falling into the bottomless void.

The ground closed up and weeds crawled back through the surface, leaving the spot as if it had never been disturbed.

Was that the best Nadina had to throw at Storm?

If so, then she’d severely underestimated his power. Had she watched her little demon show, expecting Storm to give in to his dark blood and shift?

Not today, bitch.

If the point of this exercise had been to force his jaguar out of hiding, that demon had barely challenged him. But now there was no reason to continue playing hide and seek with her.

Storm crossed his arms and spoke in a quiet tone. “We can play these games all night or you can face me, Nadina. You wanted me to come to you. Here I am.”

The windows on the building opened on their own and Nadina’s voice drifted out to him. “You have surprised me with your abilities, but you will need more than majik tricks to protect Evalle. You will have to accept your destiny to become one with the black jaguar.”

Or I could just kill you and forfeit my soul.

If it was only Storm’s soul at risk and he’d never met Evalle, he’d make the sacrifice without hesitation, but then his father’s spirit would wander endlessly between two worlds.

And Storm had promised to return to Evalle.

Climbing through that window risked breaking that promise. But walking away meant far worse–leaving Evalle at risk. It was time to end this here and now.

With no choice left, Storm dropped to his haunches and prepared to leap.

DEMON STORM… book 5 of the bestselling Belador series, available in ebook and print (includes the DEADLY FIXATION short story)

A little about Dianna Love:

New York Times best seller Dianna Love always liked to do things big…and still does. After spending many years traveling across country to create unusual marketing projects for Fortune 500 company, she’s now released her energetic muse on creating high-octane romantic thriller stories and urban fantasy. Her first book won the prestigious RITA® Award (as Dianna Love Snell) and she now has a new Slye Temp romantic thriller series with the most recent being DECEPTIVE TREASURES. Dianna also writes the NYT Bestselling Belador urban fantasy series and book 5 – DEMON STORM, will be available Oct 20, 2014

When not speaking at national and international events throughout the year, Dianna lives in the metro Atlanta area with her motorcycle-instructor husband and a tank full of unruly saltwater fish named after celebrities

Learn more about Dianna & her books here: Website | Facebook | Twitter @diannalove | Goodreads

*****

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!

Dianna is giving away on copy of Demon Storm to one of my lovely followers.

To enter please leave a comment or question for Dianna & Fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

(**US winner will get paper book/ International winner will get an ebook**)

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January 23, 2015January 22, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Love Me If You Dare by Toni Blake

When the question is love, the answer is always yes…

Camille Thompson is the best at what she does-closing deals. That’s why real estate developer Vanderhook has sent her to Coral Cove, Florida, where the stubborn owner of the Happy Crab Motel is refusing to sell. Camille’s never had a problem turning a “no” into a “yes”, but then she’s never been so captivated by a man’s sexy smile before.

Laidback Reece Donovan likes life simple. No amount of money – or any other temptation Camille can offer – will convince him to give up the one link to his past. Of course, it would be easier without the powerful chemistry raging between them.

As a fragile romance begins to grow, can Reece trust Camille with his secrets? And when promises are broken, along with hearts, can the charm of Coral Cove help bring them back together?

Amazon/B&N

“Oh God, I want on top of you,” she said after a while.

And Reece fell for her a little harder. “See why I like you?” he asked, casting a lusty grin as he gripped her hips and began to roll with her so that he’d end up on his back.

Her eyes went wide as their bodies shifted. “Because I like it on top?”

He laughed. “Because you know what you want and don’t hesitate to go for it. And you’re a little bit of everything. A little bit hard, a little bit soft. A little bit sweet and a little bit wicked.” As she ended up atop him, rising upright, he took in the fact that her long, loose hair had gotten messy and her breasts were just as gorgeous from underneath. He gave her a wink. “And I’m ready for you to show me some more wicked now.”

If he wasn’t mistaken, her eyes sparkled with amusement – and maybe even a hint of lechery. “And what’s wicked?” she asked, beginning to move on him in sexy circular motions.

He glanced down at where their bodies met, then back up at her eyes. “That’s a little wicked,” he breathed deeply. At that, her movements intensified and her expression grew more animalistic. Oh yeah, he liked a messy-haired, animalistic Cami. A lot. “Aw baby,” he bit off amid rising pleasure, “ride me.”

As she did, she looked lost in a trance – until she bent over him in a way he read as a silent demand for him to kiss and suck on her breasts some more. “Looks like you’re having your way with me now,” he told her.

“Do you like it?” she purred.

“Do your worst,” he challenged. And then he opened his mouth, happy to slip it back around one pretty, pointed pink nipple.

He sucked and she moaned. Her movements grew harder, rougher. He pumped up into her, matching her rhythm. And then finally, she began to grind on him slower, deeper, her body straining with the heat of being on the brink. It brought him to the brink, too. He suckled her harder, harder, sensing that was what she wanted, needed.

And then she came, crying out, rocking roughly on him, and he felt it racing through her whole body, jolting her, consuming her for those few seconds in time. And though he took pride in being a generous lover, he couldn’t remember a time when a woman’s climax had been enough to make him come, too – but it did. With no means to control it, and no wish to, either, Reece pounded his orgasm into her sweet body, again, again, again, letting it all spill out of him.

Afterward, she gently collapsed onto him, her breasts and tummy warm and moist with the perspiration they’d generated. His arms closed around her, fulfillment dropping over him like a blanket.

They lay together quietly that way, their bodies still connected, until she asked softly, “So were you right? Was it worth it?”

“Oh my God, are you kidding?” he murmured, still weakened from it all. “Let’s do it again.”

About the Author:

USA Today bestselling author Toni Blake’s love of writing began when she won an essay contest in the fifth grade. Soon after, she penned her first novel – nineteen notebook pages long. Since then, Toni has become a RITA-nominated author of more than twenty contemporary romance novels, her books have received the National Readers Choice Award and the Bookseller’s Best Award, and her work has been excerpted in Cosmo. Toni lives in the Midwest and enjoys traveling, crafts, and spending time outdoors. Learn more about Toni and her books at www.toniblake.com.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Love Me If You Dare

Review (4 Stars): Love Me If You Dare is a sweet, charming romance about two people who find love in the most unlikely of places. Camille Thompson comes to Coral Cove to convince Reece Donovan to sell his rundown hotel to a big developer for top dollar. When he refuses to sell, Camille decides to spend time in the quirky little town to try to get to know Reece better and break down his defenses so she can close her deal. What she finds is that this small little community of eccentric characters teaches her that there is more to life than the next big deal and sometimes love can find you when you least expect it.

The romance between Reece and Camille started off very slow but that was the whole point. They started off as adversaries and once Camille made the decision to stay and get to know Reece better, she found that there was more to him than just looking like a beach bum. She learned that he was trusting, loyal and would do absolutely anything for his friends. Camille was used to never staying in one place for too long, so being in Coral Cove was one of the first few vacations she had taken in a while. What started out as just a business deal turned into a love of lifetime and a chance at a future that she thought was out of reach.

The chemistry between these two characters was so hot and it started from the moment that they met each other. They couldn’t deny the attraction to one another and I enjoyed watching the slow, playful interactions with one another that built into something more. Love Me If You Dare is the second book in the Coral Cove series and this is one series that you will look forward to visiting again and again.

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January 21, 2015January 19, 2015

Cover Reveal of Stacey Kennedy’s Commanded

COMMANDED

Club Sin comes alive once again in this decadent new erotic romance from USA Today bestselling author Stacey Kennedy, perfect for fans of Fifty Shades of Grey.

Genre: Erotic Romance (recommended for mature audiences)

Release Date: July 7, 2015

Page Count: 240

Publisher: Random House Loveswept

Format: Digital eBook

ISBN: 978-1-101-88255-9

“Claimed sucked me in! Stacey Kennedy weaves together the intense BDSM lifestyle with the soft touch of a sweeter, more traditional love story in a novel with an engaging heroine at its heart.”—J. Kenner

“Desired is sexy, sensual, and totally seductive. Stacey Kennedy sure knows how to make a girl swoon.”—Tracy Wolff

Synopsis:

A dedicated cop, Sawyer Quinn blows off steam by immersing himself in his role as a Master at the hottest club in Las Vegas. But when Sawyer goes after the perp who brutally beat his sister, he teams up with Chloe Nash, a sexy private investigator who awakens a sweet new need: to keep her to himself, away from the dungeon of Club Sin. Chloe is beautiful, smart, and too innocent for the BDSM lifestyle. Sawyer’s never wanted a woman like this before. Is her love worth swearing off the one thing that keeps him sane?

There’s something different about Sawyer: a commanding strength that pulls Chloe into a vortex of heady desire. But when she learns about his double life as a Dom, she’s shocked—and afraid she could never complete him. Then he saves her life, and just like that, Chloe knows she will be able to give him anything he desires. She is his—wherever and however he wants to take her.

Goodreads|Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Additional purchasing options

Author Bio:

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 Outlander.

Connect with Stacey: Website Facebook Twitter Goodreads

January 21, 2015January 20, 2015

Spotlight & Excerpt from Melinda Leigh’s Hour of Need + a giveaway

Hour of Need

Publisher: Montlake Romance

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Amazon| B&N

While fighting in Afghanistan, Major Grant Barrett receives devastating news: his brother and sister-in-law have been murdered in Scarlet Falls, the sleepy suburb of Grant’s youth. Emotionally scarred from war, the career soldier returns home on emergency leave to temporarily care for his orphaned nephew and niece. But when someone tries to kidnap the kids and their teenage babysitter, Grant knows it’s not a random act…and neither were the murders.

Already devastated by her neighbors’ violent deaths, Ellie Ross is shattered by the attempted abduction of her teenage daughter so she desperately turns to Grant for help. As they navigate a deadly search for the truth, they struggle with growing feelings for each other and Grant’s impending return to Afghanistan.

But time is running out. The killer is growing bolder by the hour, and Ellie and Grant must find him before the children become his next victims.

Exclusive Excerpt – Hour of Need by Melinda Leigh

“Shh.” Ellie wrapped her arms around Grant’s waist and hugged him.

Shocked, he pulled back, but she tightened her hold. Grant, ignoring the warning signals from his conscience, returned the embrace. He rested his forehead on her hair and accepted the comfort she offered. His heart stirred in an uncomforatble and dangerous spiral. He liked this. Too much. This was the sort of thing his married friends missed while they were deployed: human contact, shared emotions. For a second, he thought maybe it was worth missing. But no, that would be selfish. This wasn’t just about him. It wouldn’t be fair to Ellie to start something he couldn’t finish. He moved every year or so, and if he really wanted to be a general, he didn’t need emotional ties tempting him to turn down assignments that could further his career. It was much easier to remain emotionally detached, because until this week, that’s what he’d been. Grant had spent most of his adult life alone and aloof, avoiding personal connections and complications.

But damn. He couldn’t seem to let go of this soft woman in his arms.

She sighed, and her body relaxed. She shifted, leaning back. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

Her warm brown eyes filled with empathy. “That this all happened to you. You haven’t had time to grieve.”

A small shudder passed through him, followed by a wave of need he couldn’t explain or deny, except that his soul was an empty shell. He pressed his lips to hers and let the taste of her fill the void inside him.

Make sure to check out Kelly’s review of Hour of Need HERE

A little about Melinda:

Melinda Leigh abandoned her career in banking to raise her children. She started writing as a hobby, but soon found her true calling creating characters and stories. She has won numerous writing awards for her paranormal romance and romantic suspense fiction. Her debut novel, She Can Run, was a #1 bestseller in Kindle Romantic Suspense, a 2011 Best Book Finalist in The Romance Reviews, and a nominee for the 2012 International Thriller Award for Best First Book. A 2013 and 2014 Daphne du Maurier Award finalist, Melinda holds a second-degree black belt in Kenpo karate and teaches women’s self-defense. She lives with her husband, two teenagers, a couple of dogs, and two rescued cats.

Learn more about Melinda here: Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Giveaway Time:

Montlake has given me permission to giveaway 3 digital copies Hour of Need

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January 21, 2015December 31, 2014

Gifts for the Book Lover #15

Lets not limit ourselves to only holidays or special occasions to get some of these great gift! This weekly series is full of fun and unique gifts for the book lover in your life or for yourself!

Literary inspired silhouette cushion feat. Jane Austen, Shakespeare, Sherlock Holmes or Hitchcock silhouette

By PrettyProse

$15.95

Bright and unique cushions for your home, inspired by iconic figures of film and literature: William Shakespeare; Jane Austen; Sherlock Holmes and Alfred Hitchcock!

Each cushion measures 16″ X 16″ and are made to order with a variety of colours available.

The cushion cover is silk-look unless otherwise stated and so carries a beautiful sheen.

*****

Favorite Book Page Switchplate Outlet Set

By ArtZodiac

$15.00 (plus S&H)

Choose a BOOK or NAME your Own 🙂

Best Price on ETSY – GUARANTEED

Set of Four Switchplates in your choice of style –

*It is YOUR responsibility to add a note DURING checkout with your choices.

if you do not add a note DURING checkout, I will send 4 plates of my choosing.

*****

Books French Barrette 80mm

By PINSwithPERSONALITY

$22.00 (plus S&H)

Five colorful books with beautiful detail form this wonderful sleek barrette. Soldered together and atop the genuine 80mm French Barrette Clip. Mixed metals of copper silver and brass create depth contrast and interest. The French Clip is used which makes this the best quality possible. It will last forever. A great gift for the book worm, librarian, teacher etc.

Measures 3 1/2″ x 1″

Shipped in a velveteen pouch

*****

Old Book Scented Candle Candles for Book Lovers

By CandlesforBookLovers

$24.95 (plus S&H)

OLD BOOK: The plot thickens with this rare combination of dusted amber and lined suede. Patchouli accents evoke the essence of distressed vintage pages, fragrant with the balm of yesterday; while notes of vanilla bean and dried paper tell stories from years basking in the sunlight on a wooden book shelf.

What began as just a school teacher’s fancy has grown into a full line of candles anchored in a true love for books that’s shared among people from all over the world. Pages Candle Co. was created by and for book lovers, attempting to recapture the feelings books give us and trigger memories of one of this life’s most amazing treasures. Our candles are made with soy wax and offer about 60 hours of burning time—which just might be enough to finish an entire Harry Potter series— or maybe even get, you through Roots or Gone with the Wind. Expect to see new scents from a fabulous new collection coming soon Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for regular notes, quotes and updates! To all the bibliophiles, book nerds, librocubicularists, teachers, bookaholics, librarians, Fictionistas™ and those who fall under any other cool term from Pinterest or Urban Dictionary that we may have forgotten, this line is dedicated to YOU.

Carpe Librum!

If items are no longer available, please contact the seller to inquire further information.

Click here to see more gift ideas!!

Visit us every Wednesdays for more awesome gift/present ideas for you or the

Book Lover in your life!!!

January 20, 2015January 19, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Blood Assassin by Alexandra Ivy

They are the outcasts of humanity. Blessed with power. Cursed by fate. Driven by passion. The Sentinels have returned…

OUT OF THE SHADOWS

At six-foot-three and two-hundred-fifty pounds, Fane is a natural born guardian. A flawless mix of muscled perfection and steely precision, he has devoted years of his life to protecting a beautiful necromancer. But after she found love in the arms of another, Fane has been a warrior adrift. He swears allegiance only to the Sentinels. And no woman will ever rule his heart again…

INTO THE FIRE

Not only a powerful psychic, Serra is that rare telepath who can connect to minds through objects. When the daughter of a high-blood businessman is kidnapped, Serra agrees to help. But when she stumbles onto a conspiracy involving secrets sects and ancient relics, her life is in mortal danger—and Fane is her only hope. Is the warrior willing to risk his body, his soul, and his heart, for Serra? Or will one last betrayal destroy them both?

Amazon/B&N

At mid-afternoon the corridors of Valhalla were mostly empty. A good thing since Fane was in the mood to knock aside anyone stupid enough to get in his way.

Why had he gone to Serra?

He knew that she was hurting. And that he was the cause.

But the memory of her wounded expression as he’d walked away from her earlier had haunted him until he’d been driven into seeking her out.

As if he could somehow ease her pain.

Idiot.

Clearly his decision to leave Valhalla for Tibet was a good one.

All he’d done was make matters worse.

Taking the elevator down to the apartments reserved for Sentinels, he entered the sparse space and methodically began to pack his few belongings.

Unlike Serra who’d created a home that reflected her strong, unique personality, he kept his own apartment with nothing more than the bare necessities. A bed, a couch, and a kitchen table. Except for his workroom. Everything in there had been handcrafted from the tools he used to sculpt his figurines to the workbench where he spent countless hours.

That was the one place he could go to find the peace denied to him in most of his life.

He’d packed his few clothes and was just placing the last of his tools in a heavy crate to take with him when a knock on his door interrupted the silence.

His first impulse was to ignore the visitor. Protracted good-byes weren’t on his agenda. But catching a familiar scent, he realized this was one farewell he couldn’t avoid.

Moving through the apartment, he pulled open the front door to reveal the small, red-haired necromancer who’d been in his care for the past decade.

His expression softened. “Callie.”

She smiled, reaching up to touch his neck in a gesture that revealed the depth of their friendship.

“How are you?” she asked softly.

He grimaced. Only the two of them would ever comprehend the bond that had formed when he’d been chosen as her guardian. Or the wrenching sense of loss when the bond had been broken.

“Adjusting.” he said.

She wrinkled her nose, moving her hand to lay it over her heart that now belonged to Duncan O’Conner.

“Yeah, me too.”

Fane narrowed his gaze, suddenly wondering if there was more to this visit than a chance to say goodbye.

“The bastard treating you right?”

She rolled her eyes. “He has a name. And he’s treating me very right.”

He hurriedly held up a hand. “No details , little one,” he muttered.

It wasn’t jealousy. But Callie was like a sister to him. He found it impossible to think of her with any man.

She flashed a teasing grin. “Deal.”

“If you don’t need me to beat Duncan to a blood pulp then what are you doing here?”

Her smile abruptly disappeared, a concern darkening the sapphire of her eyes. “I was hoping that you know where Serra is.”

Fane froze, his instincts on full alert. “Why would I know?”

“Fane.” Callie gave a chiding shake of her head. “You can fool most people, but not me.”

His jaw clenched. He didn’t share his feelings for Serra with anyone. Not even Callie.

“I spoke with her earlier. She said she was tired. Have you checked her rooms?”

“Of course.”

Fane frowned. “Why are you concerned?”

“She told Arel she was going to meet him in the dining hall, but she never showed.”

Jealousy ripped through Fane. The younger Sentinel had been panting after Serra for years. He’d even managed to lure her into a brief affair that had tormented Fane. It was one thing to tell Serra he wanted her to find a man to love, and another to watch her being seduced by a male half his age.

He wasn’t a damned saint.

“Maybe she changed her mind,” he said, taking pleasure in the thought of the arrogant cub being stood up.

“She would have let him know,” Callie insisted. Although, cell phones didn’t work, there were landlines placed throughout Valhalla that made communication easy. “Arel came to me when he searched Valhalla and couldn’t find her.”

Abruptly, Fane remembered Serra’s strange behavior when he’d last seen her.

At the time he’d put it down to anger and wounded pride. Now he had to wonder if there hadn’t been something else wrong.

“You said that you tried her apartment?”

Callie nodded. “She didn’t answer the door.”

“She could be asleep.”

“No, I have a key.” Callie bit her bottom lip. “I went to check on her but she wasn’t there. And – “

Fane ruthlessly crushed the fear that threatened to cloud his years of training.

If something happened to Serra she needed a warrior, not the man who’d wanted her for longer than she would ever know.

“Tell me,” he commanded.

“There was a mess in her bedroom.”

Shit. He gripped the edge of the door, the wood cracking beneath the pressure.

“A mess?” he barked. “Like she’d been attacked?”

“No, her clothes were thrown around like she’d been packing in a hurry.”

Oh. A portion of Fane’s fear eased.

If she’d packed a bag then there was a chance this was nothing more than a misunderstanding.

“She has a home south of here,” he pointed out. Most psychics had private homes in isolated areas where they could get away from the “psychic noise” caused by living in a crowded community. “Maybe she was going there.”

“Without a word to anyone? I even called Inhera to see if Serra had been called away on assignment.”

Inhera was the leader of the psychics and was responsible for scheduling their duties.

Fane grimaced. “She might have felt a need to leave Valhalla that had nothing to do with her job.”

Callie stabbed him with an accusing glare. “I know that she was upset, and why. But Serra has never just disappeared. She knows how worried I would be.”

Fane gave a slow nod.

Callie was right.

Even if she was pissed as hell with him, Serra wouldn’t leave without gaining approval from Inhera.

And more importantly, without saying something to Callie and her foster parents.

“Damn.”

He spun on his heel to cross to the fare side of his living room where he laid his hand on a scanner. It took only a second for his fingerprints to be accepted and for a panel in the wall to slide open to reveal a hidden room that was built into all the Sentinel’s apartments.

“Fane?” Callie murmured in confusion, following him into the room and gazing at the high-tech equipment in fascination.

It couldn’t compare to the command center at the lowest level of Valhalla, but it was built with steel walls lined with powerful computers, which were linked to the satellite feeds that kept track of government agencies. They also ran surveillance monitors.

Including surveillance for Valhalla.

Going to the nearest computer he tapped on the keys to bring up the camera that monitored the hallway outside Serra’s apartment.

“I want to check the tapes,” he muttered, clicking the rewind until he reached the point of Serra’s first entering her apartment.

“Why?” Callie demanded.

“There was something bothering her.”

He watched as she opened her door and then bent down to pick up something off the ground. What was it? He zoomed in. A gift-wrapped package. Was it the locket he’d seen her holding?

She entered the apartment and closed the door. He zoomed past Callie’s visit and his own arrival and abrupt departure. After that there was…nothing.

No one entered the hallway. Not until Serra’s door was opened and she walked away from her apartment with a suitcase clutched in her hand.

Once again he zoomed in, a cold trickle of sweat inching down his spine. There was no mistaking the pallor of her skin and the tightness of her features. Twice she reached up to rub her temple, as if she were in pain.

“Goddammit,” he growled, clicking to another camera to watch her progress through Valhalla. “I should have insisted she tell me.”

Callie swore beneath her breath. “Considering you were more than likely what was bothering her, I doubt she would have shared.”

He accepted the familiar pang of guilt, he deserved it, but he gave a shake of his head at the thought this was about his decision to leave.

Watching Serra take a tunnel to the outer garage and halting next to her personal SUV, Fane scowled in confusion.

She walked past a dozen friends who’d all tried to get her attention, her expression unfocused and her movements lacking her usual grace.

That wasn’t like Serra.

Then she opened the back of her SUV and shoved in her vintage Louis Vuitton suitcase that had been a gift from her parent. Callie gasped in disbelief.

“Okay that’s it. There something really, really wrong,” she muttered. “Last year Serra nearly ripped off the head of a bellboy who tried to touch the handle of her back without gloves on. She would never toss it around like a sack of garbage.”

Fane was moving before he even realized he’d made his decision.

“I’ll find her.”

About the Author:

ALEXANDRA IVY graduated from Truman University with a degree in theatre before deciding she preferred to bring her characters to life on paper rather than stage. She currently lives in Missouri with her extraordinarily patient husband and teenage sons. To stay updated on Alexandra’s Guardian series or to chat with other readers, please visit her website at www.alexandraivy.com.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Blood Assassin

Review (4.5 Stars): This is the second book in the Sentinel series and I enjoyed it just as much as the first. I liked Serra and Fane together as a couple but I definitely wanted to smack him a few times because he denied his feelings for Serra for so long and then suddenly when she was in danger, his true feelings came to light. I really liked Serra because she just had this strong personality and was a firecracker so you didn’t want to mess with her. I thought she was perfect for Fane but I was sad that it took him so long to figure out what he wanted, when he had this beautiful woman in front of him with her heart basically in her hands.

Bas was an interesting character because I was never sure if I liked him or not. He basically kidnapped Serra to make her help him find his daughter but I always got the feeling that there was more to him than what he was showing us. He did whatever he needed to protect his own family and there was no way that I would ever trust the word of this man. Or turn my back on him.

Blood Assassin was an enjoyable thrill-ride of emotions and I am always amazed at how Ms. Ivy is able to grab hold of you with each of her novels. I’m looking forward to seeing if the next book will tell us what happened with Bas or if other characters will have their own happy endings.

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January 20, 2015January 19, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: The Duke of Dark Desires by Miranda Neville

Wanted: Governess able to keep all hours…

Rebellious Julian Fortescue never expected to inherit a dukedom, nor to find himself guardian to three young half-sisters. Now in the market for a governess, he lays eyes on Jane Grey and knows immediately she is qualified-to become his mistress. Yet the alluring woman appears impervious to him. Somehow Julian must find a way to make her succumb to temptation … without losing his heart and revealing the haunting mistakes of his past.

Desired: Duke skilled in the seductive art of conversation…

Lady Jeanne de Falleron didn’t seek a position as a governess simply to fall into bed with the Duke of Denford. Under the alias of Jane Grey, she must learn which of the duke’s relatives is responsible for the death of her family-and take her revenge. She certainly can’t afford the distraction of her darkly irresistible employer, or the smoldering desire he ignites within her.

But as Jane discovers more clues about the villain she seeks, she’s faced with a possibility more disturbing than her growing feelings for Julian: What will she do if the man she loves is also the man she’s sworn to kill?

Amazon/B&N

Bad news always came in threes, while the miserly gods of good fortune meted out their gifts one at a time at long intervals. Though the first to admit that he didn’t deserve much in the way of luck, Julian Fortescue, Duke of Denford, would have liked a little more time to savor his victory.

A week maybe. Would that have been too much to ask? A week to enjoy the fact that two years after becoming a duke, he was now also a rich one?

Not that the arrival of his mother from Ireland was necessarily a bad thing. But he wondered what favor—or three—she was going to claim. Doubtless something vastly inconvenient.

She sailed into the faded grandeur of the first floor saloon at Fortescue House, trailing gauze scarves and a cloud of eau de cologne. “My darling boy! As handsome as ever. You haven’t changed a bit.”

He could say the same of her. Mrs. Osbourne, formerly Mrs. Fortescue, born Julia Hope Gore, had defied the passage of time. Her black hair contained barely a thread of gray and her pale skin, though the youthful glow had long faded, was a fine setting for blue eyes undulled by age. At almost fifty she still possessed the beauty and gaiety that used to provoke the Dublin gallants to poetry. Julian, her cynical son, attributed this eternal youth to always getting her own way and never worrying about anything.

“Neither have you, Mother.” He took her hands and kissed her on both cheeks. “How are the girls?”

“They are well. But I’ve become an old lady in the years since you took the trouble to visit me,” she said, tilting her head coquettishly. One corner of his brain registered that her bonnet, new and adorned with ostrich plumes, had not come cheap.

“I beg your pardon. My affairs kept me from making the journey to Ireland, and now there is no need. As for the rest of your speech, it is too absurd to answer. You know you look ravishing. What are you doing in London?”

“Are you not going to offer your poor mother a seat and a little something to fortify her after her voyage all the way across the Irish Sea?”

“I beg your pardon, my dear. Your toilette is perfection itself so it didn’t occur to me that you were travel-soiled.”

“As it happens I arrived yesterday. I came only from the Pulteney Hotel this morning.”

“The arduous drive from Piccadilly must have worn you out.”

As he led her to the sofa and fetched a glass of madeira, her favorite wine, from the tray on the console table, he wondered at this additional sign of prosperity; the hotel was one of the best in London. No doubt she would, in her own good time, reveal why she hadn’t asked to stay with him at Fortescue House. Then again, given his home’s meager comforts and inadequate staff, perhaps, now that he was rich, he should move into the Pulteney himself.

He raised his glass. “To you, Mother.”

“To us,” she responded. “And the pursuit of happiness.” Julian felt a momentary pang at hearing the old toast again. His father had been impressed by the American Declaration of Independence, claiming to greatly admire a nation founded on such an admirable ambition. Osbourne, his mother’s second husband, hadn’t shared the sentiment.

About the Author:

MIRANDA NEVILLE grew up in England before moving to New York City to work in Sotheby’s rare books department. After many years as a journalist and editor, she decided writing fiction was more fun. She lives in Vermont. She loves hearing from readers and may be reached through her website.

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Jennifer’s Review of The Duke of Dark Desires

Review (4.5 Stars): Julian Fortescue is looking for a governess to take care of his three half-sisters that his mother left in his care and soon finds the beautiful Jane Grey to fill the position but he has plans to have Jane become his mistress as well. Jane is looking to find the person responsible for the tragic death of her family and sees this job as the perfect opportunity to get the answers she needs. But soon the relationship between Jane and Julian grows into something more than just being an employer and Jane comes to realize that Julian may be the man that she has been seeking all along.

The Duke of Dark Desires was a delightful novel with the perfect combination of romance and mystery that will keep you entertained until its conclusion. I loved Jane as a character because she was a strong, independent woman yet she was very caring and sweet with Julian’s sisters. I liked how she wouldn’t put up with Julian’s behavior and some of their scenes had me laughing out loud in the beginning. This book has a little bit of everything and the way Jane’s family died was very dark and tragic and I was hoping that she would finally find the answers that she sought so desperately. Great book and I can’t wait to read more from the talented Ms. Neville.

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