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Spotlight feature of Caught in the Act by Kim Law plus a tour wide giveaway

CAUGHT IN THE ACT

The Davenports, Book Two

LawKim-CaughtInTheAct-CoverArt

Montlake Romance, Contemporary

January 27, 2015  Amazon|  B&N | BAM | POWELL

Catherine Davenport Carlton needs a break. After dedicating her life to her political-minded family, shocking scandals from the past have shaken her to her core. Summer in the quiet town of Dyersport, Maine, is just what she needs, especially with a super-hot neighbor right next door…who’s none other than Brody Hollister, the boy she fell in love with as a teen. Cat wants nothing more than to pick up right where they left off eighteen years ago, but she’s still haunted by a terrible secret that could devastate Brody.

Brody Hollister spent years pining over Cat Davenport. They met young and loved passionately—until she disappeared from his life. Now she’s back, as spirited and beautiful as ever. But while Brody is determined to help Cat free herself from her family’s drama, his own family may be hiding something that could ruin their rekindled romance for good.

In Book Two of the Davenports romance series, sex and politics collide…with passionate results.

EXCERPT:

“I . . . uh . . .” Louisa’s stumbling words caught his attention. She was looking back and forth between them, confusion marring her face. “I guess you two know each other?” she finally asked.

Brody’s gaze met Cat’s. They nodded simultaneously.

“We know each other,” he said. “Though it’s been a long time.”

Cat nodded again, the anger he’d seen flash across her face softening back into surprise. “Long time,” she muttered.

And then her gaze skittered away.

Her lack of eye contact intrigued him, and he took the moment to study her appearance. Her makeup was just right: applied with a light hand but enough to come across as professional. Her hair, with its wide band perfectly matching her top and shoes, didn’t have a single flyaway strand.

And her stance screamed that she was important—only not so much as to not fit in with the locals. She wore her Davenport air, and from everything he’d seen over the last two decades, she should be standing there with a high level of confidence.

However, she was still focusing on anything other than him.

And then he got it. She hadn’t been spying on him for the last five days. She’d been ogling.

Him.

This brought a broad grin to his face. It had been nineteen years since he’d seen her. And yeah, he knew that people checked him out. He took care of himself. According to gossip at the college, he was a “hottie.” But to have Cat think so. After all this time. The very idea sent a rush of hot pleasure through his body.

And he could see it on her face when she peeked up at him once more. Her chin tilted stubbornly in the air. Catherine Davenport had just figured out that the guy she had the hots for was the very boy who’d once fumbled his way into her panties.

And she lived right next door to him.

The summer suddenly looked a whole lot brighter.

“Mr. Hollister,” a high-pitched voice said at his side. A small hand yanked on his belt loop, and in the next instant, multiple hands yanked on multiple belt loops, with additional “Mr. Hollisters” thrown in.

Brody looked down. He was surrounded by every kid who’d been sitting perfectly quiet only two minutes earlier. Not that he couldn’t handle them when they weren’t sitting quietly, they’d just caught him off guard. It would be only a matter of getting everyone calmed back down, and things would be fine.

He pried Amy’s tiny hand off his jeans while ignoring Cat still standing in the doorway. “What can I do for you, Amy?”

“Can the woman stay?” the girl asked.

“Yeah!” Fourteen other kids shouted the word in unison and began bouncing up and down, almost as one entity. “Let the woman stay,” they chanted. “Let the woman stay.”

A soft chime sounded overhead, and Louisa mumbled something about the front door. She was gone before Brody could ask for help.

Amy tugged on his belt loop again. “Mr. Hollister.”

“Yes, Amy?” Once again, he pried small fingers from the denim.

“I need to pee.”

Oh geez.

Brody looked around, panicked, feeling suddenly out of control. He did not want to ask Cat for help. There was a certainty in him that if he let her in, even a millimeter, she would quickly become more than a pretty neighbor to secretly fixate on.

He shoved the thought from his mind. She may be next door, and he may still want her—no matter how they’d ended—but it didn’t mean he had to act on it. Even if one glance at her in close proximity had him thinking that he wanted to peel that innocent-looking white skirt from her body and see what she looked like in a teeny-tiny pair of bikinis.

It had nothing to do with her personally. It had simply been a while.

And men had needs.

“How about we all make a bathroom run?” he suggested. He stood tall and swept his gaze over the children. “Line up.” He motioned with his arms, each drawing out a line the kids should step to. “Boys on one side, girls on the other.”

Cat entered the room.

She reached out a hand for Amy’s. “I’ll take the girls.”

“There’s no need,” Brody started. He grabbed Amy’s hand before Cat could. “I can handle it.”

Sculpted blonde eyebrows rose before him. “So can I.”

She stared at him, and it was as if nineteen years slipped away into nothing.

Something had happened that summer that he’d never been able to replicate with another woman. Not even the one he’d been engaged to.

And it seemed to be happening again whether he liked it or not.

All of a sudden, he felt like the geeky teenager he’d once been. She’d been so out of his league. A Davenport. A year older. She’d had a license, for Christ’s sake.

Yet she’d been drawn to him, too. She’d become his best friend during those weeks. He would have followed her anywhere.

Fine. He silently relented. He narrowed his eyes at her as he released Amy’s hand. But I didn’t ask for your help.

Shocker.

He’d been proud even then. No father, a single, struggling mother. He’d needed to be on top of his game for the scholarships he sought.

Cat had needed to be pristine for her family’s reputation.

All of that had disappeared on their last day together.

Cat pasted on her fake, public smile now and proceeded to ignore him. She glowed down at the line of waiting girls. Each of them tittered in front of her as if in the presence of a princess. “Let’s make it a game,” she suggested in a secretive voice. “I’ll be the mama duck, and each of you are my ducklings. That means you have to hold on to your duckling sister in front of you.” She showed them how with one arm outstretched toward Amy’s shoulder. “And stay in a single-file line.”

The girls solemnly nodded and then assembled behind their leader, each with one hand on the girl in front of her. As they filed out of the room, the occasional soft quack could be heard coming from the hallway. Brody couldn’t help but smile.

When the last one disappeared out the door, he realized that he stood in the middle of five silent boys. All of them—including him—had fallen under Cat’s spell and were now staring awestruck in the direction she’d gone, tongues practically lolling out of their mouths.

Terrific. Nothing had changed. She had a way about her.

He looked down at Dylan, the oldest of the boys, who had lifted his head and was studying Brody intently. A quizzical expression was etched on the boy’s face.

“She’s pretty,” Dylan said innocently.

Brody nodded. “Yes, she is.” She had only gotten prettier since he’d last seen her.

“I like her,” the boy stated.

It didn’t take long to figure that out about Cat. Everyone liked her. Dread settled in Brody’s gut. He may have been only fifteen before, but she’d broken his heart in two.

I like her, too.

A little about Kim: 

As a child, award-winning author Kim Law cultivated a love for chocolate, anything purple, and creative writing. She penned her debut work, “The Gigantic Talking Raisin,” in the sixth grade and got hooked on the delights of creating stories. Before settling into the writing life, however, she earned a college degree in mathematics and then worked as a computer programmer. Now she’s living out her lifelong dream of writing romance novels. She’s won the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart Award, has been a finalist for the prestigious RWA RITA Award, and has served in varied positions for her local RWA chapter. A native of Kentucky, Kim lives with her husband and an assortment of animals in Middle Tennessee.

Learn more about Kim and her books here: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Or email Kim at kim@kimlaw.com

*****

Giveaway Time

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Blog Tour & Giveaway: Once Loved by Cecy Robson

Once-Loved-Cecy-Robson

Romance

He’s the campus golden boy. She’s picking up the pieces of her broken past. But in Cecy Robson’s scorching novel of second chances—perfect for readers of Monica Murphy and J. Lynn—their differences only make their connection more explosive.

Every memory Lety Tres Santos has from her childhood comes with a scar—some emotional, some physical. Her father is an abusive drug addict, and her mother enables his destructive behavior. College offers Lety a fresh start . . . until her father finds a way to ruin that, too. Now, after losing her scholarship to kick off junior year, Lety must somehow stay in school, pay tuition, and turn a deaf ear to the whispers that follow her. And she intends to do it all without Brody Quaid’s help.

Brody is a lacrosse star, a 4.0 student—and as a freshman, he fell hard for the beautiful and spirited Lety. But their relationship crashed and burned because he couldn’t break through the walls she’s put up around her heart. With Lety hurting more than ever, Brody strives to win her back and make her believe in real love and true partnership. That will mean opening up secrets locked away in his own past—and trusting someone more than he’s ever dared.

Lety knows how painful it can be to depend on the wrong man. She also knows how much Brody wants to do this the right way. But it takes more than sizzling desire to move on and build a future together.

Amazon/B&N

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“Do you think it was easy for me to let you go? You weren’t the only one crushed. I cried every day for a month when we broke up.”

“Then why did you do it? And why are you doing this now?”

My vision blurred as I thought about that horrible day when I severed our relationship. Carlos had busted my nose and given me a concussion after arriving coked up at a family party. Brody had watched the blood pouring out of me, unable to break free from the men holding him back.

I would have given anything to spare him from that part of my life. Instead he’d seen it all. “I’ll never be good enough for you, and you know it.”

“You’re wrong.” He drew me to him. His lips pushed against me until mine parted and allowed him in. I shouldn’t have. I knew I shouldn’t have, but my resolve crumbled and I gave in, linking my arms around his neck.

His strong arms wrapped around my waist and he deepened our kiss. His tongue flicked over mine, circling and taunting me to play. My spine arched as he pulled me tighter against his body. He hadn’t kissed me since the day I walked away, and now I didn’t want him to stop.

I moaned softly, returning his show of affection with equal force and enthusiasm. God, I’d missed that mouth. Our kiss intensified, turning into more. We took our time, as if nothing else mattered. When we finally parted, we were both panting.

“We shouldn’t have done that,” I told him.

He smirked. “Yeah, we should’ve. Truth is, I don’t know why we stopped.”

I edged away when he tried to kiss me again, wishing life were that easy.

Brody cupped my chin, tilting it gently so I’d meet his face. “Letz, come on. We’re better off together than apart.”

I lowered my lashes. “You can’t mean that.”

“Yeah, I do. I spent all last year trying like hell to get over you.”

My hands splayed across the bulky muscles of his broad chest. This time it was my turn to smirk. “Oh, yeah. I saw all the girls offering to help you out with your dilemma.”

He cocked his head to the side. “Just like I saw you and Justin Kalabrowski making out at the No-Pants dance.”

“I wasn’t making out with him.”

“Yeah, you were. You were in the hall near the bathroom and it took everything I had not to pound the shit out of him.”

I raised my eyebrows. “I would think Karen Enderson, your date for the evening, would have had a problem with that. Or was it Linda Marrington? Or Jessica Gustfenson? Or Cindy Vincent? Hmmm, maybe I’m confusing them with Lissette Miller.” I tapped my fingers against him. “Did I miss anyone?”

He grinned. “Wendy Jenner.”

My teeth clenched. “Oh, yes, good ol’ Wendy. The girl who yodels during sex. How could I forget?”

“I hear it’s not really a yodel, more like an excited vibrato.” He laughed when I did, but then his expression grew somber. “For the record, none of them meant anything. Just girls I went out with a few times.”

I smiled softly. “And for the record, I didn’t kiss Justin. He kissed me.”

He rolled his eyes. “Lety, I saw you. The guy was on you like a piece of duct tape.”

“If you saw that, did you see me knee him in the nuts when I told him to stop and he wouldn’t?”

Anger tightened his muscles and deepened his voice. “No. I didn’t.”

“Well, that’s what happened.”

“I always hated that kid. Remind me to beat his ass next time I see him.” My head fell against his chest when he pulled me closer. I listened to the steady beat of his strong heart, feeling a sense of peace I hadn’t felt in forever.

“It didn’t work, you know,” he said after a long moment.

“What didn’t work?”

“Dating all those girls. I never got over you.”

About the Author:

Cecy RobsonCECY ROBSON is the New Adult and Contemporary author of the Shattered Past series, and the award winning author of the Weird Girls Urban Fantasy Romance series. A self-proclaimed professional napper, Cecy counts among her talents a jaw-dropping knowledge of useless trivia, the ability to make her hair big, and a knack for breaking into song, despite her family’s vehement protests. A full-time writer, registered nurse, wife, and mother living in the South, Cecy enjoys spending time with her family and silencing the yappy characters in her head by telling their stories.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Once Loved

Review (4.5 Stars): I’ve adored Lety since first reading about her in Once Perfect and I was so excited to get her story in Once Loved.  Lety Tres Santos is working her way through nursing school, struggling to do it all with two jobs and a heavy course load.  Lety comes from an abusive family and is doing her best to leave that life behind, focusing on a career where she will never have to depend on anyone like her mother does. Brody Quaid has loved Lety since the first moment they met and now with all the stress that she is under, she is terrified that she will choose the wrong man.  Brody isn’t willing to give up without a fight but each is hiding a devastating secret and the past may prevent them from finally sharing a future together.

Lety was a great character to me because she had been through so much in her young life and I was impressed by her inner strength and drive.  My heart broke for her when I learned about what she lived through growing up and how she desperately fought the emotional demons that threatened to tear apart her dream. Lety is a character that will stick with you after the conclusion of Once Loved because even though she had been through so much, she was still capable of loving another human being and would be a wonderful nurse.

I think Brody was the perfect guy for Lety even though she was afraid of making the wrong decision in having a relationship with him.  He went through his own personal pain and was fighting demons just like Lety was.  Together they could provide each other with the love and support that they needed and to remind each other that their past made them stronger but can’t prevent them from having a bright future.

Once Loved was an amazing romance that will take readers through a journey of emotions and show that love can help to heal all wounds.  The subject matter in Once Loved is a little dark at times but Ms. Robson has the wonderful ability to weave a well-written story to show that you can find love and light in any darkness.  I’m so excited to see that each of the Tres Santos siblings are able to find their happy ending and I hope that the youngest, Sofia, will be able to find her chance at love soon with Once Pure.

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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!!!

Blind-Faith-Launch-Day-Blitz[4]

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

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by Rebecca Zanetti

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

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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

 

ZanettiFORGOTTENSINSRebecca[4]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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Blog Tour & Giveaway: In Your Wildest Scottish Dreams by Karen Ranney

In-Your-Wildest-Scottish-Dreams-Karen-Ranney

IN YOUR WILDEST

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

Excerpt-Banner

“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:

KarenKaren 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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Blog Tour & Giveaway: Worth The Risk by Claudia Connor

Worth-the-Risk-Claudia-Connor

WORTH THE RISK

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.

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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_Connor

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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Spotlight Feature of Demon Storm by Dianna Love

*****

Demon Storm

Demon Storm Cover

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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)

 

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

Love-Me-If-You-Dare-Toni-Blake

Love Me If You Dare

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?

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“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:

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

Hour of Need

hour of need

Publisher: Montlake Romance

Genre: Romantic Suspense

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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

 

Melinda Leigh PicA 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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Blog Tour & Giveaway: Blood Assassin by Alexandra Ivy

Blood-Assassin-Alexandra-Ivy

blood assassin

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?

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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 IvyALEXANDRA 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.

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

The-Duke-of-Dark-Desires-Miranda-Neville

The Duke of Dark Desires

 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?

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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:

MirandaMIRANDA 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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Blog Tour & Giveaway: A Single Kiss by Grace Burrowes

A Single Kiss

Hannah Stark has set her sights on corporate law to assure her a career of paperwork, predictability, and conservative suits. Contracts, finance, and the art of the deal sing to her, while the mess and misery of the courtroom do not. But her daughter needs to eat, so when Hannah is offered a temporary position in a small town firm’s domestic relations department, she reluctantly accepts.

Trent Knightley is mightily drawn to his newest associate, though Hannah is as protective of her privacy as she is competent. When their friendship and attraction heat up, Hannah’s secrets put her heart and Trent’s hopes in double jeopardy.

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*EXCERPT*

James stood beside Mac at the window in Mac’s office, watching the head of the domestic relations department escort his newest associate to her car.

“Why isn’t that idiot sneaking in a little kiss here and there?” James asked. “He’s not even touching her. Didn’t offer his arm, hasn’t got his hand on her back.”

“Some of us appreciate a more subtle approach,” Mac said. “Some of us with a little discretion and tact.”

“I about sat her in my lap at lunch earlier this week. She said I was flirting my eyelashes off, and laughed at me.”

“Laughed?” By a little blue Prius, Trent handed Hannah her briefcase. “You have my condolences, James. You must be losing your touch. We depend on you to carry the Knightley standard into the bedroom of western Maryland, but it looks as if at long last – well, one hopes it’s long last-”

“Shut up,” James smacked Mac’s shoulder for good measure. “It’s just as long and lasting as it ever was, but Hannah Stark has been inoculated against my devastating charms by the only thing that has ever protected a female from falling for me.”

“Common sense?” Mac drawled. “A functioning brain? A sense of humor? An accurately calibrated ruler?”

“She’s fallen for him,” James said, gesturing towards the parking lot. “We have reason to hope.”

  About the Author:

Grace BurrowesNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Grace Burrowes’ bestsellers include The Heir, The Soldier, Lady Maggie’s Secret Scandal, Lady Sophie’s Christmas Wish and Lady Eve’s Indiscretion. The Heir was a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2010, The Soldier was a PW Best Spring Romance of 2011, Lady Sophie’s Christmas Wish won Best Historical Romance of the Year in 2011 from RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards, Lady Louisa’s Christmas Knight was a Library Journal Best Book of 2012, and The Bridegroom Wore Plaid was a PW Best Book of 2012. Her Regency romances have received extensive praise, including starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. Grace is branching out into short stories and Scotland-set Victorian romance with Sourcebooks. She is a practicing family law attorney and lives in rural Maryland.

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Jennifer’s Review of A Single Kiss

Review (4.25 Stars): I liked Hannah and Trent as a couple in A Single Kiss because they had so much in common even though they didn’t know that in the very beginning.  Hannah was looking for a job as an attorney to be able to take care of her and her daughter, Grace, and would have taken anything as long as it wasn’t Family Law.  Family Law brought back too many painful memories for her and she only had to get through six months of it and then she would be moved to the Corporate Law department, which is what she desperately wanted.  Hannah was very reserved and wouldn’t let people really get to know her because she wanted to keep her life private.  She didn’t want people to know about her past and she kept people at an arm’s length wherever she went.

Trent was this great guy that had given up on love after his divorce.  He had a daughter to take care of and wanted to do the best job that he could for his clients.  Meeting Hannah and having her work for him made him feel things that he thought were long gone.  He knew that Hannah was hiding things about her personal life and he wanted her to trust him so she would open up to him when she was ready.  I couldn’t imagine a more admirable guy than Trent and he was right there by her side when all her secrets came to light.

This is the first book in the Sweetest Kisses series and it has a lot of potential.  I loved how Trent’s family stood by one another no matter what happened and I’m looking forward to seeing Trent’s brothers get their own happy endings.  The pacing was slow in parts but I didn’t feel that it took too much away from the story and I was glad to see everything wrapped up nicely in the end.  Looking forward to the next title in the series.

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Blog Tour & Giveaway: Dangerous by Patricia Rosemoor

Patricia Rosemoor (2)

Cover

Chicago homicide detective Camille Martell will stop at nothing to track down “Angel,” a sexual predator who has already butchered two young victims—even after her off-the-books investigation leads to her suspension. But when her relentless attempts to contact Angel online puts her teenage neighbor in mortal danger, Camille’s worst fears are realized. Panicked and overwhelmed with guilt, Camille needs help—even if it comes from the one man she swore she’d do anything to forget.

After serving time for a trumped-up charge, private investigator Drago Nance doesn’t trust cops. Nothing will change that, not even the steamy weekend with Camille that burned itself into his memory. But with an innocent girl’s life at stake, Drago can’t ignore the need in Camille’s eyes, or the heated promise in her touch. He agrees to help—if she’s willing to play by his rules. He just never suspected that seducing his partner could be just as thrilling as chasing a madman.

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Frustration filled Camille Martell when she checked the list of people logged into the “come and get some” chat room, her nickname for the Chicago area dating site Meet ’n’ Greet, where she’d found Angel. The scum wasn’t there now. Obsessed with stopping the sexual predator who’d murdered at least two young women he’d seduced via the Internet, she’d been spending every waking hour away from the job hunting him on her home computer.

“Damn it! C’mon, you bastard, where are you? Show yourself!”

As if her demand zapped him through the ether, his avatar—a dark angel holding a sword—appeared.

“Yes!” Her adrenaline surged, and she quickly logged in as Morrigan, the old college photo identifying her as a twenty-one-year-old redhead. Exactly Angel’s type. He didn’t have a clue she was a cop.

Max nudged her leg and whistled through his nose.

Patting the dog’s big, scruffy body, she absently murmured, “Good boy,” as she tensed watching the parade of messages scroll up her screen.

BigMan: anyone wanna talk with me will show photo

Cougar: let’s see your photo first—not your face, BIG man!

hotgirl: camshows $10/10 minutes skype hotgirl69

Camille’s gaze flicked to the column of sign-ins. Angel was there but not interacting. She’d engaged him twice in the last two days. He’d been flirting carefully with her, like he had been testing her. He knew she was here. What was he waiting for?

She took a big breath. “C’mon, c’mon!”

Unable to wait for it, she took the lead.

Morrigan: Hey, Angel.

Angel: how’s it playing?

Morrigan: Bored ’n’ lonely

Angel: sorry

Morrigan: You can fix

Would he take the bait? Say he wanted to meet? Her pulse fluttered through her as she waited for his reply.

Cougar: woo-wee, angel, she’s comin’ on to ya

Angel: r u, M? what you wanna do with me?

She’d like to do all kinds of nasty things to a lowlife like him, but she’d settle for cuffing him and bringing him in. She thought about saying something sexual, but instinct told her to play it cool.

Morrigan: Just wanna talk . . . to start . . .

BigMan: let’s you ’n’ me talk, honey—skype name?

Morrigan: With Angel only! IM Morrigan22

Camille held her breath as she waited to see if Angel would use it.

Angel: gotta go ttyl

An instant message popped up on her screen, but it was from the guy who called himself BigMan. Camille ignored it. Her hands curled into fists, she sat staring at the monitor, willing Angel to IM her. If he got the mental message, he was ignoring it. Had she played it too cool? Should she have lured him in with the promise of something more than talk?

Another failed attempt. Her adrenaline crashed, deflating her once more.

“Damn it!”

She wanted to punch something.

Max was still sitting there, staring at her, and she realized she hadn’t fed him. Thankfully, she’d hired Sandy Kawecki, the teenage girl who lived next door, to walk Max after school, so he didn’t need to go out right away. She hadn’t meant to have a dog with her busy schedule, but the bruiser had been a pitiful sight on the street barking in terror at anything that went by. That had been barely a month ago. She’d tried to find his owner, and when that had proved impossible, then she’d thought she could find him a good home. He’d found hers instead.

For the last few weeks after getting home from work, she’d gone directly to the computer, since she’d been unable to conduct her search at the office. Each time she wished Angel would IM, but wishing wasn’t going to make it happen, so she pushed away from her desk and headed for the kitchen, the dog following close on her heels.

“Hungry?”

His big brown eyes hopeful, Max whined and licked his chops.

Patting his side, she fetched a can and opened it while considering the irony of her being taken off the Chat Room Predator Case—the reason they gave her was she was “too emotionally focused” on it, and letting other cases slide. But that focus was what had connected her with the presumed killer, though she still hadn’t gotten him to go beyond chatting.

It might take some time, but she would find a way to meet him and arrest him and get him to trial, if it was the last thing she ever did.

About the Author:

Patricia1.webWith 90 novels and more than seven million books in print, Patricia Rosemoor is fascinated with “dangerous love” – combining romance with danger. She has written various forms of romantic and paranormal romantic thrillers, even romantic horror, bringing a different mix of thrills and chills to her stories.

Patricia has won a Golden Heart from Romance Writers of America and two Reviewers Choice and two Career Achievement Awards from RT BOOK reviews, and in her other life, she teaches Popular Fiction and Suspense-Thriller Writing, credit courses at Columbia College Chicago. Three of her Columbia grad students and two students from other venues are now published in novel-length fiction.

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Jennifer’s Review of Dangerous

Review (4 Stars):This was a very fast-paced romance that was action-packed from the beginning.  Camille is a cop on the hunt for a sexual predator that is targeting young women in an online chat room.  When her investigation goes too far, she is put on administrative leave and because of her actions, a young neighbor is put in harm’s way. With no one else to turn to, Camille calls on the one man that can help her but is also the one man that she couldn’t forget.  The two of them search for a killer while trying to fight the sexual chemistry that they just can’t deny.

I was so mad at Camille in the beginning of the story because she was so hellbent on catching this killer that she didn’t take precautions to protect a young neighbor from getting caught in the middle of it.  I couldn’t imagine anyone else besides Drago to help her in this situation and he wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty if he needed to.  The sexual chemistry between the two of them lit up the pages and I was at the edge of my seat by the conclusion of this novel.  This is a new author to me but I’m looking forward to reading more from her in the future.

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