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Thursday, April 30, 2015

Review: Wicked Weeked (Vegas Nights #.5) & Reckless Nights (Vegas Nights #1) by Karen Erickson

What happens in Vegas…could be a fantasy come true.

Between nursing school and starting their careers, Reagan, Andrea and Natalie have had no time for dating. After saving up for a special vacation, they’re on their way to Vegas for a long-awaited weekend of fun, sun, gambling and partying.

When their luggage goes missing, an impromptu shopping trip leads them to James, who makes them an unusual offer—to be part of the female scenery at his boss’s upcoming party. Not just any scenery, but women who are pretty in a real way, not the nipped, tucked and dyed Hollywood version.

Accept a “private party” invitation from a complete stranger? These ladies weren't born yesterday. Yet before “no thanks” crosses their lips, Reagan discovers who James’s boss really is: Declan Carter, an actor she’s crushed on for, well, forever. Now she’s determined to be the eye candy who catches Declan’s eye. No matter what it takes…

Warning: Epic shopping trip results in meeting hot men. It is recommended that all credit cards be placed out of reach before reading.



My Review

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

This is a great (very) short story that sets up the rest of the series. 
Reagan, Andrea and Natalie go to Vegas and while they are waiting for their luggage to arrive they go shopping and run into James. James is a personal assistant for someone famous and he manages to convince the girls to buy expensive dresses they can't afford, but promises them that it will be worth it. He brings them to a party and it is there that they meet the gorgeous men that will change their lives.

There are three more books in this series. Each friend will get their own book and their own man. 

Amazon buy link: http://amzn.com/B00P0PTJY8  (FREE at the time of this posting)




Sometimes dream crushes do come true.

Reagan can’t believe her luck—and not in a good way. One minute she’s hanging out with her friends at an exclusive party in Las Vegas. The next, she’s attracted the attention of a famous actor. Not just any actor. Declan Carter, the man on which she used to—okay, might still—have a fangirl crush. Whose blue eyes leave her embarrassingly tongue tied.

All Declan wants is to meet a nice, normal woman who won’t use him as a stepping stone to fame. Something about Reagan tells him she could be that rare woman, and he follows his instinct to invite her back to his suite—where they proceed to have wild monkey sex. All. Night. Long.

What was supposed to be one night of no-regrets sex stretches out into a blissful weekend of two people who can’t get enough of each other. But when the glamour of Sin City wears off, they’re standing on the edge of a once-in-a-lifetime chance to turn a weekend fling into something lasting. Will they take the jump?

Product Warnings: Smokin’ hot sexy weekend with a gorgeous actor? There shouldn’t be a warning—more like encouragement to indulge your fantasies!



My Review

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

Good lord. This book made me want to call up my closest friends and book a trip to Vegas. If the rest of series is as hot as this one, I just might do that. 

Declan is sick of the fake women he meets. He wants a woman who is real. The minute he sees Reagan, he knows that she is different. When he finds out that she is a nurse, he is even more interested. Playing a doctor in the movie he starts shooting next week, he tells her that he wants to pick her brain about her experiences. The two find a quiet place to talk and it isn't long before they are going back to his suite. 

The two spend a wonderful weekend together in Declan's hotel room, never leaving it until it is time for Reagan to go home. It's clear that they both do not want whatever is happening between them to end. Declan knows that he has found what he has been looking for in Reagan. The two have an amazing connection and their weekend together leaves them both wanting more. 
Wait.” His voice was ragged, as was his breathing. His hair was a mess, no doubt from her hands, and his lips were swollen. He rested his hands on his hips, looking every inch the hot and bothered man. “We need to take this slow.”
Slow. That was a funny word. Only moments ago she’d been this close to an orgasm. Right now her tense body wanted only fast, fast, fast. “Why?” she asked incredulously.
He laughed. The jerk. He looked quite pleased with himself while she was a shaky, on edge mess. Yes, fine she could see the impressive outline of his erection beneath his jeans, but otherwise he didn’t seem fazed by this pause in the action at all.
“Why? Because I want to savor you.” His expression sobered, went from amused to aroused in mere seconds, and she went still, a shivery sensation seeming to engulf her entire body.
“Savor me?” The words came out in the barest whisper, and he smiled, tilting his head, studying her like she was his favorite subject.
“I have plans, Reagan. Like I said, it’s been a long time, and I want to make this good for both you and me.” His sexy, deep voice was full of promise. Promise she instinctively knew he could one hundred percent deliver.
The phrase "Whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" is not something these two want to comply to and something tells me it will be the same for the rest of the group.

This series is made up of novellas and while it was on the shorter side, there was definitely no shortage of sexy times. There isn't much of a plot, but it didn't matter. 

Bring on the next book!

Amazon buy link: http://amzn.com/B00QZVRZ56

LIFT WEEK 4: Authors Raising Autism Awareness


The last week of LIFT is here! What an amazing ride the last month has been, raising awareness, acceptance and action on behalf of families living with Autism.


And if you missed the LIFT t-shirts, there’s still a chance! Reserve yours in our “round two” LIFT order today! Don’t be left out when we have LIFT selfie day!


This week’s MegaGiveaway highlights and benefits Autism Speaks, the largest Autism organization in the world, fighting for research, legislation and services for ASD families.

And our LIFT "anchor" authors, bringing it home this last week with amazing prizes:



RELEASE DAY BLAST: Sincerely, Carter by Whitney G.

SINCERELY, CARTER: RELEASE DAY BLAST


Title: Sincerely, Carter
Author: Whitney G.
 Publication Date: April 30, 2015
Genre: Contemporary Romance


Buy it today: 
Amazon


☆☆ Synopsis ☆☆


Just friends.
We’re just friends.
No, really. She’s just my best friend...

Arizona Turner has been my best friend since fourth grade, even when we “hated” each other. We’ve been there for one another through first kisses, first “times,” and we’ve been each other’s constant when good relationships turned bad. (We even went to colleges that were minutes away from each other…)


Throughout the years, and despite what anyone says, we’ve never crossed the line.
Never thought about it.
Never wanted to.
Until one night changed everything.
At least, it should’ve...

Just friends.
We’re just friends.
I’m only saying this until I figure out if she’s still “just” my best friend…






☆☆ Check out additional works by Whitney G. 


Reasonable Doubt Series Amazon
Mid Life Love Series Amazon
My Last Resolution Amazon

EXCERPT REVEAL: Two of Hearts by Christina Lee




A gripping standalone adult contemporary romance about finding yourself while taking a second chance at your first love...

Dakota Nakos was always the resilient, strong-willed achiever. But when her father dies and she's entrusted with the family's casino, she feels vulnerable, scared, and more than a little emotional --not exactly the best time to see an old lover she's never really gotten over.

Dakota once meant the world to Shane Garrity. Then suddenly he left town to train as a U.S. Marshal, and their love for each other crashed into a memory. Now he's come home for her father's funeral, and one look at the girl he left behind stirs up both memories and regrets, and reignites a fire he feared he'd lost forever.

Dakota may be the same driven girl she always was, but she's also changed in ways neither could have anticipated. She's not just a young woman searching for own identity in the Native American community in which she was raised, but one questioning her new life outside her father's shadow. Above all she wonders if Shane can push past her weakened defenses to rekindle what they once had, or whether the intense blaze between them will ultimately reduce her heart to ashes.





Excerpt

I didn’t know what I was expecting; it was awkward enough trying to understand what was happening between us. I had no idea what was going through his head or where we stood after he had kissed me out on my balcony and then crowded me in my office before the luncheon. Besides, I had made it clear that it was bad timing for us to restart our relationship. Too bad I couldn’t get him out of my mind for even one second.

And now his mouth was hot and wet, his tongue was deep in my mouth, the pressure of his body hard and soft at the same time. I moaned and sunk further into his warmth.

“Wait,” I said, breaking away from the kiss. I needed to get some things straight between us before I lost myself in Shane completely. “We need to talk about this afternoon. How much of my conversation with Ridge did you hear?”

“Enough to know that I’m not in this alone. You had regrets, too,” he said. “You still want me. Just like I want you.”

I tucked my head into his shoulder, unable to deny anything he’d said.

“No more waiting, angel.” His fingers were at the base of my neck, his other hand gripping my ass, pulling me in tight. “I can’t stay away from you.”

My hand reaching into his hair was the only assent I needed to give. He felt too good to stop now. I had dreamt of being with him again too many times to count.

He’d be leaving town soon, and I’d just have to suffer the consequences.

He hitched up my legs and my thighs easily slid around his waist. His lips were solid and bruising; he fixed me firmly against the wall, delicious sounds emerging from his throat.

His eyes darted down to my breasts, which had hardened into stiff peaks, and his shoulders became rigid. “That’s my shirt, Dee. You’ve had it this whole time?”

I nodded, too filled with lust to feel mortified. “I wear it every night.”

“Fuck baby, you’ve been wearing my shirt?” he groaned. “Goddamn, I’m even harder now.”



Meet Dakota & Shane in this standalone second romance!

Pre-order NOW!






Mother, wife, reader, dreamer. Christina lives in the Midwest with her husband and son--her two favorite guys.

She's addicted to lip gloss and salted caramel everything. She believes in true love and kissing, so writing romance novels has become a dream job.

Author of the Between Breaths series from Penguin. ALL OF YOU, BEFORE YOU BREAK, WHISPER TO ME and PROMISE ME THIS available now. Book five in the series, THERE YOU STAND, coming in April, 2015.

Also, her Adult Contemporary Romance, TWO OF HEARTS is releasing on May 5th, 2015.



RELEASE DAY LAUNCH: Fall For Me by JC Emery


Melanie Kincaid is a trust-fund baby with a knack for sassy comebacks and unnecessarily complicating her privileged life. So, of course she would have to fall in love with a man she can't have.



Jameson Hayes is a NYC firefighter for Manhattan’s oldest ladder company with big shoes to fill and a city to protect. He’s strong, sexy, and not looking for the complications Melanie brings. But he can't stay away from her either. The attraction between them is immediate and the pull between them is crazy powerful. But she's only home for the summer and long-distance relationships never work.


Unfortunately, Melanie’s beauty and smart mouth are a lethal combination and Jameson isn't the only Hayes who's interested. As if his brother isn't enough to compete with, now the city's most famous arsonist wants to claim her as his next prize. Jameson can't stand to watch Melanie get hurt and she can't seem to keep herself out of trouble.

Fall for Me is the first Ladder Company novel, a stand-alone companion series about New York's most elite firefighting family with hot alpha heroes, snarky heroines, and an arsonist hell-bent on destruction.





“Mom!” I move through the foyer and into the open great room— a large, open living/kitchen combo— where I leave my suitcase and kick off my flats before I hit the carpet. What the hell is she doing with gas? That stuff is toxic.

“Well?” Mom says, appearing at the edge of the hall on the other side of the kitchen. She has a hand towel around her neck and one of her many yoga-specific exercise outfits on. This one is a light blue and she’s barefoot. Monica Kincaid is dedicated to many things in life— her husband Christian, her daughters (the youngest, especially), and her charity projects— but yoga is the one out of all of it that I don’t understand. It puts her at peace, she says.

“Well?” I ask and drape the dress bag over the island counter top in the kitchen and move around to prop myself up on one of the bar stools. God, that gasoline smell is driving me mad.

“Are we planning a spring wedding yet or what?” Mom says with a grin. Her nose wrinkles, catching the scent of the gasoline, I’m sure. “Janet and I have been taking bets.”

“God, Mom,” I say and place my head in my hands.

“No really,” she says, “Tell me.”

“Nothing happened,” I say. Verbalizing it is even more disappointing than it probably should be. Apparently, Mom and Dad were also in on Jameson and Royal’s surprise trip. It took all of an hour after they landed for Janet Hayes to text me telling me she wishes she could have been there. It was sweet, but then she suggested she needed to leave me alone so I could spend as much time as possible with Jameson. And that we shouldn’t be disturbed. While the level of investment our mothers have in our has-yet-to-happen relationship is borderline creepy, the support is pretty awesome. It’s a rarity to find a woman as kind and loving as Janet Hayes is. Even if she doesn’t really know appropriate boundaries and likes to talk about when her sons were starting puberty… in all the gory details. I know more about Jameson’s solo activities when he was a kid more than I care to.

“You must be joking,” she says and heads to the fridge where she pulls out a single-serve cup of yogurt. “That man flew down to that god-awful place—,”






As a child, JC was fascinated by things that went bump in the night. As they say, some things never change. Now, as an adult, she divides her time between the sexy law men, mythical creatures, and kick-ass heroines that live inside her head and pursuing her bachelor's degree in English. JC is a San Francisco Bay Area native, but has also called both Texas and Louisiana home. These days she rocks her flip flops year round in Northern California and can't imagine a climate more beautiful.

JC writes adult, new adult, and young adult fiction. She dabbles in many different genres including science fiction, horror, chick lit, and murder mysteries, yet she is most enthralled by supernatural stories-- and everything has at least a splash of romance.

RELEASE DAY BLITZ & GIVEAWAY: Hard by Eve Jagger




Title: Hard
Series: Sexy Bastard #1
Author: Eve Jagger
 Release Date: April 30, 2015


Synopsis


Strong. Arrogant. Hard.

Ryder Cole is the King of Atlanta’s nightlife — and the one man who can erase my past.

I’m running from secrets that could destroy me and there’s no room in my life for someone like him: too damn cocky, and sexy as hell. I should keep my distance, but smart goes out the window the minute he looks my way. And when he puts his hands on me…

A girl could forget her own name. But what happens when the past catches up with me, and all the things I’m hiding from tear our lives apart again? I can’t keep running forever, and Ryder always wins.






Links to Buy

AMAZON US / UK






Author Bio


Eve Jagger is a native of Georgia and is a true southern girl at heart. A stay at home mom to two kids, she's married to a sexy man who doesn’t mind being used as research for those naughty scenes.

Eve cut her teeth writing in high school and college, but it wasn’t until recently that she got the itch to write a full length novel. She loves complex, emotionally-charged characters and wild, sexy leading men. Hard: A Sexy Bastard Book releases at the end of April 2015 and she can’t wait for you to meet her characters that occupy her mind 24/7! Eve loves to talk and meet people on social media, so be sure and touch base with her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/evejaggerbooks or Twitter https://twitter.com/evejwrites.


Author Links

Giveaway

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Cora Carmack's SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT



HERE’S THE SCOOP!

Fans of Cora Carmack’s Rusk University, we have a SUPER exciting announcement:




ALL CLOSED OFF, Book 4 in the Rusk University Series, is coming!!!


Check out this message from Cora!


WARNING: This letter contains spoilers for All Broke Down. If you haven't yet read that book, read at your own peril. 

SECOND WARNING: This letter talks about fictional characters as if they are real people. Sorry I'm not sorry. 

THIRD WARNING: The letter below broaches a serious topic that could be a trigger for some people*


Hello beloved readers! 

The first person who read one of my Rusk University books was my older sister. I gave her All Lined Up when I finished, and her first question was "Are Ryan and Stella going to be together?" 

At the time, I told her no. I had plans for both of them that included their own storylines. I thought they were too much alike. They'd make great friends. They might even hook-up, but in the end... I couldn't envision anything serious for them. So I actually rewrote some of their scenes trying to make that aspect of their connection more obvious. And still, when All Lined Up released, amidst the chatter about sweet Carson and sassy Dallas, I had people asking if Stella and Ryan were next. I denied it again (and again and again). 

But sometimes in writing, the stars align and a character will become bigger and more real than you could have possibly imagined. It's a wonderful experience, but in Stella's case it was also incredibly heartbreaking. While I was writing All Broke Down, the news was inundated with information about the Steubenville rape trial and other tragedies and injustices like it. Tragedies where women have been violated first by an attacker, then by judgmental and hateful people, and finally by a justice system that repeatedly fails survivors of sexual assault. Having grown up in Texas, where too often football stars are treated like gods and can get away with just about anything, it hit particularly close to home. And since All Broke Down featured a passionate activist heroine, I felt compelled to reference this chronic dark underbelly of elite sports. 

I can remember vividly sitting on my couch, brainstorming how I would incorporate such an event into the book. I had thought the assault would happen to an unknown character, and maybe I would focus on the way it divided the team and the school and the town. But like I said... Sometimes a character will become bigger and more human than I anticipated. And it sounds crazy, but in my mind, I felt Stella push her way forward and say, "Mine. This is my story." I immediately began to cry. Sob, really. Because I loved her as a character. She was hilarious and strong and didn't take crap from anyone. She was everything I always hope to be. And I didn't want her to go through that. Even as I cried, my brain began to tell me that it made sense. Stella was vibrant and enjoyed a wild party. She was not afraid of her sexuality, and she had no problem with casual sex. She was the kind of girl that probably had a reputation. The kind of girl who could be heinously and violently taken advantage of, and people would STILL blame her. Because she was in the wrong place, wearing the wrong clothes, behaving in the wrong way. But just because it COULD happen to her, didn't mean I wanted it to. But once again, Stella was there in my head saying, "Someone needs to tell this story. And I'm strong enough to do it. Let me." And when Stella chose her story, she also chose the man I'd been adamant wasn't right for her. Because as it turns out... Those two characters who I thought were too alike aren't so alike anymore. And Stella needs Ryan to help her hold on to that vibrant and strong girl she was before. 

So I let go of all the plans I had for her, and allowed her to tell me her story, which is about more than just sexual assault. It's about the aftermath. Depression. Shame. Guilt. Anger. Injustice. Victim-blaming. Slut-shaming. It's about the way that kind of event can change everything-- how you relate to people, how you think, how you dream, how you love. It's about the way the rest of the world moves on to the next big tragedy, and you're still left holding the broken pieces of who you used to be, with no idea how to put them together again or even if you want to. It will be the most difficult story I ever tell. And the most important. Because it’s a story that belongs not just to Stella, but to millions of people around the world. It’s a story that belongs to a new person every 107 seconds*. And that’s just in the United States. Think about that for a moment. 107 seconds. Stella’s story won’t be any easier to read than it will be to write. But I hope you’ll help me drag this story into the light. 

So now I’ll step off my soapbox and just tell you about the book… 


About All Closed Off

Stella Santos is fine.

Maybe something terrible happened to her that she can’t even remember. And maybe it drives her crazy when her friends treat her like she’s on the verge of breaking because of it. Maybe it feels even worse when they do what she asks and pretend that it never happened at all. And maybe she’s been getting harassing emails and messages for months from people who don’t even know her, but hate her all the same.

But none of that matters because she’s just fine.

For Ryan Blake, Stella was always that girl. Vibrant and hilarious and beautiful. He wanted her as his best friend. His more than friends. His everything and anything that she would give him. Which these days is a whole lot of nothing. She gets angry when he’s there. Angry when he’s not there. Angry when he tries to talk and when he doesn’t.

When Stella devises an unconventional art project for one of her classes all about exploring intimacy—between both friends and strangers—Ryan finds himself stepping in as guinea pig after one of her subjects bails. What was supposed to be an objective and artistic look at emotion and secrets and sex suddenly becomes much more personal. When he hits it off with another girl from the project, Stella will have to decide if she’s willing to do more than make art about intimacy. To keep him, she’ll have to open up and let herself be the one thing she swore she’d never be again.

Vulnerable.

***** 

ALL CLOSED OFF will be releasing sometime in early 2016. I don't have a date yet for several reasons. The first and most important, is that I want to do this story justice. And as such, I have no intentions of rushing the process. Secondly, I'll be returning to indie publishing for the remainder of the Rusk series. As you can probably tell, this story means a great deal to me. And by having the ultimate control over everything from timing to editing to price, I'll be able to ensure that I'm able to create exactly the story I envision. Unfortunately, that means you won't be seeing the paperback of ALL CLOSED OFF on the shelves in most stores. Nor is it currently available for pre-order. But I hope you'll add the book on goodreads, follow me on social media, and/or join my newsletter. I promise to shout it all over the place when I have a set release date or pre-order links. 

Thank you for listening as I told you the evolution of Stella's story. When it's finished, I hope you will feel as passionately about it as I do. 

All my best, 

Cora Carmack 

*Statistic from RAINN (Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network)
    

And an opportunity to add your voice to Stella’s…

 Stella’s experience is only one story of many. She was with someone she trusted when it happened, and the only memories she has are pieced together from her own blurred recollections and the things people have told her.  Not everyone’s experience with sexual assault is the same. Each person reacts, copes, and overcomes differently. And while this book is about one specific character’s journey, I would like to tell as many sides of this story as possible. As Stella grapples with her thoughts and emotions she’ll be searching for advice, for comfort, for a place where people understand her and can identify with what she’s experiencing. There will be room for truth within the fiction, and if you’d like that truth to be yours, this is your chance.

If you have a story like Stella’s, and you want your voice to be heard….

If there’s something you wish more people understood about what you’ve gone through….

If there’s something you’d like to tell people struggling with a story like yours…

I’d like to give you the opportunity to add your voice to Stella’s. Use the hashtag #WhenItHappened and let your voice be heard on your own by posting on your own social media, or if you’d rather I share your words fill out this google document and tell me your story. You can fill out this form anonymously or not. I’d like to begin this discussion now because April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. But my hope is to include as many stories as possible within the book itself.

So many have stories of #WhenItHappened. Your voice and your story deserve to be heard. I’m listening.

#WhenItHappened Google Formhttp://goo.gl/forms/4VRjWgZYSW


About Cora Carmack 

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something New York Times bestselling author who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She now splits her time between Austin, TX and New York City and spends her days writing, traveling, and spending way too much time on the internet. In her books, you can expect to find humor, heart, and a whole lot of awkward. Because let’s face it . . . awkward people need love, too.