Monday, September 30, 2013

Penalty Clause By Lori Ryan ~ Goddess Fish Blog Tour ~ Interview ~ Review ~ Excerpt



Penalty Clause: Sutton Capital Series, Book Two
by Lori Ryan



Lori will be awarding a Giana Bernini Handbag to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. (US ONLY) Be sure to leave a comment below along with your email address so you can be contacted if you win. Visit the other stops on the tour to increase your chances of winning. The other tour stops can be found here... 




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BLURB:


***First Place Winner Romance Category, Lucky Cinda Publishing's Annual Global Writer's Contest, 2013***

To keep her, he'll have to gamble it all! 

Andrew Weston and Jill Walsh had to be the two most unlikely people to fall in love. When Jill's first husband's love for her simply fizzled and died, Jill knew she'd never trust that love could last again. After Andrew's first love betrayed him in the most brutal way possible, he knew he might fall in love again someday, but there was no way he'd ever make himself vulnerable again by confessing those feelings if he did.

Fate had a different ending in mind for these two, though, and when Andrew discovers his love for Jill, he knows the only way to get her to stay with him forever is to offer her an iron clad penalty clause in a prenuptial agreement. He stays with her forever or he loses everything he owns. The millions he's worked for, his property, his cars, everything. Now he just needs to hope that's enough to hold onto Jill forever.

Five out of Five Stars "Lori Ryan has done it again...I am just drawn in. On the hook. I want to know what is going to happen next. There were times when I really was physically holding my breath!"

Five out of Five Stars "I've been waiting for this book and wasn't disappointed. Great story and great characters. Andrew is sexy and steamy and hot!" 

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Interview:


Crystal: Today as part of the Goddess Fish Virtual Book tour, I have the opportunity to interview Lori Ryan. Would you share a little bit about yourself with us today?

Lori: I’m a mother of two young children and I had the great fortune of marrying a very patient and tolerant man. He is pretty much responsible for me being able to write my books. When I told him I wanted to retire from dog training and stay home and write books, he didn't bat an eye. He just said ‘go for it’ and here I am! Seriously. The man is a saint;)

Crystal:  Do you have any special tradition that you like to do when a book is released?

 Lori: No. I’m kind of lame that way. I just go tell my husband, ‘hey, it’s up,’ and then bug him reciting the sales numbers as they come through.

Crystal:  What are you currently working on?

Lori: I’m almost finished with a novella that comes after Penalty Clause in the series. I’ll be sending it free to all the members of my goodreads.com fan club so go over there and join now!  http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/104565

That one is called The Baker’s Bodyguard and it tells the story of Jesse Bradley, Kelly’s sister. She appeared in book one several times and made a couple of cameo appearances in Penalty Clause. That book is fun and sexy and light. It’s out with beta readers right now so I’m hoping to have the editing finished and get it out in mid-July.

I’m also about halfway finished with Chad and Jennie’s story. Fans who have read both couples won’t have missed the sexual tension that sparks between those two whenever they get near one another. I really thought that book would be light and fun, too because that’s Jennie’s personality. She’s confident and fun and such bright person. It turned out, she’s got a past and she has a lot of emotion to work through. I literally cry every day that I write with those two. They’re going through the ringer right now but I think readers will love it. I know I do, so hopefully you guys will agree! That one is due out October 29, 2013. I’ll be giving away free copies of it on goodreads.com ahead of time, though, so join the fan group to stay on top of notices about giveaways.

Crystal:  Do you have any special routine that you follow when you are writing?

Lori: When you have a three year old and a nine month old, routine goes out the window. I write as much in my head as I can and then when my head is so full I can’t stand it, I sit down and get it on the computer. That’s about as much routine as my life can handle.

Crystal: Did you have to do a lot of research for this book or any other? If so do you have a fascinating fact that you have learned you would like to share with us?

Lori: None of the books have required a lot of research so far. I stop and look up little facts here and there. I think the biggest aspect requiring research for Penalty Clause was learning about the different types of stalkers that exist and what this type of stalker would likely believe as a result of her mental illness.

Crystal:  Who are some of your favorite authors that you like to read?

Lori: I love Bev Pettersen. Any of her books are phenomenal. I love Jill Shalvis, R.L. Mathewson and Penny Reid for their humor. Jassinda Wilder or maybe Bella Andre when I want something really sexy. Oh, and Robyn Carr, Nora Roberts and Susan Mallory when I want sweet stories. Sorry. There are just so many of them!

Crystal:  Is there any genre you haven't written that you would like to try?

Lori: I plan to write some erotica someday. I also want to write some more complex mysteries than the little bits of suspense I’ve added into these books. I’m sure I’ll find more things along the way. I tend to get bored (hence the numerous careers over several years).


Crystal: Do you have a favorite scene you would like to share with us?

Lori: I think this scene really shows you what Andrew Weston is like. He’s got a great sense of humor and he loves life. He’s crazy loyal to his friends and will help anyone at the drop of a hat. And he’s protective when he needs to be. In this scene, he and Jill are still in the ‘just friends’ stage of things, but Andrew just can’t help but step in and support her. Oh, and he has a little fun doing it!


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Favorite Scene Excerpt: 

Andrew peeked in the kitchen window but didn’t see Jill anywhere. There was a pan on the stove with eggs in it, though, and from the looks of it, they were well on their way to becoming burnt eggs. Andrew poked his head in the backdoor.
“Jill?” he called out. No answer.
He stepped into the kitchen and took the pan off the stove. Even Rev didn’t make an appearance. Andrew stuck the pan on one of the cool burners and walked toward the front of the house. He stopped mid stride in the hallway when he heard voices from the front entry. Jill and someone else.
“Jake, I asked you for a clean break. I thought if I came to New Haven, you’d get the point. I don’t want to see you. I don’t want you checking up on me. Or dropping by to visit,” Jill said.
Ex-husband, Jake? What the fuck is he doing here? Andrew felt his body tense as he listened to the conversation. It wasn’t any of his business. He should walk away, but the frustration in Jill’s voice was evident. Frustration and something else. Pain?
Ah, shit.
“Jill, don’t be ridiculous. You just moved, you’re starting over in a new city. You need me. There’s no reason for you to be like this. We can be friends, Jill,” a man’s voice said.
“No. We really can’t. That ship sailed when you slept with another woman. When you ended our marriage. When you moved in with her. There’s not going to be any friendship, Jake.” Jill sounded firm.
Good. She was firm. The guy will get it and go away.
“You’re being unreasonable, Jill,” said the male voice.
Or not. Time’s up, asshole.
Andrew stepped out into the entry.
“Hi, sweetheart,” Andrew said as he stepped up and put an arm around Jill. He felt her jump in surprise. “Who’s this?”
The asshole at the door looked every bit as surprised as Jill to see Andrew in the house.
“Um, uh,” stammered Jill.
Andrew smiled at her, amused by the stunned look on her face. He stuck out his hand to the ex standing on the doorstep. “Hi. I’m Andrew. You must be Jason. Wait, that’s not right, John? Jarrod? What’s his name, honey?” Andrew asked, turning back to look at Jill, who now appeared to understand his game plan.
“Jake. I’m her husband,” Jake said.
Jill gasped audibly at the description and Andrew’s amusement went out the window. “I think you mean ex-husband. And I think Jill asked you to leave.”

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Excerpt:

“Nora asked me what my intentions toward you were. When I told her we were just spending time together, she told me you have a reputation for being – and I swear to you, I’m quoting here – ‘good in the sack.’ It was by far the most uncomfortable conversation I’ve ever had,” Jill said. 

Andrew’s fork hung in midair as he stared, open mouthed at Jill, a horrified expression on his face. “She did not. Please tell me she did not say that to you. Of course she did. Who am I kidding? This is Nora we’re talking about.” 

Jill just laughed as she watched Andrew try to process her conversation with Nora. “At least you didn’t have to sit there and figure out how to explain our relationship to her,” Jill said. 

Andrew grinned at that. “‘Spending time together,’ huh?”

“I couldn’t think of any other way to tell her I was banging her grandson.” Jill blushed furiously as the frank colloquialism left her mouth. She picked up her wine glass and sipped to try to cover her embarrassment, but Andrew leaned in, moved the wineglass out of his way and kissed Jill soundly on the cheek.

“I like banging you, Jillie Walsh.”

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Lori is an award winning author and stay-at-home mom. Her second book, Penalty Clause, won first place in the romance category in Lcuky Cinda Publishing’s Annual Global Writer’s Contest in 2013. 

Lori has had a number of careers before embarking on her newest adventure of writing novels. After graduating from the University of Connecticut School of Law, she practiced law for three years, working primarily in the areas of utilities law and intellectual property litigation.


More recently, Lori owned and operated a dog training business in Austin, Texas, where she specialized in aggression and became an expert in the field of dog bite analysis. Lori sold her dog training business in 2013 and is now a full time writer and mother of two. 


Lori still lives in Austin with her husband -- who is endlessly supportive of her changing career paths -- and her two children, one cat, and three dogs. 



How can your readers follow you?
To follow me on Facebook, visit: http://www.facebook.com/loriryanromance
To visit my website, visit: http://www.loriryanromance.com/
Want to be a part of my online street team? Email me at Loriryanauthor@gmail.com and put the words ‘street team’ in the subject line. I’ll email you back with directions for joining my team. 
To join my email list to receive updates and news, including sneak peeks and free giveaways or contest news, visit http://www.loriryanromance.com/#!join-my-mailing-list/cdpp
To buy my books, visit my author page on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/loriryan.

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Review:


Penalty Clause is the first book I have had the tremendous pleasure of reading by Lori Ryan. I instantly fell in love with Ms. Ryan's writing style and her charming characters that are wonderful and have a few issues that make them a lot of fun to read about. 

 Jill Walsh thought she had found true, never ending love with her husband. When the jerk came home and told her he was in love with another woman and wanted a divorce, it threw Jill for a loop. It doesn't take her long to figure out she needs some space from her ex, he finds way to many reason to appear on her doorstep. She moves into her Grandparents house until she is ready to find something else. Next door she find the VERY handsome, charming, witty, and very grown up Andrew Weston. 


The sparks between these two are flammable, Oh my! Their instant attraction soon ends their pledge to just be friends. Andrew has a broken relationship in his past that has left him scared and unable to trust. 


These two fabulous people with such huge hearts have lived through some rough times. It is certainly their turn for some happiness. I love how their love is built on top of an already thriving friendship.  


Just when they think things are going pretty well. Some unexpected events take place. A very unwanted complication interrupts their lives. There is a lot of drama and suspense involved that kept me turning pages. 

I loved Jill and her ability to thrive after what all she has been through and that she is able to refind herself and man that is supportive of her career and artistic ability. 


Andrew has the support of his best friends that got him through his past issues. Now he has found a wonderful woman with a huge heart that wants the same things in life he wants.


Now will the love that Jill and Andrew have found be able to survive the huge drastic event that is about to be thrown their way.


I loved this book! It contain some wonderful mystery, suspense, a lovely romance, and characters I could really relate to and enjoy reading about. I know I would certainly be pleased to read more work by Lori Ryan. She has a wonderful talent of keeping my complete interest in the storyline. 


I have not read the first book in this series however I had no problem reading this as though it were stand alone book. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Ryan's work.


I was given the chance to read this book for an honest review as part of this blog tour. It has been my pleasure as always to share my thoughts with you.





Sunday, September 29, 2013

Wicked Heat (A Feel the Heat novel) By Nicola Marsh ~ Review ~


Wicked Heat by Nicola Marsh is a very enjoyable read. I found charming characters, heated scenes, laughable moments, and some dramatic moments as well.

Allegra Wilks has just canceled her wedding and is about to lose a company that she has worked her hiney off for. This girl has more than her fair share of bad luck. It's time for that to change. She meets up with a very HOT Aussie in the airport on the way to her honeymoon destination that has turned into a work trip. 

Jett Halcott has just been completely betrayed by his business partner and is about to lose everything he has worked for if he can not land this client. 


Allegra and Jett have their own little honeymoon (who needs the ceremony to enjoy the perks of a honeymoon suite right?) These two have chemistry that is explosive. The more time they spend together the more they find they are not only extremely attracted to each other but like each other out of bed as well as they do in bed. 


However is one major problem that is going to come between these two very determined, very focused individuals. They are both after the same account, and they both need this account to save their businesses. WOW, is there anything that can be done to save not only both of their professional lives but allow these two the chance to explore where this very HOT relationship can lead?


I really enjoyed Wicked Heat and found Nicola Marsh to be a very easy to read author. I enjoyed her flow, her storyline, and the characters she has created. I know I most certainly would like to read more of her work. I would love to read the next book in this series. I believe it is going to be Zoe's Story. Now, I have a feeling that girl has a story to be told! I enjoyed her presence in this book so I'm sure I would enjoy reading her story.


I am so glad that I was able to receive a copy of this book to read to share my thoughts with you. As always it is my pleasure to share my thoughts with you.

Stained By Elizabeth Marx ~ Carpetbaggers, Rebels, and Yankees Series~ Review


Oh my goodness I just finished reading one of those wonderful books that really pulls at your heartstrings and has a mystery so well formed that I could not help myself from being completely enthralled and turning the pages as quickly as possible! Stained By Elizabeth Marx is a very interesting, yet traumatic story, that has some laughter, tears, and drama all wrapped up in one nice little package. Speaking of the package oh my goodness did you see the beautiful cover over there? That is probably the very first thing that attracted me to this book. I was able to host a cover reveal and I totally fell in love with this cover!

Scarlett has been through so much in her life. She doesn't know who her father is, she lost her mother in a very traumatic way when she was a teenager, she has kept herself from the love of her life because, well I don't think I'll tell you anymore about that. You must pick this book up so you can read the whole story for yourself


Revell Marshal has loved Scarlett as long as he can remember. When she left after her mother's death she never returned. Now that her grandparents are both gone (another mystery to solve), she has returned home for their funeral. This is Revell's chance to try to win Scarlett's love once and for all. I loved Revell, this guy has a huge heart, is super sensitive, a talented artist, and has love for only one woman. He's just a great guy!


Scarlett and Revell try to unravel some of the mysteries of their pasts. The more they learn the more questions seem to form. The deeper they dig the more unsure they are if they really want the answers, but they must find out. This is one of those books that I sat on the edge of my seat reading, wondering what could possible happen or go wrong next. 


I really really enjoyed this book. There is a lot of emotional, traumatic events that are uncovered. So beware before you read this book that it will pull on your emotions and there are some totally unexpected events that take place. 


I have to say that I truly enjoyed  Elizabeth Marx of writing and I look forward to reading more work by her. She has a nice flow of writing that made this story a very enjoyable reading experience. This book is the first book in the  Carpetbaggers, Rebels, and Yankees Series and I am anxious to see what Ms. Marx has in store for the other characters. I'm sure she has some great stories to tell.


I was very lucky to receive a copy of this book to read to share my thoughts with you. As always it has been my absolute pleasure to share my thoughts. 

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Waking Up Dead by Margo Bond Collins ~ Interview ~ Giveaway ~ Excerpt


Waking Up Dead 
by Margo Bond Collins

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Interview: 

Crystal: Today I am happy to have Margo Bond Collins stop by for a short interview. Would you share a little bit about yourself with us today?

Margo: In my other life, I’m a college professor; I teach English courses online. I live in Texas with my husband and our daughter and a number of thoroughly silly animals. Waking Up Dead is my first published novel. My second novel, Legally Undead, is an urban fantasy forthcoming in 2014 from World Weaver Press. I got the offers to publish the two novels in the same month. That was officially the best month of my life!

In Waking Up Dead, when Dallas resident Callie Taylor died young, she expected to go to Heaven, or maybe Hell. Instead, she met her fate early thanks to a creep with a knife and a mommy complex. Now she's witnessed another murder, and she's not about to let this one go. She's determined to help solve it before an innocent man goes to prison. And to answer the biggest question of all: why the hell did she wake up in Alabama?

Crystal: Where did you come up with the idea for Waking Up Dead?

Margo: I wrote Waking Up Dead when I lived in Alabama for a few years. I remember driving to work one morning and seeing just a wisp of fog move across the statue in the middle of the town square. The statue was of some Civil War figure, and I remember thinking that it looked oddly ghostly. In between teaching classes that day, I started writing Callie’s story. 


Crystal: What are you currently working on?

Margo: I’m currently working on sequels to Waking Up Dead and Legally Undead. I’m also working on a paranormal romance novel—stay tuned to my blog for some exciting news about the romance!

Crystal: Do you have any special routine that you follow when you are writing? 

Margo: I used to have an elaborate routine to get started. Now I just have to have a cup of coffee or tea and my laptop.  Because I teach online, I do have some flexibility in my schedule, and that means that if I’m suddenly inspired to write, I can take a little time to do that. I also have to be incredibly self-disciplined—it’s easy to put off writing if I don’t feel like doing it! However, I try to fit in at least an hour or two of fiction writing a day. 

Crystal: Did you have to do a lot of research for this book or any other? If so do you have a fascinating fact that you have learned you would like to share with us?

Margo: I didn’t have to do much research for this book, though I did have to find out when the thousand-dollar bill was discontinued—it was last printed in 1946 and totally discontinued in 1969.

I have done extensive research for other projects. I have a Ph.D. in eighteenth-century British literature and my dissertation was on depictions of violent women from 1660-1740. One interesting fact I learned from that is that in England in the eighteenth century, women who committed crimes in conjunction with their husbands were often not prosecuted; it was assumed that their husbands had made them commit the crime!

Crystal: Who are some of your favorite authors that you like to read?

Margo: I love books by Neil Gaiman, Lois McMaster Bujold, Faith Hunter, Stephen Graham Jones, Ilona Andrews, Carrie Vaughn, Richelle Mead, Rachel Vincent, Holly Black, Janny Wurts, Jennifer Estep, Rachel Caine, Patricia Briggs, Janet Evanovich . . . and those are just the ones who come to mind immediately!

Crystal: Is there a genre you haven't written that you would like to try?

Margo: I would love to write a science fiction novel. I have the beginnings of one in mind; I just need to find the time to write it!

Crystal: Do you have a favorite scene you would like to share with us?

Margo: This is the scene in which Callie witnesses the murder of Molly McClatchey:

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Author's Favorite Scene Excerpt: 

She didn’t even turn around when the man walked into the kitchen. It’s what Rick would have done, after all. And she was bent over the oven, pulling out the pan that held the baked potatoes.
I saw him, though. He wasn’t Rick McClatchey. He wasn’t anyone I’d ever seen before. He had dark hair--almost black--and pale blue eyes. Tiny pits covered his cheeks, like he’d had adolescent acne. He was shorter than Rick and more muscular. He wore regular clothes--Levi jeans and a black t-shirt--but he also wore black leather gloves and those little blue booties that doctors and nurses sometimes put on over their shoes.
And he had some sort of wire in his hands, the ends twisted into his grip. 
I knew what was going to happen when I saw the wire. I started screaming. “Molly, no! Watch out!” I waved my arms over my head and screamed at the top of my lungs. I closed my eyes and concentrated on forcing my hands make real contact with Molly, pushing as hard as I could with my hands and my mind, hoping to make her drop the pan and turn around. 
It didn’t do much good, though. 
The pan of potatoes did slip out of Molly’s hands and she danced backwards to avoid getting hit with the bouncing foil packages. But none of that stopped what was about to happen.
As Molly straightened up, the man slipped the wire over her head and twisted it around her neck. She struggled, but he pulled the garrote tighter and tighter.
I was screaming at the top of my ghostly voice, for all the good it did me. I moved up behind the man and beat at his back with closed fists--fists that slipped in and out of his back without ever making real contact. He shuddered a little--clearly he was one of the very slightly sensitive ones--but he didn’t loosen his hands.
I reached up and tried to grab the wire, tried to pull against the pressure he was exerting on the wire and it did loosen for an instant. But only for an instant. The living have more control over solid objects than the dead do. I never resented that fact more than at that moment.
But I kept trying. I kept trying as Molly’s face turned purple, then blue, then black, kept trying even as she drooped in the man’s grip.
Then he loosened the wire and it was too late. I watched that wispy, light-on-fog life force slip out of Molly and move on to wherever it is that other people go when they die. I was glad she didn’t show up next to me as a full-blown ghost. At that moment, I wouldn’t have wished my impotent half-existence on anyone. 

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Waking Up Dead is scheduled to be released via Amazon Kindle on October 8. The paperback will be available in February 2014.

Enter to win one of four e-book copies of Waking Up Dead or a $10 Amazon gift card:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Be sure to add Waking Up Dead to your Goodreads bookshelves: 

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18428064-waking-up-dead

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Connect with Margo:

Email: MargoBondCollins@gmail.com

Website: http://www.MargoBondCollins.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MargoBondCollin  @MargoBondCollin

Google+: https://plus.google.com/116484555448104519902


Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/vampirarchy

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/MargoBondCollins

Facebook Novel Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Waking-Up-Dead/502076076537575

Tumblr: http://vampirarchybooks.tumblr.com/

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mbondcollins/

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Book Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j_TmvpxxBw

Friday, September 27, 2013

Blood Mate By Mina Carter ~Smexy Fab Four blog tour ~Excerpt


Blood Mate
By Mina Carter

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Blurb:

The only thing they have in common? Really…sharp…teeth.
Major Antonia Fielding has one goal: to escape the clutches of the Project. With the blood-virus infecting her system, though, a body bag is likely her only way out. Until her boss lets slip that he may just have a cure for her—if she brings in an escaped Lycan.
Can she trust him? Now there’s the million-dollar question. Then again, can she afford to take that chance?
Darce Foster was a Special Forces soldier, until the Project got hold of him. Now he’s a Lycan, a lab-created werewolf, this close to escaping his creators—until another of the projects experiments stops him in his tracks. Not because she has the power to hold him, but because he instantly recognizes the impossible. The vampiress is his mate.
Allowing her to bring him in is his only choice—and possibly the last mistake of his life.
Enemies or lovers, it doesn’t matter. When they discover that the Project is hiding yet more secrets, they must work together to bring it down...or die in the attempt.

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Buy Links:

eBook Available to pre-order from 


Samhain Publishing | Amazon | Amazon.co.uk | Kobo | B&N




Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Pub Date: 9/17/2013
Series: The Project Rebellion, #2
Format Available: ePub, Mobi, HTML, Adobe Acrobat, Rocketbook
ISBN: 9781619216556

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Excerpt:

Copyright © 2013 Mina Carter
All rights reserved — a Samhain Publishing, Ltd. publication
He held the smile. For once, he and the animal were in perfect accord. She’d locked him down with silver, but it didn’t mean he was going to stay that way. Not with the moon still in the sky and his mate within reach. While they’d talked, he’d worked the silver from his system. The metal beneath him was wet with tainted sweat. A little puddle under his ass like he’d pissed the stuff. Opening the connection to his wolf piece by piece, he let the creature free, using the strength and rage to galvanize his human frame.
“What do you mean, ‘that’s simple’?”
He finished the grin. The movement bared his teeth, revealing the lengthened canines behind his human lips. “Easy. I’m not locked down.”
His words fell into stunned silence. Her eyes widened, her slight intake of breath a soft rasp in the air. Their gazes locked and tension spiraled as each waited for the other to move.
He saw it the moment she made her decision. A red sheen tainted the darkness of her eyes, flowing over the surface like oil over water. Man, that was some freaky crap.
A bellow escaped his lips. He yanked on the cuffs. The silver-laced steel bit deep, slicing through his skin like an acid-dipped razor but he ignored the pain. Couldn’t afford to let it slow him down.
Using momentum to snap the chain, he threw himself across the space between them and reached for her. His arms opened wide to wrap her up in a solid tackle but, like him, she was already moving. With a grunt of surprise and anger, she twisted to the side, then rebounded off the metal interior to come right at him.
They met in the middle in a clash of bodies and tumbled, rolling across the truck-bed in a tangle of limbs. She fought like a wildcat. His vision filled with flying strands of dark hair and the flash of her teeth as she snarled. He winced, blocking like a demon while heavy blows rained down on his head and shoulders. Pain flared all over his body but he ignored it and fought through. Forced to protect his sides, his abdomen and his face, he ducked and turned, weaving before he went on the offensive, trying to trap her arms and pin her down.
The fight was close and fast as hell. Despite her aggression and the sheer power behind her blows, he was tougher and bigger. A long, painful minute later he had her stretched out under him with her hands above her head. Still she fought, snapping at his face and neck with fangs that didn’t look nearly so cute when they were threatening to take chunks out of him.
“Shhh…calm down.”
He held on for grim death, throwing a heavy thigh over both of hers when she contorted and tried to knee him in the balls. Sometimes being the opposite sex in a down and dirty fight had its disadvantages, especially when you were the gender with the dangly bits. He was lucky she didn’t have those sharp little fangs anywhere near his crotch. That was one blow-job he could well do without.
“Screw you.”
She struggled against his hold again. She didn’t…couldn’t break free, not with the firm grip he had on her, but each heave she gave pressed them closer together. The truck aided him, rattling over potholes and jerking them about until she was jammed in the right angle between the floor and the wall. Every inch of her slender but curvy frame pressed tight against him.
“Believe me, doll. I’d love you to.”
She froze again, her eyes widening as her struggles rubbed their lower bodies together and she clocked the erection hard against her stomach. His gaze caught hers, heat flowing between them. She dragged a shaky breath in over parted lips. His attention riveted on the pink temptation scant inches from him and he lowered his head, watching her every step of the way. Waiting for her to turn into a spitting cat again.
She didn’t.
Instead, she watched him as if transfixed, her taut body strangely pliant under his, the soft curves and hollows fitting naturally against the hard musculature of his larger frame. A perfect fit. Like she’d been made to be held in his arms. A sense of familiarity, of coming home, assaulted him and he knew he’d give up everything for a few moments in her embrace.
Her pink tongue darted out, wet her lips in unconscious invitation. He groaned. There was only so much temptation a man could take. He’d wanted to be soft, gentle…prove to her he wasn’t an animal, but need rode him hard. Like a devil on his back, it scoured all softness from him until only lust was left. The driving need to taste her, devour her, consumed him and he swooped down, claiming her lips in a hard kiss almost bruising in its intensity.
Unlike earlier, he didn’t—couldn’t—wait for her to soften.
Instead, he demanded and took, parting her lips with a hard sweep to sample the treasures within. Her taste exploded on his tongue, a heavenly combination of tart and sweet, fascinating his senses and totally indescribable. She tasted sublime. Ambrosia. If he died right now, he’d go having tasted a little piece of heaven itself.
The truck rattled again, rolling him so he completed the movement. Pulling  her into his side, he held both her wrists with one hand and used the other to sweep down the length of her body. She started, a jump of surprise when he cupped her ass and palmed the luscious curve before pulling her leg up over his thigh. He settled against her. His hips cradled in hers, he moved in to deepen the kiss.
She didn’t fight him, just held her body still under his as he stroked his tongue along hers. Enticing her. Teasing her. She moaned, the sexy little sound lost under his lips. He ravaged her mouth, taking and demanding, then giving back in equal measure when she responded. Slowly at first, just the tentative sweep of her tongue, her body rigid as though she fought temptation…then the dam broke. She whimpered against his lips, the sound of her surrender sweet music to his ears, and kissed him back.
Triumph roared through him. All the while his mind screamed at him about operational awareness. That now he had her subdued, he should be doing something about escaping. Wrap the chains around her wrists and imprison her against the cold, hard steel of the truck-side instead. Not kiss her like his life depended on it. Certainly not groan as her tongue slid against his, and roll so she rested on his chest.
Her hands drove into his hair, tugging and pulling at the long locks as she plastered herself over him. Her breasts mashed against him, the soft mounds delicious pressure against the hard muscles of his broad chest. Her nipples were hard bullets under the damp fabric of her T-shirt and his groan joined hers as she rubbed herself, cat-like, over his chest.
Heat arched, little lightning strikes every time her skin slid over his, a storm playing out over and between them. A storm of passion he wanted to wallow in, dancing and screwing in the rain to make the woman under him his at last.
Knees on either side of his hips, she ground down, rocking against him and nipping his lower lip. Arousal shot through him at the pleasure-pain, washing over his scalp in a thousand tiny pinpricks before rolling through his body.
“Tease.”
He broke from the kiss to accuse, then dragged his lips along the sensitive curve of her neck, pausing halfway to breathe in her scent. Arms wrapped around her slender waist, he closed his eyes and held her to him.
Perfection. Utter perfection.
“I’m the tease?” She challenged, hands in his hair to drag his head back so she could look in his eyes. The red in hers was gone, replaced by a new darkness that set his blood and body aflame. He surged into movement, sitting up with her in his lap and reached for her lips again. She was his. He had to have her—
The truck braked and turned, the mechanical sounds of a gate and conversation reaching them. Darce stiffened, fingers biting into her hips but once again she was too quick for him. The needle pierced his shoulder before he could push her away. Silver flooded his veins, the fresh hit stealing his ability to move. With a grunt he slid back, his eyes still on her.
“I’m sorry. I have to take you in.”

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Author Bio:


Mina was born and raised in the East Farthing of Middle Earth (otherwise known as the Midlands, England) and spend her childhood learning all the sorts of things generally required of a professional adventurer. Able to ride, box, shoot, make and read maps, make chainmail and use a broadsword (with varying degrees of efficiency) she was disgusted to find that adventuring is not considered a suitable occupation these days.
So, instead of slaying dragons and hunting vampires and the like, Mina spends her days writing about hot shifters, government conspiracies and vampire lords with more than their fair share of RAWR. Turns out wanna-be adventurers have quite the turn of imagination after all...
(But she keeps that sword sharp, just in case the writing career is just a dream and she really *is* an adventurer.)
The boring part: A full time author and cover artist, Mina can usually be found hunched over a keyboard or graphics tablet, frantically trying to get the images and words in her head out and onto the screen before they drive her mad. She's addicted to coffee and would like to be addicted to chocolate, but unfortunately chocolate dislikes her.

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Stalking links:
Email: mina@mina-carter.com
twitter: @minacarter
Facebook: Profile | Page


The Billionaire’s Best Friend by Christina Tetreault ~ Release Blitz ~ Bridging the Gap Book Tour ~


The Billionaire’s Best Friend
by Christina Tetreault


2 Day Release Blitz ~ Sept 23rd & Sept 27th

Don't forget to use the Rafflecopter below to enter for the prize!

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Blurb:

Despite a wonderful family, a career she loves, and great friends, a void has existed in Lauren McDonald's life ever since her best friend Callie married billionaire Dylan Talbot. Although they have remained close, Lauren and Callie now lead very different lives, that is until Lauren meets wealthy CEO Kevin Walsh. Lauren believes he could be the man who will help make her life whole again.  That is until the night Nathaniel Callahan, her high school sweetheart and the one man she has always loved, shows up. 

Although Nate ended things with Lauren before heading off to The Naval Academy and his life with the Marines, he never stopped loving her. Now 15 years later he is back to correct the mistake he made all those years ago. 

With Nate back in town, Lauren must decide between the man who promises her the world and the man who has the power to crush her heart again.

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Some short Teasers:

1) The one man she never stopped loving is back in town.  Now Lauren McDonald must decide between the man who promises her the world and the man who has the power to crush her heart again.

2) Lauren McDonald never stopped loving Nathaniel Callahan even though when he left it nearly destroyed her.  Now with him back in town, she must choose between playing it safe or risking her heart again.

3)After graduation Nate Callahan left Lauren McDonald behind when he entered The Naval Academy and his life with the Marines. Now fifteen years later he's returned with one goal, to win back the woman he never stopped loving and failure is not an option.

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Excerpt:

The main doors of the room opened as Lauren paused her scan; the guest of honor was about to enter. Grabbing her camera, Lauren stood—only to immediately collapse back down into her chair when her knees gave out at the sight of Nathaniel Callahan standing in the doorway.
“Oh my God.” Her stomach hit the floor.
“What's the matter? Are you okay?” Callie's concerned voice sounded as if it were traveling a great distance to reach her.
Lauren glanced over at Callie and then toward the door again. Perhaps she'd imagined him. After all, why would he be here? The last time she'd heard anything about him, he was doing his third tour in the Middle East. Despite her hope that she'd started to hallucinate, when she looked again, he was still there, dressed in a black suit rather than his Marine uniform, his brown hair cut military short and looking much the same as he did the summer he'd broken her heart. She latched her hand onto Callie's arm. “Nate Callahan. He's here.” 
She kept her eyes on him. Since that awful day the summer after senior year, she'd only seen him once. She'd been home visiting her parents during holiday break her freshman year of college. She’d spotted him in his parents' driveway from her bedroom window. They'd received more than two feet of snow the night before and he was helping his father shovel. That morning she'd stood and watched until the entire driveway was cleared. When he and his dad finished, he went back inside his house without so much as a glance toward her home.
“What?” Callie asked, her voice louder than necessary.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kevin and Dylan headed back to the table. "Nate just walked in," Lauren hissed.
"Lauren that . . ." Callie's voice trailed off and she sat up straighter. Her head moved to keep him in sight as he walked toward his parents. "What's he doing here?" she asked, her voice lower now.
Leaning closer, Lauren whispered, "I don't know. We don't exactly speak."


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Author Bio:

I wrote my first story with characters similar to those in the Sweet Valley Twins books at the age of 10 on my grandmother's manual typewriter. As I got older my stories and characters became more mature. During my freshman year at UMass Dartmouth, I read my first romance novel and fell in love with the genre. I have been writing contemporary romance ever since.

Today I live with my husband, three beautiful daughters and two dogs in Massachusetts. Whenever I have a free moment you'll find me either reading a romance novel or working on my most current story.

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Author Links:

Website:  www.christinatetreault.com

facebook:  www.facebook.com/christinatetreaultauthor

twitter: @cgricci

Blog:  http://happilyeverafter-cgtetreault.blogspot.com/

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Buy Links:

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