Book Blitz: A Reason to Stay by Julieann Dove

A Reason to Stay 

Julieann Dove

Publication date: June 1st 2016

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Elise Newton has it all—a dream job, a house that’s all hers, and a boyfriend who’s a cardiologist. Darren has been carrying an engagement ring in his pocket for two months, waiting for the perfect time to ask her to be his wife. He has no idea Elise has been waiting for the perfect time as well—to break up.
You see, Elise has a fatal flaw. She cannot commit to love.
An early-morning call from her sister gives Elise hope. She’s needed back home in Kentucky, to care for their mother who’s recovering from surgery. It’s the break Elise has been searching for, a reprieve from the strain of ducking Darren’s declarations of love.
But along with Kentucky comes seeing Ben—her first love, the one who came closest to being her happily ever after. Now a single dad, Ben has moved on with his life. But has his love for her moved on as well?
When Elise discovers a long-hidden truth about her family—and the reason why she can’t commit—she must decide which man will give her a reason to stay.

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EXCERPT:

Like A Wrecking Ball

Elise Newton sat across the table from Darren Masterson in Pierre’s, one of the swankiest places in town to eat, watching him like she would an ailing person in the hospital. Right after the doctor informed her he only had hours left to live.

She studied him, trying to remember everything about him that she could. Things that normally couldn’t be recalled if just the image of him popped up in her mind. Like a quick snapshot of a tall guy with a nice smile, dark hair, and an amazing set of blue eyes.

No, Elise wanted to remember the details. Like the lines in his forehead, and how there was one very pronounced one dead center over the bridge of his nose, etched deeper than all the others. And that solitary vein that pulsed on his right temple when he was either chewing or talking very seriously about something.

She took a sip of her expensive wine and swished it around in her mouth before swallowing.

It tasted dry; she much more preferred sweet. But this would do the trick. She needed just a few more glasses of it, though, to deaden the pain she knew would come after she told him what she had to say.

But first his lips. She needed to remember his soft lips. If they had a flavor, it’d be buttercream, like the kind found in the middle of her favorite doughnut from Margie’s Bakery, down off Ontario Boulevard.

She looked at him then, letting her eyes wander down to his perfectly shaped mouth as it took another bite. Lord, she’d miss that mouth … that tongue … that…

“Babe, are you all right?” he asked, chewing at the same time.

“Of course,” she said, blinking rapidly to get the image of him licking her lips out of her mind.

“It just seems like there’s something on your mind. Something you want to tell me.” He wiped the corner of his mouth with the linen napkin.

She shook her head and stared at his blue eyes as he drove his fork around the plate. Now, his eyes were a whole other story than his lips. Ones that she would miss the most. To describe them merely as being blue as the Arctic ocean would be like describing the Northern Lights as blurry thing-a-ma-bobs.

No, they were like two of the most devastatingly blue eyes that she’d ever seen in California, since moving there fourteen years ago. When she looked into them long enough, she discovered they were actually secret portals into the heart of his soul.

And Bam! There she had it. These thoughts about the man sitting across the table from her were the precise reasons why she had to end it. Nip it in the bud. Stop the presses. Lane four is closing, take all your feelings and emotions to the express checkout and get the H-E-double-L out of there.

Elise’s brain sent the cut-it-and-run messages through the loud speaker in her head, but her mouth was having a hard time with the command. She shook her head, trying to snap out of the trance she’d fallen into again. Like the one that caught her last week when she told herself that would be her last date with Mr. Perfect. So far, this was the fifth ‘last’ date she’d had with him.

What was her problem? Instead of studying him like an Adonis sitting front and center in a Petri dish, she had to saddle up for what she came to dinner to do. To break up with him. There was no way around it. It had to be done. Only she had to think of a way.

He wasn’t like the other guys she was used to dating. There was nothing that truly stood out to be a problem with him. Other than Elise was beginning to fall for him. She had been for the past couple of eight months.

She could hear her mother’s Southern-coated drawl play over and over inside her head. “Don’t ever think a man is the answer to your problems, little girl. There is no man out there that’s gonna do anything but destroy you. Destroy all your dreams, and destroy your future. End it with them before they end it with you.”

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Author Bio:

Julieann lives in Virginia, yet longs to live everywhere else. It doesn’t come as a surprise that along with her gypsy soul, comes an active imagination. That’s why she loves to write and invent worlds and people, so that she can formulate their happily ever after. Hobbies include cooking new recipes, sewing, and spending time with her cute boyfriend/husband and five fabulous children. Vacations happen in Nantucket or the Carolina beaches—anywhere there is inspiration for her next book. One day she hopes to travel to Italy, drive one of those little cars around the countryside, and speak the language fluently!


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Book Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway: Deep Blue Eternity by Natasha Boyd

Deep Blue Eternity by Natasha Boyd 

(Deep Blue Eternity #1) 

Publication date: March 26th 2015

Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Livvy is on the run. And she’s escaped to the one place nobody will ever find her.

But the isolated cottage isn’t empty. Her refuge is home to a troubled stranger, Tom, there for reasons of his own.

In the intimacy of the abandoned cottage, and the remote wilderness of the island, the electrifying connection between them is impossible to ignore. Both running from their histories and shielding dark secrets, their pasts catch up with them and collide in an unimaginable way.

Deep emotions and powerful chemistry face a painful battle with the tangle of lies, and scars of the past. When the truth emerges, hearts will be shattered.

"A captivating, heart-wrenching, beautifully written story about those who scar us and those who help us heal. I could not put it down and am still thinking about it!" - Mia Sheridan, New York Times Bestselling author of Archer’s Voice

"Boyd skillfully navigates the scorching physical desire and personal insecurities of her protagonists, crafting a relationship that is tense, torrid and sure to keep the pages turning." ~ RT Book Reviews

“Fans of the Sea of Tranquility or Mia Sheridan will absolutely love this story.” ~ MissIngrid’s reviews. 

“I can’t recall ever reading a novel that made me laugh, smile, cry… just, feel as much as this one did.” ~ Books over Bros Reviews

Goodreads

Purchase:

AMAZON US | AMAZON UK | iBOOKS

Excerpt

He made me feel like such a stupid little girl. He had no idea what it was like for me. None. I wanted to yell at him and slap him, but more than anything, I wanted him not to disapprove of me, and I couldn’t understand why. I’d never cared what anyone thought of me before. In fact, I’d gone out of my way to inspire less than comfortable thoughts in people. It was the way I operated. It was the way I’d survived the last few years in high school.

I realized with a start that I’d begun feeling comforted by his presence. We were building some form of quiet friendship. And the thought that he was disgusted with me caused shame to burn through my gut. But with that came anger. How dare he make me feel this way? Who was he to pass judgment on me? And pulling out what Abby would think had been such a low blow. 

I was pacing back and forth, coming up with the words I would hurl at him to get even when I’d caught sight of him through the small kitchen window and stopped dead.

Tom was ripping his shirt off over his head. He flung it angrily, his bare chest heaving. Jesus, he was ripped. Picking the ax back up, ribs arching, he swung it over his head, bringing it down with such force that every muscle and sinew bulged and flexed with the power of it. 

I sucked in air, realizing I’d been holding my breath. Emotion rolled off him, the air electrified. Wind I couldn’t feel tossed his hair. It was raw and almost painful to watch. He was part wild animal and part insanely beautiful human. 

His body was a blur of motion, and he seemed oblivious to the icy air. A strong working body. A man’s body, not a boy’s. So much man. No muscle unused. 

I’d been living with this huge, larger than life, virile male for almost two weeks. 

Old fears skittered down my spine.

And then his chest wasn’t just heaving with breath, his whole body was shuddering and curling in on itself. His knees folded, hitting the ground so hard, I winced. His arms wrapped around his middle as if he was trying to hold his body together. It was at once both shockingly strange and also familiar. I knew the kind of feeling that made one’s body do that. 

Pain. 

The kind of pain that threatened to tear your soul in two.

 Giveaway:

Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)

$150 Amazon Gift Card

3 Signed Paperbacks of Deep Blue Eternity

5 Infinity/Anchor Karma Bracelets

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 About The Author:

Natasha Boyd is an internationally bestselling and award-winning author with a background in marketing and public relations. Her debut novel Eversea was a finalist in the 2013 Winter Rose Contest for Contemporary Romance and won the 2014 Digital Book Award for Adult Fiction. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Georgia Romance Writers and Island Writer’s Network in coastal South Carolina where she has been a featured speaker on book marketing. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and lives with her husband, two sons and the cast of characters in her head.

Author links: Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | Website

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Book Blitz & Giveaway: The Space Between by Nikki Mathis Thompson

 

The Space Between by Nikki Mathis Thompson 

Publication date: March 20th 2015

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Georgia Bristol’s life hasn’t turned out the way she’d imagined…but it’s a good life.
Despite that fact, she finds herself yearning for something she can’t define. Haunted by the choices of her youth.
Regrets. Everyone has them. What if? Everyone wonders at times.
Lost in town a few heartbeats shy of deserted, Georgia encounters a mysterious woman who gives her a second chance to regain the life she thought she missed out on.
Some say getting lost is the best way to find where you’re going. And sometimes everything must be stripped away before you realize that what you have, is what you wanted all along.
The Space Between is one woman’s unconventional journey to regain what she holds dear, filled with heartbreak, friendship, and love. A thought provoking tale that will have you relating to her struggles and celebrating her triumphs.

Goodreads | Amazon

Giveaway:

Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)

$20 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About The Author: 

Nikki Mathis Thompson spent her formative years singing, dancing and creating her own world of make-believe. From an early age she developed a love of reading that has grown exponentially to near addiction. She has a business degree from the University of Texas at Dallas. Her degree looks great in the frame, but hasn't been utilized in years. She gladly left the cubicle life behind to raise her daughter and a son was added to the mix some years later. You can find her devouring a book while drinking a glass of wine, doing her part to save the planet or lip- synching to her favorite songs while running through her suburb. She lives outside of Dallas with her family. Rebound is her first novel.

Author links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Book Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway: Withering Hope by Layla Hagen

Title: Withering Hope
Author: Layla Hagen
Series: None

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*The pre-order price is $0.99. The price will go up to $2.99 shortly after release*

Aimee’s wedding is supposed to turn out perfect. Her dress, her fiancé and the location—the idyllic holiday ranch in Brazil—are perfect.

But all Aimee’s plans come crashing down when the private jet that’s taking her from the U.S. to the ranch—where her fiancé awaits her—defects mid-flight and the pilot is forced to perform an emergency landing in the heart of the Amazon rainforest.

With no way to reach civilisation, being rescued is Aimee and Tristan’s—the pilot—only hope. A slim one that slowly withers away, desperation taking its place. Because death wanders in the jungle under many forms: starvation, diseases. Beasts.

As Aimee and Tristan fight to find ways to survive, they grow closer. Together they discover that facing old, inner agonies carved by painful pasts takes just as much courage, if not even more, than facing the rainforest.

Despite her devotion to her fiancé, Aimee can’t hide her feelings for Tristan—the man for whom she’s slowly becoming everything. You can hide many things in the rainforest. But not lies. Or love.
Withering Hope is the story of a man who desperately needs forgiveness and the woman who brings him hope. It is a story in which hope births wings and blooms into a love that is as beautiful and intense as it is forbidden.

Excerpt

(Tristan’s POV)

No rescue helicopter arrives. Not the following morning, or any morning after it. I expect Aimee to break down, but she doesn’t. It shouldn’t surprise me, though. I’ve suspected she is strong since I first met her. 

Chris Moore hired me as his pilot two and a half years ago, giving me the chance for a 

fresh start I so desperately needed. I was grateful to him, and even liked him. Despite his wealth and success, he was grounded and unpretentious. When I first met Aimee, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that she was just as unassuming. 

And so much more.

She went out of her way to be friendly, making it easy to adjust to my side job as her driver when Chris didn’t need me as a pilot. I suppose I came off as cold to her, because I only acknowledged her effort with a curt thank you. But I wasn’t used to anyone being friendly to me. Over the past years people had either shown me pity or feared me. Not Aimee. Of course, she didn’t know anything about my past—Chris kept his word and never told her. 

When first I drove Aimee to Chris’s parents’ mansion, I realized Aimee hadn’t given me any special treatment. She was genuinely friendly to everyone on the staff. They all liked to be around her. 

So did I. 

I liked it a little too much. 

She had a way of growing on people without even trying. She was warm and eager to get to really know people. A bit too eager… and the secrets I carried were best left buried. So I was content with being around her, or observing her from a distance. 

From where it was safe. 

Here, where our lifeline depends on working and sticking together, where I’m prepared to do just about anything to keep her safe, it will be hard to keep that distance, but I will do my best.

Giveaway

Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)

20$ Amazon gift card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About The Author

My name is Layla Hagen and I am a New Adult Contemporary Romance author.

I fell in love with books when I was nine years old, and my love affair with stories continues even now, many years later.

I write romantic stories and can’t wait to share them with the world.

And I drink coffee. Lots of it, in case the photo didn’t make it obvious enough

Author links: Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

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Release Week Blitz & Excerpt: Wicked (A Wicked Saga #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

We are over the moon excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for Jennifer L. Armentrout's WICKED! WICKED is a New Adult Paranormal Romance and the first book in Jennifer’s Wicked Trilogy!

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 Things are about to get Wicked in New Orleans. Twenty-two year old Ivy Morgan isn’t your average college student. She, and others like her, know humans aren’t the only thing trolling the French Quarter for fun… and for food. Her duty to the Order is her life. After all, four years ago, she lost everything at the hands of the creatures she’d sworn to hunt, tearing her world and her heart apart. Ren Owens is the last person Ivy expected to enter her rigidly controlled life. He’s six feet and three inches of temptation and swoon-inducing charm. With forest-green eyes and a smile that’s surely left a stream of broken hearts in its wake, he has an uncanny, almost unnatural ability to make her yearn for everything he has to offer.
But letting him in is as dangerous as hunting the cold-blooded killers stalking the streets. Losing the boy she loved once before had nearly destroyed her, but the sparking tension that grows between them becomes impossible for Ivy to deny. Deep down, she wants… she needs more than what her duty demands of her, what her past has shaped for her. But as Ivy grows closer to Ren, she realizes she’s not the only one carrying secrets that could shatter the frail bond between them. There’s something he’s not telling her, and one thing is for certain. She’s no longer sure what is more dangerous to her—the ancient beings threatening to take over the town or the man demanding to lay claim to her heart and her soul.    

Excerpt:

All the words in the world vanished the moment I got an eyeful of Ren. Holy hotness with an extra side of sexy, when Ren cleaned up, he took his handsomeness into a totally different stratosphere. The waves and curls of his hair were currently tamed, styled back from his face, showing off the angle of his cheekbones and the fullness of his lips. 

He was wearing a white dress shirt that showed off the hard lines of his broad shoulders and flashed a glimpse of tawny skin at his neck. I noticed then, somehow never really seeing it before, a leather cord hanging from his neck and disappearing under his shirt. I was sure that was what carried the clover, but as my gaze traveled over him, I quickly forgot about it. 

The edges of the tattoo poked out of the collar of his shirt, and his sleeves were rolled up to the elbow, exposing powerful forearms. The dark trousers completed the outfit. It was effortless class. When I dragged my gaze back to his, I realized I hadn’t been the only one doing the scrutinizing. He was staring at me in his intense, consuming way, and I stepped back from the door, suddenly feeling very . . . vulnerable. As if I was exposed in front of him. 

 Heat crept into my cheeks as I plastered my arms to my sides. “Sorry I . . . took so long. I was . . .” I trailed off as he continued to stare at me. “What?” Ren stepped into the house, catching the door and closing it behind him. His presence filled the living room, and I could barely drag in enough air. “This is wrong,” he said, voice thick. Surprised by the statement, I glanced down at myself. I knew I looked like a silly girl playing dress up. “It’s the only dress I could wear,” I said, feeling the weight of embarrassment settling on my shoulders. 

 He gave a little shake of his head as his bright green eyes met mine. “Oh, sweetness, you did wrong in all the right ways.” I wasn’t following. “How in the world am I going to pay attention when you look like that?” he chided softly, and my eyes widened. 

He moved forward, so close that I had to tip my chin up to meet his stare. He reached out, fingering the loose sleeve of my dress. “You are utterly distracting.” “I am?” 

 A half smile appeared as his fingers skipped off the material and traced the line of my shoulder, sending a tight shiver down my spine. Then his finger wrapped around a curl, the back of his hand brushing the swell of my breast. He tugged it straight like he’d done before. 

“You are absolutely beautiful, Ivy.”

About The Author:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Novel Goodreads | Author Goodreads

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RELEASE BLITZ, Excerpt & Giveaway: Tangled (The Moreno Brothers #5.5) by Elizabeth Reyes

Title: Tangled  (The Moreno Brothers, #5.5)

Author: Elizabeth Reyes

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: December 7, 2014

Just when Romero thought he'd conquered his anger issues...
Now that Izzy has earned her credentials to teach at a college level, Romero is doing his best to be supportive. Even after she informs him she won't be teaching.
She'll be assisting a professor—a recently divorced professor whom she'll work with side by side.
Isabel loves being home with her kids, but she's ready to get back to her career—back to a world where she can enjoy some in-depth political conversations with someone who really gets it. The brilliant Political Science professor she's assigned to assist seems to be the perfect fit.
But when those conversations get a little personal, Isabel isn't sure if she's just being silly or if the professor is sending insidiously veiled messages.
Romero's knack for picking up on her unease only complicates things, especially because Isabel also has a big Christmas surprise for him. With suspicions awakened, Romero's interpretation of Isabel's sneakiness stirs that dormant rage he hasn't had to deal with in years, and emotions become furiously Tangled.

Amazon | Amazon UK | Kobo

Excerpt 

 Isabel has been talking to the professor she works side with now and she just explained how she met her security investigator husband at a wedding.

He smiled, bringing the tip of his reading glasses to his lips. “I thought maybe you two met by way of his job: something interesting like he fell in love with the beautiful woman he was supposed to be investigating.”

Feeling her face flush instantly, she shook her head too quickly. “No, nothing like that,” she said, swallowing hard.

“I’m sorry if that was inappropriate.” He sat up. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

Calling attention to the fact that she was probably beet red now wasn’t helping. “No, don’t worry. I blush really easily,” she said, laughing nervously. “It’s a curse and one of the first things my husband said he’d noticed about me. He’s, uh,” she added, bringing her hand to her face and touching her warm cheek, “still highly entertained by it, actually.”

He stared at her for a moment without saying anything then smiled. “I can see why.”

Their eyes met for a moment too long, and without thinking, she began blurting things out: how her former roommate was dating Romero’s friend at the time and then about meeting him at Alex’s brother’s wedding shower. She even told him how at first she’d been afraid they might be too different. “But I guess it’s true what they say about opposites attracting, because here we are years later, happily married with two kids.”

The moment she said that last part she felt utterly ridiculous. For some stupid reason, she’d felt it necessary to throw that in, but he already knew this! Her face began to warm again as the mortification set in. Did he possibly pick up on the fact that, for an instant there, she thought he needed to be reminded?

Each day there were dozens and dozens of young, pretty, and very likely single girls who sat in awe of their brilliant and very attractive professor. He had to know this—had to know that while it went against school policy to date his students, he still could have his pick of any single girls on campus. 

Why in the world would he need to be reminded that his assistant was happily married? Just because of his beautiful comment?

Jesus, she was an idiot.

“And they’re probably right,” he said, still staring at her in that way he always had, but somehow it felt different now. “It’s probably why my ex-wife and I couldn’t work things out. We were too much alike. Yet my stubborn heart keeps getting drawn to women like her, women I can talk to for hours on end and never get bored.” He smiled, and again the moment went on a bit too long, but mercifully, he continued before she had to think of a response to that—she had nothing. “My ex-wife is also a professor at a university, only she teaches Women Studies.”He laughed softly now. “You can imagine the discussions she and I had. While some of those discussions could often get heated, it’s what I miss most. Any woman can offer physical pleasure. To me, it’s always been about how a woman can pleasure my mind.”

For the first time since they’d been sitting there talking, there was too long of a moment when neither said anything because she suddenly felt speechless.

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About Elizabeth 

USA Today Bestselling Author, Elizabeth Reyes continues to answer to her calling on a daily basis. Since releasing her debut novel Forever Mine (Moreno Brothers #1) in 2010 she has now published 9 full length novels total and fast at work on the next. The excitement her Moreno Brothers, 5th Street, and Fate series have garnered has far exceeded her wildest dreams. It is with as much excitement that she'll continue to put out books related to these series as well as introduce brand new ones very soon.

In 2014 she will take her next step in the exciting world of writing and publish her first traditionally published book with Simon & Schuster/Atria. But she will continue putting out self published books as well.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Printerest | Instagram

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Book Blitz & Excerpt: Life Lived Twice by Sherrie Wouters

Life Lived Twice by Sherrie Wouters 

Publication date: June 6th 2014

Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Romance

Some promises are made to last forever…
What if you fell in love with a stranger…but that stranger had come from your past, a past you never knew existed until the moment your eyes met?
When Tess Winters locks eyes with a stranger at an airport bookstore, it ignites a feeling of passion somewhere deep inside her that she can’t explain.
Although the encounter is innocent and brief, the intensity of it lingers, leaving her overwhelmed by a yearning for the mystery man now consuming her every thought.
Struggling to break the powerful hold he has over her heart, Tess starts to experience strange but familiar dreams…dreams from the turn of the twentieth century of the charming Mr Addison Taylor.
As her dreams start to materialize into reality, and past and present begin to blur, Tess is forced to put the pieces of a forgotten time together, and soon discovers that love isn’t the only thing that can find you after an eternity.
Captivating, mysterious, and romantic, Life Lived Twice will leave you wondering whether love is so powerful it could last more than a lifetime.

My Review: Goodreads | Blog

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N 

Excerpt: 

By the time I’d examined his tanned calves, the masculinity of his

skin was lingering in the air between us. He smelt sensational, and I found

myself uncontrollably breathing in as I rose.

Now curious to see more, I kept going. But as I began to move, an

odd sensation of warmth radiating from him came over me; it was almost

like an invisible hand caressing my skin. My heart fluttered at the idea

of it, and suddenly blood was rushing to all the wrong places as I felt an

unexpected thrill of anticipation.

After tracing his body all the way up to his chest, my wandering

eyes didn’t seem to want to stop, and they were soon up to his neck and

following the stubble along his jaw, right up to his light brown hair.

And then he spoke. The sound of his voice jolted me from my

daydream and pulled my gaze to his.

“Addison!” I gasped as our eyes collided.

From the moment the name left my lips, my eyes widened ... stared

... and became lost in his. As a rush of airy weightlessness floated me

from the floor, suddenly everything felt more enhanced, more real, like

something inside me had suddenly woken up.

It was an intoxicating feeling and the longer I stood entranced, the

further his beautiful blue eyes reached into mine. Somehow they were

knocking on the door to my heart, stirring something so powerful it made

me want to cry and laugh at the same time and, for a brief second, there

was something in his eyes that made me feel complete.

Suddenly his brows squeezed then softened. “Ah ... um ... sorry about

the electric shock.” He smiled. “But who’s Addison?”

My throat tightened as warmth flushed my cheeks. Who the hell

was Addison?

Embarrassment pulled my eyes from his. “Oh,” I said, choking on my

words, “Um ... ah ... no ... I don’t know anyone called Addison ... I mean, um ... ”

“Oh!” He smiled cheekily as he leaned towards me and whispered.

“You sounded so convinced I was him ... I thought for a second I could

be. I mean, if you wanted me to be.”

My face shot back to his, words jamming in my throat as I stared.

Who was this guy, this stranger? In just a few seconds he’d turned my soul

inside out, and now he was charming me with his words as well.

As his lips rose into a smile, I couldn’t help but smile back. But panic

quickly returned to my constricted throat as that name re-entered my head.

Suddenly aware of the warmth still creeping across my face, I managed

to pull my eyes from his again and divert my gaze. Addison, Addison, who

the hell was Addison? I couldn’t budge the name from my thoughts.

As I stood fidgeting, I could feel him staring, waiting for me to say

something, anything. After taking a breath, I shifted my gaze and we

locked eyes again as I spoke. “Um,” I said, swallowing hard, “I must be

mistaken ... sorry.”

About The Author:

Sherrie Wouters is the author of the romantic fantasy, Life Lived Twice.

A qualified Homeoeopath and Kinesiologist, Sherrie lives in country Victoria, Australia with her husband, and two daughters. She is currently working on the sequel to Life Lived Twice.


Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Book Blitz, Excerpt: Hurricane Butterfly by MeChelle Vermeulen

Title: Hurricane Butterfly
Author: MeChelle Vermeulen
Series: None
Publication date: November 21st 2014

Genres: New Adult, Romance

Goodreads | Amazon 

Twenty-year-old Sophie Blake, is trying her best to get her life back after a horrific dog attack ten months ago. However, this proves to be more difficult than she anticipated. With the help of her best friend Ben Slone, it seems as if she’s making progress, but the truth is that she can feel herself sinking deeper into a black hole…until a tall dark stranger comes knocking, looking for Ben.
Joshua Roxwell has been drowning his demons with Whiskey and woman in an attempt to deal with his guilt after the tragic death of his sister. When he finds an envelope addressed to Ben Slone, written by his sister before her death, he decides to track him down. Instead of resolving their differences, he meets the one girl who silences his demons…but redemption comes at a price.
This is a story of heartache, friendship and love, with a wicked twist…

Excerpt

Tall and slightly tanned, with short messy dark hair, sideburns, and dark stubble along his strong jaw, he looks down at me as he slides of his aviators. My heart slams against my chest as his silver stormy eyes underneath straight black brows lock with mine.

“I’m sorry to intrude, my name is Joshua Roxwell, the guy at the gas station said you might know where to find Ben Slone.” His velvet husky voice carries a whiff of whiskey and spearmint. 

“Uhm, oh, you mean Luke,” I gulp. 

He seems slightly confused, and I realize that it’s because I’m thinking out loud again. 

“I mean, Luke’s the guy at the gas station, he works today.” 

Stop rambling. “I’m Sophie, uhm, Blake.” 

“Hi, Sophie Blake.” He gives me a panty-dropping smile, and I can feel my brain turn to mush.

About The Author: 

Author of the soon to be released new adult novel Hurricane Butterfly.
Daydreaming about ideas for my next book. Baking treats that's no good for the hips. I love thunderstorms, rainy days, sweet tea and spending time with my wonderful hubby and two boys.

Author links: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads

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book blitz, excerpt & Giveaway: Frost (The Frost Chronicles #1) by Kate Avery Ellison

Title: Frost

Author: Kate Avery Ellison
Series: The Frost Chronicles #1
Publication date: March 28th 2012
Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult

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In the icy, monster-plagued world of the Frost, one wrong move and a person could end up dead—and Lia Weaver knows this better than anyone.
After monsters kill her parents, Lia must keep the family farm running despite the freezing cold and threat of monster attacks or risk losing her siblings to reassignment by the village Elders. With dangers on all sides and failure just one wrong step away, she can’t afford to let her emotions lead her astray. So when her sister finds a fugitive bleeding to death in the forest—a young stranger named Gabe—Lia surprises herself and does the unthinkable.
She saves his life.
Giving shelter to the fugitive could get her in trouble. The Elders have always described the advanced society of people beyond the Frost, the “Farthers,” as ruthless and cruel. But Lia is startled to find that Gabe is empathetic and intelligent…and handsome. She might even be falling in love with him.
But time is running out. The monsters from the forest circle the farm at night. The village leader is starting to ask questions. Farther soldiers are searching for Gabe. Lia must locate a secret organization called the Thorns to help Gabe escape to safety, but every move she makes puts her in more danger.
Is compassion—and love—worth the risk?

Excerpt  

She appeared out of the shadows suddenly. Her cheeks were bitten red with cold and her long dark hair was wet with melting ice. She stumbled, grabbed my hands. Her mittens were missing. “Hurry,” she breathed, tugging at me. “Quickly.”

“Ivy Augusta Weaver,” I hissed, torn between joyful relief and flickering anger. “It’s almost night time. There is a storm coming. What were you thinking? Where have you been?”

“There is a boy,” she panted, ignoring my scolding. “In the woods.”

“What?” 

But she was already plunging deeper into the forest, and I had no choice but to follow her, a new worry filling my mind and replacing the short-lived relief I’d felt. A boy in the woods? Who had gotten himself lost in the woods at a time like this? One of the farmers’ sons, perhaps?

We were the last farm in the Frost. There was nothing beyond us to the north but the Empty, and to the south there was only the Farther World. What was anybody doing at the edge of that?

Ivy and I continued into the forest. We ducked around branches and scrambled over icy roots. The shadows were thick, and they painted our cloaks a deep indigo. 

Ivy reached a giant rock at the mouth of a clearing and stopped. “There,” she said, pointing with a trembling hand.

I could just make out the crumpled form. In my anxiety, I saw only isolated details. A thin, wet shirt, a pair of shoulders, a face almost hidden by the snow. I took a step forward, trying to place the face...and then I saw the sharp features, the dark hair, the slightly tanned tone of the skin. I halted as my blood turned stone-cold. Time became protracted and dense, like swimming underwater. Sound was muffled. My chest felt tight.

You must be strong, Lia. My mother’s voice rang in my head. I remembered her wind-weathered face, her chapped hands gripping mine, her earnest eyes as they scoured my face for weakness. There could be no weakness here in the Frost, where we clung to life between the mountains as desperately as a drowning man clings to a stone.

“He’s not one of ours,” I said, turning to her with sudden fierceness. “Ivy...”

“He’s hurt,” she said.

“Don’t you understand?”

She just looked at me. I drew in a deep breath. 

“That is a Farther.”

Ivy’s eyes widened a fraction at my harsh words. The wind blew between us, spraying ice against our faces. She blinked. I didn’t.

“A...a Farther?”

Of course she knew what that was—every person in our village knew who the Farthers were, even those who’d never caught a glimpse of them across the river. We barely ever spoke of them, but they inhabited everyone’s nightmares all the same.

I nodded curtly.

Ivy struggled to understand what I was implying. “But he’s hurt,” she managed, as if that was the only concern. “And it’s getting dark.”

“We must protect ourselves,” I said.

Ivy swallowed hard.

I glared at her. “No.”

She looked back at the figure lying in the snow. I glanced at the sky again, trying to calculate how much time we had left before the sun sunk completely behind the trees, and we were no longer safe from the things that prowled in the darkness. The Watchers never moved across our yards or around the town perimeter during the sunlight hours, but some had reported seeing them during the narrow span of twilight that joined the day and the night, and it was rumored that they wandered freely in the deep of the forests even during the day.

The wind howled through the trees and tugged at my cloak. Snow fell sideways.

“But he’s hurt,” Ivy whispered again, breaking into my thoughts.

I closed my eyes briefly. My sister was the kind of person who brought home baby birds who’d fallen from their nests and raccoons with thorns in their paws. But we couldn’t simply take a Farther and bandage him up like a lost puppy. “The Elders say—”

“I know they’re dangerous. I know what the Elders say.” Ivy’s voice was as brittle as ice. “But are you telling me you’re going to leave him out here to die? After what happened to Ma and Da?”

I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood. Ivy looked at me with her big brown eyes and the fear in my gut snarled. What would the villagers say? This is dangerous, my mind screamed at me. This will endanger the family!

The figure in the snow stirred. “Please,” he whispered, his voice just a hiss.

I stepped to his side, crouching down to touch his face. His eyes opened a crack, and then...

He looked at me.

I felt hollowed out and filled up again as our gazes collided—mine and this Farther from beyond the edge of my world—and then his eyes shut as he passed out again, and I was released from the spell of them. I stepped back quickly, but the damage was already done. There was already an ache in my chest from the knowledge of what we were about to do.

Giveaway

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About The Author:

I live in Georgia with my wonderful husband and two spoiled cats. When I'm not writing, I'm usually catching up on my extensive Netflix queue, reading a book, giggling at something funny online, or trying to convince my husband to give me just ONE bite of whatever he's eating.

Learn more about my writing and books at my blog , find teasers for upcoming works on my Facebook page, and subscribe to my new releases newsletter to be notified of new novels as soon as they hit stores (https://tinyletter.com/kateaveryellison)!

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