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Archive for the ‘Contemporary Romance’ Category

Shelf Life ~ The Publicist #2 by Christina George ~ Tour Review and Giveaway

Posted: May 20, 2015 in Blog Tour, Contemporary Romance, giveaways, reviews, Series
Tags: Author Christina George, contemporary romance, Shelf Life, The Publicist Series

Thanks for stopping by! I’m sharing the covers and blurbs for all three books and my review for Shelf Life: The Publicist, Book #2. Be sure to stop by next week on May 27th for my review of Climax: The Publicist, Book #3 and I’m reposting my review of The Publicist, Book #1 so you don’t have to leave this page.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a Kindle or #100 Amazon Gift Card!

~~~

The Publicist (Book One)

My Review

Beware. You are now entering the publishing zone!

First things first. I had a bit of a rough patch with Kate and Mac. He’s married, after all. I don’t condone that behavior one bit. But there are special circumstances here. I actually found myself hoping these two would get their happy ever after. This is the first of three books so I was pretty sure it wouldn’t happen soon. And the author throws in Nick. He’s just as sexy as Mac, and single. Who knows where it will go.

What a lovely mess is the world of publishing. As a publicist, Kate has to deal with some crazy stuff. From authors faking 5 star reviews, to stage fright, to squeezing that next book out of them, she’s always stressed out. I bow to her tenacity. No matter how impossible some things seemed, she found a way, often making me laugh at her ingenuity.

I read a lot of books and have come to know many authors and some of their experiences with being published. Now I have a peek into the other side of that process. I don’t envy either. It can be cut throat and you need a tough skin and lots of patience. And sometimes, a heart.

Many characters are introduced. A few secondary ones really had an impact. And there are some I’d gladly show to the door.

The chapters are short, making it a fast read. I read this straight through in one night. I started it, got sucked in by the smooth writing and genuine characters, and kept thinking I’d read just one more chapter. It was the wee hours when I finished it and I kept looking at the second book, but I resisted and did get some sleep.

I recommend this to authors, publishers, and word lovers everywhere.

“It’s a mad mad mad mad world.”

4 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

Behind every book, there’s always more to the story. Can one woman change an age-old institution like publishing? Probably not, but Kate Mitchell sure wants to try. As a publicist with a large, respected New York publishing house, Kate finds herself at the mercy of a broken publishing system, books that don’t always sell (at all) and author egos that are often, well, as big as the island of Manhattan.Enter the star Editor, MacDermott Ellis. Tall, handsome, charismatic, married, and ready to save the day. Kate wants to do the right thing but her hormones seem to be driving her decisions. Then there’s Allan Lavigne, once a revered author, now as forgotten as yesterday’s news; and his nephew Nick, who wants to sweep Kate away from New York for another coast, California.

As Kate tries to navigate the landmine of publicity, the over-the-top author expectations, and the careful dance of “I’m sorry, your book isn’t on the bestseller list this week”, she also finds authors who are painfully overlooked by a publisher wanting more sex, more celebrities, and more scandal.

*****

Shelf Life (Book Two)

My Review

I really enjoyed the first book in this series so I was anxious to see where Kate and mac were in this next chapter.

The world or a publicist is a crazy as ever. From authors faking 5 Star reviews, to one who wrote a book about how she lost a bunch of weight, except shed didn’t, to an author being arrested for a despicable crime, Kate is in the thick of it.

Then Kate is betrayed by the man she loves and is assaulted by someone and her whole world comes crashing down. No way will she be returning to Morris and Dean.

Now Kate is behind the wheel of a pink Cadillac convertible, heading towards Los Angeles and a new future and maybe a new romance.

Nick is opening his home to her, as a guest, but I’m sure he wants more. He’s still in love with her and remains hopeful Kate will get over Mac.

Mac betrayed her in the worst possible way. I couldn’t believe it. He always seemed so strong, so sure of himself. I guess he isn’t that strong after all. He chose a cowards way out of a sticky situation and it hurt Kate deeply.

I wanted to give Kate a high five for finally putting the brakes on her relationship with Mac. He is married and shows no signs of leaving his wife. His latest stunt broke her heart but set her on a new path. One I find very exciting.

There are big changes in this second book. Some so exciting I wish I could share. But that would be spoiling it. Gots to leave you with some anticipation.

I’m still having fun with this series and am almost finished reading the third book, Climax. If your looking for a great summer read, these will do nicely. I hope you try them.

4 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

It’s an industry of out-of-control egos, unrealistic expectations, and unfulfilled promises.This is publishing and it’s Kate’s world, but maybe not for long.When one of Kate Mitchell’s star authors is carted away in handcuffs, it’s only the beginning of her troubles. As her world crumbles around her, Kate desperately looks for anyone to hold onto but finds that happy endings are truly works of fiction. With the shelf life of her career and her love affair quickly expiring, Kate sets off on a new adventure…Starting over in California is easy but Kate soon learns that leaving her old life behind isn’t. Nick Lavigne is eager to help her forget but two things still own her heart, the dream of discovering the next great American novel, and MacDermott Ellis. As Kate tries to rebuild her life she finds a surprising gift that reboots her career in a new and unexpected direction. Suddenly her name becomes synonymous with one of the biggest bestsellers publishing has seen in ages and she’s welcomed back with open arms. But at the height of her success the ghosts of her past come back to remind her of the world she’d been trying to forget and the man who never let go of her heart. Behind the book, there’s always more to the story. Welcome to Publishing, the ego has landed.

*****

Climax (Book Three)

Climax__the Publicist_Part_1_2 Bundled Set Cover (2)

Kate Mitchell has never forgiven herself for breaking Nick Lavigne’s heart. Now he’s back and he’s moved on, and it’s affecting Kate’s life more than she’s willing to admit.

Kate Mitchell has everything. She’s the head of a crazy successful publishing house, engaged to the traffic-stopping sexy Mac Ellis and she’s about to sign one of the biggest authors of her career.

And that’s when everything falls apart.

Everything is perfect…until it’s not.

In a city of 8 million people Kate manages to run into someone she never expected to see again.

Nick is handsome, impossibly kind, every girl’s dream, and Kate’s former fiancé. He’s also the brother of the rising star author she’s trying to sign. Now that Nick’s back in town and has moved on he insists he’s over Kate, but part of him still can’t get past how amazing they were, and his sister won’t let anyone forget how brutally it ended.

When Mac is dealt a life-changing blow, it forces Kate to question every single choice she’s made.

Follow Kate as she embarks on a journey of life and love, navigating through the decisions that will change it all forever.

Author Christina George

Christina George has worked in publishing for twenty years (give or take). Here’s what this book isn’t. It’s not a slam against publishing (though it is broken) and it’s not a slam against authors (though some of them are crazy). This book is not autobiographical though many of the stories are true. No you won’t know which ones, cause it’s more fun to guess, right? George continues to work in publicity and helps authors because at the end of the day she does love books, she loves publishing, and she loves authors. She hopes you’ll enjoy this romp through Kate’s world as much as she enjoyed creating it.

Connect with Christina: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

Where to buy the book

Amazon

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giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Follow the tour for more fun posts!

May 4 – Working Mommy Journal – review of Shelf Life / giveaway
May 4 – Book Nerd – review of The Publicist
May 5 – XoXo Book Blog – book spotlight / interview or guest post / giveaway
May 5 – Working Mommy Journal – review of Climax
May 5 – The Bookish & The Romantic – review of The Publicist / giveaway
May 5 – Book Stop Corner – review of The Publicist / giveaway
May 5 – T’s Stuff – review of Climax / giveaway
May 6 – The Bookish & The Romantic – review of Shelf Life
May 6 – Book Stop Corner – review of Shelf Life
May 6 – Coffee *Book* Mom – review of The Publicist
May 7 – For Life After – review of Climax
May 7 – Book Stop Corner – review of Climax
May 7 – The Bookish & The Romantic – review of Climax
May 7 – The Booksnake Etc – review of The Publicist / giveaway
May 8 – Book Nerd – review of Shelf Life
May 11 – The Booksnake Etc – review of Shelf Life
May 11 – Julia Piccolo – review of Climax
May 13 – fuonlyknew – review of The Publicist / giveaway
May 13 – Back Porchervations – book spotlight / interview or guest post / giveaway
May 13 – Coffee *Book* Mom – review of Shelf Life
May 14 – Book Nerd – review of Climax
May 14 – Vic’s Media Room – review of The Publicist
May 15 – The Book Fairy – review of Climax / giveaway
May 15 – Vic’s Media Room – review of Shelf Life
May 15 – The Booksnake Etc – review of Climax
May 18 – Vic’s Media Room – review of Climax
May 20 – fuonlyknew – review of Shelf Life
May 20 – Coffee *Book* Mom – review of Climax
May 27 – fuonlyknew – review of Climax
May 27 – Stuck in YA Books – review of The Publicist / giveaway
May 28 – Stuck in YA Books – review of Shelf Life
May 29 – Stuck in YA Books – review of Climax

~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

It’s a mad world… The Publicist by Christina George ~ Tour Review and Giveaway

Posted: May 13, 2015 in Blog Tour, Contemporary Romance, giveaways, reviews, Series
Tags: Author Christina George, contemporary romance, The Publicist Series

For today I’m sharing the covers and blurbs for all three books and my review for The Publicist, Book #1. Be sure to stop by next week on May 20th for my review of The Publicist, Book #2 and the following week on May 27th for my review of The Publicist, Climax, Book #3.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a Kindle or #100 Amazon Gift Card!

~~~

The Publicist (Book One)

My Review

Beware. You are now entering the publishing zone!

Many characters are introduced. A few secondary ones really had an impact. And there are some I’d gladly show to the door.

I recommend this to authors, publishers, and word lovers everywhere.

“It’s a mad mad mad mad world.”

4 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

Shelf Life (Book Two)

It’s an industry of out-of-control egos, unrealistic expectations, and unfulfilled promises.This is publishing and it’s Kate’s world, but maybe not for long.When one of Kate Mitchell’s star authors is carted away in handcuffs, it’s only the beginning of her troubles. As her world crumbles around her, Kate desperately looks for anyone to hold onto but finds that happy endings are truly works of fiction. With the shelf life of her career and her love affair quickly expiring, Kate sets off on a new adventure…Starting over in California is easy but Kate soon learns that leaving her old life behind isn’t. Nick Lavigne is eager to help her forget but two things still own her heart, the dream of discovering the next great American novel, and MacDermott Ellis.As Kate tries to rebuild her life she finds a surprising gift that reboots her career in a new and unexpected direction. Suddenly her name becomes synonymous with one of the biggest bestsellers publishing has seen in ages and she’s welcomed back with open arms.But at the height of her success the ghosts of her past come back to remind her of the world she’d been trying to forget and the man who never let go of her heart.Behind the book, there’s always more to the story. Welcome to Publishing, the ego has landed.

Climax (Book Three)

Kate Mitchell has never forgiven herself for breaking Nick Lavigne’s heart. Now he’s back and he’s moved on, and it’s affecting Kate’s life more than she’s willing to admit.

And that’s when everything falls apart.

Everything is perfect…until it’s not.

In a city of 8 million people Kate manages to run into someone she never expected to see again.

When Mac is dealt a life-changing blow, it forces Kate to question every single choice she’s made.

Follow Kate as she embarks on a journey of life and love, navigating through the decisions that will change it all forever.

Author Christina George

Connect with Christina: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

Where to buy the book

Amazon

~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~

Follow the tour for more fun posts!

~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

Three New Anthologies ~ Release Blitz & Giveaway ~ Help Fight Diabetes While You Read!

Posted: May 4, 2015 in Anthology, Blitz, Contemporary Romance, giveaways, New Release, thriller
Tags: boxed sets, contemporary romance, cure for diabetes event, multiple authors, thrillers

You can make a difference while you read!

All proceeds from the sales of these boxed sets will be donated to the Diabetes Research Institute via Brenda Novak’s Online Auction for Diabetes Research.

~~~

An Intro for Brenda Novak by Author Lee Child

I’m a thriller writer, and a thriller reader, and hence a sucker for the classic thriller plot, where an ordinary man or an ordinary woman slowly becomes aware of a looming threat: someone or something is out there, close by, infinitely dangerous; or perhaps an intruder is already in the house, mocking, violating a sanctuary, or perhaps – really creepy – he’s been living in the attic for a couple of weeks already, camping out, undetected, silent, leaving odd nighttime disturbances … who moved that chair?

Or perhaps, for added anguish, it’s not the ordinary man or woman under threat: it’s his or her son or daughter, their child, their responsibility, the intended victim, a helpless target. What mother or father wouldn’t fight to the death? And they do … 400 pages later, an investigation has been conducted, the bad guy has been identified, close scrapes have been survived, and finally the family is sitting together on the bottom stair, stunned but finally safe, as the bad guy is put in the cop car and driven away. The end.

Diabetes starts like that. But it doesn’t finish like that.

It’s a mysterious malfunction. No one knows the cause. Researchers suspect an element of genetic susceptibility, and in those susceptible it’s possible the Coxsackie B4 virus kicks things off. Then a tiny balance among the human body’s billion moving parts goes slightly out of whack, and the beta cells in the islets of Langerhans (such an innocent name) inside the pancreas shut down and stop producing insulin, so the body can no longer deal with the kind of sugars we crave.

The intruder is now in the house.

Untreated, all kinds of complications will follow. Cardiovascular disease, and stroke, and damage to the eyes, kidneys, and nerves. And more. Including death. All in store, unbelievably, for the ordinary parent’s beautiful and vulnerable child. No one’s fault. Type 1 diabetes is unrelated to lifestyle. Most victims are thin or normal, healthy, well fed, well loved.

The fight back begins with maintenance. Sometimes diet is enough; more often, insulin must be provided. An endless round begins: testing and injecting, testing and injecting. Most sufferers do OK for a long time, but only OK. Quite apart from the social and organizational burdens of diet and injection, they can feel under the weather a lot of the time. But in thriller terms, we can at least get them barricaded in a safe house, at least temporarily, doors and windows locked, guns drawn, with the bad guy lurking outside in the yard.

But how do we get the bad guy in the cop car?

Research is the answer, but it’s fantastically expensive. All around the world, teams of biochemists are working hard, but they have to pay the rent. And eat. Their funding comes from governments and institutions and drug companies – but also from hundreds of thousands of concerned individuals. Many of them are parents of diabetic children, and it’s easy to see why. The primeval instinct that makes a mother or father fight to the death is a powerful one – perhaps the most powerful among our emotional inheritance. But in the case of diabetes it’s frustrated. There’s no identifiable antagonist, no role for a gun or a blade. There’s no bar fight to be had. If only it was that easy. I know of no parent who wouldn’t gladly smash a long-neck bottle and join the fray. But they can’t. Such parents have to channel their natural aggression into a long, patient, endless struggle for progress. They raise awareness and money any way they can.

This anthology is an example. It will help fund the search for a cure. All good. In fact better than good, because whatever else, there are some great authors and some great stories here to enjoy. So if you buy it, you’ll get some excellent entertainment – but also you might just get the chance to be that mysterious character on page 297 of our notional thriller, who contributes the tiny but vital clue that eventually leads to the big reveal on page 397. Your few cents could make the difference. You could be the one.

Lee Child

New York

2015

~~~

Sweet Talk, Sweet Dreams, Sweet Seduction
Boxed Sets
Publication date: May 1st 2015
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Thriller

Synopsis:

Sweet Talk Boxed Set
Priced at only $9.99, this heart-warming, limited edition collection features ten BRAND NEW contemporary romances by New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors

Sweet Dreams Boxed Set
Priced at only $9.99, this fascinating limited edition collection features thirteen BRAND NEW thrillers by New York Times and USA Today Bestselling authors

Sweet Seduction Boxed Set
Priced at only 9.99, this stunning limited edition collection features thirteen BRAND NEW contemporary romances by New York Times and USA Today Bestselling authors.

~~~~

Goodreads

Purchase:

Amazon links: Sweet Talk ~ Sweet Dreams ~ Sweet Seduction

Barnes & Noble: Sweet Talk ~ Sweet Dreams ~ Sweet Seduction

Apple: Sweet Talk ~ Sweet Seduction ~ Sweet Dreams

~~~

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

Find Her by Amanda Kaitlyn ~ Tour Excerpt and Giveaway

Posted: April 27, 2015 in Blog Tour, Contemporary Romance, giveaways, New Adult
Tags: Author Amanda Kaitlyn, Find Her, New Adult Contemporary Romance

Fine Her looks like a great summer read for by the pool.

Check out the fun excerpt.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Title: Find Her

Author: Amanda Kaitlyn

Release date: April 30^th, 2015

Genre: New Adult

Tour: Irresistible Reads Book Tours

Book Description:

Aria used to believe in love. and fate. and that one day she’d meet that one gorgeous man that would make all her dreams come true. But when she falls in love with Bryce Williams, it felt like a fairytale. He was a lawyer, he had money and wealth along with chocalate brown eyes that had girls at Beaumont High swooning after him. But over time, he started to change. Aria thought he was her prince, but there was always something missing. She always felt like she wasn’t with him, as lovers should be. He was perfect and she was just, beside him. A small part in his important, lavish life.

Bryce had a short, explosive temper and even though she tried to make him happy, it was never enough.

How could she ever defend herself from the raging anger inside him? So she stayed, up until the night that she’d had enough. She took off the ring he’d given her and he lost it. He hit her. And then, he took the only thing she’d had left to give. He broke her into tiny pieces that night. And she had no idea how to be whole again.

But then she met Gavin Thomas. After four months of taking small steps toward a full and happy life again, starting to dance again, the only thing that kept her feeling alive at the time and surrounding herself with the ones who loved and supported her, she saw his stormy bluegrey eyes. His mouth that curved deliciously upwards when he smiled, his touch that left tingles all across her body. His eyes that captivated hers. He was ruggedly, impossibly handsome. He was gorgeous, from his full lips to his bluer than the ocean eyes to his roughened hands. And from the very first moment, she couldn’t resist him.

It terrified her and excited her, but when he kissed her with both the gentleness she needed and the passion she craved, all her fears and her doubts just melted away. She craved him, she needed his touch more than the air in her lungs and the idea of losing the feel of it could break her heart in two.

But how could she trust again, after being broken so painfully? Was it possible?

She had no idea. But Aria had to try. She needed Gavin, and she refused to let him go.

~~~~~

Enjoy This Excerpt

I clasp the locket in the palm of my hand and take a deep, cleansing breath. The dancers glide elegantly over the wooden floors and as I approach my coach of six years, Eli Jones, I try to cover up my trembling hands with the wrap I’m holding. I don’t know why I’m so nervous, dancing is like walking to me. I’ve done it ever since I was old enough to put one foot in front of the other. It’s been an outlet for me, through the lonely nights of middle school and stressful exam filled days of high school and especially through my four years at Columbia, it’s been my relief from everyday life. But this will be the first time since my stay at the hospital four months ago that ill set foot on the dance floor in my leotard, tights and ballet flats. Oh, shit. What if I fall on my face?

My errant thoughts are interrupted by a hand on my shoulder.

“You’re going to do fine, Aria.” Eli whispers in my ear with a squeeze to my shoulders. I smile, because I’m afraid that if I speak, I won’t make it to my dance before I start crying.

The slow instrumental of Celine Dion’s melody begins and I slip the black ballet flats on my feet and pull my wavy black hair into a bun.

I pull in a deep breath as I glide onto the floor. My body is strung tight with nerves, from my toes to the tips of my fingers. I haven’t done this is so long I’m terrified that I’ll mess up. My eyes flick over to see my always supportive dance couch looking at me, and when he nods his head I know I can do this. I’ve got this. Taking another deep, deep breath, I do my first set of graceful moves, making sure to stay in sync with the music playing overhead. Near, far, wherever you are, I believe that the heart does go on. Once more you open the door and you’re here in my heart and my heart will go on and on. My eyes close to the words filled with such emotion, such depth. I move to express everything inside me and soon, I don’t even have to think about the rhythm or the steps or the people from my academy’s dance program watching my every move. I’m one with my body, the angelic music and the heartbeat inside my chest. When the strains of a violin come to an end, I go for my big ending and land it with easy grace as the audience applauds for me. This is my world and my love, all I need, I realize. The grief, the sadness of the last seven months, it’s all at peace when I’m dancing. The pain, the heartbreak the fear I felt when I woke up in the hospital weeks ago, just disappears.

About The Author:

Amanda lives in Boston area and has always had a passion, more like an obsession with the characters she creates in her writing. When she doesn’t have her nose in front of her computer or in her notebook, she’s reading another story on her Kindle. Find Her is her first novel so please be sure to review and rate when you finish her book, thank you and enjoy!

Official Website

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Prize: 5 USD Amazon Gift Card

Click on the link below to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

Release Event and Giveaway ~ Tripp by Kristen Kehoe

Posted: April 18, 2015 in Contemporary Romance, giveaways, Mature Young Adult, New Release
Tags: Author Kristen Kehoe, Contemporary, Mature YA, New Release, The Life Series #2, Tripp

Welcome to the release event for Tripp by Kristen Kehoe, a companion novel to Life Interrupted. We have some teasers as well as a giveaway of a necklace from Stella & Dot. Tripp is a Mature Young Adult Contemporary Novel and is now available for sale!

About The Book:

Because there are two sides to every story…

I’ve never been the guy who shied away from taking the ball. I’m an athlete; I thrive on the court, and I thrive in life because I don’t shy away from taking chances.

Except that one time.

Except with Rachel.

I fell in love with my best friend when we were ten, and she almost put her fist in my face when I tried to defend her against a fifth grade bully. I didn’t tell her that day that I loved her, or any of the ones following, because she had proved she didn’t need me, and even at a young age, I knew the opposite was true for me.

I needed Rachel with every breath I took, and it scared the ever-loving crap out of me.

Being the mature young man I am (cough), I tried to ignore it. I dated someone else; I stayed Rachel’s friend and watched her from afar because when you love someone who has the potential to break you into a million unrecoverable pieces, that’s what you do. You watch from afar and you never reveal your true feelings because it’s safer to hide them than to admit them.

Until it’s not. Until the day you take a step forward and alter both of your worlds completely, only to discover that you’ll never, ever be over her.

This is my story – my story of Rachel and everything I did and didn’t do, everything I said and forgot to say, and everything I felt before and after we made our biggest mistake and walked away from each other.

She told her side – now it’s my turn. I’m including our past, holding nothing back from her ever again, so she better be ready for me.

Mature Young Adult

***This is the companion novel to LIFE INTERRUPTED (The Life series Book 1) released January 2014. It can be read as a standalone, as it is different from Rachel’s story.

Goodreads | Amazon

————————————-

Excerpt:

“Tripp,” Stacy says. I snap to the present. “Are you ready?”

I wipe my palms on my jeans and nod. “What do you need?”

Following Stacy’s instructions, I walk down the hall into Rachel’s room. The light is on; I can see the small form under the blankets before I peel them away and scoop my arms under her even though she protests. I want her to fight, even prepare myself for it, but right away I see what Stacy’s talking about. There’s nothing inside of Rachel—even as she attempts to thrash in my arms, I barely have to tighten my hold on her while I carry her to the bathroom. The girl who has so often put me on my ass from one punch has no muscle, and worse, she has no spirit.

Nothing about the girl in my arms right now is the Rachel I’ve always known. The lack of fight worries me more than the lack of weight.

Stacy’s already pushed the shower curtain back. I put Rachel inside, ignoring her half-hearted protests as I turn the water on cold and high. When she screams—the real-deal scream full of terror and anger—the vise on my chest loosens a little and I’m so grateful I could break down and weep. My hands are full because she’s putting much more effort into fighting me than she was a second ago. I forget about how cold the water is on my skin, or the fact that she looks like a ghost with dark circles under her eyes and a pasty pallor to her normally warm skin, and I talk to her while I hold her there.

“That’s right, Rachel, fight me. You fight me and you come back. Do you hear me? We need you, Rachel. We need you to fight.” She screams more, shoving at me with her hands, but I don’t budge. I encourage her as I see the color start to slowly seep into her cheeks. “Come on, baby, come back to us. Come back to me.”

I whisper the last part. I don’t know if it was the words or the fact that she’s finally opened up enough to feel the weight of it all, but she breaks—the dam cracking and flooding. Instead of being angry, she’s devastated.

My heart cracks and my lungs seize; she falls into a sobbing heap. I turn the water off and start to lift her into my lap. Whatever I promised her sister, I can’t do it; I can’t watch her break like this.

Don’t miss out on Life Interrupted (The Life series #1), available now!

Goodreads | Amazon

About the Author:

I am a writer of YA/NA contemporary novels. I write about those crazy ages of 18-23 because there is nothing scarier than being told to grow up and decide what to do with your life and who to be so suddenly. I write about love because it’s my belief that love, in one form or another, saves us all at some point in our lives. I am married to a man who understands and believes in me, and mother to a beautiful baby girl and a neurotic Great Dane Puppy.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Giveaway:

Necklace from Stella & Dot

Open to US addresses onlyEnds May 6

a Rafflecopter giveawayThis event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

Teaser Tuesdays #109 ~ The Publicist by Christina George

Posted: April 7, 2015 in Adult Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Teaser Tuesdays
Tags: adult contemporary romance, Author Christina George, Book One, The Publicist

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.

TeaserTuesdays2014e

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page.

•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

~~~

My Tease for this week is from

The Publicist

Book One

by Christina George

My Teasers from pages 41 and 95 in the paperback.

From page 41:

Touring with aging actresses, one of whom was an alcoholic, a former producer who was more arrogant than anyone she’d ever met before in her life, and a yet-to-be-met assistant who found it impossible to write a single email that wasn’t in all-caps made her head pound.

From page 95:

“Kate, listen, let’s not over think this, let’s just let it be. Let’s love each other as long as we can and when we can’t anymore, we’ll both know it.”

~~~

Synopsis

Welcome to the world of publishing. The ego has landed.

Can one woman change an age-old institution like publishing? Probably not, but Kate Mitchell sure wants to try. As a publicist with a large, respected New York publishing house, Kate finds herself at the mercy of a broken publishing system, books that don’t sell, and author egos that are often, well, as big as the island of Manhattan.

Enter the star Editor, MacDermott Ellis: Tall, handsome, charismatic, married, and ready to save the day. Then there’s Allan Lavigne, once a revered author–now as forgotten as last year’s bestsellers and his nephew Nick: Tall, gorgeous, sweet, single and ready to sweep Kate off her feet. Kate wants to do the right thing but her hormones seem to be driving her decisions.

As Kate tries to navigate the landmine of publicity, over-the-top author expectations, and the careful dance of “I’m sorry, your book isn’t on the bestseller list this week,” she also finds authors who are painfully overlooked by a publisher wanting more sex, more celebrities, and more scandal.

The story only an insider could tell.

~~~

I’ll be reviewing all three books in The Publicist Series next month.

What a modge podge of characters!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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Summer On The Short Bus ~ Anniversary Nerd Blast & Giveaway

Posted: April 1, 2015 in Book Blast, Contemporary Romance, giveaways, Humor, YA
Tags: Author Bethany Crandell, Summer On The Short Bus, YA contemporary with humor

The minute I spotted this cover art and the title Summer On The Short Bus, I knew I wanted to read this book.

While I don’t have a review for you today, I do have a fun post and a giveaway, so don’t forget to enter!

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Synopsis

Spoiled, Versace-clad Cricket Montgomery has seventeen years of pampering under her belt. So when her father decides to ship her off to a summer camp for disabled teens to help her learn some accountability, Cricket resigns herself to three weeks of handicapped hell.

Her sentence takes a bearable turn as she discovers the humor and likeability of the campers and grows close to fellow counselors. Now, if she can just convince a certain Zac Efron look-alike with amazing blue eyes that she finally realizes there’s life after Gucci, this summer could turn out to be the best she’s ever had.

Summer on the Short Bus is a very non-P.C., contemporary YA with a lot of attitude, tons of laughs, and a little life lesson along the way.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY

About The Author

Bethany Crandell lives in San Diego with her husband, two daughters (one of whom is differently-abled), and a chocolate lab with no regard for personal space. She watches too much TV, savors avocados, and is still waiting for Jake Ryan to show up at her door. She writes YA because the feelings that come with life’s “first” times are too good not relive again and again.

WEBSITE ~ TWITTER ~ GOODREADS ~ FACEBOOK

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Click on the widget below to follow the tour for more fun stops and more chances to win!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

Raising The Stakes by Karen Rock ~ New Release Giveaway Celebration

Posted: April 1, 2015 in Contemporary Romance, New Release
Tags: Author Karen Rock, contemporary romance, Raising The Stakes

Hiding from the world…

Tucking herself away in the Adirondack woods was supposed to keep Vivienne Harris safe. From dark memories of the Bronx, from danger, from entanglements. But when an orphaned bear cub raids her pantry and conservation officer Liam Walsh appears with news of poachers nearby, her private, peaceful world is turned upside down!

Suddenly two forces are drawing her out—Button, the cub who needs her help, and Liam, the man who’s dead set against her rehabilitating the bear. If she can just win Liam’s support, Vivie knows she can give Button a good life. And maybe find the courage to embrace a future with Liam…

“What about the cub?”

His gaze swerved to hers. “I’ll have to put it down if I can’t find the mother.”

Vivie clutched the back of a chair, lightheaded and nauseous. “What? No!” How could he say that so casually?

“I’ve called around and our wildlife rehabilitators are overloaded. Since the cub is too young to fend for itself, the humane thing to do is—”

“Kill it?” she stormed, interrupting. “How is that humane?” The cub’s frightened eyes came to mind and she backed up against the pantry door. Officer or not, he wouldn’t take the bear. Stop her from helping. It’d come to her home. Had sought refuge here.

He pulled off his hat and rubbed his forehead. “Ma’am, I don’t expect you to understand. But you need to trust me and move aside so that I can do my job.”

“Not a chance,” she ground out, wishing her pepper spray wasn’t across the room.

“Please be reasonable.” He raised his eyebrows, looking harmless. His holstered weapon told a different story.

Maybe she could reason with him, though she’d failed before. There had to be a way to save the cub. “How do you become a wildlife rehabilitator?”

He drew in a long breath and crossed his arms over his chest. “Pass a certification test then work under the supervision of a rehabilitator for six months.”

Tests. She hated them. Had only ever done well on presentation-style exams in culinary school. Still, for the baby bear…anything. “And when is the next one?”

“In a week.” He made a vague motion in the air with his hand. “Look. I’d be happy to discuss that with you another time, but the cub might be suffering. Please step aside so that I can take it.”

She raised her voice over her drumming heartbeat. “I’ll pass the test. Get certified.”

He ran a hand through his hair, making the curl-tipped ends stand up. “You’d have to study hundreds of pages of online material. It’s not easy. Trust me. I took it and barely finished my apprenticeship before my academy training started.”

“So you’re a certified wildlife rehabilitator? You could care for it.”

His chin jerked. “I already have a job.”

Her mind shifted into overdrive, churning up possibilities. “Not next week. You said you’re on vacation. You could take her while I study for the test.”

He blew out a long breath. “I don’t have an enclosure—something you’ll need along with someone to supervise you.”

She tried to come across as commanding, though at five-foot-three inches that was always a challenge. “You could help with both.”

He shook his head, his earnest expression replaced with a wash of annoyance. “Out of the question. There are too many ifs in that idea.”

She tried keeping the heat out of her voice. The DEC. Always so difficult. Especially Walsh. “Why? I’m sure you could call in a favor. Ask one of the rehabilitators to find temporary space for the cub. Then I’ll pass the test and, with your help, be approved to care for it. Don’t you want to do the right thing?”

Wasn’t that his job?

“I do. Which is why I’m taking the bear. Now.”

“Not a chance. You’ll have to go through me first.” She hated to sound dramatic, use a cheesy line from bad TV, but there was no other way to say it.

A crease appeared between his brows, his eyes scanning hers. Finally, he released a long breath.

“How about this—I’ll take her to the vet where they’ll check her jaw, give her some food and a safe place to stay, temporarily, while I continue investigating.”

She considered, wishing she could trust him. But after her dealings with him before, her faith was on the short side.

“Let’s try this,” she countered. “I’ll go with you and stay with the bear until you come back. Then we’ll talk about what happens next.”

He settled his hat back on, pinching the indented top. “There’s no reason to get more involved, ma’am.”

She pulled out her cell and tapped in Maggie’s number. Someone could come by and pick up the pies. Another worker would be called in for an extra shift. The Homestead would manage without her today. She wasn’t leaving the cub’s side until she knew it’d be safe—from nature and the DEC.

“It’s much too late for that, Officer Walsh.”

She studied him for a long, heavy moment, then moved aside. If the cub’s mother was dead, then she’d take on the role.

And nothing was more ferocious than a mama bear…

Expected Release Date: April 1st, 2015

Karen Rock is an award-winning YA and adult contemporary romance author. She holds a master’s degree in English and worked as an ELA instructor before becoming a full-time writer. Currently she writes for Harlequin Heartwarming and has published five novels with them. Her first novel for the line, WISH ME TOMORROW, has won the 2014 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, the 2014 Golden Quill Contest and was a finalist in the Published Maggie Awards. The first novel in her co-authored YA series, CAMP BOYFRIEND, has been a finalist in the Booksellers Best and Golden Leaf awards.

Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Tumblr

Website ~ Quarterly Newsletter ~ Amazon Author Page

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

Teaser Tuesdays #106 ~ Confess by Colleen Hoover

Posted: March 17, 2015 in Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Teaser Tuesdays
Tags: Confess by Colleen Hoover, NA contemporary romance

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.

TeaserTuesdays2014e

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page.

•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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My Tease for this week is from

Confess

by Colleen Hoover

My Tease is from page 78 in the paperback.

“I want to see you again,” he whispers.

I don’t think about all the reasons why that’s such a bad idea. Instead, I think about how good it feels when he’s this close to me and how I want so much more of it.

~~~

Synopsis

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a new novel about risking everything for love—and finding your heart somewhere between the truth and lies.

Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. Her goals are in sight and there’s no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry.

For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover Owen is keeping major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it.

The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he can’t seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin…

~~~

I won Confess from a giveaway hosted by Valerie at Stuck In Books.

Thanks Val. I am loving this!!.

~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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Friday Cover Reveal and Giveaway ~ Summer of the Oak Moon

Posted: February 6, 2015 in Contemporary Romance, Cover Reveal, giveaways
Tags: Author Laura Templeton, Summer of the Oak Moon

M9B-Friday-Reveal

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

Summer of the Oak Moon by Laura Templeton

presented by Month9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Summer of the Oak Moon

Rejected by the exclusive women’s college she has her heart set on, Tess Seibert dreads the hot, aimless summer ahead. But when a chance encounter with a snake introduces her to Jacob Lane, a black college student home on his summer break, a relationship blooms that challenges the prejudices of her small, north Florida town.

When Jacob confesses that Tess’s uncle is trying to steal his family’s land, Tess comes face to face with the hatred that simmers just below the surface of the bay and marshes she’s loved since birth. With the help of her mentor Lulu, an herbal healer, Tess pieces together clues to the mysterious disappearance of Jacob’s father twenty-two years earlier and uncovers family secrets that shatter her connection to the land she loves.

Tess and Jacob’s bond puts them both in peril, and discontent eventually erupts into violence. Tess is forced to make a decision. Can she right old wrongs and salvage their love? Or will prejudice and hatred kill any chance she and Jacob might have had?

Title: Summer of the Oak Moon
Publication date: May 5, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Laura Templeton

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

Laura Templeton

Laura Templeton lives near Athens, Georgia, with her husband, son, and a menagerie of animals. When she’s not writing, she enjoys gardening, learning to figure skate, and taking long walks on the quiet country roads near her home. Something Yellow is her debut novel, and her creative nonfiction has appeared in various publications.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---Giveaway

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

(Winners will receive their book on release day)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

fuonlyknew

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Archive for the ‘Contemporary Romance’ Category

Shelf Life ~ The Publicist #2 by Christina George ~ Tour Review and Giveaway

It’s a mad world… The Publicist by Christina George ~ Tour Review and Giveaway

Three New Anthologies ~ Release Blitz & Giveaway ~ Help Fight Diabetes While You Read!

Find Her by Amanda Kaitlyn ~ Tour Excerpt and Giveaway

Release Event and Giveaway ~ Tripp by Kristen Kehoe

Teaser Tuesdays #109 ~ The Publicist by Christina George

Summer On The Short Bus ~ Anniversary Nerd Blast & Giveaway

Raising The Stakes by Karen Rock ~ New Release Giveaway Celebration

Teaser Tuesdays #106 ~ Confess by Colleen Hoover

Friday Cover Reveal and Giveaway ~ Summer of the Oak Moon