Archive for the ‘Contemporary Romance’ Category

Release Day Giveaway ~ Beauty From Pain by Georgia Cates

Posted: January 31, 2013 in Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, Contemporary Romance, giveaways, Release day
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Happy Release for Beauty From Pain by Georgia Cates!

It’s thrilling to be a part of this event organized by the awesome AToMR Tours

Now,  get comfortable and I’ll tell you about this steamy new contemporary romance.

Beauty From Pain

Title: Beauty From Pain

Author: Georgia Cates

Release date: January 31, 2013

Genre: Contemporary romance

Age Group: Adult

Event organized by: AToMR Tours

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Buy Links:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords

 

Book Description:

They agreed on three months…but their love knew no boundaries.

Jack McLachlan is a winemaking magnate and easily one of Australia’s most eligible bachelors. His success and wealth makes him no stranger to the complications of romantic relationships and that’s why he goes to extreme measures to avoid the hassle. He prefers simplicity in the form of a beautiful female companion with no strings attached. He arranges relationships like business deals and they’re always the same. No long term relationships. No real names.

It’s his game and his rules. He’s content to play as usual, but when Laurelyn Prescott enters his life, his strategy must change because this player is like none he’s ever encountered. His world is turned on its head after he begins a three month affair with the beautiful American musician. Nothing goes according to plan and as he breaks more and more of his own rules for her, she’s exceptionally close to becoming something he never thought possible. His ultimate game changer.

Inspiration for BEAUTY FROM PAIN

By Georgia Cates

Where did the inspiration for Beauty from Pain come from? My readers.

My last published work was classified as new adult and it received a warm welcome from readers. They liked my racier story. I felt more open to write scenes I couldn’t for the “normal” young adult genre. But I still wasn’t satisfied and wanted to take it up another degree.

What can I say? I’ve fallen in love with adult contemporary romance.

What is Beauty from Pain about? I’ll tell you what it’s not about … Not the perfect man and the perfect woman having the prefect love affair. Beauty from Pain is unconventional to say the least. Laurelyn’s scruples could be questionable. Jack’s maybe even a little frightening, all while being hot as the devil’s ass. Their relationship will be considered bizarre by some. (Most.) And I’m okay with that. It’s different. And interesting. That’s always all right in my book.

International Giveaway

I have one e-book of Beauty From Pain to giveaway.

To enter, please leave your email address and answer this question, “Do you remember your first kiss?”

Giveaway ends Feb. 7th.

 Winners will be given a coupon code to redeem their book through Smashwords by the author.

All winners submitted will be sent to the author at one time after the Feb. 11th date to be sent their coupon code. Allow until at least Feb.  16th to receive your book. This gives AToMR a few days to tie up loose ends with the giveaway and the author to email coupon codes.

About the author

Georgia Cates Profile Pic To Email

                        

Georgia resides in rural Mississippi with her wonderful husband, Jeff, and their two beautiful daughters. She spent fourteen years as a labor and delivery nurse before she decided to pursue her dream of becoming an author and hasn’t looked back yet.

When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing. When she’s being domestic, she’s listening to her iPod and visualizing scenes for her current work in progress. Every story coming from her always has a song to inspire it.

Author social media links:

Georgia Cates Blog

Georgia Cates on Facebook

Georgia Cates on Twitter

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More of Bella Andre and The Sullivans

Posted: January 12, 2013 in Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways, Series
Tags: , , ,
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Novel Publicity has put together this wonderful tour featuring the amazing Bella Andre. Get to know The Sullivans and enter to win some awesome prizes!

From This Moment On (The Sullivans, #2)

Enjoy the following excerpt for FROM THIS MOMENT ON…

Marcus Sullivan was known for his patience. After helping to raise his seven siblings, he’d learned to wait out tantrums, fistfights, even tears.

But tonight, he was all out of patience.

He’d come to the club tonight to find a woman, to proposition her, to claim her for one no-holds-barred night, but he’d been watching the dancers for long enough to know that he wasn’t going to take a single one of them to bed. None of the women who’d walked in through the thick red curtain in the past thirty minutes had been contenders, either.

Until, suddenly, the curtain parted…and she walked in.

Marcus felt like a fist had slammed straight into his gut.

The woman was young, mid-twenties probably, and so beautiful it almost hurt to look at her. Her black leather dress left nothing to his imagination, fitting her like a second skin with wide cut-outs that ran down the side of her insane curves.

She was the one.

As she stood in the doorway and slowly scanned the crowd, every eye in the room was on her. She was magnetic, had that special something that made it impossible to pull your eyes away from her.

And then her eyes met his, illuminated by a beam of light in the dark room, and although Marcus hadn’t drunk nearly enough at Chase’s engagement party to be unsteady on his feet, one look at those clear blue eyes had him fighting for balance.

What was wrong with him?

He needed to remember, at all times, what tonight was about. Pleasure. Not emotion. Not a relationship. It was okay for certain parts of his body below the waist to react like a match had been lit from nothing more than looking at the woman. Everything else was off-limits. He wasn’t looking for a woman to respect.

And he definitely wasn’t going to fall in love.

The dangerous curves began to shift beneath the thin layer of leather as she moved straight toward him, never once breaking stride, even in impossibly high heels. Marcus couldn’t miss the challenge in her gaze, a look that asked if he was man enough to handle her.

He’d always liked his women tall and slim, not barely coming up to his chest like this one. A voice in his head told him she was way too young for him, young enough that if this were any other night, he’d walk away from her now.

But he wasn’t planning on walking away from whatever this woman offered. Not until first light.

And definitely not until he’d had his fill of those curves.

 

…Excerpt from FROM THIS MOMENT ON by Bella Andre ©2012.

Can't Help Falling In Love (The Sullivans, #3)

Enjoy the following excerpt for CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE…

Gabe Sullivan’s captain, Todd, stepped into the room.

“How’re you feeling, Gabe?”

“Good, Captain.”

He moved to sit up straighter on the bed and Todd shook his head. “You’re fine just like that. I know your skull must hurt like hell.” He nodded back to the doorway. “Are you ready to see Ms. Harris and her daughter, Summer?”

No, he thought, he’d be better off never seeing those eyes again.

He’d thought about Megan and her daughter one too many times for comfort. Not just because he was reviewing the rescue, trying to look for what he could have done differently, to have gotten them out faster and more safely—but because he hadn’t been able to forget her strength, how hard she’d fought to stay conscious, and what a fighter she’d been every single second of the harrowing journey from her burning apartment.

Still, he understood that fire victims often felt compelled to say thank you to the men who had saved them. Especially in a case like this, where they’d just barely held death at bay.

“Sure.” He began to nod, but a sharp shooting pain stopped him halfway into the movement.

Catching his grimace, Todd said, “I’ll ask Megan and her daughter to come back later.”

Her name fit her, Gabe had found himself thinking one too many times. Megan was pretty and strong all at the same time. It would be better to think of her as Ms. Harris. Although, he had to wonder, was there a husband? And if so, where had he been during the fire and why wasn’t he here with them now?

“No,” he said, “it’ll be better if I see them now.”

She’d say thank you, he’d tell her he was happy to see her and her daughter doing so well, and that would be that. No more being haunted by her eyes, by the surprising strength she’d shown him as she’d crawled on the floor of her apartment and down the stairs.

A couple of minutes later, Todd walked back in with the mother and daughter. Ignoring the pain in his head, Gabe sat up higher and forced a smile on his face.

And then, his eyes locked with Megan’s and his smile froze in place.

My God, he found himself thinking before he could shove the thought away, she’s beautiful.

The last time he’d seen her face it had been through a thick haze of dark smoke and the knowledge that one wrong move meant their lives were over. Her eyes were just as big and pretty, her limbs looked as lean and strong as they had when he’d been helping to move her along the floor, but now he could see the softness in her, the sweet curves of her breasts and hips in her T-shirt and jeans. He couldn’t stop staring at the startling green of her eyes, the silky dark hair falling across her shoulders, and the way her pretty young daughter was a carbon copy of her, the only difference their hair color, one dark, one light.

She seemed just as stunned as he and for a long moment, the two of them just stared at each other in silence until her daughter ran over to him and threw her arms around him.

..Excerpt from CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE by Bella Andre ©2012.

fall in love

The Sullivans are on tour with Novel Publicity. Follow along for your chance to win amazing prizes. We’ve got special romantic swag baskets for each book, an iPad Mini, Kindle Fire, Nook Color, and Kobo eReader, and Amazon and iTunes gift cards. WOW!

You’ll also get introduced to this amazing contemporary romance series via excerpts as well as interviews with and guest posts from New York Times and USA Today best-selling author, Bella Andre. You’ll definitely want to learn more about the family that has captured the world’s heart.

All the info you need to join the fun and enter to win amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment–easy to enter; easy to win!

To Win the Prizes:

  1. Purchase any of the Sullivan ebooks by Bella Andre for just $4.99 (optional)
  2. Enter the Rafflecopter contest on Novel Publicity (go here)
  3. Visit today’s featured social media event (that’s where the HUGE prizes are)

About The Sullivans: In this sexy, emotional and funny contemporary romance series, each member of the Sullivan family will eventually find true love…usually where he or she least expects it.

Get the eBooks via Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, the iBookStore, or the Kobo Store.

Audiobooks are also available for the first five in the series (with more coming soon). Plus, keep an eye out for paperback editions coming from Harlequin Romance starting Summer 2013.

All Sullivan Covers

Bella Andre_1About the Author: New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Bella Andre has always been a writer. Songs came first, and then non-fiction books, but as soon as she started writing her first romance novel, she knew she’d found her perfect career. Known for “sensual, empowered stories enveloped in heady romance” (Publishers Weekly) about sizzling alpha heroes and the strong women they’ll love forever, nearly all of her novels have appeared on Top 10 lists at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple and Kobo.

Her books have been Cosmopolitan Magazine “Red Hot Reads” twice and have been translated into nine languages. Winner of the Award of Excellence, The Washington Post has called her “One of the top digital writers in America” and she has been featured by NPR, USA Today, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal. She has given the keynote speech at Book Expo America on her self-publishing success and has sold more than one million books.

If not behind her computer, you can find her reading her favorite authors, hiking, swimming or laughing. Married with two children, Bella splits her time between the Northern California wine country and a 100 year old log cabin in the Adirondacks.

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Bella Andre & The Sullivans

Posted: January 10, 2013 in Blog Tour, Book Promos, Contemporary Romance, giveaways, Humor, Interview, Romance, Series
Tags: , ,
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Novel Publicity has put together this wonderful tour featuring the amazing Bella Andre. Get to know The Sullivans and enter to win some awesome prizes!

Please enjoy this interview with Bella Andre, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of the contemporary romance series, The Sullivans. Then read on to learn how you can win huge prizes as part of this blog tour, including special romantic swag baskets for each book, an iPad Mini, Kindle Fire, Nook Color, and Kobo eReader, and Amazon and iTunes gift cards!

Interview with Bella Andre

about her best-selling series, The Sullivans

1. You create characters beautifully and are an absolute master of plot twists. It seems like you could write in almost any genre and do a bang-up job of it. What made you decide to devote your efforts to the romance genre in particular?

Thank you so much for the compliments! I’ve always been a huge romance fan – I’ve been reading nearly a book a day since I was a teenager – so it was a natural fit for me when the characters starting appearing in my head one day. 🙂

2. How did the idea for this interconnected contemporary romance series first come to you? What was your inspiration?

I love the family series that have always been popular in historical romance – like Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series and Nora Roberts’s MacGregors – and I was also inspired by my husband’s large family. It seemed like a natural fit to combine the funny and sweet family dynamics into an overarching series of sexy contemporary romances with the alpha heroes that I love so much.

3. Everyone seems to have a favorite Sullivan. Now I know this is like asking you to choose between your own children, but who is your favorite? And who’s most like you?

I’ll have to plead the fifth and pick Mary Sullivan – the family matriarch – as my favorite Sullivan. She’s the heart that keeps the family together and I get emotional whenever I write a scene with her. In fact, in COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER (Smith Sullivan’s story), the scene where he calls his mother to ask for love advice is one that so many readers have told me is their absolute favorite scene in any Sullivan book.

As for who is most like me – maybe Sophie Sullivan from I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU. She loves to read (and is a librarian) and when she wants something (in her case: bad boy Jake McCann), she goes for it! Of course, I’m also a lot like Lori Sullivan (aka “Naughty”) with her big mouth and constant laughter.

4. In your opinion, what ingredients are needed to make up a good love story? Is life the same as fiction in this respect? Why or why not?

I love to love my characters and when I write a story I need two heroic, nice, good people (and why not gorgeous, too?!) who deserve love and have a lot of love to offer in return, but who are flawed partially because they haven’t found that perfect someone who complements them like no other. I like my fiction to be a little bigger than life – the Sullivans are extraordinarily hot, sensitive and attentive – but at their heart, they’re all very real.

5. How has your own love story with your husband informed the Sullivan series? Are there any scenes that are directly taken from your own life?

I have the best husband in the entire world. Sweet, loving, sensitive…and super hot! He’s always supported me in everything I’ve ever done and I think his strength and capability to love is at the core of every hero I write.

With that said, none of the scenes are ever taken directly from my own life. I have a very active imagination. 🙂

6. Let’s pretend for a second that you are a single woman living in the world of the Sullivans, which of the six brothers would you be most likely to fall in love with and why?

Ohhhh, now THAT is a fun fantasy! I would fall in love with each and every single one of them – and do, while I’m writing each of their stories! If I had to pick one, I might have my eye on Marcus (FROM THIS MOMENT ON) – because while all of my Sullivans are sweet, sexy and sensitive – Marcus is the only one with his own endless supply of wine from his winery. And there’s just something about the oldest brother…. Then again, Zach Sullivan is such a great combination of cocky and sweet. And Ryan Sullivan has all those muscles. And Gabe is such a hero as a firefighter (and I love his dirty talking between the sheets). And Chase is so sexy and protective. And then there’s Jake McCann (who falls in love with Sophie Sullivan) with his tattoos and big muscles. Not to mention Lori’s hero in the upcoming ALWAYS ON MY MIND which will be out this spring. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that Lori’s hero just might be the hottest hero I’ve ever written.

See, what did I tell you earlier? I’m no good at picking just one. So let’s just say, yet again, ALL OF THEM!

7. The Sullivans and their beaux have some pretty interesting careers. From photographers and sculptors to professional actors, musicians and ball players all the way to firefighters, librarians and business owners, they lead very exciting lives! What type of research did you have to do to capture these jobs so well? Do you have any interesting research anecdotes to share?

I’ve written firefighters and athletes in previous series which helped with my firefighter, Gabe (CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE) and my baseball player, Ryan (LET ME BE THE ONE). I also live in Sonoma and have a lot of experience with wine and wineries which was ideal for winery owner Marcus (FROM THIS MOMENT ON) and as a writer I’ve been blessed to work with many librarians who served as information points for Sophie (I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU.)

For books where I need inspiration, the internet has been amazing and when needed, I also call on the help of professionals. Even though I’d written firefighters before, I still sent all my firefighting scenes to a professional and for Smith’s book (COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER) I sent all the acting-set sequences to a local film producer.

8. I was very touched by the inclusion of Yorkie puppy, Cuddles, and Great Dane rescue, Atlas, in book five, If You Were Mine. Are you a dog person yourself? If you have pets, I’d love to know more about them!

I *love* animals. I had the best time writing the two dogs in IF YOU WERE MINE. They had their own little love story in that book, which pleased me to no end. There’s a cat that plays a very important role in ALWAYS ON MY MIND (Lori Sullivan’s story, coming Spring 2013). My whole family loves animals, and we’ve recently adopted a beautiful cat. Or more accurately, the cat has adopted us, smart little minx.

9. The Sullivan series is currently seven volumes long. How many more books do you have planned, and which other family members will get the spotlight in their own books?

Lori’s book (ALWAYS ON MY MIND) is up next, and there are 5 Seattle Sullivans who are ready for love – I will start with Rafe Sullivan’s book this summer! Plus, I have something *very* special planned for Mary Sullivan, their mother, planned to release for the holidays in 2013.

10. And lastly (for a bit of random fun), what has been the most amazing/ touching/ validating interaction you’ve had with a fan of your books?

Everyone who has ever written to me on Facebook or Twitter or Goodreads or via email to tell me how much they love my books and that the Sullivans have moved them in some way has touched me. I love my fans, so, so much! I have the very best time in the world writing about my Sullivans… and knowing that I have so many absolutely wonderful people waiting to read them as soon as they’re released is a total thrill every single day.


fall in love

The Sullivans are on tour with Novel Publicity. Follow along for your chance to win amazing prizes. We’ve got special romantic swag baskets for each book, an iPad Mini, Kindle Fire, Nook Color, and Kobo eReader, and Amazon and iTunes gift cards. WOW!

You’ll also get introduced to this amazing contemporary romance series via excerpts as well as interviews with and guest posts from New York Times and USA Today best-selling author, Bella Andre. You’ll definitely want to learn more about the family that has captured the world’s heart.

All the info you need to join the fun and enter to win amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment–easy to enter; easy to win!

To Win the Prizes:

  1. Purchase any of the Sullivan ebooks by Bella Andre for just $4.99 (optional)
  2. Enter the Rafflecopter contest on Novel Publicity (go here)
  3. Visit today’s featured social media event (that’s where the HUGE prizes are)

About The Sullivans: In this sexy, emotional and funny contemporary romance series, each member of the Sullivan family will eventually find true love…usually where he or she least expects it.

Get the eBooks via Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, the iBookStore, or the Kobo Store.

Audiobooks are also available for the first five in the series (with more coming soon). Plus, keep an eye out for paperback editions coming from Harlequin Romance starting Summer 2013.

All Sullivan Covers

Bella Andre_1About the Author: New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Bella Andre has always been a writer. Songs came first, and then non-fiction books, but as soon as she started writing her first romance novel, she knew she’d found her perfect career. Known for “sensual, empowered stories enveloped in heady romance” (Publishers Weekly) about sizzling alpha heroes and the strong women they’ll love forever, nearly all of her novels have appeared on Top 10 lists at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple and Kobo.

Her books have been Cosmopolitan Magazine “Red Hot Reads” twice and have been translated into nine languages. Winner of the Award of Excellence, The Washington Post has called her “One of the top digital writers in America” and she has been featured by NPR, USA Today, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal. She has given the keynote speech at Book Expo America on her self-publishing success and has sold more than one million books.

If not behind her computer, you can find her reading her favorite authors, hiking, swimming or laughing. Married with two children, Bella splits her time between the Northern California wine country and a 100 year old log cabin in the Adirondacks.

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Teaser Tuesday #6 Edge of Disaster

Posted: January 8, 2013 in Adult Fiction, Book Promos, Contemporary Romance, Humor, Meme, Teaser Tuesdays
Tags: , , ,
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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

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 teaser for today is from Edge of Disaster by A.M. Hargrove
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Edge of Disaster
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goodreads-badge-add-plus for awaken
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He had a perfectly beautiful smile on his face and I couldn’t help but smile back.
“What?” he asked.
“What what?” I tried to deflect his question.
“What’s that look about?”
“Oh, I didn’t realize I had a look.” Now only one corner of his mouth turned up. I wanted to sit on his lap and run my fingers through his hair and kiss that corner of his mouth.
“What?”
“What? Me?”
“Yeah you. You had a look on your face.”
I was grinning from ear to ear while reading this part. Loving every minute of this book! And the cover art. Whoa!!
.
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Another Great Giveaway!

Posted: December 23, 2012 in Contemporary Romance, Contests, Debut Novel, giveaways, YA
Tags: ,
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This just in! My giveaway for Don’t Tell by Mercy Amare is drawing to an end. For another chance to win go here to check out the awesome giveaway at Mercy’s blog.

She’s giving away 5 e-book copies of Don’t Tell and a $25.00 Amazon or Barnes&Noble Gift Card(winners choice)! Her giveaway ends December 31st.

Don't Tell

I could be surrounded by a million people, but I would still feel alone. I smile on the outside, but inside I feel like I’m slowly dying. I cry out for help, but nobody sees me, at least not the real me. They see a façade, a mask that I put on to hide the pain.

I pretend that I’m normal, but really, what is normal? Maybe what I’m feeling is normal. The hurt, the disappointment, the loneliness… it could be all just be a part of life. Maybe I will never know what normal is.

I put on long sleeves and makeup to hide the bruises, but they only mask the outside. What happens when I can’t carry my burden alone any longer? What would happen if I told somebody the truth?

Don’t Tell is a YA Contemporary Romance about love, forgivness and hope.

You can read my review of this wonderful debut novel here.

Wishing You The Best This Holiday Season!

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Giveaway / Don’t Tell

Posted: December 10, 2012 in Contemporary Romance, Debut Novel, fiction, giveaways, reviews, Romance, YA
Tags: , , , , , , ,
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I have another giveaway. But first let me tell about Mercy Amare’s debut.

Don’t Tell

by Mercy Amare

Don't Tell

ADD To Goodreads

When people look at Lucy, they see a beautiful, vivacious girl.

But it’s just a mask she wears. A mask to hide her pain, like the long sleeves and make-up she wears to hide the bruises.

Bruises left by Charles, her father.

It hadn’t always been like this. They’d been happy once, when her mother was still alive. Now, Charles is a mean, abusive drunk and he blames Lucy for her mother’s death. After all, she was on her way to pick up Lucy when the drunk driver smashed into her car, killing her.

Now everything is wrong. Her self-esteem is shattered and she’s afraid to trust anyone. The only one she let’s past her defensive walls is Tess, her best friend since grade school. But even Tess doesn’t know her secret.

Lucy’s never had a boyfriend, never been in love, but she yearns for it. If only she could be like a normal teen-age girl.

If there is anyone she could tell her secret to, it would be Ian. But as much as she likes him, she can’t bring herself to tell him the truth.

Ian’s the pastor’s son, captain of the football team, and every girl at school is crushing on him. He also has a secret. He’s been in love with Lucy since the first time they met. They were four years old and she kissed him on the cheek.

He’s seen her bruises, old ones and new ones. Someone she’s close to is abusing her, but Ian’s not sure if it’s her dad.

Should he tell someone? Wouldn’t that be betraying Lucy’s trust.

My heart went out to Lucy. She had her good days, especially when she was with Tess or Ian. She could almost believe everything was normal, was as it should be. Then the memories would sneak up on her, never letting her forget.

Then there’s Ian. He’s in a difficult situation. I’m sure teenagers have been in Ian’s and Lucy’s shoes. I wish it wasn’t so.

As for Charles. It’s sad and ironic that he becomes an abusive drunk. After all, a drunk driver was the cause of all his anguish. Instead of grieving and healing with his daughter, he uses the very thing that caused all this to numb his pain.

It’s very hard to feel sorry for a drunk. Everything about them can be so repulsive.

The author knows how to write about a tough subject and writing this story from Lucy’s and Ian’s points of view enables you to see how abuse has many victims, like ripples in a pond.

Having Lucy refer to her father as Charles shows how she doesn’t recognize him as her father any longer. She doesn’t know this monster.

I really enjoyed reading about the budding romance between Lucy and Ian. It had me smiling and remembering the sweetness and intensity of first love. I was really pulling for these two and was happy that Lucy had someone on her side.

I usually avoid reading about abuse, but I’m glad I read Don’t Tell. Mercy Amare showed me why someone wouldn’t or couldn’t tell anyone about being abused, and she told it in an entertaining and enlightening manner. While this is a story of darkness, there is also light, the shining light of love, friendship, hope and letting go!

     

Giveaway

The author has offered  5 e-books to give away.

Easy to enter. Just leave your email address and answer this question. “If a friend told you a secret and made you promise not to tell, would you break that promise if their health or life was at risk,  even if it meant you might lose their friendship?”

Giveaway ends December 22nd.

Merry Christmas and Good Luck!

About the author

I write YA contemporary fiction books. I have a slight addiction to NOS. My guilty pleasure is Pretty Little Liars.

Here are a few cool things about Mercy Amare:

1. I am very musically talented. I can play the guitar, bass, and drums. I also sing.

2. I got started writing at a very young age (2nd grade, I think)… My writing career started out with writing songs.

3. I am addicted to the energy drink, NOS. It’s amazing. But I only like the NOS in a blue can. Purple, green, and red? GAG.

4. My favorite color is pink. Pink is happy.

5. I’m very clumsy. I fall down a lot, and I always have. If it’s raining, I stay inside. (Me + slippery ground = bad).

6. I love to do zumba with my best friends, however, I suck at it.

7. I love books. Especially books in a series.

8. Vampires are awesome. Seriously. I love vampire books, shows, movies, etc. They’re all awesome.

9. I’ve had a LOT of jobs in my life. (Most ALL of them very crappy). Writing is the first thing I’ve found that actually makes me happy. So, I’m going to go for it, and hope I don’t fail.

10. My hair is naturally red (and curly). I love red hair. If you have red hair, you rock 🙂

Author contacts

Goodreads

Website

Twitter

To purchase Don’t Tell, click on the cover.

Merry Christmas To You And Yours From FUONLYKNEW!

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I Have A Winner!

Posted: December 1, 2012 in Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, Contemporary Romance, fiction, giveaways, New Adult, Winners!
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This is the fun part.

I get to announce the winner of the brand new release The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski!

And the winner is

Tiffany!

Congratulations!

I want to say thank you to everyone for their comments. I enjoyed reading them and hope you continue to visit FUONLYKNEW.

For all of my giveaways go here .

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Giveaway / Release Day for The Edge of Never

Posted: November 15, 2012 in Blog Tour, Book Promos, comedy, Contemporary Romance, Contests, fiction, giveaways, New Adult, Release day, Romance
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This event was organized by AToMR Tours and I’m excited to be a part of it.

J. A. Redmerski just released her new novel, The Edge of Never on Nov. 15th and I have  the book description and a fantastic excerpt for you. Also, you have a chance to win an e-book copy of this New Adult novel.  Details are at the end of the post.

The Edge of Never

Title: THE EDGE OF NEVER

Author: J.A. Redmerski

Release date: November 15, 2012

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Group: New Adult

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Special Price: The Edge of Never will be available at a $1.99 promotional price on the release day only (Nov. 15) and will go to regular price on 11/16. You can purchase your copy here .

Book Description:

Twenty-year-old Camryn Bennett had always been one to think out-of-the-box, who knew she wanted something more in life than following the same repetitive patterns and growing old with the same repetitive life story. And she thought that her life was going in the right direction until everything fell apart.

Determined not to dwell on the negative and push forward, Camryn is set to move in with her best friend and plans to start a new job. But after an unexpected night at the hottest club in downtown North Carolina, she makes the ultimate decision to leave the only life she’s ever known, far behind.

With a purse, a cell phone and a small bag with a few necessities, Camryn, with absolutely no direction or purpose boards a Greyhound bus alone and sets out to find herself. What she finds is a guy named Andrew Parrish, someone not so very different from her and who harbors his own dark secrets. But Camryn swore never to let down her walls again. And she vowed never to fall in love.

But with Andrew, Camryn finds herself doing a lot of things she never thought she’d do. He shows her what it’s really like to live out-of-the-box and to give in to her deepest, darkest desires. On their sporadic road-trip he becomes the center of her exciting and daring new life, pulling love and lust and emotion out of her in ways she never imagined possible. But will Andrew’s dark secret push them inseparably together, or tear them completely apart?

Due to sexual content and language, this book is recommended for 17+ – Adult Contemporary Women’s – New Adult Fiction

And here’s the excerpt to give you a little taste of what’s inside.

Pretending

I pull my hand from his and grasp the fabric above my boobs and pull the top up a little so that it feels better in place.

“I love you in that,” he says, “but you have to admit, it’s a distraction for douchebags.”

“Well, I don’t want to walk all the way back to the hotel just to change my top.”

“No, you don’t have to do that,” he says, reaching for my hand again. “But if you want to go to another club, you’re gonna have to do something for me, alright?”

“What?”

“Just pretend you’re my girlfriend,” he says and a little smile spreads across my lips. “At least that way no one will fuck with you, or they’re less likely to try, anyway.”

He pauses and looks at me and says, “Unless you want guys to hit on you?”

It takes no time at all for my head to start shaking. “No. I do not want any guys to hit on me. Innocent flirting, fine—it does wonders for my confidence—but not douchebags.”

“Good, then it’s settled. You’re my sexy girlfriend for the night, which means I get to take you back to the room later and make you squeal a little.” There’s that boyish grin of his again that I love so much.

I’m tingling between the legs now. I swallow hard and play it off by playfully narrowing my eyes at him.

I’m just glad to see his dimples again, as opposed to that wrathful—although incredibly sexy, still—expression that consumed his features moments ago.

“As much as I like it—well, ‘like’ is really putting it lightly—I’m not going to let you do that anymore.”

He looks hurt and a little shocked. “Why not?”

“Because, Andrew, I…well, I just won’t let you—now come here.” I cup my hands around the sides of his neck and pull him toward me.

And then I kiss him softly, letting my lips linger on his afterwards.

“What are you doing?” he says, staring down into my eyes.

I smile sweetly up at him. “I’m getting into character.”

A grin tugs the corners of his lips. He turns me around and locks his arm around my waist as we head toward Bourbon Street.

And now for the giveaway. I have one e-book copy to give away.

Entry is easy. Just leave your email address and answer this question: Do you like love at first sight or a slow blooming romance?

For an additional entry, not required, you can “Like” the author on Facebook here .

Contest ends November 29th.

About JA Redmerski and where to find her:

Author of THE DARKWOODS TRILOGY and DIRTY EDEN, mother, werewolf & zombie fanatic, book addict and a happy hermit obsessed with the Universe. Oh, and AMC’s “The Walking Dead”.

Addictions: Starbucks every morning, trolling Barnes & Noble’s shelves once a week, detesting winter, shopping flea markets and preparing for the collapse of society as we know it. Do I own a tin foil hat? Maybe. :-)

I was born in Arkansas and have lived here most of my life, except the couple of times when I lived in Pennsylvania. I started my first novel at the age of thirteen and have been writing something ever since. Generally, I love characters in life and on paper. I pay attention to people, especially those whose personalities make them different from the rest of us: the drug addict roaming the Laundromat that talks to himself, the young, inattentive mother in the park with the meanest kid on the playground – (the entire cast of ‘Swamp People’) – characters fascinate me and I hope that it shows in my literary work.

Author Links: J.A. Redmerski | Twitter | Facebook

All’s Fair In Love And…..GIVEAWAY ~ Fair Play by Janna Shay

Posted: August 29, 2012 in Contemporary Romance, fiction, giveaways, Interview, reviews
Tags: , , , , , ,
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Oh My! Do I have a fun book for you! Las Vegas, casinos, steamy romance and mystery!  Fair Play by Janna Shay has everything to offer!

And to make it even better, I have Janna here for an interview and she has offered two e-books of Fair Play for my giveaway.

Keep reading and enjoy. To enter the contest, look for the  Kiss at bottom of the post!

I have so much to tell you. I had such a good time reading FAIR PLAY! This story starts out hot and gets hotter and hotter. The sexual and emotional radar pings frequently.

Dani is enjoying some time alone at the rooftop pool. Her new job as a waitress at the Diamond Hotel & Casino starts soon.  She drifts off to sleep under the warm touch of the sun.

In her dream, cool hands linger on her skin, caressing her body. She awakens slowly, her eyes focusing on a man’s muscular legs standing next to her. Her gaze moves upward to lock on a pair of hazel eyes looking into hers.

Jace noticed Dani lying by the pool and went over to meet the new waitress for his casino. As he got closer, he took his time admiring her body, slim and shapely with curves in all the right places. He couldn’t resist touching her silky skin.

Dani sat up but continued to lock eyes with the handsome man before her, returning his smile. As his eyes travel downward and lock onto her body, Dani is mortified to realize her top was still on the lounger and her breasts were bare to his gaze.

A primal, sexual attraction pulls them to each other, and if not for the distant sound of a door shutting, they may have given in to their desires. Both are left wondering what had happened. Things had almost gotten out of control.

Dani is embarrassed and quickly turns defensive, spurning his comments that she had responded as willing as he did. She makes a quick exit.

What Dani doesn’t know is, Jace is the owner of the casino and her new boss and he is not done with her yet. His pursuit of Dani is relentless, his alpha male attraction to her (not paranormal) sends his blood racing whenever she is near.

Let me give you a taste so you’ll see what I am talking about!

Jace watched Dani until she left his office. There was a latent sensuality about her that was intriguing and pulled at him. It wasn’t just her body, although he’d have to be dead not to appreciate it. She was intelligent, principled, and had a temper. He liked a woman with spirit, and had every intention of pursuing her on a personal level. She may not admit it, but he knew she was interested in him. “Until the next time.”

Dani was having troubles of her own. Her body hums when Jace is near. She can’t have a relationship with her boss. She needs this job, and knows it’s always bad to mix business with pleasure. Still, her body betrays her at each encounter, pulling her towards him. She vows to keep this strictly professional. But Jace will not be denied.

“You can lie to yourself all you want, but there’s something between us, even if you won’t admit it. Ignoring it isn’t going to make it go away.”

This is just a small tease of what you are in store for. This hot and cold romance is full of steamy, sensual encounters and fiery dialogue. Whenever these two get together it is fireworks!

I can’t wait for you to read about Jace’s plan to break down Dani’s denials. It is so devilishly sexy and charming. I laughed in delight. I want me a Jace!

There is more to this story than just romance. Dani has a secret. A big one, that keeps her on the move. All the more reason to not get involved with Jace, despite her growing emotional attachment to him. Her secret, if revealed, could land her in jail. So, no relationships allowed. She is truly caught between a rock and a hard place.

I really like Dani. She is strong-willed and intelligent, but still has her insecurities. That makes her very real for me. I can relate to her fears of  falling in love and forming a commitment. Aren’t we all afraid to have our heart crushed. She is also not afraid to tell it like it is and gives as good as she gets and this makes for some fun, laugh out loud moments. She also discovers her own sexuality and I liked how her confidence grew in the bedroom.

Jace. Oh Wow! He has this sarcastic wit which is a big turn on for me. Nothing sexier! I can just see his lips curve into that sardonic smile. And his tenderness with Dani makes your limbs weak. He can really set your head and heart spinning.

Set in Las Vegas, the city of all that glitters, FAIR PLAY sparkles like a diamond. With lots of entertaining characters and laugh out loud moments along with Dani’s mysterious past, this book will keep you rapt and eager to continue.

Janna really knows how to write erotic, pulse racing, beyond the bedroom door sexual romance. Spicing it up with some mystery and comedy. The pace of the story is fast and fun to follow, and her placement of pivotal scenes is right on.  A few small typos, but nothing that breaks the flow your reading.

Now let’s learn about Janna. Enjoy the interview!

Fair Play was so fun to read Janna. Thanks so much for coming by to talk with us.

 I know everyone is waiting to learn more about you, so lets start by having you tell us something about yourself.

I have 7 grown children, 23 grandchildren, and one very romantic husband, who is the love of my life. And no, I did not want 7 children – I wanted 9. I figured since my husband was drafted by a major league baseball team, I’d start my own team. But instead of a baseball team, I ended up with a cheer squad who support and encourage me in my writing career. I consider myself extremely blessed to have them in my life.

I’m a voracious reader, who reads at least one book a day. I started reading at a very young age and spent most of my youth at the local library pouring through books. I find my laptop, kindle, and smart phone are items I cannot live without.

  Books are listed under different genres depending upon what site you are visiting. What genre would you say Fair Play is?

I’d say Fair Play is a contemporary romance with a little bit of suspense, though most sites classify it under contemporary romance.

 I have never been to Las Vegas, but if Jace were available I’d be tempted. How did you choose this city as the setting for your story?

I knew I wanted to write a romantic novel about a devastatingly handsome alpha male and a beautiful, sexy woman who had an overabundance of chemistry between them. While contemplating my story, I saw an advertisement for Las Vegas that stated, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”. The wheels in my head starting turning and I thought I’d put the two together and maybe create some fireworks.

 I really liked Dani. Does her character resemble you?

That’s a difficult question to answer. I’d have to say to a degree. My sense of humor spilled over into Dani, although I don’t have the insecurities she had in the beginning. As far as her strong beliefs, loyalty, and compassion, I’d say we’re similar.

 Was it easy or hard to write your bedroom scenes? You had some steamy ones!

It was actually easy to write my bedroom scenes. I am a person who believes in love and all the feelings that go with it. To me sensuality and passion are a big part of those feelings. To put into words the visceral emotions combined with the physicality came naturally to me.

 Are you currently working on something, and would you care to share with us?

I’m currently working on the second novel in my Diamond series, Fair Play being the first. It takes place in Vegas also, with the continuation of Jace and Dani’s story….the story of their son, Nicholas. I won’t go into detail because I don’t want to spoil the fun. It should hopefully be released sometime at the end of this year or beginning of next.

Thanks Janna. I’ll be waiting!

Now for some fun flash questions!
1) How do you like your man?
a) tender and catering to all of your needs
b) strong but fair
c) no words, all action

How about all of the above? If I have to pick then it’s b) strong but fair. I have a weakness for strong men.

Is there such a thing as all of the above? I want one! Great choice Janna.

2) How do you like your relationship to start?
a) slow and easy
b) knock your socks off, don’t waste time

Knock my socks off all the way and don’t dare waste time. I love a man who knows what he wants and goes for it.

3) If you were stranded on a tropical island and could have one sexy actor there with you, who would it be?

I can only have one? You’re killing me, Laura. If I must choose, then I’d have to say Johnny Depp. Afterall, who’s a better choice than Captain Jack Sparrow with his knowledge of tropical islands?

My choice also. Johnny is a juicy bad boy!

 This has been so fun. I know I threw some wild questions at you. Thanks for playing along and for the opportunity to read and review Fair Play.

 

GIVEAWAY

I have two e-book copies to giveaway today. To enter, please leave a comment along with your e-mail address.

While it is not required, it would be very much appreciated if you would follow my blog and follow Janna at the links provided below. Also, if you liked this post please hit that twitter and Like button:)

Contest ends on September 12th

About Janna

Janna Shay is a native Californian who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and miniature schnauzer.  She is a mother of seven grown children and has twenty-three grandchildren, with all her children living in nearby Northern California communities.

Janna was introduced to books at the age of five, which began a lifelong love of reading.  As a child she would spend endless hours at the local library pouring through all genres of books.  It wasn’t until her teens that her love of romance novels blossomed.

When Janna isn’t following her dream of writing or enjoying her love of reading, she can be found engaging in her other love, which is activities with her family.

Janna is a member of Romance Writers of America and San Francisco Area Romance Writers of America.

Contacts

Website – http://JannaShay.com

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/JannaShayAuthor

Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/@jannashay

Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13651928-fair-play

I was given this book for an honest review. Thank you Janna.

To purchase your copy of Fair Play, click on the cover below or in the sidebar.

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