Posts Tagged ‘adult contemporary romance’

The Pawn
Skye Warren
(Revenge and Seduction #1)
Publication date: December 6th 2016
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

The price of survival…

Gabriel Miller swept into my life like a storm. He tore down my father with cold retribution, leaving him penniless in a hospital bed. I quit my private all-girl’s college to take care of the only family I have left.

There’s one way to save our house, one thing I have left of value.

My virginity.

A forbidden auction…

Gabriel appears at every turn. He seems to take pleasure in watching me fall. Other times he’s the only kindness in a brutal underworld.

Except he’s playing a deeper game than I know. Every move brings us together, every secret rips us apart. And when the final piece is played, only one of us can be left standing.

THE PAWN is a full-length contemporary novel from New York Times bestselling author Skye Warren about revenge and seduction in the game of love.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barne & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

EXCERPT:

A sense of familiarity fills the space between us even though I know we haven’t met. This man is a stranger, but he looks at me as if he wants to know me. He looks at me as if he already does. There’s an intensity to his eyes when they sweep over my face, as firm and as telling as a touch.

“I need…” A thud against my ribs as I think about all the things I need—a rewind button. One person in the city who doesn’t hate me by name alone. “I need a loan.”

He gives me a slow perusal, from the nervous slide of my tongue along my lips to the high neckline of my dress. I tried to dress professionally—a black cowl-necked sweater and pencil skirt. His strange amber gaze unbuttons my coat, pulls away the expensive cotton, tears off the cotton fabric of my bra and panties. He sees right through me, and I shiver as a ripple of awareness runs over my skin.

I’ve met a million men in my life. Shaken hands. Smiled. I’ve never felt as seen through as I do right now. Never felt like someone has turned me inside out, every dark secret exposed to the harsh light. He sees my weaknesses, and from the cruel set of his mouth, he likes them.

His lids lower. “And what do you have for collateral?”

Nothing except my word. That wouldn’t be worth anything if he knew my name. I swallow past the lump in my throat. “I don’t know.”

Nothing.

He takes a step forward, and suddenly I’m crowded against the brick wall beside the door, his large body blocking out the warm light from inside. He feels like a furnace in front me, the heat of him in sharp contrast to the cold brick at my back. “What’s your name, girl?”

The word girl is a slap in the face. I force myself not to flinch, but it’s hard. Everything about him overwhelms me—his size, his low voice. “I’ll tell Mr. Scott my name.”

In the shadowed space between us, his smile spreads, white and taunting. The pleasure that lights his strange yellow eyes is almost sensual, as if I caressed him. “You’ll have to get past me.”

My heart thuds. He likes that I’m challenging him, and God, that’s even worse. What if I’ve already failed? I’m free-falling, tumbling, turning over without a single hope to anchor me. Where will I go if he turns me away? What will happen to my father?

“Let me go,” I whisper, but my hope fades fast.

His eyes flash with warning. “Little Avery James, all grown up.”

A small gasp resounds in the space between us. He already knows my name. That means he knows who my father is. He knows what he’s done. Denials rush to my throat, pleas for understanding. The hard set of his eyes, the broad strength of his shoulders tells me I won’t find any mercy here.

thepawn-teaser-v1

 

Author Bio:

Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of contemporary romance such as the Chicago Underground series. Her books have been featured in Jezebel, Buzzfeed, USA Today Happily Ever After, Glamour, and Elle Magazine. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, two sweet dogs, and one evil cat.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Pinterest

 

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

XBTBanner1

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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

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

 

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

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!

~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

stick out tongue photo: rr-sticking-out-tongue roadrunner-stick-out-tongue.gif

Rescue Me banner
This is my stop during the book blitz for Rescue Me by Catherine Mann.

This book blitz is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours.

The book blitz runs from 2 till 8 February, you can view the complete blitz schedule on the website of Lola’s Blog Tours.

.
So far this series contains 2 books: Shelter Me (Second Chance Ranch #1) and Rescue Me (Second Chance Ranch #2)

.

Rescue MeRescue Me (Second Chance Ranch #2)
By Catherine Mann
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age category: Adult
Release Date: February 3, 2015

Blurb:
A rescued dog returns the favor in the latest Second Chance Romance from USA Today bestselling author of Shelter Me.

Detective AJ Parker left undercover work in Atlanta to join a small-town Tennessee police force, hoping for an easier workload and the solitude of his cabin. But the scars left by AJ’s previous work are more difficult to escape than he thought…

Mary Hannah Gallo works with the Second Chance Ranch Animal Rescue to train therapy dogs for traumatized patients. It isn’t easy, but her life is under control—until she meets the broodingly sensual AJ, who rattles her composure all the way to her toes.

After an assignment confiscating dogs from a backyard breeder reveals a dangerous drug operation, AJ must work with sexy perfectionist Mary Hannah to train an abused rescue dog—a dog now named Holly. While Holly proves to these two very different people that opposites can, in fact, attract, she also knows more than a few explosive secrets that could heal—or divide—the entire town.

You can find Rescue Me on Goodreads

You can buy Rescue Me here:
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Kobo

~~~~~

First book in the series:

.
Shelter MeShelter Me (Second Chance Ranch #1)
By Catherine Mann
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age category: Adult
Release Date: August 5, 2014

Blurb:
Nestled in the sunny fields of Tennessee lies the McDaniel family’s Second Chance Ranch Animal Rescue. Two new arrivals are on their way, but only one is the four-legged kind.

Staff Sergeant Mike Kowalski wants only one thing after he gets home from Iraq: to sleep in a king-sized bed with clean sheets. But first, he has to hand off his fallen commander’s dog, Trooper, to his family without handing off his heart to Sierra…

Sierra McDaniel needs a break. Her family life is crazy, and when she’s not mucking out kennels, she’s slogging through grad school. Sierra certainly doesn’t want another dog, especially one that reminds her of her father. And she definitely doesn’t want to see Mike with that charming smile of his…

But Trooper has a mission of his own. Before too long Mike is moving to the ranch to lend a hand—and hoping for his own second chance with Sierra.

You can find Shelter Me on Goodreads

You can buy Shelter Me here:
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Kobo

Catherine MannAbout the Author:

.
USA Today bestseller Catherine Mann and RITA Award winner, Catherine writes contemporary romance for Berkley, Harlequin, Sourcebooks and Tule. With over sixty books in released in more than twenty countries, she has also celebrated six RITA finals, an RT Reviewer’s Award finalist, three Maggie Award of Excellence finals and a Bookseller’s Best win.
A former theater school director and university instructor, she holds a Master’s degree in Theater from UNC-Greensboro and a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts: Theater (with minors in both English and Education) from the College of Charleston.
Catherine and her flyboy husband live on the Florida coast where they brought up their 4 children – and still have 5 four-legged, furry “children” (aka pets). Catherine is an active volunteer with her local Humane Society, serving on their Board of Directors, fostering over 200 puppies, ill dogs, and dogs with service/working potential. She recently checked off a major item on her “bucket list” by completing her Florida State Animal Rescue Coalition and starting her own rescue with three friends – The Sunshine State Animal Rescue. Catherine enjoys hearing from her readers and can be found online daily. To receive an autographed bookmark, send a SASE to: P.O. Box 6065, Navarre, FL 32566

You can find and contact Catherine here:
Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Pinterest

Catherine Mann has begun an animal rescue of her own with three friends – Sunshine State Animal Rescue in the Florida Panhandle. Here’s their facebook page if you want more info.
They rescue from high kill shelters and do traditional adoptions as well as help identify potential service dogs and search and rescue dogs at shelters.

~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of Rescue Me.

This giveaway is US Only.

These are the prizes you can win:

.
– Two winners will get a $25 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes and Noble and an autographed copy of Shelter Me by Catherine Mann (US Only).

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:

.
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Lola's Blog Tours

~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

It’s so exciting to be featuring this new release from Georgia Cates!

To celebrate, she is giving away a Kindle Fire!

That’s right. And that’s not all!

You can enter my giveaway to win an e-book of Beauty from Surrender, Beauty #2!

But first check out this cover art. Pretty isn’t it?

Beauty From Surrender

goodreads-badge-add-plus

Title: Beauty from Surrender (Beauty #2)

Author: Georgia Cates

Release date: May 30, 2013

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Group: Adult

Event organized by: AToMR Tours

Now Available.

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

~~~~~

Book description

The story of Jack Henry and Laurelyn continues…

How do you move on when he’s every song you sing?

After Laurelyn Prescott walks away from the love of her life, she returns to Nashville to pursue the only dream she has left. Determined to find a distraction from the pain of losing Jack Henry, she immerses herself in her music. But with her old life comes old acquaintances and new expectations. When Laurelyn refuses her record producer’s outrageous demands, she finds herself without a career—until an unforeseen opportunity presents itself. From there it’s a rocket ride straight to the top where Laurelyn finds the success she’s always dreamed of. Will it be enough to bring her the happiness she so deserves, or will the absence of Jack Henry leave her wanting more?

Jack Henry McLachlan never expected to fall in love with Laurelyn Prescott—but he did. After he foolishly let her slip through his fingers, he spends three months searching for her, but their reunion doesn’t come easy. The woman he finds isn’t the same one who drifted away without a goodbye. No longer an insecure girl on an Australian adventure, this Laurelyn is a successful musician with a promising career. Her dreams are becoming a reality, and Jack is terrified his American girl won’t have a place for him in her new life. With only a month to convince her otherwise, will it be enough time to make her visualize a life beyond the glitz and glamour, a life that includes him?

Enjoy this excerpt

Jack McLachlan’s POV

Three. Long. Fucking. Months. That’s how long it’s been since I’ve seen Laurelyn. And I don’t think I can take another minute. I die a little more each day she isn’t in my life.

She’s been damn near impossible to find. Fate has worked against us every step of the way. The hoops Jim has jumped through for the smallest bit of information have been ridiculous. One step forward, two steps back—instead of the other way around. A criminal on the run would’ve been easier to find.

But I’ve finally found her. Laurelyn Paige Prescott—better known to the public by her stage name as Paige McLachlan—that’s the woman I’m here to see tonight.

I still smile when I think about her taking my name, but I can’t help but ponder why she’d need to use a stage name. She never mentioned using one before and it makes me wonder if something happened with the sperm donor. Or worse—maybe with Blake Phillips.

I enter the auditorium lobby and the thick crowd makes it difficult to push through. The Martin I’m carrying adds to my difficult navigation as I bump shoulders through the horde, so I have to apologize with each step.

I find my assigned seat. Because I’m a creature of habit, I’m happy when I see it’s in a dark corner. I sit and place the Martin by my feet. I’m nervous and adrenalized as evidenced by my rapidly beating heart. I’m about to see the woman I love walk out onto that stage.

I look at the time and see it’s only a minute until eight. My heart is pounding erratically, throbbing in my ears over the loud crowd. Finally, musicians begin filing onto the stage to take their places. That’s when I see her for the first time in three months. My Laurelyn. All the time and distance that separated us disappears upon finally seeing her face again.

She looks the same, yet different. Her hair is a little longer and darker. Her honey highlights are missing and she’s slimmer. She’s still beautiful as ever but doesn’t fit the image etched in my mind these last few months.

She’s wearing brown boots—the same ones she wore the first time I saw her—with stonewashed jeans and a strapless white top. Her bare shoulders make me desperate to touch her exposed skin. And kiss it. Her top is fitted below her breasts while the bottom flows loosely over her jeans. I picture them riding low on her hips so I have easy access to kiss her belly.

This sounds every bit as good as Book One, Beauty From Pain!

Can’t wait to find out!

Giveaway #1

(1) eBook copy of Beauty From Surrender.

eBooks will be gifted from Amazon or Barnes and Noble only.

To enter, please leave your email address along with your comment.

 You can ‘Like” the author’s Facebook page for an extra entry.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Georgia-Cates-Young-Adult-Author/213130102082500

Event Giveaway #2

You can win a Kindle Fire!

Panel 0

Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter!

Rafflecopter Giveaway

~~~~~

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 deciding to pursue her dream of becoming an author. Despite the struggle, she has no regrets in her decision to try this crazy life. She can honestly say that she’s living the dream.

Georgia Cates Blog

Georgia Cates on Facebook

Georgia Cates on Twitter

https://twitter.com/GeorgiaCates

AToMRTours_large

Release Event Grave Bound 2

Welcome to my stop on the Release Event for Grave Bound organized by AToMR Tours .

Lets celebrate T.R. Graves’ brand new release.

For today, I have the beautiful book cover, the book description, an enticing excerpt and two giveaways!

Sounds like fun, so let’s get started.

GRAVE BOUND

goodreads-badge-add-plus

Title: Grave Bound (Secrets, #1)

Author: T. R. Graves

Release date: March 1, 2013

Genre:  Adult Contemporary

Age Group:  Adult  (17+ – profanity and sexual situations)

Event organized by: AToMR Tours

Buy Links:  Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble

Book Description:

Some secrets follow you to the grave. Others send you there.

Emily Riddle has lived her entire life inside a patriarchal commune led by her father. There are many rules, but the most important one, ‘keep it in the commune’, is the most difficult for her to follow… especially since the only people willing to champion her cause live on the outside.

When Emily learns her father has promised her to Lorenzo, a perverted man who has plans for her that extend well beyond marriage and kids, she rebels. Regardless of the consequences, she refuses to marry someone who’d rather beat her than caress her.

A day of hooky that starts out as a tiny act of defiance – sneaking out of the commune for a swim – turns into a day filled with hope. After spending time with Levi, a man camping near the lake, she finds what true romance looks like and catches a glimpse into a future that’s filled with love and admiration rather than hate and submission.

That tiny peek is enough to change the course of Emily’s existence and makes it nearly impossible for her to go back to the commune and pretend she’ll ever be able to tolerate the life chosen for her instead of the life she longs for. One that includes Levi.

Fighting to escape the commune, its leaders, and her fiancé proves to be more dangerous than Emily expected. The secrets she knows, as the leader’s daughter, will either follow her to the grave or send her – and Levi – there.

Enjoy this excerpt

Levi

God dammit!

I fling the sleeping bag off. Then, I snatch the tent’s zipper open and run as fast as I can toward the forest in the same direction Emily went earlier. I have no idea where the fence’s hole is or the exact location of her house, but I’m determined to find it and her.

Emily

I hear Levi as he jerks the tent flap open, the twigs breaking under the weight of his all-out run, and his breath as it comes faster and faster. He meant what he said earlier, and he’s running to save me.

“Em… there’s no way for me to get there quick enough… I want you to tuck my cellphone… somewhere no one will know about it… I want to hear what’s going on… Do you understand me?” he says between breaths. The desperation in his voice frightens me more than I am already.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The newest round of beating on the front door causes my hands to shake, but I’m determined not to let that or my racing heart prevent me from doing what I need to do.

“Listen, Levi. You stay put. The last thing I need is for you to make your way into the fence and for Alex or Bobbi to catch you.”

“I’m coming, Emily. I don’t give a shit what they do to me.”

It’s my job to make him see reason. It’s my job to protect him. From himself.

“Just wait. I’ll have the phone with me. You’ll know if I need anything. If I do, you can call whoever you want. Okay?”

I can almost hear him as he slows. “All right, Em. I want you to talk loud enough for me to know what’s going on… Please.”

“I will. I promise.”

BANG! BANG! BANG!

This round of knocks is so powerful I think the door’s hinges might actually break.

Giveaway

I have one e-book copy of Grave Bound to giveaway.

To enter, please leave your email address and answer this question:

“Have you ever been in a situation where you had to choose between what you were supposed to do and what you wanted to do?”

E-book giveaway ends March 11th.

If a winner does not have an e-reader, they can can download the Kindle app for FREE to their computer or iPad.

Check this out!

Author March Release Giveaway: The author is also running a Release Giveaway of her own the entire month of March. The rafflecopter giveaway:

 (1) Michael Kors Stainless Steel Unisex Watch

Panel 0

Click on the rafllecopter link below to enter.

rafflecopter giveaway

~

About the Author

Image of T. R. Graves

The author of The Warrior and the Secret series—currently available—and the Moral Dilemma and the Underwater series—to be released in 2013/2014.

She lives in Texas with her husband, their nineteen-year-old daughter, and nine-year-old son. Besides being blessed with a supportive family, she counts her career as an administrator and registered nurse in not-for-profit hospitals among her most fulfilling accomplishments. T.R. Graves’s Books: Warriors of the Cross (Warrior, #1) Guardians of the Cross (Warrior, #2) Enemies of the Cross (Warrior, #3)

Underground (Secrets, #2) – Late Summer 2013 Dark Angels of the Cross (Warrior, #4)– Fall 2013

Worth Dying For (Underwater, #1) – 2013/2014

Worth Living For (Underwater, #2) – 2013/2014

Social Media

Blog

Facebook

Goodreads

Amazon

Twitter

Pinterest