Posts Tagged ‘romance’

Stealing Heaven!!

Posted: January 11, 2013 in Action/Adventure, angels, Cover Reveal, Humor, otherworldly, reviews, Romance, Series
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I am doing some author spotlights this month and one of them is the amazing Ella Medler. Each week I’ll be doing a review for one of her books and there will also be a guest post and some giveaways.

Ella’s book, Blood is Heavier was my first review and giveaway post for 2013! You can read my 5 Star review and enter the giveaway here.

Blood Is Heavier

Add To Goodreads

This week I’m reviewing  Martin Little, Resurrected. This story is quite different from  the thriller, Blood is Heavier.

Martin Little, Resurrected

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The cover art for this story is perfect. You know you’re in for a fun adventure before you even crack the book.

In the beginning there was…

Well, there was Martin Little, a cup of hot chocolate and a favor. That favor culminates in a mixed bag of people all crammed into a holding room at the police station.. It isn’t really important why they’re there, it’s what they do!

You have Martin, the eternal pessimist,  Gary, the drunken tramp, and Vee, the hippy girl. When the door opens, it’s Gary’s friend Archie with the keys to freedom.

Tired of waiting and not knowing what’s going to happen to them, they simply leave.

They rush to Archie’s van and tear out of the parking lot. His driving is atrocious and before too long Martin’s fears become real life as the van careens out of control and over the edge of the cliff. After a long, bumpy tumble to the bottom, darkness descends and Martin knows no more.

That is until he wakes up to a bright light. So bright he can see nothing of his surroundings. He sets off in search of anything and gradually hears voices ahead. He draws closer and eventually enters a huge crowd of people milling around in a rough line.

When he sees a familiar face, relief rushes through him. Vee explains the situation, and even though he scoffs at her idea, he starts to believe.

They died in the crash. They’re all dead, Everyone here is.

Vee drags him over to Archie and Gary and the four of them join the end of the line. As the line shortens they can see the “pearly gates”, except they’re golden and they stretch upward as far as the eye can see. One by one people are called and they enter.

Finally, they are the only ones left. When the door opens, instead of being called in, a hand reaches out and hangs a sign on the door and closes it again.

Gary walks up and reads it. CLOSED FOR LUNCH

They can’t believe it and bust a gut laughing. Looks like it’s business as usual even in Heaven.

Vee gets the crazy idea of trying the door, but when they do, it’s locked. Not to be denied, she digs around in her huge bag and pulls out a small bundle, which she proceeds to unroll.

Lo and behold, the woman has a lock pick set and she knows how to use it. Before too long they hear the lock give and the door swings open.

One by one they steal into Heaven.

Can you believe it. They picked the locks to heaven!

When I picture entering Heaven, I see the pearly gates and sitting outside is a little old man with a long, gray beard, checking his list, checking it twice.

Never, in my wildest dreams, would I have imagined stealing into Heaven.

Ella takes this idea and runs with it. I mean she tells of these amazing adventures. Her idea of Heaven is crazy, funny, and beyond imagination.

You may not be too sure of the characters at first, but soon you’ll come to like them and maybe even love them. They are all flawed. Aren’t we all? That’s what made me connect with them. By the end of the story, I was totally invested in their well-being.

When you follow the group into Heaven you are going to be amazed. It’s so different from what you’d expect. And a trip to Hell and an encounter with Hades leaves you roaring with laughter and wanting to visit.

This delightful tale makes you stop and think. Makes you want to be a little bit kinder to your fellow man. We are all in this big thing called LIFE together.

And the ending, ooh it’s a goodie! Don’t get me wrong. The author wraps it up nicely, but the door is left open for a whole lot more. Can’t wait to read Martin Little Takes Epic Action – Book Two.

My rating went from a 4 to a 5 halfway through the story.

       

Next week I’ll be reviewing Eternal Island – Book One of The Eternal Series by Ella Medler and K.S. Haigwood.

Check out these covers!

Eternal Island (Book 1 in the Eternal Series)

Coming soon Eternal Immorality Book Two in the Eternal Series

EI2Coverbig eternal immortality

There will be a giveaway and a supercool guest post by Ella and Kristie, all about how they came to write the books together.

Be sure to stop back and join the fun.

You will be seeing a lot more about Ella and her books here on fuonlyknew!

About the author

Ella Medler

I live in Cornwall with my husband and our two teenage daughters. Together, we care for a large assortment of pets, some small enough to fit in a fish tank, and some capable of causing you significant injury on impact. I was born in Transylvania but got chucked out due to my inability to grow fangs and reluctance to sleep in coffins.

My first book, MARTIN LITTLE, RESURRECTED is a lighthearted fantasy novel full of action and unique takes on life. It’s total escapism. Heartened by positive reviews on my first book, I published BLOOD IS HEAVIER, an action thriller, which is an explosive and emotional struggle to save a father’s most treasured possession. ETERNAL ISLAND, a paranormal romance, is now live. I have co-written it with a brilliant American author, Kristie S. Haigwood. My next release is book two in the Hunter Series, BLOOD IS POWER, which should be out before the end of the year. In the pipeline are sequels for all of the above and a spin-off from Blood is Heavier – Tequila’s story.

Future works

Blood is Power (Book Two in the Hunter Series)

Martin Little Takes Epic Action (Book Two in the Martin Little Series)

Deal With It – Tequila’s story

In collaboration with Kristie S. Haigwood

Eternal Immorality

Eternal Inception

Contacts

Blog

Website

Goodreads

Facebook

Twitter

To purchase these books, click on the covers.

Books by Ella Medler

Books written with Kristie S. Haigwood

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Time of Death Giveaway and Review

Posted: January 10, 2013 in Adult Fiction, giveaways, Guest Post, Mytery/Thriller, reviews, Romance, suspense
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The amazing Ellis Vidler is one of my featured authors this month. Each Wednesday, I’ll be reviewing one of her fabulous books. There will be giveaways and guest posts, a whole lot of fun!

I’m going to start with Time of Death, her newest release.

Time of Death

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While visiting near Charleston, South Carolina, an artist draws scenes of murder she can’t explain.
Alex. The artist. After a tree falls on her house, she joins her aunt on an unspoiled island, but something wakens her family psychic streak. She draws eerily accurate scenes of violence, but she knows nothing about them.
Connor. The prosecutor. He’s building a case against a drug lord one piece of evidence at a time. For him it’s personal, and he can’t risk a relationship with a witness, especially a psychic who’ll blow his case out of the water.
Rollins. The killer. He’s a cog in a much bigger wheel, and the witness to his acts of violence threatens his operation and his life. He’ll do anything to see that doesn’t happen.
 

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Ooh, there are some really great characters in Time of Death. I think my favorite is Alex, no, Jax, no, Jelly. Oh, I love them all! Can’t wait for you to meet them.

Alex is clutzy, funny, a bit naive and like a momma bear when someone she cares about is threatened.

After a tree smashes in her roof, Alex comes to stay with her Aunt Isobel on Chicora Island. While up a tree taking photographs she sees something she shouldn’t. Nothing that stands out, just two men talking.

This scenario is very believable. Think about it. We go about our normal life seeing hundreds of things every day. You see two people talking, then it’s out of your mind.  When weird things start happening to you and those around you, when someone tries to kidnap or kill you, those two people don’t just pop instantly  into your mind. You’d be trying to rehash anything that stands out, not something so ordinary.

That’s why Alex can’t figure out why someone is trying to kill her.

Enter tall drink of water Prosecutor Connor Moran and his faithful companion Jax. He’s been after Rollins for a long time. He just hasn’t been able to pin anything on him. When he realizes that’s who’s after Alex, he does everything in his power to keep her alive. She’s a witness to a murder and doesn’t even realize it.

Rollins is a gangster personified. He kills without remorse, sometimes for the littlest things. If he’s after you, you better start praying. The people he sends don’t always kill you right away. Sometimes they like to play with you, like a cat does with a mouse. If they’re after you, they won’t stop coming until they get you. They’re after Alex and will mow down anyone standing in the way.

A story inside this story that I’d like to read more about is Isobel, Alex’s aunt. She made a big impression with her throwback hippy style. She’s very self-aware and intelligent and I’d like to get to know her better.

There are two characters that kind of stole the show and my heart. Jelly and Jax. Jelly is a giant of a man, with a simple mind. Jax is a three-legged retired military working dog. Both have handicaps and both shine from the pages. They added a special seasoning to the story.

There’s mystery, humor, murder, mayhem and some romance in Time of Death. Something for all of you. If you’re like me, after reading this book you’ll be wanting more. You won’t want to say goodbye.

Five Jax for Time of Death.

       

Please welcome Ellis!

We’ve had many dogs, some smart, some not so much, some gentle, some wild. But all were loving and wonderful companions. I consider dogs the greatest gift to mankind. Cats are good friends too, but not in the same way.  Dogs will lay down their lives for you. And they have a strong sense of a person who’s a threat. (We did have a cat who attacked a peeping Tom once, but we later found it was a man the cat hated anyway.)

When I was writing Time of Death, I felt it lacked something. After weeks of struggling with characters and the plot, I stumbled across Kevin Hanrahan’s blog about military working dogs. The dogs saved many lives and gave so much, often their own lives. That’s where I found the story of Anax and Marc. Read it. Both are heroes.

Anyway, Anax immediately leapt into my story. He added that one missing ingredient that brought it all to life. I fell for Jax, as I named him, and he took on his own personality and injected himself into many scenes. I found a picture of a German shepherd with the perfect expression. He’s photographer Sergey Kamshylin’s Zakhar, but he’s my Jax. Here’s Connor Moran, the prosecutor, explaining to Alex about his dog’s behavior around Merlin, her cat.

10944046_s JAX for ellis vidler review

“Jax?”

“My dog. He was a military service dog, very well trained, and he won’t bother Merlin. How does the cat feel about dogs?”

“He’s been around them, but he’ll be cautious.” Military? She hoped he was right that the dog was well trained. They’d be in someone else’s house, and she didn’t want to worry about Merlin. “Tell me about Jax. What kind is he?”

“German shepherd.”

Images of lunging, snarling dogs flew through her head. She straightened, wide awake now. “Go on.”

As if reading her mind, he said, “He was trained for explosive detection. He’s not an attack dog.” His eyes held a faraway look.

The other character I found especially interesting to write was Jelly Biggs, a retired heavyweight boxer who’s taken a few too many blows to the head. Here’s the bad guy watching Jelly, his bodyguard:

Movement caught his eye, and Rollins spotted the big man running across the sand. Jelly’s thoughts might tumble like lottery balls in a bin, but the former heavyweight still floats like a butterfly.

Thanks so much for the wonderful guest post Ellis.

GIVEAWAY

I have one print book(US/Canada Only) and one e-book(International) to giveaway.

*To enter please leave your email address and answer this question, “Are you a dog person or a cat person or both?”

Giveaway ends Jan. 20th.

Thank you and Good Luck!

Next Wednesday, Jan. 16th I’ll be reviewing Cold Comfort and hosting another giveaway!

After being dumped by her faithless fiancé, Claire Spencer has abandoned her dreams of a family of her own tucked neatly inside a picket fence. Instead, she’s plotting her solo course and settling for a quiet life as an independent Williamsburg shop owner. So how does she become a killer’s target?

Sometime security consultant Riley, burned out, disillusioned, and haunted by a young girl he couldn’t save, vows never to work with women again. But when a thug tries to kill the friend of a friend, the woman winds up in his arms, and all Riley’s plans go to hell. Knowing she’s in danger, he can’t walk away.

While dodging speeding cars, ducking bullets, and escaping through murky swamp waters, conventional Claire and freewheeling Riley struggle against their powerful chemistry—if she’s picket fences, he’s barbed wire.

Opposites do attract.

And on Wednesday, Jan. 23rd I’ll be reviewing Haunting Refrain and hosting yet another giveaway!

Good intentions go awry and a newly discovered psychic gift becomes life-threatening in Ellis Vidler’s debut, Haunting Refrain. After a psychometric photographer touches a headband and witnesses, in her mind’s eye, a missing coed’s murder, and a reporter hard up for news mentions the mystery vision, the girl’s killer embarks on a new homicidal mission: he’ll do anything to keep Kate McGuire from getting him caught.

Make sure you mark your calendar. You won’t want to miss these!

About the author and where to find her

Ellis Vidler

Ellis Vidler is a writer and editor. She and her guests talk about whatever comes to mind at her blog, http://theunpredictablemuse.blogspot.com Ellis’s new suspense novel, Time of Death, will be released November 18th. Artist Alex Jenrette shares the psychic streak that runs through the McGuire family. Just as it does her cousin Kate (Haunting Refrain), that ability gets her into trouble when she draws a scene she never imagined–murder. The killer she can’t identify wants to eliminate her, but maybe help from unlikely sources will come in time. Cold Comfort, suspense with romantic elements, is set in December during the long nights before the winter solstice.  Claire Spencer owns a Christmas shop in the charming town of Williamsburg, VA. Her quiet life is turned upside down when she becomes a killer’s target. Everything she believed is a lie, but the truth is cold comfort. Her first novel was Haunting Refrain, a romantic mystery set in South Carolina, now out on Kindle. It has a touch of paranormal, and reviewers described the characters as “delightful.” Ellis published The Peeper with Jim Christopher, a retired law enforcement officer. The Peeper is a police procedural/suspense novel set in the South Carolina upstate. Tea in the Afternoon is a collection of three short Southern stories, not her usual suspense stories. Ellis is a member of Sisters in Crime. Her home is in the South Carolina piedmont with her husband, two dogs, and a collection of wildlife that shows up for breakfast.

Links

Website. http://www.ellisvidler.com

Blog. http://theunpredictablemuse.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EllisVidler

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4054785.Ellis_Vidler

The original blog about Anax. http://khanrahan.com/2012/01/25/marc-and-anax/

Click on the covers to purchase her books.

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The Many Types of Love & Giveaway

Posted: January 9, 2013 in Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, giveaways, Guest Post, 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 guest post by 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!

The Many Types of Love & How They Manifest in My Life.

A guest post by Bella Andre

You know that saying – kindness begets kindness? Well, I think love begets love, and the more love you have in your life – of all types – the more you learn about how to love yourself and others. The first kind of love you learn about, soon after you’re born, is love for your family. Then comes love for your classmates and friends, then various dates until you meet the one.

Family love is so important to me. My husband is incredibly supportive and we’re both equal partners in everything we do. Since I’ve always got a new book to write, I try to get my pages in while the kids are at school. But since my daily to-do list often spills over into the evening, I often take my MacBook Air into the living room and write or answer emails while my kids play on the carpet.

In fact, just at this very moment, my son is organizing his baseball cards on the floor while my daughter sits beside him and colors…and my fabulous husband cleans up the kitchen. (Hooray for men with cleaning skills!) I hope we’re creating a loving, nurturing environment so when my kids grow up and find partners of their own, they know what true love feels like.

Mary Sullivan is an example of love for her eight children, the talented siblings of the Sullivan series. Because she cares so much for them, and they care for each other, they’re unwilling to accept less than that level of devotion and affection in their partner. The family is also so intuitive, they learn to recognize when the others are in love.

In my latest release, Smith (COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER) falls for his co-star’s sister. But Valentina is determined not to be the kind of woman who falls into bed with a sexy movie star. Only, when Smith’s family meets Valentina and Smith, they’re immediately able to see that Valentina is different than any other woman Smith has ever been with – and that Smith is happier because of her, too.


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)

The Prizes:

* iPad Mini

* Kindle Fire

* Nook Color

* Kobo eReader

* $100 Amazon gift cards (7 prizes)

* $50 Amazon gift cards (2 prizes)

* $25 Amazon gift cards (8 prizes)

on and iTunes gift cards.

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.

Sullivan Tour Badge

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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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Come Fall in Love with The Sullivans and Win Big!!

Posted: January 7, 2013 in Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, Excerpt, giveaways, Romance, Series
Tags: , , , ,
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Sullivan Tour Badge
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.

And now let’s get to know about The Sullivans

The Look of Love (The Sullivans, #1)

Enjoy the following excerpt for THE LOOK OF LOVE…

Chase almost missed the flickering light off on the right side of the two-lane country road. In the past thirty minutes, he hadn’t passed a single car, because on a night like this, most sane Californians—who didn’t know the first thing about driving safely in inclement weather—stayed home.

Knowing better than to slam on the brakes—he wouldn’t be able to help whomever was stranded on the side of the road if he ended up stuck in the muddy ditch right next to them—Chase slowed down enough to see that there was definitely a vehicle stuck in the ditch.

He turned his brights on to see better in the pouring rain and realized there was a person walking along the edge of the road about a hundred yards up ahead. Obviously hearing his car approach, she turned to face him and he could see her long wet hair whipping around her shoulders in his headlights.

Wondering why she wasn’t just sitting in her car, dry and warm, calling Triple A and waiting for them to come save her, he pulled over to the edge of his lane and got out to try and help her. She was shivering as she watched him approach.

“Are you hurt?”

She covered her cheek with one hand, but shook her head. “No.”

He had to move closer to hear her over the sound of the water hitting the pavement in what were rapidly becoming hailstones. Even though he’d turned his headlights off, as his eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness, he was able to get a better look at her face.

Something inside of Chase’s chest clenched tight.

Despite the long, dark hair plastered to her head and chest, regardless of the fact that looking like a drowned rat wasn’t too far off the descriptive mark, her beauty stunned him.

In an instant, his photographer’s eye cataloged her features. Her mouth was a little too big, her eyes a little too wide-set on her face. She wasn’t even close to model thin, but given the way her T-shirt and jeans stuck to her skin, he could see that she wore her lush curves well. In the dark he couldn’t judge the exact color of her hair, but it looked like silk, perfectly smooth and straight where it lay over her breasts.

It wasn’t until Chase heard her say, “My car is definitely hurt, though,” that he realized he had completely lost the thread of what he’d come out here to do.

Knowing he’d been drinking her in like he was dying of thirst, he worked to recover his balance. He could already see he’d been right about her car. It didn’t take a mechanic like his brother, Zach, who owned an auto shop—more like forty, but Chase had stopped counting years ago—to see that her shitty hatchback was borderline totaled. Even if the front bumper wasn’t half smashed to pieces by the white farm fence she’d slid into, her bald tires weren’t going to get any traction on the mud. Not tonight, anyway.

If her car had been in a less precarious situation, he probably would have sent her to hang out  in her car while he took care of getting it unstuck. But one of her back tires was hanging precariously over the edge of the ditch.

He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “Get in my car. We can wait there for a tow truck.” He was vaguely aware of his words coming out like an order, but the hail was starting to sting, damn it. Both of them needed to get out of the rain before they froze.

But the woman didn’t move. Instead, she gave him a look that said he was a complete and utter nut-job.

“I’m not getting into your car.”

Realizing just how frightening it must be for a lone woman to end up stuck and alone in the middle of a dark road, Chase took a step back from her. He had to speak loudly enough for her to hear him over the hail.

“I’m not going to attack you. I swear I won’t do anything to hurt you.”

She all but flinched at the word attack and Chase’s radar started buzzing. He’d never been a magnet for troubled women, wasn’t the kind of guy who thrived on fixing wounded birds. But living with two sisters for so many years meant he could always tell when something was up.

And something was definitely up with this woman, beyond the fact that her car was half-stuck in a muddy ditch.

Wanting to make her feel safe, he held his hands up. “I swear on my father’s grave, I’m not going to hurt you. It’s okay to get into my car.” When she didn’t immediately say no again, he pressed his advantage with, “I just want to help you.” And he did. More than it made sense to want to help a stranger. “Please,” he said. “Let me help you.”

She stared at him for a long moment, hail hammering between them, around them, onto them. Chase found himself holding his breath, waiting for her decision. It shouldn’t matter to him what she decided.

But, for some strange reason, it did.

…Excerpt from THE LOOK OF LOVE by Bella Andre ©2012.

The Sullivans have come to stay for a while on fuonlyknew! For the next two weeks I’ll be bringing you more excerpts from The Sullivans Series along with guest posts and interviews.There’ll be lots of yummy romance and awesome characters!

*Don’t forget to enter for some fabulous prizes!

Related articles

Cover Reveal for Oxford Shadows

Posted: January 7, 2013 in Book Promos, Cover Reveal, New Adult, Paranormal or fantasy, Romance, Series
Tags: , , , ,
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I’m pleased to be a part of this event organized by AToMR.

© Teresa Yeh Photography Proofs

Title: Oxford Shadows (The Oxford Trilogy, # 2)

Author: Marion Croslydon

Expected release date: May 6th, 2013

Age Group/Genre: New Adult Paranormal

Cover Designer: Phat Puppy Art, Photography by Teresa Yeh

Book trailer by: Studio22 Production

goodreads-badge-add-plus

Book Description:

When death is a new beginning and love an old curse.

Still recovering from her last tango with the afterlife, Louisiana-born Madison LeBon struggles not only with her life as an Oxford postgrad but also with her budding love for Rupert Vance, aristocrat extraordinaire. One thing is certain, though: she won’t run away from her powers anymore. From now on she’ll face the music …

… literally!

When a sixteenth-century ghost makes an appearance during a classical concert Madison attends and threatens her boyfriend’s family, she sets out to explore the dark mysteries of the Tudors, even if that means confronting their most royal and homicidal character.

Her plans take an unexpected turn when her voodoo heritage catches up with her. With horror, she understands what her fate was always meant to be.

The question now is: Can Rupert be part of it?

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXNGATIx1jw&w=560&h=315]

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About the author

Marion Croslydon oxford

                       

In addition to being an author, I work as an entrepreneur, wife and mother-of-one but spend a good deal of time with books, DVDs and listening to my mp3 player; all for the sake of inspiration, of course.
My debut series, The Oxford Trilogy, has been a blast to write because I can indulge in my favorite types of music: Country and English rock.
My main goal as a writer is to make readers dream bigger and cause their hearts to beat a little faster.
Since my writing is all about sharing dreams and stories, I love connecting with fellow readers and authors.

Marion Croslydon | Twitter | Facebook

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The Crimson Hunt Giveaway

Posted: January 2, 2013 in Blog Tour, Book Promos, Excerpt, giveaways, New Adult, otherworldly, Romance, Science Fiction
Tags: , , ,
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Thanks to AToMR for letting me be a part of this amazing tour.

The Crimson Hunt Cover V Smith JPEG HI RES.jpg.0x675.egrvsvxhlfupu8fr03ak313rvqme7b9

Title: The Crimson Hunt (Book One: Eldaen Light Chronicles)

Author: Victoria H. Smith

Release date: November 7, 2012

Genre: Science Fiction Romance

Age Group: New Adult

Event organized by: AToMR Tours

Buy Links:  Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Smashwords | Print

Book Description:

College junior Ariel Richmond is working on year three of Project Normalcy.

Her house reeks of keggers past and her bestie is just a slight bit vulgar. But the thing is—they both aid in making life refreshingly uneventful.

So much for hard-earned mediocrity when Luca Grinaldi appears on the scene.

Luca’s sudden presence on campus is hard to ignore. Those bright eyes act like a beacon to unsuspecting females, and with features like his, he’s got to be moonlighting for GQ. Luca hopelessly captivates Ariel with his confidence and charisma, but the mysteries surrounding him make him nearly untouchable. And just when Ariel grows close enough to unlock his secrets, a tragic event sends her life in a downward spiral.

That steady life is no longer an option and allies quickly become scarce. The mysterious Luca seems to be the only one willing to help her—but with that trust comes the burden of his secrets. He has a dark mission of otherworldly proportions, and is willing to sacrifice as many lives as it takes to see it completed.

Gone are the days of simply maintaining normalcy, and if Ariel isn’t cautious with her trust, so soon may be her future.

The Crimson Hunt is a New Adult Science Fiction Romance.

Excerpt

I continued my rigorous review of the material. But as the night went on, I didn’t gain much ground. There were about fifteen chapters in the first half of the semester’s lectures. I was only up to chapter eight. There’d never be enough time for me to get them down pat before the midterm tomorrow. I wanted to cry at the thought. Laying my head in my textbook, I hoped the words would materialize into my brain.

“I think the book works better if you are actually reading it.” A gentle laugh accompanied the words.

I jolted, startled by Luca’s sudden appearance. I quickly raised my head, hoping to God there weren’t any page marks indented into my face. I rubbed my eyes, and Luca’s beautiful face appeared before me. “Don’t be so mean. I’m stressing out here. The midterm is tomorrow.” I said this though I didn’t really mind that he poked fun at me. It was really cute to see him joke.

I couldn’t help but notice how hot he looked tonight with his strong build lining his t-shirt. He should never cover his beauty with clothes and such things. He also wore a heather-gray carpenter jacket. I hoped my cardigan was enough for the weather when I left tonight.

“I was not trying to be cruel. I was just stating a fact.” He laughed again and sat on the edge of the table.

I smiled, his laugher bringing my anxiety down a bit.

“What are you caught up on? May I be of any use?”

There were a lot of things he could help me with at this point, but none of them had to do with Zoology.

About the Author

Victoria H. Smith

Victoria H. Smith has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. She puts it to good use writing romance all day. She resides in the Midwest with her Macbook on her lap and a cornfield to her right. She often draws inspiration for her stories from her own life experiences, and the twenty-something characters she writes give her an earful about it.

In her free time, she enjoys extreme couponing, blogging, reading, and sending off a few tweets on Twitter when she can. She writes new adult fiction romance in the sub-genres of science fiction, urban fantasy, and contemporary, but really, anywhere her pen takes her she goes.

Author social media links: Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway

 (1) eBook copy of The Crimson Hunt (Book One: Eldaen Light Chronicles).

Open International.

eBooks will be in mobi, epub, and pdf formats gifted from Smashwords.

All winners will be sent to the author at one time after the Jan. 25th date.

  • If a winner does not have an e-reader they can download the Kindle app for free to their computers on Amazon.

To enter, please leave your email address and answer this question, “What did you think of the excerpt?”

Contest ends Jan. 16th.

Thank you and Good Luck!

Love is a Free Book!

Posted: December 29, 2012 in Chick Lit, Freebies!, Humor, reviews, Romance, Series
Tags: , , , ,
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Perfect Strangers by Liv Morris is free Dec. 28th through Dec. 30th! I spotted this short story last night and had to have it. The cover is sassy and the contents fog up the car windows. Thanks so much Liv.

Go here to get your free copy! Don’t wait too long.

PERFECT STRANGERS - (A Love in the City Short)

Add To Goodreads

Here it is, New Years Eve, and Katrina is still hard at work trying to get her yearend reports done. When her boss comes in to shoo her home, she’s just finished with them. Now for a whole week off!

Finally the doors slide open and I practically jump in. As the cage starts to descend, I do a little happy dance. My vacation has officially begun. Yay, me!

I’m free for a whole seven days and plan on being a lazy sloth. Days filled with wearing yoga pants and watching old Audrey Hepburn movies are awaiting me. Oh, and ice cream. Lots and lots of chocolate ice cream.

Aah, a girl after my own heart.

When Katrina exits the building, she grows concerned. The supposed two inches of snowfall has turned into a winter blizzard and it’s going to be a tense, hazardous drive to meet her parents for dinner. If she’s careful, and takes it slow she should be okay.

Well, as fate, or cupid, would have it, she’s not okay.

Pulling out of the parking garage, I’m hit with a wall of snow. The weatherman said flurries were likely this afternoon, but this is close to being a complete whiteout.

A bus in front of her fishtails and she can’t escape the pileup that ensues. A bump on the head is her only injury.

When a handsome young man taps on her window, she assures him she’s okay and accepts his offer to wait for emergency vehicles in the warmth of his car. It may be a long wait, but things are looking up!

Quote I liked

“Yeah, I tend to speak like a crazy person when I’m around a hot guy. I have a chronic condition of hormone-induced Tourette’s.”

I loved the conversation between Katrina and Drew. It’s funny how you find yourself telling things to a complete stranger. Their banter is funny and the sexual attraction is heating up.

I can’t resist a short story. It’s a great way to get a sampling of an author’s writing and after reading Perfect Strangers,  I know I like the way Liv Morris writes.

I was into the story from the opening and rubbed my hands together in glee as I read on. I had an idea of what was ahead, but had a great time getting there.

While I don’t wish to be stuck in the snow, if I were, I’d hope to “bump” into someone like Drew.

Four of Cupid’s Arrows for Perfect Strangers.

     

While on Amazon, I bought Liv’s other short story, Magic at Macy’s. It’s only 99 cents! and free for Kindle Prime Members. You can get your copy here.

Magic at Macy's

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I’m really loving the cover art for Liv’s Love in the City collection.

Yale University freshman Ally Brown is spending her first Thanksgiving away from home. Feeling alone and restless in a deserted dormitory, she sets off on an adventure to tour the amazing holiday window displays along New York City’s Fifth Avenue.

But her plans get sidetracked as she switches from tourist to stalker after spotting her crush, Jack Prescott, who is taking the same train into the city. He’s the handsome Editor in Chief of the Yale Daily News and the man of her dreams—if only she could work up the courage to speak to him.

Certain that it would take a miracle for Jack to notice her, Ally experiences her own “Miracle on 34th Street” when things take a surprisingly romantic turn, thanks to a little Magic at Macy’s.

I’ll be doing my review  for  Magic at Macy’s soon and can’t wait to read her first full length novel, Happy Hour, when it’s released.

About the author

Liv Morris

Currently Liv resides in Manhattan with her husband of twenty-eight years. They have three grown daughters who are scattered across the United States. She was raised in the beautiful Ozark Mountains of southern Missouri and feels blessed to have a supportive and close family.

Liv received a B.S. in Communication from the University of Maryland. She has published her first short story/novella in the “Love in the City” collection and is currently writing her debut novel, Happy Hour.

Contacts

Website

Goodreads

Twitter

To purchase her books, click on the covers

….It’s In His Kiss

Posted: December 27, 2012 in fiction, Humor, reviews, Romance, Short stories and collections, YA
Tags: , , , ,
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If you want to know

If he loves you so

It’s in his kiss…

It's in His Kiss

Add To Goodreads

This is a really fast read. Only 40 some pages, but I just loved it.

Ely is a writer of YA books. Her agent is pushing her to have her 16-year-old character from her series experience her first kiss. As Ely lives through her writing and has no experience herself, she calls on her friend to help her out.

Lisbeth is a hot looking siren, you know the type. All of the guys crowd around her vying for her attention as she preens and flirts, while you are brushed aside.

Ely doesn’t care about all that. She just needs her advice on describing a young teens first kiss.

Lisbeth suggests they go to a nightclub to do research and what happens there is much more than Ely ever dreamed of.

I adored this story. Even if I had an idea where it was going, it still surprised and delighted me. I felt all warm and fuzzy inside and had a lot of laughs at Ely’s expense. She’s a good sport and puts up with a lot of crap from Lisbeth.

There are some hot guys in this and even though you don’t get to know a lot about them, their personalities make you wish you did.

It was fun reading a story about a writer developing and researching her character and making her grow and mature. All writers should have fun with this short and sweet tale.

I give this 4 Kisses!

     

It’s now only 99 cents and well worth it!

*My review is unbiased and my thoughts are my own.

About the author

Caitie Quinn loves to laugh, has been told she smiles too much, and honestly believes that Jeeps… the vehicle and the guy… are better with the top off. If you like her stories, you need to thank her two grandmothers, Grammy M and Nana, for passing on that wonderful (hereditary) storytelling gene.

Contacts

Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Amazon

To purchase the books, click on the covers.

Giveaway and Cover Reveal: Dracian Legacy

Posted: December 18, 2012 in Blog Tour, Cover Reveal, Debut Novel, Excerpt, giveaways, Paranormal or fantasy, Series, YA Fantasy
Tags: , , , ,
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Priya- Dracian Banner-1

I’m excited to be a part of the cover reveal for Priya Kanaparti’s upcoming new release, Dracian Legacy, Book #1. It looks like we have a new series to start and characters to fall in love with.

Is this not stunning?!

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 Book Title: The Dracian Legacy – Book 1 (Dracian Legacy Trilogy)

Author: Priya Kanaparti

Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy Romance

The designer for the cover art is the amazing Regina Wamba at maeidesign.com

Release Date: February 14th, 2013

 

ADD TO GOODREADS

 

Book blurb

Ren and Axel are caught between two powerful magical races: one destined to end the bloodshed, the other out for vengeance.

Seventeen-year-old Ren Pernell is prophesied to end the war between the Dracians and the Telalians. So when a Dracian, Axel Knight, is sent to find and bring back the prophesied one before she turns eighteen and Telalians discover of her existence, unexpected sparks start to fly between the two. Once Ren finds the truth behind Axel’s arrival, she wants everything to do with him and nothing to do with his mission.

Things prove to be difficult as Ren’s life is constantly threatened by forces that are beyond her control, including the leader of the Telalians. With the clock ticking and Ren’s life in jeopardy, it is no longer just a mission for Axel. It becomes a personal endeavor to save the only one he’s ever loved. In a heart racing ending, they must find a way to evade the preordained war that won’t also end Ren’s life.

Priya is having an awesome giveaway to celebrate her cover reveal and upcoming release of Dracian Legacy.

The giveaway starts 12/18/2012 and ends 1/4/2013. With the exception of swag, all the e-books are open for international entries.

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This giveaway will have 5 winners:

2 Winners will receive an E-Book ARC of Dracian Legacy

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1 Winner will receive 2 E-Books of choice to Sheely Crane’s Significance Series

Significance (Significance, #1)  Accordance (Significance, #2)  Defiance (Significance, #3)

1 Winner will receive 2 E=Books of choice from Jennifer Armentrout’s Covenant Series

Half-Blood (Covenant, #1)  Pure (Covenant, #2)  Deity (Covenant, #3)

1 Winner will receive swag from Shelly Crane

Click on the rafflecopter link to enter for a chance at some awesome books and swag!

A rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour dracian

About the author

_MG_3750-1 author dracian

Priya Kanaparti was born in India, grew up in Detroit, and is now living in Boise, ID. She attended Wayne State University for her undergrad degree in Bachelor of Science in Biology, and University of Phoenix for her Masters in Business Administration. Priya works as a project manager in software field during the day and lives in the world of her characters during the nights and weekends. She had found the love for reading and writing early this year, when she stayed home with her year old and needed something to occupy those ‘downtime’ hours.

She loves playing tennis on a good summer day and chess during the cold winters, but reading and writing has become a year round hobby.

She lives in Boise with her husband, son and a Yorkie. Dracian Legacy is her debut novel.

Contact information:

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Goodreads Dracian Legacy

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