Monday, February 29, 2016

Spotlight: The Asset by Anne del Mar

The Asset
Wounded Warrior Series
Book One
Anna del Mar


Genre: Romantic suspense,
Contemporary romance,
Military romance, SEAL romance.
Publisher: Carina Press
Date of Publication: Feb 22, 2016
Number of pages: 336 pages


Anna del Mar’s explosive, sexy debut novel in the Wounded Warrior series, perfect for fans of Lisa Marie Rice and Lora Leigh—the story of a woman desperate to escape her dangerous past and the navy SEAL who would lay down his life to save her.

Book Description:

Ash Hunter knows what it is to run. A SEAL gravely injured in Afghanistan, he’s gone AWOL from the military hospital. Physically and mentally scarred, he returns home to his grandmother’s isolated cottage—and finds a beautiful, haunted stranger inside.

Like recognizes like.

Lia Stewart’s in hiding from the cartel she barely escaped alive, holed up in this small Rocky Mountain town. Surviving, but only just. Helping the wounded warrior on her doorstep is the right thing to do…it’s loving him that might get them both killed.

Soon, Ash realizes he’s not the only one tormented by the past. Pushing the limits of his broken body, testing the boundaries of her shattered soul, he’ll protect Lia until his last breath.

Amazon  | Carina Press | Barnes and Noble | Kobo  Google Play

About the Author:

Anna del Mar writes hot, smart romances that soothe the soul, challenge the mind, and satisfy the heart. Her stories focus on strong heroines struggling to find their place in the world and the brave, sexy, kickass, military heroes who defy the limits of their broken bodies to protect the women they love. She is the author of The Asset (Carina Press), the first novel of her Wounded Warrior series and three other novels scheduled for release during 2016.

A Georgetown University graduate, Anna enjoys traveling, hiking, skiing, and the sea. Writing is her addiction, her drug of choice, and what she wants to do all the time. The extraordinary men and women she met during her years as a Navy wife inspire the fabulous heroes and heroines at the center of her stories. When she stays put—which doesn’t happen very often—she lives in Florida with her indulgent husband and two very opinionated cats.


Author Links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Spotlight: Magic Moment by Angela Adams

Magic Moment
Angela Adams


Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Amazon Encore
Date of Publication: August 5, 2015
Number of pages:  264

Book Description:

When the FBI brings Laura Roberts - a quiet, reserved bookkeeper - in for questioning regarding activities at the warehouse where she works, an uneasy Laura resigns her job - only to be attacked by thugs.

Chase Donovan intends to spend a few peaceful days on his boat getting his head together - and finds a woman being assaulted by two men who say his father told them to do it.

Chase doesn't want to believe his father could hurt anyone. Laura doesn't understand why she's a target. Can they learn to work together to discover the truth - before someone dies?


Excerpt:
Laura is having lunch at the local diner when two FBI agents approach her and insist she come down to headquarters and answer a few questions. A bewildered Laura finds Chase Donovan, her boss’s son, coming to her aid.
“Laura works for my father,” Chase said. “If I don’t see some identification, she’s not going anywhere with you.” To prove his point, his hand moved downward and his fingers wrapped gently around her forearm.
Chase also worked for his father, although what his role was within the business was generally debatable among the clientele. This was so embarrassing. In the three years Laura had worked as Dick Donovan’s bookkeeper, her conversations with his son had been work-related or cordial exchanges about the weather. If there was any chance of the floor opening up and swallowing her, she considered now the perfect time.
She turned to Chase. “Thank you for your concern. I’ve seen their identification.” She didn’t mention the hasty badge flip. “They have me confused with someone else. I’ll take care of the error, and get back to the office as soon as I can.”
“Let me go with you.” Chase tossed the men a wary glance. He still held her arm. “You should have an attorney.”
Laura winced, truly mortified. There was no need for an attorney or involving Chase Donovan in calling one. She had done nothing illegal. “I’m fine.”

Amazon

About the Author:

Angela Adams writes and reviews contemporary romances. Her work has appeared in Romance at Heart, Oysters and Chocolate, Whipped Cream Reviews and The Long and Short Reviews. Her short story, "Burgers and Hot Chocolate" appeared in the Whimsical Publications' anthology, Winter Wonders.  Magic Moment is her first novel.

Angela is a member of Romance Writers of America, and its chapters From the Heart Romance Writers and Elements of RWA.


Author Links:

Facebook | Blog | Google+

Tour Giveaway:
$25 Starbucks Gift Card



Thursday, February 18, 2016

Spotlight: A Hold On Me by Pat Esden

A Hold on Me
Dark Heart Series
Book One
Pat Esden





Genre: New adult gothic/paranormal romance
Publisher: Kensington Books
Date of Publication:February 23, 2016
Number of pages: 320





Book Description:

She never wanted to return.

He wants nothing more than for her to leave.

But the fire between them is as strong as the past that haunts them.

Annie Freemont grew up on the road, immersed in the romance of rare things, cultivating an eye for artifacts and a spirit for bargaining. It’s a freewheeling life she loves and plans to continue until her dad is diagnosed with dementia. His illness forces them to return to Moonhill, their ancestral home on the coast of Maine and to the family they left behind fifteen years ago, after Annie’s mother died in a suspicious accident.

Once at Moonhill, Annie is shocked when her aunt separates her from her father. The next time Annie sees him, he’s a bizarre, violent shadow of his former self.

Confused, she turns to an unlikely ally for support Chase, the dangerously seductive young groundskeeper. With his dark good looks and powerful presence, Chase has an air of mystery that Annie is irresistibly drawn to. But she also senses that behind his penetrating eyes are secrets she can’t even begin to imagine. Secrets that hold the key to the past, to Annie’s own longings and to all of their futures. Now, to unlock them, she’ll have to face her greatest fears and embrace her legacy...


Excerpt:

Chapter 1

“There are things darker than night, darker than the souls of wicked men or a woman of unchained passions. Believe me, for I have known them well.”
Josette Savoy Abrams
Beach Rose House. Bar Harbor, Maine

Most people went to church to save their souls, but not Dad and I. We went there to see the priest about treasure.
It was a cold day in February and the church was an abandoned stone chapel on a back road near our home in Vermont. With its gloomy stained-glass windows and carvings of gargoyles under its sagging eaves, the chapel was exactly the kind of place where antique pickers like Dad and I could find the weird treasures and the gothic furniture our customers loved to buy. And, as luck would have it, the bishop had given the local priest permission to sell the entire contents as he saw fit.
The priest glanced once more at the grungy pews and the statue of St. Anthony with its chipped fingers and peeling paint. “Now that you’ve seen everything, are you still interested?”
Dad gave my shoulder a squeeze. “What do you think, Annie?”
“Ah--” I let my voice crack as if my jitteriness was nerves instead of excitement, then I met the priest’s eyes.  “One price for everything, right?”
“For all the contents. That doesn’t include anything that’s part of the structure. No windows, attached light fixtures, doors, none of those sorts of things.” His tone left no room for debate.
Dad looked down, scratching his elbow while I took a scrap of paper and a pen from the turned up sleeve of my bulky sweater. I jotted down the offer he and I had covertly agreed on when the priest had turned away for a moment, then handed it to the priest.
The priest’s brow furrowed as he studied the paper.  He ran a finger under his collar, cleared his throat, and finally glanced at Dad. “Perhaps you should look at this before we agree?”
Dad waved off his suggestion.  “This was her idea. The offer is hers to make.”
“All right, then,” the priest said. “We have a deal.”
I counted out a thin stack of hundreds and gave them to him.  In turn, he passed Dad the church keys, all neatly labeled.  The truth was, he wasn’t the sort of person who would have ever believed a twenty-year-old girl with ripped jeans and a stud in her nose could know the first thing about valuing antiques—as Dad and I had hoped.
“Sorry I can’t stay and help,” he said, “but I have to get back to St. Mary’s in time for Mass. When you’re finished taking what you want, leave the keys in the box outside the door. I hope you find enough to make this worth your effort.” 
“I hope so too,” Dad said, without cracking a smile. But, as soon as the priest went out the front door, he did a little victory dance and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “Perfectly played. If I’d given him an offer that low, he’d have thought I was up to something for sure.”
Every inch of me tingled with anticipation. “So, where do you want to begin?” I asked.  
Dad jangled the keys. “It appears the priest neglected to give us one very specific key. The one to the only room he didn’t take us into or even mention.  I don’t know about you, but that makes me curious.”
“The sacristy?”  I said.
“That would be the one. Did you notice how he fidgeted with his collar, too?”
“I figured he thought everything was junk—that he was nervous I’d offered too much and that you’d back out.”
“That’s possible. But don’t ever underestimate your opponent. There could be something else behind his uneasiness. Perhaps he hid something in the sacristy, something of value he hoped the diocese would forget. Priests are men, after all. They come in all shades of honesty, like the rest of us.” He stroked his chin, a sure sign that he was about to launch into one of his home-brewed tales. “You remember the story about my wicked great-uncle Harmon and the Canary Island sirens? He always claimed to be a spiritual man, forthright and faithful to his wife. . . .”
I loved listening to Dad’s crazy stories. But, as he began an abridged version of a tale that easily could have gone on for an hour, the word faithful sent my mind veering in a different direction--to me and Taj and a matinee of Romeo and Juliet, to his practiced fingers slipping under my skirt, up my inner thighs. The rush of desire. His words hot and moist against my neck:  “Oh, baby, c’mon. I want you so bad.”
Men come in all shades of honesty for sure.


Indiebound  | Amazon  | BN  | Books a Million



About the Author:
Pat Esden would love to say she spent her childhood in intellectual pursuits. The truth is she was fonder of exploring abandoned houses and old cemeteries. When not out on her own adventures, she can be found in her northern Vermont home writing stories about brave, smart women and the men who capture their hearts. An antique-dealing florist by trade, she’s also a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, and the League of Vermont Writers. Her short stories have appeared in a number of publications, including Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show, the Mythopoeic Society’s Mythic Circle literary magazine, and George H. Scither’s anthology Cat Tales.

Author Links:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Tumblr | Pinterest 


Tour giveaway:
 $20 Amazon gift card
a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Friday, February 12, 2016

Spotlight: The Strength of Love by G.L. Ross

The Strength of Love
G.L. Ross




Genre: Contemporary Romance,
Inspirational Romance, General Fiction
Date of Publication: December 14, 2015
Number of pages: 224
Cover Artist: James at GoOnWrite.com




Book Description:
Thankfully, some love stories are so strong they never die. "The Strength of Love" is a tale of love, loss, and second chances. This inspiring love story shares how several men influenced one woman’s life and showered her with love in different ways. Experience love, friendship, faith, suspense, tragedy, humor, and a super-natural element...always and forever.

A tale of love, loss, and second chances. This inspiring love story shares how several men influenced one woman’s life and showered her with love in different ways. Experience love, friendship, faith, suspense, tragedy, humor, and a supernatural element…always and forever.

Always the bridesmaid, but never the bride, Rachel Thompson is ready to give up on love, before rodeo cowboy Brooks Reynolds rides into the arena and lassos her heart. His smoldering looks and strong yet tender nature sweep her off her feet.

Life is pinch-worthy and picture-book perfect, except on the eve of her wedding Rachel’s love story is ripped from the pages. After two months of grieving, she discovers her nightmare is never-ending. In order to escape her heartbreaking past, the middle-school counselor relocates to a new city for a fresh start and a second chance at happiness and perhaps even love. Through her faith and the support of her family and friends she discovers sought after answers during an unexpected journey.

Amazon  | Kobo  | BN  | iTunes  | Smashwords

Review:

“As a blogger I read a lot of books, but I can honestly say that I have never read a more compelling and beautiful story than this one." ~
Tabitha Stokes, Amazeballs Book Addicts.



Excerpt:
More teams compete, until finally team ten enters the starting box.
“This is them, Rachel. Oh, my gosh, aren’t they smokin’?”
Rachel’s eyes shoot in the direction of the commanding man sitting tall in the saddle. His jet-black hair curls slightly against the collar of his royal blue western-style shirt. The short sleeves are rolled to fit snugly against his massive, bulging biceps. It’s obvious where he spends his free time, from the fine-tuned muscles and the dark tan encompassing his fit frame. Oh my, she mumbles as he sits his buck-colored hat firmly on his head. He secures his boots in his stirrups. His long fingers toy with the coiled rope. Sam acknowledges him with a nod and the steer is released. They’re off. Like bullets the three of them skillfully dart one after another. The steer runs for its’ life as Sam’s rope lunges into action. He twirls his lasso with the style and grace of a ballerina demonstrating pirouettes. As if he has mind reading skills, Brooks instinctively releases his rope. The twisted twine skims perfectly under the steer’s hooves and is brilliantly tightened to prevent the two hundred plus pound animal from moving forward. The two riders face each other backing their horses until the steer is air born. Everything is magically timed and over-the-top exhilarating. The ladies are on their feet screaming as the announcer exclaims team number ten has the best time of eight and a half seconds, with only one more team left to compete.
Sam waves his hat at Courtney who shouts and blows him a kiss. Brooks’ eyes dart toward the high-pitched squeal. Even from the distance, Rachel notices the brilliant blue eyes aimed her direction. Her chest heaves as though she ran a half-marathon. She catches her breath and continues applauding the skilled ride. How could a sporting event be so exhilarating and sexually satisfying? Brooks tips his hat toward her, with a crooked grin, and follows Sam to the exit.
With bated breath, Rachel and Courtney watch the next ride. The team is quite skilled, but can’t beat team ten’s ride. The guys are victorious. All eleven teams enter the arena. Team ten smiles proudly as they are awarded their trophy and belt buckles. Sam hurdles the wall and makes his way into Courtney’s welcoming arms. Brooks laughs at his exuberant teammate and hollers for him to get his ass back to the stables. Once again the announcer broadcasts congratulations to team ten the new Smith County team-roping champions. Rachel enjoys the view of the faded jean clad butts exiting the arena. She’s savoring one fine set of firm ass cheeks when the beholder glances back over his shoulder catching her in the act. He winks. She blushes, prior to catching her breath and smiling. Brooks relishes catching her in the act. He turns and tosses an arm over his partner’s shoulders. Sam lifts the trophy into the air. They turn the corner and disappear. Courtney proudly exclaims, “Team ten wins!”
Rachel smiles and says, “A ten—yes, he definitely is a ten. 

About the Author:


G.L. Ross is a proud, sixth generation, native Texan. As a true Southern Belle, G.L. has always dreamt of the “happily ever after,” the prince riding in on the white horse sweeping her off her feet. She hasn’t found “Prince Charming” – yet (always an optimist) – but finds him every time she writes about her characters’ “happily ever after” endings.

Her motto in life is to “always find the good” in every person and situation. Whether through laughter, prayer, music, or a glass of wine or vodka, G.L. finds the good in life and shares her sense of humor, love, faith, and adventure in her stories.

Experience family, faith, and love in The Strength of Love. Take a steamy flight with Lance & Lisa in Turbulent Passion, and continue their sexy journey in Burning Desire. Crosswind, book three, in the Flyboy Trilogy will release in 2016. You must also meet hunky rancher, Graham Gaskin, in A Rose Has Thorns…He’s smokin’ hot!


Author Links:
Twitter | Facebook | Blog | Website



Tour giveaway: 
1 Heart bracelet and a heart candle open to US Shipping
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Thursday, February 4, 2016

Spotlight & Giveaway! The Deepest Well by Juliette Cross

The Deepest Well
Age of Gray
Book 1
Juliette Cross



Genre: historical paranormal romance
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Date of Publication: Feb 2, 2016
Cover Artist: Kanaxa



Love can stand the test of time. Can it rise above the taint of Hell?

Book Description:

Lady Katherine Blakely is married to a monster. On the same night she witnesses how low her husband can sink, she meets a charming stranger, a gentleman from top to toe. Yet even her gallant rescuer is possessed of a dark side.

Lord George Draconis Thornton, commander of the Dominus Daemonum, is on a mission to expel the demon prince Damas back to the underworld. But a golden-haired beauty derails his plans and stirs an attraction he’s never felt before, not even for his centuries-dead wife.

Discovering Lord Blakely is in league with Damas, George sweeps Katherine away from the chaos and devilry threatening her life. With every touch, their love grows by joyful leaps and bounds.

Sensing his enemy’s vulnerability, Damas kidnaps Katherine to his hellish lair, where he wages a sensual assault on her defenses. As George tears at heaven and earth to find her, he is painfully aware of only one way to save her soul. The cost will break her heart…and destroy his own.

Warning: Contains wolves in gentlemen’s clothing, a precipitous descent into Hell, and a frightening glimpse of a post-apocalyptic world where angels and demons wage war for dominion on earth.



Excerpt:
 “How do you know about the world of demons, George? How did you move as they did? I thought I had fainted by the pond and awakened beside the barn, but I didn’t, did I?” 
Had she imagined being transported from the horses to the barn in a long blink? 
“No, you didn’t faint. It’s called sifting. A power of the angels, to move from place to place at will.” 
“But they weren’t angels.” 
“They were once.” 
Fallen angels. Could this be possible? What did that make the man standing before her? He inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Perhaps I should define the two realms for you.” 
“That would be lovely.” 
His mouth quirked at her sarcasm, though he chose not to comment. “There is the Flamma of Light and the Flamma of Dark.” 
“Flamma?” 
“Fire, in Latin, which is the common tongue between the heavenly and demonic hosts.” 
She pulled her hand from his and stood, staring into the flames. “Why fire?” 
He joined her and removed his wet coat. “I asked the same question once.” He winced as he peeled the coat off his right arm. A pool of red had soaked through his undershirt. 
“Oh God, your arm, George. You’re bleeding.” 
“It’s nothing.” 
“It’s not nothing.” 
Just as he had unbuttoned her jacket, she swiftly unfastened his waistcoat, then his shirt and peeled them off him. Steering her gaze away from his finely sculpted chest and broad shoulders, she examined the cut more closely. She bent over and, with a quick rip, tore a long strip from her shift. 
“You needn’t do that, Katherine.” 
“Be still and let me mend you as best I can.” 
He held his arm straight so that she could wrap the fabric around his arm. 
“Why fire?” she asked again, busying herself with the makeshift bandage. 
“Flamma are all touched by fire, an otherworldly power given to each of us.” 
She remembered the way he moved, the way the demons moved, with supernatural speed and agility. A drop of rain dripped from his tousled hair, landing on his shoulder before rolling forward. She followed its path as it slid down and over his pectoral. Trying to regain her composure, she inhaled a deep breath, which was a mistake. She breathed in the heady scent of rain and beautiful man, her agitation amplified by his proximity and the undeniable power surging through his body. She longed to touch him, to know what all that strength would feel like under her fingertips, but she was paralyzed by her own desire and wavered on a dangerous precipice. When she’d cinched the bandage into a neat knot and finally chanced a glance at him, his smile nearly buckled her knees. 
“There,” she whispered. “That will stop the bleeding.” 
“I’m not so sure.” 
“What do you mean?” 
His shoulders went rigid as if he were holding himself in tight control. Katherine knew his thoughts had wandered away from the wound in his arm. She asked again, “What do you mean, George?” 
His eyes slid closed. “I love to hear my name on your lips.” He opened his eyes again, his jaw set in grave lines. “What I mean, my lady, is that I am bleeding inwardly, and I know of only one way to stop it.” 
Katherine was well aware of the tension filling the room, of the rise of her heart rate, of the longing in his gaze, which surely matched her own. She realized she was tumbling over that cliff. And she didn’t care, quite content to drown in his aquamarine gaze. 
“How can I stop it, George? Tell me.” 
“I’d rather show you.”

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About the Author:


Juliette is a multi-published author of paranormal and urban fantasy romance. She calls lush, moss-laden Louisiana home, where the landscape curls into her imagination, creating mystical settings for her stories. From the moment she read JANE EYRE as a teenager, she fell in love with the Gothic romance--brooding characters, mysterious settings, persevering heroines, and dark, sexy heroes. Even then, she not only longed to read more books set in Gothic worlds, she wanted to create her own.

Author Links:
Website | Amazon Author Page | 

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Tour Giveaway:

$25 Amazon Gift Certificate
$10 Amazon Gift Certificate

Signed Print copy of FORGED IN FIRE

Tour giveaway:
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