Release Day Blitz: “Throttle Me” (Men Of Inked #1) by Chelle Bliss – Synopsis, Playlist & Teasers

 

Title: “Throttle Me” (Men of Inked Series Book #1)

Author: Chelle Bliss

Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance/Erotica

Release Date: 31st March, 2014

ADD TO GOODREADS

SYNOPSIS

Suzy’s a control freak and has her life mapped out – work hard, find a man with a stable job, and live happily ever after. She’s content with the status quo, but her plan comes to a screeching halt when he enters her life and turns it upside down.

City gave up on love when his heart was crushed in college, preferring to be the typical bachelor. He spends his nights hopping from one bed to another and his days working at his family tattoo shop, Inked. A chance encounter on a dark road makes him question what he had sworn off forever – a relationship.

A night of passion and lust causes them to question everything. Is City the knight in shining armor to the damsel in distress? Can their relationship survive when a fantasy falls apart and a secret comes out that changes everything?

Purchase Links

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JCXG4SS/
Amazon UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00JCXG4SS/
Amazon CA:
http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00JCXG4SS/
Amazon AU:
http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00JCXG4SS/
Barnes & Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/throttle-me-chelle-bliss/1119045138?ean=2940149427703

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Click here to join the Chelle Bliss Newsletter
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PLAYLIST

 

 

BOOKS BY CHELLE BLISS

Chelle Bliss Amazon

Release Day Blitz: “Dear Tabitha” (Forever Family #2) by Trudy Stiles – Synopsis, Book Trailer & Giveaway

Along with Trudy Stiles, we are very excited to share with you the Release of Dear Tabitha, the 2nd book in The Forever Family Series. If you have not read Dear Emily (Book #1) yet, now is the time to grab it while it is on sale for ONLY $.99 in celebration of the New Release.

Make sure to check out the Book Trailer, add this series to your Goodreads, enter the Giveaway below for a Kindle Paperwhite and Amazon Gift Cards and join the Facebook Release Party Event for more fun and giveaways!

Author: Trudy Stiles

Book Title: Dear Tabitha ~ Series: Forever Family #2

Genre: New Adult/Romance

 

 

Synopsis

 

You know me. You know who I am. What I am.

Damaged. Confused. Alone.

You feel sorry for me. You pity me.

You know what I’ve done. What I’ve given up. Who I’ve given up.

You try to understand what I’ve been through and how I can possibly go on with my life.

But you can’t possibly understand.

I’ve lost too much. Sacrificed too much. Given up everything so that I can find myself.

Well I’m done.

I’m done walking away from everything that matters.

It’s time for me to heal.

It’s MY TURN to earn…

Redemption.

Love.

Family.

 

Purchase Links

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords

Book Trailer – Created by Becca at Bibliophile Productions

Trudy Stiles is a New Adult author, mom to two beautiful children, and married to the love of her life. She is the author of the Forever Family series including “Dear Emily” and “Dear Tabitha”. There will be many more stories from this series and you never know who may have a standalone or novella written for them. Stay tuned!

Trudy is a music junkie and you’ll know that she’s writing when you see her plugged into her laptop with her earbuds in. Her playlist is unique and is a must for her writing sprints.

When she’s not writing, she’s carting her children to their various activities while avoiding any kind of laundry or housework. She also loves to run along the boardwalk of the beautiful New Jersey shore.

She’s always been an avid reader and frequently escapes into the fictional worlds of the many characters that she has come to love. Well, now there are some fictional characters in her head dying to get out!

This first story is called “Dear Emily” and was released in December 2013. “Dear Tabitha” will be released in March 2014. The Forever Family series will continue with several companion/stand alone novels.

Email: authortrudystiles@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authortrudystiles

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/trudy_stiles

Twitter: @trudystiles

 

 

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GOOD LUCK!

Release Day Blitz: “Breaking Kate” (The Acceptance Series #1) by D. Kelly – Synopsis, Excerpt & Giveaway

Michael Matthews has been in love with Katherine Moore since the second grade. In Michaels mind there is absolutely nothing that will ever be able to keep the two of them apart. The night Michael is set to propose to Katherine the evening is interrupted by an unexpected tragedy that tears the two of them apart for good. 

Three years have passed since that fateful night when Katherine, now known as Kate meets Daniel. After an awkward start sparks fly between them. Daniel and Kate fall hard and fast into the most passionate and intense love affair of their lives. In three years a lot can change, Michael knows he made the biggest mistake of his life when he left Katherine and he will do anything to get her back. Asking his best friend Daniel for help is his first step in righting the wrongs he made so many years ago. Unfortunately, neither of them realizes that Michaels long lost love Katherine is Daniel’s true love Kate.

While attending the engagement party of a mutual friend, all of their paths collide. How is Kate supposed to choose between the two men that mean the most to her in the world? Kate has to push past her heartache and put some serious thought into what comes next. One wrong choice and not only could she lose them both but Daniel and Michael may never recover their friendship.

Amazon US

 

 

His lips are almost brushing against mine, so close I can feel his breath
caress my lips… it’s intoxicating. Daniel places one hand on the
back of my head, pulling me forward to close the small gap between us
as his perfect lips meet mine for a gentle, yet utterly
heart-stopping kiss. This is the first kiss fairytales are spun from.
My heartbeat is still rapid, my pulse is still racing, and I can’t
for the life of me figure out why I have waited so long to find him.
This man was obviously made just for me. Daniel stops kissing me,
resting his forehead against mine.

I reach up and run my fingers through his hair, and I feel him suck in
his breath as he slowly moves his lips to mine. Gently kissing me,
he parts my lips with his tongue, making his way into my mouth. When
his tongue caresses mine I feel butterflies in my stomach.What
the hell? The feeling is exceptional; it’s unlike anything I’ve ever felt
before. I’m lost in it and to it.

 

 

I’m a wife, a mom and a dog lover. I’m also a taxi, problem fixer, extreme multi-tasker and my kids biggest fan in anything that they do. I love to write, so when my career suddenly turned into a job that I hated I turned back to my love of writing. I married my high school sweetheart… how cool is that? Margaritas and sarcasm make me happy. Chocolate makes that happiness grow exponentially. People who make me laugh are my favorite kind of people. I believe Karma is a bitch who slaps back hard and that mean people suck. I’m California born and raised, I love the beach but hate the sand. Breaking Kate is my first novel and is part of The Acceptance Series.

Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Website / Mailing List / Street Team

 

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GOOD LUCK!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Fury” (Fierce #1.5) by Clarissa Wild – My Review

Title: “Fury” (Fierce #1.5)

Author: Clarissa Wild

Genre: Contemporary New Adult Romance

Release Date: 17th March, 2014

Synopsis

Would you risk everything for love?

Life has held nothing but hardships for Hunter Bane. Growing up with a learning disability wasn’t easy, especially when you’re poor. With only his brother to support him, Hunter clings to the short moments of happiness in life. Like when he meets Autumn Blakewood.

Autumn Blakewood is a geek at heart. Reading is her passion, and she can’t spend one day without her books. She’s always locked up in her room studying, trying to avoid trouble. Until Hunter comes into her life.

Hunter can’t resist the temptation to get closer to Autumn. She is his complete opposite, and yet he’s drawn to her in ways he can’t explain. But when his brother is caught dealing drugs and sent to prison, Hunter’s world shatters.
To save his brother, Hunter has to join the gang he’s feared his entire life. Now he’s forced to choose between his family and the one girl he loves. Fighting for both, his fury is all he needs.

ADD TO GOODREADS

My Review

Complimentary copy given by the author in exchange for an honest review

Before I begin my actual review of this book, I have to tell you that it is the companion novel to “Fierce” and that means that this is the same exact story but told from the viewpoint of Hunter, our hero.

As with the first book in the series, I was not completely taken in by this one – I do, however, think that it is slightly better and that many of the issues I had before were almost, if not completely, resolved.

It was very fascinating to me getting inside Hunter’s mind and experiencing what he struggles with every single day of his life: his mental disability – or whatever we should call it – is a constant thorn in his side, and I really think that the author managed to let his frustrations and insecurities come out, allowing the reader the opportunity to empathize with Hunter.

And how frustrating it must be, meeting a girl you are attracted to and not really being able to remember her name unless you write it down. Or even being able to remember exactly how you met her! So yes, I really felt for Hunter when I read this part of the book.

Furthermore, it was great getting to see how close Hunter is to his brother, Jessie, and how he is adamant in figuring out a way for him to get Jessie out of prison. His feelings of helplessness and anger over his brother’s destiny was very moving, and even though I could not understand all Hunter’s reasons for doing the things he do, my heart hurt a lot while reading about his struggles.

I am sorry to have to do this again, but I still have some concerns which make me unable to give this book more stars than I have.

First of all, I completely understand that the author intends to show us how much Hunter struggles with his attraction towards Autumn when he should be concentrating about his brother…but I still cannot grasp why Hunter keeps changing his mind about pursuing Autumn or not. I mean, in my opinion, Hunter’s reasons do not seem that valid, so I am still left a bit in the dark about them. I had hoped that by reading the same story from Hunter’s POV would have shed some light on this matter, but I am not feeling satisfied.

Secondly, I believe that Hunter’s story needs some more editing – not in terms of grammar or anything like that – because I caught myself noticing that there were a lot of repetitions in the book. On more than one occasion, I felt that what I had just read had been mentioned previously and that made me a bit annoyed.

Lastly, I had hoped that there would be an epilogue in this installment of the series in order to pick up any loose ends, but sadly, that is not the case.

I am well aware of the fact that a lot of readers will not agree with my issues, and I honestly do not expect them to. This is my opinion only, so I do encourage you to pick up the novel and make up your own mind about it. Reading is subjective, as it should be, and I still think that Miss Wild is great at showing us how passionately she feels about her characters – I will definitely read more books from her in the future.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon — Barnes&Noble — Kobo — iTunes — Google Play — Smashwords — All Romance

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Clarissa Wild is the Amazon Bestselling Romance author of FIERCE, a top 200 and top 15 New Adult Romance novel. She is also a writer of erotic romance such as the Blissful Series, The Billionaire’s Bet series, the Doing It Series and the Enflamed Series. She is an avid reader and writer of sexy stories about hot men and feisty women. Her other loves include her furry cat friend and learning about different cultures. In her free time she enjoys watching all sorts of movies, reading tons of books and cooking her favorite meals.

SOCIAL LINKS

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Pinterest

Blog Tour: “Damned If You Don’t” by Linda Parisi – My Review & Giveaway

Title: “Damned If You Don’t”

Author: Linda J. Parisi

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Release Date: 18th March, 2014.

Publisher: Loose ID

Synopsis

Andrew Jackson “Jack” Kent’s on the hunt for white collar criminals, and as a private investigator he always gets his man. Except in this case it’s a woman, the brilliant cellular kineticist Dr. Morgan Mackenzie, whose next thrilling discovery is—him.

On the run from her employers with the formula for a priceless but deadly diet drug, Morgan agrees to a night of pleasure with the outrageously sexy stranger. But when she leaves the next morning, Jack won’t let her get far, and that’s when she realizes the horrible truth. Her cowboy on a white horse isn’t a hero after all. He’s part of the posse.

Yet when Jack goes to turn Morgan in, he learns who the real criminals are, and suddenly, it’s a race against time to find a murderer before they’re killed themselves. To do that Jack needs to convince Morgan he’s on her side. Even though she doesn’t trust him, Jack is a drug she can’t resist, leading her to find out that more often than not you’re Damned If You Don’t fall in love.

 ADD TO GOODREADS

My Review

Complimentary copy given by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

I have said it before but I will say it again: I honestly believe that romantic suspense is one of the most difficult genres to write. Some will disagree with me, of course, but I cannot help but admire an author who is able to keep the reader fully invested in the suspense aspect of his/her story while at the same time getting the reader to focus on the romantic connection between the main characters. I am very happy to say that Linda J. Parisi had me riveted to the pages of this book.

You are immediately thrown into plenty of angst and drama when you start reading. Meet Morgan Mackenzie: a very gifted scientist at a company called BioClin, she has invented a drug to help very obese persons to lose weight, but having discovered that the product is far from perfect yet, she tries to get the company to hold back instead of announcing it to the world. She is too late, however, and soon she finds out that someone has stolen the formula, trying out the drug on a human being – and failing miserably. The test subject does not survive. So she does what she believes to be the right choice: she steals the formula from BioClin and she runs.

Enter Andrew Jackson Kent (Jack): he is a “tracer” and has been hired by BioClin to find and turn Morgan in to the police. But there is more than meets the eye when dealing with Jack – and that is all I will say about the matter, otherwise I will ruin the story for you.

I really liked Morgan – I liked how she was a bit of a geek, fiercely loyal and, naturally, very smart. As you read her story, you will come to really feel for, and her guilt – although misplaced – is understandable. I also love that she has quite a temper and that she knows how to make Jack feel rather small when he has hurt her.

“He was an addiction. He was the dream she had no right dreaming.” (Morgan)

Oh, Jack – he is really swoon-worthy! Definitely an alpha male to a certain extent, which I approve of, but he is also rather vulnerable and sweet. Learning about his past, what made him leave the army, almost broke my heart in two, and I just wanted reach into my Kindle and hug him!

“I can’t explain what happened except to say that I stopped breathing the moment I saw you.” (Jack)

Now, the reason I am not giving this book five stars is due to two matters:

Although I like being almost thrown into a good story immediately upon starting it, I would have liked for this one to be a bit more sedate; meaning, I would have liked having a detailed scene of how Morgan and Jack meets. Not having this meant that it took me a rather long while to fully connect with both Morgan and Jack.

And the second reason is the fact that the book is told in third person, which, I admit, almost always means that I find it difficult to become fully invested in the characters until having read a big part of their story. And yes, that is what happened here.

These may seem to be small issues, but I am being honest here and that is the point of a review, right?

“No, the times for one-upmanship were over. They’d seen each other naked, truly naked, soul-bearing naked. Neither one of them was beautiful. But together they created a masterpiece of art.” (Morgan)

Apart from these issues, I enjoyed the book a great deal. This is the kind of romantic suspense novel where you find yourself unable to unravel all the different leads – and I love that! Furthermore, the main characters are portrayed very well, making you feel that they could be real – not to mention that their chemistry is really hot – and once I got used to it, I enjoyed Miss Parisi’s writing style immensely.

So would I recommend this book to fans of romantic suspense? Absolutely! And I will most definitely be picking up more books from this author in the future.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Kobo

Loose ID

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Let multi-published author Linda J. Parisi take you through the darker, spicier side of Romance with her Paranormal, Paranormal Romantic Suspense, and Romantic Suspense tales. Winner of the New Jersey Romance Writer’s Golden Leaf Award for Best First Book for her novel, Noble Blood, and winner of the 4th Annual Stroke of Midnight Contest for her novel, The Joining: Bound by Blood, Linda is a long-time member of the RWA and the current secretary of Liberty States Fiction Writers. Linda has seen the publishing industry turn upside down yet stay the same because everyone loves a well-written Romance. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, John, and a family which includes Audi, a Cocker Spaniel mix who had her at woof!

SOCIAL LINKS
Website

Facebook

Goodreads Author Profile

Giveaway Time!

The author is offering up a $75 Amazon Gift Card!

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Blog Tour: “Destroyed” by Pepper Winters – My Review, Author Interview & Giveaway

Hello, my lovelies!

It is no real secret that I adore Pepper Winters and her books and that she has become one of my all-time favourite authors. I will read anuthing this woman writes!

Today, you will find my review of her latest book, “Destroyed”, and an awesome interview I was fortunate enough to do with her. Also, there is a great giveaway for you all to enter.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Title: “Destroyed”

Author: Pepper Winters

Genre: Dark (Lighter) / Romance (Grey Romance)

Release Date: 7th March, 2014

Tour Organized by: As the Pages Turn

 FOLLOW THE TOUR!

Synopsis 

She has a secret.

I’m complicated. Not broken or ruined or running from a past I can’t face. Just complicated.

I thought my life couldn’t get any more tangled in deceit and confusion. But I hadn’t met him. I hadn’t realized how far I could fall or what I’d do to get free.

He has a secret.

I’ve never pretended to be good or deserving. I chase who I want, do what I want, act how I want.

I didn’t have time to lust after a woman I had no right to lust after. I told myself to shut up and stay hidden. But then she tried to run. I’d tasted what she could offer me and damned if I would let her go.

One secret destroys them.

ADD TO GOODREADS

My Review

Complimentary copy given by the author in exchange for an honest review

As always, I find myself almost entirely speechless after having read a book by Pepper Winters. Somehow, she manages to take some of the most unconventional characters and make them come alive and feel human. Do I also find myself a bit disturbed by some of the scenes in her books? Yes, absolutely. Her subject matters are always difficult, her characters very flawed, with questionable characteristics, BUT as you read, you catch yourself gravitating towards the hero/heroine, finding yourself able to connect with them fully. At least, that is how I usually feel, and it is no different with “Destroyed”.

But what can I tell you about Roan and Hazel without spoiling it for you? I will do my best to not ruin the reading experience for you, and please allow me to be rather vague in this review. I am well aware of the fact that the synopsis is also rather mysterious, but you really have to take a leap of faith, take a chance, and read this beautiful book.

Both Hazel and Roan are two very damaged people but in completely different ways. Roan has, quite literally, been destroyed by his past and is longing to find the person who can heal him. The smallest thing will make him see red, though, causing him to seek blood – quite literally, I might add – and he leads a lonely life where pain sometimes is the only way to relieve him of his fears.

“I was told to kill. But my ruthless conditioning, the coldness that imprisoned my life, had cracked and splinted and begun to thaw. And it was all because of one person.” (Roan)

Hazel, on the other hand, fears the future more than the past…she believes that she will be destroyed by it. She, too, has experienced pain, but she has found her way into the light, until she is told the most devastating news and her reason to live diminishes.

“Up until recently, I’d had two personas. I’d spun tales and weaved stories as effortlessly as if it were the truth. I wrote my own story with a magical pen called lies. And it worked. I survived.” (Hazel)

And so these two people meet, and both feel the strangest connection upon laying their eyes upon each other. Please do not think that that means everything just falls into place. Miss Winters is not known for making it easy for her characters – quite the opposite, in fact – and even though this book is not as dark as her Monsters In The Dark Series, it is just as twisted, raw and filled to the brink with all manner of emotions. These
characters both need to learn to let go of their mistrust, embracing the fact that they must acknowledge their fears, thus realizing that they are perfect in their own way.

“You asked me who I am. My name is Roan Averin. Forget you ever knew a man named Fox. He wasn’t a man. He was the product of a past he hated. I never thought I’d be able to use my full name again, but I want to. I want a new beginning. With you.” (Roan)

To say that I did not cringe sometimes while reading this book would be a lie. Nevertheless, it also made my heart soar, and I found the journey of Roan and Zel to be very moving. The story gripped me immediately, and Miss Winters ensnared me with her magical words once again. Yes, this is a long book (over 400 pages), which makes this bookaholic extremely happy, actually, but to the readers who may feel a bit reluctant to start it: please do not let the length sway you! In all honesty, I believe that each word written is necessary in order for you to truly delve into the hearts and minds of these incredibly complicated characters and come back (almost) unscathed.

I do not think that I can write that much more without inadvertently giving too much away, so I will stop here and simply conclude my review by saying this: if you want something light and fluffy, do not read this book. But if you, like me, have come to love the darker kinds of romance novels, I can almost guarantee that you will not be disappointed when you read “Destroyed”. In some ways, you may feel as if your soul is getting destroyed while reading this book, but it will be worth it in the end.

 

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon CA

Amazon AU

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pepper Winters wears many roles. Some of them include writer, reader, sometimes wife. She loves dark, taboo stories that twist with your head. The more tortured the hero the better and she constantly thinks up ways to break and fix her characters. Oh, and sex… her books have sex.

She loves to travel and has an amazing, fabulous hubby (who speaks French—hot!) who puts up with her love affair with her book boyfriends. She loves to hear from her readers so hit her up at pepperwinters@gmail.com

SOCIAL LINKS

Pinterest

Facebook

Twitter

Blog

Goodreads Author Profile

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Thank you so much for doing this interview, Pepper! ❤

Thank you so much for having me!!! I’m so excited to be here and hope I don’t sound too bleh when I answer your awesome questions!

1)    Who is Pepper Winters?

Um, Pepper is a workaholic. I tend to sit on my laptop for around 14 hours a day. If I’m not writing, I’m marketing. If I’m not marketing, I’m responding to emails and messages. I love everything about my writing career, but it isn’t the most easiest of jobs. My poor hubby gets frustrated. Outside of writing I love to travel, eat Asian food, and just generally blob out with a good book.

2)    Have you always wanted to be a writer?

Yes, always. Right from a little girl I was more comfortable in a book, than any social situation. I lived mainly in my imagination.

3)    When you’re not writing, what do you enjoy doing the most?

Hanging with hubby. I love going for lunch with him in the sun, and packing for a nice trip away. We remember to have fun in our marriage and he’s my best friend (gagging yet?) LOL

4)    Let’s move on to “Destroyed” – as a devout fan of yours, I have followed all your updates about this book on Facebook, but can you tell my readers what made you set out to do such a scary project?

Yes, Destroyed has officially destroyed me. My brain is mush and the moment I press publish I’m going to have a stiff drink and collapse. The characters turned out to be very complex and layers upon layers kept coming to me. It isn’t a secret that I’ve rewritten this book 3x and deleted over 80,000 words. It’s been a long couple of months and as much as I love the story and the characters, I wouldn’t do it again. Lol.

5)    Roan & Hazel, your hero and heroine of “Destroyed”: when did they first begin to make an appearance? I mean, when did the idea of their story come to you?

They started talking to me a week or so after I finished Quintessentially Q. Roan Fox is very different to Q. He’s alpha, but damaged. Dangerous, but sweet. He has a lot more issues than Q ever did and a completely different back story. I hope people love him the same as me.

6)    Did they surprise you a lot, almost taking over the story?

Yes. They took control and made me rethink the entire concept which gave me multiple headaches. Both Fox and Hazel had a lot to say and the book is the largest I’ve written yet.

7)    Who connected you with the most, Roan or Hazel?

Roan, funny enough. I just love his brittle brokenness but ultimate strength too. Hazel has her own secrets and issues, but she’s a lot stronger than Roan. My heart goes out to that guy LOL.

8)    Did it surprise you that the story ended up being much darker than you initially planned for it to be?

Until two days ago I didn’t know completely how the ending would come about. It kept changing. I have more notes on this story in my notebook than I do for any other story. It kept evolving and changing but I think now I have the perfect ending to their story.

9)    Are you completely done with Roan & Hazel or do you think we will see them again in the future?

I think after the ending I’ll be done. I’ve loved being in their head spaces, but they’ve said what they needed to and I have many other characters calling me.

10) Do you find it difficult letting go of your characters once you’ve finished writing about them?

Yes, they’ll always be a part of me. Tess and Q sit over my shoulder every day that I’m writing about another world and not theirs. It’s going to be rather crowded after the end of this year and all my releases coming up.

11) What do you plan to write next? Please say “Twisted Together”!

Yes Twisted Together is getting written the moment Destroyed is out. I also have a super secret thing coming that will be announced very soon. But as of early March I will belong to Q once again and I can’t WAIT.

12) What’s next for Pepper Winters?

Well this year, I’ll be signing at the Gold Coast with a bunch of amazing Aussie authors and then heading over to Edinburgh in July before finishing the year off in Sydney. In 2015 I’m planning a tour to try and get to see as many wonderful readers as possible. I’m VERY excited for the next couple of years and delivering a stack more books.

Once again, thank you for doing this interview with me, Pepper! ❤️

Thank you!!!!! They were awesome questions!

 

Giveaway Time!

Pepper is offering up the following goodies below. Giveaway is international and ends at 11:59 PM CST 03/24/2014.

1 x signed copy of Destroyed

2 x signed Destroyed swag packs

5 x eBook copies of Destroyed

2 x eBook copies of Tears of Tess

2 x eBook copies Quintessentially Q

1 x signed swag pack of Monsters in the Dark
a Rafflecopter giveaway

GOOD LUCK!

“Fierce” (Fierce #1) by Clarissa Wild – My Review

Title: “Fierce” (Fierce #1)

Author: Clarissa Wild

Genre: Contemporary New Adult Romance

Release Date: 24th January, 2014

Synopsis

Fight for your dreams. Fight for your life. Fight for love.

Nerdy girl Autumn Blakewood is the prime example of a goody two-shoes. She studies every night, is never late for class, and always follows the rules. She has never felt the need to step out of her comfort zone. That is, until she meets Hunter.

Hunter Bane is a cocky, confident bad-boy, who’s nothing but trouble. He’s a dangerous distraction to everyone around him. Sexy and strong, Hunter enjoys the swooning effect he has on women. Especially those who aren’t used to attention, like Autumn.

Autumn finds it hard not to give into Hunter’s advances, even though it all seems like a game to him. Trying to understand him is impossible, because he shrouds himself in mystery.
What she doesn’t know is that Hunter has more baggage than anyone should have to carry. When she discovers he’s in an illegal frat club to save the one person that matters to him, Autumn realizes this could mean the end of her undeniable connection to him. Even their lives are at risk.
But it’s too late to turn back now.

ADD TO GOODREADS

My Review

Complimentary copy given by the author in exchange for an honest review

This is one of those times when I am finding it hard to put my thoughts into complete sentences, because I must admit that I had quite a few problems with this book. At the same time, I do not want to give you any spoilers – as I have said before: no two people read the same book, meaning that just because I did not become fully invested in it, who is to say that the same will happen to you? I will do my best to voice my concerns without ruining it for you.

But first of all, I want to say that there is no real point in me giving you a long and lengthy synopsis of the book as it is already very explicit, and I feel that it is rather pointless of me to repeat any of the actual storyline to you. I will, however, tell you that the story is told solely from Autumn’s point of view.

So let me begin listing the parts of the story I enjoyed:

For a while – until the 30% mark – I liked getting to know Autumn; her shyness felt rather endearing, and her sadness over losing Brody seemed realistic and understandable – he has, after all, been a great friend to her in the past. Furthermore, I could understand her getting frustrated about Hunter constantly changing his mind about her. I also feel that her relationship with Evie turning complicated was portrayed really well by the author.

And Hunter? Well, at first he is a very interesting character – he keeps his thoughts hidden, and the fact that Autumn keeps getting butterflies in her stomach was rather funny to read about. I liked the air of mystery surrounding him, and I was fully invested in uncovering his secrets, but, again, only until 30% into the book – and that is when things started to frustrate me.

I would also like to stress that I could absolutely feel the strong attraction between Autumn and Hunter – it is scorching hot! So I really think that the author did a good job with letting us see that, no question about that.

First of all, I have to say that although I liked Autumn in the beginning of the book, her innocence started to grate on my nerves. She almost seems to be too innocent, too naïve, considering she is supposed to be starting college. To put it bluntly: to me, Autumn was acting more like a girl in high school instead of a freshman at college. Furthermore, I am saddened by the fact that we do not get that much information about her background aside from the fact that her family is poor; and I would have liked to learn more.

The part about Hunter that did not work for me was him changing his mind all…the…time. Granted, when you read about his learning disability, you understand his actions, but only up until a certain point. To be perfectly honest, his mood swings were giving me whiplash, and I am sorry to say that I even wanted to quit reading the book and move on from time to time…However, I very seldom do that, and I am actually glad that I persevered.

Apart from my issues with these characters, I also had some problems with the suspense part of the story: in some ways, I think it was a good theme to write about – and I am sure that a lot of drugs circulate at colleges all the time – but I find it hard to believe that dealing with drugs can be done so much out in the open. But maybe that is just my ignorance voicing itself here as it is a world completely foreign to me.

The main reason I am not giving this book a higher rating – aside from the issues mentioned above – is that I feel that the ending was rushed unnecessarily. I would have liked the book much more if the author had slowed down a bit and given us some more details, or even an epilogue, in order for the story to come full circle.

This review may seem a bit harsh…and you may be right. However, I have always said that I would be completely honest in my reviews, without disrespecting the authors, of course, and I hope that you do not feel that I am being too judgmental. I really think that you can feel that Miss Wild writes with great passion for her characters, that she cares for them deeply; I am just sorry to say that, to me,  the promise of Autumn and Hunter’s journey seemed better than it actually was.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon — Barnes&Noble — Kobo — iTunes — Google Play — Smashwords — All Romance

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Clarissa Wild is the Amazon Bestselling Romance author of FIERCE, a top 200 and top 15 New Adult Romance novel. She is also a writer of erotic romance such as the Blissful Series, The Billionaire’s Bet series, the Doing It Series and the Enflamed Series. She is an avid reader and writer of sexy stories about hot men and feisty women. Her other loves include her furry cat friend and learning about different cultures. In her free time she enjoys watching all sorts of movies, reading tons of books and cooking her favorite meals.

SOCIAL LINKS

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Pinterest

Blog Tour: “A Reason To Breathe” by C. P. Smith – My Review, Author Interview & Giveaway

 

Title: “A Reason to Breathe”

Author: C.P Smith

Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Release Date: 21st January, 2014

Tour Organized by: As the Pages Turn

Follow the tour!

Synopsis

 

Love at first sight was never so dangerous.

 

Jack Gunnison has a problem, well, two actually, one is 5’5″ and the other…a Killer.

 

Jennifer Stewart needs a change after losing her husband and sending her daughter off to college. 

 

Moving to the high country of Colorado to restart her life and, follow her dreams, Jenn gets more than she bargained for when she attracts the eye of a killer.

 

Together, Jack and Jenn must figure out his identity, before he strikes again.

 

Mature readers only due to erotic content and language.

ADD TO GOODREADS

 

*Buy Links – A Reason to Breathe*

Amazon I Amazon UK

 

 

My Review

Complimentary copy given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review

I would like to start my review by saying that I really think that this is a good debut novel, but that I also feel a bit conflicted about it. However, as always, my review will be spoiler free, and I will try to voice my concerns without revealing too much about the actual story line.

Jennifer (Jenn) is our heroine: she is a widow with a daughter away on college, and she finds herself unable to stay in the town she lived in with her husband – mostly due to financial troubles – and she chooses to cut her roots off, moving away to Colorado as that has always been a dream of hers. She longs to find herself, and to find a fulfilling career as a journalist, but little does she know that she gets so much more than she bargained for.

Four months after having moved to the town Gunnison, Jenn meets the town sheriff, Jack Gunnison, and to say that their first meeting is amicable would be a lie: Jack hates journalists, and the last thing he needs is a nosy, yet attractive one, when he is standing over the second murder victim within a short time frame – and without having a suspect whatsoever.

Neither Jenn nor Jack can ignore the very sizzling attraction they feel upon meeting, however, and once having cleared the air – plus coming to an understanding about Jenn being a reporter and Jack trying to solve these murders – they get to know each other better, eventually falling in love, while, at the same time, trying to stay out of harm’s way.

Now, like I said earlier, I am a bit unsure about certain aspects of the book, but I will start with the things I really enjoyed:

First of all, I like many things about Jenn. She is sassy, feisty and rather quirky in many ways. Furthermore, she does not let the past dictate her future; instead, she finds the courage to change the things in her life she is unhappy about, and I really think that you have to admire that kind of determination. It is always a risk to try new things, especially when you are no longer in your twenties.

For the most part, I had no problems with Jack, either: being the sheriff, he has an air of authority that cannot be ignored, and his tendencies to being very bossy and demanding made me smile on more than one occasion. He is protective, temperamental, and strong – just what Jenn needs in a partner.

I really like the banter between Jenn and Jack, and I feel that they, in many ways, complement each other. Whereas Jenn can be too reckless, Jack usually proceeds with caution. When Jenn tends to be rather insecure about him, he knows how to reassure her – for the most part, anyway.

I found myself very much in tune with the secondary characters as well – especially Ben, Lorraine and Mandy. They are very nutty and hilarious, and I feel that the author has done a great job in painting a picture of a small town with some interesting and eccentric characters.

Finally, I believe that the mystery element in this book is very well thought out: at no point in time had I any idea about who the murderer was, or why he fixated on Jenn, so I want to applaud Miss Smith for keeping the suspense part of the novel very gripping.

And now to the reasons I am conflicted about this book:

As much as I liked Jenn, she could be very immature at times and just a bit too much – yes, she is only 39, but I found her behavior to be too much like a girl in her early twenties from time to time. And there were too many scenes where this occurred that I cannot simply overlook them.

In some ways, I also had a few problems with Jack: being the womanizer of the town, I did not completely find it believable that it almost takes him no time whatsoever before he is besotted with Jenn. I think that this part of the story felt a bit too rushed, and I needed a more slow build-up to make their romance feel a tad more believable – but please bear in mind that this is solely my opinion, and many readers will feel completely different from me.

Lastly, I have to touch upon the editing of the book which, I confess, I find lacking. Being Danish myself, I know that my grammar is far from perfect, but a serious pet peeve of mine is when the writing frequently changes between past and present tense; some readers do not mind this, but the constant switch determines whether or not I enjoy reading a book, and I found myself rather annoyed with it. I cannot help but feel that the story would have benefited from being edited better, which is why I mention it in my review.

Aside from the aforementioned issues, I did enjoy the story immensely. I love how the setting is described in great detail, the pacing of the story is pretty solid and despite my reservations about certain aspects of Jenn and Jack’s characters, I could definitely connect with them a lot while reading their story. Also, the suspense part of the novel plays a big part as to why I found myself riveted to the pages.

As I said in the beginning of my review: I think that this is a good debut novel – there is romance, mystery, and plenty of funny moments as well – and I am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Author Interview

1)      First things first: Who is C. P. Smith?

First and foremost a mother of 5. Born and raised in Oklahoma, I’m a city girl from a country state…I love football; I love country music; actually I love all music, and I love my state. I’ve been married twenty-six years to a great guy who doesn’t hesitate to rub my shoulders if I ask or pick the kids of from school. I recently went through life altering events that forced me to reevaluate my life and in the process of healing I discovered I liked to write.

2)     Have you always wanted to be a writer?

It’s funny; I’ve been a reader most of my life, and I would read a book and think, wow, I wish I could weave a tale that made someone’s skin crawl. Then one day for fun I wrote a silly story and found I enjoyed the process, so I kept going. I honestly didn’t know I could write a word until I did it, but now that I have, I can’t shut it down. Writing, even if it’s bad, is essential to me now. If I never publish another book, I know for a fact I will continue to write. I love creating characters and seeing what they will say next or do next. As a reader, you think that a writer has a set outline and knows what will happen, as a writer I can tell you that the story dictates where it goes, and the characters will cuss you out if you deviate from their true self. I’m pretty sure Jack gave me an evil eye more than once!

 

3)     Which authors do you admire?

I’ve said this before so I’ll say it again, anyone who puts their heart and soul into a book and hits the publish button I admire. It takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there for others to criticize…Now, whom do I love to read? Will stop what I’m doing to lose myself in their book? Jane Austen, Karen Rose, Kristen Ashley, Tami Hoag and Linda Howard.

4)     How long did it take you to write “A Reason To Breathe”?

Six weeks, and another six to edit and rewrite and tweak and have a nervous breakdown at the thought of publishing it!

5)     When did the idea of your characters, Jack & Jennifer, first come to you?

Jack has been in my head for fifteen years…I read a book years ago, and I’m ashamed to say I can’t remember the title, but there was a sheriff, and he was yummy. So I told my young self, if anything ever happened to my husband I’d pack my belonging and kids and move to Colorado, my favorite place in the world, and find a hot sheriff. And the rest as they say is history, Jack and Jenn’s story was my plan B if something happened to my husband.

 

6)     Were you surprised by your characters at some point when you wrote the book? I mean, did they almost take on lives of their own, taking over the book?

Oh yeah, I knew Jack had to be bossy, he’s a sheriff, and he’s used to being in control. I had no idea how bossy he would actually be till his words were on the page. I laughed many times at his responses to Jenn. You truly have no idea where a character will take you until your fingers start moving.

7)     How has life been since you published “A Reason To Breathe”? Has it changed?

Hmmm, I’m not sure much has changed other than my appreciation for what authors go through to publish their books and all that goes with it. I’m a stay at home mom who writes while the kids are at school. That hasn’t changed. The biggest change I guess is autographing books. I still giggle when I do it. I’m just a mom who wrote a book and at the end of the day I have laundry and meals to cook, so the fact someone wants my autograph seem surreal to me, in a good way of course.

8)     What do you find to be the most difficult about the indie publishing community?

Promoting, there are no hard and fast rules and as a newbie I haven’t got a clue what I’m doing. Luckily, I’m not alone in this. The indie author community is a tight bunch and welcome you with open arms. But we all sit around at the end of the day and say “What am I supposed to be doing to get my book out there and read?” Someone with publishing experience needs to open a company that handles promoting, book covers, and editing for indie authors. We’re already paying individuals to do these things for us, but with no clear direction. A structured plan offered by a company that leaves us time to write instead of the authors handling the promoting would be awesome.

9)     Where/what do you find your inspiration from when you write?

Everywhere, songs, TV, Youtube, poems, pictures. A single sentence from a poem I wrote was the foundation for the way Jack saw Jenn…”Your brilliant light, the power you hold, weaken my defenses and hold my heart.”

10)  Without giving us too many spoilers, of course, can you let us know if you are already working on another book, and, if so, what is it about?

Yes, I have two in the works. One is a thriller with a MacGyver type twist, and the other, which is a romcom with a bit of suspense, it’s written for the 45+ crowd…We older women have just as much fun as the young ones, and I felt it was time to put to rest the idea that if you’re over 40 you don’t crave love, sex and a hot guy…Cause believe me you do. There are a lot of women out there who are newly divorced and wonder if love at 50 is unattainable, so I’m writing a book just for them. It’s to show them it’s ok to have a belly fat, that, yes, wrinkles suck, but you know what, there are men out there who are 50, and they think you look pretty freaking hot just the way you are.

Thank you so much for giving this interview, C. P.!

*About C.P.*

 

C.P. Smith is a mother of five and resides in Oklahoma. An avid reader with a vivid imagination, Ms. Smith set out to write books for the older reader. She is passionate about romantic suspense and hopes her stories leave you cheering for the good guys as well as inspire those over forty to never give up on love.

 

*Connect with C.P.*

Facebook I Twitter I Pinterest I Goodreads

 

*Giveaway*

 

C.P.  is offering up the following for grabs.

 

(2) eBook copy of A Reason to Breathe (INTL)

(1) Signed copy of A Reason to Breathe (US only)

(2) $5 gift cards from either Amazon or B&N (INTL)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

GOOD LUCK!

Blog Tour: “Unraveled” (Woodlands #3) by Jen Frederick – My Review, Playlist, Excerpt & Giveaway

Hello, everyone!

It is with great pleasure that I am participating in the blog tour of this amazing romance novel – can a marine with trust issues finally let go of the past and open his heart to the one woman who understands him like no other? And will a young widow allow herself to become vulnerable once again? Well, you will have to read the book in order to find out.

Besides my review, you will also find a short excerpt from the book, the author’s playlist and a great giveaway.

Enjoy!

Title: “Unraveled” (Woodlands #3)

Author: Jen Frederick

Genre: New Adult Romance

Release Date: 18th January, 2014

Synopsis

Twenty-five-year-old Sgt. Graysom Phillips is at a crossroads in his life: stay in the Marine Corps or get out and learn to be a civilian? He’s got forty-five days of leave to make up his mind but the people in his life aren’t making the decision any easier. His dad wants him to get out; his grandfather wants him to stay in. And his growing feelings for Sam Anderson are wreaking havoc with his heart…and his mind. He believes relationships get ruined when a Marine goes on deployment. So now he’s got an even harder decision to make: take a chance on Sam or leave love behind and give his all to the Marines.

Twenty-two year old Samantha Anderson lost her husband to an IED in Afghanistan just two months after their vows. Two years later, Sam is full of regrets—that she didn’t move with her husband to Alaska; that she allowed her friends to drift away; that she hasn’t taken many chances in life. Now, she’s met Gray and taking a risk on this Marine could be her one opportunity to feel alive and in love again. But how can she risk her heart on another military man who could share the same tragic fate as her husband?

ADD TO GOODREADS

My Review

ARC received by the author in exchange for an honest review

I must confess that this is the first book in The Woodlands Series that I have read so far, but I will most definitely read the others in the near future. To me, this book deals with many issues – grief, anger, betrayal, and, of course, love – and I was truly invested in Samantha and Grayson’s story.

Grayson (Gray) has been a Marine for seven years and finds himself at a crossroads when we meet him: should he stay a marine or quit, go to college instead? Initially, he only enlisted because his two older brothers did not want to follow in their father’s – and grandfather’s – footsteps, but he has come to love being a part of a very special team. Nevertheless, he has doubts and he hopes that being on a very long, extended leave, will help him reaching a conclusion about his future.

Then we meet Samantha (Sam): a widow for the past two years, she has been merely existing, not really living, since her husband died. He was a marine, and the fact of the matter is that although she respects these men, she refuses to let herself become involved with one of them again. After Will died, she let go of her plans of going to college, instead finding employment at a bar, and she also took up knitting – yes, you read correctly: knitting.

Sam and Gray meet at the bar where Sam works and they have an instant connection – and, yes, the hotness factor of their encounter is very high – but when Gray sees that Sam still wears her wedding ring, he immediately associates her with his ex-girlfriend who cheated on him; so you can imagine how he reacts. Sam, finding herself really confused about her reaction to Gray, spends the rest of the evening thinking very hard: could it be that she is ready to start feeling again? Or not even that: is she simply ready for a rebound guy?

Well, as you know, I am not one to reveal too much of the storyline – and I really think that it would ruin your reading experience of “Unravelled” if I did, as it deals with so many different kinds of emotions and I want you to make your own judgments when you read it.

Gray is probably one of the most dirty-mouthed alpha men I have ever come across. But he is also one of the most vulnerable. Having scars from his past relationship plus working in an environment where cheating and divorces are commonplace have definitely not helped in him coming to terms with his trust issues. I did sometimes feel that he was perhaps too jaded and cynical – he is only 25 years old, after all. Still, he is a marine, so I can understand that he is more mature than most people his age. Most of the time, I had no problem connecting with him, and I found him to be the perfect partner for Sam.

“Any defenses I had against this girl were bashed against the ground. I’d seen her falling from the sky, and my heart had gone with her. There wasn’t a calling higher than being with her, but I wasn’t sure how to tell her.” (Grayson)

When is it acceptable to allow yourself to move on from losing a loved one? There is no correct answer, in my opinion, as we are all different, and each of us deals with grief and the subsequent healing process in different ways.

I found Sam to being very easy to relate to: the way her dormant feelings flare to life when she meets the right guy was written beautifully; her feelings of confusion and guilt towards her late husband’s memory were very understandable, and I believe that the author describes her healing process in a very realistic manner. I enjoyed seeing Sam grow more confident as a woman, allowing herself to live and love again. I also have to confess that I admire that she is willing to take a chance on a marine again, knowing full well that her heart can get broken a second time.

“This wasn’t temporary for me and as he stared at me, eyes glittering with a deep emotion, I guessed it wasn’t just temporary for him, either. But by unstated mutual decision, we let the moment pass without comment.” (Samantha)

To me, this book has many different themes: overcoming loss, learning to take risks, trusting other people, and, ultimately, following your heart’s desire in everything that you do. I enjoyed getting to know Gray and Sam, and even though the story did not necessarily “wow” me completely, it still had me riveted to the pages. Miss Frederick’s writing is practically flawless, the pacing of the story is just as it should be, and there is some pretty funny moments that will have you chuckling quite a bit. And let me not forget to mention the very hot and steamy sex scenes – oh yes, I enjoyed them as well. So overall, I would recommend this book to all romance lovers – and like I said in the beginning of my review: I will most definitely read the previous books in the series now, as I have become quite curious about the stories of the secondary characters.

PURCHASE LINKS

 Amazon US

Barnes & Noble

iBooks

Smashwords

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bestselling author Jen Frederick lives with her husband, child, and one rambunctious dog. She’s been reading stories all her life but never imagined writing one of her own. Jen loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at jensfrederick@gmail.com.

SOCIAL LINKS

Website

Goodreads Author Profile

Facebook

Twitter

Enjoy the excerpt, everyone!

THIS WAS ONLY TEMPORARY, I reminded myself, as Samantha so sweetly kissed me back. I’m only here for a short time I reminded myself but as I felt her tongue stroke the side of my tongue, as she nipped her teeth against my lip, I wanted to just drown in the sensation. Her scent filled my head and the air around us shrank until all I knew was her small body sitting so close to mine. I moved my hand from her shoulder to cup her neck and angled her face for deeper penetration. I licked every inch inside of her mouth until the taste of her was all that I knew on my tongue.

And all that time I stared in to her green eyes and not once did she look like she was anywhere but right here with me. I saw my reflection there. Her heartbeat was made wild by my kisses.

And temporary was the farthest thing from my mind.

“Unraveled” Playlist

 

Pharrell Williams – “Happy”

Ellie Goulding – “I Need Your Love”

Avicii – “Addicted To You”

A Great Big World & Christina Agulera – “Say Something”

Capital Cities – “Safe and Sound”

Sara Bareilles – “Brave”

Taylor Swift and Ed Sherran – “Everything Has Changed”

Phillip Phillips – “Home”

Remember to enter the giveaway before you leave.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

GOOD LUCK!

Cover Reveal: “Dirty Angels” (Dirty Angels #1) by Karina Halle – Synopsis & Excerpt

Title: “Dirty Angels” (Dirty Angels #1)

Author: Karina Halle

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: Spring / Summer 2014

Synopsis

For Luisa Chavez, a twenty-three year old former beauty queen, a better life has always been just out of her reach. Sure, she’s had men at her feet since she was a young teenager but she’s never had the one thing she’s craved – security. Having grown up in near poverty, her waitressing job in Cabo San Lucas can barely let her take care of herself, let alone her ailing parents. Every day is another unwanted advance, every day is a struggle to survive.

When Salvador Reyes, the depraved leader of a major Mexican cartel, takes an interest in her, Luisa is presented with an opportunity she can’t afford to pass up. She’ll become Salvador’s wife and exchange her freedom and body for a life of riches – riches she can bestow upon her deserving parents. But Luisa quickly finds out that even the finest wines and jewels can’t undo the ugliness in her marriage, nor the never-ending violence that threatens her every move.

Soon, Luisa is looking for an escape, a way out of the carefully controlled life she’s leading. She finally gets her wish in the worst way possible.

As it is, being the wife of Salvador makes her an ideal target for rival cartels and there’s one particular man who needs Luisa as part of his cartel’s expansion. One particular man whose quest for power has destroyed lives, slit throats and gotten him out of an American prison. One particular man who will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants.

That man is Javier Bernal. And he wants Luisa. He wants to take her, keep her, ruin her.

Unless she ruins him first.

***WARNING*** This book deals with drug cartels and as such it contains a lot of sex and violence and some violent sex. It can get pretty ugly, pretty dark and pretty crazy. There is drug use, abuse, a bit of torture and dubious consent. The hero is not a hero and the villains…well, they’re even worse. If this sort of thing bothers you, please do not read. This ain’t no cupcake farting unicorn kind of book***

Enjoy the excerpt, everyone!

There was a strange moment of silence and I concentrated hard, trying to hear more than the obvious. They were all waiting. Waiting for the order. Waiting for the man in charge to speak.

He did.

It came from the left of me. His voice was cool, calm and collected. I didn’t have to see to know who had taken me. The man I’d heard so much about. The man I’d been taught to fear.

“Gentleman,” he said and I could almost feel his infamous eyes on my body, “remove the bag.”

There was a rustle and my face was immediately met with cool air that seized my lungs and bright lights that blinded me. I scrunched up my face, afraid to look, to see. Now it was all so real and I wanted to stay in the dark.

“Who did this?”

Suddenly cool hands were at my swollen cheek and I flinched.

“Who did this?” my captor repeated, an edge to his level voice, his cigar-laced breath on my face.

“Sorry,” Franco mumbled. “It was the only way to quiet her.”

A heavy pause filled the room like deadweight. Finally the fingers came away from my skin and my body relaxed momentarily. I felt the man stand in front of me, bending over so he was in my face, the spicy scent of tea and tobacco emanating off of him.

“Look at me Luisa Reyes.”

Chavez, I thought to myself, I will always be Luisa Chavez.

“Darling, aren’t you curious to where you are?”

“My name is Luisa Chavez,” I said. I opened my eyes to see golden ones staring right back at me. It was like looking at an eagle. “And I know where I am. I know who you are. You are Javier Bernal.”

He raised his brow in amusement and nodded. I’d seen his picture before, on the news. There was only one and that was his mugshot but even in that photo, his eyes made an impression on you. They saw right into your depths and made you question yourself. He was one of the men whom Salvador feared, even though Salvador had more power. He was the one I had been told to watch out for, the supposed reason why I’d always been locked in the compound or escorted by the local police to go shopping.

And yet here I was, tied to a chair in a cold, leaking basement with nothing in it except five cartel members, a video camera and a knife that lay on top of a stool in front of me.

All of that for nothing. I could escape Salvador but I could never escape the cartels.

I had asked for this fate.

“You know why you’re here,” Javier said with deliberation, straightening up in his sharp black suit. He walked over to the stool, swiping up the knife, and glancing at me over his shoulder. “Don’t you?”

I could only breathe. I wanted to look at the others, at Este, at Franco, at the two other mystery men, but I was frozen in his gaze like a cow in headlights.

“What is the knife for?” I asked, my throat painfully dry.

“You’ll find out after,” he said. “It is for your husband. For your Salvador.” He stepped to the side and waved his arm at the camera. “And this is also for him.”

He eyed someone over my shoulder and gave a sharp nod. I heard a rip from behind and a piece of duct tape was placed over my mouth. I squirmed helplessly and the lights in the basement dimmed. The men stepped to the side while Javier went behind the video camera. A white light came off the front of it and bathed me in an eerie glow.

Javier cleared his throat, his face covered in shadow and said loudly, projecting to the camera, “This is Luiza Reyes, former beauty queen of the Baja State and property of Salvador Reyes. Salvador, we have your wife and we have a long list of demands, demands which I know you can meet. I expect full cooperation in this matter, or she dies in the next seven days. If she’s lucky. I’ll give you some time to think about what you’re willing to give up for her. Then we’ll be contacting you. Good bye.”

The light on the camera switched off but the rest of the room remained dim.

“I hope your husband checks his emails often. It would be a shame to have to put this on YouTube.”

There was a smirk on his face at that as he slowly walked toward me, the knife glinting in his hand. His eyes burned through the shadows, then grew somber.

He held up the knife. “I think it’s only going to hurt the first time.”

My eyes focused on the silver of the blade but the terror inside me grew too strong and my urge to breathe through the duct tape became too difficult. My lungs seized in panic, pulsing dots appeared in my vision. I felt a hand on my collarbone, gripping the edge of my blouse and then everything went black.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

With her USA Today Bestselling The Artists Trilogy published by Grand Central Publishing, numerous foreign publication deals, and self-publishing success with her Experiment in Terror series, Vancouver-born Karina Halle is a true example of the term “Hybrid Author.” Though her books showcase her love of all things dark, sexy and edgy, she’s a closet romantic at heart and strives to give her characters a HEA…whenever possible.

Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently lives on an island on the coast of British Columbia where she’s preparing for the zombie apocalypse with her fiance and rescue pup.

Karina is represented by Scott Waxman of the Waxman Leavell Literary Agency.

SOCIAL LINKS

Facebook | Goodreads | EIT Website | Twitter | Website