Sunday, June 30, 2013

This man confessed (This Man #3) by Jodi Ellen Malpas


Rating 5/5 stars
Pub. Date July 2 2013


Blurb:


The very place where their passionate love affair began, The Manor fills with guests on what should be the happiest day of Ava and Jesse’s lives. She has accepted that she’ll never tame the fierceness in Jesse, and she doesn't want to. Their love is profound, their connection powerful, but just when she thinks that she’s finally got beneath his guarded exterior, more questions arise which lead Ava to believe that Jesse Ward may not be the man she thinks he is. He knows too well how to take her to a place beyond ecstasy…but will he also drive her to the brink of despair?

It’s time for this man to confess.

Review:



‘Ava, My beautiful girl. He smiles mildly.‘All mine.’ Leaning up, he kisses me sweetly. ‘I don’t need to stand up and declare to everyone here how much I love you. I’m not interested in satisfying anyone of that. Except you. You’ve taken me completely, baby. You’ve swallowed me up and drowned me in your beauty and spirit. You know I can’t function without you. You’ve made my life as beautiful as you are. You’ve made me want to live a worthy existence—a life with you. All I need is you—to look at you; to listen to you; to feel you.’ He drops my hands and smoothes his palms over my thighs. ‘To love you.’
I’m ruined. My mum’s ruined. Everyone in the room is ruined. My teeth are clamped on my bottom lip to prevent a sob escaping, I’m choking on the lump in my throat and my eyes are welling with tears as I look down at Jesse’s handsome face.

‘I need you to let me do all of those things, Ava. I need you to let me look after you forever`
 


Another trilogy comes to an end. First I wasn`t sure if I liked or disliked the trilogy. Now I love it ( and FYI Jesse is #4 BBF on the list). It was a lot like the story in Fifty Shades Freed with the difference that Ava was behaving like Christian and Jesse like Anna.

Finally the mystery behind the pills is unraveled and I am sure many of you already knew what happened to them and why they kept disappearing. I would love to say more about the reason they were disappearing but I don`t want to spoil it for you. 



I will admit that in the beginning of this book I thought that Jesse was overreacting. But after learning all of Jesse's past I feel bad for having these thoughts about him. This man finally confesss his past and keeps nothing hidden. I wasn't expecting that and I liked the way Palmas delivered it. Some major changes happen towards the end and I have bittersweet feelings for them. I am glad that Jesse moved on but I felt as if he gave up a large part of himself and somehow he is not going to be the same Jessie we knew and loved.

The end is worth it. To cheer you up I will only spoil the epilogue and say that it is from Jesse's point of view!!!! Yeap! The Lord has blessed us with a sneak peak into his thoughts.

My review for Beneath this man

Just One Day by Sharla Lovelace


Rating 4/5 stars
Pub. Date September 24th 2012

Fans of both contemporary romance and women's fiction will love this smart, witty, and beautiful novella from national bestseller Sharla Lovelace. If you like Susan Elizabeth Philips, Susan Mallery, or Sarah Addison Allen you're going to fall in love with this author.


She has nothing but time . . .

Twenty-four hours. That’s how long Andie Fremont has to say yes—or no. At forty-four with a daughter in college, she’s no young kitten with starry-eyed ideas of what love is. Still, when the man who is everything she should want pops the question with a ring he knows isn’t her style, during a party she didn’t want to have, Andie balks. Something tells her that it isn’t right. 

Looking to clear her head, Andie hits the Texas highway in search of an answer. And when she stumbles upon an old roadside diner she decides waffles might be it, at least for now. What she didn’t expect to find was Jesse Montgomery. The man who stole her heart and broke it all in one day, two decades earlier.

As a Texas-size storm takes shape outside, the electricity between Andie and Jesse builds inside. Suddenly Andie is faced with more than just yes or no. As the storm clears there are two men who will want answers.

My review:


I couldn't see the chemistry between Andie and Brad. Instead I felt a pull for a guy she had met 22 years ago (I swear I hadn't seen the synopsis because I had no internet). I am glad she made the right decision when the time came. It was more the obvious what she should do. 

I liked the story but I wanted an epilogue. I was left wanting more of Andie and Jesse. But that's not an option with short stories so I had to suffice to what I had. What I also liked it the way Andie's life changes in just one day. 

Friday, June 28, 2013

Every Rose by Lynetta Halat (+Giveaway)

rating 5/5 stars

pub. date

Synopsis:

What do you do when you realize you were foolish enough to throw away true, unconditional love?
Lorraina Dabney turns her back on her creativity and tumultuous upbringing to embark on a college career that will lead her to law school and to becoming what she values most in life—a controlled, powerful, respected woman. When she stumbles upon her childhood friend's artwork, she feels inspired to reconnect with him and her former self.  This onslaught of emotion will send Lorraina into a tale-spin to figure out exactly why she abandoned all that she was, all that she could've been.

Coming from his own chaotic upbringing, Michael falls quickly and deeply in love with Lorraina at a tender age. Even her rejection can't stand in the way of his obsession. When she starts to date other boys, however, Michael finally relents, causing him to spiral further into a world filled with violence, drugs, alcohol, and women. Realizing his lifestyle will only lead to his further estrangement from Lorraina, Michael sets about to turn himself around before going to get his girl.

Michael Bang will have Lorraina questioning everything.




Our review:

*Warning: If/when you read this book have tissues with you*

Honestly I have no idea what to say about Every Rose. I hated and loved it at the same time. As I am writing this review I cry like a baby. I hated the end. I  don't understand how the author did that and why. Couldn't see let them live happily after everything? Why?

I loved Michael so much. He was sweet, romantic and everything you could have asked. Yes he had his flaws but he had already won me over so I didn't mind. Do you know what made me love him? The fact that he declared that he was going to marry her even though he didn't even knew her that well. How determined was to convince her that he was the one for her. How he tried to be a better person for her. I loved his roses and everything about him.

Lorraina wasn't my favorite person in the beginning but after seeing her reasoning and how she changed with Michael I started liking her more and more. I felt sorry for her in the end.

If you don't want to read a book without a happily ever after don't read this. I wish someone had warn me. I wouldn't have the book if I knew what will happen in the end. I know that this is a silly reasoning but when I read a book I want a HEA. 

The writing was very good and I liked the story and the way it was unraveling. I thought that I should give the book a 3 star rating because I didn't liked the end but then I thought that it deserves 5 because it made me connect with the characters, it made me to want to read what's next and it made me care about the fate of the characters. So, that's what I thought about the book. You should read this too. Just remember to have tissues next to you. Lots of them.
   

Michael:



Lorraina:





EXCERPT:
Michael shakes his head and grins at me. I fight the sudden urge to run my hands through that silky midnight hair of his. “Always so quick to label and categorize.  I guess that’s what will make you an excellent attorney. Assess. Label. Categorize. Add up the W’s. ” He leans in a little and whispers, “How about we just go with the flow? See where it leads us. Label later?” He raises his brows, offering my type-A dominant personality a direct challenge.

Caution to the wind, very atypical for me, I reply, “OK. I’m up for it.” Challenge accepted. “You?” Challenge returned.

“You bet, Lorraina,” he rasps softly.

He leans into my door and places his hands on top of mine. I’m suddenly quite anxious and ever so grateful for the door between us. My hands get clammy and my heart races. Blood races and pounds in my ears, making me feel very much awake now. One hand moves up to brush my hair from my forehead and moves down feather light until his knuckles brush across my cheekbone and lips. He pulls his thumb slowly across my lips. It’s excruciating. It’s exquisite.

Both of his hands come forward to frame my face gently, and he pulls me in for a kiss. A too quick kiss. It’s over before I realize it’s even begun. He gives me a half smile and turns and walks away.
“Michael!” My voice barely sounds human. More animal in nature. It’s raw with ache.

He turns and takes two long strides back to me. This time when he grasps my head it’s anything but gentle. He pulls my lip in and nudges my lips open with his. All rational thought escapes me. I mirror his grasp and enjoy the fullness I feel with him in my mouth. I give as good as I get. This kiss is nothing like our two before. I savor it.

When he turns to walk away, I release a long pent up breath. If he would’ve looked back, he would’ve seen that I was the one on my knees now.



Author Bio:
For as long as she can remember, Lynetta Halat has lived to read and has written countless stories and plays since she was a young girl. A teacher by day and an avid reader and closet writer by night, she has always dreamt of penning books that people could connect with and remember; and her first novel, Every Rose, is the perfect catalyst to launch her into the world of publishing. Her love of the English language prompted her to pursue a master’s degree in English from Old Dominion University in Virginia. A self-proclaimed “Coast Girl,” she lives in Mississippi with her adorable husband, two amazing sons, and two loveable dogs. She is currently at work on her second book

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Release day for Mid-Life Love by Whitney G.


Synopsis:

If you'd asked me what love was two years ago, I probably would've said, 'It's this amazing feeling that obsesses and possesses you; it's what me and my husband currently have.' If you ask me that same question today, I'll say, 'Please get the hell out of my face.’

Claire Gracen's life is picture perfect. Her career as a marketing director is on the brink of being legendary, and her marriage to her high school sweetheart has never been stronger. No, wait. It has. It used to be amazing and fulfilling, but one day Claire realizes that she's been living a lie and her best friend and husband have committed the ultimate betrayal. 

Broken and depressed, Claire is in need of something new—new city, new job, new friends. 

When she happens to attract the interest of the sexiest man she's ever met, a man significantly younger than her, she immediately turns him down—only to later discover that this man is Jonathan Statham, self-made billionaire and CEO of Statham Industries. Her boss.

Jonathan Statham is unlike any man she's met before. He's used to getting whatever he wants—whenever he wants, and he isn't about to take no for an answer. 

Sexy, unpredictable, and charmingly clever, Mid Life Love is a story that will captivate you, entertain you, and force you to fall deeply in love with the characters.


Author Bio:

A self diagnosed candy addict, travel junkie, and hypochondriac, Whitney Gracia Williams LOVES to write about characters that make you laugh, cry, and want to (in the case of Selena Ross) reach through your Kindle and slap them.
She is the "imaginary bestselling" author of the Jilted Bride Series, Mid Life Love, Wasted Love, and Captain of My Soul.
When she's not locked inside her room, feverishly typing away on her laptop, she can be found here:http://www.whitneygracia.com
She also loves getting emails from her readers, so if you want to tell her how much you loved (or hated) her stories, email her at whitgracia@gmail.com


Social Media Links:








Snippet of Jonathan and Claire’s first encounter:

“Need some help?” A deep voice said from behind.
“Sure.” I didn’t look up. I kept stacking the red boxes in between the yellow ones, making sure each box was perfectly aligned into the tacky half diamond formation.
As I stacked the last cereal box atop the display, I turned to look at the man who’d helped me out.
OH. MY. GOD…
He had one of those faces that belonged in a Ralph Lauren ad—stark blue eyes that gleamed with the faintest hint of light, a perfectly chiseled jaw line with a light sexy stubble, and full, well defined lips that looked inviting enough to kiss all day.
He was dressed in dark blue jeans and a black sweat shirt with “San Fran” in white letters. And for some odd reason, he was smiling at me.
He’s probably a student at the law school down the street….If only I could go back in time…Oh well…
“Umm…Thank you for your help.” I turned away and went back to my basket.
“Wait a minute,” he said as he walked over. “I didn’t catch your name.”
How cute…“Claire.”
“Nice to meet you, Claire. I’m Jonathan.” He reached out to shake my hand. “I know this may seem forward, but I can’t leave the store without knowing if I can I take you out tonight.”
What? Did he just ask me out? For tonight?
“Umm…”
“You can pick the place.” He smiled a perfect white smile and ran a hand through his jet black hair. “And we can meet there if you don’t want me to pick you up.”
Stop looking at his smile and avert your gaze somewhere lower…Not that lower!
“I would but…” I literally couldn’t take my eyes off him. He was the sexiest man I’d ever seen and I could feel this strange rush of warmth coursing through my veins. “I can’t.”
“Is it because you’re seeing someone else?” His eyes veered to my bare left hand. “Are you married?”
He has to be kidding me…“No. I’m not married or seeing anyone else. I’m—”
“So would eight o’ clock be fine? And where exactly do you want to meet?” He looked directly into my eyes and I almost collapsed onto the floor.
The look he was giving me should’ve been reserved for a seductive scene in a romance movie and his dreamy smile was lethal.
“Look, I’m completely flattered but you look kind of young.”
He furrowed his eyebrow. “That’s very nice of you to say, but that doesn’t answer my question. Where do you want to—”
“How old are you, Jonathan?”
“Twenty eight.” His beautiful eyes lit up.
Twenty eight?! Why am I still standing here entertaining him? He’s eleven years younger than me! No thanks…
“Well, that’s way too young for me. I have a little cousin that’s more in your age range. She’s currently studying law, but if you want I can call and ask her if—”
“You don’t want to go out with me?”
No. I’m way too old for you, and I’m not a cougar or a cradle robber. I have two daughters and I would feel some type of way if they dated someone who had our age difference.”
“Our age difference?”
“Yes. I’m thirty nine, which means that when you were eight years old and learning how to build fires with the Boy Scouts, I was nineteen and in college. It means that when you were nineteen and trying to figure out what major you wanted to pick, I was thirty trying to build a career in marketing. And just in case you don’t realize how many years there are that separate us, there are eleven. Do you not see the problem with that?
“Not really.” He grinned. “But I can’t force someone to go out with me, can I?


GIVEAWAY
2 signed paperbacks of Mid Life Love (US only)
3 winners:
Claire's necklace from Jonathan (US only)
5 ebooks (open internationally)
$10.00 amazon giftcard (open internationally)

Buy links:






Thursday, June 27, 2013

The Prayer Unlock a Life Full of Miracles, Unconditional Love and Answered Prayers by Jacqueline von Zwehl


Rating 4/5 stars
Pub. Date October 28 2013

Description:


The Prayer is the inspirational true story of one woman who discovers an extraordinary secret to living a life filled with miracles, unconditional love, and answered prayers. The author's journey begins with a divine promise, continues with the struggle of unforeseen life challenges, and eventually leads her to Jerusalem. Inside the Old City, a prayer will unlock the key to a life full of miracles.

This journey is proof heaven is real and its gifts are available to you now. Whether You believe in God or not, God believes in You. This journey promises everyone, no matter how much darkness exists in your life, it cannot diminish the flicker of even the tiniest light. That light will lead you to your destiny and it will change your life forever. 

Review:

Jacqueline von Zwehl writes a true story about her life. It's not a biography because the author chose to write about her relationship with God. In this book we say her losing her faith and gaining it back. Her journey is not easy but she makes it through. In the beginning I was confused because there was a mention or two about Allah but the author seemed to be and is a Christian.

I am not sure if I believe 100% her story because I lost faith and she seemed so devoted to God. You have to believe in miracles to read this. The story on how she met her husband was sweet and I wish them to grow old together. I wonder what happened to Chris's first daughter because not much information was given. The first half was difficult for me to read. The author had depression and she was alone and then a revelation about her friend came and things got bad

Did the book made me wanna pray or star believe in God? No. It made me though see that some people still believe in God and pray not because someone they love is in danger but because they want to. In every page the author was praying or thinking of God which was weird for me. The point of this book is that God is always there for you. You just have to let Him in. 

Truth or Date (Better Date Than Never #2) by Susan Hatler


Rating 4/5 stars
Pub. Date April 25th 2013


Blurb:

Gina Hall is done with men who won’t commit. Ten years waiting for her ex to propose wasted her time. Never again. When her friend Kristen starts a game of Truth or Dare, she dares Gina to go on a date with Ethan, who’s amazing and total marriage material.

As Gina plans the going away party for office playboy Chris Bradley, she spontaneously initiates a game of Truth or Dare with him. When his turn comes around, he dares Gina to pose as his girlfriend to help get a flirty colleague off his back. Gina finds playing couple with Chris way too much fun.

Even though Gina and Chris are pretending, their relationship begins to feel painfully real. Fearing she might be falling for another fly-by man, Gina must focus on Ethan so she doesn’t make the same dating mistakes all over again.


My review:


Gina was blind. Or maybe I have read one too many books like this and I know what will happen (and I am not talking about a HEA). I read it faster than I thought it would take me to finish it and I liked it.

I liked Chris but I can't be completely honest about him because I didn't see him long enough in the book to form a complete opinion about him. I felt sorry for him for reasons I am not allowed to say. Ethan didn't felt as the right person for her because he was a safe choice and sometimes safe is boring. I prefer him with the person he ended up with. And as for Gina I can't say that I liked her actions but I understand her thinking behind them.

The story was good, if not a little predictable and I suggest this book especially for something to read after an emotionally draining book

A Scandalous Plan by Donna Lea Simpson


Rating 4/5 stars
Pub. Date May 29th 2013

Blurb:


Strong-willed and intelligent, Lady Theresa is tired of spending her days listening to the gossipy village spinsters talk about the mysterious gentleman who just moved into the village. Known to be headstrong, and happily unattached, she takes it upon herself to call on the new resident and find out if the awful rumors about his family are true.

The Honourable Mr. Martindale welcomes life as a recluse. A widower, he’s made his fortune and now hopes to dedicate his time to working the land and raising his two young children—free of interference from the locals. When Lady Theresa comes marching up to his door, it’s the last thing Martindale wants, a husband hunter who thinks she can tell him how to raise his children and, worse, how he should comport himself.

Yet before long Lady Theresa has worked her way into Martindale’s quiet life and hatched an outrageous plan to win the village’s approval for both the man and his unusual children. But what she fails to see is how badly the plan could backfire, or how it could jeopardize her own place in a family she has come to cherish—and in the heart of the man she has come to love.

This novella was originally published under the title “A Father’s Love" in the anthology A Match for Papa .


My Review


If it wasn't for the cover I could forget that the characters weren't living in 2013. I would have liked an authors note where the author was revealing what Jacob had. A short story and a pleasant way to spend a summer evening while you are between two books. The plan wasn't so scandalous for our time but in regency times almost everything could be called that.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Cover Reveal: Breaking the Rules by H.B. Heinzer




Release date: August 1st

Author: H.B. Heinzer

Synopsis:

Growing up in small town Wisconsin, Carly Turner couldn't wait to escape when she graduated high school. Now, she's living the life in New York City, even if she isn't seeing her name in lights like she used to dream about at night. She's living paycheck-to-paycheck, working behind the scenes in small theaters off Broadway. When there's an equipment malfunction the week before opening night, Carly makes a call that winds up changing everything. 

Life in the city isn't all it's cracked up to be. While she feels like she's getting closer to making the move from behind the scenes to center stage, she misses being surrounded by people who understand the quirks that come from living in a town of five thousand people. That, and the fact that he's sexy as sin, make Adam everything she feels like she's missing. 

The only problem? He's her best friend's kid brother...

Adam Sanders wants to settle down, find a good woman and start a family like he sees so many of his friends doing. But how is he supposed to meet Ms. Right when he's constantly on the road for work? When he's sent to New York to handle a repair that would typically be contracted out as a favor to his boss, he's just about to his breaking point. 

Everything changes when the stagehand sent to open the theater for him is none other than his big sister's childhood friend. The same girl he lusted after as a teenager. Could this be fate's way of showing him that he was looking in the wrong place for love? 

As Adam and Carly's friendship develops, lines will be crossed and rules will be broken. Will they be able to come out the other side without destroying everything they had back in Brooklyn?

Author Bio:
With the exception of three years spent in the middle of Nebraska, H.B. Heinzer has called southern Wisconsin home. During that time in Nebraska, she imagined one of her favorite authors living on the far western edge of the county, just south of the highway. At the time, becoming a novelist was a distant dream for her. Now, she is the author living in that location. Ironically, she later found out that same favorite author lives just outside the town HB lived in for the first eighteen years of her life. 
Now, HB lives in the middle of nowhere but still close enough to the city to not feel isolated. It's the perfect place to let her two kids run and explore their huge yard, teach them about the food chain as they prepare their first-ever garden and debate building a chicken coop. It's one of those dreams that is only possible thanks to the amazing opportunities that have come through writing.

Social Media Links:


Teaser:

"Hello?" A deep voice resonated from backstage. The way the timbre of the man’s voice echoed off the acoustic panels in the empty theater sent a shiver down Carly’s spine. She was surrounded daily by men whose voices could melt butter, but there was something about this particular voice that heightened her senses.
"Out here," she shouted, still wrestling to pull the set piece out of the curtain without causing any damage Dax would make her fix later. She blew a stray hair away from her eyes as the lighting contractor rounded the corner.
When she looked up, she did a double-take. The broad shoulders and angled jaw were all new but there was no mistaking the icy blue eyes looking down at her.  They were the same eyes she had seen nearly every day of her childhood. "Adam?"              
"Carly Turner? What are the odds..."
When she had moved away from home, Adam Sanders had been a bit gangly and not nearly this tall. She figured he would have grown up to be the man a woman grew to love for his heart despite his awkward appearance. The fact that it looked like he wasn’t opposed to spending time in the gym and he had lost the child-like face did nothing to settle her nerves. Carly shook the thoughts out of her head. This was Adam, the boy who had been the little brother Carly never had. Even if she had never felt that familial bond with him, there was definitely a rule about drooling over your best friend's little brother.
"Well, I think they're probably long enough that there's no point in buying a lottery ticket tonight," Oh god, did I just compare seeing Adam to winning the lottery?

Love and devotion by Jove Belle (+Giveaway)



Synopsis:

KC Hall loves her family, her small East Texas town, and her best friend, Emma Reynolds. All of that takes a backseat when her lover beckons. Lonnie is blond, beautiful, and willing. She’s also married and a lifelong friend of KC’s mama.

KC knows the affair is a bad idea, but she just can’t help herself. When presented with the lush landscape of Lonnie’s body, KC subscribes to the philosophy of
orgasm first, think later.” Unfortunately, a secret that big is impossible to keep in a close-knit community where everybody knows everybody else’s business. The scandal would hurt her entire family.

Emma is KC’s exception, the one woman she loves enough to not have sex with. When Emma confesses that she’s loved KC since high school, KC is terrified. One wrong move and she could lose Emma completely.

Is she willing to let her family pay the price for her good time? Or will she turn to Emma to discover the true meaning of love and devotion?

Author Bio:
 Jove Belle was born and raised against a backdrop of orchards and potato fields. The youngest of four children, she was raised in a conservative, Christian home and began asking why at a very young age, much to the consternation of her mother and grandmother. At the customary age of eighteen, she fled southern Idaho in pursuit of broader minds and fewer traffic jams involving the local livestock. The road didn’t end in Portland, Oregon, but there were many confusing freeway interchanges that a girl from the sticks was ill-prepared to deal with. As a result, she has lived in the Portland metro area for over fifteen years and still can’t figure out how she manages to spend so much time in traffic when there’s not a stray sheep or cow in sight.
She lives with her partner of twelve years. Between them they share three children, two dogs, two cats, two mortgage payments, one sedan, and one requisite dyke pickup truck. One day she hopes to live in a house that doesn’t generate a never ending honey-do list.
Incidentally, she never stopped asking why, but did expand her arsenal of questions to include who, what, when, where and, most important of all, how. In those questions, a story is born.

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Giveaway Code:
eBooks are open Internationally; EVERYTHING else is US ONLY

·         5 e-copies of Love & Devotion by Jove Belle
·         1 signed paperback copy of Edge of Darkness by Jove Belle
·         1 signed paperback copy of Split the Aces by Jove Belle
·         1 signed paperback copy of Indelible by Jove Belle
·         1 set of 4 wine charms (heart)
·         1 set of 4 wine charms (cowboy boot)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Bitter Fruits by Sarah Daltry Release Day


Blurb:


Attending a vampire-themed masquerade party seems like a strange way to spend a night, but Nora is sick of frat parties and bars. Meeting Alec was just a bonus. Despite their immediate attraction, however, Alec is wary of involving himself with Nora, and when she pushes it, she discovers that Alec has secrets that could destroy them both. Is she willing to risk everything for a man she hardly knows? How far into darkness will he take her? When Nora attempts to follow, however, things grow more complicated. Someone is hunting her - someone tied to a secret that goes back to the beginning of man. Soon, Nora finds herself drawn to two men, each with his own agenda. Can she save them both when one is destined to die?

Author Bio:


Sarah Daltry writes erotica and romance that ranges from sweet to steamy. She moves around a lot and has trouble committing to things. Bitter Fruits is her first full-length novel, although she’s written two novellas and several short stories. She is currently writing another novel, a contemporary NA romance called Forget Me Not. When she isn’t writing, she tends to waste a lot of time checking Facebook for pictures of cats, shooting virtual zombies, and simply staring out the window.

Social Links: 

o Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sarah-Daltry-Erotica/467129926691852
o Facebook page for the book: https://www.facebook.com/BitterFruits 
oWebsite: http://sarahdaltry.com 
o Twitter: https://twitter.com/SarahDaltry 
o Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7012679.Sarah_Daltry 
o Other: http://sarahdaltry.tumblr.com/ 
o http://pinterest.com/sarahdaltry/

Giveaway

One Giveaway:
8 bracelets with bookmarks (US ONLY) 3 necklaces with bookmarks (US ONLY) 1 paperback signed with bookmark (US ONLY) 8 ebook bundles (reader's choice): (OPEN INTERNATIONALLY)
* Bundle 1: Erotic Romance ("Quiver of a Kiss," "Her Brother's Best Friend," "Into the Woods," and "Touch of Venus.")
* Bundle 2: First Timers 1 and 2 (ten short stories about the first time)

Cover reveal: Alternate connection by Chris Almeida and Cecilia Aubrey


ALTERNATE CONNECTION is the third novel in the COUNTERMEASURE SERIES.

The next installment of the COUNTERMEASURE SERIES has a tentative release date set for November 5th, 2013. The story continues where TO RUSSIA WITH LOVE left off and pursues a parallel between Trevor and Cassandra Bauer’s quest and a daring attack on US nationals.

BLURB

CIA operative Nathan Nelson has built his life on secrets. Secrets about events that have shaped him into the man he has become. Events that taught him to keep his shields up. He has kept them buried in the past and nobody—not even Cassandra Bauer, the woman he claimed to love—knows of them. Now, those secrets have come barreling down on him at the worst of times.

Foreign Service Specialist Rachael Moore's personal crusade puts her in the crosshairs of very dangerous people. She would risk everything to achieve her goal even if it means exposing her battered heart and deeply concealed dreams to a man who doesn’t know the meaning of love.

Unbeknownst to both, their reconnection may not only bridge the chasm between the two of them, but shed light on a puzzling mystery. Their perilous journey becomes a race for their lives, leading them into a conspiracy rooted deeper than the tangled emotions between them.

Will their collaboration shatter the tenuous link woven in the past or forge a bond they never expected could exist in the future?

 

EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER 5

Nathan shook his head and pulled out the first folder containing the personal file of Gerald Blair, U.S. Envoy to the Middle East. The report was thorough and contained a detailed account of both his professional and personal life. He raised his eyes to Hanson. “Do you want to split’em?”

“Nope. I’m done with them. They are all yours.”

“When—?”

“While I waited for the fax. I’m a fast read, Nelson. Keep that in mind.” Hanson’s lips quirked in a cocky grin as he leaned his seat back and closed his eyes. His disheveled appearance and the hickeys decorating his neck a clear indication he needed some shut-eye. “Let me know when you’re done so we can discuss the details.”

Nathan sank in his own seat, his mind teeming with questions. Questions he didn’t think he would have answers to any time soon. He had a long analysis ahead of him considering he was also looking for pieces of a puzzle unknown to Hanson. Unlike Hanson’s, Nathan’s focus also encompassed the files belonging to the two agents and two drivers who’d been killed in the attack.

With that in mind, he returned his attention to the folder and began studying the first of the people they were supposed to know inside and out before they set off for ground zero. As he read through the pages, he looked for inconsistencies, hidden information, or activities that could have made Blair a target. Anything that could have put them all in the crosshairs of whoever had taken them.

The situation was more complex than the usual hostage kidnapping. While religious extremists were quick to claim responsibility, those who’d abducted the six remaining members of the diplomatic convoy two days earlier hadn’t made any demands through the media. They’d simply dropped off the radar as if they’d never been.

There had to be a reason for that divergence from the usual and that reason could very well be tied to Nathan’s prime directive. The answer could be in any of their past or present and, if he was to be successful, he had to find it.

He beat his way through Gerald Blair’s file and took notes as he moved through. Blair had been in extensive contact with Palestinians and Israelis—unavoidable contact since it was an integral part of his job to mediate peace in the region—and that in itself could have placed a target on his back.

Nathan set Blair’s file aside and moved on to the next in the bundle. As he flipped it open, his whole body stiffened in his seat. A buzzing noise flooded his ears, and his sight dimmed. His field of vision narrowed to the picture on the page and the name listed—Moore, Rachael. Status: Widow. Rae.

His blood iced in his veins. For a moment, he felt detached from reality expecting someone to pop up in the seat in front of him pointing a camera and screaming, “Gotcha!” He fixed his eyes on the file again. Phillip Moore’s wife. Was that why Hanson had made that comment about setting personal involvements aside? Nathan stared at her familiar image for a moment before diving in. Some of the information in it was known to him. Some was brand new. He read the declassified report on Phillip’s death with a heavy heart and the thumping in his chest rose to such a loud racket he thought it would wake Hanson from his beauty sleep.

The more he read about Rachael, the more his frown deepened. Why was she working at the embassy in Israel? How had she come to be assigned as a personal assistant to Blair?

Phillip had been crazy about her, and Nathan understood why as soon as he’d met her. At the time they met, she’d been working on a business associate degree with some difficulty due to the sudden transfer to the US. Neither had mentioned she dabbed in international politics back then. Had she made a career change after Phillip’s death? Guilt punched him in the gut and he held his breath, squeezing his eyes shut to keep self-flagellation at bay.

He’d gone through that cycle many times before. He wasn’t about to slide down that road again. If that was how he could redeem himself, he was going to take it.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

cc_mediumSQUAREWriting had touched Chris Almeida’s and Cecilia Aubrey’s lives in different ways through the years but had never taken flight. It was in 2010, when Chris and Cecilia met and began role-playing online as a hobby, that writing placed itself front and center in their lives.

Chris and Cecilia have since chosen to release all their titles independently. They have several short stories and two novels published under their own label, Ιire Publishing, and are vocal supporters of independent publishing done right. They are currently working on the third novel in their series. Through all the chaos and laughter, they still hold true to their roots, bringing their favorite role-play characters and stories to life.

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