Friday, October 30, 2015

Review: An Unexpected Wish (A Lady's Wish #1) by Eileen Richards



Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Publication Date: October 27, 2015

Blurb:

Sometimes a last resort is pure magic…

Anne Townsend doesn’t ask for much. Plain and poor, she’d settle for the funds to put food on the table. Making a wish on the fabled Fairy Steps is hardly a solid solution, but to see her two sisters taken care of, Anne’s willing to try anything. Yet when she finds herself suddenly surrounded with suitors, romance is now a possibility for the spinster everyone always ignored except with the one man who will never want her…

Nathaniel Matthews has no time for courting. As the eldest, he has his family’s lost fortune to rebuild, and his reckless brother to manage before he gambles his future away. Odd that Nathaniel can think of little but kissing bright-eyed Anne, who seems to be fighting off admirers from all sides. Is it the country air, or is Nathaniel ready to discover that love has a magic all its own?
 

Review:

 I really hate heroines (in 99% of the cases it's the heroine) that have their mind stubbornly set on something and make their love lives difficult because of it. Anne was so convinced that the wish was the reason Nathaniel was interested in her and she ended up been blinded by that belief. I wish she was the one who had to go and make things right between them.

Most of the book couldn't hold my interest and I suspect that Anne's stubbornness is the reason and that's the reason I am going to read the second book, which is Tony's story. I liked Nathaniel as a character. Sophia not so much though. I wish the book was set in London because in the rural areas the rules are more loose and I didn't get my fill on the historical romance addiction.

Review: A Winter Wedding (Whiskey Creek #9) by Brenda Novak



Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Publication Date: October 27 2015


Blurb:

One Christmas can change your life...

Kyle Houseman believes he'll never find anyone he could love as much as Olivia Arnold, who's now married to his stepbrother. Not only did he lose her, he's been through one divorce and has no desire to go through another. He's determined to be extra careful about the next woman he gets involved with—which is why he fights his attraction to the beautiful stranger who rents his farmhouse for the Christmas holiday.

Lourdes Bennett is a country music artist. She's only planning to stay in Whiskey Creek long enough to write the songs for her next album—the album that's going to put her back on top. Her dreams don't include settling in a town even smaller than the one she escaped. But as she comes to know Kyle, she begins to wonder if she'd be making a terrible mistake to leave him behind.

Review:

If someone has read my previous reviews for the books in the series, they should know that I started the series with book #5 aka Take Me Home For Christmas and it never was in my plan to read the previous books in the series ASAP (I am still wondering if I should have read the books that came after them and yes Cheyenne I am looking at you). So I didn't know Kyle's history by having read it, I knew what the characters were mentioned in the last 4 books and what the blurb was revealing. The magic of a stand alone book is that I got the background story without the added drama that I would have to go through if I had to live throughout the events of Olivia';s book. So points to the book for not making me frustrated.

The worst part of this story was Noelle. She and her psychotic behavior ruined the book for me. She was too much into the spotlight and she didn't have to be. Kyle should have gotten the balls to stop letting her push him around way too long ago. Around the half mark in this book I thought that she needed to have some physic evaluation.

The romance between Kyle and Lourdes left me uninterested since for some reason I could see the spark between them. Maybe if Lourdes had broken up with her fiance before she came to Whiskey Creek things would have been different.I thought that after This Heart of Mine things would have gotten better for me and the series, but that wasn't the case. It's not like the book was bad. When I finished the book, about 4 days before this review was written I had a very good impression on this book, but now that I am writing the review I remember mostly the bad parts. The one thing that came to my mind and I liked it was the way Kyle and Lourdes got back together. I liked that she made the move and didn't sit and wait for Kyle. Despite what I might have said above this book is my second favorite and I am giving it 3.5 stars.




Thursday, October 29, 2015

Review: Walk Through Fire (Chaos #4) by Kristen Ashley





Rating: 5++ out of 5 stars
Publication Date: October 27, 2015

Blurb:

Millie Cross knows what it's like to burn for someone. She was young and wild and he was fierce and even wilder-a Chaos biker who made her heart pound. They fell in love at first sight and life was good, until she learned she couldn't be the woman he needed and made it so he had no choice but to walk away. Twenty years later, Millie's chance run-in with her old flame sparks a desire she just can't ignore. And this time, she won't let him ride off . . .

Bad boy Logan "High" Judd has seen his share of troubles with the law. Yet it was a beautiful woman who broke him. After ending a loveless marriage, High is shocked when his true love walks back into his life. Millie is still gorgeous, but she's just a ghost of her former self. High's intrigued at the change, but her betrayal cut him deep-and he doesn't want to get burned again. As High sinks into meting out vengeance for Millie's betrayal, he'll break all over again when he realizes just how Millie walked through fire for her man . . .
 

Review:

Over the course of the last couple of years I overcame by belief that Kristen Ashley was overrated and that everyone was just loving the Rock Chick series (which I haven't yet read). Now I believe that KA is one of the best authors who can write long books without making them boring or making the drama too much. I loved the angst and the pain that was filling the path that lead to Millie's confession about what happened twenty years ago.

I might have predicted the two things that had a major impact on the story, but I can't hold angaist the book since I believe that it's hard to guess why Millie gave up on Logan so long ago. I love the phrase Walk through fire. Millie did and I admire her for that. I get why Logan was a big A-hole in the beginning, since he was feeling betrayed, but I can't seem to hate him for that. It's sad that Millie wasn't living the whole time they were apart. She is the perfect example of the saying "A shell of her former self..." Logan got in a sense what he wanted and even though things could have never gotten over between them it felt to me that their separation was what it was needed in order for him to get what he wanted even if it wasn't in a way he liked.

The epilogue was a long epilogue. At some point I was lost, but the last sentence gave me a sense of satisfaction and it was the perfect ending for Millie and Logan's story. I cried in this book. The tears came out of nowhere and I almost burst into tears in public. Logan and Millie's story is heart breaking so keep the tissues close when reading this book. A bottle of wine is also a good idea.

Walk through fire is simply one of the best books I read this month and of course I am going to recommend it to you. It's going to be on the list with the books I love. I can't wait for the next book in the chaos series! I feel like I need to say more. But I am out of words. I guess KA just got herself another fan to obsess over her books.


Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Review: A Friendly Arrangement (Friends First #2) by Christine Warner




Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Publication Date: October 26, 2015

Blurb:

What happens when your plus one becomes "the one"?

Holly Haggerty and Roth Esterly are two besties with everything in common--they're neighbors, career-driven, and commitment-phobes. Tired of always being set up on dates by well-meaning friends and family, they take matters into their own hands: they will be the other's plus one--a little friendly arrangement between friends.

Easy…until a steamy night where they cross the line. But that's okay, they'll add an addendum--one that includes a little action between the sheets…on top of the sheets…and without the sheets. But there are rules. Dating and sex are exclusive until one of them decides to terminate the agreement. No slumber parties. And if either party becomes emotionally involved they will break things off with no hard feelings.

When unexpected news changes their plans and turns their fun arrangement into something more serious, Holly and Roth must come to terms with what's more important--what they thought they wanted, or what they really need. 

Review:

My favorite part of this story was the angsty part after chapter 10. Actually, that's the only thing I liked in this book. The rest of the book made me feel like was missing and I stopped reading the book more than once. In the beginning I was bothered, by how suddenly both of them realized that they were attracted to each other. Things got a little cliche in the end, but it was my favorite kind of cliche so I can't say that it bothered me much. The drama was a little over the top though. I thought I was going to enjoy more this friends to lovers book, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. I am not sure if I would recommend this book. I might have liked it more if I hadn't read it a very emotional read. I feel like Christine Warner could have balanced the book, meaning that there were too many things happening in the end and almost nothing in the beginning.


Promo: My Life as I Knew It by Brenda Thornlow




Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: June 23rd, 2014


SYNOPSIS

What would you do if you were sent back in time for some unknown reason? When Brianna wakes up this morning she will be faced with that very question. Brianna lives in New York with her husband, the love of her life, Greg. She's happily married, has a great job, travels around the world and this year will be celebrating her birthday in style. Until the morning she wakes up in an apartment 3,000 miles from where she and Greg live, and seventeen years in the past! Returning to a life she hoped she would never have to think about ever again, much less relive!

TRAILER


PURCHASE LINKS


AUTHOR BIO

I started writing at a very young age, mostly as an escape from the real world. It is something I have done on and off throughout my life, but never went so far as to actually try and get published. 

I started my latest story, My Life As I Knew It, around 3 years ago. I was on a roll with it until I allowed life to get in the way. I am now officially picking up where I left off. It is the first book of a series on which I'm working.

I came up with the premise for this story while undergoing some pretty harsh challenges in my personal life. As mentioned before, I always liked writing as a means of escape. While going through these particularly tough times, I had a moment when I thought about what it would be like to go back in time and do certain things differently...which I'm sure almost everyone has thought about from time to time. I sat in front of my keyboard one morning, thought about what I would do if I had that chance and went from there.

FIND HER ON

Twitter [@thornlow_brenda]

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Review: Filthy Rich by Virna DePaul




New York Times Bestselling Author Virna DePaul is releasing Filthy Rich.  A love story set in New York City’s high-stakes world of finance. Corporate Raider Branden Duke has set his eyes on his newest employee, smart and sexy, Cara Michal.

“With a wonderfully seductive story—not to mention an absolutely delicious hero
Filthy Rich by Virna DePaul is an absolute must read!”
New York Times bestselling author J. Kenner


High finance and a sizzling office affair raise desire and passion to the boiling point in Virna DePaul’s seductive new contemporary romance—perfect for fans of Carly Phillips, Lori Foster, and Molly O’Keefe.

Cara Michal has had to fight every step of the way to earn her place in the glittering seven-figure world of Wall Street. Years ago her hardworking father, a small-time investment adviser, was wrongfully accused of fraud. Now Cara is at the top of her game, supporting not only herself but her mother and brother. The occasional night out dancing soothes Cara’s soul, even as a bitter need for revenge against the man who destroyed her father makes inner peace elusive.

Then, in a moment of heat, Cara kisses a sexy stranger at a party—only later to discover that the man is Branden Duke, her new boss, an infamous operator with a wicked reputation in bed and on the Street. Branden is a man who seemingly has it all—except a woman who connects with him on a physical and emotional level. Now that he’s found Cara, he’s not sure he can let her go, even if he should.

In spite of herself, Cara is drawn to this charismatic guy. He is a challenge like none she has ever faced in her life. Their passion for each other is unquenchable, surprising them both with its ferocity. Even as Cara wonders if she can trust this man with her heart and soul, the ecstasy of their love cannot be denied. But when the past threatens the present, the two are faced with a truth from which they may never recover.

Review:


Filthy Rich. I hate that title. I would have never gotten myself a book with a title like that. I was invited to review this book and the blurb was what made me ignore the title and give this book a chance. I mean the title has nothing to do with the story over than stating Branden's wealth. Cara has money herself so it seems to me like a bad title for this book. The main focus isn't about the money The book is listed as a stand alone, but I wonder if any of the other characters will get a book of their own. We were teased about Iris and her neighbor, little about Iris and Alex and Alex and Branden's sister.

I do not want to believe that the author made up these stories and will leave them hanging, If that's what is going to happen, I will probably never read a book by this author again because I have been also waiting for the Beyond Human Novellas since 2013 (and GR has listed 2011 as the original publication year) the series has still only one book.

The story was easy to read, but as Branden's says to Cara, she doesn't know what she wants, She contradicts herself to the point where it became annoying and I wanted to hit her with something. Now that I think about it, the only thing that I feel that got a proper closure in the end was the relationship between Cara and Braden and the identity of the person who is threatening them. Everything else was left hanging.

It was easy to read the book, but I can't say that I enjoyed it much. I would have preferred to read another book in my free time. I believe this is the kind of book that you either love or hate. If I had to describe the book with one word that would have been meh.



Advance praise for Filthy Rich

“DePaul spins a familiar romantic setup into a web of seductive intrigue and sizzling romance in her latest contemporary love story, set against the skyscrapers of Manhattan. . . . The twists and turns of the fast-paced plot are delightful, and the book is filled with page-scorching heat. The dominant, rich hero and strong, capable heroine break away from stereotypes in a subtle yet definite manner, making their story entirely believable.”Publishers Weekly (starred review)
 
“The story starts off strong with great flirtation and sexual tension.”RT Book Reviews

Purchase Links: Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play



Virna DePaul is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of steamy, suspenseful fiction. Whether it’s vampires, a Para-Ops team, hot cops or swoon-worthy identical twin brothers, her stories center around complex individuals willing to overcome incredible odds for love. Bedding The Wrong Brother, which begins the Bedding The Bachelors Series, is a #1 Bestselling Contemporary Romance and a USA Today Bestseller.

Virna has two new indie releases this month along with her latest novel from Random House, Filthy Rich.  Her first indie release is from the Bedding the Bachelors series, Bedding the Bodyguard.  What Love Can Do, Book 1 in a new series (Home to Green Valley) releases October 13, 2015.

She loves to hear from readers at  www.virnadepaul.com










Promo A complicated Summer Of Love (Complicated Love #3) by DM Midgley


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Genre: Contemporary
Cover By: Swish Design
Hosted By: Francessca’s Romance Reviews

Synopsis

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Seven people.
Two couples.
One love triangle.

Annabelle thought that sharing a holiday with her friends would be the perfect way to spend a break. She never would have guessed that it would end with a secret that could threaten her future with Joshua.

Karl vows to win Tracy after telling her that she belongs with him. Can he prove to her that she’s the one and they deserve a chance at happiness?

Brandon, Lily and Maddison are stuck in a love triangle that no one wants. Maddison has secrets of her own, Lily is scared of commitment and wants to enjoy herself, and Brandon is stuck. Stuck between a woman he can’t stop thinking about and a woman that pursues him incessantly.

This isn’t going to be the relaxing, calming, enjoyable summer holiday that these friends thought it might be. This could quite possibly be, a complicated summer of love.

Add To Goodreads

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Purchase Links

Amazon UK
Amazon USA

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About The Author

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She lives in England, UK and is married with two children. At the moment she is a stay at home mum whilst her son is still at nursery.

She used to be a blogger for two blogs before writing the Complicated Love Series and she really enjoyed helping other authors whenever she could.
She loves reading and remembers her first book read on her kindle was Little Women and as a kid she loved reading Disney stories, her favourite was peter Pan.
The idea for her debut novel, A Complicated Love came about rather abruptly one night in a dream. she wasn't sure whether she could get it down on paper; however with much needed support by her author friends she has gained motivation and confidence to write her novel, This has greatly helped her inspiration and self-belief to grow. She never expected that one book would result in a series being born.
You can follow her on facebook, goodreads and twitter for all the latest information and future projects.

Stalker Links

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Facebook Profile
Twitter
Goodreads
JOIN the PARTY

Other Books In the Series

A Complicated Love #1

EBOOK:


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Amazon UK
Amazon USA
Amazon AUS

PAPERBACK

Amazon UK
Amazon USA
An Unexpected Love #2

Ebook:


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Amazon UK
Amazon USA

Paperback

Amazon UK
Amazon USA



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Promo: Fate's Love Box Set by L.A.Cotton




Fate's Love Box Set SALE


3 full length Contemporary Romance novels for only $1.99.




Available only on Amazon



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Join L.A.'s fan group for the latest giveaways and ARC's




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Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Blog Tour: Diamonds are Forever (The Secret Diamond Sisters #3) by Michelle Madow



Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: October 27, 2015

Genre: Young Adult

Length: 368 Pages

ISBN: 9780373211524

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas … but that doesn’t matter when you live there. Sisterhood, first crushes and scandalous secrets explode as Savannah, Courtney, Peyton, and Madison return in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, Michelle Madow's exciting conclusion to The Secret Diamond Sister series, releasing October 27th from Harlequin Teen.


Blurb:

It's cold outside, but the drama is hot!

The Diamond sisters jet to the mountains for spring break, and Savannah's flirt-mance with an international pop star heats up as her pursuit of stardom succeeds. But is this romance meant to be, or has the right guy been in front of her all along? Meanwhile, Courtney takes the next step with her secret boyfriend—and future stepbrother—and as their parents' wedding approaches, the pressure's on to reveal their relationship.

Peyton's figuring out a plan for her future, but she still feels guilty about getting her former bodyguard fired and wonders if she can get over him in the arms of someone else. But the biggest bombshell will change everything once again, because Madison's ready to tell the huge secret she's uncovered. And with the boy who betrayed her but who could be the love of her life fighting for his own life, she might need the Diamond sisters more than ever.

Add to your TBR List: Goodreads

Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Books A Million | iBooks

About Michelle Madow:

Michelle Madow wrote her first novel, Remembrance, in her junior year of college. Remembrance is
the first book in The Transcend Time Saga, a three part series about reincarnation and true love that Michelle successfully self-published. The series was inspired by Taylor Swift's "Love Story" music video. Michelle's latest YA series, The Secret Diamond Sisters, about three sisters who discover they are the secret heirs to a Las Vegas billionaire casino owner, was published in March 2014 by Harlequin Teen. The second book in the series, Diamonds in the Rough, released in November 2014, and the third book, Diamonds are Forever, will be coming out in November 2015. Michelle is active on social media networks and has toured across America to promote her books and encourage high school students to embrace reading and writing.

Michelle lives in Boca Raton, Florida, where she is writing more novels for young adults. She loves reading, spending time with family and friends, traveling the world, shopping, Disney fairy tales, Broadway musicals, and loves talking with fans on Facebook (/MichelleMadow), Twitter (@MichelleMadow), and Instagram (@MichelleMadow).

To chat with Michelle and other fans about her books, join Michelle Madow's Street Team on Facebook!


Connect with Michelle: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads


Rafflecopter for Release Week Blitz Giveaway:

Michelle is offering up a fabulous prize during her Diamonds are Forever Virtual Tour event. One (1) lucky winner will receive a signed paperback set of The Secret Diamond Sisters, along with a swag pack that includes lipgloss, bookmark, sister postcards, pin! To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below:


http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/YjA1MGVmMjkwYTE2NWQzYWI3ODNiODExNGJiNGU0OjE0Mg==/?



Spotlight: Haunt My Heart by Lisa Medley





Blurb:

A Civil War soldier is hexed and dies to save his men. Can he find true love to live again?

Sarah Knight has a job she’s good at, a quirky BFF, and a boyfriend who’s bad for her. When Sarah unearths a Civil War artifact on a ghost hunt at Chatham Manor in Fredericksburg, VA, she brings home more than a souvenir.

Lieutenant James “Tanner” Dawson fought for the Union, working as a supernatural liaison for his Major General in a secret Masonic offset called the Brothers of Peril. When he’s hexed by a witch, he learns the only way to save his men is to die himself. But death is not the end. Awakening 150 years later, he knows if he wants to be corporeal again, he has to find true love to break the hex: a task no easier in 21st century than it was in the 19th. 




Available for purchase at 





Excerpt



It all starts when Sarah finds a ring on the grounds of Chatham Manor after a night of ghost-hunting. She takes home much more than a souvenir.

Ellie opened the driver’s side door, and Sarah waited for her to crawl across the seat of the old Mustang and pop the passenger-side lock. The broken power locks were one of many deficiencies in the classic car. Sarah retrieved her betraying phone from her pocket and powered it up as Ellie shuffled about inside the car.

As she checked her phone display, a glint of light on the ground to her right caught her eye. Aiming her screen at the ground like a flashlight, she bent low and searched for the source of the flash. Just as she began investigating, though, she heard the lock pop, and Ellie pushed the door open. The door hit Sarah in the head, knocking her to the cold, hard ground.

“Sorry,” Ellie said, scrambling to catch the door before it slammed closed again.

Sarah mumbled a few choice obscenities and rubbed her head. She reached down and ran her finger over something half-buried in the ground.

“What is that?” Ellie was hanging out the car, her body stretched across the seats.

“I don’t know.” Sarah turned the flashlight of her phone up to full beam and picked at the object in the frozen turf. “Do you have a pen or something?”

Ellie scuffled around inside the dark, rolling landfill that was her car—the interior lights long burned out—and produced a screwdriver instead. “Will this work?”

Sarah took the offered screwdriver and dug at the buried treasure. After breaking it free from its cold grave, she examined it by the light of her cell phone. “It’s a ring.”

“Let me see.”

Ellie scrambled back into the driver’s seat. Sarah joined her in the car, then shut the door against the cold.

“Hold the light,” Sarah said, digging a Kleenex from her coat pocket to clear as much of the mud from the ring as possible.

The ring remained caked with mud, which filled the engraved edges, but the stone cleaned off easily enough. The set, a square cut black onyx, glinted. The cold metal of the band warmed in her hand.

“You know what that is, right?” Ellie asked.

“A ring?” Sarah couldn’t keep the sarcasm from her voice, not after the night she’d had.

“An artifact.”

“No. Someone just lost a class ring. Like one of the sorority girls.”

“Does that look like a woman’s ring? No. No is the answer. That is a man’s ring. An officer’s ring or something. That could be a real-life, true-blue Civil War artifact.”

“I doubt it. And if it is, we’ll return it. This is a national park. There are rules.”

“I say finders keepers. Let me see it better.”




About The Author



Lisa has always enjoyed reading about monsters, and now she writes about them, because monsters need love too.

She adores beasties of all sorts, fictional as well as real, and has a farm full of them in her southwest Missouri home, including: one child, one husband, two dogs, two cats, a dozen hens, thousands of Italian bees and a guinea pig.

She may or may not keep a complete zombie apocalypse bug-out bag in her trunk at all times, including a machete. Just. In. Case.




You can find Lisa at

               

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Monday, October 26, 2015

Cover Reveal Blitz: Driven Snow By Tara Lain



Driven Snow
(The Pennymaker Tales, #2)
by Tara Lain

Blurb: 
Young Snowden “Snow” Reynaldi is brilliant, beautiful, and alone. Though he’s shy, weird, and tolerated by the NorCal University students because he’s a renowned whiz at chess and helps put the school on the map, that doesn’t keep him from dreaming of the object of his desires, Riley Prince, championship quarterback.

 When Riley needs a physics’ tutor, Snow jumps at the chance, and their relationship heats up—but Riley has to come out of the jock closet to get anywhere. Meanwhile, Snow’s one true friend and mentor, Professor Kingsley, marries a woman who secretly wants the chess tournament glory and money for herself. Soon after, the professor collapses and Snow finds himself underwater—literally. In a car!

Seven frat brothers from Grimm College rescue Snow just in time for his life to get even worse, and Snow discovers the one relationship he always wanted slipping away. With evil looming at every turn, Snow must survive if only to prove he’s the fairest of them all and regain the trust of his handsome prince.





Release Date: 
November 25, 2015


Available for pre-order at 




Excerpt


Snow nodded. “Now, this is pretty basic, but we can get a lot more sophisticated.” He scratched out a slightly more complex set of calculations, and Riley seemed absorbed.

“Man, this is so dope.”

“Glad you like it.”

“Wish Jenkins could make physics so interesting.”

“You have to create the excitement for yourself. See the potential.”

Riley looked up. “You make it exciting.” He smiled slowly. “You make everything exciting.”

“M-me?” Snow’s brain froze.

“Yeah. Why do you think I come see you play all the time? It’s like plugging into the solar system and catching the stars in my hand.”

“S-stars are gas.”

“The planets, then. I’ve wanted to tell you this for a while. I think you’re—”

The sound of a key in the lock brought both their heads up.

Nooooooo.

Like some cosmic joke, the apartment door opened and beautiful, perky, perfect Courtney Taylor walked in. “Oh, hi. Are you two still studying? Oh my gosh, Snow, you must be magic or something. No one could ever get him to study physics before. I told him, ‘You have to do it, baby. The team can’t do without you. Find a way to learn this shit.’ And what do you know? He found you. Amazing.” She walked over, pushed Riley’s head back, kissed him on the lips, and plopped down in his lap. “Did you learn a lot, baby?”

Her knee bumped Snow’s thigh, and he leaped up like he’d been shot. “Oh gosh, look at the time. Better get back to work myself. Have to study for the tournament and all.” Sweet God, he had to get out of there.

Riley stood Courtney on her feet and stepped over beside Snow. “When can you help me again? I’ve only got two weeks. I made so much progress today. I know you’re busy, and I hate to ask, but could you please—”

“Yes, of course. Just text me, okay?” He ripped out the pages they’d been working on, shoved the notebooks into his backpack, and headed for the door. He seemed to be running from everyone these days. “Bye. Bye, uh, Courtney.”

Outside the door, he clambered down the steep staircase and stopped at the bottom just to breathe.

What were you thinking, you idiot? That somehow his girlfriend had magically transformed into a teapot?

He started to tell me something. He said he’s wanted to tell me for a long time.

What are you dreaming? That he suddenly quit being straight and is attracted to a wimpy little queen like you? Spare me.

Okay. Okay.

The door to Eudora’s apartment flew open, and a hand emerged, holding a glass. “Hey, cutie. Have some water.”

Like it was perfectly normal to accept water while standing in hallways, he grasped the glass and drank the liquid down. Amazing how much better he felt.

She took the empty glass. “Lessons for the day. Don’t sell yourself short. And don’t believe everything you see. Got it?”

“I… I guess so.”

“Good.” She patted his cheek, and then the door closed behind her. If a caterpillar suddenly appeared saying “Who are you?”, he wouldn’t be even slightly surprised.



About the Author



Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 23. Her best­selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. 

She lives with her soul­mate husband and her soul­mate dog in Laguna Beach, California, a pretty seaside town where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!


You can find Tara at