Stop on the STOP DRAGON MY HEART AROUND by Susannah Scott Review Blog Tour + Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the STOP DRAGON MY HEART AROUND by Susannah Scott blog tour. When I found out that Susannah was publishing another dragon story to follow up LUCK OF THE DRAGON, I couldn’t resist the chance to read it early. STOP DRAGON MY HEART AROUND by Susannah Scott is amazing and as much as I loved LUCK OF THE DRAGON, she beat it!

***eARC provided by author in exchange for an honest and unscripted review

Blurb for STOP DRAGON MY HEART AROUND:

Lucky Leprechaun underwear ironed? Check.
Gold plated hearing aids? Check.
Pink doggy booties, times four? Check.

Tee is Vegas’s favorite casino hostess, ready to grant her high rollers their every quirky wish. But when her own wish to financially help her Paiute Tribe finally comes true, she decides to double-down with lady luck and go for a hot hook-up with her sexy boss, Leo. Unfortunately, Tee’s about to find out why their romance is such a long shot—Leo is a shape-shifting dragon.

Leo needs a proper dragon mate to save his waning dragon form, and despite their magnetic sexual attraction, he knows Tee is anything but proper—or a dragon. But when threats arise from Tee's tribe, Leo’s protective instincts kick in. Can he give up his dragon form for the woman he loves—even if it means shortening his life? Or has Tee finally had enough of having her heart dragged around?

*                 *                 *                  *                   *

Tallulah Alameda, or Tee to all her friends, is the best at what she does as a casino hostess at the amazing Crown Jewel casino in Las Vegas. She is a woman of detail, precision, able to grant her high rollers their every desire, within in reason of course, but the one thing she isn’t able to do is capture the heart of her gorgeous and very sexy boss, Leonidas Ryan. Even when she and her friends concoct Operation Leo and she throws herself at him in the hotel elevator, she is ready to do something she never does – give up.

Leo has a problem. Besides the fact that he’s in charge of operations while his boss is away on his honeymoon, besides the fact that his employees are competing for a huge bonus and high rollers are planning fake weddings, he’s trying desperately to stay clear of his gorgeous and oh, so desirable favorite hostess, Tee Alameda. Leo’s dragon wants her but she’s not his mate so no matter how much he wants the human woman who makes his dragon roar, he can’t hurt Tee that way. He knows his dragon form will soon begin to fade, but can he give it up for the love of a human? But when he discovers she could be his mate after all, will Tee still want him once she learns the truth – that he and many of her friends are actually dragons? 

After reading LUCK OF THE DRAGON by Susannah Scott, I didn’t think she could top the amazing delight of dragons, their mysterious life, their relationship to gems, and their shifting and flying. I’ve always loved dragons and so Susannah’s dragons are an instant draw for me, but what she does with their stories, their hearts, and their falling in love is beyond good, it’s great.

STOP DRAGON MY HEART AROUND by Susannah Scott is different, delightful, deliciously sexy, and Leo and Tee are a couple to cheer on from the start. Their banter, their arguments, their teasing, and their connection is unique, intriguing, and so satisfying when Tee finally comes around to giving herself over to her heart, instead of her fears. Each has their fears, their secrets, their mysteries, and their desire. All of which pull them together in an undeniable love that will soar as high as Leo’s dragon can take them.

I highly recommend STOP DRAGON MY HEART AROUND by Susannah Scott to anyone who loves romance for romance sake. Even if you’re not into shape shifting heroes, try this one on for size, you just might surprise yourself and find that you’re as eager to see the dragons fly as I am. I can’t wait for more dragons from Susannah – Mei is going to have to give in to Darius sooner, or later, right? That's a whole other story. 

EXCERPT:

“Good day, ladies.” Leo poured on his Australian accent and the two woman shrieked like schoolgirls. “I’m actually Leonidas Ryan, head of Casino Operations, but people often say I look like that actor.” He looked at her in question.

“Chris Hemsworth,” Tee said with an eye roll. “You’re nothing like him.”

“Yes, he is,” Trixie said, staring at Leo like a carb-dieter drooling over a loaded pizza. “Those eyes, those shoulders. That accent. I bet you have a six pack too.” She smiled at him and twirled her blonde hair around her finger.

“I guess that makes me the God of Thunder.” Leo patted his flat stomach and winked. “With a vee-rry large hammer.”

***

When the bridal suite door opened, Tee looked over her shoulder to frown at the bridegroom for peeking, but saw Leo instead. Her heart slammed and nerves crawled up her back, but she managed a welcoming smile.

Leo strolled into the room, tucking his hands in the pants pockets of his navy blue suit. The collar of his white shirt showed tanned skin at his neck. He looked like a GQ model arrived for a photo shoot. God, he was so gorgeous. His eyes walked up her boots, took in her bare, exposed legs, then skimmed over her hamstrings and stopped on her rear. The short hemline of the dress burned the back of her legs under his gaze.

 “Hey there, Thor.” Angie, bride number one, winked and cocked her pink-satin swathed hip at him. “Come to catch the bouquet?”

***

Tee watched his pupils crowd out his green irises. The scent of him washed over her, clean, and manly. The hustle of the casino melted away, so it was only the two of them, anchored together inside a whirling kaleidoscope of blurred people.

“I like the way you smell.” She touched his suit gently and ran her hand inside his lapel. The heat of his body was a magnetic force field. “I like everything about you.”

Leo stiffened and pulled away as the elevator doors opened. “Wear more bloody clothes or don’t come to work.”

Tee followed him, slipping alone with him inside the elevator. Without looking at him, she inserted her key card and withdrew it to turn off the alarm, and then hit the stall button. The elevator slid to a smooth halt. The air grew heavy and hot. The only sounds were the crooning casino Musak, Leo’s breathing, and the rapid beating of her heart.

***

“You ever hear about near-death sex?” Tee unbuckled her torn pants, and let them drop. She stepped back to Leo and playfully ran a finger along the inseam of his pants.

“Near-death sex?” Leo smiled. “Never. You’ll have to show me.”

“It’s the need to prove you’re alive.” She shed her black blazer and went to work on the buttons of her white silk shirt. “I need to prove I’m alive.”

Leo watched the downward progress of her fingers through hooded eyes. Then he lifted her and set her over him, steadying her hips and kneading her bare skin.

“Oh, you’re definitely alive.” His words were heavily accented and deep.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Susannah Scott writes dragon-filled Paranormal Romance and lives with her family in Southern Missouri. She loves connecting with readers through Social Media—and almost always replies!

Sign up for Susannah’s Dragony Newsletter to keep tabs on what’s happening with the dragons. Feel free to visit her website to learn more about her and her books as well as follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and Goodreads. And if you’re interested in joining her Must Love Dragons Street Team, click HERE.

GIVEAWAY: A $25 Amazon Gift Card to One Lucky Winner!

To enter the tour-wide Giveaway, please use the Rafflecopter. Thank you and Good Luck!! And as always Happy Reading Everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

STOP DRAGON MY HEART AROUND by Susannah Scott, Entangled Publishing – Covet Imprint, available now in ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobobooks, iTunes, Google Books, and All Romance Ebooks.

***click on links or cover below for purchasing information

   

Unwrapping a Review of WOLF HUNGER, a Dragon Heat novel by Ella J. Phoenix

Having read the first two books of the Dragon Heat series, I was excited and rather impatient with anticipation to read WOLF HUNGER by Ella J. Phoenix especially after meeting Rafe in VAMPIRE THIRST. I was not disappointed when Ella threw Yara and Rafe together. This series just keeps getting better. Btw, how about that cover? It was my suggestion to add the wolf. Sweet, huh? 

***eARC provided by author in exchange for an honest and unscripted review.

Blurb for WOLF HUNGER:

When the last box of deadly bullets is stolen, the hunt is on and the Vampire King’s band of fighters is set for the challenge of recovering it. But Yara, the shifter-witch, has other problems to face. She must help her leader to overcome the strange illness that has befallen her before it’s too late. For that, she must go back to the only place she swore never to return – her homeland.

Rafe is a typical lone wolf who spends his nights earning his bucks in the fighting ring. When he was offered a pardon for his debts in exchange for the Vampire King’s head, he didn’t even blink, thinking it would be a hard mission but not impossible. He just wasn’t expecting the saucy shifter-witch to cross his path and ruin his plans. Now, he can’t get her out of his mind and the clock is ticking for him to make good on his word.

This is the third novel of the Dragon Heat series – a paranormal lover’s delight with vampires, shifters, dragons, witches and much more.

***Warning: this novel contains hot, steamy, descriptive sexual scenes. Enjoy.***

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At the end of VAMPIRE THIRST, Yara and the others were dismayed that although they had succeeded in destroying the factory where the deadly white bullets were being manufactured, they knew one box had vanished – stolen right from Yara’s hands - and was still loose in the world, a continuing threat to the vampires. Feeling responsible for the loss, Yara is determined to find that box and the person who stole them. When her search leads her to the fighting ring at the Dungeon, she doesn’t expect to come face to face with a man, er … wolf … that makes her inner cat yowl.

Rafe is a wolf on a mission, a mission to save his pack from a debt that keeps them all under the thumb of the dragon senator, Balour. He doesn’t like what he has to do but following Yara, the water witch he first met in London isn't the worst job. His only concern is what the fat dragon senator wants with her. When he finds himself following her to Brazil, he becomes even more intrigued by the witch but then meeting her face to face in the fighting ring sets his wolf to howling. When someone sets off a bomb that nearly takes both their lives, he sets events in motion that will make her his or tear his heart apart in the process.

WOLF HUNGER, book three in the Dragon Heat series by Ella J. Phoenix is a character driven, passion-filled, action-packed, bad guy getting his comeuppances, paranormal romance that will leave you begging for more. At the end, I actually sighed and said, “oh come on, Ella, you can’t leave it there.” Rafe and Yara are animalistic passion with slight undertones of BDSM that will have your imaginations running wild with thoughts of them taking things to higher levels when they let their animals loose.

I love the way the cast of characters from the earlier Dragon Heat books remain strong in their appearances as the series progresses. In WOLF HUNGER, we get a taste of the world of the wolf pack and I have no doubt we will be revisited by members of Rafe’s pack in future books but this one’s all about the animal heat that exists between alpha characters of which both Rafe and Yara are. We discover Yara’s past, her secrets, and her fears. We’re introduced to the world of the water witches and suffer some heartbreak when a new character digs into our hearts and then we lose her.

I won’t say anymore, I’ll just highly recommend that you read WOLF HUNGER by Ella J. Phoenix if you’ve read the first two, or are trying out her books for the first time. It’s best to read this series in order but if you’re like me, you may just fall in love through this one and then be compelled to start at the beginning and experience it all again. If you’re a fan of TRUE BLOOD, and Alcide then you’re going to want to experience Rafe – he’s all wolf and so sexy, you’ll find yourself possibly howling for his attention.

Happy Reading Everyone!

WOLF HUNGER, a Dragon Heat novel by Ella J. Phoenix, self-publish, available now in ebook format at Amazon.

***click on links or cover below for purchasing information

   

Cover Reveal for THE NIGHT BELONGS TO FIREMAN, a Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel novel by Jennifer Bernard

The Night Belongs to Fireman

The Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel #6

by Jennifer Bernard

Coming September 30th, 2014

from Avon Romance

Daring . . . Sexy . . . Irresistible . . .
They're the Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel

When fireman Fred Breen rescues a bachelorette party after a construction crane collapses onto their limo, the media labels him the "Bachelor Hero." But all Fred can think about is the petite brunette with the sexy mane of dark curls who bolted away from him faster than a wildfire after he carried her to safety. And when he discovers she's none other than Rachel Kessler, the daughter of a tech billionaire, the girl whose kidnapping riveted the nation, he intends to learn every intimate detail about this intriguing woman who sets his pulse on fire.

Rachel can't deny the lean-muscled firefighter is smokin' hot. But after having one too many drinks at the bar where she first meets him, Rachel knows she's made a fool of herself. Yet when he rescues her from the limo, she feels safe for the first time since she was held for ransom as a child. Then her overprotective father insists Fred be her bodyguard—and his close presence kindles a burning desire that only he can extinguish.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jennifer Bernard is a graduate of Harvard and a former news promo producer. The child of academics, she confounded her family by preferring romance novels to … well, any other books. She left big city life for true love in Alaska, where she now lives with her husband and stepdaughters. She’s no stranger to book success, as she also writes erotic novellas under a naughty secret name not to be mentioned at family gatherings.

Feel free to visit her website for more about Jennifer and her books. 

Feel free to follow Jennifer on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and on her Amazon AuthorPage. If you’d like to sign up for her newsletter to keep up with all of her upcoming exciting news, click HERE.

If you’d like to follow the rest of this tour, feel free to click HERE for more stops along the way.

Jennifer is holding a GIVEAWAY on her Facebook page. Prizes include a Kindle Fire HD and Firemen Goodies. Click HERE to ‘like’ her page and enter for a chance to win.

Add THE NIGHT BELONGS TO FIREMAN by Jennifer Bernard to your Goodreads reading shelf by clicking HERE.

Happy Reading Everyone!

THE NIGHT BELONGS TO FIREMAN, a Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel novel by Jennifer Bernard, Avon Romance, coming September 30, 2014 in print and ebook formats at Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

***click on links for purchasing information

Cover Reveal for INTOXICATED, a Billionaire Bachelors Club novella by Monica Murphy

INTOXICATED

A Billionaire Bachelors Club novella

by Monica Murphy

Coming June 17, 2014 from Avon Romance

New York Times bestselling author Monica Murphy wraps up her sexy Billionaire Bachelors Club series with a wedding to remember. But this time, they’re not bachelors anymore, and the groom … is one of them.

It’s Gage and Marina’s wedding day, but wedded bliss seems a long way off: Ivy’s just gone into labor. Marina’s missing her matron of honor. And Bryn’s giving Matt the silent treatment.

It’s up to Archer, Gage, and Matt to make sure this day goes off without a hitch. But between brides and babies, there’s the not-so-little issue of the million-dollar bet to attend to. If only they can figure out who won … and who’s paying up. Is everyone a winner? Or will someone leave broke—and brokenhearted?

EXCERPT:  I love this!!

I’m going to have a baby,” Ivy declares as she stops directly in front of me. Well, her belly stopped directly in front of me, the rest of her soon follows.

Yes, indeed, my wife is definitely going to have a baby. Soon.

I’m getting ready—staring at the mirror as I mess with my tie, making sure it’s perfect—when she approaches me. I shoot her a grin, feeling good, feeling on top of my game. Life couldn’t get any better, you know? We’re celebrating today and with good reason.

“I know, sexy mama.” I turn away from the mirror and wink at her. “Trust me, I haven’t forgotten that I’m the one who knocked you up.”

She stares at me, no reaction to my wink or my words. She usually slaps my ass and kisses me. Says something sarcastic at the very least. But I’m getting nothing. And it’s kind of disconcerting. “Archer. I’m dead serious. I’m going to have the baby.”

“I know, babe. And I can’t freaking wait.” I study her, noticing that she looks a little pale and her pupils are dilated. Hmm. “You feeling okay?”

Rolling her eyes, she rests her hand on top of her protruding stomach, rubbing it absently. Then not so absently. As in, she’s clutching her belly like she’s in pain. “I’m in—” She sucks in a harsh breath, holding it for a few seconds. “—labor, damn it.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Monica Murphy is a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite. A wife and mother of three, she writes New Adult and contemporary romance for Bantam and Avon. She is the author of One Week Girlfriend and Second Chance Boyfriend.

Pre-Order Links:

AMAZON US

AMAZON CAN

AMAZON UK

BARNES AND NOBLE

iTUNES

LINKS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MONICA & HER BOOKS:

Her Website, Her Blog, follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads and visit her Amazon author page.

Add INTOXICATED by Monica Murphy to your Goodreads shelf by clicking HERE.

Happy Reading Everyone! 

Unwrapping a Review of BEAUTY AND THE EARL, a Pleasure Wars novel by Jess Michaels

I’m a huge fan of Jess Michael’s erotic historical romances and so when she asked if I’d like to read and review her brand new release, BEAUTY AND THE EARL, I jumped at it. Originally, I thought this was the finale of the Pleasure Wars series but today, she told me that there’s one more coming and I am so glad because I really don’t want to see this series end yet.

***eARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest and unscripted review.

Blurb for BEAUTY AND THE EARL:

Desire as essential as breath…deception as fragile as sanity.

The Pleasure Wars, Book 3

Liam, the Earl of Windbury, had everything when he held his secret lover in his arms. Until a feud between their families left her dead, his body broken, and his sister married to his bitterest enemy.

Wracked with guilt, simmering with rage, he’s spent a year in seclusion, seeing no one except a few servants as he does his best to forget the past and patently refuses to think about any kind of future.

When courtesan Violet Milford enters Liam’s lair, she’s on a secret mission to gather information for Liam’s desperate sister, who fears for his sanity, even his life. What she finds is a man scarred inside and out, whose dark, controlling sensuality hides the kind, wounded man within.

Violet awakens a sexual desire more powerful than Liam has ever known, and her stories weave a spell that begins to work its way past his defenses. But when the truth inevitably comes out, it could well destroy the love that is saving them both.

Warning: This book features a sexually experienced woman who will use every trick in her book to save a man from himself.

*                      *                      *                      *                      *

If you’ve read the Pleasure War series then you are acquainted with Liam, the Earl of Windbury, who lost his beloved, Matilda, sister of the Duke of Rathcastle who kidnapped Liam’s sister, Ava, as an act of revenge for the death of his sister as told in TAKEN BY THE DUKE. Liam is a tortured hero of the highest magnitude. The loss of his true love, Matilda, and the scars he carries from that dark night when he and Christian Rothcastle suffered devastating injuries fighting over the woman they both loved has left him with the darkest of moods and an unwillingness to forgive. He split from his own sister, Ava, after she fell in love and married his most bitter enemy. Nothing will make him return to London or accept his sister’s marriage, or so he thought.

Violet Milford is on a mission to learn everything she can about Liam for his sister who worries still that the tragic loss of Matilda has left her brother’s heart cold, dark, and filled with hate even for her. As a courtesan, Violet has learned to get men to talk about themselves and so she sets out to use her talents, both in and out of bed, to gain Liam’s trust and access to what keeps him so dark and withdrawn, all the while reporting back to Ava. Her goal is to earn the funds she needs to embark on a new life but once she starts opening up to Liam to gain his trust, she finds herself giving away more than just a few secrets. Soon, she realizes too late that she's lost her heart to him as well.

BEAUTY AND THE EARL by Jess Michaels is a story about how opening the heart to someone who cares, who listens, and who calls upon emotions that were thought long buried can bring a person back to life and to believe in love once more. Steamy as only Jess can write it, Violet and Liam take desire to new levels but you can feel the affection beginning to grow between them, and so it becomes an exquisite love story. In addition, we are treated to secondary characters that keep the story lively and real. Malcom and Olivia are adorable together and I can’t wait to read their story next.

I highly recommend BEAUTY AND THE EARL, book three in the Pleasure Wars series by Jess Michaels to anyone who loves a truly well written love story about looking past the dark to see the brightness that love and the future can hold. I wish it happened in real life.

Happy Reading Everyone!

BEAUTY AND THE EARL, a Pleasure Wars novel by Jess Michaels, Samhain Publishing, available now in ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

***click on links or cover below for purchasing information

   

Unwrapping a Review of GOOD GIRLS DON'T DATE ROCK STARS by Codi Gary

Codi Gary wow’d me with her first Rock Canyon Romance, THINGS GOOD GIRLS DON’T DO, but when the galley came up for GOOD GIRLS DON’T DATE ROCK STARS, I heard there was not quite the same reception for book two so I made a point to read the galley and see for myself. I’m so glad I did!

***eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest and unscripted review.

Blurb for GOOD GIRLS DON’T DATE ROCK STARS:

Gemma Carlson didn't plan on waking up married.

She also didn't count on running into her old flame—and her son's father-turned-country rock star—Travis Bowers, followed by a night of drunken dares. Apparently one of those involved a ring on her finger and a vow … neither of which she intends to keep. Now with a hangover from hell, this good-girl-gone-bad knows there's just one thing to do: run.

Travis has been all over the world, but Gemma has never been far from his thoughts. So when they had the chance to catch up over a few drinks, he didn't hesitate. Of course, he didn't expect it would lead to marriage, or a runaway bride! Travis finally has a second chance and doesn't plan on losing Gemma again—or the son he didn't know he had. He proposes, albeit belatedly, a date. Or rather, a few. If they can make this marriage work by starting over, he stays. If not …

Gemma's not interested; she's got a son to protect and a heart to heal. But having Travis around could make both a little easier. Still, good girls don't date rock stars . . . right?

*                  *                    *                     *                    *

Sometimes things don’t go as we plan or even as we’d like them to go but we make the most of what’s been handed us, and pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and move forward. This is exactly what Gemma Carlson did after learning at the age of seventeen that she was pregnant and then found the love of her life in a compromising situation that left her with no other choice but, to have her baby on her own. Now ten years later, she’s come face to face with the man who still claims her heart and is the father of the son who is her world. Even as she gives in to her desires, she hopes what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

Travis Bowers is more than delighted when he comes across the woman who got away. The woman he’d given his heart to and who had, after believing he’d strayed, dumped him without trusting him, and left him to always wonder what if. After convincing her to go on a date with him in Vegas, a night of good times, too much drink and a dare, leave them married by morning. Travis awakens to find Gemma has once more left him with only a note of regret and a wedding ring. But this time, Travis doesn’t just accept the consequences, he decides to claim what’s his – his wife, and upon discovering the truth, his son.

GOOD GIRLS DON’T DATE ROCK STARS by Codi Gary is one of the best, realistic, gripping, angst-filled, down to earth, and emotional second chance romances to come along in a long time. Faced with mistakes of the past, protecting her son, and their privacy, Gemma realizes the pain she’s caused Travis by not telling him about her feelings, and his son. Now she journeys a path that makes her question every aspect of Travis’ reasoning for following her to Rock Canyon and wanting to be with her and making a go of the marriage that shouldn’t have happened. Does he truly want her or just the connection to his son? Will his lifestyle as a well-known country music star destroy the simple life she leads and her son’s chances of growing up normal?

Some may see Gemma as an angry, unlikable character who snarks at Travis every chance she gets, but I saw her as a woman with whom I could connect and understand her fear, her trepidation, and suspicions because she’d been forced to stand alone against the world to protect her son. Travis wants it all, he wants the family he never had, the unconditional love that only a child can give, and the woman who has always claimed his heart and his dreams. Gemma just has a hard time believing that what she’d always wanted for her life was truly happening, and with the only man she’s every loved.

Codi Gary has created a story about a teenage mother who has carried a secret for ten years always wishing and always wondering what might have been had she’d been brave enough to reveal it when the time was right. Now when the time is at its worst, she’s forced to reveal it and bear the consequences of the pain she causes for both, Travis and her son, as well as friends and herself. I loved this story. I connected with everyone in it, I loved the friendships that exist between Gemma, Gracie, and Mike of which Travis was once part and he now hopes to rekindle. I loved the way the town rallied around the star-crossed lovers and only saw the good in what Gemma thought was the worst. I loved that Travis never gave up hope even when he thought all was lost.

I highly recommend GOOD GIRLS DON’T DATE ROCK STARS by Codi Gary because it’s a story that could’ve happened to anyone - well, except maybe the country-rock star aspect - but for only by the grace of God, go you. If you want to fall in love with an emotional, snagged from the headlines, could’ve really happened, second chance romance, read GOOD GIRLS DON’T DATE ROCK STARS by Codi Gary.

Happy Reading Everyone!

GOOD GIRLS DON’T DATE ROCK STARS, a Rock Canyon Romance novel by Codi Gary, Avon Impulse, releasing April 22, 2014 and will be available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

***click on links or cover below for purchasing information

   

Cover Reveal for MAKE IT COUNT, a debut New Adult novel by Megan Erickson

MAKE IT COUNT

by Megan Erickson

a debut New Adult novel

Coming June 3, 2014 from William Morrow Impulse

MAKE IT COUNT by Megan Erickson kicks off the lighthearted, funny, and sexy Bowler University series! Readers will love the fresh new series filled with laughter and lots of fun in this debut novel!

Kat Caruso wishes her brain had a return policy, or at least a complaint hot-line. The defective organ is constantly distracted, terrible at statistics, and absolutely flooded with inappropriate thoughts about her boyfriend's gorgeous best friend, Alec...who just so happens to be her brand new college math tutor. Who knew nerd was so hot?

Kat usually goes through tutors like she does boyfriends--both always seem to bail when they realize how hopeless she is. It's safer for her heart to keep everyone at arm's reach. But Alec is always stepping just a little too close.

Alec Stone should not be fantasizing about Kat. She's adorable, unbelievably witty, and completely off limits. He'd never stab his best friend in the back...

But when secrets are revealed, the lines of loyalty are blurred. To MAKE IT COUNT, Alec must learn messy human emotions can't be solved like a trigonometry function. And Kat has to trust Alec may be the first guy to want her for who she is, and not in spite of it.

Chapter One Excerpt:

Kat gathered her books and stuffed them into her plaid Burberry messenger bag, then headed toward the front doors, smoothie from the library snack shop in hand. Head bent, fiddling with the clasp of her bag, she stumbled into a wall of human on the pavement outside.

“Oh, I’m sorry—” Her voice dropped out when she realized the solid flesh belonged to Alec, Max’s best friend.

She’d only met him once or twice before he’d moved in with Max this semester and every time, he cocked his eyebrow with a half frown like he knew something she didn’t. Which he actually did, since he had brainy superpowers. Smarter than a speeding Einstein. Able to leap over C-minus students like her in a single bound.

She didn’t trust people that smart. And she didn’t trust a guy who didn’t ogle her ass or leer at her boobs like every other member of the straight male species on the planet.

Right now, that raised-eyebrow frown pinned her where she stood. His pale green eyes behind thick black frames roamed over her shoulder to the library and then back to her. With his pin-stripe button-down, dark jeans with Converse shoes and hair styled in a short, messy pompadour, he looked like a nerdy Elvis.

His frown morphed into a smile when he spotted the smoothie in her hand, and she definitely didn’t notice his full lips. “You know, you don’t have to venture into the forbidden zone just to get a smoothie.”

Oooh. The jerk. She glanced around surreptitiously, then leaned in and spoke in a low voice. “Just play it cool. Don’t let it slip someone like me snuck in the library.” She gripped his forearm and whispered. “Password today is rosebud.”

His face blanked and he looked at her like he’d never seen her before. Kat debated whether or not that was an improvement over his other look.

But then those intelligent eyes narrowed and a smirk curled his lips. “I know. We nerds get an e-mail every morning.”

See? He always needed the last word. She propped a hand on her hip and leaned in. “Well, sounds like you have a mole. Might want to look into that.”

He opened his mouth but she cut him off. “Just looking out for you guys. Anyway, see ya around!”

Before he could shoot back a snarky comeback, Kat skirted around him and bounded down the stairs. She chalked that up as Kat 1, Alec 0.

About the Author:

MEGAN ERICKSON grew up in a family that averages 5’3” on a good day and started writing to create characters who could reach the top kitchen shelf.

She’s got a couple of tattoos, has a thing for gladiators and has been called a crazy cat lady. After working as a journalist for years, she decided she liked creating her own endings better and switched back to fiction.

She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, two kids and two cats. And no, she still can’t reach the stupid top shelf.

To learn more about Megan, connect with her, or follow her, please check out the links below:

Avon Romance: 

http://avonromance.com/book/megan-erickson-make-it-count

Goodreads: 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20705734-make-it-count

Author website: 

http://meganerickson.org/

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/authormeganerickson

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/MeganErickson_ 

Cover Reveal for BLURRED, a Connections Novella by Kim Karr

BLURRED

A Connections Novella

by Kim Karr

coming August 5, 2014 from Penguin Group

The story before the love story….

When he lost the only woman he’d ever loved, it seemed there was nothing left to live for.

Even as a boy, all Ben Covington ever wanted was to spend forever with Dahlia London, the beautiful girl next door...then one life-altering decision tore them apart and he was forced to leave her.

Now, despite having returned to win her back, he’s still alone. She’s with someone else—someone she’s never going to leave.

Resigned to a future without his former girlfriend, Ben numbs his broken heart in a haze of liquor and women. But then the only woman who ever even turned his head while he was with his girl reappears unexpectedly. And he’s never forgotten their one incredible night together. But will Ben’s destructive behavior destroy his future with her before it even begins?

Excerpt: Click HERE to read an exclusive excerpt of BLURRED by Kim Karr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kim lives in Florida with her husband and four kids. She’s always had a love for reading books and writing. Being an English major in college, she wanted to teach at the college level but that was not to be. She went on to receive an MBA and became a project manager until quitting to raise her family. She currently works part-time with her husband and full-time embracing one of her biggest passions—writing.

She wears a lot of hats! Writer, book-lover, wife, soccer-mom, taxi driver, and the all around go-to person of the family. However, she always finds time to read. One of her favorite family outings use to be taking her kids to the bookstore or the library. Today, her oldest child is in college and her twins are juniors so they no longer go with her on these outings. And although she doesn't need to go to the actual store anymore because she has the greatest device ever invented—a Kindle, she still does. There's nothing like a paperback. So now her four year old and she make dates out of going to the bookstore--it's time she loves and cherishes.

She likes to believe in soulmates, kindred spirits, true friends, and Happily-Ever-Afters. She loves to drink champagne, listen to music, and hopes to always stay young at heart.

If you’d like to learn more about Kim and her books, please feel free to visit her website, follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Pinterest.

BLURRED, a Connections novella by Kim Karr, Penguin Group, releasing August 5, 2014, available for pre-order at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes.

Unwrapping a Review of SAPPHIRES ARE AN EARL'S BEST FRIEND, a Jewels of the Ton novel by Shana Galen

I fell in love with the Jewels of the Ton Trilogy by Shana Galen after reading WHEN YOU GIVE A DUKE A DIAMOND. I knew from that moment, I would not rest until I’d read all three and learned the identity of the person selling the names of the Diamonds in the Rough. SAPPHIRES ARE AN EARL’S BEST FRIEND by Shana Galen is a splendid finish to an extraordinary trilogy.

***I purchased this one for my own reading because I missed out on the galley and just had to read it! Of course, I have to share my honest and unscripted review with you.

Blurb for SAPPHIRES ARE AN EARL’S BEST FRIEND:

She Wants Him...
She Wants Him Not...

Lily Dawson, dubbed the Countess of Charm by the Prince Regent himself, plays the role of the courtesan flawlessly while her real purpose is spying in the service of the Crown. Her mission now is to seduce a duke to test his true loyalties. She'll do it, even though the man she really wants is Andrew Booth-Payne, Earl of Darlington—the duke's son.

Andrew is furious when he finds himself rivaling his father for Lily's attention. When he uncovers Lily's mission, Andrew is faced with impossible choices. It seems he is destined to betray either his family, his country, or the longings of his own heart...

*                   *                    *                   *                   *

Asked by Warrick Fitzhugh to investigate the loyalty of the Duke of Ravenscroft and if he was whom Fitzhugh believed, the notorious Artemis the Assassin, find the proof. Lily Dawson, the last remaining unattached member of the Three Diamonds was embarking on a mission that might cost her more than her lost reputation and her precarious place in society if she falls prey to Artemis or Lucifer – it might cost her life.

Andrew, the Earl of Darlington, or as he’s known in London – the Darling of the Ton – is determined to make sure the courtesan – the Countess of Charm – Lily Dawson does not manage a proposal from his father, the Duke of Ravenscroft. Fearing such carelessness on his father’s part may destroy his family’s reputation and mar the sacred memory of his dead mother he confronts Lily, and orders her to stay away from his father. When she flatly refuses and starts to make a scene, he kisses her mouth shut, which starts a need and desire for her on his part that confuses and angers him. Vying for the affections of a well-known fallen woman while competing against his own father is most certainly, not what Andrew wishes for himself, or his family, but he’s beginning to see Lily in a new light and soon discovers she's not all she appears to be.

SAPPHIRES ARE AN EARL’S BEST FRIEND, book three of the Jewels of the Ton series by Shana Galen is the perfect ending to a fabulous series. Even though it wasn’t my favorite of the three books, that's reserved for Fallon's story, Andrew and Lily were worth the wait. Shana kept me seeking a contented happily-ever-after for them even as they argued, questioned each other’s motives and activities, wandered in the woods and rain, getting muddy, wet, and nearly killed even as they slowly began to trust each other.

Shana Galen is brilliant at making us fall in love with her characters, their stories, their pains, heartaches, and triumphs. Each of the Three Diamonds had a story of sacrifice, romance, and intrigue built around the beautiful woman’s secret and the man who would come to know the truth about the notorious courtesan. Lily’s story is no different in that respect except that her story may have the darkest most heart-aching secret of the three women. Not as action-driven from the beginning as IF YOU GIVE A RAKE A RUBY. Or as banter and teaser driven as WHEN YOU GIVE A DUKE A DIAMOND. But honestly, SAPPHIRES ARE AN EARL’S BEST FRIEND is perfection in that it satisfactorily resolves the mystery of Lucifer and Artemis, while allowing Lily the chance to win Darlington’s love that has gone unrequited for far too long.

I highly recommend reading SAPPHIRES ARE AN EARL’S BEST FRIEND, book three of the Jewels of the Ton series by Shana Galen especially if you’ve read the first two but even if you haven’t. I believe that this fabulous trilogy should be read in its proper order, but if you truly don’t have the opportunity to do so, go ahead and start here or anywhere, but do read them all eventually. You won’t be sorry - you’ll just fall in love.

Happy Reading Everyone!

SAPPHIRES ARE AN EARL’S BEST FRIEND, a Jewels of the Ton novel by Shana Galen, Sourcebook Casablanca, available now in print and ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

***click on links or cover below for purchasing information