Review Stop on the Tasty Virtual Book Tour for ALL OF ME by Jennifer Bernard + #excerpt & #giveaway

Welcome to my review stop on the Tasty Virtual Book Tour celebrating ALL OF ME, book one in the Love Between the Bases series by Jennifer Bernard. After thrilling us with the sexiest Bachelor Firemen ever from San Gabriel, Jennifer is now setting out to addict us to her sexy baseball players…she’s off to a great start.

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

Blurb for ALL OF ME:

Jennifer Bernard, the USA Today bestselling author of the Bachelor Firemen series, scores another homerun with a brand-new series about sexy, single baseball players.

Playing for the Kilby Catfish is hotshot pitcher Caleb Hart’s last chance to salvage his career after a major league meltdown. But the day of his opener with the minor league team, Caleb strikes out with the gorgeous woman who is delivering a petition to run the unruly Catfish out of town. Now to stay in the lineup, Caleb will need to score big with the feisty brunette he can’t keep out of his thoughts.

After the nasty lies Sadie Merritt’s rich ex-boyfriend spread about her all over town, she’s lucky to have a job at all. She can’t afford to screw it up by falling for the player who is supposed to be helping her change the image of the fun-loving Catfish. But that’s easier said than done when Caleb’s voice alone is enough to make her pulse race. And when he surprises her with a mind-blowing kiss, she knows there’s no turning back.

~*~            ~*~          ~*~          ~*~         ~*~

My Review:

Sadie Merritt has survived a huge scandal involving her ex, barely. She has one friend left in town, and her job in the mayor’s office that she knows she’s way overqualified for but is just glad to have, and hopes to hang on to it. She has a mother constantly telling her she can do better and that men are nothing but trouble. To say her trust in men or anyone, much less herself is waning is an understatement. Running into a deliciously sexy playboy baseball player while running an errand for the mayor is not something she planned for or quite knows what to do with, and she certainly has no intention of falling into a man trap again. But he is very sexy...

Trying to salvage his career as a pitcher, Caleb Hart joins the minor league team, the Kilby Catfish. Having messed up his big chance in the major leagues, he’s determined to prove to everyone, but most importantly to himself, that he has what it takes to be the best. After a terrible first day, he literally runs into a sexy Sadie in the tunnels below when she comes to meet with the team's coach. A PR project throws them together, and Caleb has difficulty keeping his mind on the game on the field even as his strategy leans towards games with Sadie as he begins his pursuit of her. But can he win her...

After falling in love with Jennifer Bernard’s sexy Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel, I was ready to give her baseball series a try but also a little wary that she might not be able to give this series the same small town romantic feel that we always felt with the firefighters. There was a camaraderie between the men/women of the San Gabriel station that was an important part of the series. Well, Jennifer has definitely created the same feel in her Love Between the Bases series. It’s off to a good start with ALL OF ME.

We get that small town feel, steamy romance, and a cast of characters we can hope to see reappearing often in stories to come. The base emotion of ALL OF ME is trust. Caleb and Sadie both carry trust issues, and not just in others but in themselves. I enjoyed the chase that Sadie put Caleb through to win her over. I loved the way Jennifer dealt with the long distance aspect of their budding relationship also. It’s very appropriate in today’s world since so many relationships must endure distance but with technology, the world becomes a much smaller place. The phone conversations and resulting heat, which exploded with so much steam when they came together, was natural, and realistic. When secrets, mistrust, and misunderstandings along with Sadie’s ex and Caleb’s father start to interfere, things fall apart quickly but as it should, love prevails.

I highly recommend reading ALL OF ME, the first book in the Love Between the Bases series by Jennifer Bernard. It might not be her absolute best—there were times I wanted the trust to come faster—but then every team needs a warm up time, and I suspect as this team comes together as a family, this series is going to heat up and become the champs we know they can be.

Happy Reading Everyone!

Excerpt:

Caleb made her lose her head, plain and simple.

 Sadie rested her forehead against his chest, amazed all over again by the firmness of his toughened muscles. The heat of his body contrasted with the cool water in the most heavenly way. “Maybe I didn’t think this all the way through.”

“Are you telling me a dumb baseball player got the better of a brilliant future law student? Nah.” He bent his head so he could nuzzle her hair. “You smell nice. Like water lilies.”

She smelled hot man, mixed with lake water and sun-baked mesquite. Somehow they’d drifted away from the gravelly edge, so the stench of mud wasn’t as prominent. She felt so dreamy and secure, held tight in Caleb’s arms as they floated aimlessly in the lake. He grinned down at her, the light reflected off the lake water turning his eyes a soft, clear blue. Sun glinted in his hair, spangled with crystal drops of water. He really was a remarkably beautiful man. Everything seemed to still while she soaked in the details of his powerful physique, his rawboned handsomeness, the flash of vulnerability in his eyes.

She could really lose herself in him. Completely and utterly. Never before had she felt anything close to that.

“Dream on,” she told him, and flipped out of his arms. She dove under the surface, letting the slide of water through her hair and across her body wash away the effects of that alarming moment.

She’d always loved to swim, and it took only a few moments to put distance between herself and Caleb. But he wasn’t a professional athlete for nothing, and within moments he was splashing in her wake.

Shrieking with breathless laughter, she flung herself backward, as if onto a watery couch. He grabbed an ankle, and she flipped to her stomach, kicking hard. But it was no use; she felt herself being inexorably pulled toward him, his wonderfully big hands reeling her in.

And then there she was, snuggled against his chest again. It rose and fell with his rapid breaths. “There, that’s better,” he said with satisfaction, the words rumbling against her ear. “I kinda like this whole fishing thing.”

“No fair, I got distracted,” she protested, turning her body in the circle of his arms so she could see his face. Water streamed from his hair, down his neck to his wide shoulders. His eyelashes clung together, so his eyes looked bluer than ever. “I’d forgotten how much I love swimming in this lake.”

“It’s starting to grow on me too. Or at least something is.”

She giggled, and then, as a grin split his face, started laughing. As he watched her something shifted in his expression. His goofy smile vanished, replaced by an intent, hungry look. His head lowered, eyes glittering. The rest of the world receded, so only his face remained, coming closer and closer to hers, his mouth reaching for her …   

Oh wow. He was going to kiss her.

And then he was kissing her. His lips burned against hers, sending pure shock throughout her body. Kisses didn’t feel like that. They didn’t turn your lips to fire, they didn’t liquefy your lungs so you could barely breathe. They didn’t make you dizzy.

She pulled away with a gasp, still in his embrace, their faces close enough so she felt his quickened breathing. Caleb looked just as stunned as she felt, his eyes gone dark and gray as a hurricane. For a long moment the two of them just stared at each other, poised on the edge of the unknown. Water lapped against her hips, and a breath of air kissed her shoulder. Everywhere her body touched Caleb’s, heat seared.

And then they were on each other again. He seemed to consume her, exploring her mouth with long sweeps of his tongue that left sparkling trails of heat in their wake. He tasted so wonderful, like summer days, like fireflies and bicycling down dusty back roads, like every time she’d laid on her back in a meadow and dreamed about the future.

Little whimpers rose from her throat. She pulled her mouth from his, her cheek brushing across his stubbly chin, its roughness sending more shocks through her. His grip loosened and she slid down his body until she stood on the lake bottom, pressed against him from head to toe. The huge bulge in his briefs made her feel a little faint.

“Sweet Jesus,” he whispered as she nibbled on his jaw. She couldn’t help it; she wanted to eat him up. “You’re making me crazy. We can’t do this here.”

“Shh.” She didn’t want to talk. She wanted this all-consuming, crazy conflagration that she’d never even imagined before. Tugging at his shoulders, she rose on tiptoe, brushing her lips against his again. With a heartfelt groan, he gave in. – ALL OF ME

About the Author:

Jennifer Bernard is the USA Today bestselling author of the Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriels series. She 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.

Author Links:  Website | Facebook | Twitter  | Goodreads

Buy Links:    Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | BAM  | iTunes

TOURWIDE GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

   

Unwrapping a Review of JUST ONE TASTE, a Pine Mountain novella by Kimberly Kincaid

Kimberly Kincaid always manages to create such endearing characters with such depth that we can’t help but involve ourselves in their emotions, their plights, their anxieties, and cheer as they fall in love. She always manages to pack so much into her novellas that you forget they’re not full-length. JUST ONE TASTE, a Pine Mountain novella is just such a story.

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

Blurb for JUST ONE TASTE:

A little home improvement can go a long way…

Jesse Oliver was a medic in Afghanistan, but back home in Pine Mountain he’s happy to switch gears as the Double Shot bar’s new sous chef. When his apartment floods and his old Army buddy offers the family’s dilapidated lake house as temporary quarters, Jesse thinks a little remodeling on the creaky duplex sounds like a fair return favor. That’s before he sets eyes on the gorgeous woman moving into the other side of the cabin—and discovers she’s his buddy’s kid sister, a.k.a totally off limits.

Kat McMarrin has fought hard for her space, and she’s not too interested in sharing it. Of course, her job as a physical therapist means she won’t see much of Jesse, even if he’s a few thin floorboards away—unless she seeks him out. And with his sculpted body and slow-burn gaze, she might be tempted. Maybe the fixer-upper projects she has planned for the cabin will keep her mind off him. Or maybe her instincts to strip the place down will get out of hand…

~*~            ~*~            ~*~            ~*~

Kat and Jesse are two of kind…neither are looking for love, a relationship, or commitment. Both carry insecurities as baggage and both seek to carve out a place of their own where the past won’t hurt so much. When Jesse needs a place to stay after a major leak in his apartment, his Army buddy Gabe, who is also Kat’s brother, offers him shelter at the duplex lake house recently inherited by Kat and Gabe. Seeing that she lived in the same building of the flood, Kat decides take up residence at the duplex as well only didn’t say anything to Gabe. She hadn’t planned to share the space with anyone, especially a good-looking guy with a body she wishes she could stop looking at but simply enjoy the peace and quiet, and work on much needed renovations. Finally, they decide to work together on the renovations and find they enjoy it, and eventually each other. The heat created between these two starts to bring about a hot glow, which far outshines any newly polished wood.

There’s nothing better than a story based on small town characters that always seem to know everyone else’s business, and Kimberly creates this atmosphere better than anyone I know. Her characters are people I would love to know in real life and they always manage to touch my heart. Jesse and Kat are two such characters. Jesse carries so much angst, guilt, and regret after his time in Afghanistan on top of the wounds embedded typically in a child of a drug addict. You feel his pain as if it’s your own and Kimberly handles it wonderfully. Kat is a typical Army brat who is used to never staying in one place for too long and yearns for just that. She wants stability, to be dug in, and a place she can call her own, and home.

These two people are so alike and yet so different, you can’t help but want them to get together. They butt heads…Kat being the butt-r more than the butt-e but in the end, they help each other overcome the obstacles that keep their hearts closed off, and come together for once they get a taste of togetherness, there’s no turning back because JUST ONE TASTE is not enough. Thank goodness.

I highly recommend this sweet, sassy, steamy, and as usual for Kimberly Kincaid, deliciously sexy novella very much in the fashion of, and a great addition to, the Pine Mountain series.

Happy Reading Everyone!

JUST ONE TASTE, a Pine Mountain novella by Kimberly Kincaid, Kensington Publishing, releasing May 26, 2015 in ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

***Click on links above or cover below for purchasing information, remember even pennies per sale using my links help keep this blog alive. Thank You.

   

Unwrapping an Upcoming New Release: MONTGOMERY, a Bad Boys of Dry River, Wyoming novel by Susan Fisher-Davis + #excerpt

MONTGOMERY

A Bad Boys of Dry River, Wyoming novel

by Susan Fisher-Davis

Available Now at Amazon 
and releasing elsewhere on May 20, 2015 
It's Fabulous!

FBI Agent Montgomery Bradford is deep undercover as Colt Raines—bad guy. When his convicted murderer boss brings back the wrong target, he must now protect Isabella Lofton while completing his mission but she’s not about to make it easy for him, especially when he finds himself unable to resist her, and she him.

Isabella knows her father’s worst enemy is only keeping her alive until he has her father, and she only has Colt’s word he won’t allow any harm to come to her. But how much should she trust a criminal working with the man who wants to destroy her family? Her heart tells her one thing and her need to escape tells her another yet Colt refuses to help her gain her freedom.

When the truth comes out about who Mont really is, will Isabella still want him, or will she hate him?  

Excerpt:

"You need to get something through your head, princess. I'm not your friend. You're not going to twist my mind into helping you. I won't help you escape no matter what you do. You can parade around in your underwear and tempt me, but it won't work. If you think that fucking me will change my mind then sure, by all means, let's try it. It won't do you any good, though. I will not help you get out of here,” he said through clenched teeth.

He stared at her, watching a tear roll down her cheek. It took everything he had not to take her in his arms. To save himself more than her, he spun on his heel and stormed out of the room. Pulling the door closed, he locked it. Standing there outside the door, he wanted to bang his head against it. Clenching his fists, he marched through the kitchen and out the back door. He kicked at a rock in the driveway, but it didn't help. Ramming his fist through a wall wouldn’t help either. He knew that. Taking several deep breaths, he finally calmed down. Damn her! He couldn’t help her. He couldn’t. No matter how much he wanted to. He just couldn't.

About the Author:

From Susan Fisher-Davis—

I've been writing for years but I never thought my stories were good enough to get published. I had actually given up writing for a year when I decided to give it another try. Through Facebook, I met Amy Valentini, an editor. (Thanks for the plug, Sue!) We became friends and once I completed my book, I sent it to her for editing. I believe that without her, I wouldn't have gotten a contract. I submitted my manuscript to five publishing houses and three wanted it. After a few days, I decided to go with Secret Cravings Publishing. This company is amazing. The owner, Sandy Lea Sullivan has the patience of a Saint. I ask her so many questions, I'm surprised she hasn't blocked my email. I always get the same answer from her when I apologize for bothering her, "It's what I'm here for." Amazing! I have a three-year contract with them and if, at all possible, I will stay with them after that.

I have two series out now, The Men of Clifton, Montana and The Bad Boys of Dry River, Wyoming. Cowboys and bad boys...what more could a woman want? I hope you enjoy my books. I'm so pleased with the reviews JAKE, GABE, BRODY, and LUCAS are getting. I hope you love MONTGOMERY as much as I do. If you read any of my books, please leave a review on the site where you purchased the book, it's greatly appreciated. Have a wonderful day!

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

Amy's remarks on MONTGOMERY: 
As Sue's editor, I loved working this book, and as a reader, I fell so in love with Mont/Colt and Isabella is a pretty tough gal. This story will cut to your heart, make you laugh, and have you smiling big time by the happily ever after. I highly recommend it. Love it!

Happy Reading Everyone!

MONTGOMERY, a Bad Boys of Dry River, Wyoming novel by Susan Fisher-Davis, Secret Cravings Publishing, available now in ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes &Noble, Kobobooks, Smashwords, and Secret Cravings.

***click on links above or cover below for purchasing information, remember even pennies per sale using my links help keep this blog alive. Thank You.

   

Unwrapping a Review of THE SPACE CAPTAIN'S COURTESAN, an Omega Galaxy novel by KC Klein

I love science fiction, I love romance, and so when you put the two together, I am in seventh heaven and THE SPACE CAPTAIN’S COURTESAN of the Omega Galaxy series by KC Klein kept me there from the first page to the last. I had such a great time reading this wonderful story. KC Klein never disappoints me.

***purchased for my own personal reading and sharing my honest and unscripted review.

Blurb for THE SPACE CAPTAIN’S COURTESAN:

Mya is having a crap day.

Princess Mya Centauri is stranded and alone on the shady Bates Space Station. With rumors of her father's dethronement escalating, she needs more than her wits and entitlement to protect her--she needs a hero. So when she unexpectedly finds herself mistaken for some whore by Centauri's most notorious assassin, and at one time her father's most trusted man, she decides things can only get worse.

Jax is having a crap decade.

Framed for a crime he didn't commit, Captain Jax Rouss, an ex-Royal Guard, is now an escaped prisoner with a price on his head. Embittered after years of trying to clear his name, Jax wants nothing to do with the family he once swore to protect. So when he wakes up to find that the sweet, smelling patron-pleaser he's purchased is not only lovely, but already in his bed, he decides things can only get better.

But with lives at stake and kingdoms in jeopardy, Mya will do anything to convince the one man who hates the Royal family above all else to become her hero, even if it means being the one thing he can't resist...The Space Captain's Courtesan.

~*~             ~*~             ~*~             ~*~

Princess Mya was sent away from her home on Centauri for her own safety, only now alone after her aunt died, she’s stranded on the Bates Space Station and trying desperately to fend for herself and earn enough credits to get passage home. Thievery is not beneath her at this point and the best victims are those who will cause the least trouble…the ones recovering from stasis. Having managed to enter her latest victim’s room, she finds he’s not only not completely unconscious but expecting a patron-pleaser…or courtesan. When it becomes apparent he's not going to let her leave until he gets what he paid for, she has no choice but to knock him out. Before he's completely out, he makes sure she can't leave, and to make things worse, she knows him…he’s the Royal Guard on whom she’s had a crush for years and the man accused of trying to kill her father.

Captain Jax just wants to recover from stasis and be on his way again. Having pre-paid for a patron-pleaser seemed like a good idea at the time, and the one sent to his room is more than he’d hoped for except she wants to leave and he’s not ready for what she came there to offer. After snapping current cuffs on her and attaching them to himself, he passes out only later to find himself dragged aboard his ship. Then she asks him to fly her to Centauri, the last place in space he ever planned to go again after having been framed for an attempted assassination of the King he vowed to protect. When he discovers the truth of her identity, his determination to stay as far away from her and her family pulls him in closer until his heart and his honor won’t allow him to escape.

THE SPACE CAPTAIN’S COURTESAN by KC Klein is an action adventure through space, visits to places less than desirable for vacations or even brief stops, and intrigue that will keep you turning the pages and hoping things work out the way you hope. KC is wonderful at conjuring up characters that pull you in, make you wish them to be your friends, and desire only happiness for them. Mya and Jax are those kinds of characters and there are times when you’re not sure things are going to turnout the way you want, which keeps you turning the pages even more addictively.

As science fiction, THE SPACE CAPTAIN’S COURTESAN is exemplary with its unusual settings, modern yet old-fashioned living style and technology, and almost medieval punishments. As a romance, Jax is a charming yet irritating hero who frustrates so delightfully, you want to knock him in the head, and then kiss it to make it better. Mya is perfection in a match for Jax because she's just as stubborn but so in love, even as she despises him at times. I love how it has a Firefly feel to it. So there you are, if you’re a fan of Firefly, and that space western kind of atmosphere, you’ll love this book. Jax carries himself in that Captain Mal way and is just as stubborn and sexy, while Mya is thoroughly princess but with the desire and heart of a courtesan like Inara.

I highly recommend reading THE SPACE CAPTAIN’S COURTESAN, an Omega Galaxy novel by KC Klein because it’s an adventure, escapism, and even if you’re not a fan of science fiction, if you love romance, you will love Jax and Mya’s story…a fairy tale space story.

Happy Reading Everyone!

THE SPACE CAPTAIN’S COURTESAN, an Omega Galaxy novel by KC Klein, Indie publish, and available now in print and ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, (print) B & N, and Kobobooks.

***click on links above or cover below for purchasing information, remember even pennies per sale using my links help keep this blog alive. Thank You.

   

Trailer Reveal for the Hard Ink Series by Laura Kaye with pre-order gift with HARD TO LET GO

 

We are over the moon about this Trailer Reveal for Laura Kaye’s Hard Ink Series! 

HARD TO LET GO - the final title in the Hard Ink Series, coming from by Avon Romance, is releasing June 30th! 

Laura has a very special treat, through June 29, anyone who pre-orders HARD TO LET GO, and Fills Out This Form, will receive a Hard Ink Series Short Story!

Just fill out the quick form here!

Pre-Order at Amazon | B&N | iBooks| Kobo

HARD TO LET GO on Goodreads 

And now....The Amazing Hard Ink Trailer...

 

HARD TO LET GO by Laura Kaye 

Beckett Murda hates to dwell on the past. But his investigation into the ambush that killed half his Special Forces team and ended his Army career gives him little choice. Just when his team learns how powerful their enemies are, hard-ass Beckett encounters his biggest complication yet—a seductive, feisty Katherine Rixey.

A tough, stubborn prosecutor, Kat visits her brothers’ Hard Ink Tattoo shop following a bad break-up—and finds herself staring down the barrel of a stranger’s gun. Beckett is hard-bodied and sexy as hell, but he’s also the most infuriating man ever. Worse, Kat’s brothers are at war with the criminals her office is investigating. When Kat joins the fight, she lands straight in Beckett’s sights . . . and in his arms. Not to mention their enemies’ crosshairs.

Now Beckett and Kat must set aside their differences to work together, because the only thing sweeter than justice is finding love and never letting go.

Pre-order before or on June 29, fill out the form, and get a Hard Ink Short Story!

And don’t miss the other Hard Ink books, now available! 

HARD AS IT GETS

HARD AS YOU CAN

HARD TO HOLD ON TO

HARD TO COME BY

HARD TO BE GOOD

Praise for Hard to Let Go:

“Kaye wraps up her bestselling series with this action-packed story, highlighting her talent for alpha military heroes, hot romance, and an ensemble cast of characters who are unique and engaging. A super sexy, high-octane romantic suspense novel that concludes the popular Hard Ink series in a completely satisfying way.” ~Kirkus Reviews   

About Laura Kaye: 

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty books in contemporary and paranormal romance and romantic suspense. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.      

Website | Facebook |Twitter | Newsletter SignUp

Unwrapping a Review & Promo for VAMPIRE LEGACY by Ella J Phoenix + #excerpt

I am a huge fan of the stories created by Ella J Phoenix and was eager enough to read VAMPIRE LEGACY, book four in the Dragon Heat series but honored when Ella asked me to copy edit it as well. We didn’t agree on everything but in the end, the result was her amazing story with a bit more polish, which I’m proud to have provided. Do check out the excerpt. 

***although I was involved in the editing, this story belongs completely to Ella, and when she provided a final eARC, it is in exchange for an honest and unscripted review. Wearing my reviewer hat here so other than mentioning that I found a few unrejected errors, I’m not going to discuss her writing.

Blurb for VAMPIRE LEGACY:

When Tardieh discovers a letter from his late father, he opens a door to old memories. The letter from Petran is a tale of intrigue, attempted murder, and betrayal, but leaves more questions than answers in its wake.

Petran, the King of Vampires, an ancient monarch known for his cunning ploys and many lovers, knows the animosity between draconians and vampires is brewing in Romania. Upon discovering his draconian neighbor has fallen ill with a strange Curse, Petran is determined to discover the cause, and a cure. In doing so, he finds an unexpected ally in his neighbor’s daughter, a striking Draconian Duchess.

All Lady Natalia, the Duchess of Moldavia wants is to save her people from a Dragon Lord’s tyranny but she’s only a woman, who has no place meddling in politics. With his health failing, her father has big plans for her, so when the King of Vampires agrees to help her find a cure for the Curse plaguing her people and her father, Talia begins to see him as more than an old family friend. He awakens desires in her she knows she should not have but cannot resist, or deny him.

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

~*~                ~*~                  ~*~                 ~*~

There’s always been tension between the vampires and the draconians throughout the centuries but it doesn’t mean friendships can’t be cultivated between some. Petran, the King of Vampires and Somenski, his neighboring draconian Lord have such a friendship so when Petran hears his old fire-breathing friend is nearing death’s door, he travels to visit the old dragon. Upon arriving, he is greeted by devastating sickness, a Curse as the draconians have taken to calling it, and a beautiful red-haired Duchess who sparks more than a passing interest in him.

Talia has been away in London at school but upon returning, she discovers some unknown disease is systematically killing off her people, and now her father has fallen ill as well. Life for her is turning in a fashion, which she cannot control, her father is dying, he wants to marry her off to the ruthless Lord Kalaur, and her loyalty to the rebel, Ivan Milek puts her life in danger if discovered. The King of Vampires is a man she should avoid but his offer to help her, his discovery of her connection to the rebels and willingness to keep silent, as well as her increasing desire for him, turns her life upside even more.

If you’ve read any of this amazing series, you know there was a strained relationship between Tardieh, the modern King of the Vampires and his father, the assassinated King of the Vampires. This is the story of what led up to Tardieh being taken captive and tortured by the devilish, Vrajitor before Zoricah rescued him and returned him to his castle where he discovered his father and family had been murdered. This is the story of Petran’s -- Tardieh’s father.

VAMPIRE LEGACY by Ella J Phoenix is action-packed, intrigue driven, and holds more twists and turns than the most thrilling roller coaster. I’m not going to give you any more than I have because this one has to be read to be experienced. There are many questions along the way, but so many answers as well, and then Ella leaves us with yet another mystery to carry us over into the next book. No worry, just as in the first three books, we get our happy ending.

I highly recommend VAMPIRE LEGACY, book four in the Dragon Heat series by Ella J Phoenix because it’s a riveting tale of paranormal adventure mixing old world with new, and it takes the reader on a page-turning journey that ends in a way you would never expect. If you haven’t read this series, I highly recommend you start at the beginning with DRAGON HEAT but if you love paranormal romance, this series is for you.

Happy Reading Everyone!

Excerpt from VAMPIRE LEGACY:

From the corner of his eye, he saw a slight change in Natalia’s posture. While the two dracos discussed what she should or should not do in preparation for her new life, Natalia kept quiet as tradition dictated, but Petran could sense her turmoil inside. Her eyes searched, her fingers twitched. It was clear that she was enjoying the conversation as much as he was.

Slowly, a plan formed in his head.

He had to protect his territory at all costs. If the marriage between the two draconian families brought them as one, Kalaur would have free passage to Petran’s lands, and that was too dangerous even to contemplate. No, he needed to stop the marriage, and there were only two means of doing so—finding another, equally profitable prospect for Kalaur, or making the lovely Natalia unfit for matrimony of high class. The latter seemed a much more attractive option. And why not? Deflowering such a beautiful rose was hardly a sacrifice in Petran’s mind. If any rumors of promiscuity would reach the ton, her future as Duchess of Cossack would be dismissed like a serf begging for money. Kalaur valued his reputation too much to jeopardize it with a disgraced bride. Poor Somenski would suffer the blow, of course, but there was little Petran could do to prevent that misfortune. He was fond of the old dragon, but not enough to risk his country for him. After all, losing a good neighbor was nothing compared to losing a crown.

“So, I’ll see you at the Open Games, Petran.”

Kalaur’s words brought him back from his machinations. “Yes, you certainly will,” he replied promptly. “Your opening ceremony has cost me a small fortune already.”

“How so?”

“My wife, Hillia, believes it is a fair reason to buy the entire dress collection from every single couture master in Paris,” Petran replied not bothering to feign his disgust. Then he turned his attention to his new target. “Are you planning on attending the games, milady?”

“I’d love to but I’m afraid my father won’t be fit enough to travel by then,” she replied softly.

“Nonsense,” her father grunted in disapproval. “I want you to go and enjoy your time there. This may be your last Open Games as a Somenski.”

“So may the Gods in Apa Sâmbetei allow you to be fit enough to go as well, old friend,” Petran added. “If Kalaur’s magician is as good as he claims, the cure is within reach.”

“Of course, he is as good as I claim him to be,” Kalaur barked, but didn’t explore Petran’s bait any further. “And I plan to officially announce the engagement at the closing ball, so you better be there Somenski.”

“I haven’t made up my mind yet,” Somenski replied. “I’m still considering your proposal, Kalaur. Don’t push me.”

“Fine but for once, my neighbor, time is not our friend.” Kalaur stood up and started making his way back to the balcony. “I must go now. Those godforsaken outlaws are driving my militia mad.”

“Are you still having trouble with the rebels?” Petran asked in a nonchalant manner, but he knew very well, Kalaur and his so-called invincible dragons were taking a beating.

“Not for long,” the draco grunted in reply. “They’ll soon feel what it really means to oppose their Lord.”

Petran nodded in acknowledgement and watched Kalaur step out of the balcony and jump. After a heartbeat, a large black dragon emerged from the shadows and disappeared into the waterfall.

“I thought dragons weren’t allowed to shift at whim anymore,” Petran stated with a blank face. “Shouldn’t he have asked your permission first, Somenski, since he’s in your lands?”

Somenski threw his head back and let out a loud laugh. Yes, of course it had been a joke, just like Kalaur’s reign.

“Kalaur’s laws apply to anyone but him,” Natalia muttered quietly.

So she does have a mind of her own. Interesting.

“Oh, my Talia, you won’t be doing me any favors by antagonizing Kalaur,” Somenski warned softly. “He may be my only chance for a cure.”

“I pray for Apa Dobrý every night, father,” Natalia replied. “They wouldn’t be so cruel to strand you this way.”

For a moment, Petran let himself admire the good daughter Natalia had become, and a hint of envy unsettled his heart. If only his own son was as compliant as she was. Tardieh refused to learn, to abide by Petran’s instructions. He was as indifferent to the rules as the rebels who ransacked the draconian states.

“Well, old sod, I too must be on my way,” Petran said standing up. “I don’t have rebels to deal with but I must find shelter for myself and my kind before sunrise.”

“Nonsense,” Somenski bellowed, then coughed furiously. When it subsided, he carried on. “You will spend the day here. I have enough dark rooms in this castle and Talia has already arranged proper accommodations for you and your entourage. I will not take no for an answer.”

Petran was counting on that. “If that is your will, your lordship,” he replied bowing low in friendly mockery. “I will not refuse.”

Somenski let out another loud laugh, and this time he managed to hold off the coughing fit. “You dare mock me in my own house, you blood sucking fool!”

“Of course, where else would I do it?” he replied with an impish shrug.

More laughter reverberated in the room and Petran’s was in the mix. His gaze met Lady Natalia’s for a fleeting moment. A shy smile lifted the corner of her cheeks. By Apa Dobrý, she was truly beautiful. He definitely understood why Kalaur was rushing to take her as his wife. But now Petran was in the race, and judging by the way her grey eyes gazed at him, Kalaur had a serious contender against him.

About the Author:
from Ella...

I was just nine years old when I discovered my passion for the paranormal world. That passion led me to a bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts where I had my first taste in writing, conjuring children’s plays and re-writing Shakespearean masterpieces to suit the modern times (Yes, he’s still cringing in his grave).

After years travelling around the world, translating other people’s novels and devouring paranormal romances, I realized the real world wasn’t fun without a touch of magic, and decided to purge my own crazy stories into paper, well, into word doc, to be more precise.

My busy life with a demanding full time job and a very loving husband (I’m so not complaining!) doesn’t allow me much spare time, but somehow every night I find myself in front of the computer, exorcising the millions of stories stored in my sanity-challenged mind.

My novels are tales of love and passion between strong female leads and hot heroes, bathed in paranormal magic, of course.

I live in Sydney, Australia, the land of koalas (which are not bears), kangaroos (which are not boxing champions) and Vegemite (a black spread that should have never been invented. Seriously, don’t try it).

If you want to know what I’m up to, just look for me on Facebook and Twitter.  

VAMPIRE LEGACY, a Dragon Heat novel by Ella J Phoenix, self-publish, available now in ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, and AllRomanceEbooks.

***click on links above or cover below for purchasing information, remember even pennies per sale using my links help keep this blog alive. Thank You.