TBR Alert – Page 355 – TBR Book Blog

Blog Tour ~ The Player & The Pixie ~ by ~ L.H. Cosway & Penny Reid

The Player and the Pixie
by L.H. Cosway and Penny Reid
Publication Date: April 12, 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Sports, Humor

How can someone so smokin’ hot be so bad in bed? I mean, Sean Cassidy is absolute rubbish. RUBBISH. He is the epitome of walking, talking false advertising and I want a refund! Plus he’s an arsehole. So… what is wrong with me that I can’t stop thinking about him?

The Pixie and the Player is a full-length, romantic comedy novel, can be read as a standalone, and is the second book in the Rugby Series.

THE PIXIE
Lucy Fitzpatrick doesn’t like rugby.

As the little sister of Ireland’s most infamous rugby player, Lucy can’t seem to escape the championship-sized shadow cast by her big brother, or her mother’s frequent attempts to micromanage her future. Her rainbow hair is as free-spirited as her quest for inner peace, yet overbearing expectations keep bringing her down. And when she’s down, her compulsive little problem lands her in seriously big trouble.

THE PLAYER
Sean Cassidy is a cold-hearted brute… or so he’s been told. Frequently. By everyone.

His blonde locks, baby blues, and rock hard bod make ladies the world over drool with desire. As the rugby world’s second most infamous player, he should be basking in his success. But Sean has never been content settling for second place, and his frequent confrontations with Lucy’s big brother leave him cold. And when he’s cold, his compulsive little problem lands him in the lap of Lucy Fitzpatrick.

THE PLAN
Sean has a problem only Lucy can solve. Lucy has a problem only Sean can fix. The solution seems obvious: you scratch my back, and I’ll bail you out of jail. But when their business arrangement unexpectedly leaves Sean scorching hot and Lucy on the precipice of inner peace, can they convince the world—and Lucy’s big brother in particular—that this is the real deal?

Either way, both the Player and the Pixie are about to teach each other some pretty monumental lessons about family, life, but most importantly, love.

Full disclosure, I’ve never watched Rugby nor do I know anything about it. Well anything other than if the players are like Sean and Ronan (from The Hooker and The Hermit), I might need to find a way to watch rugby.

Anywho, I liked Ronan but I LOVE Sean! His character is just so indescribable. I cared more about him than Lucy. And while he was the cocky bad boy, he also shows a different side with Lucy. Totally swoon-worthy!

So far, Sean is my favorite of the rugby players. He was a self confident, egotistical guy as a public persona but he was SO much more than that. Such a DEEP character with a lot of layers and idiosyncrasies that make him unique.

5 Raging Rugby Stars!

L.H. Cosway

L.H. Cosway has a BA in English Literature and Greek and Roman Civilisation, and an MA in Postcolonial Literature. She lives in Dublin city. Her inspiration to write comes from music. Her favorite things in life include writing stories, vintage clothing, dark cabaret music, food, musical comedy, and of course, books.

She thinks that imperfect people are the most interesting kind. They tell the best stories.

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Penny Reid

SEX! It all started with sex, between my parents. Personally I don’t like thinking about it, but whatever works for you is a-ok with me. No judgment. The sex happened in California and much of my life also occurred in that state until I moved from the land of nuts (almonds), wine, silicon… boobs, and heavy traffic to the southeast US. Like most writers I like to write, but let’s get back to sex. Eventually I married and gave birth to 2 small people-children (boy-6, girl-4 as of this writing).

By day I’m a biomedical researcher with focus on rare diseases. By night I’m a knitter, sewer, lino block carver, fabric printer, soap maker, and general crafter. By the wee hours of the morning or when I’m intoxicated I love to listen to the voices in my head and let them tell me stories. I hope you enjoy their stories.

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Release Blitz ~ The Crashing Series Box Set ~ by ~ Kristen Hope Mazzola

Title: The Crashing Series Box Set

Author: Kristen Hope Mazzola

Release Date: April 22, 2016

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Crashing Back Down (#1) –

Mags McManus has just become a war widow in her mid-twenties. Her late husband, Randy, left for the Army right after their wedding. Instead of celebrating his homecoming and living in marital bliss with her soulmate, Mags finds herself living in constant agony. Dealing with the guilt of still living without Randy, are Randy’s best friends and parents.

Rising from the ashes of this tragedy, Mags starts to learn how to love and trust again, finally being able to find happiness. But sometimes things really are too good to be true and again Mags learns how cruel the world can be as she crashes back down.

—–

Falling Back Together (#2) –

“I don’t know if it’s fate, coincidence, or my curse, but I’m still breathing, and my breaths are for you.”

Mags McManus is far from a normal woman in her mid twenties. Being a war widow, a business professional, and a brokenhearted train wreck only skims the surface of the layers of who Margret McManus truly is. Waking up in a hospital bed, alone and confused, Mags once again has to pick up the pieces of her shattered heart. With her best friends by her side, Mags slowly starts to learn the answers she so desperately longs for. But is everything going to continue to spiral out of control? Or is there a light at the end of this dark, twisting tunnel where all the broken pieces can finally fall back together?

Note from the author: Second book in the two part Crashing Series. Crashing Back Down should be read before Falling Back Together to avoid spoilers. A portion of all royalties from Falling Back Together are donated by the author to The Marcie Mazzola Foundation.

—–

Crashing: The Wedding (#0.5) –

**This Book is a Standalone** It is a companion novella to The Crashing Series and takes place before Crashing Back Down (book 1 in the series).

Well this is freaking great…

Right when my best friend’s wedding was in full swing, the flowers were paid for, the dresses were being tailored and the bachelorette party was planned and nonrefundable, the bomb gets dropped right on my doorstep at four in the morning.

“The Wedding is OFF!” Mags yelled right as I opened the door to my apartment.

Oh hell no! We’re not canceling these plans. I will make this work. I will get her and Randy on track to walking down that freaking isle. I am getting to go on a bachelorette weekend vacation to party with my best friend! This is happening whether Mags and Randy like it or not.

That’s what a best friend is for, right?!

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Get your copy for only $2.99 before it goes back up to $5.99! On sale through 4/29!

He climbed onto the foot of my king-sized bed, handed me my black coffee, and set out the food carefully. “How about breakfast in bed and a movie?” He pulled Almost Famous out of his jacket pocket and tossed me a smirk. The smell of the bitter coffee made my mood lift a little, and I peeked out from under my blankets.

There is no way I can turn down that smile, my favorite movie, and breakfast bribery.

“How could I say no to an offer like that?” I jumped out of my bed, tousled my hair a little in an attempt to tame it slightly, and put all of the pillows back onto the bed while Walker started the movie and threw his black leather jacket onto the floor.

We climbed under the covers, cuddling down to have an awesome breakfast with good company. Walker’s shoulder cradled my head as I slurped coffee from the plastic lid and let my eyes wander over his muscular, tattooed arms. I had been with him and Randy for almost every one of their ink sessions. I could imagine the swallows on Walker’s chiseled chest that he got about a month after we met. He was handsome and tall, and he had an erotic stare that could make any girl wet within seconds. I never knew why he just jumped around from girl to girl, not even able to define monogamy. Randy had always said that being promiscuous was just in Walker’s nature, and I never questioned it further.

It was comforting to have someone fill the other side of the bed. We watched the movie, reciting every line, and munched away on the glazed treats. When the credits started to roll, Walker pulled me to him tighter; he could always tell when the tears were about to start. I breathed in his mix of salty tears and men’s cologne, a smell that had become a little too comforting to me recently. We lay silently while the credits played out, the movie soundtrack hushed in the background of our embrace.

When the room went silent, I buried my face into Walker’s chest a little harder. “You’ll never know how much it means to me that you come here every week,” I choked out, unable to contain my emotions any longer. His thumb battled the tears cascading down my exposed cheek.

Walker’s big green eyes were soft, a look rarely seen from the hard-ass country boy. Knowing that made his kind face and words mean so much more to me. “I’ll never miss our Sunday tradition. It’s the best part of my week. You still don’t know how much it helps me too.”

The sincerity of his words spread over Walker’s face, and again, he stunned me. His chiseled jawline, jet-black hair, and olive skin made his light eyes stand out, and when he was vulnerable to emotion, it made everything that much more handsome.

Review Coming Soon!!

You want to know more about me? Well, let’s see…

I am just an average twenty-something following my dreams. I have a full time “day job” and by night I am an author. I guess you could say that writing is like my super power (I always wanted one of those). I am the lover of wine, sushi, football and the ocean; that is when I am not wrapped up in the literary world.

A portion of all my profits are donated to The Marcie Mazzola Foundation.

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Cover Reveal ~ Sweet Sunshine ~ by ~ Jessica Prince

Title: Sweet Sunshine (Pembrooke #1)

Author: Jessica Prince

Release Date: May 29, 2016

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She’s a romantic at heart.

Chloe Delaney had three very specific wishes, growing up. She wished to stay settled in the small mountain town of Pembrooke, where she grew up, to one day be her own boss, and to fall in love with a man who would be willing to go to the ends of the earth for her. With her roots firmly planted in Pembrooke’s soil and her bakery, Sinful Sweets, thriving, two of her wishes have already come true. When a handsome single father moves to town, she’s certain she’s found the man to fill the role of wish number three.

The only problem is, you can’t force a frog to turn into a prince.

He isn’t the Prince Charming type.

When Derrick Anderson moved from Jackson Hole to the small town of Pembrooke, he did it determined to wipe the slate clean. After eight years spent trapped in a miserable marriage, he’s made a vow to never take the plunge again. He wants to be untethered, not tangled up in the strings that come with a committed relationship. He has his daughter, his career, and an ex-wife hell bent on making his life unbearable. His plate is already full.

The only problem is, he didn’t have a plan in place to protect his heart from her.

Neither of them were prepared for the course their lives would take. But once a rollercoaster begins to move, you can’t just climb off, now can you?

The only thing they can do is strap in, hold on tight, and enjoy the ride.

I’d always thought of Chloe as cute, pretty in a girl-next-door kind of way. But when I stepped through the doorway leading to the backyard, the sight before me was one I hadn’t expected. She looked… well, hot. She was the type of woman who wore minimal makeup, and it worked for her, but now… now those big doe eyes of hers stood out, and the way her hair hung down her back in wild, attractive curls… I couldn’t quite put my finger on why she appeared so different, I just knew she did.

And the way my dick twitched behind my fly screamed to the fact that it was not a good thing. Head out of the fucking gutter, Anderson. Chloe wasn’t the type of woman I needed to ogle shamelessly. She was a friend, someone I cared about. She was the type of woman you kept, putting a ring on her finger and surrounding her with a white picket fence and a shit load of kids. And as a man unwilling to give her what she deserved, I needed to get myself in check.

Because she deserved better than anything I was capable of giving her.

Born and raised around Houston Texas, Jessica spent most of her life complaining about the heat, humidity, and all around pain in the ass weather. It was only as an adult that she quickly realized the cost of living in Houston made up for not being able to breathe when she stepped outside. That’s why God created central air, after all.

Jessica is the mother of a perfect little boy–she refuses to accept that he inherited her attitude and sarcastic nature no matter what her husband says.

In addition to being a wife and mom, she’s also a wino, a coffee addict, and an avid lover of all types of books–romances still being her all time favs. Her husband likes to claim that reading is her obsession but she just says it’s a passion…there’s a difference. Not that she’d expect a boy to understand.

Jessica has been writing since she was a little girl, but thankfully grew out of drawing her own pictures for her stories before ever publishing her first book. Because an artist she is not.

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Cover Reveal ~ Breaking The Darkness Series ~ by ~ Felicia Starr

Paranormal Fantasy Author Felicia Starr has given her Breaking the Darkness series a face lift just in time for the release of DELIRIUM, the third full-length book in the series!

KEEP READING TO SEE THE NEW COVERS!

Continue reading Cover Reveal ~ Breaking The Darkness Series ~ by ~ Felicia Starr

Tease Me Thursday

His Possession by Tory Richards

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Then Comes Love by Lindsay Detwiler

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Pain by Amanda Mackey

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Sales Blitz ~ Love Unrestricted Anthology

Love Unrestricted Anthology

Published by: Glass City Author Event

If There’s a Chance by Sidonia Rose
Swim Recruit by Jennifer Lane
Intoxicated by You by Michelle Iannarelli
Leaving Eva by Jennifer Sivec
Damaged by J. L. Perry
Never to Keep by Aimie Gray

Human Trafficking is a major issue not only in he US, but all over the world. The Glass City Author Event has come together to raise money for a local Non-Profit Organization. RISE: Recovering Individuals From Sexual Exploitation is a social service program located in Toledo, Ohio. RISE Provides comprehensive services to Victims of domestic sex trafficking and prostitution.

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If There’s a Chance by Sidonia Rose

Most families have rules. The Pierce family not only has rules they also have prank rules. Every rule was created because of a prank that happened. Ever wonder what really happened? The third rule says ‘If there’s a chance of an ER visit, find something else.’ That seems simple enough but why was it created?

Swim Recruit by Jennifer Lane

Not long after Abby Donahue’s family falls apart, she escapes on an airplane to Chicago for a recruiting trip. A talented high-school swimmer, Abby hopes to score both a college scholarship and some distance from her parents’ recent divorce. But is this university for her? Her first encounter with freshman swimmer Reese McGowan makes her nervous. He’s a tall backstroker with a mess of blond hair, glittering aquamarine eyes, and a suspension from the team for badmouthing the school to another recruit. As Abby unravels the mystery underlying Reese’s disdain, she begins to unlock her own hidden emotions about her father. Together Abby and Reese battle bullies on the team and inner demons, learning that flipper feet and fighting for family can actually be a good thing.

Intoxicated by You by Michelle Iannarelli

Tall, dark and strong, that is how Liam drinks his coffee, how Emily likes her men….

All Dr. Emily Kelly was looking for was a latte…instead, she fell for Liam…literally.

Detective Liam St. Paul isn’t looking for love, he is a one night stand kind of guy…until he looked into Emily’s eyes.

When Emily’s life is in danger…Liam vows to protect her.

Will Emily and Liam find a way to leave their pasts behind them and move forward together?

Or will their pasts tear them apart?

Leaving Eva by Jennifer Sivec

There is a secret pain lurking within us all, waiting to consume us if we allow it.

On the outside, Brynn Michael seems to be living the perfect life. She’s a successful businesswoman married to a handsome and devoted husband. But nobody, not even her husband and childhood sweetheart, Adam, knows the true depth of Brynn’s horror. Abandoned as a child on the side of the road by her young drug-addicted mother, then later abused by her adoptive father, Brynn has spent her life hiding both the physical and emotional scars.

As she tries desperately to heal from her broken childhood and find the courage to begin a family with Adam, an unexpected visitor from her past seeks her out and exposes her to an unexpected history of violence and murder.

Damaged by J. L. Perry

Jacinta’s story takes place seven years after the day Brooke and Logan Cavanagh saved her from the violent clutches of her father. Her mother has now remarried and Jacinta has a new step-brother, Connor, whom she is adores.

Never to Keep by Aimie Gray

Strangers meet in a hotel bar. For a few stolen hours they pretend all is right in their worlds.

Madison Miller is broken. Nearly everyone she’s loved throughout her life has left her. Now, she’s desperate to feel something other than the pain of her most recent loss, even if it’s only for one night.

Sawyer Ramsay is jaded. After witnessing his younger brother marry a woman no one can stand and years of watching his older brother’s disastrous experiences with women, the last thing he wants is a relationship.

Almost a year later, fate will have the strangers crossing paths once more. Can this strong, caring woman with a complicated life convince this disillusioned man to believe in love?

Will passion and desire turn into something strong enough to surmount all of life’s obstacles, or will the fear of heartache and overwhelming responsibility force Madison to accept Sawyer was never to keep?

Cover Reveal ~ From Titans ~ by ~ Mary Ting

Everyone is searching for Mason.

Zeus sent Hermes, and the Oracles have used their magic, with no success. A sparkle of hope arises when Eris, the goddess of Chaos, sends an invitation to her wedding engagement party. She’s holding Mason hostage, and Skylar and her friends only need permission to enter Eris’s world to rescue him.

At the party, Eris gives them one condition: In exchange for Mason, they must travel to the Land of Reverse and bring back the bottle of gold water King Midas used to wash himself free of his gift. Further chaos follows when Eris not only sets up a hunt in the Labyrinth of Crete, but makes a bargain with the Titans she rescued.

The Titans possess power more than anyone anticipated, and Cronus is hungry for revenge after his own children locked him up in Tartarus. No one is safe. Not even the humans.

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International Bestselling Author Mary Ting/M. Clarke resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children’s chapter book-No Bullies Allowed.

Cover Reveal ~ Until Now ~ by ~ Laura Ward

Title: Until Now (Not Yet #2)

Author: Laura Ward

Release Date: May 23, 2016

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Focus.

Dean Goldsmith is Indiana University’s star quarterback, and his dreams are about to come true. His undefeated season means he has a legitimate shot at the NFL. If he stays focused. Football comes first.

College senior, Grace Yeates, is determined to defy the odds. She is months away from graduating with a business degree, something no one thought she would be able to pull off. All she has to do is focus on her number one priority. Family comes first.

Distraction.

Dean has no time for distractions, but when a gorgeous, snarky, redheaded waitress refuses to tell him her name, he can’t seem to focus on anything else.

Grace knows she can’t let herself get caught up in a guy, particularly a man-whore like Dean, no matter how charming or sexy. She has two hearts to look out for now and no room for a Dean-sized distraction.

Complications.

Everyone in Dean’s life agrees that Grace is the kind of complication his career doesn’t need.

Grace knows that Dean is the kind of risk her heart shouldn’t want.

But what if the last person you think you need, the one you shouldn’t want, becomes the one you can’t live without? Can their biggest distraction actually be the focus they were missing all along?

I stood up and moved behind him. The heat from his body warmed mine, even without touching. His smell was fresh and clean with only a hint of cologne. “Am I?” My voice was whisper soft, and he turned around; one step closer and our bodies would touch. I willed him to take that step. “A game to you? Is that what this is? You said it’s not pity or worry, so what is it?”

He took that step, his hand reaching to cup my jaw. My body tingled, charged with the nearness of him. “Attraction, Red. Not a game. Not pity. I don’t feel bad for you. You’re one of the toughest people I know. I want to know more. I want to be near you.”

I whimpered.

As soon as the noise escaped from my lips, I closed my eyes. Shut up, Grace. So much time had passed since I’d allowed a man to get close enough to truly want me. I nearly forgot the power behind that sentiment.

My knees weakened, and I trembled. His hand remained on my face, and when he felt me tremble, heard my whimper, registered that my eyes were closed— he reacted.

I didn’t see his lips come closer to mine, but I knew it was happening. Every other sense was magnified. I heard the sound of his breathing increase in speed. The smell of his cologne became intoxicating, and I felt the warmth of his chest as it pressed against me when he pulled me closer. Then his lips found mine, and he held them there, almost as if he was asking permission. My eyes fluttered open and I shifted, fisting his shirt in my hands, holding him to me.

I opened my mouth, and our tongues met, sliding together, exploring and tasting. I released his shirt and brought my hands up and around his neck. A moan erupted, and it took a few seconds before I realized it came from me. Dean groaned in answer, running his hands down my sides and along my back.

Neither of us would break the kiss. We moved, Dean pulling on my lower lip, biting gently. I ran my tongue along the edge of his lips, teasing and coaxing them back open. Then our mouths were fused together. The kiss became desperate. We communicated words we had never spoken to the other through that kiss. This was real. This was different. I knew enough from what I was feeling to be scared, but I was still not willing to stop. I held myself back from climbing his body, the ache inside me growing like a wildfire.

“Grace,” Dean pulled back, resting his forehead against mine as he gasped for air. “You feel that, right? It’s not just me?”

I laughed softly, kissing the corner of his mouth. “I feel it.”

He placed his hands on my hips, shifting me so he could look into my eyes. His blue eyes sparkled, and something inside me melted. “Let me get to know you. Let me in.”

He already was in he just didn’t know it. “Yes. I want to know you, too.”

His lips tilted up, and he kissed my lips softly. “Lock up behind me, Red.”

And he was gone. Out the door and into the night, but slowly making his way into my heart.

Not Yet (#1) – Released July 28, 2014

Emma Harris is learning that life is just a series of lessons.

Lesson #1: Nothing goes the way you plan.

Lesson #2: You can’t trust men. Especially not the pretty ones.

Lesson #3: Turns out, appearances are almost always deceiving.

Emma thinks she has life all figured out, and what she knows isn’t good. For years, she’s put her big sister, who was born with Down syndrome, first. Now Emma’s ready to start her own life, but fate has other plans. To do the right thing for the sister she loves, Emma’s dreams will just have to wait.

She doesn’t plan on meeting Landon — a rich, flirtatious jock, who never has to wait for anything. Not for attention, not for money, and certainly not for girls. Meeting Emma marks the first time in his life that he’s had to fight for something. And Landon doesn’t know how to lose.

Emma has no interest in wasting her summer with a superficial guy like Landon. But very soon she realizes she is wrong about him. The question is, can she trust him? Or will he let her down like every other guy in her life? But most importantly, can Emma trust herself enough to live the life she’s always dreamed of?

Life has a way of sneaking in the most important lessons when you aren’t looking. And once the heart gets involved, that’s when the real learning begins.

*** This book is intended for mature audiences. 18 and over!

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Laura Ward lives in Maryland with her loud and very loving three children and husband. She married her college sweetheart and is endlessly grateful for the support he has given her through all their years together, and especially toward her goal of writing books. When not changing diapers, driving to lacrosse practice, or checking spelling homework, Laura is writing or reading romance novels.

Laura has written three novels so far, the new-adult novel Not Yet and the contemporary romance novel Past Heaven. Her third novel, co-written with author Christine Manzari, The Pledge, was released July 25, 2015.

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Release Day Blitz ~ He Loves Me Not ~ by ~ Tierney Fowler

Title: He Loves Me Not (Lifestyles of the Rich and (In)Famous #2)

Author: Tierney Fowler

Genre: Young Adult

Release Date: April 20, 2016

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In the game of love, everyone roots for the underdog. You know, that girl-next-door type who wears glasses and has a shy smile and who falls for the most popular boy in school…she’s the hero of every story. And when the shy girl takes off her glasses and the quarterback kisses her and the crowd roars and the movie fades to black, people sit back and are satisfied.

But what about the cheerleader? The one he dumps at the fifty-yard line and the one who runs off the field humiliated and sobbing? What about her feelings? What about her?

He Loves Me Not tells the story of what happens after the cheerleader is denied her fairy tale ending. Maggie’s life was perfect–she had perfect friends, perfect parents, and a perfect boyfriend. But when she’s abruptly dumped in front of the entire county by that perfect boyfriend, her life falls apart. With her clique, her friends, and her social standing obliterated, Maggie is resigned to a lonely, humiliating senior year of high school.

…at least until she meets AJ Abbott, a musician who breaks every rule her mother ever taught her. He has no college degree. He wants to be a rockstar. He wears entirely too much black and leather.

But despite their differences, Maggie is slowly drawn into AJ’s rock and roll lifestyle, and she’ll be forced to choose which is more important–clinging to her nonexistent popularity or learning that maybe there’s more to her than her beauty queen tiaras and cheerleader pom-poms.

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Looking back, Bobby hadn’t acted that different that day, or even that week. The first weird thing had happened at lunch a few weeks later. Maggie and her friends had been all sitting at their usual table with Tommy, Abby and Artie Souter—identical twins who looked like matching blond supermodels—Caroline, who was her best friend in the world, and a few other assorted football players and cheerleaders.

Maggie snapped her can of Diet Coke open, watching Bobby shovel tacos down his throat with envy. She was monitoring her calorie intake like a chicken hawk observing a pen full of hens. Not only was this new cheerleading uniform making her incredibly aware of her figure, but her homecoming dress had accidentally been ordered in a size zero—where Maggie normally wore a two—and there wasn’t enough time to buy a new dress that half the school hadn’t already rejected in their own shopping trips.

To distract herself from the gnawing pain in her stomach, Maggie took another bite of her dressing free salad and chewed slowly, pretending it was pizza. God, she loved pizza so much. It’d been years since she’d had it.

“Bobby, what was with that weird girl talking to you after Chem yesterday?” Caroline asked, her Boston accent softened after spending her entire high school career down in South Carolina. Maggie and Caroline had met in gymnastics class in middle school, and they’d bonded over their love of country music, cheerleading, and carb-free diets.

“Her name’s Chloe, and she’s actually really nice,” Bobby replied evenly.

Maggie remembered Chloe from one of her English classes. The girl never spoke to anyone other than the teacher, and once she had read a poem that had lots of references to the dark wings of ravens. It was all very strange. And she wore way too much black. Okay, and the real kicker was that Chloe had laughed at her a few weeks ago when Maggie had written an essay about how the proudest moment of her life was winning Miss Dixie Bell last year.

“I just don’t understand people like her,” Maggie started to say, flattening her hand on her stomach as it growled loudly. Hopefully no one had heard. “Like, it’s just so selfish to be so grumpy all the time. Everyone hurts. Everyone has bad things happen to them. Maybe people should just focus on the wonderful things in their lives and stop dwelling on the negativity.”

“Here, here, Maggie May!” Tommy raised his can of Coke over his head. The entire table laughed.

Giggling, Maggie continued. She was on a roll. “And, I mean, really, bless her heart, but how is that much black flattering on anyone’s complexion? Maybe we can give her a makeover!” Maggie loved makeovers. They were the best. Maybe they could take her shopping and help her do her makeup and—

Just then, Maggie heard a sharp intake of breath behind her. When she turned, she saw a girl with pale skin and long dark hair standing behind them. It was Chloe. Why did she look so upset? Maybe she didn’t hear the “bless her heart” part. Everyone knew that saying “bless her heart” balanced out anything negative that followed because it originated in a good place. Her momma always said that people needed a good dose of the truth, but they needed to know it came from the heart.

“I just—I just wanted—here. Here’s your half of the outline.” Chloe’s sharp voice matched her movements as she shoved a piece of paper into Bobby’s hand and then turned to rush back inside the school. Maggie had examined her closely in those ten seconds, trying to make sense of a girl who seemed to think black eye shadow was appropriate for the entire eyelid. The only spot anyone needed black eye shadow was in the outer crease of their eyelid and even then, it should be blended to near oblivion. Her momma considered black eye shadow appropriate only for strippers and rock star groupies.

The table fell silent for a minute. Maggie’s mouth curved into a nervous smile. Bobby’s green eyes cut in her direction. “Really, Maggie? That was mean of you.”

Maggie had never heard Bobby use that tone with her, and she wasn’t sure how to respond. Her chest tightened. “I wasn’t trying to be mean. I was just talking in general…like, how Momma always says that you should look your best so others are happy to…” She trailed off, shrinking under the disappointment in Bobby’s eyes.

She didn’t want Chloe to think she was being mean for no reason. Maybe Maggie needed to go chase her down and explain. “You know what? I’ll just go apologize—” Maggie stood up to follow her, but Bobby interrupted again.

Instead of the sharp tone he’d just used, now he sounded tired. “Don’t worry about it. Let me go talk to her.” He smiled, but it was a weird smile. Like it didn’t reach all the way up to his eyes.

Maggie tried to smile back, but she couldn’t get her lips to lift. “Are you sure? I can just go and—”

“It’s fine, Maggie. I’ll be back in a few.” Bobby stood up to walk away, and then he stopped and came back to squeeze her shoulder. Normally he’d say goodbye with at least a little kiss, but his grip on her shoulder was more how he interacted with the football team. Maggie didn’t like the feelings it brought, so she focused on his beautiful eyes, chiseled features, and sweet smile, and she thought he had the kind of face a girl could look at the rest of her life and be happy.

That was the day she began to lose him.

Lifestyles of the Rich and (In)Famous – Released Aug 19, 2014

Nicole “Nyx” Green, notorious for her red lipstick and over-the-top personality, has just snagged the man of her dreams–the brooding Crashbang bassist AJ Abbott. Well, he was the man of her dreams. Now that they’re together, Nyx is realizing that he’s way too obsessed with his music to even think about having a girlfriend.

AJ’s obsession pays off when the band meets with record executives in New York City, and Nyx meets her half-brother Jeremy. Reuniting with long lost family is complicated enough (especially a long lost family who are tabloid staples), but Nyx never expected to meet Tristan.

See, Jeremy happens to be best friends with the gorgeous, arrogant Tristan Halifax, an A-Lister with a penchant for beautiful women. Nyx and Tristan might experience love at first sight, but rock star ex-boyfriends are hard to forget—especially when they keep writing chart topping love songs dedicated to her red lipstick.

Overnight, Nyx becomes America’s Sweetheart—scandalizing parties, frolicking with Manhattan’s Golden Boys, and being hounded by photographers. Sure, it’s fun, but then the press starts turning nasty—jeopardizing her relationship with Tristan, ruining her reputation, and discovering her old skeletons. Plus, there’s AJ, who’s suddenly morphed into a great guy, and now is fighting to reignite their high school romance.

Celebrities are supposed to have it all, right? Money. Looks. Love. But suddenly, a downward spiral doesn’t seem all that unrealistic, and Nyx will have to decide what’s more important–her new infamous lifestyle or her familiar small-town roots.

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The long lost Wakefield twin. Blair’s head minion. The BSC party planner. The original Pink Ranger. Stephanie Tanner’s BFF.

In addition to crafting young adult and new adult novels, Tierney Fowler works as an IT consultant by day and a style blogger by night. She resides in Northern Virginia near four shopping malls, counts leopard as her favorite color, and once shot a reality TV show pilot…that never went anywhere.

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