Junior Saunders is searching for the perfect woman: gracious, elegant, and meek. He waits patiently, working long hours and going home alone night after night, believing that this woman exists. But life isn’t always predictable; curveballs can be thrown unexpectedly.
Kinsey Balterson is everything but gentle, delicate, and docile. She says it like it is—a spitfire, full of sarcasm with looks to kill. She’s downright sexy and thrilling in every way possible. Kinsey is a constant reminder of everything Junior detests in a woman, but the moment he lets his guard down, she captures his attention.
Can opposites really attract?
From this moment on, nothing is the same for Junior again. Everything he thought he wanted and needed no longer exists, and now his whole world has been shifted. His reason for breathing consists only of her—Kinsey. She has become his everything.
Kinsey thinks she has this all under control: friends with benefits, no strings attached—no messy feelings. She refuses to be broken again. But what happens when attraction turns into something deeper? Will Kinsey be able to let her walls down so her damaged heart can love again?
Can one person truly heal another’s heartbreak?
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In honor of this new release, the Author is hosting a giveaway on her FB page. Head over to her page to see how you can win a $50.00 Amazon Gift Cards
Head over to the Author’s Facebook page to enter this giveaway! Clickhere
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Shevaun DeLucia, author of the Eternal MixtureSeries and A Forbidden Love Series, lives in upstate New York with her husband, four children, and two dogs. As a stay-at-home mom while her children were young, she fell in love with reading. She indulged in the small moments that took her away from the reality of her loud, rambunctious household, bringing her into a world of fantasy. When reading wasn’t enough to satisfy her, she turned to writing, determined to create the perfect ending of her own.
The sun shone into the room, and it took me a few moments to realize where I was. I didn’t recognize the king-size bed, or the black sheets, but then Caden walked past the open door and all the memories flooded into place.
I slept at his place.
I glanced around the bed… I slept in his bed!
“Your alarm’s about to go off in ten minutes,” Caden called from the doorway. He had a cup of coffee in hand and wore only jeans.
I tried to keep my eyes front and center, but I lost. The tattoos were a nice little zig-zag pattern, pulling my gaze down, all the way down. Caden’s slow, smooth chuckle told me he knew what I’d just done. My cheeks only warmed a little.
I shot him a look, falling back to the pillow. “I feel like this should be the first skip day of my school career.”
“You’ve never skipped before?”
I shook my head, rolling it side to side on the pillow. “Am I missing out? Should I embrace my inner deviant?”
He smirked. “You can skip a class for any reason in the world. It’s your life.”
I sat up, eyeing that coffee. “You were supposed to be the bad influence.”
His eyebrow lifted. “I’m not selling it enough?” He lifted his cup. “You want some coffee?”
“I’m wondering if today is the day I try coffee too.”
“You’ve never had coffee?”
“I’m beginning to think I’m lame.” I thought about it. “Really lame.”
“You slept at some guy’s house last night. Think of it that way.” His smirk was back. “Not so lame now.”
I could do one better. “I slept at a fraternity house.”
“And you drank beer.”
“It was the second night in a row that I drank beer.”
“See? Not so lame after all.”
“You’re right.” I sat up. “I’m halfway to total badass.”
He grinned. “We cuddled last night, and you could think of it as dry humping. You almost got some last night.”
Except I hadn’t, and we were in the friend zone. Why were my hands curling around the covers into tight balls? I glanced down and forced them to loosen, then shrugged, trying to be the nonchalant badass I was.
“You carried me to bed. Almost the same thing.”
Suddenly, the joking was gone, and his eyes burned. I could feel his heat from across the room, and my body reacted, instantly warming even before he said a word.
“Nothing’s the same as sliding inside,” he murmured after a moment. “The feel of being in there, feeling that clench around you, knowing you can push as deep as you want, as hard or gently as you want. Nope. I’ve gotta step off the joke train for a moment here. Nothing is remotely the same as that feeling.”
Fuck. My pulse spiked.
He tossed me a look. “Maybe I’ll cop a feel the next time.”
I pretended to groan. “One more notch on my badass peg. You better cop a feel next time.”
“Is that all I am to you? A notch on the bedpost? I feel so used, Stoltz.”
Okay. My last name. We were back on familiar ground here. But my grin was still a little shaky.
“Get used to it, Banks. I’m only disguised as this plain Jane. Inside there’s a wild woman just waiting to be let loose.”
He didn’t reply.
He stared at me for a few more seconds, then straightened from the doorway. “There’s nothing plain about you, Summer.”
I came to college with daydreams about being with my stepbrother, but what would happen if I fell in love with the anti-stepbrother instead?
He told me to ‘settle, girl.’
He asked if ‘something was wrong with me?’
He said I was an ‘easy target.’
That was within minutes when I first met Caden Banks.
I labeled him an *sshole, but he was more than that. Arrogant. Smug. Alpha.
He was also to-die-for gorgeous, and my stepbrother’s fraternity brother.
Okay, yes I was a little naive, a tad bit socially awkward, and the smallest amount of stalker-ish, but if Caden Banks thought he could tell me what to do, he had another thing coming.
I came to college with daydreams about being with my stepbrother, but what would happen if I fell for the anti-stepbrother instead?
I didn’t begin writing until after undergraduate college. There’d been storylines and characters in my head all my life, but it came to a boiling point one day and I HAD to get them out of me. So the computer was booted up and I FINALLY felt it click. Writing is what I needed to do. After that, I had to teach myself how to write. I can’t blame my teachers for not teaching me all those years in school. It was my fault. I was one of the students that was wishing I was anywhere but at school! So after that day, it took me lots of work until I was able to put together something that resembled a novel. I’m hoping I got it right since someone must be reading this profile! And I hope you keep enjoying my future stories.
“What if I touched you right where you want to be touched?” I slide my hand up her thigh, inching her skirt up slowly. Her breath catches, the quiet gasp making me smile. “What if I touched you right where you pretend to be so protective? I know you. I know you like it dirty . . . maybe even a little rough.”
She finds her voice, though it’s affected, sexy. “A lot.”
“What is that?”
Clearing her throat, she says, “I like it rough. Really rough.”
The right side of my mouth curves up, my hand stalling just below the apex of her thighs when my phone buzzes. I release a sigh. Grabbing the phone from my pocket, I sit up and read the text: Let’s get the fuck out of here. I look back at the black-haired raven I’ve left squirming on the metal barstool next to me. Pity. I’d like to explore exactly how she likes it, but duty calls. Standing up suddenly, I grab my wallet and slap some bills down for the drinks.
“What are you doing?” she demands, desperation lacing her tone as her eyes go wide.
I tuck my wallet back into the inside pocket of my Vittori suit jacket and kiss her on the cheek. Since I’m there, I add with a wink, “I bet we’d be so fucking good together.” Straightening upright, I smirk. “My apologies. I hate to run, but unfortunately, I have a prior engagement I can’t get out of. Maybe we can pick this up another time. I’ll see you around, sweetheart.”
She huffs. “You’re a playboy bastard, Luke Anders,” rolls off her tongue in frustrated anger as she spins back to the bar.
I know. Not turning back, I nod. It’s not the first time I’ve been called a playboy or a bastard. Name-calling doesn’t bother me. Not getting laid tonight does.
Pushing open the exit door that leads to the alley, my asshole friends are waiting near the car they’ve pulled around.
The rusting red door slams shut, the click of the lock heard loudly behind me. The alley is quiet compared to the loud music that blares inside the club. “Fuckers.” With my arms out wide, I yell, “What the fuck? Where’s the fire? I was closing the deal.”
“We were saving you, man. Trust me on that.” My best friend is standing in front of the car with his arms crossed over his chest. Danny Weston is one of the best people I know, but right now, he’s pissing me the fuck off.
“Saving me from what?”
“Ask Blaise. He has firsthand knowledge.”
When I shoot an annoyed look in Blaise’s direction, he clams up. With hands up in surrender, he backs away toward the driver’s door. “I can’t help that the ladies love me.” Thus confirming he’s already hit that pretty kitty.
I walk to the passenger’s side of the car, punching Danny on the arm when I pass him. “Shit, man, just give me a heads-up next time. I wasted some of my best lines on her.”
Danny claims the front seat, so I duck into the back seat of a restored 1969 black Gran Torino. Cocky behind the wheel, Blaise takes off before we even have our seatbelts on, and says, “Stop hitting on everyone that takes pity on you then.”
“Fuck you. I can get any woman I want. No one’s taking pity on me.”
Danny breaks into the argument, “You guys really need to find a new hobby.”
“One-night stands are plenty entertaining,” Blaise retorts, smiling.
Danny puts his arm on the back of the seat and turns toward me. “I’m not going to lecture you—”
“Again,” I add.
“Again,” he repeats while rolling his eyes. “But we’ve talked about this a fuck ton of times. She’s not Jane and until you figure out what the hell is going on there, or if anything is going on there, these women are all the same—just another disappointment you’re going to have in the morning because they’re not her.”
Blaise verbally steps in, “Damn, dude, why so deep? You’re bringing me down.”
Danny laughs. I don’t. We’ve been friends for many years now, so Danny knows my game. He knows me well enough to know what I’m doing. Until I sort out this mess with the first woman I ever loved, the rest are just regrets waiting to happen, along with the regrets I can’t take back.
But I know him well too. We relate in a way that Blaise doesn’t understand, on a level that one day he’d be lucky to experience. No matter what I’ve been through with Jane, I’ve loved, hard. I know what it means to love and to be loved. I have no regrets when it comes to Jane, except one: letting her go.
Because first love deserves a second chance
Standalone Contemporary Romance
You met Danny’s best friend, Luke Anders in Models on Top. Now it’s time to really get to know this dirty talking, sexy producer in his own standalone contemporary romance.
You met Danny’s best friend, Luke Anders in Models on Top. Now it’s time to really get to know this dirty talking, sexy producer in his own standalone contemporary romance.
I fell madly in love at first sight with Jane Lewis.
The girl with bright blue eyes, a pretty smile, and great ass owned my heart. I thought she was happy with the status quo, but ten years later, I foolishly let her go. Despite dating other women, no one compares to my first love. We are meant to be together, and I’m going to try my damnedest to convince her of that.
Luke Anders tricked me. The deal was sealed before I knew he was behind it.
We agreed to be just friends. Simple. Easy. But it’s not just the weather that’s hot in Texas. I was a fool to think I could resist him. He knows how to work his charms and those kissable lips, that great jaw, and biceps. We are here to work, but he has become downright distracting.
I’m strong. I can handle one month of his flirtatious sexual torture. But if I happen to fall in bed with that sexy bastard for a night, or three, does that make me weak? Asking for a friend, of course.
I guess I’m about to find out when love gets messy, it’s not just the talk that’s dirty.
New York Times and USA Bestselling Author, S. L. Scott, was always interested in the arts. She grew up painting, writing poetry and short stories, and willing her days away lost in a good book and the movies.
With a degree in Journalism, she continued her love of the written word by reading American authors like Salinger and Fitzgerald. She was intrigued by their flawed characters living in picture perfect worlds, but could still debate that the world those characters lived in were actually the flawed ones. This dynamic of leaving the reader invested in the words, inspired Scott to start writing with emotion while interjecting an underlying passion into her own stories.
Living in the capital of Texas with her family, Scott loves traveling and avocados, beaches, and cooking with her kids. She’s obsessed with epic romances and loves a good plot twist. She dreams of seeing one of her own books made into a movie one day as well as returning to Europe. Her favorite color is blue, but she likens it more toward the sky than the emotion. Her home is filled with the welcoming symbol of the pineapple and finds surfing a challenge though she likes to think she’s a pro.
After five lonely years out west, Chad Butler spots a curvy beauty in the crowd at his hometown honky-tonk and knows he has to have her. He’s going to lasso this little filly straight into his bed – and into his life.
Rachel Sweeting enjoys the peace she’s found in the middle of miles of cornfields with her Aunt Jessie. Her new life keeps her safely tucked away from the pain and embarrassment of her past. But, when her truck breaks down in the middle of the night and a hunky cowboy rides to the rescue, she’s knocked straight out of her boots.
Her romance books have told her love-at-first-sight is real and for the first time, Rachel is a believer. But when a dangerous past connection threatens their ride into the sunset, will Chad’s devotion to his woman be enough to save the day?
Author’s Note: This cowboy hasn’t touched a woman in years, and when he falls, it’s hard and fast, making for an instant love connection and obsessed alpha hotness. If you’re looking for love-at-first-sight, NO cheating and filthy sweetness, come sit a spell but bring a fan, it’s hot.
This gorgeous cowboy just took my virginity, and it’s beautiful and I’m breathing in fits hoping I don’t pass out.
Chad releases his hand from my neck and attacks me with kisses, covering every inch of my face. The contrast between this gentle sweetness and the dominant animal that just fucked me gives me goose bumps where I didn’t think you could get them. I’m losing the battle with a word that keeps knocking around inside my head. Love.
That’s stupid, love? How can I love him already?
He leans in next to my ear. “You know what this means?”
I’m in heaven. His hands cover my cheeks, his thumbs slowly caressing the flushed skin.
“No. What does it mean?” As the words leave my lips, a soaking stream of his cum leaks out from around where his cock still rests hard and full inside of me and my belly flutters, realizing what I’ve done.
Oh my god…
“I’m never letting you go.”
I like how that sounds. Especially if it means more of this. He’s opened the floodgates. I feel insatiable, and I want him again already even with the pinching pain that reminds me of how big he is and how new I am. But I think I should go now.
“I have to go. Aunt Jessie will worry if I don’t come back tonight. I mean, let’s be honest, we don’t know you that well. You could be a serial killer or one of those people that likes wine coolers or leasing cars.” I joke.
“I told you last night I wasn’t a murderer. But, I have sipped a wine cooler. I’m quite ashamed.”
The flash of his grin only makes my belly tighten and I hug his cock while a bright flash of fresh pain shoots from inside me.
“It’s bad?” he asks, the grin gone and replaced by a look of genuine concern.
“It’s a good kind of bad.” I shift under him, surprised by how far I can move. He’s covering me and caging me but keeping his weight on his arms.
My free hand traces along his jaw, feeling the stubble and I pull him down onto me, his hands leaving my cheeks, tangling into my hair.
He thickens inside of me.
Pain shoots through my abdomen, making me wince.
“What?” he asks, his voice deepening and his eyes turning stormy blue.
I smile up at him. “I feel that.”
“Feel what?” He grins back and flexes his hips, forcing me to arch my back. As his cock twitches inside me I realize he’s full and hard again, ready for more. He moves in tiny pulses, stroking me.
“God. Chad.”
“Don’t worry my sweet girl, I’ll start slow.”
Dani Wyatt loves her alpha men; make them military, cowboys, MMA — any uber alpha with a wicked possessive streak and an insatiable libido. Receive a free exclusive unpublished title when you join Dani’s private readers group for updates, free chapters and discounts.
She’s a 40 something regular lady who just happens to love badass alpha males who pull your hair and love their women with a lethal passion.
When she’s not writing (which is not often) she is probably laughing about some irony (like A-1 Steak Sauce is vegan), riding her horse, wondering why The Walking Dead can’t have a new episode every night, or looking cross-eyed at some piece of technology sent to ruin her day.
Friends become lovers over a whirlwind summer of rockabilly rhythms, twirling skirts, and a mystery that takes them hilariously far out of their element in this humorous and heartwarming romantic comedy!
Title: All Shook Up
Author: Chelsey Krause
Publisher: Tryst Books
Release Date: August 17, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Natalie’s world is shaken to its core when she discovers an old photo of a woman who looks like her. Could this woman be related to her birth mother, who put Natalie up for adoption as a baby? When she tracks down the person who dumped the photo album at her thrift shop, she’s shaken again. Especially when the gorgeous fire-fighting guitarist offers to help her find the owner. They quickly become friends – which is all they’ll be, as far as Natalie’s concerned. Her rebellious youth turned her off cheating men, and the new Natalie is looking for true love and a family of her own – something Casey isn’t willing to provide. But how long can Natalie ignore her undeniable attraction to the man with the Irish accent and the broken-down ’57 Chevy?
In Chelsey Krause’s second novel, friends become lovers over a whirlwind summer of rockabilly rhythms, twirling skirts, and a mystery that takes them hilariously far out of their element.
A breeze picks up and a chill settles around me. I pull my knees to my chest and pull the blanket tighter. Casey looks at me from the corner of his eye, and after a beat, he lifts up his arm.
“Come here.”
I hesitate for a moment, noticing that my pulse has quickened.
“I know you’re cold,” he says. “You have goosebumps.”
“Umm, yes,” I say, feeling like my tongue is slow and awkward, stumbling over my words. My body feels jittery and cold, as if all the blood has rushed to my heart, and my flesh prickles with an intoxicating mixture of excitement and nervousness. There’s no way I’m admitting that these goosebumps are from being around him.
He tilts his head to the side, inviting me in once more. A shiver passes through me. Probably half from the cold, half from adrenaline. I’m not sure if this is a good idea, but I’m freezing my ass off. I slide over and let him wrap his arm around my body. He pulls the blanket up higher with his free hand and tucks it around us.
“There. Snug as a bug in a rug,” he says.
Casey’s body is incredibly warm. Solid. Reassuring. I catch myself thinking that I wouldn’t mind staying right here for the rest of the night.
“So, did you sleep with her?” I ask casually after my raging hormones have calmed down a little.
“With who?” he asks, sounding genuinely confused.
“Ginormous boobs.”
He laughs. “No, I didn’t. I just walked her back to her trailer and said good night.”
“No good-night kiss?”
“No. She smelled like cigarettes. Yuck.”
It feels like a weight has been lifted off my chest and I can breathe again. The cool night breeze picks up and I shiver. Casey tightens his hold of me.
“Wish I’d brought another blanket,” he mutters.
“I’m glad you didn’t,” I say without thinking.
“Why?” he guffaws.
My heart throbs a quick, panicked pulse. Crap! He can’t know how I feel about him! How can I fix this?
“Oh you know,” I say, my voice sounding high and tinny. “You, uh, wouldn’t want to over pack.”
He grunts, sounding amused. “Okay then…”
This book! Another awesome friends to lovers book! Natalie is so fun and such a sweetie. And on such an interesting journey that brings her to meet Casey – hot, firefighter, with an Irish accent. Because that won’t knock a girl over. Casey is a sweetheart too. Trying to help Natalie in her search when he really didn’t know anything about her.
And I loved that there was sort of a secondary storyline – not quite the term I’m looking for but my brain is shut down for the night. I love that she was looking for people and answers and that became more of a primary story briefly.
5 stars!
Chelsey Krause has a thing for thrift stores and used bookshops. A nurse, wife, Starbucks addict, and mom to two children, she can often be found repurposing other people’s junk or considering whether the library would let her move in. The rest of the time, she’s reviewing for Chicklit Club or writing. All Shook Up is her second novel.
Synopsis:Yasmeen Michaels’ first hours of life were spent nestled in a cloud of dirty blankets on the front stoop of an orphanage in the Bronx. Even though rejection and loneliness peppered her life, she still fought hard enough to step out of her past a free, independent woman with a bright future ahead of her. Darkness descends when a shocking ripple in the organized crime world sends a grieving Romanian mobster back into her life. Yasmeen wakes to find herself in a centuries-old castle in Romania; claimed not as Lucian Fane’s lover…but as his pet.Lucian Fane is at ease in his place of power. He unapologetically lords over his business empire right alongside his criminal one. But when tragedy dares to cross his threshold, Lucian is sent into a tailspin and soon finds himself toeing the line between sanity and freedom. With his conscience gone, and in a bid to save his city from his wrath, he plucks an exquisite distraction from her world and tucks her away in his. Only then does he allow his demons free reign.
Even as Yasmeen once more finds herself fighting to hold onto her self-worth, the draw towards the darkness soon becomes too strong to resist. Will she be able to hold tight to her new owner as he freely drifts beyond her reach? Or will Lucian surface long enough to realize he’s pushing his precious pet too far to allow for forgiveness?
**ATTN:GRIEVOUScan be read as a STANDALONE. This book is the first part of Lucian and Yasmeen’s story. It DOES NOT have a HEA. The completion of their story will come in book #7 in the Wanted Men series, scheduled for release in 2017.
MUSIC PLAYLIST
2 warnings with this one:
1 – It’s not an HEA. It’s part 1, so don’t expect things to be wrapped up in a tidy bow.
2 – this is a dark, gritty, raw book. If that’s not your thing, don’t read.
Disclaimers given, on with the review:
Yasmeen has had a rough start in life but has made it through successfully.
Lucian is an arrogant mobster and businessman who doesn’t care what anyone thinks. And then his brother dies and throws Lucian into a tailspin. Rightfully so. But Lucian goes to the extreme with his grieving and wanting revenge. He kidnaps Yasmeen to become his “pet”.
I need part 2! Is it 2017 yet??
5 stars!
DON’T MISS THE OTHER SIZZLING BOOKS IN THE WANTED MEN SERIES, FEATURING SEXY ALPHAS AND THE WOMEN THAT CONQUERED THEIR HEARTS…
PURCHASE(A Love of Vengeance, The Salvation of Vengeance, and An Obsession with Vengeance are #FREE with #KindleUnlimited!):Amazon
Nancy Haviland, author of the bestselling organized crime series, WANTED MEN, writes about her alpha mobsters and their ladies from her home near Toronto, Ontario. She fights for space on her keyboard with her arrogant kitty named Talbot, and adores her Tim Horton’s coffee; as any self-respecting Canadian would. She writes contemporary romantic suspense but will happily read anything that involves two people smooching.
A member of Romance Writers of America, Nancy is represented by Nalini Akolekar of Spencerhill Associates, and is published by Montlake Romance/Amazon Publishing.
Adam is stuck in a thankless job with a father he loathes, and his secret childhood love is marrying somebody else. In a desperate attempt to forget it all he used a friend in a night of drunken passion.
FREE-SPIRITED. DETERMINED. DRIVEN.
Golden Oakes’s golden girl, Cassie’s life has been a torment of impossible parental expectations, lies and secrets. The only constant has been her close friendship with the Oakes brothers, and her kickboxing coach turned boyfriend, Jay.
Now training for the fight of her life, Cassie has to trust in Jay more than ever. But when Jay’s demanding ways begin to spill beyond the ring, Adam discovers his feelings for the spritely kick-boxer might be stronger than he could ever have imagined. Putting the past behind him, he vows to be there to protect, support and comfort Cassie.
Falling in love had been the last thing on their minds, but with life taking them along the unpredictable cliff edges of life, will they be there to catch each other if they fall?
***TRIGGER WARNING***
This book discusses issues of emotional, physical and sexual abuse and may be a trigger for some.
Contains adult content, scenes of explicit sexual nature and language some may consider crude or offensive. It is intended for readers aged 18+
Book two in the Golden Oakes series, but can be read as a standalone.
“So, what are we doing today? Cardio? Weights? ” He started walking towards the locker rooms to change. A small jolt of anticipation raced through me imagining him hot and sweaty, his arms bulging from the exertion of pushing weights. I bit down on my lip trailing my gaze down his muscular back to his firm, pert arse. God, he had a fine backside.
He stopped suddenly and turned causing me to stumble into him. His arms extended quickly to grasp my waist, preventing me from an embarrassing and ungainly arse plant on the floor.
“I’ve been thinking,” he said, his eyes raking over my body. “I might start swimming again to spice up my routine.”
Good God. The thought of his already athletic body showcased in Speedos with droplets of water dribbling down his lightly tanned chest had my pulse racing and my tongue begging to reach out for a taste.
It was difficult to decide which visual was better—Adam in swimwear, water droplets trickling down his body as he raked a hand through his wet hair. Adam in workout wear, sweaty with muscles bulging and veins popping, and his sounds of exertion… Oh, God. Or Adam in one of his hotter than sin suits, looking all powerful and dominant.
“Are you okay, Cass? You’ve gone very red.” A large palm pressed against my cheek and forehead. “You feel a bit clammy.” The hand moved to my neck, stroking over my sensitive pulse point. “And your pulse is racing.”
Suddenly, I was lifted off my feet, engulfed in strong arms as Adam carried me toward the private staff area.
Yanking myself from x-rated visions of Adam’s aquatic and other sexy as hell adventures, I shrieked, locking my hands behind his neck.
“What are you doing? I’m fine, you nut. Put me down.” I laughed, twisting my fingers into the overlong strands of his honey-blond hair.
“I thought you were ill,” he muttered, sliding me down his body, my feet still dangling off the floor. Our faces were now inches apart, intimately close.
His stormy blue eyes met my brown ones, the magnetism between them firm, unyielding. Under my touch his shoulders lifted and fell, his lungs sucking in a deep breath of… what? Anticipation, longing? A large knot of lust lodged itself within the walls of my throat, preventing me from being able to swallow. For the longest moment, we stood mute, our eyes and the deafening silence communicating a multitude of thoughts and questions.
He shifted his arms, the movement jostling my chest against his. A shiver of need misted over my bared flesh. Goosebumps erupted, and my nipples tightened beneath the white cotton of my sports bra.
God, what was I doing? I had to rein these feelings in. He was my friend, a close friend. Someone I’d come to trust and respect.
I untangled myself, my feet hitting the floor, and I took two steps back before I decided to tackle him right there in the GO lobby. “I’m fine,” I mumbled, forcing myself to appear unaffected and meet his gaze.
Blinking several times, Adam took a moment to come back from the haze of whatever weird cosmic connection it was we’d just shared. With a brief shake of his head and a swipe of fingers through his hair, he too took a step back, further breaking the invisible threads that had been pulling us together.
E.J. lives in West London, England, with her partner, son and two cats. Yes, the cats are important. One provides a great source of comfort in those moments when all train of thought is lost and the words just won’t come. The other often halts the writing process with his incessant meowing. But they are her babies.
She has always enjoyed reading, but found it was mostly just a holiday extravagance. Then she discovered a certain worldwide best seller, and that was it, she was hooked.
Friends and family started telling her she should give writing a go and she persistently brushed off their ridiculous suggestions. Then one morning an idea for a story formed in her head. That idea became a paragraph, the paragraph became a chapter, and a chapter became the twenty-four you see in Silver Lining.
E.J. is on one amazing roller coaster at the moment, meeting new and wonderful people, discovering new music gems to integrate into her stories, and learning new skills. She is excited to see where this journey takes her.
“Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.” – Murphy’s Law
Expectation
Aiden
I’m a doctor. Not just any doctor. I’m an OB/GYN, so I know my way around the female anatomy. It goes without saying, I’m pretty comfortable around women. That is, until one particular bespectacled beauty makes me incredibly uncomfortable. And suddenly, I’ve got no clue whatsoever what to do about this particular woman.
Gray
I did it. I had a one night stand and now all the warnings my momma gave me are coming true. I’m pregnant and he’s not really into relationships, let alone the instant family kind. So, I’m going it alone in Ireland, a country I’ve only just moved to, and ready to be a single mother, until my search for a doctor leads me right back to him.
Chapter 1
Gray
The energetic crowd was pulsing around me as yet another drink was shoved into my hand by my best friend, Keeva. Not for the first time tonight I wondered how the hell I had ended up in Temple Bar. The atmosphere here was as far removed from my safe and cozy existence as could possibly be. In a rare moment of weakness, I had agreed to drink away my loneliness amongst a few hundred of my closest friends.
“Here ya go, girl. Driiiink up!”
“Ugh, I don’t know if I can, Keeva. I’ve totally lost count of how many I’ve had and that isn’t good. Not at all. This drink is gonna push me into sloppy, and I’m kind of comfy here in happy Gray land.”
She ignored me as usual and wrapped an arm around me pulling me in close. “Did I ever tell you how much I love you? When I moved to Dublin, I never in a million years thought I would have my best friend move here too! God, isn’t Dublin the best?” I was pretty sure this was a rhetorical question, but nonetheless, opened my mouth to shout her an answer, surely to be lost among the catchy Irish music enticing the tourists in from the cool evening to blow their Euros on the promise of finding a piece of Ireland in every sip.
“I- “
She abruptly threw a hand over my mouth. “Oh My God! What is my stupid brother doing here?” She lurched off me in hot pursuit of said brother. I followed her, trying desperately to keep up with my tiny, sprite of a friend. Where she was what people described as “pixie like,” the same people would describe me as having Kardashian curves. Well, before Khloe got her revenge body anyway. I was of average height and curvy and had a tendency to bump into people in a crowd, whereas Keeva Murphy was so little, she could easily slip in and out of those same crowds.
I kept tabs on her short black hair, her head angrily popping up as it stalked towards her brother, who I couldn’t see. She had a few brothers and from what I knew, they all kinda looked the same. Tall, dark haired Irish goodness. They had all recently moved back to here so I wasn’t sure which one had the audacity to show up here in this free country where people could go where they wanted, when they wanted.
I made the tactical mistake of stopping and trying to squeeze through a particularly tightly packed group of college students, and by the time I exited on the other side, having been grabbed extensively, I had completely lost sight of her.
I spun in half circles trying in vain to find her and not topple over, but it was hopeless. It seemed the crowd was actually growing and thanks to that last drink, my ability to care to find her was slowly waning. I decided to make my way over to the bar and squeeze in for a lean and look around. I elbowed my way in between two guys who didn’t seem to be there together and stood sideways against the bar cursing my lack of height and flat shoe obsession, slammed down my empty and glass and ordered a nice, safe pint of beer.
I felt someone push up against my back and did my best to ignore it. A deep, American accented voice whispered behind my ear. “Buy you a drink?”
I didn’t bother to attempt to turn and give the guy an answer, just yelled over my shoulder. “Original.” I held up my hand without looking to show him I already had a full glass.
“You’re American.”
“Another testament to his brilliance. Yes, I’m American.”
“And also not like the other girls in here. Smart, sexy and a viper. I think I’m in love.”
I finally decided to give the poor guy a break and turned around and nearly embarrassed myself on the spot. I think my panties were insta soaked and my mouth could have caught more than flies it was hanging so far open.
Standing in front of me was a six foot three glimpse into heaven. Being height disadvantaged, I had a thing for guessing someone’s height. I seriously missed my carnie calling. He had broad shoulders, dark, curly hair and was dressed casually in slim fit jeans, a relaxed dress shirt and a sexy pair of Blundstone boots. His jaw held just enough stubble for me to imagine the feel of it, roughly scraping against my inner thigh.
I quickly put the brakes on. No one had ever gotten their face near said inner thigh. I was a charter member of the “No Thigh Gap” club. I didn’t even know why this man would even consider someone like me. He was the type of guy that I bet went for the sophisticated, gorgeous, tall and thin woman. Not the average, curvy, glasses wearing librarian.
“See something you like, sweetheart?”
I added cocky to the rundown of his attributes. “Riiight. Well, you got me to turn around, and now that you’ve opened your mouth once again, you’ve gotten me to leave.”
He smiled and I reconsidered my departure. He quite simply had a glorious smile. It enhanced his already hot as hell face. Made him seem charming, instead of cocky. Approachable instead of out of my league.
I froze, unsure of where to go next. “I thought you were leaving?” He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side.
I stood a little taller and gave myself some credit. I was a librarian for goodness sakes. This goon here in front of me probably wouldn’t know a book if it hit him in the face and fell open. He had moronic playboy written all over him.
I felt a small something warming in my stomach as his clear blue eyes caught mine and held. My mind quickly deviated to the last time my lady bits had seen any action and I decided I might need a time machine to go back that far.
It could have been the beer and whiskey combo, it could have been the pulsing Temple Bar pub, or it could have simply been me taking advantage of a fortuitous waxing session earlier in the week, (I really had no idea what I thought I was preparing for) but suddenly my body gave just the tiniest hint of a lean into this stranger. The lean was extended by my now perky nipples, who had gone out on a limb and decided they needed to get a closer look.
He slowly raised a hand and I swore he was moving in to sweep my bangs aside and offer me a kiss. I should have known better. Guys like him don’t kiss girls like me. His hand went straight for my nose, where he proceeded to use his index finger to slowly push up my glasses. Yes, I rounded out the librarian stereotype with a pair of black glasses. Well, at least my hair wasn’t up in its usual messy bun.
He slowly dragged his finger, could a finger actually be that sexy, until he had silenced me and I was close to going crosseyed trying to follow him. How was it this guy made a total geek move like pushing glasses up on my nose seem so freaking hot? I seriously needed to stop drinking and get my sorry ass home. Where in the hell was Keeva?
“I like your glasses.”
I raised a single eyebrow, not sure how to answer that. “Pardon?”
He completely ignored me and kept talking, meeting my lean and pushing even closer. “I’ve always had this dirty librarian fantasy and those very glasses you’re wearing usually have the starring role.”
I was beginning to figure out why all of my girlfriend’s I.Q.s dropped when they went out to the bar. I wasn’t familiar with this feeling. I think it was called, turned on and couldn’t care less what he was sayingitis. Something about this guy was so alluring. It felt like an accident that you knew you shouldn’t stare at, but you just couldn’t help yourself. But it was the in the light of day I was afraid of. This guy was all that and slice of toast in the dark lighting of the pub, but what kind of substance would he have in the daylight?
“I’m a librarian.” It was official. I had the mental capacity of an eight-year-old again and simple sentences were my maximum vocabulary limit.
He smiled and it all became clear to me. I knew I was going to finish the night up wrapped around this guy no matter how hard straight laced Gray Fairfield tried to pull tipsy and sex starved Gray Fairfield back from the edge.
His smile turned into something I couldn’t describe. It was all heat and desire and sex. Lots and lots of sex.
“Jesus Christ. We need to get out of here.” In a flash, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me into his wake as he quickly, and forcefully navigated the writhing mass of people in various states of inebriation. I nearly stumbled a few times, but his responding and protective tug kept me moving forward.
He appeared to be headed for the exit, which kind of freaked me out. I didn’t do hookups. Not in my wheelhouse. I tried to put the brakes on, but it seemed he wasn’t having it.
“Hey! Hey!” I let my voice escalate so maybe someone would take notice of me being pulled out the door against my will. The lot of them could go to hell. No one paid any attention and a few were even cheering my mystery man on.
He carved a clear path through the mix of middle aged tourists and wasted partiers and pushed out the door, into the cool Dublin night. “Hey! I wasn’t ready to leave. I don’t even know your name.” No reply but he was slowing. Oh God. He was turning down a dark alleyway. This was it. I had only just moved here, I was too young to die. What was I thinking talking to a stranger? Bad Gray. Bad, bad Gray.
“Hey, I’m gonna scream. You can’t just hijack someone against their will, you know. It’s against- “
He turned down the alley and promptly pushed me up against the wall and held me there with his lean, hard body. “My name’s Aiden.” And then he kissed me.
After reading Avow, I was so glad that Aiden was getting his own story and was quite awkward at it. He was just way too cocky and confident while Ryan was trying to woo back his wife.
Back to Aiden’s story. So he had a one night stand in America. A few months later, in walks his one-night stand who is pregnant. Neither planned to see the other again but here they are thrust together while Gray is looking for an Obstetrician and here Aiden is a great one in Ireland.
I love the Murphys! I love the Ireland-ness of it all. I definitely would be interested in hearing some Irish brogues for an audio book 🙂
5 stars!
Holly Mortimer is a wife and mother of two daughters, residing in Stratford, ON. She started writing in high school in an Ancient Egyptian History class, penning her first piece on Cleopatra and her many loves. Her teacher immediately asked her if she had any interest in writing soap operas when she graduated and the rest is history.
She has just completed her second novel, Ignite and is currently working the third book in this series.She loves reading, watching movies and playing with her kids, dog and family, when she’s not daydreaming about her current book obsession.
So yeah, my dad is a rock star; he’s the drummer for Demon’s Wings. Big whoop. Honestly, the fame that comes with having a famous dad is not all that you think it might be. It sucks. You have no privacy. Oh yeah, and don’t let me forget about the lunatics that want to do who knows what to you just to get famous. When I leave the house every morning I feel like my life isn’t my own. Between the paparazzi, the fans, my bodyguard, and everything else I feel like I’m part of the freak show in the circus most days.
It wasn’t always like this, though. I didn’t always feel like this. Once upon a time I had a best friend who helped me deal with this life that we both belonged to.
Harris
So yeah, my dad is a rock star; he’s the drummer for OtherWorld. And Lucy was and always will be the only girl to ever know the real me. She was my best friend, my voice of reason. My SANITY. Maybe she outgrew me. But I will never outgrow her. It’s been years since I’ve seen her, and I miss her so damn bad. All I want is a chance to get back what we’ve lost, to have my best friend in my life again.
I wasn’t counting on how grown up my friend might have gotten, how beautiful she is now. The more time I spend with this new Lucy, I have to wonder if I really want that old friendship back…or if I want much, much more.
I love the start of this relationship. I couldn’t tell how old Lucy was until the end though. I thought she might have been high school, then thought it was college and then found out it was high school.
Lucy and Harris have been best friends for years. Until they weren’t. Lucy didn’t like being in love with her best friend who didn’t see her that way. So for self preservation, she cut off the friendship. Until Harris is insistent on getting Lucy back into his life… and more?
Can’t wait to read more!
5 stars!
One kiss can change everything…
I wished I’d known that before I’d kissed my best friend.
Things are different now. We can’t go back. I’m not even sure I want to go back. I guess the question is….
From USA Today bestselling author Terri Anne Browning.
With one promise her life was changed…
Saying goodbye to my mother also meant saying goodbye to my life in Virginia. After reluctantly making a promise to my mom, I was California bound with the father who I haven’t seen since I was four years old. I was miserable living under the same roof as my step-monster and the two step-bitches from hell. My only saving grace? Lucy Thornton, daughter to Demon’s Wings’ drummer, Jesse Thornton. Without her friendship—and her odd rocker family taking me in as one of their own—I was sure I would have lost my mind after the first week.
A blast from her past…
I never thought I would see Jace St. Charles again. Honestly, after the way he’d broken my heart, I would have been just fine without having to see his face for the rest of my life. With Lucy’s close friendship with Harris Cutter, owner of the hottest new club in SoCal and Jace’s new boss, I was forced to see that damn face often. Forced to see the way every girl seemed to trip over themselves to get close to him.
A second chance?
Being tossed into one situation after another with Jace made it hard to fight the fact that I wasn’t as immune to him as I wanted to be. But, damn it, I was only human and he was hell bent on winning me back.
The conclusion to USA Today Terri Anne Browning’s The Lucy & Harris Novella Series.
Shattered.
That was how Lucy Thornton felt in the aftermath of her breakup with Harris Cutter. Her family thought the best thing for her to do was to put the length of the country between her and Harris.
Reluctantly, she went.
The second Harris sets eyes on Lucy again, he knows she hasn’t moved on any more than he has. Realizing that he screwed up, he sets out to prove that they belong together. But the road to un-shattering Lucy is longer and darker than he ever could have imagined.
Today we have the fantastic Laws of Attraction by R.C. Boldt! Check it out and grab your copy today!
About Laws of Attraction:
RC Boldt’s fourth book in the Teach Me series shows us that sometimes the perfect person for you is the one you least expected it to be …
Langley Ford is the definition of serious. Going through life as a pararescue jumper, working solely around men, she’s had to go above and beyond to prove she’s their equal. In fact, she can’t recall the last time she allowed herself to truly relax or let her guard down.
Always the one others rely on to crack jokes, the one to liven things up, Lawson Briggs is a fun, easygoing guy who doesn’t take life too seriously. But witnessing so many of his friends falling in love, he begins to wonder what the fuss is about. Will he ever fall prey to that infamous “love bug”?
Langley is now out of the military and working at a security consulting firm. When she meets the tall, bearded teacher who has endless wisecracks and comments, a part of her wishes she could be like him, wishes she could remember how.
While Lawson might be the best person to teach her how to live life to the fullest, will Langley be the one who teaches him all about love?
I LOVED this book! Lawson is hysterical and a goofball and I just love him. Langley needs someone like him to loosen her up.
I haven’t read the other books in the series but each is a standalone so you don’t need to. Although now I’ve gone back and bought them 🙂
Langley is so serious, former military, always one of the guys but always stoic. And then she meets Lawson who is the opposite of Langley in every way possible. But that’s what makes them work. They balance each other out and help the other loosen up or be serious. It’s a very symbiotic relationship that just totally works for the type of person they both are.
RC Boldt is the wife of Mr. Boldt, a retired Navy Chief, mother of Little Miss Boldt, and former teacher of many students. She currently lives on the southeastern coast of North Carolina, enjoys long walks on the beach, running, reading, people watching, and singing karaoke. If you’re in the mood for some killer homemade mojitos, can’t recall the lyrics to a particular 80’s song, or just need to hang around a nonconformist who will do almost anything for a laugh, she’s your girl.
Junior Saunders is searching for the perfect woman: gracious, elegant, and meek. He waits patiently, working long hours and going home alone night after night, believing that this woman exists. But life isn’t always predictable; curveballs can be thrown unexpectedly.
I didn’t begin writing until after undergraduate college. There’d been storylines and characters in my head all my life, but it came to a boiling point one day and I HAD to get them out of me. So the computer was booted up and I FINALLY felt it click. Writing is what I needed to do. After that, I had to teach myself how to write. I can’t blame my teachers for not teaching me all those years in school. It was my fault. I was one of the students that was wishing I was anywhere but at school! So after that day, it took me lots of work until I was able to put together something that resembled a novel. I’m hoping I got it right since someone must be reading this profile! And I hope you keep enjoying my future stories.
LOST. ALONE. GUILTY.
E.J. lives in West London, England, with her partner, son and two cats. Yes, the cats are important. One provides a great source of comfort in those moments when all train of thought is lost and the words just won’t come. The other often halts the writing process with his incessant meowing. But they are her babies.
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