2017 – Page 79 – TBR Book Blog

Excerpt Reveal ~ Adonis in Athens ~ by ~ Kat Mizera

Get hot this summer with Adonis in Athens by Kat Mizera!
Keep reading for an EXCERPT!
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 18th

ADD TO YOUR TBR → http://bit.ly/2sPbpK4

Paige Carter’s fling with the dark-haired, green-eyed Greek was short, but it rocked her world. Her only regret was not finding out whether she’d ever see him again before he returned to Greece.

Apollo Lakkas earned his degree and was thrilled to return to Greece to begin work with his family’s shipping business. His only regret is the way he left the sweet blonde he met in Vegas—who may or may not be his wife.

When an unexpected proposal throws Paige into a panic, she packs a bag for Athens and does the one thing she knows she must do before she can face any kind of future…reconcile her past.

The moment their eyes meet once again, Paige and Apollo feel the same spark that ignited them down the aisle. Will they be able to plan a future together or is their love destined to be nothing but a bittersweet memory?

EXCERPT:

It was hotter than she imagined the hinges of the gates of hell would be. Paige Carter stepped out of her apartment and immediately felt the makeup she’d so carefully applied begin to melt off her face. With a sigh of frustration, she hurried to the stairs and walked down, looking at her watch. She was running late, as usual, and her boyfriend would undoubtedly be annoyed. She didn’t mean to fall behind, but somehow it always happened where Tom was concerned. She often wondered if, subconsciously, she did it on purpose. Nothing else made sense, because she was always punctual for work and other appointments. There was something about him, though, that brought out the procrastination and disorganization she usually kept at bay.

Tom Malone was the kind of guy all her friends were looking for. Not only was he handsome, smart, and funny, he also made an excellent living as an accountant and owned a beautiful home in a gated subdivision. He drove a Mercedes, bought her nice gifts and was generally a good guy. As far as she knew, he’d never cheated, never done drugs and barely drank other than the occasional beer. He’d given her a key to his house, a drawer in his dresser and had asked her to move in repeatedly. He didn’t have a single flaw, she thought irritably as she got into the sauna that was masquerading as her car. Maybe that was the problem.

Turning up the air conditioning and willing the cold air to start coming out sooner rather than later, she rolled down a window and pulled out of the parking lot. She had no idea why Tom had been so adamant she meet him at their favorite restaurant at 6:00 on a Friday night. It was June and work had slowed down a little for her, so all she really wanted to do was put on shorts and a T-shirt and either lounge by the pool with a good book or watch a couple of movies; this time of year, if she wasn’t by the pool, she wanted to be inside, away from the Las Vegas heat.

She turned on the radio and mindlessly hummed along, wondering what Tom was up to. In the 18 months they’d been dating, he’d often surprised her with unplanned weekends away, tickets to shows, and random day trips. It wasn’t her birthday or any kind of anniversary, so tonight could be anything from a romantic dinner for two to a formal ceremony where the mayor granted her keys to the city.

She almost snorted at the thought, chuckling at her own sarcasm. Tom was such a good guy, she hated being so out of sync with him. Quiet and unassuming, he was always there for her, supportive and as interested in her needs as a guy could be. Maybe too much so, she thought with a grimace. If Tom did have a fault, it was that he seemed to read her mind. If she so much as looked at a purse online, it would appear on her doorstep a day later. If she’d forgotten to schedule an appointment for a haircut, and her hairdresser was booked, he’d make a few calls and an opening would miraculously appear. Sometimes, she wanted to figure out how to afford the purse or get the appointment herself—and he refused to let her. He thought his job was to take care of her, but she just wanted someone who would be there to lend moral support.

Reaching out to push the auto-tune buttons on the radio to find something she knew, she stopped on an adult contemporary station and sang along to the end of Billy Joel’s “Just the Way You Are.” The romantic lyrics made her a little melancholy and she was about to change the station yet again when the next song froze her hand in place. The first few bars of Bruno Mars’ “Marry You” inexplicably brought tears to her eyes, and for the first time in ages she thought of him. Apollo. She could still picture his mesmerizing green eyes, chiseled features and body reminiscent of a Greek god. Literally. Tall, Greek and even-hotter-than-Vegas-in-summer good-looking, she did her best not to think about him. Or the spring break he’d come to Vegas. Or the nights they’d spent dancing and kissing as if nothing else in the world existed, running from casino to nightclub to the gondola ride at the Venetian. Or how he’d brought her body alive in ways that made her shudder just thinking about them. No, thinking about Apollo was a bad, bad idea. Especially when she had a night planned with Tom. She hit the button to change the station.

Since it was already 6:10, Paige pulled up to the valet and all but snatched the ticket from the young man’s hand. Tom never yelled or got angry when she was late, but she could see the disappointment in his eyes and it was worse than when a parent looked at you that way. It made her uncomfortable, having that much power over a grown man, so she did her best to avoid being in that situation. Today had just been a long day at work and when it was this hot, she felt sluggish.

Pasting a smile on her face, she approached the hostess. “Hi. My boyfriend is probably already here and—”

“Miss Carter!” The hostess’s eyes twinkled as she grinned at her. “Oh, yes, he’s here! Your whole family is here! Are you totally excited?”

Paige cocked her head slightly, her brows knitting together. “Um, what?”

“Uhh…” The girl’s face darkened slightly and she turned away, fidgeting with something on her computer. “Oh, um, maybe I was mistaken. What’s your boyfriend’s name again?”

Paige had a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach. “Tom. Tom Malone.”

“Okay, yes. Um, follow me.” She strode into the heart of the restaurant and Paige had no choice but to follow, scanning the tables for Tom.

They walked all the way to the back and the hostess turned with a smile. “You’re here in the back room—have a wonderful evening!” She opened the double doors that led into the big room usually reserved for private parties and Paige stepped forward with trepidation.

“There she is!” Tom was grinning broadly as he approached her, and Paige’s stomach dropped.

“What’s going on?” she whispered under her breath as he brushed his lips across hers.

“Wait and see!” he whispered back impishly.

Paige nearly groaned as she spotted her parents sitting at a table with her sister, Nicky, and her Aunt Sue and Uncle Paul. Her father gave her a thumbs-up while her mother waggled her fingers. She glanced from her parents to Tom and then across the room where she spotted her traitorous best friend, Raegan Warner, who should have warned her that something was going on. Because something was definitely going on.

“Tom!” She squeezed his hand harder than she intended and he turned in surprise, his eyes widening slightly.

“Honey, I know you’re always cranky after a long week at work but trust me, okay? You’re going to like this!” He kissed her cheek and pulled her along with him to a table at the front of the room, where his parents and sister were sitting.

“Why is everyone so dressed up?” she hissed in his ear. “I’m in capris and a T-shirt!”

“You’re gorgeous no matter what you’re wearing!” he whispered.

She wanted to roll her eyes but he was being so sweet and earnest, she mentally chided herself as she gave him a little smile. “Thanks—but you know I hate surprises.”

“This one is worth it!” he grinned, pulling out her chair and waiting for her to sit down.

“Hi, Mrs. Malone, Mr. Malone.” Paige nodded at his parents before turning to his sister, Jean, who hated her. “Hi, Jean.”

“Hi.” Jean raised her eyebrows. “Nice Duran Duran T-shirt.”

“That’s what happens with surprises,” Paige said lightly. “If I’d known, I would’ve dressed for a special occasion.”

“Since it’s not that special of an occasion,” Jean muttered, “I guess you’re dressed fine.”

“Jean!” Tom gave his sister a dirty look but she merely shrugged.

He sighed but after a wink at Paige, turned and let out a low whistle. “Excuse me, everyone! Now that Paige is here, I have an announcement.”

Paige was getting more and more nervous as she looked up at Tom. Her parents’ obvious happiness, Jean’s grumpy attitude and the number of friends in the room made his intentions perfectly clear; he was going to propose again and she had no graceful way to refuse him.

“Mr. Carter.” Tom took a wireless microphone that seemed to appear out of thin air and walked across the room to Paige’s father, Seth. “You know how I feel about Paige.”

Seth smiled. “I think everyone does, son.”

No, no, no, Paige thought, her eyes wide, stomach churning as he spoke.

“So after nearly two wonderful years together, I was hoping to get your blessing to ask for her hand in marriage.”

Fuck me loud, Paige groaned inwardly. She cut her eyes to Raegan, who was slowly realizing that the shock on Paige’s face was not laced with excitement.

“Well, of course you have my blessing,” Seth replied. “But I’m not the one who has to marry you. Ultimately, it’s Paige’s decision.”

The guests began to twitter and chuckle, whispers filling the room as Tom walked back towards Paige, pulling a small black box out of his pocket.

I’m going to kill him, she thought, too horrified to move and wondering how the hell she was going to get out of this.

“Paige, would you come down here please?” he asked.

Paige gulped, a roaring in her ears telling her she might start hyperventilating any moment now. She was screwed. There was no way to walk out of here without making a fool of herself, embarrassing Tom, or some combination of the two.

“Honey?” Tom spoke again, his smile faltering slightly.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Jean muttered. “Just say no and spare us all the headache of watching the two of you make the worst decision of your lives!”

Fuck, fuck, fuck. Paige stood on wobbly knees, struggling to breathe, breaking out in a cold sweat. “T-tom?” Her voice was barely a whisper but her eyes were pleading with him to stop this insanity. He had to know she was going to say no. Why else would he have done it so publicly? This was more than a disaster; this was a nightmare and apparently she wasn’t going to wake up before the bad part.

“Sweetheart, I—” He took her icy cold hand in his and pulled her towards him.

“Tom, no!” she whispered frantically. “Please—not here.”

His smile fell a little further. “Paige…”

“Put the microphone down,” she implored, blinking away tears that were threatening to fall. “I have to talk to you—alone!”

He frowned. “Honey…”

“If you truly love me, you’ll do this for me.” She was whispering, desperation in her voice and written all over her face.

Tom took a deep breath and let it out slowly, before picking up the microphone and smiling broadly again. “My girl seems to want this part to be private. Can you give us a couple minutes?” He put down the mike amidst boos, cheers and catcalls, and pulled Paige from the room. They walked around the corner and down the hallway where the bathrooms were. Finally, he leaned against the wall and met her gaze. “Why do I get the feeling it’s not that you don’t want me to propose in there, it’s that you don’t want me to propose at all?”

She swallowed. “It’s not that black and white,” she whispered, searching her mind for something she could tell him to make him understand. To make him think about her needs. Hell, to make him stop trying to move so fast.

Raegan told her she was crazy. She worked as a waitress at a casino on the Strip and seemed to meet the very worst possible guys, so Paige thought her opinion of Tom was a bit skewed. Raegan was right about one thing, though: Tom was one of a kind. He wanted to be in a committed relationship and was willing to put in the work to make that happen. He’d already proposed once and she’d had to gently point out that they were both still young, needing time to get to know each other and grow up a little too. He’d been disappointed, but seemed to take her words to heart. He’d bought the house not long after that and seemed intent on showing her how much of a grown-up he was. She just wished he would slow down. Growing up, to her, didn’t mean giving up all semblance of youth; it meant living and exploring to find out who you were and what you really wanted in life. Tom was on the fast track to leaving behind every bit of childhood and focusing on retirement.

If she could get him to slow down, to stop rushing all the milestones, it would be easier to love him. She didn’t want a mortgage, babies and a dog at 24. She wanted to travel, go to concerts, and get beyond an entry-level position at her job. Tom said he understood, but actions spoke louder than words and his actions said the opposite. He wanted a spouse and a white picket fence sooner rather than later. Paige wanted that too, but later rather than sooner. Was it so wrong to want to enjoy life as an adult without a lot of responsibility for a little while longer?

“Then what is it, exactly?” he asked, his normally easygoing smile turning into a scowl. “I moved too fast the first time, but dammit, Paige. It’s been almost two years!”

“Eighteen months,” she contradicted, warring with herself about whether to just let him go and get this over with or to try to explain so that he would be patient a little longer.

“Paige, what’s going to change at 24 months or 36 months or, hell, 100 months?!”

She bit her lower lip and tried to articulate her reservations. “It’s just…I don’t…” She couldn’t seem to do anything but sigh.

“Do you love me, Paige?” he asked tightly, his brown eyes boring into hers intently.

“I do,” she whispered. “But we’re at really different places in life right now.”

“That again?” he demanded. “Jesus, you want to wait until we’re 30? Forty? I mean, how old will be old enough?!”

“It’s not about age!” she protested. “It’s about lifestyle… You have the big house and the car and the job. You want the wife and babies to go with it, and I’m not ready.”

“What do you want to do?” he asked in frustration, calming down now that she’d admitted she loved him.

“I want to focus on my career and get to a point where I feel successful, instead of one step above entry-level. I want to travel. I want to go on adventures… You’re only 26, Tom. Why don’t you want to go on adventures?”

He looked startled, his eyes narrowing a little. “I, um, well, like what?”

“Swimming with sharks in the South Pacific or zip-lining across Costa Rica or excavating shit in the desert in Egypt—I don’t know! Don’t you dream about anything other than accounting?”

He met her gaze sadly, stuffing his hands—and the box with the ring—in his pockets. “You,” he said softly. “I dream about you.”

Embarrassment and guilt tore through her, making her want to cry. He didn’t deserve a woman like her—he deserved better. He wasn’t the kind of guy who dreamed about adventure; his dreams were about reality. Life, love, marriage, children and retirement; that summed up Tom Malone and it was the opposite of everything Paige wanted. There was just no way to explain that without hurting his feelings.

“There’s something I have to tell you,” she finally said, taking a step away from him and looking anywhere but his face. “I, um, I’m kind of…already married.”

“Huh?” Tom looked too confused to even be angry.

“I mean, I think I am.”

“What?! You think you’re married? How can you not know?”

“It was a crazy fling during spring break, three years ago.” She looked down. “He was leaving to go back to school the next morning and we couldn’t find any papers or anything so we…assumed we hadn’t actually done it, like legally, and…forgot about it.”

“Forgot about it? Are you kidding me?” He was staring at her as though a unicorn horn had just poked through her forehead.

“It was spring break…drinking, partying, carrying on—a too-much-fun overload—and then he was running to catch his flight and eventually going back to Greece… We weren’t sure what we’d done. So he left me his information and said to call him. I never did.”

Tom was still staring at her. “Let me get this straight. Three years ago you had a wild week with some guy from Greece, whom you may or may not have married, but instead of finding out, you went your separate ways and decided to just ignore it?!”

Hearing it spoken out loud like that, it really sounded dumb, but all she could do was nod.

“Is that your idea of an adventure?”

Her eyes shot up and met his, hurt, guilt and a twinge of anger running through her. “That’s not fair,” she said hotly. “Name one college student who didn’t do something dumb!”

He arched his brows. “I can name at least one.”

She scowled. “I’m sorry! I can’t help who I am! It’s not like I’ve changed…I’ve always been this way and you asked me out anyway. I’ve never lied about who I was and I’ve tried to compromise, to do some things your way while still doing other things my own way. You just don’t seem to want to do any compromising on your end, and now—”

“No compromising?!” He glared at her. “Everything I’ve done has been a compromise! If it were up to me, we’d already be married and living together! Instead I keep waiting and putting my life on hold so you can grow up!”

“How have you put your life on hold?” She frowned at him, suddenly tired of this, tired of everything. “Your career is on track, you bought the big McMansion in the suburbs, you have a fancy car and the monthly golf date at the country club. How is delaying putting a ring on my finger holding you back?”

“Single guys don’t get the corner offices or the partner offers—they’re too busy partying to snag the better clients.”

“So you need a wife to further your career?” She was getting pissed now, folding her arms across her chest. “All that stuff about dreaming about me was just bullshit!”

“No! Honey, wait.” He ran a hand through his thin brown hair and sighed. He reached out and gently put his hands around hers, pulling her closer to him. “Listen, that came out all wrong. I’m sorry.”

“Tom, I don’t know if I can do this anymore,” she admitted. “I love you, but we’re in really different places in our lives. Sometimes it feels like you don’t know me at all.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you wanted me to say yes tonight, this wasn’t the way to do it. You know I don’t like surprises and gathering all these people stressed me out—even if things were perfect between us, I might’ve said no because it’s just so overwhelming for me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“And I know you love this stuff. In the end, I don’t ever want to be the reason you don’t do something. I don’t want to hold you back.”

“You’re not.” He looked sad. “But I kind of feel like your heart is somewhere else.”

“That’s not true!” she protested. “I’ve never been unfaithful! Never!”

“That’s not what I meant. I know that’s not who you are…but you’re in a different place in life. You want your freedom for a while, to explore the things you feel are missing, and I’m ready to settle down. Maybe…” He met her eyes almost guiltily. “Maybe we need a break.”

“A break?” She blinked.

“At the very least, you need to find out, one way or another, if you’re married. If you are, you need to do something about it. If you’re not, I still think we need some time to think about the future, about where we want to be in a year, five years…ten.”

“I…okay.” She didn’t know how to argue because he was right. Even though it could be different between them, he obviously wasn’t willing to find middle ground. He wanted things to be the way he wanted them; her needs and wants weren’t his priority, even though he made it appear that they were by spoiling her with gifts she didn’t need and the type of overwhelming attention she didn’t want.

“Let’s take a little time to regroup. You can sort out your…marital status and I can think about the idea of adventures.”

She looked up into his handsome face in surprise. “Really? You’ll think about adventures?”

He shrugged. “For me to love you, I’d think I’d have to.”

“It has to be a choice,” she said softly. “Not a burden.”

“That’s why I have to think about it.”

“That’s fair.” She paused. “Tom, my parents don’t know—”

He smiled faintly. “About your possible marriage? I figured. Don’t worry. I’ll cover for you.”

“You will?” She looked at him curiously. “Why?”

“Because you’re right—I didn’t make tonight about you…it was about me. I wanted the big party, the big surprise, the big engagement. I know you, though, and I knew you wouldn’t like it. I just hoped you wouldn’t be able to say no.”

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “But that’s not fair to either of us. I do have to find out, one way or another, whether or not I got married three years ago. And you have to decide if you’re willing to put off the white picket fence dream for another year or two, until I’ve had time to follow some of my dreams too. Once we get married and have kids, everything will change, Tom, and I don’t know that I want to give up that much freedom at 24.”

“Maybe some time apart will make us see that we’re meant to be together,” he said.

“Maybe,” she whispered softly, leaning up to press a chaste kiss on his cheek.

“Go ahead and go,” he said, releasing her hands. “I’ll think of something to tell everyone.”

“Oh. No, that’s not fair. We should tell them together. I can—”

“Tonight was my fault,” he admitted. “I never should have put you on the spot like that, so I’ll make it right.”

“But what will you tell them?”

“That I shouldn’t have planned something like this without talking to you first and that you want a private, romantic engagement, not something this big or ostentatious. When they ask where you are, I’ll say you’re upset with me and that I’m giving you time to cool off. In a few days, we’ll tell people we’re taking a break.”

“And then?” she asked, looking over her shoulder at him.

“I don’t know.” He met her gaze sadly. “I guess we’ll regroup when the time is right.”

About the Author:

Kat Mizera is a South Florida native. Born in Miami Beach with a healthy dose of wanderlust, she’s called Los Angeles, Long Island, upstate New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Atlanta home. She’s never been able to pick which locale is her favorite, but if pressed, she’d probably choose the west coast.

Kat’s a typical PTA mom with a wonderful and supportive husband (Kevin) and two amazing boys (Nick and Max). When she’s not writing, she’s either scrapbooking or indulging in her second love (after writing) – traveling. Greece is one of her favorite places in the world. She loves that Athens is a big city with a small-town feel. The food, beaches and culture keep her going back as often as possible. She hopes to retire there one day so she can spend her days writing books on the beach.

Kat has been a working freelance writer for nearly 30 years. She sold her first article–a review of a rock concert–for $10 in 1985. Since then she’s been an entertainment journalist, waitress, bartender, legal assistant, food critic, magazine editor, substitute teacher, and sports writer. She also spent some time working at A & M Records in Los Angeles.

As you can guess from her series, the Las Vegas Sidewinders, Kat loves hockey. She is also a freelance hockey writer, covering her favorite team, the Florida Panthers, and any other teams that have an interesting story. The rest of the time, she writes novels: sexy, romantic fiction that she hopes makes you as happy as it makes her. There’s something enticing about hockey players and romance…

Connect with Kat:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkatmizera/
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lzRBG6
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorKatMiz
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2li6zRe
Website: http://www.katmizera.com

Release Blitz ~ One Fear ~ by ~ Belle Brooks

Title: One Fear

Series: The Game of Life Series #1

Author: Belle Brooks

Genre: Psychological Suspense Romance

Release Date: July 7, 2017

United Indie Book Blog – “I’ve read several of Belle Brooks novels, I knew going into One Fear it would be unlike the rest. It keeps your heart pounding and your head guessing.”

Between the Bookends – “It was fantastically well written and perfectly paced. It was dark, twisted and evil. It had an intriguing and unique plot. It had angst. It had drama.”

Author Maggie Schuler – “Belle Brooks is a talented author who continues to change the dynamics of her writing and style in order to get those characters out of her mind and onto the pages.”

“My one fear is now my reality.”

He didn’t offer his name when he fulfilled his need to include me as a player in his game.

I’m number thirteen. Just a number given to the bitches who wronged him.

I was blindsided. Stolen from my life. In his devilled eyes, I have a debt to pay…he wants my final breath to see us even.

“I know who you are Morgan Banks, the question is, who am I? Five games will set you free when you can tell me who I’d be.”- The Wolf.

Am I strong enough to take on the Wolf?

(CLICK ME)

Born in Australia, Belle Brooks has always had a passion for books and creative writing. She loves exploring the different ways stories can be told through the use of text and in-depth characters. Since she was a child her strong talent and interest in creative writing was evident, explaining that her favourite class in school was English. Despite her love for all things books, she decided the world of advertising and marketing was where she could put her talents to use in the business realm, well that is until now. Belle enjoys creative writing and creating fictional stories that leave a valued message inside the pages.

HOSTED BY:

Double Cover Reveal ~ Forbidden Desires Series ~ by ~ Kendall Ryan

We are excited to bring you the two upcoming covers for the new FORBIDDEN DESIRES series from New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Kendall Ryan. DIRTY LITTLE SECRET and DIRTY LITTLE PROMISE are written in the same vein as the much loved international phenomenon, Filthy Beautiful Lies.

DIRTY LITTLE SECRET releases SEPTEMBER 14th.

Gavin Kingsley burst into my life in a sharp and unexpected twist of fate. You know his type—arrogant, dangerously handsome and impossible to ignore.

Something dark within him calls to the shadows inside me. I long for the kind of heart-wrenching passion I’ve only read about, and his tragic past reads like one of my favorite literary classics. Raw. Visceral. Captivating. Together, we’re a perfect mess.

The deeper I fall into his world, the more I crave him like a drug—he pushes every boundary I have, and challenges everything I thought I wanted. I want to unlock his heart. I want his dirty secrets.

But in the end, will he be the blade that cuts me … or the bond that makes my life complete?

Written in the same vein as Kendall Ryan’s New York Times bestselling and much loved international phenomenon, Filthy Beautiful Lies, Dirty Little Secret begins an erotic new series.

ADD TO GOODREADS

For more info visit http://www.forbiddendesiresseries.com/

PRE-ORDER DIRTY LITTLE SECRET TODAY

Amazon | iBooks

The secret I’d discovered about sexy billionaire Gavin Kingsley was so big, so haunting wasn’t something I could overcome. I had a decision to make—hear him out and see where things went, or turn to his brother Cooper, who I was fairly certain was in love with me. But something dark inside of Gavin called to something dark inside of me. And I wasn’t willing to just walk away—not yet anyway.

This is the conclusion to Emma Bell’s epic love affair with the alpha and enigmatic Kingsley brothers. Secrets will be exposed, sides will be chosen, and nothing will ever be the same.

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 2 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than three dozen times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine. She lives in Texas with her husband and two sons.

Visit her at: www.kendallryanbooks.com for the latest book news, and fun extras

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Release Boost ~ Uncovering Love: The Wedding ~ by ~ Kacey Shea

Title: Uncovering Love: The Wedding

Series: Uncovering Love Book 4

Author: Kacey Shea

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Novella

Release Date: June 30, 2017
Cover Designer: Perfect Pear Creative
Photographer: Wander Aguiar
Cover Model: Steven Dehler

Eleven months ago, Evelyn Harper went undercover to investigate Tate Reynolds as a viable love interest and potential boyfriend for a wealthy client. What began as a temporary job transformed into an exciting new career and more significantly, the love of her life.

Now the two are planning their own walk down the aisle. Except their path is crowded with a few bumps along the way. The urgent investigation of a family matter. A sexy new client. Pregnant bridesmaids, an ex, and a sprinkle of cold feet leaves the couple stumbling toward their big day.

Forever is a long time, but Evie and Tate are determined to get hitched no matter what life throws their way. Will they make it to the wedding or uncover more challenges than a young couple in love can handle?

This novella is the forth book in the Uncovering Love series, and while it can be read as a standalone, it contains major spoilers.

Read the first chapter here then 1-click your copy of Uncovering Love: The Wedding before the price of $0.99 goes up next week!

Chapter One

Tate

Evie’s arm wraps possessively through mine while we sit on the leather covered chairs and wait our turn. She’s always touching me, holding hands, a brush along my knee, or her arm against my forearm. I love it. Love that she unintentionally lets every person we meet know I belong to her as much as she owns me. But as much as I want our love etched for all eternity, I don’t want to rush her. “Evie, we don’t have to do this unless you want to. We can wait. If you’re having second thoughts—”

“No!” Her death grip on my bicep tightens.

“Babe. You’re gonna leave bruises.” I release a chuckle.

She follows my gaze to where her nails dig into my skin, and she loosens her hold. “Sorry. I guess I’m more nervous than I thought. But I’m not having second thoughts. I want this. To share this with you. And I love the thought of something so permanent. It’s better than my ring.” Her eyes snap up to meet mine and widen. “Not that I don’t love my ring!”

A smile pulls wide at my lips, and I tilt her face with my fingers so our gazes lock. “I know, Evie. I’m just making sure. You know I want this just as badly.” I dip my chin to whisper in her ear. “This ink is going to look so fucking sexy on your skin. I’m so turned on just thinking about it. As soon as we’re done, I’m taking you back home.”

She meets my lips in a soft, fleeting kiss. “I like the way you think, Mr. Reynolds.”

“I can’t wait to call you Mrs. Reynolds.”

She gives me her sweet smile. “Twenty-two days to go.”

“Not soon enough. Let’s elope,” I deadpan and she laughs, shaking her head.

“No way! Not after all the planning and deposits. Beside the fact our families would disown us, Kate and Jon would too if they weren’t part of our special day.”

“I know. I know.” And I want to celebrate with our loved ones. I only wish I’d had the foresight to set the date earlier. With each day that passes, my lips battle with my mind to resist the urge to call Evie my wife.

“Evie and Tate.” The shop manager calls out our names in a booming voice, drawing our attention to the wall behind the short registration counter and photographs of artwork behind it. “Dev is ready for you.”

I stand and lace my fingers with Evie’s, then lead her back to Dev’s station passing the charts of bangers and sample script. I’ve had lots of ink done over the years by several different artists, but Dev is this mountain of a man who’s really nothing but a big softy. I trust his work and have a feeling his charismatic demeanor will put Evie at ease since this is her first tattoo.

Dev stands from his chair. “Nice to see you, bro.” He’s got to be at least six foot five and fills the doorway with his frame. Evie is absolutely tiny next to him. “And I see the missus is getting work done, too.” He smiles at Evie and I can feel her body relax as she greets Dev.

We discuss what we want done, and she goes first. My eyes are captivated by each step, and the second the needle hits her skin I have to concentrate on keeping my dick in check. Fuck. That’s sexier than I ever imagined. Thank God Dev is a pro. We’ll be out of here soon and I can make love to my Evie.

Her tatt takes only a few minutes, the script of my name small and feminine. Mine requires more work—the piece is larger—and Dev fills it in with shading so the word Evelyn stands out amongst my other ink. Evie stands at my side, transfixed. Instead of watching Dev paint her name onto my forearm, my eyes are mesmerized by how she’s engrossed in the process. Her lips and brows pull with interest as Dev works.

Every second that ticks by fills me with more affection for her. From the way she glances at me to smile, to how she rubs tiny circles over the tension in my neck with her thumb. She’s playful, kind, and generous.

“I got off easy. Yours is so much bigger.” She nods at my latest tattoo after we leave Dev’s station.

“So much innuendo there, I don’t know where to go first.”

She shakes her head, a grin at her lips, and stops walking to push up on her toes and whisper in my ear, “Hmm . . . I say we should go home, yeah?”

Yeah. Yeah, we should.

When I don’t answer immediately she just laughs and struts to the front counter where Dev’s waiting for us to pay and review final care instructions. Like everything about Evie, her allure may not be flashy or overtly sexy, but I know exactly how beautiful the curves are that hide beneath her worn jeans and plain white tee. I shake my head, asking myself for the bazillionth time how I got so damn lucky. And how quickly I can get her home.

By the time I hand Dev his cash and we’re headed out to the car, I’m fighting a serious hard on. “Come here,” I say, pulling Evie into my arms and backing her up until she pushes into my car door. “Do you know how sexy you are?”

She giggles, kissing me long enough that her tongue sweeps against mine before tilting her chin up. “I’m guessing a lot.” She leans into me and I know she can feel my erection pressing into her belly through my jeans.

“So, so much.” My grin matches hers. “I love my name on your skin.”

“Take me home.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I kiss her once more and then walk around the car to open her door.

It’s only a fifteen-minute drive back to our house, but I make it in twelve. Between the heated glances Evie and I trade and the music she pipes through my stereo, it’s a miracle my foot doesn’t push straight through the floorboard.

As I slow to swing under the carport and park alongside her vehicle, I inhale slowly to calm my already rock hard dick. “Hey, babe?” I say, shutting the engine. Her hand’s already on the door.

“Yeah?”

“You have exactly one minute.”

Her brows pinch with confusion.

“One minute to get inside, take off your clothes, and make it to the bed.”

Her eyes widen and her breath comes faster with the hint of her smile. “Or else what?”

“If you don’t make it to the bedroom, I’ll probably make love to you wherever I find you. The kitchen. The living room. Hallway. Hell, much longer and I’ll fuck you right here.”

“Oh, car sex. That sounds exciting.” Her eyes sparkle, but she releases a little laugh. “Let’s do that on our honeymoon, when it’s a little darker outside. Preferably in the middle of nowhere.”

“Deal.” We’ve planned a road trip all along the West Coast, exploring from San Diego all the way up to Oregon. And like everything with Evie, a few promised words and she just made me love her more. “But for now…”

She glances down at the bulge in my jeans and bites her lip. “Sexy hide and seek. You’re it. Count.” She grins and with that she’s out of the car, unlocks the front door, and is inside the house before I can move a muscle.

Taking the full minute to calm my raging boner so I don’t come within seconds once I finally get inside her, I follow her out and arm the car alarm. Stepping inside the house, my lips pull wide at the music playing from the living room record player. One of Evie’s favorite albums, the artist crooning about love and happy ever afters—it’s a song we’ve made love to on more than one occasion. I kick off my shoes, discard my shirt, and unbutton my jeans while I step forward to find her.

I don’t have far to go.

Fuck.

“Found me,” she says with a flirty pout, and she releases the clasp to her bra.

“Fuck.” This time I say it aloud because before me is the most beautiful woman to walk into my world, and she’s mine. All mine. Just as the name scrolled down her side pronounces. “You’re gorgeous. You know that, right?”

“That’s what you tell me.”

Her eyes stay trained on my hands as I push my pants and underwear down to my knees in one sweep, then shove them off the rest of the way and take three steps forward. I wrap my hands around her slim waist. “Caught you,” I whisper.

She nods and slides her arms around my neck as our lips meet in a rush.

As much as I want to enjoy this, savor the moment, I know I won’t last long, not when I’ve been imagining making love to her all afternoon. So instead I go with what I’ve got, and use my fingers to find her wet folds between her legs. Massaging around and over her clit while my lips battle with hers, I do everything I can to bring her there. She reaches for me with one hand, and her strokes up and down my cock only spur on my determination to make her come first. Between hurried kisses and anticipation, she’s right where I need her.

Backing her down the hallway, our lips still locked, we almost reach the bedroom door when I turn and drop to my knees.

“Oh yes, Tate,” she says as I spread her pussy wide and dip my chin to lick between her folds. “Yes, yes, please.” She moans and I assault her center with my tongue. Adding two fingers, I stroke in and out, increasing their pace along with that of my tongue brushing over her clit. Her orgasm crashes with little warning, my name on her lips as she shouts with her release. I’d stay here for hours but I have to get to work soon.

Standing once her pleasure subsides, I claim her lips for another kiss and hook my hands around her thighs to carry her the rest of the way to the bedroom.

“I love you, Evie,” I say between kisses.

“I love you, Tate,” she answers back.

Careful not to brush along her sensitive new ink, I sit on the edge of the bed and lay back. “Ride me, baby,” I say and she does. Grabbing my cock in one hand, she lines me up and sinks down on a groan. I love the way we fit together. Rocking those hips back and forth, over and over, it doesn’t take long before she’s close again, her walls tightening around my cock as it slides in and out.

My thumb finds her clit and I rub quick tiny circles while my other hand grabs her hip and encourages her not to stop. I’m so fucking close, but I’ll hold out as long as I can.

“That’s it. Yes. Right there,” she says, a softly spoken demand I don’t dare deny. My thumb moves faster, and the moment her body pulses with release I give in to my own orgasm. We stay connected. Together. I scoot back on the bed, delighting in the feel of her smooth skin against mine when she lays her cheek against my chest.

This. Right here. My reason for being. She’s the only home I’ll ever need.

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Kacey Shea is a mom of three, wife, and indie author who resides in sunny Arizona. She enjoys reading and writing romance novels as much as her son loves unicorns, which is a lot.

When she’s not writing you will find her playing taxi cab to her children while belting out her favorite tunes, meeting friends or family for food and to share some laughs, or sweating it out in the gym. Kacey finds that picking up heavy weights repeatedly is good for her mental health as much as it is for the physical.

She has an unhealthy obsession with firefighters. It could be the pants. It could be the fire. It’s just hot. On occasion she has been known to include them, without their knowledge, in her selfies outside the grocery store.

Kacey one day aspires to be a woman hand model in a sexy photo shoot. You know, the woman’s hand raking across the muscular back or six pack stomach of the male fitness model. Yep, that hand.

Until that day comes she will continue writing sexy, flirty romance novels in hopes to bring others joy!

Kacey enjoys interacting with her fans so please feel free to stalk her on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

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Release Blitz ~ Blood Laws ~ by ~ Lexi C. Foss

Title: Blood Laws

Series: An Immortal Curse Novel

Author: Lexi C. Foss

Genre: Dark Paranormal Romance

Release Date: May 2, 2017

The lines between charade and reality blur as a dark romance brews between two unlikely soulmates…

Stas isn’t your average human. She can bend others to her will, a psychic talent she’s kept hidden since the brutal murder of her parents.

Issac isn’t human at all. He’s an immortal masquerading as one of New York City’s hottest bachelors while secretly seeking revenge against a former ally.

A fateful meeting ends in a seductive proposition: He’ll teach her more about her gifts if she agrees to play girlfriend to his billionaire persona. As their lives intertwine, secrets are exposed and passion ignites. It’s a bond built to last a lifetime, if they’re willing to risk everything to protect it.

“What are you doing here, Astasiya?”

She tried to turn to face him, but he held her in place. He wouldn’t hurt her. She was sure of it. But he sounded furious.

“Answer me.”

Right. Time to improvise. “Well, most people come to clubs to dance.” Even as she said it, she knew it was an absurd excuse. She was here looking for him and he knew it.

“I don’t see you dancing.”

“That’s because I’m being manhandled.” Asshole.

“This is not a game.” The low rumble in his voice made her squirm. That tone was meant for the bedroom. It required compliance and submission, and at the same time seduced. A man of his experience would know what he wanted and how he wanted it. He would be nothing like her previous experiences.

He bit her ear to bring her back to the present. What would that mouth feel like on other parts of her body? He seemed to enjoy nibbling. Her nipples tightened at the prospect of him focusing his attentions there. “Who told you to come here?”

“Why do you care?” Her voice was a little higher than she intended. He evoked a response from her unlike any other. Not that her limited experiences was much of a comparison.

“Because whoever sent you here was trying to get you killed.”

Lexi C. Foss is a writer lost in the IT world. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and their furry children. When not writing, she’s busy crossing items off her travel bucket list. Many of the places she’s visited can be seen in her writing, including the mythical world of Hydria which is based on Hydra in the Greek islands. She’s quirky, consumes way too much coffee, and loves to swim. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, or visit her website at www.LexiCFoss.com.

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Pre-Order Blitz ~ Love Obscene ~ by ~ Natalie Bennett

Title: Love Obscene

Series: Obscene Duet #1

Author: Natalie Bennett

Genre: Dark Erotic Romance

Release Date: July 25, 2017

Covers by: Dark Water Covers

Amazon Release Notification:
http://eepurl.com/cM1oVn

What would you endure for love?

I was nothing.

He was both madness and paradise.

I was lost.

He was salvation and damnation.

I was innocent.

He was sadistic and twisted.

I was an obsession.

Now I am his.

Reader Advisory 18+

Not for the faint of heart.

TRIGGERS->ALL OF THEM

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Natalie Bennett is the creator of erotic stories that always come with a warning label. She writes about depraved alpha a**holes and women that love to hate them. Her books don’t follow any specific tropes, have no set word counts, and tend to deviate from traditional HEA’s.

When she isn’t in front of her computer she’s spending time with her husband and their three little boys.

Natalie is an avid fan of caramel frappes, horror movies, Shameless, and of course, reading.

You can find Natalie on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Cover Reveal ~ Losing My Religion ~ by ~ A.S. Tucker

Title: Losing My Religion

Author: A.S. Tucker

Genre: M/M Romance

Release Date: July 27, 2017

Jaden Barker is a good boy.

For as long as he can remember, he’s been preparing for the day he’ll be called as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He’s ready. He’s more than willing. And he can’t wait to spend the next two years serving the Lord and his church. But when a new proclamation from the church is announced, it leaves him questioning everything.

Quinn Owens is trouble with a capital T.

An aspiring actor living in the bowels of Los Angeles, he’s fought long and hard to get where he is, and he’s not willing to give it up for anything. Working for a homophobic boss presents quite a challenge when you’re a gay man, but Quinn knows losing this job means losing his dream.

Jaden is lost and confused.

Quinn won’t let anything stand in his way.

But when Jaden finds himself living downstairs from the enticing Quinn, neither are prepared for what happens next.

Will Jaden be able to resist Quinn’s charms and remain a devoted Mormon missionary? Or will he fall, finding himself face to face with losing his religion?

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Prologue

Our living room smells like a high school locker room. You know the smell I’m talking about. That oniony stink teen boys get when it’s been too long since they’ve showered, and they still haven’t quite discovered the magic of deodorant.

It’s a smell I’m all-too familiar with, my high school career having only come to an end this past year. It’s going to take a lot longer than ten months to wipe the horrors I saw and smelled in the boys’ locker room out of my brain.

Even as I sit on the barstool in the center of the room, visions of Roosevelt High come flashing to my mind, and I half-expect to see Jeff come strolling through the door, twisted wet towel in hand, just waiting for the perfect moment to snap it against an unsuspecting victim’s bare ass.

Butt. I mean, butt.

Cussing was never allowed when I was growing up. But, now that this has arrived, I need to be more diligent about watching my language.

Because cussing will not be tolerated where I’m going.

I look down at the white envelope in my hands, my fingers trembling ever-so slightly, as I read over my name and address printed on the front.

Elder Jaden Barker.

Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think? Perfect missionary name. Exactly like my parents envisioned.

Flipping the envelope over, I gently finger the flap, watching the pristine paper slide against my skin. How ironic would it be if the one thing that’s supposed to be the biggest blessing in my life thus far sliced through my flesh, red drops of blood seeping through my pores and marring the lily-white paper beneath?

Wouldn’t be the first time the church cut you, a familiar voice in the back of my mind utters.

Yes, but they’ve always been there to stitch you back up. You just need to have faith, his ever-present counterpart retorts.

I know what you’re thinking. This dude is crazy. I’m not. I don’t actually hear voices. They’re only little versions of my subconscious—punks who like to rear up and cause problems in my life at the most inopportune times. Ever since I turned in my mission papers, they seem to have taken permanent residence in my head—like those old cartoons I used to watch, the ones with an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. The church would refer to them as the Holy Ghost and Satan.

Or, as I like to call them, Jiminy and Jafar. Growing up, I had a thing for Disney.

Shrugging off their unwelcome intrusion, I turn my attention back to the task at hand, the all-too-familiar pang of nervousness welling deep within my gut. My stomach has been in knots all afternoon.

My family has been expecting this any day now. As soon as I pulled it out of the mailbox and saw the distinct logo in the top-left corner, I was tempted to rip into it right there, near the gutter, needing the torment of where I’d be spending the next two years of my life to end.

My mother, of course, had different plans. The moment she realized I’d received it, she plucked it from my fingers, whisking it away into the kitchen and telling me we had to wait for my father to get home from work. Then, like the good little housewife she is, she set about making a scrumptious chicken noodle soup. My grandmother’s recipe and her mother’s before that. Also, my favorite meal on the planet.

That brings us to the reason I’m now sitting on a kitchen stool in the middle of the living room with three smiling faces shining back at me from the sofa, the normally delicious smell of the soup now making me nauseous and forcing me to think of sweaty teenagers.

I’ve been preparing for this day for as long as I can remember. Since I was just a kid, I knew my life was leading to this very moment. And, after years of singing songs in primary and learning lesson after lesson in priesthood meetings, it’s finally here.

I’m going to be a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

I’m ready for this.

I’ve been groomed for this.

I’m going to share the truth with the people of wherever this letter sends me.

My fingers tremble as I tear into the envelope, my family sitting across from me on the edge of the couch. My mother’s hand flies to her mouth as she watches the stark white paper slide from its temporary shelter. I know, within a week, it will be framed and hanging proudly in the hallway, right next to my brother, Taylor’s, mission call.

“Dear Brother Barker,” I read aloud, my voice shaky as my heart hammers against my chest.

My dad leans forward, wringing his hands in anticipation, while my mother leans her face into his shoulder as she stifles a sob. To an outsider, it might appear my parents are nervous, as if the thought of sending their nineteen-year-old son out into the world with minimal contact for two years were a terrifying idea they weren’t entirely on board with.

Unfortunately, that isn’t the case at all. My parents are waiting with bated breath, their anticipation for me to leave eclipsed only by the joy they feel about me going in the first place. Not because they don’t love me, but because doing the Lord’s work is far more important.

“You are hereby called to serve as a missionary at…” My words trail off, my eyes scanning the page until the bold words leap out at me. “California Los Angeles Mission.”

I must have said the words aloud because, within seconds I’m enveloped in my mother’s arms. My dad moves to join her, his broad arms circling the two of us as he whispers how happy he is for me. My little sister, Jenny, clears her throat behind me, and my mother swings her arm wide to pull her into the hug with us.

“I’m so, so proud of you, Jaden. You’re going to receive so many blessings because of this. And you’ll bless so many people in return,” my mother says as she squeezes me tight.

Her arms drop suddenly, and she pulls away from me, her eyes shining, as she says, “I need to go call Taylor. He was so sad he couldn’t be here today. Poor little Maddy has another ear infection, and they didn’t want to ruin your special day with a crying infant. But he made me promise to call as soon as we knew where you were going. So, if you’ll excuse me, I have a few phone calls to make.”

She practically dances out of the room, my dad close on her heels as he reminds her of a few other people who need to hear the good news.

Left alone with only my little sister, I glance down at Jenny, her ten-year-old face beaming up at me.

“I can’t wait until I’m old enough to go on a mission! Are you excited?” Her squeaky voice breaks on the last word.

I smile at her, nodding my head in the most self-assured way I can manage.

This should be the most exciting day of my life. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for, and every detail of this day has gone exactly according to plan. My mom’s happy tears, my dad’s joyous words. Heck, I don’t even have to learn another language at the training center. It’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of.

So, why does it feel like I’m living a lie?

A military brat growing up, A.S. Tucker now resides in Utah with her loving husband. When not writing, you’ll find her reading, binge watching Netflix, or drinking wine. Her three favorite things are animals, coffee, and Harry Potter, not necessarily in that order. She is the author of three other novels, published under a different pen name. She loves hearing from her readers, so please drop her a line!

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Cover Reveal ~ Shane’s Truth ~ by ~ V.F. Mason

○ ○ ○

Title: Shane’s Truth

Series: The Challenges Series

Author: V.F. Mason

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: August 10, 2017

Cover Designer: Sommer Stein/ Perfect Pear Creative Cover

Cover Models: Dustin Oprisiu and Kelly Kirstein

Photographer: Lindee Robinson Photography

○ ○ ○

Falling in love was never part of the plan.

Serena
Living carelessly through life to dull my pain, I didn’t pay attention to my father’s threats.

When he had issued an ultimatum after yet another stunt, I thought he was joking.

Either work on the ranch in the middle of nowhere for the entire summer or lose any chance of making it as a fashion designer…

I had no choice but to agree.

Determined to follow my dreams, I traveled to Texas with one goal in mind: to prove my father wrong.

However, with all my planning, I didn’t consider one thing.

Him.

Shane
Leaving everything behind, I came here one year ago to find out the truth.

But I never expected for it to destroy so many lives.

Leaving in the aftermath, I struggled to find myself in this new world I had created…

Until she showed up, bringing more added chaos with herself than it was humanly possible.

Every part of me wanted to claim her, but succumbing to those desires was a big mistake.

We didn’t belong with each other, and I couldn’t help but feel she was hiding something.

But when did I listen to what was best?

○ ○ ○

V.F.Mason always loved reading books and had quite a few fights with her mama over the genre she liked (romance, duh!) She studied filmmaking and thought that would feed her desire for stories, but that didn’t happen.

Finally, when she was tired of all those voices in her head, she sat down and wrote a book. It was a huge decision to make and she thanks her friends and family for supporting her in it.

When she is not writing, she can be found with her friends doing all sorts of crazy things or reading recent romance books that were written by her favorite authors.

○ ○ ○

Sign up HERE to Participate in the Release Promotion for this book!

○ ○ ○

Cover Reveal ~ Last Call ~ by ~ Emily Minton & Shelley Springfield

Title: Last Call (The Landing Strip)

Author: Emily Minton & Shelley Springfield

Genre: Erotic Romance

Release Date: July 24, 2017
Cover Artist: CoverMe Darling

He’s a fighter…

And he never gives up.

After giving the last sixteen years of his life to Uncle Sam, Lark Shelton finally puts down his gun and hangs up his uniform. Opening The Landing Strip bar with his two best friends and brothers at arms seems like the perfect escape from his past.

One night stands are all he will commit to, but when he encounters the feisty and sensual Paisley Black, Lark longs for something more–something deeper than his typical hook-ups. She’s everything he never knew he wanted, and he’s determined not to let her go.

USA Today Bestselling author, Emily Minton is a Kentucky native. She is proud to call the Bluegrass State home. She claims she bleeds blue–Wildcat Blue! Emily loves to read and has more books on her kindle than most people could read in a lifetime, but she intends to read every single one. She has published fifteen books, but there are many more floating around in her head.

Shelley was born and raised in Kentucky and doesn’t see herself leaving the bluegrass state anytime soon. Shelley and her husband have been together for sixteen years, and they share three beautiful daughters and one handsome son.

Although Grim Bastards is her first published novel, she has been a fan of romance reads for many, many years. Shelley loves all sorts of genres of romance but Contemporary, New Adult, and Romantic Comedy are her all-time favorites.

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Blog Tour ~ Turned By A Tiger ~ by ~ Felicity Heaton

On the verge of bleeding out and hunted by his merciless torturers, Talon has no choice but to seek sanctuary at Underworld, a nightclub run by a jaguar shifter liable to kill him on sight for being a tiger shifter male. What he finds in the old warehouse isn’t the grim shadow of Death though but an angel of mercy, one who offers him salvation and revenge—one who happens to be his fated mate.

Tending bar at Underworld is never dull when you’re a mortal surrounded by immortals, but when a gorgeous tiger shifter covered in blood stumbles into the club, and set’s fire to her boss’s temper, Sherry’s entire world is in danger of being turned on its head. Something about the mysterious warrior has her stepping in to save him, something that ignites her heart and stirs her soul, and no matter how fiercely she fights it, she can’t hold herself back.

When Talon reveals the name of his captors, and his plan to head back in to save his friends, will Sherry be brave enough to embrace the feelings he stirs in her and step deeper into the world of immortals? And will Talon be strong enough to resist the lure of Sherry to protect his family’s secret or will he risk everything to claim his eternal mate?

He lifted his head and Sherry sucked in a breath as bright amber eyes met hers and heat curled through her, a fire that only grew in intensity as a low growl curled from his bloodstained lips.

The club whooshed past her and she gasped as she flew backwards. She stumbled and grunted as the hand suddenly clamped around her right wrist hauled her upwards again, jerking her forwards and slamming her into a broad masculine back.

Kyter.

He held her behind him, shielding her with his body.

Why?

She hadn’t been in danger.

Not physical danger anyway.

She was no cat shifter but she had the undeniable sensation that growl hadn’t been a show of aggression.

It had been a show of possession.

A sign that even in his weakened state, knocking on Death’s door, this mysterious tiger shifter wanted her.

Sherry eased out of Kyter’s shadow, curiosity seizing control of her, filling her with a need to see the tiger. “What do you want?”

Those stunning amber eyes locked on her again, startling in their intensity. They seemed to brighten, glowing gold in their centres as he studied her. He wanted her. It was right there in his eyes for her to read, unmistakeable and undeniable.

Kyter snagged his attention again by moving a step forwards.

Tiger bristled, growling and snapping huge fangs, and then a flash of regret crossed his handsome rough face when Kyter huffed and folded his arms across his chest. The man shrank back, eased onto his butt on the floor and slumped wearily against the black bar.

When his chin dropped and his shoulders trembled, she lowered her eyes to his chest and the wounds that littered it, and then continued downwards to his stomach. The gash that darted across it was deep, still dripping blood.

“Who did this to you?” she whispered.

His lips moved soundlessly at first, repeating a single word, but then he managed to put his voice behind it.

“Archangel.”

Sherry found that hard to believe. The look on Kyter’s face when she glanced at him said he did too.

“Archangel aren’t in the habit of taking innocents, so what did you do to get on the wrong side of them?” Kyter curled a lip at the tiger and fire flared in his golden eyes.

Tiger struggled, managed to get a few syllables out but nothing that resembled a word. His head drooped again and he fought to lift it, but failed and his chin almost hit his chest. The need to know what had brought him to them and who had done such terrible things to him washed away, replaced with a more powerful need to take care of him.

If they didn’t help him soon, it would be too late.

“He needs medical attention.” Sherry ignored the gruff look that Kyter shot her, one that said he didn’t want to help the tiger until he knew everything. She glared at her boss, giving him her best withering stare, the one she had worked hard to perfect since entering employment at Underworld over a decade ago. “We can ask him questions when he can actually talk without passing out… and maybe we’ll get answers then.”

“I want answers now.” Kyter’s deep voice had that hard edge to it, the one he always used when laying down the law with his staff. It wasn’t going to work on her. “I won’t allow a dangerous shifter in my club. If Archangel comes, I’ll hand the son of a bitch over.”

“No!” There was such desperation, so much fear in that single word as the tiger jolted forwards, that she couldn’t stop herself from reacting, even when she knew it might cost her job.

Or more.

She stepped between him and Kyter again, heart racing against her ribs and a tiny part of her screaming not to do this, that it was dangerous and foolish, and blurted, “I’ll take him to my place and that way the club will be safe.”

Kyter’s golden eyes narrowed on her, but it was the feel of the tiger’s eyes drilling into the back of her head that held her awareness, making her want to look over her shoulder at him and answer his silent question.

Yes, she was crazy and she was offering to take him home with her.

She had lost her fucking mind.

“I won’t put you in danger, Sherry. I’m not going to let you take him,” Kyter snapped and shook his head, his golden eyes daring her to go against what sounded a lot like an order to her.

He had hated it when she had decided to move out two years ago, finding her own place so she could have a little space away from the club, a home to call her own, but in the end he had supported her.

Mostly because she had cited his and Cavanaugh’s tendency to snore so loudly she barely got any sleep in her small apartment in the club, and had then made him squirm by making up stuff about how her sex life had taken a huge nosedive because she couldn’t take a man up to her apartment without Kyter prowling around like some terrifying big brother and scaring them away.

Her sex life had been dead on arrival for a long time, but Kyter didn’t need to know that.

She knew he wanted to protect her, loved that about him, but sometimes she had to stand on her own two feet.

“I’m taking him.” She crossed her arms over her chest, mimicking him.

He huffed. “No. What if he hurts you?”

The tiger growled at that, as if the fact Kyter had dared to even think him capable of such a thing had pissed him off.

She looked back over her shoulder at him and realised she had no reason to believe he wouldn’t hurt her. It was a gut feeling, and her gut hadn’t failed her yet. It had brought her to this place at the lowest point in her life when she had run away from home, and told her to stick around when Kyter had offered to take her in like some stray, and again when she had discovered she wasn’t working for humans.

Now it was telling her that this man was innocent, and if she didn’t help him, he would die.

“What if he did something terrible to make Archangel capture him?” Kyter’s words were low spoken, cautious and deadly serious.

Sherry stared at the tiger, right into his amber eyes. “What if he didn’t?”

She looked back at Kyter when he huffed again.

“It wouldn’t be the first time Archangel had taken someone innocent. Cavanaugh’s brother Harbin was captured by them… and what about Loke?” She had known of Archangel’s existence from the night she had discovered Kyter was in fact a jaguar shifter and he had sat her down and told her everything he could about his world, and the truth about the one that surrounded her.

Back then, Archangel had been righteous, had reinvented itself as a champion for the fae and other immortal species after a bloody history with them. It had hunted only the immortals who were a danger to their own kind. Things had been changing though, and she knew even Kyter had his doubts about the hunter organisation now.

Kyter looked as if he wanted to argue with her, but then his face softened on a sigh and he shook his head. She was winning.

“I’m starting to get the feeling that Archangel aren’t all they appear to be… that they do bad as well as good… and you know you are too.” She pressed her advantage, seeing victory within her reach and unwilling to back down now.

Kyter would relent, and the tiger would be spared.

Saved.

That desire, that deep instinct and need that had sparked to life inside her when she had seen him close to falling, would be satisfied at last.

She would have protected him.

Her boss huffed again and glared at the tiger, who didn’t bite. He remained still behind her, so still in fact that she had to glance over her shoulder at him again to check he was still with them. He stared up at her, those amber eyes bright but dull with pain at the same time. His left hand shook against his bare stomach. Blood trickled from between his strong fingers.

“It’s my choice,” she whispered and then added with more conviction as she turned to face Kyter again, “I’m going to help him no matter what you have to say about it.”

He frowned at her. “There’s no way you’re walking out of here with three hundred pounds of half-dead tiger and making it home, not if Archangel are hunting him.”

He had a point, and she didn’t exactly have a solution to offer him. She wracked her brain, trying to think of something that would satisfy him enough that he wouldn’t revert back to refusing to let her go with the tiger in tow.

Kyter tunnelled his fingers through his sandy hair, tousling the already worry-ruffled locks further, and heaved a long sigh that spoke volumes—tomes—about how he felt about what he was about to suggest and what she was doing.

“I’ll ask Io for help.”

The hope that had been fading inside her burst back to life like a phoenix from the ashes, but she didn’t have a chance to thank Kyter for deciding to help her.

He pivoted on his heel and strode towards the door in the right wall of the nightclub beyond the bar, muttering, “Wait here while I ask Io.”

She was going to have to thank Iolanthe a thousand times over if she agreed to help out, and Kyter too for thinking of a way to get her home with the tiger without Archangel seeing her. She really hadn’t thought things through when she had rushed to his aid, acting like some white knight to his damsel in distress.

At least this way, the tiger could heal and Kyter could get the answers he wanted about Archangel.

Answers she wanted too.

She wanted to know why they had done such horrible things to him.

Kyter paused at the black metal door and looked back at her, concern lighting his eyes and echoing in his deep voice.

“Will you be alright?”

Sherry nodded.

He lingered a moment and then punched in the security code, twisted the silver knob and opened the door. It closed with a bang that echoed through the club and jangled her nerves, making her deeply aware of the fact she was now alone with the tiger.

She looked down at him.

He lifted his head, those piercing amber eyes rising to meet hers again.

Sherry stared down into them, drowning in their liquid gold depths.

Heat travelled through her limbs and warmed the space behind her breast that had been cold for so long.

At least she thought she would be alright.

Felicity Heaton is a New York Times and USA Today international best-selling author writing passionate paranormal romance books. In her books, she creates detailed worlds, twisting plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shape-shifters and wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons! If you’re a fan of paranormal romance authors Lara Adrian, J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter and Christine Feehan then you will enjoy her books too.

If you love your angels a little dark and wicked, the best-selling Her Angel series is for you. If you like strong, powerful, and dark vampires then try the Vampires Realm series or any of her stand-alone vampire romance books. If you’re looking for vampire romances that are sinful, passionate and erotic then try the best-selling Vampire Erotic Theatre series. Or if you prefer huge detailed worlds filled with hot-blooded alpha males in every species, from elves to demons to dragons to shifters and angels, then take a look at the new Eternal Mates series.

If you want to know more about Felicity, or want to get in touch, you can find her at the following places: