Tag: 2017

Cover Reveal ~ Frayed Silk ~ by ~ Ella Fields

Title: Frayed Silk 
Author: Ella Fields
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: June 30, 2017
Our marriage wasn’t just in trouble—mere threads were all that held it together.
What was once my perfect happily ever after had dissolved right before my eyes.
I can tell you when it started to happen.
What I can’t tell you is why. 
And after seven months of watching my husband turn into someone I didn’t recognize, I’d given up hope in finding answers. 
So I decided to break his heart
… and he did nothing to stop me.
Warning: Contains cheating and other sensitive subject matter.
WANT TO BE NOTIFIED WHEN
FRAYED SILK IS LIVE?! 
And looking at his pained expression, I suddenly get it. I don’t agree with it, but I understand a little better. He’s always seemed so untouchable. A powerhouse of vitality and wealth. He embodies strength in every facet of his life. He exhibits control in everything he does.
Except for this.
It’s not only fucked with his head, it’s also tainted everything.
“Because you’re worried about what others might think of you? You’re worried that I—”
He cuts me off, his top lip curling, “Would look at me the way you’re looking at me now?”
My head shakes frantically, but he keeps going. “I don’t want your pity, Lia. I can’t fucking handle that shit. And I didn’t want you to think …” He pauses, scrubbing his hands down his face.
“What?” I ask softly.
“That I betrayed you in some way.” He drops his hands, staring at the carpeted floor. “I didn’t want to let it become some kind of big deal. I thought I could just ignore it.”
I chew on my lip. “But it wouldn’t let you.”
His head snaps up, and he stares at me for a moment then shakes his head.
I walk over to him, stopping when he takes a step back.
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper. “I never would have done it. I never even meant to …” His eyes darken as he keeps them on me. Hesitantly, I reach out and grab his hand. He surprises me by letting me. I stare down at our hands, turning his wedding band over and rubbing my fingers softly over every inch of skin he’s allowing me to touch. “I’ve only ever wanted you. And when I thought you didn’t want me anymore, I was desperate for you to see me again.”
He lets a sigh loose. “I see you, Lia. I’ve always seen you.” I look up at him then, my heartbeat kicking up speed in my chest. “Even in my darkest moments, you shined so fucking bright. Bright enough to keep me going.” He pulls his hand away. “Until you broke me even more and left me alone in the dark.” He steps back, bending to grab his bag before walking out of the room.
And all I can do is watch as he goes. Watch even after the door has slammed closed and I hear his car take off out on the street. I hear it all before being engulfed in the dead silence that now radiates through every air particle in this big house. And suddenly, I can’t breathe.

 

I never knew silence could be so suffocating.
Ella Fields is a mother and wife who lives in the land Down Under. While her kids are in school, you might find her talking about her characters and books to her two cats. She’s a notorious chocolate and notebook hoarder who enjoys creating hard-won happily ever afters.
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Cover Reveal ~ Dark Master ~ by ~ Shana Vanterpool

Title: Dark Master
Series: Dark Masters Series #1
Author: Shana Vanterpool
Genre: Erotic BDSM Romance
Release Date: June 27, 2017 
Master was dark, dark, dark.

His touch.
His love.
His anger.
And soon, so was I.

Miya Reemond fell in love without knowing who Jaxon Damon really was. When she finds out that he’s a dominant in the alluring and dangerous world of BDSM, she wants nothing more than to be his submissive. Clouded by lust and obsession, she falls head first into the intoxicating and erotic lifestyle. She soon learns that love isn’t easy, especially when it relies on her submission. Jax doesn’t know or do love, he only understands pain. Miya immediately turns his world upside down. She wants his heart, his good. But there isn’t any good left in him to give her.

Love doesn’t exist in his world.
She’s never had it.
Will they embrace the darkness, or will it swallow them both?

Book one in the Dark Masters Series is an erotic and sordid look into the tempting world of sexual dominance, submission, and love.

**This is an erotic BDSM romance. Not intended for readers under 18. Contains dark sexual content and a taboo romance.**

Romance author, coffee drinker, and bad boy aficionado. Every second not spent breathing is an opportunity to write and read. I live in Northern California with my family and actress dog, Halle Bella. (Just Bella when she decides to cut the crap.) Escaping with a good book is something I live for and I write so others can do the same.

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Blog Tour ~ Dark Experiments ~ by ~ Lana Campbell

Title: Dark Experiments
Author: Lana Campbell
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: May 21, 2017

Christian is the exception to Tiffany’s rule that all males are louses. For years Tiffany has lusted after Christian and of late she can’t help but wonder what it might be like to have a brief fling with him. The opportunity to explore her secret fantasy appears when Christian offers her a job as the IT person for his practice, the V clinic. She knows if he gives her the green light, she’s going to have a romp with her sexy vampire. When the night finally arrives and she and Christian have sex, the experience is so overwhelmingly powerful, Tiffany backpedals and tries to turn down the heat between them. She’s human. He’s a vampire. She can’t afford to fall in love with him. 

Christian has other ideas. During their sexual encounter, he discovers Tiffany is his life mate and he vows to change her thinking. His intentions are put on hold when he gets caught up in an angel of death’s vicious plan to chemically terminate V clinic patients’ pregnancies. Tiffany herself falls victim to a lethal dose of arsenic and Christian can only save her by turning her into a vampire. She’s furious when she wakes from her turning and discovers what Christian has done. She wants nothing to do with him ever again, but when she’s kidnapped by this angel of death and used as a guinea pig for deadly experiments she only has Christian to turn to save her life.

Dark Experiments by Lana Campbell

Releasing May 21st from Zombie Cupcake Press Dark Experiments by Lana Campbell Pre-Order is Available: hyperurl.co/uwkwuf *

Christian’s heart was pounding when he pulled up in front of a huge machine shed, just the size and color Tiffany had described. He knew in his heart she was inside. The confirmation was the black Jeep Cherokee sitting in front of the overhead doors. The license plate number was an exact match to the Jeep in the Walmart video footage.
He’d found her!
Christian wanted to ram the overhead door with his truck and tear apart anyone who blocked his path to his woman, but logic prevailed. This offensive attack needed to be organized.
Nathan’s men began to pile out of the SUV’s, all packing semi-automatic weapons and covered with body armor. Like ants they split apart. Half streamed single file around the building looking for other entrances, the other half positioned themselves in front of the overhead door, weapons drawn. Christian, a split second behind them, hopped out of the truck and retrieved a twelve gauge shot gun from the bed. He handed off another to Asa then headed toward a side door right of the overhead.
“Try to keep a cool head, Chris. I know you’re chomping at the bit to get to her, but organization is paramount.”
Nathan along with Dominic and Dimitri approached him. “We’re going to do this swat team style. This side door comes down then we enter behind my men.” He nodded at the six positioned around the door. “No renegade justice if possible, Christian. I want to take them alive.”
“No arguments here. We need Charla alive in particular. She created the serum and I have to know what’s in it if I have any hope of treating Tiffany and the other women.”
Nathan nodded then gave a hand signal for his men to proceed.
Christian shucked a round into the chamber and waited as two of Nathan’s men positioned a battering ram in the middle of the door. One mighty thrust and the door caved inward, hanging awkwardly by the top hinge.
Nathan’s men rushed inside, Christian at their heels. He flipped up his sunglasses and looked about the inky darkness of a huge garage, plenty luminous for vampire eyes. Another standard door led to the belly of the building in the far right corner. He headed toward it, behind Nathan’s six men. Asa, Dominic and Nathan took up the rear, single file behind him.
At this point most everyone inside had surely heard the door come down. Christian needed to alert Tiffany and make her ready for whatever transpired once they emerged into the building’s interior.
We’re here. Get ready. Say nothing and stay calm. I’ll be there before you know it.
You’re here? Thank God, Christian.
Are you alone?
Yeah, I’m still alone and tied down to this damned bed. My heart is about to beat out of my chest. That’s my only tell, but no one except a vampire could here it.
I’ll hear it soon enough and it will be music to my ears.
Be careful.
You too.
Two of Nathan’s men took the battering ram to the interior door. Once it was relieved of it’s hinges, Christian rushed inside behind four of Nathan’s men. He expected to be met by the very least the brother armed to defend his turf, but instead two young thin vampire girls with hideously gray skin and gaunt features stood in a long hall just out a doorway to his right. The scent of chili wafted from the room, and Christian assumed it to be a kitchen.
The two girls appeared terrified, frozen in place, eyes wide and flitting from one armed man to another.
“Hands in the air!” one of the humans ordered.
They instantly obeyed.
Christian raised the barrel of his gun toward the ceiling. These poor little things were no threat. “Are you here by choice?” he asked them.
Both shook their heads, still wearing petrified expressions.
“Take us to the four women they brought here three days ago,” he demanded.
Just then a man walked out the doorway, hands in the air. Christian saw a holstered gun on his hip. The others must have too. Every man took aim on him with their weapons.
“Get down! Face down on the floor. Hands behind your head!” two of the human men yelled.
He did their bidding without a word. Seconds later he was swarmed by three humans, stripped of his gun and handcuffed.
Christian glanced at Asa who stared at the two frightened vampire girls with pity. He felt the same emotion himself, but he needed them to lead him to Tiffany and the others.
“Where are the women?” he asked again with less rancor.
The one closest to them finally answered. “D-down this hallway, take a left and you’ll find them in the curtained cubicles.”
Christian wanted to bolt in the direction they’d indicated, but he held back, glanced at Asa then behind him at Nathan, Dominic and Dimitri. They all wore an expression similar to what was on his mind. This was just too damned easy.
“Are you Terry, Charla’s brother?” Christian asked, stepping up to the head of the prone man who craned his head to glare up at him with equal doses of hate and spite.
“How do you know my name?”
“Never mind that. Get up and lead us to the women.” Christian yanked him up and onto his feet so fast, he’d probably dislocated his shoulder. A harsh grunt of pain said he was correct, but he didn’t care. This man was part of this kidnapping and drugging ring. He deserved a bullet between the eyes, but right now he’d serve just fine as a hostage.
The young sickly girls did not deserve such treatment. “Dominic, Dimitri, could you escort these young ladies out of the building? That is if you want to leave. We’ll make sure you get home, back to your lives, families, whatever.”
Both shook their heads adamantly and the two men corralled them around the small posse in the entryway then out of the building.
Christian shoved the barrel of his gun against the man’s spine. “Lead us to them now.”
Terry, craned his head back and gave him a look of disgust. “I’ll lead you right to them, vampire, but it won’t do you any good. By now they’re all on their way out. I’m sorry about that. I really am. I liked that one with the mouth.”
“Tiffany.”
“Yeah. That’d be the one.”
“You’d better qualify that comment and quick if you want to live. Where are they being taken?”

 

“I couldn’t answer that, but maybe you can. Where do vampires go when they die?”
Enter the ebook giveaway
when you sign up for Lana’s website! 
Lana Campbell is author of the Forever and a Night series with two books, Forever and a Night and Dark Experiments. Writing is her passion and she loves all things paranormal, both reading and writing books. She lives in Avoca AR with her husband and oldest daughter and a cat named Felix. 

 

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Release Boost ~ Damaged Goods ~ by ~ L. Wilder

Title: Damaged Goods
Series: The Redemption Series
Author: L. Wilder
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: June 8, 2017

 

“Damaged Goods is a emotional roller-coaster of a read that will grab you from the start, it will mess with your heart, nerves and give your body the tingles.” ~Books, Wine & Time


“OMG HOLY HELL! My emotions are still all over the place, even after finishing it over 24 hours ago.” ~The Power of Three Readers


“Heartbreakingly sweet with just the right amount of suspense to keep you glued to the pages.” ~You Can’t Resista Dirty Book

 

New York Times and USA Today Best Seller L. Wilder presents a new romance series where the broken find their redemption.
Every man has his weakness. She was mine.
Nitro-
The job was simple- get the girl and bring her home, but with one look, she became my obsession. The blonde, blue-eyed beauty with the sinful curves wasn’t mine to keep, but I wasn’t about to let her go. I was determined to have her, no matter the consequences.
She was the only one who could calm the beast that raged inside of me. So, I risked everything and did what had to be done – for her.
Tristen-
Nathan James was every girl’s fantasy- rich, powerful, and hot beyond words. He saved me during my darkest hour. Like me, he was damaged, scarred by the memories of a horrible past. I saw the way he looked at me, like a predator about to take his prey, but as much as I craved his touch, I wanted something more. I wanted his heart.
I’m afraid I’ve just exchanged one hell for another.
Will their love heal the wounds of their past, or will they both remain damaged goods?
While Damaged Goods is the first in a new series, the main characters were introduced in the Satan’s Fury MC series. This is a full-length standalone novel filled with romance, suspense, and a lot of heart. I’m a firm believer that bad boys need love, too. Damaged Goods is intended for mature audiences only due to the explicit language and violence.

 

 

Blog Tour ~ Can’t Buy Me Love ~ by ~ Marie Force

Today we are on the blog tour for CAN’T BUY ME LOVE, a contemporary romance title that is part of the Green Mountain/Butler, Vermont series by Marie Force. Check out the buy links and teasers for the book below.

CAN’T BUY ME LOVE by Marie Force

The 8th title in the Green Mountain/Butler, Vermont Series

Book Blurb:

Mary Larkin was hard at work as the office manager at the Green Mountain Country Store when Cameron Murphy brought her dad, Patrick, in to visit. That fateful first meeting, which took place in You’ll Be Mine, sets the stage for Mary and Patrick’s long-awaited romance in Can’t Buy Me Love!

Mary enjoys her predictable, satisfying life in Butler. If it’s a little lacking in excitement, well, that’s okay with her. But after meeting Patrick and getting to know him better at his daughter’s wedding, Mary is intrigued by the well-known, sexy billionaire businessman.

Patrick is equally intrigued. For the first time since he suddenly lost his wife thirty years ago, he has met a woman who makes him feel less lonely, and all he wants is more of his Sweet Mary from Vermont. Flirty phone calls become a weekend away together that takes his relationship with Mary to the next level.

But with six hours and two vastly different lives standing between them, can Mary and Patrick find happily ever after together? And after telling her father to keep his hands and everything else off Mary, will Cameron approve of her father’s new romance?

PURCHASE IT NOW!

Kindle | iBooks | Nook | Kobo | Google

PURCHASE IN PRINT FROM AMAZON | MARIE’S STORE

—————

CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE GREEN MOUNTAIN AND BUTLER, VERMONT SERIES

EXCERPT:

Later that night, they sat in front of the fire playing a competitive game of checkers that she was winning, but not by much.

“Are you sure you’re not cheating?” he asked as he refilled both their glasses with Chardonnay. The firelight cast her in a warm glow that only made her more attractive to him. Her cheeks bore the slightest flush from the heat of the fire and the wine. Patrick remembered that wine had made her cheeks rosy at Will and Cameron’s wedding. He remembered every minute he’d spent with her, and that alone made her different from any other woman he’d spent time with since he’d lost his wife.

“I do not cheat,” she said indignantly—and adorably. “You’re just mad because you win at every game you play, which makes you a sore loser when things don’t go your way.”

“That’s very true,” he replied bluntly, making her laugh. “I don’t like to lose.”

“I would imagine you have very little experience with losing.”

“I have some.” His brows furrowed as he examined the board, delight unfurling inside him when he saw the chance to win—and win big. “And I’m very sorry to say that I’m not going to add to my loser résumé tonight.” With his one king, he performed a triple jump that basically wiped out her remaining checkers.

Stunned, she stared at the board where she’d been thoroughly decimated. “You did not just do that.”

“I’m afraid it had to be done.”

“That was not nice.”

“No, it wasn’t. But all’s fair in love and checkers.”

“Of course I knew you had this ruthless side to you. You don’t get to where you are without being ruthless, but that… That was just…”

“Brilliant?” He loved to goad her and to watch her expressive face as she formulated what was certain to be a witty reply.

“Evil is the word I would use.”

“I’m very sorry.”

“No, you’re not! And P.S., I quit.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You want to play Monopoly instead?”

“Absolutely not. I can’t even imagine how good at that you must be.”

He flashed a smug grin. “I’ve never lost a game of Monopoly.”

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Marie Force is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 50 contemporary romances, including the Gansett Island Series, which has sold nearly 3 million books, and the Fatal Series from Harlequin Books, which has sold 1.5 million books. In addition, she is the author of the Butler, Vermont Series, the Green Mountain Series and the erotic romance Quantum Series, written under the slightly modified name of M.S. Force. All together, her books have sold more than 5.5 million copies worldwide!

Her goals in life are simple—to finish raising two happy, healthy, productive young adults, to keep writing books for as long as she possibly can and to never be on a flight that makes the news.
Join Marie’s mailing list for news about new books and upcoming appearances in your area. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter @marieforce and on Instagram. Join one of Marie’s many reader groups. Contact Marie at marie@marieforce.com.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Newsletter | Goodreads

Join Marie’s Reader Groups

InkSlinger Blogger Final

Release Blitz ~ Above and Beyond ~ by ~ Kathryn Shay

Title: Above and Beyond
Series: To Serve and Protect #1
Author: Kathryn Shay 
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: June 13, 2017

A family of heroes, all in dangerous jobs, all irrevocably tied to those they love. Read about the Marino clan in this fast-paced, emotional new series, To Serve and Protect, by NYT bestselling author Kathryn Shay.

Nick Marino is the top guy on POTUS’s Secret Service detail. But he’s temporarily sent to upstate New York to guard the president’s sister, Isabelle Barton, who is being threatened in anonymous notes. There, Nick becomes involved with the widowed mom and twin boys, who quickly win over what he thought was his hardened heart. Amidst the heightened anxiety of tracking down the threats, the constant vigilance and an ever-growing sexual attraction between Isabelle and Nick, these two people must uncover not only the plot against her, but determine what to do about their impossible romance.

ABOVE AND BEYOND provides a deep dive into the life of a Secret Service agent and a close look at being related to the most powerful man in the world, along with the glamor of Washington, D.C. politics. The story will keep you interested and capture your heart.

Prologue  

“I need you to go to Catasaga, Nick. Indefinitely. Isabelle is getting threatening notes. She could be in grave danger.”

Special Agent in Charge Nick Marino stared over at the President of the United States, trying to hide his shock. The Oval Office felt hot all of a sudden, though the cool rain dribbled down outside the open window facing the Rose Garden. “Seriously?”

From behind the big oak desk, the President gave a small smile.

Nick’s reaction was inappropriate. He shook off the emotion. “Excuse me, sir, but I’m surprised. Of course, I’ll do this willingly.” 

Tall and built like a football player, James Monroe Manwaring snickered. “You’re probably furious as hell with me. But there are a couple of perks to the assignment. I’m sending Agent Dwyer in with you.”

“Ah.” He’d never worked with his cousin Whitney, who’d become a legend of her own in the service. Manwaring would know her presence in upstate New York sweetened the pot.

“And in a year, when your time on the presidential detail is up, I’ll see what I can do for you. I hear one of the deputies to the director might be leaving then.” 

Nick would move heaven and earth to get in line for the agency’s head job, and the President knew it. Since Nick had joined the Secret Service eighteen years ago, his sole aspiration was to fill the position. Every single career move he’d made had been calculated with that in mind.

“But there’s more to why I chose you.” The President frowned. “The agency has had too many screwups lately. I need someone I can trust up there.”

In recent years, several incidents had blighted the reputation of the service big-time. Agents had allowed the White House to be breached. They’d been drunk and disorderly on the grounds. And most reprehensible, they’d behaved abominably on advance travel visits. His own brother had been a victim of one of these events, though there were extenuating circumstances.

“I understand, Mr. President. And I apologize for my initial reaction.”

“I appreciate your cooperation, Nick.”

“Do we have any leads on who’s threatening her?”

“No, we don’t. My gut says that it’s me they’re after, through Isabelle. I’ve alienated people, even before I became President.”

He had. As attorney general, he’d busted up a ring of dirty cops, been responsible for a myriad of drug arrests and even taken on two corrupt senators and one judge. Because of all that, when he was elected POTUS, he’d been given the code name Pit Bull.  

Sighing, Nick tried to accept that he was going to be a babysitter for several weeks. The very thought of it frustrated him. Because there was nothing more that Nick Marino wanted than to be in the kill zone.

A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Kathryn Shay has been a lifelong writer and teacher.

She has written dozens of self-published original romance titles, including print books with the Berkley Publishing

Group and Harlequin Enterprises, and mainstream women’s fiction with Bold Strokes Books. She has won five

RT Book Reviews awards, four Golden Quills, four Holt Medallions, the Bookseller’s Best Award, Foreword

Magazine’s Book of the Year, and several “Starred Reviews.” Her novels have been serialized in Cosmopolitan

Magazine and featured in USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and People magazine.

There are over five million copies of her books in print, along with hundreds of thousands

downloaded online. Reviewers have called her work “emotional and heart-wrenching.”


Release Day Launch & Review ~ My Kinda Night ~ by ~ Lacey Black

Today we have the release day blitz for My Kinda Night by Lacey Black! Grab your copy today!

Title: My Kinda Night (Summer Sisters, Book 2)

Author: Lacey Black

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Photographer & Cover Design: Sara Eirew

About My Kinda Night:

Payton Summer doesn’t have time for love. Between running her own business in her hometown of Jupiter Bay and her monthly night out with her sisters, Payton has no room for men, dating, or the drama that it entails. Her life is fine just the way it is. Yet, her attraction to the one man she shouldn’t want can’t be ignored.

Dean McIntire has one rule: don’t date clients. It’s a lesson he learned the hard way, and sees the consequence every day when he looks at his five-year-old daughter. It’s not a rule he’d break again. Until he meets the gorgeous Payton Summer, and suddenly, Dean finds himself ready to throw the rule book right out the window.

What happens when the sparks of lust can’t be denied? One night turns in to two, and two turns in to more. Payton and Dean find themselves unable to stay away, but can they survive when their secrets are exposed?

*Though part of a series, this book can be read as a standalone. It is intended for those 18 and over due to graphic language, descriptive sex, and the world’s most inappropriate grandparents.

Get your Copy Today!

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | iBooks | Kobo | B&N | Goodreads

Catch up on the series today!

Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | IBooks | Kobo | B&N

Exclusive Excerpt:

It’s a Summer sister tradition that on the first Saturday of each month, the six of us get together. We take turns picking the location or activity, anything from margaritas and a movie to wine and painting classes at the small gallery uptown. One thing, though, is as certain as the sun rising over the Chesapeake Bay every morning; there will be alcohol involved.

Always.

Tonight, it’s another stupid painting class. Create and Paint, that’s what this class is called. I prefer to call it “Painting sucks, let’s get drunk!” while I chug my fruity Moscato because that’s the only wine worth drinking. Abby whips out red every once in a while and I swear to God Almighty that I’m going to shrivel up and die like those nasty, sour grapes used to create red wine.

I’m the oldest of six Summer girls. Of course, I’m the boss, the leader, and the best at everything (except painting, obviously). As I approach my thirty-third birthday in a couple of weeks at the end of January, I also realize that spending time with my sisters as much as I do is going to become more of a challenge.

Jaime is three years younger than me. She’s the sister who ran away to college and never came back. Well, at least until her fiancé left her the week before the wedding. She moved home, had to move in with our dad and grandparents, and worked for me at Blossoms and Blooms for a short period of time.

Then she met Ryan. Watching those two discover their love for each other was like watching soft porn. Sparks and hormones flew like fireworks every time those two were within a fifty-foot radius of each other.

AJ is the third sister at twenty-eight, or Alison Jane as her birth certificate states. Though, we’ve called her by her nickname for as long as I can remember. She’s the eighth grade math teacher at Jupiter Bay Junior High, home of the Hawks, where she’s taught ever since receiving her teaching degree. She has also enrolled in online classes for her Master’s degree. As of January twentieth, AJ will be a night student.

After AJ comes Meghan. She’s twenty-six and a hygienist at the local dental office. How someone can work inside another’s mouth all day and not get grossed out is beyond me. But she does it. Daily. Meg is also engaged to Josh, a man who treats her like the princess she is. Meg and Josh became engaged in December during a romantic trip to New York City for their anniversary. He went all out: Empire State Building, fancy dinner, down on one knee. It was perfect, just like they are.

Rounding out the Summer sisters are the twins, Lexi and Abby. Lexi, short for Alexis, gives me a run for my money in the boss department and is a hairdresser uptown. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, Chris, who rarely attends any of our family functions. He’s busy trying to take over the financial world, and believes that the only way to achieve that is to work nonstop. I don’t think it’s all roses and fairytales at the Jacobson house.

Abby, or Abigail, was born mere minutes before Lexi, but is as different as can be. She’s reserved, quiet, and shy in ways that the rest of us aren’t. Abby is an English Literature major and works as an editor for a major publishing house out of California. She’s on her computer all day, and rarely ventures out of her little apartment. It’s my goal in this new year to get her out and into the dating world, especially in light of the fact that her love for her best friend is unrequited. Levi is a great friend, but doesn’t see the wonderful woman before him. He’s too busy sticking his penis inside of every woman in the state of Virginia. (I say that lovingly.)

Let’s not forget our father, Brian, and our grandparents, Orval and Emma. Inappropriate doesn’t quite adequately describe the older couple who helped raise all six of us after our mom died. I was seventeen when she succumbed to ovarian cancer, leaving my father behind to get six girls through the teenage years. Enter the grandparents. I’ve got stories for miles, but we’ll get to those later.

Born and raised in Jupiter Bay, a small town of about eight thousand along the Chesapeake Bay, I’ve become accustomed to the small town lifestyle. I own the local flower shop, where I devote every ounce of my soul to making it a success. I’m not gonna lie, I had my doubts there at the beginning. I didn’t know anything about running a business, but was determined to make it work. It’s a lot of work, especially with a small staff of one other employee to keep overhead down, but I’m successful. And proud of it!

And that brings us to tonight. It’s the first Saturday of the New Year and we’re busy celebrating with sandcastles and wine. Hops and Grapes, a local retailer for microbrews and wines made on the east coast, is the place for tonight’s Paint and Create class. Right now, my beach scene resembles something a kindergartener would draw with finger paints.

“Mix together a little white with the brown until you get the light sandy color you’re looking for. Dab your brush in the water and then in the paint, and make long strokes across the canvas.”

Giggles erupt beside me. “She said long strokes,” Lexi whispers not so quietly.

“I get to make long strokes. Ryan is impressively large in the man-junk area,” Jaime says, gulping the last of her wine.

“Yes, we know. You tell us every chance you get.” This from Abby.

“Yeah, it’s starting to get annoying. If I had an impressive man-sword waiting for me at home every night, I’d never leave the house,” AJ adds.

“Not worth it. I’ll take my rabbit over a man any day. That baby has seven speeds and a rotating head,” I grumble, making a mess out of my sandy beach.

“Stop being so grumpy. Maybe if you actually had the real deal for a while, you wouldn’t be so damn cynical all the time,” Jaime says from across the table. She never takes her eyes off her canvas as she makes smooth, straight brushstrokes.

My face burns and I pray the vultures I share genes with don’t notice. Of course I don’t get so lucky. I’ve always said if it weren’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have any luck at all. Trying to concentrate on my masterpiece, I keep my eyes down and focused on the sandcastle in the corner of the scene.

“I think there’s more to the story! Do you see her blushing?” Meghan’s laughter flits from the opposite end of the table. How in the hell she can see my face is beyond me. It’s probably that sister-radar all of us possess. It’s so damn annoying.

“I am not.” It’s a weak defense, I know, but it’s all I’ve got.

“Deny it all you want, big sister, but your face is definitely blushing,” Lexi adds.

“Ladies, when you get your sandcastle the way you want it, we’ll add a few details and highlights before moving on to the water.” The woman instructing our class has worn a constant smile the entire hour we’ve been here, and frankly, I’m starting to think she hit the sauce way before our arrival tonight.

“Why does my sand look like cellulite?” AJ asks. “I give up. I’m just drinking from here on out.”

Jaime glances over at our sister’s painting. “My God, that’s horrible. Thank God you’re not the art teacher!”

“Cheers,” AJ replies, raising her glass and tapping it against Jaime’s.

“Any wedding plans yet, Meg?” Abby asks, wetting her brush before swiping it through the paint. Always the perfect student, that one.

“Not yet. We’re thinking fall, though.” Meghan’s face lights up at the mere thought of her pending nuptials to Josh.

“That’ll be the perfect time.” Abby’s able to keep her smile happy when she’s in discussion, but I’ve seen the desolation in it too. Even tonight, I see something in her eyes that makes me sad. I’m sure her best friend is the root of her anguish, but I won’t call her out on it tonight. That’s a conversation to have at another time (with less alcohol).

By the time our three-hour torture session is up, each of us has painted waves rolling onto the beach, with a shovel, pail, and sandcastle. We pose as a group for pictures, each of us proudly displaying the fruits of our labor. My sisters each discuss where they’re going to hang their newest creation, while I contemplate which closet I’ll throw it in.

“Yours is great,” Abby says with a big smile.

“Helen Keller could have done a better job,” I retort with a snort of laughter.

As we say good night and thank the instructor, we all walk out together into the crisp early-January night. Not surprisingly, Josh and Ryan are waiting. Jaime and Meg practically run towards their men, each one jumping into their arms as if it’s been days since they’ve seen each other instead of a few hours. Longing rips through my chest and settles into my stomach, heavy and unrelenting. I try to push those pesky feelings aside, but sometimes, it’s just no use. They plant in my chest and brain and dig in deep.

“Good night,” Abby says, pulling me into a hug.

“You going out tonight?” I ask, recalling her mention of Levi’s gig earlier in the evening.

“No, I’m going to take my new painting home and hang it on the wall.”

“Wow, don’t overdo it now on a Saturday night, Abs. Too much excitement will cause wrinkles.”

“I just, I don’t really go to his gigs anymore.”

“Why?” I ask, though already knowing the answer.

She shrugs her shoulders and gives me a small smile. “Just not feeling up to it.”

I let it go. I already know she doesn’t go anymore is because it’s too painful to watch him leave with some skanky bimbo with a dress size bigger than her IQ. Levi may very well never know what he’s missing with Abby, but the romantic in me is still hopeful of him getting his shit together and realizing he loves her.

Hey, I may be cynical as hell in the love department, but I’m still a woman. And this woman wants only the best and a happily ever after for every one of her sisters.

As for me? Well, I’ve decided that my happily ever after will be in the form of cats. I’ll be the little old lady wearing hair curlers and her bathrobe around town, picking up every stray feline she can find.

And you know what? That’s okay. Not everyone is cut out for the spouse, house, and perfect postcard life. Despite what they tell you in the romance novels or in Disney movies, there isn’t someone out there for everyone. Sometimes, a person is just supposed to be alone.

That’s my destiny.

 

TBRreview.png

LOVE this series! I love the Summer sisters and their crazily inappropriate grandparents. If you want a laugh with sweetness, this is the series for you.

Payton has watched her sister Jaime find love and others find love. She had love, or so she thought, 6 years ago when her fiance broke it off. She’s resigned herself to living a lonely life with cats and going to the monthly nights out with her sisters – and their significant others who come along.

Dean is fairly new to town but has been interested by his client Payton. But he won’t get into a relationship with someone he works with again. Payton just does something to him. Payton doesn’t want a relationship either but she’s attracted to Dean also. And that seems to work for them until it doesn’t and they want more.

5 stars!

About Lacey Black:

Lacey Black is a Midwestern girl with a passion for reading, writing, and shopping. She carries her e-reader with her everywhere she goes so she never misses an opportunity to read a few pages. Always looking for a happily ever after, Lacey is passionate about contemporary romance novels and enjoys it further when you mix in a little suspense. She resides in a small town in Illinois with her husband, two children, and a chocolate lab. Lacey loves watching NASCAR races, shooting guns, and should only consume one mixed drink because she’s a lightweight.

Lacey’s debut novel, Trust Me, was released in August 2014 and has been an Amazon Bestseller twice for Free e-books, as well as #1 for Contemporary Romance. All of the Rivers Edge books have been bestsellers in the Romance and Contemporary Romance categories.

Connect with Lacey:

Email: laceyblackwrites@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorlaceyblack

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthLaceyBlack

Blog: https://laceyblack.wordpress.com

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Release Blitz ~ Hard Stick ~ by ~ L.P. Dover

Title: Hard Stick
Series: A Breakaway Novel
Author: L.P. Dover
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: June 13, 2017
Publisher: Random House/Loveswept
He carries a big stick. And he’s not afraid to use it.

On the ice, I’m Kellan Carter, powerhouse enforcer for the Charlotte Strikers. Off the ice, I’m just a regular guy. The last thing I want is to get mobbed by a bunch of groupies who are only after me for my fame and money. My ideal woman knows how to enjoy a little good, clean fun—and maybe some not-so-clean fun too. That’s the kind of girl I’d never let go.
When Kristen Robinson, the gorgeous, down-to-earth bartender I’ve been crushing on, agrees to let me take her out, I’m thrilled. We have an amazing night together, culminating in the most electrifying kiss of my life—and that’s it. Kristen tells me we can’t see each other again, but I know that kiss meant as much to her as it did to me. What I don’t know is that Kristen has a dangerous secret. . . .
I’ve proved to Kristen that she can trust me with her body and her heart. But when her past comes back to haunt her, I need to prove that she can trust me with her life. And I might have to get my hands dirty after all.
** Hard Stick is an action-packed romantic suspense. Just to warn you, the story line does NOT center around hockey. The main character plays but a lot of the book is set outside of the rink. **


“So what happened to Maddox? I couldn’t help but notice his face.”
Dallas and Braeden glanced at each other and chuckled. “Kellan fucked him up in practice,” Dallas replied.
I gasped. “Why?”
He finished off his beer, and I could tell he was feeling it by the lazy smile. “It’s what he does. Maddox was being a dick and Kellan put a stop to it. It’s why he’s our captain.”
“Wow, that’s craziness.”
I ran his card and held it out to him, but he grabbed on to my hand. “You haven’t agreed to go out with him, have you?”
“Who? Kellan?” I asked. The girls gawked at me and snorted.
He nodded. “Yeah.”
“No, why?”
“Just asking,” he said with a shrug. He put his arm around the blonde and they started for the door. “It’d be nice to get the five hundred dollars.” They stopped and he smiled at me over his shoulder.
“What are you talking about?” I demanded.
Braeden sighed and smacked Dallas on the back of the head. “Stop fucking with the girl.” Then he turned to me. “It was just a stupid bet.”
“Stupid?” Dallas laughed. “You put three hundred on it, so I don’t want hear that shit.” In a drunken haze, he smiled over at me. “Just do us a favor and don’t go out with him until after the weekend. We made a bet that he couldn’t get you by the end of the week.”
Braeden hit him again. “What the fuck? Shut the hell up.” He pushed Dallas out the door and they all followed him. So Kellan agreed to the bet? That was mighty bold of him.
I could hear steps on the hardwood floor behind me. “You all right?” Chris asked.
Turning on my heel, I smiled. “Yep.” If Kellan was trying to win the bet, he wasn’t trying very hard. But then again, maybe five hundred dollars was nothing compared to the money he earned. I used to make a good living, but at least I was able to retrieve the money I had in the bank before my supposed death. Having that money helped, especially since I didn’t make nearly as much working at the pub. Hopefully soon I’d be back to doing what I loved.
“Why don’t you go home? I can finish up here,” Chris offered.
“You sure? I don’t mind staying.”
He shook his head. “Go. You do enough here as it is.”
I hurried behind the bar and grabbed my purse. “Thanks, Chris. After all the training Aylee puts me through, I’m exhausted by nine o’clock.”
“I can imagine.” He laughed. “I know not to mess with you now.”
Aylee taught me many self-defense techniques and how to fight. Before, I had no clue what to do if someone attacked me. After everything that happened with Mitchell and Cole, I had to make sure I was ready for anything. At least now, I wouldn’t have to worry about it anymore.
I waved goodbye to Chris and then walked out the door. The night was cool and I breathed in the clean air; the smell of rain was near. We needed it after the long, dry summer we had. Looking over at my car, I didn’t realize there was a truck parked next to me with someone leaning against it. It wasn’t just anysomeone, either.
“Where were you tonight?” I asked, looking straight at Kellan’s smiling face. He had on a pair of jeans that hung low on his hips with a snug green T-shirt that showed off his perfectly sculpted arms. Why did he have to be so sexy? Not to mention, he had perfectly straight, white teeth, which I thought would be a rarity among hockey players.
“So you missed me, huh?”
His smile was infectious and I caught myself smiling back. “I wouldn’t say missed, but I was curious where you were. I saw what you did to Maddox.”
He shrugged. “It had to be done. Maddox has a large fucking head and needed to be brought down.”
I held up my hands. “You don’t have to explain. I, of all, people know what kind of head he has.” It was the size of the entire country.
Chuckling, he stepped forward, his gaze roaming over my body. “You seem different tonight. It’s not very often you smile.”
I hadn’t had a reason to, but I couldn’t tell him that. “Maybe it’s because I know something you don’t.”
“Oh yeah? What’s that?”
“Uh, I don’t know, perhaps something about a bet?”
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author L. P. Dover is a southern belle living in North Carolina with her husband and two beautiful girls. Before she began her literary journey she worked in periodontics, enjoying the wonderment of dental surgeries.

She loves to write, but she also loves to play tennis, go on mountain hikes and white water rafting, and has a passion for singing. Her two youngest fans expect a concert each and every night before bedtime, usually Christmas carols.

Dover has written countless novels, including her Forever Fae series, the Second Chances series, the Gloves Off series, the Armed & Dangerous series, the Royal Shifters series, the Society X series, the Circle of Justice series, and her standalone novel Love, Lies, and Deception. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense, but if she got to choose a setting in which to live, it would be with her faeries in the Land of the Fae.
L.P. Dover is represented by Marisa Corvisiero of Corvisiero Literary Agency and Italia Gandolfo of Gandolfo Helin & Fountain Literary Management for dramatic rights.

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Release Blitz ~ Different Sides ~ by ~ Marissa Dobson

Title: Different Sides
Series: Phantom Security Book 1
Author: Marissa Dobson
Genre: Romantic Suspense/Contemporary Romance
Release Date: June 13, 2017
Murder? One call is all it takes to shatter Elise Dalton’s heart. Her father’s been murdered and the accused is none other than the man she had given her heart to. Though he’d cut himself out of her life years earlier, being the daughter to the chief of police, she has heard enough gossip to let her know that the choices he’s made have lead him down a path of self-destruction. He isn’t the same man she’d fallen in love with but a part of her doesn’t want to believe he could kill her father in cold blood.
Gun carrying, motorcycle riding, bad boy Flash Arquette has done some terrible shit in his life. He’s even taken the fall for someone, and every time he’s done the time for his crimes. This time, though, he’s innocent and no one’s listening to him. He doesn’t care what anyone thinks of him except Elise. She had to know the truth. He’s hurt her enough in the past, but he would never have done this to her. The only problem is the convincing evidence against him and his inability to give them proof of his innocence without breaking the contract he signed.
Their lives have taken opposing paths, but as the steel bars close around Flash, Elise realizes she’s lost him for good. The small ray of hope that he could change dies and the grief doubles. When those around Flash come forth with information that he’s been set up, she’s not sure she believes them, but she has to find out the truth. Nothing will bring her father back but she might be able to save Flash from death row.

Chapter One:

Law and order had been drilled into Elise Dalton’s head since she was old enough to understand what it was. According to her father, being the daughter of the chief of police left her with a bigger responsibility. She was supposed to set an example. Live her life on the straight and narrow—and for the most part, she did. The only time she took the detour road was for the man she thought she’d spend her life with—Flash Arquette.
During the freshman year of high school, the Arquettes had moved down the block from her and shook up the once quiet, small town. Mr. Arquette was a drunk who thrived on trouble and violence. If he wasn’t causing a disturbance at the town’s only bar, he was at home beating his sons, Rocco and Flash. How many times had her father locked Mr. Arquette up? Each time, his sister, who lived a couple of towns over, would come and take care of the boys until he was released, only to have the cycle repeat itself within a few weeks.
Now, standing in the front yard of the house she grew up in, she glanced toward the old Arquette place. Twilight was quickly turning to dark, making it hard to see anything except the outline of the house. No one had lived there in years and in the day, the neglect was clear. Tall grass, weeds growing through the cement driveway and around the walkway, the broken window, and missing siding made it clear to anyone that it had been abandoned for years. Just glancing at it made her wonder why her father hadn’t done something all those years ago. Maybe if he could have locked Mr. Arquette up for longer than a few days, the boys would have had a fighting chance. Maybe their aunt would have taken them in and raised them right. If only her father had acted more on the situation, maybe he’d still be alive.
Silent tears rolled down her cheeks while inside, her temper raged. She wanted revenge but she could almost hear her father’s words in her ear. Let the justice system do what it’s intended to do. It takes time but it works. Did it really? If so, it would have saved the Arquette boys. It would have given Mrs. Arquette justice. And Flash…
“Ms. Dalton?”
Hearing her name spoken brought her out of the past. She glanced in the direction of the sound. A sleek black town car was parked at the end of the driveway but it was the man getting out who caught her attention. His sun-kissed skin and black wavy hair reminded her of someone she couldn’t place—though the perfectly tailored suit, and the fact he was being driven by a chauffeur, told her he didn’t belong there.
“Ms. Elise Dalton?”
“It’s a bad time. You’ll need to come back…” She wanted to say ‘never’ but she doubted that was an option. Whatever this man wanted, she didn’t have time for it. She had just come from the funeral home where she’d made plans for her father’s funeral. Right now, all she wanted was to be alone, not to deal with people. She took a step back toward the house, quickly finding her key.
“I only need a moment of your time.” His voice sounded closer, nearly right behind her, but she didn’t turn back to look.
“I don’t know who you are, but right now I don’t care. I’ve asked you to leave once and if you’re persistent I’ll have to call my fa…” Tears sprang to her eyes as she slid the key into the lock. Silently, she fought back the tears, refusing to cry in front of him.
“Elise—”
“I told you, now’s not a good time.” The door opened and she stepped into the doorframe, forcing herself to look at him. His brown gaze caught her attention and for a moment she thought she was looking into someone else’s eyes.
“Five minutes, that’s all I need.” Stepping closer, he placed his hand on the door, crowding her space.
“Fuck, man! Don’t you get it? I can’t do this now. I just…he’s…”
“I get it, but I have a message that can’t wait.”
The anger over this man’s persistence was quickly being replaced by fear. Something about a message made her want to reach into her bag for her gun. She wasn’t on duty so she hadn’t put her gun on her belt. Instead, she’d left it in her bag.
“Are you listening to me?”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I don’t want any trouble.” Her father was dead; why would anyone be after her? She had nothing to do with whatever he was investigating. They might have been in similar career fields but they didn’t discuss their work. They were both committed to their jobs, often bringing their work home with them, but it didn’t impact their time together. Hell, she hadn’t even been in town in over a week. I missed the last days of his life…
She watched the man’s lips move but her brain refused to focus until the last word. El. “What did you say? What did you call me?” Her knees went weak, forcing her to wobble and take a step back to regain her footing.
“You need to sit down. Let me help you inside.” He grabbed hold of her arm and she went stiff under his touch. “You don’t recognize me, do you? Shit, Elise, I thought you said you didn’t want any problems because you knew who I am.”
“Sir.” A bulky man in a dark suit came up the sidewalk toward the porch.
“Everything’s fine. Watch the house. I’m taking her inside.” Before she could argue, he swooped her into his arms and strolled into her house. He kicked the door shut behind him as he carried her toward the living room.
“Put me down,” she demanded, even though she wasn’t sure if she could stand. Her body felt as if it was liquid—nothing felt right.
He sat her down on the sofa and grabbed the patchwork quilt off the back, draping it around her shoulders. “I’m not surprised you still have this, but I am surprised you have it out. It must have driven your old man insane.”
“You know…” Her words faded as he leaned over and flicked the light on. For the first time, she was able to completely take in the man before her and her gaze fell on the jagged scar across his cheek. “No…it can’t be. Rocco?” Terrible thoughts crossed her mind as she realized Flash’s brother was in her house. She quickly wondered if he was there to kill her before she realized she hadn’t done anything wrong. She hadn’t been in town when her father was killed, so they couldn’t be concerned she’d been a witness to any of it.
“The one and only.” He squatted down in front of her. “Flash called me.”
“Flash…” She wasn’t sure if she wanted to cry or scream at the mention of him; either way she wanted to do it alone. “I think you should leave.”
“I’m innocent, El, I swear. That’s the message I came here to deliver. That’s what I tried to tell you earlier but I don’t think you were listening to me. You just stared past me.” He placed his hand over hers. “Elise, I’m truly sorry. This is one of those situations that all the money in the world doesn’t fix. You have to know, I would if I could.”
“Really? Because if you’re in town, I’m betting you’ve hired a lawyer for him. A high-powered lawyer…someone who could get him off or at least procure a lighter sentence. You don’t care about me or my father. You’re only here to lighten the load on your conscience.” She pulled her hand out from under his.
“You’re damn right; I hired him a lawyer because—”
“I don’t need to hear your excuses. He murdered a police officer and could be looking at the death penalty.” Her chest tightened at the very thought but she forced herself to continue. “He’s your family. I understand you want to save him, but I don’t need to hear it.”
He rose to his feet, grabbing hold of her wrist and pulling her up with him. “Didn’t you hear me when I gave you his message? He didn’t do it.”
“Bullshit.” She tried to pull her wrist from his grasp but he held tighter.
“When have you ever known Flash to fight against the charges? Even the computer fraud charges, when we both know he didn’t do that. A newborn baby has more computer sense than my brother.”
“The evidence—”
“Is manufactured,” he supplied before she could finish. “Flash would give his life to protect you. He wouldn’t want to see you like this. Your old man could be an asshole, but he was your family. Flash respected that. Your father would have never approved of him and for that reason he took himself out of the equation so you wouldn’t be hurt.”
He broke my heart. Yet, she refused to admit that aloud. “It doesn’t change anything.”
“It changes everything.”
“The evidence they have could put him away for life, if not land him on death row.” She didn’t want to admit it but if Rocco was telling her the truth, then her father might never see justice for his murder. He believed in the system. Now, if she believed the man standing in front of her, the wrong person was going to get convicted and her father’s real killer would go free. She didn’t know what to think.
“Elise, I know you’re upset right now but before you allow this to erase the good times you’ve shared with Flash, give us time to prove his innocence.”
“That’s not how this works.” She dropped down onto the sofa, forcing him to let go of her wrist, because her energy was gone. “You’re not supposed to have to prove you’re innocent. They’re supposed to prove you’re guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
“Your father stood for the law and he taught you to believe in the system. Now that you’re older, you’ve had to realize it doesn’t always work that way. The police here have been gunning for Flash for years. They’ve picked him up for little things, never the bust they want. Flash is far from innocent in many things, but murdering your father…no.” He stepped back from the sofa.
“How can you be so sure?”
“Can’t you trust me on this for now? I’ll get you the proof. I just need some time.”
She sat there in silence for a moment debating what he said before finally shaking her head. “No, Rocco, I’m sorry. I can’t. My father was murdered; if not by him, then by someone else. If it really was someone else, he could be getting farther away as we speak. If you want me to believe you, then give me something—anything.”
With every word, she could feel the desperation getting heavier. She wanted to believe him, she wanted Flash to be innocent, but she couldn’t believe any of this on Rocco’s word. She didn’t know him well enough to know if he was lying. If Flash had been standing before her, she might believe it, maybe because she wanted him to be innocent—but more than that she’d know if he was lying to her. Years earlier, she realized he had a tell, allowing her to know whenever he was lying.
“Twenty minutes before the…” He paused, as if he didn’t know what he wanted to call the murder of her father. “He was with me. A confidential business meeting. Shit, Elise, that’s all I can give you. I’m in violation of my contract by telling you that much. I need a few hours and I’ll have the red tape cleared enough that he’ll be alibied.”
“Twenty minutes before? Are you serious? That’s not a strong enough alibi.”
“It is when the meeting happened in New York. There was no way Flash could have gotten back into town in twenty minutes.” He dragged his hand through his hair. “I pulled Flash into this because I needed his skills. It’s going to save his life; otherwise they’d send him up the river until they could shove a needle in his arm, ending his life. Trust me when I tell you he’s not just in this mess because of the life he’s chosen to live. I’ve made enemies in my business and they can’t come after me personally—I’m too well protected—so they go after the only one left to them.”
“What kind of meeting?” she pressed, needing more.
He slipped his hand into his jacket pocket and ignored her question. “I’ve got someone working on the traffic cameras. They’ll find further proof he wasn’t anywhere near Pinewood when this happened.”
“Roc—”
“Twelve hours.” From his pocket, he pulled out a business card. “I need you to trust me for twelve hours and I’ll have Flash out of jail. Once that’s taken care of, I’ll help you find the person responsible. My cell number’s on the back; call me if you need anything. I’m staying in town until this matter is resolved.” He started to walk away from her.
“You never answered my question.”
“I can’t.” He glanced back at her. “Elise, you mean a great deal to my brother, and if I could tell you I would, but I can’t. The information I’ve already told you puts us both at risk. Anything further would be disastrous. I can tell you this: the same organization that signs your check also signs the ones for me and Flash.”
Without another word, he was gone, leaving her more confused than she had been. Leaning back against the sofa, she let the first tears fall. Her gaze scanned the pictures displayed above the fireplace but her mind couldn’t focus on what she was seeing. She was too full of grief and unanswered questions to appreciate the memories called by the images before her. What the hell did Rocco mean? The same organization? That wasn’t possible. Was it?
More confused than before, she pulled the quilt into her lap and stared down at it. The worn quilt had been her favorite since that rainy afternoon she’d spent making it with her mother. Dad had always thought it was precious to her because of the time she’d spent with Mom. Little did he know it was because of the small cloth squares. Each one represented a memory she’d made with Flash. Their first date, first kiss…she even had pieces of the shirt she’d worn as they were moving in to the house down the street. It was so full of memories and on every visit home, she used it. She always figured she chose to leave it there because it was where she could use it the most. After all, she spent more time in Pinewood than at her own condo, but now, she realized, it was a small jab at her father. To have this as a centerpiece of the living room and their time together was a reminder she never stopped loving Flash. He had always been there with her, even once he took himself out of the picture. She ran her fingers over the soft material. How did things get so fucked up?
* * *
It wasn’t the first time Flash Arquette had found himself behind bars. Still, he flinched as the bars slammed shut behind him. With the life he lived, he’d expected to be back after his last stint in prison, but he never would have dreamed it would happen with a murder charge hanging over his head.
Most people in Pinewood considered him a good for nothing criminal but they didn’t know him. Every decision he made seemed to be the right one at the time. If a woman was getting the shit beat out of her by some asshole, he couldn’t stand around and do nothing. He’d seen it too many times when he was a child—when his father had beat his mother and he’d been too young to stop it. Now, he wasn’t. It had cost him a few years in prison for attempted murder, but those years proved worth it when he found out the woman had managed to get out of the situation and was now living her life in Florida. If only someone could have helped his mother like that, maybe she wouldn’t be dead.
“This place is a second home to you, isn’t it, Arquette?” The guard chuckled as he removed the cuffs. “Get used to it. You’re not going to slither away this time.”
Glaring at the guard, he refused to comment. Anything he could say would make the bastard think he was getting under his skin. Everyone at Pinewood Police Department was pretty happy with themselves for taking him down, but soon they’d be put in their place. He had to trust Rocco and his people to get this taken care of.
The guard retreated, leaving him alone in his cell to think on his sins. He rubbed the red marks from the handcuffs. The metal cuffs were tight enough to dig into his skin but he refused to give them the satisfaction. “Fucking bastards.”
The police force had fixed eyes on him for more than a year now, determined to lock him up before his crew had a chance to do any further damage to their peaceful town. Even the town residents had decided he was guilty, no matter the charges. Now they’d want his head. It seemed they weren’t satisfied with him behind bars; they wanted him dead.
Prison was no easy ride, but it was part of his life. Before this mess, he would do his time without a fight. Not this time. This time, he was innocent—and this wasn’t the kind of fake, meaningless claim half the people in prison made. No, this time he hadn’t even been in town when the crime happened.
This wasn’t just a small crime that maybe he’d do a few months or even years for. This was murder and they were already talking about the death penalty. Chief Dalton had been murdered in cold blood and they were pinning it on him.
“Fuck!” Anger overwhelming him, he slammed his fist into the cement wall. “El…” He sank down onto the small metallic frame with a worn-out mattress on top and allowed his thoughts to turn to Elise Dalton. His El, the only woman he’d ever loved.
Did she believe he was capable of the pending charges? They both knew he was capable of murder but did she believe he’d kill her father? No matter the cost to himself, he would have never done that to her. El meant more to him than his own life.
He wasn’t sure if he was angrier about the police department trying to pin the murder on him so they could get him out of the picture, or whether the system both her and her father stood for was failing her when she needed it the most. She believed in the system and fought for justice, but now it was robbing her by arresting the wrong person. With him in jail, they weren’t out there searching for the actual murderer. “I’m sorry, El.”
Her father had never liked him. Flash had never been good enough for his daughter. He knew he didn’t deserve El, but he loved her, and even though Chief Dalton had been determined to keep them apart, he couldn’t stop them. In the end, it was Flash’s own actions that caused him to lose her. She was his everything. The one soft spot he had. To this day—if she called him, he’d be there.
She needed him now more than ever, but where was he? Behind bars accused of killing her father. I’m coming, El. Don’t give up on me, sweetie.
Born and raised in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, Marissa Dobson now resides about an hour from Washington, D.C. She’s a lady who likes to keep busy, and is always busy doing something. With two different college degrees, she believes you are never done learning.

Being the first daughter to an avid reader, this gave her the advantage of learning to read at a young age. Since learning to read she has always had her nose in a book. It wasn’t until she was a teenager that she started writing down the stories she came up with.

Marissa is blessed with a wonderful supportive husband, Thomas. He’s her other half and allows her to stay home and pursue her writing. He puts up with all her quirks and listens to her brainstorm in the middle of the night.

Her writing buddy Pup Cameron, a cocker spaniel, is always around to listen to her bounce ideas off him. He might not be able to answer, but he’s helpful in his own ways.

She loves to hear from readers so send her an email at marissa@marissadobson.com or visit her online at http://www.marissadobson.com.

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Cover Reveal ~ Execution ~ by ~ Lucia Franco

Title: Execution
Series: Off Balance, Book 2
Author: Lucia Franco
Genre: Forbidden Romance
Release Date: Summer 2017

 

The move to World Cup Academy of Gymnastics is the greatest challenge Adrianna has encountered. Punished for Coach Kova’s overwhelming desires, she’s reeling with resentment while she sits out the first meet of the season. As Adrianna fights to regain her focus, he pushes her body to the extreme, leaving her mentally and physically exhausted.

Kova underestimates Adrianna’s endurance, and gravitates more toward her, despite his internal battle raging within to stay away. They try to disentangle themselves, but the tension between coach and gymnast mounts, engulfing them both in a forbidden world of deception and passion.

The one place where they should never feel alive, is where they find complete absolution. But one slip, one wrong landing, a missed grip, and everything they built can come tumbling down, damaging both their professional and personal lives.
A competitive athlete for over ten years, Lucia Franco currently resides in sunny South Florida with her husband and two boys. Paranormal romance was her first love, but she has a soft spot in her heart for small-town and reunion romance stories.

 

When Lucia is not hard at work on her next novel, you can find her relaxing with her toes in the sand at a nearby beach.

 

Find out more about Lucia at authorluciafranco.com. Make sure to join her newsletter to receive exclusive updates and more!

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