Review – Page 53 – TBR Book Blog

Release Day Blitz & Review ~ Acquisition The Complete Series ~ by ~ Celia Aaron

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Acquisition: The Complete Series

Darkness lurks in the heart of the Louisiana elite, and only one will be able to rule them as Sovereign. Sinclair Vinemont will compete for the title, and has acquired Stella Rousseau for that very purpose. Breaking her is part of the game. Loving her is the most dangerous play of all.

“Depraved, sinister and complex plot! Off-the-charts sexual tension and situations! Raw, rough and angry sex! Excellent story-telling!” – SueBee, Top 10 Goodreads Reviewer

“Love and hate combine to make the most intoxicating elixir and I can’t wait for the final installment to get another fix…” – Agents of Romance

“You took all of my emotions and played them like puppets. You stretched me further than I thought I could go. You took me to the end of my tether and then pushed me over the edge.” – PopKitty Reviews

“I loved the characters and the twists and turns of the plot, I was gripped!!” – The Saucy Owl Book Reviews

“You are testing my patience, Stella.” He stopped and pushed me up against the wall. His eyes bored into me. “Don’t ask Farns questions like that. He can’t help you.”

“I can ask whatever the hell I want.” The cocktail of emotions roiling inside me had made me bold, even in the face of Vinemont’s wrath.

His gaze travelled over my face, down to my lips and then back to my eyes. “That’s where you’re wrong.”

He gripped my hair and pulled my head to the side. His mouth was at my ear again, his Southern drawl whispering darkly to me. “I thought I made it clear that I own you now. You do as I say. If you don’t, I’ll make sure your father feels the brunt of your punishment.”

He stepped into me, pressing my back into the wall and crushing me painfully. I yelped at the sudden aggression. He clapped his free hand over my mouth. I hit ineffectually at his sides, his back. I even tried to knee him, but he took advantage of my efforts and pushed one of his large thighs between my legs and lifted so I was straddling him.

“Fuck.” It was a gravelly whisper.

My heart beat faster and faster, panic welling up inside and drowning out any other emotion. He was going to hurt me. Right here, right now in this sunny hallway.

He pulled my hair harder and harder until I thought he would rip it out. I stopped struggling.

“Better. Here’s how this is going to go, Stella. You are going to stop trying to make trouble. You are going to do as you’re told. This year will pass by much easier for you if you just follow my orders. You can fight me.” His lips moved down to my neck, a hairsbreadth from making contact. “And I’m not going to lie, I like it when you fight. It makes this easier for me. But you won’t like the results.”

This collection wasn’t something I normally read. And it definitely pushed a lot of my hard limits in reading. It was well-written, just the subject matter isn’t something I normally read – hence the 4 stars. Plus Stella is my boss’ name and that weirded me out a little, but that’s my own thing.

Stella is trying and willing to do ANYTHING to help her father avoid jail time. Sinclair is willing to test that to see just how far she will go to help her father. Stella’s determination is what starts her on a dark, depraved, journey through Louisiana’s social elite.

4 stars!

Celia Aaron is the self-publishing pseudonym of a published romance and erotica author. She loves to write stories with hot heroes and heroines that are twisty and often dark. Thanks for reading.

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Blog Tour & Review ~ Arrogant ~ by ~ Jenika Snow

Even a bad boy can wear a suit and tie…

Noah

All it took was one look at Harley to know I wanted her.

It wasn’t about the deliberate sexual dry spell I was going through either … the one I voluntarily participated in. No, there was something about her innocence and her vulnerability that had possessiveness running through my veins.

I wanted her as mine, and I’d have her. I’d show her that although I could be cruel to those who went up against me, when it came to her, I’d make the world bow down at her feet.

Harley

The intern position I had been offered was a once in a lifetime opportunity, but it also came with working for a man who had the most notorious reputation in the city.

Noah Wright was anything but Mr. Right, especially not with his arrogant, unforgiving, and tyrannical attitude. He was wealthy and gorgeous, but he struck fear into people with just a look. They knew who held the power when he was in the room. So did I.

And I was now working for him and getting an up close and personal experience with his cold, hardened, and abrasive personality … and it turned me on.

But there was something else under the frigid demeanor he showed everyone, a slice of warmth he showed only me. I knew if Noah wanted me, he could easily have me, because putting up a fight was not what I planned on doing.

I wanted him, but I wouldn’t be just a conquest. I wouldn’t make this easy for him.

Warning: Love insta-everything in a book? Like over the top sugary goodness? Want your stories dripping with cocky and possessive alpha heroes who only want one woman? Get a fan and a cold glass of water ready, because this story will definitely heat you up.

I knew this job would be challenging, but I’d had no idea working for this man would have me on the verge of drinking every single night. And it didn’t have anything to do with the fact he was so arrogant.

This had to do with the fact my libido was out of control where Mr. Wright was concerned.

He annoyed me, got under my skin, but the way I caught him watching me, looking at me like I was this sweet little morsel he wanted to get his claws into, had my body feeling like it was on fire.

But then again, he was so hard on me, and right now knowing I’d screwed up the file he’d presented to his team made me feel like shit.

He stood just a few feet from me, staring at my mouth, making me even more aware of his presence. He had me so on edge I felt like flames licked through my veins, and I stood on this ledge, waiting to crash down. I wanted him so badly, but I knew I could never have him.

He was my boss, and I certainly didn’t need an overbearing, career-driven man like him in my personal life, right?

“You can leave now,” he said, and I forced myself to take a step back. Could he tell I wasn’t only nervous but also aroused? I couldn’t help it. Being in his presence had my blood pressure rising to dangerous levels.

And the way he smelled … God, the scent was so masculine and intoxicating.

For a second I stared at him, knowing I needed to get out of there, breathe some fresh air, and get my thoughts in order. But I couldn’t move. Instead I took in the three-piece suit he wore, the dark blue material almost appearing black. His deep blue tie was in perfect place, and the white shirt beneath the vest was stark, crisp.

I’d never seen a man so masculine, the epitome of what I craved and wanted, but with Noah Wright I saw that, felt that, so much. It was like I was going to combust.

“Something else, Harley?” He lifted an eyebrow, his eyes heavy-lidded.

God, the way my name—my first name that was so inappropriate it made me hotter—rolled off his tongue in that sexual timbre made me instantly wet. I prayed the suit jacket I wore covered my shirt and that my nipples were hard. Hell, if it didn’t cover my breasts, I knew he’d see how tight the tips were.

And as if he had read my mind or I’d said the words aloud, he glanced down. The urge to cover my chest, to hide my body’s reaction to his presence, was strong. I didn’t want to, but I found myself doing it on instinct. I grabbed the edge of my jacket, closed it slightly, but all I felt was my breasts pressing together.

I saw the way he swallowed, the way his throat worked, and the way his entire body seemed tense.

God, the sexual chemistry I felt with him was so strong, but for the last two months, I’d kept busy, not about to try and let those emotions and feelings consume me.

I’m doing a shit job.

And I was. God, I was doing a shit job.

“No, Sir,” I finally said, smoothed my sweaty palms down my thighs, turned, and left. I swear I felt his eyes on me, and when I reached his door, grabbed the handle, and was about to open it, I looked over my shoulder. I don’t know why I did, but I caught him checking out my ass. He slowly lifted his gaze to mine, seemingly unashamed or apologetic that he’d just gotten caught.

No, he seemed pleased I’d seen him.

Noah is a tough, hard, CEO and his company’s internship program is intense and stringent.

Harley has passed through the rigorous interviews to earn a coveted spot as one of Noah’s interns. Once Noah sees Harley, he knows he must have her and will do anything to have her. But he also doesn’t want to get involved with an employee.

Time passes and Noah is still fiercly attracted to Harley and Harley is to Noah, when she isn’t hating him for being a demanding boss.

Finally Noah can’t take it any more and must claim Harley, physically. She’s already been his but now he just needs to make her know it.

4.5 stars!

Jenika Snow is a USA Today Bestselling Author that lives in the northwest with her husband and their two daughters. Before she started writing full-time she worked as a nurse.

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Pre-Order Blitz & Review ~ Forfeiting Decency ~ by ~ Rachel Schneider

Title: Forfeiting Decency

Series: Breaking Habits Series

Author: Rachel Schneider

Genre: New Adult/Suspense Standalone

Release Date: November 4, 2016

“Sleeping with married men doesn’t bother me as much as not having a place to live does.”

Kaley Monroe lived a life of privilege until her father went to prison four years ago and all of her family’s assets were seized by the federal government. Fending for herself, she relied on what comes naturally to her—her beauty. Having sex for money isn’t glamorous or ideal, but it’s manageable. She doesn’t expect life to show her any mercy, and she won’t live in ignorance.

It’s not until Kip Foster is released from prison that her life starts to feel complicated. Somehow, Kip unearths desires in Kaley that she never knew she had. A desire to be more, to feel more, and…to be loved more. However, lies by omission are the most dangerous secrets, and they refuse to remain hidden.

Sometimes, easy isn’t always a choice.

I snicker as I descend the steps. Prison has done Kip well. He used to keep his hair long, tied back when he worked under cars. Now it’s short, cropped close to his skull, and it does nothing but enhance his features. It no longer distracts from the stark color of blue in his eyes or the slight hollow of his cheeks. And those muscles.

Oh my god.

I just saw Kip’s dick.

And it was glorious.

As I wait in the kitchen, I scope out the fridge, deducing that Lilly and Justin eat like pigs. There are three different take-out boxes, a surplus of soft drinks, and a full block of cheese. I settle for a glass of water.

Kip’s feet pound down the stairs and I can hear his annoyance in every step. “Enjoy the show?” he greets me.

“I see prison only added to your deep need to be super surly all the time. But yes, I enjoyed the show. How come you never mentioned how well endowed—”

“Kaley,” he interupts, gripping the bridge of his nose.

“There’s nothing to ashamed of. Most men would be ecstatic to be so…” I take a moment to hold my hands up, exaggerating by a foot or so.

“I swear to god, if you mention this to Lilly…” He trails off.

“You’ll what?”

He breathes out, turning away as he opens the fridge. “Jesus Christ, do they eat any real food in this house?”

You don’t need to read the first book in the series but I think it helps. I didn’t read book 1 and there were definitely some things I missed. And I didn’t have the backstory.

Kaley is an escort, trying to make money because her father was sent to prison and all his assets were frozen. So Kaley isn’t the priviledged princess she once was.

Kip has just been released from prison and is working on getting his life back together. He and Kaley have known each other for years (Kip’s sister is Kaley’s BFF) and there’s always been a spark, just now it’s grown into a 4-alarm fire.

This was a good book and a good read. It wasn’t an overly sweet romance but was definitely more suspenseful and I liked it!

4 stars!

Rachel Schneider is from a small town in South Louisiana. When she’s not replying sarcastically to her husband or trying to sneak in cuddles with her daughter, she’s writing about life, love, and things unexpected. But let’s be real…she’s probably on Facebook. Her debut novel, Taking Mine, is currently available on Amazon, and her second novel, Forfeiting Decency, releases November 4, 2016.

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Review ~ Just An Illusion – Side A ~ by ~ D. Kelly

Dee Kelly reached out and told me about this release and I am SO glad she did!!!! Although I hate her a little for the cliffhanger and making me wait! I don’t want to ruin this book for anyone going to read it (because you should read it) but I will give you some bits.

Amelia is familiar with rock royalty and the celebrity lifestyle and that doesn’t impress her and she doesn’t want to be involved in it. Her best friend Belle, is dragging her to the BAD concert (Mel has no idea who they are) and they’re heading backstage for a backstage interview with the band. Mel is attracted to the twin bandmates (Sawyer and Noah) but doesn’t care about their celebrity. And that immediately strikes the band and they want Amelia to be their autobiographer on their tour.

This is the start of the story of Amelia and BAD and everything surrounding them.

5 stars!!

Blog Tour & Review ~ Sweet Like Candy ~ by ~ Evie Harrison

Julia Kaye spends her days decorating cakes and daydreaming about finding Mr. Right. She’s tried it all—fix ups, speed dating, online profiles and even a popular phone app, all with no success. She’s sure her dream man is out there, but she’s done trying to find him herself. She figure’s when it’s meant to be; fate will find a way.

Ryan Walters is a workaholic who’s not looking for Mrs. Right. He’s not even looking for Mrs. Right Now. Instead, he spends his days focused on what he cares about most— amassing a fortune. Aside from his sister and her children, Ryan has no time for entanglements of any kind.

What happens when one confirmed bachelor meets the sweetest girl in the world?

Happily ever after, of course!

My stomach was full of butterflies as he opened the car door and helped me into the passenger seat. I grinned after he closed the door and I watched him walk around to the driver’s side. I’d been on thirty-seven horrible dates during my fruitless search for Mr. Right, and never once had any of the men opened the car door for me.

I breathed in deep as he slid into his seat and closed the door. The scent of him was just as sensual as I’d thought it was the night before. Being so close together in the car felt intimate, especially when he turned toward me so he could lay the box of chocolates down on the back seat. His gaze held mine as he did it, the air thick with tension as we stared at each other.

Arousal pulsed hot in my veins as countless seconds passed. I sighed when he cupped his hands on either side of my face and held me in place as he leaned into me. When his lips covered mine, everything suddenly made sense. I knew everything in my life up until that moment had been leading me to Ryan.

He expelled a guttural sound when my lips parted and our tongues touched for the first time. I leaned across the console toward him, anxious to be closer. Never in my life had I been so affected by a kiss. I was a romantic at heart and my dreams were big, but kissing Ryan was more than I’d ever hoped for, mostly because I hadn’t known anything like it was possible. It was too much while also being not nearly enough. His tongue caressed mine slowly as he explored me passionately. He tasted like rice crispy treats, cake, and something else indefinable that was just him.

The console between us jabbed into my side as I slid my arms around his back and held on as the kiss continued. Kissing Ryan was the equivalent of finding an oasis in the desert. It was everything that was right in the world and I never wanted to stop. It was addictive, and I loved it. The entire time we kissed, Ryan cupped my face in a way that made me feel desired and treasured all at the same time. We kept up like that until there was a knock on the window.

When we pulled apart, I turned and found Gina standing next to the car. I giggled nervously as I pressed the control to roll down the window.

“Did I forget something?” I squeaked.

She laughed and shook her head. “No, I just needed to break it up before your audience came back.”

As the title says, this book was sweet like candy. It was a quick novella, instalove that I am becoming a bigger fan of the more I read them.

Ryan is busy building his company to worry about a female, companionship or anything more. He will do anything for his older sister and his nephew so he gladly goes to pick up his nephew’s birthday cake from Sweet Like Candy and meets Julia.

And it’s love at first sight. Julia and Ryan are both feeling the sparks from each other and are immediately going to spend time together and get to know this other half of their heart.

A sweet, sweet story and quick read that helped my work day breaks be more bearable.

5 stars!

Evie Harrison writes what she loves. Strong and sexy alpha men being brought to their knees in an instant when they meet the women they love. Each of her books will contain insta love, incredible passion, and sizzling sex.

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Blog Tour & Review ~ Breaking Cage ~ by ~ A.J. Pryor

Today we have Breaking Cage on the blog! Check out this sexy new sports romance and grab your copy today!!

About Breaking Cage:

There is speculation that he killed a girl . . .

Journalist Hannah Black has just been given the assignment of a lifetime: Get the exclusive story from the Chicago Bears’ new starting quarterback, Derek Cage. There’s only one problem—Derek refuses to talk to reporters. The son of a famed Illinois senator, this football star despises the media.

Hannah has never been one to follow orders, especially when she wants something. When her new assignment tries to give her the brush off, Hannah won’t take no for an answer, going to extremes to get the attention of this superstar athlete.

Drawn to her quirky questions and die-hard persistence, Derek begins opening up to this rookie reporter, and he can’t stay away no matter how hard he tries.

As the two get closer, Hannah finds herself falling for the enigmatic quarterback. But nothing’s ever easy. As a decade old secret comes to light, Hannah has to decide how far she’ll go and how many lines she’s willing to cross to keep Derek safe.

Is uncovering the truth worth the risk of losing it all?

Get Your Copy Today!

I have read AJ Pryor’s previous book, Right Next Door, and LOVED it! So when I saw that she had a new book coming out, I jumped on it. And I’m SO glad I did! I enjoyed it just as much as Right Next Door. It’s Rom-Com but with suspense and a whodunnit which all work for me! You’re guessing along as you read, trying to figure out the mysteries of this book. And they’re constantly changing!
Hannah is a reporter who has a new job in Chicago as a sports reporter. Problem is, she’s not a sports writer. But she made it work and got hired to try and get close to the returning player, Derek “The Rage” Cage.
Derek has never been a fan of the media and journalists. He’s done his best to steer clear of them. Until Hannah walks in with her crazy questions and interests him. He knows she’s a journalist but he can’t keep himself away. Even though he knows Hannah is supposed to write a piece on “The Rage” behind the football game.
Hannah is the only one who can see Derek as himself and not as an accused murderer. And she wants to protect Derek from all the evil in his life that is trying to harm him.
I can’t tell you how much I LOVED this story! This will be another book I will re-read!

5 stars!

About AJ Pryor:

A.J. Pryor lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two daughters. If not home writing, you can find her at the beach, the yoga studio or the soccer field with her girls. An avid reader of contemporary romance, new adult and young adult novels, her Kindle is always within reach. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

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Release Day Blitz & Review ~ Arrogant ~ by ~ Jenika Snow

Without thinking, this instinct and possessiveness moved through me. I lifted my hand and pushed the fall of her hair away from her shoulder. She sucked in a breath at the touch, but I liked that, loved that she was reacting. I wasn’t going to sugarcoat anything, wasn’t going to try and lie about any of it. Two months had passed, and I was ready to stake my claim, make her know I wanted her.

I could tell I affected her in more than one way, but whether she’d embrace that remained to be seen.

“Mr. Wright.” She whispered my name.

“You’ll call me Noah. I need you to call me that.”

I stared at her lips. I wasn’t the type of man that gave in to anyone or anything, but for Harley I’d gladly give her my entire world.

Insta-everything was going on with me where it concerned her, and I wasn’t about to ignore this, not when it was the first real thing I’d ever felt. I wasn’t going to pretend that this was a passing, superficial experience.

This was fucking real.

I saw the emotion flash across her face, the confusion, the war. She wanted me; I knew that by the way she acted toward me and by her body language. But she was trying to keep her composure, trying to keep this wall between us. I sensed that, felt it since I was trying to do that myself.

“I don’t think this is appropriate, Mr. Wright,” she said, but I kept my hand on her cheek and stroked my thumb along her jawline.

“Appropriate? Maybe not. But it feels pretty fucking right, Harley. It feels really damn good to me.”

“You’re my boss.” She tried to sound adamant, but I could hear the longing in her voice.

I didn’t stop touching her jawline. I wanted to touch more of her … all of her. She slipped her tongue out and ran it along the swell of her bottom lip. And I lost all semblance of the self-control I’d been holding on to. I lowered my head, moved slightly toward her, and knew if I allowed myself to kiss her, I wouldn’t be able to stop.

But I paused with our mouths only inches apart. “Tell me you want this, that you want me.” I stared right in her eyes. “We don’t have to fight this.”

She breathed hard, and the sweet scent of her breath, laced with cinnamon and sugar, moved along my mouth.

“I want you, and I know you want me, Harley. I can see it when you look at me, in the way you hold yourself in my presence.”

“We shouldn’t cross this line,” she whispered.

And that’s when I did what I’d wanted to do for the last two months.

I cupped the back of her head and placed my mouth right on hers. She gasped instantly, and I used that opportunity to lick at her lips before delving inside her mouth. I felt the moment she gave in, her resistance leaving and breaking away into desire. I pulled her closer, tilted my head to deepen the kiss, and groaned at how good she tasted. She must have had hot chocolate before coming into the office, because her flavor was incredible.

Harley panted against my mouth. I needed her so fucking badly. Her hair was loose around her face, and I gripped a chunk behind her head, pulled back, and broke the kiss. I immediately went to her throat and started sucking and licking at her soft, creamy skin.

“Oh. God,” she gasped, and I instantly went back to her mouth, delving my tongue inside.

A groan left me, my control right out the fucking window. All I could picture was tossing the shit off my desk and bending her over the glass and chrome.

Noah is a tough, hard, CEO and his company’s internship program is intense and stringent.

Time passes and Noah is still fiercly attracted to Harley and Harley is to Noah, when she isn’t hating him for being a demanding boss.

Finally Noah can’t take it any more and must claim Harley, physically. She’s already been his but now he just needs to make her know it.

4.5 stars!

Jenika Snow is a USA Today Bestselling Author that lives in the northwest with her husband and their two daughters. Before she started writing full-time she worked as a nurse.

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Release Day Blitz & Review ~ Paid For ~ by ~ Alexa Riley

Mason foster goes through assistants like some people go through tissues. He’s sick and tired of having to replace them, so his best friend and business partner decides to help him out.

Kennedy Myers is here for a job and nothing else. But when the money is too good to be true, there’s nothing she won’t do to please her new boss. She’s bought and paid for, so who is she to say no? Especially when she likes it.

Warning: This dirty office romance is over-the-top filthy. If you want a possessive alpha with a bossy mouth, then do what you’re told and get this book! Seriously, though, if Mason asks, just say you bought it. He’s grumpy.

Chapter 1 *Kennedy*

I think I’m going to throw up. The single thought runs through my head, over and over. I take a deep breath, trying to get my nerves under control. Glancing around the giant room, I feel completely out of place. A woman in her late fifties sits typing away at a large desk, the clicks of her fingers hitting the keys the only sound in the big, empty lobby. I’m on the fiftieth floor of the Foster Building, trying to control my stomach as the lady ignores me and continues to work. Her silky gray hair is cut short to just below her ears and she’s wearing thick-framed glasses perched on the end of her nose. Everything about her is professional and says she belongs here. Her outfit is stylish in a way I could never put together, even if I had the money to do so. She’s classy and elegant and was surprisingly sweet to me when I checked in. She didn’t give me a snide look like the women downstairs had done.
I run one hand across my thighs in an attempt to brush away any pieces of fuzz on the too-tight gray skirt I have on. I’m still shocked I got myself into the thing. I got it in the ninth grade when I’d joined the debate team and needed to look professional. My stint at that size lasted about as long as my time on the team. The waist is starting to dig into my stomach, and I pray that the button in the back won’t pop.
I’m wearing simple black heels that I spent two hours practicing walking in yesterday. I found them in a discount bin in a shop down the street from my little studio apartment, along with a simple button-up white shirt. I feel so plain, even a little mousy. I was trying to look older, but I’m not sure I’m pulling it off.
I tried my hand at a little makeup and even took the time to put some curls into my hair. I’d tried to mimic a woman from a magazine I saw, but I’m not sure I got close to what I was trying to pull off.
What am I doing here? I shake my head at myself. I’m a horrible liar and I know it. The absolute worst at it. When I was seven, I broke a glass case my grandpa kept a signed football in. I’d confessed before he could even ask me what happened to it. Then when I was thirteen, my grandpa asked me how my day at school was, and out of my mouth came details of how Cody kissed me after school. I was so bad at lying. I couldn’t even fake it for a second. I simply couldn’t bring myself to do it.
How I think I’ll ever pull this off, I have no idea. Because you have no other choice, I remind myself. I need this job. Correction, I more than need this job. I needed this job three weeks ago.
The little money I had left from selling my grandpa’s house is almost gone. I have no idea how I am going to make rent in my shitty little studio apartment. I might actually be happy to lose the place, though. Maybe I can find a local YMCA to stay at or something. My landlord is starting to really creep me out.
His apartment is right next to mine, and this morning he caught me as I was leaving, reminding me my rent was due three days ago. He also implied there are other ways to pay my rent. Ways that don’t involve money. It made my skin crawl. Mr. Kelly was easily sixty years old. He is always in pajama bottoms and a wife beater with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. And I am pretty sure the lady across the hall from me is paying her rent in the other ways he was talking about. I’d heard her earn her room on multiple occasions, and it made me shiver with disgust.
He was always a little too handsy. He finds new ways to put his hands on me all the time, and it’s becoming unsettling. I try to find ways to avoid him, but yesterday I’d come home to find him standing inside my home. He said he was checking on the water pipes, something about a leak, but my blood ran cold at how easily he accessed my home. How easily he could do it again. After he left, I shoved a chair under the door handle, but it gave me no comfort. I barely slept all night. I had no idea what I was going to do if I came up with the money to pay the rent, because I didn’t feel safe at all.
I’m just happy I still have a few more weeks until I need to make another payment to the nursing home my grandpa’s in. Knowing he has a place to be for a little longer gives me some relief, but not much. A sharp pain in my palm reminds me I’m squeezing my apartment keys too tight and they’re digging into my skin. I open my bag and drop them down inside.
Your name is Kennedy Myers. You went to University of Michigan, where you got a degree in liberal arts. You are twenty-two years old and have always dreamed of working for a company like Foster and Crate, I remind myself for the hundredth time. All lies, other than my name. Lies I made up to try and get this job.
I’m barely eighteen, almost didn’t graduate high school because of my attendance, and I had no freaking clue what Foster and Crate was until two days ago when I saw the job listing. It’s a job that pays more than I could dream of. Enough to keep my grandfather in the pricey nursing home he’s in. Not only that, but if I can keep the sham up, I can get us both health insurance in a few months’ time.
This has to work. I have no other options. This isn’t merely about me. It’s about the man who raised me since I was a little girl. A man who tried to give me everything he could until he started to forget who I was.
I knew I couldn’t take care of him anymore. He needed someone to be with him 24/7, and not only that, I was physically incapable of helping him at times—my grandfather is a big man, easily twice my size. I could, however, make sure he was somewhere safe where people were good to him. So far, I had done that, but the place was far from cheap, and I quickly burned through the money I’d gotten from selling the home he raised me in. I’m drowning in bills. Waiting tables and cleaning jobs simply aren’t cutting it anymore.
I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t considered other ways to make money. One of the girls in my building strips and says she could make over a thousand dollars some nights just off cash tips. I’d toyed with the idea. It wasn’t something I wanted to do, but there wasn’t a lot I wouldn’t do to keep my grandfather happy.
The man had raised me since I was a little girl. I don’t remember my mother. My memories are crafted from the stories he told me about her. I never knew my father. My grandpa made it seem like he didn’t know who he was either.
It was always just the two of us, and I love him more than anything in the world. He is the only family I’ve ever known. I loved it when I’d lie down to bed at night and he’d tell me stories about grandma. He always lit up at the memory of her. I grew up thinking I wanted a love like that, but then all that was pushed to the back burner as his health started to decline.
Lately, whenever he is having a good day and starts talking about my mom and grandmother when I visit, I write down everything he says. I am scared that one day he’ll no longer remember the stories himself, and I want to be able to tell him those same stories.
I feel wetness hit my cheeks and I quickly wipe it away. Looking up, I see the woman behind the desk watching me. She gives me a sad smile, and I look away, not liking that I’ve been caught crying. Lovely. I’m sure that’s not going to help me get this job.
I stand up. I need to get myself under control.
“Bathroom?” I ask the woman.
“Down the hall, second door on the right,” she says.
I nod and make my way down the hall, almost running into a man coming out of an office.
“Sorry,” I whisper before moving around him and darting into the bathroom. I feel his eyes on me the whole way.
Get it together, Kennedy.

Kennedy is desperate for a job and is pretty determined to do anything to get it, including lying about how old she is. She has to earn money to pay for the nursing home for her grandfather and pay her rent so her skeezy landlord stops offering to let her “work” off her rent in other ways.

Mason has gone through a bazillion assistants because he’s very demanding and wants someone he doesn’t have to hand hold and just knows how to use their scheduling system. His partner does him a favor and hires him an assistant who will take care of “everything” ;-).

It’s a case of mistaken identity but with an insta-love, uber alpha-ness that I expect from the ladies behind Alexa Riley.

4.5 stars!

Alexa Riley is two sassy friends who got together and wrote some dirty books. They are both married moms of two who love football, donuts, and obsessed book heroes.

They specialize in insta-love, over-the-top, sweet, and cheesy love stories that don’t take all year to read. If you want something SAFE, short, and always with a happily ever after, then Alexa Riley is for you!

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Release Day Blitz & Review ~ Master Bits & Mercenary Bites ~ by ~ Lexi Blake & Suzanne M. Johnson

Top restaurant has become the hot spot in Dallas for elevated comfort food—and a side of spicy romance. Run by executive chef Sean Taggart, Top is the premiere fictional destination for gourmet food. Join creator, New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake, and Southern food expert Suzanne Johnson as they guide you through the world of Masters and Mercenaries via the secret recipes behind the food served in Top.

But what would a gourmet meal be without some company? Spend an evening with your favorite characters from McKay-Taggart as they celebrate the special moments that make up their happily ever afters. Learn how to make Sean’s specialty dishes and Macon’s desserts while exploring the private lives of the characters who make up the world. From Charlie and Ian’s next demon spawn to a change in path for Simon and Chelsea, these are the times that bind us together, the moments that make us a family.

Good meals, good times, good friends.

Bon appétit!

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Ian went to grab the dog’s leash. Bud started up his pee-pee dance, his massive body twisting and turning as he ran after Ian. His big paws thudded against the brand new hardwood he would never have spent that god-awful amount of money on had he realized a dog would pee on it.

He looked back Charlie’s way. “You know there’s a whole forest out back for him to go in. He should be a free-range dog. Aren’t we taking away his dogness by putting him on a leash?”

Charlie frowned his way as she refilled Kenzie’s cup. “Yes, he’s the mighty wolf dog, Ian. I watched him run away from a bunny the other day.”

He grabbed the leash. “See, if he had to go out and hunt, he wouldn’t be such a shitty guard dog. Don’t even say it, you two. Say good words. Not Daddy words.”

Charlie put a hand to her belly. “I swear this one will come out giving the world the finger and cursing.”

Bud whined, running back and forth in front of the door. Ian sighed and attached the leash. He stepped outside and Bud took off, barking and jumping against the leash until he managed to drag Ian out onto the lawn where he immediately squatted in the middle of Charlie’s azaleas and started to take a crap.

Yep. This was his life. Watching the dog crap. He was so building a fence. “You know you were supposed to be a guard dog. You were supposed to be a raging, feral beast who would take out anything in your way.”

Sort of like Ian had been at one time.

He’d been the bane of intelligence agencies. He’d been Dr. Death, raining down justice and protecting America.

Now he was a dumbass with a mortgage, a dog who seemed to be a bit constipated, two tiny chaotic things, and another on the way. No one even let him kill people anymore.

It was a never-ending cycle of waking up in the morning and seeing their faces, taking care of them, going to work, coming home, and going to bed with his wife.

It was kind of fucking awesome.

Sure, his younger self would likely tell him he’d sold out and he was a pathetic version of himself, but his younger self had been stupid as shit. His younger self thought a great time was following a known terrorist around for three weeks so he could find the cell. His younger self had needed a freaking shower, some decent food, and a comfy bed.

And a dog who didn’t take his time with the poop.

“Come on, Bud. Pinch off, man. We’ve got shit to do today.” Well, he did anyway. He was sure Bud would have a full day of licking his private parts and waiting for the girls to drop food. Bud seemed forever optimistic that one of these days the girls or Charlie was going to drop a ham in front of him.

A butterfly landed on the bush next to Bud and that was when he went into protective mode. He barked, the deep sound threatening to anyone who didn’t know what a wuss he was, and he pulled hard at his leash.

Hard enough to make Ian stumble and damn near break his toe on the garden gnome Alex had left as a joke. Hard enough to send Ian crashing down to his knee, pain flaring and making him curse.

Bud twisted again and Ian tripped over the riding ladybug thing Kala liked to push around the yard. He landed flat on his back, looking up at the sky.

Taken down by a freaking ladybug. And his back was spasming. The pain flared through him and he could feel his lower back seizing like a motherfucker.

Bud suddenly blocked out the sky, his big doggie face staring down.

“Don’t you dare.”

It was too late. Bud licked his face and Ian realized he shouldn’t have gotten up that morning. Nope. He should have stayed in bed and then he would be warm and happy and not having his face licked by a gargantuan mass of body odor and a tongue that licked its own ass from time to time.

God, if he didn’t die from breaking his spine he was going to catch some dog disease and waste away. Right here. Because he wasn’t sure he could move. “Bud, I need you to go get Charlie. Go on. Run and get her.” He let the leash drop. Bud simply sat down beside him. “Go get Charlie, boy. I think she’s got a ham for you. Go on.”

Bud laid his big head down on Ian’s chest.

Now he had a sleeping mutt and a garden gnome that was practically up his ass. He could feel the pointy cap thing attempting to violate him.

“Ian? Ian, I need you.”

Thank god. His wife would laugh her ass off, but at least she would be able to maybe help him up.

“Ian, I think the baby’s coming.”

Yep. It was that kind of day.

2 Warnings:
1 – You need to read the Masters & Mercenaries series before you read this novella.
2 – Don’t read this while you’re hungry. Or skip over the recipes until you can cook them. 🙂
This is an awesome glimpse into our favorite M&M characters and their lives. It’s always nice to get a little after story check-in, especially in a series like this. You get a look at the couples and their individual stories and their friendships with the group.
A great novella with great recipes!
5 stars!

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog int eh world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Suzanne Johnson is family-trained, a south Georgia native who’s been cooking all of her life, creating not only some really unique food, but precious memories that re-occur every time she smells something simmering in the oven. In all of her books, Suzanne shows that making a delicious meal doesn’t have to be complicated — it just has to be made with love. So go ahead, don’t be bashful, dive right in. Who knows? You might just make a few memories of your own.

Release Day Launch & Review ~ Fling ~ by ~ Jana Aston

Today we have Fling by Jana Aston, a sexy romantic comedy that releases today!! Grab your copy and enter Jana’s giveaway today!

About Fling:

I have a crush on my boss’ best friend.

At least it’s not my brother’s best friend.

Or my best friend’s brother.

Or… never mind. It’s all pretty cliche.

And worse? My boss’ best friend is his business partner.

Which sort of makes him my boss too.

Okay – it’s not sort of. It’s definite. Gabe Laurent is off limits. Totally off limits.

Which is fine. I make do with my imagination. He’ll never know. Ever.

Unless my work bestie passes me an eighties-style teen movie sex quiz

during a meeting and I fill it out.

And it ends up in Gabe’s hands…

Get your copy today!

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M4KT1VC/

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iTunes: http://apple.co/2dyllyq

WRONG Links

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RIGHT Links

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Exclusive Excerpt:

“What do you think of Sandra?” I ask Sawyer as I snag a signed baseball from a display case along the far wall of his office. I settle into one of the guest chairs across his desk and toss the ball over my head before catching it again.

He’s reviewing something on his monitor and he pauses at my question and turns his attention to me. “You know she’s the best executive assistant I’ve ever had. Do you need her help with something? I thought you were happy with Preston?”

Somehow human resources only assigns me gay men or women old enough to have birthed me. I suspect that’s on direct orders from Sawyer. Dick.

I give the ball another toss and catch. “No, I meant, what do you think of Sandra as a woman?”

“I don’t,” Sawyer says, narrowing his eyes at me.

“She’s got a thing for me,” I say.

“She doesn’t,” Sawyer says dismissively and taps the mouse on his desk, intent on ignoring me.

“She does,” I insist. “She’s always looking at me.”

“Maybe she thinks you’re an idiot.”

That’s a distinct possibility. I’ve never been quite sure. Most of the time she ducks her head and calls me Mr. Laurent as she scurries past. It fucking turns me on, but I’m not sure if it turns her on or if she honestly just thinks I’m an asshole.

“I think she’s dating someone in marketing,” Sawyer adds while tapping on his keyboard, engrossed with whatever’s on the screen in front of him.

“They broke up over the summer,” I say confidently, leaning back in the chair and tossing the ball a little further in the air.

“How do you know that?” Sawyer stops typing and crosses his arms across his chest. He doesn’t look pleased with my knowledge of Sandra’s dating life; I think he views her like the little sister he never had. “What could you possibly want to do with Sandra anyway?”

I catch the ball as my brows raise in disbelief. “You need me to spell it out for you, buddy?” I lean forward in the chair and adopt a serious tone. “Sometimes, when two people are attracted to each other, they enjoy taking their clothing off together so they can—”

“Shut up,” Sawyer interrupts. “She’s not really your type.”

“Beautiful?” I question.

“Sweet,” he replies.

She is sweet, he’s right about that. I think about the paper burning a hole in my pocket and wonder again if it was hers. I’d like it to be hers. I think sweet Sandra has a hidden dirty side, and I’d really like to uncover it.

I LOVE John Hughes (RIP) and Sixteen Candles and this is the best nod to both. Sandra has a huge crush on the CFO of the company and her boss’ best friend. Enter Preston who gives Sandra a sex quiz and Sandra names someone she would never confess to being attracted to ever. Until the quiz falls into the wrong hands.
A sweet, quick read that takes Sixteen Candles out of high school and into the working world.

5 stars!

Jana Aston is the New York Times bestselling author of WRONG. She quit her super boring day job to whip up more books and is hoping that was not a stupid idea. In her defense, it was a really boring job.

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Website: http://www.janaaston.com

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