January 14, 2016

Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: ONE-EYED DUKES ARE WILD (Dukes Behaving Badly #3) by Megan Frampton

ONE-EYED DUKES ARE WILD (Dukes Behaving Badly #3) by Megan Frampton

Publication Date: December 29, 2015

Genre: Historical Romance

When does proper behavior deserve a deliciously improper reward?

The scandalously unmarried Lady Margaret Sawford is looking for adventure-and is always up for a challenge. Her curiosity is aroused by a dangerous-looking stranger with an eye patch, an ideal companion for the life she longs for, no matter what Society might say. So when the piratical gentleman turns out to be a duke-and just as boringly proper as any other nobleman-she can’t help but incite him to walk on the wild side.

Well-heeled, well-mannered, and well beyond any interest in society’s expectations, the Duke of Lasham is tired of being perfect. Margaret’s lush beauty and gently laughing eyes are an irresistible temptation to embrace the imperfect-and her. But if a little misbehavior is appealing, unleashing his wild side is completely seductive-as long as the lovely Margaret is the object of his passion…

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1844
A London ballroom
Too many people, too much noise

Lasham took too big a swallow of his wine, knowing his headache would only be exacerbated by the alcohol, but unwilling to forgo the possibility that perhaps, for just a few minutes, his perception would be muffled, blurred a little around the edges.

So that he wouldn’t be in a state of constant keen awareness that he was the Duke of Lasham, that he was likely the most important person wherever he happened to be—according to everyone but him—and that he was under almost continuous surveillance.

The ballroom was filled with the best people of Society, all of whom seemed to be far more at ease than he had ever been. Could ever be, in fact. He stood to the side of the dance floor, the whirling fabric of the ladies’ gowns like a child’s top.

Not that he’d been allowed anything as playful or fun as a top when he was growing up. But he could identify the toy, at least.

“Enjoying yourself, Your Grace?” His hostess, along with two of her daughters, had crept up along his blind side, making him start and slosh his wine onto his gloved hand. Occurrences like this weren’t the worst part of having lost an eye—that obviously would be the fact that he only had one eye left—but it was definitely annoying.

“Yes,” he said, bowing in their general direction, “thank you, I am.”

The three ladies gawked at him as though waiting for him to continue to speak, to display more of his wondrous dukeliness for their delight. As though he were more of an object than a person.

But he couldn’t just perform on command, and his hand was damp, and now he would have to go air out his glove before bestowing another dance on some lady he would be obliged to dance with, being the duke, and all. Because if his glove was damp, it might be perceived as, God forbid, sweaty, and sweaty-handed dukes might mean that the duke had gotten said sweat because he was enthralled with the person with whom he was dancing, which would lead to expectations, which would lead to expect a question, and Lasham knew he did not want to ever have to ask that question of anybody.

It was bad enough being the object of scrutiny when he was out in public. At home, at least, he was by himself, blissfully so, and taking a duchess would require that he be at home by himself with somebody else, and that somebody would doubtless have ducal expectations of him as well.

“Excuse me,” he said to the silent, gawking ladies. He sketched a quick bow and strode off, trying to look as though he had a destination rather than merely wishing to depart.

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One-Eyed Dukes Are Wild is a fun historical romance. I really enjoyed it. This is the third book in Megan Frampton’s Dukes Behaving Badly Series and it can be read as a standalone. I haven’t read the previous books in this series but plan to go back in read them when I’m looking for a light romance. One-Eyed Dukes Are Wild has the romance but it’s light on the sexy times. I usually like my romances a little steamier but I enjoyed the characters banter and they had great chemistry. I recommend this book for historical romance lovers looking for a fun historical. I enjoyed it and will be picking up the rest of the series.

*Review copy provided by Edelweiss in exchange for a honest review.

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Win a Print Set of the Dukes Behaving Badly Series, including THE DUKE’S GUIDE TO CORRECT BEHAVIOR, WHEN GOOD EARLS GO BAD (Novella), PUT UP YOUR DUKE and NO GROOM AT THE INN (Novella)

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Megan Frampton writes historical romance under her own name and romantic women’s fiction as Megan Caldwell. She likes the color black, gin, dark-haired British men, and huge earrings, not in that order. She lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband and son.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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January 14, 2016

Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: The Highlander Who Loved Me (The McKennas) by Adrienne Basso

The Highlander Who Loved Me (The McKennas) by Adrienne Basso

Publication Date: December 29, 2015

Genre: Historical Romance

A HIGHLANDER IS ALWAYS WORTH WAITING FOR

Scottish Highlands, 1329. Sir James McKenna, second son of the powerful McKenna Chief, knows he has found his destiny when he falls in love with sweet Lady Davina Armstrong, niece of the Armstrong Chief. Orphaned in childhood, Davina has always felt like an outsider, and with James finally feels that she belongs. But their plans for a happy future are shattered after a brutal attack by a band of rogues. Horrified, Davina’s overprotective family quickly shelters her from everyone—including James…

Five years later, James is a changed man. His fighting skills sharpened to perfection, he is hardened by the war and destruction he’s endured as a Scottish knight—and by the loss of Davina. Weary, he returns home—and is shocked to find Davina there. Is it too late for them to start anew, or will the past dare to lay claim to their future once more?

Link to Follow Tour

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James awoke with a start, wincing as a stabbing pain sliced through his throbbing skull. He turned his head only to find himself struggling to overcome an attack of light-headedness. Blackness whirled around him, forcing him to shut his eyes and press his head against the pillow.
Deep breaths, deep breaths.
Gradually, the fog surrounding him eased, replaced by an onslaught of agony so sharp it stole the breath from his body. Every inch of him, from his scalp to his toes, ached and throbbed with a fiery pain. Dizzy and sweating, James pulled himself into a sitting position, only to immediately slump back down.
Bloody hell, what’s wrong with me?
He did not want to open his eyes, but finally, slowly, he did. Thoughts churning, he lifted the blanket covering his naked body. James glanced down and cringed, his blurry eyes taking in the sight of bloody bandages swathing his arm, chest, belly, and legs. He blew out another puzzled breath, but then suddenly his throat seized as faint memories of the attack filled his aching head.
“Davina,” he whispered.
Tears filled the corners of his eyes. He eased himself upright, the ropes beneath the mattress squealing in protest when he moved. The sound tore through his head, but he fought through the pain.
Leaning gingerly against the headboard, James searched his scattered memory for details. They had met on the hilltop, in their secret place. Davina had smiled and teased and kissed him with her usual passion and excitement. His heart had been near bursting with emotion when he asked her to be his wife and when she had agreed—och, his joy had been boundless.
But then . . . then . . . they had been set upon by brigands. A foul group of outlaws intent on causing them harm. He had fought fiercely, had killed several of them, but there were too many to defeat. He remembered striking his final opponent in the heart with his dirk, but after that there was only blackness.
What happened to Davina? Had she escaped? Been kidnapped? Been killed?
Ignoring the pulsing pain racking his body, James again whispered his beloved’s name, then began shouting,
“Davina! Davina!”
The bedchamber door flew open. The silhouette of a burly man loomed in the doorway. “Are ye awake?”
“Aye,” James croaked. He felt appallingly weak and confused.
“I’ll get the laird.”
The man left before James could question him. Frustrated, James forced himself to remain calm. Finally, laird Armstrong entered the chamber, two men at his side. James recognized one of them as the captain of the guard. The other was unknown to him.
“I see ye’ve decided to join the living again,” Laird Armstrong said, his booming voice rattling James’s aching head.
Ignoring the expression of discontent clouding the laird’s features, James asked, “Where is Davina?”
“She’s confined to her bed.” The laird’s eyes grew dark. “She’s in a terrible, disgraceful state. Bruised and beaten. She shudders with nightmares, cries out in terror. My men found ye both miles from the castle, struck down and bleeding. What happened?”
Davina lives! James’s heart beat with elation, followed swiftly by sadness. Alive, aye, yet badly injured.
“We were attacked,” James replied.
“By who?”
“Brigands. Outlaws.”
“My men saw no one. There was no looting in the village, no crops destroyed, no cattle stolen.” The laird lifted his brow. “What can ye tell us of them?”
James took a deep breath, shuddering at the searing pain it caused in his chest. “There were six men. None wore plaids or carried shields with clan markings. They surprised us.”
“I can only imagine what ye were doing in such a private, secluded place with my niece that caused ye to be so distracted,” Laird Armstrong growled.
James grit his teeth and jerked his head in denial. He would not stand for Davina’s honor to be questioned, even by her own kin. “I love Davina. I would never do anything to compromise her honor or virtue.”
Laird Armstrong snorted in disbelief. “Six men trained his men better.”
He did. Guilt, swift and sudden, stabbed through James. He lowered his chin in shame. “The men were on foot, not horseback. They had the advantage of surprise when they ambushed us.”
The laird’s eyes sparked with sudden anger. “We’ve not had any trouble with brigands on our lands fer years.”
“Not while Robert the Bruce was king,” the captain of the guard added.
James nearly shouted in frustration. He had no care for the political implications of the attack. His main concern was finding the criminals and punishing them for hurting Davina.
“It could have been a group of English scum,” the other man suggested.
“We’re too far north for the English to be troubling us,” the laird insisted.
“Nay, they were Scots. I could tell by their swords; to a man they carried Claymores.” James’s voice felt choked and tight. “I killed two of them and wounded two others. After that . . .” he said, his voice trailing off in confusion.
“We found no bodies,” the captain of the guard challenged. James drew in a ragged breath, fighting the need to argue. “They must have taken the dead and wounded away.”
“Two men took four others away?” the laird asked incredulously.
James shook his head and stared across the chamber. He had no answers to give, no explanations that made sense. “What did Davina tell ye?”
The laird shot him a sidelong look. “She cannae speak of the incident without becoming hysterical.”
James cursed. “The last thing I remember was an explosion of pain inside my head.”
The captain of the guard nodded. “Ye’ve got a fine, swelling bruise on the back of yer skull. Ye must have been struck from behind.”
James lifted his arm and ran his fingers over the growing lump behind his right ear. At the touch, he felt a ferocious, nearly blinding pain so strong that it turned his stomach. He bowed his head and fought the sickness, not wanting to disgrace himself further in front of these men.
They were still scrutinizing him, some openly, some covertly, but all with grave suspicion. James saw the looks that passed between them. They spoke among themselves, their voices deliberately low, so he could not hear the conversation. ’Twas a stark reminder that he was not a member of the clan, but rather an outsider.
No matter that he was a McKenna, the son of a powerful and respected chieftain. He had lost their trust when he failed to protect Davina.
God, he needed to see her. But he feared he could not leave this bed without aid and he was too proud to show further weakness in front of these warriors.
The discussion continued, with frequent glances in his direction. The chamber was soon brimming with tension, yet James found that he didn’t really care. He rubbed a hand over his brow, trying to ease the pounding in his forehead. His eyelids grew heavy and slowly closed. He struggled to reopen them, succeeding, but within seconds they closed a second time.
He had the sensation of someone drawing closer to his bed, speaking to him, but the words made no sense. There were waves of pain crashing through his head. But even worse, over and over the image of Davina falling prey to those brigands flashed before his eyes.
And then suddenly, mercifully, there was only darkness. And silence.

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3 Mass Market Print Copies of THE HIGHLANDER WHO LOVED ME

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Adrienne Basso is the author of over ten Zebra historical romances. She lives with her family in West Plainfield, New Jersey. Readers can visit her at adriennebasso.net.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | GoodReads

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January 14, 2016

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: Fighting Dirty (Worth the Fight #5) by Sidney Halston

Fighting Dirty (Worth the Fight #5) by Sidney Halston

Publication Date: January 5, 2016

With his preppy clothes and horn-rimmed glasses, Enzo Silva is the last dude anyone expects to find in a mixed martial arts gym. A wealthy Brazilian banker who never had to fight for anything, Enzo’s stuck in the amateur circuit—but he burns to make the pros. Maybe that explains the heat he feels whenever he’s around Jamie Lynn Calhoun. The pint-size, magenta-haired bartender with the Texas drawl is everything he’s not . . . and everything he craves.

Tough as nails and independent to a fault, Jamie Lynn—JL to her friends—works hard to pay her bills and keep life simple. Enzo is doing his best to complicate that. Even though she likes to bust his balls, he’s got some kind of a nerdy-hot vibe that makes JL wonder if she might finally be able to let her guard down. It might do the boy some good to spend some time in her world, where blood, sweat, and victory are as sweet as the first taste of real love.

Link to Follow Tour

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JL knew that, short as she was, she often intimidated men with just a look. That’s what confidence did. And she had it in spades. It made you as tall as you wanted to be. As pretty as you wanted to be. As rich as you wanted to be. Because if you had confidence, nothing else mattered. That was a lesson she’d learned a long time ago.

But even with all that confidence, she wasn’t blind to the differences between her and Enzo. He was from a different world, and she could feel the distance between their worlds every time she thought about going out with him. It had all been harmless flirty fun until he’d taken things too far and kissed her a few weeks ago. And what a kiss it had been. He’d kissed her as if he were stuck in a desert and her mouth were the only thing that could quench his thirst. She still felt all sorts of things running through her body when she thought of the way he’d backed her up against a wall, not caring who the hell was around, gripped her neck, and slipped his tongue between her parted lips. She’d embarrassed herself by melting into him and mewling in need. In fact, she might have even dry-humped his leg. It had been that good a kiss. Then he’d let her go and challenged her by saying, “Next time you’ll beg me to kiss you.” Like she’d ever beg a man! But now, with his glorious body on full display . . .

As if he could sense her inappropriate thoughts, his eyes met hers. His stare felt like a warm caress all over her already ignited body. The charcoal fell out of her hand and a shiver ran down her spine. Is it getting hot in here? She shifted uncomfortably on her chair, but he didn’t break eye contact. Then, the ultraconservative man who had been asking her out constantly for almost a year winked at her. It caught her by surprise, and she quickly hid behind her canvas.

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$2.99 Kindle | B&N | iTunes | Kobo

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$50.00 Amazon Gift Card

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Sidney Halston lives her life by one simple rule: “Just do it.” And that’s exactly what she did. At the age of thirty, having never written anything other than a legal brief, she picked up a pen for the first time to pursue her dream of becoming an author. That first stroke sealed the deal, and she fell in love with writing. Halston lives in South Florida with her husband and children.

Author Links: Facebook | Twitter | Website | GoodReads

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January 11, 2016

Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: Kill Without Mercy (ARES Security, Book 1) by Alexandra Ivy

Kill Without Mercy (ARES Security) by Alexandra Ivy

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publication Date: December 29, 2015

From the hellhole of a Taliban prison to sweet freedom, five brave military heroes have made it home—and they’re ready to take on the civilian missions no one else can. Individually they’re intimidating. Together they’re invincible. They’re the men of ARES Security.

Rafe Vargas is only in Newton, Iowa, to clear out his late grandfather’s small house. As the covert ops specialist for ARES Security, he’s eager to get back to his new life in Texas. But when he crosses paths with Annie White, a haunted beauty with skeletons in her closet, he can’t just walk away—not when she’s clearly in danger…

There’s a mysterious serial killer on the loose with a link to Annie’s dark past. And the closer he gets, the deeper Rafe’s instinct to protect kicks in. But even with his considerable skill, Annie’s courage, and his ARES buddies behind him, the slaying won’t stop. Now it’s only a matter of time before Annie’s next—unless they can unravel a history of deadly lies that won’t be buried.

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This book was thrilling, suspenseful and so much fun! The serial killer kept you guessing the whole time you were sweating with them and I love that. Ms. Ivy did a masterful job of introducing this new series by giving us just enough history so that it didn’t bog down the storytelling. The men of ARES are each unique with a tight bond that holds them together. Their easy banter hides a lot of secrets that I can’t wait to read about. I completely enjoyed this sexy, witty and tension filled novel. A perfect start to a new series.

*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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KILL WITHOUT MERCY is on our #TopFav2015 List! You can check out the list here:

✿FAVORITE ROMANCES of 2015 LIST ► http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-3wr

The small but stylish condo on the edge of Denver offered a quiet neighborhood, a fantastic view of the mountains, and a parking garage that was worth its weight in gold during the
long, snow-filled winters.
With a muted blue and silver décor, the condo was precisely the sort of place expected of an upwardly mobile young professional.
Not that Annie White was upwardly mobile.
Not after walking away from her position at Anderson’s Accounting just six months after being hired.
At the moment, however, she didn’t really give a crap about her future in the business world. Instead she was trying to concentrate on her packing. A task that would have been easier if her foster mother hadn’t been following behind her, wringing her hands and predicting inevitable doom.
“I wish you hadn’t traveled all this way, Katherine,” Annie said to her foster mother, moving from the bedroom to the living room to place a stack of clean underwear in her open suitcase.
The older woman was hot on her heels. Still attractive at the age of fifty-five, Katherine Lowe had faded red hair that was pulled into a tight bun at the back of her head, and clear green eyes that could hold kindness or make a child cringe with guilt.
Dressed in a jade sweater and dress slacks, her narrow face was currently tight with concern. “What did you expect me to do when you called to say you were traveling back to that horrible place?” Katherine demanded.
Annie swallowed a sigh. Unlike her foster mother, her honey brown hair tumbled untidily around her shoulders, the golden highlights shimmering in the September sunlight that streamed through the skylight. Her pale features were scrubbed clean instead of discreetly coated with makeup. And her slender body was casually covered by a pair of faded jeans and gray sweatshirt.
With her wide hazel eyes she barely looked old enough to be out of high school, let alone a trained CPA.
“I shouldn’t have called,” she muttered.
She loved her foster parents. She truly did. There weren’t many people who would take in the ten-year-old daughter of a serial killer. Especially after she’d spent several months in a mental institution.
They’d not only provided a stable home for her on their ranch in Wyoming, but they’d offered her protection from a world that was insatiably curious about the only survivor of
the Newton Slayer.
Now, however, she wished her foster mother would dial back on the fussing.
“You think I wouldn’t have found out?” Katherine demanded.
Annie grimaced. She tried to ignore the fact that while she’d moved away from the ranch, her parents continued to monitor her on a daily basis.
Not only by their nightly calls, but by speaking with her boss, Mr. Anderson, who happened to be a personal friend of her foster father.
They only wanted to make sure she was safe.
“I don’t want you to worry,” Annie said.
Katherine waved a hand toward her open suitcase. “Then reconsider this rash trip.”
Annie moved into the bathroom, collecting her toiletries as she struggled to smooth her features into an unreadable mask.
Overall, her foster parents had been supportive. They’d urged her to discuss her past with them as well as a trained therapist. They’d even allowed her to keep a picture of her father beside her bed, despite the devastation he’d caused. But the one thing they refused to accept was her claim that she’d seen visions of the murders as they’d happened.
And they weren’t alone.
No one believed the strange images that had plagued her were anything more than a figment of her overactive imagination.
Over the years, Annie had tried to convince herself they were right. It was insane to think they’d been psychically connected to her father while he was committing the murders.
Right?
Then two nights ago the visions returned.
The images had been fragmented. A woman screaming. A dark, cramped space. The shimmer of a knife blade in the moonlight. Newton’s town square.
Annie didn’t even try to deny the visions.
Either she was losing her mind—or they were real.
The only way to know was to return to the town and confront her nightmares.
“It isn’t rash,” she said as she returned to the living room. “I’ve given it a great deal of thought.”
Katherime made a sound of impatience. “But what about your position at Anderson’s?”
“It’s possible they’ll hold my job for me,” Annie said, mentally crossing her fingers.
It wasn’t a total lie.
Her supervisor had said they might reconsider rehiring her when she returned.
“Do you realize how many strings Douglas had to pull to get you a place at such a prestigious firm?” Katherine demanded, clearly not appeased. “In this economy it’s almost impossible to find anything that isn’t entry level.”
Annie turned to take her foster mother’s hands. She knew she should feel bad about leaving her position. It was what she’d trained to do, wasn’t it?
“And I appreciate everything he’s done for me,” she assured the older woman. “That you’ve both done for me.”
Katherine clicked her tongue. “If that was true you wouldn’t be tossing it all away on this harebrained scheme.”
“I get that you don’t understand, but it’s something I have to do.”
Katherine pulled her hands free, clearly frustrated by Annie’s rare refusal to concede to her stronger will. “Nothing can change the past,” she snapped.
Annie turned, unnecessarily smoothing the jeans she’d placed in the suitcase.
This wasn’t about the past. The visions weren’t memories. They were glimpses of the present.
“I know that,” she murmured.
“Do you?” Katherine pressed.
“Of course.”
There was a long silence, as if the older woman was considering the best means of attack. Katherine Lowe was a wonderful woman, but she was a master of manipulation.
“Is this because it’s the anniversary of the deaths?” she at last demanded.
The thought had crossed Annie’s mind. Within a few days it would be exactly fifteen years since the killings started.
Who could blame her for being plagued with hallucinations?
But her heart told her it was more than that.
“I don’t think so,” she hedged.
Katherine pressed her hands together, a certain sign she was trying to maintain her temper. “Maybe you should talk with your therapist.”
“No.”
“But—”
“I don’t need a therapist,” Annie said, her voice uncharacteristically hard.
What was going on in her head couldn’t be cured by sitting in a room and talking.
She had to go see for herself.
Seeming to realize she couldn’t badger Annie into giving up her plans, Katherine glared at her with an annoyance that didn’t entirely disguise her concern. “What do you hope to find?”
Annie flinched.
It was a question she didn’t want to consider.

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Kindle | Amazon PBK | B&N | iTunes | Kobo

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3 Mass Market Paperback Copies of KILL WITHOUT MERCY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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ALEXANDRA IVY graduated from Truman University with a degree in theatre before deciding she preferred to bring her characters to life on paper rather than stage. She currently lives in Missouri with her extraordinarily patient husband and teenage sons. To stay updated on Alexandra’s Guardian series or to chat with other readers, please visit her website at http://www.alexandraivy.com.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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January 8, 2016

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: Special Forces Savior  (Omega Sector: Critical Response) by Janie Crouch

Special Forces Savior  (Omega Sector: Critical Response) by Janie Crouch

Publication Date: January 1, 2016

He has to shut down the terrorists or lose everything. Including the woman who’s become a target.

Omega Sector: Critical Response agent Derek Waterman is hunting the architects of a lethal terrorist bombing. After weeks of chasing cold leads, he has finally found the evidence that could expose the perpetrators. But in order to take them down, he needs help from Dr. Molly Humphries, Omega’s lead forensic scientist.

Shy Molly works to retrieve the data–and overcome her debilitating crush on the sexy agent. Derek carefully suppresses his mutual smoldering attraction, sure that his dark past will drive Molly away if she knows. But when Molly is kidnapped, he will stop at nothing to save her. Even if a lethal enemy will do everything to keep him from doing so.

Link to Follow Tour

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Pinned down behind his car with someone shooting at him from across the street was not how Omega Sector agent Derek Waterman had planned to spend his afternoon. He wasn’t exactly sure how he had planned to spend his afternoon, but this was definitely not it.

Derek slid closer to the ground as a bullet whizzed past his head and shattered the concrete behind him.

Whoa. Too close.

The saving grace in this situation was at least the entire block was empty of any innocent bystanders. No upstanding citizen had much reason to be in this section of West Philly. The less upstanding citizens had exited when Derek and his team had shown up, obviously law enforcement, and the shooting had started.

“Uh, what exactly was the intel you got on this place again, Derek?” Jon Hatton asked from where he was also pinned down a few feet away. Although highly trained in weapons and combat as all Omega Sector’s Critical Response agents were, Jon was primarily a behavior analyst in the Crisis Management Unit.

“What’s the matter? You having problems remembering how to use your weapon, Jon? Too much analyzing, not enough action in your life?” Liam Goetz, the other team member, smacked his gum and grinned. As a member of Omega’s Hostage Rescue team, no one ever asked Liam if he remembered how to use a weapon. Liam had pretty much been born with one in his hand.

“I’m just asking to see if there is any sort of plan here besides hide behind the car until the bad guys run out of ammo,” Jon responded. “Which, at the rate they’re shooting, should be sometime next week.”

True, the number of shots being fired at them seemed to be dwindling. The people in the building obviously weren’t trying to kill Derek and his team, just keep them pinned. But damned if this entire situation wasn’t starting to piss Derek off.

The empty apartment building across the street gave the enemy the tactical advantage. That advantage wasn’t something Derek, as the lead tactical team specialist of Omega’s SWAT generally gave up.

But the intel they’d received on this location had required an immediate response. Time for tactical analysis hadn’t been available. Thus, the taking cover behind their SUV as the bullets flew by their heads.

Derek had moved in on this location so quickly because it had been the first substantial lead pertaining to a terrorist attack on Chicago two weeks earlier. A bombing that had killed or injured over five hundred people.

None of the leads Omega had followed up on until now—and there had been hundreds of them—had provided any useful intel. Each location had been totally cold.

Another bullet flew by. This location definitely wasn’t cold.

“All right, to hell with this.” Derek looked over at Liam, “Jon and I will lay down cover-fire. You head around to the back of the building.”

Liam was grinning like an idiot. He loved this sort of thing, danger be damned. “Now you’re talking.”

Derek nodded. “Remember, we need them alive, if at all possible.”

“Hey, it’s me!” Liam actually winked at them. “I wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

Derek rolled his eyes and heard Jon groan under his breath as Liam made his way down the line of abandoned cars parked on the street. Still using their SUV for as much cover as possible, Derek and Jon began firing their weapons toward the abandoned building, hoping to draw any return-fire back at them and away from Liam.

But there were no shots at all coming at them from the house.

Derek looked over at Jon. “Again.”

Using the hood to brace his arm, Derek fired three shots at the house while Jon did the same from the rear of the vehicle. Still no return fire. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Liam make it across the street at the side of the building. No shots were fired at him either.

The bad guys weren’t in the building anymore; they must be on the run. Whoever had been shooting at them just a few moments ago was Omega’s best lead in Chicago’s terrorist attack. They were the only lead. And now they were about to get away.

“Move in, but be careful,” Derek said to Jon as they made their way forward, weapons still raised.

Derek was reaching for the knob of the door, Jon covering him from a cross angle when they heard a rapid burst of gunfire from the back of the building where Liam had been heading.

Both men backed out of the doorway and sprinted around the building without a word. Each of them knew that getting inside was secondary to helping Liam if he was under fire. As they rounded the building, Derek was relieved to see Liam unharmed, chasing a suspect farther down the road behind the apartment building. Derek and Jon continued running to catch up with them. Helping capture a known suspect was better than sticking around for what may or may not be in the house.

“Stay with them,” Derek told Jon, then made a sharp turn. He would run down a parallel side street and try to cut off the runner. He forced more speed out of his legs.

As he made a sharp turn around the next group of buildings, Derek saw the perp slowing down with Liam only a few yards behind him, Jon just beyond that.

It was obvious Liam was going to catch the guy at any moment, and the perp knew it, too. He fired his weapon at the Omega agents behind his back in some haphazard fashion without even stopping his run, but the bullets didn’t come anywhere near either of them.

Derek turned again and began running toward them.

“Stop!” he called out to the man, and saw distress wash over his face. The man stopped running altogether, sliding to an awkward stop.

“You’re under arrest,” Derek continued between breaths. “Place the gun on the ground and put your hands on your head.”

The man turned around, frantically looking for another way out, but didn’t put his gun down. All the Omega agents gripped their weapons tighter. Nobody wanted to shoot this suspect, he was too important. But they would if necessary. Especially if he turned his weapon on them rather than where it currently lay in his hand pointing at the ground.

“Put your weapon down,” Derek repeated. He nodded toward the ground with his forehead, as the man turned back in his direction. “Do you understand? All we want to do is ask you some questions.”

That wasn’t entirely true, but Derek just wanted to get the man’s gun out of his hand.

The man nodded and Derek eased his finger off the trigger just the slightest bit. But then, almost as if it was in slow motion, and before any of them could react, the guy brought his gun up to his own temple and fired. He crumpled to the ground, dead instantly.

Derek’s curse was vile. Jon rushed up to the man and crouched down to take his pulse at the wrist, but Derek knew it was too late.

Their best lead—their only lead—had just blown his brains out rather than be taken into custody.

~*~*~*~

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Winner’s Choice of a $20 Gift Card to Amazon or B&N or ebook copy of SPECIAL FORCES SAVIOR

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~*~*~*~

Janie Crouch loves to read – almost exclusively romance – and has been doing so since middle school. She cut her teeth on Harlequin (Mills & Boon) Romances when she lived in Wales, UK as a preteen, then moved on to a passion for romantic suspense as an adult. Her favorite authors include: Linda Howard, Nora Roberts, and Elizabeth Lowell.  Janie recently relocated with her husband and four children to Germany (due to her husband’s job as support for the U.S. Military), after living in Virginia for nearly 20 years. When she’s not listening to the voices in her head (and even when she is), she enjoys traveling, long-distance running, movie-watching, knitting and adventure (obstacle) racing. Janie completed an Ironman Triathlon in 2014.

Most of all, she loves to laugh and smile and count her blessings. And her blessings are many.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

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January 4, 2016

Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: Off the Clock: A Pleasure Principle Novel by Roni Loren

Off the Clock: A Pleasure Principle Novel by Roni Loren

Publication Date: January 05, 2016

Genre: Contemporary Romance/ Erotica

FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE LOVING ON THE EDGE NOVELS, THE FIRST IN A SENSUAL NEW SERIES

Overtime has never felt so good…

Marin Rush loves studying sex. Doing it? That’s another story. In the research lab, Marin’s lack of practical knowledge didn’t matter, but now that she’s landed a job at The Grove, a high-end, experimental sex therapy institute, she can’t ignore the fact that the person most in need of sexual healing may be her.

Dr. Donovan West, her new hotshot colleague, couldn’t agree more. Donovan knows that Marin’s clients are going to eat her alive unless she gets some hands-on experience. And if she fails at the job, he can say goodbye to a promotion, so he assigns her a list of R-rated tasks to prepare her for the wild clientele of The Grove’s X-wing.

But some of those tasks are built for two, and when he finds Marin searching for a candidate to help her check off her list, Donovan decides there’s only one man for the job—him. As long as they keep their erotic, off-the-clock activities strictly confidential and without strings, no one will get fired—or worse, get attached…

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Great way to start the year off! I always love Roni Loren’s books but this one really blew me away. I fell in love with Dr. Donovan West. He is the perfect mix of hot nerd and sexy alpha male. I also loved Marin because she’s a heroine readers can root for. Off the Clock was incredible! Scorching hot romance, great characters and an emotional storyline had me hooked. I couldn’t put it down and can’t wait to see what Roni Loren has in store for us next in this exciting new series. If you haven’t read anything by Roni Loren yet this is a great book to start with and if you’re a fan you’ll love this new series. It’s a book you’ll just enjoy reading and feel satisfied when you’re done. I highly recommend it for erotica romance lovers. I just loved it!

*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.

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Marin moaned when he parted her lips to deepen the kiss, and a swift rush of arousal flooded her, making the neglected parts of her throb and ache. His tongue stroked hers, teasing with a rhythm she could only imagine in other places. Her nipples became hard points, straining for touch, and her sex pulsed between her thighs. She wanted to rub herself on him like a cat, find relief. He seemed ready to oblige. Donovan backed her into the wall, his body aligning with hers and his hand sliding down to knead her hip like he was barely restraining himself from tearing off her clothes. Heat against heat, hardness growing against her belly. She was dying. She needed this. God, did she need this.
But a swift knock sounded behind him, shattering the protected moment and blasting through her lust-drunk brain. Marin gasped, and Donovan jumped back and dropped his hands to his sides like she had burned him.
The door swung open, and Ysa poked her head in. “Hey, guys I—” Her words faded as her gaze bounced between them. “Uh, sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt.”
Poker face. Poker face. Poker face. Marin pushed off the wall and fought hard to look like everything was fine even though her cheeks were burning hot, her lips slick, and her body pulsing in time with her frantic heartbeat. She had a feeling she was failing miserably at pulling it off. They may as well have a neon sign above their heads that read In Flagrante Delicto.
Donovan, on the other hand, owner of the world’s most impenetrable therapist mask, looked cool and unaffected as he tucked his hands in his pockets, presumably to hide his burgeoning hard-on, and looked at Ysa. “Not interrupting. What’s up?”
Ysa glanced between the two of them again but kept her thoughts to herself. “Just wanted to let you know your nine-thirty is here.”
Marin gave her a quick, tight smile. “Thanks. We’re on our way.”
Ysa gave them one last questioning look and then shook her head and disappeared back out into the hallway. When the door shut, Marin put her hands over her face and groaned. “Son of a bitch. Now there’s more grist for Dr. McCray’s rumor mill. I cannot believe I just did that. Here. With you.”
Donovan stepped into her space again and took her wrists in his hands, gently tugging them away from her face. “Take a breath. It’s okay. Ysa didn’t see anything. And even if she figured it out, she would never say anything to anyone.”
But Marin hardly heard any of it with her head spinning and anxiety rushing through her. “God, how could I be so stupid? I don’t know what I was thinking. I just—”
“It’s not your fault, Marin,” he said, his voice gentle. “I crossed the line first.” His mouth hitched up. “Plus, I should know not to stand that close to a woman who spent all night watching porn.”
A sharp laugh burst out of her, her nerves bubbling up and out. “Right. I’m bound to grab anyone within reach to use for my lecherous purposes.”
Donovan looked down at her for a long second, some of that heat from earlier returning, burning her slowly. His hands flexed around her wrists. “I wouldn’t mind being used by you, Marin.”
Her stomach dipped.
“I didn’t make the offer last night because it would’ve been a selfish move. And a risk. But I want you in my bed. Know that. It’s not altruistic. Or professional. And it’s out of line.” His voice was like water gliding along her skin—smooth, clear, quietly powerful. He lifted her hand and flattened it against his chest over the inner pocket of his jacket. “But if you decide you might want that anyway, know there isn’t a thing on this list that I wouldn’t love to check off for you. Completely and thoroughly. I could make you shameless, Rush.”
She could barely hear him over the roaring sound in her ears. How the hell was she supposed to form words after that?
He released her hands and stepped back but kept her pinned beneath that white-hot gaze. “So if you ever need me . . . off the clock, you just have to ask. And if you want me to go to hell and steer clear, that’s all you’ve got to say, too. It’s your call.”
Everything inside her was buzzing. Her mind had gotten hung up on the words completely and thoroughly. He wasn’t going to pressure her, but the look in his eye said he could rock her celibate world right off its fucking axis. The temptation was like a bright, glittering thing blurring her vision.
But taking that offer would come with a price. Keeping things secret. The risk of being caught. And there would be a time limit. He didn’t do relationships. This would just be sex.
Really hot, really intense sex.

~*~*~*~

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Roni wrote her first romance novel at age fifteen when she discovered writing about boys was way easier than actually talking to them. Since then, her flirting skills haven’t improved, but she likes to think her storytelling ability has. Though she’ll forever be a New Orleans girl at heart, she now lives in Dallas with her husband and son.

If she’s not working on her latest sexy story, you can find her reading, watching reality television, or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to rockstars, er, rock concerts. Yeah, that’s it. She is the National Bestselling Author of The Loving on the Edge series from Berkley Heat.

Social Media Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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January 1, 2016

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: Caught by You: A Love Between the Bases Novel by Jennifer Bernard

CAUGHT BY YOU: A Love Between the Bases Novel by Jennifer Bernard

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publication Date: December 29, 2015

Love comes out of left field in the second novel in USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Bernard’s sexy baseball-themed series…

Months of alternately flirting and bickering with Kilby Catfish catcher Mike Solo just turned into the hottest kiss of Donna MacIntyre’s life—and that’s a major league complication. Any hint of scandal could keep her from getting her son back from her well-connected ex. Then Mike comes up with a game-changing idea: a marriage proposal that could help win her case—even as it jeopardizes her heart.

Mike hasn’t been able to get the gorgeous, gutsy redhead out of his fantasies. The least he can do is fix the mess he helped create. Yet their engagement is quickly becoming about a lot more than doing the right thing. Because after swearing he’d never risk love again, Mike has found a passion that puts all his emotions in play, and a woman he’ll go to bat for again and again.

~*~*~*~

He ran a hand through the rough curls at the back of his head. “I have to confess something.” His Catholic-boy conscience had been tugging at him this whole time. “Only a couple of those library books are mine. Mostly they’re my neighbor’s. He’s house-bound, so I pick up books for him.”

Amusement lit up her little heart-shaped face. “Your confession is that you don’t read big piles of books, and that you go to the library for your neighbor? I’m crushed. I was thinking there was a secret genius hidden inside that ripped body.”

“Maybe I was trying to impress you. We’ve been dancing around each other all season. Don’t you want to see if there’s anything to this chemistry?”

Her eyes widened. “Here? Are you trying to add public indecency to all those fines?”

“Just a kiss. One kiss. There’s nothing indecent about a kiss.”

She considered that for a long moment, while a pleasant tension rose between them. Finally she seemed to make up her mind. She took a step forward, brushing against him.

“Nothing indecent, Priest? I’ve got news for you.”

“What’s that?”

“There is if you do it right.” And she lifted her mouth to his.

~*~*~*~

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~~~*~

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~*~*~*~

Jennifer Bernard is a graduate of Harvard and a former news promo producer. The child of academics, she confounded her family by preferring romance novels to … well, any other books. She left big city life for true love in Alaska, where she now lives with her husband and stepdaughters. She’s no stranger to book success, as she also writes erotic novellas under a naughty secret name not to be mentioned at family gatherings.

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December 30, 2015

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: The Earl’s Complete Surrender (Secrets at Thorncliff Manor Series) by Sophie Barnes

The Earl’s Complete Surrender (Secrets at Thorncliff Manor #2) by Sophie Barnes

Publication Date: December 29, 2015

An unexpected passion ignites as secrets are exposed in Sophie Barnes’s captivating Regency-set romance

Despite the diversions offered at Thorncliff Manor, former spy James, the Earl of Woodford, has one purpose in staying there. He must find an encoded book that exposes a conspiracy within the British aristocracy. And he must do so without revealing his purpose to the clever, tempting Chloe Heartly. The lady has a knack for appearing wherever it is least convenient. In the library. In the salon. And, especially, in his arms . . .

Somewhere within Thorncliff’s labyrinth of rooms lies the journal Chloe desperately seeks. When she realizes the brooding, handsome earl is hunting the same quarry, Chloe enters into an uneasy partnership. But in the face of public danger and enemies hiding in plain sight, both must decide how much they’re willing to risk to solve the mysteries of the heart.

Link to Follow Tour

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~*~*~*~

Thorncliff Manor, later that day

It was almost two weeks since Chloe had arrived at Thorncliff with her parents and siblings. Owned by the Countess of Duncaster, the elaborate guest house would provide her and her family with the retreat that they needed while their own home was being renovated.

The afternoon sun cast a splendid glow upon the fields surrounding the estate as Chloe made her way along the graveled path with her sister, Fiona. She’d always enjoyed the outdoors and was especially fond of sharing it with her family. Arm linked with Fiona’s, she leaned a little closer to her sister. “I’ve missed spending time with you like this. With all of you, that is.”

Offering a sideways glance and a crooked smile, Fiona nodded. “We’ve missed you too. I know it wasn’t easy for you to move out of your home after Newbury died and his cousin arrived to claim his inheritance, but I am glad to have you back home with us at Oakland House.”

The mention of her late husband made Chloe’s skin prickle. Repositioning her shawl, she drew it more firmly across her shoulders, hugging herself in the process. “I just don’t like imposing on Mama and Papa, so I am considering other options—perhaps a position as governess for someone’s unruly children.”

Fiona must have caught the slight crack in her voice, because she quickly said, “You could have some of your own if you chose to remarry.”

“You know that’s not an option,” Chloe told her, feeling once again an unforgiving weight pressing down on her. They continued for a moment, accompanied by the sound of pebbles crunching beneath their feet while birds twittered from the treetops.

“I do hope Kip will take our advice seriously,” Fiona suddenly said. As Chloe’s youngest sister, she was the least reserved of the Heartly siblings, of which there were seven in total. Kip, or rather, Christopher Maxwell Heartly, otherwise known as Viscount Spencer, heir to the Earl of Oakland, was the eldest.

“After we held him hostage and tried to blackmail him?” Chloe asked, reminding her sister that they had resorted to more disagreeable tactics several days earlier.

“Well, he would have fled our company otherwise, refusing to listen to what we had to say,” By we, Fiona was referring to all the Heartly sisters, as well as their mother.

“Would you blame him, Fiona? Frankly, I found your method a little extreme—perhaps even cruel.”

Chloe could not even begin to imagine what it must have been like for Kip to be faced with so many women all planning to get him married posthaste, and with no possibility for escape in sight.

“Cruel?” Fiona looked genuinely surprised. “We all have his best interests at heart, Chloe.”

“Do we, Dearest? Because if you ask me, locking him in a room against his will and then blackmailing him into spending time with Lady Sarah might not be what he wants.”

Fiona sighed. “Perhaps not, but I do think it’s necessary to remind him that not all women are like Miss Hepplestone. I’m sure Lady Sarah . . . oh look, it appears there may be new guests on the way.”

~*~*~*~

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~~~*~

Born in Denmark, Sophie Barnes spent her youth traveling with her parents to wonderful places all around the world. She’s lived in five different countries, on three different continents, and speaks Danish, English, French, Spanish and Romanian. She has studied design in Paris and New York and has a bachelor’s degree from Parsons. But, most impressive of all, she’s been married to the same man three times—in three different countries and in three different dresses.

While living in Africa, Sophie turned to her lifelong passion: writing. When she’s not busy dreaming up her next romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, swimming, cooking, gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading. She currently lives on the East Coast.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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December 29, 2015

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: Dukes Prefer Blondes (The Dressmakers Series) by Loretta Chase

Dukes Prefer Blondes (The Dressmakers Series) by Loretta Chase

Genre: Historical Romance

Publication Date: December 29, 2015

Lady Clara, the fan-favorite character from Loretta Chase’s New York Times and USA Today bestselling Dressmakers series, finally gets her own happily ever after!

Convenient marriages are rarely so…exciting. Can society’s most adored heiress and London’s most difficult bachelor fall victim to their own unruly desires?

Biweekly marriage proposals from men who can’t see beyond her (admittedly breathtaking) looks are starting to get on Lady Clara Fairfax’s nerves. Desperate to be something more than ornamental, she escapes to her favorite charity. When a child goes missing, she turns to Oliver Radford—a handsome, brilliant, excessively conceited barrister.

Having unexpectedly found himself in line to inherit a dukedom, Radford needs a bride who can navigate the Society he’s never been part of. If he can find one without having to set foot in a ballroom, so much the better. Clara—blonde, blue-eyed, and he must admit, not entirely bereft of brains—will do. As long as he can woo her, wed her—and not, like every other sapskull in London, lose his head over her…

Link to Follow Tour

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~*~*~*~

Charing Cross
A short time later

“Look out! Are you blind? Get out of the way!”

Clara hadn’t time to see what she was in the way of when an arm snaked about her waist and yanked her back from the curb. Then she saw the black and yellow gig hurtling toward her.

At the last minute, it swerved away, toward the watermen and boys clustered about the statue of King Charles I. Then once more it veered abruptly off course. It nicked a passing omnibus, struck a limping dog, and swung into St. Martin’s Lane, leaving pandemonium in its wake.

Some inches above her head—and plainly audible above the bystanders’ shouts and shrieks and the noise of carriages, horses, and dogs—a deep, cultivated voice uttered an oath. The muscular arm came away from her waist and the arm’s owner stepped back a pace. She looked up at him, more up than she was accustomed to.

His face seemed familiar, though her brain couldn’t find a name to attach to it. Under his hat brim, a single black curl fell against his right temple. Below the dark, sharply angled eyebrows, a pair of cool grey eyes regarded her. Her own gaze moved swiftly from his uncomfortably sharp scrutiny down his long nose and firmly chiseled mouth and chin.

The day was warm, but the warmth she felt started on the inside.

“I daresay you noticed nothing about him?” he said. “But why do I ask a pointless question? Everybody flies into a panic and nobody pays attention. The correct question is, Does it matter?” He shrugged. “Only to the dog, perhaps. And in that regard one may say that the driver simply put the wretched brute out of its misery. Let’s call it an act of mercy. Well, then. Not injured, my lady? No swooning? No tears? Excellent. Good day.”

He touched the brim of his hat and started away.

“A man and a boy in a black Stanhope gig trimmed in yellow,” she said to his back. Clara was aware of the tall, black-garbed figure pausing, but she was concentrating, to hold the fleeting image in her mind. “Carriage freshly painted. Blood bay mare. White stripe. White sock . . . off hind leg. No tiger. The boy . . . I’ve seen him before, near Covent Garden. Red hair. Square face. Spotty. Garish yellow coat. Cheap hat. The driver had a face like a whippet. His coat . . . a better one but not right. Not a gentleman.”

Her rescuer slowly turned back to her, one dark eyebrow upraised. “Face like a whippet?”

“A narrow, elongated face,” she said. With one gloved hand, whose tremor was barely noticeable, she made a lengthening gesture over her own face. “Sharp features. He drives to an inch. He might have spared the dog.”

Her rescuer looked her up and down, so briefly Clara wasn’t altogether sure he’d done it. But then his expression became acutely intent.

She kept her sigh to herself and her chin upraised, and waited for the wall to go up.

“You’re certain,” he said.

Why should I be certain? she thought. I’m only a woman and so of course I have no brain to speak of.

She said, more impatiently than she ought to, “I could see the dog was barely alive. No doubt boys would have tortured him or a horse would have kicked him or a cart would have rolled over him soon enough. But that driver knew what he was doing. He struck the animal on purpose.”

The stranger’s keen gaze shifted away from her to scan the square.

“What an idiot,” he said. “Making a spectacle of himself. Killing the dog was meant as a warning to me, obviously. A master of subtlety he is not.” When his gaze returned to her, he said, “A whippet, you say.”

She nodded.

“Well done,” he said.

For an instant Clara thought he’d pat her on the head, as one would a puppy who’d learned a new trick. But he only stood there, alternately looking at her then looking about him. His mouth twitched a little, as though he meant to smile, but he didn’t.

“That man, whoever he is, is a public menace,” she said. “I have an appointment or I should report the incident to the police.” She had no appointment. Her visit to the Milliners’ Society was a spur-of-the-moment decision. But a lady was not to have anything to do with the police. Even if she got murdered, she ought to do it discreetly. “I must leave the matter to you.”

“Firstly, nobody was injured but a dog it’s obvious nobody cared about,” the gentleman said. “Otherwise the creature would have been a degree more alive to begin with. Secondly, one doesn’t pester the police about the demise, violent or otherwise, of a mere canine unless its owner is an aristocrat. Thirdly, it’s now clear the fellow was aiming for me when you stepped in the way. I couldn’t see him clearly through the”—he gestured at her hat, his mouth twitching again—“the whatnot rising from your head. But Whippet Face . . .” Now he smiled. It wasn’t much of a smile, being small and quick, but it changed his face, and her heart gave a short, surprised thump. “He’s been trying to kill me this age. He’s not the only one. Hardly worth troubling the constabulary.”

He gave her the briefest nod, then turned and strode away.

Clara stood staring after him.

Tall, lean, and self-assured, he moved with swift purpose through the sea of people surging over the streets converging on Trafalgar Square. Even after he entered the Strand, he didn’t disappear from sight for a while. His hat and broad shoulders remained visible above the mass of humanity until he reached Clevedon House, when a passing coach blocked her view.

He never looked back.

~*~*~*~

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~*~*~*~

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~*~*~*~

Loretta Chase has worked in academe, retail, and the visual arts, as well as on the streets-as a meter maid-and in video, as a scriptwriter. She might have developed an excitingly checkered career had her spouse not nagged her into writing fiction. Her bestselling historical romances, set in the Regency and Romantic eras of the early 19th century, have won a number of awards, including the Romance Writers of America’s Rita. For more about her past, her books, and what she does and doesn’t do on social media, please visit her website http://www.LorettaChase.com.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

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December 28, 2015

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: BROKEN DREAMS (Delos Series) by Lindsay McKenna

BROKEN DREAMS (Delos Series, Book 4) by Lindsay McKenna

Publication Date: January 2, 2016

Captain Alexa Culver takes one look at shy, quiet Marine sniper Gage Hunter and feels an instant connection. But Gage has demons in his past that keep him from giving it to their mutual attraction. Alexa believes Gage is worth fighting for, and begins to slowly chip away at his defenses.

Gage Hunter has lost everyone he has ever loved. Lonely and broken, the last thing he expects is to meet someone like Alexa Culver. The redheaded batty is confident and outgoing and makes Gage feel emotions he thought long buried. But before he risks revealing his heart to her she is kidnapped by the Taliban while on a humanitarian mission. Can Gage reach her before he loses his chance for love forever?

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~*~*~*~

“What can we do?” Alexa tried to steady her voice. When she was in the heavily armored cockpit of her A-10, she felt protected. Even if she made low, slow passes to strafe and destroy Taliban trying to overrun an American position, she still felt safe. Here? In an Afghan village? She felt like a target was on her back. Gage Hunter was placing himself between her and the world around them, shielding her. A fierce sense of gratitude rose in her chest.
She wasn’t wearing a protective vest. In fact, her only weapon was a .45 pistol in a holster on her right hip. Alexa hadn’t been expecting this at all.
She heard a hollow thunk from the area around the wadi.
“Incoming!” Gage suddenly yelled into his radio, alerting the other Marines. Instantly, he turned, savagely shoving Alexa down onto the muddy soil and dropping, trying to cover her. It was an RPG, fired from a launcher by their enemy.
Alexa screamed and slammed against the wall, her knees buried in mud, her hands covering her head. Gage landed hard on top of her, his arms gathering her beneath his wide, long body. She opened her mouth, knowing if an RPG was fired and it landed close, her lungs had to equalize with the pressure from the blast. If she didn’t, they would turn to jelly in an instant.
She heard Gage curse, and he embraced her, tucking her head against his chest. Oh, God!
An RPG landed just inside the front gate of the village, the resounding pressure waves from the blast tearing the gates off their hinges and sending them flying outward. A second RPG was launched, landing inside the village near the first one fired. Alexa felt the blasts like fists punching her body, and the sounds were so loud, it felt as if thunder had literally landed upon her as the ground shook all around her. It felt like an earthquake.
She heard Gage groan, and suddenly, he went limp above her, his arms loosening around her head and shoulders. No! Had he been hit? Alexa squirmed, her ears in such pain she couldn’t hear anything except the roar inside them.
“Gage!” she cried, trying to wriggle out from beneath him. He was so heavy! She wallowed in the mud and snow, trying to get out from under him to see what had happened.
But before Alexa could wriggle free, Gage was suddenly hauled off her. Her eyes widened as she looked upward. A man dressed in black Afghan clothing with a brown beard and hatred in his eyes stared down at her. He grinned savagely, reaching out and yanking Alexa to her feet.
Alexa got her first look at the aftermath of the attack and, to her horror, saw the chief and his wife lying at the entrance, unmoving, blood around their bodies. The young women of the medical teams had run screaming, utterly panicked, and there were men on horseback thundering after them. The male medical professionals with them had been shot. Chaos ensued.
Alexa yelped as the Taliban soldier slammed her against the wall, knocking the wind out of her. He grabbed her hands, quickly wrapping her wrists in tight ropes. Alexa fought, and he cursed in Urdu, the main language of Pakistan. He grabbed her .45 and tossed it away.
She heard screams and saw Taliban soldiers on horseback grabbing all of the female medical personnel. They each dismounted, jerking a woman to them, tying her hands, and then throwing her on their horse and mounting up behind them.
NO!
She was dragged past Gage, who lay unconscious on the ground. To her horror, she saw blood on the side of his temple. Oh, no! The blast had injured him! She dug in her boots, screaming and fighting back as the soldier dragged her toward his waiting horse, but he was wiry and much stronger than she was.
Alexa kicked out, trying to make him release her. He turned and raised his hand, as if to strike her, but she dodged his wide-open hand, falling to her knees on the ground. Behind her, she heard the other women’s shrieks and wails. Several riders galloped by, each with a woman in the saddle, her hands tied, the soldiers whipping their animals to go faster.
“Gage!” Alexa cried, scrambling to her feet. She dodged the soldier’s next slap, yanking him around. She wasn’t a small woman—maybe an inch shorter than her captor. Anger leaped to his eyes as he grabbed the reins of his horse with his other hand. The animal danced around, rolling its eyes in terror.
“Gage, help me!” she sobbed, hauling back.
The soldier suddenly released her, and Alexa fell to the ground as he came at her, slamming his boot down into her chest.
An ooofff of air ruptured from her lungs as he put all his weight upon her chest, glaring down at her. Alexa couldn’t move, the air knocked out of her. She tried to rise, but it was impossible to breathe.
The soldier was cursing angrily now, grabbing her by the hair, his fist wrapped solidly within it, and hauling her upright. The pain spread like hot needles across her scalp as she cried out, throwing her tied hands upward. Now he had full control of her. Pushing her to the horse, he forced her to mount. Once on it, he kept her head back against him, her throat exposed, putting her off balance. Kicking his bay horse, he whipped it around to leave.

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Lindsay McKenna lives her life as a risk taker, and it shines through the books she loves to write: romance, adventure and suspense. She started writing at age thirteen and continues to hone her writing skills to this day. She sold her first romance novel in 1981. The rest is history.

Because she went into the military, this experience became the backbone of her writing—she is credited with writing the first military romance novel (Captive of Fate, 1983, Silhouette Special Edition) and has created a thriving sub-genre within the romance field! As a New York Times Best Selling author, she has sold 23 million books and in 32 foreign languages in her career thus far. Her many experiences in the U.S. Navy are backdrop for her understanding of the military in general, and also her very successful Morgan’s Mercenaries, which is an ongoing series in Silhouette to this day! Forty-five books strong!

Lindsay has gone Indie in 2015 and has created a new family saga on par with Morgan’s Mercenaries It is known as the DELOS SERIES. There will be paperback and eBooks created under Blue Turtle Publishing, her company for her fans. Readers who love Morgan and his family are bound to fall in love with the Culver family. Delos is romantic suspense, which Lindsay is well known for. It took her five years to create and bring DELOS to her readers. It was worth the wait, but we’ll let you decide that.

Lindsay loves to hear from her readers and loves to know what they’d like to see her write next. Stay up with the latest on the Delos Series here. Please visit her Web site at http://www.lindsaymckenna.com. And be sure to sign up for her free quarterly newsletter. It contains exclusive content found nowhere else on the Net. Plus, giveaways and other surprises, to her loyal and faithful subscribers!

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ONE-EYED DUKES ARE WILD (Dukes Behaving Badly #3) by Megan Frampton

The Highlander Who Loved Me (The McKennas) by Adrienne Basso

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Fighting Dirty (Worth the Fight #5) by Sidney Halston

Publication Date: January 5, 2016

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Kill Without Mercy (ARES Security) by Alexandra Ivy

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publication Date: December 29, 2015

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Special Forces Savior (Omega Sector: Critical Response) by Janie Crouch

Publication Date: January 1, 2016

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Winner’s Choice of a $20 Gift Card to Amazon or B&N or ebook copy of SPECIAL FORCES SAVIOR

Off the Clock: A Pleasure Principle Novel by Roni Loren

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CAUGHT BY YOU: A Love Between the Bases Novel by Jennifer Bernard

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The Earl’s Complete Surrender (Secrets at Thorncliff Manor #2) by Sophie Barnes

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Dukes Prefer Blondes (The Dressmakers Series) by Loretta Chase

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BROKEN DREAMS (Delos Series, Book 4) by Lindsay McKenna

Publication Date: January 2, 2016

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Special Forces Savior  (Omega Sector: Critical Response) by Janie Crouch

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