Title: Frayed (Connections #4) by Kim Karr
Release date: Sept 2, 2014
FRAYED SYNOPSIS:
He didn’t think, he didn’t question—he just acted.
What she wanted, she took—without regard.
It was only one night, but it changed everything.
After losing his fiancée, Ben Covington is unsure he’ll ever love again. But he’s so deeply drawn to Bell Wilde that he’s thrown for a loop. Maybe it’s purely sexual chemistry that’s igniting their spark… or maybe it’s his second chance at love.
Bell has just gotten her life back on track and may not be up for the challenge of Ben Covington. But once they’re reunited, there’s no holding back—even if a secret from Bell’s past just might shatter them both.
Rock star River Wilde brought Dahlia London back from the brink of hopelessness with his unwavering love and devotion. But their entwined history is about to test the strength of that love…
Dahlia was certain she had found true love and met her ‘Once in a Lifetime’ when she reconnected with River. But Dahlia’s world comes crashing down when someone from her past resurfaces, and all of River’s carefully hidden secrets are exposed.
River wants to show Dahlia that life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass—it’s about dancing in the rain! But how many times can one broken heart be mended? Will River and Dahlia be able to face the turmoil together or will they be torn apart?
What if a ‘Once in a Lifetime’ could happen twice?
Suffering from a past full of tragedy, Dahlia London’s soul has been left completely shattered. Happily ever after is a far cry from reality in her world. But, when she is reconnected with her past, the bonds that form are irrefutable.
When River Wilde, lead singer of The Wilde Ones, comes back into Dahlia’s life, the intensity that fires their relationship combined with underlying feelings that have never died lead her to believe she has met her soulmate.
Struggling with confusion as old connections fade and new ones begin, Dahlia’s grief begins to lift–but guilt remains. River wants to be the one to mend all that is torn within her.
But with a past that is never really gone, can their future survive?
Today Joan Kilby and Indulgence Books are excited to reveal the cover of Mad About You which releases March 31, 2014! Let us know what you think of the cover and enter to win a $15 Amazon gift card courtesy of Joan.
Accountant Cassy Morris knows she’s putting her heart on the line when she agrees to move in with her best friend, multi-millionaire geek Scott Thornton while she manages his nanotechnology lab and finds an angel investor for his revolutionary new product. She’s loved him forever even though he’s only ever regarded her as a friend. But Cassy never could refuse Scott anything…
When Scott is named Seattle’s sexiest man, the attention from women threatens to get in the way of him finishing his pet project and putting it on the market. Cassy steps up once again and pretends to be his fiancé. A lifetime of repressed sexual tension explodes in a passionate affair. Soon Scott is wondering how he can convince Cassy to turn their fake engagement into reality…
About Joan
When I’m not working on a book I can often be
found sipping a latte at my local cafe and indulging my favorite
past-time of people watching.
Growing up in Vancouver, Canada, I always
wanted to be a writer. In university I took a detour to study marine biology. I
worked as an environmental biologist for many years until the birth of my first
child.
I loved staying at home with my kids because
not only could I raise them myself but I could indulge my first love
— writing. I soon realized story-telling was what I was always meant to do.
Twenty years later I’m still hooked on
writing. I’ve published over twenty-five books with Harlequin. I’m now writing
for Entangled Publishing and have a couple of self-publishing projects on the
go.
I live in Melbourne, Australia, with my
husband and three grown children. As well as writing and hanging out in cafes (Melbourne has the best coffee!) I go to the gym, walk my dog, cook,
hike, garden, swim and read. I belong to Toastmasters Club and numerous writing organizations.
Breaking the Nexus by Lindsay Avalon –
Publication Date: December 3, 2013
Synopsis:
A homicide detective out of his element…
Demons? Magic? Strange realms filled with mythical creatures? Connor Flynn had no doubt these things existed…in the pages of fictional books. As a homicide detective, he knew evil, witnessed it every day on the job. Even when a series of ritualistic murders begin appearing, he looks to the evidence, not the supernatural. Until the day he found a mysterious woman sitting right in the middle of his latest crime scene. While he searches for a rational explanation, all signs indicate she materialized out of thin air.
A woman in a foreign land…
Locked in battle with a fierce hellbeast one minute, then lying in a pool of blood the next, Sha Phoenix has no idea what happened. A Sorceri within the Mythrian Realm, magic is a way of life, as she manipulates the elements of fire and water. She understands banshees, blood mages, and dragons, not waking to find a sexy detective accusing her of murder. Trapped in the Human Realm, she can be sure of only one thing: the barrier that separates her world from Connor’s is weakening by the minute.
A world on the brink of destruction…
Thrown together by fate, Sha and Connor must find a way to put a stop to a killer, bent on destroying the world as they know it.
The Nexus is breaking, and all hell is about to unleash…literally.
Excerpt:
Chapter 1:
Death stalked his dreams. It shouldn’t have shocked him, not after his years as a homicide detective. But this time, something was different. It hadn’t been the grisly murder-suicide from the night before, though he’d expected those deaths to haunt his dreams. A young mother, barely twenty, had killed her baby daughter then herself. No, he corrected himself, she had shredded that poor little girl before slitting her own throat. No one could explain what had turned a seemingly happy young woman into a brutal murderer, but the images of wading through the river of blood had tormented him as he’d headed home from the precinct.
That would have been horrific enough. But this? This was something he never could have imagined.
Disjointed images bombarded him, nightmarish scenes of battles between creatures that couldn’t exist. Cries of pain and fear reverberated through a forest of strange, twisting trees, nearly drowning out the clash of steel, the sickening crunch of bones breaking, the wet ripping of flesh giving way.
What the hell was going on?
Connor Flynn considered himself a practical man. Having worked too many gruesome crime scenes over the years, it wasn’t unusual for his dreams to be twisted. Yet he couldn’t remember a single instance when his mind had conjured up anything like this.
The beings locked in battle were illuminated by flashes of brilliant color light, seeming to originate from something that looked human, but couldn’t be. No human could produce such effects outside of movie magic, not even his Wiccan sister. That had to be it, This was a movie. What else explained the hulking beast attacking the two figures? One was definitely female, the other male.
Another crash shook the ground beneath Connor’s feet and he watched as the woman, her golden hair streaked with blue, turned to shout at the man in a strange language. Panic coated her voice, her vivid blue eyes wild with terror. And determination, Connor realized. His body inexplicable strained toward her, every fiber of his being wanting to offer aid to them but he was held in place by invisible bonds.
Before him, the air seemed to part, flashing symbols glowing faintly. The woman was oblivious to the new danger behind her and he opened his mouth to shout a warning.
The words died on his tongue as once more the earth heaved beneath him, tossing him to the ground as little more than a rag doll. Pain exploded as his head struck something sharp and his vision dimmed. His eyes swept the ravaged landscape for the woman, but all he could see was devastation. More figures flooded into the clearing moments before Connor gave up the battle to stay conscious.
He awoke with a start, sweat coating his body, his chest heaving as if he’d just run a marathon. His head throbbed and he reached up, tentatively running his fingers across the area he had hit in his dream. What was he doing, he wondered. Of course there wasn’t anything there. It had been nothing more than a vivid nightmare. Wincing as he brushed a tender area near the back of his head, he stared in shock at the traces of blood on his fingertips.
Flinging the tangled sheets aside, he stumbled to the bathroom to splash cold water on his face. There was a perfectly logical explanation for that. He must’ve hit his head on the nightstand and his mind had inserted the pain into the dream. Yes, that was it. That made sense. Yet, as he stared at his reflection in the mirror, his eyes bloodshot and weary, the dark stubble covering his jaw glistening with droplets of water, he couldn’t shake the image of the woman from his mind. Her fierce gaze as she fought against a beast that had easily been several times her size. Hands clenching into fists to stop the instinctive desire to reach for the memory, he shook his head. Before he could berate himself for a fool, his phone rang.
Bare feet padded across the floor and he dug through his pants, searching for the phone. Glancing at the display, he sighed. Dispatch. Despite Thanksgiving fast approaching, murder refused to take a vacation.
About Lindsay Avalon:
I am a wife, a programmer, and now an author. I have an adorable mini Schnauzer and more books than I have room for. I love reading romance because no matter what may be happening in my life, I can always count on my books to end happily ever after. The day I met my husband was the day I truly began believing in happily ever after. After hearing me complain a few too many times that I had “nothing” to read despite the hundreds of paperbacks scattered around the house, my husband began suggesting I write my own stories. When I finally took his advice I discovered that although I enjoy my day job as a software engineer, my true calling is to be an author.
My sister drilled into me an appreciation for fantasy and mythology, something I try to bring to my books. My debut novel, “Breaking the Nexus”, started as a book written for NaNoWriMo and has grown to so much more. It was the conduit that introduced me to a fantastic group of independent authors who have changed my life in unimaginable ways.
When I’m not writing, I’ve found a passion for blogging and interviewing fellow authors. I also love reading (of course!), baking, crochet, sewing sock monkeys, playing video games, and all sorts of random crafts. I have an incurable love of rubber duckies and stuffed animals, and I believe nobody should have to grow up if they don’t want.
Caged in Winter by Brighton Walsh
Publication Date: November 4, 2014
In this emotional and sexy New Adult debut from Brighton Walsh, the only thing more frightening than commitment is hope…
Aspiring chef Cade Maxwell is immediately, viscerally attracted to Winter Jacobson. But it’s not her mouthwatering curves he’s drawn to—it’s the strange emptiness in her eyes. When Cade saves her from a drunken customer with grabby hands, he’s shocked at her response…
Winter doesn’t need Cade’s help. After a lifetime of getting by on her own, she’s happy to rely on herself. She’s exactly seventy-six days away from graduating college, and if she can hold it together that long, she’ll finally be able to rise above the crappy hand she was dealt.
But now, every time she turns around, Cade is there, ready to push her, smile at her, distract her from her plans. Winter knows she can’t afford to open up—especially to a man she’s terrified to actually want.
Brighton Walsh spent nearly a decade as a professional photographer before deciding to take her storytelling in a different direction and reconnect with her first love: writing. When she’s not pounding away at the keyboard, she’s probably either reading or shopping—maybe even both at once. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and two children, and, yes, she considers forty degrees to be hoodie weather. Her home is the setting for frequent dance parties, Lego battles, and more laughter than she thought possible. Visit her online at http://www.brightonwalsh.com.
Waiting For Prince Harry—Coming 2014
Publisher: Soul Mate
Twenty-four-year-old Kylie Reed has always been a rule follower. Organized and cautious to a fault, her dreams for life are often filed away for future use—when she has a house, when she meets her future husband, when she has been at her visual display job at a chic Dallas boutique longer…Kylie always has a reason for living her life in the future, not in the present, and not living her life to the fullest and reaching her dream of becoming a fashion designer.
The only exception to rules, of course, would be running away with Prince Harry—Kylie’s ideal man. A hot, fun ginger boy would be worth breaking all the rules for, of course. And Kylie is sure Harry just needs the right, centering woman to settle him down. But living in Dallas and not knowing Prince Harry make this a non-option.
Or does it?
Because when Kylie accidentally falls into the lap of a gorgeous ginger boy—yes, even more gorgeous than the real Prince Harry—all bets are off. Could this stranger be the one to show Kylie how to take a chance, to face her fears, and live in the present? And could this stranger be the Prince Harry she has been waiting for? Kylie’s life takes some unexpected twists and turns thanks to this chance encounter, and she knows her life will never be the same because of it…
The giveaway on this blitz is 1 x ecopy of Waiting for Prince Harry (when it is published) and 1 x ecopy of Connectivity. Open Internationally.
Rafflecopter code: a Rafflecopter giveaway
Aven Ellis has been writing fiction since she was sixteen. She studied communications at a large Midwestern university, and after graduation, Aven worked as a reporter for a community newspaper, followed by a stint at a public relations agency.
But writing about city council meetings and restaurant franchises was not as much fun as writing for young women trying to figure out their careers and potential boyfriends. So Aven got herself a job in television that allowed her to write at night. Connectivity is Aven’s debut novel; Waiting For Prince Harry and Chronicles of a Lincoln Park Fashionista (New Adult romantic comedy) will be published this year.
Aven lives in Dallas with her family. When she is not writing, Aven enjoys shopping, cooking, connecting with friends on social media, and watching any show that features Gordon Ramsay.
Check out Connectivity, Aven Ellis’ debut novel:
Reading In Pajamas – Rated: 4 Stars
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Overachiever Mary-Kate Grant (who is indeed named after an Olsen Twin) has followed every rule to the letter to pursue her dream of working in TV programming. Ripping a page from the “hard work pays off” playbook, she takes an assistant level job at a Chicago sports network to break into the industry.
MK has no time or desire for a relationship right now—she is totally focused on her career and being independent, unlike the other women in her family.
But MK’s plans are run through the shredder when she finds herself working for William Cumberland, a British media mogul who made his fortune with Connectivity, a social media site. William blows into Chicago just like the winds off Lake Michigan and purchases the group of networks MK works for—and makes her his personal assistant in the process.
Suddenly MK finds her career plans in jeopardy. William makes her question everything she has ever thought and has the uncanny ability to see right through her. And for the first time in her life, MK finds herself not only questioning what she wants for her career but for her personal life as well…
REVIEW: Connectivity is a beautiful love story that drew me in from the first page. I fell in love with the characters Aven Ellis created. MK (Mary-Kate) is a smart, sassy, funny and somewhat quirky woman who is not looking for love and completely focused on her career until she meets her new boss. William is a sexy, British mogul and is intrigued by MK from the start. I loved their banter with each other. I think William needed someone like MK to bring some fun into his life. There story is a really sweet romance that takes the reader along for the ride as they fall in love. I highly recommend this book for romance readers looking for a sweet and romantic love story.
*Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Blake Bentley had a rough upbringing, never fully believing he was good enough for anything or anyone. After being left with a broken heart by his only girlfriend, Blake swore off relationships for good and turned to the only two things that made him feel sufficient – sex and firefighting.
Tessa Collins was brought up in the traditional ‘perfect’ family – loving parents, great sister, and amazing friends. After falling in love with Jared, her life was perfect – until he betrayed her. She has no idea that his betrayal could end up costing her more than just a shattered heart.
Blake and Tessa have been friends since high school. Never wanting to admit their attraction for each other, the two always remained close friends. Now, three years later, Blake and Tessa find themselves being pulled together by a force much greater than friendship.
Blake and Tessa have promised to be friends forever, but as fate pulls them together, they embark on a roller coaster ride of a lifetime. Will his self doubt and her insecurities keep them apart? Or will they be able to promise each other always?
**content is for +18yrs. **
Excerpts
Excerpt Tessa POV
Blake led me through the ballroom and out into the hotel lobby. He pulled me into a corner before we got to the front desk, and slowly turned to look at me, his eyes searching mine. He lightly placed his hands on my shoulders, like he was trying to ensure he had my undivided attention. “Tess, are you sure you want to stay here? It is your call. We can get in the limo now and I can take you home. I’ll do whatever you want to do, baby girl. I don’t want you to do anything you’re not comfortable with.”
I tried my hardest to fight back the laughter. I know he was trying to be a gentleman, but really what did he take me for—a virgin? He knew all too well that I wasn’t. “That’s really sweet, Blake, but I am a big girl and I think I can handle sleeping in the same room with you. I promise, if I ever feel uncomfortable with anything that we are doing, I will have no problem voicing my opinion.” I gave him a sexy smile, hoping he would get the double meaning behind my statement.
“You promise?” he asked, tilting his head to the side and looking at me with that smile that made me weak in the knees. I was getting the feeling that he understood exactly what I was saying.
“Always,” I replied as I looked up at him. His dark eyes were staring at me with desire. The movement of his tongue reaching out to lick his lips drew my attention down to his perfect mouth. God, how I wanted to taste him again! But there was no way I was making the first move. Not again. I noticed his eyes shift down to my mouth and I lightly bit my bottom lip. He slid his hand from my shoulder to the back of my neck, while his other hand reached up and gently cradled my face. He slowly leaned down and placed his lips on mine. I opened my mouth slightly, allowing him to enter further. That was all he needed. He invaded my mouth with his tongue, and as he deepened the kiss, I knew in his own way he was claiming me. He was forceful and aggressive, yet slow and tender as he savored every move he made. My whole body was shaking and my sex was aching. I had never been kissed like that before.
The hand that had been cradling my face was now on my lower back, pulling my body closer to him. My arms were clutched around his neck and my hands were working their way through his dark hair. I never wanted this kiss to end.
We were in our own little world where no one else existed. As his hand moved down to my ass, my body quivered with excitement. I wanted him here and now. Then I remembered where we were—a hotel lobby with lots of people around. He must have felt me tense up a little because he slowly ended the kiss. Resting his forehead on mine, he looked down at me. We were both breathing heavy as we stared at each other.
“I have wanted to do that ever since you opened your door tonight,” he whispered.
Excerpt Blake POV
When I got home, Devin was sitting on the couch in our living room watching Duck Dynasty and laughing uncontrollably. He was showered and ready for the day and it was only eleven am. I didn’t understand how he could wake up so damn early when he drank. I could sleep all fucking day after a heavy night of drinking. Devin, on the other hand, always woke up by at least seven when he drank. Even if he was up all night long, he was still awake bright and early. Personally, I thought he had been cursed.
“Hey, bro! Have a good time last night?” he asked, wiggling his eye brows at me while he reached over and muted the TV. “It sure seemed like you and Tess were getting pretty cozy last night out on the balcony. I noticed you slept in her room last night. You get any?”
“Shit, Dev, you know we are just friends. She isn’t like that, asshole!” I snapped back. I sat down on the couch and stared at him. Did he really just ask me that? I was so mad. If he wasn’t my brother, I would’ve punched him.
“Uh, yeah, okay…whatever you say, man.” Devin rolled his eyes at me. “Blake, sometimes, I swear I know you better than you know yourself. I see how you look at that girl and I see the way she looks at you. There is way more than friendship there, bro. Wake the fuck up!”
I hated the fact that my brother knew me so well. When we were little, he always used to finish my sentences and it always freaked me out. I never understood how he could do that. I spent most of my childhood believing he was fucking psychic.
“It just isn’t good timing. First of all, she just got cheated on, again, by that douchebag. And she has made it perfectly clear, on more than one occasion that she just wants to be friends.” I put my head in my hands. I was so confused. I sighed, obviously frustrated, and just looked at Devin. “I don’t know what to do. She keeps sending me these crazy mixed signals. One minute she acts like she fucking wants me and the next minute she tells me she doesn’t need any more complications in her life.”
“Dude, no offense, but it sounds like she’s just as confused as you are. Maybe you should just take things into your own hands. If you want her, then let her know. Stop being such a pussy and make a move. You’re Blake Bentley for fuck sakes; you have women eating out of your hand on a daily basis. I taught you better than this,” he said, shaking his head dramatically. “This should be a cake walk for you.” He sat up and looked at me with an, I’m sorry you’re so pathetic, look on his face.
“It isn’t like that with her, Devin. She’s different. I don’t want to just fuck her…. If I mess this up with her, if I lose her, it will destroy me.” I looked back down at the floor. I closed my eyes and memories of Tess filled my mind.
The first time I saw her, all of our drunken conversations, talking about that Bruno Mars song, the way she looked in the sunlight leaning up against my truck….. I smiled as images of her flashed like pulsing lights. The way she tasted as she kissed me for the first time, the way I fit perfectly inside her, her smile, her smart ass mouth, the way she fit like a puzzle piece in my arms when I held her, how it killed me to see her crying yesterday over that jackass……. and then it finally hit me like a ton of bricks. My heart started beating so fast it felt like it was on fire.
I fucking wanted this girl. No, I needed her and I was going to do everything in my power to fucking make her mine.
Author Bio
I am a new adult contemporary author that is currently working on my first novel, Promise Me Always. I am a wife, mother of 2 amazing kiddos, photographer and owner at K23 Photography & Design, graphic designer and cover designer at K23 Designs, as well as an avid reader and blogger at A Book Whores Obsession! I have been married since 2004 to the most amazing man ever and together we have two amazing children.
I was born in Aurora, CO and still reside their today with my amazing family. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else in the world. I have become accustom to bi-polar weather living here and I absolutely love getting all four seasons (although winters could be a bit shorter.)
I have a small obsession with Starbucks and gummy bears! They make the perfect writing snack! Wine helps a lot too especially with the late night writing sessions. I love the summer and everything that goes along with it, camping, swimming, boating, hiking, etc. I love to travel and Disneyland is one of my family’s favorite places to visit together. I have a dream of visiting so many places in the world such as Italy, Greece, Australia, Fiji, Bora Bora and New Zealand (just to name a few.)
I have met so many amazing people in this journey so far and I cannot wait to see what the future holds.
DAZED SYNOPSIS:
Jagger Kennedy never went looking for fame, he just fell into it. After scoring a major modeling contract, his clean-cut good looks and charm catapulted his career. But when his actress girlfriend breaks his heart, he moves to L.A. to try his hand at acting. He’s not looking for love—he just needs to make a change.
Aerie Daniels is a woman in control … until she meets Jagger. Her surprising connection with him leaves her dazed and it’s unlike anything she’s ever felt. But just when she lets her walls fall, she makes a startling discovery about Jagger that breaks her fragile heart into a million pieces.
To keep from losing the woman who’s changing his world, Jagger is willing to give up anything—including his career. But even that might not be enough to regain Aerie’s shattered trust…
There’s something deliciously perverse about staring through the clear glass. All of my senses engage as I wait in line—the fragrance that fills the air as the fire crackles beneath the foil wrapped treats wafts under my nose, the beauty in each and every small package as they line the shelves with tiny dots and colored sprinkles mesmerizes me, the sound made as the silver sheet is peeled back to reveal the magnificence it holds captivates me, and the anticipation of the taste makes my mouth water. Ummm… just thinking of the first bite into the moist brown exterior with its bittersweet Belgian chocolate complimenting the flavor of the Madagascar bourbon vanilla that oozes from its inside has me trembling. The black and white cupcake—it’s simply perfection.
Amidst the skyscrapers in Los Angeles’ South Park neighborhood, Sprinkles is a gem tucked away for those of us who seek out a small piece of heaven. I don’t come here often, but when I do it’s for that one special treat. The menu describes it as, “Yin and Yang.” An ancient proverb that says, “Complementary opposites, such as light and dark, day and night, and masculine and feminine, seemingly may exist as contrary forces, but are actually interconnected.” Simply put, it says one gives rise to the other and it’s true— opposites attract. Without the vanilla inside, one could not possibly crave the chocolate outside—looking at the two parts united has me drooling.
“You know what they say about staring through the glass,” a deep husky voice says from behind me.
His words tingle my skin and my gaze snaps up. “Excuse me?” I stop short, in a daze, not even sure what he just said I was so lost in my thoughts.
He chuckles. “You know what they say about staring through the glass,” he repeats.
My eyes blink and come into focus on the upward tilt of his full lips. Then my eyes move to his smooth pale skin flecked with a light stubble, his nose seemingly sculpted even with a slight imperfection in its slope, large eyes with the most unusual gray color swirling from within, and chocolate brown colored hair framing his face in pieces—I’m not sure if he has just rolled out of bed or if product molds it just so. Either way, he is utterly beautiful.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Just be careful so you don’t fall in like Alice.” He smiles, displaying his bright white teeth.
“Again, I’m sorry but I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I notice his eyes sweep over me and my heart starts pounding.
“Through the Looking Glass,” he responds in a dangerously husky voice.
This time when he speaks I catch an accent, ever so slight but extremely sexy.
It reminds me of how Robert De Nero talks, just not as loud or fast. I continue to stare, unable to respond. I notice that his physique is long and lean. He’s dressed in worn jeans that fit him perfectly. His orange laced hiking boots scream I don’t conform. A pair of tortoiseshell sunglasses hang from the V of his gray sweater, which clings to his body perfectly. And an outdoor vest tops the outfit. It throws me off. It makes him look more like an Abercrombie model than a James Dean type. It’s a navy blue down and quilted one with a silver zipper. I don’t know why, but something about his outfit, about this man, captivates me.
“Number 98,” calls the girl from behind the counter.
He steps closer. His warm breath whispers across my neck. “Through the Looking Glass is the sequel to Alice in Wonderland. When Alice gets too close to the glass, she falls in and starts on a crazy journey,” he tells me as his arm waves in the air with a green ticket on display. Stepping closer, his gaze cuts from mine to the glass case as he hands his number to the clerk whose wearing a cute brown apron with the word Sprinkles scripted across it.
“Can I have a dozen of the black and white cupcakes?” he asks.
Suddenly alarmed, my eyes dart to the case as I watch the single remaining row of beautifully crafted cupcakes diminish until there are none left. My irritation flares as I glance at my number—97.
The beautiful stranger hands the clerk his credit card and waits to sign the slip.
“I was number 97, my number was before yours,” I say as he’s handed the bag that holds his treasure.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Here let me get the sales clerk’s attention so you don’t have to take another number,” he says.
I want to stomp my feet. I want to scream. I don’t want her attention. I don’t want another number. I want the cupcakes that he stole from me.
“Miss,” he calls draping his perfectly fit body over the case. She looks his way and with a charming grin he says, “Can you help this lovely lady? She missed her number being called.”
“Of course, I’m so sorry. How can I help you?” the girl asks averting her eyes from the man who looks like he should be on the cover of GQ magazine, over to me.
He smiles at me with a face that belongs on a billboard. “Don’t fall in.”
I swear he’s goading me. But then he tips his chin and a sexy, smoldering grin passes over his lips and I’m not so sure anymore. He turns to look at me one more time before he exits, and excitement flushes over my face. I nod a slight cursory acknowledgement, then he disappears and disappointment washes over me—he’s gone. Crap. The cupcakes are also gone. Double crap. And now I’m left wondering if he saw me staring at that flavor? Did he distract me on purpose so he could purchase them first? Urrr…I’m so angry right now I consider walking out, but when the clerk asks me what I’d like I settle for the Vanilla Milk Chocolate cakes—they are the mirror reflection of the black and whites, with vanilla cake and chocolate frosting, but they are not nearly as good.
INFORMATION ABOUT BOOK #2:
Title: TORN (Connections #2)
TORN SYNOPSIS:
Rock star River Wilde brought Dahlia London back from the brink of hopelessness with his unwavering love and devotion. But their entwined history is about to test the strength of that love…
Dahlia was certain she had found true love and met her ‘Once in a Lifetime’ when she reconnected with River. But Dahlia’s world comes crashing down when someone from her past resurfaces, and all of River’s carefully hidden secrets are exposed.
River wants to show Dahlia that life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass—it’s about dancing in the rain! But how many times can one broken heart be mended? Will River and Dahlia be able to face the turmoil together or will they be torn apart?
** TORN ** (available now – follow up to Connected)
INFORMATION ABOUT BOOK #1:
Title: Connected (Connections #1)
CONNECTED SYNOPSIS:
What if a ‘Once in a Lifetime’ could happen twice?
Suffering from a past full of tragedy, Dahlia London’s soul has been left completely shattered. Happily ever after is a far cry from reality in her world. But, when she is reconnected with her past, the bonds that form are irrefutable.
When River Wilde, lead singer of The Wilde Ones, comes back into Dahlia’s life, the intensity that fires their relationship combined with underlying feelings that have never died lead her to believe she has met her soulmate.
Struggling with confusion as old connections fade and new ones begin, Dahlia’s grief begins to lift–but guilt remains. River wants to be the one to mend all that is torn within her.
But with a past that is never really gone, can their future survive?
** CONNECTED ** (available now – first book of the series)
Reading in Pajamas 