Charlotte and Nathan were supposed to be forever. They grew up together. Their families were intertwined. Charlotte was Nathan’s first love. Nathan was Charlotte’s first everything.
Until they weren’t.
How do you hold on to the person you know in your heart you are supposed to be with when everything and everyone in the universe is telling you it’s over?
How many times does a heart break?
When is enough…..enough?
How long is forever?
EXCERPT
But when I close my eyes, I can see him—and me. I can see me pressed up against the mirror in the bathroom, my hands making starfish prints as I brace myself against his thrusts. I can hear his harsh breathing, his commands to come, come now, Charlotte. There was that passage of time that felt endless when he was between my legs, licking me softly and leisurely as if there wasn’t anything in this world that gave him more pleasure than helping me find my own. I touch myself, but it’s useless. My body wants one thing: Nathan Jackson.
I’m on fire and the ache of want is so acute it’s like a knife in my chest. I’ve had multiple surgeries, chemo treatments, radiation but that’s nothing compared to what I feel now.
Time and distance had dulled my pain and that my desire and love for Nathan had actually started to ease only to be stoked into high, hot flames by his reappearance in my life.
He is the poison and the antidote.
Today we’re revealing a second excerpt for Katy Evan’s Ripped. I can’t wait for this to release Tuesday, 12/9! Love this series! Check out the post and let me know if you’ve read the series. -Cori
✦You can also check out the first Excerpt Reveal we posted last Friday here ➜ http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-1Pu
SNEEK PEEK EXCERPT #2
The big dose of reality hits me when I wake up and he is sprawled, in all his muscular glory, across my hotel bed. It takes a second for me to remember that I, uh . . . I let Mackenna stay over?
I groan and slap my palm against my forehead. Fuck. Why why why does he weaken my willpower? The mattress squeaks as he shifts in bed, one arm reaching out as he groans in his sleep and seems to search for me. I roll away quickly and watch his hand settle on a pillow.
“Mackenna,” I say, toeing his side with my foot. “Mackenna!” I hiss.
He rolls around and sits up, and thank god the covers are halfway around his waist, because if I see one more inch of bare flesh I might explode from the heat spreading through me. I feel myself blush even deeper when his muscles bulge as he pushes himself up with his arms. His eyes adorably heavy, he blinks to adjust to the light, his mouth as perfect and generous as it was yesterday. And then he looks at me. That gaze is softer silver in the morning, not as sharp or as intimidating, almost . . . intimate when he sees me. Glimmering playfully.
And too late, I realize why he’s fucking grinning. My T-shirt got caught on the waistband of my panties. And he’s taking me in, in one quick sweep. “Well, fuck, someone woke hungry this morning,” he says, his voice bedroom sleepy as he looks at me, and I grab the pillow to cover myself.
“I’m not hungry,” I say.
“I was talking about me. Come over here.”
“No, Mackenna! Come on. Get out of my room already. I told you to leave!”
He grins and gets up, and I toss the pillow and flush as I pull down my T-shirt while he heads to the bathroom. It only takes him a minute to come out. Not enough to comb all my fingers through the tangles in my hair. If I were into that and cared what the asshole thought. Which I don’t.
His eyes run up the length of my legs, continue from the hem of my T-shirt to my neck, then land on my head. “Leave your hair, it looks all right,” he says huskily, stopping to loom before me.
Heat flows through my body as he looks down at me with blatant need. What is wrong with him? With us?
“Nothing’s wrong,” he murmurs.
“I said that out loud?” I groan.
“You’ve been . . . vocal, all night. I like it.”
God. I dreamed. I dreamed . . . I’m not even sure what. I dreamed about the closet again. I dreamed we were in bed. I dreamed he tried to kiss me, and when I turned away, he set a thousand shivery kisses up and down my neck.
The memory makes me flush cherry red. Did that happen during the night? By the intimate way he looks at me, I think he wanted inside me real bad. I didn’t let him, thank god. He fingers the collar of my tee, then watches me as he slowly drags his finger up my neck, his thumb caressing my bottom and top lip. Even though his hold is loose and he’s not physically holding me down, I feel trapped. His gaze alone holds me motionless.
He used to look at me with this same proprietary gleam when he was my boyfriend. My secret boyfriend, who nobody knew about . . . except me. I guess, in the end, my mom knew.
But while the secret lasted, we hid in the janitor’s closet in school and made out until I could hardly walk, my legs unsteady as I headed for class with his taste in my mouth, the scent of his soap clinging to my clothes.
I’m fighting the urge to smell his neck now. It’s a war to just stand here motionless, tracing every inch of his masculine face with my eyes when I want my fingers to do the same. The years become nothing.
The hum between us is just like in the old days, when I was the center of his galaxy. When the girls in school would stare longingly at him when he walked past my locker, having eyes only for me. Sometimes, when the halls were vacant enough, he quickly leaned over me and kissed the back of my ear and every part of my body, from my toes up to the back of my ear. I’d grow hot, and the place between my legs would start pulsing.
Too easily I remember coming home and squealing.
Me—squealing.
I would play love songs, only to replay the words he said to me and the ways he touched me. I would shower, eat, and sleep Mackenna Jones. . . .
But deep down, my mother’s bitterness and my father’s infidelity poisoned me. I kept all these feelings to myself—kept them from my mother so she wouldn’t take Mackenna from me. But because I didn’t want to lose him, because I feared it wasn’t real, I also kept my feelings from him, and now I’m used to saying nothing. Keeping it bottled up.
Why do I feel like I’m about to burst now?
“Don’t, Kenna,” I say when he uses his thumb to open my lips. He stands dangerously close—his height, his breadth, his size, his do-me-now-woman sex appeal intimidating the hell out of me.
He grins wickedly and strokes a hand over my hip.
“Why not?”
“Because it’s not going to happen,” I say breathlessly.
“Yeah, it will.” His smirk says, It definitely will.
He pats my butt slowly, and the familiar way he brushes his lips over mine brings my temper to a boil. Who does he think he is? Does he think because we made out by mistake he gets to play my boyfriend? When I growl and slap his hand away, he chuckles and heads back to the bathroom.
Soon I hear the shower, the sound of the water slapping his delicious man-flesh. Then I hear him hum a tune, a tune I’ve never heard before. My chest moves when I remember he used to do that when we were teens. God, no, stop thinking of those moments. It hurts. Truly it does. Think of the bad ones. When he left. When he left me on my own after making me need him and believe I couldn’t live without him.
Refusing to get all sappy with memories, I grab my phone and think of Melanie.
She’s probably at the office, missing the delightfully bitter morning company that is me.
I quickly text, I kissed him
Every second I wait for her answer, I feel worse and worse, not only about the closet incident but also about falling asleep with him around. When I woke up, the bastard was almost spooning me.
Melanie: What?
Me: I kissed the bastard! He spent the night. Oh god!!!!! This is suicide!
Melanie: Why? Was he into it? You know what they say about where there was once fire . . .
Me: He was into the kissing, into using me for his selfish reasons and I was selfish too.
Melanie: So what’s the problem?
Me: The problem is he’s going to think he WON!
And he will. He really, really will, because he’s so full of himself I’m surprised he fits inside this building.
A ripped rock star with attitude. An ex-girlfriend with a reckless plan.
Pandora assumed getting her heartbroken by her bad boy ex could only happen once–until Mackenna Jones comes back to town for the biggest concert of his career. They say girls are getting pregnant just thinking about the Crack Bikini tour and it’s destined to be a huge hit.
Oh, it’ll be a hit alright–when Pandora comes out swinging. She and her friend Melanie are determined to humiliate him onstage. But when they’re caught by security and her ex is summoned, Mackenna decides not to press charges if she’ll join him on tour and follow certain conditions–rules designed to give him the upper hand and keep her in close contact with him once again. Soon, the passion they once shared is reignited, and no matter how much Pandora wants to hate him, her hard exterior starts to crack.
And worse: Mackenna knows it, too. But he hasn’t uncovered all her secrets…
Hey! I’m Katy Evans and I love family, books, life, and love. I’m married with two children and three dogs and spend my time baking, walking, writing, reading, and taking care of my family. Thank you for spending your time with me and picking up my story. I hope you had an amazing time with it, like I did. If you’d like to know more about books in progress, look me up on the Internet, I’d love to hear from you!
99 Cents for this great box set that includes 6 standalone novels by 6 bestselling authors! I love box sets! I think it’s a great way to discover new authors. I usually pick up sets when an author I enjoy is part of the set and then get the bonus of trainy out authors that are new to me. /Cori
FOREPLAY IS LIVE!
SIX New York Times Bestselling Authors
SIX Standalone novels
SIX Steaming hot stories
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Carter Reed from New York Times Bestseller Tijan
Emma decided to skip the gym and went home early. It was the last easy decision she made because she found her roommate being raped by the boyfriend. She had two choices. Call the cops and be killed by his family’s mafia connections or kill him first and hope to survive. There was no choice to her. She killed the bastard first and went to the one person who could protect her. Carter Reed. He’s a weapon for the rivaling mafia family, but he’s also Emma’s secret. Not only was he best friends with her brother, but she’s the reason he became that weapon in the first place.
Jake Undone from New York Times Bestseller Penelope Ward
Nina Kennedy led a sheltered life ruled by phobias. When she moves to Brooklyn, that life is turned upside down as she develops an intense attraction to her gorgeous roommate.
Behind Jake Green’s rough exterior, lies a heart of gold. He makes it his mission to change Nina’s outlook on life. Jake becomes her tutor, forcing Nina to face her demons. He just wasn’t expecting to fall hard for her.
But Jake has been living his own private hell. Once he drops a bombshell, will their love survive it?
Worth the Fight from New York Times Bestseller Vi Keeland
It didn’t matter that the ref called it a clean hit. Nico Hunter would never be the same.
Elle has a good life. A job she loves, a great apartment, and the guy she’s been dating for more than two years is a catch and a half. But it’s boring…and she strives to keep it that way. Too many emotions are dangerous. Her own past is living proof of what can happen when you lose control.
Then Nico walks into Elle’s office and everything changes…for both of them. But what can the tattooed, hard-bodied MMA fighter and the beautiful and always steady attorney have in common? A lot more than they bargained for.
This Regret from New York Times Bestseller Victoria Ashley
Phoenix has been stumbling through life since her brother Adric’s tragic death but after eight years, she is finally piecing what remains together.
When walking into the tattoo shop one day, the last thing she’s expecting to see is Kellan Haze, Adric’s best friend no one has seen or heard from since the day they found her brother’s body. He’s nothing as she remembers him as a child, with his wild messy hair, tattoos that cover most of his undeniably sexy body and eyes so intense it makes her legs quiver with one look. The one thing even she can’t deny is the instant rush she feels just by being in his presence. But . . .
Kellan is sexy, daring and possibly . . . dangerous.
This Regret is a story of love, lust, betrayal and danger with an ending that no one saw coming.
Until Nico from New York Times Bestseller Aurora Rose Reynolds
Nico Mayson knew the moment he saw Sophie Grates that she was the one. His whole life, he has been judged by what’s on the outside, so finding a beautiful woman who sees the real him only makes his feelings that much stronger.
Nico knows the kind of man he is, and the things he is capable of, and he will do everything in his power to help Sophie fight her demons so they can have their happily ever after. Everything in life worth having is worth fighting for.
Playing with Her Heart from New York Times Bestseller Lauren Blakely
A sizzling and addictive story of a woman with a broken past and the man who can’t fight his desire for her…
When you’re acting the role of a lifetime, how can you know if love is real—or all just a part of the show? Twenty-three year old rising theatre star Jill McCormick finds it nearly impossible to resist the director of her first Broadway play – sexy, sophisticated, possessive, all-alpha Davis Milo. The attraction between them is too powerful, and soon their private rehearsals spiral into new, forbidden territory…but will the past stand in the way of a future together?
Falling for the Enemy (Entangled Brazen) by Samanthe Beck
Publication Date: December 1, 2014
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Dawn
Rated: 5 Stars
Caught between a rock and a rock-hard body…
Salon owner Virginia Boca has declared herself celibate…at least until she wins the election for mayor of Bluelick, Kentucky. No hot men. No sex. And her plan to play the good girl might have worked—if the mysterious, hard-bodied stranger she’s seen around town hadn’t pulled her from the street and saved her life. The least Ginny can do is offer her savior a free haircut.
But when an innocent haircut turns into hours of wickedly hot sex, former Navy SEAL Shaun Buchanan knows his plan to keep a low profile is shot. Especially once Ginny finds out he’s the current mayor’s son. With her reputation and the election on the line, Ginny seems determined to keep their nightly sexcapades a secret, but Shaun’s not willing to stay in the shadows forever…
Riveting! Once again Samanthe Beck has outdone herself writing a book that kept me hooked from start to finish. Virginia has lived in Bluelick, Kentucky her entire life and owns a salon in town. She decides it’s time to make some changes in her town. Her mission is to run for mayor and that means no men, and certainly no sex. Everything is going according to her plan until sexy Shaun Buchanan saves her from getting run over. Sparks fly when Virginia offers Shaun a haircut to thank him for his heroic deed. The chemistry between Shaun and Virginia is hot! Obstacles occur and they have to decide if love is enough to overcome all the obstacles keeping them from going public with their relationship. I loved the characters and the plot was great in this story. Samanthe Beck packs more and more passion into every book she releases. I love all of her books! She is an amazing author and I recommend you read all of her books. Samanthe Beck is on my must buy list and she should be on yours too.
*Review copy provided by Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Excerpt from Falling for the Enemy by Samanthe Beck
Shaun groaned and let his head fall back, and all she could do was cling to the edge of the sink while he gave her exactly what she asked for. Thrusting, withdrawing, and thrusting again in thrilling succession, using the angle of their bodies to ensure he hit all the right spots along the way. The room spun behind her closed eyelids. A heady mix of pheromones, body heat and sex stormed her senses. With frightening speed, he had her trembling at the brink again, panting and shivering and striving for relief from the pressure building inside her. Her pulse pounded, setting off a surprisingly loud echo in her ears.
She nearly jumped out of her skin when Shaun called out, “It’s occupied.”
Holy crap, the pounding in her ears wasn’t her pulse. Somebody was knocking on the restroom door. A voice from the other side said, “Hurry up in there buddy. I gotta get back on the road.”
Shaun didn’t bother with a reply, but drove into her with renewed energy, dragging her agonizingly closer to the edge of control. Her body clenched around him in a fruitless effort to cling to the moment—to a semblance of sanity—but he thrust again and sent sanity hurtling out of reach. The pressure tightened, pulsed there for one heartbeat…two…she whimpered in the face of what waited for her, and a big, calloused hand gently covered her mouth to suppress the noise.
He withdrew and rocked forward again, then froze. His eyes drifted closed, and a groan rumbled from somewhere deep in his chest.
The pounding on the door came again. “What the hell, man?”
“I’m…not…done yet,” he growled, and unleashed a series of quick, jerky thrusts. The sink rattled on its pedestal. Between her legs, the clenching became spasms. Shaun cursed, and then groaned again, a low, long sound vibrating with relief. Hard as she tried to hold it back, her own jagged moan escaped, merging with his, outlasting it, until the high-pitched cry reverberated in the tiny room and slowly subsided.
The voice came again from the other side of the door. “Forget it. I don’t know whether you ought to burn a candle when you’re done, or set fire to the place, but I know I’m not going in. See a doctor, or something.”
Brown eyes opened and stared into hers, and she detected a gleam of humor in their depths. She returned his stare while footsteps retreated across pavement. After a moment, a vehicle door slammed and a big engine rumbled to life. Picturing some disgusted trucker opting for a nice, private outcropping of limestone along the Double A over what he imagined awaited him at the Gas ’n Go had her laughing on her inhale. The result was an inelegant snort.
He grinned down at her. “Admit it, I provide a refreshing break from rose petals and satin sheets.”
Print copy of Light Her Fire and Private Practice, Bead Bracelet + $50 Amazon Gift Card – US shipping ONLY
Wine lover, sleep fanatic, and USA Today Bestselling Author of sexy contemporary romance novels, Samanthe Beck lives in Malibu, California, with her long-suffering but extremely adorable husband and their elementary-aged turbo-son. Throw in a furry ninja named Kitty and Bebe the trash talking Chihuahua and you get the whole, chaotic picture.
When not clinging to sanity by her fingernails or dreaming up fun, fan-your-cheeks sexy ways to get her characters to happily-ever-afters, she searches for the perfect cabernet to pair with Ambien.
Schooled (Mastered #2.5) by Lorelei James
Publication Date: December 2, 2014
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Dawn
Rated: 5 Stars
From the author of Bound and Unwound—an all-new novella in the New York Times bestselling Mastered series.
When Amery Hardwick first met martial arts master Ronin Black, she wasn’t ready for the level of his sensual artistry, or his need for extreme control. Nor was she prepared for the primal urges it released in her. Amery and Ronin were made for each other.
When they married they were certain their future would be a fulfilling journey of love and passion. But happily ever after is never so simple. Six months later, while in Japan, Ronin is training with his sensei, while Amery is consumed by her own burgeoning career, and a culture shock with which she is struggling to adapt.
Now, from the heady pleasures of Tokyo bondage houses to the unyielding family traditions pulsing with every beat of Ronin’s heart, Amery and Ronin find the limits of their relationship tested once again, and shocked to discover what they’re willing to do in order to save it.
Includes a preview of Unraveled, the upcoming novel in the Mastered series.
:
I absolutely loved this new addition in the Mastered Series. Schooled is a quick read that takes a deeper look into the love Amery and Ronin found in Bound and Unwound. Schooled is set in Japan where Amery and Ronin are spending two and half months on their honeymoon and Ronin is continuing his training while there as well.The time they spend together is passionate and the time they spend apart shows their deep love for each other. I enjoyed Amery’s quick wit and sense of humor. Ronin loves being in control and it was endearing to see him give some of that control to Amery. Another captivating book by Lorelei James. I would recommend that the series be read in order. I highly recommend The Mastered series for erotic romance lovers. It’s a great love story!
*Review copy provided by Berkley/NAL in exchange for an honest review.
The bumps were jarring when the plane started to accelerate. When it lifted off the runway, so fast, at such a sharp angle, she felt like she was standing up. And for just a moment . . . she felt weightless, as if she’d entered a zero-gravity chamber. Despite the stomach-churning sensation, she turned her head and looked at him with a smile.
He wore a boyish grin. “Pretty cool, huh?”
“How’d you figure it out?”
“I crawled in bed before the plane took off one night and damn near ended up ass over teakettle.
It’s a steeper climb for smaller jets to reach altitude. Now, whenever I’m on this aircraft, I act like a kid who thinks he’s on a rocket ship during takeoff.”
She laughed. “Crazy man-boy. I thought you dragged me to the bedroom because you wanted me to join the mile-high club.”
Ronin rolled her on top of him and kissed her, mouth avid, keeping his hands clamped on her butt.
Between his all-consuming kisses, he spoke against her lips. “Maybe we should take the edge off.” He treated her lips to a few more teasing kisses. “You seem tense.”
“You’re up for a quickie?” She moaned when he nipped the side of her neck and then soothed the sting with hot, slow kisses.
“Who said anything about a quickie? It’s a long flight.”
Lorelei James is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of contemporary erotic western romances set in the modern day Wild West and also contemporary erotic romances. Lorelei’s books have been nominated for and won the Romantic Times Reviewer’s choice Award, as well as the CAPA Award. Lorelei lives in western South Dakota with her family…and a whole closet full of cow girl boots.
Why do I have a particular fondness for all things western? Well, I’m a fourth generation South Dakotan, living in the Black Hills, which is chock-full of interesting characters, including cowboys, Indians, ranchers, and bikers. The geographical diversity of the surrounding area showcases mountains, plains, and badlands. Living in and writing about rural settings gives me a unique perspective, especially since I’m not writing historical westerns. Through my fictional world, I can show the ideals and the cowboy way of life are still very much alive.
Miranda Brookhaven returned to Bitterthorn, Texas to fix the past. Years ago, her father used her teenage romance with Coe Rodas to steal the prototype for a groundbreaking new automotive invention. Now her father’s dead, and thanks to the convoluted will he left behind, she’s stuck in town until she rights the wrong that lost her the man she loved.
Coe learned early on that life never goes according to plan. His dreams of hitting it big vanished when Miranda all but invited her father to take the only thing of value he ever had. But now the once-pampered princess is holed up in a condemned trailer on the edge of town…and everything he thought he knew about her—and about what happened between them back then—seems completely wrong.
Miranda’s determined to give back to Coe all that he lost. If she can do that, maybe she can move on from the past. But Coe seems to be more interested in their rekindled passion than claiming what she thinks he deserves. She’s got sixty days to convince him to cough up evidence that he’s the original inventor—after that, the only way to transfer the patent rights over to him would be to make him part of the family, and she’s not sure her heart can take another hit.
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 3.5 Stars
The storyline was an interesting one and I had to keep reading to see how things would play out, I especially liked how the author managed the flashbacks without interrupting the flow. Their romance was smoking hot and yet Coe still managed to make it tender in his own way. I did get a little perturbed that Miranda kept wigging out on things but that was part of her backstory so I overlooked it. Thank heavens he was patient and tenacious. This was a very pleasant return trip to Bitterthorn and I can only wonder who is next.
*Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Excerpt
“Shit like dirt and
grime don’t belong on you. Silk, diamonds…me. That’s what belongs on you.” His big feet were on either side of hers, and she drank in the heat pouring off his chest at her back as he went about sliding his soapy fingers through hers. It felt good, that slick slide of flesh against flesh. Too good. The heat sinking into every pore of her skin brought her back to when they’d been in this situation once before, and it made her bite her lip. She remembered the trembling, the excitement, and the crippling uncertainty of what she should do next.
Time really made all the difference in the world. Seven years later, she now knew exactly what to do.
Her soapy hands slipped over his, squeezing, caressing. Cleaning his skin as he cleaned hers, yes, but it was obvious her interests weren’t just in getting clean. But maybe that was because while she did that, she also nudged her ass back against him, hitching up just a bit so she could hit the money spot…
He sucked in a sharp breath.
Jackpot.
“Miranda.” His voice
was low and rumbling. It purred down the length of her spine to pool deep in her belly, where the sweet tension of need began to curl in on itself. That
masculine rumble shortened her breath and tensed her thigh muscles, because she knew what it meant. He wanted her, and soon he’d go for what he wanted just as hard and hot as she wanted him to. “Careful, babe.”
“I had you shut the doors. That’s careful enough.” She looked over her shoulder at him, just as she had when she was eighteen and almost dying from attraction. It was no less intense now, and she could only marvel at the hold he had on her. “I hope you have protection on you, because I won’t be satisfied with just a kiss this time around.”
“But you will be satisfied.” With the glitter of arousal building into a wildfire blaze in his eyes, he turned off the water. Then he braced her hands on the far lip on the sink before reaching for the front of her pants. “This garage guarantees satisfaction for all the work I do here.”
“Good policy.” The last of her retort fizzled on a hiss as his fingers dived past the barrier of her panties and into her cleft. Her head dropped forward while she pushed
against his hand, and the sinuous roll of her hips rubbed the hardness behind her. Her pleasure fed his, and soon their disturbed breathing was echoing through the garage.
Damn, but the man
knew what he was doing.
“I love how wet you get for me.” His voice was deliciously rough, exciting her all the more. Then the sound of a zipper and crinkling of packaging being ripped open reached her
ears, and she almost hyperventilated. “I’m going to make you come so hard your legs won’t be able to hold you for the rest of the day.”
Oh,
dear God…
Author Bio
A competitive figure skater from the age of eight, Stacy Gail began writing stories in between events to pass the time. By the age of fourteen, she told her parents she was either going to be a figure skating coach who was also a published romance writer, or a romance writer who was also a skating pro. Now with a day job of playing on the ice with her students, and writing everything from steampunk to cyberpunk, contemporary to paranormal at night, both dreams have come true.
The Darkest Touch (Lords of the Underworld) by Gena Showalter
Publication Date: November 25, 2014
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 5 Stars
From New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter comes the long-awaited story of Torin, the most dangerous Lord of the Underworld yet…
Fierce immortal warrior. Host to the demon of Disease. Torin’s every touch causes sickness and death—and a worldwide plague. Carnal pleasure is utterly forbidden, and though he has always overcome temptation with an iron will, his control is about to shatter.
She is Keeley Cael. The Red Queen. When the powerful beauty with shocking vulnerabilities escapes from a centuries-long imprisonment, the desire that simmers between her and Torin is scorching. His touch could mean the end for her, but resisting her is the hardest battle he’s ever fought—and the only battle he fears he can’t win.
I loved this book so much! I squealed when I got a review copy in the mail. I probably scared the mail person. Torin’s story is finally here! If you’re a fan of the series you probably love Torin as much as I do. Torin is the tortured hero who is unable to touch anyone and experience contact because of his demon, Disease. His story has always intrigued me and I wondered what kind of woman would be his destiny. Keeley, The Red Queen, is his perfect match. She’s strong, funny and takes what she wants. I just loved her! Their passion and chemistry burned up the pages. Gena Showalter delivered a well written, and scorching hot romance. It was filled with action, great characters and plenty of laughs. This is one of my favorite series and one of the few favorites that get better with each book. I highly recommend the Lords of the Underworld and this new release in the series for paranormal lovers looking for an epic series. There were a few hints of some possible future stories and I can’t wait to see what Gena Showalter has in store for us next.
*Review copy provided by Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.
Excerpt from The Darkest Touch by Gena Showalter She appeared in front of him, displaying more tanned skin than she concealed, her hair falling around her face in lush, golden waves. Her eyes glittered with remnants of her anger. Her lips were slightly swollen and pinker than usual.
“Temper much?” she quipped.
His relief was palpable. She hadn’t forgotten him! But the relief was quickly replaced by concern. “Are you all right? Did someone hit you?”
She blinked with confusion. “No. Why?”
“Your lips are swollen.”
She rubbed them, color heating her cheeks. “Someone didn’t hit me, but someone sure did hit on me.”
Hit on her. As in kissed her.
Already on edge, Torin. Utterly. Erupted.
He forgot everything he’d planned to do and say and got in Keeley’s face, snarling, “Who was it?”
Her eyes widened. “Hades. Why?”
“You dare ask why? You belong to me! We agreed. You do not kiss other men, Keeley. Ever. Have you forgotten my rules?”
Her jaw dropped, and she gasped out a few unintelligible words as if she couldn’t quite figure out what to say to him.
He stood in place, breathing too quickly, too heavily, his throat and lungs burning. He reached for her, but as so many times before, fisted his hands and dropped them just before contact. This is crazy. I’m crazy. I have to leave.
“Are you…thinking about touching me?” she asked, her eyes widening again.
No, she had to leave. He could not be in public right now. “Go shopping. Buy yourself something pretty. My treat.” He basically tossed his credit card at her. He should be calm by the time she finished. “Come back in an hour. Maybe two. Actually, we’ll reconvene tomorrow.”
“You are,” she said. “You’re thinking… Even craving me. You don’t like the thought of another man’s hands on me, and you want to replace the memory with your hands.”
That. Yes. Hades would die, and Torin…Torin would touch this woman and never stop.
He gnashed his molars. “Last chance, Keeley. I suggest you take it and leave.” Soon. His control was almost completely shredded.
“No way. You’re the big bad warrior, yet I’ve had to come on to you time and time again. I’ve had to battle within myself—worth the price or not worth it. Well, it’s your turn.”
“There is no damn way you just suggested I haven’t done the same. I’ve battled.”
“When have you ever caved without prompting from me? You’ve resisted me so easily, always walking away. Sure, you’ve snarled while you’ve done the walking, but still you left me behind. So, tell me. When did you ever—”
“So easily?” he roared. Had she just said so easily? She had no clue about the intensity of his need—but he would teach her better.
Torin cupped her by the nape, yanked her close and smashed his mouth against hers. The kiss was a brutal assault meant to silence her, to dominate and possess. He held her still, making her take it, take everything. But the moment she softened against him, welcomed him inside her mouth, the darkness churning inside him switched gears. From the need to punish and master to the need to seduce and please.
This was Keeley. His princess. She deserved his best. He gentled the pressure, rolling his tongue inside her mouth, learning her all over again, tasting her. Summer berries and melted honey. So sweet. And mine. All mine. He framed her cheeks, angled her head and rolled his tongue just a little deeper. This time, she met him with a roll of her own.
That was his undoing.
*Prize will be awarded on 11/25 and will be paid for by Reading in Pajamas.
Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of the wildly popular White Rabbit Chronicles, the Angels of the Dark, the Lords of the Underworld, and the Otherworld Assassins series. In addition to being a National Reader’s Choice and RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan and Seventeen magazine, and have been translated in multiple languages. She lives in Oklahoma with her family and menagerie of dogs, and truly believes love conquers all.
Bonnie puppy (Reading In Pajamas/ Cori’s Puppy) couldn’t resist Torin either. Found her cuddled up with him after I fell asleep reading one night. Couldn’t resist sharing with y’all. /Cori
Today is day 4 of #ReapersStand Scavenger Hunt! All three of us at Reading in Pajamas are completely obsessed with this series! Reaper’s Stand is the fourth book in the Reapers Motorcycle Club and each book can be read as a stand alone, but I recommend reading them all. Our review is scheduled for October 10th and we’ll have a giveaway for y’all with that post too. I loved this book. Picnic is so yummy and the ultimate alpha male! Reaper’s Stand will be on my 2014 Favorites list and it’s my new favorite in the series. Picnic beat out Horse in my opinion;) Check out the exclusive excerpt below for a taste of Reaper’s Stand and enter the Rafflecopter. Be sure to go to each blog participating in the scavenger hunt to read the full excerpt. /Cori
As Reapers Motorcycle Club president, Reese “Picnic” Hayes has given his entire life to the club. After losing his wife, he knew he’d never love another woman. And with two daughters to raise and a club to manage, that was just fine with him. These days, Reese keeps his relationships free and easy—he definitely doesn’t want to waste his time on a glorified cleaning lady like London Armstrong.
Too bad he’s completely obsessed with her.
London is independent, and she likes it that way. Besides running her own business, London’s got her junkie cousin’s daughter to look after—a more reckless than average eighteen-year-old. Sure she’s attracted to the Reapers’ president, but she’s not stupid. Reese Hayes is a criminal and a thug. But when her young cousin gets caught up with a ruthless drug cartel, Reese might be the only man who can help her. Now London has to make the hardest decision of her life—how far will she go to save her family?
Exclusive Excerpt – Reading in Pajamas Reaper’s Stand by Joanna Wylde
“I hate you!” Jess snarled.
“For fuck’s sake,” Hayes said, his voice annoyed. “Get your ass out here, you little shit. I don’t have time for this and neither does London.”
“Screw you. I’m an adult. I can do whatever I want, and I want to stay here with Banks.”
The young man holding the door—presumably Banks—gave an incredulous snort. Hayes didn’t do anything, but somehow the air changed. Darkened. Jessica had made a very serious mistake and suddenly I felt scared for her. I reached over, catching his arm without thinking, my fingers curling into his warm skin as I whispered, “Please . . .”
Hayes glanced down at my hand, then caught my gaze, holding it captive.
“You owe me,” he said. “Because that little bitch doesn’t talk to me like that, you got it? Never again.”
He turned his attention back to Jess, whose face had started to reflect some concern. Maybe she was finally realizing this wasn’t a game?
“You get your ass out here and apologize to your cousin,” Hayes said, his voice so quiet and low I felt it all the way down my spine. “Then go downstairs and get in her car. You’re gonna drive home and you’re never coming out here again. You do, I’ll teach you a lesson you won’t forget—and don’t think for a second that smiling and flashing your tits will make a difference. I’ve seen it all before. We clear?”
Jessica nodded, eyes wide. She stepped out of the room, moving instinctively to stand behind me, as far from the Reapers’ president as she could get without making an obvious break for freedom.
“I’m ready to leave now, Loni,” she said quietly.
“Okay. Let’s get out of here.”
I turned to leave, but Hayes’s voice cut like the slash of a whip.
“Stop.”
We turned back slowly. His stare flayed me, stripping through my defenses, and I realized he was much, much angrier with Jessica than I’d realized. Somewhere down in the depths of my brainstem the monkey screamed in fear, absolutely convinced a predator was about to eat us.
“Banks will take her down,” he said. “You and I aren’t done.”
The boy stepped out of the room quickly, pulling on his Reapers vest before catching Jessica’s arm and dragging her down the hallway. If you’d seen them from a distance, you’d almost believe they were a young couple holding hands . . . In reality, he was more like a guard escorting a prisoner.
“Thank you very much for helping me,” I told Hayes once they were gone, forcing myself to breathe slowly and steadily. Show no fear. “What did you want to talk about?”
“I want you at my place on Monday at three,” he said.
“We can work you into my schedule,” I said slowly. “But I don’t have my calendar with me. Can I get in touch with you tomorrow, when I’m not so tired?”
Definitely the best idea. Maybe I’d even find a way out of this, because I knew darned well going to his house by myself wouldn’t be safe. Not after seeing him like this—if anything, the man was more dangerous than all the rumors combined. He smiled at me wolfishly.
Want to read more? Tomorrow morning at 8AM EST this excerpt will continue on Books Unhinged – http://wp.me/p490gx-25y
Dark Skye (Immortals After Dark) by Kresley Cole
Publication Date: August 5, 2014
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 5 Stars
In this highly anticipated fifteenth novel in the Immortals After Dark series, #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole spins a sultry tale of a mighty warrior scarred inside and out and the beguiling sorceress with the power to heal him—or vanquish him forever.
Eternal Obsession
As a boy, Thronos, prince of Skye Hall, loved Lanthe, a mischievous Sorceri girl who made him question everything about his Vrekener clan. But when the two got caught in the middle of their families’ war, tragedy struck, leaving Thronos and Lanthe bitter enemies. Though centuries have passed, nothing can cool his seething need for the beautiful enchantress who scarred his body—and left an even deeper impression on his soul.
Endless Yearning
Lanthe, a once-formidable sorceress struggling to reclaim her gifts, searches for love and acceptance with all the wrong immortal suitors. But she’s never forgotten Thronos, the magnificent silver-eyed boy who protected her until she was ripped from the shelter of his arms. One harrowing night changed everything between them. Now he’s a notorious warlord with a blood vendetta against Lanthe, hunting her relentlessly.
Can the heat of desire burn brighter than vengeance?
With their families locked in conflict and battles raging all around them, will Thronos and Lanthe succumb to the brutal chaos that threatens everything they cherish? Or will the fragile bond they formed so long ago spark a passion strong enough to withstand even the darkest doubts?
I loved it! Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark Series is one of my favorite paranormal romance series and I’ve been looking forward to Thronos and Lanthe’s story. Dark Skye is now one of my favorites in the series. It was filled with action, suspense, humor, and passion. It kept me on edge and flipping the pages until the end. Thronos and Lanthe’s love story was epic! A scorching hot and emotional story. I highly recommend this new book in this incredible series. Kresley Cole never disappoints and always leaves me anxiously awaiting the next book. One of the reasons I love her books so much is because when I pick one up I slip into another world and feel like I’m taking the journey with the characters. Not many writers can create that kind of experience for readers. If you haven’t read the series you should start at the beginning and if you’re a fan you’ll love Dark Skye. I can’t wait for the next book!
*Review copy provided by Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review.
Kresley Cole is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the electrifying Immortals After Dark paranormal series, the young adult Arcana Chronicles series, the erotic Gamemakers series, and five award-winning historical romances.
A master’s grad and former athlete, she has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings.
Her IAD books have been translated into twenty foreign languages, garnered three RITA awards, a Hall of Fame induction, and consistently appear on the bestseller lists, in the U.S. and abroad.
Cole lives in Florida with her family and “far too many animals.”
A sizzling paranormal series from Kresley Cole and Pocket Books
Introduction to the Immortals After Dark
Every creature or being that was thought to be mythical . . . isn’t.
They all secretly exist alongside humans and enjoy the gift of immortality. There are hundreds of different kinds: from Vampires to Lykae, from Furies to Shifters, from the Fey to Valkyries.
These immortals call their world The Lore.
You may have had a brush with one of Lorekind already. The eccentric billionaire with hypnotic charisma—and an aversion to sunlight. The ethereal waif of impossible beauty—whose fingernails look more like claws. The Highlander with a seventeenth-century Scottish accent and animal magnetism—who can never be penciled in on the night of the full moon.
They walk among us, but they war among themselves. Each faction has its strengths, weaknesses, and age old prejudices against the others. Every five hundred years, the Accession, a battle for supremacy, rages. That time is now. . . .
Synopsis: *Author Note: This is not your average romance story. Some people will kill for love.*
He’s come to kill me.
I’m a user and abuser of my own body. In the darkest hour I sold my soul to the devil and now I must pay the price. With his gun to my head I have no choice but to listen and obey, but I refuse to go down easily. Nothing is stronger than the will to survive. My instincts kicked into full gear the second he stepped into my motel room.
Except when I look at him I see my own heart staring back at me. A history tainted by blood.
I don’t know his name, but I know he wants me. To save myself I’ll sacrifice my sanity. My body. My soul. Something tells me the x-shaped scar that marks his eye is the only escape I have. He is Mr. X; the man who comes to claim my life. Can I save myself before he demands my heart?
WARNING: This book contains very disturbing situations, dubious consent, breath depravation, strong language, drugs and alcohol, and graphic violence, which may be considered triggers.
About the Author: Clarissa Wild is the Amazon Bestselling Romance author of FIERCE, a top 200 and top 15 New Adult Romance novel. She is also a writer of erotic romance such as the Blissful Series, The Billionaire’s Bet series, the Doing It Series and the Enflamed Series. She is an avid reader and writer of sexy stories about hot men and feisty women. Her other loves include her furry cat friend and learning about different cultures. In her free time she enjoys watching all sorts of movies, reading tons of books and cooking her favorite meals.
Want to get an email when Clarissa’s next book is released? Sign up here to receive a FREE short story: http://eepurl.com/FdY71
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