Ines Bautista-Yao is the author of One Crazy Summer, What’s
in your Heart, Only A Kiss, When Sparks Fly, All That Glitters, and Someday
With You. She has also written several short stories. Among them are “Plain
Vanilla,” “A Captured Dream,” one of the four short stories in Sola Musica:
Love Notes from a Festival, “Things I’ll Never Say,” part of the Summit Books
anthology Coming of Age, and “Before the Sun Rises,” part of the Ateneo
University Press anthology Friend Zones.
She is the former editor-in-chief of Candy and K-Zone
magazines and a former high school and college English and Literature teacher.
She is also a wife and mom who lives in the Philippines with her husband and
two little girls. Her books are available digitally on Amazon and Buqo.ph.
Twenty-four-year-old photographer’s
apprentice Regina has always felt like the plain, dull orange next to the shiny
red apple that is her best friend Lana. But then she meets Ben—the first guy to
ever break Lana’s heart, and the first guy to ever make Regina feel that he
only has eyes for her.
As Regina finds herself falling hard for Ben, she also
finds herself breaking all the rules of best-friendship. Will she give up the
love of her life for Lana, or will she finally realize that she deserves her
share of the spotlight, too?
When she slid
into the driver’s seat, she leaned her head back, closed her eyes, and took a
deep breath, allowing herself to sink into the semi-darkness. What had just
happened here? She reached for the cup of coffee, took a sip, and noticed, in
the dim light coming from the lampposts outside, that there was something
scribbled on the cup in thin, black marker. Pulling it back and peering at it,
Regina noticed that it was a number. A phone number. And a name: Ben. That was
it. No message. No request to call. Overconfident worm. So why were her fingers
aching to reach for her cell phone and punch in those numbers? Why was she so
tempted to veer the car around and head back to El Tomador in the hopes that he
would be there waiting for her?
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Hannah R. Conway is a military wife,
mother of two, middle school teacher, and speaker. Her novels are a deployment
experience of their own, threaded with faith, and filled with twists and turns
sure to thrill, and encourage. Hannah is a member of the American Christian
Fiction Writers, and My book Therapy. She and her family live near Nashville,
Tennessee.
“Life heats up for Leanna Wilson when an accident
claims her parent’s lives. Her dreams of a high profile law career are reduced
to rubble when she returns home to assume custody of her sister, Brie. Without
the financial means to take legal custody of her sister—or a binding will to
place her safely in her arms—Leanna’s future becomes more uncertain than ever.
Already prepared for a blazing custody battle, with less than capable
relatives, Leanna’s world is set ablaze when her ex-fiancé complicates matters
in an attempt to destroy her future and her faith. US Army, SSG Garrison Burke
has spent the last few years alone—balancing flag and fatherhood since the
tragic death of his wife. Facing deployment, Garrison is desperate to find a safe
caretaker for his son, Ezra—preferably anywhere but the abusive home he grew up
in. So, when Leanna Wilson walks unexpectedly back into his life, he’s not sure
if she’s a blessing or a curse. More importantly, Garrison cannot seem to
forget how he betrayed Leanna many years ago. Yet, as Leanna and Garrison begin
to run out of time, they start to see that the solution to their problems might
lie within each other, but will they forget the past and allow their broken
hearts to mend? As sparks begin to fly and their love is rekindled, a marriage
of convenience will either make their wildest dreams come true or cause their
best-laid plans to go up in smoke.”
He twisted her arm tighter and she
yelped. “Let me go.”
“You may want to start packing
Brie’s bags now.”
“You’re hurting me, William.”
“Now you know what it’s like. To
want something and not get it. To love someone who won’t love you back. It hurts,
Leanna. You hurt people.”
He was at least partially right.
She’d hurt him. Used him to fund her bank account, much like he was now using
her to satisfy his need to control. Leanna twisted but couldn’t loosen his
hold. He pulled her closer.
“I’d take your hands off her, now.”
The voice, familiar, called from the front yard.
William jerked his hands away and
spun around. He paused, then let out a small laugh. “Ha. Of course.”
Leanna rubbed at the handprint on
her arm, then peeked around William.
A man in uniform, dress blues at
that. She sucked in a sharp breath, hand against her mouth.
Garrison. Her lips parted.
William stepped from the porch,
hands in the air, and then dropped them to his side. He bumped Garrison’s
shoulder as he passed giving a sidelong glance at Leanna before climbing into
his car. He winked before driving away.
Garrison followed William down the
drive with his stare. He turned his attention back to her.
There he stood, like a ghost. A
memory from her past, but he was very much in the present.
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FTC: I received a free copy of this book from Partners in Crime in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.
The Shepherd’s Calculus by C.S. Farrelly was a book that I am sure I would have loved if I was sick of politics right now. I am going read this book in a couple of years to see if my views change because I had a tough time staying interested in this book because of the politics that happen in the book. I would always end up bored during those parts of the book and it made me not want to finish this book. It did have pieces that kept me interested but then they would talk about politics and would lose all interested again. I wasn’t able to figure out what was going to happen while I was reading the book, so that was a great thing. All in all I enjoyed the authors writing and I did like most of the characters so if you love thriller type books than you should give this one a shot because I know there are people who would love this book. Like I said before I think it is one that I would love if things in the world were different.
About The Book
Genre: Mystery/Thriller Published by: Cavan Bridge Press Publication Date: October 3, 2017 Number of Pages: 272 ISBN: 0998749303 (ISBN13: 9780998749303) Purchase Links:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
When journalist Peter Merrick is asked to write a eulogy for his mentor, Jesuit priest James Ingram, his biggest concern is doing right by the man. But when his routine research reveals disturbing ties to sexual abuse and clues to a shadowy deal trading justice for power, everything he believed about his friend is called into question. With the US presidential election looming, incumbent Arthur Wyncott is quickly losing ground among religious voters. Meanwhile, Owen Feeney, head of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, is facing nearly a billion dollars in payments to victims of sex abuse. When Feeney hits on a solution to both men’s problems, it seems the stars have aligned. That is until Ally Larkin—Wyncott’s brilliant campaign aide—starts to piece together the shocking details. As the election draws closer and the stakes get higher, each choice becomes a calculation: Your faith, or your church? Your principles, or your candidate? The person you most respect, or the truth that could destroy their legacy?
When the line between right and wrong is blurred, how do you act, and whom do you save?
About The Author
C.S. Farrelly was raised in Wyoming and Pennsylvania. A graduate of Fordham University (BA, English), her eclectic career has spanned a Manhattan investment bank, the NYC Department of Education and, most recently, the British Government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office. She was a 2015 Presidential Leadership Scholar and obtained a master’s degree from Trinity College Dublin, where she was a George J. Mitchell scholar.
She has lived in New York City, Washington, D.C., Ireland, and England. An avid hiker, she camped her way through East Africa, from Victoria Falls to Nairobi. She currently lives in Pennsylvania with her family.
This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for C.S. Farrelly. There will be 1 winner of one (1) Amazon.com Giftcard. The giveaway begins on February 1, 2018 and runs through April 2, 2018. Void where prohibited.
Scarlett Cole is back with FINAL SIEGE, book two in the Love Over Duty series. When an urgent phone call brings Mac’s troubled past—and the woman he once loved—into the present, it’s a chance to redeem himself that he can’t refuse. To protect her, he’ll risk it all. Don’t miss out on this second chance romantic suspense featuring yet another sexy alpha hero!
Title: FINAL SIEGE
Author: Scarlett Cole
Release Date: January 30, 2017
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, SWERVE
Series: Love Over Duty #2
Genres: Romantic Suspense
Page Count: 300 pages
Format: Paperback and Digital
In the Line of Fire…
Former SEAL Malachai “Mac” MacCarrick is all about the future he’s created with his Navy brothers in Eagle Securities, taking assignments in the most dangerous places, and doing things no one but ex-military would attempt. But when an urgent phone call brings his troubled past—and the woman he once loved—into the present, it’s a chance to redeem himself that he can’t refuse.
Straight to the heart. . .
An investigative journalist researching an explosive story, Delaney Shapiro tells herself she got over Mac—and his role in her brother’s death—a long time ago. But the first moment she sees him at her bedside in an overseas hospital, she knows it’s not true. Every moment together rekindles the desire that once burned between them, and now that she’s a target for an emerging Russian arms dealer, Mac won’t let her out of his sight. To protect her, he’ll risk it all—including his life…
Half asleep, unwilling to fully waken and face the day, Delaney snuggled deep into the covers and allowed the dreams that danced on the edge of her consciousness to enter. In it, she was naked, in a large white bed, with a man behind her. A hand spanned her stomach, pulling her back against a firm, warm chest. Spooning. Her favorite thing.
Lazily, the hand moved upward until it cupped her breast, and Delaney secretly urged it to squeeze gently, but it didn’t. Whoever the hand belonged to was definitely aroused. She could feel the heavy erection pressing against her back. Teasingly, she wiggled her butt against him in the hope he’d get the message, but nothing. No response.
Sun shone in through large open windows with white billowing curtains as she reveled in feelings of being turned on.
She turned in the man’s arms, grateful when he pulled her closer to him. His chest was wide, with a light smattering of hair, and she pressed her forehead to it as she slid her hand between them to the waistband of his shorts.
A hand gripped her wrist. “Don’t,” a voice said gruffly. Hard to get? That was a new one. She moved closely and pressed a series of soft kisses to his chest. But she could be that girl. The one who was confident enough to initiate. She licked his nipple and heard him gasp.
“Delaney, please. Fuck. Wake up!”
Suddenly the bed shook. Covers were dragged off her body, and her skin was cold. Then the realization hit her.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
It wasn’t a dream.
Delaney forced one eye open and confirmed her worst nightmare. Mac stood naked, apart from a pair of basketball shorts and a huge erection. And if the tenting was to be believed, his chest and bicep dimensions weren’t the only muscles that had grown. His hair was ruffled, standing up every which way as it always used to, and his eyes told her that she’d woken him up. By attempting to grab his dick.
Dear God. She was going to die.
Enter to win an UNDER FIRE & FINAL SIEGE Paperback
The tattoo across my right hip says it all really. A Life Less Ordinary. Inked by the amazingly talented Luke Wessman at the Wooster Street Social Club (a.k.a. New York Ink). Why is it important? Well, it sums up my view on life. That we should all aspire to live a life that is less boring, less predictable. Be bold, and do something amazing. I’ve made some crazy choices. I’ve been a car maker, a consultant, and even a senior executive at a large retailer running strategy. Born in England, spent time in the U.S. and Japan, before ending up in Canada were I met my own, personal hero – all six and a half feet of him. Both of us are scorpios! Yeah, I know! Should have checked the astrological signs earlier, but somehow it works for us. We have two amazing kids, who I either could never part with or could easily be convinced to sell on e-bay.
I’ve wanted to be a writer for a really long time. Check through my office cupboards or my computer and you’ll find half written stories and character descriptions everywhere. Now I’m getting the chance to follow that dream.
ZINA ABBOTT
is the pen name used by Robyn Echols for her adult Golden Oaks series which
includes Family Secrets, the first book in the series, and her historical
novels.
Except for
the first year of her life, Robyn has lived in California. She started her
young life in San Diego and has had gradually moved northward. She has been
writing since she was in junior high school.
After
working several jobs, including that of being a rural carrier and union steward
for the California Rural Letter Carriers’ Association, she has spent years
learning and teaching family history topics. She enjoys focusing on history
from a genealogist’s perspective by seeking out the details of everyday life in
the past. Several of her family history articles have been published in
genealogy magazines. She resides
with her husband in California near the “Gateway to Yosemite.” When
she is not piecing together novel plots and characters, she enjoys piecing
together quilt blocks.
In 1868, Otto Atwell has a 160 acre
homestead near Abilene, Kansas and a limp as a result of an arrow shot in his
low back while with the 16th Kansas Cavalry on the Powder River Expedition in
1865. What he doesn’t have is a wife. Then again, what woman would want to
marry a cripple?
Libby Jones comes to Junction City as a mail order bride. Not
only does the man who sent for her reject her, he tries to sell her to the
local brothel to recoup his fee. Otto offers to marry her, but she rejects him
in favor of a job with his relatives.
Will Otto’s offer still stand when
trouble from Libby’s past catches up with her?
“Mr. Atwell, like your brother, you asked me to call you by your first
name. I will do so only if you call me Libby. And to answer your question, I
don’t think most women like hearing tales of pain and suffering, especially
about their kin, or if it’s only for the sake of glorifying in such matters.
Otherwise, I think women are stronger than you realize. I believe your mother
would want to know what you’ve been through, especially if it still affects
your life, rather than being kept in the dark.”
In the silence that
followed, Libby took another sip. “I appreciate knowing your story, Mr.
Atwell…”
“Otto. I just hope it
doesn’t give you nightmares.”
“I doubt it will.”
I suffer my own
nightmares.
Libby swallowed and
chose her words carefully. “I appreciate knowing your attitude about tribal
people. As you can see, my native heritage is written on my face. There are
many people who look down on me because of it.”
“I hope you don’t
think I’m one of them.”
To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katee Robert delivers the final installment in her sizzling O’Malleys family series, hailed as “The Godfather meets Romeo & Juliet.” In THE BASTARD’S BARGAIN Dmitri Romanov must use his legendary focus and control to stay one step ahead of everyone else in the ever-shifting power plays of New York City.
What readers are saying:
“The Bastard’s Bargain presents a seductive escape and a fulfilling fantasy for that bad boy craving a girl can never outgrow.”—Isha at Book Likes
“Keira and Dmitri are everything. What develops between them is raw and carnal and wanton. The way they need each other and the way they connect is beyond sexy. It’s something deep and dark and heartbreakingly beautiful.”—Eva, Goodreads Reviewer
Meet Dmitri and Keira!
Pre-order THE BASTARD’S BARGAIN and add it to your TBR pile on Goodreads! Then keep reading to get a sneak peek excerpt and to enter the giveaway for a $50 Amazon gift card and Dmitri Romanov scented candle!
Title: The Bastard’s Bargain
Author: Katee Robert
Genre: Dark Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 6, 2018
Publisher: Grand Central/Forever
Series: The O’Malleys
Format: Digitial and Print
ASIN: B071ZYWPL5
Married to the enemy
When Keira O’Malley was a child, she used to picture her perfect wedding. The flowers. The dress. Her husband. But nothing could have prepared her for saying “I do” to Dmitri Romanov-cold, domineering, and always one step ahead of everyone else in the ever-shifting power plays of New York City. She agreed to his bargain to secure peace for her family, and she may want the bastard more than she’d ever admit, but she’ll be damned if she’ll make this marriage easy for him.
Dmitri knows better than to underestimate Keira for one second. Molten desire smolders between them, a dangerous addiction neither can resist. But his enemies are already on the move, and he needs every ounce of his legendary focus and control to keep them alive. Keira could just be his secret weapon-if she doesn’t bring him to his knees first.
It wasn’t until the front door closed behind Ivan that the reality of her situation sank in. Dmitri was furious. He might have faked it for his friend, but he stood next to her, a pillar of stone with anger coming off him in waves. His grip on her elbow didn’t hurt, but if she’d tried to leave, he would have restrained her.
She should be afraid. She should be terrified.
Keira’s heartbeat picked up, adrenaline kicking in. She swung to face him with a fierce smile on her face. “You didn’t compliment me on my dress.” It was a work of fucking art. She smoothed her free hand over her hip and up her side. “Actually, you called me a high-class sex worker. Is that any way to speak to your beloved wife?”
His gray eyes followed the movement, a muscle ticking in his jaw when she cupped her breast. “I meant it when I said you’re playing with fire.”
That wasn’t just anger on his face now. No, it was rapidly being overtaken by sheer lust. An answering feeling sent a bolt straight to her core. She stepped back, and he released her instantly. A strange feeling coursed through her, straightening her spine and making her want to laugh out loud. Power. This is what power feels like.
He wanted her. He wanted her so badly, he had his hands clenched at his sides to keep from touching her again. But he wouldn’t until she gave the green light. Keira took another step back. “I have a hypothetical question.”
“Ask.” His voice was rough. The way he watched her made her feel like prey, and she liked it far more than she should—because she wasn’t prey. Keira had her own teeth and claws, and Dmitri would learn that as time went on.
“Hypothetical, if I said yes tonight…how do you imagine that would go?”
He stared at her a long moment. “Nyet. I’m not playing this game with you.” She blinked and he was on her, one hand snaking around to press against the exposed small of her back, the other tangling in her hair. “We are not children, moya koroleva. These games don’t become us.”
He kissed her. There was no cautious exploration or easing into it. Dmitri kissed her like a conquering warlord who was sure of his welcome because he owned everything in the room—including her. There was no fighting this. She didn’t even want to try. Keira slid her arms around his neck and pressed herself more firmly against him. His cock was a hard length with too many layers between them. She rolled her hips, an invitation she wasn’t sure she was ready to follow through on.
Dmitri slid his hand down to cup her ass, guiding her movements. Long slides up the length of his cock and back down again. The stupid goddamn dress kept her from spreading her legs wider, from getting him exactly where she needed him. Her nipples rubbed against his shirt, the silk incredibly decadent across her sensitized skin.
“Keira. Moya koroleva.” He kissed down her jawline, tilting her head back until she had to arch her spine to accommodate the position. “Did you enjoy their eyes on you? Ivan’s. The men who owe allegiance to me. Anyone who cared to look.”
It took her desire-drugged brain a beat to catch up, but by then he was already growling out more words against her skin. “Did it make you feel powerful to know they were imagining stroking the nipples you flash with such impunity?” He moved his hand from her ass to do exactly that, dragging a finger over her puckered nipple. “They wanted the body you so proudly put on display.” His voice roughened. “They wanted what’s mine.”
Say something. If you don’t say something right now, you’re going to give in tonight and then it will all be over.
He moved his hand to her back and bent her until she relied solely on his strength to keep her off the ground. And then Dmitri’s wicked, wicked mouth closed around her nipple. The weight of the beaded design seemed heavier with his tongue flicking the engorged bud, making his touch that much hotter. She couldn’t hold back a moan as he moved to her other breast.
Dmitri dragged his mouth up the center of her chest, the only part of her not caged in the dress, stopping at the thick collar. He flicked the hollow of her throat with his tongue. “This is my favorite part of the dress.” He ran his thumb over it. “This, more than anything else, marks you as mine.”
A collar for a kept pet.
It was as if he’d doused her in icy water. Keira went rigid and shoved Dmitri away. She almost fell when he released her, but she regained her balance at the last second. They stood mere feet apart, breathing hard and staring at each other. I am no one’s pet. She slashed her hand through the air. “I might be your wife, Russian, but I’m not yours. I’ll never be yours.”
New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Katee Robert learned to tell her stories at her grandpa’s knee. Her 2015 title, The Marriage Contract, was a RITA finalist, and RT Book Reviews named it ‘a compulsively readable book with just the right amount of suspense and tension.” When not writing sexy contemporary and romantic suspense, she spends her time playing imaginary games with her children, driving her husband batty with what-if questions, and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.
Ines Bautista-Yao is the author of One Crazy Summer, What’s
Twenty-four-year-old photographer’s
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