The Ground Rules Undone By Roya Carmen ♥ Release Blitz

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The Ground Rules #1

The Ground Rules : Rewritten #2

The Ground Rules were impossible to follow. It was hard not to become completely consumed by the beautiful and enigmatic Weston Hanson. The heart of a romantic was not fit for this kind of exchange. So, when it ended, I was shattered, but it was all for the better…or so we thought.

The Ground Rules were rewritten, and then bent. We lied to ourselves. We told ourselves we could handle this. Not a single one of us realized just how big this was…just how devastating it could become.

And now, there are no Rules.

Lust… infatuation…blinds you. It can tear everything apart. But sometimes, life needs to be completely torn apart before it can be mended – not just cracked at the edges, but utterly shattered, before you can truly see the mess you’ve become.

I love them both, but I can’t have them both. While one pulls me in, the other pushes me away. And when both eventually open their hearts, I must make the hardest decision of my life.

And now there are no Rules. We are Undone.

He stood back up to his full height, and leaned into me, tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear, the gesture so gentle, but in contrast, his words were harsh. “This didn’t mean anything,” he said, his eyes dark, as black as coal. And I knew this wasn’t him speaking. This was the man he became when he was angry. But still, the words still cut deep.

“This doesn’t change a thing,” he went on with that same dark blank expression. “We’re still done, Mirella.”

“How can you say that?” I asked, my words pleading. “We just made love.”

He jerked back. “That was just sex, Mirella,” he scoffed. “You made me hard. I wanted to fuck you…get one last taste of you. That’s all it was.” And with a turn of the handle, he added, “I’m sorry if you thought it was more.”

His words hit hard, a sharp blow to my stomach. But I wasn’t done fighting for us. I reached for the handle, my hand pressed hard over his and I slammed the door shut. “You’re lying. You’re being hurtful on purpose.” After all these years, I couldn’t believe he didn’t realize how well I know him. “You’re still mad at me,” I pointed out, not letting it go.

He wiped the heel of his hand against his forehead and grabbed a fistful of his hair. “You’re fucking right, I’m still mad,” he growled. “But I’m angry at myself more than I am at you right now.”

I pressed my hand against his stomach. “Why?”

He grabbed a hard hold of my wrist and pulled my hand away. “Because you do this to me and I can’t just turn my back and move on.” His beautiful eyes almost did me in, there was so much emotion in them.

“I can’t turn my back on you and the girls. And I still want you. I still want to fuck you… and you,” he added, not quite looking at me. “You know this. And you took advantage.”

He was right. I did. I knew he wanted me. And I took advantage of a moment of weakness. I spotted it, pounced and dug my teeth in. But I wanted him just as much as he did me.

“I’m sorry,” I told him. I knew it wasn’t much, but I was at a loss for words. My eyes were drowning in tears as I pressed my hand against him again. “I just miss you so much, Gabe. I wanted to be close to you again.”

He tore himself from me. “I should go.”

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Mom, writer, book junkie, doodle addict and hopeless romantic. I have been writing for over ten years, finding my passion for romance in 2008. When I’m not spending time with my family, I enjoy reading, painting, and writing – there is nothing I enjoy more than sitting down at my laptop and making up my own stories – and if those stories should include beautiful men, a little romance, and a few steamy scenes, all the better!

I write contemporary and erotic romance under the pen name Roya Carmen.

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Hopeless Vow by Rachael Duncan ♥ Release Blitz & Review

Title: Hopeless Vows

Author: Rachael Duncan

Genre: Contemporary Romance Standalone

Release Date: February 22, 2016
Photographer: Perrywinkle Photography
Cover Designer: Cover Me Darling

It was a modern take on an arranged marriage that was supposed to lead to my happily ever after. The rules were simple:

1. Marry a complete stranger chosen for you by professionals.

2. Live together as man and wife for eight weeks while cameras record your every move.

3. Make a decision to stay together or get a divorce.

Call me crazy, but I had complete faith in the process, until I saw who was waiting for me at the end of the aisle.

Austin James has never met me, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know him. With no other choice, I say my vows and pray I can make it through the next eight weeks. Then I’ll leave. What connects us is my best kept secret, and I’ll protect it at all costs even if that means walking away from the only person I’ve ever cared about.

“This is the first book I’ve read by Rachael Duncan, but it won’t be my last. I absolutely loved this book from start to finish.” – A.M. Madden, Amazon and Barnes & Noble Best Selling Romance Author

“I can’t rate Hopeless Vows high enough and I honestly feel like this will be Rachael’s breakthrough novel that will take her places and have her name known all around this community. Brilliant job!” -Swoon Worthy Book Blog

“I haven’t had a book hangover in so long and after reading Hopeless Vows, I did. This book is beyond good.” -Joanne Schwehm, author of the Prescott Series

“What did I think? I’m honestly not sure I can convey what I think right now. I feel like no matter what words I put down that it won’t do this book justice.” – Books, Chocolate, and Lipgloss

“Jillian and Austin literally sizzled on the pages. The chemistry was palpable. The characters were well-developed and the plot was so much more than I thought it would be.” -Casey L. Bond, author of The Sin Series

“I love the way her writing balances sexiness, humor and hurt, and I find myself able to relate to her characters, no matter how outlandish or unconventional their circumstances.” -Give Me Books

“As an author, it’s hard for me to find a book that is unpredictable for me. Usually, I can see twists and turns coming from a mile away, but Rachael had a couple for me I never saw coming.” -JB McGee, Best Selling Author

The longer this experiment goes on, the more I fall for him, and the more the deceit eats at me. When I lie awake some nights, it crawls up my body, tickling my skin, reminding me that underneath, I’m a horrible human being.
Deceitful.
Cowardly.
Manipulative.
Selfish.
All negative adjectives, and all describe me.
He’ll never find out, taunts an inner voice. What’s worse is that it also tells me it’s okay to keep this from him. That the two of us can live out this fantasy unscathed and content. As delusional as my inner voice is, I find myself clinging to it like a leech, feasting on the lie.

When I took this book on as an ARC read I read only the first line in the description and something just told me I had to read it. I am so glad that I listened to my instincts. Rachael did an amazing job writing this book. If funny entertaining and full of heart stopping feelings.

Jillian and Austin go on a reality TV show that marries you to the perfect stranger in, in hopes that you find forever love. Jillian took the challenge on to have some fulfillment in her life. Austin took the challenge on with the mindset that he was going to find his lasting love. Jillian had faith in the panel of therapist that was assigned to her to find the perfect match, that was until she was walking down the aisle and seen who was waiting for her hand.

Jillian tells herself that she can get through the eight weeks and then walk away. Keeping her long hidden secret that could ruin her life and crush the person she finds that she truly cares for, for the first time in her life.

I wanted to grab these two at time and shake the ever living hell out of them. Then turn the page and find out more to the puzzle and sit there and think how would I handle this , how would I react to that. Hopeless Vows is one very heart pumping story that just keeps you on the edge of you seat the whole way through. I wanted to cry when I turned the last page because the book was finished. I love this one so much I wanted more and more and more. Hope we get a peek back into Jillian and Austin’s life in the future!!!!

Young attractive couple walking along beach and kissing

Rachael Duncan is an Army wife to her amazing husband, Steven, and mother to their beautiful daughters, Natalie and Zoe. She grew up in Nashville, Tennessee and went off to graduate from the University of Tennessee with a bachelor’s degree in political science. With initial plans to work in politics, she moved to Washington, D.C. and worked on Capitol Hill for a House Representative. After a short time, she realized it wasn’t for her and began pursuing other careers until she started writing.
She’s author of Tackled by Love and The Lies and Truth Duet.

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All Bets Off By Jeannette Winters ♥ Release Blitz

Blurb

Beckett
Davis served in the Marine Corp and has the scars inside and out as a
constant reminder. They say he’s a hero, but he wishes he’d died along
with those he lost from his platoon. It’ll take a special kind of woman
to heal this wounded warrior.

Danielle McKesson understands survivor’s guilt. She’s raising her nephew after he witnessed the death of his parents.

Beckett says he doesn’t want her love. All he can offer is a week together.

What started as a passionate indulgence that neither wanted to deny, becomes something that changes them both.

Purchase Links

Amazon

Book One Also Available

Synopsis

Brice Henderson traded everything for power and success. His company was
closing a deal that would cement his spot at the top. The last thing he
needed was a distraction from the past.Lena Razzi had spent years trying to forget Brice Henderson. When
offered the opportunity of a lifetime, would she take the risk even if
the price would be another broken heart?

Do you love reading from this world? Continue with Always Mine from
my sister, Ruth Cardello, Her series will mirror my time line. It isn’t
necessary to read hers to enjoy mine, but it sure will enhance the fun!

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Purchase Links

Amazon US ~ Amazon Uk ~ iBooks ~ Kobo

About The Author

Jeannette was born into a big family in northern Rhode Island, where

she still makes her home. Deciding against following her mother’s

footsteps, she raised a single – and wonderful! – son. By day she

works in marketing, and by night she writes steamy romances.
She loves visiting historical monuments with good friends and family,

and comes home to the best dogs in the world.

Website ~ Facebook

Southern Sweets By Cori Williams ♥ Release Blitz

TITLE: Southern Sweets: A Midnight Novel

AUTHOR: Cori Williams

PUBLISHER: Booktrope Publishing

Sugar and spice don’t always play nice—Amelia Emerson learned that the hard way after her heart was snatched straight from her chest. What was done could not be forgotten.

Tanner made his choice, and there was no turning back from the hurt he caused. Amelia is left dealing with the aftermath and trying to juggle the new life she has been handed.

Worn down, she struggles to gain back the confidence she once possessed, and prove to everyone she is able to do things on her own—But when life takes another sharp turn in an unexpected direction, will she be able to let go and start fresh? Or is the pain too unbearable to forget?

Amazon US

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Cori Williams is a contemporary romance writer who recently relocated from Michigan to southern living in the mountains of North Carolina. When she’s not busy taking care of her three young children and sometimes fourth, aka as her husband, you’ll find her tapping away at the keyboard with music blaring and endless amounts of candy fuel at hand. Her love of reading from a very young age transferred over to a love of writing and now the stories are never ending as she creates the happily ever afters for her characters with sometimes bumpy journeys along the way. “Forever isn’t always easy.”

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If You Can’t Take The Heat By Melissa Brown ♥ Release Blitz

If You Can’t Take the Heat

by Melissa Brown

Release Date: February 16, 2016

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SYNOPSIS

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Whitney Bartolina gets what she wants. At just thirty-four, she’s worked her way up from mailroom coordinator to casting director at a major Los Angeles television network and had a string of steamy flings, most recently with movie star Nolan Rivera. But when two of the contestants she casts on a new reality cooking show turn out to be as talented in the bedroom as they are in the kitchen,

Whitney may have finally bitten off more than she can chew. Conducting auditions across the country and looking for a bit of fun after Nolan, Whitney finds it in Chicago with Charlie Hutchins, a deliciously handsome British rugby-player-turned-chef whose spicy Szechuan beef is only the start of his sizzle. Then, in Montana, close encounters with sexy but mild-mannered cowboy and restaurateur Wes Rancourt leave her mouth watering for more. Back in LA for filming, Whitney soon finds herself caught in a love square with Charlie, Wes, and Nolan, who’s stopping at nothing to win her back.

Will she jeopardize her career by mixing business with pleasure, or can she turn up the heat without getting burned?

EXCERPT

Whitney stood to the side and observed as Wes shot round after round with his other pistol. When he pulled back the targets, they were covered in bullet holes, all in the exact center target.”Holy crap, you’re good,” she said as they walked back to his car.

“Lots of practice.”

“What else are you good at?” she asked, unable to deny the chemistry between them. They still hadn’t kissed and it was driving her mad. She wanted him. Desperately.

“I guess you’ll have to wait and see.” He smirked, approaching the passenger door.

“You Mr. Rancourt, are a tease.”

He opened her door slightly, then closed it again. With a devilish grin, he pressed her into the harsh metal. Her body tingled as his fingers traced a line from her ear to her chin as he stepped closer, leaning down to graze her lips with his own. Taken slightly by surprise, since she’d expected him to tease her as he had the night before, Whitney was slow to react, but soon found herself wrapping her arms around the broad muscles of his back. She opened her mouth, allowing him to deepen the kiss. With a new sense of urgency, his tongue stroked hers, sending shots of electricity and desire to the tips of her toes. His hands moved to cup her cheeks and she dug her fingertips into his firm shoulders. Together they moved so that Whitney’s back was pressed to the passenger door of his car, with each stroke of Wes’ strong tongue, her ass pushed gently into the black finish until finally they came up for air.

“Tell me again what a tease I am,” he whispered, kissing her gently on the nose.

“Whoa.” It took every ounce of energy within her not to pant all over him. He was driving her wild.

“Worth the wait?” he whispered into her ear.

“Hell yes.” She smiled, placing her hands at the base of his neck.

“When can I see you again?”

“Do we have to go over this again?” Whitney tugged gingerly on his collar, pulling him in for another peck on the lips. “You can see me now. Watching you shoot that gun was a freaking aphrodisiac.”

He smiled. “Again, tempting…but not yet.”

Still holding on to his collar, she threw her head back in frustration. “You’re trying to torture me, aren’t you?”

Suddenly serious, Wes smoothed her hair down and rested his hands on her shoulders. “Not at all.”

“Then what is it?” Didn’t he want her as badly as she wanted him?

“Maybe I like keeping you in suspense.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I noticed.”

“And it gives us something to look forward to”—he trapped his lower lip beneath his teeth—”next month in Los Angeles.”

Whitney’s stomach did a gigantic flip flop. “You’re gonna do it?”

Wes nodded slowly. “I have to see you again. It’s not a choice. It has to happen.”

He pressed his lips to the exposed skin of her neck, sucking gently as his fingers weaved through her hair.

Pure. Torture.

“My hotel isn’t far away. Pleee-eease reconsider.”

Wes said nothing but continued to lick, kiss, and suck at her sensitive skin. She wanted nothing more than to pull him into his car and straddle him right that second, but maybe he was on to something in delaying their gratification. The anticipation of seeing him again, of waiting until the next time they could be intimate was intoxicating in and of itself.

“Believe me, beautiful. When I get to L.A., I look forward to seeing you more than anything. Anything at all. And I promise you, just like before, it’ll be worth the wait.”

Whitney scoffed playfully, climbing into the SUV, planning her cold shower back at the hotel. She wondered how she could possibly last a month without having Wes in her bed. She wanted that cowboy more than she wanted just about anything else. But he was determined to drive her wild by making her wait. He was such a freaking tease, a hot, sexy-while-firing-a-gun tease.

Even before she stepped out of his car and he kissed her goodnight, she was counting down the days until the semi-finals. When she’d reached her hotel room and stripped herself of her clothes, she finally figured out the exact time she’d have to wait. It was twenty two days until she’d see her sexy cowboy again. Just twenty-two days.

Who was she kidding? That would be over three weeks of agony. Her mind raced with thoughts of Wes above her, below her, behind her. On the bed, in the bathtub, on the freaking floor…

“To hell with the shower,” she said, closing the glass door and marching toward her suitcase. “I need my vibrator.”

AUTHOR PROFILE

Melissa Brown was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. She attended the University of Illinois and is the mother of two fantastic kids. She’s an avid reader who enjoys making handmade gifts for her family and friends, as well as baking and painting. Melissa has an unhealthy obsession with pop culture. She speaks fluent movie quotes from the 1980s (John Hughes = genius), reads celebrity gossip magazines and never misses an episode of Scandal. She enjoys writing contemporary romance, romantic suspense and young adult novels.

All of Melissa’s books are currently available exclusively through Amazon.com and are part of the Kindle Unlimited Program.

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NY Dare Series By Carly Phillips ♥ Relaunch Blitz

NY Dare Series – Relaunch by Carly Phillips

Date of Publication: January 28, 2016

Blurb

Isabelle Masters is done…

Done with her cheating boyfriend.

Done with his domineering ways.

Just done.

Taking off in her leased Mercedes to start over turns out to be the best decision she’s ever made — despite being arrested for grand theft auto and hauled off to a local police station. Being rescued by the most unlikely person possible, Gabriel Dare, makes it all worthwhile. After all, she’s yearned for the sexy man for years—yet now is her chance to finally take the plunge and dare to become the independent woman she’s always wanted to be. But can she be in control of her life if she surrenders to a man like him?

Available From

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iBooks

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About Carly Phillips

After a successful fifteen year career with various New York publishing houses, and over 40 sexy contemporary romance novels published, N.Y. Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carly Phillips is now an Indie author who writes to her own expectations and that of her readers. She continues the tradition of hot men and strong women and plans to publish many more sizzling stories. Carly lives in Purchase, NY with her family, two nearly adult daughters and two crazy dogs who star on her Facebook Fan Page and website. She’s a writer, a knitter of sorts, a wife, and a mom. In addition, she’s a Twitter and Internet junkie and is always around to interact with her readers. You can find out more about Carly at http://www.carlyphillips.com.

Find Carly Phillips Online

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Stripped Raw By Prescott Lane ♥ Cover Reveal

We are super excited to share the cover reveal of Prescott Lane’s next book Stripped Raw.

Kenzie

I’m a yes girl. Get your mind out of the gutter; I’m not talking about sex. I’m talking about saying yes to whatever comes my way in life. So when I had the chance to move to Europe after college, I said, yes. When I had the chance to open my own lingerie line, I said, yes. And when my stepsister got diagnosed with cancer and needed me to come home and help her raise her daughter, I said, yes. That’s me, Kenzie — the yes girl! In every area of my life but one —Love. Always the first to leave a relationship. Will I be able to say yes to love — to Kane — to being happy? Or will I simply come undone and be stripped raw?

Kane

Don’t let Kenzie fool you! She’s a master at hiding behind a laugh and a smile. Being an attorney, I prefer the facts. This story isn’t as light and happy as my yes girl would have you believe. No laugh can sugar coat what we are facing: I’ve lost everything. I know what it’s like to be left raw. But sometimes that’s the only way to find love. To strip yourself down, let the other person see all your shit, and hope they love you anyway.

“I’m the good girl, very responsible, girl-next-door type.”

Should I tell her I took the virginity of the girl next door? Probably not. “I think you’re more than that,” I say, taking a step closer to her. That wasn’t a line. I really mean it. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think so.

I inch even closer, but she looks confused — a little like she wants me to kiss her, a little like she wants me to screw her, but mostly like she doesn’t want me to do anything more. I can’t blame her; we only met a few hours ago. Deacon is wrong about the one night stand thing. This woman isn’t looking for a hookup. I’m not, either. One night with her wouldn’t be enough. So I take a step back, my fists clenched at my sides to redirect my energy.

“That was my first catalog,” Kenzie says. “I plan on doing two a year.” She reaches for a sketchbook on her work table. “This is what I’m working on for the next line. I’ll be photographing them pretty soon. The line is inspired by men’s clothing, so pinstripes and. . . .”

She keeps talking about the different fabrics, colors, and textures she plans to use. I have no idea what she is saying, but marvel over what I’m seeing — corsets and bustiers, vests with garter belts, bras, and G-strings. I love that these ideas, these fantasies, came out of her mind. She is so much more than she thinks, so much more than the girl next door.

Kenzie flips to another sketch, this one of a navy bra and panty set with stockings and heels. That will look perfect on her — especially bent over my office desk. My cock throbbing, I take a deep breath and try to focus on what Kenzie is saying. My eyes search the catalog pages for anything to distract me. “What’s this?”

“Cuffs,” she says, “like on a man’s dress shirt. But these double as handcuffs.”

Okay, that’s it. The arts-and-crafts show is officially driving me crazy. My dick is rock hard now, and I can’t take it anymore.

Prescott Lane is the author of First Position, Perfectly Broken, and her new release, Quiet Angel. She is originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, and graduated from Centenary College with a degree in sociology. She went on to receive her MSW from Tulane University, after which she worked with developmentally delayed and disabled children. She married her college sweetheart, and they currently live in New Orleans with their two children and two crazy dogs. Prescott started writing at the age of five, and sold her first story about a talking turtle to her father for a quarter. She later turned to writing romance novels because there aren’t enough happily ever afters in real life. Connect with Prescott Lane at http://www.pinterest.com/PrescottLane1/ and facebook.com/PrescottLane1 and http://www.twitter.com/prescottlane1 and http://instagram.com/prescottlane1 or at http://www.authorprescottlane.com

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9 Letter By Blake Austin ♥ Excerpt Reveal

Excerpt

As soon as the word left my mouth, Rae’s face opened up and she was smiling over at me and it was like I was falling in towards her. When she was happy, I got vertigo. All those happy brain chemicals just took over and I was lost in bliss.

“Get out of my rescue, Luke Cawley,” she said.

“Will do,” I replied, scooping up King’s leash and opening the door again. But before we stepped out, Rae’s voice came after me.

“Hey Luke, you want to hook up sometime?” she asked. I turned around, probably looked startled. Sometimes I’m smooth, sometimes I’m not. “I mean, I could help you with King. At the dog park or something. You get a dog tired enough, he won’t rip up the house.”

She smiled. Clearly this was a professional courtesy she was extending, right? But I still couldn’t help feeling like it might do me and King both some good to see Rae again.

“I uh, lost your number,” I said. Sounded a lot nicer than ‘I threw it away while I was cleaning my house.’ I took out my phone. “I’ll just put it into my phone this time. Rae, right? What’s your last name?” I made a new contact.

“Goode,” she said.

I’d remember that. I didn’t have the best memory, but I remember what’s important. I decided I couldn’t let it be a sign, though. It was just a last name. Totally wasn’t a sign. I’m too grown up to believe in things like that.

I tapped in her number, texted her so she had mine, then I reached down, pet King on the head once more, and left the shelter with my dog in tow, feeling pretty good after all was said and done.

Meet Luke Crawley in Blake Austin’s debut novel of loss, redemption, and ever-enduring love releasing on February 24th!

Add to your TBR at: http://bit.ly/1ONI0Qf

Blurb

Luke Cawley is a broken man. After his wife’s tragic death, he lost everything that mattered in the world. Now, his life is filled with hard days, harder nights, and a steady stream of alcohol and the wrong kind of women. Nothing helps.

Until the letters arrive on Luke’s doorstep.

Nine envelopes. Nine messages. Nine chances to find his way back.

Rae Goode is looking for the real thing. After fighting her way out of a string of bad relationships, she’s ready for something different–something true.

She meets Luke while piecing her life together, and right away she can tell that he’s different. Drawn together by fate and the desire to heal, Rae and Luke discover new ways to mend their broken hearts–one letter at a time.

Discover Blake Austin’s debut novel of loss, redemption, and ever-enduring love.

For updates: Follow Blake Austin on Facebook here: http://on.fb.me/1ZUj6sR

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Ink & Lies By S.L. Jennings ♥ Book Tour

Are you ready to meet Rhys & Fi in the newest romantic

stand alone by S.L. Jennings?

INK & LIES IS NOW LIVE!

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ iBooks ~ Nook ~ Kobo

Blurb

From International Best Selling Romance Novelist, Hope Hughes, comes a gripping, heartfelt tale of two lovers, fighting for the freedom to…

No. Scratch that. Too cheesy.

…two people, torn apart by the tumultuous tides of life, only to discover refuge in…

WTF? What does that even mean? DELETE.

…two people, confused as shit as to where they should be and who they should love and none of this means a damn thing because it’s all lies!

Lies.

I’m not Hope Hughes. I’m not some fierce woman romance machine. Hell, I’m not even a woman.

I’m a liar.

And while I refuse to believe my own BS, deceit masked in heartfelt phrases of love and devotion, I want to make her believe them. Because maybe—just maybe—if she can find the soul within my words, she’ll also be able to find the truth scribbled on my heart.

You see, I once lived for the perfect plot twist.

I just never expected to actually live it.

This is my story. Well, maybe her story. I just wish I could make it our story.

The one I’m still writing.

Excerpt

“Yeah, but…” Her eyes grow wide and glossy as she tries to sift through all the reasons why that theory shouldn’t apply to her. In the end, she relies on her heart. “You said I wasn’t like those other women…that those other women weren’t me.”

I should tell her she’s right. I should put her out of her misery and reassure her that the last ten years were as real and meaningful to me as they were for her. That even though I may sling gift-wrapped bullshit for the general public, only she knows the true, honest parts of my heart. But with my tongue possessed by the taste of her rejection, I play the petty card, and do just the opposite.

“I guess I was wrong, especially considering yesterday’s events. Maybe you’re no different from them. And maybe you were right about me…that I do sabotage with sex to keep people at arm’s length. Because in the end, that’s all I want anyway, right?”

“You don’t mean that.”

I nod. “Yeah. I do.”

“So what are you saying?” The hurt is so thick in her throat that I can barely hear the words.

I suck in a breath, and scrub a hand over my forehead. “You were right about me. About us. We shouldn’t have done…what we did. And we can’t move on and pretend that it didn’t change us. What’s done is done.”

“I agree,” she nods, with a tinge of hope in her voice.

“So, maybe we should just see this for what it is—the end. You’re starting your life with Joshua and moving away, and I’m going on with mine.”

“Wait, August. No, that’s not—”

“You didn’t actually think we’d be able to keep this up, did you? What, you thought we’d turn out to be the modern day Cathy and Heathcliff? I’m not some swoony, literary hero, Fi. I’m not here to rescue you from your shitty love life that stems from your shitty childhood.”

“I never said you were—”

I’m rambling, spewing verbal diarrhea all over her blue cashmere, but I can’t stop. I can’t shut off the bile that has been choking me since this morning when she disclosed her impending nuptials. “You have Joshua. He’s the one you chose. He’s the one you want. You made that perfectly clear. So what the fuck do you need with me?”

“I thought we were friends, August. I thought you and me were—”

“Well, I guess you were wrong. Friends don’t fuck each other and then five minutes later get engaged. And why would you want to be friends with some empty, misogynistic prick like me anyway?”

“I-I didn’t mean,” her voice cracks, and the first tear escapes. She quickly dashes it away, refusing to let me play witness to her weakness. But I’ve already seen it. I share that very same weakness that has her bottom lip trembling. I’m just too much of a coward to show it.

“Look, I’m sorry. I think we just need a break.”

“A break. Yes,” she nods, dashing away tears. “You’re right. We both said things we shouldn’t have. Let’s just take a few days to…”

“No. A break from this,” I clarify, gesturing between us. “From us. This isn’t working anymore.”

“You’re being melodramatic, August. We’ve had fights before. We’ve said things we didn’t mean, and we always were able to work it out.”

I shake my head and look away, refusing to acknowledge the dejection on her face. “But I meant everything I said.”

About the Author:

S.L. Jennings is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romance, reality TV junkie, obsessive coffee drinker and collector of crazy.

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Fighting Solitude By Aly Martinez ♥ Book Tour

Fighting Solitude is Book Three in the On The Ropes Series by Aly Martinez and is Quarry’s highly anticipated story.

Now Available!
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**Each book in the series can be read as a standalone**

Blurb

I was born a fighter. Abandoned by my parents, I spent my life forging my own path—one guided by my fists and paved with pain.
Untouchable in the ring, I destroyed everyone who faced me, but that’s where my victories ended. Outside the ropes, I repeatedly failed the few people who loved me. Including my best friend, Liv James—the one person I’d die to protect.
Even though I didn’t deserve her, Liv never stopped believing in me. Never gave up. Never let go. After all, she understood what I’d lost, because she’d lost it too.
Liv was everything to me, but she was never truly mine.
That was going to change.
I lost my first love, but I refused to lose my soulmate.
Now, I’m on the ropes during the toughest battles of my life.
Fighting to be the man she deserves.
Fighting the solitude of our pasts.
Fighting for her.

Excerpt

Fighting Solitude
Prologue

“Mia!” I shouted.
It was worthless. She’d been deaf since the day I met her.
She’d never once heard my voice.
She’d never heard the deep rumble of my laugh when she was excited, signing so fast I could barely keep up.
She’d never heard my content sigh when she barged into the locker room after a fight—just her presence soothed the lingering madness brewing within me.
She’d never heard me whispering my deepest fears into her ear as she fell asleep on top of me.
She’d never heard the reverence in which I cried her name each and every time I took her body.
And she’d never once heard the ease in which the words I love you tumbled from my lips as I stared into her deep, jade green eyes.
But as I screamed her name while watching her petite body seizing in the passenger seat beside me, I’d never needed her to hear me more.
“Mia. Oh God. I’ve got you, baby.”
She was still thrashing violently as I made my way around to her door, yanking it open while pleading with whatever god was willing to help.
When she stilled, a whole new level of silence filled the air around us. It wasn’t the absence of sound.
It was the absence of life.
“Mia, breathe!” I roared as her chest remained agonizingly still. “Help me!” I screamed at the closed emergency room doors, but no medical savior rushed out with the miracle I so desperately needed.
My hands shook wildly as I released her lifeless body from the seatbelt.
“I’ve got you, just hang on. Please just hang on, Mia,” I whispered lifting her into my arms and sprinting through the sliding doors. “I need a doctor! She’s not breathing!”
Nurses rushed towards me in slow motion as the seconds without air in her lungs passed at a terrifying speed.
Breathe.
A doctor appeared with a gurney and quickly took her from my arms.
The immediate loss was staggering.
Hope became my only solace.
She needed help that I wasn’t capable of giving her, but that didn’t stop me from following close behind as they rolled her away. I was on the verge of self-destructing; letting her out of my sight wasn’t an option.
I stood motionless in the doorway while doctors and nurses swarmed around her. Their mouths moved frantically, but without my hearing aids I was worthless to make out the words their faint voices carried.
I never wore my hearing aids when I was with Mia. There was no point. She rarely spoke with her voice.
We’d spent four years building a relationship with our hands.
Those hands had told me animated stories that made me laugh until my face hurt from smiling.
They’d fought with me relentlessly, but always ended the night raking down my back in silent ecstasy.
Her fingers had fluidly signed I love you more times than I could ever count—or forget.
But as I felt the nurse attempting to physically remove me from the room, my eyes became fixated on her limp hand dangling off the side of the bed. It was the only sight more frightening than watching her flail mid-seizure.
It ripped the heart straight from my chest.
That hand was supposed to be full of life.
It was the very essence of Mia.
Pale.
White.
Still.
Oh God.
Sucking in a deep breath, I held it until the room began to spin.
It provided me no relief even as it forced me to my knees.
There would be no distraction from this.
I was going to lose her.
Yet another woman I couldn’t save.

This book touches me in a way I couldn’t image. I decide to take on this book because I have love Aly’s books in the past. She is a very talented write that has a way of bring you in to the heart of a story and making you feel what her characters are going through with words. Fighting Solitude is no different.

You are taken in to the lives of Liv and Q. They come to know each other through the boxing gym that her father owes and runs. Liv is the girl who refuses to be told no and will do whatever it takes to get what she wants. She has a past that holds her back from trust people, that is until Q walks in her life. Q not just walks in her life but comes in with a bang. Once these two cross paths they never see an end to their friendship in sight. That is until a decision is made and changes the trust these two have grown to know between each other. Q is the trouble maker that seems to push those that love him the most away when they get to close. Q is unstoppable in the ring but struggles with letting people in outside of it. These two are paired so well together you see nothing but hope for the future.

I love the emotions that are drawn out in this book. You go from total love to hate and everything in between. Grab a good comfy seat and a box of tissues you’re in for one amazing read!

Fighting Silence (Book One) On the Ropes
ONLY $0.99
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Fighting Shadows (Book Two) On The Ropes
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About the Author

Born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, Aly Martinez is a stay-at-home mom to four crazy kids under the age of five, including a set of twins. Currently living in South Carolina, she passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a glass of wine at her side.
After some encouragement from her friends, Aly decided to add “Author” to her ever-growing list of job titles. Five books later, she shows no signs of slowing. So grab a glass of Chardonnay, or a bottle if you’re hanging out with Aly, and join her aboard the crazy train she calls life.

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