Sunday, June 30, 2013

BRANDED by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki

BRANDED by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicick

Title: Branded

Author: Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki
Release Date: June 28, 2013
Genre: Mature Young Adult, Dystopian
Reveal Host:
Lady Amber's Tours

Book Description:

Twenty years ago the Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best. 
Now LUST wraps around my neck like blue fingers strangling me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit and now the Hole is my new home. 

Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain. 

Now every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t die. I won’t let them win.
The Hole can’t keep me. The Hole can’t break me. 
I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter. 
My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.


Author Bio's:
Abi Ketner Is a registered nurse with a passion for novels, the beaches of St. John, and her Philadelphia Phillies. A talented singer, Abi loves to go running and spend lots of time with her family. She currently resides in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with her husband, triplet daughters and two very spoiled dogs.

Melissa Kalicicki received her bachelor’s degree from Millersville University in 2003. She married, had two boys and currently lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Aside from reading and writing, her interests include running and mixed martial arts. She also remains an avid Cleveland sports fan. 

Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure.

Links:
twitter @
abiandmiss.com 
website and blog www.abiandmissy.com
Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/AbiandMissy
goodreads 
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17402117-branded

Book Trailer:http://video214.com/play/PlssJogkXB4H85hKKomnOA/s/dark


Chapter One

I’m buried six feet under, and no one hears my screams.



The rope chafes as I loop it around my neck. I pull down on it, making sure the knot is secure. It seems sturdy enough. 
My legs shake. My heart beats heavy in my throat. Sweat pours down my back. 
Death and I glare at each other through my tears.

I take one last look at the crystal chandelier, the foyer outlined with mirrors, and the flawless decorations. No photographs adorn the walls. No happy memories here. 
I’m ready to go. On the count of three.

I inhale, preparing myself for the finality of it all. Dropping my hands, a glimmer catches my eye. It’s my ring, the last precious gift my father gave me. I twist it around to read the inscription. Picturing his face forces me to reconsider my choice. He’d be heartbroken if he could see me now.

A door slams in the hallway, almost causing me to lose my balance. My thoughts already muddled, I stand, waiting with the rope around my neck. Voices I don’t recognize creep through the walls.

Curiosity overshadows my current thoughts. It’s late at night, and this is a secure building in High Society. No one disturbs the peace here—ever. I tug on the noose and pull it back over my head.

Peering through the eyehole in our doorway, I see a large group of armed guards banging on my neighbors’ door. A heated conversation ensues, and my neighbors point toward my family’s home.

It hits me. I’ve been accused and they’re here to arrest me.

My father would want me to run, and in that split second, I decide to listen to his voice within me. Flinging myself forward in fear, I scramble up the marble staircase and into my brother’s old bedroom. The door is partially covered, but it exists. Pushing his dresser aside, my fingers claw at the opening. Breathing hard, I lodge myself against it. Nothing. I step back and kick it with all my strength. The wood splinters open, and my foot gets caught. I wrench it backward, scraping my calf, but adrenaline pushes me forward. The voices at the front door shout my name.

On hands and knees, I squeeze through the jagged opening. My brother left through this passage, and now it’s my escape too. Cobwebs entangle my face, hands, and hair. At the end, I feel for the knob, twisting it clockwise. It swings open, creaking from disuse. I sprint into the hallway and smash through the large fire escape doors at the end. A burst of cool air strikes me in the face as I jump down the ladder.

Reaching the fifth floor, I knock on a friend’s window. The lights flicker on, and I see the curtains move, but no one answers. I bang on the window harder.

“Let me in! Please!” I say, but the lights darken. They know I’ve been accused and refuse to help me. Fear and adrenaline rush through my veins as I keep running, knocking on more windows along the way. No one has mercy. They all know what happens to sinners.

Another flight of stairs passes in a blur when I hear the guards’ heavy footfalls from above. I can’t hide, but I don’t want to go without trying.

Help me, Daddy. I need your strength now.

My previous desolation evolves into a will to survive. I have to keep running, but I tremble and gasp for air. I steel my nerves and force my body to keep moving. In a matter of minutes, my legs cramp and my chest burns. I plunge to the ground, scraping my knee and elbow. A moan escapes from my chest.

Gotta keep going.


“Stop!” Their voices bounce off the buildings. “Lexi Hamilton, surrender yourself,” they command. They’re gaining on me.
I resist the urge to glance back, running into what I assume is an alley. I’m far from our high-rise in High Society as I plunge into a poorer section of the city where the streets all look the same and the darkness prevents me from recognizing anything. I’m lost.
My first instinct is to leap into a dumpster, but I retain enough sense to stay still. I crouch and peek around it, watching them dash by. The abhorrent smell soon leaves me vomiting until nothing remains in my stomach. Desperation overtakes me, as I know my retching was anything but silent. My last few seconds tick away before they find me. Everyone knows about their special means of tracking sinners.
I push myself to my feet and look left, right, and left again. Their batons click against their black, leather belts, and their boots stomp the cement on both sides of me. I shrink into myself. Their heavy steps mock my fear, growing closer and closer until I know I’m trapped.
Never did I imagine they’d come for me. Never did I imagine all those nights I heard them dragging someone else away that I’d join them.
“You’re a sinner,” they say. “Time to leave our society.”
I stand defiant. I refuse to bend or break before them even as I shiver with fear.
“There’s no reason to make this difficult. The more you cooperate, the smoother this will be for everyone,” a guard says.
I cringe into the blackness along the wall. I’m innocent, but they won’t believe me or care.
The next instant, my face slams into the pavement as one guard plants a knee in my back and another handcuffs me. A warm liquid trails into my mouth. Blood. Their fingers grip my arms like steel traps as they peel me off the cement. The tops of my shoes scrape along the ground as I’m dragged behind them until they discard me into the back of a black vehicle. The doors slam in unison with one guard stationed on each side of me, my shoulders digging into their arms. The handcuffs dig into my wrists, so I clasp them together hard behind me and press my back into the seat, unwilling to admit how much it hurts. My dignity is all I have left.
Swallowing hard, I stare ahead to avoid their eyes. 

Did they need so many guards to capture me?


I’m not carrying any weapons, nor do I own any. I don’t even know self-defense. High Society frowns on activities like that.
The driver jerks the vehicle around and I try to keep my bearings, but it’s dark and the scenery changes too fast. Hours pass and the air grows warmer, more humid, the farther we drive. The landscape mutates from city to rolling hills. They don’t bother blindfolding me because they escort all the sinners to the same place—the Hole. Twenty-foot cement walls encase the chaos within. There’s no way out and no way in unless they transport you. They say the Hole is a prison with no rules. We learned about it last year in twelfth grade.
To the outside, I’m filth now. I’ll never be allowed to return to the life I knew. No one ever does.
“All sinners go through a transformation,” one of the guards says to me. His smirk infuriates me. “I’m sure you’ve heard all kinds of stories.” I don’t respond. I don’t want to think about the things I’ve been told.
“You won’t last too long, though. Young girls like you get eaten alive.” He pulls a strand of my hair up to his face.
Get your hands off me, you pig. I want to lash out, but resist. The punishment for disobeying authority is severe, and I’m not positioned to defy him.
They’re the Guards of the Commander. They’re chosen from a young age and trained in combat. They keep the order of society by using violent methods of intimidation. No one befriends a guard. Relationships with them are forbidden inside the Hole.
Few have seen the commander. His identity stays under lock and key. His own paranoia and desire to stay pure drove him to live this way. He controls our depraved society and believes sinners make the human race unforgivable. His power is a crushing fist, rendering all beneath him helpless. So much so, even family members turn on each other when an accusation surfaces. Just an accusation. No trial, no evidence, nothing but an accusation. 
I lose myself in thoughts of my father.
“Never show fear, Lexi,” my father said to me before he was taken. “They’ll use it against you.” His compassionate eyes filled with warning as he commanded me to be strong. That was many years ago, but I remember it clearly. My father. My rock. The one person in my life who provided unconditional love.
The vehicle stops, and I’m jerked back to reality. “Get out,” the guard orders while pulling me to my feet. The doors slide open and the two guards lift me up and out into the night. A windowless cement building looms in front of us, looking barren in the darkness.
The coolness of the air sends a shiver up my spine. This is really happening. Ive been labeled a sinner. My lip starts to quiver, but I bite it before anyone sees. They shove me in line and I realize Im not alone. Women and men stand with faces frozen white in fear. A guard grabs my finger, pricks it, and dabs my blood on a tiny microchip.
I follow the man in front of me into the next room where we’re lined up facing the wall. Glancing right, I see one of the men crying.
“Spread your legs,” one of the guards says.
They remove my outer layers and their hands roam up and down my body. 



What do they think I could possibly be hiding?

I press my head into the wall, trying to block out what they’re doing to me.
“MOVE!” a guard commands. So I shuffle across the room, trying to cover up.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five of us sit in the holding room. One by one, they pull people into the next room, forcing the rest of us to wonder what torture we’ll endure. An agonizing amount of time passes. I lean my head back and try to imagine a place far away. The door opens.
“Lexi Hamilton.”
A guard escorts me out of the room, and I don’t have time to look back. As soon as the door closes, they pick me up and place me on a table. It’s cold and my skin sticks to it slightly, like wet fingers on an ice cube. Then, they exit in procession, and I lie on the table with a doctor standing over me. His hands are busy as he speaks.
“Don’t move. This will only take a few minutes. It’s time for you to be branded.”
A wet cloth that smells like rubbing alcohol is used to clean my skin. Then he places a metal collar around my neck.
Click. Click. Click.
The collar locks into place, and I struggle to breathe. The doctor loosens it some as I focus on the painted black words above me.
The Seven Deadly Sins:
Lust ¾ Blue

Gluttony ¾ Orange
Greed ¾ Yellow
Sloth ¾ Light Blue
Wrath ¾ Red
Envy ¾ Green
Pride ¾ Purple
“Memorize it. Might keep you alive longer if you know who to stay away from.” He opens my mouth, placing a bit inside. “Bite this.”
Within seconds, the collar heats from hot to scorching. The smell of flesh sizzling makes my head spin. I bite down so hard a tooth cracks.


“GRRRRRRRRR,” escapes from deep within my chest. Just when I’m about to pass out, the temperature drops, and the doctor loosens the collar.
He removes it and sits me up. Excruciating pain rips through me and I’m on the verge of a mental and physical breakdown. Focus. Don’t pass out.
Stainless steel counters and boring white walls press in on me. A guard laughs at me from an observation room above and yells, “Blue. It’s a great color for a pretty young thing like yourself.” His eyes dance with suggestion. The others meander around like it’s business as usual.
I finally find my voice and turn to the doctor.
“Are you going to give me clothes?” A burning pain spreads like fire from my neck to my jaw, making me wince.
He points to a set of folded grey scrubs on a chair. I cover myself as much as I can and scurry sideways. Grabbing my new clothes, I pull the shirt over my head and try to avoid the raw meat around my throat. I quickly knot the cord of my pants around my waist and slide my feet into the hospital-issue slippers as the doctor observes. He hands me a bag labeled with my name.
“Nothing is allowed through the door but what we’ve given you,” he says.
I hide my right hand behind me, hoping no one notices. A guard scans my body and opens his hand.
“Give it to me,” he says. “Don’t make me rip off your finger.” He crouches down and I turn to stone. I don’t know what to do, so I beg.
“My father gave this to me. Please, let me keep it.” I smash my eyes shut and think of the moment my father handed the golden ring to me. 




“It was my mother’s ring,” he’d said. “She’s the strongest woman I ever knew.” With tears in his eyes, he reached for my hand. “Lexi, you’re exactly like her. She’d want you to wear this. No matter how this world changes, you can survive.” I turned the gold band over in my palm and read the engraving.



You can overcome anything… short of death
.

“You’re going to take the one thing that matters the most to me?” I say, glaring into the guard’s emotionless eyes. “Isn’t it enough taking my life, dignity, and respect?”
A hard blow falls upon my back. As I fall, my hands shoot out to stop me from smashing into the wall in front of me. The guard bends down and grabs my chin with his meaty fist.
“Look at me,” he commands. I look up and he smiles with arrogance.
“What the hell?” He staggers a step backward. “What’s wrong with you? What’s wrong with your eyes?”
“Nothing,” I respond, confused.
“What color are they?”
“Turquoise.” I glower at him.
“Interesting,” he says, regaining his composure. “Now those’ll get you in trouble.”
Reality slaps me across the face. I have my father’s eyes. They can't take them from me. I twist the ring off my finger and drop it in his hand.
“Take the damn ring,” I say. I walk to the door. He swipes a card and the massive door slides open to the outside.
“You have to wear your hair back at all times, so everyone knows what you are.” He hands me a tie, so I pull my frizzy hair away from my face and secure it into a ponytail. My neck burns and itches as my hand traces the scabs that have already begun to form. Squinting ahead into the darkness, I almost run into a guard standing on the sidewalk.
“Watch where you’re going,” he says, shoving me backward. His stiff figure stands tall and I cringe at the sharpness of his voice.
“Cole, this is your new assignment, Lexi Hamilton. See to it she feels welcome in her new home.” The guard departs with a salute. 
“Let’s move,” Cole says.
I take two steps and collapse, my knees giving out. The unforgiving pavement reopens the scrapes from earlier and I struggle to stand. A powerful arm snatches me up, and I see his face for the first time.

door. He swipes a card and the massive door slides open to the outside.
“You have to wear your hair back at all times, so everyone knows what you are.” He hands me a tie, so I pull my frizzy hair away from my face and secure it into a ponytail. My neck burns and itches as my hand traces the scabs that have already begun to form. Squinting ahead into the darkness, I almost run into a guard standing on the sidewalk.
“Watch where you’re going,” he says, shoving me backward. His stiff figure stands tall and I cringe at the sharpness of his voice.
“Cole, this is your new assignment, Lexi Hamilton. See to it she feels welcome in her new home.” The guard departs with a salute. 
“Let’s move,” Cole says.
I take two steps and collapse, my knees giving out. The unforgiving pavement reopens the scrapes from earlier and I struggle to stand. A powerful arm snatches me up, and I see his face for the first time

REVIEW PENDING....

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Sin at Sea by Emma Nichols


Blurb:

When Alysin decided to surprise her boyfriend at work with dinner, the surprise was on her. Since he was going at it with his secretary on the conference table, she packed a bag and called her BFF. Jolie and Alysin had been traveling the country, working as digital nomads for ten years ever since graduation. Taking this as a sign it was time for a new move, they decided to take a cruise, regroup, and make a plan.
Then she meets Mr. Bedroom Eyes. Following her lead, they pretend to be married so that she can rid herself of the guy who started hitting on her before the boat left the dock. Though it was supposed to be a momentary arrangement, he asks her to take it one step farther. Then another and another. The cruise promises to be memorable in every way that matters. 


Along the way, Alysin learns that she won't have to fake an orgasm if she's with someone who knows what to do, that not all men suck, but the best ones suck really well, and that sometimes what starts out as something pretend, can fast become something completely real. Will the woman who lives life with no regrets, regret that she made that stupid rule about not exchanging names and contact info?


Teaser:

All over the ship, the party atmosphere had taken hold.  The cruise was predominantly made up of adults, thank god.  Nothing will ruin a good time faster than a crying baby or whiny toddler.  Shoot, throw in a child with a full-blown temper tantrum and I want to put a loaded gun in my mouth.  I seem to have managed to escape any hint of maternal instincts.  I have yet to experience a biological clock scare.  I’m probably more likely to encounter biological warfare on American soil than suffer from that ailment.  Who knows?  Maybe I’ll feel differently in five or ten years.  At the same time, I seriously hope not.
The aromas of the buffet on the lido deck hit me the minute I exited the elevator.  Then I remembered that if I planned to enjoy the buffets and maintain my slim size six figure then I would need to start taking the stairs.  I frowned.  Maybe I should take the mid-morning Pilates class that seemed to be offered daily, or walk the track.  I chuckled.  I don’t own a pair of sneakers.  Pilates it would be.
After loading a plate with salad, fruit, potato salad, and some nice southern fried chicken, I found a table by the windows that was vacant.  Setting the plate down on the granite, I started to pull out my chair when a man came out of nowhere and did it for me.  He wasn’t in uniform.  This wasn’t a crewmember being helpful.  Nope.  I had already attracted a new douche.  How the hell did they always seem to find me?  If this was any indication as to how the rest of the week was going to go, it was going to feel like a year.  I’m not the kind to hibernate in the cabin to avoid problems.  I find a way to make them go away.
This time would be no different.  After he helped me push in the seat, I spoke.  “Thank you.”  Then I focused on my food and started eating my salad.  Sometimes, I just can’t get enough roughage. 
“You are welcome, gorgeous.”  He smiled at me, a smile that clearly cost him more than most people make in six months.  “So, do you have a name?”
I was chewing and didn’t rush that part to answer him.  It would be good for him to wait.  He needed to be as uncomfortable as he was making me feel…or would have been making me feel if I wasn’t already worn out on men at the moment.  Leisurely, I swallowed.
“Yes.”  Then I loaded my fork with another bite and kept on eating.
Clearly, I had flustered him…not enough for him to leave me alone, mind you, but his soft underbelly was beginning to show.  It was all squishy and pink.  He laughed it off.  “What is it?”  He asked in what was probably his most seductive tone.
“You already guessed it.  Gorgeous.  It’s right there on my birth certificate.  Imagine how that could have gone had I not lived up to the hype.”  I looked at him evenly, not even cracking a smile.
Would you believe he just kept talking, like we were old friends or soon to be bedroom buddies.  That guy couldn’t have pried his way into my room with a crow bar.  Nope.  My vagina was closed to him for sure. 
Finally I interrupted him, which was just as well since I had tuned out everything after his empty chuckle.  “So, dude, what makes you think I was eating alone?”  I asked with more than a hint of annoyance.
“Well, you walked in here alone,” he began nervously.
“Yes, well, that’s not the same thing as being alone.”  This was the kind of moment that normally Jolie would rescue me from. She would show up and do something to ensure the guy knew we were “lovers.”  Maybe this time I was on my own.  Then I saw him.  He had those classic good looks, pretty without looking feminine; a strong jaw, beautiful warm brown eyes, and rich brown hair that was both thick and curly.  Why couldn’t that guyhave pulled out my chair? 
Standing, I stepped in front of him.  “Babe, did you not see me?  I was right here.  Did you get my Coke?”  I could see that he was mildly shocked.  I could fix that.  In a few seconds he was going to be majorly shocked.  I planned to render him speechless…and malleable.  I stood on my tiptoes and planted a kiss on the tip of his nose.  As I imagined, I was offered a hungrier look.  That’s when I made my move.  Slowly, I matched my lips to his and then shifted so that I was angled and we were kissing…really really kissing.  He played along.  Seconds later he had played right into my hand.  Wow wow wow.
“Help me, please,” I breathed into his ear.
“Anything for you, sexy.”  He sealed his vow with a kiss on my cheek that totally did not suck.  He looked over at my intruder.  “Who’s this guy?”  He asked, jerking his thumb in the guy’s direction.
“I have no idea.  I’m sure he was just keeping the seat warm for you though.”  I smiled at him and frowned over at the guy who was keeping me from my meal.
“Uh, yeah, I was just leaving,” the man mumbled.  Then he stood up as he mumbled and soon walked away.
The new guy sat down.  I stared over at him.  “Hey, don’t mind me.  I just ended up getting drawn into your little charade.  Hope you don’t mind if I enjoy my meal while we keep up appearances?”  He smiled
“Nope.  We’re good,” I replied.
Though I was smiling at him, I had little to say.  There was so much going on in my mind…and thanks to Jolie, having an orgasm wasn’t part of that.  Still, I wasn’t going to turn down the possibility of some amazing guilt-free sex with a hot guy for anything.   Only I wasn’t sure how to gain his attention.  My smile hadn’t worked.  The kiss hadn’t accomplished anything.  What was it going to take to get a man like that to be interested in spending a few meaningless days on a cruise with me?  

Author Links:


REVIEW: PENDING.....




Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Entwined With You by Sylvia Day

 Synopsis:

From the moment I first met Gideon Cross, I recognized something in him that I needed. Something I couldn’t resist. I saw the dangerous and damaged soul inside–so much like my own. I was drawn to it. I needed him as surely as I needed my heart to beat.

No one knows how much he risked for me. How much I’d been threatened, or just how dark and desperate the shadow of our pasts would become.

Entwined by our secrets, we tried to defy the odds. We made our own rules and surrendered completely to the exquisite power of possession…

 Author Bio

Sylvia Day is the #1 New York Times and #1 international bestselling author of more than a dozen award-winning novels sold in thirty-nine countries. A reader favorite across several genres, there are millions of copies of her books in print worldwide. She has been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Author and her work has been honored as Amazon's Best of the Year in Romance. She has won the RT Book Reviews Reviewers' Choice Award and been nominated for Romance Writers of America's prestigious RITA award twice.
Sylvia also writes under the pseudonyms:
S. J. Day - www.amazon.com/author/sjday
Livia Dare - www.amazon.com/author/liviadare

Entwined with You

by Sylvia Day

Review by Wendy

Shhh, Mommy's in the Bathroom.,.Reading

3 Stars

Entwined with you is the third installment of the Crossfire series. At the start of this installment we find Eva has found out that Gideon killed Nathan in order to protect her and she is conflicted about her feelings about everything that happened. She was forced to leave Gideon and go back to her own home because the police are still watching them and she doesn't want them to know that she has gone to Gideon to find out if he really did kill Nathan.

Eva desperately wants to be with Gideon, but she is not sure what Gideon’s motivation was for doing what he did and if he even wants anything to do with her anymore.

I was very conflicted on how I felt about this book I was so excited when I was coming out and I really wanted to like it, and for the most part I liked the storyline, but the problem was there wasn't much of a storyline. Things really didn't get started until two thirds through the book. Don't get me wrong I love a hot steamy book but there comes a point when I'm like, “seriously!” It really became too much and I kept wondering when were we going to get some sort of storyline, some actual forward motion. I know this was originally supposed to be the final book in the trilogy but was somehow extended out for three additional books and so I feel like this was made into a filler book instead of an actual book because we really didn't get anything of substance, and then there were all these extra crazy storylines that were added like “The Italian Mafia“, disappearances of random people, and incidental pregnancy of characters that didn't necessarily need to be storylines that are now storylines because they have extra books coming out. Does that make sense? I have to say I’m a huge fan of Sylvia Day and the Crossfire Series, however this book left me very disappointed and wanting a whole lot more. I felt like this story dragged and there was no forward motion of the plot until the end of the book really. I also felt that the ending of this book just really stopped mid scene and in a really awkward moment. I kept flipping Pages thinking is this really where it's going end? It really wasn't even a cliffhanger moment, it was just the middle of a scene, and was kind of an odd place.

Like I said I'm a huge Fan of the Sylvia Day and of the Crossfire Series and Yes I had high expectations for this book, But this went way beyond disappointment from my higher expectations and I really felt like this was just a filler book until she could get to the next book.


Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Alternate Connection (#3 Countermeasure Series) by Chris Almeida &Cecilia Aubrey COVER REVEAL

ALTERNATE CONNECTION is the third novel in the COUNTERMEASURE SERIES.

The next installment of the COUNTERMEASURE SERIES has a tentative release date set for November 5th, 2013. The story continues where TO RUSSIA WITH LOVE left off and pursues a parallel between Trevor and Cassandra Bauer’s quest and a daring attack on US nationals.
BLURB

CIA operative Nathan Nelson has built his life on secrets. Secrets about events that have shaped him into the man he has become. Events that taught him to keep his shields up. He has kept them buried in the past and nobody—not even Cassandra Bauer, the woman he claimed to love—knows of them. Now, those secrets have come barreling down on him at the worst of times.
Foreign Service Specialist Rachael Moore's personal crusade puts her in the crosshairs of very dangerous people. She would risk everything to achieve her goal even if it means exposing her battered heart and deeply concealed dreams to a man who doesn’t know the meaning of love.
Unbeknownst to both, their reconnection may not only bridge the chasm between the two of them, but shed light on a puzzling mystery. Their perilous journey becomes a race for their lives, leading them into a conspiracy rooted deeper than the tangled emotions between them.
Will their collaboration shatter the tenuous link woven in the past or forge a bond they never expected could exist in the future?

EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER 5

Nathan shook his head and pulled out the first folder containing the personal file of Gerald Blair, U.S. Envoy to the Middle East. The report was thorough and contained a detailed account of both his professional and personal life. He raised his eyes to Hanson. “Do you want to split’em?”
“Nope. I’m done with them. They are all yours.”
“When—?”
“While I waited for the fax. I’m a fast read, Nelson. Keep that in mind.” Hanson’s lips quirked in a cocky grin as he leaned his seat back and closed his eyes. His disheveled appearance and the hickeys decorating his neck a clear indication he needed some shut-eye. “Let me know when you’re done so we can discuss the details.”
Nathan sank in his own seat, his mind teeming with questions. Questions he didn’t think he would have answers to any time soon. He had a long analysis ahead of him considering he was also looking for pieces of a puzzle unknown to Hanson. Unlike Hanson’s, Nathan’s focus also encompassed the files belonging to the two agents and two drivers who’d been killed in the attack.
With that in mind, he returned his attention to the folder and began studying the first of the people they were supposed to know inside and out before they set off for ground zero. As he read through the pages, he looked for inconsistencies, hidden information, or activities that could have made Blair a target. Anything that could have put them all in the crosshairs of whoever had taken them.
The situation was more complex than the usual hostage kidnapping. While religious extremists were quick to claim responsibility, those who’d abducted the six remaining members of the diplomatic convoy two days earlier hadn’t made any demands through the media. They’d simply dropped off the radar as if they’d never been.
There had to be a reason for that divergence from the usual and that reason could very well be tied to Nathan’s prime directive. The answer could be in any of their past or present and, if he was to be successful, he had to find it.
He beat his way through Gerald Blair’s file and took notes as he moved through. Blair had been in extensive contact with Palestinians and Israelis—unavoidable contact since it was an integral part of his job to mediate peace in the region—and that in itself could have placed a target on his back.
Nathan set Blair’s file aside and moved on to the next in the bundle. As he flipped it open, his whole body stiffened in his seat. A buzzing noise flooded his ears, and his sight dimmed. His field of vision narrowed to the picture on the page and the name listed—Moore, Rachael. Status: Widow. Rae.
His blood iced in his veins. For a moment, he felt detached from reality expecting someone to pop up in the seat in front of him pointing a camera and screaming, “Gotcha!” He fixed his eyes on the file again. Phillip Moore’s wife. Was that why Hanson had made that comment about setting personal involvements aside? Nathan stared at her familiar image for a moment before diving in. Some of the information in it was known to him. Some was brand new. He read the declassified report on Phillip’s death with a heavy heart and the thumping in his chest rose to such a loud racket he thought it would wake Hanson from his beauty sleep.
The more he read about Rachael, the more his frown deepened. Why was she working at the embassy in Israel? How had she come to be assigned as a personal assistant to Blair?
Phillip had been crazy about her, and Nathan understood why as soon as he’d met her. At the time they met, she’d been working on a business associate degree with some difficulty due to the sudden transfer to the US. Neither had mentioned she dabbed in international politics back then. Had she made a career change after Phillip’s death? Guilt punched him in the gut and he held his breath, squeezing his eyes shut to keep self-flagellation at bay.
He’d gone through that cycle many times before. He wasn’t about to slide down that road again. If that was how he could redeem himself, he was going to take it.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS

cc_mediumSQUAREWriting had touched Chris Almeida’s and Cecilia Aubrey’s lives in different ways through the years but had never taken flight. It was in 2010, when Chris and Cecilia met and began role-playing online as a hobby, that writing placed itself front and center in their lives.
Chris and Cecilia have since chosen to release all their titles independently. They have several short stories and two novels published under their own label, Éire Publishing, and are vocal supporters of independent publishing done right. They are currently working on the third novel in their series. Through all the chaos and laughter, they still hold true to their roots, bringing their favorite role-play characters and stories to life.
You can enter the draw for one of 10 Countermeasure Series Swag Packs containing nine bookmarks and a bracelet (I <3 ALPHA GEEKS) and also enter the giveaway for a chance to win a digital ARC signed copy of ALTERNATE CONNECTION once it becomes available.
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Photography by Jenn LeBlanc of Studio Smexy for Illustrated Romance.
Chris Almeida & Cecilia Aubrey
Indie Writers. Role Players.

 

Monday, June 24, 2013

What Wendy Wants by Nikki Sex COVER REVEAL

Author: Nikki Sex

Release Date:  June 26, 2013

Genre: Erotic Romance

Synopsis:

After thirteen years of marriage and three children, Wendy Hayward is bored with sex.
As much as she loves her husband, Frank, Wendy married "Mr. Vanilla." Now she reads nothing but erotic romance on her Kindle and fantasizes about having sex with fictional characters, complete strangers, and tattooed rock stars. Sometimes even the T.V. weatherman looks good.
One fateful day however, her husband grabs the wrong Kindle on the way to work, and discovers some of Wendy's more "interesting' fantasies. Unbeknownst to Wendy, Frank is very keen to fulfill every one of her secret desires. . .


Author Bio

Hey there, I'm Nikki Sex and I write adult romance and erotica.
Yes, you are of course correct, that isn't my real name. I'm a complete coward where my mother is concerned. The "OMG what would Mom think?" is still sitting right there in the back of my mind like another conscience (only an extremely prudish one!) Luckily my mother is in denial. She still thinks I was a virgin when I got married.
 Social Media Links:

Tempest Torn by Nicole Andrews Moore COVER REVEAL

Synopsis

A night of passion.  A raging fire.  A home destroyed.
 
The sun returned and Joey and Marti felt they had turned a corner in their relationship. Only when they turned that corner, they ran right into the insurance adjustor, Finn. She wasn't just any woman, though. She was the one woman Joey always believed he’d spend the rest of his life with, but they couldn’t make it work. Soon it was obvious that she didn’t just want to adjust the value of the house, but remind Joey of the value of their relationship, and adjust his attitude about the future.
 
Suddenly, Joey struggles to choose between two women…one who has never and would never hurt him and one that his heart can’t let go despite the hurt.  He’s not the only one with a choice to make.  Never again will Marti allow anyone to make her question her own worth. 
 
A tempest brewed.   A man is torn.  A woman refuses to wait.

BIO:

Nicki has lived in Charlotte, North Carolina with her children for the past eleven years and her husband for the past three. Her journey has barely begun and she has loved every minute of it. Every day of her life seems to bring new adventures, some bigger, better, shinier and prettier than others. She's still getting used to that new life smell she's experiencing, a combination of hope, love, and happiness. (The perfect scents to build a new life on...)

For fun, she spends time with those she cares about, cooks, reads, writes, and especially lives to travel. The current travel goal: visit every Margaritaville. Three down! (Eleven to go?)

In May, Nicki started the blog Stories and Swag to promote authors. Her writing can also be found on Shine, where she is a Shine Parenting Guru and an award winning Yahoo! Contributor on YourWisdom as the relationship and dating expert. In addition, she has been published by McClatchy News in their syndicated papers.

Her books can be found on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Apple, and Smashwords in ebook, paperback, and even some audiobooks.

Nicole can be found:

Friday, June 21, 2013

Shattered Dreams by J.R. Grant COVER REVEAL

Shattered Dreams written by:
New Adult Romance
Author J.R. Grant

Release Date:
September 2013 
Synopsis:
Her entire life, Clover has always been a strong-willed girl, determined to make something of herself. When she dreams, she dreams big. And when she loves, she loves fiercely, with her whole heart.
Ben is a stereotypical type guy from the wrong side of the tracks. Growing up, he had to learn to fend for himself which hasn't always been easy.
Together, Ben and Clover make plans for their future. Their love is unbreakable and no one can stop them no matter how hard they try.
But not too long after their big day, lies and secrets are exposed.
The kind of lies that will destroy your life.
The kind of secrets that will rip your heart out and force you to lose all trust and hope with anyone who crosses your path.
But what happens when the love of your life is not who you thought they were?
Do you stay and try to move forward? Or do you let go of everything you thought you once had?
Loving someone is not always easy.
But one thing you will learn in life is 'You can never make someone love you, no matter how hard you try' .
www.authorjrgrant.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/bookjunkie34 

Reflect Me by K.B. Webb COVER REVEAL


Blurb
 
If you're looking for a story about a sweet, innocent virgin who rides off into the sunset with a reformed bad boy, then you're looking in the wrong place.
 
Some people don't get a happily ever after. Molly Scott is one of those people, and she knows it. With the kind of past that she has, and the secrets that she holds, she knows that even if she found Prince Charming, he wouldn't want her. She refuses to dwell on her less than ideal situation though. This is her life, no point in complaining.
 
Logan Reed had his life planned out, until all his dreams came crashing down around him. Now, hes come back to the town he swore he would never see again to start fresh. He has no plans of ever settling down again, that's how he ended up back here in the first place.
 
When Molly and Logan meet, they are forced to rethink the lives they thought they knew and the futures they were so sure they wanted. Suddenly, Molly wonders if there is a better life outside of the hell she has built for herself and Logan begins to rethink his resistance towards settling down again.
 
They say love conquers all, but Molly and Logan are about to find out that sometimes love just inst enough.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Hamden Series by W. Ferraro

Synopsis:
Three of Hearts
Mae Turney is searching for the type of life and happiness she has
never known but has only dreamed about. She's fortunate enough to find
a great opportunity to live in an exterior apartment of a beautiful
lake house in a small town in Vermont. When she realizes the apartment
and scenery are not the only gorgeous appeal but the home owner, Seth
Finn, is as well, she puts it all on the line for the chance at love.
When she becomes comfortable and confident in her own skin and
sexuality, Mae realizes that this place and this man is exactly what
she came looking for. Knowing Seth and his three children are as
special as they come, Mae bets the house, and prays she and her gamble
are enough.
Excerpt:
“Don’t even think about it Finn!” she said as she tried to stand her ground and not run.
“Too late, I’ve not only thought about it, I’ve committed to the idea.” Seth said wickedly as his face grew into a sinister smile.

Synopsis:
Dylan Cross is the type of man that enjoys everything female, and
enjoy it he does, but always on his terms. However, his terms are
pushed to their limit when Natalie Parker proposes an offer; teach her
and her delectable little body, all about sex and desire. There is one
catch. He has to play the part of Natalie’s madly in love boyfriend
for her dying mother. Dylan signs on, and finds that separating the
two is harder than he thought. Natalie’s days of shyness and lack of
confidence come to a quick close as she learns what her body craves
and demands in the bedroom. Soon, Dylan becomes the student as Natalie
teaches him things he didn’t even know he wanted. Will Hamden’s
notorious playboy, bachelor be able to keep calling the shots, or will
he find that, he, himself, is just another player at the card game of
life, as we all are?
Excerpt:
“Feel that, Natalie? That is what you do to me. That is the reaction your innocent ways and naïve little oral activities cause. So, you ask why I call us in a relationship, because what you feel against you right now, cannot be faked. I’m going to pop that cherry of yours and I’ll make sure you love every minute, before, during, and after. So, we are in a relationship from this moment on. Get used to it, Babe.” He leaned down and claimed those small lips that he had fixated on for the last forty-five minutes.

https://www.facebook.com/BooksByWFerraro