Review Post: Just Say Yes by Elizabeth Hayley

Posted in Books I love, Releasing Now Book Addicts, Review Post by mkcooke

Just Say Yes by Elizabeth Hayley

Releasing: December 1, 2015

From the author of The Best Medicine comes the latest Strictly Business novel—and this time, for one woman, finding the ideal man can be a pretty tall order…

Magazine columnist Quinn Sawyer has always attracted sweet, innocent, and safe men. And something tells her it’s because she’s just as harmless. So when she starts craving a guy with an edge, she realizes she may have to get one for herself.

When her boss asks for a unique pitch, Quinn’s quest to live outside her comfort zone prompts her to suggest an idea that will cause her to break her good-girl rules. And who better than Tim Jacobs to help her push her boundaries? For a while now, Quinn’s had a hot crush on the tattooed executive chef with a checkered past. If anybody can bring out her inner rebel, he can.

It’s no surprise that with every task the two complete, the sparks between them grow more and more intense. Soon there’s no denying the attraction they each feel. But Tim’s troubled past reveals an even tougher edge than Quinn expected—which means for her, falling in love might just be the greatest rebellion of all.

5 PHENOMENAL STARS

Elizabeth Hayley is hands down one of my favorite writing duos around. Their books are some of my all-time favorites, and I have spent many memorable days between the pages of their phenomenally written books. When I sit down to read a book by them I know I will be getting some exceptional writing, effervescent characters with so much life and distinctive personality to them, and a story that is sure to make me laugh hysterically while also having me feel a lot.

Just Say Yes by Elizabeth Hayley not only gave me everything I’ve come to know and love about Elizabeth Hayley’s writing, it also gave me one helluva story that just gave me every single aspect that makes a book extraordinary. It was fantastically balanced, so well written, and just downright enjoyable to read in every way. Reading this book just adds to my absolute love of this series as a whole, and the fantastic stories that Elizabeth Hayley has given me over the years.

Reading a book by this duo is one memorable experience to say the least. Just Say Yes made me laugh more times than I could even count, it made me smile like crazy, and it certainly made me blush in the most wonderful ways. It also choked me up a few times, and had so many great feelings and emotions weaving their way through the story in such a meaningful way. My heart was fully in it all from the start, and through it all I absolutely loved what Tim and Quinn gave me so authentically in their page turning story.

What I absolutely loved about Just Say Yes:

Finally getting my hands on Tim’s story. Ever since I met Tim’s character in The Best Medicine, I wanted his story. There was just something about him that really spoke to me, and it was easy to fall under the charming spell he cast. He’s a bit rough around the edges, and he’s a character that’s not afraid to admit that, but I will tell you that there is so much more to his character than meets the eye. He certainly has a past that he’s not so proud of, but seeing what that man does with his future in this story will have your heart going to him in no time. Tim is easy to love and feel for in this story, and seeing that man try to move on from the binds of his past will have you rooting for him from start to finish. Did I also mention that he’s a tattooed chef that likes to walk around without a shirt on? Because that’s just the icing on top of his fantastic character.
Quinn is my new BFF. Quinn was definitely a bit more subdued than some of the other female leads that Elizabeth Hayley has written, but she was such a fabulous easy character to love and relate to. That girl is no wilting flower either, she is strong and fierce in her own way and it’s fabulous. She’s a girl searching for what she truly wants, and is looking to step outside of her comfort zone, and with the help of Tim she starts doing just that. I loved Quinn’s character immensely and I found myself personally relating and connecting to her throughout reading. She was so real to me and so easy to love, and I just got everything she was feeling and thinking because I’ve been there too. Feeling that connected to her while reading Just Say Yes made me love her more, and brought the story itself to life in the most magnificent way. You will love her and her lively journey in this book to pieces. Trust me.
The build from friends to something more. Quinn and Tim’s relationship has the best kind of build to it. These two start off as friends, but clearly they both want something more. You feel such a build and connection between them that crackles and fires like fireworks every time those two are together. That build intensifies more and more as the story progress, and gives the best evolution to their relationship and feeling. What starts off as a friendship and a challenge soon turns into so much more that is filled with so many moments that’ll melt your heart, make you blush, and smile and feel like a fool. Elizabeth Hayley develops their relationship in the most phenomenal ways, taking you through every up and down that comes there way, and it is truly nothing short of wonderful to experience.
Taking chances! One of the many premises of this story is throwing that caution to the wind, and giving new things a chance. Whether it be a new life experience or a relationship, Elizabeth Hayley brings the aspect and meaning behind taking chances into this story in such a fantastic and fulfilling way. Seeing both Tim and Quinn think and question what it could be like to take those chances, and then getting to see what happens after puts you in this story so fully and will have you loving every moment you live and take with them. Just Say Yes is full of chances and it honestly doesn’t get much better than that!
Finding yourself and then some. Both Tim and Quinn go on a journey in this book, not only in their relationship, but also with themselves. They’re both searching for something within themselves, and trying to figure out what they want, what they deserve, and what they’re willing to fight like crazy for. Elizabeth Hayley takes you on that journey with them both, and you get to be with them both every step of the way as they try and figure out who they are, and who they want to be. I can’t say enough how much that emotionally invests you in these characters and their story. You get to see them be vulnerable, be real, and just be them. Simply put, Quinn and Tim will blow you away with every incredible bit of their journey’s to take those risks and find themselves.
The fantastic balance of laughter and feels. Just Say Yes gives you so many outstanding moments that give you so many different reactions making this book phenomenally well rounded. You get so many hysterical moments that’ll have you laughing out loud and smiling until your cheeks hurt. You’ll also get a lot of moments bursting with the best amount of emotion and feeling that you feel every lick of. There’s also quite a few moments that’ll melt your heart a bit and have you truly feeling what Quinn and Tim do for one another. You get it all in Just Say Yes, and that is just part of what made this book so great to read!
The supporting characters that make this series what it is. Not to be outdone, the supporting characters that make up the Strictly Business Series are not to be missed. They’re all distinctive and wonderful in their own ways, and they add the glue that helps bring this story together. They add a true sense of family and friendship to every page, and they’ll all give you so much that you will enjoy every moment of. I love them all, and it was so good to spend some more time with them again in this book. Seeing them all here made me love them all more, and I seriously can’t wait for more time with all of them. I need more of them stat, and you will too when you read this book.

Just Say Yes was another book by Elizabeth Hayley that I could not put down. It was enrapturing to say the least, and had me feeling and loving every minute I spent between its outstanding pages. Quinn and Tim’s story is fun, meaningful, full of all the feels, and will give you a truly memorable reading experience that you won’t want to end.

This book highlights the talent of this writing duo, and the vibrant and meaningful stories they so thoughtfully and fantastically craft.

Just Say Yes is a story about taking chances. About looking deep within yourself, discovering what you truly want and desire, and what you’ll do and how much you’ll fight to get that something. It’s a story about throwing that caution to the wind, and seeing the extraordinary places those chances and risks can take you, if you only give them the chance. Tim and Quinn’s story in Just Say Yes allows you to take that journey with them, heart first and feeling it all, and in the end I guarantee you will be beyond satisfied with every outstanding word and feeling you get from them in this book.

So what are you waiting for? Grab Just Say Yes this very instant. And while you’re at it, grab every single other book by Elizabeth Hayley. You won’t regret reading this book, or any of their others for that matter. Read this book, let it wow you, let it make you feel and laugh and smile, and let yourself live and breathe through its brilliant pages.

Take that chance, just say yes, and fall in love with the literal amazingness of this book and Tim and Quinn’s vibrant, captivating, and truly incredible story.

~Just Say Yes~

Amazon B&N KOBO

~The Best Medicine~

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**Read my 5* Review of The Best Medicine**

Be sure to check out Elizabeth Hayley’s other books because they are all AMAZING!

~Pieces of Perfect~

Amazon

~Sex Snob~

Amazon

~Picking Up the Pieces~

Amazon

~Perfectly Ever After~

Amazon

**Read my 5* Review**

~Pieces Series Box Set~

(Pieces of Perfect, Picking Up the Pieces, and Perfectly Ever After) All 3 for one price!

Amazon

To learn more about Elizabeth Hayley and their books check out the following links:

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1Dec2015

Review Post: All That’s Left to Hold Onto by Ella Fox

Posted in Books I love, Releasing Now Book Addicts, Review Post by mkcooke

Letting go is all Ronan’s ever known.

Will he realize a life with Keely is something

he should hold onto at any cost?

Find out in All That’s Left to Hold Onto by Ella Fox!

AVAILABLE NOW!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1R1nO1E

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Ibo4Ut

iBooks: http://apple.co/1legK5e

Kobo http://bit.ly/1kPuLqC

When Ronan Sharpe unexpectedly left Colorado for parts unknown, he took a piece of Keely Carmichael’s heart with him.

After leaving his hellish roots behind him, Ronan found contentment when he started over. Thoughts of the past had been pushed down for so long; he hardly thought about it at all.

He intended to keep it that way.

When unexpected circumstances force Ronan to return to Colorado, the Keely he finds is no longer the adolescent girl he remembered. Torn between desire and fear, Ronan struggles with his feelings for Keely and his need to escape the town that scarred him so deeply years ago.

Letting go is all Ronan’s ever known. Will he realize a life with Keely is something he should hold onto at any cost?

4.5 All Feeling Stars

All That’s Left to Hold Onto by Ella Fox was an enrapturing, all-feeling, and heart squeezing story that I loved immensely. This book was gave me a story that made me feel, and think, and care so deeply for these characters, and through it all I lived and felt and experienced every bit because of Ella Fox’s phenomenal writing.

While reading this story I fell heart first for Ronan and Keely’s story. My heart squeezed for them and what they’d both been through, it melted more times than I could count with what happens when those two get together, and it beat like crazy at all the possibilities those two shared. To say my heart was invested in this meaningful and emotional story is putting it lightly. I was so beyond consumed into the world of this book, and I loved every well thought out and superbly captured moment I had with Ronan and Keely.

All That’s Left to Hold Onto had the best level of feeling and emotion, the perfect level of tension and heat and build, and gave me a love story that completely stole my heart from beginning to end. It wasn’t always easy, and it had its moments of raw pain and hurt that broke my heart a bit, but it was real. It was real and honest and vulnerable, and that was everything to experience while reading this book.

It’s no secret that Ella Fox is one of my favorite authors. I have absolutely loved each and every one of her books, and All That’s Left to Hold Onto was nothing different. Her outstanding writing brought this story and these characters to life in such an extraordinary way. She allowed me to become invested with these characters, to love them, to want to fight for them, and she created that in her distinct way through her exceptional writing. What Ella Fox so truly gave me in this book is not to be missed. Her writing gives you it all, and you will definitely want to take every bit of it. Trust me.

This book had it all, and what I so authentically got from these characters and their heart squeezing story is everything and more.

What I absolutely loved about All That’s Left to Hold Onto:

Ronan, Ronan, Ronan. Ronan Sharpe is definitely what book boyfriends are made of. He is fierce, melt worthy, and he will make you swoon quite a bit while reading this book, but more than that he is an honest to goodness good guy who you will love immensely. Ronan is a man who left Fort Collins, leaving the pain and hurt of the past long behind, until the events of this book call him back home. I loved that Ronan’s character was so raw and honest, and that I got to see such a vulnerable side to him because of the events of this book. I felt like I had such a superb level of understanding of his character, and that just made me love and feel for him more because of what he’d been through and all that he was doing in the present to make everything okay. Ronan will steal your heart a million times over with all that he is, and I truly think there is no way you can resist that man. Seriously.
Keely’s determination. Keely Carmichael is a force to be reckoned with, and I loved that girl something fierce while reading this book. I loved that she wasn’t afraid to do what needed to be done, and Keely was a girl who was determined to make everything okay. The sheer determination that comes from that girl is truly extraordinary, and there is not length too great that Keely wouldn’t go to to make sure everything is as it should be. Like Ronan, that girl has a world of hurt and pain in her past, and the way that she rises above that will have you in literal awe of her character. Keely is a true gem of a character, and she is so beyond easy to love because of the true goodness that emanates from her. Her resiliency, her goodness, and the light and warmth from her will have your heart with her every step of the way in this book.
Tension and sparks and build galore! Ella Fox has a true talent in writing and creating the feelings and emotions between her characters, and the level of build and tension and spark she created between Ronan and Keely was nothing short of intense and consuming. The spark between those two is almost palpable. You can feel it in your bones because it’s so intense and so fiery, and it keeps building and building and building in the most consuming and all-feeling way. What Ronan and Keely share goes well beyond lust, but the tension that Ella Fox so authentically creates between those two will have you beyond captivated in everything you’re experiencing with them. What makes it even better is with those sparks and build and tension, you get a world of deep feeling straight from the heart that you get to experience every ounce of.
The fight to overcome the past. Both Ronan and Keely have pasts filled with more pain and hurt than any person deserves. Some of that pain and hurt is shared between them, and some of it belongs to each of them, but much of this book focuses on the two of them giving it their all to overcome it all. The determination, the tenacity, and the sheer will of those two will have you in awe of them both. It will have you so beyond invested with them both too because you’ll want to be with them every step of the way as they fight to overcome that darkness of the past. Ella Fox thoughtfully reveals that past over the course of this book, and when all is revealed, I am telling you that you will have more love and respect for what both Ronan and Keely have been through.
All the struggle. One of my favorite aspects of this book was that it was a story of struggle just as much as it was a story of triumph. Both Ronan and Keely struggle. They struggle with the pain of their pasts and how those pasts are currently affecting their presents. They struggle with their feelings for one another. They struggle with what the future holds and the choices they need to make. They struggle, and it’s real and honest, and it shows you such a vulnerable side to them both. That struggle makes them both even more real, and it makes their story even more authentic because of that struggle. Ella Fox creates that struggle in a way that has you feeling for, loving, and rooting for these characters like crazy because you want them to see their way through that necessary struggle to the other side. This book allows you to struggle right along with Ronan and Keely, so that you become even more invested in them both, and sure it’s hard and that struggle isn’t always the easiest, but Ronan and Keely make it so worth it. So very very worth it.

All That’s Left to Hold Onto by Ella Fox was a book that I could not put down from the moment I started it. It was captivating, all-feeling, and gave me a story that I never stopped feeling and loving and living through all the way through. Ella Fox created two characters that I completely fell in love with, and as this story unfolded I fell more and more under their effervescent spell. Ronan and Keely completely won me over right from the start, and getting to experience the emotional ups and downs of their story was nothing short of wonderful.

This book gives you so much of everything that makes a book fantastic to read and experience. It had relatable and easy to love characters that were unique and real and good in every single way. It had enough tension and heat and build to pull your heart even more into the story. It also had a story filled with the perfect amount of twists and turns and the best level of emotion and feeling to have you experiencing it all with these characters.

All That’s Left to Hold Onto gives you everything. It gives you all the feels, all the heart squeezing moments, all the melt worthy moments, and everything in between. Ronan and Keely are such dynamic and phenomenal characters in every way, and what you get with them both in this story is everything. It’s meaningful, filled with hope and light, and shows you the extraordinary things that can happen when two seriously good hearted and determined people come together and attempt to overcome the darkness and pain of their pasts.

What you get with Ronan and Keely in All That’s Left to Hold Onto by Ella Fox will fill your heart, mind, and soul with so much, and will have you believing in and fighting with every breath you have for every possibility of what those two share. Being that connected to them is everything, and will have you invested in every heart squeezing moment of this outstanding book. Ella Fox has hit it out of the park once again, and I can’t wait for more from this seriously talented author!

PROLOGUE

There were nasty looking bruises on his cheek and jaw, his lip was swollen and his knuckles were scraped and bloody. The instant I got a good look at his face I knew something was horribly wrong. It only went downhill from there.

My attempts to contain my panic weren’t working. Choking back a sob I blubbered, “Why do you have to go?”

The anger was all but pouring off of him. Not toward me—he’d never once been angry with me. I knew anger though, and it was more than obvious he was furious about something. A permanent grimace seemed to have set up camp on his face. For him, it was highly unusual. Even in the toughest of times, he kept his cool.

Suddenly, he wasn’t calm at all. He was angrier than I’d ever seen him. It was obvious he’d been in a fight, but it didn’t change his status as the most attractive guy alive, in my opinion.

I saw his jaw clenching and unclenching which I figured meant he was trying to control himself.

“Because this piece of shit town is like a fucking cancer,” he spat. “I’m so done with the crazy assholes around here. People like us aren’t normal—we’re the freaks for trying to be good people.”

I didn’t know how to argue with his words. He wasn’t wrong—there was a lot wrong with many of the people in our town. Most of the crazy people were either my family members or his. I knew it and so did he. There wasn’t a response to erase the reality of the kind of people we dealt with.

“Are you going alone?”

His hands clenched into fists at his sides as he nodded stiffly. “Yes.”

“Even though you live with—”

His hand shot up into a stop gesture to keep me from finishing the sentence.

“Don’t say her fucking name. If I never hear it again, it’ll be too soon. I don’t live with that crazy bitch anymore.”

I couldn’t stand her so it wasn’t like I was going to push. She was an evil troll. If he had to go, I was glad he wasn’t taking her with him. It would’ve made me ill. She pretended to be sweetness and light when he was around but it was nothing but a charade. She was terrible. I was glad he wasn’t taking her, but the fact he wouldn’t say her name told me his leaving was somehow her responsibility. I hated her more than ever.

“Where will you go?”

He gestured back over his shoulder toward the street with his thumb.

“Wherever my car takes me once I pull out,” he said.

I couldn’t imagine life without him, nor did I want to. Not only had he been my crush for as long as I could remember, he was the only person who ever really listened to me.

“Will you ever visit?” I asked hopefully.

He was shaking his head in the negative before I’d even fully finished asking the question. I knew he wouldn’t. The bone-deep hatred he had for everything about where we lived was stamped all over his face. I wanted so badly to know what, exactly, had sent him over the edge, but when I asked, he’d refused to tell me.

It sucked being fourteen because he treated me like a kid. My age said I was a child, but I was so different than any of my peers it wasn’t even funny. Because of this, they teased me often, referring to me as Granny Carmichael. I hated it. It wasn’t as though I’d had a choice. My childhood was over the moment my mother got sick.

His expression softened when he looked me over. “You need to get back inside before you get pneumonia.”

The frigid Colorado air wasn’t even making an impression on me until he pointed it out. I realized my tears were leaving cold trails on my face, but I couldn’t walk away. All I cared about was how much I didn’t want him to leave.

“I don’t care about the cold or getting pneumonia. I don’t want you to go!” I cried anxiously.

He hugged me then, his strong arms wrapping around me to give comfort. I hadn’t hugged him since I’d been much younger—probably five or six. Those hugs had mostly involved me wrapping myself around one of his legs. This was different. I wrapped my arms tight around him and cried against his chest, holding on for as long as he allowed me to.

“I’m sorry,” he said as he ended the embrace and stepped back. “I have to leave.”

Knowing my denial and resistance weren’t going to make any difference, I swiped at my tears as I nodded.

“I’ll miss you,” I said on a choked sob. “Take care of yourself.”

“I’ll miss you too,” he replied softly. “You’re one of the few good people here.”

My heart galloped in my chest. I loved him for saying what he did—but hated that it came at such a horrible price. Losing him was unbearable.

He turned as if to leave, then stopped. Spinning back my way, he stared at me intently for a few moments before he spoke again.

“You’re so much better than any of these people. Don’t ever let them change who you are. The world needs a lot more you and a lot less them. No matter what anyone tells you—you’re perfect. Got it?”

I nodded as I wiped at the tears running unchecked down my face.

He hugged me again, very briefly. My heart skipped a few beats when he dropped a kiss on top of my head.

“Don’t ever forget your worth—not even for a minute,” he murmured.

When he let go, he said nothing else. He just turned and walked to his car. As he went, the chill in the air suddenly took hold of me. Hugging my arms around myself, I watched as he got into the car, turned it on and then pulled out of my driveway. He looked at me one last time before putting his hand up in a goodbye gesture. I did the same. A few seconds passed before he put the car in drive then sped off into the night.

I stayed outside for two or three minutes, hoping against hope he would change his mind and come back.

He didn’t.

Hours later when I got into bed, I prayed fate would bring him back one day. I said the same prayer most nights for a long, long time. Eventually I had no choice but to accept reality.

Hell would freeze over before he returned.

Ella Fox writes like a woman possessed whenever she gets the chance! She is the author of The Hart Family Series, The Renegade Saints Series and The Catch Series.

When she’s not writing, Ella indulges the gypsy in her blood and travels the country. Ella loves reading, movies, music, buying make-up, reading Tmz, Twitter and pedicures… not necessarily in that order. She has a wild sense of humor and loves to laugh. Her favorite thing in the world is hanging out with her family and watching comedy movies.

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17Nov2015

Releasing Now: Perfectly Imperfect by Harper Sloan

Posted in Books I love, Releasing Now Book Addicts by mkcooke

Meet Willow and Kane in the newest stand alone by Harper Sloan!

NOW AVAILABLE on the following retailers:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1QqBIuM

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1HPNwUw

Nook: http://bit.ly/1kZQ87U

iBooks: http://apple.co/1WW6mAw

Mirror, mirror … who’s the fairest of them all?

I still cringe when I hear that line. A fairy tale that had girls pretending they were the fairest, the most beautiful, and the most entitled. A fairy tale most couldn’t grow out of turned my haunted childhood memories into a living nightmare. Girls who grew up believing that pile of garbage became the meanest of all ‘mean girls.’

And those mean girls were right – it was a line meant for all the beautiful people in the world – and I knew the answer would never be me.

The women with long legs, flat stomachs, and perfect chests.

The type of women Kane Masters gravitated toward.

Well, that’s definitely not Willow Tate.

No. That will never be me.

Because I’m completely imperfect.

And … I hate myself.

I have no idea what Kane could possibly see in someone like me when he could have them.

Harper lives in small town Georgia just a short drive from her hometown of Peachtree City. She (and her 3 daughters) enjoy ruling the house they dubbed ‘Estrogen Ocean’, much to her husband’s chagrin. Harper has a borderline unhealthy obsession with books; you can almost ALWAYS find her with her eReader attached. She enjoys bad reality TV and cheesy romantic flicks. Her favorite kind of hero–the super alpha kind!

Harper started using writing as a way to unwind when the house went to sleep at night; and with a house full of crazy it was the perfect way to just relax. It didn’t take long before a head full of very demanding alphas would stop at nothing to have their story told.

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21Oct2015

Releasing Now: Infatuation by River Savage

Posted in Books I love, Releasing Now Book Addicts, Review Post by mkcooke

Title: Infatuation (Knights Rebels MC #4)

Author: River Savage

Release Date: October 20, 2015

Add to your TBR: Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA |

Amazon AU | B&N | Kobo | ibooks

Beau McIntyre is driven by a past smothered in blood and covered in bruises. Though tragic, it’s help shape his future and define the man he’s become.

Day in and day out, he’s reminded of his failures in the faces of the women he saves. But what happens when one girl threatens to blow all of that apart? Will Beau lose his grip on the controlled lifestyle he abides by?

Mackenzie Moore is running from a past she needs to forget. A past that has molded her into a woman living in fear. One fateful night, her carefully constructed world is pulled down around her, forcing her to make a decision she’s not sure she can live with.

Turning to the Knights Rebels MC for help is the last thing she wants, but everything she needs.

Can Beau save her once again, or is what she running to far worse than what she’s running from?

4.5 Unforgettably Emotional Stars

I have loved each and every one of River Savage’s Knights Rebels MC Series and Infatuation was no different. It was intense, enthralling to say the least, and gave me a story that I couldn’t wait to get my hands on from the moment I met these characters in this series. River Savage is hands down one of my go to authors, and I have loved all of the phenomenal stories she has written because they are all unique, pack a serious punch, and just give me one helluva reading experience that stays with me for days after reading.

When I sit down to read a book by her, I know I will be getting a story that will completely captivate me from beginning to end, characters that will root themselves into my hear while reading, and the most fantastic balance of intensity and feeling that I could ask for.

I got all of that and more while reading Infatuation.

Like I said, I have been waiting for this book ever since I met Beau’s character. He’s always intrigued me, and the whole storyline with Mackenzie that River Savage so seamlessly added into the other books of this series had me more than ready to see what in the world was going on with these two. I wasn’t disappointed one bit by what I got in this book, and all throughout reading I was just reminded again and again why this series is one of my favorites.

What I absolutely loved about Infatuation:

Beau, Beau, and more phenomenal Beau. The mysterious and alluring Beau has intrigued me since the moment I met his character in Incandescent. The bits of him I’ve gotten over the course of this series has had me more than ready for his character, and River Savage brought him to life in the most phenomenal way. Beau is intense and a force to be reckoned with, but in this book you get to dive so deep with his character. You get so much for him, showing a completely new side to him, and that melted me while reading. There is so much to Beau that will just blow you away, and with each passing page in this book I fell more and more for his brooding self because he was who he was, had no apologies about it, and that just made him all the more fantastic.
Mackenzie’s heart squeezing story. Mackenzie’s character was one that I felt for from the instant I met her. Her story will break your heart a lot, because that girl has been through it all, but through this book you get to see her journey evolve a lot. You get to see her become stronger, surer, and more of who she is now that she’s back with Beau. I loved how much I felt for Mackenzie, how connected I felt towards her character, and just how real she was. She was an easy character to love, and I felt like I was with her on her journey throughout this book because of how thoughtfully River Savage wrote her character. Mackenzie is so many things, but most of all she is a fighter with a true spirit, and you get that tenfold in Infatuation.
All the feels and more feels. One of my favorite aspects of this book was all of the feels that River Savage so fantastically incorporated into this story. I felt every bit of this book. Every intense moment, every moment that took my breath away, every moment that had fear and adrenaline coursing through me. Along with that I got so many moments from both Beau and Mackenzie that had me feeling everything that they were. Every hope, every worry, every moment of desire and connection, and every feeling they had towards one another. All of those amazing feels made reading this book even more enjoyable because I got to feel it all.
The thoughtful weaving of the past. In Infatuation, River Savage thoughtfully and outstandingly weaves the past of Mackenzie and Beau into the present day story. I loved that so immensely because it allowed me to see how these characters got to where they were in the story, and gave so much meaning to the present events taking place. I got to see where the past went so wrong for Mackenzie, how she fought through it all, and how those events eventually brought her and Beau together. The way the past is weaved into this story heightens everything that you’re reading, and makes it all more real, all the more meaningful, and all the more powerful. That past is downright scary at times, but it brings Mackenzie and Beau’s heart squeezing story to life in the most authentic and memorable way.
Heart racing, heart tugging, and heart squeezing moments. Infatuation gives you so many moments you feel in your heart. There are the moments of heat and passion and desire that send it racing. The moments that tug and pull at your heart because of all the pain and anguish these characters are experiencing. The moments when your heart squeezes because of the hurt that they’re feeling, the fight that they’re giving, and all that they’re going through as the events of this book unfold. You get all of those moments and more as you read Infatuation, and you feel them all so truly in your heart. Each and every one of those moments makes this book one you will so fully experience and love because of it.
All the glorious fight. There is so much fight in this book, and that defines this story and its characters in the best possible way. Beau and Mackenzie are fighting their pasts, fighting for their future, and fighting the demons that lurk around every corner. Through every fantastic page of Infatuation you feel and get the full force fight these two are putting towards it all, and it just makes you love what you’re reading more because you’re getting all of that fight. That fight illuminates so much about them both, and you’ll love all that that fight gives you as you read Beau and Mackenzie fight their way through their magnificent journey together.
The wonderfully distinctive members of the Knights Rebels MC. Now it wouldn’t be a Knights Rebels MC book without the fantastically distinctive characters that make up this group of people. Getting to spend more time with all of the characters I’ve come to know and love is just one of the many things I love about this series. They are all them, and they are all downright wonderful. Nix, Kaydence, Brooks, Kelly, Sy, Holly, Jesse, Bell, and all the rest of the crew are back and better than ever. You not only get to see where the events of this series have taken these characters, but you also get to see why you love them all so much in the first place. This book just reminded me once again why they are some of my favorite characters around, and I can’t wait to see more of them all soon!
A very tough topic that’s so thoughtfully captured. River Savage takes on a very heartbreaking and tough topic in Infatuation: Domestic Violence. She explores this topic in a very well thought out way, and captures it honestly and authentically. She brings that aspect into this story in a way that fits, and in a way that makes you fully feel and understand the ramifications of domestic violence. Her writing and thoughtfully crafted storytelling covers a real and very horrid situation in a way that does this story and its character justice, while also highlighting a very real issue. River Savage and her phenomenal writing blew me away with this, and all I wish I could thank her in person for what she captured and created in this book with this topic because it was outstanding.

Infatuation was another fantastic addition to a series that I just love to pieces. It had every single aspect that I’ve come to love and expect from River Savage, and all throughout reading I was reminded over and over again why this is one of my favorite series. River Savage gives you a story you won’t soon forget with Beau and Mackenzie, and I guarantee the moment you start this book, you won’t be able to put it down.

Beau and Mackenzie’s story isn’t easy. It’s hard and intense, and has more pain and darkness in it than you can shake a stick at, but it’s also bursting with the most amazing level of fight and feeling that will have your heart feeling so much. You go through it all with Beau and Mackenzie, and through every incredible word you will fall more and more for the two of them and all that they’ve been through. Infatuation gives you their heart squeezing story that gives you it all, and I for one am thrilled with what I got from them.

Infatuation was a book that I loved, and one that reminded me over and over why this series is so good. Beau and Mackenzie and their emotional journey together had me feeling and experiencing so much, and through it all I was just happy to be along for the ride. This series and these characters are some of the best and most memorable around, and I honestly can’t wait for the next book in this series because I kind of already miss them and their fantastically distinctive selves. Like a lot.

“Kenzie, I’m heading out. Will you be all right on your own?” I call out to her but receive no reply. Her door is ajar a few inches, so I knock, letting the force push it open further.

She is standing there. Her pert tits take my attention first and instantly my cock stirs back to life. She doesn’t stop to cover herself and I don’t look away.

“I’m heading out.” I manage some cough mumble thing, my throat becoming dry. She doesn’t say anything and her eyes don’t leave me. I should turn away, let her change in private, but I’m lost in the sight of her.

The soft glow of her bedside lamp highlights her against the dark room but even from this distance, I can see every one of those goose bumps glazing her skin.

We continue to stand silent for what feels like hours, until the soft whisper of her nightgown falling to the floor shocks me back, like the first momentary sonic boom that fills the skies on a Fourth of July weekend. My eyes follow its descent, pausing at the lace covering her pussy.

Jesus, fuck, turn around, man.

I swallow past my hunger and try to will myself to leave, but fail when her fingers hook into the side of her lace panties.

“Mackenzie, don’t.” My warning comes out strangled, my resolve slipping, but it doesn’t stop her. She continues to undress, sliding her panties down her legs then stepping out of them, leaving her completely exposed to me.

She’s beautiful. Fucking perfect. Every fucking inch of her. But there’s an innocence to her. One touch, one taste is going to destroy me.

What the fuck is wrong with you, man? Go to her. Fucking take her.

“Darlin’,” I say with a heavy breath, forcing my eyes away from her naked body and back up to her face. Her pink, plump lips, swollen from our kisses, slightly part as she draws in a long breath.

“You’re making this really fucking hard to stay away.” My voice cracks as my gaze catches her hand sliding between her legs.

“If you’re not going to help me, then leave.” Her voice is barely a whisper as her finger slips between her pussy lips disappearing from view. And fuck it turns me on.

Before I realize what I’m doing, my legs carry me to her. Not giving it a second thought, I slap her hand away from her pussy and pull her naked body to me. She comes willingly, a small cry filling the room at my touch.

“Fuck,” I groan, knowing I’m close to losing control. “I need you to think this through, darlin’. Be real fucking sure, ‘cause once we start, I don’t think I’ll be able to stop,” I tell her when her chest hits mine.

“I’ve never wanted anything more, Beau.” My name coming from her lips in a plea cancels out all my reservations, and before I can comprehend what’s happening, I have her on her back on the bed.

Pulling off my cut and shirt in record time, I flip the button of my jeans. Mackenzie comes up on her elbows and watches as I lose my jeans.

“Holy shit, you have it pierced.” She looks down at my cock, intrigue turning to wonder.

“I have two.” I point to the Apadravya piercing. The small barbell runs through the head of my penis. I then pull to show her the Frenum piercing on the underside of my cock.

“Did they hurt?” She bites her lip, her eyes not leaving the piercing.

“I survived. Had it done years ago.” She nods but doesn’t say anything.

“You keep looking at me like that and I don’t think I’ll last long,” I admit. Her inquisitive eyes move from my piercing up to my face and I realize it wouldn’t matter what way she looked at me. I’m wound up so fucking tight from not having my cock in a woman for God knows how long, I’m not going to last long regardless.

“Like what?” She looks back down at my cock and it bounces its own hello.

“Like you want to wrap your mouth around my dick and milk it dry,” I offer the visual, the picture playing out in my mind.

Yep, there is no way I’m going back on this, now.

“No one has ever spoken to me like this before.” Her teeth graze her bottom lip, and I don’t know if she’s afraid of me, or fucking turned on.

“You want me to stop talking to you this way?” I ask, placing a knee down on the bed and moving over her.

“I don’t think so.” She lays back, her dark hair spilling around her.

“You don’t think so? It’s a yes or no question, darlin’.” I keep my eyes on her, like I need to memorize every inch of her body.

“No,” she answers instantly.

“Then I won’t.”

More from River Savage

Incandescent (Knights Rebels MC #1)
(FREE)

*****

Affliction (Knights Rebels MC #2)
(99c SALE- ENDS SOON!)

*****

Reclaimed (Knights Rebels MC Novella)
(FREE-Ends Soon!)

*****

Paradox (Knights Rebels MC Novella)

*****

Desertion (Knights Rebels MC #3)
(SALE-Ends Soon!)

*****

River Savage is the Author of the Knights Rebels MC Series. She released her debut novel, Incandescent, in August 2014.

An avid reader of romance and erotic novels, her love for books and reading fueled her passion for writing. Reading no longer sated her addiction, so she started writing in secret. She never imagined that her dream of publishing a novel would ever be achievable.

With a soft spot for an alpha male and a snarky sassy woman, Kadence and Nix were born.

River would love to hear from you. You can contact and/or follow her via…

Facebook | Twitter ( @RiverS_Author ) | Pinterest | Website | River’s Rebels Fan Group

Email: riversavageauthor@gmail.com

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ULTIMATE KNIGHTS REBELS & #BEAUSBABE FAN PACK
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19Oct2015

Blurb Reveal: Freeing Destiny by Faith Andrews

Posted in Books I love by mkcooke

BLURB REVEAL + GIVEAWAY

FREEING DESTINY

BY FAITH ANDREWS

Freeing Destiny, Book #2 in The Fate Series by Faith Andrews

Publication Date: Early 2016

Genres: Contemporary Romance, New Adult Romance, Romantic Suspense

Words to live by:

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

Don’t break the rules.

I’d managed to fail at both by fraternizing with the enemy’s brother. Guess I’d followed in my mother’s footsteps by ignoring all the rules when it came to love.

Mom was marrying a man only six years older than me. A man who was also her student. But the biggest surprise that came out of their wedding wasn’t my new stepdad’s academic status or his age.

It was Jack Davis—my stepfather’s best friend.

Jack was the guy who could change the whole game. He was quite possibly my soul mate. But time and circumstance were against us—there was no easy way around it. I was moving back to New York in two weeks and his sister, Aubrey, was the one person my family hated most in this world. How would his sister—the enemy—deal with another Edwards girl claiming what she believed was hers? The idea of letting Jack go crippled me. Would I have to cut ties with the only man I’d ever let into my heart?

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Faith Andrews is living out her dream right outside the greatest city in the world, New York City. Happily married to her high school sweetheart, she is the mother of two beautiful and wild daughters, and a furry Yorkie son named Rocco Giovanni. When she’s not tapping her toes to a Mumford & Sons tune or busy being a dance mom, her nose is stuck in a book or she’s sitting behind the laptop, creating her next swoon worthy book boyfriend. Coffee addict, lover of wine and cheese, and sucker for concerts and Netflix, Faith believes in love at first sight and happily ever after.

Website • Twitter • Facebook

Other Books by Faith:

Man of My Dreams, Dream Series #1

Back to You, Dream Series #1.5

After the Storm, Dream Series #2

Keep Me, Grayson Sibling Series #1

Keep Her, Grayson Sibling Series #2

Keep Us, A Grayson Holiday Tale (featured in Hot for the Holidays,
A Collection of 21 Naughty & Nice Holiday Shorts)

Feel Again, Fate Series #1

First Came You, Fate Series #0.5

19Oct2015

Releasing Now: Blue Horizons by Kathryn Andrews

Posted in Books I love, Releasing Now Book Addicts by mkcooke

Title: Blue Horizons
Author: Kathryn Andrews
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Published: October 19, 2015

Will Ashton

Music is my motivation. I’ve always believed that, because of it, I would be somebody. Somebody to someone, and something to myself.At age four, I picked up my grandfather’s acoustic guitar and, up until three weeks ago, I’ve never put it down. From a single chord to a full arrangement, music fed my soul. I craved it with every fiber of my being, but now, I just don’t know. That driving force that’s always pushed me has somehow stalled, along with the thrill, the passion, and the familiarity . . . it’s all gone. I’m beginning to worry that my love for music just isn’t enough.

As the summer tour finally comes to an end, I head to the Blue Ridge Mountains instead of returning to Nashville. It’s here that I’ve always been able to lose myself amongst the solitude and the lake, but what I didn’t expect to find was her.

Wild blonde hair, light blue eyes, and a laugh I find myself trying to coax from her has me completely enamored. She’s quiet, incredibly poised, and driven by secrets as big as the mountains around us. They’re what’s made her untouchable, and left me wanting to know more.
Maybe that’s what I need. Maybe I need more. Maybe I need her.

Ava Layne

They say that life isn’t about how many breaths we take, but how many moments take our breath away. But what if those moments aren’t filled with happiness and love, but something dark and haunting? For me, it’s those moments that’ve shaped and taken over my life. I can’t change who I am, God knows I’ve tried, and, because of this, I’ve accepted the silver lining . . . I’m alive.

Fifty-two white keys, thirty-six black keys, ten fingers, seven notes, two friends, and one stage. At the piano, on the stage, with my two best friends, I finally found myself, and I live for those moments. One by one, I collect them, cherish them, patiently waiting for the next, until it arrives and changes everything. That’s the moment I meet him.

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OVER TEN YEARS ago my husband and I were driving from Chicago to Tampa and somewhere in Kentucky I remember seeing a billboard that was all black with five white words, “I do, therefore I am!” I’m certain that it was a Nike ad, but for me I found this to be completely profound.Take running for example. Most will say that a runner is someone who runs five days a week and runs under a ten minute mile pace. Well, I can tell you that I never run five days a week and on my best days my pace is an eleven minute mile. I have run quite a few half marathons and one full marathon. No matter what anyone says . . . I run, therefore I am a runner.

I’ve taken this same thought and applied it to so many areas of my life: cooking, gardening, quilting, and yes . . . writing.

I may not be culinary trained, but I love to cook and my family and friends loves to eat my food. I cook, therefore I am a chef!

My thumb is not black. I love to grow herbs, tomatoes, roses, and lavender. I garden, therefore I am a gardener!

I love beautiful fabrics and I can follow a pattern. My triangles may not line up perfectly . . . but who cares, my quilts are still beautiful when they are finished. I quilt, therefore I am a quilter.

I have been writing my entire life. It is my husband who finally said, “Who cares if people like your books or not? If you enjoy writing them and you love your stories…then write them.” He has always been my biggest fan and he was right. Being a writer has always been my dream and what I said I wanted to be when I grew up.

So, I’ve told you who I am and what I love to do . . . now I’m going to tell you the why.
I have two boys that are three years a part. My husband and I want to instill in them adventure, courage, and passion. We don’t expect them to be perfect at things, we just want them to try and do. It’s not about winning the race; it’s about showing up in the first place. We don’t want them to be discouraged by society stereotypes, we want them to embrace who they are and what they love. After all, we only get one life.

In the end, they won’t care how many books I actually sell . . . all that matters to them is that I said I was going to do it, I did it, and I have loved every minute of it.
Find something that you love and tell yourself, “I do, therefore I am.”

Enter to Win a Paperback Copy of Blue Horizons on Goodreads
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15Oct2015

Excerpt Reveal: The Fall Up by Aly Martinez

Posted in Books I love by mkcooke

Maybe there’s only one direction to go when two people fall

in love at rock bottom—up.

Add The Fall Up to your TBR list on Goodreads!

http://bit.ly/1LjdGAD

RELEASE DATE: October 26th

I wanted to jump.

He made me fall.

As a celebrity, I lived in the public eye, but somewhere along the way, I’d lost myself in the spotlight.

Until he found me.

Sam Rivers was a gorgeous, tattooed stranger who saved my life with nothing more than a simple conversation.

But we were both standing on that bridge for a reason the night we met. The secrets of our pasts brought us together—and then tore us apart.

Could we find a reason to hold on as life constantly pulled us down?

Or maybe there’s only one direction to go when two people fall in love at rock bottom—up.

Chapter One

Levee

It was raining. Isn’t that the way all great love stories start? And also usually end? The midnight air was cool against my skin as I stared off that bridge. My blond wig was secured in place by a headband, and chunky sunglasses covered my whiskey-colored eyes. I didn’t look like myself any more than I felt it. Bruises from the night before painted my legs while fresh scabs covered my knees, but it was the hollowness in my chest that hurt the most.

Yep. Still me.

Which was exactly why I was standing on that bridge, wishing for the mental fortitude to hurl myself off.

A man’s voice interrupted my thoughts. “You finally gonna do it tonight?”

I instinctually smoothed my fake hair down and pressed the bridge of my glasses closer to my face, sealing out any possible glance he could catch. I stared ahead as I snapped, “Excuse me?”

“I’ve seen you here three nights in a row now. I was just wondering if tonight was going to be the night you finally jump.”

My eyes flashed wide, but since they were covered by the dark glasses, my reaction remained hidden. “I just like the view. That’s all.” What a load of shit.

I watched him nod out of the corner of my eye. “Yeah me too. It’s gorgeous up here.”

Shuffling my feet to the side, I attempted to slip away as he pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and offered it my way.

“You want one?”

I shook my head and then crept down a few inches to put distance between us.

“Suit yourself.” He used a hand to shield the lighter from the wind, but the constant sprinkle of rain made his task impossible. “Damn it,” he cursed with the cigarette tucked between his lips. “Little help?” he asked, swinging his gaze to mine.

Arching an eyebrow, I asked, “With what?”

“It’s raining…and windy…and I’m trying to burn one.” He tilted his head, equally as incredulous.

“You want me to call God? We had a bad breakup recently, but he might be willing to do me one last favor.”

He breathed an exaggerated sigh of relief. “That would be fantastic. What’s the big guy’s response time like these days? Last time we spoke, it was”—he paused to look at his watch—“oh, twenty-seven years.”

A soft laugh bubbled from my throat, and one side of his mouth lifted in a gorgeous grin.

“I’m not exactly in the mood to wait that long, so maybe you could just block the wind with your body?” His smile spread as he stepped toward me, forcing my gaze to nervously bounce away.

“Sorry. Can’t help you there. Lung cancer and I broke up too.” After gathering the back of my wig into a ponytail, I pulled it over my shoulder and turned away from him. The chill of the wind blasted my face and roared over my ears as it rushed past me.

I went back to staring out at the dark, choppy water, becoming lost in the idea of how cold it might be.

Is tonight the night?

No.

My feet would more than likely never leave the edge of that bridge, but there was a definite reason why I was imagining ending it all. Exactly zero other people in the world would understand why. I had it all, and I dreamed about losing it all—more often than I would ever admit, even to myself.

After stepping out of my heels, I slipped my foot between the bars on the railing. The wind slammed my bruised leg against the metal. “Shit,” I hissed as pain shot through me.

“You think that hurts? Imagine falling twenty-five stories then crashing into the water, which might as well be concrete, at speeds upward of seventy miles per hour,” the man said, leaning on the metal railing next to me.

“Wow. Someone’s done some research,” I said sarcastically, barely sparing him a glance.

“Daily,” he responded frankly, causing my surprised gaze to swing to his. Simply shrugging at my reaction, he turned his back to the railing and propped himself up on his colorfully tattooed forearms. “You forget I’ve been here the last three nights in a row too.” He smirked, lifting the cigarette up to his lips for a deep inhale.

“Listen, I’m not going to jump if you’re some kind of caped crusader on a mission. I just needed some fresh air.” I pointedly glanced at his cigarette.

A laugh escaped his mouth in a grey puff. “Fresh air is overrated. Especially given the reason you’re standing here.” He knowingly arched a dark-brown eyebrow.

“Riiiiight,” I drawled, rolling my eyes behind my glasses. “Okay, well, I was just heading out anyway.”

“Then my work here is done.” He bowed, and the corner of my mouth lifted in a smile as I stepped back into my shoes and walked away.

I shook my head at the random stranger. Then, a thought struck me, stopping me only a few feet away. Spinning back to face him, I asked, “Wait. Were you reaching out to me as a cry for help?”

“Oh look. Designer Shoes has a conscience!” He dropped his cigarette to the damp ground, stepping on it with the toe of his well-worn, black boots. Bending over, he picked the butt up and tucked it in his pocket.

At least he didn’t litter.

“Oh look. Tattooed Stalker has jokes!” I smarted back.

He smiled, pulling another cigarette from his pocket and then pausing just before guiding it between his lips. “Were you judging me based on my tattoos? I’m offended.” He feigned anguish then laughed while lifting his lighter to once again battle the wind for a nicotine fix.

I wanted to walk away, but he wasn’t wrong. I did have a conscience, and right then, I was worried that it might really be his night to make good on his apparent numerous visits to the bridge.

With a huff, I headed back towards him, praying that I could wrap it up as quickly as possible then head back to my house for a few hours of sleep. Or, more likely, lie awake while staring at the ceiling and crying.

“Are you planning to jump for real?” I asked.

His smile fell as he focused on the water. “Nah. I don’t have the balls to do something like that. Talking to you wasn’t a plea for help or anything. You just look worse than usual tonight.” His gaze slid down to my battered legs.

“Oh!” I exclaimed in understanding. “That’s not at all what you’re thinking. I fell down some stairs.”

He quirked his lips in disbelief.

“I’m serious!”

“I’m sure you are,” he told the wind. “You can go. I’m good.”

I could have walked away, but for some reason, I pulled my jacket tighter around my shoulders and silently stood there while he finished his cigarette.

After a final deep inhale, he flicked it over the railing of the bridge.

Apparently, he does litter.

Turning to me, his face became serious. “You need to call the cops before he makes the decision to end it all for you.”

“Who?” I asked, watching the burning ember hit the metal column then explode in a million different sparks before disappearing down to the water below.

Lucky cigarette.

“The stairs…and whatever inanimate object you’re blaming for those bruises you’re hiding behind sunglasses at one in the morning. You should call the cops before…” His voice trailed off, but his dark gaze narrowed on mine. His eyes bored into my hidden stare, combining with the rain and wind to send chills down my spine.

I took the moment to secretly assess him. He was insanely sexy, but nothing like the men I was accustomed to. His chin was the kind of scruffy that made women weak, but it was obvious he didn’t pay four hundred dollars for his personal hairstylist to shape it. Judging by his shaggy, brown hair that begged for me to thread my fingers in it, I wasn’t sure he was even a barbershop kind of guy. He stood a few inches taller than I was in heels, so I pegged him at around six one. And while his tattooed forearms were deliciously sculpted and his shoulders were notably defined, his body didn’t appear to be swollen with muscles from hours spent at the gym. By the aura of bad boy he gave off, I would have expected him to be a self-consumed, arrogant prick.

He wasn’t though.

He was just an average guy worrying about the well-being of an average girl.

Only he couldn’t have been more wrong, and a pang of guilt hit me hard.

Just not hard enough for me to do anything to correct his assumptions about who I was.

Very softly, I attempted to put his fears to rest. “I promise it’s not what you’re thinking.”

“Okay,” he responded, unconvinced. He nodded to himself before dragging another cigarette from his pocket.

I watched him struggle for a second before I scooted towards him, using my body to block the wind.

Biting the cigarette between his straight, white teeth, he smiled devilishly around it. “Thanks.” Flicking the flame to life, he hunched over until a stream of smoke swirled up from the red tip.

“You should stop smoking.”

“Noted.” He exhaled through his nose.

We went back to silently staring over the side of the bridge. The familiar lights of the San Francisco skyline danced all around us. And, even as tourists and locals alike passed by us, I felt an odd, and unbelievably comfortable, isolation standing there with him.

When my teeth began to chatter, his attention was drawn my way. “I’m not here to jump. You really can go.”

I nodded but didn’t move away.

He chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest and rubbing his biceps for warmth.

“How are you not frozen?” I asked, taking in his thin Henley for the first time since we met.

Shrugging, he dropped his cigarette, answering as he bent to retrieve it. “Thick skin? I’m used to it? I come here a lot? I’m half Eskimo?”

I eyed him suspiciously. “You’re cold, aren’t you?”

“Fucking. Freezing,” he admitted, tucking his arms close to his body and blowing into his hands. “I just came up here for one smoke. Then I saw you. Now, come on. Be a lady and loan a man a jacket,” he joked, tugging on the edge of my coat.

I laughed, hugging it even tighter around my body and stepping out of his reach. “How about we both just leave? Then neither of us have to worry about the other plummeting to their death.”

“Sounds like an amazing plan.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of the tattered jeans riding low on his hips. As we began the hike back down to the foot of the bridge, he asked, “You have a name, Designer Shoes?”

I smiled and shook my head, not willing to lie—or divulge the truth.

“Yeah. Me either,” he replied.

I bit my bottom lip to suppress a laugh.

Side by side, we trudged the rest of the way in silence.

When we got to the foot of the bridge, he turned to face me and sighed. “Well, I genuinely hope I never see you again.”

My head snapped back in shock, and maybe a little hurt.

But he quickly corrected himself. “No! I just mean… Shit.” He ran a nervous hand through his hair while I watched, amused. “I just mean, given the way we met… I…um. I hope you never have a reason to go back up there.”

I teasingly tipped my head to the side. “But I really like the view.”

He cleared his throat. “Right. Of course, the view. Okay, well, have a good night.”

“You too.” I smiled tightly, but my feet didn’t budge. I told myself that it was because I didn’t want him to see my car or the bodyguard waiting for me behind the wheel. But, in reality, I just wasn’t ready to leave. Home wasn’t where I wanted to be. I didn’t actually want to be anywhere.

Not even standing at the foot of a bridge, talking to a witty and sexy man.

Okay, maybe I wanted that a little bit.

“Yep. Have a good night,” he repeated, shoving his hands inside his pockets and slowly backing away.

I gave him a quick wave, which he returned before he jogged in the other direction.

I smiled to myself, shaking my head at the entire interaction—secretly lamenting that it hadn’t been longer.

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.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

13Oct2015

Releasing Now: Exposed by Ivy Stone

Posted in Releasing Now Book Addicts by mkcooke

Title: Exposed (Unguarded, #1)

Author: Ivy Stone

Genre: Erotic Romance/ Romantic Suspense

Release Date: October 13,. 2015

One explosive encounter brought them together.
One infatuation led to a love like no other.
One secret tore them apart.

As head of the NYPD Organized Crime Control Bureau in Manhattan, Chief Detective Mason Cole walks in the line of fire every day. Between dodging bullets and braiding his daughter’s hair, Mason is tormented with haunting memories that refuse to relinquish control over him, no matter how hard he tries. After a bust gone wrong, he’s thrown for a loop by a woman who will fill his life with more chaos than ever before.

Lindsey Jenkins is a self-made woman. Bold and independent, she lives unapologetically in a life of deception. That is until her facade is threatened by a force stronger than anything she’s ever felt before—love.

Leaving their hearts unguarded could lead to destruction. Even worse, it could expose them both to a war they never saw coming.

In a city coerced by corruption and treachery, what happens when your greatest passion becomes your biggest weakness?

Lindsey

A light, calloused touch scorches up my side, waking me from sleep. Goose bumps rise from the touch of fingertips and just as I’m about to scramble away, his signature scent hits me with a force of desire and I instantly calm. My shoulders fall and I relax my body back into the hot wall of pure muscle plastered behind me. Feathery kisses trail over my shoulder blade and I quiver at the tingling sensation freezing my body in place. His whiskered jaw prickles my skin, along my shoulder all the way up to my neck. It heightens my senses as lust shoots through my core, and I clutch my pillow, fighting the fire in my belly. I yearn to yank him over me and drive his cock right into me as far as it can go. His hand slides from my waist to my ass and as he squeezes firmly and I can’t help the moan from slipping past my lips. My own sounds of desire echoes through the room much louder than intended, and as soon as it’s left my mouth, Mason spreads his hand over my ass cheek and hip, clutching tightly, and with a quick jerk, he pulls me backwards pressing his jean-clad cock into my ass, rubbing his hardness against me.

“Fuck,” he whispers near my ear, his voice breaking. His head leans on my shoulder and I reach back, gliding my shaky hand up his thick firm thigh, over his ass and bringing it up behind me to his head. Pulling at his hair, I angle my head and bring his up closer to mine. We’re nose to nose, body against body, and breathing so rapidly it’s like we’ve both just run a marathon.

“We shouldn’t do this.” I whisper, staring into his lust-filled eyes. We both know we shouldn’t. I can’t do it, not now. He wants too much, I don’t want enough. It’s too risky, too dangerous. What if one night ruins it all? What if after, my body and my heart want more? If once isn’t enough, denying him again will be so much harder. His job, my job, if our worlds collide, it’ll be one fucked-up mess we’ll never survive.

He shakes his head and rolls swiftly over on top of me, pushing me on my back. “Didn’t plan this when I came in here, Linds. But I sure as fuck don’t want to stop now, not now that I know you want it too.” His lips crash to mine, his tongue searching for an opening. My lips part and his tongue slips inside, caressing my own in one powerful kiss, so gentle and long, so passionate. Pulling him closer, he deepens the connection and his hand trails down, fingering the edge of my panties.

“Stop.” I break the moment, panting heavily. “I can’t give you what you want, Mason.”

His eyes reach into mine and my heart pumps harder. He wants the unattainable.

He scoops the side of my face in his hand, brushing his thumb back and forth. The movement is so intimately sweet that my fingers twitch to cover my own hand with his. He makes resisting him so much harder by simply being him. “You can come up with whatever excuse you want, Lindsey. But that’s all they are, excuses. You’ll run out of them at some stage, and I’ll be here waiting when you do.”

I can’t speak. My lips seal shut. Mason rolls off me, enveloping me in his arms as he moves.

Spooning me in my bed, I ignore everything else. I shut off my mind, shut out the world. Closing my eyes, I sink into nirvana, hoping to avoid this inconceivable feeling tearing me in two. I’m conflicted by the comfort of his arms: I’ve never felt so safe, yet stripped bare, all at the same time.

“Mother. Lover. Dreamer.”

Ivy Stone is an Australian author and self-confessed lover of alpha males and happily ever afters. Getting lost in a fictional world is how she discovered her passion for writing. When she isn’t daydreaming up new romantic stories she’s likely to be found spending time with her family.

Ivy’s debut novel ‘Exposed’ is to be released on October 20th 2015. This is the first instalment in the Unguarded series.

Ivy loves to hear from her readers, you can visit or contact her here:

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12Oct2015

Releasing Now: One Immortal by Tia Louise

Posted in Books I love, Releasing Now Book Addicts by mkcooke

Check out this Halloween Treat from Tia Louise!

A STANDALONE PARANORMAL ROMANCE, based on ONE TO HOLD, Book #1 in the One to Hold series.

★★ PURCHASE ONE IMMORTAL Today!★★

Amazon:http://amzn.to/1Lwu4I2

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1FdpwJS

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ONE IMMORTAL: http://bit.ly/1OqYu4Z

Listen to the Spotify playlist for ONE IMMORTAL: http://bit.ly/1MpcWd1

Melissa is a vampire; Derek is a vampire hunter.

When beautiful, sad Melissa Jones flees to New Orleans with her telepathic best friend, she is looking for a cure—not an erotic encounter with a sexy former Marine.

Derek Alexander left the military intending to become a private investigator, but with two powerful shifters as partners and an immunity to vampire glamour, he instead rose to the top in paranormal justice.

At a bar on Bourbon Street, Derek and Melissa cross paths, and their sexual chemistry is off the charts. Acting on their feelings, they are pulled deeper into an affair, but Melissa is hiding, hoping to escape her cruel maker.

It doesn’t take long before the shifters uncover her secret. Still, Derek is determined to confront the Old One and reclaim her mortality—even at the risk of losing his.

A STANDALONE PARANORMAL ROMANCE with an HEA based on characters from the One to Hold series. Contains voluptuous vampires, alluring alpha military heroes, scorching-hot shifters, beguiling witches, and panty-melting sexy times. Keep the fans nearby… Readers 18 and older only, please.

ONE IMMORTAL

(A paranormal retelling of the Derek & Melissa story)

Melissa

Derek clears his throat, and glances down. “You told them?”

“Told us what?” Patrick looks up from where he and Elaine are sharing a private tête-à-tête consisting of smiles and soft laughter.

“My friend got a little hungry last night.” Elaine gives him a wink, but his expression turns fierce. If my friend weren’t blocking him, he’d be on his feet grabbing me.

“What the fuck?”

Derek extends a strong arm. “Take it easy. It doesn’t concern you.”

“Fucking concerns me if you end up dead and drained.”

“Oh god,” I whisper. “I’m sorry.” Turning in my seat, I have a straight shot for the door, and I take it.

I’m down the short flight of stairs, out on the flagstone sidewalk, when Derek catches me, cornering me between a white stucco column and a curtained window. His large body shields me from the street traffic.

“Where are you going?” A smile is in his voice, but I’m on the verge of tears.

“He’s right. I can’t risk your life like this.”

“It’s my decision, and I want to help you.”

Holding his arms, I can’t stop a shiver. “If anything happened to you. If I couldn’t stop—”

“You will. You controlled it last night. You’ll control it again.”

Shaking my head, my fingers tighten on his biceps. “You have no idea how hard it is to control.” His nearness, his breath against my skin sends desire racing to my core. “I can barely control it now.”

His head lowers, his breath a warm whisper at my cheek. “What are you feeling right now?”

Lifting my chin, I take a deep inhale of his masculine scent. My nose just touches his collarbone, following the line of his neck higher. My insides clench, and I feel his muscles respond to my nearness, beckoning me on. His pulse is just beneath his skin. A whispered moan exhales through my lips as they part, allowing me to touch him with my tongue.

With a hiss, I realize my fangs are out. I’m on the street, in the middle of a mercifully overcast day, on the edge of biting him again. My hand flies to cover my mouth, and I see desire burning in his navy eyes.

“Oh, god, Derek.” I can barely speak between my changed features and my hand.

He shocks me when he only grins. “Glad I’m not the only one who can’t hide how attracted I am to you.” A shift of his hips, and I feel the erection nudging my thigh.

It’s exactly what I needed, because a little laugh chokes out with my frightened tears. He pulls my face to his chest while we both attempt to regain control.

“Deep breaths, my love. I’m not going anywhere, and you’re not going to hurt me.”

Get ONE TO HOLD for FREE:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1G56m9A

iBooks: http://smarturl.it/iOTH

B&N: http://smarturl.it/OTHN

Kobo: http://smarturl.it/OTHKobo

ARe: http://bit.ly/19wehFF

Google Play: http://bit.ly/1cB7H6X

Grab the entire Series on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/1K0d4bV

Tia Louise is the Amazon and International Bestselling author of the ONE TO HOLD series.

From “Readers’ Choice” nominations, to picking up USA Today “Happily Ever After” nods, to winning a 2014 “Lady Boner Award” (LOL!), nothing makes her happier than communicating with fans and weaving new tales into the Alexander-Knight world of stories.

A former journalist, Louise lives in the center of the USA with her lovely family and one grumpy cat. There, she dreams up stories she hopes are engaging, hot, and sexy, and that cause readers rethink common public locations…

Books by Tia Louise:

One to Hold (Derek & Melissa), 2013

One to Keep (Patrick & Elaine), 2014

One to Protect (Derek & Melissa), 2014

One to Love (Kenny & Slayde), 2014

One to Leave (Stuart & Mariska), 2014

One to Save (Derek & Melissa), 2015

One to Chase (Amy & Marcus), 2015

One Immortal (PNR Derek & Melissa), Oct. 12, 2015!

One to Take (Stuart & Mariska), Jan/Feb 2016!

SIGNED COPIES: http://smarturl.it/SignedPBs

Connect with Tia:

Amazon Author Page: http://smarturl.it/TLMAA

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTiaLouise

Website: http://www.AuthorTiaLouise.com

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/AuthorTiaLouise

Instagram & Twitter: @AuthorTLouise

Tsu.com: https://www.tsu.co/TiaLouise

Grand Prize: Signed Set of the ENTIRE One to Hold Series

Signed Copy of One Immortal

$5 Amazon Gift Card

Share link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MDk5NjRmMDM5ZDM4YTBjYWM0YzAyYzM0NGI2ODRhOjc0OQ==/?

9Oct2015

It’s a Cover Reveal: Ignite by Tessa Teevan

Posted in Books I love, Cover Reveal by mkcooke

Ignite New Edition Cover Reveal (Explosive #1)

Add to GR

For its two year anniversary and the upcoming release of Fusion, book 5 in the Explosive series, Ignite is getting a bit of a makeover! Along with the new cover, it has been

revised and re-formatted! And stay tuned! Ignite will be just 99 cents on re-release day! All five books in the Explosive series are standalones.

Cover Model: Cody Callahan

Photographer: Scott Hoover

Cover Designer: Robin Harper at Wicked By Design

In just twenty-seven short years, Alexa Sullivan Tate has already lost the two great loves of her life. One to the Army; the other in a tragic car accident. Two years after the latter, a ghost from the past reappears, igniting feelings in Alexa she’d thought long dormant.

Jace McAllister has spent the last ten years in the Army, defusing bomb after bomb, trying to forget the girl who once set his world on fire. For him, she’s always been the one who got away. After a not-so-chance encounter places her back in his line of sight, he’s locked eyes on target, and won’t let her go without a fight.

Ten years ago their chemistry smoldered, and now the sparks threaten to light a fuse leading to an explosion between them even Jace can’t control. Not that he wants to. But when love has slipped through your fingertips before, how can you trust it will once again remain?

Will Alexa’s fear of love and loss destroy their second chance at a beautiful future before it can even begin?

Author Bio

Tessa is a twenty something book junkie who is also obsessed with sports. She works for the government during the day, hangs out with Air National Guard on the weekends, and has been married to her own book boyfriend for nine years. If she’s not writing or looking through tons of photos of hot men, all in the name of research, then you can probably find her curled up with my Kindle, ignoring the rest of the world.

Connect with the Author

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Just Say Yes by Elizabeth Hayley

Releasing: December 1, 2015

*****5 PHENOMENAL STARS*****

~Just Say Yes~

~The Best Medicine~

Be sure to check out Elizabeth Hayley’s other books because they are all AMAZING!

~Pieces of Perfect~

~Sex Snob~

~Picking Up the Pieces~

~Perfectly Ever After~

~Pieces Series Box Set~

To learn more about Elizabeth Hayley and their books check out the following links:

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Letting go is all Ronan’s ever known.

Will he realize a life with Keely is something

he should hold onto at any cost?

Find out in All That’s Left to Hold Onto by Ella Fox!

****4.5 All Feeling Stars****

Stalk Her: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Email | Website |

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Click the link below to enter the giveaway!!

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****4.5 Unforgettably Emotional Stars****

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BLURB REVEAL + GIVEAWAY

FREEING DESTINY

BY FAITH ANDREWS

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Maybe there’s only one direction to go when two people fall

in love at rock bottom—up.

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Grand Prize: Signed Set of the ENTIRE One to Hold Series

Signed Copy of One Immortal

$5 Amazon Gift Card

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Ignite New Edition Cover Reveal (Explosive #1)

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5 PHENOMENAL STARS

4.5 All Feeling Stars

4.5 Unforgettably Emotional Stars