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Showing posts with label Book Blitz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book Blitz. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Pre Order Today: Knight in Highland Armor by @amyjarecki

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covergifTitle: Knight in Highland Armor
Series: Highland Dynasty # 1
Author: Amy Jarecki
Audience: Adult
Genre: Scottish Historical Romance
Formats: E-book and Paperback
Publisher: Rapture Books
Cover by: Kim Killion
Pages: 380 pages
ISBN: 978-1502390295
ASIN: B00OQT919M
Expected Date of Publishing: Jan1, 2015.
 
 
blurb
Grieving from the death of his wife, Lord Colin Campbell listens to the cries of his newborn son whilst penning a missive to the king. With no marriage prospects, Colin petitions his majesty for help in finding a stepmother. Never again will he fall in love—the death of a woman brings more pain than losing a whole contingent of men on the battlefield.
Feisty, quick tongued and smart, Margaret Robinson is delighted when her father receives a messenger from the king…until she discovers what news he brings. In a sennight, she will wed the notorious Black Knight—her life is about to end.
Tension builds during the wedding and deteriorates from there…until an accident draws them together. Just when their love begins to blossom, a dire request arrives from the Pope. Colin must join the Crusades at once.
Their fragile love is forced to withstand the seductions of hell—Margaret tempted by a scoundrel laird—Colin courted by Satan himself. Aye, the war for Christendom could very well ruin their dreams forever.


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excerpt
Margaret reached into her purse to pluck a farthing when horse hooves pummeled the ground. Looking up, she scarcely had the chance to dash aside. Two riders thundered through the fete at a brisk canter. She tripped over her gown. The fruit flung from her basket as the horses sped past. Margaret crashed into something sturdy and hard. Her hands whipped around it, saving herself from falling. Her hood flew from her head and dropped to her back.
It wasn’t until a pair of massive arms encircled her that she realized she’d fallen into a man—a very large, very strong man. She inhaled. The heady and exotic fragrance of cloves laced with a hint of ginger and male toyed with her insides. Struggling to drag her feet beneath her, Margaret made the mistake of grasping him tighter. His back muscles bulged beneath his quilted doublet. Her heart fluttered.
“Forgive me,” she uttered breathlessly.
His enormous hands held her shoulders firmly and helped her gain her balance. “Are you all right, m’lady?”
Flustered, Margaret pushed away and smoothed her fingers over the white ribbon encircling her crown. She brushed her fingers down the length of her exposed tresses, cascading over her shoulder to her waist. First, her gaze leveled on his red tunic, with a white cross emblazoned on the center of his very broad chest. Then her eyes drifted to his face, framed by dun-colored curls. Beneath his cap, they shone like silk in the sun, and she wanted to reach up and touch them to see if his hair was actually as soft as it looked.
Dark brown, wide-set eyes gazed upon her with a glint of humor. They were so friendly, her tension immediately eased. His features were undeniably masculine; his bold nose slightly bent toward full lips that grinned, revealing a row of healthy white teeth.
“I…I am unscathed, thank you.” Margaret inhaled a stuttered breath and hoped to heaven she wasn’t blushing. “Please forgive me.”
“There is nothing to forgive. Those lads had no business riding through the fair at full tilt. I shall have a firm word with them.”
“I’m sure they are long gone…” Margaret peered up at his feathered ermine cap—a fur only worn by Scottish barons like her father. “…m’lord.” She stepped back, taking in the whole picture. She’d seen the square white cross on his tunic somewhere before—it definitely identified him as a knight, though she could not place the order. Unusually tall, he had to be at least eighteen hands—six feet was enormous, especially compared to her five. He wore a stylish doublet of black beneath the sleeveless tunic. His woolen hose were also black, and they clung to his thighs like a second skin. His muscles bulged when he stepped toward her with fashionably pointed shoes.
Mmm. ’Tis said clothes maketh the man.
He bent down and retrieved her basket. “I believe this is yours.”
“Thank you.” Margaret spotted apples and pears scattered everywhere. “But I’m afraid the fruit I’ve purchased is ruined.”
He frowned and stroked his bold chin. “Most unfortunate. Please allow me to replace it.”
“That should not be necessary. I only wished to help a poor man feed his family.”
“Most charitable of you, m’lady.” He offered a polite bow. “If you no longer require my assistance, I shall be on my way.”
“Very well. Should I fall again, I shall simply find another gallant knight to keep me from dousing myself in the mud.”
“A lucky man indeed to rescue a lady as bonny as you.” He bowed again and tapped his fingers to his hat. “Good day, m’lady.”
Margaret swooned, watching him walk away. Broad shoulders supported by a sturdy waist. To her delight, the knight’s doublet was short enough to give her a peek at his muscular buttocks. With a sigh, she smacked her lips while the crowd swallowed up the magnificent warrior’s form. If only her betrothed could be half as handsome.
“Margaret,” Mother called from across the aisle. “Come, I have something to show you.”
This time, she looked for racing horses before she set out. God forbid she fall into another knight. And heaven help her. On the morrow, she’d have to look upon such magnificent specimens with disinterested eyes. How on earth would she do that?


about the author
 
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Amy has won multiple writing awards and lives in Utah with her husband, Bob. She writes contemporary romance and Scottish historical romance. For fun, she hikes, bikes and plays a mean game of golf. Born in California, Amy holds an MBA from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland.

media links
Website / Blog / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads
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Monday, September 1, 2014

Book Blast, Giveaway & Top Ten: Hot Summer Nights Boxset

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book info




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Title: Hot Summer Nights
Series: Hot Summer Nights # 1
Author: Alicia Michaels, Carly Fall, Casse Narome, C.J. Baty, Elise Marion, Kacey Hammell, Peggy Martinez, R.K. Ryals
Audience: NA/Adult
Genre: Romance (Contemporary, some Time Travel and Paranormal)
Formats: E- book
Publisher: Indy Author Co., LLC
Cover by: PJ Friel
Pages: 402 pages
ASIN: B00M6GH4DC
Date Published: 7/30/2014
 
 
blurb
Welcome to the paradise of Dasia Island. In the Elysium Resort, nestled among the lush beauty of the rainforest, adventure and romance await.
Contains 9 short stories, from New Adult to Erotic Romance!
She’s a rich, spoiled brat. He’s a smarmy know-it-all. Chloe Sanders came to Dasia Island to lie on the beach and go to the spa. Chase Watkins is roughing in the rainforest with a research group, studying wildlife. The two couldn’t be more different, but in the swelter and mystery of the island, opposites just might attract.
Criminal attorney Jared Greer cares about one thing: the next big case. He doesn’t think about right and wrong when taking on a client; he thinks of the paycheck and lives lavishly.
A potential client brings him to Dasia Island where he teams up with Monica, an island local. As they organize the case documents and explore the resort, their passion makes Jared reconsider his life, especially if he wants Monica in it.
One man's trash is another woman's treasure.
Reeling from the loss of her husband to a carefree socialite, uptight Kennedy retreats to Dasia island for a little bit of R and R. Will she learn to let loose in the arms of Basil, the wild-child trust-fund baby with a silver tongue?
Gar Lancaster wasn't depressed, no matter what his sister said. He didn't need a trip to a tropical island to meet some guy for a vacation romance. But when Mike Peters kissed him on the balcony under a sea of stars with the pounding waves hitting the shore below them, things changed.
Maybe, he didn't need a happily ever after. Maybe happily for right now would be okay. Whatever happened, Gar was pretty sure he was in way over his head.
The loss of their son in a tragic accident left Jameson and Victoria Blake’s marriage in tatters. Together they were never able to move past it, and they parted ways after a painful divorce. But in the wilds of the rainforest, the realization that love has never died between them will rise to the surface.
Hand's off. That's Gemma Sands' cardinal rule when it comes to dating co-workers. But she'd like to get her hands on Michael Harmon.
Michael has his own idea about where he'd like to put his hands. But Gemma's steadfast rule means Michael simply admires from afar.
But when an unexpected layover on Dasia Island forces them to share tight quarters, they are unable to resist their passion, and finally surrender to every touch they desperately need.
Garrick Kaili ‘Kai’ Langston, heir to the 5-star Euthykhia Hotel, remains on Dasia Island out of loyalty to his family. But this building harbors some dark secrets—unsolved mysteries that haunt one of its oldest residents.
Some say Poppy Drummond had been swallowed by the deadly mist near the Dasia ruins. Others claim such notions are merely the product of a crazy mind…
But Kai is just about to find out—the truth is never what it seems when the walls between fantasy and reality crumble down.
Alyssa Monroe always dreamed of escaping to exotic locales as a photographer. Unfortunately, she’s spent the last four years capturing a truly frightening species with her camera instead. Celebrities. When the opportunity presents itself to visit the exotic Dasia Island, Alyssa is thrilled. Now if she can just deal with the only guide willing to take her deep into a forbidden forest. A sexy, tattooed local who sets her blood on fire and gets her camera finger itching
On Dasia Island, there’s a legend about a city of sin, a tragic story that ended in a mist of death. Haven Ambrose is a Journalism major on a mission. River Brayden is a meteorologist with a tropical system to follow. Their love is strong, but is it strong enough to survive a storm that leaves them stranded with an ancient evil?
 
 
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excerpt
 
“What are we doing here, Chloe?” He came closer to me, his hands finding my waist and pulling me close. “You’re exactly the kind of complication I don’t need in my life right now.”
My hands found his belt buckle, using it to pull him even closer to me until our hips met. “Yeah, well I don’t need you either,” I answered, standing on tiptoe to reach his lips. I bit down on his lower lip playfully and tugged. “But I want you. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.”
His hands slid down to grip my ass and he ground his hips against mine suggestively. “Want is instinctive, it’s something that can’t be helped. Why fight it?”
Slowly, deliberately, I slid his belt through the loop and reached for the button of his shorts. “I won’t fight it if you don’t,” I whispered, my fingers skimming the fine hairs running down his abdomen, and the bulging ripples of his muscles. His stomach clenched in response, the muscles in his neck and chest tensing.
Wordlessly, Chase reached up to the straps holding my bikini in place at the back of my neck. With a swift tug, he loosened it, causing the black triangles to fall away. His eyes fixated on my breasts, going wide as his tongue swept out to wet his lips. Another tug, and he had the strings at my back undone, letting the top fall away. His hands came up to touch me and I moaned, my back arching in invitation, begging for more. He kissed me again, his tongue invading my mouth this time, as he reached down to grasp my hips, lifting me until my legs were wrapped around his hips.
My fingers tangled in his hair as I kissed him back hungrily, my body surging with heat and lust so strong I couldn’t deny it any more. What did it matter that nothing could ever come of this? Hell, neither of us was ready for another relationship, anyway. It just felt so good to surrender, to lose myself in this guy who made me feel things no other guy ever had.
He sank to the ground, laying me back, his fingers running through my damp waves. One of his hands found my face, his thumb caressing my cheek. “What if I told you all of your makeup had washed off?” he asked with a smirk.
I scowled at him. “I’d say you were rude for pointing that out.”
He leaned close, his tongue finding my ear in a spine-tingling stroke. “And what if I told you that I thought you were beautiful just like this?” he whispered, his breath tickling my neck.

“I want you,” he whispered into her ear as he gently sucked her earlobe. “Now. I want to taste you, to touch you, to make you come. I want to be inside of you.”
She gasped, her eyes dancing as he met her gaze. “You sound so certain of yourself,” she teased.
“I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life, Monica. You set my blood on fire.”
He brought her closer so that his rigid length pressed into her stomach.
“Do you always get what you want, Jared?” she asked, moving her hips and causing friction against his cock.
He let out a soft moan, and ran his thumb over her bottom lip. “Not always.”
“And what makes you think you’re going to get what you want tonight?”
Glancing around, he found a dark corner. Unable to believe what he was going to do, he led her over there and gently pushed her up against the wall, his body shielding her from anyone who may look their way. “I’m going to get what I want, because you want it, too, Monica,” he murmured. He’d never performed a sexual act in public, but never before had he desired a woman the way he wanted her. His hand trailed up her thigh, under her dress to her bikini bottom. She didn’t stop him.
“What are you looking for?” I began walking around the room and picked up miscellaneous clothes and made a neat pile.
“I think a woman about your size left a suit here one night. We had bought it from one of the shops because I was going to take her out on the water. She had curves for days.” She laughed at the memory. “Yeah, we never made it out the door.”
“So you are a lesbian?” My heart pounded in my chest.
“Yep. Is that gonna be an issue for you?” She didn’t sound too concerned.
“No, I just—”
“Found it!” she exclaimed, and jumped down from her perch. “Here, look. It is green and matches your eyes perfectly. Try it on.” She tossed it to me.
I held them up. What the fuck? How was this even considered clothing? This was the skimpiest thing I had ever seen.
“I could turn around if you are worried about it.” Basil rolled her eyes and turned her back. “I won’t even peek.”
But what if I want you to? What? No.
“I am worried … about how little fabric there is,” I admitted.
“Well, that is the best part. I may have overstated the board shorts description.” Basil turned around and made her way to me. Placing her hands on my shoulders, she spun me until I faced the wall.
I imagined her pushing me against it; pressing her body against mine while she took me with her fingers. I swallowed hard when I felt her fingers against my skin as she unzipped my black dress. Her fingertips grazed across the top of my ass before they fell away.
“What are you doing?” My voice was a whisper and I couldn’t catch my breath.
Basil leaned into me, putting her mouth to my ear. She smelled amazing. I wanted to drown in her fragrance. The crispness of fresh apples, pears, and the heat of nutmeg.
“You are going to look amazing, trust me.”
I shivered. Her hands gathered my hair and began to French braid it back from my face. All too soon, I felt her back away from me.
“I will wait outside for you to change. That way you’ll feel more comfortable. No snooping.” She laughed and sauntered out the door.
I finally exhaled. Holy shit, I was in trouble.

It was the same as the night before on his balcony, when we kissed for the first time. Fire igniting low in my belly then traveling north, south, east and west, everywhere all over me. Even if the water had been like ice, it wouldn't have mattered. I was burning up with a need and it was clear, only Mike could quench it.
"Gar, God I want you," Mike barely breathed the words against my lips. His voice rough and as needy as I felt.
"Fuck, yes!" I moaned in return.
"We'll get to that but for now," he unlocked our bodies. Taking my hand he led me to a large smooth flat boulder along the bank of the pool. Some crazy wild flower was blooming beside it. Fleetingly, I remembered it was called a Bird of Paradise. It seemed fitting.
Tapping my hips with his strong fingers, he said, "Up." He helped me to sit on the rock. "Lay back," he demanded. He stood in the water between my wide spread legs.
The rock was as smooth as it had looked and hot to the touch. It felt like those warm stones they place on your back during a massage. The heat relaxed me and let me drift into the sensations I was feeling. I closed my eyes against the sun's blinding rays.
"God you are beautiful." Mike's words reached a place deep inside me. They soothed away the last of the hurt and insecurity Bill had left me with.
"And this," he said, taking my aching hard length in his hand, "is perfect."
I had no time for a snarky comeback because my cock was suddenly encased in the wet heat of Mike's mouth.
"Shit!" I heard myself scream.
My hips thrust up and a contented groan left my body. So long. Too long. Much too long since anyone had lathed this kind of sweet torture on me. It was paradise.
He was good. This was not going to take very long. I should have been embarrassed but I didn't give a shit. I was too wrapped up in the drag and pull of his tongue across overly sensitive skin. The strong suck as he moved up and the soft flicks of his tongue as he went down were driving me closer and closer to an edge I was ready to fall off of. Yes, he was damn good.
I felt the burn start in my balls. Rising up on my elbows as it moved up my body, I looked at him. I had to see, had to watch, him work his magic over me. I tried to say the words, warn him before the eruption but he lifted those steel gray eyes, now nearly black, stared at me and I lost it. Long streams jetted from my body into his. The orgasm that rocked through me, shook my body violently and somewhere in the distance I heard someone shouting. It was me.
Mike's cool wet body lowered over mine. His lips searched until they found mine. This kiss was sweeter. I could still taste the fruit we had shared but now my own taste was mingled in when our tongues began to dance again. The feel of Mike's still hard erection pressed against my hip and the kiss became more demanding. It brought me alive again.
I reached for him, gripping his length tightly. He was long and hot in my hand. He humped my fist urgently. I had no qualms about returning the blow job and truth be known I wanted to taste him. I moved to reposition myself and he stopped me.
"Another time," he panted. "For now this," he bucked his hips and grabbed my hand to grip him harder, "is enough...too much...won't last!" And he didn't.

“I just want to talk, Vickie. I haven’t seen you since we signed the papers, and I … can’t we just talk? That’s all I want.”
Victoria hesitated. Her hand wrapped tightly around the doorknob. “What is there to talk about?”
Jameson’s brow furrowed as he leaned in close. His breath tickled her cheek when he whispered, “Everything.”
“Won’t the woman you came with start to wonder where you are?” She felt petty for even broaching the subject, but she had to know.
He laughed. “Come on, Vic, you know me better than that. I’m here with Travis and Sean, guys only. Did you honestly think I’d want to experience this place with any woman but you?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Are you going to stand there and tell me you’ve been celibate for an entire year?” She had him there. The guilt on his face told her everything she needed to know. For some reason, the thought of him with another woman made her angry. “Good-bye, Jameson,” she snapped, going to slam the door in his face.
He blocked it with his foot, shoving his body halfway into the room. He reached for her, his fingers wrapping around her arm. “There have been two,” he admitted. “And I hated every second of it. I couldn’t enjoy it because neither of them were you.”
“You’re the only man I’ve ever given my body to,” she pointed out. That confession seemed to please him. His eyes grew heavy-lidded as he leaned toward her, his lips brushing her hairline as he leaned close. “I just want to talk, Vickie. I haven’t seen you since we signed the papers, and I … can’t we just talk? That’s all I want.”
Victoria hesitated. Her hand wrapped tightly around the doorknob. “What is there to talk about?”
Jameson’s brow furrowed as he leaned in close. His breath tickled her cheek when he whispered, “Everything.”
“Won’t the woman you came with start to wonder where you are?” She felt petty for even broaching the subject, but she had to know.
He laughed. “Come on, Vic, you know me better than that. I’m here with Travis and Sean, guys only. Did you honestly think I’d want to experience this place with any woman but you?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Are you going to stand there and tell me you’ve been celibate for an entire year?” She had him there. The guilt on his face told her everything she needed to know. For some reason, the thought of him with another woman made her angry. “Good-bye, Jameson,” she snapped, going to slam the door in his face.
He blocked it with his foot, shoving his body halfway into the room. He reached for her, his fingers wrapping around her arm. “There have been two,” he admitted. “And I hated every second of it. I couldn’t enjoy it because neither of them were you.”
“You’re the only man I’ve ever given my body to,” she pointed out. That confession seemed to please him. His eyes grew heavy-lidded as he leaned toward her, his lips brushing her hairline as he leaned close.
“You’re the only woman I’ve ever given my heart to,” he whispered.
Victoria swayed toward him, losing her grip on the blanket. It fell to her feet, revealing the nightshirt she wore. Jameson sucked in a sharp breath—the T-shirt was his, an old ratty thing he used to wear while tinkering beneath the hood of his truck. For weeks after he’d moved out, the shirt still held his scent. At the time, she wore it to cling to the last part of him that was left with her, but now the scent was gone. Now, she wore it simply because it was his.
“Let me in, Vickie,” he said, his eyes coming back up to hers. “I’m not asking anymore.”
“You’re the only woman I’ve ever given my heart to,” he whispered.
Victoria swayed toward him, losing her grip on the blanket. It fell to her feet, revealing the nightshirt she wore. Jameson sucked in a sharp breath—the T-shirt was his, an old ratty thing he used to wear while tinkering beneath the hood of his truck. For weeks after he’d moved out, the shirt still held his scent. At the time, she wore it to cling to the last part of him that was left with her, but now the scent was gone. Now, she wore it simply because it was his.
“Let me in, Vickie,” he said, his eyes coming back up to hers. “I’m not asking anymore.”

“Problem, Gemma?”
Surprised by the rough voice behind her, she spun around quickly. Her heart jumped at the sight of Michael Harmon.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.”
She waved him off. “No worries. Just jumpy today I guess. And there are no rooms available for me.”
“Shit, that’s rough. I think I got the last room.”
“Gemma, I’m sorry,” Crystal returned to the counter, “our sister resort is full as well.” She pleaded with her eyes for Gemma to understand. “I can call around to a few others. See what I can find.”
Gemma shook her head. “No, that’s okay. I’ll grab a seat in the restaurant, get a bite to eat, and make some calls. Can I get that list of hotels in the area? I’ll bring it back once I’ve reached them all.”
Crystal handed her the phone listings. “I’m very sorry.”
“Gemma, you can have my room. I’ll find somewhere else.” Michael sidled closer. “Crystal, change my booking to hers, please.”
“No. Thank you, Michael, that’s very kind of you, but I’ll be fine.”
“Nonsense. I insist.”
“Of course, Michael.” Crystal grinned and looked from one to the other. “Although, what I could do, since you both work together, is put you in the same room. There is a guestroom one of you could use, and you can share the common areas.”
Gemma stared at the other woman, wondering if she’d gone crazy. Share a room with
Michael? That was Crystal’s solution?
“No, umm, that’s okay. Honestly, it’s not the end of the world.” The last of her sentence came out on a yawn. Embarrassed, she covered her mouth. “I’m so sorry. I’ll see you both later, I have things to do.”
Michael put a hand on her arm, halting her when she made a grab for her suitcase.
“That’s a great idea, Crystal. Do that, and we’ll head to the room now. Thanks for your help.”
“Of course. If you need anything from room service or anything, the extensions are on
the table beside the phone.” She picked up the phone and punched in a few keys. “I’ll have extra towels delivered there right now.”
Gemma gawked at him. “Michael, really … you don’t have to do this. I’m sure I’ll find
something.”
He grabbed her suitcase, and his, and rolled them both behind him. “Come on, Gem, let’s get some shut eye. I’m exhausted.”
Gemma rushed along behind him, wishing her legs were a bit longer to keep up.
Breathing heavy, she caught him at the corner to the west wing hallway. “I never thought of you as so difficult before. And bossy.”
Michael laughed and strode on. At least she’d be near the library. However, she wasn’t sure a book would keep her attention. Not with the hunky Michael Harmon bunking with her. It was difficult enough to keep her ogling of him to a minimum when they were at work or on a job, but to see him in such a domestic and relaxed manner ... her steadfast rule against getting involved with co-workers might fly out the window.
Every time he was around her, she wanted to jump his bones, easing the ache inside.
Since meeting Michael, all other men paled in comparison, and she hadn’t been with a man in over two years. Admittedly, she was very fussy about the men she dated, even more so about whom she took to her bed. All she could think about these days was Michael.
Regardless, she didn’t want to mix business and pleasure.
Sometimes she hated herself for making the self-imposed rule.

She bit into her BLT as he deftly picked up a piece of sushi with chopsticks and popped it into his mouth. The sight of raw fish on the huge, eighteen-piece platter made her gag. Big didn’t only describe him physically … he put that extra something in everything he did, too. An all-or-nothing kind of guy, she figured.
She wondered if he’d also prove that way between the sheets.
Shaking the lurid thoughts away, she focused on eating—and watching him eat. He picked up a piece with a slice of what looked like raw salmon on top. The disgust must have shown on her face because his lips curved in his trademark crooked smile that gave him a roguish air. The dimples made a prompt appearance, creating a major meltdown of her insides.
“These are prime grade fish cuts,” he said. “But I also have teriyaki chicken pieces and tempura shrimp. They’re cooked. You like shrimp?”
She nodded as she suspiciously eyed a piece he hooked with his chopsticks and raised it to her mouth.
“Open up ... there.” He slid it between her lips, slowly, carefully, as though performing a sensitive operation.
As her mouth closed over the food, their eyes held for a couple of seconds, then he gingerly removed the chopsticks and watched her chew. The seaweed wrap didn’t taste as foul as she thought—fresh, more like—and the crispy part of the tempura toned down the taste of the spice.
She finally issued her verdict, “Not bad.”
They finished their meals, stealing glances at each other. Kai kept one of his hands dangerously close to hers. If he moved a finger, he’d touch hers, which she kept on the table, just in case ... I want to feel your hand on mine again.
Unfortunately, he removed the hand to check his watch. “Best get a move on. I sent a text to Mr. Crawley, and expect him to contact me early morning. I’ll be bringing him over. You’ll probably have to come back to the bank with him to complete some paperwork. Don’t worry, I’ll be there in case you need me,” he added at the end, seeing her worried frown.
“I can take care of myself, but—”
He held a hand up. “Please, I get it. This is a different world, but things will work out. You’re a sharp cookie.”
“And how do you know?”
“Trust me,” he said, his eyes narrowed on her, “I know.”
Her cheeks heated at his regard. “Thank you for today. I’ll pay you back.”
A pause. “No need. Consider it a ‘welcome back’ gift from me.”
Somehow, his words caused a lump of emotion in her throat. This man cared so much for her mother—and also for her. She bit her lip as she dealt with the flash flood that drowned her senses. She quickly got a hold of herself. “I suppose we should go.”
And so they went, back home to her mother. They stood facing each other by the cottage door. Her neck hurt with the strain of looking up at him.
“How tall are you?” she blurted out.
“Six foot six.”
“Taller than—”
“Yes,” he said curtly. “Taller.” Clearly, he didn’t appreciate being compared to another man.
“Sorry,” she felt compelled to say, her gaze never leaving his. He had to see she was sincere.
“It’s okay, just ... I’m a lot like my great-uncle, much more than I’m like Granddad, but we’re not the same man, okay?”
She nodded. “I know. You’ve been amazing.” She swallowed hard when he bent down a little, bringing his lips a few inches from hers. “I really appreciate—”
Closing the distance between them, he kissed her on the cheek, close to the side of her mouth. His lips felt incredibly warm on her skin. She smelled the breath mint he’d just had, as well as the musky cologne on his neck, and the essence of pure male that sent her head spinning. Oh sweet God above. Oh man ... so much man. Kiss me, Kai ...

I met the man’s stare, trying to look as haughty as I could. However, his eyes were the color of the ocean that we had both just fallen into—blue and clear, with the stars twinkling in their reflection—and his face was tan, which I could easily tell even in the semidarkness. He worked in the sun, or at the very least spent a lot of time enjoying it. His mouth was full and beyond kissable. The man was altogether one of the most attractive men I’d ever seen. His nose appeared to have been broken once or twice, but that only added to his fiercely good looks. His eyes narrowed as I gaped at him, still sprawled on top of him like an idiot. I felt my face blush in mortification, and scrambled to get off of him, unwinding my legs from his. I mumbled curses beneath my breath as I tried to pull down the fabric of my dress—that had adhered to my upper thighs and stomach—and to cover my lacey panties, which were showing for all of the world to see.
The man, still on the ground, chuckled deeply, the sound raising goose bumps along my wet skin. I scowled down at him. He was leaning back on his arms, half reclining and gazing at me with a crooked grin.
“What are you staring at?” I snapped, as I peeled the fabric down, trying to reclaim at least a tiny bit of my dignity. “This is all your fault.” His brow rose at that, but I was too embarrassed and enraged to care.
“I was minding my own business, enjoying the water and the moonlight, and then you ruined it.” He smiled widely now, making my anger reach new heights and causing my temper, which I usually held under tight control, to flare. “What the hell were you doing anyway? Planning on drowning an innocent woman tonight, hmm?” I threw at him. His smile vanished, and he quickly moved to his knees, grabbing my thighs in his hands tightly and holding me in place. My nostrils flared and I struggled for a second before giving up, not wanting to give myself bruises while trying to escape his grip.
“Sweetheart, if I’d wanted you or anyone else dead, you’d never have known it was coming,” he whispered harshly. His grip loosened, and he put a hand out to tug the fabric of my dress down over my butt, his knuckles skimming the lace there as he did. I sucked in a breath and waited to see what he planned. My eyes widened as his gaze held mine and he continued to put my dress to rights. When he was finished, he stood up and I realized just how large he was. He towered over me by a good four inches. His shoulders were broad, his white T-shirt plastered to his muscular chest, and dark tattoos that I couldn’t make out in the darkness covering both of his arms. I could also see one peeking out from the collar of his shirt as well, and couldn’t help but wonder what it was and where it led to.

“A city of sin,” she said suggestively, as if her hips weren’t invitation enough.
The rainforest surrounding us was full of noise, chattering birds, buzzing insects, and enough humidity to match any day back home. A mosquito nipped me on the neck, and I quickly slapped at it.
“How much sin are we talking about?” I asked.
Haven hiked through the foliage, her eyes on the trees above us. A macaw was perched on a limb, its plumage bright and colorful, and its gaze on Haven. Her eyes were riveted on the bird, and I realized suddenly that this was the first time Haven had ever been out of our small hometown. Life hadn’t been kind to her, but she’d survived it with a kind heart and a brilliant spirit.
I almost let it slip then, the words I’d been fighting all day not to say. It wasn’t time yet.
“Hamartia,” Haven said thoughtfully. “A village that simply disappeared.”
I scanned the forest. “They probably got eaten by a wild beast.”
It was not the best idea being in the rainforest alone without a guide. Haven was an adventurer. She saw something, and she went after it.
I saw the sign before she did.
Enter at your own risk.
“Should this be comforting?” I asked.
The sign was the first thing either of us had seen in miles. There had only been close forest, and the uncomfortable realization that there was wildlife here a lot more vicious than the wildlife back home.
Haven’s excitement lit up her face. She grabbed my arm, her fingers digging into my damp flesh.
“This has to be it,” she exclaimed.
Haven was beautiful, and she didn’t even know it. It was part of what made her so unique.
My hand pushed at a large leaf over the sign. “We can’t explore it standing here.”
She laughed, the sound filling the forest. A startled macaw launched into the air, its colorful wings shuddering. Beneath the foliage, an iguana skittered deeper into the forest debris.
Ducking, Haven entered the area first, her sudden silence enough to rush me.
The sight that met my eyes was as breathtaking as the woman next to me.
“The city of sin,” Haven whispered.
A city of sin indeed.

topten

 

Top TEN Favorite Fictional heroes

Peggy Martinez

10. Rick Grimes from The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman

9. Valek from Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

8. Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

7. Magnus Bane from the Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare

6. Peeta Malark from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

5. Dimitri Belikov from Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

4. Eric Northman from the Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris

3. Leo Pellisier from the Jane Yellowrock Series by Faith Hunter

2. Jericho Barrons from the Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning

1. Edward Rochester from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte


 

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Friday, August 29, 2014

Book Blast, Giveaway & Top Ten: The Necromancer’s Betrayal by @SebastianMimi

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clip_image002_thumb[1]The Necromancer’s Betrayal

The Necromancer Series

Book 2

Mimi Sebastian

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Publisher: ImaJinn/Belle Books

ISBN: 978-1611945119

ASIN:

Number of pages: 226

Cover Artist: Debra Dixon

Book Description:

Her powers have been hobbled. Her enemies are growing stronger.

Old loves challenge her. And her worst betrayer may be herself.

Necromancer Ruby Montagne is battling for her life in the realm of demons. Unfairly branded for the death of a fellow necromancer, she’s got to prove her innocence without the full use of her magic. And the real culprit is still on the loose.

While someone is stalking her friends among the witches, Ruby searches for answers inside the dark intrigues of both the demon and necromancer worlds. Ruby must confront this new, sinister threat while reconciling her feelings for her former lover, a demon warrior. Only it’s difficult . . . because a sexy vampire is making it clear that he’d like to be a lot more than just friends.

The competition for Ruby’s trust heats up as the enemy pushes her toward a dark side that could threaten the entire realm. Yet what can Ruby do when she’s not even sure what she is? With the fabric separating the realms at stake, she must decide whom to trust. But will the ultimate betrayal be her own?

Available at Amazon

excerpt

“See, that’s the difference between demons and vamps. No honor, here.”

I stuttered a laugh. “Demons do not have honor.” I paused. “You have honor. You just don’t want to admit it.”

“Does an honorable vampire lust after the woman his friend desires, but can’t have?”

I laughed, taking his words as typical alpha supe flirtation, but when I looked at his face, my laughter stilled. He wasn’t joking. I dropped my gaze to the deck, and he returned to messing with the sails.

His admission had tainted our breezy conversation, and a salty awkwardness layered the air between us for the rest of the cruise. When Ewan had stumbled upon Lysander comforting me after my encounter with Dominic, I had to lie to him. Of course, that led him to imagine a much worse scenario than the actual truth, which I couldn’t reveal. Now a new, more insurmountable obstacle divided Ewan and me, but the episode with Lysander was almost more unacceptable to Ewan because I’d caused it. And now, Ewan had written our relationship off, and I was sailing in the moonlight on a boat captained by a hot vampire, who used to be a pirate, and who had given me the occasional glimpse into a passion and vulnerability that would be increasingly hard to resist. I was screwed.

We cruised into the Oakland Inner Harbor, heading for the Alameda Marina. He pulled up next to a catamaran and docked the boat. We disembarked and traversed the wooden dock, heading for one of the new oyster bars that signaled the revitalization of the once-industrial area. I clutched my scarf against the chilly air creeping along the waterfront. The nearly-full moon projected an incandescent glow onto the water, providing the only light to dispel the thickening darkness. We left the dock and took a dirt path intersecting a concrete sea wall on our left and a string of warehouses on our right. The only sound came from the water slapping against the sea wall. I darted my eyes around us and sidled closer to Lysander. The shadows lengthened, seeming to nip at my heels as we walked. Shadows didn’t have malevolent intent, did they? These seemed to crouch, ready to pounce; Seemed to whisper, “Come . . .”

Lysander gave me a reassuring look, obviously perceiving my nervousness. The lights of the bar about fifty feet ahead became visible, and I shook off my anxiousness. I was with a fricking vampire who used to be a pirate.

Lysander stumbled.

“Not very smooth for a vampire,” I said with a laugh.

He didn’t laugh back. His only response was to stop suddenly and groan. I moved to face him and recoiled at the sight of his face illuminated by the moonlight. “What the hell? You’re turning all Nosferatu on me. I liked the movie and all, but it’s not a look that works for you.”

When he met my eyes, and I saw his confusion and desperation, I realized this wasn’t some normal vampire transformation. His skin was shriveling in sick slow motion before me, prune-like, turning to the color of ash and flaking away as if burning from the inside out. “Oh, Christ. Lysander, what’s happening?”

“I don’t know,” he managed to croak from a throat that was shrinking upon itself.

Whispers, real now, louder, drifted toward us from the shadows clinging to the spaces between the warehouses. No. I’m not going crazy. Someone is out there. “Who’s there? Son of a bitch. Show yourself!”

A soft laugh answered me.

Fuck this. I turned toward the warehouses, but a tug on my pants stopped me. “Blood,” Lysander rasped.

“Where . . . oh.” He meant my blood. “We can’t.”

“I’m dying.” His voice sounded as shriveled as he looked. His skin was no more than a thin layer of plastic shrink-wrapped around protruding bones.

I slapped my head with my palm. Oh God. Oh God. I can’t do this. I wasn’t worried about transforming into a bloodsucker. I knew it took much more than a few blood exchanges to turn someone. My fear came from my own power. Like with Dominic’s lieutenant, the necromancy could taint the blood connection and turn Ly into a zombie. I took another look at him and dispelled my fear. He was dying. Maybe he was stronger than Dominic’s lieutenant. Maybe his blood would resist my power. Please.

I squatted next to him, held out my wrist, and squeezed my eyes, not sure what to expect. Getting sucked on by a vampire was supposed to feel better than ecstasy—that’s why so many people frequented the vampire club—but when the lieutenant had sucked my blood, his fangs had felt like hot pokers ramming into my neck.

Lysander jerked his fangs into my wrist, and I cried out. Okay. No pleasure here. His fangs shook, like he needed his fix bad. He tore at my skin with sloppy slurps. I gritted my teeth at the pain that scorched my wrist. My arm shook, but he held tight and sucked. I didn’t even know if this would work. I didn’t want him to die, but what would I do if he transformed into a zombie? I felt my power murmur inside me, unhappy at the intrusion, but I stamped it down, hopefully before it could taint the blood.

Lysander pulled off my wrist. The force of the movement caused me to fall back on my ass. The air and ground spun around me, and I fought off the nausea with deep breaths. The moonlight slashed across Lysander’s profile, and I sighed, relieved at the pale, vampire tone of his wonderfully tight and unshriveled skin. I reached out my hand, trembling violently, and touched his shoulder. He twisted his head, and I recoiled, seeing the same emptiness in his eyes that the lieutenant had reflected when he’d drunk my blood.

No. No. No

  topten

Top Ten Necromancers

Mimi Sebastian

Because the protagonist of my books is a necromancer, Ruby Montagne, I decided to make my top ten list of some well-known and maybe lesser well-known, but interesting and powerful necromancers. One of the fun things about writing necromancers was discovering just how varied their powers were in literature, gaming, and movies. There are various versions of necromancers, but the most agreed upon definition is a person who can summon dead spirits and/or the dead, and summon demons. Necromancy differs from voodoo or occultism because a practitioner of voodoo uses physical magic while a necromancer’s power comes from within and can be accessed without magical ritual. So here’s my list, counting down to number one.

10. Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake.

9. Randall Flagg, from Stephen King’s the Dark Tower series. He’s a sorcerer and a servant of the Outer Dark. His abilities combine necromancy, prophecy, and influence over animal and human behavior.

8. Sauron from the Hobbit/Lord of the Rings. He controls the ring-wraiths!

7. Harry Keogh from Brian Lumley’s Necroscope novels.

6. Jamie Vegas from Kelley Armstrong’s Women of the Otherworld. Love this character. She’s not the kick ass werewolf like Elena and is limited in what she can do, but she demonstrates her strength in other ways like how sexy she is, especially with Jeremy!

5. Re-Animator/H.P. Lovecraft’s Dr. Herbert West. This take on reanimation was interesting in that Herbert West is a scientist who invents a serum to bring the dead back to life. Okay, maybe not exactly fitting the definition, but I have to include just for the decapitated head scene alone! (Re-Animator was based on the H.P. Lovecraft story titled simply, Herbert West-Reanimator.)

4. Ruby, the necromancer from my Necromancer Books, of course!

3. John Constantine, the D.C. anti-hero from the Hellblazer comics and a member of Justice League Dark. He can summon demons, travel between realms, even resurrected himself, and raise the dead.

2. Greek Oracles. In addition to communicating with the gods, they were known to commune with the dead. A nekromanteion chamber was discovered in Greece, the very one mentioned by Homer in the The Odyssey, in which Odysseus sacrifices to the spirit of his friend during his journey to the land of the dead. The area where they discovered the nekromanteion, Phiri, was a heavily religious center for over three thousand years where the people strove to commune with the spirits of their dead relatives.

1. Evil Ash from the Army of Darkness movie. One of my favorites! Love the movies and love Bruce Campbell as Ash. Evil Ash himself rises from the dead and raises an army of “deadites”.

This is my list. Anyone want to add to the list, please leave a comment!

 

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  abouttheauthor

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Mimi Sebastian raised herself on books and the strange and unusual, and an unhealthy dose of comics and movies. When a career as a punk guitarist failed to materialize, she completed her degree in urban planning, spent two years in the Ivory Coast with the Peace Corps, and another three years in Brazil. By day, she debates the merits of transport oriented development, by night she writes about necromancers and pirates. She’s convinced she could live off coffee, ice cream, and comic books, but is sure only one of those is good for her health.

She's a member of Romance Writers of America and the Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal chapter of RWA. A transplant from the beaches of Florida, Mimi now wanders the desert in Phoenix, AZ, and attempts to balance writing with a day career, fantastic family, and household diva: her Amazon parrot.

 

www.mimisebastian.com

https://www.facebook.com/NecromancerSeriesMimiSebastianAuthor

https://twitter.com/SebastianMimi

http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13508578-mimi-sebastian

Monday, August 18, 2014

Book Blast & Giveaway: Complicated by MM Koenig

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Complicated - eBook   Synopsis Mia Ryan has learned the hard way that her choices can have horrible consequences. Taking an offer that was supposed to get her life back on track was nothing but a ploy. To keep the ones she holds dear safe, she's forced to finish what she started, without any hope of finding out why she was targeted in the first place. Though Mia has Ethan by her side, she can't seem to believe in him, especially since most of his life remains a mystery. Ethan Fitzgerald has done everything in his power to prove to Mia that she can trust him, but it never seems to be enough to convince her to drop the last wall around her heart. With deep and dark secrets lurking around every corner, he has his own plan to keep Mia from any danger, but it may just shatter their love forever. There are so many questions – with even more shocking answers – and when Mia uncovers the truth, nothing will ever be the same...

Genre New Adult/ Romantic Suspense

Expected Publication Date August 5th 2014

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Excerpt

I heard waves crashing as my nose caught the salty scent of the ocean. I rolled over to red rose petals scattered throughout the bed with a long stemmed one lying in the middle. Securing the sheet around me, I rested on my elbows before picking up the single rose. Ethan was on his side with his deep brown eyes on me. I twirled the rose and gave him a soft smile. He was without a shirt and propped on an elbow. His messy hair was wet with droplets of water dripping along his neck into the contours of his shoulders before sliding down his carved chest. The sunlight pouring in from the window made his body gleam. He always aroused me instantly, but staring at him now made him seem even more God-like and I wanted every part of him. “Did you take a shower without me? That has to be a first,” I speculated. Ethan reached over to tuck my hair behind my ears. His hand trailed down my side to rest on mine. “I got up at sunrise to catch some waves,” he clarified. “I didn’t know you surfed. I’m not surprised, since you like wakeboarding so much.” He brought our bodies so close that our chests were nearly touching. My heart sped up as he leaned over me with his hand clamped on my hip. “I surf, but you’re wrong about boarding. I don’t like it – I love it. Surfers get really pissy if boarders ruin their ride so I don’t wakeboard when I’m on the ocean. I settle for catching waves on a different board, but I don’t love it nearly as much.” I caught the passion in his eyes. Ethan loved doing anything on the water. My mouth twisted into an adoring grin as I stared at my magnificent boyfriend. “You taught me how to board. I suppose you can teach me how to surf too?” I offered. Ethan chuckled. “I’d love to. I’m not sure if we’ll have time on this trip. I’ll line up another one soon. We should go to Hawaii or Australia. If you’re going to learn, you might as well learn in one of the best surfing spots on the planet.” His hand veered from my hip down to my ass where he gently pinched me. Ethan licked his luscious lips with a hungry look in his eyes. I knew that look. My breaths started becoming shorter as I responded to his fingers traveling further down. Ethan hovered over me and pulled at my elbows so I dropped to my back. He took the rose out of my hand and set it on the nightstand before sliding down the sheet. His lips fell to my collarbone and water dripped from his hair into my cleavage. The coolness of it sizzled with the fire in me.

About the Author

DSCN3229M. M. Koenig was born and raised in Minnesota. She now lives in the Twin Cities area with her loving dog Marley. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a Bachelors of Science in Sociology. M. M. Koenig enjoys being active and has a variety of interests that coincide with her passion for life. Always one to try new things, she has acquired a variety of skills. Her sarcastic nature and multitude of experiences tend to find their way into her novels. When she has free time and isn't writing, she spends as much time as she can with friends and family. To fuel her soul, she is constantly looking for new music, movies, and books to keep the writer's block at bay.

Connect with M. M. Koenig!

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

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