Thursday, October 31, 2013

abandon-cover
Expected Release Date: January 2014
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Cover reveal organized by: Shh Moms Reading
  SYNOPSIS Tristan never gave a shit about the girls he used and abandoned. His manwhore ways were ingrained in him from birth. His past has always been a mystery his conquests have wanted to crack, but no one has been able to... until now. Senia has always fallen for the wrong guys, but this time she's fallen for the worst of them. Her attempts to guard her heart from Tristan's charms and sexual magnetism only spur on his pursuit. And soon, the electric energy between Tristan and Senia sparks a fire too wild to contain. Now Tristan must decide if he will abandon his old ways or if he will stay true to his past and abandon Senia instead. Note: This is a spin-off from the Shattered Hearts Series and can be read as a standalone.   EXCERPT
abandon
CHAPTER ONE
 
She walks into Yogurtland with her cell phone pressed to her ear and a scowl on her face. Behind the scowl, her vulnerability shines like a fucking nuclear explosion in a dark closet. Whoever she’s talking to has stripped her bare. I find myself wishing it were me who affected her that way. She’s digging inside her purse while balancing the phone between her shoulder and her ear; probably searching for money to get her frozen yogurt fix. What is it about frozen yogurt that makes us feel better? Maybe it reminds us of being kids, and how something as simple as a trip to the yogurt shop could turn a bad day into a great one. Whatever it is, I can see that she desperately needs some frozen yogurt. But with each passing moment that she’s unable to locate her money, I see the hope draining from her face. “I told you to stop calling me. I don’t care if your car is in the shop. I’m not picking you up!” She drops her purse and cell phone onto the checkered tile floor and curses loudly. “What the fuck are you staring at?!” she barks at the man who’s ogling her ass while ushering his small child out of the shop. “You’ve never seen a girl in a skirt bend over?” She falls to her knees as she reaches for the cell phone first. She presses it to her ear and says hello a few times before she realizes there’s no one there. I walk over to her, coolly taking my time, then I kneel next to her and reach for the lipstick tube that rolled behind her left foot. I hold it out in front of her. She looks sideways at me and her mouth drops as she’s stunned into silence. Most girls are stunned when they see me. I’m used to that. But Senia has seen me plenty of times. She’s not amazed by my good looks. She’s stupefied by my impeccable timing. Her gaze immediately falls to my lips, which are just inches from her own. Then she begins to sob as she throws her arms around my neck. I can’t help but chuckle. “Hey, it’s okay,” I whisper into her ear as I breathe in her scent. She smells like strawberries or pineapple. Something fruity. It’s intoxicating. I reach up and grab her face to pull her away, so I can look her in the eye. “What flavor do you want?” A tear rolls down her face and I wipe it away as she stares at me, still dumbfounded. “Cheesecake, with strawberries.” “Perfect.” I help her gather the rest of her belongings into her purse then I order her yogurt as she watches me from where she stands next to the trash bin. She watches me as I approach her with her bowl of frozen yogurt, one of her perfect eyebrows cocked skeptically. “Don’t look at me like that,” I say as I pass her the bowl of yogurt. “Why?” she says as she pops the first spoon of creamy yogurt into her mouth. She licks the spoon clean and I find myself wondering what it would feel like to have those full, red lips wrapped around my cock. I lean in and whisper in her ear, “Because you’re turning me on and I can’t fuck you in Yogurtland.” She continues to cock her eyebrow as she takes another spoonful of yogurt into her mouth. “Then maybe we should get the fuck out of Yogurtland.”
*****
In the three years I’ve known Senia, we’ve almost fucked three times. The first time happened the day I met her, after a show we played in Durham. We were interrupted backstage by Xander, the band’s manager, just as Senia was about to get on her knees. The second time was at a Memorial Day picnic. We were both pretty shitfaced and she ended up tossing her cookies all over me as I was sliding her panties off. The third time happened less than three months ago, in a pub restroom stall. She started crying and couldn’t go through with it; she was too heartbroken over her ex. I think the fourth time may be the charm for us. For some reason, this makes me really fucking nervous. I’m not afraid I won’t be able to satisfy her. There’s no doubt I’ll make her come harder than she’s ever come before. But for the first time in my life, I’m afraid of what will come after the sex. Senia is Claire’s best friend. Even if Claire and Chris never get back together, I know she’ll always be around. Chris is my best friend. I can’t avoid Claire and, therefore, I can’t avoid Senia. Something about this terrifies me and intrigues me; like I’m flirting with danger or, more accurately, fucking with danger. I grab the door handle on the passenger side of my silver Audi and pause as I look her in the eye and pull the door open. “Get in.” She smiles and shakes her head as she slinks into the passenger seat. “Please don’t bother using your manners.” “I won’t.” I slam the door shut and walk around to the driver’s side, tapping the trunk as I note my surroundings. It’s eight in the evening. There are only three other cars in the parking lot and at least one of those belongs to the guy working behind the counter in Yogurtland. I look up at the lamppost in front of the car illuminating the hood and shining through the windshield. I open the door and slide into the driver’s seat. Gazing into her eyes, for a moment I’m reminded of the last time my mom took me to get ice cream, when I was nine years old. I clench my jaw against the visceral nature of this memory and Senia takes this as an invitation. She climbs into my lap and takes my face in her hands as she crushes her lips to mine. I thread my fingers into her hair and roughly grab a fistful of her dark locks. She whimpers as I thrust my tongue into her mouth and squeeze my fist around her hair, intermittently tightening my grip then easing up. Finally, I pull her head back by her hair and her eyes widen with shock and excitement. That’s when I notice her styrofoam bowl of yogurt upended between us, the cold stickiness seeping through both of our shirts. She smiles as she swipes her finger through the cool, sticky substance and slowly eases her finger in her mouth. “Creamy,” she purrs. “Fuck,” I whisper as my dick jumps, trying to escape my jeans. I grab the bowl and toss it into the backseat and she smiles as I swipe my finger through the yogurt and reach under her skirt. Her thighs are smooth and warm against the back of my fingers as I move straight for her panties. She holds my gaze as I slip my fingers under the fabric and find her clit. She swallows hard as her smile melts into a look of pure ecstasy. “Oh, my God,” she breathes as I stroke her gently. I grab the back of her neck and pull her mouth against mine, swallowing her moans as if they were the air keeping me alive. I shove two fingers inside her and she gasps as I curve my fingers to reach her spot. Her body curls into me as I lick the soft skin below her earlobe. Abruptly, I remove my hand from her panties. Her face is incredulous as I lift her up by her waist and place her on the passenger seat. “Get in the back.” For a moment, it seems as if she’s questioning this abrupt request. “This better be good,” she says as she slithers between the two front seats to get into the backseat. I reach under her skirt as she crawls into the back and I yank down on her panties. “Jesus Christ, Tristan!” “Make up your mind,” I say as I place my hand on her ass and push her into the backseat. “Am I Jesus Christ or Tristan?” She laughs as I scramble into the backseat after her, holding onto her panties so she’s forced to leave them behind. I quickly position myself between her legs as she lies on her back and smiles. “You can be whoever the fuck you want.” I slide my arm under her waist and lift her up so I can place her back against the passenger side window. Pushing her skirt up, I spread her legs wide open and marvel at the sight of her. She perfectly shaved with a small landing strip of dark hair that ends at the top of her slit. “I prefer Tristan,” I say as I flash her my crowd smile. She whimpers like a kitten in pain, her hips writhing against me as I devour her slowly and methodically. She tastes like the frozen yogurt I smeared all over her. “Oh, Tristan,” she moans and I hook my arms tightly around her thighs to steady her as her legs begins to tremble. “Oh, my fucking God!” I suck gently as her clit pulsates against my tongue. She lets out a loud cry that sounds like a sigh mixed with a scream. I can’t help but smile as I continue to stimulate her until she grabs chunks of my hair and yanks me up. “Holy shit,” she breathes as she wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me on top of her. But she doesn’t kiss me. She just holds me there and I quickly begin to feel uncomfortable with this closeness. I begin to push away, but she tightens her grip. “Please don’t move,” she begs, and I can hear something strange in her voice—she’s crying. I lie still with her for a while until I no longer hear her sniffling. I slowly pull my head back to look her in the face and she quickly wipes at the moisture on her cheeks. “I’m sorry,” she whispers. I grab her hand and pull it away from her face. “It’s okay,” I murmur as I brush my thumb over her cheekbone. “No, it’s not,” she says, a hard edge to her voice as her hands reach down to undo the button and zipper on my jeans. “But it will be.” She pushes my boxers down until my dick springs free and I suck in a sharp breath as it comes in contact with her. “I don’t have a condom.” My shoulder-length hair hangs around my face as I hover over her. She reaches up and pushes my hair back as she pulls my mouth to hers. I groan as I try to resist making such a stupid mistake. Despite the rumors, I don’t have unprotected sex. I may be a whore like my mother, but I’m not as reckless as she is. I try to pull my face back, but Senia holds my head still. Suddenly, I’m royally pissed off. I rip my head out of her grasp and glare at her. “This is just a fuck. Nothing more,” I insist and her eyebrows scrunch together. A sharp pang of regret twists inside my chest. “I’m sorry.” Why the fuck am I apologizing? “Then shut up and fuck me,” she says as she tightens her legs around my hips and the tip of my cock presses against her opening. I slide in slowly, watching as she closes her eyes and tilts her head back. Leaning forward, I suck on her throat as I gradually ease myself further inside her with each stroke. “You’re tight as fuck,” I whisper as I carefully work my way deeper inside. She doesn’t respond, so I keep thrusting, slowly at first then working my way up to a steady pace. I pull my head back to see her face and her eyes are still closed. I don’t know why, but I want to see her eyes. “Look at me,” I command, and she opens her eyes instantly, her gaze finding mine. Her eyes are slightly red and that’s when I notice the tear tracks running from the corners of her eyes, down her temple, and disappearing into her dark hair. A strange urge overcomes me and I lean down and kiss her temple. Licking my lips, the saltiness of her tears turn me on even more. I ease my hand behind her knee and lift her leg higher so I can thrust deeper. She whimpers as she threads her fingers through my hair and pulls my mouth to hers. I kiss her slowly, matching the rhythm of my hips to the movement of our tongues. She bites my top lip and I feel myself getting so close to blowing my load. “Holy shit,” I whisper as I try to pull my head back, but she holds my head still and kisses me deeply as I let go inside her. My dick twitches as I fill her with my gushing warmth. I grunt into her mouth and she continues to kiss me, swallowing my cries the way I did hers. Finally, I tilt my head back and look her in the eye. Then I ask her a question I haven’t asked anyone since I broke up with Ashley four years ago. “Who was that on the phone?”
  ABOUT THE AUTHOR Cassia Leo Author Pic_newUSA Today bestselling author Cassia Leo loves her coffee, chocolate, and margaritas with salt. When she's not writing, she spends way too much time watching old reruns of Friends and Sex and the City. When she's not watching reruns, she's usually enjoying the California sunshine or reading--sometimes both.


Tuesday, October 29, 2013

CAPTURED SERIES BOOK BLITZ 

 
BOOK DETAILS:

 
 
 
 
 
Title – If Only (Captured, #1)

Author – Louise J

Genre – Adult Contemporary Romance

Release Date – December 16, 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 

 

GOODREADS LINKS:

 

BOOK SUMMARY:

IF ONLY

Callie
What’s a girl to do when she meets a man who claims the heart that she’s already given to someone else? My boyfriend is everything I’ve ever wanted, he’s perfect, but when I met Joe ... I can’t even describe the intensity of my attraction to him. I’d never experienced anything like it before. Since then, it’s become something so much deeper and I’m finding it impossible to ignore what I feel for him. I know I’m already with the man I should be with, yet I want Joe. I can’t seem to get my head and my heart to agree on this. I’m not about to cheat and I won’t just drop the man I love. But what do I do about Joe?

Joe
Tattoos, bikes and women – that’s been my life for the last two years and it suited me just fine. Until the day I swerved to avoid a raggedy old VW Bug heading my way, hit the sidewalk, and ended up sprawled on my back. I came around to a pounding headache and the most gorgeous girl I’ve ever seen. Don’t know if it was the effect she had on me, or the accident, but I somehow managed to let her go without exchanging information, more importantly numbers. Maybe it would’ve been better if things had stayed that way. Maybe then I wouldn’t be caught up in this dilemma. I should do what most guys would do and pursue her, regardless of her being in a relationship. Trust me, it’s tempting. The problem is, I’ve been on the receiving end of a situation similar to this, so I know the hurt I could cause and I don’t think I can do that. But I want Callie. I want her bad.


When Callie and Joe met, neither were prepared for the sequence of events that would follow, or the impact of the choices they would go on to make. 

If only is book one in the Captured series. Adult Contemporary Romance. This series is not intended for those below 18 years old due to graphic sexual content and use of language.

Review:

I was given this book by author for honest review.  Spanning several years If Only takes you on a twisted road to perfect happiness. Callie and Joe trade off chapters each telling their part of the story. Don’t be surprised if there are twisted paths and roads ahead on this exciting love journey.

If Only excerpt

Callie

I twist my upper body around and watch him pull out some white latex gloves. Oh, shit. For some reason, it only just hits me.

He is going to see me topless.

Abruptly, I turn to the front and stare at Su, wide-eyed. Nick is the only man who has ever seen my tits. Ryan felt them, but he never saw them, so that doesn’t count. And he was my boyfriend at the time. Maybe the nerves of getting the piercings done stopped the recognition of this factor when I first learned this guy was doing them, but right now, with it so close to happening, that realization has my gut twisting.

I point to my breasts and mouth the words I just thought to Su. She winks at me and sort of grins to ease me, but it’s impossible for me to smile back. I need to distract myself. “I don’t know your name. You told me your brother’s, but not yours,” I say, looking, but not looking at the display of photos along the white wall in front of me. I can’t recall what I was told when I booked, my brain won’t work right. The silence in here feels thick, and that’s not helping matters.

“My name is Joe,” he says as he sits down on a chair to the right of me.

Joe. Now I remember. I always wondered what his name was after our almost collision. Joe. I like it.

He wheels himself closer, stopping in front of me. The height of the table puts me above him, so I have to lower my gaze if I want to make eye contact with him. That’s the last thing I want to do. This really wouldn’t be so bad if he wasn’t hot. Why couldn’t I get the older guy who booked me in? Or Adam? He’s cute, too, but I could deal with him.

“Okay. So you want a tattoo as well,” he states, sitting upright with his lightly-fisted hands resting on his thighs, the gloves clutched within his right hand. I wish I could be as relaxed as he is.

I nod, looking level with his perfectly sculpted cheekbones. “Yeah.”

“Do you have in mind what you want, or would you like to see some designs?” I don’t know how, but he’s able to stare me straight in the eyes. Su was right about him being nervous before, but he’s definitely, absolutely not now. Maybe he was a little embarrassed about the almost collision thing.

With effort, I return his gaze as best as I can. Oh, God. My heart starts to gallop, threatening to burst out of my chest.

Those rich coffee beans have been imprinted on my memory since I first saw them. Sitting this near to reality is almost debilitating. There’s a deep tenderness in his stare that warms me, but the intensity of his focus pushes it up to a searing heat. It’s overwhelming, it makes me want to look away, but … I can’t. The brown is so rich with no intrusion of other tones and that only enhances the impact.

I thought my memory of his face was an exaggeration, the exceptional features and planes combining masculinity and beauty, but it’s true and very real. The tone of his skin is closer to olive than fair and appears incredibly smooth. I have an urge to slowly run the tips of my fingers along the lines and contours of his features, medium-thick eyebrows; narrow nose; high, defined cheekbones; softly-chiseled jaw, and then make a sculpture of his head, made to the exact likeness, but I wouldn’t go there, even with my skill, which, bias or not, I credit to be at a high standard. Thinking of this man as hot is easy to conclude, but it’s understated. 

Joe is a powerful combination of man, beauty and sex.
 
 
 


Title – Release (Captured, #2)

Author – Louise J

Genre – Adult Contemporary Romance

Release Date – July 23, 2013
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GOODREADS LINKS:

Release - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18176431-release
 

BOOK SUMMARY:

RELEASE
 
Brooklyn
I knew from the start that I should stay away from Dane, and I would have – if he’d stayed away from me. Astoundingly sexy with a consuming presence of unspoken command, he enthralls me to the point of almost being incapable of rational thoughts, almost being incapable of resisting him. My hands want to explore him. My tongue wants to taste him. My body begs to experience him. I crave him. Now he’s starting to intrude on a level that’s harder to fight. I know what he wants from me. I also know that Dane is not the type of man you expect to keep.

Dane
Things are never straightforward with women like Brooklyn. She’s not the kind whose bed you can slip out of and walk away from without ‘special connections’ or ‘emotions’ expected or offered. She’s the type of woman I prefer to keep my distance from, but like an undersexed, hormonal idiot, I still pursued her. I swear getting turned on by her is like getting turned on for the first time in my life. Now I have her in my grasp, but I know where this will lead. And I’m never the one that gets hurt in situations like this.

A woman who has barely put her broken-self back together and a man who turned his back on love a long time ago. When Dane and Brooklyn first met it appeared to be a simple case of lust between two opposites, but it was the beginning of an intense, emotional journey that would bring forth the pain they both attempted to leave in their pasts, and an encapsulation of feelings neither welcomed but were powerless to stop. Sometimes in life there is no choice but to take a risk.

*Release takes place in the months leading up to the end of If Only (book one in the Captured series), and includes major spoilers from Joe and Callie’s story.

*This book contains graphic sexual content.


Review:

I was given this book by author for honest review. Once again Louise J has the main characters Brooklyn and Dane trading off to tell their story. This book doesn’t span the years nor does it have as many twist and turns as book 1. What it does have are fears and insecurities that need to be acknowledged and surpassed in order to move on with life and love.

Release excerpt

Brooklyn


As I pass the rear of the Volvo, one space away from my car, a smooth voice stops me in my tracks.

“Brooklyn,” is all he said.

He wasn’t calling me. He was simply saying my name, low and curious. Stupidly sexy, too, but let’s not get caught up in that detail.

I know who that voice belongs to. I recognize it from last night.

Correcting my stunned expression, I turn around. Everything sort of ... falls out of focus, becomes non-existent. When I stop, barely two feet away, I realize I’ve walked over to him. We’re standing at the boot of my car.  

Dane’s hazel eyes are lethally enticing. I can’t do anything but look into the golden brown of his irises, touched with flashes of varying shades of green. I don’t know what to say to him, and he isn’t speaking, he’s just standing there looking at me. I’d like to shrink and disappear.

“I’ve been warned not to talk to you,” I say just to give me something to say. I instantly feel guilty for being such a blabber mouth.

“Kayla told you that.”

Smoothest, sexiest voice I’ve ever heard, and so, so sure. He doesn’t seem to mind what I said. I owe my friend a big apology.

“Apparently, I’m too nice for you. Too nice a girl, that is. Not too good looking for you. Not your usual type.” Now I’m talking shit. My cheeks feel warm, too. Please, don’t let me be blushing.

Dane’s expression is unreadable, but he answers. “That might be true.”

He pauses for one long, powerful moment.

There’s something commanding about him. This is definitely a man who gets exactly what he wants, when he wants, without having to make much effort for it.

“Maybe you are too nice for me, but I’d really like you to be the one who decides that for yourself. You’ve been given a heads up. That gives you an advantage, right?”

Oh, he’s good. What do I say to that? I don’t know. I’m taken aback by his honesty and tempted at the same time.

Tempted by a man I have been firmly warned to stay away from.

Find your brain, Brooklyn, and say “Thanks, but no thanks.”

I still can’t speak.

His lips start to turn up at the corners, but his gaze remains intense.

I still don’t know what to say. It’s been about thirty seconds. Forty, maybe. Suddenly, I burst into laughter and slap my hand over my mouth to shut myself up. Typically in awkward situations, or at times when it’s most inappropriate, I laugh. I hate it, but I can’t help it.

“I’m sorry,” I say, trying to pull back my outburst. “It’s not you, it’s me. I mean, I’m not laughing at you. I really don’t know what to say to you.”  

He’s still smiling, no less focused about his stare. “It’s not every day a woman laughs in my face, but I like your laugh.”

I straighten up and curl my arms tighter around myself, still wrapped in my nice warm cardigan, which also feels like a protective barrier. Though I still want to giggle at my ridiculous self, I’m wondering if his complement is genuine or part of the charming process. My friends describe my laugh as loud and dirty, and I’ve never been complemented on it.

“Where do you live?” he asks.

“Where do I live?” I ask back, unable to stop my eyebrows reaching for my hairline. That’s a bit forward, did I hear him correctly?

“Yes.” He looks me straight in the eyes. This guy is unbelievable, he’s serious.

I swallow hard with my now tight throat. “Um, the corner of Sutter and ...” Am I really giving up this information? “Franklyn.”

“That’s good. Do you know the Purple Cafe, on Bush Street?”

I nod. I haven’t been in there, but I’ve passed it a couple of times. Maybe I should’ve said no.

“Meet me there for breakfast tomorrow morning. I start work around nine, let’s be there for seven, outside. Think of it as your chance to decide for yourself.”

I’m speechless, again.

Dane turns around and walks away. “See you tomorrow, Brooklyn.”

Standing astonished, all I can do is watch his departure. In motion, he’s even more fascinating. He strides away with a feline grace, that air of command remaining.

I feel a weird temptation to follow him.

What the fuck just happened?
 

 
 
PURCHASE LINKS:

 




Playlists
 

If only

Inspirational tracks

I never knew by Roger Sanchez feat. Cooly’s Hot Box

(An old-school classic that I will never fall out of love with – this planted the very first tiny seed that was at the core of the story that became If Only; undisclosed love between friends)

Here without you by 3 Doors Down

(This is Joe’s song. I can’t hear it without thinking about him; I used it to connect with him during a particular point in the story)

Featured tracks

U-Turn by Usher

Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down

Summer Love by Justine Timberlake

San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) by Scott McKenzie

Love Me Do by The Beatles

(I can’t get no) Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones

My First Kiss by 3OH!3 feat. Kesha

 
Release

Inspiration tracks

I Wanna Know by Joe

Naked and Sacred by Robert Miles feat. Maria Nayler

(This is Brooklyn’s song)

Featured tracks

Single Ladies by Beyonce

Love Hangover by Diana Ross

Feenin’ by Jodeci

Come With Me by Keith Sweat ft Ronald Isley

Every Little Thing I do by Soul For Real



 
Fun Facts
If I met Callie I’d want to be her, seriously! She’s everything I’d want to be if I wasn’t me. Her quirky style & hotness, her friendly nature, and her confidence are magnetic. She’s tiny in size, but huge in personality and presence. The girl on the cover, at that angle, is an incredible fit to my vision of Callie, and the model’s expression perfectly represents some of Callie’s emotions during If Only. All I had to do was have some minor alterations made, and there she was. That picture isn’t there just because it’s a pretty girl with pink hair; that is my Callie. 
If I met Brooklyn I’d be floored by how stunning she is and mesmerized by her talent as a professional dancer, but we’d talk and I’d realize how thoroughly well I connect with her. So much so that writing her was the most natural, effortless thing. Publishing her, and putting her out there for judgment, was, and still is, beyond hard for me. Even after all these months since publishing Release, I question whether I held back at all with her so I could protect her. I don’t think I did hold back, I hope I didn’t, but that only makes me feel more protective of her. The image on the cover wasn’t picked without thought; the model’s physique, the amount of skin on show and the limited light and shadows represent Brooklyn’s sensuality, confidence and vulnerability.
If I met Joe I would literally require restraints to stop me from attempting all kinds of very sexual things on him. *Louise J fans herself* He is so damn beautiful and entirely masculine at the same time; it isn’t an exaggeration when Callie describes him as such. He has the body of a sex god, and I particularly love his taut midsection and hips. That sounds kind of random, but my interest seems to gravitate to that area. Add his incredible ink, and I’m on the floor in a gooey puddle of horny fangirl. He’s traditional in many aspects and has the loveliest heart. I’m crazy about Joe.
If I met Dane I’d be scared. He is hot beyond words, and that’s down to his manner and appearance. Standing too close to him would be impossible, I’d have the urge to run and hide. I wouldn’t be able to look into those amazing hazel eyes; they are so intense, I’d literally fall apart. With the body of a top athlete and the impact of all that ink, he is just astounding. I love him hard! He’s quite an old soul and a tower of strength, even when he’s struggling through his issues. I fell for him every time he spoke during Release.
It doesn’t get better for me than being in a scene where both Joe and Dane are present, regardless of whose POV it is. Just the mention of their names excites me. (I have a secret crush on Adam ;) So, when he’s there, too, I’m even happier)
There are so many favorite lines and moments that I have in each book, most of them too spoiler-ish, but two (relatively safe lines) include:
‘My heart wants to run, but my legs can just about walk’ – Callie, If Only
‘Crying in front of someone who loves you doesn’t make you vulnerable’ – Dane, Release
 
Baker Beach in San Francisco features in Release. Brooklyn goes there with her friends, and there’s talk of the nude part near the rocks. When I wrote that scene I had no idea that I would visit Baker Beach and go further than simply seeing a naked guy. Not only did I see some random nude dude on a beach, on a cold day when I was dressed in jeans and a thick cardigan, but the random nude dude offered to take a picture of hubby and me with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. We posed while a naked man stood taking our picture. Yes, I looked where I shouldn’t have been looking, you would have too. Then, he offered us the chance to have our picture taken with him. So, I have a picture of me and some random nude dude on Baker Beach. I didn’t even get his name.
There’s a point in If Only when Callie drives to and from San Francisco and Arizona. I’ve done that drive – actually, my husband did the thirteen hour drive (with no sleep, so props to him), and I got to completely connect with the emotions Callie felt going to and from Arizona. It was amazing. We even passed a kombi, though it wasn’t groovy like Roberta. You’ll meet Roberta when you read If Only.
A rattlesnake makes an appearance at one point during If Only. I totally stole that from my own life, only, unlike Callie who had the guts to take a picture, I didn’t. I hid in the house while my husband took the shot. Isn’t that what husbands are for?
One song planted the initial tiny seed of an idea that led to If Only; I Never Knew by Roger Sanchez. That one book unintentionally became a four book series. From the series came two standalones.  From one of those standalones came the trigger of inspiration for my 2014 paranormal romance series. All this from one song. It’s never ending. What a crazy ride this is?! 


AUTHOR BIO:

Louise J has always been a daydreamer, but never considered writing a novel until days before typing the first words to If Only. Joe and Callie (and Gerard) appeared in a dream and her mind has never been her own since then, and she’s never alone. When she’s not writing she spends a lot of time missing out on huge chunks of conversation, movies, and TV shows thanks to many wonderful, but highly invasive characters bouncing around in her head, showing her their stories. In the name of research, those fabulous characters have led her to parts of the world she never would have dreamed of, and, as a result, has gained some of the most amazing memories. The rest of the time Louise J is trying to be a good wife to the greatest husband she could ever have asked for.

 



GIVEAWAY:

Prizes – Three Kindle Ebook sets of IF ONLY and RELEASE

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Monday, October 28, 2013


Madeleine Abducted by M.S. Willis

Book Description:

She was meant to be his destruction…
A pawn played in a perilous game between
father and son…
Yet, her strength was more than either
man could imagine.
As Maddy learns to save herself…
She becomes the one thing that could
set the son free.

Madeleine Clark was raised to become a concert cellist. Sheltered and naïve, she remains hidden behind her music, a protection from the world around her. On the night of her first solo performance, Maddy accepts the admiration of a stranger and finds herself captive in a cruel and twisted power struggle between a sadistic father and his son, Aaron.

Seemingly, dangerous and uncaring, Aaron manages the business operations of his father’s estate. Wanting nothing to do with the slaves kept at the Estate, Aaron refuses to take part in the deeper depravities of his father. Despite his resistance, Aaron’s father ‘gifts’ him with a petite, brunette woman he can’t refuse.

A bond forged in conspiracy and deceit, Aaron struggles to save Maddy by teaching her to survive in the world in which he’d been raised. An unlikely union, Aaron soon learns that great strengths can exist within small packages, while Madeleine learns that love and light can exist in the darkest of places.


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Review: I was given this book by author for honest review. A dark romance full of abduction, slavery, rape, and murder, Willis put it all in. This book makes you feel anger, sadness, and hope. Madeleine is the shy musician abducted to be a slave to Aaron who is the assassin executioner. I can’t help but admire Madeleine’s strength and courage and Aaron’s attitude. In their fight for survival one thing becomes clear “in infinite darkness there was light.” 

 
 Excerpt #1 –

                Finding her voice, Maddy spoke out of turn, not thinking about the repercussions her words could elicit.  “I would prefer you call me by my name.”  She peaked up at him through her lashes.  “Maddy, I would prefer that you call me Maddy.”

            Aaron stopped with his bare back turned to her, taking several minutes to finally respond, he asked, “What makes you think you are allowed to ask that?  If I wanted, I could call you slave…”  He turned to face her, the contours of chest perfectly shadowed, his strength unquestionable.  “…or whore.”  His swagger was slow as he approached her, a hunter skilled in pursuit.  “Would you prefer those names to ‘Mouse’?”

            Sucking her bottom lip between her teeth, Maddy fidgeted with her hands, refusing to look Aaron in the eyes.  She could feel his gaze touching her skin, his perusal of the woman barely half his size.  The heat of his body rolled off of him as he circled her.  It was the feeling of a soft blanket and lustful threat wrapped around her at the same time.  When the deep resonation of his voice occurred again, she cringed, fearing he would strike out at her for the incorrect answer.  “Why do you dislike the name I have given you?”

            Continuing to fidget, Maddy trained her eyes on her feet, not daring to look up into the endless green she knew stared down at her.  Gripping her under her chin, Aaron pulled her face up to look at him, his eyes searching hers for the answer to his question.  “You will speak when I tell you.”  Dropping his hand from her face, he took a step back placing distance between them.  “Now answer me.”

Her heart pounded against the walls of her chest, her throat constricted, making it difficult for her to breath.  Fear consumed her as she stood in the shadow of the man who’d taken at least two lives that day.  Barely a whisper, her voice squeaked out the answer to his question. “Because a mouse is a furry little rodent, something detested.”

            Aaron stood thoughtful and silent above her.  When he didn’t respond, Maddy quietly added, “I guess it’s better than Xander’s name for me.”

            Laughter bellowed out, causing the toned muscles of Aaron’s broad chest to flex and relax before her eyes.  The sound of his amusement so real, it caused her to want to smile in response to seeing a piece of his mask falling away, revealing parts of him not witnessed by many people.  Containing himself, Aaron’s eyes sparkled as he asked, “And what, exactly, is Xander’s name for you?”

            A scowl creased the fine skin between her eyes, her mouth pulled into the pout of a sulking child.  “He calls me ‘cricket’…an insect.  It’s odd that you both refer to me as nothing more than a common household pest.”

            Aaron’s smile faltered as he looked down upon the beautiful girl who didn’t fully understand her role.  “No, Madeleine, you are not a common household pest…”

            Maddy looked up at him, anticipating what he would say next.

            For a fleeting second, he looked genuinely amused, but his expression was quickly replaced with indifference and contempt as he stated, “you are lower than even a pest in your role as a slave.”

 
Excerpt #2 –

                Green, the color of jade, the color of budding life in Spring, burned down into her; backlit and heated by a fire of rage, of need.  Aaron’s mouth curved at the ends, an unknown thought amusing to him as she attempted to stand up to a man who controlled her completely…owned her in a way that no man should be allowed.

                Like lightning, he moved quickly, so fast and unexpected, that Maddy gasped when the weight of his body came down on her.  The pills fell from her hand to the floor as Aaron pushed her back on the bed, held his body above her, his hand roughly traveling up the side of her torso, lifting her shirt to expose her breasts to his gaze.  “If I wanted to take you, Madeleine, I wouldn’t have to drug you to do so.”  The heat of his mouth stung as he wrapped his full lips around the peak of her breast.  His tongue laved against the sensitive tip, his teeth grazing the same area where he had marked her before.  A cry escaped her lips, part fear, part surprise; part lust so subtle, it caused her heart to skip in its rhythm.  As he worked her body into a frenzy, his hand traveled down to cup her between her thighs.  A single finger tapped against the opening to her body, she cried out again, not understanding the heat that bloomed within her core.  He pushed up suddenly, watched as she lay panting beneath him.  “Even if your mind did not remember my cruelty, your body certainly would.  The pain of being split apart when I bury myself within you cannot be easily forgotten…even if done while drugged.”

                Just as quickly as he’d come down on top of her, he stood.  His eyes searched the floor and when he found the pills, he bent over to pick them up.  This time not an offer, but a demand, his hand reached to wrap around her face, squeezing her cheeks until her mouth fell open.  Shoving the pills onto her tongue he grabbed the glass of water, poured the contents down her throat, washing her new form of chains down into her body.  “I have no plans to grant you the satisfaction of my cock, I simply want you to sleep.  I don’t feel like spending the evening jumping up every time I think you are attempting to escape.”

                Aaron took the glass and as he walked to place it in the bathroom he commanded, "Lay down, Maddy, close your eyes and let sleep take you.  That will be the only thing having its way with your body tonight."

 Author Bio:

















M.S. Willis is a romance novelist whose debut novel, Control, was released in 2013.  Although currently writing in the romance genre, Willis has plans to expand her literary pursuits into multiple genres and has no fear conquering difficult subject matters in her writing.  Willis is a native Floridian who is also a photographer and musician.  When not absorbing herself in written, visual or musical expression, Willis is an adrenaline junkie, a ‘closet’ video game enthusiast, and an avid outdoors person and nature lover.

Visit M.S. Willis on her author page:  www.facebook.com/mswillisbooks

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