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Until Tomorrow Comes
-- EXCERPT: He quirked a brow, that intense gaze of his turning unsettling as he stared down at me. “No,” he said, his lip twisting with the words. My pulse quickened, sensing that small hint of something that lurked beneath the surface. With a glance at the man standing next to the walkway up to and around the falls, I looked back to Rafael with a flare of my nostrils and purse of my lips. I huffed in disbelief as I shook my head and fought back the surge of emotions within me. I’d been so fucking stupid to think he understood that my fear came from a place of trauma. From something not so easily overcome. Leaning into his space, I laid down the challenge I knew probably wasn’t my smartest move. But something in the cruel set of his eyes made me want to defy him. Something in the excited parting of his lips told me he wanted that too. “Fuck this,” I snarled, turning on my heel and yanking my wrist out of his grip. Hiking my purse up on my shoulder, I strode down the road we’d entered in on and made for the main street. Once I had enough distance and found a safe place to settle, I’d call Hugo to come and get me. But I’d be damned if I would get in that water with him. “You don’t want to walk away from me, Princesa,” Rafael murmured at my back. The words crawled up my spine, insidious and menacing enough to halt me in my tracks, and I turned back to glare at him. I swallowed my nerves, pushing down the budding fear that he brought with his carefully crafted words. Rafe could be terrifying when he wanted to be. I just wasn’t sure if the frightening face was the mask, or if it was what really waited beneath the charming demeanor he gave me in all the other moments. “And why is that?” I asked, pressing my lips together and turning back around to hide the slight tremble in them. He was the kind of man my grandmother warned me about with her stories. The temptation and lure of evil spirits, as they resided in people who looked just like us. But evil couldn’t look like beauty carved in stone, could it? Even if it did explain why I burned when he touched me. He stepped closer, until I felt the heat of his body at my back. He reached around me to grab my face and tilt it, so that I stared him in the eye with one of mine. “Because I’ll chase you,” he murmured, leaning down to touch his lips to my cheek in a slow brush of heat against my skin. His mouth slid up until his nose touched my hair, breathing me in deeply. He hummed just above my ear. “I think the real question is, what will I do when I catch you?” I swallowed down the saliva in my mouth, clenching my eyes shut as I tried to think of an appropriate response to words like that. What did one say, when the man she was falling head over heels in love with showed signs of being a monster? “That isn’t funny, Rafe,” I whispered, stumbling over my own feet as he turned my body to face him. His hand gripped my hair harshly, tipping my head back until I met his unyielding gaze. “Am I laughing, Princesa?” I shook my head slightly, wincing when his grip didn’t relent. “I promise you, I am far scarier than whatever you think lurks in that fucking water.” He released me as suddenly as he’d grabbed me, taking a few steps away before he paused and looked back at where I stood, rooted to my spot and staring at him in horror. I looked to the road, watching as the man who stood guard puffed up his chest and stood a little taller. It felt like I’d walked into a trap, and still didn’t understand even the basics of what it would mean for me. A cage without walls. A pressing force on my chest. “Don’t do it,” Rafael warned me, drawing my attention back to him. He held out a hand, waiting for me to take it. It was a test, I realized, as he forced me to decide my next move then and there. “I like it when you tell me no,” he murmured, making my breath freeze in my lungs as he tilted his head to the side and studied me. “I think I’ll like it when you fight me, too.” 
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Secret Beast
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In Command: An Aunare Chronicles Novella
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play -- EXCERPT: “Almya. I’m not wearing—” A throat cleared, and I didn’t even turn around. “Roan. Best friend or not, I’m going to murder you if you keep coming in here.” “Not Roan.” I glanced over my shoulder. Lorne. He was leaning against the edge of the door, watching me with his aquamarine gaze that seemed to see through me. My heart picked up, and I could feel myself giving him a stupid grin, but I couldn’t stop it. “Hey.” “Hi.” His gaze ran down my body and slowly back up, heating every inch of me. “As fashion-forward as I usually am, I think it’s probably best if you find something else for the meeting. Quickly.” I turned back to Almya, who was still smiling—although now it looked too forced—and holding out two dresses for me to choose from. She held one out a little farther, giving it a little shake. “This one would look lovely on you, and it’s perfect for the—” I shook my head. “If you would just listen to me—” “Amihanna. My love,” Lorne said softly. “I’ve been standing here for a moment, and I heard more than enough about what’s going on. The thing to remember—” “Is that I hate dresses,” I said to Almya, hoping that she would listen. “Hate. Dresses.” “That’s not what I was going to say.” I turned to him, annoyed and struggling to remember that I wasn’t annoyed at him. “What?” “The thing to remember is that you are the future queen. Not Almya.” He gave her a short, pitying glance before focusing on me again. “You decide what you do, what you say, what you wear.” He slowly walked toward me as he spoke. “So, put something on already.” He brushed a quick kiss on my lips. 
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Dead and Gone
-- EXCERPT: “Out less than a minute and already talking to spirits and punching ghosts. Way to go, Adler.” That smooth voice did not belong to my best friend, J. Oh, no. I wasn’t that lucky. The big hunk of man-meat Siobhan had been talking about was not my partner, but the death mage ABI agent who’d simultaneously saved my bacon and torched it. I swung my head to face Bishop La Roux, straightening my shoulders like I was going to have to punch him, too. Dressed in a criminally hot pair of jeans and a T-shirt that should be illegal in at least five states, Bishop held out a bag with a very familiar logo on it like he was warding off a lion. Ignoring his messy hair and scruffy beard, I met his coal-dark eyes with suspicion. But instead of punching him like I had Hildy, I snatched the Si Señor bag from his hands, opened it, and dug in. The prison fare was a step above cat food, in my opinion, and just the thought of that yummy bit of heaven made my mouth water. “Good to see tacos still work,” he said, chuckling. “You need a ride home?” The last time he’d needed to bribe me, he’d done it with these tacos. Good god in heaven, I was a pushover. I ignored the ridiculously hot man in favor of unwrapping a taco one-handed and shoving an end in my mouth. My teeth crunched into the blissfully crispy half-steak, half-pork taco, and my eyes rolled back in my head. “Maybe,” I said around a mouthful of food. If he were any other man, I might have felt weird about my rudeness, but just like Hildy, Bishop was on thin ice. Though, tacos were an excellent way to strengthen his footing. That taco was gone in another two bites, and I swallowed the yumminess before continuing, “How’d you hear about me getting out? Even I didn’t know until today.” Bishop gave me a sly smile. “A little birdy told me.” “I suppose you could give me a ride if you don’t have anything better to do,” I conceded, my tone only mildly petulant. “No, Adler,” Bishop said, his voice a hell of a lot closer than it had been a few seconds ago. I whipped my head back to find him solidly in my space. “I don’t have anywhere else I want to be.” Well, okay then.
GIVEAWAY! Hosted by:   Synopsis: The beast hides a dark secret in his past... Leo Morelli is known as the Beast of Bishop's Landing for his cruelty. He'll get revenge on the Constantine family and make millions of dollars in the process. Even it means using an old man who dreams up wild inventions. The beauty will sacrifice everything for her family... Haley Constantine will do anything to protect her father. Even trade her body for his life. The college student must spend thirty days with the ruthless billionaire. He'll make her earn her freedom in degrading ways, but in the end he needs her to set him free. SECRET BEAST is a new full-length novel from USA Today bestselling author Amelia Wilde about revenge, family secrets, and the redeeming power of love.  About the Author Amelia Wilde is a USA TODAY bestselling author of steamy contemporary romance and loves it a little too much. She lives in Michigan with her husband and daughters. She spends most of her time typing furiously on an iPad and appreciating the natural splendor of her home state from where she likes it best: inside. Website / Facebook / Facebook Group / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest / Goodreads / Amazon / Bookbub / Newsletter /   Happy cover reveal for THE FINAL DAWN by Jess Anastasi! Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC Coming out: March 22nd, 2021 Goodreads SYNOPSIS They'll fight until the last star burns out... The pulse pounding new chapter in the Atrophy series from Jess Anastasi. The Atrophy series is best enjoyed in order. Reading Order: Book #1 Atrophy Book #2 Quantum Book #3 Diffraction Book #4: Entropy GIVEAWAY Enter for a chance to win a $15 Amazon GiftCard! rafflecopter ABOUT JESS ANASTASI Jess has been making up stories ever since she can remember. Though her messy handwriting made it hard for anyone else to read them, she wasn’t deterred and now she gets to make up stories for a living. She loves loud music, a good book on a rainy day, and probably spends too much time watching too many TV shows. Jess lives in regional Victoria, Australia, with her very supportive husband, three daughters, two border collie dogs, and one cat who thinks he’s one of the kids. CONNECT WITH JESS Website: http://www.jessanastasi.com/ Blog: http://jessanastasi.blogspot.com/ Facebook: http://bit.ly/3scRQ8Y Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessAnastasi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess_anastasi/ Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2hVesa9 Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2iO0HKC Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/authors/jess-anastasi Amazon Author Profile: http://amzn.to/2iNXmuW
The Wise One
-- EXCERPT: Bruised and battered, the young woman was dragged through the screaming, unruly mob. Her wrists were bound behind her by a rope as thick as the noose she now faced. “Buidseach! Buidseach!” Witch. Witch. “Bàsachadh!” Die. She halted in front of the noose, unperturbed, for she knew her death would end swiftly. The man who held the end of her rope looked from her calm expression to the noose, and let out a shrill laugh. “A quick snap of the neck, aye, Bessie girl? You don’t think you’re getting off that easy, do you? Nah, that there isn’t for your kind.” The ugly man, towering and troll-like, hauled her further on like a rag doll, finally leading her to a pit loaded with broken wood fragments, branches, and logs. She was going to be burned alive. In that instant, her body trembled with the fear she had been trying so desperately to conceal. Of dying, no—she knew this life would not be her last, and she was ready to part ways with this physical body. But she would be lying to herself if she said she hadn’t been hoping for a less painful demise. He tightened the rope from her wrists around the wood banister that stood erect in the centre of the pit, then secured more rope round her ankles. “Spill your guts, now or never, buidseach,” he spat. The woman scanned the crowd. Foolish, blind, she thought. They had no idea what would become of their Earth. No, she did not regret her actions. And if she had to burn for them, then so be it. She held her chin up and addressed the spectators. Her voice was steady, knowing. “There will come a day when your fate shall depend upon a witch such as me—and you will beg for mercy.” The crowd cackled and spat back, simultaneously enraged and amused. But no one laughed louder than the troll-man. “Devil-worshipping hag.” He lowered his torch to the base of the pit, and the flames caught quickly. She watched them crawl towards her boots, but her eyes were forced shut by the rising smoke. In an instant, beads of sweat leaked like rain on her forehead, and her lungs swelled to twice their size. Just when she hoped she might pass out from the heat, the flames grew larger, now licking the base of her legs. What followed was an acute, unfathomable pain. The flames travelled higher, higher, until they enveloped the lower half of her body—and she could no longer bear the sheer agony of her skin melting away.
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Decide to Live
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play -- EXCERPT: It had been a long time since I’d felt like I belonged somewhere or with someone. I had found that at Maison. I felt the same with Dad when he let me tag along to one of his classes or read chapters of a new book he was in the middle of writing. He was the only one I wanted to call to tell him about my summer plans. Aya would be happy for me, but she didn’t share our love for books and learning, not that my older sister was uneducated by any means. She had different pursuits and hobbies, like Mom. She had a bond with Mom, whereas mine was with Dad. A small black dog ran by me, chased by a woman. The sight made me snicker. I checked around to see if there were any other dogs, an odd thing to see at a college. The only interesting interaction was a few guys playing football a few feet away. I wanted to soak in the atmosphere a little longer. Then I would call Dad and tell him my news. Trying to figure out the time difference in Paris, I walked forward, realizing too late I was in the path of the football game. Someone shouted— “Look out!” As I turned, a football hit the side of my neck, near my shoulder. I fell and landed on the ground. The sun above blinded me as I tried to bring the world into focus. Soon, a group of men surrounded me, blocking out the light. One knelt next to me and boosted me up, keeping his arm on my back. “My glasses?” I searched the area even though everything was blurry. “I found them.” He pressed them into my hand. “Are you okay? Do you need a doctor? Should we call 911?” I slid my glasses on and shook my head. “I was just startled.” When I was able to see again, the guy who still supported me helped me stand. I should have noticed he wasn’t wearing a T-shirt. It was stuck in the back of his shorts, leaving his chest bare. What I did notice first was his chunky black-framed glasses and short yet spikey blond hair. He also had too many freckles across his nose and cheeks. “You’re wearing glasses also.” I blinked, amazed by how cute he was wearing horn-rimmed glasses, and because of the deep lines around his mouth because of his smile. “A few other guys on campus wear glasses, but they don’t look as good as I do.” He scooped up the football and tossed it to someone. “I’m going to take a break to make sure the young lady here is okay.” Young lady? I kicked the grass. Shoot! My paperwork had scattered. “I’m fine, I think, but my papers aren’t.” I bent to retrieve the wrinkled documents. By the time I’d found most of them, he had put on his T-shirt. He held the brochure, and, as I rose, he flipped through it. “You’re a new student here?” “Just for the summer.” I held my hand out for the booklet. He paused as if he wanted to say something but instead gave me the booklet. “Thanks.” I took my time putting the book and papers in my tote bag, expecting him to leave. But he still stood there. For some reason, I wasn’t as uncomfortable as I usually was when I met new people. Our awkward introduction resulting from the football to my face should have made me look in the other direction. But he acted…considerate? Or maybe compassionate was a better word? A female voice called out, “Will,” and he waved but stayed with me. “Now you know my name. I’m Will, short for William.” “I’m Reiko, and it’s not short for anything.” I glanced at the girl who‘d said his name. She was with two other girls, and they all looked identical—white girls with highlighted blonde hair and tight shirts and shorts. They were the type I would stay away from because they reminded me of Gem. “I never heard that name before. It’s pretty.” He gave me another friendly smile. “It has a few meanings.” The main meaning of my name meant beautiful, but I preferred wise. I left it unsaid because he would probably say I was beautiful in his flirty way, just to be nice. “I’d love to know what your name means.” He tapped his fingers on his hips. If I had better social skills, I would have teased him, extending our conversation. But with those girls waiting for him, one of whom might be his girlfriend, it was best I let him go. “If we meet again, I might tell you.” I turned and walked away. It was better to cut him off and leave. The odds I would see him again were small since he was ending his semester and would return to wherever he lived for the summer. As expected, he didn’t run after me or tell me to stay. I kept walking without turning around to check like the small voice in my head wanted me to do.
GIVEAWAY! Hosted by:  Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for Lily Hayden's new book Bad Blood.  Synopsis: Bad Blood Tim, Rose, Will and Belle led a charmed childhood growing up together on idyllic Bluebell Farm, but everything changed when their mother died. Sixteen years on, they’re practically strangers. An unexpected invitation from their estranged father brings them back together giving them an opportunity to heal past wounds and start afresh. But when Frank is found dead on the morning of his wedding, suspicion turns to the four siblings’ motivations, and the bad blood of the past resurfaces. Purchase Links UK / US  My thoughts: Last year I reviewed Lily Hayden's New Rules which took a deep look at how difficult it is for women to combine successful professional career and maintain meaningful interpersonal relationships. Despite its apparent lightness, the book was quite thought-provoking and so is her newest one. Four Jones siblings -Tim, Rose, Will and Belle- do not seem to be very close. They lead their busy, separate lives, facing their own challenges, when they get a telephone call informing them that their father Frank died. Then we go back three months before to find out that the all four siblings received a wedding invitation from their father and a woman they never heard of previously. They get together and go back to their childhood home to check on their father.It is obvious that the woman in question is in fact a golddigger who can't wait to get her grubby hands on the farm that has been in her mother's family for a hundred years. Will they do anything about this 'impending threat'? Will it bring them together or have they grown too distant, too wrapped in their own lives to care about their blood ties? I really liked the narrative structure of this novel- there are four points of view and we get to know each sibling pretty well. They are all complex, flawed characters and once the initial confusion of who is who was over I was drawn into the story which was surprisingly addictive. Tim, Rose, Will and Belle have their unique voices and personalities. Even though two of them seem to be more placid, easy-going, while the other two are more strong-willed, their life experiences have shaped them in different ways. You will make your own theories as you keep reading and some of them will turn out to be true, while in other cases you may get surprised by some developments. It is one of those books where you get so busy following the characters and what is hapening to them, that only after having finished the book, you start thinking about the message. For me, it was about parenthood, family ties and being (or not) being there for each other at the right moment. It is about life - it changes each and every one of us, but we have a say in how. The saying 'Blood is thicker than water' is only a part of the original saying ' The Blood of Covenant is thicker than the water of a womb', Are the ties we choose, the relationships we choose to maintain and nurture stronger than the ties we are born into? And are these two concepts mutually exclusive? Read the book and find out what happens to Tim, Will, Rose and Belle. This was my second book by Lily Hayden and I will be looking forward to reading more from this talented author.  Author Bio Lily Hayden writes chick lit with a kick. Modern day women want modern day heroines and Lily's characters want sizzling romance, rewarding careers and equal partnerships, but like all of us, they face many challenges and it isn't always easy. A mother to four children, Lily graduated with a degree in Business in her hometown in South Wales and enjoyed a successful career in Financial Services before fulfilling a lifelong ambition to write books. Her debut novel Butterflies, a heartwarming alternative to the traditional boy-meets-girl story, was released in 2018, reaching readers all over the world and she is the author of seven books, including a Young Adult Dystopian novel Project Terra under the alias SJ Woods (because who doesn't love a bit of action and defeating bad guys every now and again). Follow Lily on social media for the latest releases, promotions and occasional photos of her dogs. Social Media Links Social Media Links: GoodReads  Thank you for reading the post! Have a great Sunday! If you would like to know what other bloggers thought of Lily Hayden's book Bad Blood, here is the full blog tour schedule:   Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for The Good wife, a new historical novel by Eleanor Porter.  The Good Wife Where will her loyalty lead her? Once accused of witchcraft Martha Spicer is now free from the shadow of the gallows and lives a safe and happy life with her husband, Jacob. But when Jacob heads north to accompany his master, he warns Martha to keep her healing gifts a secret, to keep herself safe, to be a good wife. Martha loves Jacob but without him there to protect her, she soon comes under the suspicious eye of the wicked Steward Boult, who’s heard of her talent and forces her to attend to him. If she refuses, he promises to destroy the good life she has built for herself with Jacob. Desperate and alone, Martha faces a terrible decision: stay and be beholden to Boult or journey north to find Jacob who is reported to have been killed.. The road ahead is filled with danger, but also the promise of a brighter future. And where her gifts once threatened to be her downfall, might they now be the very thing that sets Martha free...? The brilliant follow-up to Eleanor Porter's first novel of love, betrayal, superstition and fear in Elizabethan England. A story of female courage, ingenuity and determination , this is perfect for fans of Tracy Chevalier. Purchase Link  lMy thoughts: Set in Elizabethan England, The Good Wife is a sequel to The Wheelwright's Daughter,Eleanor Porter's brilliant debut novel. It can be read as a standalone, although once you get to know Martha, you will want to go back and read where and how her story began. We meet Martha as she has just been acquitted of witchcraft. Her beloved Jacob has saved her life again and now he is taking her away from the place where Martha will always be seen as a cripple and a witch. In her new home Martha can leave it all behind and stop fearing people. Jacob doesn't want Martha to practise healing as it would attract more attention to her and Martha agrees. All she wants is to be a good wife of a good man. Jacob is working as a stablehand for Sir Thomas and is asked to accompany his master on his two month journey to the north. Jacob warns her against treacherous Steward Boult who has ruined countless girls and young women. Steward Boult puts her into an impossible position and when Sir Thomas returns with his servants, but without Jacob who is presumed dead, Martha sets off on a journey to find her beloved husband. The writing is simply beautiful. There's so much emotional power and rich detail in Eleanor Porter's vivid descriptions. I could feel warm sunshine and tender touch of nature that surrounded Martha and Jacob in the first weeks in their new home.I could feel Martha's grief and the cold shadows that were trying to swallow her whole being when was trying to wrap her head round the fact that Jacob might never come back to her. It is impossible not to relate to Martha in some aspects: Martha's delight at reading Ovid's stories that open doors to new worlds and new ideas or her fear that her past is not that far away and can be used to manipulate her, her sense of freedom once she sees how big the world is. Martha changes a lot throughout the book, becomes less naive, more worldly, but never loses her sincerity. She reflects on gender roles and how our identities are not set in stone. There are other equally compelling secondary characters that all make up a rich tapestry of this spellbinding story of love, longing and discovery. I really enjoyed this captivating read set in one of the most fascinating historical periods and I can't wait to return to Martha's world and find out what future holds for her. Thank you to Rachel and Boldwood books for inviting me to participate in this blog tour. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.  Author Bio Eleanor Porter has lectured at Universities in England and Hong Kong and her poetry and short fiction has been published in magazines. The Wheelwright’s Daughter was her first novel. Social Media Links https://twitter.com/elporterauthor https://www.facebook.com/eleanorporterauthor Newsletter sign up: http://bit.ly/EleanorPorterNewsletter https://www.instagram.com/eleanorporterauthor/ 
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