Crimson Soul
-- EXCERPT: My fangs sunk into the tough flesh of his throat. A hiss of pain passed through him, but he didn’t try to stop me. My fingers dug into his shoulders as I sucked deep pulls of blood from him. I wasn’t gentle. In fact, I was rough with him as I drank from his celestial veins. Sugary sweet blood rolled over my tongue. I moaned in delight as the hunger pain in my stomach and throat all but disappeared. The raw brutality of his power seeped into me, and my injuries were healing from the magic that flowed in his blood. I drew more and more into my mouth and gulped it greedily like I’d never have enough. I’d never gone without blood for as long as I had, and my vampire instincts were in overdrive as logic took the backseat. My knees dug into the cold floor on either side of his waist, where I straddled him. I was nowhere near as strong as he was in my condition, and he could easily push me off. But he didn’t. His hands trailed up my waist, pushing under the fabric of my shirt until his fingers hit my bare skin and a groan of pleasure escaped him. My focus was only on feeding off him to sate the hunger until his fingers dipped into my skin so hard it hurt and he pulled me down as his hips bucked up against me. I felt the bulge of his arousal between my thighs, and it was like ice cold water was dropped on me. Yanking my fangs out of him, I reared back. His grip tightened further, and bruising spread from each finger holding my hips in place. His long, silver hair was feathered back as his eyes glazed over in a lustful haze.
GIVEAWAY! Taken
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play -- EXCERPT: “What’s with the name?” “What?” “Holland.” There’s a weighted pause. “It’s just a name.” “Is it your real name? Or your pen name?” “It’s my real name.” “There’s more to this story.” “What does it matter? I’m trapped by a man you won’t even tell me about.” Her frustration zips through the air like electricity, lighting me up from the inside out. I don’t want to be too weak for this, too weak to protect her, but it was not a goddamn game—not really. “I’ll tell you how I ended up in here. You tell me about your name. Fair?” A pause. “Fair.” I lean my head back until it hits a shallow puddle. Christ. “It’s my job to stop this operation. It’s also my job to steal from it. So I did my job.” “What kind of boss asks you to do that?” The US government. “Not a very ethical one. So the other guys jump me. Five on one makes for some ugly bruises. I ended up in here, and shortly after that, you came in.” That isn’t quite the whole story. Adam left me here with those bastards. One of them in particular, Peter, has a really nasty streak. I have the cigar burns and whip marks to prove it. Between the beatings, the torture, and the starvation, I’m weak as a kitten. The truly interesting part, though, is that Adam was only gone for a full day. Around twenty-four hours. Barely enough time to fly to the States and then back. He probably didn’t even leave the airport there. Why? He’s so mercurial that it could be anything. Maybe he fancied a fuck with a flight attendant. Or maybe he had a hankering for plane food. Either way, he came back with this woman. Holland, she said her name was. Holland Frank. “Fine,” she says on a long sigh. “Holland is my real name, but I only use it for legal documents. And for my books. It’s an awkward name that everyone asks me about.” “Your parents like tulips?” “Exhibit A.” “Or was it some kind of commentary about tilting at windmills.” “I think then my name would have been Spain.” “And why Holland? I think Netherlands has more of a ring to it.” “Are you done yet?” “This is my only entertainment. I could literally go all night.” “Since you insist on knowing, and you did hold up your end up the bargain, I’ll tell you. My parents named me Holland because that’s where I was conceived.” “And your sister?” “London.” “Wow. That’s kind of sweet. Until you think about it.” “Exactly. It is kind of sweet until you realize it’s about where your parents had sex.” “And then you just walk around, like a sex souvenir.” “Aren’t all kids sex souvenirs really?” “Yeah, but they aren’t all labeled with the city’s name.” “So that’s why I go by Holly.” “And your pen name?” “They wanted me to use a male pen name. Or something ambiguous like H.D. Frank. Male pen names tend to sell better, for the same exact book.” “So you went with Holland.” “It’s not really a girl’s name. Imagine if I’d been conceived in Antarctica.” “They wouldn’t have done that to you. Would they?” “They love me, but they are really into the meaning of things.” “Portugal? Britain?” “I’m sure they would be fair game.” She doesn’t sound mad about it, though. She sounds wistful, as if she loves her family. As if she misses them. That’s one upside to having a bastard of a father. I could be tortured for years and never miss him for a second. “My father was a cruel bastard, and even he wouldn’t name me Madagascar.” Not that he’d actually been to Madagascar or anywhere interesting. He would have had to call me Podunk, along with both my brothers, because that’s where we were conceived. Her attention turns softer, more interested. “He was cruel?” “There were three of us. Three brothers. I was the youngest, which means I was the one left behind when they enlisted.” Memories are black as night. “To say he was cruel is to call this cell cold. It can’t come close to describing the bone-deep chill.” “I’m sorry,” she says softly. “I can’t imagine.” “That’s a good thing. No one should know what it’s like.” “I love my sister. We fought like crazy and then we would hug and go to sleep in the same bed, even when we were ten years old we slept on the same twin bed. No matter what my parents did they couldn’t get us to sleep in separate rooms. Until she discovered boys.” “Your parents,” I ask gingerly. “Are they alive?” “Oh yes.” Her voice turns soft. “Very much alive and well. After travelling the world, they settled in northern New York. Every other weekend they drive to Niagara Falls.” “Do they know where you are?” It’s both a good and bad thing if they do. “No,” she says. “My sister and I have a long-standing pact, going all the way from when we were little. We don’t tattle on the other one. We don’t get each other in trouble. We don’t make our parents worry if we don’t have to. For example, London never told them she found me with a boy outside the cathedral in Reims.” I have this sudden memory, this recollection of tasting her. You don’t know the way I have sex. It’s rough, Holly. It’s… disrespectful. Cruel. You deserve better than that, especially for your first time. I’m embarrassed that I told her that. She was so innocent. Too innocent for me to even touch. What the fuck had I been thinking? I hope she found some kind, gentle person to take her virginity. Someone who would whisper sweet words and hold her afterward. “He was cruel,” I say, though that’s an understatement. It’s hard to explain for someone with loving, if quirky, parents. They can never fully understand what it’s like to know fear before you know love. “I’m sorry,” she whispers. “Is that why you killed him?” I was beaten and burned and battered to within an inch of death, but it didn’t hurt as much as the memory. Searing pain through my body that no amount of fighting or fucking ever really remove. I keep thinking that one more job will make me forget, but it won’t. Soft hands move gently over my arm, my side, noting when I stiffen. She curls herself into the side of my chest like a cat seeking warmth. Or offering warmth. Her head rests on my shoulder. With shock I realize this is how it would have been—if I had fucked her eight years ago, if I had held her afterwards. This many years later, we’re having that moment of intimacy I’d been too afraid to take. And why? Maybe I shouldn’t have pushed her away. What would have happened if I’d told her everything about the Louvre and the diamond?
GIVEAWAY! Ruined Sinner
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GIVEAWAY! When former FBI agent Cate Wilde moves back to Widow’s Island, she envisions a simpler life than the one she had in law enforcement. But Cate’s past has a habit of catching up with her. When she receives a mysterious package containing a child’s mandible, she finds herself thrust back into action. The mandible leads Cate to an unsolved case she worked seven years ago—the kidnapping of a three-year-old girl. At the time, Cate suspected the girl was kidnapped by her overprotective father. But after they both vanished, the case went cold. At the urging of the girl’s mother, Cate dives back into the case and learns her prime suspect may still be a threat. Armed with new clues and a fresh perspective, Cate must confront the possibility that the kidnapper is poised to strike again. But can she save his new child from the same fate before it’s too late? Widow Island Series: 1 Close to the Bone 2 A Bone to Pick 3 Whisper of Bones 4 Bred in the Bone 5 Below the Bones 6 A Broken Bone 7 Buried Bones 8 The Lost Bones My thoughts: The eighth novella in Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh's Widow Island series is told from the point of view from Cate Wilde, a former FBI agent who became a baker/a bookstore owner. Cate is also one of Tessa Black's (the protagonist of the previous novella) best friends and Logan's sister. If you are a newcomer to the series, you will appreciate the way the author provides re-cap details making sure you are introduced to the recurring characters and the developments in their lives. We find out why Cate decided to leave her FBI job and how happy she is with her fiance Dr Henry Powers, the only doctor (and coroner) on the island. Then a mysterious package is delivered to Cate's bakery and Cate can't help but get involved in an old child kidnapping case. This time there is very little doubt that the girl didn't survive and somebody, perhaps another woman in a similar situation to little Jade's mother, is asking for help. Jade's father Rich has never been found, but he always prefered to live off the grid. Can Cate bring the closure to Jade's grieving mother and find the fugitive before he can destroy more lives? This short novella was absolutely action-packed.. The pace was excellent- with slower moments that show the important relationships in Cate's life- fiance, girlfriends, grandmother, neighbours and super fast, nail-biting race to catch the kidnapper and save lives in the end. I really enjoyed getting to know more about the island and how it got its name. It was also great to see how the stories from the two authors seem to merge seemlessly without losing their distinctive styles. Can't wait to read the continuation of Tessa and Cate's stories in future books. Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the review copy. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way Whatever He Needs
-- EXCERPT: Dimmy follows me from room to room. Gradually, he loses himself to his interest in the intricate patterns of the wallpaper and fabrics and Mother’s unique design choices. He’s particularly enthralled by the billiards room that boasts, of course, a retro pool table. There’s also a jukebox and a full bar. There’s even a small dance floor. “It’s like a mini, super-classy version of All the Feels. But no cube for me to dance on.” “I don’t know what to say to that. “Would you like a beer?” I ask. “Nah. I’m…uh, only nineteen.” “Are you trying to tell me you follow all of society’s rules—like some choirboy?” He shakes his head. “I stay away from drinking and drugs. They screwed up my mom real bad, and…well, I figure being high won’t do me any favors in the thinking department.” He knocks on the side of his head. I hate it when he talks himself down this way. “Don’t sell yourself short. Just recognizing that drugs and alcohol affected your mother negatively—and making the decision to stay away from them—shows you’re an intelligent and disciplined person.” Dimmy’s mouth falls open, and it occurs to me that nobody has ever told him that he’s made a reasonable decision in his life. But then he lets out a raucous spurt of laughter, as if I told him the world’s funniest joke. He steps out onto the tiny dance floor, parts his legs, and sticks out his ass. I can’t lie: the ensuing sensual performance affects me. “This is what you like about me, isn’t it?” Dimmy slurs. He knows what he’s doing when he rolls his hips and shimmies his shoulders. I know what he’s doing, as well: Dimmy is testing me. As he administers his test of my restraint, he doesn’t stare at the ceiling like he does at the club. He fixes his seductive gaze on me. I shift my weight to hide my unwanted arousal. “Dimmy…” He seems to expect this reaction. “You got me alone. Aren’t you gonna make your move?” “No.” I don’t provide an explanation. “Let me show you to your bedroom.” His eyebrows curve. “O-okay.” My gut is screaming at me—demanding that I take Dimmy into my arms. But I refuse to do anything that will spook him. So I lead him to the stairs, and once we’re on the second floor, I select the bedroom that’s decorated all in creams. Tonight, Dimmy will fall asleep wrapped in virginal white sheets. All alone. Surprisingly, the idea soothes me far more than it frustrates me. His eyes pop wide, and he releases a breath of relief from deep in his chest. And one more time, he begins to tremble. The unnerving events of the evening have caught up to him.
GIVEAWAY! #Book Blitz #Seventeen Butterflies by Anna Katmore #Contemporary Romance #YA @Xpresso Book Tours23/8/2021
Seventeen Butterflies
-- EXCERPT: “Who. Are. You?” The words fly out of my mouth even before the front door falls shut behind me. There’s a stranger in my house—built like a demi-god, demonic dark hair, and with eyes like an angel. He comes out of the bathroom as if he’d just taken a break after parking himself in my home for a cozy film marathon. Hello? The intruder with the white t-shirt wipes his still damp hands on the back of his washed-out jeans, not even half as confused as I am, obviously. “My name’s Thane,” he says. Then he smiles, and the sun is rising a second time today at half past six in the evening. What the hell? He cocks his head. “And yours?” My backpack slides from my right shoulder, pulling one side of my unzipped dark blue hoodie with it, and hits the tiled hallway floor with a thud so loud the neighbors could hear. That’s from the five new books I just borrowed from the library. All hardcovers. “Huh?” Dimples and an amused look make the young man’s eyes scrunch a little tighter. “Your name?” Jeez, burglars don’t usually smirk and engage you in conversations, do they? Then again, we’ve never been robbed before, so what do I know? With a jerk of my shoulder, I push my hoodie back in place and then grab my brother’s old hockey stick from behind the chest in the foyer. We’ve been keeping it there since the day I watched my first murder mystery as a kid, and today I swing it for the first time. “I’m Sandra Michelle Cardington. Cardington as in the name written on the mailbox outside this house. My house.” Need I say, “I live here!” My fingers clenching around the wood, I move one step closer to the housebreaker. “You don’t.” “Whoa.” His chuckle runs wild into nice boyish laughter, and he lifts his hands in surrender. Not gonna help, cutie. I’ll knock your lights out. As I scowl like a wild dog, he keeps his body rigid, but his star-blue eyes move to the right as he shouts over his shoulder, “You didn’t say you’re living with Harley Quinn, Cam.” The next instant, he moves forward so swiftly I totally miss the moment. With just one hand, he brings my arms down then casts a friendly look straight into my eyes. “Let me show you how this works. This isn’t a baseball bat, you know. You use it a little closer to the ground.”
GIVEAWAY! Written For You
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play -- EXCERPT: The pool came into view, along with the backside of a woman standing near the edge. She wore a slip of a dress over her toned body. Her auburn hair fell in loose waves to the middle of her back, and she appeared to be staring at the water with her arms wrapped around herself. Beautiful. Alluring. His breath caught before he reminded himself Reese was one of his best friends and he’d never do anything to mess that up. His brothers would kick his ass right now if they knew the thoughts running through his head. He didn’t exactly sneak up behind her—okay, he did—and so when she suddenly turned in surprise and grabbed the front of his T-shirt to keep from losing her balance, he should have been prepared to steady her. Instead, she shrieked in alarm, tugged hard enough on the thin cotton material of his shirt to rip it, and the two of them tumbled into the pool with a splash. Not his finest moment. Not by a long shot. At least the water was warm. They surfaced at the same time, his first thought to help her get a hand on the side of the pool since they’d fallen into the deep end. He also readied himself for her wrath, an apology all set on his tongue. Instead, she gripped the edge of the tile with one hand, swept the hair off her face with the other, and cracked up. She had a nice laugh. The kind that had him forgetting apologies and enjoying the moment with her. “Cam!” she finally said. “What the heck was that?” For a moment, he was completely distracted by her full lips, almond shaped eyes, flawless skin. “Surprise,” he offered, hoping he sounded contrite. She gave him a playful splash. “Duh. And I guess I surprised you, too.” “Yeah, thanks a lot for driving with me,” he teased. “I didn’t think you were coming up until Founder’s Day weekend.” “Shay has me reading a gazillion scripts and at the last minute suggested I take time out of the office to do it so I’m not distracted.” “A gazillion, huh?” She rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean. A ton. So here I am! You know you’re happy to see me.” He edged closer, an involuntary reaction he didn’t try to fight. “Here you are.” He had a feeling there was more to the story, but he didn’t press. He was tired. Hungry. And truth be told, more than happy to see her.
GIVEAWAY! The Highlander’s Pirate Lass
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play -- EXCERPT: Eliza tore her eyes from Jandeau’s approaching ship to stare at Beck. “You aren’t planning to fight him, are you?” Beck walked away, yelling more orders, changing the sails to catch the wind to take them into a position to sail around the isle. He was still trying to get to the windward side. Eliza ran after him, grabbing his thick arm. “You cannot beat him, Macquarie. He has forty cannons and fifty bloodthirsty men. Even if he wasn’t flying his red flag, Jandeau would kill you all.” She tried to shake his arm, but it didn’t move. “And he will take the children, Alice, and me.” She shook her head. “You must convince him not to attack.” He leaned into her. “That is Cullen Duffie’s ship out there. The two of us will catch him.” She gritted her teeth. “Not before Jandeau sinks this ship. Your friend will not reach us in time.” “The Calypso is sturdy,” he said, his hand sliding down the polished wood of a mast. “Go with the children into the cabin,” Beck said. “I will stall him with cannon fire until Cullen reaches us.” Eliza let out a rough growl between her clamped teeth. Fool! He had little to no experience fighting a sea battle, and none with the likes of Claude Jandeau. “You are going to get us all killed!” She stomped away. “Anders, Pip, Alice!” she yelled, and met them at the aft captain’s cabin. Alice held Hester on her hip, and they all filed inside. Pip ran to their trunk to tug out her sailing trousers. “The Borreau is rounding the isle,” Eliza said, running over to the open trunk, her mother’s brooch thumping against her chest. She pulled out her long wool and leather coat. Alice plucked the laces of Eliza’s bodice so she could pull it off over her head. She yanked open her stays. They and her smock flew off quickly as she threw on her white tunic. There was no time to bind her breasts, but her jacket hid them well enough. “Pip, take Hester and find an empty barrel that she can hold on to if you have to swim with her back to the isle. Do not take the dinghy or they will see you. Then hide.” She turned to Anders. “You go with them.” She would rather see them dead than be taken. “But I can—” “I need you to care for them, Anders. Make sure they have food. Get them to Mull.” His lips closed tight, and he nodded. She had told all the children about her time on the Borreau ten years ago. They knew the horrors that awaited them if taken. The horrors that her baby brother had to face while she hid away in Jandeau’s quarters. Stop it. Teeth gritted, Eliza forced her thoughts to the current situation. Otherwise, she would be paralyzed with remorse and fear. She buttoned her jacket, tucking the brooch inside, and grabbed her long bow and pitch-tipped arrows. Alice was already yanking a tunic over her own head. She grabbed the lantern while tucking the ends in her trousers. Eliza’s gaze locked with hers, and they both gave a small nod before tearing out of the cabin, Eliza jamming her floppy leather hat on her head. On deck, Beck was issuing orders while his brother yelled to the men manning the sails. Men pulled ropes to turn the ship to try to position it to catch the sweep of wind, giving the Calypso some advantage over Jandeau. But it would not be enough. I have to stop this! And she would. Even if that meant taking over the ship.
GIVEAWAY!a Rafflecopter giveaway A college student’s murder shines light on community secrets left in the dark in the seventh Widow’s Island novella by #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh. All communities have their secrets…but on Widow’s Island, there’s a skeleton in every closet, as Deputy Tessa Black knows all too well. When Tessa stumbles upon a half-buried body in the woods, a peaceful morning hike suddenly turns into a race to catch a killer. Tessa identifies the skeletal corpse as Aurora Franklin, a young college student and aspiring actor. She’d come to Widow’s Island for a summer job, only to be strangled and discarded. Aurora has been dead for over a month—and not a single islander has reported her missing. The investigation reveals a dangerous predator hiding in the Widow’s Island community. With her fiancé, park ranger Logan Wilde, by her side, Tessa must find Aurora’s murderer before they strike again. My thoughts: Buried Bones is the seventh novella in Widow Island series authored by Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot. If you have been following the series, you'll be very happy to see the familiar faces and get a catch-up on their lives. Deputy Tessa Black has acomplicated family life. Her mother has been diagnosed with an early onset dementia and, naturally, taking care of her is taking its emotional and physical toll on Tessaandher much younger half-sister Patience. Luckily, there's Logan, Tessa's fiance, her rock of strength, who is helping out. The whole island community is pulling together to take turns to keep Tessa's mother company. Patience and Tessa's hike comes to a quick end when they discover a half-buried body. The police quickly identify the victim and start a murder investigation which requires quick thinking and plenty of solid police work when several suspects emerge. The pace is excellent and there is plenty of action packed into this fairly short story. Melinda Leigh has a very engaging writing style that kept me turning pages, Who would have thought a small island can become the setting for so much drama? Looking forward to reading the next story in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the review copy. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way. Widow Island Series:
1 Close to the Bone 2 A Bone to Pick 3 Whisper of Bones 4 Bred in the Bone 5 Below the Bones 6 A Broken Bone 7 Buried Bones 8 The Lost Bones Fox
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Changeling Press -- EXCERPT: I felt the burn of a tear slip down my cheek and before I knew it, I was in Fox’s arms and sobbing. I hadn’t cried in so long. It felt satisfying and horrible at the same time. “Surge, I need you and any other hackers to look into Balmoral. See what you can find so we can bury those f**kers,” Spider said. “Raven, I don’t have a place for you to live on your own. Breaker brought you here. Do you want to stay with him?” I sniffled and looked up at Fox. A slight smile kicked up the corner of his lips and he ran his hand over my hair. “She can stay with me. I have an extra room.” “That what you want, Raven?” Spider asked. “To stay with Fox?” I nodded, not looking away from the first man to ever make me feel seen. Understood. My heart raced and I trembled, but it wasn’t from fear. Not this time. For once, I felt like things might be okay. I didn’t know the man they claimed was my father, but if they trusted him, I’d at least meet with him. Until then, I’d stay with Fox. I could feel it deep in my gut that he’d keep me safe. Possibly even from myself. I couldn’t promise the dark thoughts wouldn’t return. I might always have days where I wanted to end it all. The thought of staying with Fox made me feel warmer inside. The shadows were still there, pressing in, but they were held at bay. If latching onto Fox would make things better, even a little, then I knew I needed to hold onto him.
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