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A New Enemy
-- EXCERPT: As I reached the front door, I peered through the round window and spotted Teddy with his uncle next to my four-wheeler. Teddy was sitting in the driveway, right next to the wooden fence I shared with Bob, and he was picking flowers from the strip of greenery the fence stood on. Blake was squatting down beside him, with his back to me, and he had on an actual cowboy hat. Christ. So that was a thing. Jeans, white tee, black cowboy hat. He’d brought Georgia with him. I scratched my chest absently, hesitating, then thought, fuck it. I opened the door carefully, just a few inches. Sue me, I was curious. “You ready to go in?” Blake asked. “I’m sure your mama needs us to tell her to sit down and rest.” Oh, his accent was way more pronounced than Sophia’s. His voice was something else entirely too. Low and rich, and with that Southern drawl. “My sister kicks a lot,” Teddy said and picked another flower. He sounded tired. “Dylan and I kiss her belly and say ‘Be nice to Momma.’” I smiled faintly and stepped out on the front step. “Does your sister listen?” Blake asked. Teddy laughed and shook his head. “Nooo. She kicks when she wants.” Blake let out a chuckle. “Typical sisters.” He reached out and gave Teddy’s shoulder a squeeze. “Let’s head inside, champ. You were gonna introduce me to your little friend too.” Little? That had to be Lily or one of the dogs, because I didn’t think 6’5” and 210 pounds was considered little. “Uncle Blake, you hold these for Momma?” Teddy extended the flowers he’d picked. Blake stood up and held out a hand. “Of course. You need any help gettin’ up?” No, he didn’t. “No,” Teddy grunted. I revealed myself fully, preferring to let Georgia boy think I’d listened in without qualms rather than eavesdropping like some sneak. Blake must’ve seen me in his periphery. He did a slight double take before facing me, and fuck me, the man was ten times more gorgeous in real life. Rugged as hell, soulful brown eyes, a couple days’ worth of scruff. He furrowed his brow a little and touched the brim of his hat, and he dipped it a tiny bit, like they did in old movies. “Hello.” I smiled. Soph had neglected to tell me how fuckable her brother looked. And sounded. “Bastian, I see you!” Teddy exclaimed with a tired grin. He jogged over to me and hugged my middle. “I see you too, buddy.” I squeezed him tightly and noticed Blake approaching. So I stuck out my hand. “I’m Sebastian, Teddy’s little friend.”
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Grave Watch
-- EXCERPT: Simon wiped at his leaking eyes before striding across the grass and pulling me up by my biceps. “He gave you an hour and we’ve wasted enough of it. You have to get ready.” Dumbstruck, I allowed him to pull me by the forearm back to the house. “Clem, get their leathers ready,” he called over his shoulder as we crunched over broken glass and fallen books. The house looked no better than it had a week ago after our little invasion, and I had to wonder how many times it had broken apart and been put back together by magic over the years. Simon muttered to himself for a second before picking through the debris, yanking me behind him to the staircase. An irritated trill pulled my gaze to my feet, and an angry set of glowing green eyes pierced me with an annoyed glare. Simon yanked me again, and Isis wound around his feet nearly tripping him. “Damn and blast, Isis. It’s not my fault you went and hid under the bed. The whole bloody house was going to fall on us, you mangy feline, and you can’t die.” She couldn’t? Well, that was new information—and sort of comforting if I was being honest. The world without a little skeleton kitty in it seemed just a bit awful to me. I pulled my arm out of Simon’s hold and picked up the bone cat, cuddling her in my arms as I continued following him up the stairs. “Did evil Simon leave you behind, my sweet girl. What a bad daddy.” Scratching at her nonexistent fur, I smiled evilly when Simon shot me a look over his shoulder as he muttered something about children these days. 
GIVEAWAY! Hosted by: #Book Blitz #Claimed by the Moon by L.P. Dover (A Royal Shifters novel, #6) @Xpresso Book Tours28/9/2021
Claimed by the Moon
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play -- EXCERPT: I watch Colin and Zayne on the back porch, and it’s hard not to notice how handsome Zayne is. He’s over a hundred and fifty years older than me, but he doesn’t look a day over thirty. His beard is short and well-kept, maybe even slightly rugged. He’s not your typical wolf. But, I’m not going to lie, he fascinates me. Colin walks in through the back door, and I turn away to make it look like I wasn’t staring. I figured Zayne would follow him, but when the door doesn’t open again, I peer over my shoulder to see him still on the deck, his attention turned to the mountains. “Is he coming in?” Kami asks Colin. “Oh, yeah,” Colin answers. “He said he just needs a minute.” Colin busies himself with helping Kami, but I can’t take my eyes away from Zayne. An idea pops into my head, and I smile. Moving over to the wine, I fill up my glass and turn for the door. “Where are you going?” Kami asks. I wink at her over my shoulder. “You say people love talking to me, so I’m going to see if it’s true.” Her eyes widen. “You’re going out there?” Both her and Colin stare at me as if I’m about to walk into the lion’s den. But, then again, that doesn’t scare me. Nothing does anymore. Zayne’s just a wolf who doesn’t like to socialize with people. Unfortunately for him, I’m not going to give him a choice. “Hopefully, he doesn’t leave me hanging,” I say, backing up out of the room. Their mouths gape, but they don’t try to stop me. When I get to the door, I take a deep breath and walk outside. Zayne tenses when I step onto the deck, but he doesn’t acknowledge me. I move closer, but there’s about three feet of distance between us. Bringing the wine to my lips, I slowly sip some down, wondering if he’ll speak to me first. Of course, he doesn’t, but that doesn’t shock me. Turning my body toward him, I smile and wait for him to look at me. “I’m Amelie. I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced. I’m a good friend of Laila’s.” Being around royals is always interesting. Zayne slowly turns his head my way, and it’s the first time I’ve noticed how blue his eyes are. I can feel his power more so than any other wolf I’ve been around. He’s strong. “I know who you are,” he says, his voice low in that sexy sort of way. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
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The New Billionaire Boss
-- EXCERPT: Aiden I stared at the woman standing outside of the Uber. She looked pissed. But I needed to get to our West Coast corporate retreat. She opened my door, which took me by surprise. Did she have some type of mental imbalance, or was she on drugs? She opened her mouth to speak, but her phone beeped. She looked down at her phone and then turned to the driver. “You canceled my ride!” The driver shrugged. “He offered me $100.” She stomped her foot on the ground and threw up her hands. “You’d already started the meter!” Damn. I thought she was just keeping the man waiting. I didn’t know she was paying him to wait. That meant I was the asshole here. I sighed. Time to turn on the charm. I stared directly into her green eyes. “Please forgive me.” I saw her lips part just a little. Yup, she wanted me. I shot her a flirty smile, reached into my wallet, and pulled out a $100 bill. “Take this, for what was already on the meter, and get yourself breakfast on me.” She didn’t reach for the money. “I don’t need your money. I need this car. So get the hell out.” Seriously? Judging from her big box store athletic wear, which I had to admit hugged her figure well, I couldn’t believe she didn’t need, or at least want, the money. “Listen, lady, I’ll come back for you,” the Uber driver said. Her head snapped to face the driver. “I’ll deal with you in a minute.” I wanted to be contrite, even though I really didn’t have the patience for this. “Get in the car, and I’ll pay him to take you wherever you want to go after I’m done.” She folded her arms across her chest. “How about you go wherever you’re going after I’m done?” “I don’t have time for this.” Yes, I was in the wrong, but the driver wanted my business more than hers. Just as I was about to lean forward to tell the driver to leave, she swung the door open wide. I stared at her. “What do you think you’re doing?” She tried to push her way into the backseat. “I don’t have time for this either!” I refused to budge. She attempted to push me across the seat with her little body, and when she didn’t succeed, she opted to climb over me. Her butt grazed my lap as she took the place next to me in the backseat. The move was insane, but it turned me on. I am a dude, after all. Her long, light brown ponytail swayed back and forth as she panted from the effort of forcing her way into the backseat with me. If I wasn’t in such a hurry, I’d think she was kind of cute. Not my regular type and possibly insane, but definitely cute. “Take me to the Malibu Retreat Center,” she instructed the driver. “The one just up the hill?” the driver asked her. She refused to even look in my direction. “Yes, it’ll only take five minutes. Then you can take him to his Assholes Anonymous meeting or wherever he’s going.” I couldn’t help but smile. She worked for my father’s company. Wouldn’t little Miss Angry Pants be so surprised! 
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Dirty Daddies: 2021 Anniversary Anthology
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks -- SNEAK PEEKS: Brianna Hale – Bought by Daddy In the seedy, underground club, I take a mouthful of whisky to mask my pounding fury. All around me sit shadowy figures with baseball caps pulled low over their faces or bandanas around their mouths and noses, while young and drugged up women are paraded in front of us, some with vacant expressions, some with barely concealed terror. The first round are the girls and women who aren’t virgins, and they’re all dressed like colorful, flashy strippers with most of their flesh on display. My heart is in my mouth as each woman is dragged on stage with a chain around her neck. The bidding is humiliating for the women. Some go for as little as a thousand dollars. A thousand for a human life. It’s disgusting. After an hour, the unseen woman running the auction announces over the speakers that the first round is over and the virgins will be next, and I sit upright in shock. Scarlet hasn’t appeared. They’ve killed her. I’ll burn this place down. I’ll murder every last person in this club with my bare-- Before I can leap out of my seat, Scarlet is dragged on stage by a chain around her neck. My whole world turns crimson with bloodlust at the sight of her terrified face. The man holding the chain. The invisible woman calling my girl, “Lot one-one-seven” instead of her name. The buyers all around me devouring Scarlet with greedy eyes. I’ll kill them all. Focus. I’ll get Scarlet safely away from here, and later I can take as much revenge as I want. I listen to the bids going up and up. Twenty thousand. Twenty-five thousand. The bids dwindle until there’s just one man left. He’s wearing a cheap shirt and a twisted, triumphant sneer on his lips, and he’s staring at Scarlet like she’s a butterfly and he’s craving to pull her wings off. “One hundred thousand dollars,” I call out. Purple shirt man glares at me. He opens his mouth like he wants to make another bid, and then takes an angry swig of his drink. The room is silent. “Lot one-one-seven, sold to bidder nineteen.” I stand up and stride to the back of the room where the bursar is waiting at a laptop and complete the Bitcoin transaction. No cash and credit cards here, only cryptocurrency that can’t be traced. Then I’m led into a side room and told to wait for my goods. A few minutes later, a door opens and Scarlet is thrust inside. She stumbles, and as she looks up at me with haunted eyes, she bursts into tears. I draw her into my arms and cradle her against my chest, murmuring soft words as she heaves against me. Her whole body is shaking in fear. “It’s all right. Daddy’s got you.” “How did you find me here? Did Zac tell you? Mr. Ventura, I’m so sorry. I don’t understand how this happened.” I take her tearstained face in my hands and kiss her tears from her cheeks. She’s warm and alive, and she’s mine. All mine. “I’m just relieved I got you back.” “Please take me home.” My smile is devilish. Home, to those assholes who didn’t even know she was gone? I don’t fucking think so. “I can’t do that, babygirl. I paid a lot of money for you and now you’re in my debt. How are you going to pay me back?” She swallows and her face falls. “Of course I’ll pay you back, every cent. I’m a hard worker.” I shake my head. “On minimum wage with a skating career to support? I’d like to see return on my investment before I die.” “Investment?” she echoes. “Either you’re mine for the next month…or I put you right back in that room and those men can fight over you. Your choice. Oh, and one more thing.” My smile widens. “Don’t call me Mr. Ventura. Call me Daddy.” Scarlet is staring at me like she doesn’t recognize me. This is me, rosebud. I’m done playing nice. “Daddy?” It’s a question, not an address, but that sweet word twines through me and short-circuits the last of my patience. I take her hand and tug her toward the door. She can get used to her new reality later. I need to get her in my house, now. In my bedroom. In my bed. -- Her Ever After Daddies by Measha Stone Cory’s face burned with embarrassment. She worked hard to hide certain aspects of herself from the outside world. Especially, those she worked with and customers at the club. But somehow, Kaleb and Jason saw right through her. But if they really were daddies, did she really have any chance of not being caught by them? “Okay.” She took a deep breath and stood up from the couch. “So, you want to keep the contract between us?” she asked, trying to take a matter-of-fact tone. Better to see this as a business transaction. They’d get their fun, and she’d probably have some too along the way, then in the end, she’d have the money she needed. “Absolutely.” Jason nodded. “Damn right,” Kaleb grumbled. “Kaleb, I didn’t mean to lie to you guys. You were customers, and it wouldn’t have been appropriate for me to tell you that I needed some extra cash.” There, use logic, that should put out the fire burning in his eyes. “What did I tell you that night when you insisted nothing was wrong and you weren’t lying to us?” Kaleb asked, his dark eyes narrowing. He was intimidating enough with his dress shirt hugging his muscular form so tightly, and all his tattoos running down his arms, but now that she had a sense of what he was going to do with her, her nerves worked overtime. “You said if you found out I was lying, I’d pay.” She blinked. It had been such an off the cuff comment, she’d disregarded it. “So, then you understand what that means now, right?” Kaleb asked. “You don’t really think to punish me for that?” She laughed. “I wasn’t under contract with you then.” Jason moved away from the fireplace to bring an armless chair to the center of the room. “No, you weren’t. But you are now. And you agreed to receive spankings, both erotic and disciplinary during your time with us.” Jason shucked off his jacket and tossed it over the back of the chair. “And I think we’ve come to the part of the night where you get the punishment. Kaleb, help our little girl out of that wet dress, please.” Cory stood, frozen in place, as Kaleb moved behind her searching for the zipper. With gentle care, he ran the zipper down the track. His large, rough hands, moved along her bare back to push the dress down over her shoulders. “No bra?” Jason smiled at her as her breasts were exposed. A tingle danced down her spine. She’d been naked in front of men before, but none of them had such a hungry stare as Jason did. Kaleb pushed the dress over her hips. “No panties either.” He sounded appreciative. “Little girls shouldn’t go out without panties, Cory,” Jason chastised, but his pupils were too damn large for her to take him seriously. The hard bulge in his pants spoke to his enjoyment as well. “Have you ever been spanked before?” Kaleb asked, squatting in front of her. He took her hands and placed them on his broad shoulders so she could balance while he plucked off her heels. “Yes,” she answered. This was her job now. A full week of being their little girl, and she’d have everything she needed. There were worse ways to make money than spending it with two of the hottest men in the city. “When?” Jason asked as he rolled up his sleeves, revealing his own dark tats. She’d never noticed them before because he always wore a suit. “The last time was two years ago.” Her face heated again. “My boyfriend at the time was my…” she couldn’t bring herself to say it. It had been the last time she’d called anyone Daddy. It had been the last time she thought she ever would. “He was your daddy?” Jason finished for her again. “Yes.” She nodded. “Good.” Kaleb stood up again, brushing his fingertips along her jaw. “Daddy Jason is going to punish you now, Cory. You are never ever to lie to us again. Not even little lies. Not even omissions. We can’t help you if you don’t tell us. Do you understand me?” He cupped her face in his large hand, and hell, it felt good. “I was only trying to be professional.” She tried once more to make him understand. “Now, you can do your best to be a good girl and take your spanking.” GIVEAWAY! Hosted by:
Forever
-- EXCERPT: Russell slipped some fresh produce and meat into the cart, but Gemma wrinkled her nose. “I don’t really know how to cook.” Her response didn’t faze him, and he added a bag of spinach. “I’ll get someone to prep some things for you, and I happen to know the guard who works the late shift is an excellent cook. I know chocolate and ice cream are good foods for crying into, but you have to give your body at least some nutrition.” “I believe your role is to protect me, not monitor my eating habits.” “I’m protecting you from yourself, love.” “Don’t call me that. And I’m perfectly capable of feeding myself.” He just hummed and added a loaf of whole grain bread to the cart. “Let me guess, you don’t put sugar in your coffee either.” “I don’t. No cream either.” “Healthy people are boring,” she muttered under her breath as she went down one aisle and then another. A moment later, he heard her curse under her breath. “What’s wrong?” He pushed the cart up next to her and waited while she stared at the shelf. Her shoulders shook, and he realized she was crying. “Christ, Gemma. Come here.” He turned her around and pulled her against his chest. While she cried, he kept one arm tightly around her and used his free hand to fish out his cellphone to text the driver of the car that had followed them. Less than a minute later, the drivers of both cars approached. “Pay for this and bring it back to the house. I’m taking Gemma home now.” She lifted her head and wiped at her eyes. At first, he thought she might argue, but she nodded and let him lead her out of the store. In the car, he handed her his phone. “Text that number what you need added to the list.” She took it and sent the message. “Sorry I’m a mess.” He took his phone and squeezed her hand. “Don’t be. If anyone has a good excuse to be a mess right now, it’s you. I’m here though.” “Why?” He blinked and looked at her as he pulled out of the grocery store parking lot. “Because you’re part of the family. Because I’m a bastard.” Gemma blinked hard and jerked her head back. “How are you a bastard?” “Because I can’t keep you out of my head. You just lost your husband and all I can think about is how good it felt to have my arms around you. Pretty sure that makes me a bastard.” “It’s not like you’re being inappropriate. If your thoughts move beyond that into actions, then you might be a bastard, but so far, you’ve just let me cry on your shoulder and bought me food. I don’t think either of those things makes you a monster. That role is reserved for me. ♦♦♦♦ At first, Russell didn’t respond. Just reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. Gemma hated herself for breaking down in the shop. It was so embarrassing, especially at the point that he called in reinforcements to finish her shopping for her. And now he was being so sweet her heart almost couldn’t stand it. “You’re not a monster. Let’s get you home where you can relax.” She shuddered. “Don’t call it that. I am grateful for the safe place to stay, but we both know that isn’t home.” He squeezed her hand again. “I’m not saying this safe house will ever be home, but you can rest assured that you have people in your corner. We’re going to get you through this. And on the other side, when it’s safe for you to be on your own again, you can decide if you want to stick around a while or go back to the place you currently call home.” When they got to the house, Russell opened the front door for her and let her in. Then he walked to the bedroom and into the bathroom where he turned the bathtub on and pushed the stopper down. “You take a bath, try to relax. I’ll get your groceries put away and see what I can do to make this place a little more comfortable for you.” “How long do you think I’ll have to stay here?” He shook his head. “It’s impossible to say right now.” “Can’t I stay with one of you? What about Holly or Dakota? I like them. It would at least give me some company.” He picked up her hand and pulled her closer to the tub. “Right now, we have to assess the danger and figure out who else might be in harm’s way. Once we’ve done that, we can talk about moving you somewhere else. Now, do I need to undress you and put you in the tub, or can I leave you to it?” She smacked his shoulder. “Get out of here. I’m fine.” He chuckled and headed for the door. “Russell.” He turned to face her again. “Thank you.” “Just doing my job, love.”
GIVEAWAY! Hosted by:  Synopsis: From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh comes Her Renegade Cowboy, the final book in the Moving Violations trilogy… He will risk his life… The oh-so-proper school teacher, Lily Donovan has learned, the hard way, that men are not to be trusted. Period. Until Levi Roberts, the new cowboy working at her cousin's ranch, tempts her carefully-built resolve and awakens an all-consuming passion she thought lay dormant. But when she discovers his deadly secret, and her own secrets come to light, Lily unwittingly joins the lethal cat and mouse race between Levi and the man he’s been hunting for weeks. To save her heart… Former Ranger Levi Roberts has seen his fair share of deadly trouble during his years as a tough-as-nails operative. The ultimate expert in undercover investigations, he’s been tasked to find a man with a dangerous agenda in town. Routine work has been boring…until he runs into Lily, the prickly school teacher who tempts him like no other. Getting under her skin has been deliciously satisfying for his red-hot desire, but when Lily lands in the hands of the very man he’s been investigating, Levi will have to fight with every ounce of his heart and soul to save her—and to heal the heart he broke. Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks Publication Date: September 28th, 2021 ISBN 9781250252012  My thoughts: First of all, I love this cover and think it's a perfect representation of the protagonist of the book Levi Roberts- strong, confident and totally swoon-worthy.... I didn't realise that this was the third book in the series. If you are planning to read the previous ones, I think it is better to do it in order, as there are some spoilers for Book 2 Strong, Silent Cowboy. Having said that, it works perfectly fine as a standalone. Schoolteacher Lily Donovan is hiding a big secret from anyone in her town apart from her sister Shay and her cousin's wife Sallie. While she was a student at college she was almost killed by one of her professors. Lily found strength to testify, but later refused to go into the Witness Protection Program as that would mean giving up everything and everyone she loves. She returned to her home town of Deer Haven, finished her degree online and started teaching, trying to move on with her life. When she gets a call from US Marshals Service Bureau informing her that her tormentor Graham Brisbee escaped from prison,Lily's nightmares return. Levi Roberts is a new cowboy at her cousin Jacob's ranchand notonly is he gorgeous, it is also clear that he is interested in Lily despite her feisty reputation. Lily knows Jacob would never hire anyone without checking their background thoroughly, so he must be trustworthy despite his overconfident, cocky attitude, but she has been lied and manipulated before, can she really trust him enough to have more than a one-night stand? To be honest, at the beginning I felt things were developing a bit too fast (lust at first sight?)and judgy me felt it was wrong of Levi to start anything with Lily given the vulnerability of her situation and his job.
'I have to warn you, I heard relationships based on intense experiences never work'- 'Okay, we'll have to base it on sex then...' Levi is definitely a generous lover, although he guards his secrets a bit too well from one person he should have confided in. So, if you aren't looking for clean and wholesome, but rather the opposite, you're going to appreciate the physical attraction they are feeling for each other. Still, their secrets are just too big and too important for their identity to hide behind the physical side which gives them an illusion of closeness. The second part of the book proved that Levi's conflict of interests was the main point of the book- he knew that he was putting his job on line, but the desire to protect her was stronger than any common sense, professional experience or even the code of conduct he must have signed at some point in the past. The pace picked up and suddenly I was so engrossed in these action-packed final chapters that I couldn't put the book down for the life of me!
Recommended to any reader who likes romantic suspense with alpha male, protective characters, small town setting, danger, pursuit, and lots of steamy scenes. Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin's Pressforthe ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
Atlas Memorial: Love, Lust & Saving Lives
-- EXCERPT: I stood inside the automatic doors; hands clenched. This is it. Taking a deep breath, I took a step forward, dodging a group of men in surgical scrubs, and taking a sharp left towards what I thought was the elevator bank. A few steps in and I quickly realized I had gone the wrong way. Instead of elevators, a coffee cart with a line of customers wrapped around the corridor stood in its place. Shit. I must have gotten turned around and needed to go right, not left. I spun around to change course only to plow directly into someone holding a fresh cup of scolding hot coffee. “Oh my god.” I stumbled backwards, my heel catching on the toe of my other shoe. “Hot. That’s hot.” The guy swiped at his chest, coffee running down the front of his shirt and tie. I looked up into the face of one of the most gorgeous men I had ever seen. “Oh my god, you are hot.” “What?” He pulled at his clothes. “I mean, er, yes. Your coffee.” Shit. “It’s super hot. I’m so sorry.” Heat spread across my cheeks for the second time this morning. I reached over the counter for a stack of napkins, trying to remove all evidence of our meeting from his shirt. “Did I burn you?” “No it’s… I’m fine. I’m good.” He tossed the empty cup into the trash and took the remaining napkins from me. “That was completely my fault. I’m gonna be late and I got totally turned around and I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going and…” “It’s okay.” He smiled. “Apology accepted.” His voice was deep and sensual, forcing my thighs to squeeze together at his words. For a split second I took the risk of looking him in the eye, but quickly decided my knees weren’t strong enough to handle it. His complexion was a creamy sand and his black pearl eyes were warm but mysterious. Longish onyx hair, a direct contrast to the professional business attire, fell slightly into his face as he looked down at me. My insides melted into warm pools when he reached for my hand, shaking it firmly in his grip. “Ryan,” he said, licking his lips. “Stella.” I breathed, barely audible. Whoa. Electricity passed between us as my heart fell into my stomach. Who was this guy? “Well it was nice meeting you Stella, but I’m running late myself.” He dropped my hand. The warm burn remained like a phantom ghost in my palm. “Have a good day.” “You too,” I said. He disappeared through the crowd of visitors pushing in through the Emergency Department and I inhaled a deep breath, allowing my heart to slow down to a normal rate. Several stunned moments passed as it took me to realize that what I had experienced just then was in fact not an out of body experience. That guy, that… Ryan really existed. I caught my reflection in the window and saw my face and chest were still burning a deep red. Plus I was pretty sure my loins were hanging out completely exposed. Not a good look for a positive first impression. I took another deep breath and got myself turned in the right direction, realizing I was supposed to go right instead of left to find the elevators. I was never going to make it on time but at least I wouldn’t be lying when I claimed that I had gotten turned upside down, and not just by the building. 
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My thoughts:
This was a surprisingly quick, fun read! I am a big fan of medical dramas and medical romance, so I didn't think twice before I grabbed the book. Stella Reynolds has just graduated in nursing and has got into a prestigious residency program inAtlas Memorial Hospital in Monroe. Stella comes from a small town Enid and an absolutely normal family- she is very easy to relate to especially if you remember your own transition from college to real workplace and all the worries and anxiety associated to it. Our sweet Stella has not one, but two love interests and I honestly couldn't decide which one I wanted her to end up with- a handsome firefighter/paramedic or a sexy doctor. I don't mind love triangles as much as I other readers do-I think they make for interesting dilemmas and realistic life choices. The pace was great and to my regret I finished the book in no time at all. The hospital scenes were very engaging and I hope this is the beginning of a new series. I would certainly love to read more from this author. Thank you to NetGalley, Xpresso Book Tours and the publisher for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
The Soul of Love
-- EXCERPT: She lay still in his arms, allowing the heat from his body to lull her back into a semi-relaxed state. When he made no move to resume the intimacy of their wedding night, she turned slightly toward him. Burying his head in her hair, he breathed in her scent as if committing it to memory. “I will leave you alone if that is your wish. We can wait until you are ready to consummate our marriage.” Feeling a heavy sorrow at the thought of leaving her, he nonetheless did not want to cause her any more turmoil. He would wait, even as it threatened to dim the joy he felt at finally having her back in his life. He pressed a kiss against her temple and released her. As he turned away and made his way out of the bed, Psyche was gripped with fear at the thought of him leaving her. It was so strong it overwhelmed her with a desire to keep him by her side in spite of her reservations. Not understanding her reaction to his departure, she cried out, “Wait!” Reaching out to stop him, she was shocked to discover what her hand was gripping. “You have wings,” she said in startled amazement. Eros stopped and shuddered at the touch of her hand on his wing. It was the first touch she initiated between them of her own volition, and it devastated him. Holding still, for he did not trust himself, he waited to see what she would do. Psyche was too stunned to do anything but hold on to his wing for several moments. When he did nothing to repudiate her touch, she slowly slid her hand down his wing, marveling at the soft texture and heat. Repeating the caress, she inched closer and brought her other hand to press against his other wing. Feeling emboldened by his continued silence, she pressed against his back and continued to stroke his wings. Then Psyche laid her cheek against the center of his shoulder blades, where his wings grew out of his back. She continued her slow caress. The feel of his wings seemed strangely familiar, as if she had run her hands over them hundreds of times. Frowning, she tried to remember, the memory teasing along the edges of her mind, but no matter how hard she tried, the knowledge danced away from her. Before she could chase the phantom memory, she was distracted by the hiss of pleasure that her new husband released at her touch. Eros could barely restrain himself from turning around and pinning her to the bed as lust consumed him. The feel of her bare breasts pressed against his lower back sent shards of pleasure directly to his groin, where he tightened painfully as she continued to pet him. But it was her breath teasing the sensitive nerve endings of where his wings emerged from his back that was his undoing. When she started to nuzzle him, Eros knew he had to warn her before he lost total control. “Psyche, make your choice now. I only have so much control, and I have waited so long for you that I cannot continue to let you touch me without taking you. So choose, do I stay or do I go?” Psyche stilled at his words. Faced with the power to control even a small part of her destiny gave her courage. Feeling that something fragile and precious would be lost if she allowed him to leave this night, she made her decision. “Stay.” 
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Mafia Princess
-- EXCERPT: Dominic lifted my veil, and I sobbed harder at the thought of what came next. Never before did I imagine my first kiss to be with a man who despised me, and I especially did not imagine it to be in front of nearly three hundred strangers on my wedding day. But, here we were with Dominic preparing himself to steal the first part of my innocence. Ignoring my tears, Dominic made a big show of sweeping me into his arms before placing a sweet, chaste kiss on my lips. I cried harder as the crowd went wild. “Smile, Sasha,” he commanded in his rough voice as he took my hand and led me down the aisle amongst cheers and rose pedals. I tried my best to bottle my emotions and smile pretty, but I felt dazed by the day’s events. The cool air on my face as we finally reached the doorway of the church brought me out of my stupor. People threw rose petals on us, and photographers snapped pictures as we made our way towards the car. I wanted to scream and shout at all of them for not helping me. “Where are we going?” I asked Dominic as we settled into the limo. I didn’t want to talk to him, but I honestly had no idea what came next. My family had taken care of all the planning, and no one deemed to tell me anything about it. The largesse of my wedding dress made sitting next to each other impossible, and the distance gave me space to think and take in the events of the last hour. “Take this,” he said in response, handing me a tissue box. “Wipe your face and fix your makeup. I don’t want to walk into our reception with you looking the way you do.” His words stung, but I said nothing. Not only did my new husband scare me, but I was too tired to fight so early on into our marriage. Instead, I began dabbing my eyes like the good girl I was raised to be. The ceremony had been long. Catholic ceremonies always were and considering ours needed to be conducted in both the Orthodox and the Roman way, I was surprised people even agreed to stay. I was exhausted, and I wanted nothing more than to strip off my heavy dress and take a nap. Readings, followed by mass, followed by a sermon, followed by vows, and then finally the kiss. So much pomp and circumstance for a wedding we all dreaded. Away from the crowds and the pressure, my tears abated, as I wiped my face and began reapplying my make-up. No use crying now. I thought. Nothing could be done. “How do I look?” I asked after applying a fresh coat of lipstick. I silently thanked Nadia for insisting on outfitting the limo with emergency supplies. Dominic took my face in his large hands, gently turning me one way and then another. Despite feeling like cattle under the auction appraisers, I kept my mouth shut and allowed him to inspect me. “You look like a child,” he said with disgust before releasing me from his grip.
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