Let Me Fly
-- EXCERPT: My name is Isabelle Dark and my life sucks. In exactly ten days, four hours, fifty-seven minutes, and fifteen seconds, I will cease to exist. Why do I say this? Well, all you need to know is that I’ve been forced to live in the shadows. I have to struggle to survive in my own home. There’s no other choice for someone like me. I’m a half-breed, which means that my only alternatives are to be killed by the Shadows or stay hidden here, among the Hollows. As I said, it sucks! I shake my head as a hysterical laugh forces its way out of my throat. I can tell the woman behind me is frowning, her mouth tightly closed, her lips pressed together. “Stay still,” she orders me. “Hold your breath and suck your belly in!” My jaw goes rigid, but I remain silent. “Don’t make that face!” she mutters. “You need to eat less. You’re not thin enough!” Fuck you, I think, as my hands ball into fists and I try to keep myself from punching her in the face. I hate her. I hate everything about her. I hate her pointy nose, her high cheekbones, her oval face, her gray eyes that have no spark of light in them, her brown hair that’s always pulled back in a perfect chignon. I hate her long skirt and dumb white shirt buttoned up so tightly under er chin. I don’t understand how she doesn’t choke. Why can’t she choke? With a sigh I regard the image in the mirror again. Who are you? I struggle to hold back the tears. I don’t want to cry, not while the woman is looking at me. She yanks the laces of my dress even tighter, so tight I can barely breathe. Who are you? I ask my reflection again. The person in the mirror is a stranger. She’s not wearing my usual outfit of ripped jeans and a man’s T-shirt. Her blond hair frames her face, falling in soft waves on the lace bodice of the dress, which is peekaboo, with visible stays. It extends to her hips, emphasizing her narrow waist. The full, soft skirt falls to her feet. The pure white of the dress blends in with the white skin of the girl in the mirror. I heave a sigh, and the sad blue eyes in the glass regard me. They’re alien to me, but somehow terribly familiar at the same time. Who are you? “Edward certainly won’t want a fat wife!” The bitch tightens the ribbons of the bodice even more. I’m suffocating. “Fuck you,” I mutter, this time audibly. I want her to hear. She ignores me as she continues to fit me with my wedding dress. There are now only ten days, four hours, fifty minutes, and thirty seconds remaining until I say I do. But it’s not going to happen. Less than three hours from now I’m going to escape. I have to, if I want to survive—or at least die free. What will become of me when I leave this damned prison, though? What will become of you? I silently ask the girl reflected in the mirror.
GIVEAWAY! Savage
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo -- EXCERPT: My jaw ached from grinding my teeth. I stared out the window, refusing to even look at my dad. I couldn’t believe he’d hauled me away from Tyson. Another few minutes, and we’d have been gone. I wondered who’d told. Could have been the Prospect at the gate, or any of my dad’s spies around town. I should have waited until dark. Even though I’d begged Ty to wait, he hadn’t listened. “Can’t ignore me forever,” my dad said. Want to bet? We crossed the Alabama state line and entered Florida. He hadn’t said exactly where we were going. Devil’s Boneyard? They weren’t far from our current location. I wanted to ask. Pressing my lips together, I forced myself to remain silent. “Fine. Pout like a damn kid, Mariah, but it’s not going to change anything. Settle in. We still have a bit of a drive.” I looked over at him. What the hell did that mean? The Devil’s Boneyard was only another hour, if that. So where were we going? When he took the ramp to head north into Georgia, my stomach knotted. Oh, shit. “We’re going to see Farrah?” I asked before I could stop myself. “Nope, but same location.” Shit. If we weren’t going to see Farrah, then who? Did my dad want my brother-in-law, Demon, to scare the hell out of me? Because it wouldn’t be hard. Just being in his presence was enough to make me pee myself. I knew he doted on my sister, but it didn’t change his scare factor. I’d heard the stories of what he’d done when people crossed him or the Devil’s Fury. I tried not to fidget as the truck ate up the miles. My nerves were shot by the time we arrived. Expecting my dad to stop at Farrah’s or even the clubhouse, I couldn’t hold back my gasp as he kept going. Bile rose in my throat, and I scanned the area, not having a damn clue whose house we’d be visiting. The fact he’d packed my clothes and a box of my books didn’t bode well for this being a quick stop. Since my dad had taken my phone, I couldn’t even text Ty to let him know my current location. I knew he’d have come for me. We may not have made our flight today, but we could have gotten another one. We came to a stop outside a sprawling home. It might have only been one-story, but I could tell it was far from small inside. I got out and stood by the truck, not knowing what to expect. The front door opened and when I saw the large man who strolled out to meet us, my stomach flipped. “You made good time,” Savage said, holding his hand out to my dad. “Needed to get her out of there immediately. Caught her trying to run off with the cop.” My dad glared at me. “Nothing to say, Mariah?” “Why am I here?” I asked. Savage’s eyebrows rose and he rocked back on his feet. “Damn. I’m guessing this is a conversation we should have inside. Y’all come in. Need me to get anything from the truck?” “I threw a box of her books in the back seat, and she has a bag of clothes. I can send the rest in a few days.” My dad started walking to the house. “Getting old’s a bitch. I’m using your bathroom.” Savage snickered. My dad tossed a phone at him. “That’s hers. She can have it back, but I’m not giving it to her. She may call that shithead cop.” Savage caught the phone, looked at it a moment, then handed it to me. “No calls or texts until we talk. Don’t make me regret letting you have that back.” He opened the back door of the truck and hauled my stuff out like it didn’t weigh anything. I had no choice but to follow him into the house. He set my things down inside the door and motioned for me to have a seat in the living room. Gray slate floors stretched in every direction, and the light gray walls added to the drab color scheme. I sank onto a black leather sofa and eyed the unusual coffee table. It had to be custom-made. The base looked like a large cut tree trunk. Etched into the top were the colors for the Devil’s Fury, and a piece of glass set over the top, cut to match the edges. I hadn’t ever seen anything like it. The wood had been distressed or stained to a dark charcoal. To my left, a flat screen TV hung from the wall. It had to be at least sixty inches or more. Across from the couch and table were two chairs, and a smaller table set between the two. An ottoman sat catty-corner to one of them, and I figured it must be where Savage usually sat. The chair looked more worn than the other one. My dad entered the room, his arms folded, and he glared at me. I narrowed my eyes right back and waited to see why he’d brought me here. “What did you mean you caught her trying to leave with the cop?” Savage asked, sinking into one of two leather chairs, the one I’d thought would be his. He sprawled, reminding me of a big jungle cat. “Ty and I are getting married,” I said. Savage tensed. “That right?” “I didn’t tell her,” Dad said. “I should have, but I was biding my time.” Savage arched an eyebrow. “That worked out well, didn’t it?” The look they shared told me something was up. Why had my dad brought me here? What had he kept from me? “Tell me what?” I asked. “Casper VanHorne arranged for Savage to claim you as his old lady. You’re already promised to him, Mariah, so you can’t marry the damn cop.”
GIVEAWAY! Mistle Text: ‘Twas the Text Before Christmas …
-- EXCERPT: “My boss needs a personal shopper for Christmas, and I’ve already told him I know the very best one in Manhattan.” Toni gives me an open-mouthed smile, clearly expecting me to jump up and down. “Your boss. As in Archibald Snooty Pants the Forty-Second?” I ask, pursing my lips. She opens her mouth, but I cut her off with one finger in the air. “You complain about the man all the time.” “It’s not like he’s a horrible person, he’s just a one trick pony—all work and no play. Plus, it’s not like you’ll have to work side-by-side with him or anything. You probably won’t even have to see him.” “I’m not a personal shopper,” I tell her. “Unless his family and friends want ramen noodles or discount t-shirts from the guy who sells them out of his trunk in front of my apartment building, I would have no idea what to buy.” “Yeah, well, Archie doesn’t know that.” She pumps her eyebrows up and down like a comedian. “Toni, you told me the guy was a rich stuck-up preppy from the Hamptons. While I would love nothing more than to make some extra money, I don’t have the foggiest notion how to shop for rich people.” “So watch some holiday episodes of Real Housewives and see what they buy each other. He’ll tell you how much to spend on each person. Come on, Holl, it’s not brain surgery. It’s shopping. You know how to shop. And you need the money.” “What if he hates me?” I despise feeling so pathetic, but I’m totally out of my league here. “Then he hates you. So what? Believe me when I tell you, Archibald Harrington only thinks about work. You can’t take anything he says personally.” Dread slams into me like a wrecking ball. “How much do you think I can make?” “Enough to pay for Christmas and at least the next three months of Faith’s preschool tuition. How can you pass that up?” The answer is, I can’t. And if it means working for a cranky billionaire, then Toni is right. I’ll do whatever I have to do in order to take care of Faith. I just can’t guarantee I’ll like it. “Fine,” I tell her. “How many gifts am I supposed to buy?” “He’ll need all of his family gifts, which include his godfather’s family. He’s spending Christmas with them in Newport. He wants you to cover his business gifts, as well. The VIPs are starred, meaning those particular gifts need to be extra-amazing. I’ve also made you a list of everything that I want, so I don’t wind up with another Monte Blanc pen. I’ve already sold three of those suckers on eBay and I only get a fraction of what they’re worth.” “I don’t even know what a Monte Blanc pen is.” My chest tightens like I’m not getting enough oxygen. She hands me a piece of paper. “This is a list of websites to check out. You can order everything and have it delivered here.” “Why can’t I just have everything sent to his office? What am I going to do with it?” After taking a healthy swig of white zinfandel, Toni says, “You’re going to wrap everything up and make it look like Santa himself cracked the whip on the gift-wrapping elves. Once you have everything purchased and ready, I’ll send a car to pick the gifts up.” “You’ll send a car, will you?” I tease. “Yeah, well, I can do those fancy things in the name of my boss.” “How am I going to pay for everything?” I ask. “I have about two hundred dollars of credit left on my card. I don’t think that’s going to cut it.” Toni opens her purse and hands me a shiny black credit card. “There’s no limit, so if you don’t mind doing a little jail time, you could have a lot of fun.” “No limit? I can’t imagine such a thing.” I fantasize about what damage I could do with plastic like this. Not only could I pay for Faith’s school for the rest of the year, but I could also get my mom into one of those nursing homes that has a hair salon and restaurant. I could upgrade to a two-bedroom apartment so Faith doesn’t have to sleep in the closet anymore, and I could even splurge and buy myself some real leather gloves. “You’re imagining, aren’t you?” Toni jolts me out of my daydream. “I most certainly am. The first thing I’d do is buy Faith whatever winter coat she wanted and then I’d take her out to a nice restaurant.” Toni rolls her eyes. “If you’re going down for a crime, you’ve got to think bigger.” I stare at the card for a second, then look back up at Toni. “How can you stand working for someone who has so much? Don’t you just want to steal cash out of his wallet once in a while?” I don’t really have the heart of a felon, I’m just tired of always being broke. “The nice thing about Archie is that even though he has the personality of a killer shark, he’s generous. He has a Friday lunch catered for his staff every week, and he makes sure to float us enough extras that none of us are tempted to steal from him. He’s a good businessman.” “Even though he’s a stuck-up preppy?” I ask for clarification. “Exactly.” I look at the list of stores she thinks I should shop at—Tiffany’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Harrods, The House of Bijan … “What’s my budget?” She hands me another piece of paper. The handwriting isn’t hers, so I’m guessing it’s Archie’s. “He wants me to spend four thousand dollars on his mother?!” “Yup. He wants her to have two gifts. One of them needs to be the main. The other can be fancy ass chocolates or something.” “Right, but probably not gas station chocolates.” “Quit stressing, Holls, you’ve got this.” I don’t know why, but for the life of me I can’t see this ending well…
GIVEAWAY!
My thoughts:
In the words of one of my favourite authors Jessica Redland 'Let the Festive Fabulousness begin'! The book was absolutely delightful and it put me in a festive mood (luckily, it's only about 100 days left until Christmas!). Holly is sweet, honest, and generous, but her life is quite hard. Determined to be the best aunt/legal guardian for her five-year-old niece Faith who lost both of her parents in an accident, Holly puts her dreams on hold and works three jobs to make sure Faith has everything she needs. Still, there's no hiding the fact that they arejust making the endsmeet. So, when her best friend Toni, a personal assistant of a workaholic bussinessman Archibald Harrington, hears that her boss needs a personal shopper to find 'thoughtful' Christmas presents for his family and acquaintances, Toni suggests Holly. After all, how hard can it be to splash a bit of cash on fabulous gifts and in return make sure Faith's school fees are paid for three months in advance? It's just that Holly knows nothing at allabout Archie's family and therefore needs his advice. A few texts now and again won't hurt,will they?As it turns out, Archie may need a bit more help from Holly-a fake date for a holiday with Archie's family. I loved all the characters in this Christmas tale- especially, Faith who was just adorable, Archie, who, despite his grumpy reputation, is a decent guy, and, of course, Holly. There are lots of fascinating secondary characters that add more colour and humour to this classic Hallmark love story. This was my first book from this writing duo and I can't wait to read the previous stories in this series. Thankyou to NetGalley, Xpresso Book Tours and the authors for the review copy,provided in exchange for an honest opinion. Synopsis: A homicide detective in the dark. A serial killer on the loose. Both have their obsessions in a nerve-twisting novel of suspense by New York Times bestselling author Mary Burton. Austin homicide detective Jordan Poe is hunting a serial killer she fears is the same man who assaulted her sister, Avery, two years ago. The details line up: the victims are the same age, same type, dead by the same grim MO. Luckily Avery survived. But the terrible memories linger, making Jordan more determined than ever to stop this monster in his tracks. Texas Ranger Carter Spencer isn’t one to poach on a detective’s territory. Yet no matter how resentful a capable lone wolf like Jordan is, when she is attacked at a third crime scene and suffers a trauma that leaves her with limited vision, it’s up to Carter to help Jordan navigate a world she no longer recognizes. He needs her instinct, her experience, and her fearless resolve to crack this case. A case that’s about to get even darker. A stranger is watching. He’s closing in on his ultimate prey. And no one but the killer can see what’s coming. Publisher: Montlake Publication Date: September28th 2021 Amazon US / Amazon UK My thoughts: My first book by Mary Burton and I can see why this prolific author is very popular. This standalone thriller/police procedural had a strong female lead, a logical storyline with a few twists and red herrings to keep the reader guessing and a good pace- no wonder I read it in no time at all. Detective Jordan Poe is both hard-working and tenacious. She has to be. Her mother (also a police officer) had a substance abuse problem and Jordan learnt quickly to take care of herself and her little sister Avery. When their mother died, Jordan had to cope not ony with her own but also with Avery's grief and later her descent into drug abuse. The low point came when she found Avery in her drug dealer Marco's place, tied and suffocating. Avery has been clean and sober ever since, but Jordan cannot help worrying about her. When the first body of a young woman is found wrapped in plastic, Jordan has very little to go on to identify the victim, but when the second one is found, she has a terrible suspicion that the cases resemble what happened to Avery. The victims were young, blond, petite,and had a history of drug abuse. There is a bit of tension about who should deal with the investigation as Jordan isn't particularly happy to let the case go to Texas Ranger Carter Spenser. Carter has a tendency to rub people (esp. politically influential ones) the wrong way, but he has experience of dealing with serial killers as well as the wisdom of recognising Jordan's detective skills and tenacity. What made this book stand out is what happened, while Jordan was trying to save the killer's next victim. This isn't a spoiler (it maybe if you don't read blurbs)- Jordan suffers a blow to her head and is left with impaired vision. Remember she is in the middle of an ongoing investigation, the killer is still on the loose. Jordan is a fiercely independent person, but now she is forced to deal with tremendous changes to her her daily life, career and entire future. I can't say I found it too easy to guess who the killer was- perhaps other, more savvy readers would see it early on. The plot was logical and everything was tied in the end. The only thing I wasn't sure about was the romance-it came in at a very late point in the book and I didn't feel it was necessary. This is a more plot-driven, action-packed kind of book, so the other characters apart from the protagonist were not as developped, but I think there is a potential for this standalone to become a series. I liked Jordan and the way she dealt with adversity in her life with determination and compassion and I would certainly like to read more from this author. Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion. New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist Mary Burton is the popular author of more than thirty-five romance and suspense novels, as well as five novellas. She currently lives in Virginia with her husband and three miniature dachshunds. Visit her at www.maryburton.com.
All Men Love Leah
-- EXCERPT: I know that today is Wednesday; I know that we said goodbye to August; I know that September is wonderful. I know that my hair is tidy and I don’t have a horrible beard; I know that I’m wearing a suit I liked from the first moment I saw it; I know I’m sure I like the way I look; I know we are sitting in a wonderful restaurant in the heart of Pisa; I know we are eating delicious food and drinking nice wine; I know there is nice quiet music playing in the background; I know that the candle on the table emphasises the sparks in Leah’s blue eyes; I know that Leah is sitting on the other side of me and I can see her clearly; I know that this moment completely carries me; I know I have the right to my wonderful truth, and I know this is all mine.
GIVEAWAY! Resting Beach Face
-- EXCERPT: So, you know when you’re in the shower or on a long drive and your mind starts to wander and you find yourself thinking about that moment when you’ll have a chance encounter with the person who tore your heart to shreds? Yeah, of all the ways I imagined this, not one time did I picture myself crawling under the door to a dressing booth, with three pairs of high-cut cotton knickers in my hand, no less. I get down on all fours on the not-so-clean tile floor, then flatten out as though I’m about to do one of those crawl-through-the-mud training exercises the army seems to like so much. A woman with a stroller happens to come out from behind a nearby clothing rack and gasps. “Oh no! This is not what it looks like. I’m not some perv sneaking a look at women while they change,” I say quickly. She purses her lips and does the one-eyebrow raise while pointing at the undies I’m clutching. “These are for my mum,” I tell her, but I can see in her eyes, this woman has already made up her mind about me. And she’s certain I’m a total pervert. “Wait!” Hadley says. “Is there a woman there? Maybe she could help me?” Yes! Brilliant. I glance back up only to see the woman hightailing it out of here. “She’s gone.” “Damn.” “I guess I’m all you’ve got,” I tell her.
GIVEAWAY! The One and Only Crystal Druid
-- EXCERPT: When my attention landed on him, he strode toward me, his long legs eating up the ground and coat billowing out behind him. Stopping almost on top of me, he reached down as though to take my elbow—and seized the front of my jacket. I grabbed his wrist as he roughly hauled me onto my tiptoes, bringing my face close to his. Despite the moonlight and forgotten flashlights illuminating the clearing, the interior of his hood was filled with unnatural darkness. Ríkr watched us from his lofty perch, pale blue eyes gleaming. “That was quite the scene I came in on,” the man rumbled in a low, dangerous tone. “What do you know about that bear fae?” I stared into his hood. A rough sound grated from his throat. “You don’t seem to be grasping the situation. Tell me what you know before I lose patience.” I smiled, showing my teeth. “Was that a threat?” “What do you think?” My smile widened, and I lifted my empty hand toward his face. “It’ll take more than a hood and a threat to scare me, especially when”—I pushed his hood back—“I’ve already seen your face.” The shadows fell away, revealing his countenance again. Inhumanly vibrant green eyes, framed by dark lashes, fixed on mine, his eyebrows lowered with menace. A beautiful face, if I were honest. Striking cheekbones, a strong jaw, full mouth—currently pressed into a thin, angry line. By my best guess, he was in his mid-twenties, maybe a bit older. My palm brushed against his clean-shaven cheek as I let his hood fall—and with the same motion, I flicked my hand, pulling my switchblade from my jacket sleeve. The blade sprang free, and in an instant, I had the point resting against the corner of his left eye. But not fast enough. A cold, thin edge pressed against my left cheek. I didn’t break eye contact to see what sort of weapon he had in my face, but the blade felt sharp—sharper than my little knife. Neither of us moved, his fist tight around the front of my jacket. If either of our hands wobbled, we’d both bleed. His right eyebrow arched slightly. “How do you want to play this?” “Pass.” He wouldn’t let me go and he wouldn’t play knife-chicken. What was left? “Then I’ll answer your question if you answer one of mine.” His full mouth thinned again, green eyes raking across me. “Fine.” His agreement surprised me until I realized he expected to win this game too. He thought I’d reveal more with my answers than he would with his. Not likely. “Who the hell are you?” I demanded. “Answer my question first.” “You first. Who are you?” He growled under his breath. “The Crystal Druid.” Surprise flushed through me, and I couldn’t stop my eyelids from flickering with a single, startled blink. He was a druid? “Now,” he rumbled, “tell me what you know about that bear and the other aggressive fae in this area.” “I don’t know anything.” “Then you’re an idiot. Every fae across the lower mainland is talking about the attacks and disappearances around here.” “Fascinating, but this is the first I’ve heard of it.” “Aren’t you a witch?” “Yes, but a terrible one.” His striking green eyes narrowed. “Terrible in what way?” Ignoring his question, I shifted my blade ever so slightly, ensuring he couldn’t miss the sharp point in his peripheral vision. “My turn again. Why are you here?” “The fae—” “Yes, yes, the attacks. But why do you care about some aggressive fae?” I arched my eyebrows, though my bangs probably hid them. “What are you hoping to gain, Crystal Druid?”
GIVEAWAY! Dragon Chains
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play -- EXCERPT: “Buona sera, mia regina. May I join you for a drink?” The deep voice came from a man standing next to her and Katy tore her attention from the dancing couple to look up. And up. Their gazes locked and Katy forgot to breathe. She flushed with pleasure. Excitement. The fantasy sex god had arrived as if on cue. And he’d just called her something his, she knew at least that much Italian. Her toes curled. Her nipples hardened into tight, aching pebbles. Desire bolted through her body as the air nearly crackled with sexual tension. Out of all the hot, single Italian women in the club, he singled her out. Picked her. A glance to the side showed at least half a dozen women glaring daggers at her. She didn’t care. “Yes. I mean, sì, signore.” Katy’s voice took on a husky sound she’d never heard before. But then, she’d never been this aroused by just looking at a man either. Sex god might be an understatement. He was gorgeous. Perfect. His smell… God, his smell. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as his cologne surrounded her and made her body burn. Her breasts grew heavy and her panties were instantly soaked with desire. She wanted more. She wanted to bury her nose in his neck and nibble on his skin. Rub herself all over him. Absorb him. Mark him somehow, as hers. “I’m going crazy.” She whispered the words to herself but didn’t open her eyes. Not yet. Not when she could still taste his scent on her tongue and her body was on fire. She needed to gain control of herself. Calm down. He slid into the seat next to her and placed his hand, palm up, in the center of the table. A blatant invitation. Katy didn’t want to resist. She needed to touch him. She slid her hand into his and gasped as heat filled her entire body. Raw lust. Desire. It was like she’d fallen into a hot bath and her mind went blank. All she could think about was kissing him the way the couple on the dance floor had been kissing. Pressing her body to his. Feeling his strong hands grip her hips. Melting into his heat. Reveling in his scent as it enveloped her. “Dance with me.” Katy’s heart pounded in her chest. The club was loud, the music thumping. She shouldn’t have been able to hear his quietly spoken words, but his voice was so deep it carried straight to her ears, vibrated through her body and set her core to throbbing. His English was perfect, the accent exotic. Sexy. Not quite like the other Italians she’d spoken with while shopping. She couldn’t quite place it. Didn’t care. “Yes.” Katy allowed Ryker to lead her onto the dance floor. As the music pounded around them he pulled her in close. She went readily into his arms, her body suddenly pliant, melting into his strength. He growled low, pulling her in even closer. Molding her body to his. He bent his head slowly toward her, allowing her time to resist. She wanted this. Wanted his lips on hers. Without conscious thought, her gaze grew slumberous, her long, dark lashes swept down to cover her eyes as she waited breathlessly for his kiss. His lips were pure fire. Heat flowed through her like nothing she’d ever felt before as he conquered her mouth with his own, his large frame folding around her until she felt like they were the only two people in the world. She’d read novels where one kiss made a woman forget her own name but had never experienced it. Until now. “Ryker.” “Hmmm?” His response sounded as drunk on desire as she felt. They had melted into one body, one being, and she clung to him without shame or hesitation. She moved with him on the dance floor, the music barely registering. He moved, so she moved. His scent filled her lungs, made her feel like she was a wild thing and somehow, he belonged to her now. Was hers to do with as she wished. Was this pure lust? Pheromones? Chemistry? Katy couldn’t help herself. She wanted more.
GIVEAWAY! On Board
--
GIVEAWAY! #Book Blitz #Walk on the Wilder Side (Wilder Adventures, #2) by Serena Bell @XpressoBook Tours23/9/2021
Walk on the Wilder Side
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play -- EXCERPT: Connor paces back and forth a few times along the side of the boat, then slaps a hand on his thigh. ”I have an idea.” “What’s that?” “My mom’s got this new business. One of those sell-out-of-your home things. Beauty stuff, like body wash and perfume and shit. She does these girls’ night parties. Women love them. My mom can’t keep up with all the requests. I bet that would work for your boat. And my mom coordinates the food and wine and everything. You could redeem yourself without having to personally kiss a lot of ass. They do the party, you just supply the location.” Huh. I don’t hate the idea. “You’d still have to buy TP,” he says, always practical. “And not forget the bug wipes.” “I can totally handle that much. Jesus, that sounds like a fucking dream. I’m all over that.” “The only thing is, my mom broke her foot, so I don’t know about the whole boat thing.” “Well, shit,” I say. “How’d she do that?” “Stepped off the curb wrong in town, twisted it in the storm grate.” I wince. “That sucks.” “Yeah. But she said she was maybe going to ask Rachel to help her out, so I guess Rachel could do it.” You know the buzzer sound that signals the end of, well, anything? That’s the sound that just zapped through my brain. “Wait, Rachel’s home?” I try to make it sound like, “The Ducks have the early game?” or “You up for grabbing a pizza and a couple of beers?” but it still comes out sounding more like my sixteen-year-old self than I’d like. Luckily Connor doesn’t pick up on the fact that I just insta-reverted to my teenage years. “Yeah. Some shit hit the fan for her and she’s regrouping.” Rachel is Connor’s younger sister. Her hair is long and thick and not-quite-black. Her skin is a warm, light brown. She has dark brown eyes and a mouth that, in recent years, has made me think about blow jobs. Okay, who am I kidding? Her mouth has made me think about blow jobs for way longer than I want to admit. My life plan, since late high school, has been to avoid Rachel Perez at all costs, because that lip—her whole mouth, in fact—no, make that everything about her, inside and out—feels like a clear and present danger. However, because life is what happens when you’re busy making plans, Rachel is everywhere. She saw me last month when Len Dix taunted me in Oscar’s Saloon & Grill and I punched his lights out. She doesn’t even live here; she just happened to be in town from the East Coast to visit her mother. They were taking a family ski trip for her mom’s birthday. And now she is, possibly, the only thing standing between me and a simple solution to my business problem. “Do you really think Gabe would kick you out of the family business?” Connor asks. Right. In corner one, we have the threat to my sanity from Rachel Perez. And in corner two, we have the threat to my livelihood and family life from Gabe Wilder.
GIVEAWAY! |
Archives
April 2024
Categories
All
|