Friday, May 30, 2014

For the Love of a Lush by Selena Laurence ~ Blog Tour and Giveaway



For the Love of a Lush (Lush No. 2)
by Selena Laurence
Genre: Edgy Contemporary Romance
Release Date:  May 29, 2014
Hosted by:  The REAL Housewives of Romance




Six months ago, Walsh Clark was the drummer of America’s hottest rock sensation, Lush. Now he’s living at the Double A Ranch in north Texas, home to cows, cowboys, and lushes—like him. He’s survived alcoholism, rehab, and the breakup of his band. But the one thing Walsh might not survive is the return of his ex fiancée Tammy DiLorenzo.

Tammy and Walsh met at fourteen, and she was with him on every step to fame and fortune—until one fateful night when she betrayed him. Now she’s back, begging for forgiveness and ready to fight for her man. But some betrayals are too painful to forget, some mistakes can’t be repaired, and Walsh is certain that he and Tammy can’t ever be together again.


But DiLorenzo women don’t back down, and Tammy always gets what she wants. In the wake of the lies and losses, she’s prepared to do whatever it takes for a second chance. She’ll give it all—for the love of a lush.




*Sigh* Back off Ladies!!! Walsh is my man!!!

Have you read A Lush Betrayal yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Read it, then grab For the Love of a Lush and dive in! I'm kinda partial to this series and this author, and if you love hot rockers, strong female heroines, angst, and steamy romance you will love this series! This series definitely doesn't get the attention that it deserves! 5 stars!

"I'd  thought my first full day without alcohol was the worst day of my life, but no, finding out about Joss and Tammy topped anything the world has ever - or could ever - throw at me." ~Walsh

*Warning spoilers ahead if you haven't read Lush #1*
For the Love of A Lush picks up where A Lush Betrayal left off. Walsh is the former drummer for Lush and he faced the ultimate betrayal by this best-friend Joss (and band mate), and his finance, Tammy. He fled the band and life as he knew it, and is now living at the Double A Ranch, taking life and his sobriety one day at a time. He knows he has many demons to overcome, but just when it seems he has a handle on things, Tammy shows up and throws a wrench in his recovery.

"I look into those same eyes I first saw fourteen years ago, and I can see what the years have done.  My beautiful boy is a man. A man who has suffered pain and seen things he never should have.  Some of that pain I brought on him." ~Tammy 

Tammy knows she messed up, she knows she hurt Walsh horribly, and she'd do anything to fix it. She feels that she has given him enough time and distance. Now it is time for her to fight for their relationship, or she is afraid they will lose they love they shared for good. The more Tammy pushes, the more Walsh pulls away, can Tammy convince Walsh to give her a second chance? Can Walsh continue to fight his demons and stay sober, all while realizing that he played a part in his relationship falling apart? Can Walsh make amends with the people he has wronged in the past, and forgive those who have wronged him?

"I know you love each other. And I know your right for each other. Life screws with us, and circumstances pull on us, and the road can be really f@#king rocky, but I know love when I see it.  She's yours Walsh, and you're hers." ~Joss

A must read series! I love how going into this book I loathed Tammy, but Selena's ability as an author just shined.....she really made me think...could I forgive someone if this happened to me? Well, I don't know...but Selena made me actual love Tammy and feel for her, and this was a huge feat in itself! Don't get me wrong, I still loved Walsh, and wanted to fix him...but, I was screaming at Walsh to get his crap together and go get his woman! Selena made me mad at my man (and Walsh is my man ladies)! Huh! Can't wait for more for the boys from Lush! Now bring on Mike...and Selena....make him dirty ;)

*Reviewed by Brandi



Amazon |  kobo  |  iTunes  |  Barnes & Noble


A Lush Betrayal
(Lush No. 1)


Joss Jamison has it all. He's the lead singer for the world's hottest rock band, Lush. He's wealthy, sexy, talented...and miserable. Twelve months ago, Joss lost his finely honed control and made a mistake he can't undo. A mistake that could end up costing him his best friend, his band, and maybe his heart.

Mel DiLorenzo has it all. She's been hired to document the world tour of her sister's fiance's rock band. She's gorgeous, talented, loved...and sick of being the little sister. When she agrees to the summer job, Mel has no idea she's walking into a minefield of friendships lost and hearts destroyed. She also has no idea what it means to be the object of Joss Jamison's affections.

One hot rock star plus one life-altering mistake, add a dash of sexy younger sister and a handful of broken hearts, and you've got a recipe for fire. Life on the road can be hot, but for the boys of Lush, it's about to get a whole hell of a lot hotter.


Amazon |  Barnes & Noble  |  iTunes  |  kobo




Selena Laurence lives in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and spends a lot of time at soccer games, on her laptop, and reading. She is a full-time romance author who loves nothing more than a good love story, whether it be about rock stars or college kids. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the Colorado Romance Writers. Her books have been on Amazon Topselling lists in Military Romance, Contemporary Romance, Hispanic fiction and Multicultural Romance. She requires a Mocha Latte every day to function, keeps a goldendoodle at her feet most of the time, and has more kids than she knows what to do with.


Facebook  |  Goodreads  |  Web

Room 212 by Kate Stewart ~ Blog Tour and Giveaway




Title: Room 212

Author: Kate Stewart

Publication: March 27, 2014

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21424673-room-212


Synopsis: 

****Mature Audiences only**** (language, explicit sex, some drug use)

In every life there is always that...one.

Twenty-one year old Laura Sedgwick is a rebel without a cause. Her only plans for life are

to make no plans. She revels in her fascination of the unexpected as she navigates her way

through mid -1990’s Dallas nightlife. One very bad night brings her face to face with the one

man likely to change her mind about…well...everything.

Twenty-three year old Seth Whitaker has every intention of seeing through with his well

mapped out life. He is a hard working over-achiever that has no intentions of slowing his

pace for anyone. With a fierce determination to not let life pass him by without taking a huge

bite, he finds himself inexplicably drawn to the one distraction that could keep him from his

best laid plans. Little did he know his determination to keep his life on track would be the

very thing to trigger the events that change the course of both their lives.

In this life she had only done one thing right...

...and she was his only chance at salvation.


Displaying 1507188_760249154009462_3557202249903383829_n.jpg



Excerpt

All I was feeling was showing in the bathroom mirror on my reddened face. I was

having a hard time enjoying it, instead of being terrified. I cupped some water from the

faucet and swallowed, willing myself to get it together. I walked into the hall of the long

corridor that led back to the rooftop door and found Seth waiting for me, arms crossed

over his chest, casually leaning against the wall. I stood on the opposite wall, placing

my hands behind my back. I felt a drop of water drip from my bottom lip onto my chest

and slide into the V of my dress. I saw his eyes follow it with envy as he spokes his first

words to me.

 “You are all I think about, and I come here and you look…like this,” he breathed the

words to me and I felt them on every inch of my body. I moved to go to him and he made

a small gesture that kept me where I was. He still wanted to play and I was game.

“What do you think about?”

“Your laugh, the way your voice is raspy in the morning when you wake up, the arch of

your perfect feet, the way your hair falls over your face when you’re on top of me, the

way this feels right now and every time I’m with you.”

I pulled my leg through the thigh high slit in my dress propping my heel on the wall

behind me and smiled. He cursed as he came toward me in a blur. He stopped himself

inches away, placing both hands on the side of my face against the wall.

“Temptress,” he whispered into my ear.


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Review

4 Stars

This is an author not known to me. But after reading this book, I will be looking for more from her. I was caught up in this love story of Laura & Seth. Laura has recently left a relationship that was on the downward slide. It didn't have any spark either. Laura's a girl with determination & spunk that I admired. She worked hard and focused on what and where she wanted her life to go. Laura meets Seth by accident and, let's just say that, I would have left her alone after that first introduction. But fate plays a part with their lives. There's definitely a second meeting and from then on, these two connect and just cannot stay away from each other. Their relationship developed over months and I really thought they had something that few people find.

Room 212 is a love story that spans time and they've both set goals to achieve. I had a heart that was bursting with joy, then shattered to pieces. How can love hurt so badly? I wondered how Laura was going to be able to pick herself back up and move on. Ms. Stewart's writing style kept me holding out hope and she wrote an amazing story of two souls that were just meant to be. While the title Room 212 seemed a little odd to me at first, but as I read, I totally understood the meaning behind it and by the time I got to the end. If you're looking for a good summer, or anytime, book to read, check this one out. I think you'll enjoy it.

Reviewed by Jessie



About The Author:


Kate Stewart, a native of Dallas, now resides in Charleston, S.C. She moved to the city three
weeks after her first visit, dropping her career of 8 years, declaring the city her creative muse.

Since her move in 2010, she has launched a photography and event planning business as
well as written her first novel, TITAN. She lives with her husband of 7 years, Nick, who
is featured on the cover of the novel. Her second novel Room 212 is set to publish March
2014.



Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkatestewart

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorklstewart

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7390938.Kate_Stewart


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, May 29, 2014

For the Love of a Lush by Selena Laurence ~ Release Day Promo and Giveaway

The boys of Lush are back! Lush2, For the Love of a Lush by Selena Laurence, is live and 99 cents for a limited time.



Synopsis

Six months ago, Walsh Clark was the drummer of America’s hottest rock sensation, Lush. Now he’s living at the Double A Ranch in north Texas, home to cows, cowboys, and lushes—like him. He’s survived alcoholism, rehab, and the breakup of his band. But the one thing Walsh might not survive is the return of his ex fiancée Tammy DiLorenzo.

Tammy and Walsh met at fourteen, and she was with him on every step to fame and fortune—until one fateful night when she betrayed him. Now she’s back, begging for forgiveness and ready to fight for her man. But some betrayals are too painful to forget, some mistakes can’t be repaired, and Walsh is certain that he and Tammy can’t ever be together again.

But DiLorenzo women don’t back down, and Tammy always gets what she wants. In the wake of the lies and losses, she’s prepared to do whatever it takes for a second chance. She’ll give it all—for the love of a lush.


Buy Links

 



B&N --> http://bit.ly/Lush2BN
kobo --> http://bit.ly/1iECEWG
iTunes --> http://bit.ly/Lush2iTunes
Goodreads --> http://bit.ly/1lBCTTW
Special 99 cent pricing will end SOON!!!!







Enter Giveaway here - http://bit.ly/TRHORxLUSH2


About the Author



Selena Laurence lives in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and spends a lot of time at soccer games, on her laptop, and reading. She is a full-time romance author who loves nothing more than a good love story, whether it be about rock stars or college kids. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the Colorado Romance Writers. Her books have been on Amazon Topselling lists in Military Romance, Contemporary Romance, Hispanic fiction and Multicultural Romance. She requires a Mocha Latte every day to function, keeps a goldendoodle at her feet most of the time, and has more kids than she knows what to do with.



Facebook | Goodreads | Web

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

TAINT by S.L. Jennings ~ Blog Tour and Giveaway



Title: Taint
Author: S.L Jennings
Release Date: May 20, 2014



BLURB:

Right now, you’re probably asking yourself two things:
Who am I?
And, what the hell are you doing here? 

Let’s start with the most obvious question, shall we?

You’re here, ladies, because you can’t f*ck.

Oh, stop it. Don’t cringe. No one under the age of 80 clutches their pearls.
You might as well get used to it, because for the next six weeks, you’re going to hear that word a lot. And you’re going to say it a lot.
Go ahead, try it out on your tongue.
F*ck. F***ck.

Ok, good. Now where were we?

If you enrolled yourself in this program then you are wholly aware that you’re a lousy lay. Good for you. Admitting it is half the battle.

For those of you that have been sent here by your husband or significant other, dry your tears and get over it. You’ve been given a gift, ladies. The gift of mind-blowing, wall-climbing, multiple-orgasm-inducing sex. You have the opportunity to f*ck like a porn star. And I guarantee, you will when I’m done with you.

And who am I?

Well, for the next six weeks, I will be your lover, your teacher, your best friend, and your worst enemy. Your every-f*cking-thing. I’m the one who is going to save your relationship and your sex life.

I am Justice Drake.
And I turn housewives into whores.

Now…who’s first?

GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18366077-taint?ac=1


Review

That blurb….OMG that blurb...Talk about a blurb jolt! How could you not want to get your hands on this book NOW?! While I enjoyed Taint, and S.L. nailed the mail POV, the book just wasn't exactly what I expected. I expected more…. more cockiness, more realness, or at least for this to be maintained throughout the book. Regardless, I think you will enjoy this one, I sure did! 4 stars.
"I want sexy ladies. I want suburban slut. Housewife meets whore. Sell it. Make me believe it. Own it."
Justice Drake is running a retreat, a retreat where women stay at his tropical paradise for weeks, and he tries to help them solve the problems in their marriage...by telling them exactly what is wrong with their appearance and sexual performance.  These women are married to wealthy men who cheat on them. Justice teaches them how to be sexy, desirable, make their husbands want them again. Justice spends his life alone, closed off, never getting close to anyone (except his staff) or any of these women he helps. This all changes when Justice meets Ally. Justice knows not to mix business with pleasure and most certainly not to get involved with a married woman (even if that marriage is dead), but he can’t help but feel a connection to the woman who is nothing like what he expected. Will Justice and Ally risk it all for a shot to be together?

"If all we have is now, I know I'll never be whole again. And, God... it's worth it. You're worth it. I'll gladly stay broken for you."
Even though Taint wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, it was still a good book. S.L. always manages to nail it, and even managed to throw in a twist I didn't see coming. Definitely worth a read!

*Reviewed by Brandi

 




ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Most known for her starring role in a popular sitcom as a child, S.L. Jennings went on to earn her law degree from Harvard at the young age of 16. While studying for the bar exam and recording her debut hit album, she also won the Nobel Prize for her groundbreaking invention of calorie-free wine. When she isn’t conquering the seas in her yacht or flying her Gulfstream, she likes to spin elaborate webs of lies and has even documented a few of these said falsehoods.

Some of S.L.’s devious lies:


FEAR OF FALLING


THE DARK LIGHT SERIES


  • Dark Light
  • The Dark Prince
  • Nikolai (a Dark Light novella)
  • Light Shadows- coming in 2014


TAINT- releasing in May 20, 2014


Meet the Liar:




Twitter: @MrsSLJ


www.sljennings.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BANG by E.K. Blair ~ Review


Synopsis





They say when you take revenge against another you lose a part of your innocence.
But I’m not innocent.
I haven’t been for a very long time.
My innocence was stolen from me. Taken was the life I was supposed to have. The soul I was born with. The ruby heart embedded in a life full of hopes and dreams.
Gone.
Vanished.
I never even had a choice.
I mourn that life. Mourn the what-ifs.
Until now.
I’m ready to take back what was always meant to be mine.
But every plan has a fatal flaw. Sometimes it’s the heart.


**Due to the dark and explicit nature of this book, it is recommended for mature audiences only as some scenes may be particularly disturbing.**


Displaying BANGPhotonodate.png




Review

5 Stars
I would give it more if I could.
 
All I can say is "Wow!!"  E.K. writes like few others can. This was a story that took me on a very emotional, twisted ride. It's a story that starts in the present and takes you back to Elizabeth's aka Nina's past.  This young woman is a survivor of a girl's worst nightmare and she's set on getting revenge/retribution on the person that she thinks took her happy childhood times from her and set her on a path that was so very dark for many years....and that's all your going to get on the storyline because you need to go into this book blind...very blind, for it to have the full impact....that WOW factor!


“Fairytale is nothing but a fancy word for a lie used to deceive little kids…A false perception of reality used to give them hope in a hopeless world.”



There's games played, secrets hidden, lies and scars that still need healing. E.K. gave me many surprises during this story. If I was holding an actual paperback and not my Kindle, the book would have been a little wrinkled from my grip on it. And the ending??? You guessed it.....its a cliffhanger. My teeth are grinding. I need Echo/Book #2 in this Black Lotus series right freakin' now!!!
 
I have to warn you. I loved this story and enjoyed almost every page of it. But there are some very dark, hard, difficult parts from the past that are very hard to read. I wanted to be able to get my hands on some people and kick the living crap out of them. I feel that E.K. took a chance with this story, and some will not care for having it in the book, but it was what made me understand or at least try to understand what made Elizabeth/Nina the woman she was now, made her more human. I especially loved her happier reminiscing times.


“The heart is a weapon – a self-inflicting weapon – that if not trained properly, can destroy a person.”
 
I recommend you read this book or take a chance on it. I'm so glad that we had the chance to read and review it. BANG was raw, real, sensual, gritty, dirty, emotional, phenomenal, mind-boggling....I cannot wait for Echo ~ Book #2 and Hush ~ #3.


*Reviewed by Jessie





Buy Link









Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1vTotXy

iBooks: http://bit.ly/RJwnTy

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

The Raven by Sylvain Reynard ~ Cover Reveal




The Raven 
by Sylvain Reynard

Blurb: 


From the New York Times bestselling author of the Gabriel Series comes a dark, sensual tale of romance in a city shrouded in mystery…


Raven Wood spends her days at Florence’s Uffizi Gallery restoring fine works of Renaissance art. But an innocent walk home after an evening with friends changes her life forever. When she intervenes in the senseless beating of a homeless man, his attackers turn on her, dragging her into an alley. Raven is only semi-conscious when their assault is interrupted by a cacophony of growls followed by her attacker’s screams. Mercifully, she blacks out, but not before catching a glimpse of a shadowy figure who whispers to her…

Cassita vulneratus.


When Raven awakes, she is inexplicably changed. She returns to the Uffizi, but no one recognizes her and more disturbingly, she discovers that she’s been absent an entire week. With no recollection of the events leading up to her disappearance, Raven also learns that her absence coincides with one of the largest robberies in Uffizi history – the theft of a set of priceless Botticelli illustrations. When the baffled police force identifies her as its prime suspect, Raven is desperate to clear her name. She seeks out one of Florence’s wealthiest and elusive men in an attempt to uncover the truth about her disappearance. Their encounter leads Raven to a dark underworld whose inhabitants kill to keep their secrets…






Release Date:
Early 2015



About the Author


I'm interested in the way literature can help us explore aspects of the human condition - particularly suffering, sex, love, faith, and redemption. My favourite stories are those in which a character takes a journey, either a physical journey to a new and exciting place, or a personal journey in which he or she learns something about himself/herself. 



I'm also interested in how aesthetic elements such as art, architecture, and music can be used to tell a story or to illuminate the traits of a particular character. In my writing, I combine all of these elements with the themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the transformative power of goodness.


I try to use my platform as an author to raise awareness about the following charities: Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation, WorldVision, Alex's Lemonade Stand, and Covenant House. For more information, see my Twitter account.

You can find Sylvain at 


         

Monday, May 26, 2014

Sweet Filthy Boy by Christina Lauren ~ Blog Tour





Summary

One-night stands are supposed to be with someone convenient, or wickedly persuasive, or regrettable. They aren’t supposed to be with someone like him.

But after a crazy Vegas weekend celebrating her college graduation—and terrified of the future path she knows is a cop-out—Mia Holland makes the wildest decision of her life: follow Ansel Guillaume—her sweet, filthy fling—to France for the summer and just…play.

When feelings begin to develop behind the provocative roles they take on, and their temporary masquerade adventures begin to feel real, Mia will have to decide if she belongs in the life she left because it was all wrong, or in the strange new one that seems worlds away


Review

I have to be honest, when I first seen that the Christina Lauren was releasing a new series my first thoughts were "How are they going to top the Beautiful Bastard series?" Well, they did that and so much more...this is probably my favorite book of theirs! SWB was sexy and steamy, but also funny and heartfelt! You couldn't help but cheer on Ansel and Mia's relationship, and really hope that these two characters would get a fairy-tale ending! 4.5 stars!

"You should come to Paris with me."
"Ha. Okay."
He studies me for a long beat.
"I'm serious."


Mia Holland and her two girlfriends, Harlow and Lola, have just graduated college.  They take off to Vegas to party and to celebrate their graduation.  While there, Mia and meets Ansel.  Mia is usually quiet and reserved, but to her surprise and her friends surprise, she feels very comfortable with Ansel.  Ansel brings out a side of Mia she's never knew existed.  After one crazy, crazy night in Vegas changes everything, Mia makes the most impulsive decision of her life....to spend the summer in Paris with Ansel.  Mia gets a chance to explore the beautiful city and explore her relationship with Ansel.  Ansel is so busy with work when they get to Paris, and things are awkward at first, because of the unknown, because of not thinking things through....just knowing they wanted to be together. Once those walls are worn down, Mia and Ansel get a chance to work in reverse...to get to know one another, to fall and love, and a chance to see if their relationship can make it for the long haul.  

"What you feel, Cerise? I feel it, too. F@#k Mia. I feel everything for you.”

Definitely a book to add to your TBR list.  Maybe the story was a bit unrealistic and you know this wouldn't happen in real life, but books are all about fantasy! I could totally see Sweet Filthy Boy being made into a movie!  SWB is one of my favorites of 2014, very sweet and filthy...just like the book title! Although, I would have loved to see more of an ending for Ansel and Mia, I think we will see more of them in the other books of this series.  I can't wait to see what adventure these authors take us on next!

*Reviewed by Brandi 

Buy Links








Bio / Social Media

Site

Lauren Billings (but everyone calls her Lo) has a Ph.D. in neuroscience and before she made writing her full-time job, would spend her days doing nerdy research-type things wearing a lab coat and goggles. She is silly Mommy to two littles, wife to one mountain biking homebrewing scientist, bestie to a shoe-stealer, and an unabashed lover of YA and romance.

Christina Hobbs (but you’ll always hear Lo call her PQ) used to spend her days in a junior high counseling office surrounded by teenagers. Married to the cutest boy in school, she has a thirteen year old daughter, is an unapologetic lover of boy bands and glitter, and also likes to steal Lo’s shoes.

You can follow their shenanigans at:

@lolashoes (Lauren) & @seeCwrite (Christina) on Twitter. On Tumblr! where we post kissing gifs and writerly stuff and Wattpad for short stories and sneak peeks!

For official information about their books, events, interviews, movie news and more, follow @beautifulbastrd.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

For the Love of a Lush (Lush No. 2) by Selena Laurence ~ Teaser


For the Love of a Lush (Lush No. 2)
by Selena Laurence
Genre: Edgy Contemporary Romance
Release Date:  May 29, 2014
Hosted by:  The REAL Housewives of Romance



Preorder for 99c today!!!
(will be $3.99 after release)


Amazon is coming soon!


Six months ago, Walsh Clark was the drummer of America’s hottest rock sensation, Lush. Now he’s living at the Double A Ranch in north Texas, home to cows, cowboys, and lushes—like him. He’s survived alcoholism, rehab, and the breakup of his band. But the one thing Walsh might not survive is the return of his ex fiancée Tammy DiLorenzo.

Tammy and Walsh met at fourteen, and she was with him on every step to fame and fortune—until one fateful night when she betrayed him. Now she’s back, begging for forgiveness and ready to fight for her man. But some betrayals are too painful to forget, some mistakes can’t be repaired, and Walsh is certain that he and Tammy can’t ever be together again.


But DiLorenzo women don’t back down, and Tammy always gets what she wants. In the wake of the lies and losses, she’s prepared to do whatever it takes for a second chance. She’ll give it all—for the love of a lush.

I stop dead in my tracks, a handful of steps from turning the corner into the kitchen. Everything inside of me goes boiling hot and then frigid cold in a matter of seconds. My heart feels like it’s stopped inside my chest before I bring my fist up and pound—hard—to get it to start beating again. Mike, who is a few steps ahead of me turns the corner at the same moment I halt, and I hear him say, “Oh fuck.”

There’s silence for a minute, and then Leanne clears her throat uncomfortably. “Uh, Mike, I guess you know Walsh’s friend?”

I’m breathing hard now, and I’m not sure I can keep standing. It feels like my damn heart is going to pitch itself out of my chest onto the floor. I bend over and put my hands on my knees, praying that they can’t hear my raspy breaths from inside the kitchen.

“Uh, yeah,” Mike answers tentatively.

“Is he here?” the visitor asks. I hear the hope in the voice, and the false bravado that only I would pick up on.

Mike turns his head slightly to glance at me over his shoulder, but I can’t look him in the eye, I’m working too hard at being able to stand up straight and breathe.

“I’m not sure…”

“Mike, please,” the guest interrupts, that bravado slipping, and a certain desperation leaking through. Even after all this time, I can’t stand to hear that need. I’m compelled to fix it, make it better, find a way to bring the hope back.

“It’s okay, Mike,” I say hoarsely as I finally step forward to stand next to him in the kitchen. I stop, taking in the scene, like a frozen tableau, all eyes on me—one pair waiting for me to freak the fuck out, the second questioning what the hell is going on, and the third. Ah, the third. I look into the depths of those eyes, remembering all the hours I spent lost in their velvety texture, their warmth, their love. The love I thought was mine to hold forever. Those eyes in the face of the person who committed the greatest hurt I’ve ever felt in my twenty-eight years. The eyes that looked at me every day for months on end and lied. The eyes of the woman I still, very reluctantly, love to this day.

I blink, take a deep breath and say, “Hi Tammy. What brings you by?”

Selena Laurence lives in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and spends a lot of time at soccer games, on her laptop, and reading. She is a full-time romance author who loves nothing more than a good love story, whether it be about rock stars or college kids. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the Colorado Romance Writers. Her books have been on Amazon Topselling lists in Military Romance, Contemporary Romance, Hispanic fiction and Multicultural Romance. She requires a Mocha Latte every day to function, keeps a goldendoodle at her feet most of the time, and has more kids than she knows what to do with.

Facebook  |  Goodreads  |  Web

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

The Wild Side by R.K. Lilley ~ Book Launch and Giveaway


Title: THE WILD SIDE
Author: R.K. LILLEY



Alasdair Masters is in a rut. He just hit forty, has been nearly celibate for the past year, and his life has turned into a daily sequence of lonely patterns that revolve around avoiding human contact. 

His tidy life is turned on its head when a hot young blonde at the gym that’s been pseudo-stalking him decides to rock his world. A very young blonde. Way, way too young for him. The problem is, he can’t seem to tell her no, and she just keeps coming back for more. 

It doesn’t help that he’s ninety percent sure she’s a criminal, and still, he can’t seem to turn her down.  What is a dull introvert to do when a chaotic cyclone that oozes sexuality comes twisting into his life? 

At first, he thinks she’ll give him a heart attack, but after his twenty-year marriage ended a year ago, he’s been a little lost, and when she comes crashing into his life, he realizes that he’s never felt more alive. 

Is a walk on the wild side just what he needs to get his on track or a disaster in the making? Is it possible for someone that much younger to be just what he needs, or is she a fortune hunter, as everyone keeps telling him? Is it his hormones telling him that the mysterious younger woman is the one, or could it be more?





CHAPTER ONE

I set my two perfectly folded gym towels down on a chair by the treadmill and got on the machine.  
I always brought two.  I wasn’t even sure why.  I was a creature of habit.  Once I started a pattern, I tended to stick to it, rain or shine.  
Kind of like my marriage.  Of course, that hadn’t lasted forever, but that hadn’t exactly been my choice.
I punched in my settings and began my warm-up.  I had already done twenty minutes of stretching at home.  My three-hour daily workout was very precise.  I had a family history chock-full of heart disease, and so I aggressively fought to stay healthy.  I was intelligent enough to know that I’d brought the whole thing to an extreme, but honestly, what else was I supposed to do with my free time?  I was busy enough with work, but my work involved a lot of sitting down and tapping away at a computer, and I felt I had to counter all of that physical inactivity, somehow.  
I’d just had my dreaded fortieth birthday, and I felt like I was in as good of shape as I’d ever been.  My waistline wasn’t growing, thanks to my three hours a day in the gym, and an impeccable diet, and my muscles were well toned and good sized.  I had no idea what age I actually looked, but I figured the liberal salt and pepper at my temples brought it at least close to forty.  I didn’t really give it much thought, as I stayed largely to myself, and any time I was on camera, I went out of my way to avoid seeing it.  
The gym was busy, as it usually was, so my time there was literally the most social I was in an average day, and I usually got away with a nod or a good morning to the receptionist on the way in.  
That was it.  The only verbal interaction in my day.  
Sometimes I had to talk on the phone for work, and once, maybe twice a year, I did a few television or radio interviews.  
And that was it.  
The scary part was, it was effortless for me.  It had started with an ugly divorce just over one year ago and slowly shaped its way into this.  A sad, old man that could have easily embraced a life as a complete recluse.  
I did still go out of my way to work out at an upscale gym, instead of just building one in my house.  I had the room.  I certainly had the money.  I figured it was only a matter of time before I resorted to that, too.  
The strange part of it was, I wasn’t worried about it because I was lonely.  I was worried because I wasn’t.  I did miss being with a woman in the literal sexual sense, but that was about it.  I’d considered the idea of hiring a prostitute briefly, but even that seemed like an ordeal.  I detested breaking the law.  It was so very chaotic.  
A familiar figure moved onto the machine next to me, and I met pale, smiling green eyes in the mirror, nodded once briefly, then looked back down.    
She was a shapely little blonde woman that had started sharing my gym hours nine days ago.  
Girl, I corrected myself.  She was a girl, way too young for me to even sneak a long glance at, though I was only human, and she was wearing next to nothing, so I’d caught many, many glances.  
She probably thought I was dad material, I told myself, as she started to jog on the machine, her full, perky breasts bouncing with every smooth step.  
She really needed to go shopping for a more supportive sports bra, I thought to myself, my eyes catching on her, then darting away, then glancing again within a few bounces.  
She wore only a hot pink sports bra and the tiniest white Lycra bike shorts I’d ever seen in my life.  Her abs were toned, waist tiny, her skin smooth in a way that happened only in the very young.   
Way, way too young for you, I reminded myself, my furtive gaze catching on her lithe hips as she jogged her sexy little heart out.  
My intent stare moved up to her face, and I flushed to find her watching me watching her.  I looked down and kept on jogging.  
There’d been no censure in her eyes, and so I found mine wandering back to her face.  
She was beautiful.  Not a scrap of makeup on, her white-blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, and still she could’ve stopped traffic.  A real bombshell.  None of it was artificial either, just plain old good genetics at work.  
She was friendly, too.  I wasn’t sure why, but she usually took the machine next to mine, if it was empty, though there were lots to choose from.  She always had a smile for me, too.  
Maybe I reminded her of her dad.  Or fuck, her grandpa.  
It didn’t bear thinking about.  
I’d never been with a younger woman, let alone one that much younger.  Hell, she’d probably give me a heart attack.  I shook off the thought.  A flawless little thing like that wouldn’t give me a second glance, and I told myself that was a good thing.  
She was likely jailbait, and for a man that’d never even had a speeding ticket, just the idea of that was too scandalous to linger on.  
Still, my eyes were drawn, time and again, to her perfect figure jogging hard on that treadmill.  Her legs were incredible, long and slender, bare from the top of her thighs to her ankles, and so toned and tan.  
I made myself look away and not look back.  
I hit the one hour mark on the machine when I saw her slow and stop out of the corner of my eye.  This had become a pattern, too.  I did exactly one hour of cardio, before I hit the weights.  She seemed to be working a similar routine, and every day I saw her, it became even more similar.  
I almost jumped in surprise when she approached me directly, standing on the very front of my machine, to get my attention.  
My gaze traveled slowly up, trying not to linger on the way her breasts rose out of her sports bra’s neckline as she leaned into my machine.  She was spilling out of the thing.
She beamed at me.  
I swallowed hard, catching the side bar and swinging first one leg, and then the other, onto the footrests on the sides, coming to a stop.  
I popped out an ear bud, raising my brows in what I hoped was a look of polite interest.  
“Hi,” she said.  
“Hey,” I panted back, shutting the treadmill down.  May as well quit, since I’d reached my goal.  
She handed me my towel, and I took it, immediately wiping my brow.  This was a new development, and a strange one, to be sure.  
She held up the second towel, my OCD towel, if you will.  “I saw that you have two.  I forgot mine.  You mind if I borrow it?”  
I shook my head.  “Go for it.  Glad I could help.”  
She smiled again.  Her teeth were gorgeous, straight and white against her tan skin.  “What’s your name?” she asked me.  
I was caught off guard, and so it took me a few extra beats to answer awkwardly.  “Alasdair.”  
She raised her brows, looking intrigued.  “Nice name.  It has a lot of character.  Do you shorten it at all, or should I call you that, Alasdair?”  
Hearing her say my name made me feel indecent.  Just beastly.  I briefly considered cutting my workout short.  “Sometimes my friends call me Dair.”  
“Dair.  I like that too.  And are you daring, Dair?”  
“Not particularly,” I said quickly, my heart pounding.  I couldn’t quite believe that she was hitting on me, but if she was, I needed to put a short stop to it.  
Way too young, I told myself firmly.  
I moved to the weights, and she followed like we were old friends.  I started doing curls, eyes glued to her as she grabbed some smaller weights and started doing dead lifts with a hammer curl.
The sight of that nearly had me slack-jawed.  The move consisted of her bending down at the waist, her legs straight, and touching the ground, then lifting back, her ponytail bouncing, back arched, her incredible ass sticking out, and bringing her arms into a curl.  
She faced away from me when she did it, giving me a perfect view.  Her shorts were so thin, her skin so supple, that it was more perfectly designed to turn me on than a porno.  And I’d watched plenty of porn.  The girl was set on giving me a heart attack today.  
She kept doing it for the longest time, sending me a look over her shoulder as she straightened on the last rep.  She smiled that sweet little smile at me.  “Well, aren’t you going to ask me?”  
I had no idea what she was talking about, but my mind went very dirty with it.  
Could you do that one more time, but pull your shorts down for this one, so I can fuck your brains out?  I was pretty positive that wasn’t what she meant.
Can I give you a ride home?  Or maybe a hard ride on my cock?  Nope, those two were out, too. 
Or how about, Want to grab a coffee after this?  That one was better, but I held my tongue.  
“Excuse me?” I asked instead.  The safest bet of all.  
“My name.  I know yours now.  Don’t you want to know mine?”  
I smiled politely, sincerely hoping that my raging hard-on wasn’t too obvious.  I was wearing athletic pants and a long sweatshirt, so I was probably safe.  “Yes, of course.  Nice to meet you…”
“Iris.”
My brows shot up.  You didn’t see many girls her age named Iris.  “Iris?”  
Her eyes twinkled at me.  She gave very good eye contact.  Intense, but good.  “Don’t you like it?”  
“Y-yes,” I stammered out.  “It’s a beautiful name.”  
“It’s always easy to pick out flowers for me.  My favorite flower is the same as my name.”  
“I’ll make a note of it.”  What the fuck did you say that for? I asked myself.  Of course I wouldn’t be getting her flowers.  Totally inappropriate.  
She looked pleased as punch.  “You do that.”  
She bent down, her back arched like a pinup girl, and picked up her borrowed towel.  She moved closer, dabbing at her cleavage with it.  
I swallowed hard, my cock throbbing in time to my accelerated heart rate.  
“Upper body today, huh?” she asked.  
I was watching her perky tits as she said it, so I blinked like an idiot.  Her nipples were hard.  I could see them through that flimsy as hell bra.  “Hmm?” 
The towel moved down to her stomach.  She didn’t look to be sweating much, but she patted herself down like she was.  
I was in a full-on sweat.  I designed it that way.  It made for a better workout, but just then I wanted to strip down.  
Strip down and pin a naked Iris to the floor.  
“You’re working your upper body today.  You alternate, right?”
“Oh yeah.”
“It’s an intense workout you’ve got going.  You training for something in particular?”  
I shook my head.  “Just trying to stay fit.  What about you?  You clock in three hours, too, right?”  
She shrugged.  “That’s a new thing, though I do enjoy a good workout.  Just trying to keep things nice and tight.”  
That made my brain short-circuit.  “Things are looking very tight.”  A perfect fit for my cock, my perverted mind added.  
She came a little closer, almost into my personal space.  “Thank you.  That’s a big compliment, coming from a gym regular like you.”  
I couldn’t take anymore.  I turned, put the weights back on the bar, and went into a round of grueling pushups.  
When I rose again, she was a few feet away doing French press reps, her chest thrust forward.  
I turned quickly away, and tried not to so much as glance at her. 

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Chapter Two will be revealed between 1:00-4:00pm EST.
You can find it in the following blogs:




R.K. Lilley lives in Colorado with her husband and their two beautiful sons. She's had a lot of interesting jobs, from being a first class flight attendant, to being a stablehand, but swears she never knew what hard work was until she had children. She's been addicted to both reading and writing fiction since she can remember. She loves to travel, read, hike, paint, game, watch anime, and make the most of every single day. She is the author of the erotic romance novels In Flight, Mile High, Grounded, and the novella, Lana.




OTHER BOOKS OF R.K. LILLEY


Bad Things
AMAZON | B&N | KOBO


Rock Bottom
AMAZON US | B&N | KOBO

Lovely Trigger
AMAZON | B&N



IN FLIGHT (Up in the Air #1)

MILE HIGH (Up in the Air #2)

GROUNDED (Up in the Air #3)

LANA (Novella)