Debt Inheritance (Indebted #1), by Pepper Winters

Deliciously Dark Erotic Romance – A Top Read for 2014!

18+ Read/Adult Situations

21400356Book Blurb 

“I own you. I have the piece of paper to prove it. It’s undeniable and unbreakable. You belong to me until you’ve paid off your debts.” 

Nila Weaver’s family is indebted. Being the first born daughter, her life is forfeit to the first born son of the Hawks to pay for sins of ancestors past. The dark ages might have come and gone, but debts never leave. She has no choice in the matter.

She is no longer free.

Jethro Hawk receives Nila as an inheritance present on his twenty-ninth birthday. Her life is his until she’s paid off a debt that’s centuries old. He can do what he likes with her—nothing is out of bounds—she has to obey.

There are no rules. Only payments. 

Deliciously Dark and Freakin’ Amazing!!!

If you are a fan of dark erotica or dark romance and you haven’t already done so YOU WILL WANT TO READ THIS BOOK! It is addictive – I only meant to read the first few pages or so to get a taste BUT my conscious and unconscious mind, which craves such reads, had other ideas. I tumbled headlong into this particular rabbit hole created by Pepper Winters into a world where innocence is consumed by darkness and depravity and I devoured it within a matter of hours. Debt Inheritance is the first instalment of Pepper Winter’s Indebted series and I cannot wait to see how the tale pans out!

I LOVED the two main protaganists and the developing chemistry between them: the talented but sheltered heroine Nila and Jethro, the anti-hero, who is out to break her. I found some of the actions taken by Nila a little naïve at the start of the book, but understandable given that she has an overprotective brother, who is also her twin, and an even more overprotective father. How she copes with the realisation of her fate, the psychology between Jethro her captor and her relationships with others involved in her captivity make this book a fantastic and chilling dark read. Nila needs to draw on previously unknown strengths in an attempt to survive in a situation that becomes more and more desperate as the tale progresses. Her only chance of survival is to persuade the monster that is Jethro, not to destroy her, but this is a task that is his by birth right, ingrained into his very being.

And Jethro – oh my goodness I both loved and feared this terrifying alpha and I definitely crave a LOT more of him. His character is from the dark void, intent on destroying Nila, the first born female of the current generation of the Weaver family, indebted to his own family in a manner most foul. He exhibits no remorse or compassion for what he is to do to this innocent woman. Nila is far from his usual type and he despises her, cruelly taunting her weaknesses and insecurities at every turn – indeed he is a real b******. However, he IS attracted to her, some of her actions take him by surprise and she gets under his skin. Yet will this be enough to save her or is his soul beyond redemption? Characters such as Jethro are exactly why I love dark reads such as this and the way Pepper Winters recounts Nila’s and Jethro’s story in their alternate POVs makes this read ever more chilling and addictive.

The sex scenes in this book range from hot and teasing to visceral and somewhat disturbing. There is some violence but more so the threat of violence against the heroine and psychological torture as her punishment for being one of the women to pay for the sins of the Weaver family begins. I read wide eyed and dry mouthed as the scenes played out, both aroused and repelled at the same time. It takes great skill to do this and the author has a real talent for drawing the reader into the story and keeping them there hanging on every word.

There are many dark, evil twisted characters in this book, which include Jethro’s father and brothers and they have their own role to play. There is also the unorthodox method Nila relies on in an attempt to maintain her fragile sanity through a tenuous link with the outside world – I will not give an more away except to say that the whole read is an inspired foray into the darker realms of power, lust and depravity. Lovers of the dark side are well advised to check this book out! I am new to Pepper Winters but will definitely be reading further instalments of this series and her backlist.

Purchase Links

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Connect with the Author

http://www.pepperwinters.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pepper-Winters/539976006062848

 

 

 

Unlovable (The Case Files of Dr. Matilda Schmidt, Paranormal Psychologist), by Cynthia St. Aubin

Just what the Good Doc Ordered!

20800676Book Blurb

It isn’t every day a sexy demigod throws a pissed-off Cupid onto psychologist Matilda Schmidt’s couch and informs her the fate of the world depends on her ability to get him off his diapered ass and back to helping people fall in love. Just when Matilda convinces herself she’s not hallucinating, in walks a Vegas hit man with a big gun and a bigger threat: pay back the million dollars she owes a notorious casino mogul, or wind up as fish food in Lake Mead.Rocketing across country with a gun to her head, Matilda has a dysfunctional love-god in her laptop bag, a million dollar debt she has no knowledge of, and must convince the seductive hit man he’s snatched the wrong woman before he convinces her he might be the right man—for a night. Can Matilda stay alive long enough to keep love from becoming history?

My Review

A Panty-Wetting, Laugh-out-Loud Read!

Unlovable is the first instalment of The Case Files of Dr Matilda Schmidt Paranormal Psychologist, other instalments of which are available  and include Unlucky, Unhoppy and Unbearable (see below for link to author’s Amazon page for more info).

I recently read in the press that medical professionals are being encouraged to prescribe books to their patients, alongside or instead of conventional prescriptions. Well, if you are in need of a tonic, Cynthia St. Aubin’s rollicking, panty-wetting read Unlovable, is just what the good doc ordered!  

This read contains a love-sick Cupid, a sex obsessed demigod, in the form of Crixus and a dark and dangerous hit-man cum kidnapper, with his own psychological issues. All three burst into the well-ordered life of Dr Matlda Schmidt, a sexually repressed/control loving kinda girl and chaos reigns big-time!

Matllda is faced with the seemingly impossible tasks of saving the world by counselling a love sick Cupid and saving her own ass from the mobster whom the hit man is contracted to deliver her to. She is also fighting the temptation presented by said hit man who is giving her some serious signs that he wants to get her naked. Suffice to say that Matilda is not the same woman at the end of the read as she is at the beginning………

I enjoyed getting to know Matilda, and how her life gets shaken AND stirred and I’m looking forward to reading about her further adventures in the subsequent instalments. I recommend Unlovable to readers of contemporary and paranormal romps who like their reads to contain plenty of humour and snark with some smexy scenes.

A copy of this book was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review. 

Purchase Links

Amazon US  Amazon UK

Connect with the Author and find out more about her books

http://www.cynthiastaubin.com/

https://www.facebook.com/cynthia.saintaubin

 

 

*COVER REVEAL* ~ Death Design (The Daughters of Darkness #3), by N. L. Hoffman

Today, we are happy to share the cover for N.L. Hoffmann’s upcoming novel, Death Design (The Daughters of the Darkness #3). Tina ❤

Stay tuned for a special sneak peek!

death_design_ebook_cover

Death Design

Series: The Daughters of Darkness #3

N.L. Hoffmann

Genre: Paranormal/Suspense

Release Date: December 2014

Sneak Peek

Her name is Sinise, but goes by Sin. She is a reaper, Death.

She is the sister of the President of the United States, also his personal assassin.

She’s the last piece of the puzzle to destroy Nick with her two sisters.

********

nicole1_kindle_1

Blood Slaves (The Daughters of the Darkness #1)

Goodreads

Blake Noble is assigned by her superior, of the Supernatural Crime Division, to investigate the disappearance of his niece and to take down the Covert, a several hundred year old vampire organization known for abducting their victims off the streets. Things begin to go south when she begins to uncover truths about the people she loves.

After finding out she is the daughter of Lucifer and a famous vampire mother, she begins to use her newly appearing abilities to survive through the investigation. Between demon lessons from her father and falling for the Deputy Director of the Michigan, she attempts a nail biting journey to shut down the biggest secret in vampire history.

********

nicole2_kindle

Shadow Cursed (The Daughters of the Darkness #2)

Goodreads

U.S. Marshal, Jacey Noble, has just taken a well-deserved vacation when one of her fugitives ends up murdered. Detective Trent Vinolva is less than enthusiastic to take on a new partner, especially the hot-blooded Jacey. When they encounter a werewolf at the scene, Jacey is thrust into a new world of supernatural beings and high-stakes encounters with no one else to turn to but Trent.

Jacey discovers that she’s a Shadow, one of an order of powerful beings that are able to manipulate darkness. Amidst the whirlwind of discovering her newly activated powers, Jacey must solve the murder while battling sexual tension with Detective Vinolva. Things get interesting when the pair is led to Jacey’s demon father and her flame throwing sister. Finding herself in a new world on the brink of supernatural war, Jacey doesn’t know who to trust. She must rely on instinct to traverse the unknown.

With the Supernatural Council and Trent, Jacey attempts to accomplish the impossible: evade the Shadows who are on her tail and solve a murder. The only assurance in Shadow Cursed is uncertainty. Jacey must journey down a trail of mystery, destruction, and romance.

nl_hoffmann_pic

About the Author

N.L Hoffmann is a new paranormal romance author; she recently published her first book entitled Blood Slaves, Book One to the Daughters of Darkness Series. She is currently working on the second book to the collection.

Hoffmann was born in Germany to her German native mother and her American soldier father. The family moved home to the states, where she grew up in a rural farm town in Michigan with her parents and two younger brothers. There, in her pre-teens, is when she began writing and developed her love for literature.

Today, Hoffmann resides in Missouri with her husband and three children, where she published her first book Blood Slaves in January 2014 and is currently working on Book Two to the Daughters of Darkness Series. When Hoffmann isn’t busy putting words on the page she enjoys reading, drawing, playing loving pranks on her husband, and spending time with her family.

EM_Shape Tours

Back to Storafalt (Finally Ever After), by Holley Trent ~ *REVIEW*

Will Love Succeed Second Time Around?

Contemporary Romance – 61 pages

22038123Book Blurb

He stood her up. Now she’s standing out.

The last time Justine Eklund had heard from Gray Voss was when he’d agreed to take her to her sister’s wedding. He stood her up. Twelve years later, he’s back in Wyoming as the new owner of Storafalt’s only pharmacy. He didn’t come alone, though. He brought along the small cowboy town’s best-kept secret—his preteen son, Danny.

Gray wants to pick up where he left off. He never stopped loving the beautiful rabble-rouser, and thinks she’ll fit seamlessly into his little family. Justine yearns to reignite that old torch, but she’s wary. She’s not convinced her high school sweetheart will stick around.

Storafalt’s only school is on a rapid decline, so Gray may have no choice but to return Danny to the life they built in Austin. If he goes, there’s no way Justine can go with them. Unlike Gray, she’s rooted too deeply to leave.

My Review

This novella, packs in real punch as it contains plenty of emotional angst, humour and a smexy scene or two – the opening scene in particular is very memorable! Gray, the hero and Justine, the heroine, immediately reconnect after an absence of 12 years, but Justine is reluctant to trust him again and commit to a relationship, after he let her down in the past. Add to this the unexpected complication of Gray’s son Danny and the scene is set for the hero having to do all he can to convince the heroine that he is the man for her.

I enjoyed the small town setting of the story in which the couple’s lack of anonymity brings their actions into sharp focus. Gray is a real hottie and we come to understand his reasons for standing Justine up when he did. Justine is smart cookie and a thoroughly likeable heroine, with strong ties to Storafelt. The couple must grapple with the realities of life that maturity brings to achieve their HEA and to win her heart Gray needs to encourage Justine to trust in him again and boy does he have his work cut out!

However,it is not always easy to return to the place of our youth and rekindle your first love. The author manages to reflect both characters’ dilemmas in a sensitive and humorous way and we are left wondering if life in Storafalt will be enough to meet Gray’s expectations and whether Justine will decide to risk trusting him again. I enjoyed how this tale panned out and also the author’s pacing and writing style and her characterisations of the main couple and the supporting characters.

I would definitely read another book by Holley Trent and recommend Back to Storafalt to readers of contemporary romance who like tale of second chances.

A copy of this book was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Purchase Links

Amazon US   Amazon UK

Connect with the Author

http://holleytrent.com/blog/

https://www.facebook.com/writerholleytrent

Cover Reveal and Contest for ~**HUNTER BETRAYED, Wild Hunt #1**~ by Nancy Corrigan

 An Erotic Paranormal Romance 18+

HunterBetrayed 200x300A HUGE welcome to Nancy Corrigan and her new novel Hunter Betrayed: Wild Hunt 1, which releases on September 3 from Ellora’s Cave. The novel is an erotic paranormal romance based on of the myth of the Wild Hunt — a tale of spectral hounds and horsemen riding across the night sky. Nancy is sharing the cover, blurb and the links with us today as part of her celebration!

Book Blurb

Tainted from birth, Harley lives a life cloaked in darkness and temptation. She resists the lure of her evil legacy by holding the memory of her ghostly savior close. Every night without him is agony. She fantasizes about him and yearns for his body, but he’s not the protector or lover she’s envisioned. He’s a Hunter bred to eliminate her kind. He’s also her only hope of salvation.

Calan, the leader of the Wild Hunt, was created to protect mankind from the Unseelie Court. For a millennium, he’s sacrificed to ensure the horrid creatures remain in the Underworld, but his strength wanes. He must rely on his enemy’s daughter to save him, but he doesn’t expect the intensity of their lust or love. Her touch calms his wild nature and ignites his carnal desires. He’ll risk all to save her, but doing so forces him to make the ultimate sacrifice, one that’ll damn him to suffer forever in his own living hell.

A Romantica® Paranormal erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

Excerpt

“I’ve fantasized about you for years and this…” She pressed her fingertips to his cheek. “This face is more captivating than any I could’ve imagined.”

The rightness he’d experienced nine years ago returned, stronger than before. He wanted Harley and he’d have her. “Kiss me.”

She shook her head.

“Harley.” He waited until she met his gaze. “Kiss me.”

Hesitantly, she pressed her mouth to his. He nudged at the seam of her lips with his tongue. She parted them and he slipped inside. Her flavor hit him. She tasted of candy, a delectable treat he could easily become addicted to. He moaned and kissed her harder. After a long moment where he led her into passion, she dug her fingers into his hair, grabbing sections of the short strands and tugging him closer.

On a whimper, she linked her legs around his waist. Her heat pressed against his stomach. He automatically arched his back to line his erection to her sex. Her small stature and his tight bonds prevented him from experiencing her tempting warmth along the length of his shaft. It didn’t dim the lust consuming him. The scent of her arousal and her squirming body intensified it.

He took control of the kiss, needing her wild. She’d beg for his manhood to fill her dripping center. He wouldn’t settle for anything else. Their teeth banged as the melding of their mouths grew wicked. He swallowed her moans and fed her his. Quicker, deeper he stroked his tongue with hers. She tightened her grip on his hair. Her nails bit into his scalp. The sting pushed his lusts higher.

More. By the gods, more. He nipped at her lips. Blood flavored the kiss, blood that held the tang of pure chaos. It was her taint, a curse from her father and the reason she was turning into a monster.

He turned his head, breaking the kiss. The evidence of the stain working its way through her body and soul, infecting her slowly and steadily, killed his runaway desire.

She eased back. The weight of her stare forced his lids open. Tears welled in her eyes, yet her expression remained neutral. “You can taste it, can’t you? It’s not just me.”

 

A young guy

Pre-Order Links (Releases SEPTEMBER 3, 2014)

Amazon

B&N

Ellora’s Cave

Amazon-ca

Amazon-uk

Amazon-au

Add to your Goodreads TBR list! Hunter Betrayed

10-24 (3)

 

Author Bio

Nancy Corrigan believes in unending love and epic tales with a paranormal flare. She enjoys transcending the boundaries of reality to take her readers on an erotic, emotional and romantic journey.

She resides in Pennsylvania with her husband and three children. When she’s not weaving sizzling fantasies, she works as a chemist in a pharmaceutical lab.

Social Media links

Website

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Twitter

Pinterest

Goodreads

Youtube trailer

 

CONTEST!

Click on the rafflecopter code below for the chance to win some super gift cards!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b9820a6/

 

 

~**SNOW IN JULY**~ by Kim Iverson Headlee ~ Excerpt, Spotlight and Giveaways!

Snow In July - Tour Banner

 

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – Snow in July
AUTHOR – Kim Iverson Headlee
GENRE – Young Adult Paranormal Historical Romance
PUBLICATION DATE – July 2014
LENTH (Pages/# Words) – 386 pages/94K words
PUBLISHER – Pendragon Cove Press
COVER DESIGNER – Natasha Brown

 

Snow in July - Book Cover

 

BOOK SYNOPSIS

Sir Robert Alain de Bellencombre has been granted what every man wants: a rich English estate in exchange for his valiant service at the Battle of Hastings. To claim this reward, the Norman knight must wed the estate’s Saxon heiress. Most men would leap at such an opportunity, but for Alain, who broke his vow to his dying mother by failing to protect his youngest brother in battle, it means facing more easily broken vows. But when rumors of rampant thievery, dangerous beasts, and sorcery plaguing a neighboring estate reach his ears, nothing will make him shirk duty to king and country when people’s lives stand at risk. He assumes the guise of a squire to scout the land, its problems, and its lady.

Lady Kendra of Edgarburh has been granted what no woman wants: a forced marriage to an enemy who may be kith or kin to the man who murdered her beloved brother. Compounding her anguish is her failure to awaken the miraculous healing gift bequeathed by their late mother in time to save his life. Although with his dying breath, he made her promise to seek happiness above all, Kendra vows that she shall find neither comfort nor love in the arms of a Norman…unless it snows in July.

Alain is smitten by Lady Kendra from the first moment of their meeting; Kendra feels the forbidden allure of the handsome and courtly Norman “squire.” But a growing evil overshadows everyone, invoking dark forces and ensnaring Kendra in a plot to overthrow the king Alain is oath-bound to serve. Kendra and Alain face a battle unlike any other as their honor, their love, their lives, and even their very souls lie in the balance.

 

BUY & TBR LINKS

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Snow In July - Full Sleeve

 

EXCERPT

FIFTEEN THOUSAND MEN and horses writhed across the valley below, appearing as toys in a children’s game.

Many might consider war a game, but Sir Robert Alain de Bellencombre, knight of Normandy bound to the service of Duke William and commander of a unit in the cavalry reserves, did not number among their ranks.

Edward the Confessor, King of England via his Saxon father but Norman by his mother, was dead. This battle, raging near the coastal hamlet called Hastings, would decide the right of one man to wear the English crown: William the Norman, acknowledged by Pope Alexander to be Edward’s lawful successor; or Harold the Saxon, brother of Edward’s wife, the man alleged to be Edward’s deathbed choice.

Stroking his war horse’s glossy charcoal neck to calm her, Alain pondered Harold’s claim. It had to be true. This many men would not sacrifice their lives for a lie. Yet the vast majority of Harold’s supporters were Saxons harboring no wish to bear the Norman yoke. Perhaps such men might be desperate enough to fight for a lie that promised to restore Saxon rule.

A trumpet blared. He signaled his men forward, couched his lance, and spurred Chou to send her careening into the melee.

Harold’s shield wall, which had seemed impregnable, began to crumble under the onslaught of Alain’s unit, hastened by the desertion of men who no doubt decided they weren’t quite so willing to die. Their lord stood exposed just long enough for a Norman archer to sight his mark. Harold fell, screaming and clutching an arrow that protruded from one eye.

Harold’s supporters closed ranks around him, blocking Alain’s view and giving him more than enough to do as the Saxons redoubled their efforts to guard their lord’s body.

A familiar whirl of colors caught Alain’s attention. The saffron leopard prowling on a green field—Étienne! A Saxon knight, with a blue arm and fist blazing defiance across his gray shield, bore down upon Étienne with leveled lance. Étienne tumbled from his horse. He scrambled to his feet and retrieved his sword, putting it to good use on the Saxons surrounding him, although the knight who’d unhorsed him had already ridden in search of other targets.

Lance long since discarded and sword now rising and falling with fatal precision, Alain surged to reach his brother’s side. Protection of her youngest son had been their dying mother’s wish, and he had sworn on his own life to keep Étienne safe.

Before he could close the distance, another Saxon knight fought past Étienne’s guard to thrust a war-knife into his throat. Through the visor the knight’s eyes gleamed with startling, fathomless malice. Alain could only watch in stunned disbelief as he laid his hand upon Étienne’s chest for a few moments. Uttering a soul-freezing howl, the Saxon yanked out his seax and disappeared into the press with Étienne’s shield, denying Alain vengeance.

Shame and grief rent his heart asunder.

He had failed the two he loved most; failed them so utterly that he could never beg their forgiveness in this lifetime.

Pain slammed into his shoulder, toppling him from the saddle. Étienne’s body broke his fall. He tried to roll clear, but a spear through his chest pinned him to Étienne. His gut convulsed, and bile burned his throat. Blinding agony killed his struggle to free himself. Death’s stench invaded his nostrils.

He closed his eyes and waited for his final journey to begin.

 

Snow in July - Book Spine

AUTHOR BIO

Kim Headlee lives on a farm in southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, goats, and assorted wildlife. People & creatures come and go, but the cave and the 250-year-old house ruins — the latter having been occupied as recently as the mid-20th century — seem to be sticking around for a while yet.

Kim is a Seattle native (when she used to live in the Metro DC area, she loved telling people she was from “the other Washington”) and a direct descendent of 20th-century Russian nobility. Her grandmother was a childhood friend of the doomed Grand Duchess Anastasia, and the romantic yet tragic story of how Lydia escaped Communist Russia with the aid of her American husband will most certainly one day fuel one of Kim’s novels. Another novel in the queue will involve her husband’s ancestor, the 7th-century proto-Viking king of the Swedish colony in Russia.

For the time being, however, Kim has plenty of work to do in creating her projected 8-book Arthurian series, The Dragon’s Dove Chronicles, and other novels under her new imprint, Pendragon Cove Press. She also writes romantic historical fiction under the pseudonym “Kimberly Iverson.”

 

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

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Video Interview

 

GIVEAWAY PRIZES

• Ebook copies of Snow in July

(MOBI/Kindle file-EPUB/B&N file-or sent as a gift via Amazon.com/BN.com)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

GOODREADS GIVEAWAY

• 10 Autographed copies (US residents only) of the print edition

via Goodreads (scheduled to run July 1-31, 2014)

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE GOODREADS GIVEAWAY

 

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1-MINIBUTTON

REVIEW and SPOTLIGHT of *TOUCHED BY THE SANDMAN* ~ by Beverly Ovalle

Touched Sandman - Tour Banner

A Dream Lover

21463347

Erotic Fantasy Romance

Amazon UK  Amazon US

Book Blurb

~ A lonely woman’s torrid sexual dreams and fantasy partner await her as reality in another dimension.~

The sandman visits those that need him, assisting them to sleep. Until one night he meets a woman that he cannot help but return to time after time.

She is lonely. He comes to her as she drifts off to sleep, the man of her dreams. Awake or asleep, which is her reality?

He knows she is the one meant for him. He will find a way to make both of their dreams come true.

My Review

This is another sizzling erotic short from Beverly Ovalle, which is just the ticket to read if you are apart from your own dream lover or have a hankering for one! I’ve previously enjoyed the author’s previous works: Dragons’ Mate, Lightning Strike and the novella A Saint’s Salvation (click the book titles for my review).

This read packs a punch in terms of erotic scenes and inventive plot. The hero Aryne a being from another world, whose mission it is to bring comfort to those during their slumber, cannot resist paying Alainn lots of naughty nightly visits in her dreams believing that he has been lucky enough to find his bondmate. Alainn welcomes his visits (and who wouldn’t when they involve such a lover?), needing to be comforted and loved as she has never felt as if she truly belonged in this world… She has always felt herself a loner and been a bit of a dreamer at heart. Little does she realise that the silver eyed dominant hottie, whose visits she relishes actually exists and is not just a figment of her fevered imagination!

Aryne aches to make Alainn his , yet does not know how to, fearing that her touch could strip him of his powers or that she, a mere human, will not be able to cross over to his world, let alone survive there. What follows is a sweet but hot erotic tale involving a determined and dominant hero who will do what he can to make Alainn his.

I loved the erotic love making scenes between the couple, which are HOT and make me want to retire early with my dream lover! I also enjoyed the foray into Aryne’s home world and finding out the background to his race’s’ existence.

I recommend this read to lovers of erotic romance, where the hero is both sweet but dominant and the heroine is deserving of his love.

I purchased a copy of this book to read, enjoy and review!

Author Bio

Beverly Ovalle lives in Wisconsin with her husband Edmond of 24 years and two Chinese Water Dragons. Having her own Dragons is expected as she is dragon crazy and anyone that walks in her house can tell. Her son Nicholas visits when he is on leave from the Marines.  Her daughter Susannah visits to grocery shop in the pantry and to see what might be cooking for dinner.

Beverly has traveled around the world thanks to five years in the US Navy and has worked for the government in one capacity or another for the past 30 years. Beverly and her brothers have travelled most of the continental United States as children due to the station wagon from Hell.  Still active with veterans, she is adjutant for her local AMVETS.

Beverly has been reading romances since her Aunt introduced her to the gothic romance in the fourth grade and is still reading every chance she gets.

Contact Links

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

Tumblr:  http://ovalleba.tumblr.com/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ovalleba

Pinterest:  http://pinterest.com/ovalleba/

Website: http://ovalleba.wix.com/beverly-ovalle

Goodreads at http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6982787.Beverly_Ovalle

AUTHORSdB at http://www.authorsdb.com/author-directory/preview?id=3752:beverly-ovalle

LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=236055547&trk=hb_tab_pro_top

Book Blogs:  http://bookblogs.ning.com/profile/BeverlyOvalle

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/SSLYblog

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

Blog: http://SSLYblog.wordpress.com 

1-MINIBUTTON

 

 

 

 

*WEEPING ANGELS* by Cristy Rey ~ Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway

Four years ago, Frankie Rios walked away from her best friend and big sister, Iris. To Frankie, Iris died the day that she last rejected Frankie’s attempts at getting Iris alcohol and drug treatment. Rather than accept grief for her beloved sister’s loss, Frankie turned to her music. A renowned cellist, Frankie has managed to ignore the pain and suffering of losing the person she loved most in this world. With Iris out of her mind and out of her life, Frankie was able to move on…or so she thought. Until Iris really died.

Topher went to war in 2001 only to return two years later damaged and broken. Unable to reconcile the war vet with the boy he used to be, Topher gave up on life. When Iris Rios, his long-lost childhood best friend, dies from liver failure at thirty-two years-old, Topher is forced to confront his past. He must decide whether he deserves to heal. He must decide whether he will take that first step and then take another until he can recover what he lost: himself.

Weeping Angels is a story of grief carried and grief ignored. It’s about learning to love and moving on. Mourning someone once is hard enough, but mourning someone twice is unimaginably harder.

 

Weeping Angels

Cristy Rey

Goodreads

Genre: Women’s fiction, romance

Release date: June 27, 2014

Purchase Links

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Smashwords

Excerpt

What Frankie says breaks me. It breaks me. And it’s not even about Iris or me; it’s about Frankie. Everything she said about Iris fills me in on years that I’ve missed. Even when I’d been standing right beside her, I was ignoring what now seems so obvious it’s blinding. Yet, for all the talk about Iris’s alcoholism and suicidal tendencies, what Frankie’s opened up about is herself.

I’m not even sure she notices because she’s so guarded. Never once has she reflected on what she’s said. She’s been stating facts, telling stories. That’s what she thinks, anyway. I know this like I know myself, because it’s what I do. I state facts and I tell stories, and what I’m actually doing is diverting attention from what’s going on inside.

Frankie’s all Iris this, Iris that, but what I hear is: I can’t live with myself because Iris was never happy and I couldn’t save her. It’s what I hear inside myself every minute of every day, and my heart breaks for Frankie and for me. What I do next comes so naturally that it scares the living shit out of me. I don’t let her leave. I hold her as close as I can because what I want is for her to be inside of me the way she’s let me be inside of her.

In this space and time, Frankie and I are one person. I’m angry with her. I’m aggressive about it, maybe even hurting her, but I reason that it can’t be any worse than how she’s been hurting herself by balling this all up for decades.

As much as I need her to be close, I want to push her away. I want her to leave and never come back. I want Frankie to take flight tomorrow morning, and I want to be the one to deliver her to the airport because what I’m feeling is something that I’m not ready to deal with. I tell myself to let her stay here, to give her this space from death that she needs. I’m surer now more than ever that we have an unbreakable bond, but I don’t want it.

We have right now and I need it right now, but I can’t want to have it tomorrow. I can’t want to have it ever again. It’s like being with yourself all the time, but only with the ugliest parts of you. It’s looking at all the broken pieces of your psyche and being forced to confront them.

That’s what Frankie is to me. That’s what she’s been to me all day if I cop to it. Maybe it was like that last night when I went out after her in the parking lot and walked her back to the service. Maybe it’s why I couldn’t believe that she could be out there alone with no one to hide her sadness from the world. I’m making up for it today, though. Right now, I’m making up for leaving her naked and on a slab for the world to pick apart. The more I hold her, the more I fear that I’ll never be able to let her go, but I keep doing it because she’s something worth saving and, if she can be saved, then maybe I can be, too.

My Review

A Beautiful, Raw and Intense Love Story

I am familiar with Cristy Rey, having read her Paranormal Romance Taking Back Sunday which I hugely enjoyed. Weeping Angels is an entirely different read, billed as Women’s Fiction/Contemporary Romance, it portrays an intense journey embarked on by two lost souls and deals with the raw emotions of grief, guilt, anger and pain. It is also a beautiful inspirational love story, unlike no other I have read, and I am awed by the versatility of this writer.

In Weeping Angels Frankie and Topher meet after Iris, Frankie’s sister, has died as a result of alcoholism. Frankie, a renowned cellist, has been estranged from Iris and her family for four years after Iris refused to seek help for her addiction and her family did not acknowledge that she had a problem. Frankie pours her anger and grief at the situation into her music, which in many ways has been her constant prop in the face of witnessing her once beloved sister’s slow demise since childhood. Despite qualifying and working as a lawyer after being discharged from the military, Topher has all but given up on life and struggles to cope with PTSD arising from a Traumatic Brain Injury. Topher used to be Iris’ best friend before he enlisted, having little to do with the reclusive Frankie who refused to party and was devoted to her music.

However Iris’ death draws them together. Topher gives Frankie first the physical and then the emotional support she needs and a strong bond develops. Yet Topher believes that he is broken beyond repair, too broken for Frankie, who has her own demons to deal with. Frankie too has issues, not least her guilt at the death of her sister and the anger towards her family who did nothing to help her sister deal with her addiction. With Topher based in Miami determined to protect Frankie from himself and Frankie living in San Francisco any future together appears doomed, unless the bond they formed is strong enough to overcome their distance and overcome the tangled emotions at play.

I was totally absorbed in the development of the relationship between Frankie and Topher. Cristy Rey cleverly portrays their innermost thoughts in chapters alternating between Frankie and Topher’s POV. Both are broken in their own way and their coming together does not magically make their problems go away. Instead their meeting offers them an opportunity to overcome their problems and embrace a future together if they are willing to chance it. I loved both characters, who display a great deal of strength despite the cards Fate has dealt them. I also loved how the author illustrated Frankie’s character and emotions though her relationship to her cello and how Frankie’s music helped strengthen their bond.

Weeping Angels is a beautiful, original and emotional read, which although will have you reaching for the Kleenex, is also an inspirational one. I strongly recommend it.

A copy of this novel was given to me for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

About Cristy Rey

Cristy Rey is the author of the romantic urban fantasy Incarnate series. The first book, Taking Back Sunday, and a short prequel novelette, Edge of Seventeen, are available now at online retailers. She also writes and publishes unconventional romantic women’s fiction. Her first standalone, Weeping Angels, is available now, and her second, Heart Grow Fonder, will be out in winter 2014/2015.

Cristy lives in Miami, FL where she is a reader and writer most of the time, and a knitter much less of the time than she was six months before she took up writing again. She writes the books that she likes to read. She describes her writing style as riot grrrl Jane Austen sprinkled with a little magic. There’s always a killer soundtrack running in the background of her novels – all you need to do is turn to the playlist to know what’s up.

Contact Cristy

Facebook | Goodreads | Newsletter | Website

A few of Cristy’s other novels

  

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~**IRREVOCABLE**~ by Skye Callahan ~ BLOG TOUR (Includes Review, Excerpt and Giveaway)

Irrevocable BB 2

 

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An 18+ read. Warning: This isn’t your rainbows and love sonnets kind of romance. This story explores topics of abduction and slavery, and contains explicit scenes of graphic violence and (non-con/dub-con) sex.

I have been SO looking forward to reading this new novel by Skye Callahan. I LOVE dark reads for a host of reasons: the examination of the psychology of power; the preservation of self versus the desire of another to dominate and destroy; the erotic sex; the often taboo scenes and the plots where characters’ survival often rests on a knife edge, not forgetting the presence of the dark alpha anti-heroes, whose possible redemption, when faced with a woman who gets under their skin and makes them question their actions, fascinates me.

I was therefore delighted to be gifted a review copy of Irrevocable to participate in this blog tour. Let me say upfront, Skye Callahan does not disappoint on any one of the reasons I love this sub genre of romance. It is a FREAKIN” AMAZING read! Scroll down for the book blurb, a sizzling excerpt, my review and details on how to enter the associated rafflecopter giveaway, where you can win a paperback copy of Irrevocable and oodles of other great prizes! Tina ❤

Irrevocable

 

SYNOPSIS

Sometimes when you can’t go back, the only way out is to descend into the darkness.

my Captor

When I woke in that place, I just wanted to survive. But survival came at a cost, for which they demanded my will and body.

my Master

With pain came acceptance. Fully-dependent on the man who claimed me, I learned to appreciate what I had-life and relative safety.

my Protector

I watched him spill blood and tend my injuries. With betrayal came a revelation.

The only way out was to bring them all down or die trying.

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BUY LINKS

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US: $13.99 | CA: $17.99 | INTL: $26.99

EXCERPT 

Through the haze of sleep, I felt hands on me. Cold and rough. I thought for a fleeting moment that it might have been Kyle. Then, I remembered our break up. It had happened weeks ago, but maybe that part was the dream. My memory was fucked and I couldn’t latch onto a thought long enough to ride it out of the fog.

Too many hands. They groped and pulled—rough against my skin and digging into muscle and bone. I tried to retreat, my back pressed into a hard surface beneath me, and my nostrils filled with the smell of musk and damp stale air. I had no idea where I was, or how I’d gotten there. I kicked and gasped, trying to get back to the surface where reality lurked, shimmering in the distance, but just out of reach, like the sun on the surface of the water during a dive.

A hand latched onto my hair and held my head back. My eyelids were finally freed from the sticky muck that held me in semi-consciousness, and I opened them to find myself staring up into unfamiliar green eyes. I only held his gaze for a few seconds—if that—but it seemed like it lasted for hours as my brain fought to categorize the details. Its useless attempt to understand what was going on. The man clutching my hair had vivid green eyes, but they may as well have been black given the emotionless void they displayed. His hair was shaggy, brown with a mix of grey, the same colors that stood out in his unkempt stubble. As if he needed any help looking rough. He exhaled and his breath settled over my face, reeking of booze and cigarettes. The smell made me queasy, but I didn’t have time to dwell on that, as another set of hands tugged at my jeans.

My gaze traveled around the room, taking in the small crowd. At least half a dozen men surrounded the table where they had me spread out like a holiday feast. All dressed differently, from ragged tank tops to well-fitting dark button-down shirts, but they all projected an air of unchecked danger. Necks marked with tattoos, hands covered in callouses and scars. Scruffy faces accented their sneers and smirks, as they stood above me staring down with eyes starved of humanity and full of lust.

Apparently, they didn’t expect me to put up a fight, because aside from the hand tangled in my hair, no one seemed concerned with keeping a tight grip on me. Probably because they outnumbered me, and I assumed they would have no problem beating the crap out of me as I struggled. They’d downright enjoy it. Unfortunately, I didn’t fully consider how that scenario would play out. I bucked and managed to knee the one pulling on my waistband in the face. He grunted, but I can’t imagine I inflicted as much pain as his retaliatory blow to my ribs. I sucked in air and rolled, curling around the injury and gasping for each painful breath as the sickening throb exacerbated my confusion. 

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My Review

Freakin’ Brilliant!

A freakingly brilliant read that kept me glued to my Kindle until the wee hours! I LOVE dark erotic reads and this ranks amongst one of the best I have read in a long time. Like others in the genre it contains explicit scenes of sex and violence (especially sexual violence) and is also deeply psychological as it examines the themes of domination, submission and sadism. It also contains a heart rending love story, hot love making, super erotic scenes and self-sacrifice. This particular dark read spotlights how far would you submit to survive and in doing so could you preserve your sense of self?

The heroine ‘Silver’ (whose real name we only learn towards the end of the novel) is abducted and taken to a ‘retreat’ run by the twisted megalomaniac crime lord Ross, who dabbles in the pleasures afforded by slaves alongside other illegal activities. Silver finds herself in the hands of Kirk to be trained as a slave. She is left under no illusions as to her new role, to be his sexual toy for him or his sadistic boss Ross to use as they desire. She soon realises that her only way to survive is to submit to the pleasure and pain Kirk her ‘master’ subjects her to. Yet she constantly rebels against this as she fears that to do so she will break completely.

Kirk is a conundrum to Silver and the reader, a cruel and harsh task master who is not pleased to find himself saddled with a difficult slave to train, but he will do what it takes to keep her in line, however painful it is. As they spend more time together however, Kirk occasionally reveals the existence of a softer side, but he will not deviate from his responsibility of training his slave. From this unequal relationship a strong bond develops between them, yet can Silver reconcile herself to her new role and can she survive in such a sadistic and violent environment which is overseen by Kirk’s boss Ross?

I LOVED Silver and Kirk. Silver is strong and feisty despite enduring so much and Kirk is a hottie who appears to be a monster, yet is far less of a monster than others within the world she finds herself in. The scenes between Silver and Kirk are intense and downright hot, but at times had me in despair and reaching for the tissues!

Aside from the hero and heroine, there are some other great characterisations, from the evil and sadistic Ross and Gabe to Miles, his second in command. Note to author – like other readers, I too would love to see Miles have his own book!

I will not say any more but the novel has an inventive and well-paced roller coaster of a plot, with many surprises, including a great twist. Lovers of dark romances will certainly want to add it to their reading list! A 5 star read!

A copy of this novel was given to me for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

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AUTHOR BIO

I’ve been coming up with stories for as long as I can remember, and in elementary school I began writing them all down. Ghosts and vampires, have always been my favorite beings to write about. Maybe it was growing up with a grandma who always told me about how she’d always rush home to watch Dark Shadows, and growing up reading and watching anything paranormal that I could find.

My debut, Fractured Legacy (Paranormal Urban Fantasy novella), was released on October 22, 2013, and the sequel Beyond the Divide is currently in progress and expected to release in early 2014.

I am also taking a departure from the paranormal world with a BDSM Romance, Bound and Unbroken, which will also be released in early 2014. I go where my characters lead me, and Eric and Lena decided that I needed a definite break from the paranormal.

When I’m not spending time with the voices in my head, I work in business consulting and hang out with my husband and all of our furry family members.

Random Stuff:

I LOVE Rum, but that’s probably not a secret.

I love sexy cars more than I love rum. My top picks would be a ’65 Mustang, practically any Bugatti Veyron, or an Aston Martin Vanquish.

I once based a character in a story on my husband, and the character died.

Don’t bother trying to figure it out, I never released that book.

I’ve never met some of my closest friends in person–some of them live on the other side of the world.

I never set out for anyone at work to know that I’m a writer, but now they buy my books, so it’s a good deal.

I’m not terribly good at being girly–I don’t wear makeup, only own 4 pairs of shoes, and I’ve never had a manicure.

I learned to handle a gun before I learned long division.

I cuss like a sailor unless I’m around my grandma.

While most of the people in my graduate research classes were buried in books, I was glued to the TV researching the evolving portrayal of “Indianness”.

I’ve seen Disturbed in concert 3 times.

I still have a crush on Jason David Frank (aka Tommy Oliver the Green/White Ranger)

I work with my husband and it’s the 3rd time we’ve worked for the same business.

If I’m not watching Top Gear, I’m probably watching something that was filmed before I was born. Currently, Dick Van Dyke is in my DVD player.

I have a phobia of crickets.

Should I throw you one hell of a fact if you’ve made it this far? I was diagnosed with PTSD two and a half years ago, and my doctor suggested that

I start writing again to help cope with the symptoms.

Where to stalk Skye:

Amazon Author page: http://amzn.to/1gVX96i

Facebook Page: http://on.fb.me/Hmwsrp

Twitter: http://bit.ly/HchK5M   or  @Skye_Callahan

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Giveaway

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Spotlight on *The Warrior Queen # 1 in The Guinevere Trilogy* by Lavinia Collins

Guinevere’s Story

book oneThe Warrior Queen is the debut novel of Lavinia Collins. It is a historical/fantasy romance set in Arthurian Britain, published by Not So Noble Books.

Since childhood I have been fascinated by the Arthurian legends. I am not alone in this as there have been many books, films and television programmes which have time after time re-interpreted the story of King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, his fellow knights and the quest for the Holy Grail.

The tale is rich in mystery, archetypes and moral and religious metaphors. I am also torn by the tangled relationships of what I consider the greatest tale of all time, in particular the love triangle between Guinevere, Arthur and Lancelot. Not to mention the magical power struggle between Merlin, Mordred and Morgana and the notion of chivalry represented by the Knights of the Round Table.

It is rare however, for the events to be portrayed through the eyes of Guinevere and I was therefore fascinated to learn of Lavinia Collins’ The Guinevere Trilogy, comprising The Warrior Queen, A Champion’s Duty and The Day of Destiny. I am looking forward to reading and reviewing The Warrior Queen soon, but wanted to share the cover and book blurb with you, kindly provided by the author, and provide the links.

Book Blurb

‘The Warrior Queen’ is the first instalment of ‘The Guinevere Trilogy’, a new series of eBooks that reimagines the famous story of Queen Guinevere for a modern audience.

When her people’s army is destroyed in the war with King Arthur, Guinevere is horrified to discover that her conqueror has demanded to have her as his bride. She arrives at Camelot angry and resentful, but quickly finds that the king who defeated her people in battle is not the brute she expected. Slowly, she gains a fragile happiness in her new home, but this is threatened when war comes again.

When her life is saved on the battlefield by a mysterious French knight, Guinevere finds herself caught between desire and duty, the longing for happiness in the new life she has, and her desire to be free and follow her heart.

This original re-imagining of a much-loved legend gives readers a new Guinevere; passionate, headstrong and fiercely independent. An immersive adventure through Arthurian legend, steeped in magic, passion and intrigue, this book won’t disappoint, ‘The Warrior Queen’ retells the classic narrative through the eyes of a queen determined to escape the bounds her society has placed on her, determined not to be ruled by the men who surround her, and determined to be master of her own destiny.

Links

Amazon UK:   Amazon US:   Remember – you can read a sample on Amazon.
Twitter @lavinia_collins   Blog: vivimedieval.wordpress.com

Other Books in the Trilogy

A Champion’s Duty #2 and The Day of Destiny #3

511iZ2ljEbL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU02_51+fCpDw9yL._AA160_View book blurb and purchase links on Lavinia Collins’ Amazon Author Page  Amazon UK    Amazon US