*** Upper New Adult Spinoff Standalone to the USA Today Bestselling Novel, Under the Influence***

AMAZON US: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01A7HZXES/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?qid=1452034692&sr=8-8&pi=CB192198896_AA75_QL70&keywords=lb+simmons

AMAZON UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B01A7HZXES/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?qid=1452036714&sr=8-5&pi=CB192561891_AA75&keywords=lb+simmons

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Synopsis

“Shhhh, Cassandra, it’s our little secret.”

Secrets are stubborn things when they refuse to remain hidden. They tear through your soul, clawing and lashing until the pain becomes so unbearable, you’re left no choice but to silently scream your agony. No one hears you, of course. You smile on the outside and drift through life as though your mind is at peace, but all the while, you remain your own tortured prisoner. Sealed inside the darkened, soundproof room of your conscience, deafening cries echo as you plead for someone to unlock the door and release you from your nightmares. And eventually, when no one comes, you find ways to cope. To dull the suffering the only way you know how.

But what happens when you’ve become so numb, when everything around you has become so blurred, that you begin to lose focus on the saving grace standing directly in front of you? When you’ve anesthetized yourself to the point of losing consciousness, forced to watch as his once solid image fades away, lost to your reach in the haze as it smothers you?

What do you do then?

You fight. You heal. Then you bring him back.

Well, my name is Cassie Cooper, and it’s time.

No more secrets.

This is my story.

***WARNING – The subject matter of this novel centers around the psychological effects due to sexual abuse experienced during childhood. For this reason, as well as sexual situations, language, and adult themes, suggested reading age is 17+.***

 

Excerpt

Only twenty-three years old, and I’m so goddamn tired.

I used to be so much stronger. I somehow kept the voices at bay, the memories locked away safely, contained within the confines of my mind. But with each passing day, I feel the glow of my once-luminous strength fading. Darkness encases me now, bowing the walls of protection I put into place years ago. My past is an ever-present nightmare, repeatedly tapping, slowly fracturing the window of my sanity.

I have no doubt that it’s only a matter of time before the glass finally breaks. Blackness will eventually seep through its cracks and deliver me from the safety of my façade into a reality that will destroy me.

My reality.

I’ve done my part. I’ve kept the secrets thrust upon me with dedicated believability. My portrayal of who I am has become a blurred, hazy version of the once very distinct Cassie Cooper.

I read an ungodly amount of trashy romance novels.

I’m the overtly sexual and foul-mouthed friend who will say anything to get a laugh.

And I have exactly zero fucks to give to what anyone else thinks about my actions.

But the reality, the actuality, is this:

I read obsessively to escape my own world. To live the dreams of others when, for so long, the reoccurrence of my nightmares has been my reality. I read to fall in love and find a happily ever after, even if it is purely imagined. With each story I read, I’m able to live and love vicariously through the characters in my books. It’s the only plausible way for me to survive.

I threw away my virginity at the age of thirteen just to prove something. And when I found that proof, that vindication I was looking for, I sought it every chance I could. Sex is about control for me. Nothing more. The act will never be about making love, like it is for the heroines in my books. I will never be granted the beauty of that gift.

I use humor as a form of avoidance. I draw upon laughter to block the pain. And I smile to mask the agony of the eight-year-old soul who weeps within me.

And the fucks . . . well, that’s not entirely accurate either.

I have given two to be exact: One to my best friend of seventeen years. She knows nothing of my past, and although she so willingly disclosed the horrors of hers, mine remains hidden for no other reason than to avoid the pity she would undoubtedly cast my way if I were to ever tell her. I don’t want her pity. I would sooner die than have her look at me in any other way than with pride.

The other died with the person to whom it was given. Anthony “Rat” Marchione. He was my one allowance of naïveté. The one person I actually wanted to touch me, to hold me, to love me. He was going to rescue me from my brokenness as though I were a character in one of my books. Young and senseless, I thought he was to be my eventual happily ever after, but tragically, he was murdered five years ago.

Black coldness waits in vain to leech the void where his once beautiful existence filled the pieces of my irrevocably shattered heart. Where he temporarily healed the hurt of the innocent child and quieted the voices that tormented her.

He’s gone now. I’ve accepted that. And in turn, I have relinquished all dreams associated with finding the light at the end of this miserable tunnel.

I will keep trudging through this life . . . this sentence handed to me for someone else’s crime, my payment shackled by secrets and weighted with lies. I will continue to do so with the same fraudulent smile on my lips and play the part of the strong heroine so convincingly, that even I believe it.

It’s only a matter of time before my fictional strength wears out—when I’m no longer hidden safely inside my protective blur—and I have to face the very real and lucid image of my past.

But until that time comes, I’ll do all I can do.

All I have ever done.

I will pretend.

 

 

 

Release Date: February 22

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Summary of The Revenger

The real hero of this story is dead. You should have met him. He was a beautiful man. The love of my life. I didn’t deserve him.

Now what’s left are the jagged edges of the person I am without him, and what I have to do to get by. This isn’t even a story about love. Not really. It’s a twisted tale of revenge and hate—a happily never after.

The only man in my life now is the one I have to kill.

I’m Savvy Raine.

I used to be a wife.

I used to be a mother.

Now I am the Revenger.

Excerpt

“What the hell are you?” He searched frantically for the door latch, his panic making him oblivious to the open top of the Jeep above him.

He didn’t deserve an answer, and he wouldn’t get one. Only in her head would she respond. She pulled him from the backseat and held him aloft, thinking, I’m a mom without a reason. I’m a person without a life. I’m dead with no escape.

Excerpt 

There was very little chatter after the alarming phone call. Savvy looked at the clock. It was only five, but the extra help Tallow had enlisted acted like she was about to disintegrate. When they were finally done, they hung Savvy’s costume from a door, fully expecting her to drop trou in front of all the strangers.

She looked at the silver outfit meant to demean her and classify her as his, just like all his other favorites.

“Yeah, I’m not actually going to be wearing that.” She looked from one shocked person to the other.

Tallow recovered first. “But this is what he told you to wear!”

Savvy laughed hollowly. “Yeah, he can suck his own d*ck for all I care.”

The atmosphere changed. The others now realized Savvy didn’t think it was a huge honor to be a f*ckhole.

“That’s not acceptable. I’ll put you in it myself if I have to, but you’re leaving here in that outfit.” Tallow bravely gathered up the skirt and came into Savvy’s personal space. He obviously thought she was just a regular girl.

In an instant she’d lifted Tallow into the air by his neck. “I’m not wearing it.” She stared him down until he began to turn blue. Then she set him back on his feet.

Tallow was a quick learner and smoothed his fancy shirt. “Okay then, let me see what else we have.”

Find the Author

Debra Anastasia

Website: www.DebraAnastasia@gmail.com

Twitter: @Debra_Anastasia

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/DebraAnastasia

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Amazon: http://amzn.to/1LmKsvI

The Absolution of Aidan is Book three of The Best Selling Syndicate Series by Kathy Coopmans is Now Available!

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Blurb

Aidan Hughes

I was cruel to Deidre La Russo. Said things I should never say to a woman.

Seen things happen to her.

Things darker than the bottle of liquor I consume.

I felt helpless.

Defeated.

The memories are more tortuous than the act of her torture.

Then she walks back into my life, only she’s not alone.

 

Deidre La Russo

I have my reasons for leaving.

I lived through hell.

I was beaten, tortured. Drugged.

I have secrets.

I have to tell them.

Danger brought us all together.

Danger may rip us apart.

 

Excerpt

Aidan Hughes. I can focus on him. No, not him. Images of his bruised and battered face invade my mind, mixing with those voices.

 Aidan can never see me like this. He’s lodged in my head too. I should hate him after the things he said to me, the way he treated me after we gave in to the carnal desire we felt for each other. I know I treated the man poorly, but he just kept getting under my skin. His deep voice. His bright blue eyes. His muscular body. His six-foot-something frame. I hate him.

Oh, I heard him, all right, demanding for me to hang on while I felt like I was going to die every time Royal pierced me with his knife. He even called me baby a few times. He’s a callous asshole. A user. A fucking tool of a man, and I don’t want to see him. I’ve gone insane. I don’t want or need anybody. They can let me die. Yes. The only way to get rid of any and all of these voices in my head is to die.

“Deidre.” An older woman comes into my room, followed by my dad. The look of concern on their faces stops me in the tracks of plotting ways to kill myself.

“I’m Doctor Jenkins. Your father here has told me you want to leave. I cannot discharge you. This is the best place for you to be. You have to heal. Now, are you in any pain, sweetheart? Would you like the nurse to give you—”

“Noooooooooooooo! Quit saying I have to heal! You don’t know what I need or have to do! None of you do!” I scream. Her body jolts back.

I’ve fucking had it with these people not listening to me. I start to thrash in the small bed. Kick the covers off. My body is so weak I have no idea what the hell I’m doing. All I know is if they won’t help me, then I will help myself. I will get out of here. I will. Then I will die. The howling laughter, the slimy deep tones, their faces, they will all be gone.

 

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About the Author

Amazon Best Selling Author Kathy Coopmans, lives in Michigan with her husband Tony where they have two grown sons.

After raising her children she decided to publish her first book and retiring from being a hairstylist.

She now writes full time.

She’s a huge sports fan with her favorite being Football and Tennis.

She’s a giver and will do anything she can to help another person succeed!

Use whichever one of these you would like babe.

Stalk Her: Facebook | Twitter | Website |  Goodreads | Newsletter signup

 

We are very excited to bring to you the next cover in the Beneath Series from Meghan March.

BENEATH THESE LIES will release on March 15.

This book will keep the twists and turns going until the very last page.

Synopsis 

Look, but don’t touch…she might as well wear a neon sign that says it. It just makes me want her more.

She might be above me in every way, but I still want her under me.

I’ve got no business touching her rich-girl skin, but that won’t stop me from stealing a taste. Because rules were meant to be broken—especially when the prize is so fine.

In a world where nothing is at it seems, what’s buried beneath these lies?

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About Meghan March

Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She’s also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she’s ever had. She loves hearing from her readers at meghanmarchbooks@gmail.com.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MeghanMarchAuthor/?fref=ts

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AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/Meghan-March/e/B00LBN0UNW/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1455662528&sr=8-2-ent

Excerpt

Suddenly, my body goes rigid.  I can’t move at all, but I can feel a surge through my entire system.  I can see it, taste it, smell it.  My heart forces blood through my veins, warming my insides.  As the blood flows, the muscles in my legs, arms, and chest flex.

“Sten?  Are you all right?”

I try to focus on her face, but my vision is blurred.

“Hold on, Sten.  You just need to ride it out.”

“What…”  I can’t utter another word.  My throat seizes up, and for a second, I am unable to take a breath.

Riley’s palm touches my face as she presses a sensor to my temple.  My arm jerks, and I grasp her hand.  I press it to my chest.

“Relax.  Focus on your breath.”

“I can’t!”

She takes my free hand in hers and holds it to her body, right over her heart.

“Focus on me, then,” she says.  “Feel my heartbeat.”

My fingers twitch.  I can feel the steady beat in each fingertip.  Closing my eyes, I count the beats.  One hundred.  Two hundred.  Three hundred.

Minutes pass.  I keep counting.  Eventually, my body begins to adjust and my muscles relax.  I become aware of not just her heartbeat, but of how close my hand is to her breast.  My dick strains in my shorts.

I reach out with my legs, wrapping them around her waist and bringing her body toward my crotch.  Releasing her hand, I reach up and grab the back of her head and use the other hand to push the collar of the lab coat out of the way.  The blue of her blouse contrasts with her skin.  It’s beautiful, enticing.

With one finger, I trace the edge of her collar, brushing over her skin.  I can feel her heart beat under my fingertip, and I want to taste the spot where I’ve touched her.  I look back to her eyes.  She’s staring at my lips.

I bring us together, pressing my mouth to hers gently at first but then with more vigor.  I can taste mint on her breath as my tongue slides over hers.  I thread my fingers through her hair and tighten my thighs around her waist, holding her close to me.  I trail my finger farther down her collar and spread my hand to cup her breast.

She pulls back, breaking the kiss.

“Sten, you’ll have to stop that now.”

“I don’t want to.”

“I know.”  She touches the side of my face, running her hand over my rough cheek.

“I want you.  I need you.”  I don’t understand why I’m explaining myself.  It’s clear to me from her scent that she wants this too, but she keeps pushing me away.  She denies me as she denies herself.

Why?

A soldier, a doctor, and a stark white laboratory full of lies.

Specimen releases on February 24th!

Pre-order NOW!

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Blurb

I awaken in a laboratory.

I don’t know who I am.

I’m inexplicably drawn to the doctor who cares for me.  She tells me I’ve been altered, that I’m stronger and faster, that I’ll be a key component in a war between corporations.  She says I volunteered for this.  She says I volunteered to be transformed, but I have no way of knowing if what she says is true.

Something isn’t right.  My memories have been taken, wiped clean, but dreams begin to slip into my conscious mind.  I can’t let anyone know when that happens, or they’ll remove my memories again.  Somewhere inside of me, I know I need to remember something important.

I’m fighting a war I don’t understand, and the one woman I rely on can’t be trusted.

About the Author

Shay Savage lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her family and a variety of household pets. She is an accomplished public speaker, and holds the rank of Distinguished Toastmaster from Toastmasters International. When not writing, she enjoys science fiction movies, masquerading as a zombie, is a HUGE Star Wars fan, and member of the 501st Legion of Stormtroopers. When the geek fun runs out, she also loves soccer in any and all forms – especially the Columbus Crew, Arsenal and Bayern Munich – and anxiously awaits the 2014 World Cup. Savage holds a degree in psychology, and she brings a lot of that knowledge into the characters within her stories.

Stalk Shay Here: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 

Title: Finley

Author: Ella Frank

Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance

Release Date: March 22nd, 2016

Cover Design by Jay Aheer at Simply Defined Art

Blurb

It’s time to come home, Finn.

It’s been seven years since Daniel Finley left his hometown in Florida for the hustle and bustle of Chicago’s city life.

Since then, he’s worked hard for his position at the prestigious law firm Leighton & Associates, even when it’s caused distance and isolation from his family and friends. But that’s all about to change.

On his thirtieth birthday, he receives the one thing he never dared hope for. Something that was promised to him years earlier—a note. One simple sentence from the man he’s never been able to forget.

Six words will forever change the course of their lives.

Brantley Hayes has it all. Or so he thinks. When he first made the decision to take a job down in Florida, his family thought he was crazy. But, after years of living in the quiet beach town, he finally feels a sense of community. He’s surrounded himself with friends who are like family, has a job he loves, and owns a spectacular beachfront property that is his sanctuary.

Yet he still feels unfulfilled, as if a piece of the puzzle is missing, and he knows exactly which piece it is. On an impulse, he follows through with a promise he made years earlier. A promise to call home the one he sent away.

Nothing is as simple as it seems.

After years of separation, the former lovers are reunited, but Brantley wasn’t expecting to encounter the high walls now guarding Daniel’s heart.

Daniel may not be the same person he was when he left, but he knows that the first step to healing is the note in his hand.

 

Watch the Book Trailer!

About the Author

Ella Frank is the author of the #1 Bestselling Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust and is the co-author of the fan-favorite erotic serial, A Desperate Man. Her Exquisite series has been praised as “scorching hot!” and “enticingly sexy!”

A life-long fan of the romance genre, Ella writes contemporary and erotic fiction and lives with her husband in Portland, OR. You can reach her on the web at www.ellafrank.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ella.frank.author

Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Philips.

Connect with Ella Frank

Ella Frank’s Newsletter | Website | Twitter | Facebook | FB Street Team | Instagram | Email

 

 

Synopsis

He found me in blood and tears.

I stayed with him through darkness and fire.

We loved each other in the moment between innocence and bitter truth.

We were the kids easily ignored, who grew into adults we hardly knew.

We weren’t meant to last forever. And we didn’t.

He ran away.

I tried to move on.

Yet I never stopped thinking about the boy who had fought to keep me alive in a world that would have swallowed me whole. He was the past that I buried, but never forgot.

Until the day I found him again, years after believing I had lost him forever.

And in cold, resentful eyes, I saw the heart of the man who had been everything when I had nothing at all. So I vowed to hold onto the second chance that was stolen from the children we had been.

Sometimes fate is ugly. Life can be twisted.

And who we are can be ruined by who we once were.

For two people who had survived so much, we would have to learn how to hold on before we were forced to let go.

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26858707-one-day-soon?from_search=true&search_version=service

AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/One-Day-Soon-Meredith-Walters-ebook/dp/B01A73R0L6/ref=sr_1_8?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1452012220&sr=1-8&keywords=A.+Meredith+Walters

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Excerpt

“Maybe I should tell you a story. It’s been a long time since I’ve done that. You always liked when I made up dumb stuff to get you to smile.” I chuckled. “The more improbable the better, right? So let me think of something completely unrealistic.”

I sniffled, wiping my wet cheeks. I hadn’t realized I was crying.

“Once upon a time there was a sad, lonely boy who was actually a forgotten prince. No one knew that he was rich and powerful and had a family that was searching for him.” I smiled sadly, wishing, more than anything, that this particular story had been true.

“One day he met a girl who swore that she would help him get back home to the castle. They fell in love. The prince wanted her to come back to the castle with him so they could live there together. They fought dragons and defeated ogres. They ran from witches and swam through oceans. And finally they found the castle. The prince’s family welcomed him home and he married his princess. And they lived happily ever after.”

I rested my forehead on the back of his hand, hating how cold his skin was. “You always loved your fairytales,” I mused, wishing he had been able to find his.

The hand in mine stirred and I bolted upright. Yoss’s face was contorted in pain, his eyes fluttering.

I got to my feet and reached for the call button so I could alert the nurse that something was wrong.

Then he let out a breath and his eyes opened. They were clouded and confused as they darted around the room, taking everything in.

I was rooted to the spot, not moving. He frowned and then winced when he tried to sit up.

“Uh, you shouldn’t do that. Take it easy,” I instructed, my voice shaking.

Then the wild, green eyes found me. There was no immediate recognition and I felt the crushing weight of disappointment.

He doesn’t know who I am.

His eyes were cold. So cold. Dead. He groaned as he lifted his hand to his face, touching the bandaged skin.

“Let me call the nurse. Your doctor will want to see you now that you’re awake—”

“Where am I?” he asked, his voice rough and hard.

It was a voice I had heard a million times in my dreams.

A voice I never thought I’d hear again. Not in real life.

“You’re at Lupton Memorial Hospital. You were brought in last night.” I didn’t give him any more details. I wasn’t sure he was ready for all that. He had just gained consciousness after all.

“The hospital,” he repeated. He struggled to sit up and hissed in pain at the effort.

“Seriously, you should wait and let me call the nurse—”

His eyes flashed in my direction and the cloud of confusion lifted as he speared me with a look that I felt in my bones.

Recognition.

His eyes widened and his mouth parted in disbelief.

I wanted to say something—anything—but my tongue felt frozen behind my teeth.

Yoss shook his head and closed his eyes. He let out a noise that sounded a lot like a sob and my heart knew the sound of pain when it heard it.

When he opened his eyes again, they were wet. Long, dark lashes spikey with tears that refused to fall. 

A hundred memories arched between us. A thousand words spoken softly in the dark. 

A dozen promises never kept.

His lips curved upwards into the shadow of a smile that I remembered and loved so much.

“Imi,” he whispered.

I nodded, still otherwise paralyzed.

“Imi,” he said again, a tear traveled the length of his cheek and dripped off his chin.

“It’s me, Yoss,” I said finally, forcing myself to speak.

Our eyes met. They held.

They clung and they devastated.

Fifteen years had passed but none of that mattered.

In that instant we were kids again. Remembering a time when, to each other, we were everything.

About The Author

The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary and Paranormal romance including The Find You in the Dark and Bad Rep series as well as the upcoming stand alone romance, Reclaiming the Sand, and a dark new adult series for Gallery Books.

A. Meredith spent ten years as a counselor for at risk teens and children. First working at a Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault program and then later a program for children with severe emotional and mental health issues. Her former clients and their stories continue to influence every aspect of her writing.

When not writing (or being tortured with all manner of beauty products at the hand of her very imaginative and extremely girly daughter), she is eating chocolate, watching reality television that could rot your brain and reading a smutty novel or two.

A. Meredith is represented by Michelle Johnson with the Inklings Literary Agency.

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Rising From Dust by Martine Carlsson
Light from Aphelion #1
Publication Date: January 8, 2016
Genres: Historical, Fantasy

PURCHASE: Amazon (#FREE with #KindleUnlimited)

Synopsis

FIGHT FOR JUSTICE. DIE FOR LOVE.

War is raging in the kingdom of Trevalden. Up north in the Frozen Mountains, the amnesic hermit Selen survives as the pariah in his community. Drawn by a mysterious call, he travels to Trevalden and meets Louis, an enigmatic archivist. Together, as Selen remembers his past, they face the desolation of war with a group of misfits. For the sake of the people, they fight back the king’s armies, prepared to meet death…or a new dawn. As Selen and Louis understand that their feelings for each other may be their undoing, they are torn between their emotions and the greater good. But in the end, what is the greater good?

While they try to find their place in an unknown world, they carry a secret that will shatter the society and make them realize that the hardest fights are not against dragons but within oneself.

Rising from Dust is an epic journey where gritty fantasy and history cross paths. A graphic story of loyalty, violence, magic, court plots, and unwavering love where no one is what they seem.

Please note: This book contains graphic scenes and is an M/M story intended for adult readers.

Excerpt

“Whatever I am looking for, it’s hidden here,” Louis said and looked at the sign of the Wounded Owl Inn. It was time he arrived. His heart inflamed his lungs. His hands in his gloves were moist, and his vision had blurred a few times.

The place was built with white stone, and judging by the thickness of the ivy that grew on the north wall, it had probably stood there for a hundred years. The inn was big, with a long red tile roof and half-timbered walls. Louis looked at the stained-glass windows of different colors. Only rich taverns in cities could afford such luxury. To be so impressive, this place was probably the only resting spot on the main road for miles. He walked towards the porch. Like a moat around a castle, the inn was circled by a stream, which also could have been waste waters. A stone bridge connected the alley to the entrance gate.

A young lad in dusty outfits approached him. “Should I take care of your horse, my lord?”

“I’m no lord, but yes, you can,” Louis answered. As he dismounted, his head spun. He closed his eyes a few seconds. “How big is this place?”

“You have the stables at your right, over there. On the left is the inn. Though, I think the inn is full for the night. There is an inner garden that you can reach from the west side of the main room. This gate is the only entrance,” the lad explained.

So, that door would be the only exit should he meet someone nasty inside the inn. Louis was not reassured at all. “Thank you. That will be all.” Louis gave the lad a coin, handed him his horse’s bridle, and headed to the inn’s main door across the inner yard.

As Louis pushed the door, the smell of tobacco and cabbage fried in grease with onions welcomed him. He put a hand on his mouth. The tavern was crowded with all kinds of folk, each more suspicious and shabby looking than the other. The customers’ loud chatting covered the distant sound of a bard’s lute. His eyes narrowed when he stared at the faces. Under his cloak, Louis reached for the pommel of his sword. No eyes crossed his. No one reacted to his presence. Still, it was here, somewhere.

The heat in his chest was suffocating. He pushed his hood back. The terrible smell made his stomach contract again. In search for some fresh air, he noticed the open door on the other side, the one that led to the inner garden. He took a few unsteady steps towards the doorframe and leaned against it. The cold air of the evening felt wonderful on his face. The garden was full of colorful flowers. This enchanting place was a stark contrast to the main room of the tavern. Someone sat in the alley.

The pain in his heart stopped. The nausea left him. Could the something he was after be a someone? Louis approached with his hand on his sword. “Whoever you are, turn around and show yourself,” Louis commanded.

The person in front of him rose slowly and turned, pushing his hood back. The pain Louis had felt in his heart came back stronger than ever, but it was another kind of pain this time. The man had long hair the color of lilacs cascading down his back to his thighs. His face had the most delicate features Louis had ever seen. But above all, it was the man’s eyes that caught his attention. He had eyes of the purest green, expressing the most infinite kindness. Louis was drawn out of his amazement when the man opened his plump, curved mouth.

“My name is Selen. I’ve been waiting for you,” the man said with a smile and a hint of a blush.

ABOUT MARTINE CARLSSON

Martine Carlsson lives in the middle of the Swedish forest. She is French, educated librarian, and studied history at the University of Liege. She takes her inspiration from the nature around her, from her roots in Brittany, and from fascinating parts from the European history. Therefore, it is not uncommon to read in her stories about forest creatures meeting peculiar characters in a detailed, historical-based background. She enjoys writing fantasy, especially a mix between harsh realism and magical wonders. Rising from Dust is her first novel and the first volume of the series Light from Aphelion.

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1001 DARK NIGHTS: Searching for Mine (A Searching For Novella)

Synopsis

The Ultimate Anti-Hero Meets His Match…

Connor Dunkle knows what he wants in a woman, and it’s the three B’s. Beauty. Body. Boobs. Other women need not apply. With his good looks and easygoing charm, he’s used to getting what he wants—and who. Until he comes face to face with the one woman who’s slowly making his life hell…and enjoying every moment…

Ella Blake is a single mom and a professor at the local Verily college who’s climbed up the ranks the hard way. Her ten-year-old son is a constant challenge, and her students are driving her crazy—namely Connor Dunkle, who’s failing her class and trying to charm his way into a better grade. Fuming at his chauvinistic tendencies, Ella teaches him the ultimate lesson by giving him a special project to help his grade. When sparks fly, neither of them are ready to face their true feelings, but will love teach them the ultimate lesson of all?

GOODREADS LINK:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26234155-searching-for-mine

Paperback: http://amzn.to/1XcZlYu

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Review

Searching for Mine is a story that explores the ideas of only skin deep appearances and the risks involved in giving someone your heart after it’s already been trampled on by another. It’s a second chance love story that illustrates the fact that sometimes what people are searching for is right in front of them, but they have to be willing to see beyond the façade to the heart of the person.

Like Ella, I saw Connor as a surface level guy who was only interested in appearances and a quick roll in the sack. But as I read about his interaction with Ella’s son, Luke, and got the back story about what he did for his brother Nate at such a young age, my admiration for him grew, and I started to understand that Connor only acted like he did because he was afraid to put his heart on the line…afraid to love another woman because they just end up leaving him in the long run so he didn’t see a reason to go down that road again.

Ella was quite the heroine. She didn’t allow her husband’s affair and her subsequent divorce to destroy her. She coped and took care of her son, never allowing Luke to feel unloved simply because his father started a new family. But I can imagine Ella felt incredibly lonely, and when someone treats a person like Ella’s ex treated her, there’s no way that her self-esteem doesn’t take a hit, but with a little help appearance wise and Connor giving her compliments, she was able to live again for herself instead of just her son.

I love how Connor and Ella’s relationship progressed. As professor and student, they didn’t see eye to eye on the content of the class and how Connor analyzed the readings and the fact that the class’ focus was feminist literature made that tenuous relationship that much better. As neighbors, Connor helped Ella and her son in multiple ways, provided a much needed male role model for Luke. As friends, Connor and Ella got to truly know one another and understand who they are due to their pasts and their current beliefs, and as lovers, readers got to see the true level of their connection and the potential impact of their feelings for one another.

Searching for Mine was a perfect addition to Jennifer Probst’s Searching For series and even though the hero and heroine seemed to be complete opposites, the novella shows how perfect two people can be once they find the person who sees all of them beyond what they willingly give to anyone else.

A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Poison Apples

 

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Jennifer Probst – Bio

Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She took a short hiatus to get married, get pregnant, buy a house, get pregnant again, pursue a master’s in English Literature, and rescue two shelter dogs. Now she is writing again.

She makes her home in Upstate New York with the whole crew. Her sons keep her active, stressed, joyous, and sad her house will never be truly clean.
She is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of sexy and erotic contemporary romance. She was thrilled her book, The Marriage Bargain, was ranked #6 on Amazon’s Best Books for 2012. She loves hearing from readers. Visit her website for updates on new releases and her street team at http://www.jenniferprobst.com.

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