Sunday, January 31, 2016

Herding Cat by Sabrina York (spotlight, excerpt and GIVEAWAY) ADULT title





By Sabrina York

The scorching sequel to Guard Dog
A Hot SEALs/Stone Hard SEALs Crossover Novella

It’s insane to want him, this beautiful, strong, sexy man. Not just because her hot bodyguard is tasked with herding her safely through the exotic night markets of Hong Kong. And not just because she’s his boss. But because they are worlds apart. What they have can only be a fling. It can’t last forever.
But Garrett has other ideas.

Read An Excerpt

It was a relief to get Catherine into another cab and head back to their hotel, but Garrett knew better than to relax. At least until they reached sanctuary. And even then, he would stay on alert.

This event had changed things, shifted them away from a standard protection op onto the offensive. “I’ll stay with you tonight.” God, it was hard keeping his tone casual.

Her head whipped around and she gaped at him. “What?”

“You cannot be alone.” Her horrified expression gutted him. He forced a laugh. “Don’t worry. I’ll sleep on the couch.” And thank God her suite had a sitting room. But he would have made a pallet on the floor if it hadn’t.

“I don’t need company.”

“You need protection.”

“No one is coming into my room.”

“Do you know that for certain? Are you willing to bet your life?” Because it could be that, exactly.

Her determination faltered. She nibbled her lip. He had to look away.

He wanted to nibble that lip. And more.

“In the event someone does try to get to you, I will be there.”

She huffed a sigh. “Oh, all right.” She was as petulant as a little girl, but he sensed some hint of relief in her tone. No doubt, despite her stalwart mask, she was scared.

She should be.

They pulled up to the hotel and Garrett exited the cab first, scanning the curved drive. There were far too many people standing around. “Come on,” he said, taking her hand and guiding her from the cab, across the drive and into the spinning doors of the hotel.

The lobby was busy too. Garrett quartered the space as he urged her toward the elevators. He was used to her turning heads—of course she would, she was drop-dead gorgeous—but at this moment it set his nerves on end.

A man sitting on a couch reading a newspaper captured his attention. The look in his eye was too sharp. Garrett quickly memorized his features. And there, another man, leaning against the counter of the registration desk…too calculating.

The wait for the elevator took forever. When it finally arrived, Garrett ushered her in. Perhaps with a little too much force. She glared at him.

He ignored her ire. An older couple stepped on the elevator with them, chattering about their evening and then, to Garrett’s annoyance, the newspaper man did as well. He glanced at the panel and pushed the button for the floor below Catherine’s.

Garrett knew, just knew, this man was not staying at this hotel. He reached forward and pushed a random button. When the elevator stopped on that floor, he ushered Catherine out.

Miraculously, she did not protest. But she did ask, when the elevator shushed closed, “Why did you do that?”

He shrugged. “Just a precaution.” And he needed time to prepare. In the event they arrived at the penthouse floor to find that man awaiting them. He called another elevator and pulled out his SIG Sauer, just to be safe.

Catherine’s eyes widened and she eeped, but she said nothing else.

The ride to their floor took moments. Garrett gestured for Catherine to stay back as he checked out the hall. To his relief, there was no one there. He quickly ushered her to the double doors of her suite and, again, motioned for her to wait. It took less than a minute for him to clear the room, but the entire time, his pulse slammed in his veins. He hated leaving her outside while he checked the closets and the bathroom, but it was safer.

When he was finally certain there was no one there, he pulled her inside and locked the door.

Finally.

Finally she was safe.

He nearly collapsed with relief.

Until she turned to him and said, “I’m hungry.”

He frowned at her. “We’re not going back out.”

“But I’m hungry.”

He stormed over to the desk, grabbed the room service menu and thrust it at her. She wrinkled her nose. “They charge an extra seventeen percent for room service.”

“It’s safer.”

She gusted a sigh, but dropped on the sofa—the one he’d be sleeping on, not that that thought winged through his mind—and studied the offerings. “Do you want anything?”

Well hell. He was a little hungry too. They’d had lunch at Hong Kong City Hall, but the dim sum had long ago been burned off. The adrenaline, probably. “Do they have burgers?”

She nodded. “That’s what I’m getting too.”

He liked that about her. Liked a woman who ate real food.

As she called in the order, he did a quick assessment of her suite, checking for any potential security issues. Her rooms were on the top floor of the hotel with no balcony, so that was a nonissue, but the locks on the door were not the best. Also, double doors could be easily breached if they were not bolted into the floor. It annoyed him that these were not. He had zip ties though. He could lash the handles together and provide some added security—and time, should anyone decide to attempt an incursion.

After she called in their order, Catherine went to the bathroom. She was in there a long time. Long enough for Garrett to suspect that what she really needed was some time alone. This had been a rough day—for all of them.

Still, after a while, he knocked on the door. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“Fine,” she called, but he noticed it was a watery response.

Yeah. She just needed time to deal with all this. He could hardly blame her.

She emerged just before the knock came on the door, announcing their dinner had arrived.

It was tough, sitting there at the table, watching her eat. Watching her swirl her fries in the ketchup and suck it off. Watching her lick her fingers. Fucking lick her fingers.

Did she have any idea how sexy that was?

He wanted nothing more right now than to yank her into his arms and kiss her.

But he couldn’t. Shouldn’t.

She looked up. Caught him staring at her. Instead of a glower—as he expected, being caught out like this—her eyes widened like a gazelle on an African plain sighting a predator.

And fuck. He felt like one.

Especially when that wanting look flickered through her eyes.

Oh, she tried to hide it, but he saw it. Couldn’t miss it. It sent a flame licking through his body. He was damn tired of pretending. Tired of looking away. Tired of acting like the simmering arousal he felt for her didn’t exist. Tired of keeping himself constrained.

As he continued to watch her, she became restless. And then she frowned. “Stop that,” she said.

“Stop what?”

“Stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you want to…eat me up.”

He did. He wanted to eat her all up. And he wanted her to know it.

He couldn’t stop his roguish grin. “Scott was right.”

She blinked. “What?”

“It is hard to be with you, day in and day out, and not make a move.”

Her throat worked. “I…ah… Do you want to make a move?”

“Hell, yeah.”

A pink tide crept up her cheeks. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“It’s not ridiculous in the least.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because you should know.”

“Know? Know what?” Her innocence was feigned. It had to be. She was a grown woman. A knockout. Surely she knew what effect she had on the males of the species.

“You should know how much I want to kiss you right now.”

Her eyes shone. Her lips parted. Her tongue peeped out.

And yeah.

That was an engraved invitation if he’d ever seen one. Without a word, he pushed back his chair and rose. And then he rounded the table, took hold of her wrist and yanked her into his arms.


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Her Royal Hotness, Sabrina York, is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of hot, humorous stories for smart and sexy readers. Her titles range from sweet & sexy to scorching romance. Visit her webpage at www.sabrinayork.com to check out her books, excerpts and contests.


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SEALed in Texas (SEALed for You/Hot SEALs Crossover) by Marissa Dobson





Revealing Love (Saints Protection Series/Hot SEALs Crossover) by Maryann Jordan



SEALed for Life by Donna McDonald



A Daye with a SEAL (Dangerous Curves/Hot SEALs Crossover) by Donna Michaels
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Darwin’s Evolution (Ultimate Recon/Hot SEALs Crossover) by Siobhan Muir
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My SEAL Bodyguard by Paige Tyler









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Friday, January 29, 2016

A sad announcement


Some of you may already be familiar with the Reviews By Crystal blog that hosts lots of great authors and has reviews for a wide variety of titles.

I have gotten to know the host, Crystal, over the past few years, and have always found her to be a conscientious and supportive person who has been more than generous with her time and efforts to support those authors who have asked her to either review a book or host a blog post to promote a title.

Sadly, Crystal is facing a very serious challenge to her own love story and has reached out for help.

If you are able, consider donating something to the cause, but if you are not in a position to do so, please send her your good thoughts and, if you are on Facebook, please share her link.

Thank you for taking the time to read this!


Click here to support Crystal & Ron Benedict by Crystal Coe-Benedict

The Runner and the Robber by Robert Sells (excerpt, review and GIVEAWAY) GFT




by Robert Sells

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GENRE: Young Adult

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BLURB:

His father is dead. Grandfather has Alzheimer’s. Mom can just pay the bills. And, Bill Taylor can’t run track and cross-country anymore. Could it get any worse? How about being threatened by an ex-con, fighting with a football player twice his size, and being involved with two murders?
One day, running back home from school Bill was nearly run over and accosted by a strange man. “Tell the old man he damn well better give up some of that the money. I want my cut and I’m coming to get it.”

Thus begins a search for three million dollars missing from a Brinks’ robbery twenty years in the past. Billy makes friends with Sarah Seeley, a classmate as impetuous as she was attractive. Sarah and Bill put the pieces of the puzzle together relying on a few clues and the fragmented memory of the addled brain of Gramps. Billy’s life gets even more complicated after encounters with the mafia who also have an interest in the money. Then there’s this problem with a serial killer. Billy is faced with one paramount question: will he and Sarah be the next victims?

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EXCERPT

I rose late Sunday morning, feeling sorry for myself.

Granddad was getting up and I angrily swung out of bed. Had to help with Gramps so I got him and myself ready for another dull day. Mom beamed brighter than the sunlight streaming in through the window.

“Hi, honey, how was your night?”

Annoyed that she seemed insensitive to my foul mood, I snapped at her.

“Oh, great Mom. Let’s see, I cleaned up Gramps ‘cause he can’t do it himself anymore. Then I laid on my bed since there’s nothing else to do. Oh, I did listen to the game on the radio and Rick Henson, Sarah’s boyfriend, you know the one I’m so much better than, well he scored three touchdowns. Good for him. Good for Sarah since she cheered each one. Great night,
just great.”

She was silent as she put blueberry pancakes in front me, real blueberries, and I realized I was a certified jerk. Gramps wasn’t the reason I was upset and the rest of what I said was just cheap shots. I was upset because I am such an incompetent dweeb when it comes to girls. I pushed the pancake around the plate.

“I’m sorry, Mom.”

She put her hand on my shoulder. “I know taking care of Gramps isn’t easy. But, we do what we have to do.”

“It’s not Gramps. It’s other things.”

“Like what?” she asked waving the red cape. I exploded again.

“Like I want to go back to Florida, Mom. I don’t like it here. I don’t fit in.”

Mom went back to the sink, her back to me, busying herself with the dishes. Her body was as rigid as two inch thick piece of oak plank. Her words, however, came out soft and understanding.

“I know it was unfair to you, Billy. But, we had to do it.”

Before I could dig my hole any deeper, Gramps shuffled into the kitchen. “Pancakes, Abby? Pancakes. Yum.”

He sat down smiling at me. He was a pain, but when he was in a good mood… well, you just felt better somehow. “I’ll get some for you, Gramps.”

I got a plate for him. Mom stayed at the sink, her shoulders slumping down, chin to her chest over the sink. She was taking a long time to clean the sink. I stepped behind her.

“Mom, I’m sorry. Again.”

She said nothing, but she wiped her nose with her sleeve. Great. Suspended, no girlfriend, no friends at all (I refused to count Jerry as a friend when I was in this mood), and I’ve succeeded in making my mother cry. Another banner day for William Taylor.

When Mom finally finished scrubbing the sink, she saw my full plate, and ordered me to eat my pancakes. With granddad slopping pancakes into his mouth and Mom bossing me around what passed for normalcy returned to the cabin.

After she cleared the plates off the table, she studied me. I looked away, momentarily closing my eyes. A lecture was coming.

“Billy, you’ve got to give this town a chance. Part of the problem is you. If you don’t make an effort to get out with your friends, you don’t have a chance here because you don’t give yourself a chance. In fact, Sarah is the only the friend you’ve ever invited to the house. I’m home all day, so why don’t you call up somebody else and do something with them.” 

I bit my tongue hard, stood up and looked at frost on the ground, just now glistening as it melted. I didn’t want to tell Mom I had no friends. This early morning brush fire would turn into a raging forest fire if I told her the truth. So, I simply pushed the problem to later.

“Maybe you’re right, Mom. I think I’ll first just go for a run this morning. Then I’ll try to catch up with someone. Gotta catch up on some school work too.”

Mom tilted her head and scrutinized me with narrowed eyes. That I capitulated so quickly made her suspicious. She knows me too well. Her mouth opened to say something when a knock at the door diverted her attention. 


The Ebook can be purchased for $0.99 during the tour.

Amazonr

   
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:



I attended college at Ohio Wesleyan where I struggled with physics. Having made so many mistakes in college with physics, there weren’t too many left to make and I did quite well at graduate school at Purdue.   
I worked for nearly twenty years at Choate Rosemary Hall, an exclusive boarding school in the heart of Connecticut. More often than not, students arrived in limousines. There was a wooded area by the upper athletic fields where I would take my children for a walk. There, under a large oak tree, stories about the elves would be weaved into the surrounding forest.
Returning to my home town to help with a father struggling with Alzheimer’s, the only job open was at a prison. There I taught an entirely different clientele whose only interaction with limousines was stealing them. A year later Alfred State College hired me to teach physics. I happily taught there for over ten years.
My wife’s boss, the superintendent of a rural school in western New York, begged me to teach physics and earth science. Helping young high school students was particularly appealing to me at this point in my career and the salary was more than reasonable, so I find myself happily teaching at Mt Morris Central School.
Five years ago, my wife pestered me about putting to “pen” some of the stories which I had created for the children and other relatives. I started thinking about a young boy and a white deer, connected, yet apart. Ideas were shuffled together, characters created and the result was the Return of the White Deer. This book was published by the Martin Sisters.
Years ago I gave a lecture on evolution. What, I wondered, would be the next step? Right away I realized that silicon ‘life’ had considerable advantages over mortal man. Later this idea emerged as the exciting and disturbing story called Reap the Whirlwind.
Two years ago I stumbled upon an old article in the local paper about a Brinks’ robbery in 1992.  Apparently over ten million dollars were stolen and most of it was never recovered. Although the mafia was peripherally involved in the heist, it was unlikely they took the missing millions. This was the seed which has now grown into the young adult novel, The Runner and the Robber. 
I have many other stories inside my mind, fermenting… waiting patiently for the pen. Perhaps someday I will even write about those elves which still inhabit the woods in the heart of Connecticut.



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The tour dates can be found here





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My review:

 
4 out of 5 stars



The Runner and the Robber by Robert Sells is a young adult story that centers around William (Bill) Taylor, who has moved with his widowed mom to New York so they can take care of his paternal grandfather, who has Alzheimer’s. A high school junior, Bill has not really made any friends except for an eighth-grader, so he is startled when his chemistry partner, Sarah, gradually starts insinuating herself into his life. A mystery involving a decades-old crime seems to snowball and Bill finds himself driven to solve it, not least due to Sarah’s interest. Unfortunately, there are others interested in the case, and the danger escalates until it becomes apparent that Bill has more friends than he realizes—and he’s going to need help from almost all of them!

There are quite a few themes addressed in this young adult mystery story, including the trauma of dealing with a parental death, the challenges presented by the costs of extensive medical care, the difficulties and sacrifices inherent in caring for an Alzheimer’s sufferer, teen angst and new love, and, oh yes, the dangers of trying to solve a crime that involves REALLY dangerous folks! 

The story starts a little slowly and gradually gets more and more outrageous, but I think that adds to its charm.  Watching the blossoming of young love mixed with the challenges of being the new kid at school is heartwarming, as is the obvious love that accompanies the sacrifices to care for Bill’s grandfather.  Bill is a guy with hidden talents, as becomes apparent while the story unfolds and I love his humility and tenacity.  The surprising connections to unsavory individuals and the unexpected ethical challenges that are faced provide a thought-provoking story while the mounting tension and exciting situations that lead up to the climax keep one enthralled until the final feel-good ending.  Unfortunately, there were some editing issues which got a little distracting at times, but the overall story was entertaining and positive.

A copy of this story was provided to me for review