Saturday, June 29, 2019

For the Love of Max by Gabbi Grey (Spotlight, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) RBC ADULT title




Congrats to Gabbi on the release of this story. I look forward to reading many more from her!




For the Love of Max


by

Gabbi Grey

ADULT title


 
Blurb: 
Ironworker Dodge Vasilius has been in love with LGBTQ social worker Maxine Reeves since he first met her at a party when her date abandoned her. She’s way out of his league. Except she’s finally left the abusive jerk. Dodge is just checking to make certain she’s safe. Because making a move on the newly single Maxine would be classless…right?





Genre: Erotic Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc.















Excerpt:


 
Procrastinating was getting him nowhere. She was either home or she wasn’t. She was either going to kick him off her property or she wasn’t. She was either going to let him in or she wasn’t.


Wiping his damp palms against his jeans, he sauntered up the steps and knocked.


The door cracked, but the safety chain prevented it from opening fully. 

He glimpsed a veil of long, black hair. “Maxine?” 

She squinted. 

Damn. The sun behind him was bright in her eyes, casting him in deep shadows. “It’s Dodge. Remember me? I brought you home after the company Christmas party?” After Garth got wasted and abandoned you? 

Happy to step in, Dodge had driven her home, trying not to look at her gorgeous legs encased by her tight silver skirt and sheer pantyhose. Red-blooded man he was, he’d adjusted himself when she looked away and had done his best to hide his erection when escorting her to the door.

“Wait.”

Say something that’ll keep her talking. “I—”

The door closed, opening a moment later.


Dodge was a sucker for sun-kissed light-brown skin, wavy long black hair, almond-shaped dark-brown eyes, soft cheekbones, and a pert nose. The bangs were new as was the yellowing bruise on her cheek.


Damn.


Ducking her head, Maxine’s hand shot to the bruise.


He gently touched her chin, and when she didn’t recoil, he tipped it, forcing her gaze to his. “The man is an animal. I’m not like him.”


The smile was tentative. “I know.” Soft words, replete with meaning.


Not going to send him away. Yet. But he needed more.


Maxine extended her hand, which he gratefully took. The electric shock shot through him, so strong he expected a blue arc between them.


Her cheeks flushed, her gaze flying to his before lowering. She tried to pull away, but he held tight.
-->

 Buy Links:  

Amazon US  
Amazon CA 
B&N
Rakuten Kobo




About the Author:


Gabbi Grey has written a lot of words and is now focusing on sharing them with the rest of the world. She writes contemporary, gay, and dark erotic BDSM romances. She believes in happy endings.





Gabbi's Social Links:











    ♥♥ GIVEAWAY♥♥


     Gabbi is giving away a $10 Amazon GC and 2 ebooks of For the Love of Max during the tour.

    Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter. 
    Remember there is a chance to enter every day, so be sure to follow the Blog Tour.

    You may find the tour schedule and locations here





    a Rafflecopter giveaway


     

    Thursday, June 27, 2019

    Knightmare Arcanist by Shami Stovall (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT








    by
     Shami Stovall

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    GENRE:  Young Adult Fantasy

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    BLURB:

    Magic. Sailing. A murderer among heroes.

    Gravedigger Volke Savan wants nothing more than to be like his hero, the legendary magical swashbuckler, Gregory Ruma. First he needs to become an arcanist, someone capable of wielding magic, which requires bonding with a mythical creature. And he’ll take anything—a pegasus, a griffin, a ravenous hydra—maybe even a leviathan, like Ruma.

    So when Volke stumbles across a knightmare, a creature made of shadow and terror, he has no reservations. But the knightmare knows a terrible secret: Ruma is a murderer out to spread corrupted magic throughout their island nation. He’s already killed a population of phoenixes and he intends to kill even more.

    In order to protect his home, his adopted sister, and the girl he admires from afar, Volke will need to confront his hero, the Master Arcanist Gregory Ruma.

    A fast-paced flintlock fantasy for those who enjoy How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell, Unsouled (Cradle Series) by Will Wight, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~



    EXCERPTS



    A flash of rain pelted the entire city, but only for a few seconds, as though the heavens coughed and forgot to cover their mouth. The man secured his pack shut, protecting his vegetables.



    “Oh, this again,” he said.



    “Does this happen often?”



    “Storms happen frequently enough,” he replied. “This ain’t no storm, though. It’s those flashy arcanists. They like makin’ a show. Just you wait. You’ll see somethin’ good yet.”



    Making a show?



    I headed toward the docks. Despite the creeping chill, I moved with energy and purpose. Crowds of people clogged the roadways, making travel by foot damn near impossible, even for an arcanist. Frustrated, I jumped onto the wheels of a nearby carriage and used the extra height to pull myself onto the roof of a building. The A-frame roof made for a steep trek, but the tiles were easy to grip, even when wet.



    Once on top, I turned my attention to the nearest pier.



    A tremendous flash of lightning lit the sky. Thunder chased after, strong enough to rattle the windows and pierce straight to my bone. Luthair shifted through the shadows as another round lit the sky. I knew some arcanists could control the weather, but I had never seen a demonstration so showy before.



    A flurry of snow soon followed, but like the rain, it lasted only a few seconds. People lifted their hands in the air, trying to catch the snowflakes as they approached the earth. Most evaporated before anyone could hold them, but I managed to catch a few on my tongue.



    The ocean waters beyond the docks swirled into whirlpools. Two cyclones of saltwater rose upward, forming pillars of ocean as thick as forty oak trees, each stretching straight to the sky.



    Rapt by the show of magic, I almost didn’t notice the massive leviathan snaking through the ocean. Its shiny scales glistened with each new flash of lightning. The serpent-like body must’ve been as long as ten galley ships and as thick as a three-mast sailing ship. Although the mystical creature never lifted his head out of the water, I already knew who he was.



    Decimus—Gregory Ruma’s legendary leviathan. 


    Buy links:

    B&N
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    AUTHOR Bio and Links:

    Shami Stovall relies on her BA in History and Juris Doctorate to make her living as an author and history professor in the central valley of California. She writes in a wide range of fiction, from crime thrillers to fantasy to science-fiction. Stovall loves reading, playing video games, entertaining others with stories, and writing about herself in the third person.




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    *******************

    GIVEAWAY



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    The tour dates can be found here




    *******************


    My review:



    4.25 out of 5 stars


    Knightmare Arcanist by Shami Stovall features youngsters who want to be arcanists, but have to pass a stringent test in order to earn a bond with the mystical creature who will confer the magical abilities. Unfortunately, training is reserved for the elite, so Volke Savan, gravedigger, has ambition but very little opportunity until he has the chance to bond with a knightmare—a walking suit of armor made from shadows and terror. The drawback is that this is a second bonding, which will make the connection even more difficult, if the trial itself doesn’t kill him first. And that’s just the beginning of his challenges…


    This young adult fantasy is the first book in the ‘Frith Chronicles’ series and introduces a marvelously different world that provides a different spin on magic and the concept of familiars. There are fascinating complications like an occult plague, a mentor who doesn’t want to be bothered with his students, and a competition for fledgling arcanists to join particular guilds. I loved the twists and turns and the unexpected developments, as well as the fact that the budding arcanists are not perfect and have to cope with various handicaps, and the non-stop action kept me invested in the story. I thought things were a little murky around the exciting climax and some things felt very rushed but overall this was a great introduction to the series and I look forward to reading more exciting adventures and learning what new talents these folks develop.


    A copy of this title was provided for review
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    Monday, June 24, 2019

    Keeping a Warrior by Melanie Hansen (VNBtM, guest post, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT ADULT title



    It is my pleasure to present a guest post by author Melanie Hansen, who shares...

     



    Hi, my name is Melanie, and I’m a pantser! The way my process looks, I get an idea for a story. If it requires research, I’ll start doing that research, and then one day I sit down, pick what I think is a good starting point and start to write. That’s it. No outlining. Is it an easy and stress-free way to go about it? Definitely not. Does it work for me? Well, eight novels later, I’d say it does. 
    One challenge of writing this way is that I don’t know what’s going to happen until it does. I’m feeling my way, scene by scene, sometimes sentence by sentence. There’ve been many times I’ve lain awake at night, worried out of my mind because I DON’T KNOW WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT. Sometimes it takes days to rework paragraphs, or even mere sentences, over and over and over, until I finally discover that magic combination of words which then opens the door and shows me the way forward. 
    As a result, I’m not a fast writer and deadlines are very difficult and stressful for me. Another huge downside of pantsing is that I’ve written myself into a corner more than once. The worst was when I ended up scrapping almost 30,000 words because it was leading nowhere and I realized too late that it was the wrong place to have started in. 
    On the opposite side of the spectrum, what I love about pantsing—as I go, I discover things I’d never thought of doing when the idea first popped into my head. I get to learn my characters almost the way the reader does, and it’s amazing to watch them develop along with the story. Sometimes a secondary character takes on a life of his or her own, and ends up getting a story. Since I’m not tied to an outline, I’m not afraid to deviate and go where my instincts are telling me to.
    In short, my inexpert advice would be, whatever your writing process is, if it results in a finished book, trust it. It is NOT wrong. By all means, refine your process as you go and read all the writing advice you can get your hands on, but at the end of the day, you simply have to trust what works for you. Nobody else. For YOU.
    Thanks so much for hosting me today!


    **********************
     
    by
    Melanie Hansen
    ADULT title
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    GENRE: Contemporary Romance

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    BLURB:

    Devon Lowe is a survivor.

    A survivor of war. Of combat. And of a betrayal by men she considered her brothers-in-arms. But her trailblazing work as a Cultural Support Team member working alongside the Navy SEALs is too important for her to back down now.

    Fresh off a painful break-up, Air Force pararescueman Rhys Halloran recognizes Devon’s trauma for what it is—something that’s left her isolated, but far from irreparably damaged.

    With Devon’s trust still lying shattered back in Afghanistan, putting her faith in a man who’s nursing a broken heart isn’t easy. But she’s tired of people making her feel weak, and Rhys makes her feel anything but, sparking a heated attraction that was never part of the plan.

    With all eyes on Devon to prove herself in a brutal man’s world, having it all will mean putting her heart on the line like never before. But when it comes to Rhys, it’s an uphill battle she’s ready to fight.

    Publisher’s Note: Keeping a Warrior deals with topics some readers may find difficult, including past sexual assault.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    EXCERPT

     
    Rhys watched until Devon had disappeared safely into her room, then turned toward his own with a sigh.

    “If I were you, I’d watch yourself with her.”

    The voice came at Rhys out of the darkness, and he jumped. “Jesus!”

    Mullet stepped out of the shadows where he’d been leaning against the wall. He held up his phone. “Came out to call my wife, saw you drive up with Lowe.” He paused. “What were y’all doing?”

    None of your business. “Just talking,” Rhys said tightly. “Unwinding. What’s it to you?”

    “Man, it ain’t nothin’ to me. Just think you should be aware of what you’re dealing with.”

    “We were just talking,” Rhys emphasized with a slash of his hand. “What exactly am I ‘dealing’ with?”

    “Why don’t you ask one of the guys she accused of rape? Oh wait, he’s dead.”

    Rhys rocked back on his heels. “What?”

    “Yeah, that first team she was attached to in Kandahar?” Mullet’s voice was hard. “Lowe started fucking one of the dudes there, and when she found out he was engaged, she lost it and accused him and two other guys of rape.”

    Rhys’s mouth flapped open and closed uselessly.

    “She was hanging out with them,” Mullet went on. “Drinking with them, you know? A real party girl. Got into a relationship with this dude, and when he tried to break it off ’cause of his fiancée, she turned on him, tried to ruin his career.”

    “Where did you hear this?” Rhys croaked. “Did she tell you this?”

    “Nah.” Mullet shook his head. “You think El-Tee isn’t gonna vet anyone we’re bringing on board?”

    Rhys’s face went hot with anger. “And then what, our leadership just sat down and gossiped with you about it, knowing it could destroy unit cohesion before it even had a chance to form? No way. Try again, and leave El-Tee out of your bullshit story.”

    “Fuck you with the gossip and the bullshit,” Mullet growled. “All you need to know is it’s a fact that accusations were made, there was an investigation, and Lowe was transferred off the team.”

    The team Rhys had been a part of for such a short time. One mission. The mission where Devon had made such an impression on him.

    “It’s your life, Halloran, but that girl’s trouble, and if I were you, I’d keep it strictly business.”

    He strode off, leaving Rhys numb with shock. He sucked in a few deep breaths, horror freezing his blood when he saw Devon standing there, an ice bucket in her hand, her face white as a sheet.

    Oh, God. She must’ve heard everything.

    “Devon.” Rhys took a step toward her, and she put up a shaking hand to ward him off.

    “Just in case you’re wondering if his facts are true,” she said tonelessly, “they are.”

    Devon’s knuckles clenched white on the bucket, her lips twisting in a bitter smile. She shoved open her door, and right before she disappeared inside, she turned to look back at Rhys.

    “Not all war stories are heroic, you know.”

    She shut the door with a quiet click.


    Amazon buy link
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    AUTHOR Bio and Links:



    Melanie Hansen doesn’t get nearly enough sleep. She loves all things coffee-related, including collecting mugs from every place she’s visited. After spending eighteen years as a military spouse, Melanie definitely considers herself a moving expert. She has lived and worked all over the country, and hopes to bring these rich and varied life experiences to the love stories she gets up in the wee hours to write. On her off-time, you can find Melanie watching baseball, reading or spending time with her husband and two teenage sons.





    Social Media:






    **********************

    GIVEAWAY

    a Rafflecopter giveaway



    The tour dates can be found here






    Friday, June 21, 2019

    Demon's Grotto by Kate Hill (VET, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT ADULT title




    by
     Kate Hill

    ADULT title 

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    GENRE: Paranormal Romance, Dark Fantasy

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    BLURB:

    Ben wants Laura to reconsider staying overnight at Demon’s Grotto, and he has information about the club’s history that should convince her. He tells her three creepy love stories, hoping she will change her mind.

    Rise of the Creature: When a mad doctor brings a dead man back to life, only his beautiful assistant can make that life worth living.

    The Demon Within: A man on the run stops to rest at a rooming house, not knowing that it’s the hunting ground of a gorgeous succubus bent on devouring handsome guests.

    Don’t Cry, Wolf: An ad for a maintenance man at a bed and breakfast is answered by a former soldier who’s harboring a hairy secret. The business’s lovely co-owner becomes involved with this sullen hunk who’s more than she imagined possible.

    After hearing these stories of love and murder, will Laura decide to spend the night at Demon’s Grotto?

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Exclusive Excerpt:



    Holly sat up fast, gasping. She was certain she’d heard an animal howl, almost like it was right beside her. “Declan,” she whispered, reaching for him to find the bed empty. A strangled growl drew her attention partway across the room where Declan stood with his back to her. He was wearing his black shirt again -- or so she thought.

    “Declan, are you okay?” She screamed, overcome by terror she’d never felt before.

    Declan approached -- except it wasn’t him. His face and body were completely covered in smooth, black hair. Long, pointed ears poked from beneath his shaggy black locks. Amber eyes burned within his hirsute face. The tips of thick, white fangs shone against his full lips.

    If this was a nightmare, it was entirely too real, and Holly wasn’t taking any chances. She jumped out of bed and raced toward the door, but even as she reached it, his hand held it shut, and what a hand.

    Big. Hairy. Long fingers tipped with sharp claws.

    “Oh shit,” Holly said, shaking all over. Her heart pounded so hard she thought she might faint.

    “Don’t,” he said, his voice even deeper than usual. “Don’t be afraid. I would never hurt you. Love, Holly.”

    “Shit,” Holly murmured again, staring into his eyes. “Declan?”

    “I am Rogue,” he said.

    “And I am terrified.”

    “No. Safe with me. Always.” He moved his hand from the door to cup her face.

    Holly flinched, but didn’t move. He turned his hand to stroke her cheek with the back of it. His hand was warm, the fur wiry, like that of a wild animal.

    He was an animal.

    “How did this happen to you?” she asked. “Is this the project you can’t talk about? Is this what the army wants from you?”


    Buy Links:



    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    AUTHOR Bio and Links:



    Always a fan of romance and the paranormal, Kate Hill started writing over twenty years ago for pleasure. Her first story, a short erotic vampire tale, was accepted for publication in 1996. Since then she has sold over one hundred short stories, novellas and novels.

    When she's not working on her books, Kate enjoys reading, working out, spending time with her family and pets and running the Compelling Beasts Blog, dedicated to antagonists, antiheroes and paranormal creatures. She also writes under the name Saloni Quinby.






    Author Links:

    Blogs




    *************************



    GIVEAWAY


    a Rafflecopter giveaway


    The tour dates can be found here



    Wednesday, June 19, 2019

    Besotted by Madison Michael (FREE title for limited time!) RBC



    The Beguiling Bachelors, Book 4
    by
     Madison Michael


    ♥♥♥ ~ Free June 19th - June 21st Only ~ ♥♥♥
    (please check price before purchasing) 

    About Besotted:

    He Promised Forever, then Walked Away. Now he wants her back.  


    Tyler’s Winthrop, rich, handsome, elusive sees his moment to win Regan Howe slipping through his fingers. He has remained on the outskirts of Regan’s life since high school, reluctant to reveal his true past and expose her to danger. Despite their obvious attraction, Tyler has remained her friend and protector, keeping Regan at arm’s length for her own safety,

    Regan Howe, won her coveted CEO position through hard work and a willingness to buck family tradition. Now, Brandon Hockney, a handsome US Senator with his eye on the White House, wants her to give it up, along with her home, friends and family for a move to DC and marriage to him.

    Regan wants a family but is she prepared to leave all she loves, including the alluring Tyler Winthrop. Regan has waited twenty years for Tyler to commit. He once promised her forever, then he destroyed her trust and her hopes for a future together. Still, she cannot break the ties between them.

    When Regan tests the waters with Brandon, Tyler is tapped as acting CEO, throwing the pair together, and forcing both to make a choice. Is this the end or their one last chance at love? Battling overwhelming odds and a racing clock, will Tyler be forced to release his one true love to find happiness with another man? How can he when he’s besotted?

    As the danger mounts for Tyler,, can he wrestle free of his past and lure Regan away from her Senator? Join our handsome hero as he attempts to win back his love in this exciting and steamy page turner, the fourth of the sexy, contemporary Beguiling Bachelor romance series.



    Join our handsome hero as he attempts to win back his love in this exciting and steamy page turner, the fourth of the sexy, contemporary Beguiling Bachelor romance series.

       


     

    Excerpt:

     
    Regan was just too damn alluring in that dress for him to accept that he couldn’t have her if he wanted her.

    He was an idiot. He should have told her years ago. He should have told everyone. Despite the tongue-lashing he was silently giving himself, Tyler was certainly no fool. “The professor” to his friends, he was generally serious and professional. He had the smarts necessary to obtain both an MBA and a law degree, and he was now CEO of LHRE and on hiatus from one of the fastest growing tech companies in the country. He kept his cool in general, but again and again he behaved like an idiot around Regan.

    Since that damn frog almost thirty years ago, he had loved no one but Regan. Sometimes they made it work together, like in high school, but most times not. His feelings were unchanged, but something always stopped him from declaring his love and asking her to do the same. This time it was something insurmountable.

    And yet Tyler couldn’t stay away. He was the proverbial moth to the flame, flirting with disaster every time he flirted with her. He had promised to stay away, to keep her safe,but the attraction was undeniable. Yep, prize idiot.

    Returning to the ballroom after the latest threats, Tyler briefly considered sharing the conversation, coming clean with Regan and perhaps moving their relationship forward. He was at a fork in the road but remained silent, Tyler knew he was on the wrong path but couldn’t summon the will to fix it. Not only were his problems unsolvable, but she was involved with Brandon. Tyler felt hopeless.
    He was preoccupied just as Regan accused, but Tyler tried to give Regan the attention she deserved. He failed miserably until Regan suggested they just leave. That got his attention. Who knew when he would hold her in his arms again.

    “Come dance with me again. It would be a crime to waste that dress.”
    Encircling Regan in his arms, his body responded to her nearness, even as his mind worried over the earlier texts. He was unaware of his hand stroking her back, fingers lightly skimming over her bare skin. He wasn’t thinking clearly when he pulled her close or when he dropped kisses on her hair. He wasn’t paying attention, just acting on instinct, Regan was responding, her breath growing uneven, her hands clinging to his shoulders.



     
     




    About the Author: Madison Michael is an indie publisher, blogger and the author of the Beguiling Bachelor Series as well as the novella Desire & Dessert, from her sizzling B&B Billionaire Bachelor series.

      A Chicago native and hopeless romantic, Maddy was raised on Chicago culture, fairy tales, great literature and swashbuckling movies. Maddy employs that history, writing steamy contemporary romance novels set against the sumptuous backdrop of Chicago’s elite society.  

    After receiving a BA in Journalism from the University of Illinois and an MBA from Loyola University of Chicago, Madison abandoned her writing to find her way in the corporate business world. Daughter of a librarian, it was inevitable that she would return to the world of books.

    Maddy writes from high above Chicago where she can stare at its gorgeous skyline or the shores of Lake Michigan surrounded by feline assistants. When she is not writing, Maddy can be found lost in a book, fighting for the rights of the mentally ill, or dining on Chicago’s famous cuisine. Hot dogs and pizza, anyone?





    Social Links: 



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