Tag: book tour

Posted in Book Blitz, New Adult

BOOK TOUR: Hard Knox – Nicole Williams

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

Hard Knox FrontSynopsis

Knox Jagger. The name inspires resent in every male at Sinclair University, want in every female, and contempt in Charlie Chase.

Charlie can be summed up in three words: independent, independent, and independent. To Charlie, Knox epitomizes everything that’s wrong with college males: prolific one-night stands, drunken senseless fights, and a body that hints at prioritizing gym time over study time.

As an up-and-coming writer for Sinclair University’s newspaper, Charlie’s tasked with getting to the bottom of who’s been dropping little white pills into girls’ drinks at parties. In an ocean of All-American boys sporting polo shirts and innocent smiles, Knox is the obvious suspect. As evidence piles up against the bad boy of Sinclair, Charlie becomes more and more certain it isn’t Knox. But when her drink is dosed at a party and she wakes up on Knox’s couch the next morning, Charlie’s left with more questions than answers when it comes to Knox Jagger.

How can Charlie ever hope to uncover the truth behind a guy so closed off he’s become . . .

Hard Knox.

4 out of 5 stars

6f6f1-addtogoodreads

 

 

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My Review

***I received an copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*** 

I’ve loved Nicole Williams since reading Crash. Jude Ryder is my first book boyfriend from her and know I can Knox Jagger to that list as well.

I knew I had to be on the tour for Hard Knox once I had read the synopsis. It was and is definitely a book to read. It has mystery and suspense and hella laugh out loud parts. You will be infuriated with characters, love them and be a part of their story all the way to the end.

It took me a little while to get into the story, mainly because I found Charlie a little hard to like. She’s passionate and feisty and independent and will put herself in dangerous situations, not caring about her safety, just wanting to get the story. She also doesnt care who hates or likes her. Yeah, she’s really not got many, if any friends, apart from her roommate. I found her to be a bit too much at times. I was angry at her for being an idiot, angry at her for putting herself in situations she needn’t be in and of course, she made me want to pull my hair out with her idiocy in parts of the book which definitely put her life in the risk zone. On her own she was infuriating but I liked her with Knox. I liked the back and forth of them and I did enjoy seeing her break free, at times, from being so GAH at times. She let loose and I liked that about her. I liked that she stripped back and she still didn’t give a rats arse, and that was okay, because she was showing us, her. Showing us that she isn’t just some annoying journalism student who keeps people away from her. She can let them in. Like she let Knox.

Now Knox. I love a bad boy in books and at the beginning I thought he was obnoxious, a little up himself. He’s known around the university as a playboy, especially when girls come up to him at parties and put their knickers in the back of his pocket with their numbers on. He has an air of mystery around him that you just want to find out, and the more you do, the more you see the layers to him. He isn’t this bad boy, and the things he does is because of his past. He’s trying to make a difference and I loved finding that out about him. I loved finding out the secret and why he does what he does. Okay, very vague, but it will become SO clear when you get to the end and it all comes out. You will think back and be like ‘Holy crap’. He is so protective of Charlie and I loved seeing this side of him. He was also a little vulnerable in the fact he was so protective, but as I mentioned, you will see why. I loved loved loved seeing him slowly fall for Charlie but trying to stay away. He and Charlie felt very real. They went from strangers to living together and becoming friends. Their chemistry was obvious, their banter and fights were passionate and you can see the fire in both of them. Their feelings for each other. And when it comes to blows, dear God, does it come to blows 😉

I have to mention the date-rape part. I felt that although this book is about it, it was handled with care and consideration. I was freaking out at one part and I had guessed from the beginning who the culprit was – I love it when I can do that haha. Despite the fact that I felt that the date-rape storyline kind of took a back story in some parts, it all came together in the end and really did ficus on Charlie and Knox finding out who is doing this to the female college students.

If you love Nicole Williams’ books, then Hard Knox is another book to read. It’s a great read and Knox will definitely end up on your BBF list!

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About the author

8860209I’m the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the CRASH series (HarperTeen, S&S UK), LOST & FOUND series, UP IN FLAMES (S&S UK), The EDEN TRILOGY, and a handful of others. I write stories about everyday kinds of people who find themselves in extraordinary kinds of situations. I tell love stories with happy endings because I believe in making the world a better place, and that’s one tiny way I can make it so. I’m one of those people who still believe in true love and soul mates, and would rather keep my head in the clouds any day over having my feet firmly on the ground.

Blog | Twitter | Facebook

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Buy Links

Amazon UK || Amazon US || Barns & Noble || Kobo || IBooks

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Posted in Book Tours, Jade C. Jamison

BOOK TOUR: Finger Bang – Jade C. Jamison

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

21935699

Synopsis

Orgasmic Meditation? Therapeutic?! Kaylee Baker is horrified when her girlfriends suggest a trip to artsy Boulder, Colorado, to check out the latest craze. What her friends don’t know about Kaylee is that she is a little repressed, bordering on frigid, and the idea of a complete stranger bringing her to orgasm–therapeutic or not–is horrifying.

Blaze Donahue has admired Kaylee from afar for quite some time, and part of the reason he’s kept his distance is because he’s had no indication that she might even be interested. But when he’s given the opportunity to offer her his own version of OM with no strings attached, he makes an offer she has a hard time refusing.

When there are undeniable sparks between the two, Kaylee runs, afraid of the overwhelming feelings she has for this gorgeous, sensitive guy. Blaze feels compelled to convince her otherwise but wonders if he’ll be able to crack through the ice surrounding this sweet girl. Can they find true love or will it just be a one-time O?

4 out of 5 stars

6f6f1-addtogoodreads

 

 

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My Review

Finger Bang is different from other Jade books i have demolished. It’s more carefree, its more humorous and light hearted and i actually finished it pretty damn fast; flicking through the pages, besotted with Blaze and Kaylee’s relationship. I have to admit, it took a little while for me to get into the book, but once i was in, that was it. I adore Jade and her books, none of them ever letting me down, none of them ever the same and Jade certainly knows how to hook you and how to keep you interested in the story, in the characters, in the development. And even though this book is shorter than her previous ones, i still really really enjoyed the premise of it, of the development of the characters, especially Blaze and Kaylee.

As mentioned, Finger Bang is much more light hearted than her previous books but i loved that. I loved that Jade went ahead and wrote it anyway. It’s a light relief with some dirty erotica thrown in too – but of course, with the title, it was going to be 😉

I felt so much sympathy towards Kaylee. How could you not? I never had a strict upbringing, my family arent religious and i was never felt like i couldnt do anything or tell them anything (okay, some things they SHOULDNT know about 😉 ) but other than that, i didnt have anything along the lines of Kaylee’s upbring. It made her reserved, made her afraid and freaked out and closed off and becuase of that, she came across as icy, bitchy and a little up herself but you could see why. See why she didnt go out, why she didnt like to talk about sex and why she kept herself to herself. She was brought up that way and she had believes that were embedded into her that made her that way.

I enjoyed watching her grow, watching her break out of her shell day by day, watching her take charge of herself and with her parents and her relationship. Although at time she was still timid, it was a nice gradual shell-shredding of discomfort and nigglings at the back of her mind, to someone who blossomed with love and her sexuality with the help of Blaze.

I liked Blaze. He was charming and sexy and completely different from all of Jade’s characters, especially his passion for the environment and i really liked him. He is the brother of one of Kaylee’s friends and has always had a soft spot for her. He never knew why she was so frosty and icy towards everyone but the more he gets to know her, the more he understands. I liked him for taking a chance on her, for being there for her and letting her get used to being in a romantic and sexual relationship; for taking it at Kaylee’s speed.

I liked that he awakened her, both sexually and personally. He brought out a little sexy kitten, letting her know it was okay to like sex and orgasms and everything that comes with being in a sexual relationship. They learned about each other’s bodies, what made them tick, what they liked as well as getting to know each other inside out. I liked Blaze around Kaylee. He was perfect for her, the perfect gentleman with a cheeky side, a dirty mouth and amazing fingers 😉

I adored Blaze and Kaylee together, i liked watching their relationship from the start, to the very end, through all the trails and tribulations they go through, alone and together and i loved being inside their heads. Knowing what they were thinking about the other, their feelings and their worries, especially Kaylee and her reserved, timidness but the more time you spend with these two, the more you know they bring out the best in one another and that is what we all want and need in a relationship.

Finger Bang is a great book to read if you are after steamy sex scenes…holy crap, the first one ;), humour and madness from best friends, a shy, timid girl who grows each day and learns to not be afraid and a smoking hot guy who loves his girl and brings out the best in her. I truly truly adore this book and its a refreshing change from all the books I’ve read recently. If you are looking for something different, something sexy and fun, then Finger Bang it all the way 😉

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Excerpt

Kaylee squeezed her eyes closed and she could feel the anticipation build inside her, waiting for his finger to touch her. God, why wouldn’t her heart slow down? Trying to force herself to relax as he’d requested, she let her head fall back against his shoulder. She heard him whisper, “That’s it.”

And then he slid his finger down her slit. Oh. Okay. Oh, yeah. So…that felt really nice. Yeah, she’d have no problems focusing on the sensations he was going to create. That felt spectacular.

Another stroke. Oh, God, yeah. Yeah. Her last boyfriend had gone down on her a couple of times and it had felt nice, but he’d assaulted her with his tongue, and the sensations had been nice but overwhelming, and she hadn’t relaxed. No. She’d been quite tense, in spite of the good feelings.

Blaze, though, he was taking it slow as though he hadn’t a care in the world. Another stroke, and she had plenty of time to think about it, enjoy it, let the music wash over her while she could take in a deep breath of air and relish what was going on.

Okay, so maybe she’d been wrong. Maybe this was a fucking awesome idea, and she couldn’t wait to talk about it with her roommates. It was—

“Mmm.”

Holy shit. She’d just let a noise escape her mouth. Well, it wasn’t like she could have stopped it. It was feeling so damn—

A gasp. Wow. What the hell was he doing? She didn’t want him to stop. It was amazing. Each time his finger moved up and down over her, she could tell now that something was imminent. If he kept doing it, something was going to happen. She was building to something that was going to blow her mind, that much she knew now, and she wouldn’t have wanted him to quit for anything.

That was when she felt his warm lips on her neck, kissing her. Somehow he knew what to do to make her feel incredible, because his lips just added to whatever the hell he was doing below. Her breath was coming in gasps now, deep, hitting the bottom of her lungs as she drew each one in, and she could feel some weird connection between her clit and her brain. They were working in unison now and the world outside her house might have been burning down for all she knew and cared, because now her whole world was Blaze.

No. Make that his finger.

No. Not just his finger. His lips. His body cupping hers.

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About Jade

Jade-red-1-217x300Jade C. Jamison was born and raised in Colorado, moved from one city/town to the next, and she’s decided she likes it so much she wants to stay…although travel is not out of the question. She lives in a big town in Colorado (not unlike Winchester!) with her husband and four children. She is working on becoming a crazy cat lady. Okay, so maybe not.

Still want more? Jade has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Theater, a master’s degree in English, and a master of fine arts in Creative Writing. Obviously, she loves school and the student loan folks love her. She works in human services by day, teaches English and creative writing at night, and—in between playing soccer mom and community leader—writes like a fiend. Someday soon, she’ll narrow it down to just writing, but let’s get all those kids off to college first.

Website | Amazon | Facebook | Twitter

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Buy Links

AMAZON-US || AMAZON-UK || BARNES&NOBLE || KOBO

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GIVEAWAY!

International: a Rafflecopter giveaway

US: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Posted in Book Tours, Dark, Pepper Winters

BLOG TOUR: Twisted Together (#3) – Pepper Winters

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

Twisted Together - Tour Banner

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19015729Synopsis

“After battling through hell, I brought my esclave back from the brink of ruin. I sacrificed everything–my heart, my mind, my very desires to bring her back to life. And for a while, I thought it broke me, that I’d never be the same. But slowly the beast is growing bolder, and it’s finally time  to show Tess how beautiful the dark can be.”

Q gave everything to bring Tess back. In return, he expects nothing less. Tess may have leashed and tamed him, but he’s still a monster inside.

After surviving the darkness, a new dawn has begun. Twisted Together wades through black to grey, chasing the light of true love to banish the shadows forever.

Pain is a requirement, connection a necessity. But ultimately Q and Tess must face their demons, before they can embrace their future.

5 out of 5 stars

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My Review

‘Ma vie est à toi’ 

There are books that I tend to stay away from, and dark romance and taboo issues is that genre. But I took a chance on Tears of Tess. I wanted to broaden my horizon, push my limits and in doing so i found an amazing series, one that hooked me, had me feeling crazy emotions and one that turned into a clear favourite of mine. As a series that introduced me to the dark nature of ‘romance’ its also made me think i can venture into more books surrounding the things that the Monster in the Dark series deals with – kidnapping, slavery, BDSM, pain, gory scenes and the rest. Although my stomach was turning at some of the more descriptive scenes, I powered through, my heart racing, my palms sweating, hoping that in the end, things would get better.

I want to thank Pepper for writing this series and for letting me lose my ‘dark romance’ virginity to her ;). I took a chance on a new genre and it’s all down to her that i fell in love with this series. The writing, the story, the power of love between Tess and Q – slave and master. It’s gritty – god don;t we just know it, filled to the brim with action and angst and overpowering love and emotions. Man, i was exhausted by the end of Twisted Together and i was grinning so hard, knowing that I survived everything in the book, knowing that all the heart attacks and tears i spilled were worth it to see Tess and Q happy. I’m pretty sure Pepper killed me over and over again with all the twists. None that I ever saw coming and i was shaken up reading everything that came their way. Pepper knows how to keep you captivated, how to write intensity and how to keep you guessing just what the heck is going to happen. I was definitely on tenterhooks for the WHOLE BOOK. Tess and Q have gone through so much throughout the series but would you expect anything less knowing those two and how they came about?

For those who have read Tears of Tess and Quintessentially Q we all know what went down in both those books. Twisted Together carries on the story of Tess and Q and we see a hell of a lot of action brought back into their lives, but not only each other but other people. All Q wants is his Tess back, the strong slave that challenges him but Tess is still ‘broken’ underneath her façade. She tries to push it all away but no matter how hard she tries, nightmare occupy her and its down to Q to help her break free from them. Love makes Q venerable and he knows something is around the corner. When that something comes along its down to Tess to break from her shackles and prove her worth, and when she did, boy was i like a proud mama. I was gunning for her, shouting and grinning and clapping at her change, at her strength and i knew, just knew she would be okay, she would do whatever she could to be with Q, whatever it took, whatever the risks.

Tess, in the last book is a shell of herself. She had been through so much shit and she was broken, felt numb and just gave up on herself. She felt worthless and not worthy of Q but he pushed past to make her see she was. In Twisted Together we see a slight change in her. She is still feeling worthless but she tries to hide it, yet Q can see right through her. He wants his Tess back, the strong one. I can’t go into too much because i will be spoiling everything that happens in this book, but lets just say my emotions were on high alert with certain scenes that occurred. My heart raced, my head throbbing and i was just reading thinking, “can Tess go through any more without actually dying an early death?!” But she prevailed, she got passed her demons, she faced them head on and i gleamed at her, i was so happy to get Tess back, even if it was a new Tess, she grew up, she stood up for herself and for Q and shit man, she is badass. She can play on her sexuality and get her own way and that one scene, where i was shitting myself, crying my eyes out, i was so proud of her. She was working on adrenaline but in that scene it was actually a good thing. She got the strength and energy pulsing throughout her and she got the job done, got her Q, forever and always.

Q. My lovely, broken and dangerous master. Due to his overpowering love for Tess, he’s even more vulnerable to the bad guys, especially after book two where he went on a bloody mission to save Tess. He’s at a loose end, he doesnt know how to save the love of his life from her tormentors, but he will do whatever he can to at least try. I understood how troubling it was for him to not be able to touch her, to inflict pain and pleasure on Tess, it must have killed him to see her fight her nightmares, and then not let him in, not tell him everything.  I understood his anger, his frustrated but there was one scene that i was not comfortable with and my heart went out to Tess. I was squirming, i was willing Q to stop but he didnt and then when he did stop i could see how much it affect him, see the remorse running through him. Man, that tore me a new one.

Then everything he does for Tess in the second part of the book. HOLY FUCK. I couldnt breathe, i was sobbing. I didnt know wht was going to happen and i only prayed everything would be okay, that Q could get through it if he had hope. He did everything he could and then when he saw a vision of Tess, and the chapter finished, i actually screamed and shouted and i spent a good few minutes just staring at my kindle. This was the part i couldnt handle, it was gory and pain ridden and my pulse soared so high at my emotions being all over the place. But our boy did it and what follows after made me gleam. The things he said to Tess filled my heart to the brim and i spent the last remaining chapters in smiles, and happy tears and our demanding, sexy as, controlling master was back in business.

The heal their demons together, they vowed forever with each other and Q and Tess are one of my favouite couples. They rose from the dark, into the light, together and alone. They did it and they got one another in the end. Just how it should be.

I cant begin to tell you the amount of emotions that i felt throughout Twisted Together. I went through them all. This book will turn you inside out, back and forth and you will be on a never ending stream of emotions. I’m sure my heart has just about got back to normal. See, i cant even express how i was feeling because my feelings were just too strong. I was texting my friend about this book and how i was just crying my eyes out and shouting ‘NO NO NO” at my kindle. Yupp, you will be doing a lot of that, i can assure you, along with “WTF Q!” That was another one. But above all that, I love the french! For all three books I have been reading the french out loud and it really makes me miss french lessons. I loved that i understood the majority of the french parts too, it means my lessons were worth something! I just want to go back to France now and try to find Q. Mmmmmm.

This is the perfect conclusion to Tess and Q’s story. Albeit, so much happens but to get to the point they did, the point where they ended up together, but they stuck together, never wavering in their love and you know that Q and Tess are a forever couple. Damn, just the words and the sex (yes it was just as hot as the first two books) and the never dying love for one another is shown so strongly that you know everything they went through meant they ended up together. If Tess had never been kidnapped and sold, then she would have never found a love for Q and Q would still be plodding along, trying to tame the monster inside. But together they unleash their monsters and fight through anything, as long as they have one another.

 

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Who are the top five female characters that you adore and why?

Oh that’s a great question!!

Okay my top five females in literature would have to be:

  1. Ayla from Clan of the Cave Bear—especially in The Valley of the Horses. That girl was so capable and intelligent. It made me want to go and learn all about natural medicines and improve my weaving skills.
  2. Clare from Outlander—LOVE her strength when faced with the daunting future of missing her husband and being married to a Scottish heathen. I’m DYING for the series to start on TV
  3. Tatiana from The Bronze Horseman—only when she’d grown up and accepted her womanhood and stopped being a little brat. Then she really grew on me and I could see how hard it would’ve been growing up during the war.
  4. Karou from Daughter of Smoke and Bone—she was witty and artistic and ended a war. Not to mention had blue hair and a smoking gorgeous angel in love with her.
  5. The last one goes to all the incredible heroines dreamed up by indies and authors I’ve only just found. I love them all and can’t pick just one more. I know I’m breaking the rules—but I have to. Lol

Thank you so much for having me on your blog and for all your amazing support. It’s hugely appreciated! And thank you to the readers who have enjoyed my work and for all the incredible messages I receive xxxxxxx

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Author Bio:

Pepper Winters wears many roles. Some of them include writer, reader, sometimes wife. She loves dark, taboo stories that twist with your head. The more tortured the hero the better and she constantly thinks up ways to break and fix her characters. Oh, and sex… her books have sex.

She loves to travel and has an amazing, fabulous hubby (who speaks French—hot!) who puts up with her love affair with her book boyfriends. She loves to hear from her readers so hit her up at pepperwinters@gmail.com

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Author Social links:

Facebook || Twitter || Pinterest  || Goodreads || Website

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Social links for Twisted Together (#3)

Amazon || Amazon UK ||  B&N || Kobo || iTunes

Social Links for Tears Of Tess (#1)

Amazon || Amazon UK || B&N || Kobo || iTunes || Createspace

Social Links for Quintessentially Q (#2)

Amazon || Amazon UK || B&N || Kobo || iTunes || Createspace

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TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY:

Pepper is offering up the prizes below for grabs. Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM CST 06/22/2014.
1 x Signed set of Monsters in the Dark series
3 x Swag Packs
2 x Signed bookplates & stickers
2 x Ribbon bookmarks
5 x eBook copy of any Pepper Winter’s title (winner’s choice)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Posted in Book Tours

Love Always, Kate – d. Nichole King (+Giveaway)

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth
Love Always, Kate
Author: d. Nichole King
Publisher: Limitless Publishing

Dear Diary, 
Leukemia’s been my life since I was eleven. Now, six years later, I want my life back. Only I’m not sure what that is.

The test results came back today. 22,000. Which means I’m officially out of remission—again.

I have three options:
1. Another round of chemo.
2. A super-new experimental drug.
3. Dump it all— forget the meds and treatments and enjoy the time I have left.

I think I know what I want.

Then, in walks Damian, changing everything.

I mean, everything. 

He’s got his own set of issues. It binds us together, you know? We understand what it’s like to lose what matters most in seconds. 

Still, the last thing I need is to have someone else to crush if I can’t fight hard enough. And the last thing he needs is someone else to grieve.

Never mind. I’m down to two options now.

Somehow I know that whichever one I choose, the result will be the same. With the sand in my hourglass seeping to the bottom, I hope there’s enough left to show Damian that life’s worth living. Worth fighting for.

Worth dying for.

Love Always,
Kate

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Excerpt

Damian sighed and adjusted his
nametag. “I’m the son of Jackson Lowell, Doctor Extraordinaire. That means I
have a lot of time to myself. I play the guitar. Write music. I’ve beaten every
Assassin’s Creed game. And I don’t live up to my father’s expectations. Hell, I
don’t know if I live up to anyone’s expectations.”
“I’m sure your dad just wants you
to be happy.”
Damian grunted. “Whose definition
of happy? His? Mine?” His eyebrows rose. “Yours?”
I shrugged. “Doesn’t happy only
have one definition?”
“Does it? Are you happy?”
I thought about it for a few
moments. I had beaten my disease twice before, and I was determined to do it
again. More than anything, I was happy just to be alive. “Yeah, I am.”
His eyes narrowed. “Having a tube
sticking out of your chest, being hooked up to toxic drugs, getting sick—that
makes you happy?”
“Oh, well, no. But…”
“Not that easy, is it?” The edge in
his voice pricked at me. I couldn’t tell if he was talking about me or himself.
“The outcome of—”
“You don’t know the outcome.” He sounded angry, his eyes blazing. “You only hope it will make you happy. When it
might kill you. That’s reality.”
I pulled my lips tight. “True, but
it makes my parents happy to see me fight.”
“Bullshit. They’re not happy having
a daughter who has to battle cancer. And if you die, well, how can they be
happy about that?”
“If—”
Damian cut me off. “Yeah. If. So
much is based on that word, and there are no fucking guarantees attached to it.
What makes you happy now may be what destroys you later. Or those you love.
Then what? Sometimes, being happy isn’t worth the risk.”
“And sometimes it is,” I said
quietly.
Damian brightened again, offering a
slight smile. “See what I mean? Nothing in this shithole life is easy.”
“Just because it’s not easy, doesn’t
mean it’s not worth it.”
“So tell me then, is it worth it?” His blue eyes searched
mine. “Worth all the time in this place?”
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About the Author

Hey! Thanks for stopping by!

Since I was born and raised in Iowa, I like to create stories where my home state is the setting. There’s nothing like small-town Midwest scenery to create the perfect backdrop for an amazing tale!

I’ve always loved to read and write. I’ll read anything: Classics, fantasy, contemporary, mystery, horror. It doesn’t matter as long as it draws me in. As a kid, I was raised on authors such as Lurlene McDaniel, R.L. Stine, Danielle Steele, Mary Higgins Clark, Stephen King, and Shakespeare.

Writing-wise, my fondness lies in the YA/NA genre, though I do have a couple of women’s fiction stories swimming around in my head.

When not writing, I’m usually curled up with a book, scrapbooking, or doing yet another load of laundry.

Along with her incredible husband, I live in small-town Iowa with my four adorable (yet ornery) children and their dog, Peaches.

The Spirit is the first book of The Spirit Trilogy, and is my debut novel.

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Connect with Nichole
Twitter / Facebook / Website / Goodreads 
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Purchase Links

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GIVEAWAY!!

E-Book Giveaway

Posted in Book Tours

BOOK TOUR: Collide – Gail McHugh

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

18775299Synopsis

A missed first encounter…..

Colliding with a second chance…..

On the heels of graduating college and trying to cope with her mother’s death, Emily Cooper moves to New York City for a fresh start.

While harboring secrets of his own, Dillon Parker takes care of Emily through her grief. Knowing he can’t live without her by his side, he’s sweet, thoughtful, and everything Emily has ever wanted in a man.

Until she meets Gavin Blake-a rich and notorious playboy who is dangerously sexy and charming as hell. Emily tries to deny the instant connection she feels, but Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome is not inclined to let go so easily. Recovering from his own painful past, Gavin will stop at nothing to win Emily over.

This unexpected encounter compels Emily to question her decisions, forcing her to make a choice that will destroy friendships, shatter hearts, and forever change her life.

 3.5/4 out of 5 stars

dd425-addtogoodreads

 

 

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My Review

I have had Collide on my TBR list for months and months. Everyone has been telling me how amazing Gavin is and so when The Hot Bed said they were doing a tour for this week, i had to join in. I want to say thanks to Kate for sending me the paperback – the cover is freaking beautiful and all i did when i received it was stare at it and stroke it. I tend to stay away from love triangle books because they make me panicky and annoyed at the main character and one of the guys – mainly the boyfriend who ends up being a major asshole (I wasnt wrong).

The main reason I didnt give this book 5 stars is down to the fat that i was utterly annoyed at Emily throughout the majority of the book. And also i despise Dillon like no other. I actually ended up skim reading or skipping parts with him in because i hated the way he treated Emily. I just couldnt stand it nor stand how Emily put up with it.Saying that, Gail had me addicted to Collide – I needed to know more about Gavin, what Emily was going to do and if Dillon was going to get his ass handed to him on a plate. Gail really knows how to evoke emotions from you and dear God, i had them all. From swooning, to anger, to tears, you name it, my chest was hurting – good and bad.

As you know Collide is based around Emily. Her mother has recently died and she has uprooted her life to live in NYC where her boyfriend, Dillon and her BFF Olivia live. After finding a job, she goes on an errand and meets Gavin Blake. Just that brief encounter has her twisted up inside and when they meet again she wants to deny the connection but Gavin wont let it go easily. Oh no.

They become friends despite the growing want and when Dillon’s true colours appear she runs to Gavin but when a misunderstanding happens, Emily is torn up inside and does the one thing she will later go onto regret. Will she choose the right path and more importantly the right guy?

I really really wanted to like Emily but deep down she annoyed me. I understood that really, its a massive step to move away from your birth place, to step inside the busy and bustling city where you only know your boyfriend, your best friend and her brother. It’s got to be overwhelming. And really, she did great integrating into this way of life. But what i hated was how she felt she had to owe her life to Dillon because he was there throughout everything with her mother. I felt so sorry for Emily due to her thinking that. When she wasnt around Dillon, I could tolerate her. She seemed to relax, enjoy herself, BE herself and have fun without being tethered on a string.

And then came along Gavin. You could instantly see the connection, but she felt so bad about it because of Dillon. I wanted her to dump his ass and get on the Gavin train because HELLO SEXUAL TENSION. It was off the page with these two and you could very well see the feelings they both had for each other but they hid it well from Dillon but no one else. I liked that she could let loose with Gavin, as i’ve said, be herself, be the girl who can say what she wants, dress how she wants and be friends who whom she wants. You knew how she was falling for him yet she was scared. I did love it when these two were together, it was obvious they felt deeply and I hate hate hate the fact that a major misunderstanding broke both their hearts, until it was really only too late. I’m just glad that Emily, albeit very late, got her ass into gear but is it too late?

I have nothing to say about Dillon. I wanted to stab him (Yes, that’s quite violent but bah). He treated Emily like crap. He was a grade A-Douchebag who manipulated her, who put her down slowly, who got angry at the way she dressed, who she was friends with. And really, he was emotionally abusing her but she couldnt see it…I just got so angry and wound-up that he was doing this to her. And his mother was just as bad as he was. AHHHH i need to see him just gone in Pulse please. Leave Emily alone.

And now the guy who everyone loves – Gavin Blake. I am totally aboard this love train. He is just *sigh*. I feel for him the first meeting. That once glance and Emily and he was a goner. I love that it was the guy who feel first, the guy who, in that instant knew the girl was the one for him. It makes a really nice change. Yes, he’s a smirky, smarmy, cocky guy, but you know, you just know that they way he is acting around Emily, hes in deep. He wants her for his own and he actually doesnt care that she is Dillons. He really doesnt have a loyalty to him. The things he said, the beautiful words that came out of his mouth. The way he will love Emily so hard and deep but then the heartbreak. I could take seeing him like that. Seeing how much it cut him, how his heart broke into tiny pieces that he couldnt take it anymore.

There’s drama and angst and so much confusion wrapped into this book – confusion that comes from Emily about Dillon and Gavin. I didnt like how much Gavin got led on by her, but yano what, shes gotta learn from her mistakes now and how it ended with Gavin, yupp it was her fault and I side with Gavin.

Anyway, if you love love triangles with a sexy, sweet guy, a confused girl and a douchebag boyfriend then pick up Collide and get reading it. It is addictive but I wasnt as addictive as i have been with other books.

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Posted in Book Tours

BOOK TOUR: Royally Lost – Angie Stanton

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

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Title: Royally Lost
Author: Angie Stanton
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: May 6, 2014
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Synopsis

Dragged on a family trip to Europe’s ancient cities, Becca wants nothing more than to go home. Trapped with her emotionally distant father, over-eager stepmother, and a brother who only wants to hook up with European hotties, Becca is miserable. That is until she meets Nikolai, a guy as mysterious as he is handsome. And she unknowingly finds herself with a runaway prince.

Nikolai has everything a guy could ask for-he’s crown prince, heir to the throne, and girls adore him. But the one thing he doesn’t have…is freedom. Staging a coup, he flees his kingdom and goes undercover on his own European tour.

When Nikolai and Becca meet, it’s their differences that draw them together. Sparks fly as they share a whirlwind of adventures, all the while dodging his royal guard. But Becca’s family vacation ends in a matter of days. Will Nikolai and Becca be forced to say goodbye forever, will his destiny catch up to him, or will they change history forever?

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Excerpt

Nikolai opened his eyes, chilled, as a cloud blocked out the sun. Next to him, Becca slept, her hand curled in his. She smiled in relaxed slumber.

He gently released her hand and looked around. A couple of people lounged on the distant beach and a lone man sat in the sand with a camera aimed straight at him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up.

Nikolai turned his back to the beach and nudged her. “Becca!”

“Hmm?” She stirred.

“There’s a guy on the beach and I’m pretty sure he’s taking our picture.”

Her eyes sprang open. “What?” She sat up and spotted the man. “You think he’s paparazzi?”

“It sure isn’t a random tourist aiming a long lens at us. How the hell did he know I was here?” Nikolai slid on his shorts.

“Oh crud.” Becca grabbed her clothes and quickly pulled them on. “You think he’s been taking pictures of us sleeping?”

“That and more. Lord only knows how long he’s been here.” He didn’t notice him when they were in the water, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t been lurking in the trees, snapping pictures.

Nikolai stuffed their leftover lunch items into his backpack. How did this camera-wielding jerk find him?

Dressed, with everything packed up, they headed for the motorbike. Their path unfortunately forced them to pass the creep with the camera. Nikolai pulled his baseball cap low and hid behind his sunglasses. He led the way with Becca’s hand firmly in his.

“Prince Nikolai, why did you run from the palace?” The photographer, a short, heavyset man with cameras strapped across his chest moved closer.

Nikolai picked up the pace, but the man stayed with them, walking backward and snapping pictures. This was no official appearance where Nikolai owed the press a friendly smile and kind word.

“Do your parents know where you are?”

He ignored him.

“Your friend is beautiful. Is she the reason you fled? What’s her name?”

Nikolai bristled and fought the urge to shove the man to the ground and bust his camera. He glanced at Becca, her face pink with embarrassment. She didn’t need to be targeted by this oily loser.

“Have you heard that your sister, Princess Alexi, has gone missing?”

Nikolai hesitated for an instant, but then hurried on. The man was lying. He was sure of it, and he wouldn’t let this vile intruder ruin their day.

They reached the bike. He hurried and strapped on the pack and hopped on. Becca climbed up, hugging him from behind. Nikolai liked the feel of her body secure against his. It made him feel better able to protect her.

The photographer kept snapping pictures and wouldn’t back off. “There are rumors that you have renounced the throne,” he baited.

Nikolai stiffened, but didn’t give him the satisfaction of a reaction. He started the engine.

“Where are you going next?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Nikolai grinned, revved the engine, and spun gravel as they raced away.

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About Angie:

Angie Stanton never planned on writing books; she wanted to be a Rockette. However, growing up in rural Wisconsin, with her brothers’ 4-H pigs as pets, dance didn’t work out. Instead she became an avid daydreamer. After years of perfecting stories in her head, she began to write them down, and the rest is history.

Angie is the author of six books including Royally Lost, Rock and a Hard Place, and Snapshot. She graduated with a Journalism degree from the University of Wisconsin, and is a proud double finalist of the National Readers Choice Awards for Love ’em or Leave ’em.

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Get in touch with Angie

Website: http://angiestanton.com/

Twitter: angie_stanton

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

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Posted in Book Tours

BOOK TOUR: Flawed Perfection – Cassandra Giovanni

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

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Today on The Book Lovers stop of the Flawed Perfection tour, Cassandra will be letting you know her top five female characters.

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18302556Synopsis

Bobby Beckerson was the American All-Star hockey player–he was the spitting image of perfection to his family. Goofy, sweet and undeniably gorgeous, he had everything but the one girl he wanted: River Ahlers.

River Ahlers is successful in everything but love. She’s been in love with Adam Beckerson since they were kids. Worst of all she’s stuck right in the middle of the brother’s dueling over everything and anything, and she doesn’t even know she’s the ultimate prize.

Adam Beckerson was a boy with a guitar, a smile that sunk girl’s hearts and a stone wall around his own. He was anything but perfect, and no matter how hard he tried he was nothing compared to Bobby. Sweet, damaged, with boyish good-looks, nobody thought Adam loved anyone but himself.

Bobby loved River, River loved Adam and Adam only loved himself–or so everyone thought. Then one night everything changes, and as it threatens to destroy everyone involved a tragedy strikes that will break them all…

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Cassandra’s top five female characters

  1. Emma from Emma
  2. Amy from the Heartland Series
  3. Hermonie from Harry Potter
  4. Nikki from Everneath

  5. Natalie from Deadly Sins (I had to pick one of my characters!)

     

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about the author

 
twitter picCassandra doesn’t remember a time when she wasn’t writing. In fact, the first time she was published was when she was seven years old and won a contest to be published in an American Girl Doll novel. Since then Cassandra has written more novels than she can count and put just as many in the circular bin. Her personal goal with her writing is to show the reader the character’s stories through their dialogue and actions instead of just telling the reader what is happening. In 2012 she became a published Young Adult author, releasing In Between Seasons (The Fall, #1) and the Amazon bestselling thriller, Walking in the Shadows. In 2013 she branched out by using her artistic illustrating talents to publish her first Children’s novel, The Adventures of Skippy Von Flippy: Tales of Friendship (Skippy Tales, #1). Cassandra released her first New Adult novel, Love Exactly, which became an Amazon Bestseller overnight in June of 2013. She’s currently working on her new New Adult Contemporary Romance, Beautifully Flawed. The first novel in the series, Flawed Perfection is scheduled to be published on March 7, 2014.

Besides being a writer, Cassandra is a professional photographer known for her automotive, nature and architectural shots. She is the owner of Gio Design Studios Photography and Gio Design Studios Publication Marketing . She is currently studying to receive a degree in Marketing. Cassandra is happily married to the man of her dreams and they live in the rolling hills of New England with the other loves of her life their dogs, Bubski and Kanga.

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Connect with Cassandra

Facebook || Twitter || Website || Goodreads

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LINKS!

Paperback and Ebook
Amazon || Barnes & Noble

Ebook Only
Kobo || Google Play

Author Direct
Signed Paperback

Posted in Book Tours, Karli Perrin

BOOK TOUR: April Fools (#2) – Karli Perrin

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

AF Blog Tour banner2Today is The Book Lovers stop on the April Fools tour and I will be giving my 5 STAR review

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April Fools Cover Image-02 (1)Synopsis

Love. Hate. Fear. Fate.
All four letter words.
All consuming.
Naked to the eye, they have the power to control the heart and destroy the soul.
April Adams is about to experience them like never before.
When everything in April’s life goes up in smoke, she is faced with some life changing decisions.
Join April as she continues her journey of love and loss.

5 out of 5 stars!!

My review of April Showers

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My Review

GOD! THIS IS A BLOODY AWESOME SEQUEL! I get my Isaac back and HELLO HOTTIE BRODY! Yes, i have another guy to swoon and obsess over now….Jesus. An Isaac and Brody sandwich wouldn’t go amiss 😉 But anyway, before i go on a rambling tangent, i need to tell you how much i loved April Fools. You know my love for April Showers so when April Fools landed in my inbox, sod the others books (sorry) but I devoured the hell out of AF and it took like just over 2 hours, if that to finish it and swoon the hell out of this book. The sarcasm, the sexual innuendos, the tears, laughter and drama were all a part of April Fools – well we all know what went down in April Showers and no way was Karli going to bypass that shitstorm!!

We find out straight away about Lukas ‘condition…did he live or survive? It’s all there on the first page just for you to know. April is still in shock over the events that followed her house being set alight and her friend running into the building to find her. She’s really had a rough few days and Isaac has been with her every step of the way, making sure she is okay and helping her through it all. My boy really is a sweetheart! But when Isaac gets a call off his mother about Abbie being in trouble, Isaac is drawn into that drama and doesn’t tell April what is going on…not wanting her involved. This starts the trails and tribulations that follow their relationship to the very end.

April has been through a lot in the two books – from finding Isaac, finding out who he was, loving Isaac from afar but getting with Lukas to finding out Lukas’ secret, getting with Isaac, having her house set alight and now Isaac is keeping secrets from her, meeting up with Abbie, not answering her texts, being a little weird with her. Yes, that is enough to make anyone’s head turn a 360 and make you question everything. Thank god she had Lucy around and what makes everything better is that her brother, the delicious tattooed, motorbiking, cocky and flirty, Brody came to visit her for a while. OH HELL TO THE YES! We watch April grow up a lot in this book; she still has conflicting feelings about what Isaac is doing, about her brother and his weird relationship with Lucy, about Lukas and her hatred for Abbie. But she gets through it with everyone around her and I loved seeing her at the end – knowing she had gotten through it all and her love stayed strong for Isaac.

Oh Isaac, my beautiful Isaac. You have turned up your sexiness a hell of a lot! You cheeky, flirty, sexy, playful guy. I love him so much but when he was off sorting out Abbie and sneaking around and being blunt I was sat here like “Isaac, what are you doing? Please don’t be cheating on my girl.” I felt so bad thinking this about Isaac because his heart is filled to the brim with love for April, but you do feel that he is off doing something really bad. But when you find out exactly what Isaac has been doing and you just want to hug the shit out of him for dealing with Abbie’s bloody bitchy shit and what he does to help April through everything, dear god I need him in my life. Also, I loved how he would share a bit of himself to April, in the form of diary entries that he writes. They are the damn sweetest entries ever, they show how much he liked her from the start, to the very end of the book where I cried at the last one he wrote to April. That sealed the deal for both of them that a love like this is forever! They can survive anything thrown their way and they really have.

Be prepared to be jealous, but that chocolate scene? Yes, I read it before the book was out and also knew who Brody was too. That is the best part of being a twinnie with Karli ;).

I loved Lucy and Brody together….I say together, its more like they really didn’t get on and they bantered and fought a lot during the book but you can see the spark between them, how they begin to actually like each other little by little. Although they kind of hid it away, I would love to see a book between them, because they have so much to share from behind the scenes especially a certain thing I picked up about Lucy near the end of the book. I’d like to see why she has it and what happened. PLEASE KARLI!

I also loved how Karli mentioned some pretty hot book boyfriends from other books – I gleamed at this part and I loved how excited she got over them…cant spoil it for you, but I loved how Karli though to include the best BBF’s eveeeeeeeer.

If you have yet to read April Showers and April Fools, get them in your life now! Get Isaac and Lukas and Brody into your life. Read the drama that follows April, read how shitting amazing her BFF Katie is. I love this series and I love Karli and I think you all should too! Find you new book boyfriend in this series 🙂

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photo (5)About Karli

Karli Perrin is a 25 year old English Language & Linguistics graduate from Manchester, England. She has always been a big lover of books and was inspired to write her own – April Showers.
She is a big believer of fate and is a sucker for a happy ending. She truly believes that there is a reason why you are reading this right now (apart from the fact that you are awesome!)
Her ultimate goal in life is to live in a house made entirely out of books with her best friend, who also happens to be her fiancé.

…Hogwarts is plan B.

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Contact Karli

Blog || Twitter || Goodreads || Facebook

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April Showers Links:

Amazon UK || Amazon US

April Fools Links

Amazon UK || Amazon

Posted in Book Tours, Terri Anne Browning

BOOK TOUR: The Rocker That Holds Her (#5) – Terri Anne Browning

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

18171049Synopsis

I had big dreams of how I wanted my life. Becoming a rock star was all I wanted. It would solve so many of my problems. With the money that I would make I was going to take care of my mom, get her out of the hell hole we had been living in all my life. Having your dreams come true isn’t something that many people get to accomplish in life. I did, and I loved it.

For about a minute…

It’s funny how when you think you have everything you could possible every want, your dreams change. Mine did without my even realizing it. Then I opened my eyes and saw that everything I ever wanted was standing in front of me.

From the first day I set eyes on Emmie she became a part of me. The guys and I spent years watching over her, caring for her… Loving her. Then without my realizing it my love for her changed. I found myself aching for her, wanting her in a way that a guy like me had no right to want her. My love and need for Emmie became an all-consuming ache that I was helpless to fight against.

Would she ever open those big green eyes and see me as anything but a friend?

5 out of 5 stars

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My Review

Have I mentioned how much I love this series? I’m pretty sure you are fed up with me expressing my love for this series but I don’t care because you ALL need to get these books on your kindle, read about the brilliant band that is Demon’s Wings, about their childhoods, their struggles, their present, their love for Emmie and of course, finding the love of their lives.

The Rocker That Holds Her is all 4 books, plus extra from Nik’s POV. For those of you who have read the series, Nik has known Emmie since she was 5 and he was 15. WE saw him and his band brothers take care of her when her mother beat her and they have always been there for her, even when they got their big break and were off touring America. When Emmie’s mum dies, they fight to get her to live with them and that is when feelings begin to churn for Nik. They haven’t seen Emmie in around 18 months and now she is in her late teens she has grown up to become a beautiful woman and Nik cant get his head around liking her…he feels dirty and perverted but he cant help being in love with her.

He kept his feelings inside, drank to numb the pain of wanting her but not being able to have her and we see all this from his view point, as well as when he actually gets her for himself…FINALLY 🙂

We see the first time he met Emmie was she was just a little kid. We see him protect her, patch her up and make sure that nothing hurts her and if it is, he is always there for her. Nik’s childhood wasn’t great and after his parents died his aunt came and took him in. He loves his aunt like she is his mother and when he became famous, he still looked after her from afar. Nik is a gentle guy, but he is also protective, has a jealous streak but he loves with everything!

We see Nik torment himself over his feelings with Emmie. While he watches his band brothers with her, especially Jesse, he feels jealous that he;s not the one holding her hand, or cuddling her and falling asleep with her. But despite the jealousy, he tries to deny his attraction to her, deeming it wrong in his eyes for loving someone 10 years younger than him. He tried to sleep with girls to take away the pain but when that didn’t happen, he had to give in and try to keep his feelings in, and act normal around Emmie, as normal as he could when all he wanted was to kiss her.

We finally see him give in to his feelings at a pivotal point (which we see in The Rocker That Holds Me) after hurting over thinking Jesse was the babies father and the jealousy he feels over Axton Cage- another rockstar they are close with – as he and Emmie are best friends. I think this tipped him over the edge and made him see if he didn’t tell her his feelings he would lose her to another and that would kill him badly.

I love how Terri-Anne can just sink into writing in a guys POV. All the books and the band members speak their own and you can clearly distinguish who is talking – and with the girls too. I love how Terri-Anne writes and I am slightly obsessed with these books. I am so glad we got to dip into Nik’s head…he really has a lot of things to show and to say and we really see that he loves Emmie with everything, that he has wasted enough time not telling her and being with her that now he has her, he will do whatever he can to make her happy for the rest of their lives.

Of course, relationships are never easy, and Emmie and Nik go through some turbulence but they always work it out and it makes them stronger as a couple after it. You see their connection, their chemistry and if anybody came between them, we know Emmie would cut a bitch. Watch out Gabi 😉

You really do need to take a chance on this series, because they are written to pure brilliance. Terri-Anne develops the characters and you fall in love with them. She writes steamy sex scenes which connects the characters even more. We see the childhoods, the sorrow they have been through but then we see them all fall in love, know that the girls are the ones for them and we see them grow, and blossom together and alone. You will fall in love with Terri-Anne, the series and the characters – they will stay with you.

I can’t wait to read The Rocker’s Babies and Axton’s book The Rocker That Wants Me.

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About Terri Anne

Hated school and reading until her aunt handed over her first romance novel at the age of twelve, as crazy aunts tend to do. It gave her a passion for the written word that has only increased over the years. At sixteen she started writing her own novellas, forcing her sister to be her one woman fan club. Now she has a few more fans and a lot more passion for writing. Reese: A Safe Haven Novella was her first Indie published book. The Rocker That Holds Me changed the tables and kicked off The Rocker… series featuring the sinfully delicious members of Demon’s Wings. Terri Anne lives just outside of Birmingham, AL with her husband and three children.

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Contact Terri Anne

Goodreads || Facebook || Twitter

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Reading Order: (Click on titles)

The Rocker That Holds Me
The Rocker That Savors Me
The Rocker That Needs Me
The Rocker That Loves Me
The Rocker That Holds Her

To come:

The Rocker’s Babies
The Rocker That Wants Me

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The Rocker That Holds Her links:

Amazon || Amazon UK || Barnes and Noble