Here With Me by Heidi McLaughlin Blog Tour ~ #Promo Stop. #excerpt & #giveaway

HERE WITH ME by Heidi McLaughlin

October 2014

Contemporary Romance

BOOK SUMMARY:

Ryley Clarke has grown up with the military in her blood, with both parents serving their country. Ryley knows the risks of being married to the military. But when the unthinkable happens, and her future husband is killed in action, Ryley can barely survive... until Evan's twin brother, Nate, helps her pick up the pieces.

After serving on a special mission with the military for six years, Evan Archer returns home to find the unthinkable - the love of his life, Ryley Clarke - engaged to his brother, Nate.  With Nate on deployment, Evan needs to figure out what happened in his absence, and more importantly, how to win Ryley back from the man he once considered his best friend, but now thinks of as his rival.

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18948703-here-with-me

Author Information

Heidi is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author.

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband and two daughters. Also renting space in their home is an over-hyper Beagle/Jack Russell and two Parakeets.

During the day Heidi is behind a desk talking about Land Use. At night, she's writing one of the many stories planned for release or sitting court-side during either daughter's basketball games.

Author Links:

Website:  http://heidimclaughlin.com/

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

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/HeidiJoVT

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6568302.Heidi_McLaughlin 

GIVEAWAY:
Win a $25 Gift Card and a signed paperback of HERE WITH ME. US Only. 

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HERE WITH ME by Heidi McLaughlin

EXCERPT

I turn and face her. She looks poised and ready for whatever I’m about to throw at her. “I never doubted Ryley’s love for me when we were younger. Hell not even while I was away. I trusted her. That was the one thing I could take with me when I deployed. She loved me, supported me and I knew she’d be waiting for me when I stepped off that plane to come home. When Nate was home I knew they spent time together, but now I question everything. What were they doing? How long has this been going on? I leave and come back to nothing. My life – the one I was counting on being there waiting for me with open arms – is in the arms of my brother. The one man who I was relying on has taken my family away from me. He was supposed to protect what’s mine, not covet it. I never thought in a million years he’d make a move on Ryley.” 

I walk over to the water cooler and fill a paper cup. I have to do this repeatedly to quench my thirst. She offered me a mug when I walked in, but I don’t know how well it’s been cleaned. I crunch the cup in my hand and toss it in the wastebasket before returning to my chair.

“I feel angry and betrayed,” I say, finally answering her question. “I feel as if my whole life with Ryley has one big lie and I’m not sure if I can ever shake that feeling.” 

“But you trust her?” 

My head moves slowly up and down, as if it’s unsure of my answer. “I do trust her, more than anything, but I can’t wrap my head around why she’d go to Nate.” 

“Evan, sometimes love has an odd way of working around pain.” 

I lean forward and look her square in the eye. “What about my pain? What about my agony? Who’s going to nurse my heartbreak? How come these weren’t thoughts going through either of their heads when they started betraying me like this? How come he wasn’t scouring the ends of the earth looking for me? Someone knew we were alive out there and no one came.” She picks up her pen and scribbles on her notepad. I don’t even care what she’s writing. I just want to be done so I can go drown my sorrows at Magoo’s. At least my favorite bartender is still working, Slick Rick. Thank God some things never change. 

“Do you feel like Ryley betrayed you?” 

“Yes.” My words sting, but they’re the truth.

 

Release Day Blitz!!! Have Me by J.Kenner

 

Today is the day - J. Kenner's HAVE ME is finally here and we are so excited to celebrate the release! You have got to get your hands on this steamy novella!

 

 

About HAVE ME

For fans of Fifty Shades of Grey and Bared to You comes an erotic, emotionally charged eBook novella from New York Times bestselling author J. Kenner. Following the novels in her blockbuster Stark Trilogy—Release Me, Claim Me, and Complete Me, as well as her tie-in novella Take Me—Have Me continues the story of fan favorites Damien Stark and his new wife, Nikki Fairchild.

Our wedding was everything I dreamed of, and now the honeymoon is a living fantasy. To be Mrs. Damien Stark is the ultimate rush—to know that our claim to each other is real, our fierce passion sealing our bond. My kiss is forever his, his touch is forever mine.

We both harbor deep scars from our pasts, and we’ve done everything we can to lay our ghosts to rest. But there are still dreams that haunt me, and people that threaten to tear us apart.

Our shared ecstasy makes me feel alive, and I’ll do anything to keep Damien close. He is my future, my hope, my every want and need. And once you’ve tasted that kind of obsession, nothing can make you give it up.  

Add it to your Goodreads list here!

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About J. Kenner

Julie Kenner (aka J. Kenner and J.K. Beck) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres. Praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations,” J.K. writes a range of stories including super sexy romances, paranormal romance, chick lit suspense and paranormal mommy lit. Her foray into the latter, Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner, is in development as a feature film with 1492 Pictures. Her most recent trilogy of erotic romances, The Stark Trilogy (as J. Kenner), reached as high as #2 on the New York Times list and is published in over twenty countries. J.K. lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and several cats. 

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Surrender (Disarm #8) by June Gray ~ #bookreview

Surrender (DISARM #8)

by June Gray (Goodreads Author)

Bestselling author June Gray’s romances have been praised as “scorching hot”(MsRomantic Reads). Now, in her latest scintillating read, one woman is torn between remembering her past and committing to an unpredictable future...

Julie Keaton had everything—she had a new career in a new city and, more importantly, a bright future with fiance, Jason Sherman. That is, until the day she discovered that he had been killed in Afghanistan. In one moment, her life changed, as everything she’d hoped for died along with him.

Years later and Julie still feels the aftershocks of Jason’s death. She is no longer the same adventurous, open girl; now she wears armor around her heart in order to protect the most important thing in her life—her son.

But when Julie meets the mysterious Neal, she starts to feel the smallest flicker of hope, as what began as a fling quickly becomes something more. Neal is the first man since Jason’s death to break down her armor and make her believe again. But when she discovers the secret he’s been keeping, she has to ask herself: can she surrender to a future with Neal or will Jason’s death forever tie her to the past?

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Source: eARC for Honest Review Courtesy of Berkley Trade/Penguin

Genre: Adult Contemporary

My Surrender Review ...

I was such a big fan of Disarm the serial novels to start with, even though my love for it started to wane with Arrest as it was basically Disarm v2.0. However, I've been dying to find out a bit more about the elusive Julie and how she plays into the mix.  In Disarm and Arrest she is a very secondary character but yet an essential character.  Here we get to see whom Jason fell in love with to start with and how her role plays into this story.

As I was reading it I started to get confused with the dichotomy of Julie character.  One one hand she was a dirty talking sex kitten and on the other hand a stubborn emotionally void scaredy-cat.  The two halves didn't make a complete whole for me.  I understand her reservations with her past but I got really tired of it in the end.  I just wanted to go in and rip her head out of her ass for most of the book.

"It's just the nature of love.  It will set your heart racing right before it rips it right out of your chest."
"I no longer want any part of that." Elsie let out a soft chuckle.  "That's the thing, though. You have absolutely no choice in the matter."

But the shining star was Neal. *Sigh*.  Right from the start you knew he was something special. He went balls in with wanting a relationship and wasn't scared to admit it.  You knew he had a secret but weren't sure what it was going to be.  Once revealed I was a bit disappointed with it.  I thought it was going to be something much larger with the build up.  The secret was still emotionally devastating for Julie but didn't warrant the reaction I would have expected.

I like how these novels are set up.  Which are divided into different parts which helps with the growth of the characters but I'm sad to say this,  even though it's well written I hope this is the end of the series as I think it has ran it's course.

3 I'm NOT surrendering thumbs up!

Lauren

BUY: AMAZON (Kindle)

 

 

Release Day Launch - Nocte by Courtney Cole ~ #giveaway, #bookreview, #excerpt & #booktrailer

  

We are beyond excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for Courtney Cole's NOCTE! NOCTE is a New Adult dark romantic psychological suspense novel. Hang on tight because this book will blow you away...

 

 

 

 

 Kobo  ** Amazon ** iBooks

   

EXCERPT:

Glancing up, I suck my breath in when I find dark eyes connected to mine, eyes so dark they’re almost black, and the energy in them is enough to freeze me in place. 

A boy is attached to the dark gaze. 

A man. 

He’s probably no more than twenty or twenty-one, but everything about him screams man.  There’s no boy in him.  That part of him is very clearly gone.  I see it in his eyes, in the way he holds himself, in the perceptive way he takes in his surroundings, then stares at me with singular focus, like we’re somehow connected by a tether.  He’s got a million contradictions in his eyes….aloofness, warmth, mystery, charm, and something else I can’t define.

He’s muscular, tall, and wearing a tattered black sweatshirt that says Irony is lost on you in orange letters.  His dark jeans are belted with black leather, and a silver band encircles his middle finger.

Dark hair tumbles into his face and a hand with long fingers impatiently brushes it back, all the while his eyes are still connected with mine.  His jaw is strong and masculine, with the barest hint of stubble.

His gaze is still connected to mine, like a livewire, or a lightning bolt.  I can feel the charge of it racing along my skin, like a million tiny fingers, flushing my cheeks.  My lungs flutter and I swallow hard. 

And then, he smiles at me. 

At me. 

Because I don’t know him and he doesn’t know better.  

   Book Trailer:

       

NOCTE Synopsis:

SAVE ME AND I'LL SAVE YOU....

My name is Calla Price. I’m eighteen years old, and I’m one half of a whole.
My other half-- my twin brother, my Finn-- is crazy.

I love him. More than life, more than anything. And even though I’m terrified he’ll suck me down with him, no one can save him but me.

I’m doing all I can to stay afloat in a sea of insanity, but I’m drowning more and more each day. So I reach out for a lifeline.

Dare DuBray.

He’s my savior and my anti-Christ. His arms are where I feel safe, where I’m afraid, where I belong, where I’m lost. He will heal me, break me, love me and hate me.
He has the power to destroy me.

Maybe that’s ok. Because I can’t seem to save Finn and love Dare without everyone getting hurt.

Why? Because of a secret.

A secret I’m so busy trying to figure out, that I never see it coming.

You won’t either. 

 

   

  

ABOUT COURTNEY COLE: Courtney Cole is a novelist who would eat mythology for breakfast if she could. She has a degree in Business, but has since discovered that corporate America is not nearly as fun to live in as fictional worlds. She loves chocolate and roller coasters and hates waiting and rude people. Courtney lives in quiet suburbia, close to Lake Michigan, with her real-life Prince Charming, her ornery kids (there is a small chance that they get their orneriness from their mother) and a small domestic zoo.      

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Source: eARC for Honest Review Courtesy of Author and Inkslinger pr
Genre:  New Adult Dark Romantic psychological suspense novel
Book 1 of 3

My Nocte Review ...

Okay here is the scoop ... this is a book you don't read you experience it.  You can't even properly review it, because you may give all the secrets away.  What I can say was it was brilliantly done! 

 "Why aren't you mad at me for it?"  When Finn finally looks at me, his eyes are tortured, and blue as the sky.  "Because it can't be undone.  Because you're the most important person to me. That's why."

For a review all I really can do is leave you with some GIF's that capture my feelings through this amazing journey. 

For the first part I was ...

Then ...

Then ...

Then ....

Now we wait after that little humdinger in the end.  
 

This book was so well done and I didn't have a rats ass clue what was going on until it all unfolded. It will be like fight club when you have to re-watch it so see if that all really happened.  I can't wait to re-read Nocte and re-experience it with a different set of eyes.  For now, we wait for book 2 to see how the future all plays out for them.

5 Brilliant Thumbs up!

Lauren

All or Nothing by Lexi Ryan ~ #bookreview

All or Nothing

by Lexi Ryan (Goodreads Author)

**ALL OR NOTHING is a short, sexy, new adult romance and is also available as part of the ALL I EVER WANTED anthology.**

After years of placing the wrong bets, all Aubree Baxter ever wanted was someone to take a chance on her. More specifically, she wants golden boy Kennedy Hale, her good friend and unrequited crush. After a seduction attempt gone terribly wrong, she knows pursuing anything more than friendship with Kennedy means sure heartbreak. If they're going to make this work, it has to be ALL OR NOTHING.

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BUY NOVELLA : AMAZON (Kindle) or BUY FULL ANTHOLOGY: AMAZON (Kindle)

Source; eARC for Honest Review Courtesy of Author

Genre: NA Contemporary Romance

Novella part of an anthology or stand alone

My All or Nothing Review ...

This novella can be read separately or as part of the anthology All I Ever Wanted.  It was a sweet novella but I think it would have been better read as a whole with the anthology.  The book is based in a small town called Abbott Springs and I think with each story you would get more immersed into this town and the people in it.   Since I didn't read the book as part of a whole it felt random and quick which lost some of its pizazz for me.

In this novella we have Kennedy who is the town prince with large familial expectations on him and the town. Kennedy wants different things but is scared to rock the boat so it's easier to give up his dreams and play the safe card.

Aubree is the gypsy of the town with big abandonment issues.  Her mom left her for bigger and better things and her dad is never around with both breaking promises.  Continuously she starts to make poor decisions and runs away constantly.  The one constant in her life is her best friend Kennedy whom she has loved since she was a kid.

Kennedy has always noticed Bree but she's not the safe bet and it's too much of a risk to lose their friendship.  However, now that they're forced to be back in their small town,  Bree is just about to run again which forces Kennedy to act upon his wants and desires.

 "Does she love you too?"  I shrugged. "I don't know, Mom. But I'd rather take the risk and fall than never have a chance with her."

The road is not smooth sailing for these two but since it is a novella it was too quick to really get the feel of growth between the two.  I'm always a big fan of friends to lovers. That part was sweet but once they found each other it all ended too fast in the conclusion of how they dealt with their families while their HEA left me wanting more from them.

3 Sweet but too quick thumbs up!

Lauren

BUY NOVELLA : AMAZON (Kindle) or BUY FULL ANTHOLOGY: AMAZON (Kindle)




 

No Boundaries (Phoenix, Inc. #1) by S.E. Jakes ~ #bookreview, #MM

No Boundaries (Phoenix, Inc. #1)

by S.E. Jakes (Goodreads Author)

 
Phoenix Inc, Book 1

When your past closes in, running isn’t always an option

The jobs Marcus Lowry works for at Phoenix, Inc. Investigations are quick and easy, and they don’t give him the nightmares his days as a CIA operative did. That is, until he gets involved in a case that grabs him by the throat and won’t let go.

Cole Jacobs left behind his old life on the streets to make a name for himself rebuilding high-end and vintage cars and bikes. But when a stalker threatens to kill him—and to hurt anyone who stands in his way—his past closes in on him, and he’s not sure where to turn.

The last thing Marcus wants to do is take on a charity case, and to say that he and Cole don’t see eye to eye at first is putting things mildly. But when the first attempt on Cole’s life nearly kills them both, Marcus realizes that Cole is in real danger, and Cole is forced to reveal everything. Almost everything. Because Cole’s deepest secrets could destroy them both.

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Source: eARC for Honest Review Courtesy of Samhain Publishing via NetGalley

Genre: MM Contemporary Romance (MM, MMM)

My No Boundaries Review...

This is a spin off series from Bound by Law  (Men of Honor #2), where we get to re-visit Law, Styx & Paolo.  Styx & Law know how to recognize a broken man and with Cole he's the definition of broken and with a past.  All of a sudden Cole is getting notes from a stalker so the trio decides that Marco is the man for the job to help out Cole.

The problem is that Marco is kind of an ass and jaded from his past.  Which makes him not trust easily.  The minute he meets Cole he knows two things: 1) he's his type and 2) he doesn't trust him but a job is a job.

Even though Marco and Cole have a volatile relationship they also have ignited sparks that can't be dimmed.  The closer they get, the more the stalker escalates causing Cole to keep his secrets close to his vest.  However, secrets always have a way of coming to the surface but to the quick tempered and once burnt Marco it puts a big slam to his heart.

This case is not only bringing up issues with Cole but also for Law and the others.  Together they figure it out and deal with their personal demons at the same time.  Even though Marco was an ass I still did love his way with Cole.

I did like this book but not as much as the Men of Honor series or the Hell or High Water series (which is another spin off series in the world of S.E. Jakes).  Even though it wasn't my favorite, S.E. Jakes still delivers a great angst filled MM loving book.

3 MM Loving thumbs up!

 

Lauren

PRE-ORDER: AMAZON (Kindle)

Caged in Winter by Brighton Walsh ~ #bookreview

Caged in Winter

by Brighton Walsh (Goodreads Author)

In this emotional and sexy New Adult debut from Brighton Walsh, the only thing more frightening than commitment is hope…...

Aspiring chef Cade Maxwell is immediately, viscerally attracted to Winter Jacobson. But it’s not her mouthwatering curves he’s drawn to—it’s the strange emptiness in her eyes. When Cade saves her from a drunken customer with grabby hands, he’s shocked at her response…...

Winter doesn’t need Cade’s help. After a lifetime of getting by on her own, she’s happy to rely on herself. She’s exactly seventy-six days away from graduating college, and if she can hold it together that long, she’ll finally be able to rise above the crappy hand she was dealt.

But now, every time she turns around, Cade is there, ready to push her, smile at her, distract her from her plans. Winter knows she can’t afford to open up—especially to a man she’s terrified to actually want….

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Source: eARC for Honest Review Courtesy of Berkley Books 

Genre: NA Contemporary Romance

My Caged In Winter Review ...

Okay this book you will either love or be frustrated with.  It starts off a bit slow but you love Cade through out where you can either love her or not is with, Winter.  Some will love her brokenness and others will not. (I was on Team Not)

Cade has been through a lot of loss but what keeps him going is helping out people who need his love and protection like his sister and niece.  On a rare night out for him he's intrigued by a girl with empty eyes and a fiery spirit.

Winter hates her whole life and is just getting by.  The last thing she needs is a distraction with the likes of Cade.  For Winter it's not love at first sight for her especially when Cade swoops in tries to save the day. The last thing she wants is any help from anyone.  She's one of those fiercely independent woman who survives on her own.

As, I was digging the story for the most part but Winter's independence and tight lips started to frustrate me.  She was more stubborn than independent at times.  While reading I got to 73 % and I was like this ...

With a whole bunch of rage with me getting frustrated with Winter. 'For fucks sake just tell him about your past and let him in and move the fuck on'. Why Winter must you be so infuriating? Why?

then at 76 %

I can do it all on my own. I learned a long time ago that in the end, no one is going to be there but me."  

"I'm here. I'm right fucking here!"

(Here is the crux of the matter with me for her being so goddamn stubborn. Argh!)

Then we get to 78% of the book and I'm shocked

What, is that it??? That was her secret.  Geez! Girl get over yourself already.

Then at 88%

Finally Winter gets her head out of her ass .

This was sweet story and had many elements that I liked but for me Winter's issues drove me batty and not in a good way.  Like I said many will love her angst but it was not for me.  But let's talk about Cade. *sigh*  So sweet and loving from the get go.  Instead of dwelling on the negative he's moving forward in his life the best he can.  He to has his issues at times but he copes better than Winter does.

Even though I wanted to bitch slap Winter for the big chunk of the book,  the series has caught me some intrigue that I want to find out more with Tess and Jason.  :) It was a good story from this debut author and I do want to continue it just as long as all the heroines aren't like Winter.

3 My Angst is not caged in anymore thumbs up!

Lauren

PRE-ORDER: AMAZON (Kindle)