Love at First Sigh Blitz

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – Love at First Sigh
AUTHOR – Elodie Parkes
GENRE – Contemporary erotic romance
PUBLICATION DATE – August 16, 2014
LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 45 pages, (two stories within)
PUBLISHER – Hot Ink Press
COVER ARTIST – Elodie Parkes

BOOK BLURB

Two sizzling contemporary romance stories

Handy Hubby Hire
Tired of the maintenance jobs mounting up in her house, Sara hires a handyman. She never dreams someone like Griffen Fox will show up to fix the faucets and back yard gate. Sparks fly, but will they lose their heart to each other?

Pina Colada
When Emma takes a long weekend vacation in a warm beach resort, she meets the very handsome Matt Tyler. They spend an idyllic few days together. Will this only be a holiday romance?

BUY & TBR LINKS

Amazon Geo-link / GOODREADS

EXCERPT (Exclusive excerpt, not posted before)

From story two, Handy Hubby Hire 18+ rated excerpt

Sara got through the front door before she lost her composure. Smiles wreathed her face. She grasped the business card and looked at the words embossed there. She read it aloud focusing on the name. Griffen Fox, and what a fox he is. He is…gorgeous. What will happen tomorrow? I know what I’d like to happen. Will that be it, he’ll rock up, do the jobs and disappear as if we didn’t have sex, as if we didn’t gaze at each other and want more, want to fuck each other’s brains out all night? She sighed. She sat at her desk and relived his kisses. Her nipples hardened. She pictured his huge, hard cock. Her pussy clenched and drenched her fresh panties. She licked her lips. I wish I was with him now. I want his lips on mine, his hands on my ass. This is probably not good for me. I’ll crave sex again now. Damn it.
Sara remembered the months after Jem left. She missed him, their conversations, their walks, but she missed sex more. She missed the hard shape of a man’s body, the taste of his cum. She missed it badly and she’d craved it until she despaired. There’d been no one else. She didn’t meet men in everyday life.
She went to make more coffee. I’m addicted to this stuff.
That night Sara tossed and turned. She considered masturbating because she needed release, but she knew she longed for a man’s fingers, a man’s mouth on her breasts, preferably Griffen’s. Her own fingers wouldn’t do, not after sex with Griffen. Sometime just before dawn she fell asleep.
She sat bolt upright as the sun streamed in through her bedroom window. The angle of the rays told her it was quite late. She leapt out of bed and checked the time on her cell phone.
Half an hour to shower before Griffen Fox arrived. Her heart started beating faster as she daydreamed about his kiss and his mouth on her skin. She raced to shower and dress.
Her hands shook as she made a cup of coffee. She went to look out of her front windows and watch for his arrival. “Calm the fuck down,” she told herself aloud, but when his truck pulled into her driveway her heart thumped.

Copyright Elodie Parkes 2014 Hot Ink Press All Rights Reserved

AUTHOR BIO

Elodie Parkes is a British author writing romance, erotic, contemporary, and often with a twist of mystery, paranormal or suspense. Her books are always steamy — cool stories and hot love scenes.

Elodie lives in Canterbury with her two dogs. She works in an antique emporium by day and writes at night, loving the cloak of silent darkness that descends on the rural countryside around her home.

Elodie writes for, Hot Ink Press, Moon Rose Publishing, Eternal Press, Secret Cravings, Evernight, and Siren Publishing.

She has also released titles as an individual indie author.

FIND ELODIE ONLINE

BLOG – TUMBLR – FACEBOOK – TWITTER
GOOGLE+ - PINTEREST – YOUTUBE – AMAZON USA
AMAZON UK – SMASHWORDS – BARNES & NOBLES – ARe
BOOKSTRAND – EVERNIGHT – TRR - MANIAC READERS

Blitz Organized By

DOM Wars

BOOK INFORMATION

Title - Dom Wars - Final Round
Series - Dom Wars #6
Authors - Lucian Bane & Aden Lowe

Bio:
I'm an Ineffable Dom. That just means, do yourself a favor and please don't try to describe me or fit me into your categories. Complicated Dom, Intricate Dom, Confounding Dom work too.

I love very much the soft side of a woman. Not just her body, but everything on the inside-- her passion, her intelligence, her convictions, her delicate tenderness. But the one fetish that might be a part of what makes me an Ineffable Dom is that I love her strengths. I love a woman that isn't afraid to look me in the eyes and say 'make me'. But I need it to be real, not staged, not pretended. She has to be a fighter at her core the way I'm a Dom at my core. I want an equal that is willing to come hard against me in every sense of the word, exhaust me. I want her so deep inside me that we're lost in each other. I want her to never doubt that I will always use my power to adore her, protect her, liberate her. I don't want a woman I can break, or overpower, or exercise my dominance over, I want a woman I can come undone with. I want a woman I can jump off the cliff with into that abyss of holy hell, this is beyond me, beyond my control. The greatest fear of most people is losing themselves or unraveling their roots. My greatest fear is not finding a woman I can take that plunge with. Yes, it's a huge risk. That's the yin and the yang of it. And while the risk titillates my Dom, it's the ineffable fruit of that risk that moves him. He knows he has to have it. He knows he's supposed to have. And he's prepared to dominate for it.

I think there are many men like myself, and I hope my writing will be a map for them. A map for women as well, to let them know Doms like this exist. I'd like to call them out of the woodwork. Help men join with their natural inner Doms in a way that I think is one of the most fulfilling experiences there are. I want to challenge them all to go for the complete power exchange with a woman, but don't be a coward and not give the same that they demand or expect. And consider that when you give one hundred percent of yourself to a person, there is no more of you to give away. You now belong to them the way they belong to you.

Inner Doms are dogs that need a master to train them. I once bowed to my Dom's reckless and tireless desires, but when I gained control, he bowed to my will. The transformation made me into what I am today. What many would call an Ineffable Dom. But its equal term in the Vanilla world, in my opinion, is a real man.

Dom Wars The Final Round: Amazon Kindle

Synopsis…

When Gladiator Inc, an adult toy company expands their market to familiarize the ‘vanilla’ world with the elements of BDSM, the result is a pay-per-view reality show with video feeds streamed live to subscribers. The show, Dom Wars, is a competition to determine the Top Dom that will become the spokesperson for the company.

The contestants all wear cameras to film every moment and angle of the competition, while they complete various challenges to determine who has ultimately Dominated various elements of themselves.

The hero and heroine of the series, Lucian Bane and Tara Reese, have barely made it into the Sixth and Final Round of Dom Wars. This week-long Survival Round will determine the Top Dom, once and for all.

The contestants are taken to an uninhabited island, where they will have to cross formidable jungle terrain. First Dom to reach the boat anchored on the other side of the island wins the million dollars and the title.

Seems simple. Except Lucian’s old adversary, the Sadist Jase Duff from Round One, has been tasked with making sure none of the five teams make it to the boat.

If he is successful, he wins the prize, only it's not money that Jase Duff cares about, its revenge on Lucian and Tara. And his sadistic need to inflict pain makes it game on

 

Get Your Copy of the First 5 Books in the Series

Dom Wars Round One: Amazon Kindle
Synopsis…
Lucian Bane’s inner Dom is out of control and hungry for things he can’t name. When he signs up for Dom Wars, he meets Tara who is naive to the BDSM world. Her reckless dominance and puritan heart fascinate him. But when he discovers the pain in her past, it unleashes his true Dom within.

Dom Wars Round Two: Amazon Kindle
Synopsis…
Lucian Bane and Tara Reese have made it to round two in DOM WARS. The challenges now revolve around trust and while Tara's inhibitions in the world of BDSM are slowly being crushed by Lucian's passion, her deep rooted fears become the real obstacle he must dominate.

Dom Wars Box Set of Round One and Two: Amazon Kindle

Dom Wars Round Three: Amazon Kindle
Synopsis…
Dom Wars Round Three heats up with the Demon Domination challenge. Tara is up first to face the demons of her past and Lucian is ready to dominate for her. But that gets tricky when he realizes the demons he's fighting could be the end of them.

Dom Wars Round Four: Amazon Kindle
Synopsis…
It's Demon Domination for Lucian in Dom Wars Round 4. But it looks like there's more than just his demons they're throwing at him this time and surviving the storm won't happen without suffering.

Dom Wars Round Three and Four Box Set: Amazon Kindle

Dom Wars Round Five: Amazon Kindle
Synopsis…
Dom Wars has reached Round 5, and Lucian, Tara, and Steve are prisoners of war owned by the current top Dom, known as the Preacher Dom. All they have to do is find the perfect pitch to sell Gladiator's dildos and ball clenchers to random vanilla businesses. Between Tara, Lucian and Steve, it's looking like an orgasmic circus of humiliation, bonding, and more self-discovery. But there's a catch. Their scores will buy their chances of survival in the next round. And Preacher Dom isn't about to let three cheating hooligans ruin his chances at the million.

Find The Authors Here

Lucian Bane
Facebook / Twitter / Blog / Tumblr / Amazon / Instagram / Goodreads

Aden Lowe
Facebook / Twitter

Dom Wars
Dom Wars Facebook Page / Pinterest

Blitz Organized By

All Who Are Lost Cover Reveal

All Who Are Lost by Lindsey Forrest

Series: Ashmore's Folly Trilogy: Book One

Cover Design: Robin Ludwig of Robin Ludwig Design, Inc

Genre: Contemporary Women's Fiction (Romance)

Expected Release Date: October 21, 2014

Summary:  

One man.


Too many betrayals.


Three women.


One last chance.

 

On a cold winter day, a woman calls a number halfway across the world.

A man answers.

After fourteen years, Laura St. Bride hears the voice she has never forgotten, the voice she will remember with her last breath…

What do you do


when the love of your life


is the last person you should love?

A great family estate in Virginia.

Three sisters growing up in the shadow of their father’s obsessive drive to recapture his lost muse, the woman he threw into the cold Irish sea.

The scion of an old family, falling in love with the wrong sister, blind to the ice at her core.

A woman haunted by a moment of blood and violence, when she reached out and took a man who didn’t belong to her.

A man living a life of regret and sacrifice, given a second chance to claim the woman he should have loved all along.

Excerpt:

I know you’re out there

somewhere....

She stared out across a crowded London square, unknowing, unseeing, the serenity of her face captured in the flat surface of the theatrical poster. The light noon rain ran down in small diagonal rivers across her, crinkling the smooth plain of her forehead and the gentle cut of her jaw. She wept, large, abandoned tears that warred with the lovely turn of her mouth.

The Great Cat, they called her.

Many of those who had come to Leicester Square, hunting for half-price theater tickets,

gravitated to her, beckoned by her eyes, lured on by the legend of mist and mystery that surrounded her. A few balked at the price of “An Intimate Evening with Cat Courtney.” Others realized to their sorrow that they had conflicting tickets, meals planned with in-laws, flights to catch. Three nights only, announced the poster, and this, unfortunately, was the last night.

She smiled out at them all, oblivious to their concerns, uncaring of the rain wetting her face.

The American tourist who came walking into the square, his daughter by his side, did not notice her at first. The rain had stopped for a few minutes, and other matters engaged him: folding up a handy umbrella, glancing at his watch, reading a guide book over his daughter’s shoulder. For one minute longer, he remained merely a tourist on a much-needed vacation. For one minute longer, the Great Cat never crossed his mind.

But the Great Cat could wait, and for this man she would wait forever.

She had left him a decade before, both of them reeling from the blood of their folly, in a deserted cottage on a desolate shore on the other side of the world. Had she eyes to see, she would know him instantly.

Eventually, respite ended. Eventually, Richard Ashmore lifted his head, his eyes scanning across the theatrical posters, in search of an evening’s entertainment suitable for a young girl. The titles made little impression – Les Miserables, The Graduate, Noises Off – until he saw her and everything around her blurred into oblivion.

He knew her too, instantly.

Laura.

His worst mistake.

“Dad?” Julie touched her hand to his. “Do you think we can get tickets?”

“We can try.” Richard closed his fingers around hers, a talisman to ward memory off. “Don’t get your hopes up, Julie. Her concerts usually sell out.”

“Let’s ask over there,” suggested his daughter, pointing across the square to the ticket kiosk. “Maybe someone bought tickets and can’t go. Maybe someone dropped their tickets, and someone turned them in. Maybe —”

“Maybe, maybe, maybe,” he teased, but already he was allowing her to drag him across the stones towards the waiting queue.

They took their places in line. Julie was glowing with excitement, the happiest Richard had seen her since the morning before her grandparents had died. He was less optimistic. Others ahead of them had requested tickets, and the possibility of stray tickets lessened as they moved up the line. He sought to cushion her against disappointment by letting her plan the afternoon. They were only a couple of blocks from the National Gallery, or would she prefer to hop the tube for Harrods?

“Harrods,” said Julie immediately. “And tea, Dad.” She leaned in against him to look at his guidebook. “I have my birthday money from Lucy. I want to get something to wear to the concert.”

“Keep your money, kitten.” He wished that they had never seen the poster. Selfish, yes, but if meeting her eyes in a poster disturbed him, how would he feel to see her again, even in the black anonymity of an audience? Better not to know, better to go back to an occasional evening of listening to her songs in the dark and trying to make some sense of what had happened.

And Julie had endured enough recently.

They were second in line now, behind a couple attempting to get tickets to the latest Andrew Lloyd Webber. Good luck, thought Richard, who had tried for three months. They bought him a few minutes of reprieve while they settled for a sex comedy instead.

“Two for Cat Courtney,” he said, and if the gods had been with him, just this once, he would have been told in that inimitable British way, Sorry, sir, but that show has just sold out....

“Yes, a few tickets have been turned in,” and his fate was sealed. He and Julie looked at the seating chart. She sparkled as she so seldom did, and as he paid for the tickets he thought that he would bear any pain, any guilt, to see that look on her face.

“Those are good seats,” said the man behind him, another American from the sound of him.  I’ve seen her before, and she’s worth twice the price.”

Julie forgot her usual shyness with strangers. “I can’t wait! I’ve wanted to see her for so long —”

A woman with a Southern accent said kindly, “You know, darlin’, you’re just the picture of her.”

“Thank you,” said Julie. “I’m glad I am. She’s my aunt.”

And Richard Ashmore looked at the tickets and realized, with a shock, that it was June 9, and he had been married for seventeen years.

In his life, Richard Ashmore had made three mistakes with women. Not that three was so unusual; no man reached his thirties without suffering the particular pain that women could inflict and without inflicting it in return. He was luckier than most men, perhaps, for he had erred early and grievously, and caution had been driven into him like a bullet. He carried with him permanent reminders of his follies: a marriage gone disastrously wrong, the painful conscience that he had not always been the upright man his daughter loved, a shoulder that ached in cold weather.

Ah, Diana, unattainable once attained, a monumental mistake made in all the first flush of adolescent desire and pride. Too young to marry, too blindly in love to recognize the ice behind her eyes, he had turned a deaf ear to his father’s warning that his princess was hollow at her core.

Francie, silver-quick smile and hungry eyes, and his own need for the warmth of a woman’s arms. The dangerous combination of a magnum of champagne on New Year’s Eve and three years of exile from his marriage bed had erupted into a springtime of madness. The gods had demanded their due: a marriage wrecked beyond salvage, a family foundered, two young women cast adrift.

And the third.... Oh, but even now, all these years later, he stood before her picture, and he still did not understand. She watched him from the poster, more animated in flat gray and white than he had ever known her. But he knew those eyes. He knew how they adored him, how they burned in fever and desire, how they haunted odd moments of the day and dark pockets of the night.

Diana. Francie. Laura the Cat.

He supposed he had a special weakness for shuttered eyes that invited a man in with promises implied and unkept, for wild autumn hair spread gloriously across a pillow, for tall, elegant figures and clear, sweet voices and beguiling, destructive ways. They all three had this and more in common, and why not? They were sisters, after all.

                                                                                         

About Lindsey Forrest:

Lindsey Forrest, a lead writer/editor for an international information company, writes about income tax but prefers to dream of heroes and heroines and grand romance.

With the publication of her trilogy, she checks off the top entry on her bucket
list. She lives in north Texas with her family and cat and has a five-year plan
for becoming a full-time novelist and editor of indie fiction. When she isn’t
working or writing, she amuses herself with reading, needlepointing, tramping
around historical sites and houses, and outbidding everyone who gets in her way on Ebay.

 

Follow the Author: 

  Website     |     Facebook     |     Twitter      |     Amazon Author Page 

Pre-Order Today:

Amazon US 

Business or Pleasure Cover Reveal

 

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – Business or Pleasure

AUTHOR – Ashley Ladd
GENRE – Contemporary GLBT Erotica
PUBLICATION DATE – August 22, 2014
LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 40,822
PUBLISHER – Totally Bound
COVER ARTIST – Emmy Ellis

 

 

BOOK SYNOPSIS

Guy Rogers is extremely attracted to his new realtor, Tom Beaudreaux. As a passionate vegetarian and animal activist, he’s ecstatic that Tom is a kindred soul. He could never be with a carnivore. Unfortunately, Tommy isn’t really a vegetarian or animal activist. He never said he was either, he just didn’t eat meat when he was with Guy. And maybe he emptied his house of all meat and dairy products before inviting Guy over. In fact, Tommy’s family owns the most popular barbecue restaurant in town and if his family has their way, he’ll manage the new location.

When Guy finds out that Tommy eats meat and his family owns a restaurant that is a monument to eating meat, he’s livid and doesn’t know if he wants anything else to do with Tommy.

But then Guy’s life gets crazy –his dad’s paranoia blossoms into violent dementia, he gets arrested for picketing a doggy mill, and then he winds up in even more legal trouble. When Tommy sticks by him through all his trouble and does everything he can to help him, Guy wonders if he’s been too militant and narrow-minded. Perhaps he can learn to live with people who have opposite views.

BUY & TBR LINKS

PUBLISHER – AMAZON KINDLE US – GOODREADS

EXCERPT

Gunshots rang out as they turned onto Guy’s street.

Tommy looked at him and mouthed, “Shit! You don’t think…?”

“I hope not. I don’t know.” Guy pressed the gas pedal to the floor and the car shot forward, fish-tailing.

Tommy fisted the door, hanging on tight. “I hope we’re wrong.”

Guy’s intuition told him he wasn’t. His knuckles turned white they held the steering wheel so tightly. Unafraid for himself but scared for his dad, he pulled into his driveway and jumped out of the car, with Tommy close on his heels.

The woman next door ran outside screaming, tearing out her already tattered hair. She pointed at her front door. “Your father’s shooting up my house and is holding a gun at my dad’s head. He’s going to kill him. You’ve got to do something.”

Tommy yelled as he began dialing on his phone, “I’m calling the police.” As if on cue, police sirens blared in the distance and grew louder by the second.

“I’m going in. I have to stop him.”

“Wait for the police. Don’t put yourself in danger,” Tommy ordered forcefully.

“I have to take the chance. He could kill someone before the police get here. I can’t let that happen.” He put himself in harm’s way for animals, so certainly he could risk his life for his own father and other fellow human beings. He had no choice. It would be his fault if someone got hurt.

So he ran through the open door flailing his arms, hoping he would be in time. “Dad! It’s Guy. Don’t do anything. I’m here. You’ll be okay.”

“He’ll be okay? What about me? He’s got a shotgun pointed at my head threatening to blow it off,” the elderly neighbor cried.

AUTHOR BIO:

Ashley Ladd lives in South Florida with her husband, five children, and beloved pets. She loves the water, animals (especially cats), and playing on the computer.

She's been told she has a wicked sense of humor and often incorporates humor and adventure into her books. She also adores very spicy romance, which she weaves into her stories.

How you can contact Ashley: Email Ashley At - chinara@aol.com

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS:

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – WEBSITE / BLOG – FACEBOOK

TWITTER – GOODREADS – SHELFARI

GIVEAWAY PRIZES

One -$20 Amazon gift certificate
One - Kindle copy of Business or Pleasure

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Organized By: 

Highland Burn Book Tour

 

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – Highland Burn
SERIES – Book one Guardians of Scotland
AUTHOR – Victoria Zak
GENRE – Scottish medieval paranormal romance (shifters)
PUBLICATION DATE – July 22 2014
LENGTH (Pages/# Words) - 186
PUBLISHER – Victoria Zak
COVER ARTIST – Z creations

 

 

BOOK SYNOPSIS

Will Love’s Flame Quench the Dragon’s Fire? …

The past never stays in the past, it rears its ugly head eventually. James the Black Douglas knows this all too well. With a past that has left him vengeful and his dragon blood thirsty, his reputation as a ruthless warrior haunts his enemies in their sleep. As his allegiance stands with Robert Bruce, the King of Scotland, he must now repay a debt to the king and agrees to marry his daughter, Abigale Bruce. The problem is he doesn’t want a wife. When flames start to burn out of control between him and the auburn-haired lass, he must decide to either kindle the flames of passion or shelter her from the truth and set her free.

It’s What Shines in the Dark That Brings Forth Your True Light…

Determined to keep his daughter safe and out of the hands of the English, Robert hides Abigale behind the safe walls of a nunnery. After eight long years of living her life in seclusion, Abigale is finally set free. But her new found freedom comes to an abrupt halt when she learns of her betrothal to the infamous Bogeyman – James the Black Douglas. She soon finds herself falling in love with the uncontainable and haunted man. Is her love enough to soften his hardened heart?

 

BUY & TBR LINKS

AMAZON KINDLE US – BARNES & NOBLES NOOK – GOODREADS

 

 

EXCERPT

Chapter one

“Fergus, the water is verra refreshing. Why don’t ye join me?”
The white stallion inhaled deeply then snorted, as he ate from a patch of lush green grass.
“Well, ye dinnae have to be rude about it.”
Long white hair with streaks of gray fell over his muscled neck as the fine steed shook his head and stomped his hoof. He pulled on a blade of grass, indicating that he was perfectly content grazing near the loch’s edge.
A slight giggle escaped her mouth as she splashed at her horse.
Abigale Bruce had ridden hard and fast through the glen most of the morn. Since her father’s recent successful victory over the English at the battle of Bannockburn, Abigale had been freed from the nunnery. Her excitement of finally being able to explore her new-found freedom was too much to hold back as she charged through the forest. Now she rewarded Fergus with a patch of grass while she cooled off in the loch. Oh how she cherished these moments; they were few and far between.
Eight long years at Dunfermline Abbey wasn’t the ideal place to grow up, but she had no choice in the matter. Her father, Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland, had placed her there in order to keep her safe from his enemy, the English. Throughout her time at the Abbey, King Edward, the King of England, had gotten close to capturing her a few times, but the small secretive community of nuns had held true to their oath and kept her hidden well.
Unhappy about the newly crowned King of Scotland, the English had captured Abigale’s step-mother, half-sister, and her two aunts, and had also beheaded three of her uncles. Humiliated, held prisoner behind iron bars of a bird cage, and hung from the Tower of London had been the women’s fate. Even though her freedom was taken away, Abigale knew it was nothing compared to what they had endured.
Abigale’s trouble had started as soon as she walked through the gates of the abbey. Robert Bruce had given Dunfermline Abbey a generous contribution to repair part of the church that had been attacked by King Edward. In return he requested that Abbot Benard take his daughter in and protect her. With such a gracious amount of coin given, the Abbot could not refuse. Therefore Abigale, at the wee age of ten, had been left at the abbey and placed in the cruel hands of Abbess Margaret.
Since Abbess Margaret was in charge of twelve nuns, she declared she had not the time to look after the wee brat, so she left Sister Kate in charge of Abigale. Abbess Margaret was a beautiful middle-aged woman with short, raven hair, and possessed the ability to inflict the cruelest of punishments. She watched and waited for Abigale to slip up so she could take pleasure in punishing her. Abigale knew why the woman hated her; she was jealous and thought it unfair that she had special treatment just because she was the king’s daughter.
Abigale was afforded a few exceptions to the rules. Because of her lack of interest in taking the vow to become a nun, she didn’t have to cut her hair like the other sisters. Furthermore, she could marry, and own property. Although there was one rule that had to be followed; she had to be obedient. And Abbess Margaret took great pride in punishing a disobedient Abigale. Sending Abigale on a daily pee pot cleaning always seemed to make the corners of her thin lips twitch. “Ye’re no princess, a bastart child who her own father has abandoned."
After a few missed visits from her father and daily tongue lashings from Abbess Margaret, Abigale started to feel pushed aside and abandoned, yet her spirit held firm.
Sister Kate had kept a watchful eye on Abigale, keeping her work-load full so she would stay out of trouble, but trouble seemed to follow her wherever she went as if she was born into it. Abbey life wasn’t the life for her. She grew to hate the prayer bells, for they rang eight times during the day starting at the wee hours of night. The blasted bell would ring either when she was sound asleep or assisting a monk in surgery. More times than not she was late to prayer and being tardy was frowned upon. The consequences were harsh, in fact they were harsher than falling asleep during worship. Abigale knew this all too well; she had fallen asleep in a choir stall one night. Sister Kate had been the circator that night, pacing up and down the aisle as she shined her bright cresset lamp into the stalls checking if anyone had fallen asleep. A sharp point with a stick to her ribcage had woken Abigale up quickly. Of course she got a rap on the legs for that one. Thank God it was Sister Kate, for she showed her mercy.
Now that she was home, her father was more than ever adamant about keeping his family safe. He vowed to never allow another Bruce woman to be captured by the filthy Sassenach. Just as Abigale thought she’d regained her freedom, here she was once again with it ripped away from her by an arranged marriage to her father’s first in command. Who better to protect her than the Bogeyman himself?
Trepidation crept over her, sending a shiver through her body as she thought about the man her father had arranged for her betrothal. “The Black Douglas,” she thought. A man with a reputation that would make the Devil himself shudder with fear. A ruthless warrior who had fought in many battles with her father. The English feared him terribly, making up nursery rhymes warning their wee bairns to “hush before the Black Douglas will get ye”. She’d never met the man before, but the deal was done. Her father had arranged the marriage and Abigale was to abide by his orders.
Abigale turned to Fergus who was chewing on a blade of grass. “At least ye don’t have to marry the Bogeyman.” She shuddered. Saying it out loud made it all too real.
For a moment she wondered just what the Black Douglas would look like. Could her father be so cruel as to wed her to an evil, battle-worn old man? Nay, who could possibly be scared of an old man? Then again, a warrior’s reputation lived on even after death. Or mayhap he really was a monster of some sort, a mythical creature of the night that lurked under your bed waiting to nip at your heels. Abigale was letting her imagination get the best of her. Shaking those thoughts from her head she dipped down into the coolness of the loch, washing away every bit of worry. Today was her day and she was going to enjoy the peace that the loch gave her before it was taken away from her.
Coming back up she lay her body out flat to float on top of the water’s surface. Her light linen shift clung to her petite body, long dark auburn hair spread out and floated with the ripples of the water. Closing her eyes, she opened her arms out wide allowing her fears to fall from her body and sink to the bottom of the loch.
A snapping of twigs alerted Abigale that she wasn’t alone. Quickly she dipped her body down into the water to hide from what was lurking in the woods. Panic pricked up her spine as she searched the glen’s wooded edge for some kind of movement. Nothing… no movement at all. It must be a small animal frolicking through the thicket. Another snap. This time it sounded too close and too loud to be a small animal.
Abigale turned and faced Fergus.
Ears pointing in the direction of the snapping sound, Fergus let out a gut deep neigh.
“Ye heard that too?” she whispered, trying not to draw attention to herself. Abigale slowly moved toward the water’s edge, not making a sound. The last thing she needed was to be attacked by a wild animal or worst yet… a rogue Highlander.
Dripping wet and cold, Abigale stepped out of the water and headed straight for the huge boulder covered in green moss where her dress and her dirk lay. If instincts had taught her anything, it was to never let your guard down and never leave home without your dirk.
A third snap sounded like it came from behind her and way too close. Taking a steady breath, she grabbed her dirk and spun around to meet her attacker face to face. Lunging the blade forward she pointed it at his throat, the tip inches away from piercing it.
“Och lass, I will no hurt ye.” A massive six-foot-four man with vibrant amber eyes stood before her with his hands up in surrender.
Abigale arched a dark brow over deep blue eyes. “How do I know I can trust ye?”
“I have no weapons on me… frisk me if ye dinnae believe me.” With a sly grin he turned around with his arms in the air inviting her eyes to gaze upon every inch of his muscular body.
Abigale took him up on his offer, for she could not will her eyes off him if she tried. Following his every move, her body became alive. Her hands began to itch as she thought about running them down the corded muscles that lined his abdomen. Hulking arms shimmered in the sunrays as if they had been kissed by the sun and she wondered how his arms would feel wrapped around her body. As he turned around, long black hair hung over his big broad shoulders and stopped at his shoulder blades. His lower back tapered in to a firm backside which was covered in a black and gray plaid. Funny… she had a sudden urge to squeeze his buttocks. God could not have forged a more perfect man, she thought.
Being ten-and-eight, innocent, and sheltered behind the walls of the nunnery, she hadn’t had much of a chance to explore the ways of men. In fact if she wasn’t praying, she was in the infirmary mending men severely wounded from battle, or ill. Sister Kate’s nagging voice reminded her that “Ye only have room for one man in yer heart and He would never steer ye wrong.” Only if Sister Kate could see this man standing before her now, even she would blush.
“Ye should no be sneaking up on me like that.” Abigale lowered the dirk, but still kept her grip tight.
The alluring man crossed his massive arms in front of his bare chest. “I was taking a rest while out riding when I saw ye over here. Ye know a bonny young lass like yerself should no be oot alone without an escort.”
“I can take care of myself just fine.”
“Aye, I can see that.” He rubbed his throat.
She stood shivering from the cold or mayhap from the intensity of his gaze; she needed to retrieve her clothes before she caught her death. Then she remembered that she was wearing a thin shift. Surely he could see right through to her naked body? Quickly with her free hand she tried to cover her breasts and still have some dignity. “Would ye kindly turn around now so I can dress?" She motioned with the dirk for him to turn around.
He turned, giving her privacy to dress. “That’s a fine horse ye have there,” he said over his shoulder.
Abigale finished dressing and began to smooth the wrinkles out from her dress with her hands. “That’s Fergus, he’s a gift from my da. A true warhorse."
Of the few times her father had come to visit her at the abbey, and there were only a few, she remembered the day when he had brought Fergus to her as a gift. A gift perhaps but more like a peace offering for being absent for over a year. Abigale forgave her father, and the white charger quickly became more than a horse, he was a friend.
“Ye may turn around now.” As Abigale glanced up, her heart skipped a beat as amber eyes pierced her, sending a rush of heat through her body. She licked her lips and struggled to swallow past a dry throat. How could this man, who she had never met before, make her hunger for something that she had not yet had? Feeling uneasy, she broke their stare and quickly searched for her shoes.
“Are ye a Highlander?” What kind of a question was that? Of course he was a Highlander… that was a plaid he wore. Way to go, Abigale Bruce, he must think I’m a real dunderhead.
“Why do ye ask?”
“That is a plaid ye wear? “Abigale leaned against the boulder and bent down to slip her shoes on.”
“Aye.”
“Then ye must be a Highlander.”
Indeed the ways of Highlanders were much different from the English-influenced ways of lowland men like her father. Still both parties had fought for Scotland until the crown and riches were in their grasp. Some would say that greed was the root of all evil. Abigale thought differently. The crown was the root of all evil. Men fought for it, killed for it, and sold their souls for a taste of the crown and the power it held. The crown grew evil in men and she knew that all too well because it was her father's own greed for the crown that left her abandoned at the abbey.
The unsettled nature of Scotland had left Abigale hardened. She’d seen firsthand the aftermath of battles fought; mended wounds, prayed over dead bodies, and even buried the dead. The nunnery where she grew up would set up tents to aid those wounded in battle. Abigale would assist in surgery and her passion grew for healing the sick and mending wounds. Life was to be valued, not destroyed.
In a way she blamed Lady Scotland for her misfortunes. Her father’s growing need to fight for Scotland had caused her to stay hidden, conceal her true identity, and grow up without a family. Her whole family had been affected by the battles fought for Scotland and the greed of claiming the crown. Though it was true she had long forgiven the Lady; she could not forget.
The Highlander seemed far away in thought, because he took a while to answer. “Some would say I’m a Highlander.” He approached Abigale. "May I?” The beautiful stranger reached for a piece of hair that was stuck to her face and tucked it behind her ear. He brushed a callused finger down her cheek to her slender neck leaving a fiery path trailing behind.
He held her stare and captivated her to the point that she could not form a coherent thought. Her body was no longer hers to control, her heart dropped, and desire pooled in her core setting her body on fire. This Highlander was so close to her she could feel his breath on her skin, she could smell his masculine scent and soon she wanted to taste his lips.
The mysterious man lowered his head, cupped his hand behind her neck, and pulled her close to him to claim her lips. Abigale drew in a deep breath in anticipation when suddenly a nudge from behind broke her trance. She turned to find Fergus.
“Fergus!” she scolded. “What’s gotten into ye?"
Another nudge by a wet gray muzzle almost sent Abigale to the ground until strong arms caught her around the waist. “I got ye lass,” he whispered in her ear.
For some odd reason the deep rich tone of his voice soothed her. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and leaned back against the warmth of his body. Wait… what was she doing? Abigale Bruce, you are to be married.
Quickly she slipped away from his hold and began to gather up the leather reins. “I should be getting back.” Observing the stallion’s actions, it was clear to Abigale that Fergus did not approve of the stranger.
Jumping up on the back of Fergus, she turned to face the Highlander. The man rubbed the back of his neck as if he was thanking the white horse for saving his arse from making a huge mistake.
She dared one last look at him before she rode off into the glen back to her father’s castle where she would prepare for travel to Castle Douglas and marry the Bogeyman. Her eyes roamed his massive body sketching everything about him to memory; his striking amber eyes, strong masculine jaw line, and the way his eyes strayed over her body. She did not want to forget this man.
If only she did not have to go. Mayhap she could run away with this beautiful man and avoid being married to a monster. Deep down, she was drawn to this mysteriously intriguing, charming and pure male Highlander. He made her think that for once she could be in control of her life and make her own decisions. In a way she envied his freedom. It did not seem fair that she had to marry a man who her father wanted her to marry. Shouldnae one marry for love? But then again, he was a stranger… a mystery. Before she ran away with fantasies she knew better than to think of, she squeezed her legs, sending Fergus into a run. She had to marry the Bogeyman.

 

AUTHOR BIO

Victoria Zak lives in the sunshine state with her husband, two beautiful children, and three furry friends. Before having kids, Victoria spent fifteen years in the veterinary business and volunteered in pet rescue.

“One of my most rewarding jobs was finding unwanted animals their forever homes.”
A writing career was the last item listed on her bucket list, until she discovered that she wanted to put her stories on paper and breathe life into her characters. Her love for Scotland, curiosity of history, and passion for romance has inspired her to write her first book, Highland Burn.

“Fourteenth century Scotland was a fascinating time in history. Not only was Scotland fighting for their freedom from the English king, their own people fought each other; clan vs clan. Though being a woman of the twenty-first century, I wouldn’t want to live in those unsettled times. But writing historical fiction paranormal romance allows me to escape into their world and breathe a fresh air of romance and magic into that era, which I love to do.”

Victoria loves to hear from her readers. You can connect with her through FB, Twitter, G+, and her website

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – WEBSITE / BLOG – FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE
FACEBOOK PROFILE - TWITTER – GOOGLE+ - GOODREADS

 

Tour giveaway

One e-book copy of Highland Burn
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Review of Payton's Pursuit by Joanne Jaytanie (The Winters Sisters Book 2)

Payton Winters is thrust into the position of CEO of The Winters Corporation after the sudden death of her parents. Confronted with the knowledge she was born with special abilities, she finds herself in the dilemma of being a grounding force to people who possess psychic powers. She has unwillingly become the mental anchor to the one man she wants no part of, Collin McBain. While on a routine mission, Collin is drugged, tortured, and injected with wolf DNA. Now believed dead, he is secretly assigned to the Winters Campus.

Faced with the reality that her life is based on half-truths, Payton is on a pursuit to uncover her mother’s scientific research. She desperately needs to understand why she and her two sisters were genetically altered before birth. Payton’s path to discovery is littered with danger as she finds herself embroiled in a world of secrets, lies, kidnapping, and murder. She struggles to understand the events of the past in order to cope with her future. Will Payton’s pursuit for the truth be her last?

REVIEW:

I really enjoyed the second book in the series.   It was just as good as the first one if not even better.  I could not put it down.  It is filled with action, mystery, suspense, murder, paranormal and even romance.  In this book we learn more about Payton and her sisters. After her parents sudden death, Payton is made CEO of The Winters Corporation.  She is in charge of the company and works long hours and does not take really good care of herself.  Payton takes her job seriously and looks out for her sisters.  The loss of their parents has really been hard on the sisters and they are just starting to move on. 

Payton starts having issues of passing out when she is around Collin.  She learns that she is the mental anchor for the one man she wants nothing to do with Collin.  Payton is upset with him for kidnapping her sister, Payton.  Once she accepts that Collin and her have a connection, she starts questioning and investigating her mother's research.  Payton wants to know the truth and questions everything they were told by their mother.  She wants to know why she and her sisters have these abilities and why they are starting to develop more now?

Collin is such a tortured soul.  He was injected with Wolf DNA and thinks his life is over.  He feels like he is losing himself and is afraid he is going to lose control and not get it back.  Collin and Payton's connection brings him peace and she helps him control his emotions.  In order to protect Payton, Collin pretends to be a friend when she goes on her road trip to the dog shows.  The trip brings Payton and Collin even closer and they bond and fall in love.  Then Braxton kidnaps Payton.  Will Collin and the team rescue Payton in time or will Collin lose control?

Joanne has done a wonderful job with this series.  I really love it. I love her writing and I love all the characters.  They just all connect.  Each book, you are learning more and more about the sisters.  The storyline is so fascinating and so are the characters and their abilities.  Having the team on the premises protecting the sisters just clicks with the story.  The ops team is so very special just like the sisters.  I think there is a lot more to the team and I am looking forward to finding out more.  I can't wait to read the next book in the series.  It should be awesome.  I can't wait to learn more about Willow and what her special abilities are.

You must read this series and her other books.  You will not regret it.  5 stars

I was born and raised in Sherburne, New York, a quaint village surrounded by dairy farms and rolling hills. From the moment I could read I wanted to explore the world. I slowly crept across the country, stopping along the way in Oklahoma, California, and finally Washington State, which I now proudly call home. I live with my husband and Dobermans, in our home located on the Kitsap Peninsula with a panoramic view of the Olympic Mountains.

I write paranormal and romantic suspense. I love writing about the twists and turns of my character’s lives, the trouble they find themselves involved in, along with building an everlasting relationship. I enjoy a wide variety of books including paranormal, suspense, thriller, and most of all romance.

I am a member of Romance Writers of America, and an active member of Debbie Macomber’s home chapter, Peninsula Romance Writers, where I currently serve as the President.

I have a Bachelors Degree in Business. I spent a number of years in business administration, thirteen of which involved owning our own forensic engineering firm. For the past thirty years I have trained and shown dogs.

I am very involved in the dog world. I have been the president of my local All-Breed Dog Club for a total of nine years. I was nominated as the first American Kennel Club Delegate for this club, and have held this position for nineteen years. I am a member of four other dog clubs and have served in a variety of board positions.

Author Links:

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Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7063660.Joanne_Jaytanie

Review of Chasing Victory by Joanne Jaytanie (The Winters Sisters Book 1)

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Victory Winters possesses an unusual innate sense of communication, bordering on
telepathic when relating to animals. She is a world-renowned geneticist, and based
on these facts, she is kidnapped by Lawrence Braxton. Braxton is the madman CEO
who runs Biotec, and forces Victory to pursue her research on canine DNA.

Naval officer Tristan Farraday is sent undercover to track Biotec's experiments.
These experiments involve the implantation of canine DNA into humans, thereby
manipulating their genetic makeup. The goal of Biotec is to create the perfect
soldier.

Murder, kidnapping, and blackmail follow as Tristan realizes Victory has been pulled
into Biotec's world against her wishes. She refuses to divulge the genetic
answers Braxton demands. Victory knows Biotec wants to exploit her findings, by
administering them in a destructive manner. Will Tristan rescue Victory from
this madman's grip and save her family? Can he keep her discoveries away from
enemy hands?

REVIEW:

If you are looking for a book with paranormal, suspense, mystery, action and romance, this book is for you. I could not put the book down.  It was so good and kept you guessing until the end what was going to happen next. There was so much action and chemistry between the characters that you couldn't help but fall in love with all of them.  I especially loved the sisters and the bond they shared with each other and the Dobermans.   I love the unique concept and storyline Joanne has come up with.  Victory  has a special ability of hearing really well and communicating telepathically when relating to animals. 

Victory witnesses the murder of her friend and runs to her sister Payton.  While with Payton she is kidnapped and threatened by Braxton.  He needs her for her research to create the perfect soldier.  When Tristan realizes that she is not involved and is being held against her will, he goes in undercover to protect Victory and stop Braxton.  Tristan and Victory bond and are able to communicate telepathically with each other once Victory get past not trusting him. I loved Tristan and Victory together. They were perfect for each other.  You could feel their chemistry and love for one another. 

Joanne has created the perfect characters with the perfect storyline.  You could feel each characters' emotions and what type of person they were.  The soldiers in the SOCOM team were well trained and worked really well together and had each others backs.  They have special abilities which made the story so much more interesting. Braxton was definitely an evil and hateful man who would stop at nothing to get what he wants.  I love Joanne's writing and her characters. I was happy to hear this book was part of a series. I am looking forward to reading the other sisters stories and more about the SOCOM team.

I highly recommend this series.  You will not regret reading it.  Joanne is an awesome writer and I am looking forward to reading more of her books.  5 stars


ARTHUR INFORMATION:

Joanne was born and raised in Sherburne, New York, a small village surrounded by dairy farms and rolling hills, and a wonderful place to grow up and call her hometown. She and her husband live in a beautiful home that is located on the Kitsap Peninsula with a panoramic view of the Olympic Mountains. Just a ferry ride away from Seattle. She has a Bachelors Degree in Business. Joanne spent a number of years in business administration, ten of which she and her husband owned their own forensic engineering firm. For the past twenty years she has trained and shown dogs, and is very involved in the dog world. Joanne is the President and AKC Delegate of her local All-Breed Dog Club. She is a member of the Seattle Romance Writers Chapter, and was the 2012 President of RWA’s Peninsula Chapter.


Author Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/joannejaytanie
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Blog:  http://www.authorjoannejaytanie.blogspot.com/
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7063660.Joanne_Jaytanie

Buy Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Joanne-Jaytanie/e/B00C3458YE/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Joanne-Jaytanie?keyword=Joanne+Jaytanie&store=book
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