SYNOPSIS:
Yes, I made a bet with my best friend—my now ex-best friend.
It had been a stupid, heat of the moment kind of thing. I’d just wanted to get
her out of my system and move one. Instead I’ve lived to regret it ever since.
I lost the girl I loved, a girl that possessed my very soul. Now I can’t even
get close to Natalie. She thinks all she ever meant to me was just the means to
the end of a stupid, stupid game.
…For a Bet!
In the span of one night I’d gone from thinking I had a
future with the man I loved to SHATTERED at his feet. I can’t get over it. The
pain is too strong, too destructive as it festers more and more inside of me.
And then my friend came up with the perfect revenge for both our broken hearts.
“I bet you…”
Those three little words gave me a reason to ball my pain up
and throw it back in Devlin Cutter’s face. I would let him back in, let him
think he had a chance with me once again. And then I would walk away, leaving
him broken and bleeding at my feet as he once had left me.
This time he would be the one SHATTERED.
REVIEW:
This book started off right in the middle of a hot love story between Natalie and Devlin, a famous rock star. But things suddenly crash and burn when it is revealed that actually a bet started it all! But even though Devlin began sleeping with Natalie on a whim, he actually fell hard for her and spends the rest of the book trying to win her back.
I loved Natalie’s feisty spirit!! Even though she is much younger than Devlin, she was no push-over. It isn’t easy being in love with a rocker but Natalie holds her own with the fans, the groupies, touring and all the pressure that comes with being in the public eye. And Devlin…swoon!! Sexy, smart, talented… but will he do what it takes to get Natalie back before it’s too late? I loved his Alpha ways and their scenes together are HOT HOT HOT!!
This was my first book in the series and I totally was at home with the cast of characters. There was plenty of background given on each rocker and I loved all of the band members and their significant others. If you are looking for a sexy, rocker book with lots and lots of steam, then The Rocker Who Shatters Me is for you. Terri Anne Browning writes a quick-paced, sexy and loving story and I am looking forward to reading her other books. Enjoy!
(*ARC provided by the author in return for an honest review.)
PROLOGUE:
been over hours ago, but the band still had another thirty minutes of meeting
fans. I tried not to let my irritation at the ten women and five men still
standing in line show on my face as I continued to do my job.
everyone to leave, so that I could wrap this night up and go out with Devlin.
boyfriend, doing what normal couples do rather than having to share him with
his fans? Well, I didn’t think it was asking very much.
days we hadn’t even had a few minutes alone, and it was about to drive me
crazy. I couldn’t even kiss the man I loved without having someone pop up on us
on the bus, or climb into bed with him at night without something coming up to
keep me out of his arms for the night.
think that fate didn’t want me and Dev together. But that was ridiculous. It
had taken us a long time to get to the place we are now, with us loving each
other rather than fighting our feelings. I was happy, and there wasn’t anything
on the planet that would keep me from being with Devlin Cutter.
realizing what I was doing I stopped and my eyes sought out the man in
question. He was sitting down at his table while the fans made their way from
Axton’s, then to Wroth’s, Zander’s, Liam’s and ending at his. He was smiling up
at some guy who was talking a mile a minute. That smile was one of my favorite
sights in the world, the way his aquamarine eyes crinkled at the edges and his
three day old beard hid the dimples that I was such a sucker for. His even,
white teeth stood out against his dark tan complexion and made me want to kiss
him to see if he still tasted like the toothpaste he’d used before taking the
stage earlier that night. My heart melted along with another part of my anatomy
when I saw that smile.
one of my best friend’s sister is dating my dad,” Harris complained as he
stopped beside of me.
down at him, trying to figure out if he was teasing me or if he was serious.
He’d always found something to tease me about over the last few years. He was
good friends with my little sister, Jenna, and I’d always had a soft spot for
Harris despite the fact that I’d seemed to always be in love with his father
from the moment I’d laid eyes on him. But this was a serious matter. If he
really thought that it was weird that I was dating his dad, then I wanted to
deal with it now.
at me, reminding me so much of his father that it was hard not to love this kid
as if he were my own. Yeah, now that was the weird part. I was twenty-two years
old to his fifteen. That was extremely weird to me. “Relax, Nat. I’m just
messing with you. I think it’s kind of cool that you are with Dad. He’s smiled
a lot more in the last few weeks than I’ve seen him smile in a long time.”
me and I punched him in the arm. “You are such a punk, you know that?”
that on a daily basis. But you love me anyway.”
true.” I punched him again and forced my attention back to the job at hand. I
still had things to do so that I could leave when Devlin was finished. “I’ve
got stuff to do, wanna help me?”
when I could go back to the hotel, order room service and watch newly released
movies?” Harris raised a brow at me like I was crazy for even asking such a
question. “Yeah, sure, why not? I can help you out, earn brownie points with
your sister, and make my dad think that I’m a good kid all at once.”
with Jenna?” I questioned as I lead him back toward the stage the band had
performed on earlier that night. “Why would you need to earn…?” I broke off
when I realized why he would want to. “My sister will never like you like that,
Harris.” There were plenty of reasons why I didn’t think that Harris and my
sister would be anything other than friends.
that I needed to know that Harris was wasting his time on Jenna.
realized when she was fourteen that she wasn’t into guys. Plain and simple. Of
course, I was the only one who knew that little piece of information, because
Jenna thought our mother would freak out at having a lesbian for a daughter.
Jenna wasn’t wrong. Stella Stevenson would probably disown her youngest
daughter if she ever found out about her gender preference.
total bitch like that. I hadn’t always thought that way, of course. When you’re
a kid you don’t notice the things adults would about someone. It had taken Jenna,
however, to open my eyes to our parent’s small minded bitchiness. When Jenna
had run away to find our brothers because she was tired of our mother putting
Drake down when Jenna would watch America’s Rocker every week and gush that one
of the judges was her brother, I’d seriously opened my eyes. It was then that
I’d realized that my brothers had never been the bad guys, had their reasons
for not wanting a relationship with me or my dad when their own mother had
died. It had all been my mother’s doing, and I couldn’t blame Drake and Shane
for turning their backs on my dad and me when my mother had forced our dad to
turn his back on them when they had needed him so desperately.
helping me it still took more than forty minutes to finish up all the after
show things that needed my attention so that I wouldn’t be as busy the next
night. When we were finally finished I gave the fifteen year old a hug and told
him to head on back to the hotel. Harris yawned and nodded. “I’m beat. Have fun
with Dad.” He grinned, flashing those damn dimples of his that were identical
to his fathers and with a wink left.
him walk away before I shook my head and lowered my gaze back to the list I had
in my hands, making sure I hadn’t forgotten anything. I was so lost in thought,
my eyes critical on the long list in front of me that I didn’t hear footsteps
until a pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind.
hair aside with his nose and placed an open mouthed kiss against the sensitive
flesh just under my left ear. “Miss me?”
his deep voice made me shiver and I rocked my hips back against him, delighted
at the feel of his hard growing against my ass. “More than you will ever know,”
I assured him as dropped my clipboard on the ground without caring if I’d
finished everything on the list or not. Turning in his arms I wrapped my own
around his neck, letting my eyes drink in the sight off his beautiful face
before brushing my lips over his in a teasingly soft kiss.
would, Devlin made a low grumbling sound deep in his chest, almost like he was
purring and unwrapped his arms from my waist so that his hands could tangle in
my long hair. His fingers locked my head into place so that he could take
control of the kiss and devour my mouth in a kiss that left me aching for him
in a way no one ever had before.
lifted his head, just an inch or two so that he could brush his lips over the
tip of my nose, I was breathing hard and rubbing my lower body against his
hard-on. “You ready to go?”
was more than ready, and going to some club where we would be surrounded with
countless strangers for a few hours was definitely not what I wanted to be
doing. “Can’t we just go back to our hotel room and make love?” I murmured,
placing my hands on his chest and tracing little hearts over each male nipple
through the material of his OtherWorld T-shirt.
brow at my request. “What happened to the whining girl that left my bed this
morning, complaining about me never taking her out?”
smiling I might have slapped his face. I hated it when he teased me like that.
But I could tease him, too. “I’m a woman, Dev, not a girl. Your woman,” I
murmured in a breathy whisper as I stood on tip toe so that my kiss damped lips
could brush over his ear, making him tremble just like I had earlier. “And your
woman has every right to change her mind a thousand times before she finally
decides to settle on what she really wants. And what your woman wants right now
is for you to take her back to our room and let her suck your dick.”
curse Devlin picked me up and tossed me over his shoulder. One big hand swatted
across my ass, making a loud smacking sound as he hurried for the closest exit.
“You are an evil little bitch, you know that Nat?”
up on my hand so that I didn’t get dizzy from the way he was carrying me. “So
you’ve told me a hundred times before. But you like it.”
fucking love it.” He was practically sprinting as he headed toward a row of
taxies waiting in front of the civic center, his long legs eating up the
distance in no time. I heard a door open and then he dropped me onto the bench
seat before climbing in after me. But instead of the address of our hotel he
gave the name of the club he’d mentioned over lunch earlier that day.
wanting to just go back to our room and have him sink deep into me for the rest
of the night.
chuckle he wrapped his arms around me again and pulled me against his side.
Right now I want to take my woman out and show her off at the club. Just like
you begged me for this morning.” His lips captured mine and his tongue snuck
out, licking my bottom lip until I opened for him.
kissing when the taxi pulled to a stop in front of a club with a line of people
all the way down the block. The driver cleared his throat loudly and Devlin
grumbled something against my lips before finally lifting his head and tossing
a hundred dollar bill at
the door and pulled me out behind him.
the sidewalk Devlin stopped and kissed me again. His long, raven black hair
fell forward, shielding us from the crowd that was lined up behind us. His
hands wrapped around my neck, telling me that he didn’t want me going anywhere
anytime soon.
loved him more than anything or anyone on the planet. He was the reason I woke
up every morning with a smile on my face, the reason I hadn’t already lost my
mind on this tour.
there getting lost in our kiss I couldn’t honestly say. When he finally lifted
his head, his aquamarine eyes were dark with passion and he was smiling.
“Later,” he promised.
sighing when I tasted him there. “Yeah, later.”
grasped my hand and entwined our fingers, pulling me toward the front of the
line where two huge bouncers stood with headsets sticking from their ears and a
clipboard.
shook his hand.
reached into his pocket and pulled out something before seamlessly passing it
over to the other man. Another hundred or two I was sure. Would I ever get over
the fact that I was now surrounded by money? Sure, I hadn’t grown up poor, but
we sure as hell hadn’t been rich by any one’s standards. Devlin didn’t carry
anything less than a ten dollar bill in his wallet. If he got a fives or ones
back he just gave them away.
drifted over to me and he smirked when he took in my kiss swollen lips. I shot
him a glare and then the finger, making Devlin laugh as he stepped around the
two bouncers and into the club, much to the loudly protesting of the people
still in line. I knew that look well. I’d gotten more than once over the last
few weeks. People knew who Devlin was, and they had never—not ever seen him
with the same chick more than once. When they looked at me they assumed I was
just Devlin’s piece of ass for the night and would be discarded come morning.
I got to do the smirking because I knew that I was going to be in my rocker’s
bed the next night and the night after and the night after that. He had
promised me that our relationship was something special to him. That what we
had would last because he cared about me.
been a declaration of loved, but it had been good enough for me. We’d only been
dating for a few weeks now, and I wasn’t in a rush. We had the rest of our
lives to say those three little words to each other.
moved straight for the bar. Devlin ordered a beer for himself and a glass of my
favorite wine for me. I loved that I didn’t have to tell him what I wanted. He
knew me well and always thought about what I wanted or needed, in and out of
bed.
were placed in front of us I reached for my glass but Devlin shook his head and
lifted it to his lips. With his eyes locked on mine he took a small sip before
offering the glass to me. My panties dampened even more than they already were
as I turned the glass so that I could put my lips where his had just been. As I
took my first sip his eyes darkened and he mouthed a curse before swallowing
half his beer in one gulp.
another drink of my wine and grabbed his hand. I didn’t need alcohol tonight. I
just needed him. “Dance with me?”
swallow, the bottle of Samuel Adams was empty and he followed me onto the dance
floor. For the next hour I wrapped myself around Devlin and let myself go to
the beat of the music. I’d always loved to dance, but with Devlin holding me
close even through the fast songs, it was an exhilarating experience.
kissed me from time to time, but never more than a brush of his lips over mine.
We both knew that if we kissed like we both wanted that we would end up in a
bathroom stall, and Devlin would hate himself afterwards. The one time that we
had done something like that he’d been pissed at himself for three days because
he respected me more than that.
meant more to him than a quick fuck in some dirty bathroom.
crazy, I finally let him led me from the dance floor to rehydrate. We sat at
the bar while he drank another beer and I sipped at my water and curled my
fingers around the ends of his hair. My own hair was a light brown, with a few
blonde highlights. It wasn’t as long as his, but there wasn’t very many people
who did have hair as long and healthy as his. He loved my hair just as much as
I loved his. When we were in bed, lying beside of each other, he would lift a
few locks of my hair and kiss them as reverently as if he were kissing my skin
when we made love.
forward and kissed me, deeper than he had in over an hour. The taste of beer
didn’t completely mask his own unique taste and I opened my mouth, silently
begging him to take more. When he did I knew it was past time we left. My panties
were drenched and I was throbbing between my legs for his attention.
Devlin stumbled against me. His hands caught me around the waist, righting us
both before I hit the bar. His eyes asked me if I was okay and I nodded before
he turned with a snarl to the man who had just pushed him.
asshole?” Devlin demanded as he faced Zander. “You nearly made me fall on my
girl.”
at the sight of Zander standing there. His glassy eyes told me he was drunk,
without having to see the further proof of it in the way he was walking. He’d
been drinking a more often over the last few weeks, even more so when Devlin
and I started seeing each other. I knew it was because of me and I hated it.
I’d never led him on, had always made it obvious that all we would ever be was
friends. That didn’t seem to matter to Zander, because he’d been nothing but an
angry bear to me and everyone else.
didn’t see you standing there,” Zander said with a sneer before turning his
attention back to the bartender and ordering a shot and a beer.
his fists at his sides and I could tell he was about to punch his friend.
had threatened to join the tour if they got into another fight, and I honestly
didn’t want to see more bloodshed between the two men. Stepping between Devlin and
Zander I put my hands on Devlin’s chest. “I’m ready to go, babe.”
lost some of their hostility when they landed on my face and I breathed a sigh
of relief. “Let me pay the tab, baby, and we’ll go.”
you off.” Zander tossed his shot of whisky back and slammed the small glass on
the bar top. Picking up his beer he turned toward us. Devlin was talking to the
bartender who had started his tab. I tried to ignore Zander, not wanting to
make Dev any more upset that he already was. The two had once been best friends
but now, because of me, they could barely stand each other. I hated that I was
the cause of the rift between them.
wrapped around my elbow and swung me around to face him. The smell of alcohol
on his breath made me blink a few times it was strong. “Stay and dance with me,
Nat.”
smile, not wanting to hurt his feelings. Until recently I’d thought we were
good friends. Now I wasn’t so sure. “I’m tired, Z. I just want to go back to the
hotel and go to bed.”
go back to the hotel and fuck Dev.” His words made me gasp in pain because they
had been like a slap in the face. I didn’t deserve for him to talk to me like
that.
figured once he had been in your pants he would move on. Must be some good
pussy.”
had been a slap the rest was a punch to the gut. I felt tears burn my eyes even
as confusion clouded my brain. “What do you mean, bet?” I demanded louder than
I’d intended.
Devlin wrap an arm around me as he turned back from paying our bill. At my
question, however, I felt him stiffen. Zander gave me a drunken grin and tipped
his beer bottle to his lips, making me wait for a response even as I felt
Devlin shifting behind me.
with Dev two months ago, babe. The one that he put his prized John Bonham drum
sticks up for grabs against my signed Geddy Lee bass.” Another drink of beer,
this one longer as his words burned like acid across my skin.
trembling as I grabbed the beer bottle from him and threw it on the ground
where it shattered and spilled what was rest of the contents across my sandal
clad feet.
if he didn’t know or just didn’t care that his next words were going to shatter
my heart. As if his words weren’t going to destroy me the point of no return.
“First one to bag you was the winner. Lucky for Dev, he now has my bass.”
fast I didn’t see the fist as he swung out and punched Zander. Zander stumbled
back, knocking three people down in the process. I just stood there, watching
with deadened eyes as Devlin jumped his best friend. I didn’t move out of the
way as Zander somehow rolled and started punching Dev in the head. The glass
from the broken beer bottle didn’t faze them as they rolled around, fighting.
and on. People moving quickly to get out of their way. A table was destroyed,
two chairs and numerous bottles and glasses. I remember watching a live MMA
fight with Linc once, and that was what the two men before me seemed to be
doing right then. They twisted at odd angels to get their punches in, didn’t
seemed to care if they fought dirty or not when Zander double punched Devlin in
the stomach then kneed him in the balls.
taboo with men? Never go for another man’s package?
pain but didn’t pause in his attempt to annihilate his friend. He gained the
upper hand in a move that I wasn’t sure possible for such a tall man and
started hitting Zander in the ribs.
through the crowd and tried to pull Devlin off Zander. He shrugged them off
like they were just bees that annoyed him. Two more stepped forward to help and
finally they were able to break the two rockers apart. Both were bleeding,
throwing curses at each other in a verbal battle now that they could do so with
their fists.
where I was, not even sure if I were breathing because the pain that was
ripping through me was so consuming.
My relationship with Devlin Cutter was nothing more than the product of Devlin
wanting to win some bet against his friend. All our nights spent in each
other’s arms, all his whispered words of how much he cared about me, worshipped
me… They were all lies. I was nothing more than a bet. Nothing. I was nothing
to him.
AUTHOR
BIO:
The USA Today bestseller 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. Started writing her own novellas
at the age of sixteen, 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. The Rocker… Series has since expanded to OtherWorld with Axton
Cage and his band members. Terri Anne lives in Virginia with her husband, their
three children, and a loveable Olde English Bulldog
Blog Tour – Forked (Frenched Series #2) by Melanie Harlow, Excerpt + Giveaway
Title: Forked (Frenched Series Book #2)
Author: Melanie Harlow
Genre: NA, Contemporary Romance, Humor
Release Day: October 20, 2014
Synopsis:
Twenty-eight year old Coco Thomas knows the recipe for disaster: 1) Agree to plan last-minute engagement blowout for spoiled Mafia princess before you realize her choice of caterer is Nick Lupo, a despicably gorgeous young chef with a hot new restaurant in town, a reality TV show victory, and a romantic past with you—one that did not end well. 2) Strike a deal with Nick in which you agree to spend a weekend with him in exchange for his services, under the strict conditions there will be no talking about the past, no second chances, and definitely no sex. 3) Violate all three conditions within 24 hours and spend two glorious days remembering what made you fall for the sexy, egotistical bastard in the first place, and why it hurt so much when he broke your heart. Add one road trip, plenty of good scotch, and endless spoonfuls of chocolate cake batter drizzled over your body and licked off inch by oh-my-God-yes-right-there inch, then just admit it. You’re totally FORKED.
My Review:
4 frothy and delicious stars!!
I absolutely love Melanie Harlow’s Frenched Series! The heroines are strong, witty, sexy and very relatable. Coco is thrown together with her ex, Nick, a well-known chef who broke her heart years before. She has never really gotten over him and it seems that even though he broke up with her, he isn’t over her, either. Melanie French writes sexy heroes who have a heart of gold, a strong romantic streak and who aren’t afraid of strong women. The sex scenes in this book are UBER-hot and sweetly romantic at the same time.
Sometimes you need a sexy, light and super-romantic book in between some of the darker, heavier reads, and Forked fits the bill perfectly. Put Nick and Coco on your reading menu, you won’t be disappointed!
(*ARC provided by the author in return for an honest review)
Buy Links:
Excerpt
Smiling gleefully, I hopped up on the counter while he filled two cake pans with batter, tucked them into the oven, and set the timer. “Twenty-five minutes.” Grabbing the mixing bowl, he set it next to me. “And I know exactly how I want to spend them.”
Peering into the bowl, I was delighted to see it still had plenty of batter left in it. He took the spatula, scooped some off the side of the bowl, and I thought he was going to feed it to me, but he didn’t. He smeared it on my thigh.
And licked it off.
S l o w l y.
At the feel of his hot tongue on my leg, my stomach tightened, and I held my breath.
Next, he pulled down a black lace strap of my tank, fully exposing one breast, smearing it with batter. My nipple was already hard and tingling, and when his lips closed around it, sucking off the chocolate, I gasped and arched, my fingers curling around the edge of the counter. He circled the stiff peak with his tongue, taking it between his teeth and biting gently before dragging his mouth up to my neck.
“Get down,” he breathed softly in my ear, one hand curling around my waist.
I let him pull me off the counter, my bare feet landing between his. Our mouths opened wide to one another in a long, deep, chocolate-flavored kiss. I slid one hand up the back of his neck and one down the front of his jeans, finding him hard and thick beneath my palm. If I hadn’t been sure before about doing it again, I was now.
He lifted his mouth from mine. “Turn around and spread your legs.”
I turned around and he slid my boy shorts to my ankles. I wore nothing under them. Leaning forward, I braced myself against the counter and opened my feet wider, rising up on tiptoe. Expecting to feel his cock between my thighs, I was surprised by cool batter against my hot skin. He spread it on my ass and licked it off, making me giggle and moan in delicious agony. He rubbed it along the backs of my legs and knelt between them to eat it off, his fingers and mouth and tongue teasing and tantalizing me, inside and out.
Closing my eyes, I moved against him, torn between wanting to come just like this and wanting to feel him pounding into me from behind.
My body decided for me, growing hotter and tighter as I spiraled higher. “Nick,” I gasped, collapsing forward onto my elbows as colors danced behind my eyelids. He moaned, pushing his fingers deeper, and I came so hard I felt it in every muscle, every inch of my body reverberating with pleasure. My legs weakened, and it felt like he was holding me up with one hand and his tongue.
“God, you’re so wet. And I love your ass.” His breath was hot between my legs, his fingers gliding in and out of me. “I want to fuck you like this.”
“Do it,” I begged.
He got to his feet and I heard the glorious sounds of a belt coming undone, jeans being unzipped. Then he stopped.
“Fuck, I don’t have a— “
“I don’t care. I’m on the pill. Just do it.” I arched my back and looked back over my shoulder, hoping my body looked irresistible. “Please.”
He placed the tip of his cock at my entrance, sliding it in just enough to torture me. “Please what?”
“Please fuck me.” I tried to push back against him, make him give me more.
But he held me steady, using his hands on my hips to hold me where he wanted me. “I love the way that sounds coming out of your mouth,” he said, pushing deeper. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say it before.”
I smiled, exhaling with relief as he glided in and out. “I guess I was too shy to tell you what I wanted back then. Or maybe I didn’t know yet.”
“So tell me now.”
I looked back. “Fuck me. And don’t be gentle.”
He began to move my hips, his fingers digging into my flesh as he jerked me back onto his cock. “I was always so scared to be rough with you,” he said, the strain in his voice telling me how he struggled to keep control. “I never wanted to hurt you.”
“You won’t.” But each time he hit the deepest spot within me, I felt a sharp little twinge, and once or twice it was enough to make me gasp.
“Good. Because ever since I saw you today, I’ve been thinking about fucking you just like this.” He reached up and tore the elastic from my hair before fisting a hand in it and pulling so hard I cried out. “Tell me if you want me to stop,” he said through clenched teeth, his hips driving forward now in powerful thrusts that made my teeth clatter, “otherwise I can’t promise not to tear you apart.”
“I want you to,” I managed between hard, short breaths. “I want you to tear me apart. I want it to hurt.”
And as he cursed and groaned and fucked me so hard against his kitchen counter my skin would bruise, I was shocked to realize it was true—I wanted him to hurt me. Beyond enjoying rough sex, I wanted pain at his hands, wanted it bone-deep and razor-sharp. Wanted him to inflict damage on my body and make me feel unsafe, unsteady, unloved.
Safer that way.
Title: Frenched (Frenched Series Book #1)
Author: Melanie Harlow
Genre: NA, Contemporary Romance, Humor
Synopsis:
When Tucker Branch, playboy heir to Branch Bolt and Screw, screws and bolts a week before their wedding, Mia Devine wants nothing more than to crawl under her newly monogrammed sheets and plan a funeral for her dignity. But her friends convince her that bitter tastes better when it’s drowned in Bordeaux, so Mia grits her teeth and packs her bags, determined to make the best of her luxurious Paris honeymoon—alone. She never planned on meeting Lucas Fournier. The easygoing bartender’s scruffy good looks and less-than-sympathetic ear annoy her at first, but when she takes him up on his offer to show her around the city, she discovers that the romance of Paris isn’t just a myth. Nor is the simultaneous O. The last thing Mia needs is another doomed love affair, but since she only has a week, she figures she might as well enjoy la vie en O with Lucas while she can. But each day—and night—with Lucas is better than the last, and suddenly her heart is telling her this is more than a rebound fling. Is it just the seduction of Paris…or could this be the real thing?
Frenched Series Bundle: Frenched, Yanked & Forked
Title: Floored (Frenched Series Book #3)
Author: Melanie Harlow
Genre: NA, Contemporary Romance, Humor
Release Date: February 5, 2015
Synopsis:
Erin Upton is too embarrassed to tell the cops what she was really doing while her townhouse was burglarized, especially since the first officer on the scene is former nuisance next door Charlie Dwyer. Where’s the justice in the world when a neighborhood know-it-all grows up to be six-foot-three inches of solid muscle with gorgeous green eyes and a slow, sexy please-arrest-me-now-officer smile? It’s bad enough she’s wearing her robe and slippers—did he have to notice her fuzzy hand cuffs on the bathroom sink?
He’s arrogant as he ever was, which is fine by her—she’s too busy with her dance studio’s grand opening to make time for a man. But they keep crossing paths, and
when Charlie offers to help her put in new flooring at the studio one night, things go from hammering nails to hammering each other in a hurry. And about those hand cuffs…
They agree it’s a one-time thing. But when that becomes a two-time thing, then a three-time thing, Erin starts to wonder if maybe she and Charlie could be a life-time thing. Her best friends Mia and Coco found love in unexpected places. Is it finally her turn?
Preorder Links:
red, and her history with the naughty bits left in. Her stories are inspired by
a sense of place, an appreciation for the past, and unexpected pleasures in
life—especially the romantic kind. She lifts her glass to readers and writers
from her home near Detroit, MI, where she lives with her husband and two
daughters.
SOLDIER ON by SYDNEY LOGAN
Title: Soldier On
Author: Sydney Logan
Date of Publication: June 2014
Synopsis
Will his call of duty break both their hearts?
Losing her father in Desert Storm has left Stephanie James with a bitter soul when it comes to the military. As a college senior juggling a full course load, Steph’s only goal is to graduate with honors at the end of the semester. She’s focused, determined, and a firm believer in all work and no play. Then she meets Brandon Walker at a New Year’s Eve costume party. Despite his disguise, Steph finds herself attracted to the camouflaged soldier who curls her toes with a scorching midnight kiss.
Brandon is an engineering major and ROTC student from the hills of Kentucky. Growing up as the son of a major general has given Brandon firsthand knowledge of the struggles military families sometimes face. Now that his father’s memory is fading, Brandon is even more determined to make his dad proud and graduate as an officer in the United States Army. Then he meets Stephanie, and suddenly, his focus is less on his military service and more on the pretty brunette who has stolen his heart. When he becomes aware of Steph’s resentment toward the military, he worries their relationship is doomed.
Steph unexpectedly finds herself in need of a roommate. Brandon volunteers, thinking it’s the perfect opportunity to show her the real Brandon, before he’s forced to admit the truth about his four-year obligation to the army. Afraid that living together will be a distraction to graduating on time, Steph establishes house rules—rules they both find difficult to obey.
When faced with the realization that she’s fallen in love with a soldier, can Steph’s wounds from the past be healed with love in her present . . . and in her future?
Buy links
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1tz8fy9
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1xmEWUw
My Review:
If you are looking for a sweet, romantic military romance with a light dose of angst, then Soldier On is for you. This is a standalone story and will truly warm your heart and make your pulse race. Steph and Brandon are two wonderfully-written characters and I was rooting for them to make it from the very start! But Brandon (foolishly) is hiding a whopper of a secret from Steph that might spell the end of their very new and fragile relationship.
Brandon is a handsome, smart, driven and honorable guy and you would think he would be the perfect match for Steph. But she has a deeply rooted hatred of the military for her own reasons and he is scared to tell her the truth about himself.
This is a lovely book with a moderate amount of steam and a fast-paced storyline. The author has a beautiful writing style and handles some very heavy topics with great sensitivity and care. If you are looking for a fairly quick, heart-warming story, then Solider On is definitely for you.
(*ARC provided by the author in return for an honest review.)
Excerpt
Frat houses have libraries?
This one does, complete with ceiling-high bookshelves. Laptops line one wall, and a giant multimedia screen is attached to another. While all of it is impressive, nothing excites my book-loving heart more than to see the library ladder.
Secretly, I’ve always wanted to climb one—the tall ladders that roll from one end of the shelves to the other. Ironically enough, library ladders always remind me of Beauty and the Beast. Or the love scene in Atonement.
One of those movies is G-rated. The other most definitely is not.
Suddenly nervous, I look over my shoulder before making my decision.
YOLO. Carpe Diem. Whatever.
Slipping off my shoes, I reach for the ladder and slowly begin to climb. Sadly, this is the most adventurous thing I’ve done in a long time, and I can’t stop smiling. I’ve made it to the fifth rung when I hear someone clear his throat.
I hold on tightly and manage to turn myself around without falling off. When I’m sure I’m steady, I turn and find myself looking into the eyes of a soldier. Possibly Army. Maybe Marine.
Not that it matters. I accepted long ago that my hatred for anything military related is a little unhealthy, but when the service strips a girl of the privilege of knowing her father, it sometimes makes a person bitter.
I am the epitome of bitter.
This particular soldier is smiling at me, and I can’t lie, the smile is kind of beautiful. Despite that, my first instinct is to roll my eyes at his outfit. But then, I remember this is a costume party, and he probably just needed a quick and totally uncreative disguise.
“I don’t think this room is open to visitors,” he says, his tone soft and deep.
I wonder if that’s his natural speaking voice or if he’s just playing his role as a badass. The guy certainly looks like a soldier, dressed in his head-to-toe camouflage and smeared-on face paint.
“It was actually the only room that wasn’t locked, which is kind of stupid if you ask me. This is the one room in the house you guys shouldn’t want trashed. Drunken idiots could really do some damage in here.”
He grins, and my breath catches in my throat as he steps closer. I tighten my hold on the ladder, because a smile that makes a girl’s heart race isn’t the best thing when she’s trying to maintain her balance.
“I noticed you downstairs.”
Embarrassed, I glance down at my ridiculous dress. “I’m a little hard to miss in canary yellow. I’m going to kill Tessa—”
“That’s not why I noticed you.”
Before I can ask why he noticed me, shouts erupt from downstairs.
“Ten, nine, eight . . .”
“Do you have someone to kiss at midnight?” he asks.
I simply shake my head. He steps closer, pinning me between his body and the bookshelf.
“You do now.”
Q/A with Sydney
Where do you find your inspiration?
People and music, mostly. Sometimes, like in the case with my novel Soldier On, I found a picture that served as inspiration and later, as the cover of the book.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
The most challenging thing is balancing writing and promotion. I’m not very good at it. It was easier when I only had one book, but the more I write, the harder it gets to juggle it all. I’m not complaining, because I love it, but that’s the biggest challenge for me.
What are your current projects?
I’m getting ready to release a holiday collection of short stories titled Once Upon a December. It will include two previously published Kindle short stories along with a new short story. It will release on November 28. I’m also working on my fourth novel.
Tell us about your first book. What would readers find different about the first one and your most recent published work?
About Sydney Logan
Amazon best selling author Sydney Logan holds a Master’s degree in Elementary Education. She is the author of three novels – Lessons Learned, Mountain Charm, and Soldier On. Sydney has also penned several short stories and is a contributor to Chicken Soup for the Soul.
A native of East Tennessee, Sydney enjoys playing piano and relaxing on her porch with her wonderful husband and their very spoiled cat.
Website: http://www.sydneylogan.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@SydneyALogan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SydneyLoganAuthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5787300.Sydney_Logan
THE DUET by R.S. GREY
Title: The Duet
Author: R.S. Grey
Release Date: Nov 8, 2014
Find on Goodreads
When 27-year-old pop sensation Brooklyn Heart steps in front of a microphone, her love songs enchant audiences worldwide. But when it comes to her own love life, the only spell she’s under is a dry one.
So when her label slots her for a Grammy performance with the sexy and soulful Jason Monroe, she can’t help but entertain certain fantasies… those in which her G-string gets more play than her guitars'.
Only one problem. Jason is a lyrical lone wolf that isn’t happy about sharing the stage—nor his ranch — with the sassy singer. But while it may seem like a song entitled ‘Jason Monroe Is an Arrogant Ho’ basically writes itself, their label and their millions of fans are expecting recording gold…
They’re expecting The Duet.
MY REVIEW:
I loved this book!! Brooklyn and Jason are forced to write and record a song together, but there’s one tiny roadblock in their way – he can’t stand her and she feels the same way about him! Jason is a broody, folksy musician whereas Brooklyn is a “pop princess”. But she actually writes all of her own songs and is really a very warm, smart, funny, sarcastic woman who is lonely and wants to really experience love, not just write about it. Jason only sees the stereotype and is very judgmental toward her at first.
The Duet is very funny, witty, sexy and just plain un-put-downable. The author makes tons of pop culture references and give the reader lots of sneak peeks inside the business of producing popular music. The banter between Jason and Brooklyn is absolutely priceless and the story never sinks into sentimentality but instead stays fresh, modern and very, very witty.
Jason and Brooklyn begin a no-strings-attached sexual relationship which of course turns into much more for Brooklyn. I absolutely loved the sexy times between these two and I loved watching Jason’s douche-y, “asshole-ian” (no, not a word!) facade slowly change. But he is hiding a whopper of a secret and I was sitting on the edge of my seat to see how this would play out.
The Duet is for sure a romantic comedy but it is much more. It is about accepting who you are, being true to yourself, always being honest and the importance of keeping your heart open to love. I love R.S. Grey and am totally excited to see that Brooklyn’s sister Cammie, a brilliant architecture student, will be getting her own story with Grayson, one of Brooklyn’s best friends! Bring it on!!
The Duet will be priced at $2.99 for two days post-release, then the price will bump to $3.99!
The M Lounge was the hippest and most discreet club in LA. If there was any hope of me locking down a one-night stand, M Lounge was the place to go.
“I can’t drink much tonight because I have that meeting with my record label in the morning,” I warned as we passed through the back entrance to the club and headed up a set of stairs that were used exclusively for the VIP level. Fun fact: one time I was going up those stairs when P. Diddy was coming down, and he totally touched my ass. Allegedly.
“Just to clarify: if you’re begging me for tequila shots at midnight, threatening to kill my first born if I don’t give them to you, I should still tell you no?” Cammie asked, just to ensure the boundaries were set. Better safe than sorry.
“That was one time and it was in Cabo,” I protested. “What else are you supposed to do in Cabo other than challenge a mariachi band to a tequila shot contest until the lead singer passes out beside a donkey?”
Cammie held up her hands and started listing off items. “I dunno— enjoy the beach, check out the museums and the culture—”
“That was a rhetorical question,” I interrupted as we made it to the top of the stairs.
As if by magic, the black curtain in front of us swept to the side, opening up an entire room of drunken debauchery before us. In one corner, a celebrity who shall remain nameless (we’ll call her Nennifer Janiston) was sucking face with a sexy man, and across the room two of the funniest women in comedy were doing body shots off of a waiter from the club.
“Welcome to the behind the scenes of Hollywood,” I whispered to Cammie.
I am a lover of books, chocolate, reality TV, black labs, and cold weather. Seriously, if I had it my way, I would be curled up on the couch with all of those things… everyday.
I live in Texas where I spend my free time writing and reading. My favorite authors include Mindy Kaling & Jonathan Safran Foer. I'm a comedy geek and love all things "funny". Women like Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Mindy Kaling are definitely the biggest inspirations for my writing, though I think my work tends to skew a bit smuttier than theirs.
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