Kelly Elliott is married to a wonderful Texas cowboy who has a knack for making her laugh almost daily and supports her crazy ideas and dreams for some unknown reason…he claims it’s because he loves her!
She’s also a mom to an amazing daughter who is constantly asking for something to eat while her fingers move like mad on her cell phone sending out what is sure to be another very important text message.
In her spare time she loves to sit in her small corner overlooking the Texas hill country and write.
One of her favorite things to do is go for hikes around her property with Gus….her chocolate lab and the other man in her life, and Rose, her golden retriever. When Kelly is not outside helping the hubby haul brush, move rocks or whatever fun chore he has in store for her that day, you’ll find her inside reading, writing or watching HGTV.
REMEMBERING EVERLY releases in one week and we’re participating in the read-a-long of FORGETTING AUGUST to get ready! Today is the fourth day of the read-a-long and we’re discussing chapters 17 – 22! Be sure to check it out below and enter to win a signed copy of the second book in the duet, REMEMBERING EVERLY!
Read an excerpt from this section:
“Isn’t that Ghirardelli?” he asked, as several people stepped out of the famous chocolate store.
“It’s one of them, yes. The one that everyone always goes to is down a bit farther, or down the stairs, if you go inside there,” I pointed, remembering how badly my feet had hurt the day we’d walked nearly every inch of the city in our quest to be the best damn tourists San Francisco had ever seen.
“You didn’t forget!” I exclaimed as we turned a corner and the huge lit up Ghirardelli sign filled up my vision.
“Of course I didn’t. When my woman demands chocolate— I deliver.”
Jumping into his arms right there in the middle of the street, I wrapped my arms around him like a lovesick teenager and said,
“My hero.”
He’d always be my hero.
“So, do you want to stop in and get something?” he asked, pausing by the entrance.
I looked up at the sign, just barely visible at this angle and then back down at him. Closing my eyes briefly, I shook my head.
“No,” I answered. “I think we’ve relived enough today.”
And then I walked away.
He was my hero, no longer.
Favourite Quotes
“I could see it. Life with Everly. Despite everything, I could imagine it. Her in my life, in my bed. It would be as easy as taking my next breath.”
“August had always had a power over me, a certain hold, and it had never been more evident than when he stood behind that mighty desk, like a king surveying his kingdom.”
“You think I like seeing you show up like this? All wrecked and destroyed over another fucking guy? Do you think this pleases me somehow? Jesus, Everly— if I ever pictured you coming through that door again, it certainly wasn’t like this.”
Discussion Questions
Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
If you were going to explore the place you currently live – doing touristy things you’ve never done before, like August and Everly decide to do with San Francisco – what is the first thing you would do?
I would head to the Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton. It is literally like 10 minutes from me, and I think I may have gone once when I was little. It is “a constantly evolving collection of superb contemporary outdoor sculptures.” It is absolutely gorgeous and I would love to just lose myself there. Not sure why I haven’t yet!
If you were Everly, would you go back to August? Or would you stay and choose Ryan?
*Sigh* I feel like the smart choice would be to choose Ryan… but he feels safe. And I just feel like there is something missing between them. The romance seems sweet and comfortable. So my gut is I would choose August. Even though I had negative memories, the feelings and emotions there are strong. And that is what would win over… the love there is true and strong and impossible to walk away from.
She can forgive, but can she forget? Some days, Everly still thinks she sees him. In the food court at the mall, or in a car speeding past as the light changes. It only lasts a second, but when it happens, she slips back to a time when she was ruled-and nearly ruined-by August Kincaid. And it doesn’t matter that she’s moved on, that she’s about to marry another man. In those moments the only thing she can do to regain control is take a deep breath and remind herself that August can’t hurt her-because he’s in a coma. Except that he’s not anymore.
August is awake. With no memories, he sets out to solve the mystery of his lost life. He unearths a photograph of a beautiful redhead named Everly and knows instinctively that she’s the key. But when he finds her, the August she describes is more monster than man.
Tortured by the thought of having hurt her, August wants only to become the man Everly deserves. As the new August emerges, Everly glimpses the person she first fell in love with. But can she trust that this August is real? When the final secret of their shared past is revealed, one of them will make a choice that changes their future forever . . .
About the second book in the Lost & Found duet, REMEMBERING EVERLY:
After two years in a coma, August Kinkaid has forgotten the darkness in his past. But his past hasn’t forgotten him. His beautiful former fiancée, Everly, remembers every tumultuous moment of their stormy relationship. The sizzling passion. The web of lies. And the terrible secret Everly’s been hiding since her last fateful night with August.
Now the truth is out and August remembers everything. As his long-buried memories come flooding back, he begins to understand why Everly would want to move on with her life. Why she would give her heart to another man. And why August should try to forget her once and for all.
But he can’t give up on the only woman he’s ever loved. Even if he has to reopen old wounds–and face the darkest demons of his past–August will do whatever it takes for a second chance with Everly. He let her slip away once. He’s not about to spend the rest of his life remembering Everly when he could be holding her in his arms forever . . .
REMEMBERING EVERLY releases April 5th! Preorder it now:
Author J.L. Berg is a California native living in the South. She is the author of the self-pubbed Ready series, which has sold over 100,000 copies. Married to her high school sweetheart. She and her husband have two beautiful girls that drive them batty on a daily basis. When she’s not writing, you can find her with her nose stuck in a romance book, in a yoga studio or devouring anything chocolate.
Title: The Glass Coffin
Author: Kelly Martin
Series: A Shattered Fairy Tale (Book #3)
Genre: Regency, Romance, Fairy Tale
Publisher: Blue Tulip Publishing
Gertrude “Trudy” Dodsworth wants nothing more than to be with the love of her life, William Haddington, Earl of Waverly. Her father, the evil “sin collector” Frederick Dodsworth, forbids the union and sends Trudy and her mother far away to a town called Everdale. While there, Trudy catches the eye of the roguishly handsome and very controlling, Lawson Stockwell–also an earl. He asks for her hand in marriage. Trudy reluctantly agrees for the sake of her mother who has fallen suddenly ill.
William Haddington has hit a new low. Once thought of as a virtuous man, William has fallen from grace. Laden heavy with guilt, he trudges through life carrying the burden that is his to bear. He set the fire that disfigured Nicholas Wellington, The Beast of Ravenston. William goes to Everdale to start over, become himself again, try to move on, but when he sees the love of his life, Trudy, arm in arm with another man, he falls back into the bottle.
When the “gifts” begin appearing on his doorstep, William has no doubt they are from Lord Ravenston, who is known to get revenge on those who hurt him.
With time running out and his love for Trudy tearing him apart, William must decide if he will give into his feelings for her or force her to hate him forever.
Only stalkers and men of ill-repute watched women from behind street corners and lampposts and carriages. William felt like both, but he could not keep her out of his sight.
He’d only just arrived in Everdale an hour before, and, to his surprise, he saw her immediately, Trudy, not fifteen paces away. He should have talked to her. Instead, he’d hidden.
William was a coward. He felt like a coward. He did cowardly things out of fear. Fear, his biggest weakness.
Fear made men do strange and peculiar things.
Fear made men travel hundreds of miles away from home to stay alive. Fear made men drink more than they should to forget the past — though William hadn’t drank in over five days, since he’d first left Darenset. And he felt it too. Every bit of him begged for a drink, only one, to take the edge off. Only one to chase the nightmares away.
Without the alcohol, William dreamed. In his dreams, he remembered everything. The fire. Lord Ravenston’s face. Losing Trudy. Blackmail by Mr. Dodsworth — a man even more evil than himself. Mr. Dodsworth was a ‘sin collector’, a man who collected the misdeeds of both the titled and commoners and used them against anyone he wished when the time suited him. Though William knew he shouldn’t judge. He had no way of being saved. What he’d done… He would never be forgiven. He didn’t deserve it.
He hadn’t meant to set the fire. No, that was a lie. He’d meant exactly to set the fire. Revenge and all. He’d just never meant for anyone to get hurt.
The fact that someone had, Nicholas Wellington — the Beast — well, it was fitting. William knew he’d never be forgiven. Not for the fire or what he’d done to his best friend, Vaughan, Earl of Brighton.
But, even with all that, even with the fact that he knew he’d spend his eternity in hell, William made the conscious decision to not drink — to try, try, to do good. He might never, in his mind, make it to the Pearly Gates, but he would do his damnedest to never hurt another living soul.
He never should have chosen Everdale; he knew that now. Not after he saw her. He should have hopped right back on the first carriage out of town and headed… somewhere. Anywhere. This was supposed to be a place to start over, refresh, and move on.
How could he move on with her beautiful face taunting him?
So, he crouched behind carriages and behind corners, watching, waiting, and gawking.
The first time his gaze had slid passed her, he hadn’t recognized her.
Gertrude — Trudy — Dodsworth had become more of a lady since that fateful night six months ago. Her long red hair that had always lain in unruly curls, the tresses he wanted so much to run his fingers through, to pull her toward him and take her lips on his, was piled atop her head like all the proper ladies. William understood pomp and circumstance. He understood the ways of the world, more than most. However, he missed seeing those wild locks. The girl who, though wealthy and well-brought-up, always had a wildness about her. But not around her father. No, she was too smart for that. Frederick Dodsworth would have scared the devil. He sure as hell scared William.
Around her father, Trudy was the perfect lady. Around William, it was completely different.
In Darenset, their encounters had come about unintentionally at first. They’d run into each other, literally, as he rounded a street corner on the way to Vaughan’s residence, and she’d come bounding around the other direction. She’d ended up on her bottom. William had wound up red-faced and apologetic.
Then, the most wonderful thing had happened.
She’d laughed.
A proper young lady, laughed at him — not at him. Not like he’d done something wrong, but a light-hearted chuckle. People around them had stopped and stared, but the girl hadn’t seemed to mind. She’d taken William’s extended hand, and he’d pulled her upright.
He’d found out later that she’d escaped her chaperone because she’d only wanted a few minutes to herself. Her father wouldn’t allow it. Trudy had always assumed he’d been afraid someone would hurt her. William figured it was because he had to control every single situation. Even his daughter.
Especially his daughter.
Time went on, and they continued to run into each other. William found that he looked forward to those meetings most in the world. Not the ones with the important folks that he had to attend. No, he daydreamed about Trudy, about pulling her into his arms, about things he knew he should not even consider.
Then came her ball, her coming-out party. And William had never felt more alive… and more scared. He’d known it meant that she’d start courting. Other men would be able to meet her, unless he asked her father for her hand. William had a title, a good title, anybody — well, most people — would love their daughter to marry above her station.
Not Mr. Dodsworth.
The answer had sullied William’s spirit, and he’d done something he never in his life imagined he’d do; he had set a blaze to Dodsworth’s textile factory.
Kelly Martin writes paranormal, contemporary, historical, and YA fiction. She has been married for over ten years and has three rowdy, angelic daughters. When she’s not writing, she loves taking picture of abandoned houses, watching horror gamers on YouTube– even though she’s a huge wimp– and drinking decaf white chocolate mochas. She’s a total fangirl, loves the 80s and 90s, and has a sad addiction to paranormal TV shows. {Basically, she likes creepy stuff.} Her favorite characters are the very flawed ‘good guys’–and ‘bad guys’ who don’t know they are evil. She loves giving her readers books with unexpected twists and turns, but (here’s a hint) most of her books have the ending spelled out in the first chapter. See if you can figure it out.
If you ever have a question or comment, feel free to email her at kellymartin215 @ yahoo . com ♥ You can follow her writing adventure at http://www.kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com
“We need to keep moving, I don’t have time to explain this over and over to you. I can’t penetrate your naive little brain any more than I have.” His Adam’s apple bobs, and he grips my cuffs, pulling me after him.
“Why do you have to be such an asshole!?” I yank back on the cuffs to get his attention.
Looking over his shoulder, he jabs, “I guess you just bring it out in me, Rookie.”
That stung.
We walk for what seems like forever, and not one car drives by. The moon is high in the sky, and the wind is beginning to blow with a chill that has me shrinking into myself to keep warm.
My emotions are a mess. I don’t know what to accept as truth, and what is a lie. I’m always so sure of everything, until Zeek walked in my life. Now, I know nothing about nothing.
A shiver trembles from my lips causing my teeth to clatter. Zeek looks over his shoulder and stops.
“You cold?”
“I’m fine.”
Ignoring me, he shimmies his leather cut off.
“Here, this will help.”
I shake my head and hold my cuffed hands up.
“No, really I’m fine.” The last thing I want is to wear the insignia of the club that just offed one of my family members.
His face hardens, his eyes narrowing in on me.
He grips my upper arm turning me forcefully, and places the warm leather on my back. The smell of cologne, worn leather, and a hint of mint cocoon me in a blanket of danger. I find it comforting, the lingering scent a warning of adventure and risk. It’s no surprise I crave an adrenaline rush, and Zeek is a non-stop high.
Peering up under my lashes I catch Zeek looking me over hungrily, the look in his eyes anything but earnest. They’re hooded and trailing up and down my body unforgivingly.
He’s a biker. She’s a Sheriff.
She’s in his world now, even if she doesn’t want to be…
The conclusion of Zeek and Jillian’s epic biker romance releases April 4th!
I’m an outlaw. I don’t fall in love and I sure as fuck don’t run… Until Jillian McAdams.
I fell for a law abiding Sheriff, breaking my vows to my own club, and turning her against her family of blue.An outlaw and a sheriff, it can only end in one way… Mayhem.
Now we both have to pay the ultimate price for betraying our families.
I swore to kill my brother, his allegiance sworn to another club, if I ever saw him again.
Yet here I am running to him in hopes to save Jillian’s life…
We both will have to rewrite the rules we know to stay alive.
Even if it means we lose everything we had in doing so…
M.N. Forgy was raised in Missouri where she still lives with her family. She’s a soccer mom by day and a saucy writer by night. M.N. Forgy started writing at a young age but never took it seriously until years later, as a stay-at-home mom, she opened her laptop and started writing again. As a role model for her children, she felt she couldn’t live with the “what if” anymore and finally took a chance on her character’s story. So, with her glass of wine in hand and a stray Barbie sharing her seat, she continues to create and please her fans.
You think you know me? Manwhore. Partier. Fighter. You know what? You’re right. I’m all those things. F*ck with what’s mine and I’ll f*ck you ten times harder. Suspensions. Arrests. You think I care? So yeah, I may fit the bad boy image, but there’s so much more you don’t know. I’m loyal to a damned fault. I’ll never leave your side. The real Logan Kade isn’t a manwhore. When I love, I love hard and completely. Taylor saw that side of me. Inside of me. She saw my darkness and pain, and the second she did, she owned me. You may think you know me… …but she’s the only one who sees me.
EXCERPT
The fight was on.
“No, no, no!” Jason shoved his way through the crowd. “Cops have been called,” he yelled. “Everyone scatter—”
Before he finished talking, sirens began to wail. They were faint, still in the distance, but he was right. They were coming.
Douchebag One reared back. He was going to hit Kade.
“Stop!” I yelled.
Kade heard me and turned to look. I pointed behind him. Before he turned around, he ducked, and Douchebag One’s arm went over his head. Kade caught it, twisted around, and rammed his elbow into the guy’s gut. He hit him with an uppercut, then bent over and tossed him over his back. The two other guys ran to their friend and pulled him away as they took off with the scattering crowd.
I watched, frowning. We weren’t in high school. We didn’t really need to worry, did we? But Jason grabbed my hand and yanked me after him.
“Come on,” he said. “There’s illegal shit here. We don’t want to get caught. Trust me.”
I was still revved up. I didn’t know what from: from Kade or from the fight, but Jason took off and I followed right behind. As we zipped past a car, Kade was right there. He was heading to a different vehicle and for a moment, our paths crossed.
Kade looked at me. His eyebrows furrowed together, like he wanted to say something, but Jason yanked on my hand and we were past him.
“Logan!” Samantha called from farther down the road.
She waved from an Escalade. Jason veered toward them, pulling me along. I wasn’t sure what he was doing, but he continued right past the vehicle. I glanced back and watched as Kade sprinted for it. He leaped, took hold of the top of the Escalade, and somehow threw himself into the front seat as Samantha clambered into the back.
Once inside, Kade reached out and pounded on the top of the vehicle. “Let’s go,” he barked.
The driver took off, and they were past us in two seconds, just as Claire pulled up.
Jason hurried into the passenger seat, and I threw myself into the back. Claire gunned the engine, and we turned off the block and onto another street as the cop cars began pulling up in front of the house.
“That was close.”
I wasn’t sure who said that, but it didn’t matter. We were all thinking it.
Then I grinned. I wanted to do it again.
TEASERS
He stared back at me for a moment, a mask over his face, before he started laughing. “You are feisty.”
“Is that a problem?”
“Do you not know me? Feisty women are my specialty.”
“You’re arrogant.”
He was full-on laughing now. “Have you not met me?”
*****
I studied the amusement in those chocolate eyes of his. “Are you always like this?”
His smirk deepened. “Gorgeous?”
“Annoying.”
*****
I didn’t want to move. No, actually I did, but my body didn’t. I almost cursed myself, but I felt Logan’s gaze on me. It was like he could see inside of me, right past the walls I erected.
*****
I was fighting against a rubber band, stretched tight from me to him. The more I tried to break free, the stronger it became.
*****
I held up my hands. “I’m not going to hurt her. I promise.”
“Okay.”
I smirked. “But I might bang her.”
*****
“Use my last name.” I moved him back a little so I had some breathing room. I tried not to notice how good he felt, or how strong his arm was under my touch. “It’s more appropriate.”
“What?”
There it was again. Genuine confusion. He wasn’t angry. He wasn’t getting defensive. He was just confused.
“What’s going on here?” He edged back one more step. “You okay?”
“No.” I waved my hand at him. “It’s you.”
“Me?”
“Because you’re bad.”
He smirked. “I know I am.”
*****
I’d never had sex in a bar, but Logan made me wonder why not.
*****
If I love you, then I’ll do almost anything to protect you.
*****
A guy like Logan Kade is very dangerous to a girl like you
Author Information
I didn’t begin writing until after undergraduate college. There’d been storylines and characters in my head all my life, but it came to a boiling point one day and I HAD to get them out of me. So the computer was booted up and I FINALLY felt it click. Writing is what I needed to do. After that, I had to teach myself how to write. I can’t blame my teachers for not teaching me all those years in school. It was my fault. I was one of the students that was wishing I was anywhere but at school! So after that day, it took me lots of work until I was able to put together something that resembled a novel. I’m hoping I got it right since someone must be reading this profile! And I hope you keep enjoying my future stories.
From New York Times Bestseller Pepper Winters comes a timeless love story answering the question of what happens when everything is stripped away.
“There is a message for everything. From handwritten to verbal, seen and unseen. Messages exist all around us.”
But what if you don’t see?
What if you don’t understand?
What if, by ignoring the message, your life is never the same again?
Estelle Evermore morphed from nobody to somebody overnight.
Galloway Oak put his past behind him and endeavored to make his fortune using his trade.
Two strangers.
One plane.
Multiple unseen messages.
From sky to island, they find neither fame nor skills can save them. Stripped from society and left alone to survive the elements, the very task of staying alive outweighs all other needs.
Until survival turns to desire.
And desire turns to danger.
Pepper Winters is a NYT and USA Today International Bestseller. She wears many roles. Some of them include writer, reader, sometimes wife. She loves dark, taboo stories that twist with your head. The more tortured the hero, the better, and she constantly thinks up ways to break and fix her characters. Oh, and sex… her books have sex.
She loves to travel and has an amazing, fabulous hubby who puts up with her love affair with her book boyfriends. She’s also honoured to wear the IndieReader Badge for being a Top 10 Indie Bestsellers, best BDSM series voted by the SmutClub, and recently signed a two book deal with Grand Central. Her books are currently being translated into numerous languages and will be in bookstores in the near future.
To be the first to know of upcoming releases, please join Pepper’s Newsletter (she promises never to spam or annoy you.)
Danger, mysterious pasts, and passion come together in this new standalone contemporary romance novel from USA Today bestselling author, Rebecca Shea. Can Saige and Holt get over the past in order to have a future? Pick up DARE ME today and immerse yourself in the unforgettable moments where one dare spirals out of control and changes lives.
I dare you.
Five coworkers.
Four drinks.
Three glances.
Two fleeting smiles.
One dare.
A dare that will change my life.
That’s all it takes to send me plummeting into the arms of the mysterious Holt Hamilton. Behind his crystal blue eyes is a secret, one that screams danger but calls to me anyway.
“Sometimes you have to take that leap…or that dare…so you can learn to live and love again! Saige and Holt’s story had me on a rollercoaster of emotions…” – Crystal, Barnes and Noble
“This book hooked me instantly, and kept me interested throughout. I didn’t want to put it down! Another winner from Rebecca Shea!!” – Not Your Mama’s Romance
“I just couldn’t get enough. DARE ME took my breath away!” – Shayna Renee’s Spicy Reviews
Six lemon drop shots line the center of our table, and we’ve all refreshed our drinks and have fresh glasses of ice water.
“Ready?” Emery asks, and looks around at everyone, a hint of a challenge in her eyes.
“Let’s do it,” Zay says and rubs his hands together, ready to begin.
Emery beams with delight. “Okay, so we’re going counterclockwise. Rowan goes first, then Saige, then Zay, then Kinsley, and I’m last. We’ll ask you Truth or Dare. If you pick truth, we’ll use the questions from the app. If it’s a dare, we’ll come up with one as a group. Rules though, friends.” She looks pointedly at each of us. “It has to be safe, but it has to push boundaries.”
The guys grumble.
“I refuse to kiss Rowan,” Zay teases.
“You’re not my type,” Rowan jokes back.
“So, Ro.” Emery grins at him. “Truth or Dare?”
Rowan rubs his chin and ponders his two options for a minute. “Truth.”
“I knew he’d go easy on us,” Kinsley says.
“Hey hey,” he chides. “Let’s start off nice and slow. Build our way up.”
Emery taps the app on her phone, and the questions scramble. “Okay,” she says and chuckles to herself as she reads the question before reading it back to us. “Have you ever cheated on a boyfriend or girlfriend?”
“Really?” Rowan raises an unenthused eyebrow. “That’s the question?”
“Yep.” She turns the phone to face him, and he turns up his nose.
“Yes,” he answers, sounding bored. “I’ve cheated on both.”
“What!” Kinsley screams across the table. “You’ve had a boyfriend and a girlfriend?”
“Yes,” he mumbles and takes a sip of wine. “It was a long time ago.”
She drops her head back in laughter. “I need to hear more about this.”
I glance over to where Holt stands with his guest, and we make eye contact again, sharing a brief but friendly smile before I quickly turn my attention back to my friends. Emery is smirking at me, which means she caught me looking.
“No, you will not hear more about this.” Rowan raises his chin in defiance, then snatches Emery’s phone. “Moving on. Saige, truth or dare?”
I glance around the table at my friends and, without much thinking, blurt out, “Dare.”
Oh, shit. My stomach twists into a giant knot as those words fall from my tongue.
Everyone begins hooting and hollering, and I can’t help but laugh along with them. “Remember, safe,” Emery reminds us. “And, friends, let’s be reasonable.”
“Reasonable,” Kinsley snorts. “Okay, let’s put our heads together, guys.” They lean in to the center of the small round pub table, and whisper-yell over the tops of empty drink glasses and finally all sit back in their chairs.
“Bad idea.” Zay shakes his head and purses his lips. “I don’t like it.”
“Well, if one of you disagrees, then maybe you should come up with something new,” I chime in and look at Zay, who looks irritated.
“Not in this lifetime.” Kinsley giggles. “You ready, Saige?”
I swallow hard against my dry throat. “No.”
Truth. Always choose truth. What was I thinking?
“Too bad.” She grabs a shot off the table. “You are going to go ask Holt Hamilton out for a drink.”
“What?” I snap at her. I look around the table like my friends have lost their damn minds. “I can’t ask him out for drinks. He’ll think it’s a date, and dating a superior is strictly prohibited per the company handbook. There’s this thing called ethics in the workplace, people. Have you all lost your minds? Are you all crazy? Are you trying to get me fired?” They all roar with laughter and my heart races.
“First of all,” Kinsley tips her head back and swallows the lemon drop shot, “it’s not against company policy to date a coworker. You cannot date your direct manager. Holt is not your direct manager.” She looks pleased, like she just solved a murder case.
“He owns the fucking company,” I bark at her. “That pretty much qualifies as my manager.”
“Pipe down, little one.” Rowan pats my hand. “It’s just a drink, and purely innocent.”
I glower at him. “You said you’d have my back. This is not having my back, Ro.” I wipe my sweaty hands on my skirt.
“It’s all in pure fun.” His eyebrows dance at me. “Tell him we dared you if you have to.”
My frown deepens. “So I look like a thirteen-year-old? Hi, Mr. Hamilton. My friends over there dared me to ask you out. Will you have drinks with me? No thanks.” I cross my arms over my chest in defiance. Then, realizing that I probably look like I’m actually thirteen, I uncross them.
Zay chimes in, “I’ll bet one hundred dollars she won’t do it.”
“Chicken, Saige?” Kinsley kicks me under the table.
“I’m not a chicken, you assholes,” I grumble. “I’m reasonable. This is not reasonable. I’d like to keep my job.”
Emery nudges me. “It’s all in fun, and I am dying to see the look on his face when you ask him.”
I glance at Holt, feeling anxiety building in my stomach. Suddenly, he turns in our general direction to find all of us watching him. His brows pinch together in a confused look, but he offers us all a polite smile and a little nod of his head.
Ugh… “Fine. I’ll do it.” I add my two whiny cents, “This is really stupid, though, and if I wasn’t already close to being three sheets to the wind, I’d just take the damn shot.” I fan my face. The heat from the alcohol or the stuffy bar is getting to me.
“Atta girl!” Rowan grabs my hand and helps me down from the tall barstool. My knees wobble, and I press a hand my cheek to cool the flush crawling across my face. Between my nerves and the alcohol, my stomach is twisting and turning.
“Just breathe,” Rowan whispers in my ear as he grips my hand tightly. “Just ask him if he’d be interested in grabbing a drink sometime.”
“And when he says no?”
“You just smile and come back to us.”
Zay clears his throat. “What if he says yes?”
I turn around to shoot him a death glare.
Emery answers, “Then just know that she asked out the hottest man alive, and he accepted. Win-win.” She offers me a reassuring smile.
“Hottest man alive?” Zay mumbles under his breath and pffts into his glass of beer.
“Yes!” Emery and Kinsley say simultaneously.
“I can’t do this,” I say, reaching for my chair. Nerves are getting the better of me, and my knees are literally knocking together.
“You can,” Rowan assures me. “Go.”
REVIEW:
Jill’s Review
So, I am admitting it right here for all to see… I was a Rebecca Shea virgin right up until now! I’m not exactly sure how this happened, but thankfully that is no longer the case.
When I first the blurb for Rebecca Shea’s Dare Me I was intrigued. It hooked me while not giving me all that much information on what was going to happen. Five coworkers. Four drinks. Three glances. Two fleeting smiles. One dare. And honestly, I NEEDED to know. OOOH.. now what was that all about? I loved it.. and I dare you not to feel the same way!
Right from the beginning, from the prologue that had me on an emotional rollercoaster I was glued to my screen. Captivated by what was happening. The story was well written and easy to read. I just lost myself in the pages as I immersed myself into their lives. Saige and Holt have pasts, and secrets and watching them enfold had me holding my breath and hoping for the best.
Let’s talk a little about Holt. This is a man who is so sexy, so dreamy, so hot he inspired his own hashtag: #HowHotIsHolt No, not from me – though I wouldn’t mind a little Holt in my life! But from Saige’s coworkers! Those very same people that laid out the dare that set Saige and Holt into each other’s arms. Now he can be controlling, he can come across cold and in charge, and he is definitely all alpha between the sheets – but he also has a soft, loving, nurturing side. I loved seeing these sides of him, and it really meshed together to make a very compelling character and an amazing choice for a book boyfriend. And Saige… her life has been far from easy. She can be quiet and reserved but she is smart as a whip and also has a sassy and fun side that Holt seems to bring out even more in her. When she came to work at the aviation company, she came with something to prove and she wasn’t going to let anything distract her from her work. But her coworkers are an AMAZING group of people. Like seriously these were fabulously entertaining side characters and I hope we see more of them! They keep her connected and bring her out with them… which of course leads to THE DARE! As the story progresses Saige comes out of her shell and we get to see her as she learns to meld together her past, her relationships, her career and really start living. The chemistry between Holt and Saige is HOT! I loved watching them together… (and that sounds dirtier than I meant!)
This was a fabulous book that I definitely recommend. Be ready to have feelings all over the place as you hope for them to find their HEA.
I received a complimentary copy of Dare Me in exchange for my honest review.
About Rebecca Shea:
Rebecca Shea is the USA Today Bestselling author of the Unbreakable series (Unbreakable, Undone, and Unforgiven) and the Bound and Broken series (Broken by Lies and Bound by Lies). She lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her family. From the time Rebecca could read she has had a passion for books. Rebecca spends her days working and her nights writing, bringing stories to life. Born and raised in Minnesota, Rebecca moved to Arizona in 1999 to escape the bitter winters. When not working or writing, she can be found on the sidelines of her sons’ football games, or watching her daughter at ballet class. Rebecca is fueled by insane amounts of coffee, margaritas, Laffy Taffy (except the banana ones), and happily ever afters.
REMEMBERING EVERLY releases in one week and we’re participating in the read-a-long of FORGETTING AUGUST to get ready! Today we’re discussing chapters 12 – 16! Be sure to check it out below and enter to win a signed copy of the second book in the duet, REMEMBERING EVERLY!
Read an excerpt from this section:
Taking one last glance at the assorted boxes, I only saw one option.
“Can you do me a favor, Brick?” I asked, the very idea of it making my fingers twitch. He nodded once, and I grabbed the nearest box.
“Get rid of it. All of it. I can’t be around it— the memories of her. It’s too painful, knowing I once had something so precious but wasted it away. I don’t care what you do with it, but please— just take it from me.”
The words felt like sandpaper against my throat as I spoke. Ever since she’d left that night I’d briefly held her in my arms, I’d spent hours in this room looking over these pictures, analyzing each smile— every laugh, the way my hands and fingers held her— trying to find that moment when things had begun to unravel.
Why? I don’t know. Maybe because I just didn’t understand why I would ever stop loving someone like her.
But maybe I hadn’t.
She’d said I’d locked her away— made her a prisoner in her own home.
Why would I have done that? Maybe sometimes love isn’t pure. Maybe sometimes it’s toxic— so toxic it consumes a person until they would do anything to have it.
Like a drug.
If I loved her now, would it be the same as before? Would I consume her?
Favourite Quotes
“A volcano can only stay dormant for so long… and mine had enough emotions bottled up inside, it was ready to explode.”
“I fled. Fled the memories, the man, and the life I needed to forget.”
Discussion Questions
Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Is there a place or an object that stirs up powerful emotions and memories for you, like the house does with Everly?
A lot of those have faded with time… and aren’t quite as powerful today as they once were. The emotions are still so raw for Everly that I think it helps to make it more powerful. But throughout my life, there have been both objects and places that have.
We won’t talk about the jewelry I used to wear when I felt lonely… yes you guessed it, from my ex! LOL I can’t believe I am admitting this – but we were together for YEARS, lived together the whole nine yards. So after we broke-up, there were times (OK it went on a LOT longer than I will admit to) when I would put it on just so I could have those powerful emotions and memories that were tied into the different pieces.
What do you think happened between Everly and August to cause it all to fall apart?
I have to be honest here… I know EVERYTHING and have for a LONG time!!! The perks of my job 😉 So I can’t put myself back here and say for sure. But OMG I do remember as Jenn handed me this book for the first time my mind was ALL OVER THE PLACE! I had so many thoughts and theories playing along in my mind as I read. OOOH BEST EXPERIENCE EVER!
She can forgive, but can she forget? Some days, Everly still thinks she sees him. In the food court at the mall, or in a car speeding past as the light changes. It only lasts a second, but when it happens, she slips back to a time when she was ruled-and nearly ruined-by August Kincaid. And it doesn’t matter that she’s moved on, that she’s about to marry another man. In those moments the only thing she can do to regain control is take a deep breath and remind herself that August can’t hurt her-because he’s in a coma. Except that he’s not anymore.
August is awake. With no memories, he sets out to solve the mystery of his lost life. He unearths a photograph of a beautiful redhead named Everly and knows instinctively that she’s the key. But when he finds her, the August she describes is more monster than man.
Tortured by the thought of having hurt her, August wants only to become the man Everly deserves. As the new August emerges, Everly glimpses the person she first fell in love with. But can she trust that this August is real? When the final secret of their shared past is revealed, one of them will make a choice that changes their future forever . . .
About the second book in the Lost & Found duet, REMEMBERING EVERLY:
After two years in a coma, August Kinkaid has forgotten the darkness in his past. But his past hasn’t forgotten him. His beautiful former fiancée, Everly, remembers every tumultuous moment of their stormy relationship. The sizzling passion. The web of lies. And the terrible secret Everly’s been hiding since her last fateful night with August.
Now the truth is out and August remembers everything. As his long-buried memories come flooding back, he begins to understand why Everly would want to move on with her life. Why she would give her heart to another man. And why August should try to forget her once and for all.
But he can’t give up on the only woman he’s ever loved. Even if he has to reopen old wounds–and face the darkest demons of his past–August will do whatever it takes for a second chance with Everly. He let her slip away once. He’s not about to spend the rest of his life remembering Everly when he could be holding her in his arms forever . . .
REMEMBERING EVERLY releases April 5th! Preorder it now:
Author J.L. Berg is a California native living in the South. She is the author of the self-pubbed Ready series, which has sold over 100,000 copies. Married to her high school sweetheart. She and her husband have two beautiful girls that drive them batty on a daily basis. When she’s not writing, you can find her with her nose stuck in a romance book, in a yoga studio or devouring anything chocolate.
Title: MALEDICTION: Rise of the Crimson Confessions
Series: Crimson Confessions, #1
Author: J.D. Lexx
Genres: Erotic Romance, Romantic Suspense
Release Date:March 20, 2016
Some devote a lifetime to the endless pursuit of love. Others spend even longer trying to outrun it. Between the shimmering lights of Paris and New Orleans’ commercialized sin, author J.D. Lexx embarks on his latest hunt. Once content to walk blindly in the light, these days he prowls a different world, one of shadow and sensuality where flesh yields to the probing hungers of fantasy. Driven by painful reminders of opportunity left unseized, he roams, tirelessly seeking the next in a growing collection of Crimson Confessions.
Yet these tales of conquest and seduction which have brought such notoriety are merely bait for a more transcendent prey. The one he truly stalks is infinitely more elusive, and lethal in her charms. To win her over, and write the happy ending to this unfinished story, an infamous collector of secrets must now lay his own bare for all to see. Chasing a trail of enticing exploits stretching from Sin City to Prague, every stop leads him back to the beginning…and one step closer to her.
As soon as I penetrated the sweltering heat between her lips, I sprung to life across her tongue, engorging with the very blood that fled my extremities until her mouth strained to contain me. First, my eyes rolled back in sheer bliss at the all-consuming warmth, and then at the skill with which she applied it. With each stifled moan that vibrated through her throat and into my flesh, she not only enhanced her raw sexual value but left me increasingly curious about the kind of bad decisions that lead a woman like this here, of all places.
Pulled free from a descending haze of my own, I looked down to marvel at her enthusiasm, only to find those eyes still locked on mine. Damn, the girl learned quickly. Flashing a glint of bravado that endeared her all the more, she pulled me briefly from her pursed lips and asked again, just as earlier in the day, “You like, yes?”
As if empowered by my approval, she immediately doubled her efforts, tightening her grip and flicking her tongue in playfully erratic lashes. With the slightest shift, she adjusted her angle and drove down with even greater force, burying my entire length and swallowing deeply to engage muscles that sent me reeling.
Only once I opened my eyes again did I notice the burning attention cast down from our host and his illustrious, voyeuristic gathering—a handful of whom wore outfits virtually identical to those ladies on the floor. It seemed that even a few fellow guests had opted to stay behind and ogle, having long since cast their own conquests aside.
While it has never been my style to put on a public exhibition, it’s not like I could drag her to a more secluded location. As much as I cringed at the barbaric notion, she was not mine to take. I had to respect the reality that, in such a strictly supervised environment, she was borrowed property to be enjoyed at the watchful discretion of the master.
With the reasoning centers of my brain already thoroughly frozen and my inhibition drunken at best, our audience could have ordered pizza and called over friends for all I cared. I had a hotter, tighter, and infinitely more gripping engagement ready to drop in my lap.
“Get off that cold floor,” I urged, coaxing myself free of her insatiable grip and ordering her upright—vulnerable, exposed, and simpering at my whim. “Turn around.” Of all the commands so far laid down, I found it fascinating that only this one prompted a distinct moment of hesitation.
“Yes, sir.” She spoke to the ground as she turned away, tightening every muscle as if preparing for an unseen but inevitable assault.
Leaning forward, I rested one outstretched hand over the small of her back. Feeling the raised lash marks for the first time only triggered further anger toward any beast that would so irreparably desecrate such a treasure. My other hand dug firmly into her hip as I pushed forward, forcing her over at the waist and then lifting the tattered dress to expose her entirely.
With her legs spread slightly, she struggled to maintain balance against the pressure of my palm, sparking the more wicked recesses of my imagination even as I battled to differentiate myself from the men behind those marks. Try as I might, I simply couldn’t help myself. Did that make me a monster as well?
Food Lust (A Crimson Confessions)
Two Way Glass (A Crimson Confession)
Order of the Orchidarion (A Crimson Confession)
How habitual is your creative process? Where do you do your writing?
Just like every author I know, there’s always a favorite spot where the inspiration simply flows. Perhaps it’s a nook at the far end of a flower garden or a spare room to which others are barred from entry. Personally, I find my best writing takes place over the writhing skin of a naked, glistening Micronesian princess as she’s pleasured by three nubile ladies-in-waiting.
When that option is unavailable—unfortunately quite often—I do most of my writing outdoors, where there are no walls to close in around me. It’s amazing how effectively the rustle of a breeze can spark thoughts and visuals in the mind. It tends to liberate and helps the words flow unencumbered. But then, that’s just me.
Is there a message in your book you want readers to grasp?
Sometimes I’m not quite sure what the message is until I’m done writing and start reading back through to find a distinct theme or moral—even if it’s simply the virtues of immorality. When I set out to write the Crimson Confessions series, it was always intended as far more than a quick and passing thrill. I wanted purpose, intent, a thread of commonality running through it all.
In Malediction, I feel that message is boiled down to a few core elements: seize the indulgence now rather than wait and linger in fear of judgment; take the road less traveled, even if it requires combat boots and a machete to navigate it; and please, for the love of God, embrace your imagination and all that comes with it. Never settle for less.
When naming a characters, do you give any thought to the actual meaning? (How do you go about naming characters?)
Oftentimes, I like to give my characters a name that playfully nods to their personality, past or future. Nothing too overt or obvious, because I feel like that can become campy and a bit too archetypal. But if I’m laying the groundwork for a new character who closely resembles someone from my life, I like to name them in a way that shines a light on those characteristics—good or bad—that earned them a spot in literary infamy.
How do you stay motivated as a writer? What inspires you?
In all honesty, nothing inspires me more than the chance to interact with my readers and to hear the elements and aspects that made them fall in love. I think we all have times when we step back and wonder if there’s any purpose or benefit to our writing, and to hear that our thoughts and work resonated in a substantial way with someone else is the greatest compliment possible.
Least favorite food?
Any food that requires flooding a bog and raking up the bits that float is an instant ‘pass’ in my book.
How many hours do you devote to writing?
ALL of them. When I’m engaged in a project, I’m either actively writing or thinking about the next stage pretty much constantly. It’s when I’m between projects that I begin to feel a little lost now and then.
If you had one super power what would it be?
Invisibility, without a doubt. To be a fly on the wall, anywhere and everywhere. Time travel would be nice too, I suppose. Actually, could we combine both powers into one so I can covertly watch how some of history’s great moments really went down?
What other creative outlets do you have?
If you’ve read my work, you probably realize I’m a big fan of cooking and the cultural inroads it can bring. I just love the sensory exploration of a new dish and the way it plays on your tongue. Not as many people know it, but I’m also a passionate photographer. Portraits, nudes, wildlife, architecture…I love it all. There is beauty in everything, isn’t there? In the chips and the cracks and the scars. It’s all about how we perceive it, and how it’s captured through a lens.
What has been the biggest surprise to you in the book world?
The biggest surprise, by far, in the book world has got to be the immense support just waiting to be heaped on a new author who earns it. The passion. The obsession for some. As a writer, sometimes it’s easy to begin to feel like you’re an outcast with nowhere you fit in. But then you meet a few readers who share your particular blend of insanity and you realize that your place was there along, just waiting for you to find it.
Do you outline and create a plan or just go with the flow?
I have tried both methods and to some degree I hybridize the two, but I find my stories flow much better if I loosen the grip and let them flow as they want to. I have an idea where it’s going at the start, with a very loose outline of sorts, but when it’s all said and done, if it comes down to letting the story take a direction it suddenly wants to go in or strangle it to follow my lead, I’ll always choose the former and be as surprised as the rest of you where it takes me.
International attorney, award-winning journalist and last of a modest raconteur bloodline, J.D. Lexx has been a storyteller for most of his life and a student of humanity for even longer. Perhaps it’s no wonder that he takes such pleasure in the subtle tease of the written word, in kindling curiosity with every shared tale, then daring the imagination to continue on beyond The End.
A traveler by nature, Lexx spends most of his time between the frenzied streets of New York and the slower pace of New Orleans’ Vieux Carre´. When not exploring the sensual psyche through his writing, he can usually be found honing his skills in the kitchen or working alongside charitable organizations to promote literacy and tolerance– two causes not only reflected in his work, but forever dear to his heart.
Join Lexx’s Lair and keep up to date with all the Lexx news and listen to his recent interview – the podcast is LIVE!
Today we’re having the cover reveal for Karma by Nadine Nightingale! I am so excited to share this fantastic new paranormal romance!
Title: Karma
Author: Nadine Nightingale
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Day Date: May 4th
About Karma:
People call me all sorts of names—bad girl, black sheep, and my all-time favorite…Satan’s bride. I could blame the fact I’m a witch for my behavior, but the truth is I’m infuriating, arrogant, and stab-worthy.
Alex Remington is a hunter and everything I’m not—righteous, honest, caring. We used to have a thing, but that was before he learned I’m a witch and tried to kill me.
Eighteen months later, he’s back in my life and we have a deal; I’ll help him save his brother and he’ll disappear from my life for good. But karma can be a real bitch…
I hand him the glass. “We’re back to spitting insults, hm? What is this, Alex’s nine circles of booze hell?”
He pulls me toward him, and suddenly I find myself in his lap, straddling him. “No, but since going to hell is inevitable,” he says, his lips brushing the spot between my two ladies. “I might as well enjoy the ride.”
I keep telling myself he’s drunk. Doesn’t change the fact that I want to unzip his freaking jeans, though. “You’re out of your mind if you think I’m screwin’ you, Alex.”
“Am I?” He runs his thumbs over my bra, turning my nipples into rocks. “Then why does your heart beat like the overheated engine of my Mustang?”
“It does not,” I insist.
He pushes up, and his hard-on presses against my sweet spot. “Yeah. Yeah, it does.”
I dig my nails into his shoulders. “Alex,” I moan, trying to get off him. “Stop it, please.” It’s supposed to sound like a goddamn order, but comes out as desperate begging.
His hands glued to my ass, he tugs me against his chest. “I know you want me.” He kisses down my neck. “You always want me. Just admit it,” he says, pulling my shirt up.
I close my eyes. Hips rocking back and forth, I enjoy the feeling of the fabric rubbing against my heat. I do want him. Fuck, I need him, but he’s like a drug, makes you high and leaves you dry and boneless. “Alex, please…stop.”
“Just one night.” His husky voice makes my toes curl. “For the sake of old times. What do you say?”
About the Author:
Nadine aka Dini is a traveler at heart. She considers the world her home and practically lives out of her suitcases. When she’s not glaring at a blank page or abusing her poor keyboard, she spends her time reading, watching movies (preferably horror), pretends to work out, and hangs out with friends and family. Poor girl also suffers from a serious Marvel superhero addiction. So, if you run into her at night, wearing black, know she’s secretly dreaming of being the infamous Black Widow.
Her love for writing started in the sixth grade where she annoyed her classmates with a short story featuring Sailor Moon characters, a cemetery, and creepy ghosts. Yes, she’s always been addicted to the dark side. Nadine writes paranormal romance. Her debut novel “Karma” the first book in her paranormal romance series Drag.Me.To.Hell. is published by the Wild Rose Press and will be out in May 2016. She has a serious girl crush on her protagonist Amanda Bishop.
Nadine has a BA in Comparative Religions and studied Creative Writing at the University of Oxford.
Title: Until Harry
Author: L.A. Casey
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, New Adult
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Release Date: July 19
Like nothing you have ever read from L.A. Casey before, a story of loss, love, and finding yourself in the darkest of times.
He was my best friend, my best not-really-big-brother and my best protector. He was my best everything. He was mine.
Coming home is hard for Lane. Hard because Harry, her beloved uncle, has died suddenly, but also because of him. Kale.
Kale Hunt has been her best friend since childhood. But it was never that simple. He was Lane’s reason for leaving home and moving to New York. Seeing him with someone else, in love with someone else, shouldn’t have hurt. But it did. It really, really did. So she upped sticks and left, started a new life and cut herself off from her past.
But now she’s back and all the feelings are right there. As if she had never left.
Emotions are running high for everyone, and tragedy has a funny way of bringing people together. But is Lane reading the signs right? Are they still just friends, or is there something more?
I felt my eyes widen as his voice encircled me like a warm blanket. No matter how many years went by, I would know his voice even if it were a whisper. I slowly turned, but I froze when I saw him standing in the doorway of the parlour, leaning against the panel with his hands jammed into the front pockets of his jeans.
His eyes, my mind whispered. What’s wrong with his eyes?
There were many things that I loved about the man before me, but his eyes were by far my favourite. They were the first things I looked at whenever I saw him. There was always a mischievous glint in his whisky-coloured eyes that only I could see because I looked hard enough. It was a glint that told me his soul was alive and thriving, but what I saw now caused me to shiver.
There was no glint, gleam or light of any sort in his eyes. They were dead and reflected the clouded grey skies that often hung over York. They were as captivating as they were haunting.
Even though I moved thousands of miles away to escape him, every day for the past six years I woke up seeing those hazel eyes and fell asleep hearing that soothing voice. I couldn’t shake him whether I was half a world away or in the next room.
I lived and breathed Kale Hunt, and it was killing me.
“Kale,” I managed to whisper as I stared at the first man to ever break my heart.
He gazed at me then with no trace of emotion he robotically blinked and nodded in greeting. “Welcome home, Laney Baby.”
L.A. Casey is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who juggles her time with her mini-me and writing. She was born, raised and currently resides in Dublin, Ireland. She enjoys chatting with her readers, who love her humor and Irish accent as much as her books.
Casey’s first book Dominic, was independently published in 2014 and became an instant success on Amazon. She is both traditionally and independently published and is represented by Mark Gottlieb from Trident Media Group.
Welcome to Storm, Texas, where passion runs hot, desire runs deep, and secrets have the power to destroy…
Nestled among rolling hills and painted with vibrant wildflowers, the bucolic town of Storm, Texas, seems like nothing short of perfection.
But there are secrets beneath the facade. Dark secrets. Powerful secrets. The kind that can destroy lives and tear families apart. The kind that can cut through a town like a tempest, leaving jealousy and destruction in its wake, along with shattered hopes and broken dreams. All it takes is one little thing to shatter that polish.
Reading like an on-going drama in the tradition of classic day and night-time soap operas like Dallas, Dynasty, and All My Children, Rising Storm is full of scandal, deceit, romance, passion, and secrets.
With 1001 Dark Nights as the “producer,” Julie Kenner and Dee Davis use a television model with each week building on the last to create a storyline that fulfills the promise of a drama-filled soap opera. Joining Kenner and Davis in the “writer’s room” for the Midseason Episodes of this serial opera are bestselling authors Lexi Blake and Larissa Ione who have brought their vision of Storm to life.
So get ready. The storm is coming.
Secrets, Sex and Scandals …
Welcome to Storm, Texas, where passion runs hot, desire runs deep, and secrets have the power to destroy… Get ready. The storm is coming.
In the wake of Dakota’s revelations, the whole town is reeling. Ginny Moreno has lost everything. Logan Murphy is devastated by her lies. Brittany Rush sees her family in a horrifying new light. And nothing will ever be the same…
Check out this fantastic excerpt from AFTER THE STORM!
“I didn’t know I was pregnant until I woke up from the accident.” Ginny’s voice was an impassioned whisper. “I found out two things that changed my life in that moment. I found out that my best friend was gone and that I was pregnant. And I prayed so hard that I hadn’t lost all of Jacob forever.”
Forever. That’s what she was looking at. She was looking at an entire lifetime of being a mother without a son. She loved her daughters dearly, but she would mourn Jacob forever. And this selfish girl was equating her pain as though they were the same. As though one night of spreading her legs gave her the right to mourn him.
“I think you woke up and realized you had two options. Take care of that baby alone or worm your way into Jacob’s family and his money.”
“I never cared about the money.”
Celeste wasn’t going to listen to that tripe. “Of course you did. Not enough to keep your legs closed. You say you loved Jacob but how long did you wait before you hopped into bed with that Murphy boy? Did you even break it off with my brother-in-law? How many men do you need on your string?”
“I’ve never slept with Logan, but I will admit that I’m in love with him. I love him in a way I never loved Jacob. Jacob was my best friend, but I know now that he wasn’t my soul mate. I pray with everything I am that this is his child, that we receive a miracle because I don’t want him to be lost forever, but I won’t hide what I feel for Logan and I won’t pretend it’s nasty. Not even to placate you, Celeste. I want to make things right between us and that means apologizing to you. Celeste, I’m so sorry I hurt you. I never meant to. I should have been braver. I should have been stronger, but I woke up and the world had crashed around me and I wanted the love you could give me. That all of you could give me. I’m sorry that it brought you so much pain.”
Something about the way she was standing there enraged Celeste. How could she stand there looking so innocent? How could she say exactly the right things to garner empathy? Celeste didn’t want to empathize. She wanted to fight and tear up things and destroy the world around her because it seemed so damn intent on destroying her. She wanted to burn it all down.
She didn’t feel her hand snap back, didn’t quite understand what she was doing. The world seemed tinged in red at the corners as though rage now filtered her vision. And it slowed everything down. In horror she realized she was going to strike Ginny Moreno. Her hand was going to bring justice her words never could.
And then it slapped against flesh. A strong hand circled her wrist and Travis stared down at her like he had no idea who she was.
Review:
Jill’s Review
Can I tell you how I excited I was when I heard there would be midseason episodes of Rising Storm? I have been missing my weekly dose of Storm, Texas. I am as hooked on these as I am on my actual soaps on TV! Really – my guilty pleasures – reading and and drama filled soaps. All that much better when they are wrapped up in one package!
I was a little bit nervous when I cracked open the pages of Lexi Blake’s episode, After the Storm. You know that feeling when a show has been on hiatus… eeek – will I remember where we left off? Will I remember everything that is going on? What if I confuse who is who? No need to worry – as soon as I started reading everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING came rushing back to me.
After the Storm picks up right where we left off – in the path of destruction that was left behind from Dakota’s huge reveal. It seems as if in one way or another her announcement has touched everyone in this town. (I know that this is BAD… but the dirty, salacious, gossip this produces is like soap opera porn!) everyone is reeling and people’s lives are forever changed.
Dakota is going to have a hard time after all of this, and part of me is heartbroken for her. I can’t stand her… but I want to swoop in and fix her. It is like I can see the potential in her, but she just keeps self-destructing. But the one good that came out of this – Ginny had to own up to everything she has been a part of. She had to face what was going on and start to make restitution with everyone for her role. It was good to see her start to take control again and to start to step from the teenage role (which let’s face it – she is. She is a COLLEGE STUDENT!) to that of an adult. The transition is needed as she motherhood is looming. The most frustrating character – the Senator. He just has his head in the sand. He really thinks he can walk away from it all and come out on top. OOOH, do I love to hate him! He is such a pompous ass – and not in that oh so sexy, alpha, domineering way that melts your panties. I mean in the – I would love to smack him across the face and give him a swift kick in the ass -way.
I definitely recommend that you tune into this series. Just start from the beginning 😉 They are addictive, quick reads that will grab you and suck you in!
I received a complimentary copy of After the Storm in exchange for my honest review.
About Lexi Blake:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband and three kids. She began writing at a young age concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance that she found success. Lexi believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome or foursome may seem.
Life moves on.
Kelly Elliott is married to a wonderful Texas cowboy who has a knack for making her laugh almost daily and supports her crazy ideas and dreams for some unknown reason…he claims it’s because he loves her!
About the second book in the Lost & Found duet, REMEMBERING EVERLY:
About Rebecca Shea:
About Lexi Blake:
Love Affair With Ficti 