Five stunning guys, one hot woman, and a feverish romance…

For him, life is all music and no play…

When Brian Sinclair, lead songwriter and guitarist of the hottest metal band on the scene, loses his creative spark, it will take nights of downright sinful passion to release his pent-up genius…

She’s the one to call the tune…

When sexy psychologist Myrna Evans goes on tour with the Sinners, every boy in the band tries to seduce her. But Brian is the only one she wants to get her hands on…

Then the two lovers’ wildly shocking behavior sparks the whole band to new heights of glory… and sin…

The Sinners on Tour series is hands down one of our favorite series of all time – these books MUST be read…there is no other option.  😉

An ultimatum can break your heart…. 

Every night lead singer, Sed Lionheart whips thousands of women into a frenzy with his voice alone. But the stage is the only place Sed feels any passion since he lost Jessica…

If you’re not willing to break all the rules…

It shattered her heart, but law student Jessica broke off her engagement to Sed, determined to be successful on her own terms. But no other man can ever hold a candle to Sed…

Then a chance meeting and tortuously close quarters lead to uncontrollable flares of passion and rediscovery of their unique penchant for public encounters. Now, in addition to the risk of mutual heartbreak every time they get together, they’re in danger of truly scandalous public exposure…

Hot Ticket is on sale right now! (fyi…these books are never on sale!)  Grab it while you can!

Title:   Hot Ticket (Sinners on Tour Series Book #3)

Author:   Olivia Cunning

Genre:   Erotic Contemporary Romance

There are things in bassist Jace Seymour’s past that he is unwilling to share with anyone. To cover his guilt and anguish, he seeks dominatrix Mistress V (Aggie) to temporarily placate his inner turmoil.

Aggie doesn’t have much use for men–besides the power rush she gets when they’re begging for mercy at her feet–but Jace isn’t like her usual clients. His cool defiance and unexpected dominance in the bedroom drives her to distraction and quickly steals her heart.

When circumstances threaten Jace’s position in Sinners, Aggie must help him regain his rightful place in the band while showing him that time and love can heal all wounds.

Title:   Wicked Beat (Sinners on Tour Series Book #4)

Author:   Olivia Cunning

Genre:   Erotic Contemporary Romance

From the moment he lays eyes on Sinners’ new front of house soundboard operator, drummer Eric Sticks knows he has to make Rebekah his. Unfortunately, she’s too busy trying to seduce guitarist Trey Mills to pay him much attention. Rebekah never planned to fall for the tall, goofy drummer with the weird sense of humor and a heart the size of the galaxy. But Eric makes her laugh and his constant attention makes her feel sexy and irresistible–exactly what she needs after the things her last lover said to her. A woman who gives as much as she takes, Rebekah makes Eric feel like a total stud–exactly what he needs after surviving a decade of watching the incredibly talented members of Sinners from the wings.

Title:   Double Time (Sinners on Tour Series Book #5)

Author:   Olivia Cunning

Genre:   Erotic Contemporary Romance

Olivia Cunning delivers the perfect blend of steamy sex, heartwarming romance, and a wicked sense of humor in this menage story featuring the hottest guy in the Sinners band.

Trey Mills, the notoriously sexy Sinners rhythm guitarist, gives up his bisexual lifestyle and is swept into a hot, heady romance with Reagan Elliot, a female rock star sensation. But when Trey encounters Reagan’s sexy bisexual roommate, Ethan Conner, he can no longer deny who he is or what he wants. Reagan heartily agrees to a solution that opens up a hot new world of sexual experience–and love–with the two men she wants the most.

The 6th book in the Sinners on Tour Series will be here in less than a month!  EEEEP!!!!  More Sinners?!?!?  YES!  And look at that price!  Pre-order quick because that price will not last.

Title:   Sinners at the Altar (Sinners on Tour Series Book #6)

Author:   Olivia Cunning

Genre:   Erotic Contemporary Romance

Release Date:   March 11th, 2014

Even Sinners need love…

Sinners at the Altar includes four complete wedding stories, each about a different member of the rock band Sinners. These novellas are intended to be read after the Sinners on Tour series as each story is an epilogue to a different book in the series and thus riddled with major spoilers for not only individual books, but in some cases, the entire series.

When Sinners tie the knot, things don’t always go as planned.

Appetite for Seduction – Epilogue to Backstage Pass

Lead guitarist Brian Sinclair may have finally won Professor Myrna Evans heart and her consent to wed, but being part of a high-maintenance band might just ruin his long-anticipated wedding day and steamy wedding night. Will the couple ever find a moment’s peace or are some things more important than a night of uninhibited love-making?

Sweet Love of Mine – Epilogue to Wicked Beat

Drummer Eric Sticks is determined to marry sweet and sassy soundboard operator, Rebekah Blake, on the spur of the moment. But can he really offer the love of his life the wedding of her dreams in a small, unplanned ceremony? And can Rebekah offer Eric the one thing missing from his life that never realized he wanted?

Patience – Epilogue to Rock Hard

Lead singer Sed Lionheart never really wanted a big fancy wedding. He just wanted the girl. But his hot-tempered fiancee, Jessica Chase, has her heart set on a memorable ceremony and she is determined to persist through the aggravation to have the wedding of her dreams. The ceremony turns out to be memorable, all right, but not necessarily in the way they’d planned. Can the stressed-out couple recognize what’s really important on their wedding day, or is the honeymoon over before it even begins?

November Rain – Epilogue to Hot Ticket

Professional dominatrix Aggie “Mistress V” Martin is madly in love with bassist Jace Seymour, but she’s not in any real hurry to marry him. She’s not really the wife “type”. That all changes the moment she lays eyes on the perfect place to say “I do”. With more than one obstacle in their path to wedded bliss, will these two ever make it down the aisle or will everything fall apart at the whim of others?

Drew Evans is a winner. Handsome and arrogant, he makes multimillion dollar business deals and seduces New York’s most beautiful women with just a smile. He has loyal friends and an indulgent family. So why has he been shuttered in his apartment for seven days, miserable and depressed?

He’ll tell you he has the flu.

But we all know that’s not really true.

Katherine Brooks is brilliant, beautiful and ambitious.  She refuses to let anything – or anyone – derail her path to success. When Kate is hired as the new associate at Drew’s father’s investment banking firm, every aspect of the dashing playboy’s life is thrown into a tailspin. The professional competition she brings is unnerving, his attraction to her is distracting, his failure to entice her into his bed is exasperating.

Then, just when Drew is on the cusp of having everything he wants, his overblown confidence threatens to ruin it all.  Will he be able untangle his feelings of lust and tenderness, frustration and fulfillment? Will he rise to the most important challenge of his life?

Can Drew Evans win at love?

Tangled is not your mother’s romance novel.  It is an outrageous, passionate, witty narrative about a man who knows a lot about women…just not as much as he thinks he knows.  As he tells his story, Drew learns the one thing he never wanted in life, is the only thing he can’t live without.

Drew & Kate are a breath of fresh air…funny, sexy, and 100% addictive.  We cannot get enough of them!

What does Drew Evans have to say next? Find out in this forty page short story, filled with his sexy charm, unique advice and hilarious one-liners.

Marriage: the final frontier. Steven went first. He was kind of our test subject. Like those monkeys that NASA sent off into space in the fifties, all the while knowing they’d never make it back.

And now another poor rocket is ready to launch.

But this isn’t just any posh New York wedding. You’ve seen my friends, you’ve met our families, you know you’re in for a treat. Everyone wants their wedding to be memorable. This one’s going to be un-frigging-forgettable.

Holy Frigging Matrimony takes place about a year after Tangled’s end and is from Drew’s POV

I loved Holy Frigging Matrimony, you can check out my review here.  And prepare yourself for the rest of the books in the Tangled Series – Twisted & Tamed!

Title:   Twisted (Tangled Series Book #2)

Author:   Emma Chase

Genre:   Contemporary Romance

Release Date:   March 25th, 2014

There are two kinds of people in the world. The ones who look first, and the ones who leap. I’ve always been more of a looker. Cautious. A planner. That changed after I met Drew Evans. He was so persistent. So sure of himself – and of me.

But not all love stories end happily ever after. Did you think Drew and I were going to ride off into the sunset? Join the club. Now I have to make a choice, the most important of my life. Drew already made his –in fact, he tried to decide for the both of us. But you know that’s just not my style. So I came back to Greenville. Alone. Well, sort of alone….

What I’ve come to realize is that old habits die hard and sometimes you have to go back to where you began, before you can move ahead.

TWISTED picks up two years after Tangled’s end, and is told from Kate’s POV.

Title:   Tamed (Tangled Series Book #3)

Author:   Emma Chase

Genre:   Contemporary Romance

Release Date:   May 27th, 2014

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: girl meets player, they fall in love, player changes his ways.

It’s a good story. But it’s not our story. Ours is a lot more colorful.

When I met Dee I knew right away that she was special. When she met me, she thought I was anything but special–I was exactly like every other guy who’d screwed her over and let her down. It took some time to convince her otherwise, but turns out I can make a convincing argument when sex is at stake.

You might know where this story’s headed. But the best part isn’t where we ended up.

It’s how we got there.

TAMED goes back in time to the Tangled days. But this time around, it’s not Drew dishing out the advice and opinions – it’s his best friend Matthew, who of course is dealing with Dee Dee.

Twenty-year-old Camryn Bennett had always been one to think out-of-the-box, who knew she wanted something more in life than following the same repetitive patterns and growing old with the same repetitive life story. And she thought that her life was going in the right direction until everything fell apart.

Determined not to dwell on the negative and push forward, Camryn is set to move in with her best friend and plans to start a new job. But after an unexpected night at the hottest club in downtown North Carolina, she makes the ultimate decision to leave the only life she’s ever known, far behind.

With a purse, a cell phone and a small bag with a few necessities, Camryn, with absolutely no direction or purpose boards a Greyhound bus alone and sets out to find herself. What she finds is a guy named Andrew Parrish, someone not so very different from her and who harbors his own dark secrets. But Camryn swore never to let down her walls again. And she vowed never to fall in love.

But with Andrew, Camryn finds herself doing a lot of things she never thought she’d do. He shows her what it’s really like to live out-of-the-box and to give in to her deepest, darkest desires. On their sporadic road-trip he becomes the center of her exciting and daring new life, pulling love and lust and emotion out of her in ways she never imagined possible. But will Andrew’s dark secret push them inseparably together, or tear them completely apart?

Due to sexual content and language, this book is recommended for 17+ – Adult Contemporary Women’s – New Adult Fiction

Camryn Bennett has never been happier. Five months after meeting on a Greyhound bus, she and her soul mate Andrew Parrish are engaged-and a wedding isn’t the only special event in their future. Nervous but excited, Camryn can’t wait to begin the rest of her life with Andrew, a man she knows in her heart will love her always. They have so much to look forward to-until tragedy blindsides them.

Andrew doesn’t understand how this could happen to them. He’s trying to move on, and thought Camryn was doing the same. But when Andrew discovers Camryn is secretly harboring a mountain of pain and attempting to numb it in damaging ways, there is nothing he won’t do to bring her back to life. Determined to prove that their love can survive anything, Andrew decides to take Camryn on a new journey filled with hope and passion. If only he can convince her to come along for the ride…

Andrew…oh my…just yes!

Keep reading to see the full Love Note!

Be wearing that little white cami-babydoll-whatever-you-call-it thing when I get home. Or, better yet just be naked. Either way I’m gonna own you into the morning hours.
Happy Valentines Day, baby.
-Andrew

The Edge of Always by J.A. Redmerski

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*ARC Given to Blog for Honest Review*

4 “promises” “moment of weakness” “Lily” Kisses

I have been anxiously awaiting The Edge of Always since the second I heard it was going to be released. The Edge of Never absolutely blew me away…I loved everything about it and just knowing that Andrew and Camryn were going to have a more complete ending made me so giddy. This has to be said…you cannot read The Edge of Always without reading The Edge of Never…it will make absolutely no sense, these books have to be read in order. Honestly…I think I needed TEoA but….it definitely surprised me…it was far from what I was expecting.

Camryn Bennett…I can’t lie, I have a girl crush on her. She’s sassy and sweet…beautiful and captivating…funny and surprising. She’s unconventional and I’m just drawn in by her personality and beauty. I love her free spirited nature and her strength. I broke a little bit with her and for her throughout the course of this book, but she is tested. In a lot of ways. There are a lot of complications and difficult things that Camryn is forced to deal with and God bless that she has Andrew to help her deal with them. I love the kind of person that she is with Andrew…I can’t imagine what would have happened to her if she hadn’t met him…it’s a sad thing to ponder. He brings out the best in her as she does in him, but I think he really did save her. I appreciated her growth in TEoA. The way certain things were left in TEoN that needed closure and I didn’t even realize I needed it until it happened in TEoA. So that was nice.

‘Performing isn’t what I enjoy the most; performing with him is what makes me love it.’

Andrew Parrish…I love him. Like…he is the closest thing to a ‘Book Husband’ this self-professed Book Whore will ever have. There is just something about him…he has all the characteristics that just do it for me. He’s alpha without being over the top, he’s sexy but in a completely understated way, he’s a freakin musician *sigh*…he has an old classic car…plus he can work on cars (sorry…something about that is deliciously manly and sexy to me)…he’s deep and sweet and romantic and kind and just…perfection. Granted…the whole ‘secret’ he kept in TEoN didn’t thrill me to bits but he more than made up for it in TEoA. The way he handled Camryn…through everything…the way he handled all the obstacles that they were faced with…I loved it. I loved him even more…and I didn’t think that was possible.

‘“You’re the world to me,” I whisper onto her lips. “I hope you never forget that.”
“I’ll never forget,” she whispers back and moves her hips very subtly on my lap. Then she nudges my lips with her own and says just before kissing me, “But if I ever do, for whatever reason, I hope you’ll always find a way to remind me.”
I study her mouth and then her cheeks resting underneath the pads of my thumbs.
“Always,” I say and kiss her ravenously.’

TEoA was very similar to TEoN for me in regards to my feelings…I don’t know why but I never had any doubt about the security or stability of Andrew and Camryn’s relationship in either book. I knew no matter what problems or drama came into the picture…they would face it and overcome it together. I don’t think I’ve ever read a more strong and compatible couple. And considering they really haven’t been together that long…that says a lot for me. I don’t know what it is…but their connection, their chemistry, their passion, their love…all of it just speaks to me. Their playfulness, the road trips, the promises they made to each other, the music and OMG those damn tattoo’s….Andrew and Camryn…they just click. They work better together and I get them. I love them separately but together they’re just a freakin force.

‘“I know. You’re right as usual,” she says dejectedly.
“Do you believe that, or are you just agreeing with me to get me to shut up?” I grin over at her, hoping to get a smile out of her.
And it works.
She smiles and says, “No, I do believe it. I just wish I would’ve believed it sooner.”
“Why do you believe it now?”
“Because you’re like a philosopher with tattoos.” She laughs and it sends a shot of warmth through my blood.’

The story line of TEoA…surprised me. I mean…it shouldn’t have, TEoN surprised me, so I should expect the same, but still…I wasn’t expecting tears so early. That was one thing that I loved about TEoN and TEoA, how real and raw and true the emotions felt. I didn’t feel like I was just ‘reading’ about Andrew and Camryn, I felt like I was first hand experiencing it with them. The authenticity of the characters and the situations…everything you’re feeling right along with them, it pulled me in and I couldn’t help but get caught up in it. I also loved how much more we got to know Andrew and Camryn. I mean…it’s true, they go through a lot in a short period of time and while the time frame never made me doubt any of their feelings, there is still a lot for them to learn about each other and I liked being along for that ride.

‘I guess sometimes the greatest memories are made in the most unlikely of places, further proof that spontaneity is more rewarding that a meticulously planned life. A meticulously planned anything.’

If you want a crazy, drama filled, angsty book…that’s not what TEoA is. That’s never been Andrew and Camryn’s style, at least not IMO. They are a slow and steady build. They are consistent, solid and resilient. That’s not to say this book is all sunshine and roses, it isn’t. There is tough stuff…there are situations that suck and that they need to work through…but it’s not over the top. I almost want to say anti-climactic…but I mean that in a good way, if that makes any sense. If it was out of control craziness…that wouldn’t make sense to who Andrew and Camryn are. Honestly, if anything like that had happened, it would have felt forced and fake because I can’t see Andrew putting up with it and it’s just not in Camryn’s nature to deal with it. Which is just another thing I love about them.

‘Andrew has always amazed me. He amazed me with the way his mind worked. The way he could look at me without saying anything and make me feel like the most important person in the world. He amazed me with how he could always be so positive even when life was falling apart around him. And how he could make a light shine in the darkest recesses of my mind when I thought that I’d never see another light there again.’

Andrew and Camryn will stay with me forever…their love for each, the road and music is something that is unforgettable. I loved their journey…getting the end of their story and the epilogue blew me away. I can only hope (and pray!) that it’s a sign of something to come. *crossing my fingers!!!*

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J.A. Redmerski, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author lives in North Little Rock, Arkansas with her three children, two cats and a Maltese. She is a lover of television and books that push boundaries and is a huge fan of AMC’s The Walking Dead.   Check out J.A.’s Website for more info.

Cadence Miller is a good girl. She just happens to make one terrible mistake her junior year in high school which costs her ten months in juvenile detention. Now a senior, she’s lost everything: her best friend, the trust of her parents, driving privileges, Internet access. It’s a lonely existence.

But there is one bright spot: Mark Connelly, her very cute, very off-limits 28-year-old calculus teacher. She falls hard for him–a ridiculous schoolgirl crush headed nowhere. She can’t help it. He’s the only good thing at Crestview High. She doesn’t expect him to reciprocate her feelings. How inappropriate, right? But he does. And he shows her.

And that’s when her life goes from bad to good.

Their relationship has been exposed, and now their lives are changed forever.

For Cadence Miller, the fast track to adulthood proves intimidating and frustrating. She’s a little girl lost—abandoned by her parents and uncertain of her future. She doesn’t think she “fits” anywhere. She’s eighteen. She wants to be older. And the result is both comical and heartbreaking.

Mark Connelly will do anything to provide Cadence a stable, loving home—to be her protector. But he’s just as broken and lost, and his heart won’t let go of his past so easily. He knows he must share his secret with Cadence. And he hopes his revelation won’t tear them apart. He hopes it will draw them closer, and make their love better.

We ADORE this series…Mark and Cadence’s story is so unique and beautiful.  You can check out a Mark Alternate POV from Good here, our interview with Mark & Cadence here and our Better reviews, as well as an Avery Alternate POV scene! 😉

Oh Mark…just when we thought you couldn’t get more perfect…*sigh*

Keep reading to see the full Love Note!

My Cadence,

You’re a song that exploded in my heart. The first time I saw you was the moment I knew I wanted your melody always. No one else’s. It had to be you—your music—a song I could move to, live to, love to. I was broken. I thought love wasn’t possible again. And then there you were. Out of nowhere you found me, like something subconsciously guided you to me. Or perhaps someone.

Every day I spend with you is my favorite day. Every moment important, no matter its seeming unimportance. You’ve revived my heart, multiplied my feelings, and taught me that love can soothe even the deepest wounds. Love can bend even the hardest hearts. Your love, Cadence—it’s magic.

I can’t think of any other way to spend Valentine’s Day with you than this: Will you come skating with me? I don’t want to skate alone. Not nearly as fun. And anyway, we both know that “two are better than one,” so it’s only right that I should have a skating partner. Be mine, tonight, 7:00 P.M. Our rink. I’ll be the guy in the red sneakers holding the large bouquet of sunshiny roses.

Yours forever,

Mark

Good by S. Walden

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well, S. Walden has managed to do it again. I have officially fallen in love all over again with the best kind of story EVER. Ya know. The kind that are unconventional. The kind that are controversial. The kind that make you weep with want, rejoice in happiness, and question the definition of morals.

Good is a book that will make you want to throw caution to the wind and ignore the nagging ‘mini-you’ on your shoulder telling you what is right and what is wrong. What the true definition of love is (no matter your age). And in the end, you will know that being ‘good’ isn’t what you thought it was all along. Or maybe it is and you just don’t give a flying fuck anymore. Either way, by the end, you will learn that love is sometimes ugly. Sometimes it’s just downright hideous. Sometimes you just learn that taking risks is worth every bit of hurt you’ve endured along the way. Isn’t that what makes love…love?

Oh wow. I just got all philosophical and emotional or some shit there.My apologies. Moving on.

Okay. So let’s begin with Cadence, shall we?

Ah, my frustrating, sweet, confused, Cadence.

I love her. I really, really, really love Cadence. Through and through I just adore her. Cadence is a girl that made one bad decision (one very bad decision) and is having to suffer the consequences. Consequnces in the form of an orange jumpsuit, a nice lengthy stay in a juvenile detention center, and picking up trash alongside the road. But poor Cadence has no clue how bad these consequences are going to get upon walking through those doors to her high school on her first day of senior year. We all know how ruthless teenagers are. How down right awful high school years are. The rumors, the gossip, the glares and stares, and of course, the notes on the lockers and the cold hearted bitches that decide to put a multitude of items in your locker.
Welcome to hell!
A.K.A-Cadence’ senior year.

Now, not only does she have all this bullshit to deal with, but imagine the shock and surprise when you walk into your math class to find
Mr. Midnight in a Perfect World
as your teacher. You will understand that reference once you read it.

Meet. Mark Connelly. A.K.A-Mr. Midnight in a Perfect World!

Now this is where things start to get interesting. Mark is a young (well, not too young-28 years old) math teacher. VERY good looking and the kind of teacher that the guys in class like because he’s cool and laid back, and the girls really like because he’s well…hot!

So while Cadence is having the worst day of her life back at school, Mark (Mr. Connelly) can’t help but notice and try to intervene. It’s obvious that he feels sorry for Cadence. He isn’t blind to what is going on and the way she is being treated. And here he goes and makes things a little more awkward for her by giving her his handkerchief when he finds her crying. Not going to lie, I think this is where I fell in love with Mark Connelly. I mean, come on! The guys carries a handkerchief.

“I don’t mind that you cry into my handkerchief, Cadence.

And so from here on out things slowly progress from a little awkward to well, borderline inappropriate. Okay, I admit it, a lot inappropriate. But still, my heart is like “please let this be going where I want it to”, “please please let this happen”, “oh dear God this better end well”.

I stared at my hands in every class for the rest of the day replaying Mr. Connelly’s ministrations. He had to know it was inappropriate. Why would he touch me like that? And why did I let him? I could have said no. I could have walked away. But I didn’t want to. I wanted him to clean my hands, to say kind things to me, to make me laugh. I realized that Mr. Connelly was one of the nicest men in my life right now. Did he sense that? And was he taking advantage of it?

One of the parts of this book that I will always remember is Cadence and her conversation with the ever enlightening, Fanny. This old woman might just be the smartest individual ever and if I ever need advice of any kind, I know where I am going. No joke, this is what the clever old lady has to say about love. Cadence asks:

Do you think love is a choice or a feeling?

Love comes in all kinds of packages. Some are nearly tied up, and some are messy. It doesn’t mean that the messy ones aren’t every bit as good.”
“Good?”

“Yes, good.”

Let’s get back to Mark and Cadence now, shall we? Well let’s do some analyzing here for a second. Cadence-17 (almost 18) high school senior and has fallen hard for super hot, super sweet, math teacher. Mark- very conflicted, 28 year old math teacher, currently falling for a certain blonde haired beauty that, oh yeah, just so happens to be one of his students. Inappropriate? Hell yes! Love knows no boundaries, people. We know this.

Mark+Cadence= one big beautiful fucking mess that my heart just absolutely craves! NO…wait. Not craves.
Needs!
I need these two. I need them to be together. I need it!

Honestly, there is just too much that just absolutely can NOT be revealed in my review. There is so much beauty, pain, heartache, and love to be experienced while reading that I promise you, you will be glad I didn’t tell you.

So, what can you expect while reading Good? Pure amazingness. I loved everything about this book. I went through so many emotions through this. 84 to be exact. 😉

Are there many moments of happiness in this book? Hmmm…yes and no. There were times when my heart was so very content that I thought I could seriously stop reading and just have my own little HEA for Mark and Cadence and leave it at that.

“Well, I do a pretty good job of masking my feelings,” Mark admitted. “But my heart was pounding.
“Why?”

“Because you’re beautiful.”

“I’m average.”

“You’re so much more than average, Cadence. You’re out of this world.”

Are there uncomfortable moments in this book? Hell. Fucking. Yes. Especially the “waxing scene”. Ha! There were times where I swear, if I wasn’t so open and honest and just down right crude, I probably would have been blushing right along with Cadence. The poor girl is the definition of inexperienced. But that is just another reason why I love her.

I was a burned and damaged eighteen-year-old non-virgin having an awkward conversation with the 28-year old man who took my virginity. Yes, I was allowed to be a little snarky.

There were even times when Mr. Midnight in a Perfect world got uncomfortable yet always had the upper hand and let me tell you, I fell even harder for him when he was like this. It was too damn sexy. Almost innocently sexy.

“Look at me,” I demanded. He did. “How do you expect me to ever have sex with me if you won’t let me touch you? You have to give yourself to me like I’m giving myself to you. It’s not wrong. It’s not dirty. It won’t change me in a bad way. It’ll draw me closer to you. And that’s good, don’t you think?”

Are there painful, heart breaking, soul-aching moments in this book? More than I can count. But that’s what makes this book so damn amazing. Even through the painful moments, my heart knew what I wanted for Mark and Cadence and I refused to give up hope for them.

“I hate that I have to see you every day. I hate that I have to be in your class. I hate you hurt my heart and I can’t fix it.” I paused for a moment. “I hate you. I really really hate you.”

Want another reason why Cadence is so fucking great?

I understood we were over, but he didn’t have to treat me like a complete, inconsequential stranger. The guy used to put his mouth between my legs.

Were there moments where Cadence could piss me off, make me laugh, make me cry and leave me reeling. Oh yeah! Again, I just love her.

He liked to blame me for this out-of-control person he’d become, but oh my God, I finally realized it! He liked it. He liked feeling that way. He liked being provoked.

He probably wanted to fuck me somewhere. A closet, no doubt.

Then there were the moments where all it took were some perfect words and I was left in awe. Mark Connelly is truly amazing.

“You don’t think I’m drama?”
Mark smiled. “I think you’re the best kind of drama. And I want you to be my drama, and make me feel all the time, and turn me inside out, and do to my heart and mind whatever you want.”

Dare I go on with Mark Connelly’s perfection? Oh I think I will.

“I feel possessive of you.” It sounded like it hurt him to say the words.
“I want you to,” I replied. “I want you to possess me.”
He nodded and cupped my face tenderly. “I’ll take your breath away, Cadence.” My eyes grew wide with fear until his next words. “But I’ll give it all back. I promise.”

Okay lovely people, I will leave you with one last Mark quote.

“God can punish me however he’d like. I don’t care. Call me crazy. Call me possessive or unstable or whatever. I don’t care. I’ll kill anyone who hurts you.”

I hope you all love him as much as I do and altogether just fall in love with this book, with Cadence, with Mark, with S. Walden and her incomparable, flawless writing. She really does have an amazing gift and I will truly love her and her writing forever.

Oh, I almost forgot. Drunk Cadence is my FAVORITE!

HAPPY READING!
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Good by S. Walden

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*ARC Given to Blog for Honest Review*

4.5 “Midnight in a Perfect World” Kisses

Okay…so I kinda cheated on this book. A little. I knew things. But I blame Brooke – it’s okay though, it didn’t ruin anything for me. But seriously…she warned me that Good was a cliffhanger. Now cliff’s can do some crazy things with my emotions. Sometimes I get mad…sometimes I get frustrated….and a very select few times I am 100% okay with a cliffhanger ending. This is one of those times. Don’t ask me how Miss. Walden did it but she pulled off one of the smoothest, happiest cliff’s ever.

Cadence Brynn Miller…sweet, young, naïve. That’s Cadence in a nutshell. A very very good girl in every sense of the word. Always done the right thing, been the picture of an ideal child for her parents, a pristine Christian daughter. But all it takes is one little life altering mistake to bring all that to a crashing halt. Her life is a shell of what it once was. No friends she can talk to, her parents treat her like she’s a burden and the whole town treats her like she’s a pariah. I mean the bullying she experiences at school is something I would never wish on another person. Sounds awesome, right? Until she meets her angel. Okay…I know that sounds like it could be cliché, but trust me, it’s not. Their chance meeting could have and should have been a one time deal…but where would the fun be in that?

‘School Survival Rules:
1. Do not cry under any circumstances.
2. Do not physically attack anyone (even if they totally deserve it).
3. Smile and act like nothing bothers you.
4. Try to exude Christian virtues like patience, love, and forgiveness.
5. When all else fails, use sarcasm as your defense mechanism.’

Mark Connelly….sigh….I might have an obsession with his hair. Read the book, it’ll make sense, I promise. He’s a dream boat…visually stunning, he’s 28, he loves music and red converse sneakers…and of course he also happens to be Cadences’ math teacher. Awesome! Honestly…I swooned over Mark but he was far from the perfect book boyfriend. Of course guys fuck up and do some dumb shit, but he did some pretty dumb shit. Like had me at tears at two very specific instances that I cannot ruin…but grrrrr….I don’t think I’ve ever been this frustrated with a dude in a book before.

‘I locked eyes with him. His were a steely blue. Almost completely gray, actually. Smoky, sensual irises that could teach me everything I needed to know about math and love and beauty and sex. And how the world was created. And how gravity works. And how chemicals react. And how-‘

So it’s the typical forbidden love, with the added feature that it’s really bordering on illegal love…not only do you have the teacher/student thing…but you have the age difference thing (she’s 17 at the beginning of the book). ‘Technically’ the legal age in Georgia is 16…but really? Who is going to be okay with anything under 18. But you can’t fight the way you feel and damn it if you don’t feel for them. And really the ‘forbidden’ aspect kind of made it a little more enticing in those instances because it’s that rush of excitement that adds to it too. ‘We shouldn’t be doing this, but we want to…’ It’s hard to explain because ‘logically’ I knew it was wrong, but for whatever reason I was okay with it.

‘He arched an eyebrow, waiting for my response. God, he was so freaking hot! Suddenly I was no longer embarrassed by his words. I just wanted to stare at his features. His hair was especially crazy today. And I wanted my hands in it. I wanted to pull on it. And his eyes. Oh, his eyes! Like fogged glass. A hazy film of smoke, letting me in just enough, but not all the way. And I wanted in all the way.’

There’s more conflict than just the fact that he’s her teacher and the age…she’s young and therefore inexperienced when it comes to relationships. It also doesn’t help that she is her own worst enemy and the thoughts she comes up with just on her own are enough to possibly destroy them. I empathized with her because to me, Cadence is the quintessential teenage girl. Let’s be honest here, 16-19 year old girls are pretty freakin loopy, we’ve got hormones and all sorts of crazy shit going on at the age, it’s really not all our fault. So add an extreme attraction and connection with a hot guy, mix in the fact that he’s basically the only human connection she has, splash in a dab of danger and lying = recipe for a cocktail of goodness. Which is exactly what I felt Good gave me. 😉

‘Mark chuckled. “Because it’s impossible to not be attracted to you. I couldn’t help myself. Every day after school, I would resolve to start over the next, to ignore how cute you were, to try to be unaffected by you. And then you’d come into class the next day, and my resolve would melt to nothing. I felt powerless, but not in a frustrated way. I liked the feeling. I still like the feeling.”
I smiled and sat up in his lap. “I’m glad your resolve melted to nothing.”
“Me too. Because I couldn’t imagine you not in my life.”’

Now Cadence isn’t completely alone. She does have one ‘friend’…Avery. I say ‘friend’ because that’s not how they start off…in the beginning it’s ‘freedom over friendship’ but over time it develops into a pretty good friendship. And Avery is there for Cadence when she really needs her…she’s a little voice of reason when Cadence needs it the most, she’s also extremely helpful in all the areas Cadence is lacking knowledge and experience and to ice this pretty little friendship cake – she’s hilarious. There is a waxing scene that had me rolling.

‘He nodded and cupped my face tenderly. “I’ll take all your breath away, Cadence.” My eyes grew wide with fear until his next words. “But I’ll give it all back. I promise.”’

I enjoyed watching Cadence grow and develop throughout the book…my heart went out to her because she is dealing with a lot…Mark, her parents, school, the lies, the stigma of being the ‘convict’. This is a pretty angsty book, I never knew what to expect next. I really didn’t expect to be in tears at 80% shaking my head and wondering wtf was going on. Mark has some skeletons in his closet. Things we don’t even scratch the surface on, which only makes me more eager for book two. He has a lot of explaining to do and I’m counting on Cadence to get him to open up.

‘“Do you wish I’d never stepped foot in your classroom?” I asked.
“I couldn’t imagine my life if you hadn’t stepped foot inside my classroom. Well, yes I could. It would be dull. Uninteresting. Lonely. And loveless.” He kissed the top of my head.’

Now, I said it was a cliff…but it’s a happy cliff. There is a lot still to come, like I said Mark’s issues need to be addressed, and there is still a lot of ‘external factors’ that need to be addressed, but I am happy camper because why? Cadence and Mark are together. The world may not be peachy, but they’ve got each other and with the person that you love, you can conquer the world, as long as they are by your side. It doesn’t take much to please me…but I can hold on for final answers as long as I know they aren’t apart. I know, I’m an odd duck, but it gives my anguished heart a small ounce of peace. So bring on Book #2! (Soon, please…k thanks!) 🙂

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S. Walden used to teach English before making the best decision of her life by becoming a full-time writer. She lives in Georgia with her very supportive husband who prefers physics textbooks over fiction and has a difficult time understanding why her characters must have personality flaws. She is wary of small children, so she has a Westie instead. Her dreams include raising chickens and owning and operating a beachside inn on the Gulf Coast (chickens included). When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about it.

❀Connect with S. Walden❀

Title:  Beneath the Burn

Author:  Pam Godwin

Genre:   Romantic/Erotic Thriller

They meet by chance. The timing is wrong.

Three years later, she finds him again, but their separation was poisoned with narcotics and bloodied by enslavement.

Her freedom gambled away, Charlee Grosky escapes the international businessman who held her captive. But his power reaches beyond her protective barriers and threatens everyone she has come to love.

Jay Mayard wears his tortured secrets under his rock god facade. Drugs are his release, even as he seeks to be the man forged of the steel only she can see.

In a celebrity world filled with paparazzi, groupies, and drugs, Jay and Charlee must face their worst fears. When the battle is over, what will be left…Beneath The Burn.

Genre: Romantic/Erotic Thriller

Content warning: Includes graphic rape, sex, anal, bondage, and violence. Age 18+ only.

We LOVE Jay to bits…Charlee is a very lucky girl…and his love note just made us melt!

Keep reading to see the full Love Note!

A thousand melodies would never be enough to express my love for you. But the perfect song came to me, and I named it “Mine”. You are that song, Charlee. Happy Valentine’s Day.

Beneath the Burn by Pam Godwin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*ARC Given to Blog for Honest Review*

5++++ “Huntress” “You weren’t just a girl” “Dare to be vulnerable with me.” Kisses!

As I sit here with puffy, teary, red eyes I need to find a way to put into words the cluster fuck that is my thoughts, feelings and emotions about this book. I can do that with two words. HA! If you know me…then you truly know how funny this statement is. Why? Well..it’s simple…

Why is my mind blown? Because I didn’t just read this book…I was sucked in and taken on an insane journey of trust, pain, freedom, passion, forgiveness, strength and above all else…love. I will never forget this book. Your brain can never recover from a book like this. It’s not physically possible. And mine has been forever scarred. Forever burned. (oh yes…I just made a pun 😛 )

Charlee Grosky…who is she? She’s a shadow, a figment…because she never really got the chance to exist. Her chance was taken from her at the age of 16, replaced with an existence no human should ever have to live. But she endured. How? Why? Because she’s the strongest little spit-fire ever to grace the pages of a book! God Bless America this girl BLEW me the fuck away. I loved her. She has flaws…hello, they are quite well understood given her history – but fuck a whole bunch of that because she’s just flat out awesome and amazing and I challenge anyone to argue with me. I will say it again…I love her. The end.

‘Perhaps she was the missing elements of his soul.’

Jay…James Kristopher Maynard…my sweet broken soul…if he only knew how one hour in Charlee’s presence would forever change his existence. Change the course of how his life would play out, forever haunted by the beautiful girl that made something stunning out of scars that would always torture and plague him. But that’s what Charlee did to him…for him. Before that night he was just another guy in a band. After her…well, she was his muse. The reason for his inspiration that created the songs that gave his band, The Burn, their success. But this unwilling rock star would give it all up, if it meant he could have her.

‘Fuck him but he’d found a beacon of salvation in this gorgeous girl.
And lost his goddamned mind.’

I can’t go into detail with what makes this plot so different…but it’s so very very different. It’s dark and twisted and not for the faint of heart. If you like fluff and hugs and kisses and mushy things – turn away now, this is not the book for you. But if you love realness, raw, grit, the ugly side of love and the beauty that can be found when you push beyond all that…you will not find a better book. There are things in this book that will give you knots in your stomach, make you cringe, make you hurt – physically and emotionally – for the characters, it’s a freakin mind fuck. And I personally loved every minute of it.

‘She knew, in the moment, the absence of fear was not synonymous with courage. She wasn’t brave. She was numb. Was that how Jay felt when his scars were inflicted? Or had he always been courageous?’

Well after all that you would think, wtf Lisa, how the hell do you enjoy this? I shall explain. First of all, the writing is F.L.A.W.L.E.S.S. Magical. Spectacular. Couldn’t tell you one thing I didn’t like about it. Even when she was ripping my heart out and absolutely killing my soul with her words, I still was in awe of the way she did it. Perfect example… ‘Her eyes flipped open and collided with his where they glittered over the counter.’ Really?? That’s just them looking at each other, can you think of a more beautiful way to say that? Nope…me either. It was effortless. Like the words just leapt into my brain, did a little jig with my imagination and left me stunned and stupefied. It was a glorious journey.

‘The challenge in her tone suspended him in a moment of lucidity. Wonderful things were going to happen with this girl. She would push him. Maybe even fix him. If his nightmares chased her away, though, if she ran out the door, his existence would go up in an inferno.’

What else was there to like? The characters, their growth and development…their interaction and the way the melded together. Even the evil fucking ass holes were impeccably crafted…you have to sit back and tip your hat to a good fuckin villain. And then of course there is Jay and Charlee. My heart broke and ached, it soared and rejoiced, it crumbled and disintegrated and then was healed and lovingly pieced back together. You go thru every emotional journey with them, and believe me…they have it in spades…but the process of watching them go through it together…is breathtaking.

“Do you know what happens when you open up?”
She closed her eyes and inhaled through her nose. “It makes you strong.”
He kissed each lid and whispered against them, “Dare to be vulnerable with me?”

So…the ending…that was the icing on my battered and bruised heart. Just when I’m happy…when I think there is a light at the end of the tunnel and I can breathe a sigh of relief, that’s when I can see the writing on the wall. The writing that tells me ’yeah…fucking…right! Roy Oxford is not going to go away that easily.’ I’m not going to sugar coat this, from about 91% till 95% I Did. Not. Stop. Crying. Bawling. Big fat crocodile tears accompanied by the heaving gasps where you can’t catch a breath…mainly due to the fact that you can’t breathe thru your nose because of all the snot. I’m not painting a pretty picture here folks, and I know this. But….would I do it all over again? You bet your sweet fuckin tits I would!

“More than anything, I want to learn how to bend to your touch without breaking.” He stroked his cheek along hers, the rise and fall of his chest intoxicating her. “I want you tot touch me inside and out.” He straightened to look at her.
The heat from his words left her breathless.
He squeezed their hands at her back. “You saw strength in me once. Do you think you could find it again?”

My brain will never fully recover from Beneath the Burn…Charlee and Jay are permanently etched into my heart and I love that. I never want to give up on my characters (because to me…they are mine, sorry!) but they are exactly where I want them to be. Happy. Complete. Perfect. Now…would I love for some spin off’s…hell fuckin yeah I would! O.M.G. Laz is brilliance and probably is the only thing that kept me from completely slitting my wrists. The boy is hilarious. I love him…in a different way from Jay, but I might have a small obsession with Laz. Wil and Rio seem like they would have a fun story to tell, too. Obviously, they don’t go into a lot of detail about the band, but you know there is history there and it would be nice to get to know that side. Plus I’m a series whore, so sue me that I don’t want to let go! Don’t judge me.

“This will hold me.” She poked him on the chest. “You have the heart one expects to see at the center of a fire, bending and twisting like steel, but never breaking. If something happens to mine, yours would be stubborn enough to beat for both of us.”

There is so much I am missing…like about her pain, his fears and how the approach them together. Always together. Or about how many freaking things I highlighted…the decisions on which quotes to put in this review were literally painful for me to choose. But if I went on and on about everything this review would turn into a novel, rather than just the novella that it currently is. I babble…once again, don’t judge me. 😛 So…in conculsion…you must read this book. I don’t say this lightly, Beneath the Burn is one of the best books I’ve read this year and in my life. It’s a soul searing, life-altering book that will leave you gasping for breath, clinging to hope and yearning for more. 🙂

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Beneath the Burn by Pam Godwin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Do you know what happens when you open up?”

“It makes you strong.”

I am. On top of. THE MOTHER FUCKING WORLD right now!! Yes, you heard me. Actually, I am pretty sure I am sitting on the moon somewhere or just orbiting up in the star filled galaxy because I have been BLOWN…the…FUCK…away!! Goodbye that is all!

I guess I need to give you all a little more than that, huh? Alright well how about you try this on for size. The Fault in Our Stars. The Edge of Never. The Sea of Tranquility. The Dark Duet series. I could go on. But here’s what you need to know about those books I just listed. ALL of those books are some of my top favorites. ALL of those books, especially, TFiOS, has been unmovable since it was placed on my top bookshelf inside of my fucked up head. But holy mother of God that ALL JUST CHANGED! Oh yes my lovely people, Beneath the Burn has taken the fucking cake. Number one, favorite book, that changed my life from here on out, until books no longer exist on this planet, has now been replaced. Out with the old, in with the burn.

While reading this book I felt like I was having mini heart attacks, on top of feeling like I was 84 months pregnant with every hormone known to woman running through my body thanks to the emotional mess of a roller coaster I was on, and then, upon finishing, I felt like I was coming down off of the highest high that you could ever imagine while simultaneously feeling like I was bathing in 100 proof liquor and letting it seep into my pores. Yeah, that’s how fucked up I felt. And don’t even get me started on the tears. Dear god those fucking tears. Yeah well I have pics to prove it that I sent to Lisa (a.k.a. blog partner) that I took while refusing to finish this book at…ohhhhh let’s say…94ish%. My head hurt, my heart hurt, I had snot in mouth and on my shirt, I couldn’t breathe and I all I wanted to do was get in bed and dream happy dreams of all the wonderful fucked up moments that took place in this book.

Okay, so you’re thinking…wonderful fucked up moments? Let me explain. Yes, I have to admit it now. I am a masochist when it comes to reading. Torture my heart. Hurt my soul. Rip me to pieces and I promise I will be lying there with a sick fucking smile on my face. I LIVE for books like this. Books that go beyond the fluff and the hearts and flowers. Books that delve into darkness and suffocate your brain. Books that are written by kick ass authors who aren’t afraid to write outside the pretty little box. THAT is what this book is. It is the fix that my addiction craves and I have never been more…perfectly, blissfully, fucked up. Yep, I will NEVER be the same. EVER!

Okay so let’s see here. I don’t want to give too much away as far as plot goes because this is the ONE and ONLY book that I am not willing to spoil for ANYONE. Even if you beg. It’s too perfect to ruin so you are just going to have to deal with that I give you.

Charlee Grosky

She got off on brutality and not on tenderness? She was damaged. So fucking broken.

Let me sum her up in a few words. Broken. Damaged. Sheltered (literally). And knows, wants, craves, and NEEDS one thing…
pain
. Charlee has had to endure months, no years, of sinfully orchestrated HELL at the hands of Roy Oxford. The man that owns basically the world and well…her. The man that stops at nothing because that’s an impossible feat. The man that tortured her body, ruined her soul, destroyed her heart, and caused her to run in fear for years. But he also gave Charlee the one thing she needs…strength.

Choosing the punishment was not the same as choosing to be punished. The beating would’ve happened with or without her consent. There was no power exchange. No safe word. Choosing the method gave her an illusion of control, and in the monsters lair, illusion was better than reality.

The strength I saw in Charlie was something I have never in my life had the privilege of reading before. This girl is unlike any other and considering the hell she has been through, is pretty fucking amazing. That’s what I loved about her. Even after going to hell and back, twice, she has more strength in one fiery red hair on her head than anyone else does in their entire body. She is afraid, yet brave. Ruined, yet healing. I love her, I love her, I love her.

Jay Mayard

He wanted to be healed by his own inner strength. Charlee had drawn the steel beneath the burns. And the next time he looked into her beautiful face, he would prove to her she had not misjudged him.

Lead guitarist and vocalist in the band The Burn. Tortured soul. Struggling addict. And above all else, never ever the same after he meets a blue-eyed tattoo artist one fateful night-his Charlee. His inspiration. His reason to be a better person. His reason to overcome his deamons. And the
only
touch that he will ever welcome.

“More than anything, I want to learn to bend to your touch without breaking.” He stroked his cheek along hers, the rise and fall of his chest intoxicating her. “I want you to touch me inside and out.”

Wonderful things were going to happen with this girl. She would push him. Maybe even fix him. If his nightmares chased her away, though, if she ran out the door, his existence would go up in an inferno.

Picture the earth shattering. Picture galaxies colliding. Picture beauty, meets pain, meets devastation, meets two souls forever changed. That is what Charlee and Jay are. Never in my life have I wanted anything more than for these two broken souls to be healed as one. To be cured, together, happy, and living fearless and content.

She met Jay by chance the first time. Destiny brought them together a second time. If one were to believe in such a thing, perhaps they would find each other again.

Brought together, torn apart. Suffering, waiting, wanting, and never giving up hope. That’s what sets them apart from others. The connection these two share is indescribable. I couldn’t explain it even if I wanted to. Jay and Charlee have forever, captured my heart.

Okay, so where do I go from here with this review? I think I will wrap it up now. You got my feelings, my emotions, and I even confessed to my ridiculous ugly crying. Snot and all. So what does that say for this book? Well, I will reiterate. Best, motherfucking, book I think I have EVER read. It has taken my breath away, shattered my heart, exposed my soul, and I will never be the same again. How do I feel about that?  FUCKING ECSATIC!!
I will leave you with a couple of my favorite quotes.

“Love is like a series of improbable, lonely notes landing together in meaningful chaos. Where every channel carries a rhythm that conveys an expression of emotion. It doesn’t feel flat or fake or hollow. It’s not exaggerated with overtones. The complexity might feel organized, but the creation is never controlled” ~Jay

“Whatever you gave him made him look at things differently, made him want to get better. He wanted to explore it…the tattoo, you, I don’t know. But your death meant he would be forever incomplete…unfinished.” ~Laz

“I don’t know what you’re doing to me, Charlee, but whatever it is melts everything else away. It’s the best feeling in the world.” ~Jay

“You’re wrong. It’s you. You make me want to rake up the shit just to dissect it. Figure out what I’m made of, what I’m not, and who I am.” A dimple flashed on his cheek, its appearance endearing him all the more. “Got to say, Charlee, that’s an undertaking I’ve never cared to attempt. You make me want to care about a lot of things.” ~Jay

HAPPY READING!

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Pam Godwin lives in Missouri with her husband, their two children, and a foulmouthed parrot. When she ran away, she traveled fourteen countries across five continents, attended three universities, and married the vocalist of her favorite rock band. Now, she resides in her hometown, earning her living as a portfolio research analyst, and living her yearning as a writer.

Java, tobacco, and dark romance novels are her favorite indulgences, and might be considered more unhealthy than her aversion to sleeping, eating meat, and dolls with blinking eyes.

My name is Tate. He doesn’t call me that, though. He would never refer to me so informally, if he referred to me at all. No, he’ll barely even speak to me.

But he still won’t leave me alone.

We were best friends once. Then he turned on me and made it his mission to ruin my life. I’ve been humiliated, shut out, and gossiped about all through high school. His pranks and rumors got more sadistic as time wore on, and I made myself sick trying to stay out of his way. I even went to France for a year, just to avoid him.

But I’m done hiding from him now, and there’s no way in hell I’ll allow him to ruin my senior year. He might not have changed, but I have. It’s time to fight back.

*This novel contains adult/mature young adult situations. It is only suitable for ages 18+ due to language, violence, and sexual situations.

**This book is the first in a series but can be read as a STAND ALONE. The next books will focus on side characters from this story.

I am 100000% O-B-S-E-S-S-E-D with Jared Trent…unabashedly and incurably addicted.  And totally okay with it.  🙂  You can witness my ode to Bully here and you can read a deleted scene from Until You here.

Have you ever been so angry that hitting things felt good? Or so numb that you actually felt high? The past few years have been like that for me. Traveling between fury and indifference with no stops in between.

Some people hate me for it, while others are scared of me. But none of them can hurt me, because I don’t care about anything or anyone.

Except Tatum.

I love her so much that I hate her. We used to be friends, but I found out that I couldn’t trust her or anyone else.

So I hurt her. I pushed her away.

But I still need her. The sight of her centers me, and I can pool all of my anger into her. Engaging her, challenging her, bullying her…they are my food, my air, and the last part of me that feels anything human.

But she left. She went to France for a year, and came back a different girl.

Now, when I push, she pushes back.

 

Well, I’ve already professed my adoration for Jared…so you can only imagine what this ‘Love Note’ did to me…

Keep reading to see the full Love Note!

Tate, baby…

I wish that this was easier for me, but I am learning. You’re the only reason I’ve ever wanted to celebrate this day. You know you make me happy. You know I love you. And you know that I want you every minute of every day. What you don’t know is that I love the little things. You don’t think I notice them, but I do. I love that one of your fingernails is always a different color than the others. I love that you won’t put your head on my shoulder while I’m driving but instead sit back against the car door with your toes underneath my thighs, so you can see me when we talk. I love that you’re not a morning person, but I can always make you wake up with a smile. I love the way you reward me when I get an answer right during studying.

And I love that I never want to wash your smell off of my clothes.

Yesterday, today, tomorrow, and FOREVER. I love you.

Now get your ass upstairs, I’m waiting in the tree.

Jared

 

Bully by Penelope Douglas

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*ARC Given to Blog for Honest Review*

5 “Yesterday lasts forever.” Kisses

Sadness. Anger. Betrayal. Frustration. Lust. Happiness. Joy. Love. Do I sound like a crazy person yet? I’m not just listing these feelings cause I feel like it – I’m listing them because this book painstakingly ejected them from my soul while I read. After all that, I should be emotionally drained…but I’m not! I’m infused! I absolutely loved this book! GAH! Prepare for another babble filled rant of insanity from yours truly about a book that hypnotized, captivated and enraptured me. Apologies in advance.

Tatum Brandt…Tate…or at least that’s what everyone else calls her. Except for him. He’s always the exception. The one that lives to make her cringe, make her fearful of anything and everything, make her miserable. She’s a good girl, a pretty girl…she’s smart, does well in school, runs cross country, likes rock music – she’s unique! That’s one of the many things I liked about her…she’s not a girly girl, she’s not your typical teenager, but in all honesty…there’s nothing to dislike about Tate. But…of course, he can find any number of ways to make her miserable and for no reason at all…leave it to the one person who knows her the best to hurt her the worst. So, after being away for a year abroad, she comes back home to turn over a new leaf, start fresh, put the past behind her because nothing – not even the bully that has tormented her for years, is going to ruin her senior year.

“Everything still hurts, but I know none of it is my fault. There are a lot of words that I could use to describe you, but the only one that includes sad, angry, miserable, and pitiful is “coward.” In a year, I’ll be gone, and you’ll be nothing but some washout whose height of existence was in high school.” My eyes were still on Jared, and my voice got strong again. The ache in my face from trying to hold back tears eased. “You were my tempest, my thunder cloud, my tree in the downpour. I loved all those things, and I loved you. But now? You’re a fucking drought. I thought that all the assholes drove German cars, but it turns out that pricks in Mustangs can still leave scars.”

Jared Trent…oh how this boy toyed with my emotions. I wanted to hate him. Especially for the way he treated Tate, and especially because I didn’t know the reason. But once I knew the reason, all that possible hatred was gone – poof! Vanished into thin air because this poor, broken, sad boy doesn’t deserve anything but pure love in his life. He’s so the classic example of the strong silent type…and every time you get a glimpse inside, hear his emotions, his past, there’s just no hope. You cannot help but melt into a puddle at his feet and scream ‘TAKE ME NOW!’ Hmm…maybe it’s just me.

‘Once my gaze met his, it was impossible to look away. His eyes were like the cover of a book— giving you hints but not the whole story. And I wanted to know the story. If I searched his eyes long and hard enough, maybe what I craved would seep out.’

Tate and Jared clearly have a very complicated relationship. They have a lot of history, which is another thing that really gets me. They grew up together, were neighbors, he got her thru some really hard times, it’s hard not to cling to a past like that. You can’t fake memories and those threads that bind you to another person, be it a friend, a lover or a family member. And I loved the little flashbacks we got, those happy memories where you saw tiny pieces of them when they were growing up…their friendship and how it used to be before everything got ugly and feelings got hurt. That’s another reason why it was easy to see past what Jared did was because you knew that deep down, this wasn’t who he really was and there had to be a reason why he was acting the way he was. It just torture getting to that point!

‘His body inched closer, but I didn’t care. I wanted to hear more. “You were never clingy or a nuisance, Tate. The day you moved in next door I thought you were the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. I fucking love you.”’

I think part of the reason why this book and the emotions hit so deep with me was because it’s very relatable. We were all teenagers once, feelings those insecurities, those desires to just be liked, to have friends and feel cool. I know I experienced similar things to Tate, not to that extreme mind you but my heart broke for her because I knew what it felt like to have your dreams crushed, your heart broken, your desires smashed to smithereens and above all to feel so hopeless in the situation when you’ve done nothing wrong but still feel the punishment. I wanted to hold, hug and protect Tate because no one deserves that…least of all her. Not only that…but at some point we’ve all been bullied in one way or another and when it’s done by someone you considered a best friend….I mean that’s pretty freaking low. How can that not make you cry and break your heart.

‘He put a hand to my face and guided my eyes to his. “We never lost that. As much as I tried, I could never erase you from my heart. That’s why I was such an asshole and kept guys away from you. You were always mine.”
“Are you mine?” I asked as I wiped my tears.
He kissed the corners of my mouth softly, and I felt heat rise up my neck. “Always have been,” he whispered against my mouth.’

At the same time, once you learn the reasons behind Jared’s behavior and actions…is it justifiable? No. What he did was still fucked up, wrong and uncalled for. But…my heart did break for him too. These aren’t adults, their teenagers filled with pent up emotions, hormones and when you’re stuck in a situation you can’t fix or control, you do dumb things. The fact that he could sit back and recognize his mistake, apologize for it and make amends…that’s what makes him a decent guy. And you saw him trying to make up for his past and what he did, trying to mend things with Tate, to earn her forgiveness and trust, which only made me fall more in love with him! Gah, I’m such a sucker!

“You made me mean. And now I pummel poor, defenseless girls… and guys.” I tried to make my voice sound accusing and innocent.
Jared gripped me tighter. “If you beat metal long enough, it turns to steel.”
I buried my nose in his hair, kissing the ridge of his ear and joked. “Whatever helps you sleep at night, you big bully.”

Bully got me…it was sometimes difficult to remember they are seniors in high school…especially with Tate because she acts very mature for her age. I did love the ending…and the good news keeps coming cause this little gemstone is…drum roll please…a series! And what does Lisa love more than anything in this world? Series Books! Squee! I cannot wait to dive head first into Jared’s brain in Until You – and FYI, that title is fucking GENIUS and I love it more than words can ever express. Aaaaand that’s not all! Rival…Madoc’s story – Jared’s equally hot bff and he’s hilarious…love him. O…M…G….I just can’t wait. 🙂

 

 

 

 

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Penelope Douglas is a writer and teacher in Las Vegas. Born in Dubuque, Iowa, she is the oldest of five children. Penelope attended the University of Northern Iowa, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, because her father told her to “just get the degree!” She then earned a Masters of Science in Education at Loyola University in New Orleans, because she hated Public Administration. One night, she got tipsy and told the bouncer at the bar where she worked that his son was hot, and three years later they were married. To the son, not the bouncer. They have spawn, but just one. A daughter named Aydan. Penelope loves sweets, the show Sons of Anarchy, and she shops at Target almost daily.

 

“My life was complete. Happy, content, everything neat and perfect.
Then it all changed.
I was sold.”

Tess Snow has everything she ever wanted: one more semester before a career in property development, a loving boyfriend, and a future dazzling bright with possibility.

For their two year anniversary, Brax surprises Tess with a romantic trip to Mexico. Sandy beaches, delicious cocktails, and soul-connecting sex set the mood for a wonderful holiday. With a full heart, and looking forward to a passion filled week, Tess is on top of the world.

But lusty paradise is shattered.

Kidnapped. Drugged. Stolen. Tess is forced into a world full of darkness and terror.

Captive and alone with no savior, no lover, no faith, no future, Tess evolves from terrified girl to fierce fighter. But no matter her strength, it can’t save her from the horror of being sold.

Can Brax find Tess before she’s broken and ruined, or will Tess’s new owner change her life forever?

We are SO into the Monsters in the Dark Series!  Tess and Q have completely invaded our thoughts…check out our interview with Tess and Q (we had a blast!) and you can read a deleted scene and Lisa’s review of Quintessentially Q.

“All my life, I battled with the knowledge I was twisted… fucked up to want something so deliciously dark—wrong on so many levels. But then slave fifty-eight entered my world. Hissing, fighting, with a core of iron, she showed me an existence where two wrongs make a right.”

Tess is Q’s completely. Q is Tess’s irrevocably. But now, they must learn the boundaries of their unconventional relationship, while Tess seeks vengeance on the men who sold her. Q made a blood-oath to deliver their corpses at Tess’s feet, and that’s just what he’ll do.

He may be a monster, but he’s Tess’s monster.

Title:   Twisted Together  (Monsters in the Dark #3)

Author:   Pepper Winters

Genre:   Dark Romance

Release Date:   Early 2014

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

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

Derek Alexander is an ex-Marine, ex-cop, and the top investigator in his field. Melissa Jones is a small-town girl trying to escape her troubled past.

When the two intersect in a bar in Arizona, their sexual chemistry is off the charts. But what is revealed during their “one week stand” only complicates matters.

Because she’ll do everything in her power to get away from the past, but he’ll do everything he can to hold her.

Note: Stand-alone, M/F, HEA.

***WARNING: Mature themes, strong language and sexual content. Recommended for adult readers (18+) only!***

You can grab One To Hold right now for only 99 cents!  Check out my interview with Derek and Melissa!

WARNING: Mature themes, strong language and sexual content. Recommended for adult readers (18+) only!

Patrick Knight is not a nice guy.
At least, not anymore.

After a failed engagement, a one-night stand, and a random office shag, he’s sent to the desert so his business partner (Derek Alexander), can clean up his mess. Before he kicks his ass.

When Patrick meets Elaine on his desert exile, all he wants is to make her his. The problem is Elaine’s not looking for any guy—she only wants a one-week fling.

Now Patrick’s doing everything he can to change her mind. And just when it seems he’s convinced her he’s the one to keep, the skeletons from his past life start coming back.

Standalone, M/F, HEA

Rylee Thomas is used to being in control. But she’s about to meet the one man that just might make her enjoy losing it…

I am the exception to the rule.

In a world full of willing women, I’m a challenge to the roguish and achingly handsome Colton Donavan. A man used to getting exactly what he wants in all aspects of life. He’s the reckless bad boy constantly skating that razor thin edge toward out of control, on and off of the track.

Colton crashes into my life like a tornado: sapping my control, testing my vulnerabilities beyond their limits, and unintentionally penetrating the protective wall around my healing heart. Tearing apart the world I rebuilt so carefully with structure, predictability, and discipline.

I can’t give him what he wants and he can’t give me what I need. But after a glimpse beneath his refined exterior into the dark secrets of his damaged soul, can I bring myself to walk away?

Our sexual chemistry is undeniable. Our individual need for complete control is irrefutable. But when our worlds collide, is the chemistry enough to bring us together or will our untold secrets and battle of wills force us apart?

What happens when the one person you never expected suddenly happens to be the one you’ll fight the hardest to keep?

Colton stole my heart. He wasn’t supposed to, and I sure as hell didn’t want him to, but he crashed into my life, ignited feelings within me that I thought had died forever, and fueled a passion that I never knew could exist.

Rylee fell out of that damn storage closet and into my life. Now I don’t think I’ll ever be the same. She’s seen glimpses of the darkness within me, and yet she’s still here. Still fighting for me. She is without a doubt the saint, and I am most definitely the sinner.

How is it the one thing neither of us wanted—neither of us anticipated that fateful night—has us fighting so hard to keep?

He steals my breath, stops my heart, and brings me back to life again all in a split second of time. But how can I love a man who won’t let me in? Who continually pushes me away to prevent me from seeing the damaged secrets in his past? My heart has fallen, but patience and forgiveness can only go so far.

How can I desire a woman who unnerves me, defies me, and forces me to see that in the deep, black abyss of my soul there’s someone worthy of her love? A place and person I swore I’d never be again. Her selfless heart and sexy body deserve so much more than I’ll ever be capable of giving her. I know I can’t be what she needs, so why can’t I just let her go?

We are driven by need and fueled with desire, but is that enough for us to crash into love?

Genre:   Contemporary Romance

When life crashes down around us, how hard are we willing to fight for the one thing we can’t live without, each other?

Life is full of moments.

Big moments.

Little moments.

And none of them are inconsequential.

Every single moment prepares you for that one instance that defines your life. You must overcome all your fears, confront the demons that chase you, and cleanse the poison that clings to your soul or you risk the chance of losing everything.

Mine started the minute Rylee fell out of that damn storage closet. She made me feel. Made me whole when all I thought I could ever be was incomplete. Became the lifeline I never knew I needed. Hell yes, she’s worth the fight…but how do you fight for someone you know you don’t deserve?

Love is full of ups and downs.

Heart stopping highs.

Soul shattering lows.

And none of them are insignificant.

Love is a racecourse of unexpected twists and turns that must be negotiated. You have to break down walls, learn to trust, and heal from your past in order to win. But sometimes it’s the expected that’s the hardest to hold on to.

Colton has healed and completed me, stolen my heart, and made me realize our love’s not predictable nor perfect—it’s bent. And bent’s okay. But when outside factors put our relationship to the test, what lengths will I have to go to prove to him that he’s worth the fight?

Whoever said love is patient and love is kind, never met the two of us.  We know our love is worth it—have acknowledged that we were meant to be—but when our pasts crash into our future, will the repercussions make us stronger or break us apart?

 

Colton decided to write Rylee some poems…we think he’s got potential, how bout you? 😉

 

Keep reading to see the full Love Note!

 

So, I’m making up some poems for Ryles for Valentine’s Day…I hate doing this fucking kind of shit but I think I’ve gotten a little better than the one’s K put in Fueled.  Here’s one…let me know if you think Ry will like it.:

Damn you’re gorgeous

So fucking sweet

Sit down, NOW

Take that seat

Tonight we have some games to play

What happens now you have no say

It’s my turn

The blindfold’s best

Time to get naked

I’m in control of the rest.

What do you think?  If she doesn’t like it…hmmm, are there any other willing candidates out there?

Revved and Raring

Xx Colton

 

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K. Bromberg is that reserved woman sitting in the corner that has you all fooled about the wild child inside of her–the one she lets out every time her fingertips touch the computer keyboard. She’s a wife, mom, child rustler, toy pick-er-upper, chauffer, resident web-slinger, LaLaloopsy watching, American Girl doll dressing multi-tasker of all things domestic and otherwise. She likes her diet cokes with rum, her music loud, and her pantry stocked with a cache of chocolate.

K. lives in Southern California with her husband and three children. When she needs a break from the daily chaos of her life, you can most likely find her on the treadmill or with Kindle in hand, devouring the pages of a good, saucy book.

Fueled is K. Bromberg’s second published novel and is the highly anticipated second book of “The Driven Trilogy.” Driven was her well-received debut novel and Book #1 of the series.  Make sure you keep up with all things K. Bromberg on her website.

 

Title: Sins & Needles (The Artists Trilogy #1)

By: Karina Halle

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Ellie Watt is used to starting over. The daughter of a grifting team, Ellie spent her childhood being used as a pawn in her parents’ latest scam. Now she’s much older, wiser and ready to give her con artist life a rest. But returning to the dry desert town of Palm Valley, California means one more temptation than she bargained for – Camden McQueen. Once known as the high school weirdo, Camden is bigger and badder than the boy he used to be and a talented tattoo artist with his own thriving business. Ellie’s counting on Camden still being in love with her but what she’s not counting on is how easily unrequited love can turn into obsession over time. When Camden discovers Ellie’s plan to con him, he makes her a deal she doesn’t dare refuse, but her freedom comes with a price and it’s one that takes both Ellie and Camden down a dangerous road.

***The Artists Trilogy is a dark and sexy contemporary ride about three flawed individuals caught in a world where it’s so easy to justify the bad things we do. This is a pure adult read (Not YA or NA).

This is the 1st book in the trilogy. It is followed by the novella On Every Street (released in March 2013) and the sequel Shooting Scars (released in May 2013). The third and final book in the series will also be released October 15, 2013.***

Title: On Every Street (The Artists Trilogy #0.5)

By: Karina Halle

Genre: Contemporary Romance

When young con artist Ellie Watt decides to call herself Eden White and go after the drug lord who ruined her as a child, she never expects to fall for one of his henchmen. But Javier Bernal is no ordinary man. Subtly dangerous and overwhelmingly seductive, Eden finds herself passionately in love with Javier, the very person she’s set-up to betray. With her body and heart in a heated battle against her deep need for revenge, no one will walk away from this con a winner.

This 50K word (100+ pages) novella takes place six years before Sins & Needles. It can be read before or after Sins & Needles and may also be read as a standalone.

Title: Shooting Scars (The Artist Trilogy Book #2)

By: Karina Halle

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Sometimes the right choice can be the deadliest.

When Ellie Watt made the ultimate sacrifice for Camden McQueen, she never thought it would be easy. But walking away with her ex-lover, Javier Bernal, in order to ensure Camden’s safety has brought a whole new set of dangers. With Javier’s plans for Ellie growing more secretive by the moment, Ellie must find a way to stay ahead of the game before her past swallows her whole.

Meanwhile, Camden’s new life is short-lived. Fueled by revenge and pursued by authorities, he teams up with an unlikely partner in order to save Ellie. But as Camden toes the line between love and retribution, he realizes that in order to get back the woman he loves, he may have to lose himself in the process. He might just turn into the very man he’s hunting.

Told in dual POV from Camden and Ellie.

Title: Bold Tricks (The Artist Trilogy Book #3)

By: Karina Halle

Genre: Contemporary Romance

With more lives at stake and games in motion, Ellie, Camden and Javier form an uneasy alliance that will take them from the treacherous streets of inner-city Mexico to the wilds of the Honduran jungles in order to find their freedom. But with liberty just on the horizon, the cost might come at their own redemption.

Oh my sweet, sentimental Camden…this note only makes me love him more – I didn’t think he could be any more perfect…but he proved me wrong!

Keep reading to see the full Love Note!

My dearest Ellie,

Though this is the first Valentine’s Day we’ll be spending together as a couple, I know it’s not the first Valentine’s gift I’ve given to you. One dark February day in the ninth grade, I watched a lot of the girls – some of them your “friends” – receive boxes of chocolates, cards and flowers throughout the school day, all from secret (and not-so-secret) crushes and admirers. I also watched your face…the way it fell every time the coveted gifts would be handed out to nearly everyone except for you. You had so much anger in your eyes and yet so much hope, those commercial and crass items meaning so much more to you than they ever could to any of them.

I decided that, though we were no longer friends, I couldn’t take that hope from you. I would do anything to make you smile.

If you’ll remember, the next day, February 15th, you had a delivery of daises during Mrs. Slevin’s English class. They weren’t roses but they were all that I could afford and from the way your eyes lit up with wonder and the way your cheeks flushed, trying to figure out who the flowers could be from, I knew it didn’t matter. I’d given you happiness and I’d given you hope – if only for the last class of the day.

We’re older now and we both still think the holiday is commercial and crass but I just wanted you to know that I’ll do whatever it takes to once again give you happiness and hope. I don’t need a day. I don’t need a reason. I just want to see that look in your eyes.

I love you. Happy Valentine’s Day. Happy Every Damn Day.

Forever.

Camden.

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With her USA Today Bestselling The Artists Trilogy published by Grand Central Publishing, numerous foreign publication deals, and self-publishing success with her Experiment in Terror series, Vancouver-born Karina Halle is a true example of the term “Hybrid Author.” Though her books showcase her love of all things dark, sexy and edgy, she’s a closet romantic at heart and strives to give her characters a HEA…whenever possible.

Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently lives on an island on the coast of British Columbia where she’s preparing for the zombie apocalypse with her fiance and rescue pup.”