Category Archives: New Releases
PLAYING WITH FIRE (PHOENIX FIRE #3) BY CYNTHIA EDEN
PLAYING WITH FIRE (PHOENIX FIRE #3)
CYNTHIA EDEN
Cassie Armstrong has plenty to atone for. The daughter of the most immoral researcher ever to pick up a scalpel, she’s determined to use her own brilliance in genetics to repair the damage her family has done to the paranormals. Especially Dante, the first of the phoenixes, the one they call the Immortal. He’s been haunting her dreams since she was a little girl, and she’s been trying to ease his pain for almost as long. If only he remembered any of it. . .
Dante doesn’t know what Cassie’s story is. He almost doesn’t care. The minute he sees her, all he can think is mine. But there’s more to the pretty little doctor than meets the eye. And Dante isn’t the only one to notice. He can’t trust her, but he can’t stay away–and if he wants to learn her secrets, he’s going to have to fight like hell to keep them both alive. . .
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REBECCA`S REVIEW
I love shifters. All of them. Tigers, lions, wolves, wild dogs, bears and of course honey badgers! All!
#parawhore
Until Dante I was a Phoenix virgin but he has broken my cherry. And how!
Cynthia Eden always delivers whether it’s her paranormal or contemporary books. She’s one of my go to authors when I want an easy hot alpha and never disappoints. ‘Playing with Fire’ is the third book in The Phoenix Fire Series, the previous two I have not read but easily read this as a standalone. It’s a steamy, intense, fast paced read with plenty of twists and turns and one of her best works.
Dante is Mr Tall Hot and Brooding, a Phoenix known as The Immortal who rises from the ashes each time he is killed. More often than not he rises without his memories but each and every time he sees Cassie all he can think and feel is MINE even when he has no knowledge of her or himself.
“When I breathe in your scent, I ache.”
“When I kissed you, your taste had me maddened.”
“I look at you, and I think… mine.”
Cassie was 8 years old the first time she saw Dante and he’s been haunting her dreams ever since. When he forgets her it breaks her heart each time, she loves him but their history is long and tangled. A brilliant genetics scientist, Cassie is determined to atone for the atrocities her father committed and help all the paranormals affected by his flawed decisions.
I loved both Dante and Cassie. Cassie is one of the best heroines Ms Eden has written. She has a strength of character and determination that drew me and I found myself empathising with her through the whole book. She is struggling to cope with the guilt caused by her father’s actions, with the need to right those wrongs and with her love for Dante, their chemistry is combustible but the memories problem and trust issues rear their head time and again so the path is far from smooth.
This girl was not afraid to challenge her man when he hit cave man mode “Mine” and “Kill” being his go to words. The “Mine” shouldn’t be panty dropping sexy but oh it so is! The “Kill” Cassie calls him on many times, her belief is everything has a right to life and you should help not kill, but Dante has lived many lifetimes, seen many things and his instinct to protect her means kill first, ask questions later. This led to some interesting confrontations between them and some lessons for an Immortal to learn.
As this story progresses the relationship between the main characters and the multitude of secondary characters is so engaging I read it in one sitting and was going to call this a quickie, but it’s 353 pages so fast and furious, only because I was devouring it!
My only moan would be the epilogue was far too short, I wanted more!
I shall read the first two of this series now because of the calibre of this one. The mix of intrigue, violence, twists and unexpected turns, steamy sexiness and emotion makes for a couple of hours of sheer unadulterated escapism that went too fast……..
AUTHOR BIO
New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Cynthia Eden has written over thirty novels and novellas. She was named as a 2013 RITA® finalist for her paranormal romance, ANGEL IN CHAINS, and, in 2011, Cynthia Eden was a RITA finalist for her romantic suspense, DEADLY FEAR.
Cynthia is a southern girl who loves horror movies, chocolate, and happy endings. She has always wanted to write (don’t most authors say that?), and particularly enjoys creating stories about monsters-vampires, werewolves, and even the real-life monsters who populate her romantic suspense stories.
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BLOG TOUR ~ US (L & J #3) by EMILY ECK
Synopsis
Told from dual points of view, Elle and J must figure out how to bring down an MC, steer clear of flying bullets in Missouri and south of the border, all the while making sure Fernie is out of the line of fire. Elle’s love for J is tested, as is her belief that she will ever find “normal” with the man she loves.
J is determined to make things right so he can give Elle the “normal” life she deserves. He just has to stay alive to make it happen. With his own personal sun by his side, he knows nothing is impossible. That is, until the bullets are redirected from his head to Elle’s.
Elle: I held my hand up, showing him the ring he’d put on me. “This is us,” I told him. It was more than a ring. Well, to me it was more. “I promise to love you ‘til the day I die.”J:”Us, baby. This is us. I’ll love you ’til the sun ceases to shine.”
Purchase Links
About the Author
Emily is a Midwestern Gal hailing from the United States, but could be anywhere as you read this. Currently residing in Mexico, adventure feeds her soul, and offers great writing material. She loves kids and working with kids, but can only handle caring for four-legged furry friends. A crazy dog and laid back cat have trained her to be their partner in life. After coming from a snowy climate, Emily and the animals are loving the sun Mexico has to offer each and every day. Vices include Swedish Fish, ignoring chores in favor of reading, and caring too much for people in her life. She chose to write this bio in third person as she is an Aries, and found writing in first person ended up with her writing an excessively long life story. Aries like to talk about themselves. It is something Emily is working on being more mindful of. You can contact her on any of the social media platforms below and she will respond, as her mom gave her the gift of gab.
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Giveaway
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RELEASE BLITZ ~ SLIM TO NONE by FREYA BARKER
mother of one adult daughter, has worked from home doing some
online bookkeeping and baking for her best friend’s diner to
supplement her disability pension. Life has been pretty damn good. That
is, until she received a strange phone call that started an alarming
chain of events.
skip with organized crime connections, when he ended up in Cedar Tree.
Here the focus of his investigation landed squarely on the gently
rounded shoulders of the vivacious red-headed Emma, whose physical
limitations have done nothing to dampen her zest for life.
hesitate to step in and protect her. Call it a job with some very hot
benefits…..
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1pJFXUA
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/YXSQQD
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1C4BnoM
Amazon AUS: http://goo.gl/2JaCZ0
iTunes: http://bit.ly/1tKUEqC
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1AV6lye
TEASERS
later, the living room, dining area, and the kitchen were back to normal, and
Emma was about to fall over from hunger.“Hey, you hungry?” She called out, not quite sure where Gus went off
to.
“Gettin’ there.” Was the response coming from the vicinity of the
other end of the hall.
“Gonna make us some sandwiches and a quick soup, that okay?”
“Sounds good to me.” Seeing Gus sticking his head around the door of
her bedroom had her drawing in a sharp breath. Her bedroom. Fuck. He’s in her
bedroom?
“Erm…need any help in there?” She quickly made her way over to see
how deep his investigative powers went, hoping to God her little bedside
buddies were still in their protective pouches and tucked away nicely.
“Nope. Finding everything just fine, thanks.”
Oh no. She could hear it. She couldn’t see it yet, but she could hear the
contained laughter in his voice. Cocky bastard has had found something to smile
about. Deep breathing to fight off the blasted perimenopausal flush that was
creeping up her chest again. She made her way around the doorway to find him
sitting on the bed with the contents of all her drawers spread out around
him.
“What are you doing?” She managed to get out.
Eyes sparkling with amusement, the bastard, he looked at her with the edges of
his mouth twitching, like he was fighting a losing battle not to burst out
laughing. He’d better win that battle, or he might find a cane up his arse!
“Picked up everything that was tossed from the drawers onto the floor and
put it on your bed. I was just trying to sort through it to see if I could put
some stuff back for ya.”
“Uh huh… and, eh… were you successful?” She ground out, now trying to
hold back on her own grin that was trying to make its way out.
“Sorta…” Gus said, bringing his hands up from beside his legs, where
they seemed to be resting on the bedspread, but instead, were apparently
covering her best little buddies…
“I rescued these from the floor. Is there any particular spot you would like
these?” And with that, Gus let go, bending over laughing, while
clutching her pink rabbit and her sparkly g-spot stimulator to his stomach,
which, in turn, made Emma loose it.
“I’m really sorry, again.” Gus said over lunch. “I probably
should’ve just stayed out of your bedroom, but I wanted to get a head start
there, so we’d have more time for the office.””Don’t sweat it. Other than it being a tad embarrassing to have you find
my mechanical companions..…” Emma blushed, “…it is what it is. I’m
too old to really give a shit, so there. If you have any lasting issues, well…
Then I guess, that’ll be your problem.” She looked at him from under her
eyebrows, giving him a little smartass smile.
Freya Barker has always been creative. Involved in music and dance when she was younger, she followed it up with cake design, quilting, and has most recently added cover design, the
Dutch-born Canadian mother of two now has found her voice – writing.
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BLOG TOUR ~ SWEET FALL by TILLIE COLE
![Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000447_00008]](https://booklovingpixies.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/sweet-fall-ebook-light.jpg)
Title: Sweet Fall (Sweet Home #3)
Author: Tillie Cole
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Publication Date: 26th August 2014
ABOUT SWEET FALL ~ LINKS
Goodreads
Amazon UK – http://amzn.to/1pBlocQ
BLURB
From the USA Today Best Selling Sweet Home Series, comes Sweet Fall;
a tale of heartache, beating the odds and finding strength in the most unlikeliest of places.
We all have secrets.
Secrets well buried.
Until we find the one soul who makes the burden of such secrets just that little bit easier to bear.
Lexington “Lexi” Hart is a senior at the University of Alabama. Surrounded by her best friends, her loving family and having fulfilled her life-long dream of making the Crimson Tide cheer squad, everything is going exactly as she always dreamed it would. But beneath her happy exterior, demons lurk, threatening to jeopardize everything Lexi has worked to achieve.
When events in her life become too much to cope with, Lexi finds herself spiraling down into the realm of her biggest fear. Lexi falls hard, victim once again to the only thing that can destroy her and, on the way, finds herself falling straight into the dangerous tattooed arms of a guy from the wrong side of the tracks.
Austin Carillo, starting Wide Receiver for the Alabama Crimson Tide, must get picked in this year’s NFL draft. He needs it. His brothers need it. Most importantly, his mother desperately needs it. Brought up in a world where the poor are forgotten, the sick are left to fend for themselves and no hero miraculously appears to pull you out of hell, Austin had no other choice but to make a living on the wrong side of the law—until football offered Austin the break to get his life back on track.
But when a family tragedy drags him back into the clutches of the gang he believed he had left far behind, Austin finds himself falling. Falling back into criminal ways and falling deep into a suffocating darkness. Until a troubled yet kindred spirit stumbles across his path, where Austin quickly finds he is falling for a young woman—a young woman who might just have the power to save him from his worst enemy: himself.
Can two troubled souls find a lasting peace together? Or will they finally succumb to the demons threatening to destroy them?
New Adult/Contemporary Romance novel—contains adult content, sexual situations and mature topics. Suited for ages 17 and up.
*CAN BE READ AS A STAND-ALONE NOVEL*
EXCERPT
Crickets chirped outside, and every fifteen minutes, the sound of the campus cops’ radios filled the house. They were doing their rounds—just like good little bitches of the dean—the light from their flashlights illuminating the room, except here behind the couch, where we had our own little pocket of protection.
Hours and hours passed in silence, and I lay on my back just staring once more at the stars through the skylight, the sky brightening with the rising dawn, the dark room now lightened by a hazy orange glow.
I heard Lexi sigh beside me, and I asked, “What do think of when you look up at the stars?”
I caught Lexi’s head tilt to the side and her eyes narrowed in scrutiny.
Minutes passed as she stared silently at the night sky. “Sometimes I wonder what they must make of our world,” she whispered quietly. I didn’t think she’d respond. “Do we fascinate them or disgust them? Do they look down on us the same way we look up at them and wonder what we’re thinking too? Do they see all our problems? Watch our sorrowful excuses for lives with a growing sense of pity? Or do they envy us for just having a life, good or bad?”
Her response surprised me. Sorrowful excuses for lives?
“Ever look at them and feel inferior, feel small?” I added, really wanting to hear her answer.
Lexi fidgeted beside me, lifting her hands to create a frame with her fingers, her left eye closed as she studied Orion’s Belt like she was looking through a telescope. But her hands abruptly lowered and laid flat to her stomach, a guttering expression on her face. “I don’t need to look up at the stars to feel inferior, Austin. All I have to do is open my eyes and look at myself in the mirror.”
My attention snapped to her and a strange feeling rolled my stomach—sympathy?
Lexi yawned beside me and her eyelids began to droop, but she fought to stay awake, never taking her eyes off the stars. I couldn’t stop watching her. Something about her intrigued me. Or maybe it was the fact that she knew about me, about who I was, that drew me to her. I didn’t have to pretend just for right here, right now.
“Go to sleep,” I said after her third consecutive yawn, and she focused on me once more. She was making me fuckin’ tired, and I needed to stay alert.
Lexi simply shook her head and wrapped her arms around her chest, fighting off another yawn.
Damn stubborn chick.
“Lexi, go to fuckin’ sleep. We’re gonna be here all night anyway,” I ordered, and I watched her tired eyes widen.
“Are you gonna sleep?” she asked, and I frowned. Why the fuck did that matter?
“Probably, at some point,” I replied and shrugged my shoulders.
“Okay, then. But…” Her lips pursed in tension. “But please don’t touch me. I… can’t be touched… I’ll stay here hidden, just… don’t touch me.”
“I won’t,” I said vehemently through gritted teeth. Did she think I was gonna grope her in her sleep or some shit? What the hell did she think of me?
Lexi’s eyes closed and, within seconds, she was out, all curled up in the fetal position on the hardwood floor. She looked like a fallen, broken pixie.
I don’t know why I said it, but I leaned down and whispered, “This isn’t who I am, Lexi. I’m not the cold, unfeeling dick you think I am. I just wanted you to know that about me.”
MY THOUGHTS ~ REBECCA
I read ‘It Ain’t me Babe’ earlier this year and loved it. In a severely over-populated genre, Tillie Cole had a different story to tell that was incredibly thought provoking. I moved on to ‘Eternally North’ which I giggled through and declared I needed a BFF Tink and a boyfriend North! This bought me to ‘Sweet Home’ and ‘Sweet Rome’ which, while I enjoyed, I did not love – that`s on me not Tillie – I am of an age where I have college kids and so find those age group stories do nothing for me. So why is that relevant I hear you ask? ~ because Tillie Cole has written a college aged book that I really, really liked, those who know me would say the impossible has been done…………..
Dedication
To the many around the world who feel lost, insecure or inferior.
Breathe deep. Be strong. Be brave.
And if you fall, look up to the stars and reach for their glittering lights.
You are meant to stand tall with the rest of the world.
You are not damaged…
You are beautiful.
This was the first thing I read when starting ‘Sweet Fall’ and I returned to it at the end with a huge admiration for Tillie Cole.
She has shared a piece of her, heart and soul, scars and sorrows, highs and lows in this book and it makes for a remarkably special read.
“We all have secrets. Secrets well buried. Until we find the one soul who makes the burden of such secrets just that little bit easier to bear”
Austin, the tattooed bad boy and Lexi, the goth cheerleader, two troubled souls struggling to survive each in their own way.
“She concealed her tears but shared her smiles”
There was so much here that touched me, especially as I have a daughter. Make no mistake this is a far grittier read than the previous two (it can be read as a standalone) and there are so many lines in this book that were poignant, sad, and lonely. This is two people who hide their true selves away but collide and prove that for some there can be a HEA, even though the road can be harsh and painful, full of potholes waiting to trip you up. That there can be beauty and light and all deserve it.
“Why the war paint Pix”
“Why the tattoos Austin”
As I read the foreword for ‘Sweet Fall’ I was amazed that the beautiful Tillie Cole, who I met briefly at a book signing earlier this year, had gone through this and come out the other side. This disease is a battle you never stop fighting and to bare herself like this shows she is as strong as she is beautiful, inside and out. And my sad thought at the back of my mind as I write this is that when you are in the clutches of the dark illnesses like this you never believe or see the beauty others do in you, so I would say in answer to that last sentence of the foreword that yes, ‘Sweet Fall’ sheds light on the issue, and yes, you should be very very proud.
If you love New Adult/College books then this is an absolute must read.
If you normally give these a miss or aren’t sure then one click, it will surprise you!!
ABOUT TILLIE COLE
Tillie Cole is a Northern girl through and through. She originates from a place called Teesside on that little but awesomely sunny (okay I exaggerate) Isle called Great Britain. She was brought up surrounded by her English rose mother — a farmer’s daughter, her crazy Scottish father, a savagely sarcastic sister and a multitude of rescue animals and horses.
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GIVEAWAY
Tillie is giving away a Kindle Fire HDX and this is open internationally
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RELEASE DAY ~ SKYGODS (HYDRAULIC Series #2) by SARAH LATCHAW
It’s here at last…… Book #2 in the HYDRAULIC series and the follow up to the excellent
HYDRAULICS LEVEL FIVE!!
SKYGODS
Kaye Trilby and her ex-husband, world-famous author Samuel Cabral, vowed to fight for their rekindled love in rain or shine. They didn’t realize they’d be caught in a deluge so quickly.
A near-fatal skydiving accident shows Kaye how her reckless behavior affects the ones she loves. But while she knows Samuel is afraid to lose her again, she isn’t ready to give up the thrill of the wild back-country.
Something darker is slipping into Samuel’s mind, though. Just as all of Hollywood is bracing for his blockbuster book-to-movie adaptation, his polish seems to be deteriorating. When he appears on Kaye’s doorstep late one night in a rumpled tuxedo, erratic and agitated, it seems that romance with her ex might be her biggest leap yet. A string of failed relationships has pushed Samuel to the brink, the fall-out leaving him in a dark place—a place where Kaye is powerless to help him. She is reluctantly drawn back into Samuel’s glittering and backbiting world of celebrity, all the while clinging to the steadfast peaks of home.
Can Kaye risk her heart with Samuel a second time? Will they ever find their blue skies?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sarah Latchaw was raised in eastern Iowa and appreciates beauty in mud-splattered gravel roads and fields. She also loves to explore far-away places, thanks to countless family minivan trips across the States. This passion for finding stories led to college adventures in many different countries, and each place’s story rests in the back of her mind and in her photo albums.
Sarah received her BA from Wartburg College in public relations and media, and entered the workforce, ready to climb the ladder. However, when researching MBA applications evoked feelings of dread, with the loving support of her husband, she pursued a career in creative writing and was awarded her MA from Iowa State University.
These days, Sarah wakes every morning thrilled to cuddle her small children, show them the world, then capture that world and shape it into stories on paper. She is not thrilled when she wakes to her cats smothering her face. She and her family reside in Des Moines, Iowa—one of the best places to live and work
https://twitter.com/SarahLatchaw
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7221728.Sarah_Latchaw
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahLatchaw
RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/c19552ce9/
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BOOK BLITZ ~ THE RED DOOR by J.L. MASSEY
The Red Door
(Erotica M/F/M and M/M/F with M/M)
exclusive BDSM club called The Red Door.
even if they have to share.
truths and feelings are brought to light.
them and put Aurora in jeopardy?
AMAZON.COM
body was shaking. Was he laughing?
than mad while Alex is still ready to beat me to a pulp. They’re putting up a good front but not good enough.”
correct and started fighting back laughter myself. “Jackson and I agreed he would ease me
into being a sub but there would be no intercourse.”
Twitter- https://twitter.com/jesslmasse
Website- http://www.authorjlmassey.weebly.com/
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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RELEASE DAY ~ Bridge of Hope by Lisa J Hobman
Love is like a snowflake; beautiful but fleeting in its presence…
But I’ve also been lied to, betrayed by those closest to me and I’ve suffered loss.
Sadly it’s those last three things that stick with me the most.
The only real constants in my life are music, Angus my dog and Rhiannon; my guitar.
All blue eyes, curves and a warmth that could melt even my hardened heart.
I was taken over by feelings that I didn’t expect so soon.
Guilt plagued me and I took my anger out on her.
When she too became the victim of heartbreak I was the only one who
understood her pain but I was the last person she wanted help from.
And would I ever accept that she couldn’t love me back?
About Lisa J Hobman Lisa is a happily married Mum of one with two crazy dogs. Originally from Yorkshire, England, Lisa now resides in Scotland – her favourite place in the world. Writing has always been something Lisa has enjoyed, although in the past it has centered on poetry and song lyrics.
The story in her debut novel had been building in her mind for a long while but until the relocation, she never had the time to put it down in black and white; working full time and studying swallowed up any spare time she had. Making the move north of the border to Scotland has given Lisa the opportunity to spread her wings and fulfill her dream.
Writing is now a deep passion and she has enjoyed every minute of working towards being published.
Chapter One
declared dead. The love of my fucking life… dead.
There were no words to describe the physical pain knotting my insides every
time I realised it was true and not just a cruel dream.
people are lost up the side of a mountain like K2. People can lie undiscovered
for years up there, so I’m told.
some bizarre reason my psyche had built up its own series of events and
insisted on torturing me with the movie of Mairi’s death every time I closed my
eyes.
only a seasonal thing anyway. And although tourists loved the area surrounding
the bridge over the Atlantic, taking a trip out on Little Blue on choppy water wasn’t for fainthearted, unseasoned
sailors. So I’d taken on work as a handyman. I was fixing taps, sealing sinks,
unblocking drains. Oddly, all the jobs seemed to be water related. Maybe that
was because I had a combination of water and single malt running through ma veins.
Who knows?
stopping me from slipping into a deep depression, and I knew all too well how
easy it would’ve been just to let go and fall into the abyss like Mairi did in
my nightmares.
ever falling in love for real. I’d had a shot at it before—Alice was her name,
but the less said about her right now the better. But life likes to throw in
curveballs every so often. And so there I was up by the Buckle, taking in the
scenery and fresh air, when this fiery-haired girl tripped over her laces and
into my arms. She had the most stunning smile I’d ever seen. And her eyes…
Let’s just say when she gazed up at me she melted my heart. We chatted for ages
and it was just… so natural.
trouble keeping up, if you know what I mean. I loved every inch of her body
with a passion I’d never experienced before. It was raw and real. I’d sit
watching her as she studied maps and reference books about climbing. Every so
often she’d glance up and catch me staring and she’d just smile, climb into my
lap, and kiss me.
let’s just say that she was a nasty piece of work who messed with my head and
broke my heart, more than once—I swore off love and all it entailed. I didn’t need a woman in my life. Or so I
thought. But when I lost Mairi, it was like someone had ripped out ma heart and
stamped on it whilst I watched. The pain was excruciating.
climbers. She was an experienced
mountaineer too. It’d been her dream for so long. I wasn’t about to stand in
her way, and the thought that she may not come back never even entered my head.
service we held was devoid of emotion. It was as if her friends and family were
in some kind of denial.
couldn’t stop myself.
as she slept. She was exposed to me from the waist up and I lay there on my
side, willing her to awaken. I wasn’t going to see her for months and I wanted
to get my fill whilst I still could. I gently stroked her chin, down between
her creamy bare breasts to her navel. It was cruel but I wanted her to open her
eyes. Instead she whacked my hand away and muttered expletives. I burst out
laughing, trying my best to do it quietly but failing miserably.
making me chuckle again. “Gregory McBradden, you’re a total shit. I was having
a really sexy dream,” she whined, eyes still closed.
and let’s make your dream come true, love.” That got her every time. Goose
bumps pricked her skin and she moaned. Her eyes sprang open and she pounced on
me, pushing me onto my back and straddling my waist.
hard, but seeing her like this did something to my insides and brought out the
animalistic side of me. I gripped her hips as I inhaled a deep breath, trying
my best to calm the furnace raging beneath my skin. As she bent to take my
mouth in a deep, sensual kiss, her hair cascaded to my chest. Our tongues
slipped and slid together in an erotic dance, and every nerve in my body sprang
to life just for her. Every fibre of my being was drawn to her; needed her.
to miss you when you’re gone? It doesn’t matter how far apart we are. You’re
still in here,” I said, touching my head. “And in here.” I touched my chest
over my heart. She stared silently at me for a moment and then closed her eyes.
A tear slipped down her cheek and I caught it with my thumb. “Hey, what’s
wrong?”
trip. K2 has been my dream for so long, but now… I’m terrified. What if I’m not
fit enough? What if I can’t do it, Greg?”
me, to the dip between her hip and waist as my eyes followed the journey of my
fingers. I swallowed hard at the feel of her muscles tightening under my
caress, and my breath caught in my throat as I replied, “Come on, love, you are fit enough and strong enough. You’ve
been working towards this for so long, how could you not be? You’re bound to be
nervous. But you’re fulfilling a dream, and there’s not many folk can say
they’ve done that. You’ll be fine. Absolutely fine. But I might not be.” I
stuck out my bottom lip, trying to lighten the mood. “My heart might break into
a million pieces when I’m left here by mysel’. What will I do?”
her hands down my chest and it was my turn to shiver.
cheer you up.” She rolled her hips, making me bite my lip.
again so I can do this again…” In one sweep of my arms I had her beneath me, my
body between her silky thighs. I sank into her, pleasure radiating from where
we were joined. “… is what I’ll be looking forward to.”
welcomed me in and slipped her arms around my neck. I kissed her everywhere I
could reach, taking each nipple into my mouth slowly and nibbling on the little
buds as they tightened. Gasping, she fixed her eyes on mine as I moved deep
within her.
I took in every sensation and every look; my heart aching at the thought of
being apart from her for so long. As she pulsed around me and her orgasm took
her soaring off into the stratosphere, I kept my gaze locked on hers, hoping I
was conveying everything through my eyes that I couldn’t put into words, and I
followed soon after.
I was unwilling to let her go, telling myself I’d hold her for a few minutes
more. When she eventually withdrew from my embrace, I lay back and fought the
fears niggling deep within me.
who loves climbing the way she does? What if she doesn’t miss me as much as I
miss her? What if she loves it so much out there that she decides to stay? What
if? What if? What fucking if?
part of the journey we both sat in silent contemplation. There were so many
things I wanted to say, but the words never came and I cursed myself for being
so fucking useless at expressing myself.
songs to express how I felt and I’d made a CD. The silence in the car was
deafening and so I reached over and hit play. I made eye contact with her for a
few moments as the opening chords to “I Will Remember You” by Ryan Cabrera
filled the small space between us. Turning my eyes back to the road, I saw her
in my peripheral vision, wiping her eyes as her lip trembled.
I knew she must have felt the rapid pounding of my heart as we stood inside the
terminal. Tears threatened. My eyes were desperate to give them up, but I tried
so hard not to make the situation more difficult than it already was.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I pulled away and gazed into her emerald eyes
one last time.
hate that word and we’ll be back together before you know it anyway. So I’m
going to say have a great time and stay safe. And know that I’ll be thinking of
you every moment whilst you’re gone.”
away. I fisted my hands in her hair and returned the kiss with equal passion.
When I eventually pulled away, I cupped her face in my hands and stroked the
apples of her cheeks with my thumbs. “It’s just a few months, love. Go and show
’em what you’re made of, eh?”
tears spilled from her eyes as she let go and turned to walk away. All my fears
bubbled to the surface once again and I couldn’t hold back. “I love you, Mairi.
And one day I want to marry you!” I shouted.
what’s on my mind without thinking about the consequences, and this was one of
those times. I was filled with dread. Had I just given her a ticket to
Get-Out-Ville? Again, fuck! My heart hammered like it was trying to do a
fucking runner and my mouth went dry.
open in what I can only describe as utter, mind-frying shock. I swallowed hard,
my mind racing to find something to say to take the words back. But a beautiful
smile appeared on her face. She ran toward me and flung her arms around my
neck, her legs around my waist. Everyone around us applauded as I hugged her
into my body before letting her go and setting her down again. With one last
heart-melting smile she stroked my cheek, turned, and walked away.
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RELEASE DAY ~ DARK FATES – PARANORMAL ANTHOLOGY
It’s the official RELEASE DAY of the DARK FATES Paranormal Anthology
Dark Fates: An All New Paranormal Romance Boxed Set
Six brand new, hot paranormal romance stories from USA Today and bestselling authors. Alpha heroes and heroines with dark pasts and the need to find their own happy ever after will draw you in and make you turn to the next page.
THE HUNTED HEART by USA Today Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan
Emeline might have been alive hundreds of years, but she’s never really lived. Noah has known Emeline was his mate since he first saw her, only he doesn’t know if she feels the same. When he finally takes that final step, he’ll have to pray she finds the connection and overcomes the past she thought she’d lost years ago.
JACKAL’S MEASURE by USA Today Bestselling Author Marie Harte
Tortured by the god of chaos for centuries, Tariq knows only duty to numb the pain. When he’s sent to collect Eden, a sexy human accused of interfering in the Games of the Gods, his missing heart beats again. But love may not be enough to save them.
ALPHA’S SACRIFICE by Rebecca Royce
Hayden Chaucer is determined to make the best life possible for his pack and is ill-prepared to discover his true mate waiting for him in his home. Worse, his mate, Chelsea, has fled the True Believers, and her ability to see the future may cost them their present.
TOUCH OF DESIRE by Lia Davis
A submissive wolf who lost it all finds herself in a mating dance with the very dominant senior enforcer who will stop at nothing to claim her.
SANGUE FEVER by Ann Mayburn
Drifting without a purpose, vampire Lisabetta finds herself yearning for something more. She finds it while hunting for her next donor. Things are not quite as they seem when she seduces an older mortal man and finds herself in danger of falling in love for the first time in centuries.
FORBIDDEN RESCUE by Heather Long
All Jubilee Spector wants is to save her brother. The last thing she expects is to stumble into a dark world and another’s war. But Fox Arada is so much more than a man, and her secret threatens to change the Watchers’ world forever.
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RELEASE DAY ~ BEYOND ADDICTION by KIT ROCHA
Beyond Addiction
Kit Rocha
Today sees the release of BEYOND ADDICTION ~ Book #5 in the BEYOND series by the awesome writing duo KIT ROCHA!!
This is a fantastic series and one of our favourites. If you haven’t checked it out yet you really should give it a go!
(you’ll find links to the previous books posted below)
Here’s the Blurb
She’s fought like hell to leave the past behind.
Trix changed her name and her life when she got clean four years ago. Now, she has a new family and a job she loves—tending bar and dancing at the Broken Circle. As an O’Kane, she’s happy, untouchable. Until a nightmare from her old life tears her away from her home and drags her back to Hell—also known as Sector Five.
He’s still living—and dying—in it.
Losing Trix was the kick in the head Finn needed to get sober, but working as an enforcer for a man he hates is slowly crushing his soul. The only thing that keeps him going is his determination to destroy Sector Five from the inside. Then Trix comes back into his life—alive, in danger—and nothing else matters.
Getting her home could be a suicide mission. The only thing deadlier is the old spark that flares to life between them. Soon, Finn and Trix are battling the one addiction neither of them ever managed to kick—each other. And it could cost them everything.
Fancy a wee snippet from Chapter 1?!?
Logan Beckett was one sincerely unsettling motherfucker.
Finn recognized the irony of the sentiment. Next to Beckett’s tailored suit, polished shoes, and clean-shaven jaw, his own three-day stubble and bloodshot eyes weren’t exactly a character recommendation. The battered leather boots didn’t help. Neither did the tattoos–Mac Fleming made a big deal about how his sector was civilized, and Finn had always figured the tattoos reminded him of Dallas O’Kane.
Reminding Fleming of Dallas O’Kane wasn’t the way to get ahead in Sector Five.
Beckett knew that. He knew how to fake civilized like it was going out of style. Perfect clothes, perfect grooming, perfect loyalty. Hell, he even had a perfect wife–Mac Fleming’s eldest daughter, the ultimate accessory for an ambitious man eager to take on a leadership role in the family business.
What he didn’t have was a shred of humanity in his cunning gaze. Finn wasn’t exactly in a position to throw stones there–he’d done shit that had given him horrifying dreams, and a few things so bad the dreams were better company than the memories.
But goddamn, at least he had nightmares.
“You heard me,” Beckett said smoothly. “As of now, nothing recreational hits the streets without additives.”
Fuck, Finn hated the additives. The people who wanted oblivion were already wasting their money and lives, and they were doing it willingly. Drugs didn’t have to be a messy business anymore, because science had taken addiction out of the equation.
Beckett was putting it back in. With interest.
Arguing with the bastard was pointless, but Finn still tried. Not because he thought it would help, he just liked irritating him. “Doesn’t that make shit more expensive?”
The man sighed. “In the short term. But once all of our customers are equally dedicated, price increases will be well-tolerated.”
Equally addicted, you mean. “And if someone doesn’t want to get that dedicated? Are we not selling the regular stuff at all anymore?”
“Of course we are. If the price is right.” Beckett shuffled some of the papers on his desk and stifled a yawn. “I don’t want any of the small-time dealers handling it, though. The bastards can’t be trusted.”
Maybe not by him. Finn crossed his arms over his chest, forcing Beckett to stare at the lines of ink winding up his arms. “They’ll do what I tell them to do.”
Beckett sat slowly back in chair and studied him. “At one time, I would have agreed.”
Not an unreasonable doubt. At one time, Finn hadn’t been slowly undermining the whole damn sector. “You saying I can’t keep my boys in line?”
Beckett smiled. “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying.”
A chill slithered up Finn’s spine. Christ, that smile was creepy. It was off, like the man knew how to move all the right muscles, but didn’t have anything to back it up. The only emotion lurking behind those cool blue eyes was anticipation.
Victory.
Something was really fucking wrong. Beckett might hate Finn, might sneer down his nose and drop barbs into every conversation, but he never crossed the line into outright disrespect. Someone had to do the man’s dirty work.
Finn tensed, fighting the gut instinct to go for his gun. Shooting his way out of Five was a suicide mission–and a last resort. So he played the game, twisting his features into a scowl. “If you have a problem with how I run shit, maybe you should just lay it on out.”
That chilling smile grew as Beckett leaned forward. “All right–” A quick chirp from the small tablet on his desk interrupted the words, and he glanced over at it with a sigh. “Mac wants you in his office.”
“Guess you’ll have to give me that job critique later.” Finn rolled out of his chair, his hand still itching for his gun. The spot between his shoulder blades itched just as much when he turned his back on Beckett, even though he’d stopped caring about taking a bullet in the spine a long time ago.
Hell, he’d stopped caring about damn near everything a long time ago.
‘Beyond Addiction’ Purchase Links:
Find Beyond Addiction on Goodreads:
BEYOND Series Reading Order:
Out Now:
Book #1 ~ Beyond Shame
Book #2 ~ Beyond Control
Outtake Read #2.5 ~ Beyond Denial
Book #3 ~ Beyond Pain
Novella #3.5 ~ Beyond Temptation
Book #4 ~ Beyond Jealousy
Novella #4.5 ~ Beyond Solitude
Book #5 ~ Beyond Addiction
Due for Release late 2014/2015:
Novella #5.5 ~ Beyond Possession
Book #6 ~ Beyond Innocence
Novella #6.5 ~ Beyond Ecstasy
Book #7 ~ Beyond Ruin
LINKS TO KIT ROCHA
BEYOND SHAME
All Noelle Cunningham has ever wanted is a life beyond–beyond the walls of Eden, where only the righteous are allowed to remain, and beyond her stiflingly restrictive existence as a councilman’s daughter. But only ruins lie outside the City, remnants of a society destroyed by solar storms decades earlier.
The sectors surrounding Eden house the corrupt, the criminal–men like Jasper McCray, bootlegger and cage fighter. Jas clawed his way up from nothing to stand at the right hand of Sector Four’s ruthless leader, and he’ll defend the O’Kane gang with his life. But no fight ever prepared him for the exiled City girl who falls at his feet.
Her innocence is undeniable, but so is their intense sexual attraction, and soon they’re crossing every boundary Noelle barely knew she had. But if she wants to belong to Jas, first she’ll have to open herself to a world where passion is power, and freedom is found in submission.
‘Beyond Shame’ Buy Links
BEYOND CONTROL
She refuses to be owned.
Alexa Parrino escaped a life of servitude and survived danger on the streets to become one of the
most trusted, influential people in Sector Four, where the O’Kanes rule with a hedonistic but iron fist.
Lex has been at the top for years, and there’s almost nothing she wouldn’t do for the gang…and for
its leader. Lie, steal, kill—but she bows to no one, not even Dallas O’Kane.
He’ll settle for nothing less.
Dallas fought long and hard to carve a slice of order out of the chaos of the sectors. Dangers both
large and small threaten his people, but it’s nothing he can’t handle. His liquor business is flourishing, and new opportunities fuel his ambition. Lex could help him expand his empire, something he wants almost as much as he wants her. And no one says no to the king of Sector Four.
Falling into bed is easy, but their sexual games are anything but casual. Attraction quickly turns to obsession, and their careful dance of heady dominance and sweet submission uncovers a need so deep, so strong, it could crush them both.
‘Beyond Control’ Buy Links
BEYOND DENIAL
Free online read (or Kindle file download) of a deleted scene from Beyond Control, featuring
Ace and Jared.
DABWAHA is a yearly event run by popular blogs Dear Author and Smart Bitches, Trashy Books where readers fill out brackets pitting beloved books against one another and then engage in a couple weeks of all-out warfare as they try to encourage people to vote in the best interests of their bracket–or in the worst interests of the brackets of people in the lead.
In 2013, Beyond Shame was one of the 2012 finalists pitted against some of our personal favorites in the Paranormal and Speculative Romance subgenres. In the tradition of bribery and mayhem, we offered to provide a deleted scene featuring Ace and his friend Jared at the O’Kane party held for the Sector Three recruits, as seen in Beyond Control.
The chances of our plucky little self-pub novel surviving round one were always tiny, but
we planned to share the story either way. So for all of you who voted, or didn’t, or just want to read about Ace being dirty and in denial…enjoy!
‘Beyond Denial’ Reading Link
BEYOND PAIN
A woman with no future…
Live fast, die young–anything else is a fantasy for Six. She’s endured the worst the sectors had to throw at her, but falling in with Dallas O’Kane’s Sector Four gang lands her in a whole new world of danger. They’re completely open about everything, including their sexuality–but she hasn’t survived this long by making herself vulnerable. Especially not to men as dominant as Brendan Donnelly.
A man without a past…
Bren is a killer, trained in Eden and thrown to the sectors. His one outlet is pain, in the cage and in the bedroom, and emotion is a luxury he can’t afford–until he meets Six. Protecting her soothes him, but it isn’t enough. Her hunger for touch sparks a journey of erotic discovery where anything goes–voyeurism, flogging, rough sex. He has only one rule: he won’t share her.
In Bren’s arms, Six is finally free to let go. But his obsession with the man who made him a monster could destroy the fragile connection they’ve forged, and cost him the one thing that makes him feel human–her love.
‘Beyond Pain’ Buy Links
BEYOND TEMPTATION
Hacker Noah Lennox lives in the shadows, fighting a one-man war against the corrupt leader of Sector Five. The only weak spot in his armor is his best friend’s sweet younger sister–the girl he swore to save, even from himself. With her brother dead and a target on their backs, getting her out of the sector–and out of danger–meant giving her up for good.
Or so he thought.
Emma Cibulski has made her own home in Sector Four, as a full member of the O’Kane gang and apprentice to their infamous tattoo artist. When Noah–the first man she ever loved–stumbles back into her life, it’s her chance to have it all. The spark between them burns hotter than ever, and this time her fantasies are far from innocent.
But can they handle the heat…or will Noah’s dark secrets drive them apart forever?
Note: BEYOND TEMPTATION was originally published in the anthology MARKED alongside stories by Vivian Arend and Lauren Dane.
‘Beyond Temptation’ Buy Links
BEYOND JEALOUSY
She’s been looking for the perfect man. She found two.
When Rachel Riley sacrificed a life in Eden to protect the O’Kanes, she earned her place in the powerful Sector Four gang. But the former crime princess is tired of being everyone’s sweet little sister . It’s time for her to get wild, to embrace her fantasies as only an O’Kane can—with a delicious exiled soldier and the gang’s wickedly sinful tattoo artist.
A saint…
Lorenzo Cruz is a warrior, taught by his commanding officers in Eden that involvement equals distraction. Emotion is a liability, and desire a sin. In Sector Four, he finds decadence, shameless sex—and his own dark urges. No battle strategy prepared him for how Rachel makes his heart race…or the way his rival for her affections sets his blood on fire.
…and a sinner.
Ace Santana has a dirty reputation and a mind to match, especially where his new lovers are concerned. He’s eager to help Cruz embrace his dominant side, and to explore the lines between pleasure and pain with Rachel. But corrupting them quickly becomes an obsession, a need he can’t deny—and a love he never imagined.
Three hearts on the line means a hundred ways their ménage a trois could go wrong. After all, even O’Kanes do forever two-by-two. One of them could be the missing piece that makes them all whole…or a temporary diversion destined for a broken heart.
‘Beyond Jealousy’ Buy Links
BEYOND SOLITUDE
Originally published in Alphas After Dark in April, 2014
Mia risked everything to walk away from a gilded cage in Sector Two, but grasping at freedom was only her first trial. With no protection in the sectors, every day is a struggle to stay alive. Her best hope now is a job working for the most dangerous gang in Sector Four–the O’Kanes.
When a motorcycle accident leaves Derek Ford riding a desk at the O’Kane compound, the last thing he needs is a sexy new assistant upending his office and his life. Especially someone like Mia, who greets his growls and commands with smiles and a fierce independence.
The friction between them generates an undeniable heat, and Mia’s stubborn refusal to let life beat her down stirs Ford’s darkest protective instincts. He has the power to take care of her, protect her not only from discomfort but from threats of her past…but first he’d have to claim her.
And Mia will never be kept again.
Set during Beyond Jealousy.
‘Beyond Solitude’ Buy Links
BLP REVIEW ~ TRACY
I’ve loved the Beyond series since I read book 1, Beyond Shame. The sense of hope, family and belonging, the lives and stories of the characters in the books just engage me so much.
It also helps that the stories are action packed, full of twists and turns, intrigue and let’s not forget some super hot, oh so sexy, down & dirty encounters!!!
Beyond Addiction takes a slight turn in pace. Finn & Trix have a history that not a lot of people in S4 are aware of. They have hurt & been hurt by each other and have spent years apart, but their attraction is still there, time nor space have dampened that.
Addiction is a really emotional read. Neither of the main characters had a good life in Sector 5 and there is loss and regret laying heavy on both of them. Through the story, we get to see Trix’s place in Sector 4, how she came to her new life and her sense of belonging & family. Finn has been on the outside for so long, never felt like he belonged so he doesn’t know how to be a part of something – doesn’t feel worthy of a lot of things but for Trix he’ll try anything!
I love the world that the KR girls have developed in the Sectors and beyond. In Addiction we get to see more of what happens in S5 as well as out on the fringes and we meet some new and interesting characters (some of these are instantly detestable and a few I’d love to find out more about in future books)
The Sectors leaders make an appearance. As ever there is double dealing, backstabbing and treachery. I still can’t stand some of the leader characters and there’s one I can’t quite decide on – is he good or as bad as the others?? Only time will tell I suppose.
As I said, the pace of this book is slightly different from previous reads but that doesn’t mean that the sex and action are diluted in any way. We catch up with all of our favourites and get to see them in action – in more ways than one! Keep your eyes open for one scene in particular that is smokin’ HOT!!! One Word – Lex!!!
I was a bag of mixed emotions reading Beyond Addiction – I ran the gamut and even had to grab a tissue a time or two (so be prepared).
Another excellent addition to what is one of my favourite series EVER. The girls write such a fantastic story, and gods, they know how to keep us coming back for more!
A definite 5* star read and one not to be missed!!!!
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BLOG BARRAGE ~TEMPTED BY A ROGUE PRINCE (Eternal Mates #3) by FELICITY HEATON
Today is the official release day of TEMPTED BY A ROGUE PRINCE by FELICITY HEATON. Book 3 in the fantastic ETERNAL MATES series, I’ve been waiting (not so patiently) for Vail and Rosalind’s story!!! ~ Tracy
Before we get to the blurb and excerpt for TbaRP, we have some questions that Felicity kindly took the time to answer for us.
We’ve gone with some fun Q’s rather than anything specifically about the book/series – mainly ‘cos we’re nosey that way!!! 😀
BLP: What’s your favourite book genre to read?
FH: I actually like to read what I write, which is paranormal romance. Whenever I’m on holiday or I have a break between writing books, I like to try to work my way through my to be read pile, which is quite extensive. I really like the escape that paranormal romance gives me, an adventure in new worlds with fascinating new characters. I have a list of auto-buy authors who are my go to ones, and I tend to read new books by these authors first.
BLP: What do you like to do when you aren’t working on your books?
FH: When I’m not working on my books, I love to watch anime or read manga, or sometimes I have the time to draw and paint. I also love to play games on my PlayStation and attend my archery practice sessions.
BLP: You’re stranded on a desert island – what 3 items would you NEED with you?
FH: I would definitely need my laptop, which I can read my books on and watch movies, a refrigerator, and a solar powered method of running these two items. I definitely couldn’t live without my laptop.
BLP: If you weren`t an author what would you be?
FH: If I wasn’t an author I would be a web developer still or maybe a designer. I work for years as a developer, building websites for e-commerce. I absolutely love programming, still program my own websites, and put together all the e-book versions of my books.
BLP: Who`s your favourite book boyfriend?
FH: If I’m allowed to say one of my own heroes, then I have to choose Vail. Vail is from my latest release, Tempted by a Rogue Prince, which is book 3 in my Eternal Mates series. I have had a soft spot for Vail ever since he walked into my head, a broken and dangerous male. There is something alluring about Vail. Maybe I just want to be the one to fix him, and give him something good back in his life.
Our thanks to Felicity for taking time out to answer our questions.
Tempted by a Rogue Prince, the third book in New York Times best-seller Felicity Heaton’s hot new paranormal romance series, Eternal Mates, is now available in e-book and paperback. To celebrate the release, she’s holding a FANTASTIC GIVEAWAY at her website.
Find out how to enter the Tempted by a Rogue Prince international giveaway (ends August 24th) and be in with a shot of winning a $75, $50 or $25 gift certificate at her website, where you can also download a 6 chapter sample of the novel: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/tempted-by-a-rogue-prince-paranormal-romance-novel.php
Felicity is hosting a Facebook release party for Tempted by a Rogue Prince on August 17th, so join her then for amazing giveaways, Q&A, teasers and more. All the details at: https://www.facebook.com/events/532238736898993/
Tempted by a Rogue Prince and the Eternal Mates series is set in the same world as the Vampire Erotic Theatre series, so if you’re a fan of that series, you will love Eternal Mates. Throughout this series, you’ll have a chance to catch up with the cast of the Vampire Erotic Theatre series and learn more about their world. In Claimed by a Demon King, you’ll get to visit the theatre, and some of the favourite characters in the Vampire Erotic Theatre series.
Here’s more about Tempted by a Rogue Prince, including an excerpt from this paranormal romance novel.
Tempted by a Rogue Prince
(Eternal Mates Romance Series Book 3)
Felicity Heaton
An elf prince on the verge of losing himself to the darkness, Vail is maddened by the forty-two centuries he was under the control of a witch and forced to war with his brother. Now, he roams Hell seeking an escape from his terrible past and the heads of all who bear magic. When demons of the Fifth Realm capture him, he sees a chance to end his existence, but when he wakes in a cell to a beautiful female, he finds not death but his only shot at salvation—his true fated mate.
Captured by the enemy of the Third Realm when the war ended, Rosalind has spent months in the cells of the Fifth Realm with her magic bound, forced to heal the new king’s demon warriors, and haunted by the lives she has taken. When she’s brought to heal an unconscious man, she discovers her only hope of escape has come in the form of her worst nightmare and the first part of a prediction that might spell her doom—a devastatingly handsome and dangerous dark elf prince.
Unwilling to fall under the control of anyone ever again, Vail must escape before the Fifth King can use him as a pawn in a deadly game of revenge, but he cannot leave without Rosalind, the woman who looks at him with dark desire in her stunning eyes and awakens a fierce hunger in his heart. A witch who drives him mad with need even as the darkness within whispers she will enslave him too.
Can Rosalind escape her fate as they embark on a journey fraught with danger and resist the temptation of her rogue elf prince? And can Vail overcome the memories that madden him in order to seize his chance for salvation and the heart of his fated female forever?
Tempted by a Rogue Prince is available from Amazon Kindle, Kobo Books, Barnes and Noble Nook, Apple iBooks stores and other retailers. Also available in paperback.
Find the links to your preferred retailer at:
http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/tempted-by-a-rogue-prince-paranormal-romance-novel.php
Tempted by a Rogue Prince – Excerpt
Vail narrowed his gaze on her, studying her delicate features and the way she held herself, drinking in everything about her, searching for a clue as to the reason for his strange reactions to her. Perhaps they had drugged him. It was all a ploy to weaken him and lure him into her trap. They wanted to watch her bring him to his knees. They would laugh as he suffered at her hands.
They were attempting to play on his compassion, but that had been their mistake.
He had no compassion left.
It had been wrung out of him thousands of years ago.
“Please?” she said again and gestured to the slab. “I’m not going to hurt you. I just have to heal you.”
He didn’t want to lay on it and allow her to touch him. He didn’t want her hands on him. Caressing. Fondling. Groping. He snarled and flashed his fangs again, and she shrank back, a little gasp escaping her.
“I would do as she asks, Mate. She isn’t going to hurt you, but if she doesn’t do as ordered, the demons will hurt her.” The deep male voice was little more than a snarl and Vail cast a glance off to his left.
A male with long dark hair streaked with gold occupied the cell opposite his, casually leaning against the thick deep grey stone wall. Green eyes locked with Vail’s, holding him fast. Fae markings tracked up the male’s arms, flushed with blood red and ash black, a sign of aggression. He was handsome too, despite the thick dark beard. He folded his arms across his muscular bare chest, the twin cuffs he wore clanking and filling the heavy silence, but they had no chain between them.
If this male spoke the truth, then she did too, and the guards would punish her for her failure. Vail pressed his hands against the sides of his head, dug his fingers through his blue-black hair and clawed his scalp, raking his nails over it. Gods, he missed his claws. He missed his armour. He needed it back. It was the only thing that could ground him.
The male pushed away from the wall and moved to the bars. He wrapped his hands around them and his gaze slid to the female. Lingering. Possessing.
Vail bared his fangs and hissed at him, barely maintaining the human appearance of his eyes and ears. He had to hold on to his veil. He couldn’t let these people know what he was. Who he was.
The man shrugged and kept staring at the female. “I warned you, Little Girl. You play with vipers and you’ll get bitten.”
“And I told you I will never leave someone to suffer if I can help them,” she snapped and folded her arms across her chest. “Stay out of this, Incubus.”
The male muttered something in the fae tongue and shoved his hands into the pockets of his dirty black jeans.
The female cast a scowl at him and bit out something in the same language.
Vail had long ago forgotten it. It had become useless to him after he and Loren had decided to save their people by moving them from the violent mortal world to the realm of Hell. No one spoke fae down here in this shadowy realm, and he had not left the elf kingdom in centuries.
No. That wasn’t true. He had left it. He had turned his back on it. He had to remember that. He had gone to war with his own people.
All had forsaken him.
But not Loren.
Vail returned to the bench and sagged onto it, his heart heavy and aching behind his ribs. Loren had kept trying to save him. Why? Why hadn’t his brother given up on him? Gods, he had wanted him to. He had pleaded every god of his species to make his brother leave him and forget about him. The gods hadn’t listened to him. He had tried forcing his brother to end his fool’s crusade to save him and save himself instead. Loren had refused.
What had he ever done to deserve such a brother?
He had murdered thousands. He had destroyed lands. He had ignited wars. He had done unspeakable things.
He didn’t deserve forgiveness, so why did a sliver of his heart cling to the hope it might be his?
The female stopped in front of him and he looked up at her, caught off guard by her sudden appearance and unable to mask his pain before she saw it. Her incredible blue eyes reflected it back at him, laced it with compassion that he couldn’t bear.
He closed his eyes, shutting her out, and lay back on the cold slab, no longer caring what she did to him. Loren would never give up. Vail had given up centuries ago.
His beloved brother was so much stronger than he could ever become.
The female dropped to her knees beside him and he tried not to squirm under her attention. He clenched his hands together and battled his instincts and the need to harm her. It wasn’t Kordula. He opened his eyes and stared at her when his mind refused to believe that, forcing himself to see that the one tending to his wounds was someone else. Someone with compassion. Someone beautiful.
This little wild rose was nothing like the dark witch who had driven him mad by degrees, destroying every part of him and building a monster in its place.
“What species are you?” the female whispered and eyed his mouth. “Are you a vampire?”
Vail snarled at her again, exposing his fangs, and didn’t answer her. He needed his strength and was using what he had to keep his veil in place while she healed him. It was difficult to maintain mortal eye colour and the human appearance of his ears while she was funnelling power into him, causing spasms in parts of his body, making him twitch and sending pain ricocheting along his nerves.
“Did you serve on King Thorne’s side in the war?”
He stared blankly at her as memories swirled together in his mind, a mixed up replay of that battle. He had seen Olivia in danger and had lost his head, had slipped into a killing rage and destroyed any who had dared to come near her.
He would have killed King Thorne too if Loren hadn’t appeared.
The sound of his brother’s voice had grounded him together with his presence, the comforting sense of him standing nearby. Loren had brought him back from the abyss, giving him a reprieve, like a shaft of purest sunlight penetrating the blackest boiling storm clouds.
His silence didn’t deter the female.
“Did you fight there and were captured like me?”
His eyes narrowed in suspicion on her. “You are no warrior.”
She was too slender. Too weak and fragile. Captivity hadn’t stripped her of muscle and physical strength. She had always been this way. Slender. Delicate. Not a warrior.
The effort of lifting a sword would most likely see her falling flat on her face from the weight of it.
She shook her head, her blonde locks dancing across her shoulders. “I drove the witches back. I was taking down a few demons with my spells when they grabbed me.”
Witches.
Spells.
Vail batted her hands away from him and growled at her.
His head swam, the cell turning with it, and he blinked hard, trying to focus on her as pain tore through his body, her healing spell going haywire inside him without her to control it. Witches. Spells.
Witch.
“Witch.” He flexed his fingers, filled with a black need to wrap his hands around her throat.
The sharp sound of metal on metal shattered the thick silence and two demon males prowled into the cell. Vail fought the agony eating away at him as he lay on the stone slab and silently bared his fangs at the witch. A stay of execution. When she next crossed his path, he would kill her.
The males grabbed her and he took satisfaction from her gasp and the frightened looks she cast at the demons towering over her.
“Time is up. You did not manage your task,” one male said, a grim smile tugging at his lips as he raked his gaze over her. “You must be punished.”
She immediately reached for Vail, abject fear in her round blue eyes. It drove the darkness from him and something compelled him to rise from the hard slab and punish the demons who meant to harm her. He tried to move, wanted to snag her wrist and pull her to him, needed to protect her but every cell in his body screamed in agony. He was too weak.
He had been too weak to stop these vile creatures from stealing his armour and now he was too weak to protect the female. He was the vile one. Despicable. Pathetic. He had given up and now he needed to fight.
He wouldn’t let them take her from him.
The two males roughly dragged her past him.
“Leave her,” Vail yelled and tried to move again.
He managed to fall from the slab this time, landing on his belly, and fumbled for one of the demon’s ankles. The male was too strong for him and easily broke free of his grip on his boot.
The female fought them, a wild feral creature as she clawed and kicked, and even attempted to bite them. She flailed in their grip, fear etched on her delicate features, terror that dug sharp claws into Vail’s heart and tore at it. They chuckled at her futile attempts to harm them.
They would pay for that.
Vail forced himself to move, refusing to let pain cripple him and stop him from reaching her. He would fight the limits of his body and his mind and wouldn’t stop until he passed out or death embraced him. He would bleed himself dry and destroy himself if only it would save her.
He crawled across the grimy damp dark flagstones towards the cell door, driven to reach her and unable to ignore the instinct to protect her that ran deep in his blood.
Little Wild Rose.
The demons slammed the cell door in his face. He tried to teleport to the other side but nothing happened. He cursed the cuffs binding him and banged them against the bars, desperate to reach her, the need so intense that it overwhelmed him and brought the darkness within him swiftly rising to the surface.
They dragged her out of sight and Vail roared his anger, eliciting whimpers from the occupants of several of the cells surrounding him.
The female shrieked in agony, the sound sending a chill skating over his arms and down his spine, and igniting his rage.
He was only vaguely aware of the world as he snapped the chain between the manacles, launched to his feet and attacked the magically reinforced bars of his cell, filled with a primal need to reach and protect the female.
His Little Wild Rose.
Tempted by a Rogue Prince is available from Amazon Kindle, Kobo Books, Barnes and Noble Nook, Apple iBooks stores and other retailers. Also available in paperback.
Find all the links, a fantastic 6 chapter downloadable sample of the book, and also how to enter the giveaway and be in with a shot of winning a $75, $50 or $25 gift certificate at her website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/tempted-by-a-rogue-prince-paranormal-romance-novel.php
Books in the Eternal Mates paranormal romance series:
Book 1: Kissed by a Dark Prince
Book 2: Claimed by a Demon King
Book 3: Tempted by a Rogue Prince
Book 4: Hunted by a Jaguar – coming in 2015
About Felicity Heaton:
Felicity Heaton is a New York Times and USA Today international best-selling author writing passionate paranormal romance books. In her books, she creates detailed worlds, twisting plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shape-shifters and wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons! If you’re a fan of paranormal romance authors Lara Adrian, J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter and Christine Feehan then you will enjoy her books too.
If you love your angels a little dark and wicked, the best-selling Her Angel series is for you. If you like strong, powerful, and dark vampires then try the Vampires Realm series or any of her stand-alone vampire romance books. If you’re looking for vampire romances that are sinful, passionate and erotic then try the best-selling Vampire Erotic Theatre series. Or if you prefer huge detailed worlds filled with hot-blooded alpha males in every species, from elves to demons to dragons to shifters and angels, then take a look at the new Eternal Mates series.
If you want to know more about Felicity, or want to get in touch, you can find her at the following places:
Website:
Blog:
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MY REVIEW ~ TRACY
Tempted by a Rogue Prince is the third book in the Eternal Mates series from Felicity Heaton – it tells the story of the dark Elf Prince Vail and Rosalind, who’s a witch.
The first 2 books were really great reads and I have fallen hard for this series and it’s characters.
I’ve been looking forward to Vail’s book since we first encountered him in Kissed by a Dark Prince (his brother Loren’s story)
Vail is a very different animal from his brother, with a haunted past and many many issues, he is a broken, lost and damaged soul (just the type of hero that I want to read about).
Felicity didn’t disappoint in telling us this pairs tale, I LOVED IT…. It has a different pace, very different heat and passion but jeez, it all worked beautifully!!!! After reading TBARP I am an even bigger Vail fan and I love Rosalind… She’s such a brave, caring but spunky wee thing!!!!
Action packed, emotionally engaging, heart wrenching with a fantastic plot and wonderful characters, Felicity has given us a series that is outstanding and I can’t wait to see what happens next in the Realms….
If you haven’t read any of the EM books yet, this is a definite must read that won’t disappoint. If you are already familiar with the Eternal Mates series you’ll be delighted with Vail’s story!
* I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review *
** and I 1-clicked on Amazon as soon as it was available – got to have my purchased copy!! **
GIVEAWAY
For your chance to win either an e-copy of Kissed by a Dark Prince or Claimed by a Demon King
(winners choice) check out our ‘Felicity Heaton Release Day Giveaway’
FH Release Day e-Book Giveaway
