Off Limits:
A Stepbrother MMA Romance by Callie Harper
Tuck
I like to fight and I like to fuck. Now’s my shot to fight for real, step out from my billionaire father’s shadow and be my own man. This summer’s all about going after my goal of becoming a pro MMA fighter. The problem is the girl I want to fuck. She’s driving me crazy with her little yoga outfits, her creamy skin, luscious curves and wide-eyed innocence. Normally, I’d hit it and quit it, get her out of my system and focus. But she’s my fucking stepsister. And she hates me. This summer we’re supposed to spend eight weeks together living under the same roof. I need to taste her. I won’t rest until she’s writhing beneath me, begging me to let her come. I’m a man who gets what he wants, and what I want now is Jewel.
Jewel
I want him so bad it hurts. I’ve never felt this way before. I’ve never had a problem keeping my distance from bad boys. The more muscles, tats and testosterone, the more I ran the other way. I learned my lesson, growing up with a trainwreck of a mother. Until now. Tuck makes my panties melt. He keeps me up at night, twisting in the sheets, obsessed with fantasies while I touch myself. But he’s my stepbrother. And he’s an alpha, dominant asshole. We’re sharing a house and he’s walking around shirtless, every inch of him ripped with hard muscle, sweaty after his brutal workouts. I don’t think I can hold out much longer. I’ve always been the good girl, but he makes me want to be bad.
***Off Limits is a standalone stepbrother romance novel with a HEA (85,000 words).
Callie Harper writes contemporary romances so hot they may melt your ebook. You’ve been warned.
She is powered by coffee, wickedly sexy bad boys, and all things funny, intentional or otherwise. She is the author of OFF LIMITS to be released 12/15 and the BEG FOR IT series which will start being released in January 2016.
She lives in the gorgeous Bay Area with her family.
Sands of Time is a contemporary romance set in a small Upstate New York town called Heart Falls, a town where heroes are born and passion is bred. This spicy romance tests the boundaries of trust, forgiveness, strength, passion, and most of all…love.
Once again, single mom Jade Santiago is trapped under her father’s firm hand. If her existence wasn’t complicated enough, her son’s father, John Sands, has popped back into her life. John doesn’t know JT is his son, and Jade plans to keep it that way. John’s ignorance ensures his protection from her abusive, vindictive father. Especially now that John works for him.
Bad-boy-turned-cop John Sands loves women, but hates relationships. At least, that was, until Jade Santiago came back to town. Now he wants things. Things like family and commitment. Not to mention hot sex. For her, he’s ready to change his priorities. If he can only get past her stubborn indifference and the chief of police, who happens to be her father and his boss, she’ll end up right where she belongs—in his arms and his bed
Keeping JT’s dad a secret for all these years seemed like a good idea, but the more John proves himself a genuine friend and an honorable man, the more Jade struggles with her intense attraction and undeniable guilt. He deserves the truth. A truth that will ultimately destroy all she has worked to protect. A truth that will shatter the trust of the only man she has ever loved. A truth that will change their lives forever.
Pete Cross is struggling with the emotional and physical scars of war, the last thing he needs is to find himself attracted to the one woman he shouldn’t want … his best friend’s sister. K.D. Friedrich is pleased to present Book 1 of her new series, The Heart Falls Heroes. Cross My Heart takes you on a poignant journey of loyalty, love, and above all, the healing power of second chances.
Struggling with the emotional and physical scars of war, Marine Pete Cross returns to his hometown, Heart Falls, New York, bitter and broken. The last person he wants to see is the stubborn tomboy from his past, Cara Sands. The guy code of ethics demands he keep his hands to himself where his best friend’s sister is concerned, but Cara never got that memo. Apparently, neither did Pete’s libido, because his desire for her is stronger than ever. Cara has no clue where the man she loves went, but she’ll do whatever it takes to bring him back. Pete tries to push Cara away with bitterness and anger, but she yanks him right back with understanding and patience. Her persistence drags them closer to an outcome that might destroy them both or show him, once and for all, the power of second chances.
BLP REVIEW ~ Tracy
ABOUT K.D. FRIEDRICH
K. D. Friedrichis a writer of Contemporary and Paranormal Romance. A graduate of NYIT, she earned a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies with concentrations in art, social science, psychology, and business. The culprit of that odd mixture was a severe case of indecision. She’s an overprotective mother (her daughter’s words), lifelong New Yorker, and an obsessed reader of everything romance. Most days, you can find her hard at work, creating intricate worlds and compelling characters, hot alpha heroes being her favorite. In 2013, her novel Soul Tie Seduction, placed second in the Golden Palm contest for Paranormal Romance.
An assignment has just turned interesting for GFI investigator Malachi Whitetail. When a shy, mousy woman walks into his local diner, it takes him a minute to recognize her as an employee of the real estate office he’s been monitoring. Not a believer in coincidence, Mal decides a closer look at the short brunette might be warranted. It will be the first, but certainly not the last time, he finds himself coming to her rescue.
Kimeo Lowe leads a pretty quiet existence, which is why, when she ends up a witness to a crime, her curiosity into her boss’s suspected shady dealings gets kicked into high gear. She may not be the most sociable of people, but she’s always been independent and industrious, so when an opportunity to dig a little deeper arises, she doesn’t think twice. It would seem that this time she’s bitten off a bit more than she can chew, and when a freakishly tall Native American Adonis intervenes not just once, she decides sleuthing may be best left to professionals. But it’s a bit too late.
Just when life has settled into a comfortable routine, Kim finds herself dealing with not just one, but two threats on her life. With every turn there are new challenges to face, and Mal is not about to let her face them alone. Not even when he turns out to be no match for her most dangerous enemy.
“I’ll have a chicken salad and a glass of water, please.” Her voice is as timid as her appearance. Like a little mouse, she slipped in behind me and sat down at the furthest booth. Shocked, I tried my best not to display any reaction to her showing up here. I never expected to have one of the people I’ve been keeping an eye on show up at Arlene’s Diner. Sure, it’s popular around these parts, but given that I live in the apartment above and take most my meals here, it feels like more than a coincidence. This is why I’m keeping my back turned and my ears perked.
Arlene tags her the minute she comes out of the kitchen and is taking her order. Fucking chicken salad and water, who lives on that? I’ve had reason to keep her in my sights since taking on this assignment, and the woman rarely eats more than that from what I’ve seen. Seems to feel comfortable in the real estate office she works in, but the moment she steps out, she seems to want to disappear in the shadows. Head always low, never making eye contact and wrapping herself up in that godawful blanket thing—some kind of poncho.
It’s her boss I’m really keeping track of. Gus got a call from the Ute Reservation a few weeks ago. The council had concerns about two farms backing onto reservation lands. The chief mentioned that both had sold within a month of the other through Martin Vedica, the little mouse’s boss, and they had moved out within days. A third farm, owned by an older couple, was being targeted as well. The couple, Ezhno and Tiva Walker, had moved off the reservation some thirty years earlier to raise their family. They didn’t go far, since their property backs right onto McElmo Creek near Finley Canyon, which is on reservation lands. In fact, it is wedged between reservation boundaries and the southern border of Canyons of the Ancients National Park.
Gus asked me to keep an eye out and I have, but with Vedica out of town since yesterday, I’d been using the time to do some online digging. So far, I have come up with little to nothing. Keeping my eye on the stainless steel backsplash behind the counter, I can see in the reflection that her face is turned my way. It isn’t busy in the diner right now, being lunchtime, but there are still a few booths occupied. Still I know they are her eyes burning in my back, and I wonder if she could possibly have spotted me before.
Kimeo Lowe. A rather exotic name for the pretty, but unassuming little thing hidden under layers of dark clothing. Soft voice, soft brown eyes, and from what I’ve been able to distinguish, a soft rounded body. Hardly the description for anyone associated with some kind of nefarious real estate deal, but you never know. Looks can be deceiving.
EXCERPT 2
Kim
The moment Mal walks out the door the reality of what happened earlier tonight sets in with a vengeance. Memories of crouching down in the pitch dark, fists stuffed in my mouth while Martin was being murdered on the other side of the door cause my stomach to roll. So much blood. I barely make it to the powder room where I drop to my knees beside the toilet and heave until nothing is left in my stomach. When I sit back I notice it’s dark, not only in the bathroom but there is no light at all. I can’t remember if I turned the lights on or not. I thought I did. At least in the kitchen, but there is no glow under the door.
The shivering starts up again in my limbs and I’m struggling not to hyperventilate. A noise somewhere in the house startles me and my heart starts hammering in my chest. Afraid to move, I wedge myself further between the toilet and the wall. All I can hear is the sound of my blood rushing in my ears. I squeeze my eyes shut and wrap my arms over my head protectively. When the door opens I make myself even smaller.
“Fuck,” I hear, before I’m yanked up on my feet. I struggle against the big arms surrounding me, but they won’t budge. “Hush, Kimeo. You’re safe.”
The whispered words finally penetrate when a wet nose presses against my hand. “Boo?” The responding licks and distressed doggie whimper pulling me all the way into the here and now. Back into the hallway just outside the bathroom, with Mal holding on tight and Boo pushing his head against my side. I’m home—safe. There are no guys wielding guns here, just Mal and Boo coming back from a walk. Fuck, I’m losing it.
“Let’s go clean up,” Mal’s deep voice rumbles. I finally open my eyes and tilt my head back to find his eyes warm and concerned.
Right. I’m suddenly very aware of the fact I probably have puke-breath. That thought alone is mortifying enough, but add that to my smelly shirt, stringy hair and whatever my face looks like now, and I want the ground to open up and swallow me. Determined to create as much space as possible, I push hard against his chest. He immediately releases his arms and allows me to step back. “I’ll be okay now. You can go home.” I try to make my voice sound firm, but the little hitch in my breath at the end ruins the effect.
“Not happening.” Mal doesn’t seem to have a problem sounding firm. I have no energy to fight him and without another word, I turn and walk to my bedroom, close the door and peel out of all my clothes, tossing them in the hamper on my way into the bathroom. There I turn on the tap until the water runs hot and I numbly step into the shower where I scrub myself raw, the faint light of dawn slipping through my window by the time I’m done.
EXCERPT 3
Mal
“Kimeo, you’ve gotta snap out of this.” At the mention of her full name her eyes finally snap open, looking wild and disoriented. It’s Boo’s soft whimpers from where his head is perched on the pillow next to hers, that seem to pull her back into the here and now.
“What?” Her voice sounds hoarse from the screaming. Turning her face away from Boo, her eyes finally focus on mine and she repeats, “What?”
“You were having a nightmare. Pretty bad from what I could tell. Do you remember?” The confusion seems to disappear from her eyes only to be replaced with horror as she scans my face.
“Oh my God…did I do that?” Her shocked whisper has me raise a hand to my cheek where I feel a slight burn. It comes away bloody and instantly Kim’s eyes fill with tears. “I am so sorry…” Her fingers skim over my face, leaving a cool soothing trail in their wake.
“It’s fine. Just a scratch, honey. You did worse damage to yourself. Let’s get you cleaned up.” Without waiting for an answer, I reluctantly push up from her body and get off the bed, before pulling her off too. My hand firmly on the back of her neck, I guide her into the bathroom where she stares in shock at her reflection.
“I did that?” “Mmm.” I grab a washcloth from the shelf and wet it under the tap before gently wiping her throat while lifting her chin up with my other hand. “It’s not that bad, have a look. Just a scratch,” I reassure her.
“I was in the supply closet and the door opened, but it wasn’t you. Just two eyes behind a mask. He had a knife.” Her body does a full on shiver and against my better judgement, I dump the washcloth in the sink and wrap her tight in my arms. “Just a dream,” I mumble in her hair.
“Yeah, but you rescued me again,” she whispers in my chest before tilting her head back to look at me. “Thank you.”
Fuck me. Those big liquid eyes, plump pouty lips, hell even the red blotches on her nose are impossible to resist. Keeping her gaze trapped with mine, I slant my mouth over hers and on her gasp of surprise, sweep my tongue inside for a taste. Sweet, hot, with a hint of spice—damn. Big mistake.
When I feel the vibrations of her moan against my tongue I know I have to pull back or I’ll lose all control. That moan travels all the way down to my cock and I know there’s no way she missed that pressing in her belly.
Rather abruptly, I push her back by the shoulders. She has a dazed look on her face and I know exactly how she feels. In a last indulgence I run my thumb over her soft bottom lip before completely letting go of her.
“Have a shower. It’ll make you feel better. I’m gonna whip us up some dinner.” With that, I leave a not quite coherent Kim in the bathroom. So much for staying away from her…
This is not going to be a very long, drawn out review but only because there are only so many ways to say how much I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK!!! Freya Barker is one of my favourite authors…ever. I adore her writing style and LIKE ARROWS is now my favourite book in her Cedar Tree series. ~ Kez Korner
After reading Like Arrows by Freya Barker I have now added a new author to my “To be read” list. Kimeo and Malachi’s story sucked me in from the start. I love how she had these characters evolve in a way that brought them together as a strong couple with flaws, but who complimented and boosted each other up. ~ Alphas Do It Better Book Blog
I have read all of Freya Barker’s books in the Cedar Tree series and Like Arrows was freaking amazing. The story was fast paced and easy to read. I was hooked from the first page to the last. ~ Goodreads Review
BLP REVIEWS
REBECCA
Pure Beauty. Pure fucking beauty that spoke to my soul, even got me to shed a tear and we all know I’m the unemotional one of this blogging partnership, the one who is all “yeah it was emotional” while my bestie is a sobbing wreck telling me I have no heart or soul! I think the reason this story touched me so deeply is I’ve been Kimeo, without giving away huge spoilers – because nothing is worse than a review that does that – I’ll just say that the lack of control over aspects of your life due to medical issues, if you’ve lived it, hits deep, body issues and how society dictates and judges hits deep, but when an author is as talented as Ms Barker is at real, REAL characters, people you can see yourself actually knowing…. people you can see YOURSELF in, combined with hot as fuck and romantic to it’s very core, then you have a special and haunting story that stands out from the crowd.
If you’ve read From Dust then you know already that darker and emotional is in Freya’s repertoire. If you’re familiar with the Cedar Tree series you’ve met Mal, you know some of his history and difficult past, so may be expecting that different tone to this one, but when you add Kimeo and her story into the mix it’s heart-breaking perfection. Every ingredient that we’ve come to expect is in here- snappy sassy dialogue, recurring characters, family made by choice – as well as blood – with strong loyalties, hot as fuck sex, real issues not sugar coated or dismissed yet done with such sensitivity and class that it adds to the story while not taking away any of the fantasy we read these alpha romances for ……..and did I remember to mention the HOT AS FUCK sex?!?!?!?!?!!
Freya really puts a lot into the cultivation of her characters and, in this book especially, the heroine. She is a woman that you can relate to in so many, if not all ways. We all have our physical drawbacks and a person in our lives that makes us feel inadequate, but when it’s those who should love and support us unconditionally that do this, then the damage is worse. When Kim finds her backbone I was cheering in my head and twirling pompoms!
“It’s no wonder you two have to put up with each other, with personalities that ugly, It’s no wonder I’m the one standing here with a good man, a decent man“ – I lean in for more emphasis,- “and yes, a gorgeous man at my side. There isn’t a man worth his salt who would put up with such ugliness.” Mal tugs at my hand but I’m not done. “You think you can tell from the outside what a person represents? What their life is like? You think you know by just one look? Well feast your eyes as my fat ugly ass walks away with my amazing boyfriend. And in case you were wondering? He’s hung like a stallion and knows how to use it.”
Mal has his demons as we already know and as the relationship unfolded I was thinking they could fix each other, this is gorgeous, then right at the last quarter of the book a twist gets thrown in that had me unable to put the book down, turning the pages in horror, crying (never, never happens) and thinking no HEA was going to be, WTF is going on, NOOOOOOOOO…………………….
I should have trusted Freya because we get a HEA and it’s beautiful.
Real.
Warts and all.
Life, Karma, Beauty. Total fucking perfection.
“I love all of you Malachi. Each part, every nuance, the dark, the light, the protective, the vigilant, the tender, the wounded-I love them all. Each separately and all combined. There isn’t a part of you I want to hide from or want hidden from me. I love you.”
(**I normally call dibs on all of Freya’s boys but for this one I’m calling dibs on Boo!)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
TRACY
I’ve loved and felt an empathy with the gals from the Cedar Tree series – Freya’s characters are so very real and face troubles and issues that we all know happen in real life – but while reading LIKE ARROWS I really felt a connection with Kimeo.
There’s a few reasons for this I suppose – any and all of which I’m not gonna count out in this review as her issues are a huge part of the story – but I know that there are a lot of people who will understand where our heroine is coming from and the challenges she faces on a daily basis.
Kim was so very down to earth, pulled into a mess that was not her own making and that’s where she first got the interest of Malachi. Now there’s an alpha character who knows how to take care of someone – both physically and emotionally – though Kim was as good for him as he was for her! Now, there’s one thing I’ve got to admit – the first couple of times that Mal came across Kim in person I could happily have gutted the bugger – regardless of what his intentions were!!! – but as hoped, he did redeem himself and I have to say that he’s now one of my top 2 leading men from the CT series.
So much emotion and feeling was experienced throughout the read. We had action and adventure and intrigue that left us not knowing what the hell was gonna happen. A couple of scenes where I could only cheer Kim on and wish that she had that strength and belief in herself always! There was the much loved appearance of family (choice & Blood) and friends – the camaraderie, care and affection between that group of people is heartwarming. The heat, attraction, passion and sexual tension between our main characters was intense.
All in all LIKE ARROWS was one helluva read and I absofuckinlutely adored it!!!
If you’re already a fan of the Cedar Tree series you’ll love this latest instalment. If you haven’t yet visited their little corner of the fictional world you’ll be able to read this wee treasure as a standalone BUT to fully enjoy all that is Cedar Tree and Freya Barker, I’d suggest you take the time to read the previous books in the series before you pick up Malachi & Kimeo’s book.
I rate LIKE ARROWS 5 stars – but this still isn’t enough in my opinion!! *****
About The Author
Author of the popular Cedar Tree series, as well as the critically acclaimed standalone “From Dust,” Freya Barker is driven to make her stories about ‘real’ people; with characters who are perhaps less than perfect, but just as deserving of romance, thrills and chills, and some hot, sizzling sex in their lives.
Recipient of the RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for best first book, “Slim To None,” Freya has hit the ground running. She loves nothing more than to meet and mingle with her readers, whether it be online or in person at one of the signings she attends.
With her kids grown and out in the world, Freya has poured her creative energy into spinning story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!
This is the story of what happens when best laid plans fail, and a vengeful woman is forced to find her own way once again. A bond broken, trust shattered, and too many lies to keep track of find Marc and Lily all out of plans and running out of time. Can they find their way back to each other before trouble finds them first, or is it really the end of their journey?
If thisNOVEL were aMOVIE, it would have anR rating from the MPAA. Contains: Violence, Grisly Images, Strong Language, Nudity, and Graphic Sexual Content.
Shock wasn’t a big enough word to describe how Lily felt, looking up to find Marc staring at her in that ballroom. Anyone else. It literally could have been anyone else – her father, Mickey Mouse, Hitler, and she would’ve been less surprised. Marcelle De Sant wasn’t real, anymore. He was a figment of her imagination, something that usually only appeared late at night, when she was alone and missing a more dangerous time in her life.
Besides, wasn’t he supposed to be in Brazil!? Wasn’t he … anywhere she wasn’t?
Wasn’t he not quite this good looking!? It’s unfair that such a dick can be so good looking.
Dancing with her was bad enough. They’d fought, as had always been in their nature, but it wasn’t the same. She hated him. He’d lied to her, and he’d manipulated her, and he’d abandoned her. Told her she wasn’t good enough, then told her to go home. She loathed him.
And yet, his arm was around her, and his eyes were so blue, and she’d missed him so much.
Rat bastard.
And of course, along with fighting, their other old friend made an appearance – bad luck. Next thing Lily had known, she was being dragged upstairs and shoved into a bedroom. There was arguing. There was kissing.
So really, it was just like old times.
The bedroom door swung open, but she barely registered it. Marc’s hands were moving over her body, pressing down on her breasts. He moved one lower, sliding it over her hip and around to her ass, pulling her away from the wall and into himself. She ran her hands down his chest and worked them under his jacket, smoothing around to his back. She bit into his bottom lip and that earned her yet another groan, followed by his tongue filling her mouth.
Acting a part, acting a part. Not enjoying this at all. Nope, nooooope.
People were in the room. Someone was barking questions in Spanish. Marc ignored them, and the hand on her ass suddenly moved and grabbed her thigh, yanking her leg up to his hip. She made a big show of pulling his belt apart, all while his mouth moved down her neck, leaving sloppy wet kisses in its wake. His hands were back at her chest and buttons flew as he yanked open her blouse. One hand went down the top of her tank, and suddenly Lily didn’t care that they had an audience. Marc was touching her again, that was all that mattered.
“Excuse me!” a voice barked out. “You cannot be in here. You go now.”
Marc’s free hand began rooting around in his pocket, and he pulled out a handful of pesos. He held them out to the nearest guard.
“We go in twenty minutes,” he panted, shoving the money into an open hand.
“Twenty minutes? Jesus, that’s disappointing,” she gave a husky laugh, then moaned when the hand on her breast squeezed.
“Alright. Twenty minutes. We come back, and you leave room,” they were warned.
But neither of them could answer, as their mouths met again and their tongues moved against each other.
Her mind had registered the length of time since he’d left her, but her body didn’t notice it at all. It recognized his touch as if they’d been together just the day before; like no time had passed. It made it all even worse. Her brain had done a good job of pretending it was over him. But her body had longed for him for six months. Had missed him. Hadn’t understood why he’d left.
That thought brought her to her senses, and Lily abruptly shoved him away. They were both breathing hard. Marc’s pants were undone and Lily’s blouse was hanging open. Her matte red lipstick was smeared across his mouth and chin. She took a deep breath and smoothed her hands over her hips.
“Okay, we need to figure this out, right now,” she told him.
“Alright,” he agreed, though he seemed a little dazed. She resisted the urge to smirk.
“I didn’t come here for you. Nothing I’ve done in the last six months has been for you,” she lied. “You’re not a part of this. You were never a part of this, except for a couple weeks in Africa. I will not let you ruin this for me again, De Sant. When we walk out of this room, you’re going to leave the house, and I’m going to finish this job.”
Marc’s daze wore off and he glared as he put his pants back to rights.
“I’ve been a part of this since the moment you opened that safe, and you know it. What do you think I’ve been doing this whole time? Fucking vacationing? I’m not exactly getting paid for this shit.”
“No one asked you to do any of this shit. You just took it upon yourself. You just ran away and decided to solve a problem that wasn’t even any of your business.”
He flinched and Lily smiled.
“I thought you’d understand,” he grumbled, glancing in a mirror that was behind her. He yanked off his bow tie and used it to wipe at lipstick around his mouth.
“Then you thought wrong.”
BLP REVIEW ~ Rebecca
Crazy woman living in an undisclosed location in Alaska (where the need for a creative mind is a necessity!), I have been writing since …, forever? Yeah, that sounds about right. I have been told that I remind people of Lucille Ball – I also see shades of Jennifer Saunders, and Denis Leary. So basically, I laugh a lot, I’m clumsy a lot, and I say the F-word A LOT.
I like dogs more than I like most people, and I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t drink. No, I do not live in an igloo, and no, the sun does not set for six months out of the year, there’s your Alaska lesson for the day. I have mermaid hair – both a curse and a blessing – and most of the time I talk so fast, even I can’t understand me.
With only a small clue to the whereabouts of the arsonist that torched his family’s business, Lawrence “Lucky” Coalson heads to Las Vegas. While posing as a bouncer, Lucky finds himself ensnared by the lovely bartender, Claudia. But, like Lucky, she’s not what she appears to be and what happens in Vegas follows Lucky back home with unimaginable consequences.
Brandon Coalson is as hot as his older brothers, but he’s the sensitive one that patches broken hearts and sends them on their way. Until Anna Meeks walks into the office and into his life. Her shy demeanor melts Brandon’s heart, but she’s got secrets that could get them killed. When a family friend is grievious injured, the men vow to put an end to the sabotage once and for all, but nothing goes according to plan, and the men must fight Mother Nature, a murderer, and the local law enforcement to get the answers they seek.
His face came closer and she closed her eyes, but popped them open when he simply touched her nose with his, rubbing it lightly. “Open those beautiful eyes, Anna. I want to see your passion.” Anna stopped breathing as Brandon tilted her head slightly, and
touched just the tip of his tongue to her lips, licking just the corner, then drawing back. She caught fire at the first touch of his lips on her skin.
Naturally shy, she had nevertheless had her share of kisses, but this was entirely different from anything she had experienced before. Tender pecks on the eyelids, the chin, a teasing bite along the throat and collarbone, Anna’s breath hitched. Then he gave a little lick to the ‘oh so sensitive’ spot at the curve of her neck. She gasped, as he captured the sound with his mouth, then went in for the kill…open mouth, tongue licking her lips, demanding entrance as he succeeded in devouring her mouth just as he had been dreaming of doing for so long. One sweet, succulent, tongue entwined, dream of a kiss. When they were both breathless, he tenderly pulled at her lower lip with his lips and planted one last gentle kiss on the curve of her neck. Although it was a gentle
kiss, the underlying hunger could not be denied, and Anna didn’t want to deny him anymore. She craved his touch like flowers crave the rain. But now was neither the time nor the place to indulge in these fantasies. She drew back reluctantly. “You make me forget myself,” she blushed and lowered her eyes.
“You make me hot,” Brandon whispered seductively.
Hi! I’m Maggie Adams. I live near St. Louis, MO with my high school sweetheart, Ned, (married thirty years) and my wonderful kids, Katie (Kyle) and Ross (Valerie). My life is like a walking, talking sitcom from I Love Lucy, but I love it, although people do tend to keep their distance from me! Writing has always been my dream, with reading my favorite hobby. I try to include a little bit of my life in everything I write, so when you read my books, keep your eyes wide open – I’m in there somewhere!
When a psychic tells Natalie Nixon her life is about to be upended by a mysterious stranger, she laughs it off. After all, she has everything she’s ever wanted—a successful bakery, the perfect boyfriend, and the keys to her dream house.
Who could possibly make her want to throw all that away?
Then Miles Haas comes back to town.
But he’s no stranger—they’ve known each other since high school. Plus, he’s only around for the summer, he’s still a shameless playboy, and he makes a living writing articles for a men’s magazine with titles like ‘Should You Bang the Boss’s Daughter? A Flowchart’ and ‘Butt Stuff for Beginners: A Field Guide.’
He’s not the man of her dreams, and she’s not about to abandon everything she’s worked so hard for just for a little fun. Except he makes her laugh like no one else, smells like heaven, and wears panty-melting glasses.
The light was off in my room when I returned, and I could barely make out her shape under the blanket. Leaving my glasses on the bedside table, I slid between the sheets, careful to stay on my side. When was the last time a woman slept in my bed without orgasms being involved? I couldn’t think of one time, actually. I didn’t even know what to do with myself.
I lay there for a while on my back, hands beneath my head, breathing slowly and deeply, trying to stay calm. But I could smell her perfume, and it was making me hard again. Fuck! Was she asleep already? Could I rub one out without her knowing? I braved a look at her, and my eyes had adjusted to the dark enough to see that she was facing away from me, curled up on her side. Long, agonizing, minutes ticked by, during which I imagined rubbing my cock along the crack of her ass, which was sticking out in my direction. Taunting me.
“I lied to you last night.” Her voice was so soft, I thought I might have imagined it. Or dreamed it.
“Huh?” Stop thinking about her ass.
She rolled to her other side and faced me, tucking her hands beneath her cheek. “I lied last night. I told you I didn’t remember what you said to me the night we said goodbye. The night before you left for school.”
I blinked in surprise. “Oh.”
“Did you really mean the things you said?”
“Of course I meant them. I stand by every word I’ve ever said to you.” And my cock is standing straight up right now. So if you could please stop being beautiful and sexy and vulnerable, I’d appreciate it. Thanks.
She took a shuddery breath. “And yet…tonight, you wouldn’t—”
“Tonight was not about us, Natalie.”
“But…what if it was?” She paused. “What if it could be?”
Fuck, was she serious? Because I wanted that. I wanted a night that was just about us, wanted to show her what it was like to be with someone who appreciated her. Just one night, even if it was all we ever had. But I couldn’t be the one to initiate it, not without knowing it was really OK.
“Natalie,” I started, but she interrupted me.
“I’m lying here thinking, a week ago my life seemed so complete, everything in order. My relationship. My business. My house. I had everything I wanted.”
“And now?”
“Now I feel like I’ve been missing something. Like maybe I was wrong about what I wanted. I feel…lost.” She looked at me with her huge, round blue eyes, making my whole body heat up.
“You’re not lost.” Rolling onto my side, I met her forehead with mine. “You’re right here with me.”
And I kissed her. Just like that, I kissed her.
BLP REVIEW ~ Tracy
.99 Cents for a Limited Time
Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her lipstick red, and her history with the naughty bits left in. When she’s not reading good books, she gets her kicks from TV series like Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, Masters of Sex, Deadwood, Mad Men, and Downtown Abbey (although she wishes it were more HBO and less PBS). Melanie is the author of the FRENCHED contemporary romance series (FRENCHED, YANKED, FORKED) and the sexy historical series SPEAK EASY (SPEAK EASY, SPEAK LOW), set in the 1920s. She lifts her glass to romance readers and writers from her home near Detroit, MI, where she lives with her husband and two daughters.
I made a conscious decision to cheat on my husband.
Now, before you judge me, hear my story. Hear how much I’m like you, how similar my thoughts are to your own. Yes, I’m a horrible person. Yes, I’ve done horrible things. Yes, I don’t deserve forgiveness. Yes, bad things happened because of my actions.
But I’m willing to bet I’ve done things that maybe, just maybe, you have thought of doing.
Maybe, just maybe, you’re not as innocent as you’d like to think.
Or maybe I’m not so guilty…
WARNING: This book involvesCHEATING. The wordAFFAIRis in the title. The main character has anAFFAIR. In the synopsis (directly above), she states that sheintentionallyhas anAFFAIR. If you don’t likeCHEATING, then you have beenVERY WELLwarned. Also, this book is primarily written in the third-person narrative.
Misch stared up at him, simply amazed. She couldn’t believe he was there, sitting next to her. Bubble, officially burst. Mr. Tal Canaan was a real life man, flesh and blood, not some fantasy to be locked away in some hotel room, shoved to the back of her brain. And the fantasy-come-to-life sitting next to her happened to be dressed up, as well. Sexy didn’t cover how he looked that evening.
“Tal, we can’t do this,” Misch lowered her voice. “You did me a huge favor the other night, really. I appreciate it, more than I can say. But it ended in that room.”
His hand moved off of her hip and across her lap. Came to rest on her bare thigh. Her voice caught in her throat.
“Oh, no. No, I don’t think so. I don’t think it ended at all. I think it’s still very much going on,” he breathed, sliding his hand up, moving the skirt of her dress out of the way.
“Tal, please,” she whimpered.
Whimpering. The man makes me whimper.
“Ah, there’s that word I love.”
“My boss could walk up any minute,” she hissed, pressing herself back into the cushioned booth, trying to gain some distance.
“Don’t worry about your boss,” Tal whispered, dipping his head and kissing her temple.
“We can’t. He knows I’m married,” she whispered back, squirming as Tal’s hand pushed the last bit of material out of the way. If a waiter popped up, he’d have a great view of Misch’s hot pink underwear.
“I told you, don’t worry.”
“Don’t worry!? How can I not -,”
She gasped as his thumb slid under the crotch of her panties. While her lips were parted, he dove in, kissing her hard. She moaned, welcoming him. Fuck, she’d cook him dinner and rub his feet, if he’d just keep touching her. Just keep wanting her.
“I love that you’re always so ready for me,” he pulled away to laugh at her. She gripped onto his arm.
“Oh my god, I’m gonna get fired,” she panted, but made no move to stop him. His thumb was ridiculously dexterous; she wondered if he was double jointed. It swam in circles, making her dizzy.
“You won’t get fired, I promise,” he had his sly smile on, and he actually rested an elbow on the back of the booth, propping his cheek against his fist. His relaxation actually made her more aware of their surroundings. She was sitting in the middle of a nice restaurant, waiting for her boss, and she had a man’s thumb in her crotch.
Slut.
“Someone’s going to see us. Please.”
“You know what’s funny,” he ignored her. “This really wasn’t my plan when I decided to come here. I thought we could have a drink, talk. I could watch you laugh. You have a great laugh. But then I sat down, and you’re wearing this amazing dress, showing those amazing legs, and well, here we are.”
“I don’t want to be doing this,” she begged.
“Why not?”
“Because,” she couldn’t finish the sentence. Didn’t want to say it out loud. Wanted to pretend that she was begging him to stop for the right reasons.
“Because why?”
I’m such an awful person.
“Because I’m …”
“Since our night together,” he whispered, “this is all I’ve thought about. All I’ve wanted to do. From this point on, you’re going to be the only person I fuck while I’m here.”
“Tal, please, I’m going to … I’m about to …,” she couldn’t catch her breath. She was too busy trying to stave off a huge orgasm.
“Shhhh,” he shushed her. Then his thumb was gone. He pulled his fingers free of her underwear, ran it up her body. Rested his hand against the side of her jaw. She was breathing heavily through her nose, staring up at him. He stared right back and pressed his dewy thumb against her bottom lip. Traced it back and forth.
Resistance is so fucking futile.
“What are you doing to me?” she whispered. He smiled, then stuck his thumb in his mouth, sucking her wetness away.
“Anything you want, babe. Come find me,” he whispered back.
Then he was sliding out of his seat. Walking away.
Misch dropped her head back on the booth, tried to catch her breath. She pressed a hand to her chest and gulped in air. She had thought the night was going to be boring. Shmoozing their international partners, talking about insurance, trying to tell bad jokes in broken Italian. Getting off in the middle of a crowded dining room hadn’t been part of the plan.
Mr. Canaan had never been part of the plan.
Author Bio
Crazy woman living in an undisclosed location in Alaska (where the need for a creative mind is a necessity!), I have been writing since … forever? Yeah, that sounds about right. I have been told that I remind people of Lucille Ball – I also see shades of Jennifer Saunders, and Denis Leary. So basically, I laugh a lot, I’m clumsy a lot, and I say the F-word A LOT.
I like dogs more than I like most people, and I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t drink. No, I do not live in an igloo, and no, the sun does not set for six months out of the year, there’s your Alaska lesson for the day. I have mermaid hair – both a curse and a blessing – and most of the time I talk so fast, even I can’t understand me.
WE FLOVE My Time In The Affair…. We are unashamedly complete Stylo junkies at the best of times – I mean come on, anyone who can give us Jameson Kane and his fucked up ways and make us adore the big bastard is a bloody genius when it comes to story telling – and lets not forget Sanders!!! 😉
One thing that I (Tracy) really can’t do with in my reading is cheating…. it’s just not something I’m comfortable reading about BUT at no time while reading MTITA did I worry about Mischa’s husband, feel ‘icky’ about what her and Tal were getting up to or want to put my kindle down as I would usually find myself feeling – THAT is how well Stylo hooks you, pulls you in and immerses you in the story!!!
BLP REVIEWS
Tracy
Holy fuck, where to start!!! I knew Stylo Fantôme could write one helluva book but this just nails it for me!
The first thing I’ve got to say is that a storyline involving cheating is usually a line that I tend to avoid crossing, never mind reading a book where the whole story is based around a woman setting out to have an affair….. but hell, if I’d stuck to my usual modus operandi, I’d have missed this corker of a story. We’ve all heard the phrases ‘The heart wants what the heart wants’ and ‘we can’t help who we fall in love with’ – clichés, definitely, but in this case so very fuckin’ true!!
I was entranced from the start. I actually really liked Mischa, no, scratch that, I bloomin’ loved her… and I absolutely adored Tal. It came as quite a surprise that rather than feeling that what they were doing was wrong I kinda delighted that she was happy. Ok, a lot of the time she wasn’t, like when she let her mind wander to what she was actually doing but, overall, when she was with her lover she was like a different person!
Mischa was like an open book, stronger than she realised and brave, so very brave to put her life as she knew it on the line as she did (hmm, I like to think it says more about Stylo’s writing than it does that say about my moral compass that I felt like that about her rather than be appalled by her actions?!) . Tal, oh Mr Canaan, (can I just say that he’s giving Jameson a run for his money in my head!!) he was Mr Hot, Hung and Sexy – and deeply mysterious. He was like a calm to Mischa’s storm, how he treated her anchored her, made her feel again (jeez, he possibly made her feel for the first time ever!!) but he was kinda too good to be true and when his secret came out it was awful to watch two hearts be so horribly broken.
Given my thoughts on infidelity I did think I would feel compassion and at least a little sympathy for her husband but I honestly didn’t take to Mike – well, there was a scene later in the book where I began to warm to him but then I wanted to get pissed with him as I felt he was more culpable than he’d ever admit to (but hey, I’m not into spoilers so that’s something for you to find out when you read)
Maybe the reason I engaged so with our lead characters was because I actually know a couple of people who have married their friend and it’s totally been the wrong thing to do – regardless that it was done out of ‘love’ or as the next progressive step in their relationship, it’s a road that should never have been traveled and it never appeared it would lead to a lifetime of happiness…. It’s not a nice thing to watch happen – it’s a bit like witnessing a car crash, you can see it happening but there bugger all you can say or do to stop it and when the impact happens it sadly often destroys more than you thought it could..
My Time in the Affair was, for me, a love story at heart. It was at times sad, thought-provoking, heartbreaking and intense while managing to be uplifting, at times light (the ease and banter between Mischa and Tal was so real and natural), heartening and let’s not forget how blisteringly bloody HOT it was!!! Ms Fantôme is a writing genius and extremely talented when it comes to hot, sweaty, down and dirty sex scenes. She is also a master at the sweet, tender and gentle moments. Such talent from an author who hasn’t been known for all that long and I don’t think she’s done yet!!
My blog PIC always tells me about the ‘feels’ she got when she’s read a really great book – something I did think I had a handle on, until I read MTITA – all I did was ‘feel’ while reading their story!! Seriously, this is a book that I will reread time and time and time again!
I’ve read SF’s ‘Kane Trilogy‘ and loved it and now with ‘My Time in the Affair‘ she’s grabbed my heart – if you haven’t read her books yet you really have to take the time to pick them up, take yourself off somewhere quiet and lose yourself in her wonderful tales!!
If I could give this more than a 5* rating I would!!! One of my fave books of the year so far!!!
**************
Rebecca
In a sea of mediocrity Stylo Fantôme’s star shines brightly, My Time in the Affair is an absolutely stunning story from this ûber talented author. Multi-faceted, insightful, thought provoking, emotional yet also so deliciously hot, dirty and sexy, it is totally flawless and special.
Over years of reading there are certain authors whose work I have particularly loved whom I one-click no matter the blurb or content just because they have written it, Stylo was already on that list due to the calibre of her debut last year, however also within this group of favourites are certain specific books that have, for whatever reason, especially resonated with me and become rereads many times over – Lady Luck by Kristen Ashley, Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie, Carnage #1 & #2 by Lesley Jones, Undeniable by Madeline Sheehan, are all special to me and have given hours of pleasure over the years, My Time in the Affair is now added to that list.
My focus and reading mojo has been off lately due to that bitch cancer touching real life but, after picking up and putting down multiple books, I was swept away by Mischa and Tal from the pen of Ms Fantôme, I enjoyed The Kane Trilogy, loved Completion but MTITA is so stunning I wish had the words to convey it, to express the beauty of it. Many will be put off by the fact this involves cheating and whilst this is normally a deal breaker issue for me and I’ve been that hypocritical one, black and white issue, you don’t cheat, Ms Fantôme made me rethink, showed me the huge grey area in-between where good people who sometimes just make poor decisions reside, not bad people having their cake and eating it but human, real people, flawed, hurting and just wanting to be happy.
“I’m not trying to make excuses. There is no excuse for what I did. I should have broken up with him. Point, blank, period. I know this. I know this. But when you’re looking at your best friend, a person who is a part of the fabric of your being, and you can literally see their heart start to break, well … it takes a lot of strength to smash that heart all the way. To disintegrate it. It takes someone stronger than me.”
MTITA gave me huge feels, I fell in love with Mischa and Tal, hook line and sinker, one of my favourite couples of all time. Mischa just wants to be happy, to be desired, isn’t that what we all search and hope for? Someone to navigate this life with, laugh, cry and be comfortable with whilst having passion and lust on the menu as well. Having married her best friend she had the laugh, cry and comfortable, but it was a relationship built on a lie she is unaware of, so the passion and lust dies leaving her floundering, unhappy and discontent with a partner unwilling to acknowledge a problem let alone try to resolve it.
“Something I have learned in life is that things are never as they seem. You think love is one thing – turns out, it’s a whole big barrel of fucked-up-ness. You think marriage is one thing – turns out, it’s an even bigger barrel of fucked-up-ness. You think you can plan something down to the letter – but really, things will go down however they’re going to go down, regardless of your planning. You think you’ve made up your mind – but someone can make it up for you. You think you’re resolved to do something – and then you do the exact opposite.”
Having made a decision to cheat, into the picture comes Tal, one of the hottest, sexiest book boyfriends I have ever read. My blogging partner-in-crime called him Mr Hot, Hung and Sexy and I’m stealing it because, oh my!!!!! Panties totally optional when he’s around, hot flushes not caused by menopause for a change! He’s hot, mysterious, funny, sweet, dirty and delicious. When he whispers “Come find me” I swear I have a little mini orgasm and I’m Mischa in my head!
“Whenever you hear this, I hope it finds you well. I hope you’re dancing, because you were built for it. I hope you’re smiling, because your mouth was made for it. I hope you’re laughing, because it’s the most incredible sound. And I hope you’re being loved by somebody, because you deserve it.”
Ultimately though the attraction of this book is the outstanding writing and the feels it conveys. The depth and emotion of Mischa’s struggle to do right for herself, her husband and Tal, the fledgling relationship that starts to develop from the lust and the passion between Mischa and Tal, the secrets and lies that tear one relationship apart and put the puzzle together of the failing of the other, all of it flawless and captivating, beautifully written, raw, real, sweet, sexy, hot, dirty and just bloody gorgeous. Special beyond belief, Fantôme is a breed apart and was born to write.
“All those moments between those seconds. Timeless. Their love would always be alive; a living, beating heart, but just caught in a moment. Caught in their time. Maybe that’s all they were. Just a time in love. Just a time in an affair.”
I made a conscious decision to cheat on my husband.
Now, before you judge me, hear my story. Hear how much I’m like you, how similar my thoughts are to your own. Yes, I’m a horrible person. Yes, I’ve done horrible things. Yes, I don’t deserve forgiveness. Yes, bad things happened because of my actions.
But I’m willing to bet I’ve done things that maybe, just maybe, you have thought of doing.
Maybe, just maybe, you’re not as innocent as you’d like to think.
Or maybe I’m not so guilty …
Full Length Standalone Novel, 85,000+ words
WARNING: This book involvesCHEATING. The wordAFFAIRis in the title. The main character has anAFFAIR. In the synopsis (directly above), she states that sheintentionallyhas anAFFAIR. If you don’t likeCHEATING, then you have beenVERY WELLwarned. Also, this book is primarily written in the third-person narrative.
Stylo is having an awesome sale for MY TIME IN THE AFFAIR on Black Friday through Cyber Monday. The ebook will cost $.99.
WE FLOVE My Time In The Affair…. We are unashamedly complete Stylo junkies at the best of times – I mean come on, anyone who can give us Jameson Kane and his fucked up ways and make us adore the big bastard is a bloody genius when it comes to story telling – and lets not forget Sanders!!! 😉
One thing that I (Tracy) really can’t do with in my reading is cheating…. it’s just not something I’m comfortable reading about BUT at no time while reading MTITA did I worry about Mischa’s husband, feel ‘icky’ about what her and Tal were getting up to or want to put my kindle down as I would usually find myself feeling – THAT is how well Stylo hooks you, pulls you in and immerses you in the story!!!
BLP REVIEWS
Rebecca
In a sea of mediocrity Stylo Fantôme’s star shines brightly, My Time in the Affair is an absolutely stunning story from this ûber talented author. Multi-faceted, insightful, thought provoking, emotional yet also so deliciously hot, dirty and sexy, it is totally flawless and special.
Over years of reading there are certain authors whose work I have particularly loved whom I one-click no matter the blurb or content just because they have written it, Stylo was already on that list due to the calibre of her debut last year, however also within this group of favourites are certain specific books that have, for whatever reason, especially resonated with me and become rereads many times over – Lady Luck by Kristen Ashley, Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie, Carnage #1 & #2 by Lesley Jones, Undeniable by Madeline Sheehan, are all special to me and have given hours of pleasure over the years, My Time in the Affair is now added to that list.
My focus and reading mojo has been off lately due to that bitch cancer touching real life but, after picking up and putting down multiple books, I was swept away by Mischa and Tal from the pen of Ms Fantôme, I enjoyed The Kane Trilogy, loved Completion but MTITA is so stunning I wish had the words to convey it, to express the beauty of it. Many will be put off by the fact this involves cheating and whilst this is normally a deal breaker issue for me and I’ve been that hypocritical one, black and white issue, you don’t cheat, Ms Fantôme made me rethink, showed me the huge grey area in-between where good people who sometimes just make poor decisions reside, not bad people having their cake and eating it but human, real people, flawed, hurting and just wanting to be happy.
“I’m not trying to make excuses. There is no excuse for what I did. I should have broken up with him. Point, blank, period. I know this. I know this. But when you’re looking at your best friend, a person who is a part of the fabric of your being, and you can literally see their heart start to break, well … it takes a lot of strength to smash that heart all the way. To disintegrate it. It takes someone stronger than me.”
MTITA gave me huge feels, I fell in love with Mischa and Tal, hook line and sinker, one of my favourite couples of all time. Mischa just wants to be happy, to be desired, isn’t that what we all search and hope for? Someone to navigate this life with, laugh, cry and be comfortable with whilst having passion and lust on the menu as well. Having married her best friend she had the laugh, cry and comfortable, but it was a relationship built on a lie she is unaware of, so the passion and lust dies leaving her floundering, unhappy and discontent with a partner unwilling to acknowledge a problem let alone try to resolve it.
“Something I have learned in life is that things are never as they seem. You think love is one thing – turns out, it’s a whole big barrel of fucked-up-ness. You think marriage is one thing – turns out, it’s an even bigger barrel of fucked-up-ness. You think you can plan something down to the letter – but really, things will go down however they’re going to go down, regardless of your planning. You think you’ve made up your mind – but someone can make it up for you. You think you’re resolved to do something – and then you do the exact opposite.”
Having made a decision to cheat, into the picture comes Tal, one of the hottest, sexiest book boyfriends I have ever read. My blogging partner-in-crime called him Mr Hot, Hung and Sexy and I’m stealing it because, oh my!!!!! Panties totally optional when he’s around, hot flushes not caused by menopause for a change! He’s hot, mysterious, funny, sweet, dirty and delicious. When he whispers “Come find me” I swear I have a little mini orgasm and I’m Mischa in my head!
“Whenever you hear this, I hope it finds you well. I hope you’re dancing, because you were built for it. I hope you’re smiling, because your mouth was made for it. I hope you’re laughing, because it’s the most incredible sound. And I hope you’re being loved by somebody, because you deserve it.”
Ultimately though the attraction of this book is the outstanding writing and the feels it conveys. The depth and emotion of Mischa’s struggle to do right for herself, her husband and Tal, the fledgling relationship that starts to develop from the lust and the passion between Mischa and Tal, the secrets and lies that tear one relationship apart and put the puzzle together of the failing of the other, all of it flawless and captivating, beautifully written, raw, real, sweet, sexy, hot, dirty and just bloody gorgeous. Special beyond belief, Fantôme is a breed apart and was born to write.
“All those moments between those seconds. Timeless. Their love would always be alive; a living, beating heart, but just caught in a moment. Caught in their time. Maybe that’s all they were. Just a time in love. Just a time in an affair.”
**************
Tracy
Holy fuck, where to start!!! I knew Stylo Fantôme could write one helluva book but this just nails it for me!
The first thing I’ve got to say is that a storyline involving cheating is usually a line that I tend to avoid crossing, never mind reading a book where the whole story is based around a woman setting out to have an affair….. but hell, if I’d stuck to my usual modus operandi, I’d have missed this corker of a story. We’ve all heard the phrases ‘The heart wants what the heart wants’ and ‘we can’t help who we fall in love with’ – clichés, definitely, but in this case so very fuckin’ true!!
I was entranced from the start. I actually really liked Mischa, no, scratch that, I bloomin’ loved her… and I absolutely adored Tal. It came as quite a surprise that rather than feeling that what they were doing was wrong I kinda delighted that she was happy. Ok, a lot of the time she wasn’t, like when she let her mind wander to what she was actually doing but, overall, when she was with her lover she was like a different person!
Mischa was like an open book, stronger than she realised and brave, so very brave to put her life as she knew it on the line as she did (hmm, I like to think it says more about Stylo’s writing than it does that say about my moral compass that I felt like that about her rather than be appalled by her actions?!) . Tal, oh Mr Canaan, (can I just say that he’s giving Jameson a run for his money in my head!!) he was Mr Hot, Hung and Sexy – and deeply mysterious. He was like a calm to Mischa’s storm, how he treated her anchored her, made her feel again (jeez, he possibly made her feel for the first time ever!!) but he was kinda too good to be true and when his secret came out it was awful to watch two hearts be so horribly broken.
Given my thoughts on infidelity I did think I would feel compassion and at least a little sympathy for her husband but I honestly didn’t take to Mike – well, there was a scene later in the book where I began to warm to him but then I wanted to get pissed with him as I felt he was more culpable than he’d ever admit to (but hey, I’m not into spoilers so that’s something for you to find out when you read)
Maybe the reason I engaged so with our lead characters was because I actually know a couple of people who have married their friend and it’s totally been the wrong thing to do – regardless that it was done out of ‘love’ or as the next progressive step in their relationship, it’s a road that should never have been traveled and it never appeared it would lead to a lifetime of happiness…. It’s not a nice thing to watch happen – it’s a bit like witnessing a car crash, you can see it happening but there bugger all you can say or do to stop it and when the impact happens it sadly often destroys more than you thought it could..
My Time in the Affair was, for me, a love story at heart. It was at times sad, thought-provoking, heartbreaking and intense while managing to be uplifting, at times light (the ease and banter between Mischa and Tal was so real and natural), heartening and let’s not forget how blisteringly bloody HOT it was!!! Ms Fantôme is a writing genius and extremely talented when it comes to hot, sweaty, down and dirty sex scenes. She is also a master at the sweet, tender and gentle moments. Such talent from an author who hasn’t been known for all that long and I don’t think she’s done yet!!
My blog PIC always tells me about the ‘feels’ she got when she’s read a really great book – something I did think I had a handle on, until I read MTITA – all I did was ‘feel’ while reading their story!! Seriously, this is a book that I will reread time and time and time again!
I’ve read SF’s ‘Kane Trilogy‘ and loved it and now with ‘My Time in the Affair‘ she’s grabbed my heart – if you haven’t read her books yet you really have to take the time to pick them up, take yourself off somewhere quiet and lose yourself in her wonderful tales!!
If I could give this more than a 5* rating I would!!! One of my fave books of the year so far!!!
Patience is a virtue…a lesson Stephen Dorsett has learned over the years, wooing his mate. He loves the prickly woman with all his heart, but he’s keeping a secret from her—one that will soon change the entire dynamic of their relationship.
Kate Matthews has a secret of her own, but she’s reluctant to share her surprise with Stephen. With her mate spending too many long hours and late nights at work recently, Kate begins to second-guess Stephen’s commitment to her.
One simple misunderstanding, fueled by insecurities and doubts, is all it takes to throw Kate and Stephen off course. Will they allow their secrets to pull them apart, or make their love stronger?
Kate Matthews gaped at the small, plastic stick she clutched with a death grip. The frantic drum of her heart beat against her ribcage while her stomach churned in discord. A swift influx of panic, elation, disbelief, and fear bombarded her all at once, dragging the air from her lungs in a noisy whoosh.
Pregnant.
“Oh, shit.”
Reeling from the revelation, she stumbled backward to drop onto the toilet lid before her weak knees buckled. Unfortunately, she miscalculated the distance and fell in between the sink and toilet with a surprised squeal, landing in a squished heap and banging her head on the wall in the process. Temporarily rendered stupid, she simply sat there, wedged in the tiny space, gawking at the little strip of plastic glaring the truth at her.
“You all right in there?” her mate, Stephen, called from the other side of the door. No doubt he’d scented her distress.
Alarm whipped through her bloodstream, and the pregnancy test flew from Kate’s trembling hand to clatter on the floor in front of her. When he twisted the doorknob, she bolted from the floor and snatched the small stick from the bathroom tiles.
“I’m fine,” she exclaimed. “There was a spider.”
He twisted the knob again, and she sent up a quick prayer of thanks she’d had the foresight to turn the latch.
“Why’d you lock the door?” A mix of irritation and concern tinged his deep voice. Frantic, she stashed the plastic strip in a box of tampons in the cabinet under the sink, certain he’d never look there, and then darted for the entrance. Once she fumbled with the lock, she tugged the door open and came face to chest with Stephen.
“I must’ve locked it by accident when I came in.” The excuse sounded weak to her own ears. Surely, he would think the same. They never locked the bathroom door, if she could get him to close the damn thing at all.
A frown creased his golden features. He watched her through narrowed blue eyes—attempting to decipher the obvious lie and cow her with his probing stare at the same time.
Drop it. Drop it. Please, for the love of God, drop it.
BLP REVIEW ~ Tracy
About the Author
Melissa Limoges lives along the Gulf Coast with her OCD cat, Mr. Tibbs.
Tax assessor by day, romance writer by night, she enjoys anything coffee related, traveling,
and reading happily ever afters.
Title: Jax’s Dilemma Series: Insurgents MC #2 Author: Chiah Wilder
Genre: MC Romance
Release Date: November 15, 2015
Jax, Sergeant-At-Arms of the Insurgents Motorcycle Club, likes his women easy. Raised in the outlaw biker world, Jax has bedded more women than he can count. The only things on his mind are big ass Harleys, scorching whiskey, and pretty women who can spread on command.
Then he meets Cherri—the stripper with ice blue eyes and white-blonde hair.
He wants her in his bed.
She would rather not.
Cherri has complicated stamped all over her. Jax doesn’t need a woman like her messing up his life.
Too bad he can’t stop thinking about her.
Cherri ran away from a bad situation back home. She has secrets she hasn’t shared with anyone. Stripping is her means of making enough money to start a new life, and nothing’s going to screw up her plans.
Then she meets Jax.
He’s gorgeous, sexy, and a cocky bastard. His tattooed, ripped chest and biceps makes her drool. She knows she should run far away from him, but her body wants him in the worst way.
Just as she begins to relax, her past collides with her new life. Cherri must navigate a deadly obstacle course littered with outlaw motorcycle clubs and a power-hungry politician.
Jax won’t stop until he claims Cherri. He vows to protect and love Cherri no matter what. When put to the test, will Jax betray his family—the Insurgents MC, or will he lose the woman he loves forever?
BLP REVIEW ~ Rebecca
Chiah Wilder is the author of Hawk’s Property, the first book in the Insurgents MC Series. It is a full length, standalone novel. Its release date is set for October 27, 2015. Always a lover of books, she began writing at a young age and continued through college with collections of short stories. Figuring she had to grow up and get a “real” job, her writing was placed on the back burner. Her love of reading has always be center front in her life. Chiah’s love of bad boys both in and out of fiction has inspired her Insurgents series. She loves an alpha male whose softer side is brought out by a passionate, spirited woman. In fiction there are no rules or boundaries, and fantasies can go as far as the characters want to take them. Steamy, biker romances with rough, sexy bad boys are her guilty pleasure along with brownies, cheddar cheese, and movie marathons. Returning to writing has been a dream come true. Writing and publishing Hawk’s Property has been an amazing journey, and she is happy to share the Insurgents family with her readers. She is busy writing her next book in the series. Chiah would love to hear from you. You can contact her at: chiahwilder@gmail.com
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