The latest upcoming release from new author Freya Barker is HUNDRED TO ONE.
Book #2 in the Cedar Tree series!!!

BLURB:

Arlene Bowers is as tough as nails. She has survived a less than perfect marriage, managing to move past it to run her own diner. Her abrasive exterior has always been a way for her to hide behind the darkness and pain that she has endured, but a recent, violent attack and several disturbing phone calls have that tight hold on her emotions wavering.

Seb Griffin showed up in Cedar Tree eight months ago and was hired on at Arlene’s Diner as a cook. An ex-con with secrets of his own, Seb walks a fine line. Since he began working at the diner, he’s developed feelings for his fierce, stubborn boss, and the need to keep his distance from her, to protect her, is a daily struggle.

When it appears that Arlene’s past has come back, rearing its ugly head while her defenses are low, Seb steps up and claims responsibility for Arlene, praying that he can keep her safe from whatever is coming her way.

 

EXCERPT:

“You were nice.” He says with an eyebrow raised.
“So? I can be nice. Just cause I haven’t had a reason to before doesn’t mean I don’t know how.” And I immediately busy myself wiping down the counters… again.
“Uh huh…” Comes from right behind me before I feel arms sliding around my waist.
“I like you nice.” He mumbles with his face buried in my neck, which has my body on high alert and aching.
“Don’t get used to it.” I manage, but I can’t resist leaning back a little, feeling his hard chest behind me. One big hand slides up under my work shirt and his rough fingers skim my stomach. My instant reaction is to suck that baby right in, but he catches me.
“So soft. It’s nice.”
Just the feeling of a man’s hands on me; this man’s hands on me, causes me to moan. It’s been so long since I have felt anything other than anger from a man’s hand. There is no anger in Seb’s touch, just a teasing gentleness that makes my wild side flare up and take notice.
When I feel his callused fingertips brush the underside of my breast, then slip under my bra, my breath hitches in anticipation. Damn I want his hands on me, his mouth on me. My nipples are so tight, they are almost painful, and when his touch finally finds them I can’t hold back anymore.

“Seb…” Reaching behind me I pull his head down and attack his mouth. My tongue eagerly finding entrance and tasting his. Hands tangling in his hair. I can feel his resistance waning and a greedy whimper escapes me.
He breaks the kiss, looks at me with eyes that are almost as black as midnight. Turns and lifts me up on the counter, initiating himself between my legs. Pulling at my knees so that my wet and aching center is lined up with what is a mouthwatering erection. Instinctively I wrap my legs around him, pressing him closer to my core. His hands now both under my shirt and working at releasing my bra. He shoves it out of the way along with my shirt and latches on to my breast while plumping the other with his hand. And I have lost all reason.
“So fucking tasty,” is all I can hear before he switches to the other side.
Eager to touch him, my hands trace his arms, shoulders and with my fingers I start pulling up his shirt, needing to touch his skin.

The phone rings.

“Fuck!” Seb swears as he leans his head to my sternum, all movements stilled by the insistent ringing. He pulls my shirt down and half in a daze I reach over to grab the receiver off the hook.

“A- … Arlene’s Diner.” I manage to get out.

“You think you can get away with that? You fucking whore! I’ll teach you…”

Before Hundred To One comes out, if you haven’t already, you’ve still got time to read book #1 in the series, SLIm TO NONE…..

BLURB:
Since moving to beautiful Cedar Tree, Colorado, Emma Young, 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 good, that is until she received a strange phone call that starts an alarming chain of events. Investigator Gus Flemming is hot on the trail of a bail skip with organized crime connections that bring him to Cedar Tree. Once there, the focus of his investigation lands squarely on the gently rounded shoulders of a vivacious red haired Emma, whose physical limitations have done nothing to damped her zest for life. When it becomes clear that Emma is at risk, Gus does’t hesitate to step in and protect her. Call it a job with some very hot benefits……

**Due to content of a sexually explicit nature, this book is recommended for a mature audience only.**

 

EXCERPT:

He watched as a small older Ford SUV with a disabled tag dangling off the rearview mirror, pulled into the parking lot; a wild riot of auburn curls peeking over the steering wheel. With the driver’s door on the opposite side of him, he didn’t have a good view of the driver, but when he saw a deliciously ripe-looking woman topped with the vivacious head of hair come from around the car pushing a contraption loaded with cake boxes, it took him a minute to realize she was actually pushing a walker. Obviously disabled, she was balancing the cake boxes on the seat of the walker while trying to get to the door. With a quick look in the direction of the counter to find no one aware of her approach, he quickly slid out of the booth, and with a few large strides of his long legs, made it to the door before her. Just as he pulled it open, he spotted the stack of boxes starting a sideways slide, and heard a loud yell.
“Oh, shit, no!”
“I’ve got ‘em,” he said, startling the woman, whose bright blue eyes shot up to meet his over the pile of what he assumed were the pies. Momentarily stunned by the fiery look she threw him, a slow grin spread over his face when he recognized it as defiance.
“Thanks, but I can handle it.” She all but snapped at him. “I may look decrepit, but I think I can still handle a door. I’m not that old.” Followed by a mumbled, “Not yet, anyway.” As she tried to wiggle past him through the entryway.
Now full out grinning at her bluster, Gus couldn’t help himself.
“Wasn’t you I was worried about. I’ve been waiting for my pie, and figured that’s what’s in those boxes. Just hungry, I guess…”
Throwing him another killer look, before making her way to the end of the counter, she yelled, “Arlene. Pies.”
“Hand them over darlin’. Have someone waiting for a slice already.” The tall blonde coming out of the kitchen motioned to where he sat back down, with a good view of the ‘pie-lady’. Well, her nicely fleshed-out backside, anyway.
He never had any particular preferences one way or another when it came to women, or what appealed to him. Some women just did, as did whatever attributes they came with. Her ass was luscious and ripe, getting a welcome rise out of him. He better stop looking at her ‘attributes’ right this minute, before his well-worn jeans showed the evidence of his ‘appreciation’. Somehow, he figured the pie-lady wouldn’t take too kindly to his dick pointing in her direction.

BUY LINKS:

ABOUT FREYA:

I love being creative. From an early age on I danced and sang, doodled, created, cooked, baked, quilted and crafted. My latests creative outlets have been influenced by my ever present love for reading. First it was blogging, then cover art and design and lastly writing.

I was born and raised in the Netherlands, had my children there and moved to Canada with two toddlers and eight suitcases, mostly filled with toys. I’m not a stranger to new beginnings. I thrive on them.
With my kids grown and out in the world, I am at the prime of my life – the “Ripe” part of the fruit!! The body might be a bit ramshackle, but the spirit is high and as adventurous as ever. Something you may see reflected here and there in some of my heroines…. none of whom will likely be wilting flowers.

I craved reading about ‘real’ people, those who are perhaps less than perfect, but just as deserving of romance, hot monkey sex and some thrills and chills in their lives, but found too few of them. So I decided to write about them myself. Hope you enjoy them too!!

LINKS TO Freya:
TWITTER
FACEBOOK – AUTHOR Page
WEBSITE
GOODREADS

BLP REVIEW ~ Tracy

When I discovered that this book was being released by someone I really liked but had no idea was a writer I was delighted for her while at the same time quite intrigued. I have to admit, before I read the book I had some trepidation, what if I didn’t like it… How could I possibly tell her and hopefully not upset her? Well… I have to say that my worry was totally unnecessary, I honestly loved Slim to None.

Freya’s writing and storytelling had me pulled me in from the start…. As I was reading I could clearly picture the people, the places and the things that were happening.

Being a not so young gal myself, I do love a book with an older H/h and that’s what we got with Gus and Emma. Our heroine was a feisty, determined, strong-willed woman who had a lot of issues to deal with but didn’t let them get her down. I felt for her at times when she experienced confidence blips, for me, this and and a few other things made her feel like a very real character… She wasn’t a slinky, skinny, constantly glammed up slip of a girl as we often encounter in a romance novel and I could relate to her because of that.
Gus, ahhhh Gus…. Hot, sexy, knows what he likes and what he wants. He’s a guy with a good heart, he’s thoughtful, patient, protective and loving but has his own demons to deal with!!
I liked this pair together, they worked for me – from their initial encounter, to their developing relationship, I could see it happening….. I enjoyed the intimacy between them – the sex scenes were hot but, best of all, they were believable!!

The storyline was good and kept me engaged. There was mystery, suspense, some twists and turns and a fair bit of action! The supporting characters were likeable – from Emma’s friends and family, Arlene, Kara and Seb to Gus’s team, Dana, Caleb, Neil and Katie, they gelled and bounced off each other well.

I’d definitely recommend that you give Slim to None a try. It gets a solid 4.5* and I can’t wait for more in this series!