Monday, January 22, 2018

Blog / Review Tour - MIDNIGHT BLUE by LJ Shen

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Midnight Blue, an all-new sexy standalone from LJ Shen is available NOW!

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Midnight Blue
Author: LJ Shen
Release Date: January 18th

It should have been easy.
I needed the money. He needed a babysitter to keep him from snorting himself to death.
I was cherry-picked especially for him. Responsible. Optimistic. Warm. Innocent.
The worst part is that I should have known better.
Alex Winslow. British rock star. Serial heartbreaker. Casanova with whiskey eyes.
“Don’t get near the devil in a leather jacket. He’ll chew you up and spit you out.”
Sounds familiar? That’s because it was a headline in a tabloid the second time he got arrested.
Guess what? I didn’t listen.
I signed the contract.
World tour. Three months. Four Continents. One hundred shows.
My name is Indigo Bellamy, and I sold my soul to a tattooed god.
Problem was, my soul wasn’t enough for Alex Winslow. He ended up taking my body, too.
Then he took my heart.
Then he took my all.


Excerpt:
Nat’s words came back and haunted me like a bad haircut from the eighties. An irrational need to check the goods took over me. It wasn’t like he minded. According to the rumors, his dick had seen more cameras than Kendall Jenner. Slowly—so painfully slowly—my eyes drifted down his sinewy body. I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Whatever I had in mind, though, didn’t come close to the real thing. Thick, long but not atrocious. With thin veins running through its length. “Nice view?” he groaned, tucking his junk back into his briefs. His profile was glorious. Strong jaw, pouty lips, eyes like sex… My eyes snapped up when I realized he was talking to me. “I wasn’t…” “Looking? Yes, you were. Next time take a picture. It lasts longer.” He rolled his zipper upward and flushed the toilet with the toe of his boot. He turned around and squirted soap into his palm, washing his hands almost violently—rubbing between each finger and scratching his knuckles like he wanted to shed his own skin. When he was done, he looked around for a towel. I cleared my throat, scrambling to regain my wits. “Longer than the glimpse or longer than your performance?” Casually—so unbearably casually—he wiped his wet hands over my purple dress. I gasped, moving sideways. It looked like he was about to open the door and get out, but before I had the chance to yell at him for using me as a human towel, he slammed me against the wall, bracing both his arms above my head and pinning me to my spot. I let out a shriek of surprise at the sudden proximity. Alex Winslow is touching me. Willingly, my surprisingly pitiful brain squealed. Heat rolled off his body, making my back arch and my breath catch in my throat. “Let’s make one thing clear—I could fuck you to a point of numbness without even breaking a sweat if I wanted to. Now, careful, New Girl. If you don’t keep your distance from me, I think I just might.” 

MidnightBlue-AN

Read Today!
(Free in Kindle Unlimited)
Amazon Universal: http://mybook.to/MidnightBlue
Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2lIShL2

REVIEW
A hot band with an even hotter rock star. I was hooked from the get go..

The sexual tension between Indie and Alex was extremely hot and at times quite comical.
The characters are well written and definitely draw you into their story.. Alex has some serious issues. Indie has more than her share of emotional drama.
When a job lands in her basket (literally) Indie knows she must take it. But can she handle the brooding rock star and his need to self destruct?

Definitely a good page turning read with great plot twists you never saw coming.


Christy
Radical Reads Book Blog 

About LJ Shen:
L.J. Shen is an International #1 best-selling author of Contemporary Romance and New Adult novels. She lives in Northern California with her husband, young son and chubby cat. Before she’d settled down, L.J. (who thinks referring to herself in the third person is really silly, by the way) traveled the world, and collected friends from all across the globe. Friends who’d be happy to report that she is a rubbish companion, always forgets peoples’ birthdays and never sends Christmas cards. She enjoys the simple things in life, like spending time with her family and friends, reading, HBO, Netflix and internet-stalking Stephen James. She reads between three to five books a week and firmly believes Crocs shoes and mullets should be outlawed.

  LJShen
Connect with LJ Shen:
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Book Blitz - Dirty Talk by Lauren Landish




Title: Dirty Talk
Series: Get Dirty #1
Author: Lauren Landish
Genre: Erotic Romance
Release Date: December 27, 2017



Blurb

He makes dirty sound so good. So right.


The moment I heard his velvety voice growl that I’m his ‘Kitty Kat’, I knew I was in trouble.

Derrick ‘The Love Whisperer’ King gives out relationship and sex advice on the radio to everyone, but he’s giving me something a bit more personal. Nobody’s ever talked to me the way he does. Daring, Demanding, Sexy… and oh, so Dirty.

Maybe we started this whole thing a little backward, sex first and getting to know each other after. But I'm starting to let my guard down, my untrusting heart beginning to think that maybe fairy tales do come true. Even for me.

I feel beautiful and hopeful when he worships my body. I feel dirty and naughty when he whispers filthy things in my ear.

But is it real? Can something so naughty really be good for me?

And more importantly, against all odds, can it last… forever?







Purchase Links


99c for a limited time




Free in Kindle Unlimited







Coming Soon


Audiobook releasing February 6, 2018




Releasing February 26, 2018


ADD TO GOODREADS






Author Bio

Lauren Landish is a WALL STREET JOURNAL & USA TODAY bestselling author and her books have garnered a legion of praise from her readers.

When she’s not plotting about how she will introduce you to your next sexy as hell book boyfriend, you can find her deep, deep in her writing cave, furiously tapping away on her keyboard, writing scenes that would make even a hardened sailor blush.

Lauren warmly invites you to her worlds of rock hard abs, chiseled smiles, and men with deep, fat pockets…but beware! These stories are guaranteed to have you addicted and needing your next fix!


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Release Blitz - BURN FOR YOU by GWEN KNIGHT


 

 
First rule of being a single dad... Don't f*ck up. Dragon-shifter Keaton Lafay is at the end of his rope. It's hard being a single dad, especially when his daughter is a teenager who can breathe fire. When his clan signs him up for a singles cruise with Meet Your Alpha, Keaton has no choice but to go. The catch? Thanks to a certain daughter's recent expulsion, he isn't sailing alone. Out at sea, surrounded by nothing but water, desperate single females, and his crotchety daughter, what could possibly go wrong? As a child counselor to a school full of female preteen shifters, Wren Michaels is convinced she's seen it all. But when Jinx Lafay loses control and shifts on campus grounds, she soon realizes she doesn't know anything. Including how easy it is to fall for Jinx's growly father. When she stumbles across Keaton on a singles cruise, it seems like all her dreams are about to come true. Until a strange witch awakens something powerful within Wren--something best left forgotten... BURN FOR YOU is part of the Bad Alphas Project as well as the first book in Gwen Knight's Cruising with Alphas Series!


Keaton Purrs4You: Hey handsome. Wanna fuck? I’ve never ridden a dragon before. I bit back a laugh and stared at the words, astounded by her lack of effort. Seriously? Was this what amounted to dating these days? Just sign up on a website and fire off a few risqué sentences with the hope someone responds? And her username? A dig at her shifter form, most likely. Probably some type of cat—I hadn’t bothered to read her profile. Purrs4You: Well? You interested, baby? Bet I can set your loins on fire. And not in a good way, I assumed. Who the hell was this woman? Did she honestly think this sort of message would work? I shook my head, about to close down the conversation when I saw those three little dots scrawling across the screen, indicating an incoming message. Joy of joys. Except, instead of more text, a picture popped up on my screen. A picture of… Whoa. I blinked, equally surprised and amused by this turn of events. Definitely a pussy staring back at me. And not the four-legged kind. Clearly, she expected a response. I imagined her sitting at a desk somewhere, tapping these long nails against the wooden top as she waited for my answer, a predator among prey. Well, dragon trumped kitty any day of the week. And this dragon had zero interest in making her purr. I typed out a quick message. Simple and succinct. Keats: Not interested. Purrs4You: Bet I can change your mind. No one can resist petting my mouse. Her…what now? I wasn’t entirely up on modern-day slang, but I think I got the gist of that one. I exhaled and tossed my phone down onto my own desk. My phone dinged again, but I ignored it. Ever since Jasper signed me up on that stupid site, it’d been one message after another. Ding, ding, ding. Nonstop alerts filling up my phone until I wanted to break the damn thing. God, I hated dating. The entire process was maddening. The wooing, the flowers, the pretty words, the false promises… Not to mention the most difficult part: meeting someone. People often said the first obstacle was the hardest to overcome. But, seriously? What the hell did these women expect from me? Back in my day, dating seemed so simple. Find a beautiful dragon-shifter, charm her with hordes of gold and plumes of fire, then settle down, marry, and pop out a few kids. I’d done all of that, only to find myself widowed and alone within twenty years—a shockingly short timespan when dealing with shifters. Nowadays, it seemed like women wanted so much more. Not to mention my chances of finding another female dragon-shifter were slim to nil. We were a dying breed. The world had given way to the wolves and the lions—the more adaptable breeds. We dragons were caught in the past. We missed our castles and riches, and the days when we could spread our wings and take to the skies. Now we needed a bloody flying permit. Even had to register with the Federal Aviation Administration. Somewhere in my wallet, I literally had a card that read recreational pilot. I leaned back in my cushioned chair and stared at the matchmaking website in front of me. MeetYourAlpha.com—Where Happily Ever Alphas Are Only A Click Away. Catchy, I suppose. When Jasper first told me about this site, he’d claimed it catered to the paranormal community, though they did allow humans to join if they so desired. How my happily-married second-in-command had heard about this site, I hadn’t a clue. Nor did I intend to ask. Ignorance was bliss. Jasper had even gone so far as to make me a profile, seeing as he was one of the few who not only understood technology but reveled in it. The marvelous things modern technology can do, he’d said. Truthfully, I’d nearly torn a few scales off his hide when he’d first mentioned this to me. Until I’d spotted the hopeful gleam in my clan members’ eyes. For five years now, I’d been without a mate, and it seemed they were of the unanimous decision that I needed to find someone new who would care for me and my daughter. It didn’t matter to them that I’d already had my chance at true love. And lost it.
 

 Gwen Knight is a Canadian girl currently living in Jasper, AB. She graduated from the University of Lethbridge with a degree in Archaeology and Geography. Her interests consist of playing in the dirt, designing elaborate snow forts, boating, and archery.

 
--
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Friday, January 19, 2018

Release Blitz - Watching Mine by Alex Grayson



IT'S LIVE!


COVER DESIGN by Cover Me Darling



My name is Nathan Reines… and I’m a voyeur. Yes, I like to watch people have sex. Witnessing the desire on their faces as they writhe in pleasure makes my blood hotter than the hottest flame. There’s nothing more erotic than seeing their bodies tighten and tremble as they balance on the edge of ecstasy. It makes my dick as hard as fucking steel.

I’ve never been tempted to have a lasting relationship with a woman—why get involved when watching from the sidelines is so fucking hot? But from the first time I watched the woman in the apartment across from mine, I knew she was different. She teases me with her soft touches and gentle caresses. She tempts me with her silent moans and sexy whimpers. She excites me, and makes me want more than I ever have before.

For two years, I refused to give in to my curiosity. That is, until fate took things in her own twisted hands. Now that I know what it’s like to experience Emberleigh in the flesh, there’s no damn way I could ever go back to simply watching.





NOW AVAILABLE:





ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

“Hey, Nathan,” Tegan calls. I look over and find him looking behind me. “Isn’t that—” He stops midsentence, leans forward, causing Willow to lean with him, and squints. A big grin spreads across his face a second later, and his eyes flicker to me. “9B,” he finishes, then leans back in his chair.
My back straightens, and I whip my head around. My eyes tighten into slits as I look through the darkness of the room.
The place is packed with bodies. Some at tables, some standing around talking to others, some out on the dance floor. I look from one person to the next, seeking out the only person of interest to me.
It doesn’t take long before I find her. She’s out on the dance floor, facing me, with some guy standing behind her. His hands are on her hips as she slowly sways to the music. Her blonde hair is swept up high on her head. With her eyes closed, she’s resting her head back against the guy’s chest with her arms lifted and her hands tangled in his hair.
There’s about thirty feet separating us and it’s dark in the room, but I can still see the look of pleasure on her face. My dick, already at attention, grows thicker.
Someone steps in my line of sight, blocking her from view, and a growl leaves my lips. I’m just about to get up and knock the fucker away, when he moves.
Not bothering to tell the others I’m leaving, I get up and grab my beer to move closer. There’s a table at the edge of the dance floor that’s conveniently empty. I turn the chair around so it faces the dance floor and take a seat. There’s now only fifteen feet between us.
She’s wearing a black silky halter-type dress that hugs her tits, then turns loose and flows down the rest of her body. It stops midthigh, but with her arms raised, it barely covers her cunt. I have no doubt if she were to bend over, her ass would show. Her black sandals are high, and even in the dark, they sparkle from some type of glittery shit that’s all over them.
My eyes slowly rake down her body, taking in every inch of her. I’ve seen her completely bare, but never this close. Her naked body is a work of art, but seeing her this close, even clothed, is so much better.
When my gaze finally tracks back up to her face, my damn dick begs to be let loose. Her eyes are now open and she’s looking straight at me. She appears surprised, which makes me wonder if she remembers me from this morning on the street.
The shock is soon replaced with lust. Her tongue darts out to lick along her lips and her gaze turns hooded. My body responds to her blatant show of want. She doesn’t know me, but she still wants me from just a simple look.
She slowly lowers her arms, her nails dragging over the guy’s neck, then runs them down her sides. They skim along the outside of her tits, over his hands that are still on her hips, to the tops of her thighs. Her eyes stay connected with mine the whole time, as if she knows exactly what she’s doing to me. The guy behind her pushes his hips forward, grinding into her ass. She bites her lip and presses herself back against him. When his lips land on the side of her neck, she tilts her head to the side, giving him better access.
My hand tightens around my beer.
Fuck me. This woman is a goddamn temptress and she knows just what to do to tempt my control.
I grab my dick and try in vain to make more room in my jeans. Her eyes widen when I move my hand away. I bring my beer to my lips and take a long pull. With a smirk, I sit back in my seat and enjoy the show.




Alex Grayson is originally from the south, but has recently moved to Northern Ohio. Although she misses the warmth of Florida and often times detest the cold of Ohio, she absolutely loves living in the north. Her and her husband bought a house on two acres of land and live there with their daughter, son, one dogs, two cats, eight ducks, and three chickens. She hopes to eventually get a couple of goats to add to their country way of living. Besides her family and home, her next best passion is reading. She is often found with her nose obsessively stuck in a book, much to the frustration of her husband and daughter. On more than one occasion Alex found herself wanting a book to go a certain way, but it didn’t. With these thoughts in mind, she decided to start writing stories according to her own visions. Although this is a new endeavor for her, she hopes that readers find her concepts on romance intriguing and captivating. Alex welcomes and encourages feedback, of any kind. She can be contacted at alexgraysonauthor@gmail.com.




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Thursday, January 18, 2018

Release Blitz - MIDNIGHT BLUE by LJ Shen

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Midnight Blue, an all-new sexy standalone from LJ Shen is LIVE!

LJSMidnightBlueBookCover6x9_BW_324.jpg

Midnight Blue

Author: LJ Shen

Release Date: January 18th

It should have been easy.
I needed the money. He needed a babysitter to keep him from snorting himself to death.
I was cherry-picked especially for him. Responsible. Optimistic. Warm. Innocent.
The worst part is that I should have known better.
Alex Winslow. British rock star. Serial heartbreaker. Casanova with whiskey eyes.
“Don’t get near the devil in a leather jacket. He’ll chew you up and spit you out.”
Sounds familiar? That’s because it was a headline in a tabloid the second time he got arrested.
Guess what? I didn’t listen.
I signed the contract.
World tour. Three months. Four Continents. One hundred shows.
My name is Indigo Bellamy, and I sold my soul to a tattooed god.
Problem was, my soul wasn’t enough for Alex Winslow. He ended up taking my body, too.
Then he took my heart.
Then he took my all.
MidnightBlue-AN.jpg
Read Today!
(Free in Kindle Unlimited)
Amazon Universal: http://mybook.to/MidnightBlue 
Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2lIShL2
About LJ Shen:
L.J. Shen is an International #1 best-selling author of Contemporary Romance and New Adult novels. She lives in Northern California with her husband, young son and chubby cat. Before she’d settled down, L.J. (who thinks referring to herself in the third person is really silly, by the way) traveled the world, and collected friends from all across the globe. Friends who’d be happy to report that she is a rubbish companion, always forgets peoples’ birthdays and never sends Christmas cards. She enjoys the simple things in life, like spending time with her family and friends, reading, HBO, Netflix and internet-stalking Stephen James. She reads between three to five books a week and firmly believes Crocs shoes and mullets should be outlawed. LJShen.jpg
Connect with LJ Shen:
Stay up to date with LJ Shen by signing up for her mailing list:
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Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Cover Reveal - Gentleman Nine by Penelope Ward

   

We are thrilled to bring you the cover from New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward. Gentleman Nine releases on February 19th!

     
Cover designer: Letitia Hasser, RBA designs
Cover Model: Lucas Garcez
Cover Photography: Sven Jacobsen
      From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward, comes a new, sexy standalone novel.   Growing up, the three of us were friends. He was the nerd. I was the playboy. She was the beauty.   Deep down, I only ever wanted her. I kept it inside because Rory and I made a pact that our friend, Amber, was off-limits. He lied.   I went off to college, and he got the girl. Amber never knew how I felt. They were together for years—before he broke her heart.   Through it all and across the miles, she and I casually stayed in touch. When my job sent me to Boston for a three-month contract position, Amber let me stay in her spare room.   Still reeling from her breakup, she’d sworn off men. One night, I opened her computer to find the shock of my life. She’d hesitantly contacted a male escort company. Afraid to date and get her heart broken again, she was looking for sex with no strings. Every emotion imaginable ran through me: protectiveness, jealousy—curiosity. Amber had chosen Gentleman Number Nine and sent him a message. She opened up to him, confessing, among other things, her physical attraction to her friend— me. But she considered me off-limits—and she thought I was a manwhore. (Ironic, considering the circumstances.) Eventually, she set up a date to meet Gentleman Nine at a hotel. When she showed up several nights later to meet him, she got the surprise of her life to see me standing there—with an offer I hoped she wouldn’t refuse.

iBooks Preorder http://bit.ly/2D7K7Qi

Amazon Paperback Preorder http://amzn.to/2Dmdfqr

 
**No Amazon e-book preorder. Will go live on/around release day **
            Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today, and #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. She’s a seventeen-time New York Times bestseller. Her novels are published in over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world. Having grown up in Boston with five older brothers, she spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor, before switching to a more family-friendly career. She is the proud mother of a beautiful 13-year-old girl with autism and a 12-year-old boy. Penelope and her family reside in Rhode Island. Connect with Penelope Ward Facebook Fan Group | Facebook | Website |Twitter | Instagram    
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Tuesday, January 16, 2018

PRE-ORDER BLITZ - Well Played by J.S. Scott & Ruth Cardello


 
 


Lauren:

Graham is my brother's best friend. He’s always been my protector and my confident because he accepts me the way I am—and not many do. I can’t imagine not having him in my life.

Our weekend together was supposed to be a celebration. I graduated from college, Graham got engaged and signed with a pro football team, and my brother landed his dream job. It should have been the best time of our lives.

Except that the weekend started with me walking in on Graham's fiancée going down on my brother.

I complicated the situation by having sex with Graham after that, but I wanted to comfort him and, damn, when I saw desire in his eyes—for me—I couldn’t say no. I’ve wanted him for so long.

Now he doesn’t want to see me. He says he has a darker side he needs to protect me from.

Where do we go from here? Do I try to pretend to be his friend again or push him to open up to me and possibly lose him forever?

Graham

Sleeping with one of my best friends was not exactly a brilliant idea. It made things complicated, and I didn't do anything that threw my life into chaos. The fiancee her brother, Jack, had stolen had been part of my life plan, one more step I was taking to be somebody. Granted, I hadn't been in love with my intended bride, but I didn't really know how to love anybody

I survived.

I pushed to achieve more.

I battled my way to the top of the heap in my pro football career..

I'm a total dick, and I don't want Lauren to see the side of me that would trample over anybody to work my way up in the world.

Lauren sees me as a hero, a title I'd never gain with anybody else in my life, so I wanted to keep her sheltered from the hard realities of my life. I wanted her to continue to think I was nice guy when I was really just the opposite.

We never should have crossed the line of going from friends to lovers.

There's too much Lauren doesn't know about me, and I care enough about her that I don't want her to share my pain and the darkness that never sees daylight inside me.

I want her, but she's a woman I can never have. She's too smart, too sweet, and way too good for a guy like me.

Unfortunately, pushing her away becomes much more difficult than I'd planned...



Chapter 1
 
Lauren

Specific moments tend to embed onto your psyche. They are so traumatic, so painful, they instantly imprint onto your long-term memory.

This was destined to be one of those moments. If I survived. If my ability to breathe returned.

I clenched the doorknob as my brother scrambled to cover his naked ass with a pillow. He swore and told me to get out.

I froze.

Holy shit, nothing will ever be the same.

Hope, the woman whose mouth was inhaling my brother’s cock, scrambled to retrieve her clothing from the floor. Her face was tomato-red. It should be. She’s engaged to Graham Morgan, my brother’s best friend.

Or she was.

“My lesson was canceled.” My voice was strangled as were my insides.

“You should have said something,” Jack said in a tone he’d used once when we were much younger and I’d caught him downloading porn on my computer.

That memory was also embedded.

I’m not a prude, but certain societal codes of behavior should be adhered to. One: Not violating my computer or—ew—my room because you’re grounded from the Internet.

Two: This!

“I’m sorry—” I stopped; I wasn’t sorry. I was numb. I waited for Jack to break out in a smile. It had to be a prank. Graham and Hope’s wedding invitation had arrived two days ago. Mine was secured on the refrigerator at Dad’s place with a heart magnet. We were in Aspen to celebrate the pending nuptials as well as my graduation and Jack’s promotion. “What are you doing, Jack?”

He shook his head without answering, and I pitied him. He usually wasn’t an asshole, at least not as assholey as he appeared with a pillow clutched to his genitals as if his nudity was the big issue.

Clothing in hand, Hope dashed from the living room, down the hall, and to the master bedroom. I wanted to escape, too, so no judgment on my behalf.

“Hope,” Jack bellowed.

She didn’t stop.

He grabbed his clothing and charged after her.

A cold burst of air brought a flurry of snow through the opened door. It instantly melted on the dark wooden floor of the luxury chalet Graham had rented.

We had spent weekends in Aspen, although never in a place so nice. During high school, Jack and I had scraped our pennies and rented the best discounted rooms we could afford. Graham had joined us, but we’d refused his money. He’d never talked much about his home life, but we knew it wasn’t good. Eventually, he’d stopped arguing and simply swore he’d get a huge NFL contract and repay us someday.

He finally had, and the expense of this chalet probably balanced the account.

On autopilot, I closed the door, unzipped my jacket, and hung it in the closet. I peeled off my boots and neatly placed them on the mat. I should have sought the warmth of the blazing fire in the stone hearth, but I still had the visual of my brother and Hope sprawled in front of it.

I shook my head.

That’s an image that can’t be unseen.

The kitchen seemed like a safe destination. I poured a glass of Merlot, and even though I wasn’t a drinker, I finished it off in one long gulp.

This can’t be happening. I gripped the counter behind me. Graham had trust issues. Jack and I were the only family he had. Jack, how could you do something this stupid? This cruel?
I poured another glass and downed half. My stomach churned in warning.

Voices in the living room forced me to abandon my wine and walk toward them. Although I couldn’t make out what they were saying at first, they were obviously arguing.

Hope dropped her luggage in the foyer and retrieved her coat from the closet. I stood, silently observing. “I have to get out of here,” she said desperately. When she realized I was there, she said, “I’m sorry. Graham is on his way. I should tell him not to come, but—” She covered her face with her hands. “This wasn’t supposed to happen.”

I might have felt sorry for her if I weren’t still trying to erase a certain image from my mind. It was still disgustingly vivid. Jack wrapped his arms around her, an act that angered me.

“You’re upset. You can’t drive like this,” Jack pleaded.

“I have to. I need to think. This isn’t me. I don’t do things like this.” She looked for confirmation from me, but I looked away. I hadn’t known her long enough to refute or support her claim, nor did I want to be put in that position.

“It’s going to be okay. I’ll drive you,” Jack said, as he cupped her face between his hands.

My voice finally functioned. “What about Graham?”

Jack turned to acknowledge my presence. I expected him to be angry with me, but his face held a pained expression instead. “I’ll drive Hope to the airport then come back. He’s still a few hours out.”

“I should be the one to tell him,” Hope said, although she didn’t look or sound convinced.

“No, we’ve been friends our whole lives. I’ll tell him,” Jack said firmly.

How noble of him. I wanted to slap him. His declaration had the opposite effect on Hope. She melted against him, and I wanted to vomit. There were many words I could have let fly, but none would have helped the situation.

I turned to walk away.

“Lauren,” Jack said as he approached me. Whispering to keep Hope from hearing, he said, “Don’t say anything to Graham if he beats me here. Tell him we were out when you arrived.”

“I won’t lie to him,” I said forcefully, brave from my wine buzz.

“Then drive home now.”

My mouth gaped. I didn’t know this Jack. “What if Graham gets here before you? Don’t you think he’ll worry if no one is here or answering his calls?”

The door opened, and Hope slipped out.

I started to tell him what I thought of his plan, but he walked away.

He grabbed his coat and swung the door open. “Listen, I fucked up. You don’t need to tell me how badly. Don’t say anything to Graham, okay? I’ll make this right. I swear.”

He slammed the door before I had a chance to agree or tell him to go to hell.

I grabbed my cell and brought up Graham’s number. He deserved to know what had happened. He deserved a chance to talk it out with Hope if that was what he wanted.

I stopped in front of the fire without calling him. I paused, trying to understand my feelings. My anger had dissolved; I felt relieved—almost happy.

That was as unnerving as seeing Jack and Hope together.

Graham was my honorary brother from another mother, my protector, and even my confidant. Jack’s betrayal would cut Graham deeply, and my heart should be breaking for him.

Leaving my phone on the mantel, I went to my room to pack. No matter who told Graham, chances were he would hate all of us, including me, simply for bearing witness. He’d cut members of his family out of his life for that very crime.

I tried imagining my life without Graham but couldn’t.

Confused and disgusted with myself, I transferred my belongings into my luggage, pausing when I saw my reflection in the bureau mirror. I told myself my feelings were irrelevant. Graham had never looked at me the way he looked at Hope.

I wasn’t in her league. On my best day, I was cute. On my worst, I was a slightly overweight, bespectacled nerd with awkward social skills.

Many people spend their entire lives trying to stand out. I only wanted to blend in. Strategically, I had learned to keep the majority of my thoughts to myself. Sharing them had never made my life better.

At age seven I pinpointed the error in a cartoon character’s attempt at Fermat’s Last Theorem, a problem that had taken mathematicians until 1994 to solve, and sought to discuss it. Not having the mathematical vocabulary to properly express how I would have solved it, I’d asked my teacher, and was instantly transferred to a school for the gifted.

I graduated from high school at fourteen, had an undergraduate degree in applied mathematics by seventeen, and my PhD in condensed matter physics by twenty. Whether it was what I wanted or what I was told I should want, I was still unsure. When I requested a year off to find myself, I was directed to therapy. Some good came from that experience. I learned to value my emotions even when they didn’t match the expected. Feelings weren’t wrong, actions were.

I also met my best friend, Kelley. She was interning at the practice where I paid for two sessions, debated the basic principles of psychology for two more, then on my clinician’s prodding, went on to formally study it.

In retrospect, the suggestion to get my own degree if I thought I knew so much might have been sarcastic, but I wrote a dissertation to support my views and had an additional diploma a year later. Unlike my clinician, Kelley found my questions invigorating. She defined friendship as two people bringing out the best in each other. We were still close even though she had gone off to college in California to finish her studies, leaving us to communicate only by phone for now. Besides Graham, she was the only person who accepted me as I was.

On impulse, I retrieved my phone from the mantel and called her. No answer. I checked the time. It was early enough that she might be in class. I left her a voice message—a long, detailed update that included a trip to the kitchen for another glass of Merlot.






Coming Soon From Author J.S. Scott - Billionaire Unloved
Available February 27th 2018

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Coming Soon from Author Ruth Cardello - Insatiable Bachelor Available February 22nd 2018

A brand new series set in a whole new world. 

Dalton: Women are a perk of my lifestyle. I work hard. I deserve to play harder. But I didn’t get on the Forbes List of Rising Entrepreneurs by getting lost in the baggage and disruption that comes with dating. I’ve seen dozens of men fail when they fall in love. Pathetic.

That's why I chose the Bachelor Tower. It was designed by a genius, my hero: the late, Garry F. Sinclair. He created an all-male haven for ambitious men who want to live like kings and play by their own rules. Casino nights, a fully equipped gym and lap pool, cigar and Scotch bar, and a media room with screens the size of the average movie theater. The list is endless. I easily network with men trying to launch their careers or those at the top who want to stay hungry. The best part: the tower attracts women, beautiful women who hang out in the lobby bar and vie for an invite upstairs. Easy, like fishing in a barrel.

Until Sinclair dies and Penny Fuller moves into the apartment next to me because the new owner doesn't share his vision.

Everyone agrees Penny can't stay. I don't want to get involved, but she doesn't understand the lengths my fellow building mates will go to to get her out. She's not only irresistibly sexy and painfully optimistic, she's also in real danger.

Siding with her would be career suicide.

Betraying her was never my intention.


J.S. "Jan" Scott is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of steamy romance. She's an avid reader of all types of books and literature. Writing what she loves to read, J.S. Scott writes both contemporary steamy romance stories and paranormal romance. They almost always feature an Alpha Male and have a happily ever after because she just can't seem to write them any other way! She lives in the beautiful Rocky Mountains with her husband and two very spoiled German Shepherds.



Ruth Cardello hit the New York Times and USA Today Bestsellers Lists for the first time back in 2012. Millions of sales are evidence that her her books are akin to potato chips, addictive from the first one. She has created a multi-series billionaire world with a combination of escapism and realism that has gained her a faithful following of readers.

What Kindle Reviewers write about her:

"Wow hot at every page. Heart stopping, fear raging, mind blowing wonderful."

"I'm a true fan of Ms. Cardello. I ran on to her first book a few years back and have been hooked ever since. I could go on and on about the story like of this book, but I'm not. All of her books are total page turners, unique, heart wrenching, and I love them all. There isn't two alike in the bunch and I feel like i know the characters personally. I personally read 97 authors books. And I buy every book they put out. This author is in my top 10. Great job and keep them coming."

"Love this series. Got me to start reading again. I look forward to the next book. Thank you for giving me the love of reading back."

Ruth Cardello was born the youngest of 11 children in a small city in northern Rhode Island. She spent her young adult years moving as far away as she could from her large extended family. She lived in Boston, Paris, Orlando, New York--then came full circle and moved back to New England. She now happily lives one town over from the one she was born in. For her, family trumped the warmer weather and international scene. She was an educator for 20 years, the last 11 as a kindergarten teacher. When her school district began cutting jobs, Ruth turned a serious eye toward her second love- writing and has never been happier. When she's not writing, you can find her chasing her children around her small farm or connecting with her readers online.

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