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arabhamlet · 4 years

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why you should read the heartless divine

hello guys! i haven’t used tumblr in a while, so i hope i tag this correctly, but i really needed to write this post to promote a book i think many, many people will enjoy reading for a number of reasons, and i figured i should give it a shot.

the heartless divine is varsha ravi’s debut novel, self-published last november through amazon. it is a ya fantasy romance inspired by mythology and sangam era india, and you can purchase it as an ebook or as a physical copy on amazon.

i 100% recommend it to anyone who enjoys mythology, reincarnation/soulmates, tragic but tender star-crossed romance (and not in a generic ya way either), or just anything with complex plot, character, and relationships—which, i realize, basically means everyone, but in my defence it is really good and worth a read no matter who you are.

what’s it about?

the heartless divine follows two paralleling narratives. the first is set in the distant past, and follows suri, a princess forced into being an assassin by her warlike family, as she is betrothed to the boy king of a neighbouring land after being assigned the task to kill him once the wedding is complete, only to find her plans going off-kilter when she encounters kiran, a strange prophet who predicts his own incoming death and the catastrophe soon to occur. the second is set in modern-day, and follows a reincarnated suri, with no memories of her past life, who finds her life inexplicably tied to a changed kiran, who she does not remember but who remembers her.

the plot is a bit more complex than this, and this is really just a quick summary, but more than that it’s a story about humans and our relationships to each other, to mortality, and to fate.

i highly recommend it - it can be a little slow to start off with, but once the historical plot starts going i found it pretty much impossible to put down. even though it’s been a few months since i read it, i find myself going back to it pretty much constantly. it’s fantastic both as a ya novel to read for fun, and as something far more complex with so many themes, characters, and dynamics to unpack.

but if you need a bit more encouragement:

why should i read it?

as i mentioned, the plot is incredibly engaging. unlike a lot of ya, as well, the heartless divine is super character-based and has incredibly strong characters in its protagonists. the past storyline also has a running mystery - and the reveal at the end as to who is the real villain definitely caught me off-guard on my first read. the past storyline is also deeply tragic in many ways, hitting you emotionally to great effect, and the climax is absolutely one of the most impactful climaxes of any ya book i’ve ever read—i’m making an effort not to spoil anything while writing this, because the pure emotional punch of the climax should be read completely blind.

ravi’s writing is absolutely gorgeous. she has an incredible command over the written word and wrote some incredibly amazing prose in this book. her writing is at once poetic and also incredibly versatile, fitting into beautiful romantic declarations and sharp dialogue and tense scenes of conflict. i won’t include any massive chunks, but here are some of my favourite lines:

Where does the divinity go, then? he had asked her. She had shrugged. To the sky. That is where all divinity goes after it is dead. But the sky was too far away, and there was not enough left of him, divine or not, to guarantee safe passage on a trip so long.

She had always been afraid of hope, in the same way she figured most people were afraid of black holes. Desire was something that consumed, she knew, and to desire impossibility was to let it consume you entirely. hearts splintered with love and splintered with loss, and to fear one was to fear both—it was safer to resist them both, to draw thick, black demarcations in shining permanent marker, explicit, clear lines that gently reminded her of what could and could not be desired.

“You live as though you are already dead,” she whispered. each word sunk into him, cut through his heart with clean, sharp blades. “You live as though your life is nothing but a prerequisite for death, for true purpose. Have you ever fought to stay alive? Have you ever allowed yourself to think of life as something to love?”

They had the same fine boned face, hollow-cheeked and haunted, the same air of a saint that had burnt away to nothing and held the ashes himself. And yet, they were not the same. It was a twisted, imperfect projection—it was him, but not all of him. This was his savage divinity laid bare.

What were love stories but dreams of worlds where the sun and moon could linger beside one another long enough to learn the language of the other’s heart?

ravi also has an incredible grasp on the themes that she’s writing with. above all, the heartless divine is about humanity and what makes people human—our relationships with each other and with our own place in the world. and in my opinion, she expresses these ideas with great maturity and wisdom.

however, for the most part, the heartless divine’s greatest strength is its characters. kiran is a deeply complex character, a prophet caught between his duty to die as a martyr and his desire to make his own choices and follow what he truly loves. he has a complicated relationship to humanity, but no human more than himself, as he struggles to understand the parameters of his own humanity—the place where his mortality ends and his divinity begins. at first, the kiran of the past and the kiran of the present seem deeply separated from each other, but as the story progresses you begin to understand the tragedy of how kiran became who he is in the modern-day.

at first, suri seems like a typical ya female protagonist, but as the story progresses and she begins to let her guard down a bit more, you really start to see how interesting and complicated she is as a character. she doesn’t believe in gods or fate at the beginning of either storyline, but by the end she slowly starts to accept hope into her heart—ending in two very different ways—and advocates for ignoring fate and following the life you want, desperately searching for the happy ending that you deserve. she also has a deeply captivating character voice, and was, certainly at the beginning, my favourite of the three pov characters.

but my personal favourite character is viro, the primary antagonist of the past plotline (though—no major spoilers—he finally makes an appearance in the modern plotline very close to the end). most people i know who have read the heartless divine feel similarly about viro. ravi makes him a deeply compelling character, fleshing out his motivations and reasoning and in turn writing one of my favourite relationships in the book in his complex brotherly relationship with kiran. i don’t want to spoil much about him, but he is a really interesting character and, though technically the antagonist, is just as compelling as the protagonists.

on the same note, before i talk about the romance in the book, i have to mention viro and kiran’s dynamic, as i feel it drives the past plot in many ways and is deeply interesting. the two are adoptive brothers, and find themselves butting heads almost constantly over their different ideological stances; and though it’s clear they love each other, soon enough you start to worry if love is enough.

onto the romance, and of course i have to talk about suri and kiran, because—how could i not. they’re literal soulmates! two souls who find each other in every lifetime! they’re kindred spirits no matter what, in both past and present, two people who understand each other deeply on a metaphysical level, and no matter what their scenes together were a great joy. they’re a romance where both of them help each other grow, even when surrounded by chaos and catastrophe. here’s one of my favourite lines in the book in case you need some more explanation. this is romance.

“‘Love is dangerous, blinding,’” he quoted, voice soft against her cheeks in an empty semblance of amusement. He pulled back slightly, just enough that she could see the gentleness, the raw warmth in his gaze. The clean lack of regret. “And yet, I see you so clearly.”

it’s perhaps less explicit—but bear in mind this is the first book in a series—but ravi also sets up the dynamic between viro and his guard, companion, and best friend tarak in a way that...is practically impossible not to read as romantic. i won’t spoil it because it is something you have to see in person, but some of the most emotionally charged scenes in the novel deal with their dynamic. here’s another line for good measure. they really said we do it for the girls and the tenderyearning gays that’s it.

Tarak let out a ragged sigh, lost and despairing. Viro reached up and put a hand on his, traced the lines of his fingers. he watched him do it, entranced by the movement and saddened by it as well. Finally, he asked, “If I begged, would you stay?” Viro’s fingers stilled in their movement, suddenly hyper-aware of the way Tarak’s hands shook upon the embroidered fabric of his tunic. as if he couldn’t bear to hold him tighter, as if the mere action would wrench him away.

the world building is also incredibly well done, as is the mythology ravi sets up and the folk stories she tells. also, for good measure, ravi is an indian writer and her story is, as aforementioned, deeply inspired by sangam india. i don’t necessarily have the cultural context to interact with the worldbuilding completely, but from where i stand it’s immensely well done.

the second book in the series is currently being written, and i recommend picking up your copy of the heartless divine soon before the series continues. once again, it’s available on amazon, and here is its page on goodreads and thestorygraph in case you want to add it to your tbr!

also, for good measure, shoot me a message here or on twitter (where i normally am) if you do decide to read it and want to discuss it! for good measure, here’s one of my favourite lines from the book—just as a closing statement.

“I want to hear all of your stories,” she said, fierce as fire. “Every single one. I don’t care whether they have happy endings or not.”

#bookblr #book recommendations #book recs #yalit #ya lit #diverse ya #diverse fantasy #ya recs #booklr #ya recommendations #books #the heartless divine

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solitarystudies · 4 years

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Book Club Questions: The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires

Once again I am answering questions for @readerbookclub. Last month we read Grady Hendrix’s The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires, and here are some of my thoughts about it.

What were your expectations before reading the book? Did it meet them?

There are two ways to understand this question. The first is did I have high expectations for the book and did it meet them? And the answer to that is yes, I did have high expectations. I think this is mainly due to the book’s high rating on goodreads and especially amazon (it’s got 4.5 stars over there!). It was one that seemed very unique to me. Also, there’s no denying that the cover is gorgeous. And though everyone says not to judge a book by it’s cover, how many of us actually follow that advice? So yes, I was expecting to really like it and no it didn’t meet those expectations.

The second way to understand this question (and frankly the more fun way) is what was I expecting the book to be about. And for that, there were a few things I had anticipated:

1. Because of the title I had assumed that the novel would be written in the form of a guide. Basically, I thought it would be in the first person and would have actual steps and instructions scattered throughout. Turns out it’s not actually a guide, that’s just to make the title catchy.

2. I was expecting it to have some comedy/humor in it. I think this expectation was partially born from the assumption that it was a guide and partially because of the mixing of suburban mom’s with vampires. That didn’t end up being the case though.

3. I thought there’d be more than one vampire and they’d take over the town. Once again, I took the title too literally, but it quickly became clear that James Harris was the only vampire around.

I guess I had envisioned a very different story before reading it, and little of what I had in mind ended up being in the actual novel.

How did you feel about the characters? What did you like about them? What didn't you like?

I didn’t feel strongly about most of the characters, either in a good way or a bad way. Patricia was the only character that we really explore in much depth and I felt very neutral towards her.

I think many of the not-so-book club women were quite cliche. Grace was the uptight housewife who likes everything to be spotless and perfect. Slick was the very religious suburban mom who wouldn’t let her kids take part in Halloween. Kitty was the disaster mom (not an insult, just someone who doesn’t pretend to have everything together) who all children love. You get the idea.

But I actually really liked having the characters be quite cliche. I usually struggle with a large cast of characters (as we saw with the Gurnsey Society) so having them divided into their little boxes made it much easier for me to keep track of who was who. And towards the end of the book, they begin to break free from those cliches and we see other sides to them.

As for the women’s families, I absolutely hated the characters. Let’s start with the men. Every single one was a sexist piece of garbage. The whole lot of them. I understand that the writer did this on purpose to show the struggles that these suburban women have to deal with, but I felt it was quite poorly done. I’ll be sure to elaborate on this in my review, but for now, I’ll leave it at this.

Then come the children. Could you write teenagers in a more stereotypical way? Always complaining, always yelling, and generally being shitty to their parents. Sure, some kids are like that, but this was taken way too far. And what’s up with Blue’s WWII obsession? It served absolutely no role in the story and added nothing to his character.

And as for James Harris, I have no complaints here. I think it was really chilling to see the contrast between how everyone else saw him and who he actually was.

Did this book remind you of something? Another book? A film or TV show? A song? What was it and in what ways are they similar?

When I had just started reading it, I described it to a friend as Stranger Things but the main characters are the mothers not the kids. I think Stranger Things is far better, but I stand by that description. It’s mostly the setting and ordinary protagonists fighting an evil that no one else is aware of.

Would you consider re-reading it in the future?

A strong no :)

If there's one character you could meet, who would they be and why?

I’m torn between Patricia and her husband. On one hand, someone needs to go give that woman a hug and tell her she shouldn’t feel responsible for a vampire killing children. She puts so much blame on herself for being a bad mother and person, which isn’t deserved. It’s not her fault there’s a vampire roaming free, the men are all turning a blind eye, and the police aren’t willing to conduct a proper investigation.

On the other hand, I would very much like to visit her husband (all the men actually) and yell at them. I think they desperately need someone to knock some sense into them and make them realize that the world doesn’t revolve around them. Idiots.

Which scene stood out most to you? Why?

I really enjoyed some of the spookier scenes. I think the rat scene was the one that really stuck with me. Especially when Mrs. Greene remembers the rat who bit her sister’s belly button off. It was awfully gruesome and I loved that.

I think the scene where they’re cutting Harris up was also one I enjoyed. The way that he started begging was such a stark contrast to his usual manipulative demeanor. My favorite moment has to be when he’s spilling some nonsense and then they casually break his windpipe so he can shut up.

Also when Patricia opened the suitcase I was definitely not expecting her to find Francine in there. So that was also another one that stood out.

That’s it for now! I’ll answer the second half next time (which should be very soon) and I’ll also post a review that goes in a lot more depth (that one might take a little longer cause I have an exam this week). I can’t wait to see what everyone else thought!

#by the way that's a horrendously ugly yet somehow gorgeous hawaiin shirt that I own #im going through a phase where i love such shirts #ill see one and think wow that's ugly and also i need it #the southern book club's guide to slaying vampires #tsbcgtsv #grady hendrix #book review #book club #book discussion

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anitabyars · 5 years

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Title: Dirty Rich Secrets: Part One

Author: Lisa Renee Jones

Release Date: July 30, 2019

Series: Dirty Rich Secrets #1

ABOUT DIRTY RICH SECRETS: PART ONE

He was passion and the reason I breathed. I loved him, trusted him when life taught me to trust no one. He was nothing I thought he was. He wasn’t even the man he said he was. He was dangerous. Everyone told me to hide, to run, but now he’s back. He came for me and I’m not running at all. Because he’s still the man that gave me a reason to breathe and if that’s dangerous, that’s a risk I will have to take.

Ashley's story - you met her in Dirty Rich Cinderella Story, and now she's ready to tell her story. You do not need to read any book prior to this one.

BUY DIRTY RICH SECRETS: PART ONE

Apple → https://apple.co/31HJry4

Amazon Universal → http://mybook.to/DRS

Nook → http://bit.ly/2KrybjH

Kobo → http://bit.ly/31HL92f

EXCERPT

All the warnings about him play in my head. He’s dangerous. He’s a killer. He’ll wipe out anything and anyone in his path. “What are you going to do to me now that you’re here?”

“This,” he says, and before I realize his intention, his mouth closes down on mine, a deep slide of his tongue that I feel from my head to my toes, and I try to resist. I do, but he tastes like the only man I’ve ever loved. He feels like the only man I’ve ever loved. He smells like the man I thought I’d marry. He’s the only safe place I’ve known my entire life. For just a moment, or two, or ten, I need him to be that man. I sink into the kiss, and I kiss him with all that I am and will ever be, and it’s such a passionate kiss, such a perfect kiss, the kind that fills up every empty place I’ve ever known and overflows with this man.

“Do you feel us now?” he asks, tearing his mouth from mine.

“Of course, I do,” I whisper. “Because you made me love you. I can’t just turn that off. I want this, and us, to be real, but it’s not.”

“We are what’s real. I’m going to make you feel that.” And then he’s kissing me again, and I know I’m a crazy person, but I don’t fight him. If he’s going to kill me, he’s going to kill me. There’s no fighting him, but fear isn’t what I feel. I’ve been so alone without him. And I’m still so in love with him. If I’m going to die, at least I want to live in the fantasy of this man loving me one more time. Just that thought has me pressing my hands under his shirt to feel his hot, hard muscle beneath my palms.

He pulls his shirt over his head, and then he’s pulling jacket and shirt off before our mouths collide again, and he’s taking us down on the mattress. We’re side by side, facing each other, and he catches my leg with his. “I missed the hell out of you, woman,” he says, his voice low, gravelly, guttural. Like he means it. I feel him and us in that moment. It feels real, but it always did. We were the most real thing I have known in my life, and that’s terrifying. He’s terrifying, but as his mouth closes down on mine, the possessive, hungry taste of him touching my tongue, I remind myself I’ve decided to live the fantasy one last time.

I need him.

I want him.

I hate him.

I love him.

He presses me to my back and never stops kissing me. His hand pushes down my bra, his fingers teasing one of my nipples. I moan, and there is a vibrating sound from somewhere. “Fuck,” he murmurs. “That’s our warning, baby.”

“Warning? What does that mean?”

“I’ll make this all up to you, Ashley. I promise. I promise, baby. I will make it up to you, but right now, I need to protect you.”

THE REST OF THE STORY

DIRTY RICH SECRETS: PART ONE (Available Now)

Apple → https://apple.co/31HJry4

Amazon Universal → http://mybook.to/DRS

Nook → http://bit.ly/2KrybjH

Kobo → http://bit.ly/31HL92f

DIRTY RICH SECRETS: PART TWO (August 13, 2019)

Apple → https://apple.co/32SwVMD

Amazon Universal → http://mybook.to/DRS2

Nook → http://bit.ly/2JSOa93

Kobo → http://bit.ly/30U6ap6

DIRTY RICH SECRETS: PART THREE (September 24, 2019)

Apple → https://apple.co/2YrgzLs

Amazon Universal → http://mybook.to/DRS3

Nook → http://bit.ly/2Oj2cFe

Kobo → http://bit.ly/2LHOV7a

ABOUT LISA

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT series.

In addition to the success of Lisa's INSIDE OUT series, she has published many successful titles. The TALL, DARK AND DEADLY series and THE SECRET LIFE OF AMY BENSEN series, both spent several months on a combination of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling lists. Lisa is also the author of the bestselling WHITE LIES and LILAH LOVE series.

Prior to publishing Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by the Dallas Women's Magazine. In 1998 Lisa was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.

CONNECT WITH LISA

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLisaReneeJones

Newsletter ➜ http://lisareneejones.com/newsletter-sign-up/

Bookbub ➜ http://bookbub.com/authors/lisa-renee-jones

Amazon ➜ https://amzn.to/2MoWosB

Twitter ➜ https://twitter.com/LisaReneeJones

Instagram ➜ http://instagram.com/lisareneejones

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/LisaReneeJones

My Review!

5 *****

Dirty Rich Secrets is a fast paced romantic suspense. Edgy, intense, full of thrilling secrets, adventure, suspense, intrigue and deception. As well as sizzling chemistry and passion. It will leave you begging for MORE!

In the witness protection program to protect her, Ashley wishes she had never fallen in love with a man, that destroyed her life. But when he finds her, he once again entwines her into his dangerous world. He is pure temptation. A craving she can’t seem to resist. Even as danger is everywhere.

Hold on tight! Your adrenaline will have you on the edge of your seat, with your heart pounding, as this series pulls you in and leaves you breathlessly wanting the next in this series. I find this kind of book, so very hard to resist.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#lisa renee jones #dirtyrichsecretspartone

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thesffcorner · 5 years

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Deadly Class Vol. 1

Deadly Class vol 1 collects issues 1 through 6 of the ongoing comic series, written by Rick Remender and drawn by Wes Craig. The series follows Marcus, a 14 (?) year old boy who is living on the streets, after his parents are murdered right in front of him. One day he accidentally ends up crashing a police stick-up and gets invited to join the King’s Dominion School for the Deadly Arts; a school that trains professional assassins. I don’t even know where to begin with this series; I guess the best way to go about it, would be to talk about vol 1. Vol 1 introduces us to Marcus, as well as a handful of supporting characters, most of which are other students in the school. The school itself is centuries old; the people who go there are all children or relatives of gangs, cartels, yakuza, FBI/CIA/KGB agents, mafia or just serial killers. Marcus himself is the son of a Nicaraguan double agent, but having spent the past 2 years living alone, his reputation is not one that brings him a lot of friends, and Marcus himself is a difficult character to like. I think that’s a good way to talk about this series too; it’s not easy to like. I usually reserve judgement for the end of my reviews, but I do have to warn you; this is an R rated comic. Don’t let the age of the protagonists fool you; this is a series full of blood, gore, drug abuse, murder, rape, pedophilia, animal cruelty and basically any other trigger you can think of. It’s a series that operates on shock value, in the sense that all the characters are thoroughly unlikable, they have horrible things happen to them and do horrible things to each other, and most of them are rather pretentious, annoying, and act very much like teenagers would, if they were stuck in that kind of situation. The series is set in the 80’s, during Ronald Reagan’s presidency. This is an important detail, because Marcus’ motivation for joining the school (other than romance) has to do with Reagan specifically, as he is indirectly implicated in his parents’ death. The whole plot point about Marcus’ parents’ death is so crazy that even if I told it to you, you wouldn’t believe me, so I’ll just let you read it. The 80’s setting is honestly one of the best parts of the series; there’s a lot of talk about politics, homelessness caused by the Reagan administration, veteran rights, and of course, lots and lots of drugs. The entirety of issues 5 and 6 have to do with Marcus tripping on acid, and the way Craig draws and captures the feeling of being on acid is probably one of the best depictions I’ve seen in media, save perhaps Enter the Void. I am so curious to see how they do that in the show. There’s also a lot of talk about music; of course special snowflake Marcus listens to the Smiths (look I can say it, I too love the Smiths), but obviously there’s also talk of some early rap like LL Cool J and Public Enemy (wow I’m old). That whole conversation between Willie and Marcus is actually really interesting, because it serves as a bigger discussion rather than just music; it’s about the ways in which you want to be perceived, about bravery vs posing, and what is and isn’t allowed for ‘tough men’ to like. I could have definitely lived without the word ‘fag’ and “pussy” being thrown around all over the place, but I suppose that too is authentic to the time period and the way teenage boys talk. Actually, the only thing I can say about the setting that didn’t mesh, is the dialogue. Marcus and the others talk like teenagers talk today; if I just read their lines, and had no idea this series was a period piece, I’m not sure I would’ve known it is set in the 80’s. What helps, is that all the characters sound authentic; they are written like teenagers, both in the way they speak and in the actions they take; they want to be cool, and mature, and smart, and Remender has a good grasp on all of their voices. The plot of vol 1 is fast, action packed, and entirely batshit. There were several scenes which I found very effective; the scene with Marcus and the homeless man in issue 2, will probably haunt my nightmares; it’s such a good scene, and it makes Marcus probably the most unlikable and yet sympathetic lead character I’ve ever read. The fight between Marcus and Chico was also great, though I think it goes on for too long, and by the end of it, I was genuinely shocked that Marcus was able to survive, much less move after that much bodily harm. There are chase sequences that are amazing, the art helps make everything so much more engaging and fast paced; I was flipping pages, on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next. The actual story, is a bit muddled and unfocused; issue 1 is Marcus’ life before the school and how he got there, issue 2 is him making friends with some of the other students, issue 3 has him and Willie try and complete an assignment that goes wrong, and issues 4, 5, and 6, have the gang go to Vegas to kill someone, while also tripping on acid and getting chased by Chico. There isn’t really enough time to take in everything, and while I think the book actually does a great job at balancing the action with the character stuff the ending of issue 6 does leave a lot to be desired. Let’s talk about the characters. First we have the two girls, Saya and Maria. Saya is the typical cold, (dare I say tsundere) love interest; she’s a yakuza, has a troubled past and is the reason Marcus decides to join the school. I don’t have much to say about her; I found her pretty bland. Maria was a bit better, in that she has more of a personality. I didn’t like that she was shown to be both manipulative and kind of air-headed, and that her friendship with Saya was that superficial (though again, I suppose that is authentic to how some teenage girls are like). Her confrontation with Chico did illuminate at least a bit of why she’s acting the way she is, but I am really not looking forward to Marcus-Maria-Saya love triangle. Chico was… a mess. He’s part of a cartel family, is jealous, violent, constantly angry and more than a little crazy. I kind of hated that he got settled with that role, mostly because he’s completely irredeemable. On the one hand I understand why he was angry at Maria and why he tried to kill Marcus, but he kills more people in a single issue than any of the other characters in all the rest of the issues combined, and shows no nuance or remorse. Billy’s a punk, who I actually liked; he has a subplot about his father that was interesting, though like most things in this series, it’s very over the top graphic, and very on the nose with the storytelling. Billy being a crass character was fine, but the conclusion between him and his dad would have worked better if it wasn’t so dramatic. Willie I liked the most. Unlike Chico who is just a stereotype of the angry, Mexican kid in a gang, Willie is a subversion of the stereotype about a black kid in a gang. He puts a lot of stock in appearance and reputation, because he has to maintain it, since he’s not actually capable of doing the things everyone thinks he can. I liked his friendship with Marcus, and I’m curious to see what Remender does with him in later volumes. I have to mention “Marcus’ Mortal Enemy”; he was just such an insane character that I couldn’t believe what I was reading. The fact that he goes around calling himself Marcus’ Mortal Enemy, and ‘a sadistic redneck who fucks sheep’ is on a whole other level of tell don’t show (on second thought, please don’t show us this Craig, I beg you). He comes out of nowhere, even though he’s teased here and there throughout the volume, and I’m just so confused as to why he bothered to go to Las Vegas, to then NOT confront Marcus. Speaking of, let’s talk about Marcus. Rarely do I come across such a well-developed and interesting, while at the same time completely unlikable character. Marcus has had a hard life; it’s clear that he’s been through hell by the time he gets to the school, and he has a whole host of problems. He overthinks, he’s anxious, he doesn’t know how to communicate with people, but he’s also incredibly pretentious, and is one of those teens who think they are the smartest and have the whole world figured out. Lot’s of his dialogue reminded me of the dialogue in Trainspotting; fitting since tonally, both are very similar and deal with similar themes. Marcus wants to be liked, is afraid of being left alone, and so he compensates with ridiculous and bad decisions. I hated his ‘romance’ with Saya, though it is in line with his character, and throughout volume 1 he does some genuinely reprehensible and irredeemable shit. I want to know where his character will go from here; even if I don’t necessarily like it. If you don’t mind over the top violence, drug abuse and just the most horrible things humans do to each other, than this is the series for you. It’s brutal, it’s fast paced, the plot is ridiculous, and it has some very interesting things to say about a lot of topics. You just have to get through a lot of trash to get to the good stuff.

goodreads

#deadly class #deadly class vol 1 #deadly class review #moni talks #comic review

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bookaddict24-7 · 7 years

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BOOK REVIEW: All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater

Release Date: October 10, 2017

Age Group: 14+

Genres: Magical Realism, Romance, Fantasy

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

Add it to your Goodreads TBR here.

Disclaimer:

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from Indigo Books & Music Inc. in exchange for an honest review.

This is a long text post.

There may or may not be spoilers in this review. I tried not to spoil anything since this doesn’t come out until October, but then again, my definition of Spoiler often differs from others’.

You can check out my original post on Goodreads here.

Also, I know about the drama circulating Goodreads regarding this book. I will not tolerate any hateful comments made regarding my opinion of this drama.

First of all:

I've read what I like to think is a good chunk of Maggie Stiefvater's books and though I can appreciate that she has a magical way with words, I have never actually fully stopped to say, "Holy crap. That was beautiful." This book had me doing that. A lot. I might even call it one of my favourite reads of the year so far. (It has been a good year for books).

In my very honest opinion, All the Crooked Saints is potential one of the best Stiefvater books out there. There are so many components to this book that it's hard to fully even describe what exactly enthralled me so much about the story. The writing, the weirdness, the matter-of-fact reasoning behind the characters' lives--it was all done so masterfully. This was truly a modern piece of literary art.

First, let me mention the elephant in the room: the use of Hispanic characters that has apparently become an issue with this book. I'm not Mexican, but I am Latina and I honestly didn't see anything wrong with the book. The Mexican culture was not appropriated--the Latino concept of religion was flirted with in this novel, but a lot of the stories and mythology (I believe) were a creation of Stiefvater's mind. I might be wrong, so you're welcome to correct me (in a polite manner). But honestly, I just saw a story about kids who happened to be Mexican living in New Mexico and whose parents happened to speak Spanish. Frankly, I loved the whole concept of being able to read the Spanish sentences and grasping that extra layer of storytelling. I'm Cuban and if Stiefvater decided to write a story with kids who happened to be Cuban, I'd be all over it. For a world that begs for more POC in YALit, we judge non-POC authors harshly when they write characters that aren't white, or stereotypical creations of the race they just happen to be.

Now that I've voiced my thoughts on that, back to the review!

In true Stiefvater fashion, this book is really weird, but in a beautiful way. The writing, at the beginning, felt very verbose but as the story progressed I began to appreciate it more. With every word and every sentence, Stiefvater created a more detailed picture of the world were miracles could happen. After all, it has to be a very magical world.

One of the things that always made me feel not entirely invested in The Raven Cycle quartet was the writing because at some level, some of the lines connecting the storylines were occasionally lost on me. While I loved that series, I always felt like I was a step behind in understanding why it was so beautiful and so memorable. I finally understand with All the Crooked Saints. Something just clicked for me as I read and the magic of the writing made it really hard to put this book down.

The Soria family is made up of peculiar people that together make Bicho Raro (Strange Bug, or Strange Thing--so fitting, imho) a very surreal place. I love the different kinds of people that inhabit this very tiny place in the middle of the desert. Everyone had a story to tell and because Stiefvater is a a fan of showing us different stories that all link up to the main story, we get to hear from a large portion of them. In my opinion, all of the characters in this book are cautionary tales of the imperfection of what it means to be human. We can all learn a little something from each character who is struggling with some aspect of themselves.

The romance in this novel is slow burning but wow, when Stiefvater finally gives it life, it's a wondrous thing. You're prepped early on for the potential for romance in that foreshadowing way that this author loves to use, but when it happens it happens like the very miracles that we are told about. There are many layers of miracles in this book that surpass the power of The Saint and of the eye, and the romance is a perfect example.

My friend, who is an avid fan of Stiefvater, commented that she loves how some of the otherworldly and superstitious stories that Stiefvater included in this book were just stated matter-of-fact, like they just existed. I agree with her because this book makes the unbelievable believable, especially set in a time where anything could have happened. It also plays into the idea that magical and unknown things could potentially happen in very small and rural areas. Its small and remote location is one of the reasons why Bicho Raro was so endearing to me, so add a dose of magic and I'll be adding it to my must-visit list.

The use of religion in this book is much like the genre that Stiefvater appears to love to write: it is magically realistic, meaning that while religion is obviously a platform for this story, it isn't really the message. I like to believe that the message is that while we search for miracles in the holy, it is us who come to terms with what we need to change in ourselves to truly get our miracles. If that makes any sense.

I may or may not be rambling at this point.

I think this is a must-read, especially if you're a fan of Maggie Stiefvater's previous books. This is such a well-rounded story that you will be aching for the next book from this talented author. The writing is beautiful and weaves a unique story. I don't know how she does it, but she is a master of really using her gift for words to their full effect.

Happy reading!

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bookstattoosandtea · 5 years

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Release Date: November 7, 2019 Genre: M/M Sports Romance Cover Design: Kellie Dennis / Book Cover by Design Model: Preston T. Photographer: Wander Aguiar

Synopsis:

Soren:

You know what’s not fun? Going on a Fiji vacation with four other couples. Especially when recently single.

What’s even worse is when a past hook-up arrives unannounced.

Not only do we have a history, but he’s ten years younger and a famous rock star. Most importantly, he’s my friend’s little brother.

Being trapped on an island with Jet Jackson is going to be sweet torture because all I want is another chance. I just don’t think he’s going to give it to me.

Jet:

You know what’s not fun? Escaping one guy who broke my heart only to run into another.

Being on the road for three years has left me exhausted. The last thing I want is for Caleb ‘Soren’ Sorensen to try for round two.

I can’t fight my draw to him. I’ve never been able to.

I’m suddenly back to being the naïve kid who stupidly lusted after a hockey player.

All I can think is if I let Soren get close, I’ll walk away from this vacation with a double broken heart.

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Add Hat Trick To Goodreads

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Excerpt

Jet stares down at his hands as he plays the guitar effortlessly. When he starts singing, it’s soft and he still doesn’t raise his head.

It takes a couple of lines to realize it’s a slower version of that pop song “Someone Else’s Perfect” by Eleven.

The song completely transforms coming out of Jet’s mouth. It’s no longer a teenybopper love song, but one of heartbreak and angst. I guess I’ve never listened to the lyrics before.

Under your spell,

Living in hell,

You say I’m perfect,

Too good to be someone’s reject,

But that’s what you did when you walked away,

You left me to find myself

Something niggles at me. Whether it’s the way he’s singing it or that we both relate to it, I don’t know. It’s like he’s singing it to me. About me.

Then he finally raises his head and holds my gaze just as he sings a telling line.

You said I was perfect …

Perfect for someone else.

Holy. Shit.

That phrase is in the song repeatedly, and every time he sings it, more pain comes through in his voice. It gets to the point where I’m sure this isn’t an Eleven song. It can’t be. While Jet has the ability to turn any song into his own, this is different. It not only comes across as genuine, but the heartache and rejection make me feel guilty—as if I did something wrong.

He finishes the song and leaves the stage before people can beg him for another encore.

Only, he doesn’t come back to our table. He beelines it outside, leaving the rest of us staring at each other wondering what happened.

I’m the only one who knows for sure.

Matt stands to go after him, but I push him back down.

“I’ll go.”

I follow where he went but reach outside and have no idea which way he’s gone. Following the path down to the wharf, I check to see if he’s sitting on the dock, but it’s empty. It’s on my way back that I see movement against the side of the main building.

Jet paces back and forth, running a hand through his hair and muttering words I can’t make out, but as I get closer, I hear “Get it together, Jay. Hold it to-fucking-gether.”

I step through the row of palm trees lining the path. “Jet.”

He freezes. “Of course, it’s you.” He goes back to pacing.

“That song …”

Jet stares but doesn’t stop moving.

“You wrote it.”

This makes him pause again. “I … I—”

“About me.”

He composes himself. “Conceited much? You think you get more than one song?”

“I knew ‘Hat Trick Heartbreak’ was about me and not Ollie and Lennon.” I take a step forward. “But tell me I’m wrong about this one.”

Jet’s mouth opens and then closes.

I step closer again. “Jet.”

“Why do you keep saying my name like that?”

“To remind you that I know the real you. Not Jay. I still know you as the aspiring musician reveling over his first fan.”

“The naïve kid, you mean.” Bitterness doesn’t suit the bubbly guy I know. Or … knew, I guess.

I keep moving closer. He steps back. We keep going until his back is against the wall and my hand is above his head, boxing him in.

“I’ve never seen you as a kid. Never.”

“Bullshit.”

“I’ve tried to get myself to think of you that way, and when you’re not in my presence, it’s easy to write you off as Matt Jackson’s little brother. But I can’t when we’re in the same room sharing the same air. I can’t when you’re two feet in front of me, and all I want to do is reach for you. Touch you. Kiss you.”

“Then what was all the overprotective shit you pulled that night in Tampa?”

“That wasn’t me trying to protect you. That was me wanting to claim you.”

Jet breathes hard. “Oh, holy mother of gay Jesus.”

“I had no right to act or feel that way about you back then.”

Our eyes lock on each other, and for a moment in time, we’re both frozen.

“I’m sorry I wrote two emo songs about you,” Jet says quietly.

I laugh. “So, I am right.”

“You’re the only one who’s ever picked up on that. Everyone thinks Eleven wrote that song.”

“Maybe because I experienced it with you …”

Jet shakes his head. “No, it’s you. You understand me more than anyone ever has. More than any groupie who’s tried to explain my songs to me. You came out because you knew ‘He’s Mine’ wasn’t just a stupid love song.” He reaches for me, his fingertips trailing down my cheek. “It’s you.”

Giveaway: $25 Amazon Gift Card Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b1257f8d547/?

Catch up on the first books in the Fake Boyfriend Series

Fake Out (Fake Boyfriend – Book One) By Eden Finley

Book Links: Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon CA Amazon AU Goodreads Also available on Audible!

Trick Play (Fake Boyfriend – Book Two) by Eden Finley

Book Links: Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon CA Amazon AU Goodreads Also available on Audible!

Deke (Fake Boyfriend – Book Three) By Eden Finley

Book Links: Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon CA Amazon AU Goodreads Also available on Audible!

Blindsided (Fake Boyfriend – Book Four) by Eden Finley

Book Links: Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon CA Amazon AU Goodreads Also available on Audible!

About the Author

Eden Finley is an Amazon bestselling author who writes steamy contemporary romances that are full of snark and light-hearted fluff.

She doesn’t take anything too seriously and lives to create an escape from real life for her readers. The ideas always begin with a wackadoodle premise, and she does her best to turn them into romances with heart.

With a short attention span that rivals her five-year-old son’s, she writes multiple different pairings: MM, MMF, and MF.

She’s also an Australian girl and apologises for her Australianisms that sometimes don’t make sense to anyone else.

Connect with Eden Newsletter Sign Up Facebook Author Page Facebook Reader Group Goodreads Author Page Twitter Instagram Amazon Author Page BookBub Author Page

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Hat Trick by Eden Finley Release Date: November 7, 2019 Genre: M/M Sports Romance Cover Design: Kellie Dennis / Book Cover by Design…

#Book Love #Eden Finley #Fake Boyfriend Series #Gay Book Review #Gay Romance Authors #Hat Trick #LGBTQ #LGBTQ Books #MM Romance #MM Sports Romance

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allthingsdarkanddirty · 20 days

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TEASER REVEAL! The Promise of You by Bella Rivers releases May 22! We had a deal: One night, no names, no numbers. Pre-order today! US: https://amzn.to/4bnCOUA UK: https://amzn.to/3UICBFV CA: https://amzn.to/3UtHXn4 AU: https://amzn.to/4bqoJ8V Universal: https://bit.ly/3QBLQ8q Add to your Goodreads TBR ➩ https://bit.ly/3wgMT6Y Influencers, sign up to review ➩ https://bit.ly/3URduAI

Chloe He’s Emerald Creek’s hot, wounded, and emotionally unavailable pub owner. My unforgettable one-night-stand with a stranger. And now, my business rival. I should be able to handle that, right? After all, I’m the strong woman who totally survived losing her job, being kicked out of her apartment, and finding her boyfriend in bed with another woman–all in one day. What else could go wrong? Meeting the perfect man, and having to walk away from him. I keep my promise and slip out in the morning, never to see him again–until my cousins beg me to run their family’s restaurant after my uncle suddenly dies, and he’s the next-door pub owner. Except now he inexplicably hates me, and wants me gone. But this job is all I have. I’m not going anywhere. Justin We had a deal: One night, no names, no numbers. She was smart, sexy, and beautiful-–the worst kind of trouble. The mysterious woman I cradled through the night could have been the one, if I were that type of guy. The one I could change for. But I like it fine just the way I am. So when morning comes and she’s gone, I’m both devastated and relieved. Until she appears in my hometown, on my doorstep, causing trouble to my business. She doesn’t seem to know it, but there’s literal bad blood between our families. I need her gone. But everyone in Emerald Creek thinks differently, and even my dog plays matchmaker. Falling for the enemy has never been so tempting. Available now in the Emerald Creek series + read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited #1 Never Let You Go https://bit.ly/3wqJySM

#ThePromiseofYou #BellaRivers #EmeraldCreek #teaserreveal #onenightstand #woundedhero #steamyreads #smalltownromance #businessrivals #foundfamily #loverstorivalstolovers #givemebookspr

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everythingbooks2018 · 5 years

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•。* ˚ 💖˚❁˚✵ * ❃° 。* °💖 ˚ • ✵*˚ .❃ 。

˚❁ 💖.•°*•❃* ░N░E░W░ ✵*˚ .❃

✵*˛ ˚❃ ░R░E░L░E░A░S░E░˚❁ *

✵ .•°*˚ 💖 *•* ❁ 💖.•°*❁˚* ˚ *❃ ˚ •

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2MjI6Gh

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2FPpKvr

Amazon AUS: https://amzn.to/2RYHU4w

Amazon: UK: https://amzn.to/2S1kPy2

Barnes: http://bit.ly/2FKVMc8

Apple: https://apple.co/2W7uHW9

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2QTMz7m

Add to Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2AUksLT

Watch the incredible trailer for Parrish: https://youtu.be/bLvxIatFUw4

Listen to Jack & Reina’s Playlist: https://spoti.fi/2CxwRpd

.•´✶GIVEAWAY¸.•´✶

Janine Infante Bosco Mystery Box!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6dc324a817/?

.•´✶COVER CREDITS¸.•´✶

Cover Designer: Jennifer Bosco Cover Design

Models: Fred DiBella and Tiffany Marie

Photographer: Wander Aguiar Photography

#PropertyOfParrish #JackParrish #ReinaParrish #BrandedByTheBulldog

#LoveStoryOfTheAges #AloveNotPerfectButTrue

.•´✶Blurb.•´✶

It’s not a wicked world that drives a man to sin, it’s a deranged mind. Baptized in dirty water by Satan himself, I’ve spent my whole life fighting the good fight, searching for the light in the darkness of insanity. Now, the light I’ve basked in for so long is finally dimming and the time has come for me to take my final bow before the curtain closes on my sanity.

After making a deal with the district attorney and providing my club with full immunity for the crimes we’ve committed, I have twenty-four hours to remind my wife, Reina, why she fell in love with a bastard like me before I turn myself in and break her heart.

But twenty-four hours isn’t enough.

Not for me and certainly not for the Devil.

Tragedy strikes, and my world implodes. It’s lights out for Jack and Reina and a man can’t survive without his sunshine. Engulfed in darkness, consumed by the crazy, I’m a weapon of mass destruction, ready to wreak havoc on the wicked world.

Word to the wise—proceed with caution, motherf*ckers.

The Bulldog is back!

Jack’s mood was ping-ponging. One minute he was the loving man on the cusp of signing his life away, the next he was a desperate creature, trying to prove his existence. If he could paint the world and leave his mark, I’m sure he would. Instead, he painted me, branding me in front of a faceless stranger in a parking lot.

It was nothing I pictured our final time together would be and yet, at that very moment, it was everything I needed. Desperation will make you insane and I’m starting to wonder if maybe Jack isn’t the only one losing his mind because I am not ashamed of what we did.

I’d do it again.

And again.

In front of thousands of eyes.

I’d paint the world too, letting everyone know I’m his.

The other half of Jack’s heart.

The broken piece he’ll leave behind in a few hours.

“Reina,” Jack calls from behind me, pulling me away from my thoughts. Shrugging my jacket off, I drape it over the back of one of the kitchen chairs before glancing over my shoulder at him. Leaning against the door frame, he crosses his arms and studies me for a moment.

“Are you okay?” he questions, narrowing his dark eyes.

“Of course,” I reply, turning around to completely face him. I comb my fingers through my hair and stare at him. “Why wouldn’t I be okay?”

“You barely said a word to Grace before she left,” he points out.

A frown ticks the corners of my mouth as I realize he’s right. I was too lost in my own head to pay much attention to Grace. I didn’t even bother to thank her for watching Danny or ask if she had heard back from her husband’s lawyer. Truthfully, I was relieved when I heard the door close behind her and for that I’m ashamed. In my defense, I’m terrified of the sun coming up and all I want is to lay next to my husband. I want to memorize the rhythm of his heartbeat and the way I perfectly fit in the crook of his arm.

I’ll have plenty of time to talk with Grace.

Plenty of chances to thank her for watching my son.

But I won’t have my husband.

“I’ll call her tomorrow to apologize,” I say as he pushes off the doorjamb and takes a step closer to me.

“Talk to me, Reina,” he pleads. “Tell me what’s going on inside that head of yours.”

I smile at his choice of words.

“Isn’t that my line?”

He cocks his head to the side as he reaches me and lifts his hand to my cheek.

“I love looking at you,” he says softly. “In the morning when you wake up. When you’re cooking and helping Danny with his homework. When you smile and fuck, I love watching you laugh too. After you come when you’re completely satisfied and look at me like I’m some kind of fucking king—that’s another look I love.”

Pausing, he lifts his other hand to my face and cups my cheeks as he leans his forehead against mine.

“But this look, the one you’re giving me right now, it’s fucking breaking my heart Reina.”

“What look?”

“Your light is dimming, Sunshine,” he whispers.

As much as I hate to admit it, he’s right. I told myself I wouldn’t fall to pieces, that I’d stay strong until he surrendered, but I’m losing my will. It’s all too much and I can’t help but feel like I’m grieving a living man. The very last thing I want is our final memories of one another to be these. I want us to remember each other as lovers and know the part of him that is me, will never die.

“I’m fine,” I tell him.

“You’re breaking.”

“No,” I argue, shaking my head free of his hold. “I don’t break, Parrish.”

The words sound weak to my own ears, but I refuse to show defeat. Smoothing a hand down his chest, I force a smile.

“Go check on Danny, give him a kiss and tuck him in for the night. I’m going to take a quick shower before I meet you in bed.”

“Reina—”

“Please, Jack,” I interrupt hoarsely. Something snaps deep inside of me and I lose my filter. “I haven’t asked you for a thing since you told me you were taking the deal. I didn’t beg you to change your mind or ask you to choose me. I stood by your side and performed the role of the supportive wife like it was my God given right. In reality, I’m mourning my husband and he’s standing right in front of me. Do you have any idea how that feels?” I cry, balling my fists angrily. “My heart is broken and in the back of my mind I’m wondering how I’m going to go on without you, but I can’t let that consume me because we’re not going to remember our love this way. We get one chance at goodbye, Jack. One shot at closing the story with a beautiful memory. Now, I’m asking you to pretend like you don’t see the cracks in my bravado. I want to remember how loved I felt every time my husband looked at me and how safe I felt in his arms. I want to remember his gruff voice in my ear and the scent of his cologne on my sheets. I want to remember you the way I saw and felt you since the day I met you. Give me that. Please, give me that memory.”

I wait for the regret to seep into my soul but the need to wish my words away doesn’t come. Not even when he takes a step backward and flinches as if I’ve smacked him across the face. We’re a lot of things but what we’re not are liars. Our marriage is full of ugly truths we’ve both accepted, this is just another added to the list.

.•´✶ABOUT AUTHOR JANINE INFANTE BOSCO¸.•´✶

Janine Infante Bosco lives in New York City, she has always loved reading and writing. When she was thirteen, she began to write her own stories and her passion for writing took off as the years went on. At eighteen, she even wrote a full screenplay with dreams of one day becoming a member of the Screen Actors Guild.

Janine writes emotionally charged novels with an emphasis on family bonds, strong-willed female characters, and alpha male men who will do anything for the women they love. She loves to interact with fans and fellow avid romance readers like herself.

She is proud of her success as an author and the friendships she’s made in the book community but her greatest accomplishment to date would be her two sons Joseph and Paul.

¸.•´✶CONNECT WITH JANINE¸.•´✶

Website: http://www.janineinfantebosco.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janineboscoauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JanineBosco

Janine’s Land of Temptations Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1730045370558131/

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thecathyguadagnino · 5 years

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•。* ˚ 💖˚❁˚✵ * ❃° 。* °💖 ˚ • ✵*˚ .❃ 。

˚❁ 💖.•°*•❃* ░N░E░W░ ✵*˚ .❃

✵*˛ ˚❃ ░R░E░L░E░A░S░E░˚❁ *

✵ .•°*˚ 💖 *•* ❁ 💖.•°*❁˚* ˚ *❃ ˚ •

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2MjI6Gh

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2FPpKvr

Amazon AUS: https://amzn.to/2RYHU4w

Amazon: UK: https://amzn.to/2S1kPy2

Barnes: http://bit.ly/2FKVMc8

Apple: https://apple.co/2W7uHW9

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2QTMz7m

Add to Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2AUksLT

Watch the incredible trailer for Parrish: https://youtu.be/bLvxIatFUw4

Listen to Jack & Reina’s Playlist: https://spoti.fi/2CxwRpd

.•´✶GIVEAWAY¸.•´✶

Janine Infante Bosco Mystery Box!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6dc324a817/?

.•´✶COVER CREDITS¸.•´✶

Cover Designer: Jennifer Bosco Cover Design

Models: Fred DiBella and Tiffany Marie

Photographer: Wander Aguiar Photography

#PropertyOfParrish #JackParrish #ReinaParrish #BrandedByTheBulldog

#LoveStoryOfTheAges #AloveNotPerfectButTrue

.•´✶Blurb.•´✶

But twenty-four hours isn’t enough.

Not for me and certainly not for the Devil.

Word to the wise—proceed with caution, motherf*ckers.

The Bulldog is back!

I’d do it again.

And again.

In front of thousands of eyes.

I’d paint the world too, letting everyone know I’m his.

The other half of Jack’s heart.

The broken piece he’ll leave behind in a few hours.

“Are you okay?” he questions, narrowing his dark eyes.

“Of course,” I reply, turning around to completely face him. I comb my fingers through my hair and stare at him. “Why wouldn’t I be okay?”

“You barely said a word to Grace before she left,” he points out.

I’ll have plenty of time to talk with Grace.

Plenty of chances to thank her for watching my son.

But I won’t have my husband.

“I’ll call her tomorrow to apologize,” I say as he pushes off the doorjamb and takes a step closer to me.

“Talk to me, Reina,” he pleads. “Tell me what’s going on inside that head of yours.”

I smile at his choice of words.

“Isn’t that my line?”

He cocks his head to the side as he reaches me and lifts his hand to my cheek.

Pausing, he lifts his other hand to my face and cups my cheeks as he leans his forehead against mine.

“But this look, the one you’re giving me right now, it’s fucking breaking my heart Reina.”

“What look?”

“Your light is dimming, Sunshine,” he whispers.

“I’m fine,” I tell him.

“You’re breaking.”

“No,” I argue, shaking my head free of his hold. “I don’t break, Parrish.”

The words sound weak to my own ears, but I refuse to show defeat. Smoothing a hand down his chest, I force a smile.

“Go check on Danny, give him a kiss and tuck him in for the night. I’m going to take a quick shower before I meet you in bed.”

“Reina—”

.•´✶ABOUT AUTHOR JANINE INFANTE BOSCO¸.•´✶

She is proud of her success as an author and the friendships she’s made in the book community but her greatest accomplishment to date would be her two sons Joseph and Paul.

¸.•´✶CONNECT WITH JANINE¸.•´✶

Website: http://www.janineinfantebosco.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janineboscoauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JanineBosco

Janine’s Land of Temptations Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1730045370558131/

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femslashrevolution · 7 years

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Love between women written by women-loving women

This post is part of Femslash Revolution’s I Am Femslash series, sharing voices of F/F creators from all walks of life. The views represented within are those of the author only.

Before lesbian fiction, I couldn’t remember the last book I had read. I used to devour books when I was younger, but around high school I started getting tired of the kind of stuff my friends were reading. I needed characters that were more like me, and the ordinary girls chosen to save the world and fall in love with some brooding but (arguably) lovable asshole in the process quickly lost their appeal to my questioning 15-year-old self. Books like Nicholas Sparks’s and John Green’s annoyed me to death. I could’ve sworn I didn’t like romance stories — turns out I’d just had enough of heterosexual romance.

I did read fanfiction. However, if we’re being honest, great fanfiction can be pretty hard to find unless the pairing you want is a really popular one, and we all know most femslash pairings just aren’t. We take what we can get, and when times are tough, lower our standards and scroll through the whole tag on AO3 again.

The day I found out there were books about lesbian romance, I was shocked that I’d never thought about it before. Never, not a single time, had it crossed my mind that just as there are people out there writing endless books about heterosexuals, there are lots of people writing about women who love women too. How would I know if I didn’t see anyone talking about them?

(Disclaimer: by “lesbian romance”, I just mean romance between two women, regardless of how they each identify.)

I started reading the first ones I could find, but it soon became clear that I could pick and choose from a wide variety of genres and authors. I have Goodreads to thank for that — with all the shelves and lists and reviews, it is without a doubt the best place for finding books to read. I spend almost as much time there as I do reading. Especially through lists, I’ve found an overwhelming amount of cool books with lesbian romance (or just non-straight female characters if you’re not exactly a sucker for romance in everything like me).

And the best part: the great majority of them are written by actual women-loving women. Which is a relief, because ultimately, the main reason why I started looking for books was that I was exhausted of being disappointed by television shows. I don’t need to remind you that 2016 was not a good year for lesbian representation in TV (not that the ones before were all that much better). It was either straight up Bury Your Gays trope or just endless queerbaiting. At some point I realized it was better to stop hoping that heterosexual TV executives had our best interests in mind when it came to representaton, because the truth is, they usually don’t. But you know who does? Other non-straight women.

Lesbian fiction writers are, most of the time, women who know what they’re talking about, and who write for people like them. They’re women who dedicate their books to their wives — “You are the reason I know how to write a love story” were Jessica L. Webb’s words. Women whose “About The Author” sections say that they live with their wives and children and/or pets. And sometimes, young women who are just people like us — 20-somethings who watch shows like Supergirl and Wynonna Earp for the femslash. Maybe they even started out by posting fanfiction online — Lee Winter was a popular fanfic writer for Swan Queen before she won a Best Mystery award for her debut novel.

I’ve always been one to talk a lot about the things that I like, especially on Tumblr, but I don’t see a whole lot of people here talking about these books. It’s usually more like the few of us who do begging everyone else to read them. When searching the tags I come across plenty of users saying things like, “we need more f/f books!”, and while it is true that we could always use more femslash, what we really need is for more people to acknowledge the books that already exist, because as I keep saying, there are plenty of them.

The biggest sub-genre of lesbian books in general is, of course, romance. However, since we’re living the age of Young-Adult literature, the YA books about girls who like girls are the ones that are talked about the most. They’re automatically exposed to a much bigger audience; almost every time I come across someone on Tumblr recommending lesbian books, they’re all YA. And YA can be great, but even at its finest, it’s just not everyone’s cup of tea.

That’s where all the other genres come in. There’s plenty of “adult” romance, whether you’re into classics and would like to read some historical romance or you prefer more recent stuff. Pretty much everyone likes a good best-friends-to-lovers story, but there are also enough to satisfy your enemies-to-lovers needs. In books you can also find types of characters we don’t see a lot of in other media: lesbian moms, older lesbians, disabled lesbians…

Enough romance. You like fantasy and also want a little representation? They’ve got you! Paranormal and sci-fi too. I personally love mysteries with badass lesbians. If you’re into fairytales, there are some lesbian retellings that might just be the thing you didn’t know you needed. If you want the novel versions of pwp (porn without plot) fanfiction, the fancy name is erotica and you will find lots of it.

My point is, there’s something for every taste, and I’ve made it my personal mission to spread the word about as many of these books as I can. They make me happy, and in a world where we hear sad news about homophobia on a daily basis, we need these happy stories.

About the author: Julia, 20-year-old lesbian from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Currently on vacation from university, devouring one of these books after the other, and talking a lot about them.

#preciouswlw #I Am Femslash #Type: Meta #Femslash February #Femslash February 2017 #submission

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givencontext · 5 years

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Self Help Fest

In the first half of this year, I read 27 books. Twelve of those were non-fiction books that I think qualify as “self help.” Maybe a better way of describing these books is to say they are for my personal or professional development, but isn’t that just trying to put a spin on the fact that I am, in fact, trying to help my Self. I have always enjoyed this type of book ever since I read I’m Okay, You’re Okay in high school. I have seriously considered joining or starting a Self Help book club. Here are the books and how much they helped me. (All book title headers in this post are links!)

Sabbatical from YES by Christi Daniels

This book is written by my dear friend Christi. She’s an amazing woman who has found her calling helping other women tap into their own amazingness. I have worked with Christi’s coaching before and I feel like I am pretty good at saying NO, so I wondered how much more I could gain from reading her book. Lots! This is a workshop in book form and it will be as helpful as you let it be by taking her advice and trying out her suggestions. Will your family think you are crazy if they walk in while you are practicing your power pose? Just explain that they should try it too! One of my favorite sections is when she contrasts synthetic vs true pleasure. I believe her when she says we all need an infusion of vitamin P (pleasure.) She says,”It is our right and duty to soak up as much real and sacred pleasure as we can.” Yes, please! Sometimes in life we just need a reminder or “permission.” Granted! So many yummy tidbits in this book. Get it, do the work, see for yourself!

You Are a Badass Every Day by Jen Sincero

This book is meant to be a daily reader that you peruse and ponder, but I got it from the library, so I only had 14 days to read it. This is the third Jen Sincero book that I’ve read in the past year-ish. Last year I read both You Are a Badass and You Are a Badass at Making Money I think the money one was my favorite, because it had less rehashing of some of the same “positive vibe” stuff that I get from a lot of sources. It’s always good to have those positive vibes reinforced, but there does tend to be a lot of overlap in this genre. The money making perspective was a refreshing change. And we have to change the way that we as women think and talk about money. I can’t recall if Sincero gives the old “latte” advise or not, but at least she’s a woman talking about money. #props The Every Day book is nice short snippets and my favorite piece of advice involves driving away from civilization, rolling up your car windows, and screaming bloody murder at the top of your lungs for three whole minutes. Try it.

Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin

This is another of my annual re-reads. This book had a profound effect on my life a few years ago and put me in the right frame of mind to start Bright Line Eating. Understanding myself as a Rebel help me feel less frustration with myself. BTB also introduces a lot of either/or scenarios that help me understand more about myself and others. For instance, did you know we aren’t all morning people? Did you know it’s easier for some people to abstain from something entirely (like sugar) than it is for them to moderate their intake? I’ve been through this book 3 or 4 times now, but I always benefit from listening to it again.

The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin

This is a newer book where Gretchen takes a deep dive into each of her Four Tendencies. You get further details on the strengths and weaknesses of each tendency, and explanations of how those two are usually the same thing. There are also great tips on how your tendency typically interacts with others in certain relationships. For instance, my spouse is also a Rebel… I gained some valuable insight there! This one really begs to be owned as a sort of reference manual. You will want this at your fingertips for when you are trying to figure people out. Rubin is good about reminding us that this is only one aspect of a person’s personality, but it covers a lot of ground. Start with Better Than Before, then this one. You can thank me later.

Dark Horse by Todd Rose and Ogi Ogas

Dark Horse was recommended to me because of my aforementioned Rebel tendency. This book is about people who work around the “standardization covenant” to pursue fulfillment and thereby gain their own version of “success.” I loved it, but one time through is not going to be enough. Originally, I got DH from the library, but soon I was downloading it from Audible so I can listen on repeat until it all sinks in. This is a different paradigm and there are a lot of deep-seated ideas that are hard to overcome, even if they are making us miserable. I am one of those people who has no idea what my purpose in life is, so I need to spend a lot more time on that chapter about micro-motives. If you are unhappy with the daily grind, I highly recommend this one for you.

Get Your Sh*t Together by Sarah Knight

The best thing about this book was that it really made me feel like I have my sh*t together. I think the target audience for this book is slightly younger than I am. Obviously I chose this book because I felt like I needed to get it together, but much of the advice was stuff I could put a check mark next to because I am already doing it. My least favorite part was probably the section giving weight loss advice from someone who hasn’t had a real struggle in this area. The “all things in moderation” advice is out of date. Sarah Knight needs to read Better Than Before and recognize that people are different and what works for some people won’t work for all people. She also gives the “skip the latte” line around money and goes into great detail about how this will get you where you want to go. F that! She doesn’t claim to be an expert in nutrition or finance, so these sections are basically the same-old-same-old regurgitation of the same old advice that hasn’t helped you yet if you are reading a book looking for advice on those things… I do think there is some good stuff in here, especially for people who are able to separate the wheat from the chaff and decide which tips will get them closer to their personal goals. My favorite take-away was the What/Why method… and feeling much better about how together I am. Thank you, Sarah.

The Power of Style by Bobbie Thomas

When I was at the library (one of my happy places) to work on my First Quarter Goal Review, I was pulling books off the shelves that had images that inspire me and reinforce those goals. While I was looking for books on design, architecture, art, and beauty this book called out to me. I took it to the table where I opened and arranged various books while filling out my planner then when it was time to go home I took this book with me. I do not consider myself a stylish person. Having lived nearly all of my adult life overweight, my style has always been if-it-fits-and-it’s-cheap-buy-it. I did have some fun experimenting when I subscribed to Gwynnie Bee for several years, but as soon as I cancelled that I quickly went into “black pants” mode. Bobbie Thomas promised to help me with that, and I like her approach. We often hear that we should dress for the job we want to have, but Bobbie proposes that we dress as the person we want to be. My only problem is that I seldom want to be the same person two days in a row. This book made me think about my style, but I did not become anyone’s favorite style icon overnight. Baby steps, right? I am thinking of investing in some florals. Stay tuned.

Radical Candor by Kim Scott

I mostly skimmed this one, and I never do that with a book. I would suggest getting the Cliffs Notes version of this one. If you like podcasts, they have one. I felt like I didn’t need so many examples. There’s some good stuff in here, but some people will need personality transplants to make it happen. I might be one of those people. I have to admit that this book sparks my perfectionist tendencies and makes me want to analyze every word I say to everyone at work. That’s no way to live.

Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson

This one might not really be a self help book, but Lawson does give some advice for how to live a happy life. Some of the stories are just hilarious. I appreciate Jenny’s candidness about her struggles with mental illness. That is what drew me to this book. That being said, there were at least two things in the book that I think I would have kept to myself if I were her. She didn’t. She lays it all out. I think my favorite take-away from this book was not something of Jenny’s but something that she shares that Neil Gaiman said to her. Of course I’m dreadfully jealous that she gets to say “my friend, Neil” but when she was freaked out and feeling inadequate to the task of reading her own audiobook, he told her to “pretend you’re good at it.” Brilliant!

For other references to Neil Gaiman, who I have talked about in my blog more times than Oscar Wilde, so I should probably change my answer on that “favorite author” thing… I mention him in posts here, here, and here, so far. Sadly, my only reference to Oscar Wilde was here.

Authentic Happiness by Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D.

I don’t remember many details about this book, but I gave it four stars on Goodreads, so I must have liked it. Seligman is a big name in positive psychology, so he’s a good resource for this kind of stuff. I think he is so often referenced that I had heard most of his main points before, which may be why I have trouble recalling them now. It can’t hurt to have a refresher on how to actively pursue happiness. I might have to give this one another go.

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

I talked about this book in my post about Audiobooks I Solemnly Swear to Listen to Once Each Year and I started the year with it. I know this book is a little dated, but it has been the go-to resource for everyone who writes books about money, so this gets straight to the source material. My current employer is also one of the great American success stories, so I totally geek out on that part every time. Perhaps my favorite thing about this book is that Hill acknowledges that there’s very little relationship between hard work and monetary reward. I subscribe to the “everything doesn’t always have to be hard” and “flowers don’t *try* to bloom” philosophies. I still think this book is worth repeating until I finally get that mental shift he prescribes. Old ways of thinking die hard.

Dare to Lead by Brene Brown

I like what Brene does, and this book takes some of her best stuff and applies it where it is sorely needed – the workplace. She talks about shifts that need to happen in workplace/corporate culture to make it more conducive to courage and vulnerability. She doesn’t say it, but can we just admit that she’s talking about doing away with toxic masculinity and having a more inclusive culture? Yes, please, thank you. There is also some really good stuff in here about what leadership means and that you do not have to be in a position of authority to be a leader. Years ago when I was a supervisor, I went through a frustrated phase at work. Somehow I got the idea to tell myself every day when I got in the car: I’m not going to work, I’m going to lead. It changed how I viewed my daily responsibilities and was very quickly reflected in my attitude and performance.

Brene also suggests thinking about your core values and narrowing them to just two main ones to focus on. If you read this post, you know that I already have mine narrowed to three. Call me a Rebel, (a la, The Four Tendencies mentioned above,) but I am going to keep all three of mine. It is a good reminder to have a couple (or a few) things to use as filters for what gets into your life. This leads us to BOUNDARIES. When you know your core values and keep them simple, it’s easier to set boundaries and hold yourself and others accountable to maintaining them. This is a fantastic book for an office book club. Highly recommend.

Leave a comment to let me know your favorite self help book or a recent one you have read.

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bookstattoosandtea · 5 years

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Release Date: November 7, 2019 Genre: M/M Sports Romance Cover Design: Kellie Dennis / Book Cover by Design Model: Preston T. Photographer: Wander Aguiar

Synopsis:

Soren:

You know what’s not fun? Going on a Fiji vacation with four other couples. Especially when recently single.

What’s even worse is when a past hook-up arrives unannounced.

Not only do we have a history, but he’s ten years younger and a famous rock star. Most importantly, he’s my friend’s little brother.

Being trapped on an island with Jet Jackson is going to be sweet torture because all I want is another chance. I just don’t think he’s going to give it to me.

Jet:

You know what’s not fun? Escaping one guy who broke my heart only to run into another.

Being on the road for three years has left me exhausted. The last thing I want is for Caleb ‘Soren’ Sorensen to try for round two.

I can’t fight my draw to him. I’ve never been able to.

I’m suddenly back to being the naïve kid who stupidly lusted after a hockey player.

All I can think is if I let Soren get close, I’ll walk away from this vacation with a double broken heart.

Amazon Universal ~ https://geni.us/wFiz0

Amazon US ~ https://amzn.to/2pQ5oNd

Amazon UK ~ https://amzn.to/2NKivrg

Amazon CA ~ https://amzn.to/2JUGmDr

Amazon AU ~ https://amzn.to/33z2M4I

Add Hat Trick To Goodreads

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Excerpt

Jet stares down at his hands as he plays the guitar effortlessly. When he starts singing, it’s soft and he still doesn’t raise his head.

It takes a couple of lines to realize it’s a slower version of that pop song “Someone Else’s Perfect” by Eleven.

The song completely transforms coming out of Jet’s mouth. It’s no longer a teenybopper love song, but one of heartbreak and angst. I guess I’ve never listened to the lyrics before.

Under your spell,

Living in hell,

You say I’m perfect,

Too good to be someone’s reject,

But that’s what you did when you walked away,

You left me to find myself

Something niggles at me. Whether it’s the way he’s singing it or that we both relate to it, I don’t know. It’s like he’s singing it to me. About me.

Then he finally raises his head and holds my gaze just as he sings a telling line.

You said I was perfect …

Perfect for someone else.

Holy. Shit.

He finishes the song and leaves the stage before people can beg him for another encore.

Only, he doesn’t come back to our table. He beelines it outside, leaving the rest of us staring at each other wondering what happened.

I’m the only one who knows for sure.

Matt stands to go after him, but I push him back down.

“I’ll go.”

Jet paces back and forth, running a hand through his hair and muttering words I can’t make out, but as I get closer, I hear “Get it together, Jay. Hold it to-fucking-gether.”

I step through the row of palm trees lining the path. “Jet.”

He freezes. “Of course, it’s you.” He goes back to pacing.

“That song …”

Jet stares but doesn’t stop moving.

“You wrote it.”

This makes him pause again. “I … I—”

“About me.”

He composes himself. “Conceited much? You think you get more than one song?”

“I knew ‘Hat Trick Heartbreak’ was about me and not Ollie and Lennon.” I take a step forward. “But tell me I’m wrong about this one.”

Jet’s mouth opens and then closes.

I step closer again. “Jet.”

“Why do you keep saying my name like that?”

“To remind you that I know the real you. Not Jay. I still know you as the aspiring musician reveling over his first fan.”

“The naïve kid, you mean.” Bitterness doesn’t suit the bubbly guy I know. Or … knew, I guess.

I keep moving closer. He steps back. We keep going until his back is against the wall and my hand is above his head, boxing him in.

“I’ve never seen you as a kid. Never.”

“Bullshit.”

“Then what was all the overprotective shit you pulled that night in Tampa?”

“That wasn’t me trying to protect you. That was me wanting to claim you.”

Jet breathes hard. “Oh, holy mother of gay Jesus.”

“I had no right to act or feel that way about you back then.”

Our eyes lock on each other, and for a moment in time, we’re both frozen.

“I’m sorry I wrote two emo songs about you,” Jet says quietly.

I laugh. “So, I am right.”

“You’re the only one who’s ever picked up on that. Everyone thinks Eleven wrote that song.”

“Maybe because I experienced it with you …”

Giveaway: $25 Amazon Gift Card Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b1257f8d547/?

Catch up on the first books in the Fake Boyfriend Series

Fake Out (Fake Boyfriend – Book One) By Eden Finley

Book Links: Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon CA Amazon AU Goodreads Also available on Audible!

Trick Play (Fake Boyfriend – Book Two) by Eden Finley

Book Links: Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon CA Amazon AU Goodreads Also available on Audible!

Deke (Fake Boyfriend – Book Three) By Eden Finley

Book Links: Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon CA Amazon AU Goodreads Also available on Audible!

Blindsided (Fake Boyfriend – Book Four) by Eden Finley

Book Links: Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon CA Amazon AU Goodreads Also available on Audible!

About the Author

Eden Finley is an Amazon bestselling author who writes steamy contemporary romances that are full of snark and light-hearted fluff.

With a short attention span that rivals her five-year-old son’s, she writes multiple different pairings: MM, MMF, and MF.

She’s also an Australian girl and apologises for her Australianisms that sometimes don’t make sense to anyone else.

Connect with Eden Newsletter Sign Up Facebook Author Page Facebook Reader Group Goodreads Author Page Twitter Instagram Amazon Author Page BookBub Author Page

Release Blitz & Giveaway: Hat Trick by Eden Finley Release Date: November 7, 2019 Genre: M/M Sports Romance Cover Design: Kellie Dennis / Book Cover by Design…

#Book Love #Eden Finley #Fake Boyfriend Series #Gay Book Review #Gay Romance Authors #Hat Trick #LGBTQ #LGBTQ Books #MM Romance #MM Sports Romance #Second Chance

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joyffree · 6 years

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RELEASE BOOST Title: Oscar SJ McCoy @authorsjmccoy Genre: Contemporary Romance @givemebooksblog Series: The Davenports #1 Release Date: March 27, 2018

BLURB

Oscar Davenport always wins. Always. He doesn’t come second, and he sure as hell doesn’t lose. He’s founded and sold three tech companies, netting him almost a billion dollars. He ran a hedge fund worth hundreds of billions—until he got bored. His latest project, Six, a nightclub in LA is another winner. It’s both a successful business and a playground full of playmates.

He’s never met an obstacle he couldn’t overcome or a woman he couldn’t have. Until now.

Grace Evans is the kind of girl you’d find curled up with a good book on a Saturday night—at least, usually. This Saturday night is different. This Saturday night she’s gotten all done up, in a dress she can barely breathe in and heels she can barely walk in. She had to. She had to venture into the lair of the enemy.

The enemy is Oscar Davenport, and his lair is his swanky nightclub. When she lays eyes on him, she’s ready to believe he’s the devil incarnate. His wicked smile, his beautiful eyes—everything about him is an invitation to sin. He moves with the grace and arrogance of a big cat about to pounce. Unfortunately, he’s moving straight toward her. He’s singled her out as his prey. He’s moving in for the kill.

Little does he know that she isn’t about to surrender; in fact, he’s in for the fight of his life.

GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38450937-oscar

PURCHASE LINKS

US: http://amzn.to/2G38QaX UK: http://amzn.to/2IccFen CA: http://amzn.to/2G3y7BP AU: http://amzn.to/2HbjR9t B&N: http://bit.ly/2FjepVA Kobo: http://bit.ly/2G1jezP iBooks: https://apple.co/2I9XrGZ Google Play: http://bit.ly/2G4SRcn

EXCERPT

Once she was inside the elevator, she jabbed at the button again, this time trying to make the doors close. She really was shit out of luck this morning. Just as they began to slide together, a set of long, strong fingers slipped between them, and they slid open again. And there he was. He stepped inside with a smile and a nod, then pressed to go to the eighteenth floor. Shit. That was her floor. He couldn’t go there. “What do you need?” She stared at him blankly. “Need?” Could he somehow see inside her mind, see all the months of a dry spell that had gone on way too long? Or could he see the images floating inside her head? Images of what the two of them could do if the elevator somehow got stuck. The corners of his lips curved upward again. That just might be the sexiest smile she’d ever seen. “Which floor?” “Oh!” Well, wasn’t she an idiot? Her mind raced. She couldn’t get off the elevator with him. He might think she was following him. “Seventeen.” He hit the button, but before they started to move, the doors slid open again. Thank God for that! Two men and two women came in and turned to face the doors, leaving Grace and the Big Cat alone in the silent space behind them. Grace gripped the tray with her two coffee cups and stared determinedly at the numbers above the door. She’d always suspected this was the world’s slowest elevator, but this morning’s ride confirmed it. Every second was torture. She could smell him—all citrus and man. She’d swear he was looking at her, but she refused to allow herself to sneak a peek. He’d catch her. She tried looking down at the coffee cups, but that just made a strand of her hair fall across her face. She wrinkled her nose and tried to blow it away, then she froze. There were those long, strong fingers again. They brushed her cheek as they took the errant strand and tucked it behind her ear. If the heat had surged through her when he held the door open, then her blood was boiling in her veins right now. All the little hairs on the back of her neck stood up and sent shivers racing down her spine. Even her scalp tingled. She turned. How could she not? Those big brown eyes were twinkling with amusement. “I hope I didn’t overstep? You looked uncomfortable.” She shook her head mutely. What could she say, even if she could find the breath to speak? The elevator stopped, and she silently begged the people in front of her not to get out. They couldn’t leave her alone in here with this guy—she would not be responsible for her actions. To her relief, they didn’t. Instead, two more got in, and that was quite a crowd. Everyone shuffled back a little. She had no clue how it happened, but somehow, she ended up face to face with Big Cat. She was in the corner, and he was right there in front of her, staring down into her eyes, that quirky little smile playing on his face again. She’d had a laugh with Spider the other night when one of the customers had tried hitting on her in the coffee shop. She’d told Spider that her sexual desires were dormant. Hell, had she been wrong about that. Standing here, face-to-face with this guy, she discovered that her sexual desires weren’t just active—oh, no, they were rampant. She was grateful for the tray of coffee she was gripping. It gave her hands something to do that kept them from reaching up to touch his face, maybe sinking into his hair or even sliding around his waist. “Are you okay?” She nodded rapidly, meeting his gaze briefly. Even she heard the gasp she made when he rested his hand on her hip. What was he doing? You didn’t just do that to a stranger in a crowded elevator. “Are you sure?” He looked worried now. She looked down to where his hand rested on her hip. Except it wasn’t his hand—it was the purse the woman in front of her had slung over her shoulder. Grace couldn’t help it. She laughed. Wow, she needed to get laid. Okay, the guy was attractive, but he shouldn’t affect her this badly. “I’m fine, thanks. Have a great day.” She edged her way to the front and squeezed out through the doors before they had a chance to open fully on the seventeenth floor. She couldn’t help it. She had to look back before they closed. He’d made his way to the front, too. He met her gaze with a smile. Bye, Big Cat. She bid him a sad farewell. At least, in the real world, the world where she’d never see him again. She had a feeling her imagination would be seeing a lot more of him in the nights to come. She smiled back at him; there was no harm now. And he winked! The arrogant prick actually winked at her. She stood there staring as the doors slid shut, and then he was gone.

AUTHOR BIO

I'm SJ, a coffee addict, lover of chocolate and drinker of good red wines. I'm a lost soul and a hopeless romantic. Reading and writing are necessary parts of who I am. Though perhaps not as necessary as coffee! I can drink coffee without writing, but I can't write without coffee.

I grew up loving romance novels, my first boyfriends were book boyfriends, but life intervened, as it tends to do, and I wandered down the paths of non fiction for many years. My life changed completely a couple of years ago and I returned to Romance to find my escape.

I write 'Sweet n Steamy' stories because to me there is enough angst and darkness in real life. My favorite romances are happy escapes with a focus on fun, friendships and happily-ever-afters, just like the ones I write.

These days I live in beautiful Montana, the last best place. If I'm not reading or writing, you'll find me just down the road in the park - Yellowstone. I have deer, eagles and the occasional bear for company, and I like it that way :0)

AUTHOR LINKS

Website: http://www.sjmccoy.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorsjmccoy Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/authorsjmccoy Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/therealsjmccoy Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7236373.S_J_McCoy

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