Review: The Legend by Dylan Allen

Title: The Legend 

Author: Dylan Allen 
Series: Rivers Wilde

Publication Date: January 25, 2019

Stars: 5+

Summary: Remington Wilde had heartbreak written all over him. 
He was the most beautiful boy I’d ever seen.
When I looked into his midnight eyes, 
I saw a happy ending I’d never dared to dream of. 

I was seventeen the first time he asked for my heart,
I didn’t hesitate to hand it over. 
In exchange, he gave me the best summer of my life.
He was my first everything.
Falling in love felt written in the stars...

But our legend, it turns out, was all a lie. 
And when our story ended, all I had was a broken heart. 

Now, he wants a second chance. 
But this time, I’ve got more to lose than just my heart. 
When the lies that pulled us apart, threaten again,

it will take more than sweet words from his sinful mouth to convince me.

He says the love of a lifetime deserves a million chances, 
But am I strong enough to fall again?

Review:
This is absolutely the love story I didn't know I needed! I cannot wait to read the next one. This is the first book I've read by Dylan but it most definitely will not be the last. This brought up so many things in me that I had buried deep down. This is the absolutely most beautiful love story I have read in a long time. There is so much I want to say about this book but I fear I may put in spoilers. What I will say is I liked how it went in different points in their timeline. I personally don't normally like that but it really brought the book together and made you understand it all so much better. This book, just wow. If it was appropriate to just write weird noises to try to explain how I feel about the book that is almost how the review ended up being. There is so much heartache, twists, growth. Honestly it's immensely dynamic, the end also leaves you off begging for the next book! Have I mentioned I can't wait for it? *cough cough* Dylan Allen is the book done yet? Because I'm pretty sure everyone that got to read this one early is absolutely dying to read the next one! Highly recommend!

Interview with Maira Rayanne

Welcome to Jagged Edge Reviews! Thanks for joining us today. Now we thought we would start you off with some easier questions.  

Tell us a little about yourself:
Hi there! My name is Maira Rayanne. I’m a non-fiction writer originally from Brazil. I grew up mainly in Miami, FL and I am currently based out of Atlanta, GA. I’m a lover of animals, people in general and all things spirituality. I’m also a suicide prevention and aftercare advocate, and I’m a trained facilitator for one of our local support groups here in Atlanta.

When you walk into a book store, where is the first place you go?
Self-help/non-fiction/biography sections.

What are you currently reading?
I just finished reading “The Stranger Beside Me,” the famous biography about Ted Bundy.

Who are your favorite authors?
Mitch Albom, Dr. Wayne Dyer, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and my father. I like a good blend of modern mixed with classics.

When you’re not writing, how do you spend your time?
I’m either out in nature, doing some kind of outdoor activity, exercising, cuddling with my pup, or hanging out with friends. It varies on a day-to-day basis.

Tell us about your latest book.
My debut memoir, “Georgia Haven: A Love Story Across States and Time” was released April 2018. It is about a romantic relationship I was in with a man named Declan that changed my life. It takes place over the span of three years, across different states, and it encourages us to reflect on what unconditional love is to us, what sacrifices we are willing to make, what it means to follow your heart, and how we easily find or lose ourselves in the process.

Do you have another work in progress? Tell us about it.
My second memoir, “Beyond These Green Eyes: A Memoir of Fragmented Pieces and Rediscovery,” is a collection of personal narratives, essays and poems. From romantic love to family to spirituality to sexuality, it covers various themes and poignant stages of my life, up to my early thirties. This memoir was actually written well before “Georgia Haven,” but it has been sitting on the back burner for years. It will finally be released in the spring of 2019. I’m also currently working on my third memoir, which is about grief loss and suicide loss.

What led you to writing in this genre?
In my 30-something years on Earth, I guess it is safe to say that I’ve experienced way more than your average person. Both my parents have passed away (due to natural causes); I’ve loved and I’ve lost, and I’ve suffered the kind of anguish and heartache that can cripple us to our knees. I’ve often been told that my personal life experiences have encouraged or inspired others, or made them feel less alone. I’ve also written non-fiction ever since I was a little girl; it’s simply the one genre I best identify with.

What advice do you have for other writers?
At times you will feel discouraged in life, or you may find yourself surrounded by individuals who want to bring you down, but stay to yourself regardless, because whatever story is deep inside your heart is worth telling. Dedicate the time and effort to your passions – that which makes you feel alive. As a friend once said to me, at the end of the day you’re the one who has the courage to put your heart and soul out there, and that alone speaks volumes.

What keeps you motivated while writing?
I believe that hard work always pays off, and knowing that my truth can hopefully be a source of comfort or inspiration to another human being keeps me going. Writing is also very cathartic for me, so I have my own selfish reasons to keep writing as well.

Did you learn anything from writing your book that was unexpected?
I learned that the book writing process – from revising multiple drafts to copywriting your work to formatting your manuscript to designing the cover – is oftentimes tedious and very emotionally draining, but it is so worth it in the end to see your finished product.

Who inspires you?
My father, Jose Marcos. He was the best human being and the wisest man I have ever known. I hope I can be half the person he was.

How do you research your books?
Well, since I write memoirs based on my own life, my book writing process is rather different from those who are fiction writers. I rely on journals, letters, emails, and my personal memories to write. I also include bits of dialogue I’ve captured in my journals, and I have in-person or phone conversations with those who are mentioned in my books to make sure my recollection of details is accurate.

What are your thoughts on self-publishing verses traditional publishing?
I think every writer should follow the path that is right for them. For me, self-publishing seemed the best fit as it gave me full control of my writing. I also didn’t have to wait years upon years, take rejection after rejection, before my work was finally released.

What is one of your favorite quotes?
I have a few:
“This too shall pass.”

 “Despite how open, peaceful and loving you attempt to be, people can only meet you as deeply as they’ve met themselves.”

 “Life is too short not to follow your dreams.”

What do you like to snack on while you write?
A nice glass of wine.

What is your biggest pet peeve?
Inconsiderate, dishonest individuals. Also those with no manners who don’t say “please” or “thank you.”

Where can people find out more about you and your writing?
I currently don’t have my own website, but they are welcome to follow me on Instagram at @inspirerayanne. Or they can reach me via email at: mairarayanne@yahoo.com “Georgia Haven” is also available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and all other major retailers for those interested.

Cover reveal: Starlight Valley by Shanna Swenson

Long before Natalie met Jack, Starlight Valley Stables was originally founded….

Decades ago, David and Corrine were merely teenagers and trying to find themselves among their peers, desires and demanding families. 

Corrine Abernathy- After literally running into bad boy bull-rider David Butler in the school hallway, she’s both mortified and shaken beyond imagination with his devilish good looks and suave demeanor. He represents all the things in her life that she’s pushed aside for a chance at popularity. But his no-nonsense attitude has her reeling, and she can’t deny how her heart -and body- begin to respond to him and his drive to extricate her inner pioneer spirit. 

David Butler is the son of one of Abundance’s oldest and proudest families and his laconic cowboy lifestyle threatens their social status. It’s his dream to own his own ranch, and when he starts to fall for Corrine Abernathy, all the cards are on the table. He’s soon faced with the demand to choose between what his father wants and the passion she brings into his life. And he doesn’t want any of it without her!

Can their young love withstand all the obstacles continually increasing before them? 

Find out when we journey back in time to Starlight Valley and see where it all began.

Release Blitz: Fearless by Elizabeth Safleur

Sarah’s life of rigid control is nearly shattered by two men—one who wishes to submit to her, the other who might break her.

Fearless, an all-new sexy standalone in the Elite Doms of Washington Series from Elizabeth SaFleur is available now!

Sarah Marillioux fled back to DC after a weekend of reckless, delicious, impetuous passion in London with another Dominant, Steffan Vidar. Two years later, Sarah has re-established her life of discipline and rigid control until Steffan reappears to threaten her status quo of relegating all romantic encounters to a dungeon. He's moved to DC and, with him, is Laurent Chacon, Steffan's angelic submissive—a mixture of masculine strength and aching vulnerability. Together they will bring her carefully constructed world crashing down around her. It would almost be worth it to have Laurent. The problem is, she'd have to take Steffan, too.

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Fv8Vpt

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2M9Xrcu

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/FearlessES

Nook: http://bit.ly/2AKIQjf

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2DadGTW

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2TwghN9

Enter to win a gift basket and signed paperbacks of Fearless: https://geni.us/FearlessBasketBooks

Start the series of standalones FREE with Elite!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2UCA66e

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2WFvzSt

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/EliteES

Nook: http://bit.ly/2MNEsEK

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2tfzZSB

About Elizabeth

Award-winning author of steamy contemporary romance, Elizabeth SaFleur promises all the "feels" in her emotional, plot-rich stories. Experience luxurious, glamorous escapes in her Elite Doms of Washington series Fall in love with her alpha men who always leave a woman satisfied Meet the heroines who take charge in the Justice Series, her Femme Domme romance books Join her burlesque & gangster book world in the Shakedown series debuting in 2019 Many of her books were inspired from her thirty years as a PR practitioner in and around Washington, DC. She writes, tweets and posts under a pseudonym since her business clients might be (WOULD be) shocked at her new career choice.

Connect with Elizabeth

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2Fmi709

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2Rnq6AA

Join her reader group, Elizabeth’s Playroom on Facebook:

http://bit.ly/2Fobpqu

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2QJWEzs

Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2SPnY13

GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2AGnOlI

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2RH5R0c

BookBub: http://bit.ly/2CicOLr

Stay up to date with Elizabeth by joining her mailing list: http://bit.ly/2QG2wKi

http://www.elizabethsafleur.com/

New Release: Immortal Desires

🌟New Release🌟
Immortals last all night...
So do their desires...
Grab these sinfully sexy immortals during the 99 cent sale! All proceeds go to the American Cancer Society
Links as they go live:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L384CTL
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/immortal-desires-melanie-james/1129949381
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/immortal-desires-2
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1445338555

Release blitz: The Legend by Dylan Allen

“Dylan Allen is a master of slow-burn to scorching hot, but it’s the journey that she takes her readers on that really sets her apart. This book is a must!”

--Ginger Scott, Amazon bestselling author

The Legend, an all-new steamy, second-chance romance from Dylan Allen, is available now!

The love of a lifetime deserves a million chances.

Remington Wilde had heartbreak written all over him.

He was the most beautiful boy I’d ever seen.

When I looked into his midnight eyes,

I saw a happy ending I’d never dared to dream of.

I was seventeen the first time he asked for my heart,

I didn’t hesitate to hand it over.

In exchange, he gave me the best summer of my life.

He was my first everything.

Falling in love felt written in the stars...

But our legend, it turns out, was all a lie.

And when our story ended, all I had was a broken heart.

Now, he wants a second chance.

But this time, I’ve got more to lose than just my heart.

When the lies that pulled us apart, threaten again, it will take more than sweet words from his sinful mouth to convince me.

He says the love of a lifetime deserves a million chances,

But am I strong enough to fall again?

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2U5jBQj

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/TheLegendDA

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2U1W0zL

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2QB383S

About Dylan Allen

Dylan Allen is a Texas girl with a serious case of wanderlust. A self-proclaimed happily ever junkie, she loves creating stories where her characters chase their own happy endings. When she isn’t writing or reading, eating or cooking, she and her family are planning their next adventure.

Connect with Dylan

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peddlerofpassion/

GoodReads: https://bit.ly/2KNeNe7

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/dylanawrites/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dylanallenwrit1

Book+Main: https://bookandmainbites.com/dylanallen

Stay up to date with Dylan by joining her mailing list: http://bit.ly/2OcDm8M

Release Blitz: Irresistible by Melanie Harlow

“Sexy, heartfelt--did I mention sexy? With the perfect touch of the forbidden, Melanie Harlow has outdone herself with single dad Mack and Frannie’s story!”

-- Ilsa Madden-Mills, Wall Street Journal bestselling author

Irresistible, an all-new fun and swoony standalone from USA Today bestselling author Melanie Harlow, is available now!

I’m a full-time single dad to three daughters and CFO at Cloverleigh Farms. I don’t have time to fall in love—I’m too busy trying to run a business, keep the red socks out of the white laundry, and get the damn pillowcases on without owing a dollar to the swear jar. Sure, Frannie Sawyer is beautiful and sweet, but she’s twenty-seven, the boss’s daughter, and my new part-time nanny—which means she’s completely off-limits. It’s bad enough I can’t stop fantasizing about her, what kind of jerk would I be if I acted on the impulse to kiss her? (Exactly the kind of jerk you’re thinking.) Actually, I’m worse than that—because I didn’t stop with a kiss, and now I can’t stay away. She makes me feel like myself again. She reminds me what it’s like to want something just for me. She’s everything I ever needed, but nothing I ever imagined. I’m a former Marine. I should have had the strength to resist her from the start. But I didn’t. And now I have to choose between the life I want and the life she deserves. Even if it means giving her up.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Nn9mUO

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/IrresistibleMH

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2XjHDsO Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2RCLvWs

About Melanie

Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her heels high, and her history with the naughty bits left in. When she's not writing or reading, she gets her kicks from TV series like VEEP, Game of Thrones, House of Cards, and Homeland. She occasionally runs three miles, but only so she can have more gin and steak. Melanie is the author of the AFTER WE FALL series, the HAPPY CRAZY LOVE series, the FRENCHED series, and the sexy historical SPEAK EASY duet, set in the 1920s. She lifts her glass to romance readers and writers from her home near Detroit, MI, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and pet rabbit.

Connect with Melanie

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMelanieHarlow/?fref=ts

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1NPkYKs

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/melanie-harlow

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/melanieharlow2/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melanie_harlow/

Website: http://www.melanieharlow.com

Stay up to date, sign up for Melanie’s mailing list: http://www.melanieharlow.com/subscribe/

Book Review: American on Purpose the Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot by Craig Ferguson

American on Purpose the Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot by Craig Ferguson

Browsing through the shelves of your favorite bookstore, you would probably pick up this book because of its very interesting title. The writer in you would be mentally applauding, whispering kudos under their breath; at the same time, you’d be envious of somebody who listed his really unique experiences and put them down on paper.

Odds are you’ll probably be halfway hooked by the time you note that its author is Craig Ferguson. Yup! He’s that Ferguson—the host of “The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson” from January 2005 to December 2014.

He was an irreverent one, always straddling the border on being on tawdry and actually sprinting to cross it a couple of times. He probably wouldn’t be in with the #MeToo crowd. I, too, watched it with pre-#MeToo eyes, though.

And I honestly remember that I wasn’t so much offended as I was particularly amazed. He was just so sexually-preoccupied. (And if that were a crime, half of the earth would be behind bars.)  What I mean is that everything his guests said he could easily associate with something sexy. Even more amazing was how his guests played into his hands. All of them seemed to always say something that was suggestive or could be misinterpreted as such.

Maybe it doesn’t reflect well on me to express interest in a book written by such a man. Because that seems to say that I reached out for the book expecting it to be an extension of his defunct program, for his book to have that same tone.

Well, if you feel the same way, you’ll be in for a disappointment.

Don’t get me wrong. American on Purpose is hilarious. But just in a few places. It’s definitely not a laugh-a-thon.  What it is, however, is a breather. Full of the Craig Ferguson we have almost forgotten in the four years since he left his late-night show in 2014.

Back into play with this book was the intelligence and sensitivity that Ferguson displayed while interviewing Desmond Tutu on his show, a feat which earned the show a Peabody Award in 2009.

In getting the crowd — of a late-night talk show — geared up for that interview, he implied that he did ask the good bishop if he would wear an actual tutu (the bishop apparently refused). He took advantage of the laughs he got here to talk about apartheid and colonialism (an “old-fashioned term for “stealing stuff from countries that don’t belong to you.”)

Ferguson used this same technique to prepare readers of American on Purpose. For those who are joining him on his trip down memory lane, he fortified them with his introduction.

In it, he has a sweet anecdote-cum-reflection about his son playing baseball on a bright day filled with nakedsunshine and children’s laughter. It was a reminder that no matter how dark and heart-wrenching his own journey would be in parts, his son would be at the end of the tunnel.

American on Purpose, takes you back to the mean streets of Glasgow, Scotland where Ferguson came from. It leads you through the labyrinthine roads he has had to take in his journey to escape from there. It talks about detours to drugs and alcoholism, punk rock, women, and his road to drug & alcohol treatment.

I think Ferguson tried to present his life story as honestly as he could. But it didn’t really cross all the way to being grim, which is where alcoholism and drugs can take you. But that’s completely understandable. He was a comedian after all. Besides, the result is a quick peek into a man’s life that started out not so different from yours or mine.

Ferguson talks about reading books with a flashlight at night. Something we’ve all done before though for most it was mostly comic books or girly magazines. His takeaway was just a bit different. He just didn’t see the happy ending, he also saw the evil characters. Recognized them in fact from the own characters in his life.

He talks about breaking up with his wife via a phone call because he got sidetracked by his drinking buddies on his way to see her. He talked about a woman who convinced him to turn his back on his decision not to take any more drugs. He talks about almost jumping off the Tower of London but getting distracted by a glass of sherry offered by a friend.

And there are more anecdotes about drugs and drinking. These are the grim parts that never really got to be that dark.

He talks about these experiences frankly. He didn’t paint himself as a saint. He was just a guy who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. And, yes, with the wrong people. And most of all, there were moments when he made the wrong decisions.

But then he picks himself up to make amends. I love the parts where he becomes introspective. There was one part where he was looking in the mirror and realizing he didn’t like what he saw.  Cliché, right? But Ferguson made it sincere.

In fact, American on Purpose shows us that his musings are similar to what any one of us might have on any given Sunday. Nothing earthshaking at all. He’s just one of us. All we have to do is get up. But what Ferguson also says that it’s not going to be easy. And he is a man who can preach about determination. Twenty-six years of being sober (since 1992) is not a mean feat.

Finally, you know those tell-all books when you read about scandalous back stories of famous people or events? In American on Purpose, Ferguson falls into the same trap. He took advantage of his book and made it into his own platform. However, it wasn’t to expose a dirty secret. And never to shame or embarrass anybody — well, maybe just himself.

Instead, he took advantage of the book to apologize to the people whom he had hurt while he was being his own personal wrecking ball. It was a love letter to his family, his ex-wives, his current wife, and his friends. And if I were any of these people, I would love him even more.

American on Purpose was a great distraction and a great inspiration. It says that you don’t have to be brandedas particularly good looking or smart to succeed in life. I think this book is very apt for millennials who sometimes get worried about the wrong things. Plus, we don’t have a keen sense of focus and there’s no need to memorize plotlines because each little snippet stands alone.

You’d think about passing this book on to your friends or to your mom. I wouldn’t recommend that. Personally, for having me and my brothers, I think my mom deserves all the laughter she can muster from the world. But I also think that this is not a book to read just once. The anecdotes could stand another pass. And they will be funny again after a few years. Or even just after a couple of months.

What I’m saying is, that you should get your mom her own copy. But tell her upfront that just because a standup wrote it, it’s not a comic book. It’s inspirational and, well, more of a self-help book. The Craig Ferguson way.
- review from Patrick Bailey 

Review: Protect Me by J.L. Beck & C. Hallman

Title: Protect Me

Author: J.L. Beck & C. Hallman
Series: Broken Heros - Book Two 

Publication Date: March 1, 2019

Stars: 3.5

Summary: She needed protection from my family… 
I needed protection from her heart…

She was my ex-best friends little sister. Shy, gorgeous as hell and did I mention completely off limits. 

Well that is until she lands on my doorstep begging me for protection from my brother. She has no idea the kind of world she’s walked into, or that I’m no better of a man then the one searching for her. 

But when she offers me her v-card the last thing she has in exchange for protection I cant deny such a tempting offer. 

She’s everything I want, and nothing I can have. 

When my brother finds out she’s under my protection, that I've been hiding her under his nose this whole time he gives me an ultimatum…

Marry her, or kill her…and since there’s no way in hell I’m going to let him kill her I decide to make her mine..forever.

Review: I like that there are two perspectives. From Kiera's perspective she seems occasionally delusional. Damon's show's Kiera as a very head strong woman. Both versions she is an absolute klutz and for both he's a total ass but he knows it. The unrealistic parts for me were that they basically fell in love shortly after meeting and hating each other. Another would be that she found her brother dead and couldn't function but then she watched someone else get murdered and was perfectly okay (more than once). But once you past that initial first part this book just sweeps you off your feet. Straight into a shady deep underworld of wondering whose going to kill who. With a serious twist or two to boot. The books are stated that they can be read as stand-alones I highly suggest reading them in order. I didn't read the first book and they made references to the first book that had me completely lost. I do really want to see what happens in the next book. I was very sad to see this one end. I loved their quirky, unexpected romance. They make a fantastic couple and with a strong future. I can't wait to see the finished product with all the edits completed as I had an ARC. This was my first time reading either a book by either author. I'm looking forward to other works by them. 

Excerpt from Sleeping Together by Kitty Cook

Sleeping Together by Kitty Cook

Available 3/6

Links:

• Amazon preorder: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L5Z31K1
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43683703-sleeping-together
• Author website: http://www.kittycookbooks.com/

Synopsis

Vanessa Brown is having nightmares: about babies. Ever since her husband, Pete, mentioned he wanted to start a family, Ness has been trying to convince herself she’s stoked to spawn despite her inability to keep a cactus alive—and a decade-old secret she doesn’t like to remember. So when she catches her slacker-cool coworker, Altan Young, stealing sleeping medication from the pharmaceutical company they both work for, she decides to try the pilfered pills to finally find some rest. 

But side effects of Morpheum include headaches, nausea, and possible mind melding—a fact Ness and Altan stumble upon when they share the same freaky sex dream. (Awkward.) Now these two colleagues are joined at the brain by night, experiencing dozens of fantastic sleep-staged adventures courtesy of a little imagination and a whole lot of drugs. 

With the stress of being caught between the men of her literal and figurative dreams (not to mention her nightmare of a boss), Ness starts to enjoy snoozing more than being conscious—and the company of her work husband more than her real one. If she doesn’t wake up and smell the coffee soon, her dreamy escape could become a dirt nap in this feisty debut novel about the dark side of dreams’ coming true.

Excerpt

We finished our world tour at the Parthenon, sitting side by side on its crumbling marble steps, looking out at Athens while she slept. The Acropolis was lit only by the full moon, which dipped the stones in silver, and I lay my head on Altan’s shoulder, exhausted from having seen the world (albeit in dreams) in just one night. Altan was looking at the stars overhead, and I craned my neck so I could watch him watch the sky, knowing he was wondering what it was like out there, all those planets he’d yet to see. His wanderlust had no border: it would go on and on as long as there were places to visit, minds to explore. And I loved him for it.

Oh my god, I loved him for it—for all of it: his curiosity and his sense of wonder, and his kindness and his humor. And, of course, his eyes, as they searched the heavens and then, dipping downward, found mine. Without speaking, I shifted so that I was kneeling on the step below him, leaning into his body, reaching for the back of his long neck so I could touch my mouth to his. Without fighting he tipped forward into the moment. It felt inevitable, like we’d been hurtling toward it as a comet zings through space, fast and fatal and white hot in an otherwise frigid world. We were nose to nose, and I felt his breath on my lips and his body tighten beneath my hands, and we were so close and then—

I woke up alone in bed to the sound of my alarm, and it was all gone: the warmth of Greece, the platinum of the moon, and Altan. It was raining on the other side of the window and time to go to work. I fought the urge to cry.

Author’s Note About the Book

Sleeping Together is a book about two people falling in love in their dreams. I wasn’t sure a romance that blossoms entirely within two people’s minds would work in a genre that usually focuses on the physical. But to me, falling in love has always been equally about the mental and the chemical. Sure, I love to look at someone beautiful, but if that beautiful person can make me laugh or challenge the way I think, then I’m completely slayed.

Which is why I had so much fun with this book. It’s a wacky premise, but also a painfully intimate one. When sharing a subconsciousness, Ness and Altan have no way (or need) to lie—there’s no protecting one from the other’s worst nightmares. No way to pretend to be fine when you’re not. In this landscape, sharing a dream makes two people closer than sharing a bed. And in these #metoo times when men and women struggle to understand each other more than ever, I thought it was important to explore what could happen if they did.

Release Blitz: What He Never Knew by Kandi Steiner

What He Never Knew, a standalone teacher/student romance in the What He Doesn't Know series by bestselling author Kandi Steiner is live!

I never learn my lesson.

And I always want what I can’t have.

When Sarah Henderson walks into my life, I tell myself she’s off limits. She’s my student, sixteen years younger than me, and my boss’s niece. It doesn’t matter that I see the same pain reflected in her eyes that I have in my own, or that the dead organ better known as my heart kicks to life when she’s around.

I’ve been here before, and I know how this ends.

It’s been two years since I fell for the last woman I knew I couldn’t have, the one with the ring on her finger that I chose to ignore.

Two years of trying to overcome that heartache when Sarah slides into my life.

Another woman I can’t have. Another woman I can’t stop myself from wanting.

I never learn my lesson, but with a constant reminder of how that last forbidden love burned, I think I’ve finally learned this one.

This time, I won’t chase what’s off limits.

This time, I’m staying away.

And I’ll keep telling myself that until I believe it.

Download your copy today!

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

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/WhatHeNeverKnewKS

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2Vl9BmZ

About Kandi:

Kandi Steiner is a bestselling author and whiskey connoisseur living in Tampa, FL. Best known for writing “emotional rollercoaster” stories, she loves bringing flawed characters to life and writing about real, raw romance — in all its forms. No two Kandi Steiner books are the same, and if you’re a lover of angsty, emotional, and inspirational reads, she’s your gal.

An alumna of the University of Central Florida, Kandi graduated with a double major in Creative Writing and Advertising/PR with a minor in Women’s Studies. She started writing back in the 4th grade after reading the first Harry Potter installment. In 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.” She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a diehard hopeless romantic, and likes to highlight all the challenges of love as well as the triumphs.

When Kandi isn’t writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, talking with her extremely vocal cat, and spending time with her friends and family. She enjoys live music, traveling, anything heavy in carbs, beach days, movie marathons, craft beer and sweet wine — not necessarily in that order.

Connect with Kandi:

Mailing List: bit.ly/NewsletterKS

Facebook: facebook.com/kandisteiner

Facebook Reader Group: (Kandiland): facebook.com/groups/kandischasers

Instagram: www.instagram.com/kandisteiner

Twitter: twitter.com/kandisteiner

Pinterest: pinterest.com/kandicoffman

Website: www.kandisteiner.com

Kandi Steiner may be coming to a city near you! Check out her “events” tab to see all the signings she’s attending in the near future:

www.kandisteiner.com/events

Review: The Body Checker by Cathryn Fox

Title: The Body Checker
Author: Cathryn Fox
Series: Players on Ice
Publication date: January 21, 2019
Stars: 5

Summary: Jonah:
I’m the NHL’s toughest enforcer, the Body Checker, and I earned that title the hard way. I’m all about the game, a no attachment, no strings kind of guy, so when a puck bunny shows up at my door, shoves a pink bundle into my hands and drives off into the sunset, it turns my world upside down. I’m not cut out to be a family man. I know nothing about babies and I’m the last guy who should be taking care of one. But I do know someone who is equipped for the job—Quinn Reed, my best friend’s kid sister. Problem is, she kind of…hates me.

Quinn:
Jonah Long…a father? Move in and help take care of his daughter? Crazy as that sounds, I agree to the temporary arrangement, for the child’s sake. Problem is, living with the guy I’ve crushed on since forever, is messing with my body as well as my brain. And now, watching him grow as a man, seeing the bond between father and daughter build, I can’t help but want this family for myself. But we’re just playing house, and Jonah isn’t interested in making this ready-made family the real deal…right?

Review: Oh My Goodness! This book broke my heart and sewed it back together again. It is absolutely heartwrenching and heartwarming at the same time I don't know how Cathryn does it. The relationship between Jonah and Quinn is complicated to say the least. Quinn is the little sister of Jonah's best friend. Which of course would break bro code but he's had a thing for her since she was 16. Quinn says she hates him only to hide the fact that she is secretly infatuated with him. Then in pops a baby Quinn was never told he had, who better to help this player take care of her than his forbidden. What could go wrong with them staying under one roof? Yes, I'm trying so hard not to ruin the end. But this book has so many twists and turns. You'll love every character except Daisy's mother. I hands down completely recommend you read this book! I finished it in one day! I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the series.

Release Blitz: Breaking the Billionaire's Rules by Annika Martin

Breaking a Billionaire’s Rules, a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy by New York Times bestselling author Annika Martin is live!

This standalone romcom is set in the same world as The Billionaire's Wake-up-call Girl and Most Eligible Billionaire.

Max Hilton is my high school nemesis turned billionaire. And tomorrow I deliver his lunch order. In a cat costume.

You know he’s going to love it. He’ll smile that smirky smile, sitting there all superior in his gleaming tower, the wealthiest and most notorious playboy in all of New York, the king of everything.

Turns out it wasn’t curiosity that killed the cat—it was mortification.

I’m almost ready to quit my lunch delivery job, but then my roommate tosses me a copy of The Max Hilton Playbook: Ten Golden Rules for Picking up the Hottest Girl in the Room.

It’s the book that catapulted him to stardom. And it’s my new bible.

I’m going to use his own techniques against him. I’ll wrap him around my little finger, bring him to his knees, and crush his steely heart. Call it payback for all the single girls who had to endure legions of losers wielding his legendary tactics.

But seeing Max every day, I’m discovering a side of him I didn’t even know existed--he’s not the jerky guy I thought he was. He has this smile he shows only to me, and it melts my heart. His touch sends shivers down my spine. And those forbidden kisses are driving me wild.

Falling for him was not in my plan.

Am I breaking his rules or will his rules break me first?

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2MzFJiB

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/BreakingBillionares

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2Rkh8PT

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2RgGjTk

Nook: http://bit.ly/2S7zoAg

Add to GoodReads link: http://bit.ly/2FR4ExG

About Annika:

Annika Martin loves fun, dirty stories, hot heroes, and wild, dramatic everything. She enjoys hanging out in Minneapolis coffee shops with her writer husband, and also likes birdwatching at her bird feeder alongside her two stunningly photogenic cats, especially when she should be writing. She’s heavy into running, music, saving the planet, taking long baths, and consuming chocolate suckers. She’s worked a surprisingly large number of waitressing jobs, and has also worked in a plastics factory and the advertising trenches; her garden is total bee-friendly madness and her most un-favorite word is nosh or possibly fob. A New York Times bestselling author, she has also written as RITA award-winning author Carolyn Crane.

Connect with Annika:

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

Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AnnikaMartinFabulousGang/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Annika_Martin

Stay up to date with Annika by joining her mailing list: http://www.annikamartinbooks.com/newletter/

http://www.annikamartinbooks.com

Cover Reveal: No Feeling Involved by Siobhan Davis

Can this skeptical player let down his guard long enough to let love into his life, or is this forbidden romance a train wreck in the making?

No Feelings Involved, an all-new steamy romance from USA Today bestselling author Siobhan Davis is coming March 31st!

Ryan James doesn’t believe in love.

It’s a truth he learned early in life. A truth he carried with him into adulthood. He broke his golden rule one time, but Myndi trampled all over his heart, cementing his belief that love is a lie and not worth the effort.

Now he’s returned to his cynical views and promiscuous lifestyle, racking up more notches on his bedpost than he can count.

Until Summer Petersen comes crashing into his world, threatening to knock down his walls with her tempting body and sunny, sweet personality.

Summer is determined to lose her V-card before she starts freshman year of college, and the hot, older guy with the cute dimples, dazzling smile, and rippling biceps is just the man for the job. Ryan doesn’t take much persuading, and he rocks her world, giving her a night to remember.

When they walk away, there’s an unspoken agreement it was a one-time thing. Ryan doesn’t do feelings, and Summer doesn’t want to be tied down at eighteen.

But when she moves into her brother Austin’s apartment, she’s shocked to discover her new roomie is the guy who recently popped her cherry.

Ryan can’t believe he slept with Austin’s baby sister, and if he finds out, he’ll literally kill him. Keeping their hook up a secret is nonnegotiable. Keeping his thoughts, and his hands, off Summer, less so. Because the longer he’s around her, the more he finds himself catching feelings for the gorgeous brunette.

Summer doesn’t want to care for her older brother’s best friend, but Ryan makes her feel things she’s never felt before, and she’s slowly falling under his spell.

Embarking on an illicit affair behind Austin’s back has train wreck written all over it, but provided they keep their feelings in check, they can end this before he ever finds out.

It’s not like either of them is in love.

Right?

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2MdwG6R

Watch the Trailer:

https://smarturl.it/NoFeelingsInvolvedEM

About Siobhan:

USA Today bestselling author Siobhan Davis writes emotionally intense young adult and new adult romantic fiction with swoon-worthy romance, complex characters, and tons of unexpected plot twists and turns that will have you flipping the pages beyond bedtime! She is the author of the international bestselling Kennedy Boys, Saven, and True Calling series’. Siobhan’s family will tell you she’s a little bit obsessive when it comes to reading and writing, and they aren’t wrong. She can rarely be found without her trusty Kindle, a paperback book, or her laptop somewhere close at hand. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Siobhan forged a successful corporate career in human resource management. She resides in the Garden County of Ireland with her husband and two sons.

Connect with Siobhan:

Subscribe to romance newsletter: http://smarturl.it/KennedyBoysList Amazon Author Page: http://smarturl.it/SiobhanDavisAmazon Author website: http://smarturl.it/SiobhanDavisWebsite Goodreads profile: http://smarturl.it/SiobhanGoodreads Facebook page: http://smarturl.it/SiobhanDavisFacebook Twitter profile: http://smarturl.it/SiobhanDavisTwitter Author Blog: http://smarturl.it/SiobhanDavisBlog BookBub Author Page: http://smarturl.it/SiobhanDavisBookbub

Guest post with Peter Bartram

WHEN MURDER IS A LAUGHING MATTER

Peter Bartram, author of the Crampton of the Chronicle comic crime mysteries, tells how he tackled the task of making merry of murder…

I imagine there’s nothing amusing about being shot with a revolver at close range. Or being stabbed with a knife in a back alley. Or being beaten to death by a blunt instrument. So how is it that when we read about murder in fiction, it can sometimes be funny?

It's a question I puzzled over quite a bit when I started to write my Crampton of the Chronicle series of humorous crime mysteries. I’ve not been alone. It turns out writers have been puzzling over the same problem for at least two thousand five hundred years. I found a story in ancient Greek literature about a guy called Euphiletos who kills his wife because she’s been having an affair with a rascal called Eratosthenes. When he’s hauled up before the judges, Euphiletos gets off by raising some laughs and painting himself as a comically deluded cuckold.

Fast-forward about one thousand five hundred years, and Will Shakespeare is penning one of his darkest scenes, the murder of Duncan in Macbeth. The groundlings are going to need a bit of light relief after this, the Bard thinks. So he writes one of his funniest scenes, in which a drunken porter rambles about the dangers of having sex when you’re drunk.

Well, there’s nothing like standing on the shoulders of giants when you’re trying to learn something new. So examples such as these provided some useful pointers when I started to write the Crampton mysteries. The question I had to answer was how to make murder mysteries fun in the modern world.

I read lots of other writers’ comic crime and it seemed to me that the key to making murder a laughing matter lie in creating a central character that readers would identify with. I realised I needed a protagonist who could solve mysteries - and win smiles. But my hero couldn’t be a mere clown. He had to have the brains to solve mysteries which baffled the police. He needed the wit to talk himself out of dangerous situations.

I was also struck by the fact that quite a high percentage of humorous crime mysteries are narrated in the first person by the central character. That’s important because the first person gives the author the opportunity to let the protagonist tell his own story in his own words – or in the case of a Janet Evanovich’s brilliant creation Stephanie Plum, her own words.

The voice of the protagonist is the key to humorous crime fiction. It is the voice of the hero - essentially his inner perception of the events taking place around him - which either lightens or darkens the tone. The voice needs to be his unique way of seeing the world. And that voice may set a whole range of tones - cynical, sardonic, flippant, sarcastic, resigned, angry, and many others. Someone said that comic characters see the world through the wrong end of the telescope. It’s their different view - so unexpected we’ve not considered it before - which creates the humour. Colin Crampton, my protagonist is a crime reporter on a Brighton evening newspaper. The late British journalist Nicholas Tomalin said the three qualities needed by a successful reporter were “a plausible manner, a little literary ability and rat-like cunning”. I guess that about sums up Crampton.

Crampton’s humour comes from a flaw in his character. He battles against odds to fight for justice - but he’s a master at pulling outrageous newspaper scams to get his stories. He reaches high, but acts low. He’s a knight in armour with a rusty sword.

Comic crime fiction, in one sense, is a sub-category of the traditional cozy mystery. It's important to ensure the reader never gets close enough to be splattered with the blood or smell the rotting corpse. In the Crampton series, Colin's investigations become something of a romp which he tackles with a cast of colourful characters - aided and abetted by his feisty on-off girlfriend, Shirley Goldsmith.

Since I started writing these books – there are 10 of them now - I've been very encouraged by messages from readers who've enjoyed a lighter mystery than gritty and gruesome "Nordic noir". But I've also learnt one important lesson about humorous crime fiction. No matter what difficulties Colin Crampton encounters, he must always have the last laugh.

* The latest Crampton of the Chronicle adventure is The Mother’s Day Mystery – http://getbook.at/tmdm.

About Peter Bartram:
Peter Bartram brings years of experience as a journalist to his Crampton of the Chronicle crime series – which features crime reporter Colin Crampton in 1960s Brighton, England. Peter has done most things in journalism from door-stepping for quotes to writing serious editorials. He’s pursued stories in locations as diverse as 700 feet down a coal mine and Buckingham Palace. Before turning to crime, Peter wrote 21 non-fiction books in areas including biography and current affairs. Peter is a member of the Society of Authors and the Crime Writers’ Association. His website is at www.colincrampton.com

Review: Cash by Cassia Leo

Title: Cash
Author: Cassia Leo
Series: Power Players
Publisher: November 19, 2018
Publication date: 
Stars: 3.5

Summary: Kara needs fast cash to pay her ailing father’s gambling debts. Dealing blackjack at the Billionaire Club is her lucky break. Until a scorching hot one-night-stand with bad boy billionaire Cash Westbrook turns into a million-dollar bet. Cash agrees to pay her father’s debts…if Kara pretends to be his fiancée.

Kara agrees to Cash’s terms, but she doesn’t expect to find herself falling for him. And when it comes to love, all bets are off.

Review: This was a very interesting book. I was able to read it very quickly.    I really struggled on what to rate the book for a few reasons. I felt like maybe it could have had more to it. They talked about "getting to know each other" but then we never really get to know them. Some parts of the story pop up out of no where then go and disappear and pretend they never existed. I liked Cash, he turned into a real likeable character. I like Kara, she's very determined. Willing to do whatever she needs to for her families sake. She throws everything on the line sometimes because of determination and sometimes because of just pure frustration. But man that lady has heart. As much as someone may not want to like Kara's father you kind of just can't. I liked the way it ended. The book may haven't gotten a few smiles out of me. For my first Cassia Leo book, I may have to check out another one in the near future.