At First Blush :: Review

Today I’m working along with the awesomeness of Once Upon An Alpha, in a Blog Tour for Jeanie Grey.

If you are familiar with Jeanie Grey’s work, you know it involves the paranormal…… vampires come to mind. If you know me at all, you know I gobbled up those vampire novellas.

If you know Jeanie Grey, you know she writes erotica (she’s one of the few erotica authors I read 😀 ).
Ms. Grey has outdone herself with “At First Blush”

I couldn’t put this novella down. Seriously, my kids made me lunch because I couldn’t move. I barely ate my sandwich because I was so far into being a fly on Nick’s wall.

Let me tell you a little about this story that absorbed me and spit me out feeling all tingly inside.
Serran Winters is a high school English teacher, but she does some moonlighting. In her free time she’s bestselling author Jane Garfield. While promoting her newest contempary romance she’s sent to her home town, where fate will have her meet her childhood crush Nick Enfield.

It sounds like it could be a good thing, see her old crush. Maybe chat with him a bit, find out what his feelings of her were. Under her alter ego she could have some fun, and that’s what she plans on doing when he asks her to dinner.

That isn’t how it works out though. As Jane and Nick have dinner at his house, a dinner he made, she starts falling for him again. She realizes this and wants to leave as soon as dinner is over, but Fate has a different idea. A hurricane is coming which forces Jane to stay at Nick’s house for a few days. As the novella goes on he’s falling for her too. It’s all sweet and hot. They talk about their pasts, and we the flies on the wall, start realizing there’s something more than a crush Serran felt for Nick, and find out Nick crushed on Serran too. Not only did he crush on her, he felt the same “thing” that Serran felt.
Before “At First Blush” starts getting too lovey dovey, shit hits the wall and big time! Nick finds out Jane is really Serran and feels betrayed. They have a big fight and it looks like “my” happy couple is about to end. Serran goes back to her hotel and prepares to fly out to her next tour stop. This “thing” (a supernatural connection they share, sometimes called Soulmate) that both Nick and Serran felt as teenagers isn’t going to let them both out of its grip that easily.

The novella ends on a happy.ish note. They’ve decided a long distance relationship is the best option for them.
I really enjoyed this novella, and recommend any romance/erotica lovers to get a copy.

“There was no such thing as a soulmate. As for the intense connection…well, it must have been her imagination. There was no man who would instinctively understand her, no man who could read her mind. No man who could turn her on with just a look or a word, no man whose touch would override her reason and turn her into the embodiment of passion. And the sooner she let go of that fantasy completely, the sooner she could approach romantic relationships with a clear head and appreciate what she had instead of pining over everything she imagined she was missing.”

SERRAN WINTERS is determined to let the fantasy of Nick Enfield go. So why does she find herself asking him to dinner while on tour with her latest romance novel? Perhaps it’s because she feels safe in disguise as her pseudonym, Jane Garfield. Besides, it’s only a couple of hours…until a hurricane leaves her stranded at his house for three days.

Despite NICK ENFIELD’s deep hurt and growing bitterness since his divorce, something about the romance author entrances him from the first moment he sees her. But when he discovers she’s married, he’s determined to resist the intense attraction between them in spite of her mixed signals. If only his body’s reaction to her weren’t making it so hard to keep her marital status in mind.

At First Blush is a story about fantasy versus reality in love and romance, the nature of attraction and connection, and the reasons we choose to fight or follow our impulses.

Nick stepped into the bookstore, slightly dazed, and blinked under the lights. The clouds had come in heavy already, dimming the sky to a twilight despite the fact that it was only four-thirty in the afternoon on an August Monday, and the bookstore was comparatively bright. It was also, he noticed, unusually busy. A line of maybe forty people snaked around and between shelves, ending at a sturdy oak table covered in stacks of paperback books. A sign was propped upright on the table, and he could just make out the words, Author signing TODAY! Odd then that there was no one behind the table. Maybe the author was late.
He glanced next at the register and saw a second line almost as long as the first.
Forget it. Between the crush of bodies and the long line for the register, it would take him ages to find a book and get out of here. He didn’t even really want to read tonight anyway. He’d much rather have a few beers and put on an action flick that would drown out the sounds of the storm.
He was about to turn around and walk back out the door when something—a shift in the air current or movement in the corner of his eye—caused him to look toward the back corner of the bookstore just in time to see the bathroom door open and a woman come out. As soon as he saw her, his heart kicked, his chest constricted, his breath hitched, and his pants got a little tighter in the crotch. Time slowed.
She had full, rosy lips, a round face, and a severe black bob that must’ve been dyed because her eyebrows were several shades lighter. The color of her hair threw into further contrast the paleness of her skin; here was a woman who probably couldn’t tan if she tried. She was full-figured, with wide hips, a round ass, and long legs. She wore a cream-colored skirt down to her knees, red heels, and a white button-up shirt with a high collar that opened in a narrow but deep V and showed a hint of ample cleavage. There was something unconsciously sensual in her movements as she strode across the store, shoulders back and chin level, making eye contact with everyone in her path and smiling as if she owned the place. He didn’t think he’d ever met a woman like her, and yet there was something vaguely familiar about her.
Unconsciously, Nick moved forward three steps. When she passed right in front of him, she was looking in the other direction. Nonetheless, he could make out the color of her almond-shaped eyes: a cornflower blue that reminded him of a summer sky in a painting of the Dutch countryside.
And then she was past him, leaving in her wake a faint aroma of vanilla and spice. He inhaled deeply, the tightness in his chest telling him he must’ve been holding his breath. His eyes followed her, and he was entranced by her sashaying hips as she threaded her way through the crowd. When she reached the book signing table, she sat down behind it.

SMASHWORDS I iBOOKS US I iBOOKS UK I KOBO I NOOK

AMAZON US I AMAZON UK I AMAZON CA I AMAZON AU

Jeanie Grey writes sophisticated, steamy, unconventional romance and erotica for readers who like to think. A person of relatively simple pleasures, her list of favorite things in life includes dark chocolate, foreign films, Lady Grey tea, men wearing sweaters, and curling up in bed all day with a delicious romance novel. Jeanie is the author of the Lilly Frank trilogy and Crouch and Other Short Stories. She lives in Portland, Oregon.

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The Blood Talisman

 

The Blood Talisman by Kim Culpepper

 

Book Name: The Blood Talisman

Book Genre: Urban Fantasy

Book release date: 05/21/2014

The Blood Talisman on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22490952-the-blood-talisman

The Blood Talisman on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Blood-Talisman-Kim-Culpepper-ebook/dp/B00PEXI36G

I love this cover….

The Blood Talisman book blurb:

Alex Jacobs gets bitten by a werewolf, and that’s only the beginning of his problems. When his wife is kidnapped and turned into someone he doesn’t recognize anymore, he not only struggles with letting her go but, also with saving her life.

Selene is a powerful witch that not only teaches Alex the ways of the wolf but, also teaches him about restraint and purpose. Her shy innocence quickly attracts him to her and he struggles with being torn between two women. Their feelings for each other are constantly put to the test as a battle for the blood talisman, the key to immortality, is fought for power to some and a way to live forever for others. It is quickly learned that immortality comes at a price to all of humanity.
Doesn’t this sound awesome!!! I’m so going to read this. Stay tuned for a review. I’ve got some little pieces to entice you with too.

Romantic:
She sat on the grass, moving her hands up and down along it, as if she were calming it. The wind began to blow softly at first and then harder from within the forest. Selene’s long hair whipped Alex’s face behind her. He started to worry from not understanding what was happening. Suddenly the wind stopped and she stood and whistled. The whistle carried throughout the forest in the opposite direction of the wind. There was a moment of silence and then the sounds of tiny footsteps filled the forest. Alex took hold of Selene’s arm once again in a protective manner, and pulled her closer to him. He watched the forest and she watched him.

Scary:
Ember grabbed Alex by the neck, lifting him off his feet. The bones within him started to break and his blood scorched angrily through him. She threw him down just as he finished changing into the wolf. He could smell the blood from the man lying on the floor, hear his heart slowly beating. He was very near death. Ember stood back and watched in enjoyment as he devoured the attendant.

Sad:
Selene fell to the floor, laying her book bag into her lap and crying for Alex’s absence. She had come so far with him to have it end like this. She felt lost and confused without him. She no longer had focus and restraint. What hurt her the worst was that he hadn’t told her that he loved her. He had only done that once, before they hunted for the blood talisman. She sat there in shock and in emotional pieces, without words.

Villainous:
“I will rip your throat out, wolf. Then I’ll bed your wife and have your mistress killed. Don’t tempt me,” Ram snarled at him as he released his grip and Alex fell to the floor.

Sexy/Romantic:
His breath began to increase with every inch closer to her face. Her eyes were like glass as they glared into his very soul.

OMG! I’m so going to read this.

About Kim:

Kim Culpepper is a horror lover! She is the author of The Blood Talisman, several short stories, and also runs Dark Child Create, a company the designs custom book covers. Her work has been published in Sanitarium Magazine, The Opening Line Literary Zine, and more.

Kim is a native of Colombus, Mississippi where she lives with her wonderful husband, two beautiful kids, and two mischievous cats.  Most of her writing is based in the south because she enjoys writing characters with accents and the South has plenty of people to inspire that.

 

Kim on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kculpepper1

Kim’s Blog: http://www.kjculpepper.net/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kim.culpepper.3

Kim on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7957042.Kim_Culpepper

 

Giveaway

Enter to win a copy of The Blood Talisman! We will be giving one e-copy away for the blog tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Join the book buzz using hashtag #BloodTalisman

When You Grow Old

Sadly Juliette, will be heading out tonight. Teenage vampires shouldn’t be left alone for a few weeks at a time, they can get themselves into trouble. Thank you Juliette for coming by and telling us stories.

When You Grow Old

By Juliette Kings aka Vampire Maman (vampiremaman.com)

“Who will take care of you when you get old?” I asked my brother’s caretaker Josh.

My brother Bob is 90 years old. A former screenwriter and movie producer, he lives in a modern glass and polished wood mansion on the Central Coast of California.

I’d been at Bob’s for six months.

“Your grandmother would have been 101 this year,” Bob told me. I was going to turn 101 this year, at the end of October. What Bob doesn’t know is that I am his sister Valentina. He doesn’t know I’m a vampire either. He thinks I’m a great niece who is the spitting image of his older sister who passed away in 1935.
I walked the beach in the evenings with Bob. He leaned my arm and told me about the cycles of the tide and the migration of the whales.

Arriving home we found that my brother’s caretaker Bob had fixed dinner. A beautiful salad and fresh rockfish. Josh, a tall skinny but muscular blonde in his 30′s had been with Bob for about 3 years. He divided his time between helping Bob and two other elderly folks near by, and when he wasn’t with his old folks he was surfing.

I asked Josh why he worked with old people. “They’re exceptional creatures,” he told me, “with the knowledge of lost times. They have wisdom and humor that needs to be honored. You can’t always get that out of old people, but if you work them just so and LISTEN they’ll give you the secrets of the universe. And the weird thing is, no not weird, I the magic of it, is that they don’t even know they have that knowledge.”

The next morning we had a visitor. It was Stephen, one of my brother’s neighbors. “You’ve been good to your brother,” he whispered in my ear. He was also a Vampire, something I’d known for a while, but never talked to him about. Our paths crossed but this was the first time we had made a social call since I’d been there.

It seems Stephen and Bob have been friends for the past 10 years, since Stephen purchased the run down house next door and restored it to the former glory of its past. Until today, he only visited Bob when I was out. They spend the evenings talking, watching movies and playing cards with Josh. There was a bond of friendship that was so real and close, the kind that never ends, even with age and differences of opinion.

A few nights later Stephen and I walked the beach.

“How long have you been a Vampire?” I asked him. It was a common question Vampires ask each other.
“Since the summer of 1802. Funny it seems like yesterday.”

“So how’s it working out for you? I mean, the Vampire thing and all?” I had to ask.

“Good. It’s all good. You know it isn’t for everyone.”

“I wonder about Bob.” I had wondered about my brother and if I made him into a Vampire if I’d restore his youth and keep him in my life.

“Bob is happy where he is.”

“I think you’re right.”

We walked more and listened to the waves. Then he kissed me under the stars. That was a surprise. A nice surprise.

The next morning after Josh had helped Bob with his shower and getting dressed I visited with him over coffee. Josh was such a caring free spirit, loving his work with the elderly and his relationship with the waves.

“Who will take care of you when you get old?” I asked Josh.

He smiled. “I’ll ride out on the surf and become one with the sea.”

“Who will listen to your words of wisdom?”

“You and Stephen can pass it on. You’ll still be here. You’ll always be here. So will Bob, not in body but his spirit is strong. He’ll be around as long as the stars over the surf.” Then he winked at me. “Valentina, I know all about you. Your kind is all over the coast down here. I grew up with Vampires. It’s cool.”

And so it was.

“The Light=Bearer Series” Characters

Thanks to Emily Guido, for another amazing guest post on her book series…. “The Light-Bearer Series”

I wanted to give you a little insight about the characters in “The Light-Bearer Series”
Get to know the gang at The Castle Charmeine…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tabbruis
(Tab-bree-us)
Drop Dead Gorgeous and Grecian living statue come to life is Tabbruis!

Tabbruis is the man of my dreams! He has deep, hypnotic green, emerald eyes that can make a girl melt. Kind and honest to a fault, he is The King of the Blood-Hunters!
With a little hint of a Middle-East accent, Tabbruis has a lovely bass voice. However, he can speak almost any language even with the proper dialect.
He was a loner for thousands of years. Very wealthy and rich beyond anyone has a clue at, he usually doesn’t splurge on himself.
Tabbruis makes Charmeine heat up with just a look! Heck, I would too! He is brave and bold, but shy too. Ah, the sweetness… He is a perfect gentleman, but somehow, he makes big mistakes.
He relishes having his Charmeine in his arms! Now, he loves to spoil Charmeine rotten with any luxury he can think of.

Tabbruis loves Charmeine and his family, but he’s a little soft for his muscle car… 2013 Dodge Charger SRT8, AWD with a Hemi Engine with 465 horses.
Tabbruis has a built in radar detector with his Blood-Hunter senses and can race through New York City without getting a ticket!

However, Tabbruis also loves his horses, Tristan and Isolde too. Charmeine has fell in love with them as well! Of course Tristan is the black horse that Tabbruis rides and Isolde is the white horse that Charmeine has.
Tristan is always itching to race, but Isolde won’t let him have the upper hand, so to speak! Tabbruis and Charmeine have a blast racing the beautiful animals across the countryside.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dmitri

One of my favorite to die for characters!
OMG!! Dmitri is just “Hotness on a stick!”
He is exact, bold and unbelievably sexy! Dmitri is the one of the oldest of the Blood-Hunters in the world.
He is wise and helps Tabbruis and Charmeine with his knowledge. He was named as the trusted ‘Advisor’ to Charmeine. He runs or is the Administrator of the “Castle Charmeine.”
On the other hand, Dmitri can come out with the funniest comments! He is known for his signature and snarky… ‘Oh my’ His story really picks up with steamy scenes in the following novels!

Hera
Hera is Dmitri’s beloved and gorgeous Grecian wife who comes back into his life and they mix it up!
Rrrrrrarrrr!
But Dmitri is also a family man who is devoted to his children, Percival and the darling Athena!

Percival

(Dmitri and Hera’s Son)
Athena
(Dmitri and Hera’s Daughter)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carly
The lovely and strikingly beautiful young woman is a new addition to the members of Castle Charmeine.
Her powers with ESP and Telekinesis have qualified her to be a the resident Sorceress of the Castle Charmeine.
When she meets Percival, sparks fly…literally!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thomas
I love Thomas and his innocence, but truly, he is an Adonis. Golden Brown hair and wonderful sky blue eyes… ahh….
His mission is avenging the death of his precious Laura who was killed; get this…by his own Father, the evil Pascal, the Head of the Elder Council!
He is a very loving and faithful man. He tries so hard to make up for the terrible Blood-Hunter father he had, Pascal, who is terrorizing and threatening the inhabitants of the “Castle Charmeine.”
Thomas is a very conservative and faithful Blood-Hunter and used to serve as a Deacon in the Catholic Church.
Nevertheless, Thomas has a deep secret he carries and when it is revealed… it will leave you reeling.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Laura
Laura is the smart, sassy and extremely intelligent Doctor of Castle Charmeine. She is an extremely good physician but her bedside manner is not to be found when she is in an emergency!
Laura has been on the Earth for thousands of years as a Light-Bearer. She has been taking care of people for as long as she has been on Earth. Sometimes with a snarky comment, her humor is always on the mark.
However, Laura has a dark and frightening past, and Thomas is her savior.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Neal (aka Nemamiah)

Neal (aka Nemamiah) is the wonderful HUGE Protector of the “Castle Charmeine!” Neal is from Africa and has a thick accent with a booming deep bass voice.
He is at least 7 foot tall and is just a cuddly teddy bear of the family but he can also rip your arm off yawning! STRONG MAN!
His bald head and intimidating stature makes him a perfect military man.
He is incredibly gorgeous, but ladies… sorry, Neal has a love and his name is Hameal! Murdered by the evil Elder Council, Hameal was Neal’s heart. So Neal is out to avenge his gorgeous lover’s death!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hameal
OMG! What a hunk!
Hameal is from Egypt, and before he met his lover, Neal, he was a builder of the Pharaohs.
Now, he is a builder, architect and designer of the Castle Charmeine.
In addition, he is a wonderful friend to Charmeine, as they always have their heads together chatting about something… usually gossip.
Ladies, this is the man to have on your side when good times are to be had!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shane

Shane is just too yummy for words!
He is always cracking jokes and provides much comic relief but he is also built like a Viking Warrior!
He has long red hair, crystal clear blue eyes and built like a brick house! Shane has all the characteristics of his mother, Charmeine, a Light-Bearer and his father, Tabbruis, a Blood-Hunter.
He is strong in wisdom and is fiercely in love with his soul mate Sandra Gomez.
They are such a wonderful and dynamic couple!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sandra

Shane’s fiancee and spunky spitfire!
Sandra Gomez is 100 pounds of dynamite! She can do almost anything and is afraid of nothing.
She grew up in the Bronx barely surviving and went into the Army where she was recruited into Special Ops. That is where she met her soul mate Shane. They fell instantly in love and care for each other deeply.
She is a Light-Bearer and a Flame-Bearer also.
Also, she has a ‘killing’ sense of humor all wrapped up in one hell of a Feisty woman.
The Men at the Castle Charmeine are truly amazed by this smart, beautiful and deadly adversary!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Last but not least, CHARMEINE!
(aka Charleen, mild-mannered grade school teacher)
When Charmeine meets Tabbruis, it is like two stars colliding. The scene is electric with desire, attraction and heat!
She is light, love, honesty, beauty and courage wrapped into one package. Also, she is hot-tempered, jealous and blows up at times.
Loving and accepting of all the family at the Castle Charmeine. She draws them to her. She is also fiercely protective of Tabbruis and her family.
When Charmeine realizes her role as the Queen of the Light-Bearers, she takes the responsibility of saving humankind from all of Lucifer’s minions on Earth!
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Where to find/follow Emily:

Emily Guido.com
Goodreads
@Emily_Guido
Facebook
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Give Me Reason :: Book Review

OMG!!

I really mean OMG, one of my most fav indie authors has taken a break form her Romance/Erotica genre and jumped into Paranormal.

Now you all know I’d be all over that right!

So without me going on and on about how much I love Zoey Derrick’s “Give Me Reason” I’ll just tell you about it… in a book review.

 

Vivienne Callahan is no stranger to a hard life. Her mother was a drug addition while Viv was young. She had to learn how to take care of herself from a very early age, she also learned how strong she was physically (to survive the physical beatings her mothers boyfriends or lovers would inflict on her) and emotionally (to watch her mother slip away from sainity from the drug use, and everything else I just said). She has survived her boyfriend beating her almost to death. This is a strong determined woman! One I fell in love with right away.

A few moths after being released from the hospital (boyfriend tried to kill her) is when we meet her.
She’s at work at a diner. Of course it would be in a bad part of town and at night, the graveyard shift. The pay is crap, her apartment is crap, she barely can afford to eat.

Mikah Blake is rich powerful and handsome, and he’s physically drawn to the diner Viv works at my a strange pain in his back. He takes to Viv but she’s stubborn and won’t accept his help. As time goes by she begins to accept his help a little but not much. She can’t understand what he’d want with her. He’s perfect in every way, or so she believes until she does some research on him and. Finds he’s lost all of his family to death or illness. Now enter a fight, and Viv throws him out of her hospital room, yeah she’s in the hospital agian, for dehydration this time. He leaves! Surprising Viv, no one has ever listened to her commands before.

As time goes by she keeps thinking about Mikah, how he listens to most of what she requests, and begins to wish he’d come back so she could apologize. This is what she’s thinking about One night after coming home from work Viv’s ex is back, to finish the faulty job he left undone, he beats her and leaves her in her apartment for dead. Mikah finds her and rushes her to the hospital where we are left on a cliffhanger.

A cliffhanger, really. I about blew my lid…
I’ve been stalking Zoey on Facebook, and found some wonderful news though, Give Me Hope (part 2 of the Give Me series) is scheduled to be released in November.
I can wait until November, so can you…

Go read this book!!

Seriously, you all know paranormal is up my alley, and I love it. But Give Me Reason is so wonderful, I’m sending Viv and Mikah an invitation for Coffee we’ll gossip, and if you guys are lucky you might get to know some of the inside scoop.

What do you think Mikah, Viv? Can we have some coffee, some gossip, get some inside scoop? I’ll bring the coffee, homemade pumpkin chocolate chip bread… Whatever you like
PLLLLLLEEEEEAAAAASSSSSSEEEE

And if that wasn’t enough to get you all as excited as I am. I have an author interview with
Ms. Zoey Derrick herself! Come back tomorrow to read all about her.

Blurb/Synopsis:

Vivienne Callahan has known only hardship. As if growing up with an alcoholic, drug addicted mother wasn’t traumatic enough, she’s escaped from her physically and verbally abusive boyfriend only to struggle every day to make ends meet as a waitress in a Minneapolis diner.

Along comes Mikah Blake, a handsome stranger who quickly takes an unexpected and persistent interest in her. On the surface, “Mr. Suit” seems to be Vivienne’s opposite: rich, well-fed, successful. As Vivienne will learn, Mikah is more than he seems, and for reasons unknown, he’s determined to be her knight in shining armor. But after having finally found her own two feet after years of abuse,  it’s difficult for her to accept Mikah’s help.

Will her body’s unexpected response to Mikah’s touch be reason enough to overcome her pride and traumatic past and learn to love and trust? Or will her past, refusing to be left behind, come back to claim her?

 

Author Info

It is from Glendale, Arizona that Zoey Derrick, a mortgage underwriter by day and romance and erotica novelist by night, writes stories as hot as the desert sun itself. It is this passion that drips off of her work, bringing excitement to anyone who enjoys a good and sensual love story.

Not only does she aim to take her readers on an erotic dance that lasts the night, it allows her to empty her mind of stories we all wish were true.

Her stories are hopeful yet true to life, skillfully avoiding melodrama and the unrealistic, bringing her gripping Erotica only closer to the heart of those that dare dipping into it.

The intimacy of her fantasies that she shares with her readers is thrilling and encouraging, climactic yet full of suspense. She is a loving mistress, up for anything, of which any reader is doomed to return to again and again.

Want an excerpt??? You do You know you do…

 

Excerpt

He’s looking down at me, making me feel small at five feet two inches. He has to be at least six feet tall. Broad shoulders. His suit today is gunmetal grey with blue or black pin striping—I can’t tell which. His shirt is a beautiful lavender color with a darker purple tie.

“How do you know I’m not an addict?” I ask, softly.

He smiles at me, warm, genuine. “Because, you’ve come to return the money I left you last night as a tip.” My jaw falls open.

“How”—I swallow hard—”did you know?”

His smile fades a little. “Because, why else would you come down here?”

I close my mouth and look down at the floor. His ability to read me is really scary.

“Since you haven’t eaten since last night, I’m going to take you to lunch.”

I feel my face flush bright red, both in anger and complete irritation. “That is not why I’m here. I’ve survived for my entire life fending for myself, I don’t need some rich hot shot business mogul buying me food.” I reach into the pocket of my bag and pull the folded up paper from it. I thrust it towards him. He refuses to take it. Tears of frustration trickle down my cheeks. “Damn it Mikah, take it.” I push it at him again and again he refuses. “I’m not a damn charity case. I don’t need your money or your food.”

The bell chimes. We’ve finally reached the skyway. As soon as the doors open, I drop the folded up paper with his money in it and bolt from the elevator, turning left, hoping and praying I can get away.

“Vivienne, stop.” I hear him say behind me. I keep going, walking quickly but not running. Yet. I’m trying hard to not make a scene.

But he doesn’t seem to care about that. He catches me quickly, spins me around. I grab hold of his arm to catch my balance so I don’t go sprawling onto the floor.

 

Find Ms. Derrick Here

Amazon Author Page

Facebook Author Page

Facebook Personal Page

Goodreads

Twitter

Website

 

Ghosts of Rue Dumaine :: Book Review

Ghosts of Rue Dumaine was just released on September 1, 2013 and what a better book review to do on Friday the 13th than one about ghosts…

Ghosts of Rue Dumaine by Alexandrea Weis

**Excerpt**
Ready to get her life back on track after ending a painful marriage, Danica Giles returns to the Creole cottage where she grew up in the New Orleans French Quarter. Danica is anxious to rekindle her friendship with a former resident from her old neighborhood, the seductive Gaston Deslonde. But Gaston isn’t exactly a normal guy. The charming man has been dead for over a hundred and fifty years, and the childish crush Danica once had on her ghostly playmate quickly turns into something much deeper. When a handsome new man enters Danica’s life, Gaston vows to do whatever he can to hold on to her. Danica soon discovers that the most forbidden of all desires cannot be satisfied without paying a grave price. Love can blur the lines between life and death when you are living among the ghosts of Rue Dumaine.

**Book Reivew**

Danica Giles returns to New Orleans from Seattle Washington after ending a bad marriage. She’s happy to rent a haunted house, much to the amazement of her Realtor. Danica lived in this same house as a little girl, her mother passed away in this home before her father moved them out. Now years later she’s come back. Why, why come back to the same house you lived in as a little girl, she has a secret.

After ending a bad marriage in Seattle, and caring for her dying father in Florida. Danica Giles returns to her childhood home in New Orleans. Not only is she returning to her old home, she’s returning to her old friend. The friend she promised she’d come back to when she was a teenager, Gaston Deslonde. 

Her new neighbors the Moutons greet her, Burt is curt with his wife Claire and very friendly with Danica. The way Claire moves around Burt brings memories of Danica’s bad marriage. Danica doesn’t like either the Moutons, but Claire rubs her nerves.  

As time goes on she feels more for Gaston, but there love can’t ever be proclaimed…. Read to find out why. Claire invites Danica to dinner and she meets Paul, Claire’s son. Danica starts to have feelings for Paul.

What will she do, she’s fallen in love with two men. To make matters worse, Claire plays in dark magic and causes her husband to die. Then kills herself, but she returns as a ghost, tormenting Danica. Who now knows she loves Paul and wants to spend her life with him?

She has to perform a magical ritual in order to get Claire to leave, Gaston helps. After the ritual Danica is now, free to love and live with Paul.

I loved this book. I’m becoming bias about all of Alexandrea Weis’ work. She skillfully weaves paranormal and romance into real New Orleans. 

You can find Alexandrea Weis
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The Satyr’s Curse Book Review

The Satyr’s Curse
By Alexandrea Weis

Jazzmyn Livaudai, a young woman who’s daily life is dedicated to her restaurant and mansion in New Orleans. Both being her father’s pride and joy, she won’t give either up in hopes of keeping him close to her after his death.
Her chef and friend Kyle is in love with her, but she refuses him repeatedly, saying she doesn’t have time for a romantic relationship.

Until, Julian Devereau –a wealthy, handsome man who has a dark secret- walks into her restaurant one night. He’s attractive and witty, and he won’t take no for an answer. Taking Kyle’s advice –advice he’d hoped worked in his favor not against it- Jazzmyn begins seeing Julian more often.

She’s been busy trying to keep the restaurant running correctly that she hasn’t read any of the newspaper headlines about the deaths of young woman. Kyle doesn’t want her seeing Julian anymore or being alone.

After weeks of seeing Julian, Jazzmyn begins to think something might be wrong and does some research, other women have died in the past hundred years in the same way. She confronts Julian and learns of his horrible secret.

He’s the cause of the deaths and he’ll keep killing if she refuses to marry him. As she’s the only one who can fill his needs. Another problem with this situation, as if Julian killing women isn’t enough is Jazzmyn realizes she loves someone else.

I was very shocked by the end. I really love that it had magic in it. You all know me by now, Vampires and Magic, oh and an occasional Werewolf are my weak spots. This novel had magic…

For a little while, the magic was just funny, like Ms. Helen covering the Sues chef in flour so his cooking skills would be better. But the end had a priestess doing a ritual for Julian and Jazzmyn in a cemetery! Wow! I loved it.

I was able to read The Satyr’s Curse in one day, its 261 pages. There is a sex scene, but there aren’t any bad words used.

You can find Alexandrea Weis

Author Amazon
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AlexandreaWeis.com
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Awakening 2 :: Book Review

Awakening 2
A Lilly Frank Series
By Jeanie Grey

More than ten years ago, Torren first saw Lilly. He’s hoped all that time she’d one day be his companion and mate.

Since Lilly woke up after her change, life has been difficult. She’s attacked everything that comes near her. Breaking furniture, her arm, and her eardrums. The only thing that seems to help is rocking back and forth in the middle of the cold castle room.

Clothing is too much for her skin the soft glow of a fire too much for her eyes. Torren guilt tips himself for doing this to her, for not waiting until he’d talked to someone who remembered what it was like. Although Lilly wanted to be changed, he could have done it under better circumstances. Not because she was afraid.

He calls his friend Beth. Beth helps Torren to understand what Lilly’s going through and gives him some suggestions. She also tells him that a vampire has gone missing. They begin to understand Lilly’s gift is hearing.

Carrie, Beth’s friend helps Lilly with her heightened since of tough with Carrie’s help and some time, Lilly is able to resume her Martial Arts training and teaches Torren. When he tells her, how impressed he is with her, she says it’s because she knows it won’t hurt for long and it won’t cause lasting damage.

There’s hot scenes where Torren being an old-fashioned gentleman vampire that he is doesn’t just want Lilly’s body but want her heart and love too. He won’t give in and give himself to her until he knows she’s given herself to him.

Lilly bets to go into town to see Beth and Carrie. On their way, Torren confesses he’s love once long ago, Vittoria. He remembers he lost her long ago and the pain he’s endured from that loss.

Two new vampires are in Italy and their staying with Beth and Carrie. They find another vampire in an alley beating up a human. Jamie.

At Beth’s house they find out the missing vampire was found mutilated and dead. Not only has this vampire been found decapitated but also another was found killed in the same manner close to 43 miles away.

Torren thinks vampires with the gift of touch are the killers hoped victims. Carries give is tough. Beth points out Newborns are also sensitive to touch causing Lilly to fear.

Sam and Isobel the new vampires are staying with Beth and Carrie. Sam and Lilly click causing Torren to be jealous.

Why is Torren jealous, though, and why is only jealous of Sam and not Jamie who also comments Lilly a lot? To find out you have to read the book…

Find Jeanie at these places
@JeanieGrey / Blog / Facebook
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Awakening 2 Excerpt

In the odd moments when he slept, Torren was plagued by nightmares of finding Lilly gone. Or worse, dead. One nightmare was particularly vivid and stayed in his brain for days. In it, he was cradling her in his arms.

She’s open and bleeding. There’s blood everywhere. It’s all over him. So much blood. He doesn’t know how to stop it. He’s trying, but everywhere he touches opens a fresh wound and more blood comes pouring out of her body. She’s unconscious. She’s dying. He has to stop it.

He’s practically bathed in her blood now. It’s all over his hands, his clothes, his face. He can taste it on his lips.

This is when he realizes that the scent of her blood isn’t triggering his hunger.

This is when he realizes that he is human again.

And he knows, with the unfounded certainty one finds in dreams, that it is her blood that has changed him.

When he awoke, the first thing he’d do was check to make sure he could still hear her. If he had things his way, he’d never be more than a few steps away from her at all times. But since she couldn’t bear it, he made sure to be no more than two rooms away. At that distance he could still hear her heartbeat, and if he could still hear her, then she was still there. Still there and alive.

He didn’t know what he’d do if she were gone. The thought alone was enough to send him into a panic. After all these years of waiting, of watching. After all he’d done for her. After all he’d done to gain her trust, to bring her to this point. She couldn’t leave him. She just couldn’t.

But that trust is misplaced, isn’t it? Maybe you shouldn’t have deceived her, whispered a voice inside him.
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Awakening 2 Synopsis

The second book in The Lilly Frank series joins Torren and Lilly in northern Italy, where Torren tries to help Lilly adjust to her sensitive new vampire body and win her love before she discovers the real reason behind his interest in her.

A newly made vampire requires a certain amount of time to get used to her new body and heightened senses. But Torren’s worried that if Lilly doesn’t hurry up, she’ll be dead before she ever gets the chance to adjust to life as a vampire.

Word among vampires is that someone’s hunting their kind, and it’s not a quick death if you’re caught. This killer likes to torture the victims first, and all signs indicate that he or she is circling ever-closer to Torren and Lilly.

Torren needs Lilly to stop fighting him and start trusting him. Maybe he shouldn’t have deceived her…

You can find Jeanie Grey here:
@JeanieGrey / Blog / Facebook

Awakening 2 will be released on July 1, 2013. I’ll keep you all updated on the first.

Awakening :: Book Review

Awakening
A Lilly Frank Series
By Jeanie Grey

Lilly Frank is trying to get her life back to a normal state. Her mother was brutally killed two years ago; sending her into a deep depression. Her only friend Teresa forced her to survive. She’s in a relationship she doesn’t like because he’s predictable and he has no relationship with her father.

Hugh Frank is ambitious businessperson and Lilly’s father. Anyone he knows are pawn pieces to him, he trades them in order to advance his career. As Lilly already knows. She’s his most important pawn. He encourages Todd Croft a man Lilly despises to attempt a relationship with her even though she’s engaged to Ethan Grunier.

Torren Frisk an associate of Hugh Frank is handsome. He also has to have influence, money, or power if he’s Hugh’s acquaintance.
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Lilly chooses to stay away from her father’s associates. Given an option, she chooses the predictable and safe choice. Ever since her mother died two years ago. At a charity ball in memory of her mother. Lilly meets Torren. Todd trips her after she refuses him. Torren rescues her from the fall when she recovers she’s awestruck by the deepest blue eyes she’s ever seen. Torren is different he’s what she’s always wanted without knowing it. Hugh attempts to get Lilly to the opera with Torren. She finally agrees. At the opera Torren stays quiet not answering her questions openly or freely, confusing Lilly more

She decided to marry Ethan because he was unambitious and predictable that and he didn’t have a friendship with her father. When Ethan asks her to ask Hugh for a favor. She snaps Ethan wants to use her like Todd Croft and many others who like Hugh’s wealth and influence. She breaks off their engagement.

Lilly calls Torren to meet him for dinner at a burger place. They talk (mostly about Lilly’s life). Before making breakfast, there are a few very HOT pages. As Lilly makes breakfast, Torren enters the kitchen unexpectedly scaring Lilly who pushes a knife into his gut. Of course, she freaks out and he doesn’t after a few more minutes he’s fully healed. She kicks him out.

At a dinner party Torren requests to talk to her. Her mind has played many solutions and she needs an answer. She agrees only after seeing he gives a choice to his requests, not like the other people she’s used to, who demand. A few days later, they meet where he admits to being a vampire. She needs to know why Torren is friends with her father and decides to do some snooping.

She sneaks around Hugh’s house and begins to eavesdrop when she hears Torren’s voice in Hugh’s office. Torren and Hugh have made a deal and Lilly was the object of that deal. She’s been her father’s pawn again.

Later that night Torren goes to see Lilly. She confronts him about what she heard, and he admits it. He’s found her mother’s killer and takes her to meet him. The killer drops a bombshell though.

Totally unexpected ending. You’ll have to read it. It’s so good.

Find Jeanie at these places
@JeanieGrey / Blog / Facebook

Check Amazon for Awakening prices.

Finding Love’s Wings :: Book Review

Ms. Derrick released “Finding Love’s Wings” on Amazon a few weeks ago. I read the novel and wanted to share it with you.

Finding Love’s Wings is the perfect combination of touching romance and HOT erotica. The back-stories make you feel for Cami and Tristan. You really want and hope they fall in love because they fill each other’s weaknesses and encourage the other. It’s really a beautiful love story.

Cameron Enders is a beautiful, rich, and smart woman who doesn’t think she can ever feel love. Her parents were never around while she was growing up, they sent her to boarding schools abroad, and now at twenty-four they’ve both passed away. She’s had a string of bad relationships. The most recent ending after Cami finds him in bed with another woman. To make matters worse, her father has left her the CEO position of a very important company she’s not sure she wants to be a part of. She runs away to a secluded island in an attempt to think through her life.

Tristan Michaels is Hollywood’s hottest actor. His on and off screen love interest Layla Brooks wrings him through the gutter. Not only does she cheat on him with the whole crew of her last movie she begs him to fix all of her problems too, but Tristan’s had enough. After a Hollywood premier and a public fight with Layla, he disappears.

On the beautiful secluded island of Tarah, two broken hearts meet. Tristan has seen a woman various times in the past 24 hours. He knows it’s the same woman because of the unique tattoos on her back and shoulders. At the bar, he notices the beautiful woman refuse man after man a few stick around a few minutes longer but leave. He buys her a $450 drink. When she tries to thank him, she realizes he’s her crush Tristan Michaels.

They both can’t get the other out of their mind. Could they fall in love even with their pasts? Cami doesn’t think she can ever love. She doesn’t know what it feels like to love or be loved. Tristan doesn’t want to rush things and make Cami a rebound girl.

My favorite part is when Tristan finally explains his tattoo to Cami. My heart broke and my eyes filled with tears. Cami’s reasons behind her tattoos are heart wrenching too. I absolutely loved the ending. I’m not going to spoil it for you all though.

Personally, I was happy with the amount of Erotica in it, I’m not big on the erotica genre, and this was just right for me. The love story is amazing. . I loved this tangled romance; the characters pulled me into their story without any doubt that they were perfect for each other. When their pasts would get in the way, I would cheer them on. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book that I cheered the characters on.
I give Ms. Derrick 6 out of five stars. You can get your copy at Amazon
You can buy “Finding Love’s Winges” for $3.99 on Amazon.

@ZoeyDerrick / Facebook / ZoeyDerrick.com