Wednesday, August 30, 2017

At Your Service by Lexi Blake - Cover Reveal

New York Time bestselling author Lexi Blake brings us the cover for AT YOUR SERVICE, the next book in theMasters and Mercenaries: Topped series releasing on November 14th!

 

     

Amazon ~ iBooks ~ Google Play ~ Barnes&Noble

Smashwords and Kobo: Coming Soon!




Book Description:

Juliana O’Neil’s promising future was burned away in the heat of battle. She had been an officer with a bright future in the military, but now she is struggling to survive. Her husband gone and her career in shambles, she finds a job at Top as a hostess and tries to put together the pieces of her life. The last thing she needs is any kind of male attention, but she can’t help but be amused at her neighbor and coworker’s lothario antics. Not that she would have anything to do with him, at least not for more than one night. Javier Leones doesn’t understand monogamy. No woman could ever be enough for his endless libido, but he has to admit Juliana has his attention. For reasons he doesn’t fully understand, he can’t seem to get the gorgeous redhead with the sad eyes out of his head. After one scorching night together, he realizes he’ll never be able to get her out of his system. But with his reputation, he fears she’ll never see him as more than a one-night stand. When their passions collide, these new lovers will be forced to confront Juliana’s past and come to terms with Javier’s present. Will they find their way or will this reservation be canceled at the last minute?  

          


NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK ~ TWITTER ~ WEBSITE ~ AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Corps Security in Hope Town (Harper Sloan) by Various Authors - Release Announcement and Cover Reveal


  It's not secret that the Corps Security and Hope Town crew are close to my heart. Not only did they begin it all, but they've continued to steal my soul since book 1. 
Because of this, I couldn't be more excited that some of my favorite authors in the world have joined in to give them a new and exciting breath. With them and these new stories, we get to jump back in with some of our favorite cast and crew. 
You never really know what you'll get, but one things certain, you'll be within the world we all know and love while enjoying a little sexiness from their own worlds. 
It's got me so excited, I can't handle it!  
I hope you all enjoy this next step with the new Kindle Worlds branch; Corps Security in Hope Town COMING SEPTEMBER 26! 
 Love, Harper  

 
JB Salsbury – Fighting For Honor New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author JB Salsbury brings her Fighting series to Harper Sloan’s Hope Town in this Kindle Worlds exclusive, Fighting for Honor. 

 UFL fighter Caleb hasn’t been to Hope Town since he was eighteen.  His next big fight takes place in Atlanta and the serene lakefront home from his childhood is the perfect place to train without distractions. Until he stumbles downstairs to find a woman in his house. He’s met her before, and he’s never forgotten. Honor was raised by her grandfather, Crazy Colonel Cartwright. Ostracized at a young age she was an outcast. Combined with her awkward personality and she became the local bully’s favorite plaything. Honor and Caleb come face-to-face and feelings from fourteen years ago come rushing back—not all of them good. She prefers to remain unknown, but she’s seen in public with the world’s most talked about fighter and thrust into a national spotlight that catches the attention of her childhood tormentors. And they aren’t finished with her yet.  

 
Felicia Lynn: How To Breathe 

I can’t go back to the man I was any more than I can forget the memories locked inside me. Few men qualified for the mission and even fewer were willing to accept the required life sentence. Counting the days, good and bad, I exist as the world keeps spinning. There’s a price to pay for a life with a greater purpose, but the healing of time is a damn liar. I’m supposed to be a dead man, and the silence couldn’t be more deafening. Even though I could never look back, I thought I’d taken enough out of that life to carry me forward. The success of the mission was meant to give the tragedy of my life meaning, but I’ve been stuck in this wreckage of my past . . . until now. One look into her eyes disarms me. These walls I’ve built shouldn’t break on their own, but they crumble whenever she’s near. I’ve spent years waiting for a reason to breathe again, and now that I have her within reach, I’m not sure I can keep her. Is it possible to find both the missing piece of my soul and the remedy to my healing in one set of bright green eyes?     


     JM Walker: For You 

Brogan Tapp tries to be strong. Guilt and fear that the man she loves will fall within himself and not know how to find his way out, haunts her. Coby Porter vows not to let the demons in his mind take over. He plans a trip to save his relationship, once and for all. Hope Town, Georgia is the saving grace for their love, before the nightmares consume them both.   

   
    
SR Watson – Deliverance

Bleu Loren
  My life has never been my own. I've always been a rule follower—the obedient girl who always did what she was told. I played the part given to me and got engaged to the man my parents set me up with. He was supposed to be my Prince Charming. He promised me a happily ever after, only he delivered a nightmare instead. Now I'm on the run. No money. No plan. Just freedom. How ironic is it that my desperate escape lands me in a place called Hope Town? I lost hope a long time ago.

Beau Rivers Lair
I'm a manwhore. It's a known fact and exactly how I like it. I make my own rules and live without expectations. Returning to Hope Town to help the woman who raised me with her restaurant meant my past was here to greet me, but I refuse to allow the mirage of possibilities to engulf me a second time around. I don't believe in love or fairy-tale endings. There's lust, and there's screwing. I don't have time for anyone or anything outside of these two principles. There is no hope for me. Accept it or not ... you've been warned!  


  
Somethin’ Bad by Cat Mason 

Tequila can make a woman do somethin’ stupid. Somethin’ bad… 
 After celebrating my birthday with my best friends turns into the most embarrassing night of my life, the last thing I expected was to see him walk into my bakery. The sexy smile on his face lets me know that he has no intention of letting me off the hook either. He doesn’t want an apology or an explanation. He wants me. The way Matt Hudson crashes into my life and bosses me around as if he has known me all my life is frustrating. What’s even worse is the power he has to bring me to my knees with the flash of one his panty-melting smiles. He steals my control without even trying. Makes me want. Makes me need. Even when my life begins to unravel right before my eyes, there is a part of me hoping that the man my friends have dubbed Hunk P.D. may be something good to come out of all my heartache.    

 



 AMAZON  |  iBooks   

The entire Corps Security series is together for a limited time box set. Years after the Marines brought them together, the men of Corps Security are together again. These six novels follow their lives as they take a chance at love. Can love truly conquer all? From broken souls to broken hearts, they all will find out if they'll get their second chance at happily ever afters and that love really is worth fighting for. **Warning** These books are intended for a mature reading audience and aren't suitable for younger readers. There are some mild scenes of abuse that happen outside of the relationship of the H/h in some of the books.     



harper1
Harper is a NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL and USA TODAY bestselling author residing in Georgia with her husband and three daughters. She has a borderline unhealthy obsession with books, hibachi, tattoos and Game of Thrones. When she isn't writing you can almost always find her with a book in hand.


  Facebook ~ Website ~ Twitter ~ 

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Can't Hardly Breathe by Gena Showalter - Release Day Launch, Excerpt, and Giveaway

   

From New York Times Bestselling author Gena Showalter, comes the next standalone romance in the Original Heartbreakers Series—CAN’T HARDLY BREATHE!

Grab your copy today!

 

Amazon ~ Kindle ~ Barnes&Noble ~ 

Nook ~ BookDepository ~ Powell’s ~ iBooks ~ BAM ~ 

Kobo ~ GooglePlay ~ IndieBound ~ Audible


Book Description:

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with an irresistible Original Heartbreakers story about a woman who’s never felt desired and the man who wants her more than air to breathe…

Bullied in high school, Dorothea Mathis’s past is full of memories she’d rather forget. But there’s one she can’t seem to shake—her longstanding crush on former Army Ranger Daniel Porter.  Now that the sexy bad boy has started using her inn as his personal playground, she should kick him out...but his every heated glance makes her want to join him instead.

Daniel returned to Strawberry Valley, Oklahoma to care for his ailing father and burn off a little steam with no strings attached. Though he craves the curvy Dorothea night and day, he’s as marred by his past as she is by hers. The more he desires her, the more he fears losing her.

But every sizzling encounter leaves him desperate for more, and soon Daniel must make a choice: take a chance on love or walk away forever.

   
     

Add it to your Goodreads


  EXCERPT:

Dorothea Mathis studied the last room on her cleanup schedule and groaned. The bed had been wrecked, the comforter and pillows tossed haphazardly on the floor. A pair of panties hung from a bedpost. The TV remote had been busted, the pieces scattered across the night­stand. Wet towels created a path to the bathroom door, and the trash can… Oh, gag me! The trash can contained used condoms. The place needed to be decontaminated by people wearing hazmat suits. Am I up to date on my vaccinations? With a sigh, Dorothea anchored earbuds in place, keyed up her iPod and donned a pair of latex gloves. One—germs. Gross! Two—she was protective of the green nail polish she’d applied only that morning. She selected color based on mood. Green = irritated. Somehow she’d known today would suck balls. Her mom must have checked in Mr. and Ms. Pigsty last night after Dorothea had gone to bed. Since she had a 4:00 a.m. wake-up call, she tended to hit the sack by 9:00 p.m. Granny hours, her sister, Holly, liked to tell her. Dorothea picked up the dirty towels, removed the panties from the post, emptied the trash, changed the sheets on the bed, straightened the pillows and covers, and tossed the remote remains, planning to bill the Pig­stys for a new one. Time was limited this morning. She’d promised to drive her mother into the city in— Crap! Less than an hour. She rushed through dusting and began vacuum­ing. As the machine swallowed dirt and debris, she tried not to envy her mother. Carol would soon be enjoying her fourth “singles retreat” of the year. Her fourth, but certainly not her last. She stayed at the Michaelson, a five-star hotel owned by the richest guy in Strawberry Valley, Dane Michaelson. Dane was married to a local girl Dorothea had gone to school with, and he allowed Carol to stay free of charge. No doubt about it, she took full advantage, attending speed-dating sessions, mixers and a plethora of themed parties. Her busy love life was just one of the many reasons she’d given the Strawberry Inn to Dorothea. The wheels on her cart suddenly squeaked, the sound louder than her music. Yanking out the earbuds, she spun. Surprise expelled the air from her lungs, leaving her gasping. This so wasn’t happening right now. It couldn’t be happening. Nightmares didn’t really come to life. Nor did pornos. Not that she watched those…very often. But dang it, this had to be one or the other. The sexiest man on the planet had just stridden into the room. He was shirtless, sweat glistening on his eight pack—and his name was Daniel Porter. The Daniel. The childhood crush she’d never forgot­ten. The first boy to break her already fragile heart. She gulped. What was he doing here? Wait. Like she really needed to ponder this one. Wel­come back, Mr. Pigsty. Her hands trembled as she yanked the vacuum cord from the electrical socket, the room descending into si­lence as the engine died. I think you’re perfect just the way you are. She smoothed her trembling hands down her “uni­form,” a pair of blue scrubs that could take a licking and keep on ticking. “Uh, hi. Hello.” Oh, wow. Could she be any lamer? Definitely in a nightmare, not a porno. “Welcome back.” He pulled the earbuds from his ears and gifted her with a small smile that failed to hide the lines of strain around his mouth. “Sorry about the mess. I planned to clean up before I checked out.” His gaze darted through­out the room, and he cringed. “I also plan to pay for the remote.” What kind of sexual acrobatics had placed the poor remote in harm’s path, anyway? Oh, my stars. A warm flush poured over Dorothea, threatening to overheat her. She almost fanned her cheeks for relief, barely stopped herself. Look away! She tried, she really did, but Daniel was just so freaking beautiful. He was even taller now, and stronger, with a rough, tough face. His cheekbones were sharp, and his nose boasted a small notch in the center. Been broken a time or two? Dark stubble dusted his an­gular jaw, though the shadows couldn’t disguise the fine tracery of scars on his left cheek. He was a modern-day warrior—literally. After high school, he’d joined the army, defending the country he loved. This wasn’t the first time Dorothea had seen him since his return to town a few months ago, but her body reacted as if she’d never seen any man, heating and tin­gling in all the naughtiest places. Act naturally. He’s just a customer. A customer who’d wrecked a room during his most recent stay, but whatever. He was waiting for her to re­spond to his offer. Let’s do this. “Yes, thank you. Payment would be ap­preciated.” She wound the vacuum cord around her arm, her motions clipped. “As for the room, I just need to tidy the bathroom, and I’ll be done.” With his back to her, he stuffed his toiletries into an overnight bag. “I’ll get out of your way, then.” During his senior year of high school, he hadn’t just slept with Madison Clark; he’d slept with a string of beautiful, popular girls, as if banging-and-bailing had finally been dubbed a national sport. Good thing Dorothea hadn’t pursued him. He would have taken all her firsts and discarded her like garbage. Instead, Jazz Connors had taken all her firsts and dis­carded her like garbage. Anger boiled her blood until bitterness swept in, leav­ing a glaze of frost. Fire and ice. This wasn’t the first time they’d battled it out, and this wouldn’t be the last. The biggest downside? They ensured the wounds inside her hollowed-out chest never really had a chance to heal. After graduation, she’d moved to the big bad city, enrolled in the University of Oklahoma’s meteorology program, met Jazz and gotten hitched, just as she’d al­ways dreamed…only to return home several years later with a divorce and no degree. A washed-up has-been by the age of twenty-four. Daniel, having served multiple tours of duty, had come back a hero. His life had meaning, hers didn’t. He and two of his friends had started a security company right here in Strawberry Valley. He took care of his ailing father, and in his free time he dated a plethora of city girls. Dorothea knew about the girls because he’d stayed at the inn every time a date had ended…successfully. Her flush returned full force as she considered the other five rooms he’d wrecked since his return…all the pleasure he’d been having…all the pleasure she wished she could experience. Not with him, of course. With someone she liked and respected. Someone who liked and respected her, too, despite the fact that she was still too round for society’s unhealthy standards, a lot too freckled and trapped in a dead-end job. Daniel Porter would never qualify. Dorothea found him attractive, yes, but to her, ap­pearance would never outshine personality. My man must be my equal. She had a lot of love to give. She’d even grown to like herself…kind of. Maybe. Fine, she was trying to like herself. Avoiding Daniel’s gaze, she said, “No, you stay. I’ll go.” Words her mother had drilled into her shouted in­side her head: the customer comes first. “I’ll finish your room later.” She rolled the vacuum toward her cart. “You live here, right?” he asked. “You own the inn?” “I… Yes.” Technically she lived in the attic. The more rooms she had available for guests, the more money she would make. At least in theory. Money was the number one reason she cleaned the pig­sties herself, rather than hiring a maid. She was saving her pennies to turn every plain, ordinary room into a themed paradise. Then Strawberry Valley residents would hap­pily pay to stay just for fun. Again, in theory. So far she’d decided on six themes. (1) Four seasons—the weather, not the hotel chain. (2) An enchanted forest. (3) A techno dance club. (4) The underwater world of Atlantis. (5) A royal palace. And (6) an inner sanctum, aka a superhero’s wet dream. Also up for consideration? A beach hut, an igloo, an insane asylum for her more daring patrons and a des­ert oasis. With twenty-three rooms in total, she needed other ideas fast. And more money. A lot more money. Maybe, when the transformations were completed, the feeling of accomplishment would finally chase away her anger and bitterness. Maybe she would feel alive. Happy. “If any part of your stay was subpar,” she said, “I will personally—” “No, everything has been great.” He looked over his shoulder and winked at her. “Just wanted to make sure you weren’t going to get into trouble with the boss.” Every pulse point in her body leaped with excitement. He’d winked at her. Her! I think you’re perfect just the way you are. Red alert! She would not read more into his words than he’d intended. Not this time. He was a flirt, plain and simple. Always had been, apparently always would be. “Why would I get in trouble?” she asked. “For not finishing the room.” Oh. Right. “Well, as long as you plan to come back to the inn, I won’t fire myself. Not because I’m desperate to see you or anything,” she added in a rush. “I’m not.” Dang it! “I mean, I’m always glad to see you here. I mean, I just want your money.” Okay. Enough! He laughed, his amber eyes twinkling. Air caught in her throat and sizzled. He had the sexiest laugh on the planet. His entire face softened. He pulsed with new life; fresh and vibrant, he was the epitome of spring. Then he frowned, as if he couldn’t believe he’d found humor in, well, anything. Her brow furrowed with confusion. Why the doom and gloom? “In that case,” he said, his tone flat, “I think I’ll stay another night.” “Really?” She licked her lips. “What about your girl­friend?” He stiffened. “She isn’t my—” “No, don’t tell me. I’m sorry I asked. Your love life isn’t my business.” “I live in Strawberry Valley. My love life is every­one’s business.” His wry tone made her chuckle, and he stiffened all over again. Great. What had she done wrong this time? “I’ll be alone tonight,” he said, looking anywhere but at her. “Apparently I hover over my dad when I’m home, so he’s asked for another night off. But I swear to you, this room will be clean in the morning.” She snorted. “I’ll believe it when I see it.” The corners of his mouth twitched. “Doubting Dot­tie.” A pause, then, “Would you like a cup of coffee be­fore you go?” “Oh, uh, no, thank you.” While she no longer viewed Daniel through the wounded eyes of high school betrayal— he’d been a nice boy doing a nice thing for a vulnerable girl in desperate need of a white knight—she’d endured too much heartbreak over the years to risk getting to know him better and reigniting her crush. Look at the way she’d reacted to him already. He appeared…disappointed? No, of course not. A trick of the light, surely. “Well. See you around, Daniel.” “Yeah. See you around, Dottie.” He returned his at­tention to his toiletry bag, dismissing her. Irritation had her snapping, “My name is Dorothea.” Before he could respond, she stepped into the hall and closed the door with a soft snick. Hands trembling, she hooked the vacuum to the cart and rolled the cargo to the supply room…where her younger sister Holly was smoking a cigarette.    

    

GiveAway:
($25 Dollar Giftcard)
  


   

About Gena Showalter: Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series--Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles--and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series.  In addition to being a National Reader's Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she's appeared on Nightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black--if you ask her about it, she'll talk for hours…hours!  Her books have been translated in multiple languages. She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com or Facebook.com/genashowalterfans    



Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

       

The Time in Between by Kristen Ashley - Release Day Launch, Excerpt. Trailer, and GIVEAWAY

   

"She was the one then and nothing changed in the time in between." 

 

✮✮✮A story of past decisions gone awry, secrets that change directions, and emotional second chances, this gripping love story is what happens when two paths again collide. The final standalone title in New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ashley’s Magdalene Series, THE TIME IN BETWEEN is a rich, heartfelt love story available now!✮✮✮

 

Explore THE TIME IN BETWEEN and grab your copy today!

 

 

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ 

Barnes&Noble ~ Kobo ~ iBooks ~ GooglePlay


Book Description:

After a painful loss, Cady Moreland is coming to Magdalene to start the next chapter of her life. A chapter that began eighteen years ago but had a heartbreaking ending. The time in between was full of family and friendship, but Cady could never get the man she fell in love with all those years ago out of her heart.

Coert Yeager has learned to live without the girl who entered his life right when she shouldn’t and exited delivering a crippling blow he never would have suspected. The time in between was full of failing to find what he was missing…and life-altering betrayal.

But when that girl shows up in Magdalene and buys the town’s beloved lighthouse, even if Coert wants to avoid her, he can’t. A fire in town sparks a different kind of flame that won’t be ignored.

As Cady and Coert question the actions of the two young adults they once were thrown into earth-shattering circumstances, can they learn from what came in between and find each other again?


5% of the proceeds from the first week of sales of THE TIME IN BETWEEN release will be given to HALO Animal Rescue in Phoenix, a no-kill shelter. HALO stands for “helping animals live on” and is a shelter started by a mother/daughter team of committed animal advocates who have done a huge duty for animals in this area, and continue to do so with unwavering love, support and energy.For more information on HALO or to donate to the work they do, go to www.halorescue.org.



       

And don’t miss the first titles in the Magdalene Series!

THE WILL SOARING



  The Time In Between EXCERPT:

Present day… 
I took in the mess of the large, circular room we were in and at first saw nothing but the mess—decaying furniture, a soot-covered stone fireplace, a kitchen that might have been put in in the forties but had not only not been touched the last nine years, it perhaps had not been touched the last nineteen (or more). Then I saw more. The extraordinarily carved railing to the sweeping wood staircase that ran the curved side of the house. The red brick walls. The plank wood floors. “Once upon a time, long ago,” the realtor was suddenly talking wistfully, “someone loved this place. Put that love into building it. Put that love into keeping it. Nine years and more when no one really gave a whit, and still you can see it once had a lot of love.” Oh yes. You could see that. “It’s got a basement, more like a big crawl space,” the agent declared, surprising me with his quick change in tone back to businesslike and informative. “The furnace is down there. You can get down there through a door in the floor. The furnace was put in a while back, and full disclosure, though an inspection will catch it, it probably needs to be replaced.” Through his words I stared at the fireplace, which scoured would be magnificent, and I noticed it didn’t have a chimney as such, but the smoke probably went out a vent in the wall. “This floor has a powder room under the stairs,” the realtor kept on. “You can look at it if you want, but if you wanna save yourself that, I’ll just tell you straight, it needs to be gutted.” I decided to take his word for it and told him that. He looked relieved when I did before he stated, “Place has a garage, two car. Not in good condition, but think you saw that. Still, it’s close to the house and there’s a covered walkway to that door over there.” He pointed at a door that was across from the door we’d walked in. “Means you might feel a chill but you won’t get wet, unless it’s raining sideways, which happens.” With a breeze that plastered my jacket to me on a sunny, early spring day, I did not doubt that. “Garage has a loft space above it, which could be renovated as a studio rental if you’ve a mind to do that sort of thing. As for the property itself, it also has a building where the generators are stowed,” the realtor carried on. “Hook up for a washer and dryer and good space in there. Lots of it for storage. Which is good because there’s not a lot of storage in here for tools and Christmas decorations and whatnot.” I glanced around seeing he was right. There wasn’t even enough cabinetry to house the things a decent cook would need in her kitchen. Though there was room for them. In fact, if you fought back the gloom, there was quite a bit of room. “And there’s a place outside, could call it a studio, could call it a mother-in-law house,” he shared. “Whatever, it’s got goodly space, two bedrooms, big kitchen. Could be renovated to be a guest house. Or like I said, a studio if you’re artsy. Or you could rent it out like a B and B. I’ll show you all of that after we have a look at the lighthouse.” “Thanks,” I replied. “Now, since I mentioned full disclosure, you have to know it all,” the realtor continued. Slowly, my eyes went to him. When they did, he launched in. “Like I said, it’s automated. And like I said, you won’t really have to concern yourself with the functionality of that unless the electricity goes out, but then the generators automatically kick in. There are two. But you’ll need to keep fuel on hand to keep them going in case a blackout lasts awhile. And just to say, this is coastal Maine. We get weather. Blackouts can last awhile.” When I nodded to share I took that in, he kept going. “And if you’re, say, away on vacation, you need to make sure someone is playing backup in such a case.” “Okay,” I replied when he stopped talking, thinking this probably wasn’t a good thing since I knew no one in Maine (or not anyone who wanted to know me) and thus couldn’t call on anyone to do something like that. I also didn’t hold high hopes I’d make friends and win people. I hadn’t had a lot of success in that in my life. And last, although Patrick believed it completely, I held no hope that the reason I was out there was going to come to fruition. That being me having a happy ending. That being what Patrick thought would be my happy ending. Which might mean I’d have someone, a certain someone, or actually two (at least), even though I knew I never would.  

         




GiveAway:
(Signed Magdalene Series Set and Vera Bradley wallet for 1 winner; 1 signed paperback of The Time In Between for 1 winner; 1 eBook copy of The Time In Between for 5 winners)



   

About Kristen Ashley: Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorize and she hadn't taken her first breath!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen's Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning. Nothing's changed. Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she's blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched). Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up. And as she keeps growing, it keeps getting better.  

WEBSITE ~ FACEBOOK ~ TWITTER ~ 


   

Friday, August 25, 2017

Can't Hardly Breathe by Gena Showalter - Review and Excerpt

   

From New York Times Bestselling author Gena Showalter, comes the next standalone romance in the Original Heartbreakers Series

CAN’T HARDLY BREATHE!

Order your copy today!

   
Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Kindle ~ 

Barnes&Noble ~ Nook ~ Book Depository

Powell’s ~ iBooks ~ BAM ~ Kobo ~ 

Google Play ~ IndieBound ~ Audible

Author: Gena Showalter
Publication Date:  29 August 2017
Publisher: Harlequin Books
Series:  The Original Heartbreakers, book 4
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Age Recommendation: 18 and Up
Rating: 5 Stars
~ I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ~ 


Book Description:

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with an irresistible Original Heartbreakers story about a woman who’s never felt desired and the man who wants her more than air to breathe…

Bullied in high school, Dorothea Mathis’s past is full of memories she’d rather forget. But there’s one she can’t seem to shake—her longstanding crush on former Army Ranger Daniel Porter.  Now that the sexy bad boy has started using her inn as his personal playground, she should kick him out…but his every heated glance makes her want to join him instead.

Daniel returned to Strawberry Valley, Oklahoma to care for his ailing father and burn off a little steam with no strings attached. Though he craves the curvy Dorothea night and day, he’s as marred by his past as she is by hers. The more he desires her, the more he fears losing her.

But every sizzling encounter leaves him desperate for more, and soon Daniel must make a choice: take a chance on love or walk away forever.


       

My Review:

Where do I even start....Gena Showalter, you have done it again!  This story is heartbreaking, uplifting, beautiful, and swoon worthy.  Basically Can't Hardly Breathe has all the feels and then some.

Let's just get this out of the way right now, minus some of the hard times she had to go through (though she wouldn't have been the character she was if she hadn't 'gone through it' right?) I want to be Dorothea Mathis.  Gena has written a compelling heroine, who is all sorts of every day woman with a little bit of badarse thrown in.  She's given us a heroine who isn't going to let life destroy her, though it does get her 'down' on more than one occasion.  I fell in love with and felt for Dorothea from the first pages.  All she has ever wanted was to be put first for once in her life, but every day was a reminder to her that she wasn't as 'good' as everyone else.  She would never be the popular girl, she would never be the 'super-model-esque' woman that everyone wants to know, she would always be asked to set herself aside so that others could blossom.  My heart completely broke the moment a light shined down on her, in the name of Daniel Porter

“I think you’re perfect just the way you are.
It was funny how one sentence - one moment - could impact a life forever.”

only to have the light ripped.  I struggled with Daniel a lot in the beginning.  Now when he's a teenager, I get it, he's a boy not quite a man with no understanding of the world going on around him outside the typically 'randy' thoughts going through his mind.  I can give him a break for that.  I struggled with him in the beginning, with his coping mechanisms, especially because they didn't just affect him.  I struggled with some of his excuses for what he does and how he tries to sabotage his happiness as well as the happiness of others.  However, I loved how once he got with the program he went in full steam ahead.  I loved the chase between Doroetha and Daniel.  I loved the romance and the snark, the quiet moments of contemplation.  I loved Daniels desire just to see Doroetha happy and protected.  I loved Doroetha's love for her friends and family, even when in particular her family didn't deserve it.  If I could have gotten ahold of her sister, boy-howdy...and that's all I will say about that.  

I loved the secondary characters, Daniel's dad, Doretha's family, Jude and Brock, Raynne and Lyndie especially...I can not wait for there stories, Jude and Raynne's is going to be a tissue box read I just know it.  I fell in love with this series at book one and I swear they just keep getting better and better. I honestly didn't realize that we would get more than three books to this series originally but man I could not be happier that we have more to go.  I don't know that I ever want to leave this strawberry town and it's people.  Can we just play matchmaker with everyone Gena so it doesn't have to end?

This series is a complete favorite of mine and if you love contemporary romance that is totally swoon-worthy, full of character development, heart breaking at times but heart warming more often and a side of a whole lot of wit and humor this is a perfect series to pick up!  Start from the beginning so you can see how all the characters intertwine and just get ready to fall in love with The Original Heartbreakers!  

~ HAPPY READING ~ 


       


Excerpt:

Dorothea Mathisstudied the last room on her cleanup schedule and groaned. The bed had been wrecked, the comforter and pillows tossed haphazardly on the floor. A pair of panties hung from a bedpost. The TV remote had been busted, the pieces scattered across the nightstand. Wet towels created a path to the bathroom door, and the trash can…

Oh, gag me! The trash can contained used condoms.

The place needed to be decontaminated by people wearing hazmat suits.

Am I up to date on my vaccinations?

With a sigh, Dorothea anchored earbuds in place, keyed up her iPod and donned a pair of latex gloves. One—germs. Gross! Two—she was protective of the green nail polish she’d applied only that morning.

She selected color based on mood. Green = irritated.

Somehow she’d known today would suck balls.

Her mom must have checked in Mr. and Ms. Pigsty last night after Dorothea had gone to bed. Since she had a 4:00 a.m. wake-up call, she tended to hit the sack by 9:00 p.m. Granny hours, her sister, Holly, liked to tell her.

Dorothea picked up the dirty towels, removed the panties from the post, emptied the trash, changed the sheets on the bed, straightened the pillows and covers, and tossed the remote remains, planning to bill the Pigstys for a new one.

Time was limited this morning. She’d promised to drive her mother into the city in— Crap! Less than an hour. She rushed through dusting and began vacuuming. As the machine swallowed dirt and debris, she tried not to envy her mother. Carol would soon be enjoying her fourth “singles retreat” of the year. Her fourth, but certainly not her last. She stayed at the Michaelson, a five-star hotel owned by the richest guy in Strawberry Valley, Dane Michaelson. Dane was married to a local girl Dorothea had gone to school with, and he allowed Carol to stay free of charge. No doubt about it, she took full advantage, attending speed-dating sessions, mixers and a plethora of themed parties.

Her busy love life was just one of the many reasons she’d given the Strawberry Inn to Dorothea.

The wheels on her cart suddenly squeaked, the sound louder than her music. Yanking out the earbuds, she spun.

Surprise expelled the air from her lungs, leaving her gasping. This so wasn’t happening right now.

It couldn’t be happening.

Nightmares didn’t really come to life. Nor did pornos. Not that she watched those…very often. But dang it, this had to be one or the other.

The sexiest man on the planet had just stridden into the room. He was shirtless, sweat glistening on his eight pack—and his name was Daniel Porter.

The Daniel. The childhood crush she’d never forgotten. The first boy to break her already fragile heart.

She gulped. What was he doing here? 

Wait. Like she really needed to ponder this one. Welcome back, Mr. Pigsty.

Her hands trembled as she yanked the vacuum cord from the electrical socket, the room descending into silence as the engine died.

I think you’re perfect just the way you are.

She smoothed her trembling hands down her “uniform,” a pair of blue scrubs that could take a licking and keep on ticking. “Uh, hi. Hello.” Oh, wow. Could she be any lamer? Definitely in a nightmare, not a porno. “Welcome back.”

He pulled the earbuds from his ears and gifted her with a small smile that failed to hide the lines of strain around his mouth. “Sorry about the mess. I planned to clean up before I checked out.” His gaze darted throughout the room, and he cringed. “I also plan to pay for the remote.”

What kind of sexual acrobatics had placed the poor remote in harm’s path, anyway?

Oh, my stars. A warm flush poured over Dorothea, threatening to overheat her. She almost fanned her cheeks for relief, barely stopped herself.

Look away! She tried, she really did, but Daniel was just so freaking beautiful. He was even taller now, and stronger, with a rough, tough face. His cheekbones were sharp, and his nose boasted a small notch in the center. Been broken a time or two? Dark stubble dusted his angular jaw, though the shadows couldn’t disguise the fine tracery of scars on his left cheek.

He was a modern-day warrior—literally. After high school, he’d joined the army, defending the country he loved.

This wasn’t the first time Dorothea had seen him since his return to town a few months ago, but her body reacted as if she’d never seen any man, heating and tingling in all the naughtiest places.

Act naturally. He’s just a customer.

A customer who’d wrecked a room during his most recent stay, but whatever. He was waiting for her to respond to his offer.

Let’s do this. “Yes, thank you. Payment would be appreciated.” She wound the vacuum cord around her arm, her motions clipped. “As for the room, I just need to tidy the bathroom, and I’ll be done.”

With his back to her, he stuffed his toiletries into an overnight bag. “I’ll get out of your way, then.”

During his senior year of high school, he hadn’t just slept with Madison Clark; he’d slept with a string of beautiful, popular girls, as if banging-and-bailing had finally been dubbed a national sport.

Good thing Dorothea hadn’t pursued him. He would have taken all her firsts and discarded her like garbage.

Instead, Jazz Connors had taken all her firsts and discarded her like garbage.

Anger boiled her blood until bitterness swept in, leaving a glaze of frost. Fire and ice. This wasn’t the first time they’d battled it out, and this wouldn’t be the last. The biggest downside? They ensured the wounds inside her hollowed-out chest never really had a chance to heal.

After graduation, she’d moved to the big bad city, enrolled in the University of Oklahoma’s meteorology program, met Jazz and gotten hitched, just as she’d always dreamed…only to return home several years later with a divorce and no degree.

A washed-up has-been by the age of twenty-four.


GiveAway:

   

   

About Gena Showalter: Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series--Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles--and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series.  In addition to being a National Reader's Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she's appeared on Nightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black--if you ask her about it, she'll talk for hours…hours!  Her books have been translated in multiple languages. She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com or Facebook.com/genashowalterfans    

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads


Gena Showalter’s CAN’T HARDLY BREATHE – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:
August 21st
Obsessed by books – Review
Scandalous Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
The Book Maven – Review & Excerpt
August 22nd
Alpha Book Club – Review
Beware Of The Reader – Review & Excerpt
Evermore Books – Review & Excerpt
Melena`s Reviews – Review & Excerpt
The Romance Rebels – Review & Excerpt
August 23rd
Booknerd1107 – Review
East Coast Book Chicks – Review & Excerpt
Reads & Reviews – Review
Sweet Red Reads – Review & Excerpt
Under The Covers Book Lovers – Review & Excerpt
August 24th
Lynn's Romance Enthusiasm – Review & Excerpt
Read. Eat. Love. – Review & Excerpt
Reese's Reviews – Review & Excerpt
Shannonbookishlife – Review & Excerpt
August 25th
Never without a book in hand – Review & Excerpt
Reads All the Books – Review & Excerpt
August 26th
Brittany's Book Blog – Excerpt
Kayns Book – Review
The Lovely Books – Review & Excerpt
With Love for Books – Review & Excerpt
August 27th
From the TBR Pile – Review & Excerpt
Kdrbck – Review & Excerpt
Nessa's Book Reviews – Excerpt
August 28th
Book Angel Booktopia – Review & Excerpt
My Nook, Books & More – Excerpt
Read-Love-Blog – Review
The Book Reading Gals – Review & Excerpt
August 30th
As The Book Ends – Review & Excerpt
Nerdy Dirty and Flirty – Review & Excerpt
Red Cheeks Reads – Review & Excerpt
Smut Book Junkie Reviews – Review & Excerpt
August 31st
Embrace the Romance – Review & Excerpt
Milky Way of Books – Review & Excerpt
Once Upon a Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
September 1st
BJ's Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Books and Things Blog – Review & Excerpt
Foxylutely Books – Review & Excerpt
Somewhere Lost in Books – Review & Excerpt
September 2nd
A Fortress of Books – Excerpt
Nicole's Book Musings – Excerpt
September 3rd
Francoise's Reading Corner – Review & Excerpt
September 4th
All Things Dark & Dirty – Review & Excerpt
Lover of Big Books Cannot Lie – Review & Excerpt
Rantings of a Reading Addict – Review & Excerpt
September 5th
Escape Inside the Pages – Review & Excerpt
Taylor Fenner's Bookish World – Review & Excerpt
The Sassy Bookster – Excerpt
September 6th
Travels N Reads – Review & Excerpt
Sassy Book Lovers – Review & Excerpt
September 7th
JOJO THE BOOKAHOLIC – Review & Excerpt
Sofia Loves Books – Review
Wrapped Up In Reading – Review & Excerpt
September 8th
Book Lovers Hangout – Review & Excerpt
Crazii Bitches Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Dirty Girl Romance – Review
Stuck In Books – Excerpt
Shannon's Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
September 9th
ContemporaryCween – Review & Excerpt
G & T's Indie CafĂ© – Excerpt
Jax's Book Magic – Excerpt
Ms. Me28 – Review & Excerpt
Relentless Romance – Review & Excerpt