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Friday, April 27, 2018

Blog Tour: "Hiding Lies" by Julie Cross

Hey everyone, welcome to my stop on the "Hiding Lies" blog tour, the second book in the Eleanor Ames Series. This is such a fun series - read on for more info, an excerpt, my review, and a great giveaway!

About Chasing Truth (Eleanor Ames, #1):
When former con artist Eleanor Ames’s homecoming date commits suicide, she’s positive there’s something more going on. The more questions she asks, though, the more she crosses paths with Miles Beckett. He’s sexy, mysterious, arrogant…and he’s asking all the same questions.

Eleanor might not trust him – she doesn’t even like him – but they can’t keep their hands off of each other. Fighting the infuriating attraction is almost as hard as ignoring the fact that Miles isn’t telling her the truth…and that there’s a good chance he could be the killer.







About Hiding Lies (Eleanor Ames, #2):
At Holden Prep, dirty little secrets always have a way of coming to the surface.

Eleanor Ames has never been what she seems. Average high school student on the outside, but reformed con artist trying to break free of her past on the inside. When Eleanor receives startling news about someone from her previous criminal life, plans for a new operation coinciding with her school’s upcoming field trip quickly consume her. 

But operations rarely go according to plan. And this is one her irresistible teen FBI agent boyfriend, Miles, would never approve of.

Now, more than just Ellie’s reputation is at stake. If she fails, it could be her life.




About Julie Cross:
Julie Cross is a NYT and USA Today bestselling author of New Adult and Young Adult fiction, including the Tempest series, a young adult science fiction trilogy which includes Tempest, Vortex, Timestorm (St. Martin's Press). She's also the author of Letters to Nowhere series, Whatever Life Throws at You, Third Degree, Halfway Perfect, Chasing Truth, Off the Ice and many more to come! Julie Cross was a longtime resident of central Illinois but has recently moved her entire family across the country to continue her academic studies at Stanford University.





Author Links:
Author Website: http://juliecrossbooks.com/


Excerpt from Hiding Lies:

My feet have been dangling. I start to lift them up, attempting to conceal myself. But I’m not fast enough. Warm fingers wrap around my ankle.

“Got you,” the guy says. “How long have you been up there spying on me?”

“Spying? On you?” I shake my head. “Don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m waiting for someone. He’ll be here any second.”

The hot guy takes the binoculars and looks them over, analyzing the zoom-in and recording switches hidden on the underside. “Fancy. Not exactly for recreational use.”

That’s because they’re Aidan’s. My sister’s boyfriend. Up until two weeks ago, when he was forced to resign, Aidan was a Secret Service agent. He used all kinds of spy gear in his former job—like these high-tech night-vision binoculars.

I hop down from the tree, assessing the intruder, searching for body language that says friend or enemy, even though I already know the answer. No harm in having a little extra practice. Role-play is definitely a skill of mine, but it’s also a muscle that must be worked regularly. “Just so you know, I am trained in self-defense. Wouldn’t try anything if I were you.”

“Yeah?” He lifts an eyebrow. “That’s good because this place is sketchy as hell.”

We both glance around the deserted warehouse building beside us, the vandalized lumberyard nearby, and the questionable items strewn across the walkway leading to the giant warehouse door—condom wrappers, broken beer bottles, cigarette butts.

“You’re right, it’s sketchy,” I say. “I better take off before something bad happens.”

“Wait…” Hot Guy reaches for me, his fingers curling around my waist. He tugs me until my back rests against the tree and we’re hidden from anyone on the street. “Tell me about this other guy you’re waiting on.”

I stare up at him, taking in the cocky smirk, perfectly messy dark hair, and blue eyes that hold dozens of secrets. “What other guy?”

He grins, showing off two perfect dimples to go with the rest of his perfects. “Good answer.”

Then, before I can refocus on the role I’ve been playing, he leans down and kisses me. It’s only been a week but feels like a month. Maybe longer. His cheeks are cold, but his lips are warm and tender. I bring him closer and closer until his slinged arm is lodged between us.

“Miles,” I mumble against his lips.

“Uh-huh.”

“Miles,” I repeat, too caught up in this kiss to celebrate the slip he just made. “That’s his name. The guy I’m waiting on.”

“Miles. Sounds like an asshole. Forget him.” He pulls away just enough to see my face. His good hand rests against my cheek. He looks like he’s about to dive into kissing me again but hesitates. “It’s really cold out here.”

“And sketchy,” I add. “Why would you pick a place like this? You can’t coast forever on the whole mysterious-hot-guy persona. So if that’s your plan, I’d rather meet at the Y or Planet Fitness like a normal person.”

He rolls his eyes. “Yes, that’s my goal in life. Devote all my time to training to be a spy so I can impress girls.”


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After reading "Chasing Truth", the first Ellie Ames book, and loving it, I was super keen to read the next installment in the series. Although I had a few issues with "Hiding Lies", overall it was a fun read and I enjoyed my time with it. 

"Hiding Lies" continues on with Ellie's story shortly after the events of "Chasing Truth". It had been quite a while since I read "Hiding Lies", so I couldn't really remember what had happened previously. Fortunately, Julie Cross provided some flashbacks and details through some of Ellie's inner monologues, and I ended up catching on pretty quickly. 

At the beginning of the book, Ellie and Miles have become even more close, although it becomes evident early on that Miles is hiding something big.  Ellie wants to trust Miles and not be the type of clingy girlfriend who always creates drama wherever she goes, but it's difficult to not worry at least a little bit when her boyfriend has effectively gone off the grid. 

Which bring me to one of those "issues" I mentioned earlier on. Ellie and Miles didn't have much page time together, to my disappointment. What little time they did spend in the same vicinity was schmexy as hell, because nobody writes teen steam quite like Julie Cross, but I was kept wanting more as far as the two of them working together as a team, or bantering back and forth like I remember from "Chasing Truth". 

Instead, we get introduced to Dominic as Ellie's sidekick, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. I don't remember Dominic at all from the first book, so he obviously didn't make a huge impression on me, but he wasn't very well developed here, either. There was one rather deep and compelling moment between him and Ellie, but other than that, I found Dominic's character to be bland and forgettable once more.  

This lack of development of secondary characters was another of my issues with "Hiding Lies". Justice and Chantel, Harper and Aiden - they all make appearances in this book, but they don't really add anything to the story. Aside from one very amusing episode between Justice and an FBI agent, and a short road trip Ellie took with Aiden, the entire cast of secondary characters could quite possibly have been eliminated from the novel and I wouldn't have noticed. 

As for the plot, I have so many questions, like what exactly was Ellie's dad's con, anyway? And how was the mob involved in any of it? That didn't make sense to me. Oh yeah, and how did Ellie (and Dominic, most times) manage to miss most of the events of the field trip without anybody noticing? Maybe I don't have a criminal mind, or I missed something during my reading, but I was left scratching my head in confusion. 

Despite these problems, I still enjoyed my time with "Hiding Lies" and if there is a third book in the series, I will definitely be wanting to continue reading. 

My rating:  3.5 stars
*Many thanks to Entangled Publishing for providing me with a free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Thursday, April 26, 2018

"The Royally Series Collection" by Emma Chase - Release Day!!!

   
Prepare to be swept off your feet by The Royally Series Collection – three sexy, swoony, modern royal romances that will capture your heart, and satisfy your desire for a breathtaking happily ever after. 

Royally Screwed – By order of the Queen, Crown Prince Nicholas Pembrook has five months to choose a suitable bride. Then one snowy night, in New York City, he meets spirited and beautiful waitress, Olivia Hammond. Their whirlwind romance makes Nicholas question everything--who he is and who he wants to be--a King...or the man who gets to love Olivia forever. 

Royally Matched – Responsibility has never been Prince Henry Pembrook's strong suit. So when an unexpected heap of it is dropped in his regal lap, he reacts accordingly--by secretly signing up for a reality TV dating show. Henry plans on partying his worries away. What he doesn't plan on...is Lady Sarah Von Titebottum...the quiet, stunning, shy, librarian hiding behind a book. As Henry and Sarah grow closer, old words take on new meanings for the irresponsible royal. Words like Duty, Honor and most of all--Love. 

Royally Endowed – For years, broody royal bodyguard Logan St. James has watched over--and wanted--perfect, perky, beautiful Ellie Hammond, the younger sister of Princess Olivia. But he's bound by loyalty to the crown and, of course, the golden bodyguard rule: Never lose focus, never let them out of your sight, and never, ever fall in love. But Logan and Ellie are about to learn that when it comes to passion and pleasure, rules were definitely made to be broken. 

Royally Raised-- This sweetest of short stories focuses on Henry and Sarah, 20 years after the conclusion of Royally Matched.  

AVAILABLE NOW

iBooks | Nook | Kobo | Amazon

       
Emma Chase is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the hot and hilarious Tangled series and The Legal Briefs series. Emma lives in New Jersey with her husband, two children and two naughty (but really cute) dogs. She has a long-standing love/hate relationship with caffeine.


Tuesday, April 17, 2018

"The Marriage Arrangement" by Jennifer Probst: Teaser Reveal!!!

Today we are sharing some teasers for THE MARRIAGE ARRANGEMENT by Jennifer Probst. This is a novella in the Marriage to a Billionaire series and it is part of 1001 Dark Nights. It releases on May 1st and is currently up for pre-order.

PRE-ORDER THE MARRIAGE ARRANGEMENT

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THE MARRIAGE ARRANGEMENT Synopsis:

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Probst comes a new story in her Marriage to a Billionaire series. The Book of Spells returns in this sparkling addition to the series! She had run from her demons… Caterina Victoria Windsor fled her family winery after a humiliating broken engagement, and spent the past year in Italy rebuilding her world. But when Ripley Savage shows up with a plan to bring her back home, and an outrageous demand for her to marry him, she has no choice but to return to face her past. But when simple attraction begins to run deeper, Cat has to decide if she’s strong enough to trust again…and strong enough to stay… He vowed to bring her back home to be his wife… Rip Savage saved Windsor Winery, but the only way to make it truly his is to marry into the family. He’s not about to walk away from the only thing he’s ever wanted, even if he has to tame the spoiled brat who left her legacy and her father behind without a care. When he convinces her to agree to a marriage arrangement and return home, he never counted on the fierce sexual attraction between them to grow into something more. But when deeper emotions emerge, Rip has to fight for something he wants even more than Winsor Winery: his future wife.

 **Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**  

Add the book to Goodreads

PRE-ORDER THE MARRIAGE ARRANGEMENT

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AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Jennifer Probst 
Jennifer Probst - Bio: Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She took a short hiatus to get married, get pregnant, buy a house, get pregnant again, pursue a master’s in English Literature, and rescue two shelter dogs. Now she is writing again. She makes her home in Upstate New York with the whole crew. Her sons keep her active, stressed, joyous, and sad her house will never be truly clean. She is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of sexy and erotic contemporary romance. She was thrilled her book, The Marriage Bargain, was ranked #6 on Amazon's Best Books for 2012. She loves hearing from readers. Visit her website for updates on new releases and her street team at www.jenniferprobst.com.


LINKS:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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"Chaser" by Kylie Scott - Release Day Launch!!!



 
    Chaser (1)
Given his well-earned bad boy reputation, Eric is having a tough time scoring.. When single Jean moves to town, she seems heaven sent by the sex gods. Only problem is, she not only wants nothing to do with him, but it turns out that she’s pregnant. Starting over in a small town, Jean is determined to turn her wild lifestyle around and be the kind of mother she always wished she’d had. Since local bar owner and all round hottie, Eric Collins, is now determined to steer clear of her pregnant self, it should be easy. When she goes into labour during a snow storm and her car slides on some ice, it’s Eric who comes to the rescue. There seems to be a bond between them now, but is it enough? And can Eric give up his manwhore ways to be the man Jean needs?    

AMAZON | AMAZON CA | AMAZON UK | iBooks | Books A Million | Indiebound

          kyliescottimage
Kylie is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year, 2013 & 2014, by the Australian Romance Writer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet. You can learn more about Kylie from http://www.kylie-scott.com/   


 

Sunday, April 15, 2018

"Never Been Good" by Christi Barth - Blog Tour, Excerpt, and Giveaway!!!

Today we have the blog tour for Christi Barth’s Never Been Good! Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!

Title: Never Been Good

Author: Christi Barth

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Never Been Good:

USA Today bestseller Christi Barth returns with another steamy Bad Boys Gone Good novel! Flynn Maguire isn’t really a bad guy. Sure, he worked for the mob, but he ran a legitimate business—on paper anyway—and it paid enough to keep his brother out of the lifestyle. Until they turned on him. Now he’s stuck in Witness Protection, tending bar in Nowheresville Oregon… and pissed the life he knew is gone. The only bright spot? Fantasizing about his quiet, secretive, beautiful coworker. Sierra Williams is a woman on the run. All she wants now is to settle into small town life… and ignore the brooding, sexy bartender who can’t seem to take his eyes off her. Flynn’s bad-boy vibe pushes all her buttons, but Sierra fell for the wrong man once already. She can’t afford to let her guard down again. Except Flynn’s tough exterior is slowly melting away to reveal the sweet man beneath and their attraction is too strong to resist. Sierra and Flynn are falling fast, but they’re both keeping so many secrets. The truth could ruin everything… unless a girl who’s a little bad is perfect for a guy who’s never really been good.

Get Your Copy Today!

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo


About Christi Barth:

USA TODAY bestselling author Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage. A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes award-winning contemporary romance, including the Naked Men and Aisle Bound series. Christi can always be found either whipping up gourmet meals (for fun, honest!) or with her nose in a book. She lives in Maryland with the best husband in the world.

Connect with Christi:

Website | Blog | Pinterest | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Instagram

Enter Christi’s Giveaway:

 

Excerpt:

“Sierra. You are completely special. You’re stronger than those rocks out there. Not giving up no matter how battered life makes you. Sweeter than anyone I’ve ever met. Most of all, you make me feel special.”

“That, I’ll cop to.”

Flynn pointed at the Well. “They think it’s a collapsed sea cave. The water only drops down about twenty feet. The tide sends it surging back up, through holes in the cave walls, as waves come over the top of the rocks. See, instead of draining to nowhere? The water’s actually filling up that hole, over and over and over again.”

“You’re saying that you thought you were an empty cave. Except that you’re actually all filled up and just sexy and powerful as all get-out?”

His low chuckle rumbled heat against her ear. “Not the words I would’ve chosen. But yeah. I didn’t know exactly how to explain to you what I went through. Figured that showing you might get the point across better. Getting called sexy and powerful is just a bonus. Go ahead and call me that anytime.”

Feeling reckless—and more than a little sexy and powerful herself—Sierra said, “How about I say it to you when we’re both naked?”

“That’ll work, too.”

She twisted in his embrace to look up at those knife-sharp cheekbones that pointed down to the full lips she found so darn kissable. “All kidding aside, you sound like you were in a very bad place. But you’ve never told me what put you there?”

“That’s a story for later.” Flynn slid his hands along her neck as he leaned his forehead against hers. “For now, know that you’re the ocean to me. You’re what keeps filling me up. I can’t thank you enough. Hopefully, today’s a start.”

“You’ve got to stop. Every time you thank me, I’m compelled to come right back and thank you. For helping me work past my fear to embrace my life here. For showing me how strong you see me, which gives me the courage to feel it, too.”

Flynn stopped her from saying anything more by taking her lips. Right there, in the bright sunlight with a solid row of other sightseers crowded elbow to elbow with them along the railing. He kissed her long and hard and just this side of way too much tongue for a state park.

“That’ll be our punishment. The next one of us to thank the other will get kissed. Relentlessly.

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

"Rusty Nail" by Nazarea Andrews: Cover Reveal and Excerpt!

 

Today we are celebrating the cover reveal of RUSTY NAIL by Nazarea Andrews. Rusty Nail is an adult contemporary romance, standalone novel, and it is the second book in the brand new River Street Bar series. It releases on May 10th. Pre-order links will be live soon. You can sign up for Nazarea's newsletter for exclusive details.

 

SIGN UP TO BE NOTIFIED WHEN RUSTY NAIL IS UP FOR PRE-ORDER

RUSTY NAIL by Nazarea Andrews

A Standalone Contemporary Romance

(River Street Bar series, #2)

Blurb:

In a small town, rumor is everything…
Life came easy to him.
Town playboy Aidric Jones has it all: money, women, a life without responsibility. Until his house burns down and a daughter he doesn't know lands on his doorstep. No one expects him to step up, to grow up, but he finds disappointment is different when someone is counting on him.
And everyone is whispering…
Growing up on the wrong side of the tracks everyone knew Olivia Buckley was going to end up pregnant and stuck in River City with a deadbeat boyfriend. Now she’s a single mom working for her parent’s construction company, unable to escape a reputation she hates. She’s fighting like hell to make a life for herself and her son, to prove everyone wrong.
They’re two people with nothing in common except a falling down house, two angry kids, and a town full of rumors--but maybe that’s enough
They’ll give them something to talk about…

EXCERPT:

When I step into the cafe, I don’t know exactly what I’m looking for.
The meeting I’d set up with the owner of Buckley Contractors and Construction had been vague at best, but they were who Natalie used to renovate her home a few years back so I was hoping this panned out.
I order a caramel macchiato and glance around the room.
“Aidric,” a clear voice calls and I twist.
Oh.
Oh.
“Olivia Buckley,” I murmur, approaching the tiny table with a slow smile twisting up my lips.
I remember Ollie from high school, though she was a few years younger than me, and I’ve seen her, over the years--the town is too small to not run into her. But I was never close to her, and after she had a little boy two months after graduation, everything I knew about the smart, pretty girl vanished.
There was only a serious single mom intent on doing the best she could for her son.
“How are you?” I ask, and she lifts an eyebrow.
“This isn’t time to catch up, Aidric,” she says, her voice dripping amusement.
“Why are you here?” I ask, but it makes a twisted sort of sense and I answer my own question. “You took your father’s company.”
She nods, something proud and unspeakably tired in her gaze.
“Interesting,” I say, softly. “Then I assume you know why I’m here--what I want.”
She frowns at me. “You still--you don’t mind hiring me?”
“Why the hell would I? John Buckley built a strong company and if he left it in your hands, I’m not sure I have anything to worry about.”
“He isn’t part of the company anymore, though.”
I frown and give Ollie a severe look. “Are you trying to talk me out of hiring you?”

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  

Nazarea Andrews (N to almost everyone) is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. Which means she writes everything from zombies and dystopia to contemporary love stories. When not writing, she can most often be found driving her kids to practice and burning dinner while she reads, or binge watching TV shows on Netflix. N loves chocolate, wine, and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. N is a self-professed geek and enjoys spending her spare time lost in her favorite fandoms and can often be found babbling about them on social media. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, spoiled cat and overgrown dog. She is the author of World Without End series, Neverland Found, Edge of the Falls, and The University of Branton Series. Stop by her twitter (@NazareaAndrews) and tell her what fantastic book she should read next.  

AUTHOR LINKS:
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