Sunday, November 30, 2014

Take This Regret by A.L. Jackson Sale & Promo


Hey everyone!  I know we are all looking for deals, so check out A. L. Jackson's Take this Regret for only $0.99 from November 30 thru December 7!  Come to Me Quietly was one of Shel's surprise favorites this year and she is loving A.L. Jackson!  Check out the info on Ms. Jackson's books below and happy shopping!  




A.L. Jackson Information

To stay up to date with important news on A.L. Jackson, including new releases, sales, and exclusive specials and excerpts, text “jackson” to 96000 to subscribe!
Instagram @aljacksonauthor

Bio
A.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of Take This Regret and Lost to You, as well as other contemporary romance titles, including Come to Me Quietly, Come to Me Softly, Pulled, When We Collide, and If Forever Comes.

She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student.  She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves.

Books by A.L. Jackson


Lost To You (The Regret Series 1.0)
Synopsis
People come into our lives. Some stay, and many go. Some build us up, while most tear us down. They become our friends, our enemies, our lovers, our tormentors.

Christian Davison came into mine, and I knew I’d never be the same.

To Elizabeth Ayers, New York City had always been a dream. She’s worked her entire young life to make it here.

Groomed to one day take over his father’s law firm, attending Columbia University was Christian Davison’s only option.

Neither wanted anything more until they sat across from each other at a café table after being paired as study partners.

Christian wants her, but Elizabeth knows better than to give into their intense attraction. Yet there is little she can do to stay away.

Lost to You, the prequel to the bestselling romance, Take This Regret. A New Adult novella, recommended for readers 17+. It’s unnecessary to have read Take This Regret to enjoy Lost to You

Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/LTYNook

Take This Regret (The Regret Series 2.0)

There are some mistakes we make that we will regret for the rest of our lives.  For Christian, it was the day he betrayed Elizabeth.

Christian Davison has a plan for his life.  He is determined to become an attorney and to one day take his place as partner in his father’s law firm.  Nothing will stand in his way, not even Elizabeth Ayers and their unborn child.

After Christian cuts her from his life, Elizabeth spends the next five years struggling to provide for her daughter and willing to sacrifice anything to give her child a safe, comfortable life. 

For five years, Christian has regretted the day he walked away from his family and will do anything to win them back just as Elizabeth will do anything to protect her daughter from the certain heartache she believes Christian will bring upon them.

When Christian wrestles his way into their lives, Elizabeth is faced with asking herself if it is possible to forgive someone when they’ve committed the unforgiveable and if it is possible to find a love after it has been buried in years of hate.  Or are there some wounds that go so deep they can never heal?

They say everyone deserves a second chance.

Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/TTRNook

If Forever Comes (The Regret Series 3.0)

If Forever Comes, the final chapter in the New York Times Bestselling Regret Series (Lost to You and Take This Regret).
Christian Davison’s life is complete. With a ring on Elizabeth’s finger and his daughter at his side, he’s ready to run headlong into their future.
Elizabeth Ayers never believed she would again find this kind of joy—the joy of a family and the wholeness found in the touch of the man she’s always loved.
Their love is intense and their passion only grows as they set out to rediscover each other.
But life is never easy.
Rocked by the unforeseen, Christian and Elizabeth will find themselves fighting for the one thing they hold most important—family.

Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/173uemC



Pulled
Melanie Winters and Daniel Montgomery shared a love most only dream of, a love they believed bonded them together for life.  When their world is shattered by the tragic loss of their daughter, overwhelming grief and misguided guilt distorts the truth, and their relationship ends in uncertainty and unanswered questions.

For nine years, they drift through life, each unable to forget the one who holds the strings to their heart.  In an attempt to escape the pain of her past, Melanie finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage, while Daniel loses himself in a career that means nothing without Melanie by his side. 

Now, when their lives again intersect, neither can deny the connection they felt so long ago. 

But will the power that drew them together be enough to heal the wounds from their past, and will they have the courage to overcome the insecurities and fears that threaten to keep them apart?

Pulled is a story of attraction and separation, of destiny and duty, of a love so strong it refuses to give up even when all others have.

Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/PulledNook

When We Collide
From the bestselling author of Pulled and Take This Regret comes a gripping new tale of loss and love.
William has spent six years running from his past and the last eight months trying to rid his mind of the dreams that increasingly haunt his nights. Trapped in a world of false ambitions and feigned affections, William knows he’s reached a breaking point and something’s going to give.
Maggie had lived her entire life without hope until one man showed her what it meant to be loved. He’d been her light in a lifetime of darkness. Six years ago, that darkness stole him away. Without him, she’s surrendered herself to an existence she doesn’t know how to escape.
When the family William left behind is struck by tragedy, he is called back to the one place he’s sworn to never return to again.
In a moment that will change his life forever, William comes face to face with the girl who, with one look, captured his heart. He is unable to ignore the buried desires and the hope for the future they’d once believed they’d have.
Now William is ready to fight to take back what had been stolen from him six years before.
But he never imagined what that fight might cost him. 
Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/WWCNook

Come to Me Quietly (Closer to You, Book 1)

From the acclaimed bestselling author of Lost to You and When We Collide comes a new adult novel of one woman’s obsession: a man who’s as passionate as he is elusive—and as tempting as he is trouble.…

Aleena Moore is haunted by Jared Holt. It’s been six years since she’s seen her brother’s best friend, the self-destructive bad boy she secretly loved in high school. As the years pass, she knows it’s time to move on. Time to decide between a practical nursing degree and her true dream as an artist. Time to get over Jared and give another guy a chance…

Just when she opens her heart to her friend Gabe, Aly returns home to find Jared sleeping on her couch. The teenage boy she loved has grown into a man she can’t resist. Covered in tattoos and lost in rage, he’s begging to be saved from his demons—the memories of the day he destroyed his family. As the two reconnect, their passion is hot enough to torch Aly’s judgment. But can she risk her future for a man who lives on the edge of destruction?


Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/CTMQNook

Come to Me Softly (Closer to You, Book 2)


From the New York Times bestselling author of Come to Me Quietly comes
a scorching new adult romance in the Closer to You series.

A second chance at life…
A second chance at love…

Jared Holt never thought he deserved either—until he found both in the arms of Aly Moore. Aly has loved Jared for as long as she can remember, and she’s more than ready for the new family they’re making together. But Jared can’t help remembering his own family. And he’ll never forgive himself for what happened to them. How can he allow himself the very happiness he once destroyed?
To live a life worthy of Aly, Jared knows he has to stop running and finally put his past to rest. But when he decides to face his demons head on, he encounters more than he bargained for: a dangerous mix of jealousy, lies, and dishonest intentions. When those intentions threaten Aly and their baby, Jared loses all control, giving into the rage that earned him his bad boy reputation years before. And he’ll fight to protect her no matter what it costs…even if he destroys himself in the process.
Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/ctmsbn

Come to Me Recklessly (Closer to You, Book 3)


From the New York Times bestselling author of Come to Me Softly comes
another irresistible new adult romance in the Closer to You series.
His heart was turned off…
Until she turned him on…
Christopher Moore gave up on the idea of love years ago. Now, his life is an endless string of parties and an even longer string of girls. Enjoying the physical perks with none of the emotional mess, he’s convinced everyone that he’s satisfied—everyone but himself.

Samantha Schultz has moved on with her life. Finishing her student teaching and living with her boyfriend, she’s deluded herself into believing she’s content. But there is one boy she never forgot—her first love—and she keeps the memory of him locked up tight. She will never allow any man to break her the way Christopher did.

When Christopher’s sister and her family move into a new neighborhood, Christopher is completely unprepared to find Samantha living at the end of the street. Memories and unspent desires send them on collision course of sex, lies, and lust. But when guilt and fear send Samantha running, Christopher will have to fight for what has always been his.


Friday, November 28, 2014

Unleashed by Rachel Lacey



***
From author's website:

What happens when you find the right one at the wrong time?

Cara Medlen has a serious case of animal attraction. And it's not because of all the foster dogs she's rescued. She's got it bad for her incredibly sexy neighbor. Her one rule: Don't get attached. It's served her well with the dogs she's given to good homes and the children she's nannied. Yet the temptation of Matt's sexy smile might just convince her that some rules are made to be broken.

Matt Dumont doesn't need his skills as a private investigator to detect disaster on the horizon. Cara is everything he thought he'd never find—gorgeous, funny, and caring. But there's no way he can start a relationship just as he's about to move to another state. Talk about bad timing. As their attraction sizzles too hot to deny, they'll have to make a decision: forget the consequences and let loose, or forget each other and let go…

I'm on the fence about Unleashed. I enjoyed it, don't get me wrong. I guess, I just thought the book would be different than it was. I was expecting a much more light hearted, Jill Shalvis-esque romance, I mean, check out that cover – it's a total Shalvis cover! Unleashed had some elements of that, but I expected more funny. Cara and Matt are dealing with issues a little more serious than the fear of a broken heart – Cara's fears are getting a life only to lose if she gets sick again. Matt's leaving town to help his aging mother and didn't plan on finding love. A misunderstanding puts them in each other's orbit, but once there, neither can find the will to leave.

Despite not being what I thought it was going to be, Unleashed was a thoroughly entertaining read filled with heat, cute animals and all the trials and tribulations of falling in love. Cara's BFF Merry gets her shot at love in Lacey's second book, For Keeps out on January 27, 2015. You can learn more at www.rachellacey.com.

~Shel


 



 

Thursday, November 27, 2014

The Shape of My Heart by Ann Aguirre


***1/2

From author's website:
Some people wait decades to meet their soul mate. Courtney Kaufman suspects she met hers in high school—only to lose him at seventeen. Since then, Courtney’s social life has been a series of meaningless encounters, though she’s made a few close friends along the way. Especially her roommate, Max Cooper, who oozes damaged bad-boy vibes from every pore.
Max knows about feeling lost and trying to move beyond the pain—he’s been on his own since he was sixteen. Now it’s time to find out if he can ever go home again, and Courtney’s the only one he trusts to go with him. But the trip to Providence could change everything…because the more time he spends with Courtney, the harder it is to reconcile what he wants and what he thinks he deserves.
It started out so simple. One misfit helping another. Now Max will do anything to show Courtney that for every heart that’s ever been broken, there’s another that can make it complete.

This is the third installment in the 2B series about a group of college students rooming together in, you guessed it, Apt. 2B. First up was Nadia in I Want It That Way. Second was Lauren in As Long As You Love Me. Now we have two roommates, Max and Courtney. Both are haunted by their pasts, one more literally than the other. Max comes from an abusive home and has struggled for everything he has ever achieved or obtained, while Courtney has been handed everything by her rich parents, but suffered a terrible loss.

Max's mother died when he was young, his father became an abusive alcoholic, which ultimately leads to Max leaving home after a tragic accident at 16. He's fought his way through college and finds it difficult to truly connect to anyone. In his experience, when you try to make a true connection with someone they leave. Courtney, on the other hand, has been existing in a half-life since her childhood best friend and first love died when they were in high school. To dull the pain, she escaped into a prescription pill addiction and, essentially, gave up on life, just going through the motions. Max and Courtney meet at a party and eventually become good friends. When Lauren moves out of 2B in I Want It That Way, Courtney takes her spot, making her Max's roommate as well.

When Max's grandfather dies, these two crazy kids embark on a horribly awkward, but ultimately rewarding trip to Max's hometown. Max asks Courtney to go with him because he knows things will not go well with his father and expects no one in the family will be happy to see him. Max's request forces him to open up to Courtney about his past in a way he's never done before. Max goes all in, holding nothing back, including things he'd rather not remember. For her part, being with Max and helping him cope with his family brings Courtney back to life, but it's hard to let go of the future you planned your entire life to embrace a new future.

Once again, Ann Aguirre has written an incredible story. The 2B series has quickly become one of my favorites. The stories are well-written, with great characters and realistic portrayals of friendship, loss and opening oneself up to the possibility of love. Max is completely swoon-worthy. Courtney is a sarcastic, capable and fun woman. These two together make a beautiful couple of complimentary characteristics, flawed, yet perfect for one another, if they can get around their fears and prejudices. I cannot recommend this series enough and I hope you will check it out!

~ Shel

That's What HE Said Thursday #5



Image courtesy of Kei at The Lovely Pages Review

That's What He Said is a weekly meme hosted by the ladies at Chapter Break, where we spotlight a quote from our book crush to the object of his desire. We like to pretend it's us.

What better way to celebrate our book boyfriends?

Bel has this week covered with a quote from I See London by Chanel Cleeton. Ideally, we try to get to the point and just have the quote. However, in this case, there's a bit of a set up here leading to the swoon-worthy moment and trust us, it's well worth it!




I looked down at the ground in front of me, unable to meet his gaze.  He was so close – if I reached out I could feel his body beneath my hand, his heart pounding beneath my palm. I could stroke up to the bare skin at the collar of his shirt, stroking his lips – 

“Don’t look at me like that.”

My head jerked up in surprise, my gaze meeting his. The heat of Samir’s stare had me stepping back. He reached out, his arm grabbing me at the waist, pulling my body up against his.  His arousal pressed against me.

“Don’t look at me like that and think I’m not going to kiss you.”

~ Samir to Maggie
I See London (International School #1) by Chanel Cleeton

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Waiting on Wednesday (128)


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.


French Kissed (International School, #3)By Chanel Cleeton
Publication Date: December 1, 2014


On the surface, Fleur Marceaux has it all. If only the facade matched reality. With one year left at the International School in London, Fleur’s struggling to graduate, her love life is a mess, and she can’t stop thinking about Max, her ex-boyfriend’s best friend. But all that pales compared to the blackmailer determined to destroy her. 

There’s a social hierarchy at the International School and Max Tucker is outside the velvet ropes. After watching Fleur break his friend’s heart, Max knows to stay away from trouble, despite the crush he’s had on her since freshman year. But when they’re partnered on a project, Max learns there’s more to Fleur than meets the eye, and she just might be worth the wild ride. 

The more time they spend together, the further Max falls. And when a kiss awakens a passion Fleur never imagined, she’s unable to resist Max, who she had thought was all wrong for her but might be the only thing that’s right. But will he stand by her when her secrets are revealed?

Don’t miss the final book in the International School series. This New Adult romance is recommended for readers 17 and up.




Owning Violet (The Fowler Sisters, #1)By Monica Murphy
Publication Date: December 2, 2014

New York Times bestselling author Monica Murphy begins a sexy new contemporary romance series—perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Emma Chase—that introduces three sisters born to wealth, raised to succeed, ready to love, destined to make waves.

I’ve moved through life doing what’s expected of me. I’m the middle daughter, the dutiful daughter. The one who braved a vicious attack and survived. The one who devoted herself to her family’s business empire. The one who met an ambitious man and fell in love. We were going to run Fleur Cosmetics together, Zachary and I.

Until he got a promotion and left me in the dust. Maybe it’s for the best, between his disloyalty and his wandering eye. But another man was waiting for me. Wanting me. He too has an overwhelming thirst for success, just like Zachary—perhaps even more so. He’s also ruthless. And mysterious. I know nothing about Ryder McKay beyond that he makes me feel things I’ve never felt before.

One stolen moment, a kiss, a touch . . . and I’m hooked. Ryder’s like a powerful drug, and I’m an addict who doesn’t want to be cured. He tells me his intentions aren’t pure, and I believe him. For once, I don’t care. I’m willing to risk everything just to be with him. Including my heart. My soul.

My everything.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Anomaly by Tonya Kuper Blog Tour & Giveaway




Hello folks! We are so ridiculously excited to feature Tonya Kuper's smashing debut, Anomaly! If you like smart, tough and driven heroines, you'll enjoy reading about Josie and company. And to celebrate Anomaly's release, not only do we have a giveaway to make you scream but Tonya joins us with Josie's playlist! Go on and take a look ... 




Reality is only an illusion. 

Except for those who can control it… 

Worst. Birthday. Ever. My first boyfriend dumped me – happy birthday, Josie!- my dad is who knows where, I have some weird virus that makes me want to hurl, and now my ex is licking another girl’s tonsils. Oh, and I’m officially the same age as my brother was when he died. Yeah, today is about as fun-filled as the swamps of Dagobah. But then weird things start happening…

Like I make something materialize just by thinking about it.

When hot badass Reid Wentworth shows up on a motorcycle, everything changes. Like, everything. Who I am. My family. What really happened to my brother. Existence. I am Oculi, and I have the ability to change reality with my thoughts. Now Reid, in all his hotness, is charged with guiding and protecting me as I begin learning how to bend reality. And he’s the only thing standing between me and the secret organization that wants me dead… 



Buy Links: 

Amazon    │    Barnes & Noble    │    Kobo Books    

The Book Depository    │    iBooks 


About the Author:



Tonya Kuper's debut, ANOMALY, the first in the Schrodinger's Consortium young adult scifi trilogy, releases November 2014 by Entangled Teen. She lives in Omaha, NE with her two rad boys and husband, is a music junkie, and a chocolate addict. Star Wars & Sherlock fan. 


Author Links: 

Website    │    Goodreads    │    Twitter    │    Facebook 



Tonya Shares Josie's Playlist:

Thank you so much for having me on your blog today! Today, I’m going to talk about music, which plays a big part in my writing process. I often make many playlists while I’m writing/revising/editing a book. Some songs are very much Josie, while others are Reid, and since ANOMALY is written in dual points-of-view, I have playlists for the book in general, but also from each character POV. 

This playlist is comprised of songs, lyrics, and tones that would convey the events and emotions of ANOMALY from Josie’s perspective. Her musical tastes are more varied than Reid’s. She enjoys pop, rock, alt rock, punk – everything – whereas Reid tends to stick to alt rock. If you’ve read the book, let me know what songs you’d add to Josie’s playlist!




GIVEAWAY:





Our thanks to the delightful Tonya Kuper and to YA Bound Book Tours for organizing this blog tour!




The Shape of My Heart by Ann Aguirre Release Day Launch

TSOMH RDL Banner   
We are so excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for Ann Aguirre's incredible THE SHAPE OF MY HEART! THE SHAPE OF MY HEART is a New Adult contemporary romance, published by Harlequin HQN, and is the third book in the 2B Trilogy Series. Don't forget to grab your copy of the first two books and fall in love with her characters all over again!

The Shape of My Heart

Amazon | B&N | BAM | Indiebound | Vroman’s | Book Depository | Powell’s | iBooks

THE SHAPE OF MY HEART on Goodreads

THE SHAPE OF MY HEART Synopsis: Some people wait decades to meet their soul mate. Courtney Kaufman suspects she met hers in high school—only to lose him at seventeen. Since then, Courtney’s social life has been a series of meaningless encounters, though she’s made a few close friends along the way. Especially her roommate, Max Cooper, who oozes damaged bad-boy vibes from every pore. Max knows about feeling lost and trying to move beyond the pain—he’s been on his own since he was sixteen. Now it’s time to find out if he can ever go home again, and Courtney’s the only one he trusts to go with him. But the trip to Providence could change everything…because the more time he spends with Courtney, the harder it is to reconcile what he wants and what he thinks he deserves. It started out so simple. One misfit helping another. Now Max will do anything to show Courtney that for every heart that’s ever been broken, there’s another that can make it complete. 
  

Make sure you grab the entire 2B Trilogy!

I WANT IT THAT WAY

AS LONG AS YOU LOVE ME

THE SHAPE OF MY HEART

EXCERPT: 

So many questions ricocheted around my brainpan, but Max’s shoulders were pulled up almost to his ears, his chin nearly on the table. Without looking at me, he shredded the napkin in his hands into four pieces and then in half again. The waning sunshine streaming in the smeared window behind him haloed his hair, so that the highlights shone blue instead of tawny or copper. 

“You don’t have to tell me a bedtime story,” I said gently. 

“No, you need to know. So you understand what’s going on and why it’s so tense when we get there.” 

“Okay. If you’re sure.” 

“I’ll set the stage.” His tone was brittle, uneven, and the bits of paper in his hands kept getting smaller. “I was sixteen, just got my license. My dad was drinking, acting like a fuckhead. Business as usual. When he started in on Mickey, I grabbed the keys. Figured I’d get us both out of there for a while. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but taking off is kind of my specialty.” 

“Between your bike, the garage office, and the place you showed me by the river, I’ve picked up on the pattern, yeah.” 

“I thought I was doing the smart thing, you know? But I was driving too fast and some asshole blew the stoplight. T-boned us. Mickey got the worst of it… weeks in the hospital without knowing if he’d make it. Then once he stabilized, we found out he’d never walk again.” He curled a fist and slammed it onto the table, making the pizza box dance. “Ironic, huh? I was worried that my dad would hurt Mickey but I’m the one who—” 

“Not true,” I cut in. “That’s a textbook accident. Don’t tell me you blame yourself.” 

“It’s impossible to do anything else. No, wipe that look off your face, Kaufman. I didn’t open up to make you feel sorry for me. I just want you to know the deal going in. I mean, my dad’s the biggest asshole I ever met and he hates me, too.” 

“What about Mickey?” 

“We weren’t talking much when I left. Every day I think, what if I’d put up with my old man’s shit for five minutes more? What if I’d picked a fight with him instead of grabbing those keys? I—” His voice broke on a shuddering inhalation. Until this moment I didn’t realize how much weight Max carried on a daily basis or how good a job he did hiding it. I came out of my chair and rounded the little table before I consciously decided to make a move. Standing beside him, I hovered, unsure what to do. He answered the question by wrapping both arms around my waist and pulling me onto his lap. Unsettled, unnerved, even, I let him press his face into my shoulder, resting a hand on his head. His breath warmed the skin of my throat, rousing an inappropriate shiver. Now is not the time. It wasn’t like I’d never noticed his hotness; he specialized in a scruffy, soulful appeal that women of all ages seemed unable to resist. But it was so much better for him to call me Kaufman and confide in me instead of flirting. At the moment, Max needed a friend. I stroked his back for like five minutes before he raised his gaze to meet mine. 

“Sorry. The closer we get to Rhode Island, the worse I feel.” 

“It’s understandable. You have to be worried about how your brother will react when you see him.” The rest of his family sounded like jackwagons. Though he’d only told me about his dad, if he had any decent aunts, uncles or cousins, they would’ve stepped up when his old man went upside his head with a bottle. A scar like that would take eight or ten stitches, minimum. I imagined Max as a scared kid with blood gushing from his scalp, and all of my protective instincts roared to life. People had been calling me a bitch since I was fifteen, and I was ready to wade in against Max’s family. Yeah, the funeral might be tense and shitty, but if his family said one fucking word—



Author Photo

About Ann Aguirre: Ann Aguirre is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author and RITA winner with a degree in English Literature; before she began writing full time, she was a clown, a clerk, a voice actress, and a savior of stray kittens, not necessarily in that order. She grew up in a yellow house across from a cornfield, but now she lives in sunny Mexico with her husband, children, and various pets. Ann likes books, emo music, action movies, and she writes all kinds of genre fiction for adults and teens, published with Harlequin, Macmillan, and Penguin, among others.      

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