Friday, June 30, 2017

Enigma (Schrodinger's Consortium #2) by Tonya Kuper

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Releases July 4th, 2017


The highly anticipated sequel to Anomaly will be released the summer of 2017!

Worst. Road Trip. Ever.

Escaping with Reid Wentworth should have been fun, but how can I enjoy it when I just (accidentally) killed someone, my mom and brother are in danger, and the Consortium is trying to enslave humanity? (Yeah, they aren’t fooling around.) So feeling something for Reid Wentworth was not part of the plan. Trying to help unite the Resistance against the Consortium means I can’t be distracted by hot boys.

The Resistance secret hideout isn’t exactly the rebel base of my dreams. A traitor there wants me dead, but we have no idea who it is. And with both the Resistance and the Consortium trying to control me, the only one I can trust is Reid. If we’re going to have any chance of protecting my family, controlling my unstable powers, and surviving the clash between the Oculi factions, I’m going to have to catch this traitor. By using myself as bait.
 



Sometimes you're not quite sure what you'll get with a sequel, especially one as heart-pounding as its predecessor. When it comes to Enigma there's no need to worry. The start gives you just enough time to gather your thoughts and take a few deep breaths before Josie and Reid have to run a few errands like find the mole within the Resistance and you know, save the world. 

Josie has barely had enough time to absorb the full impact of how her life has turned upside down and now the fact that her family is in danger reverberates throughout the book. Rather than run away, she chooses to take on the danger heading straight for the Resistance headquarters to find support and most importantly the mole. Reid is as ever loyal but also reeling from the shock that his partner turned out to be not so trustworthy. This is one of the central themes of the book - trust. How to find it again after the rug has been pulled out from under them. Going to the Resistance means a fine balancing act of trust and also independence in search of the truth. Both Josie and Reid are fully aware of this which means they must be even tighter than ever in order to survive and win the fight.

My favourite thing about what Tonya Kuper has created here is Josie. This girl owns who she is. She's a nerd, loves science and geeks out on all things superhero. She has never succumbed to the pressure to dumb down or be embarrassed by her nerdiness. She is full of grit and determination, a logical thinker but also pays heed to her heart. Reid admires her as she is and it's great to have a male character not feel intimidated or emasculated by her strength and powers. I think she's a fantastic role model for young girls.

As for the story, I actually enjoyed Enigma even more. In Anomaly, Josie was just getting to understand who she was. In Enigma, no longer isolated and now surrounded by her peers, she puts her I-mean-business hat on. Now they work together towards the greater good. Josie grows up fast taking on responsibilities she couldn't have imagined a year before. 

Enigma has adventure, action, love and intelligence. It's about a young woman who instead of asking "why me" adds purpose to her life. Definitely read this one!

 ~ Bel


Thursday, June 29, 2017

Under Her Skin (Blank Canvas #1) by Adriana Anders

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Her Body is His Canvas
A darkly possessive relationship has left Uma alone and on the run. Beneath her drab clothing, she hides a terrible secret—proof of her abuse, tattooed onto her skin in a lurid reminder of everything she’s survived.
Caught between a brutal past and an uncertain future, Uma’s reluctant to bare herself to anyone…much less a rough ex-con whose rage drives him in ways she will never understand. But beneath his frightening exterior, Ivan is gentle. Warm. Compassionate. And just as determined to heal Uma’s broken heart as he is to destroy the monster who left his mark scrawled across the delicate tapestry of her of her skin.





"Old hag in need of live-in helper to abuse. Nothing kinky."
Anyone who answers this ad has to be either out of their mind or desperate. That's the ad that Uma answers when she arrives in Blackwood almost penniless and in dire need of shelter. She's escaped from a volatile relationship that's left her with physical scars to rival her emotional ones. She can barely recognize the person she is today but in Blackwood she hopes to find her salvation where she will erase her past and restart her life. Her employer is a curmudgeonly older lady who pushes Uma to her limits but it's their neighbour that has her heart racing. Any man at the moment is bad news in her mind and Ive with his imposing physique and gruffness is no exception, though his kindness towards her goes against his outward appearance. When Ive first meets Uma he recognizes something in her eyes: someone whose spirit has been beaten down and is afraid. It has him curious as to who did that to her and for no logical reason at all he becomes protective of her. 

Under Her Skin is equally emotional and erotic. As the story goes on we learn about the abuse Uma suffered previously. It hurts even more when she traces back all the missed cues that she should have caught on to but it's all hindsight. She does not intend to make the same mistakes again so when Ive shows interest, she asks for time. Uma begins to notice Ive as she sheds some of her apprehensiveness. My absolute favourite passage comes on page 124 -- while she's watching him work with metal at the fire, she uses her photographer's eye to imagine him as a medieval blacksmith. That entire scene is so sensual and with the way Anders described it, I could picture it so vividly in front of me. Deep breaths were necessary to cool down after that. 

I was captivated by Anders' writing style and the images that she so exquisitely paints. I liked how her characters' rapport develop organically. One of my other favourite scenes is earlier on where Uma sits by her open window and listens to Ive banging on something in his garage. She's not aware yet that he's a blacksmith but finds a distinct comfort in clinging to that rhythmic sound. It doesn't escape me that this romantic and almost spiritual scenario of the two of them awake at night unable to sleep yet his nearby presence puts her at ease, is what helped forge this unusual and heated connection between them. I also want to praise Anders for how sensitively she handles Uma's storyline. Writing about someone who has escaped abuse and who is dealing with so much anguish is a precarious challenge. Uma is complex, filled with fragility and grit.

Under Her Skin is a stunning debut from Anders. So stunning that I read it in one day. This story will consume you and leave you breathless at times. Don't fear, there is a HEA that makes the journey through all that heartache worth it.

~ Bel




Wednesday, June 28, 2017

A New Leash On Love Spotlight Tour

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When Craig Williams draws the short straw and has to take his daughter’s adorable new puppy to a shelter after the holidays, it’s just another painful episode in the fall-out of a miserable divorce. He needs to pick up the pieces of his life, and, after a fiery confrontation with Megan Anderson, the young woman running the shelter, he wants to put the whole episode behind him. However, when he keeps finding new ways to reconnect with her, he realizes Megan’s compassionate and caring nature just might be the perfect salve for his broken heart.

Source: advance e-galley provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review


Take one guess as to what convinced me to request this book? Yep. The puppers. I cannot resist a cute puppy and so I was suckered in. (Kudos to the person who designed the cover!)

Megan runs the local animal shelter which is a labour of love that requires hard work and a lot of balancing. It's apparent from the get go that all the animals at the shelter mean the world to her. She has the patience to win over their trust and to help them find the right forever homes where they can continue to lead full, happy lives. She meets Craig when he comes in to surrender his daughter's puppy. Life took a dramatic downward turn for his family even before he and his wife divorced. Now his focus is on his kids and work. Understanding that his daughter and ex-wife can no longer manage a puppy in their house, he takes it to the shelter where Megan immediately assumes that he's someone easily giving up on a pet, therefore pegging him as an entitled jerk. He doesn't appreciate her assumption of him but doesn't feel the need to correct her on it either, even if it does bother him. So imagine how confused they are that despite their negative interaction there seem to be sparks flying between them. When Craig's daughter starts volunteering at the shelter, it gives both him and Megan a redo.

This is a second-chance love story in the sense that it's a second chance at life and love. Both have suffered losses and neither is feeling too brave to jump in. I thought it was fascinating that Megan who is so brilliant at gaining an animal's trust is not so quick to trust another human. We get her and Craig's side of the story but I was nicely surprised to get his daughter Sophie's perspective as well. I thought it added an interesting layer to the story to include his child's observation. Thanks to the three of them I got a better feel for them as individuals with and away from each other and their take on what has been happening. Let's not forget that the setting is an animal shelter. I really enjoyed reading how Megan worked with and trained the dogs. (Yes, I was trying to pick up some tips myself.)

A New Leash On Love is an adorable, feel-good read that leaves your heart full. It's the first in the Rescue Me series and I'm looking forward more from Debbie Burns.

~ Bel




We're happy to share with you an excerpt from A New Leash On Love as part of today's spotlight tour. Enjoy and don't forget to enter the giveaway below!

Megan drove home through the streets of Webster Grove, trying to sort out a tangled mess of feelings that wouldn’t unravel. When it came to Craig Williams, everything was too knotted together to decipher.
Pulling onto her cul-de-sac, she felt her heart thump erratically when she spotted a BMW 7 Series parked in her driveway. She hit the brakes, then the gas a bit too hard. The engine revved, and heat rushed all the way into her fingers and toes.
Please don’t let him have seen that. She parked in her driveway alongside his car and attempted to step out as gracefully as possible. He was still in his seat, talking on the phone. She headed around and leaned against her passenger door. Meeting her gaze, he held up a finger and offered a secretive smile that lightened her mood more than a whole bag of comfort food could’ve.
She heard a handful of words through his closed window. They were boring ones that had to do with sales and reports and projections. Then he said he had to go.
With a wave of insecurity washing over her, Megan pulled her jacket closed. The sun was setting, and the temperature was dropping.
Craig stepped from his car wearing a dress shirt that was open at the collar and no coat. Keeping one arm draped over his door, he stared at her without saying anything. Just three feet, maybe four, separated them.
“Hey,” she said. Why was the onus on her to talk first? He was standing in her driveway.
“I wanted to give you something. If you have a few minutes.”
She rocked back on her heels. “I think I have a few.”
With a hint of a smile curling his lips, he reached into his car and pulled out a brown-paper gift bag. “It isn’t another donation, so I’m hopeful it won’t piss you off.”
A laugh bubbled out of her. “Based on our history, I’d have to say you never know.” She took it, admiring the gold tissue paper poking out the top. “Did you bag this yourself?”
“I feel compelled to say I’m not that good at domesticity.”
She separated the folds of tissue, then paused. “Let me guess… You bronzed my pooper scooper?” She said it in hope of easing the tension still hanging in the air. He’d commented at lunch that with the new employee they were going to add, her poop-scraping days might well be over.
Whatever he’d given her was flat, wide, and rectangular. Pursing her lips, she pulled it out and held it up in the dim light. “Um, is it a little chalkboard?”
He laughed in the low, quiet way that made her tingle down to her toes. “It’s more of a metaphorical gift.”
Megan tilted her head, looking from him to the chalkboard. “If you’re saying not to use your donation on new technology for the shelter, you could’ve given me a Hallmark card. Nothing says I don’t do technology like Hallmark.”
“Try again, Megan. This is about this afternoon. It has nothing to do with the shelter.”
That word again. Her name. Only when he said it, it was like a tall stack of chocolate chip and pecan pancakes with extra syrup.
With her heart running its own marathon, she forced her attention to the shiny new chalkboard in her hand and tried to figure out how it could be metaphorical. Suddenly she got it. Unable to keep the grin from spreading across her face, she held it up. “Are you offering me a clean slate?”
He smiled wide enough to show a set of very white, straight teeth. “Yes, as a matter of fact I am.” Pulling one hand from his pocket, he held up a finger. “And hopefully a better explanation than the one I gave you this afternoon, if you’ll allow me.”
Her heart plummeted into her stomach, then leaped into her throat. “I will.”
“That’s good. Really good.” He moved a step closer, returning his free hand to his pants’ pocket. Megan suddenly wondered if he wanted to touch her as much as she wanted him to. “Look, you haven’t had kids so you may not understand this, but the thing is, right now my life is about my kids. My ex-wife and I didn’t divorce for the chance to be with other people. Not now. Not at this stage in the game.”
Why did it suddenly feel like he was dumping her? With a chalkboard? Swallowing hard, she nodded. “I get it, Craig.”
“Please let me finish. I hardly ever say things. But I have to say this. To you. Because you’re real and because you matter.”
She swept a lock of hair behind her ear and nodded him on. “Okay.”
“You see, a few years ago, something happened and the kids—” His voice cracked, and he cleared his throat.
Her own throat was so damn tight, but she had to spare him from continuing. “Sophie told me. She told me what happened.”
Craig stared at her for a mile of heartbeats before starting again. “Then you know that I can’t hurt them. Not now. Not more than the divorce already has.”
Her insides turned to mush. “I know, and I get it. Like I said, I’m sorry for the accusation I made earlier.”
With a bitter laugh, he walked away from her, pacing again. “I deserved it. And more. You caught me off guard right from the start. With what you said to me the first time I met you. About rising to the occasion. And just about everything else from then on. But I’m not making decisions for me. I can’t move forward with you in that way. And let’s face it, it’s obvious to the world you aren’t one-night-stand material. I probably wouldn’t be half as attracted to you if you were.” He sighed and dragged his fingers through his hair. “This is a terrible apology. I’ve never been good at them, but now I’m really out of practice.”
“It’s all right. I’m okay with your faults, numerous as they are.” Megan grinned and held up the bag she’d slipped the chalkboard into. “Besides, we’re starting over, remember?”

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Tuesday, June 27, 2017

The Impossible Vastness of Us Release Day Launch



From New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young comes a story of friendship, identity, and acceptance that will break your heart—and make it whole again. Grab your copy of THE IMPOSSIBLE VASTNESS OF US today!



About THE IMPOSSIBLE VASTNESS OF US:

“I know how to watch my back. I’m the only one that ever has.”

India Maxwell hasn’t just moved across the country—she’s plummeted to the bottom rung of the social ladder. It’s taken years to cover the mess of her home life with a veneer of popularity. Now she’s living in one of Boston’s wealthiest neighborhoods with her mom’s fiancé and his daughter, Eloise. Thanks to her soon-to-be stepsister’s clique of friends, including Eloise’s gorgeous, arrogant boyfriend Finn, India feels like the one thing she hoped never to be seen as again: trash.

But India’s not alone in struggling to control the secrets of her past. Eloise and Finn, the school’s golden couple, aren’t all they seem to be. In fact, everyone’s life is infinitely more complex than it first appears. And as India grows closer to Finn and befriends Eloise, threatening the facades that hold them together, what’s left are truths that are brutal, beautiful, and big enough to change them forever…

Amazon US Hardcover | Amazon US eBook | Barnes & Noble | iBooks US

Amazon UK | Kobo UK | GooglePlay | iBooks UK | Kobo US






Excerpt:


“India, I’m not using her. I mean, I am, but it’s not like that. Eloise is getting what she wants out of this relationship, as well.”
“Like what?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“You are using her.”
“I’m not.” His chair screeched as he pulled it closer so our knees touched. His dark eyes moved over my face and I sucked in my breath at the open appreciation I saw there. “I’m not using her…but we are in a relationship together. I guess it just never occurred to me that I might actually meet someone in high school. Someone I…”
That feeling in my chest, that thick, hot feeling, threatened to overwhelm me at all the things he wasn’t saying. “Finn, Eloise is going to be my family.”
He looked so forlorn it took everything within me not to reach for him.
“What is it you’re hiding?”
“I can’t tell you. Please, just trust me.”
Hurt and frustration swept through me in equal measure but I tamped it down.
It wasn’t my place to demand his secrets.
My frustration was suddenly mirrored in his eyes as he looked up at me. “I wish things were different.”
But they weren’t different. And yet they were the same, history repeating itself. I cared about someone and they didn’t care enough about me back to be honest about what was really going on.
I didn’t know if I was angry at Finn or just angry that nothing ever seemed to be easy for me. Everything was always a fight.
It felt like I lived in a constant clusterfuck.
I gave a huff of laughter. “Story of my life.” I shook my head, grabbed up my bag and, unable to look at him, said, “Thank you for your help tonight.”
“You’re not leaving without me.”
His protectiveness confused and pissed me off even more. “I’m not? Funny, it looks like that’s exactly what I’m doing.”
His familiar scowl was back in place at my sarcasm. “You’re also not going home alone after what happened here. I’ll give you a ride.”
“Finn.” I slumped, suddenly feeling exhausted. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Sadness flittered through his eyes before he managed a carefully blank expression. “I think I can handle driving you home.”
Still a trembling mess after everything that had happened, I gave in and followed Finn out to his car.
The tension that we’d shared before was nothing compared to how it was now. Now that Finn had in a roundabout way admitted he liked me and I’d realized that what I was feeling for him was attraction, the tension could not be mistaken for anything else but sexual.
I’d never felt anything like it before—it was the most frustrating, scary and exhilarating feeling in the world.
When we eventually pulled up outside the house, the guilt washed over me. I shouldn’t be feeling this way about Eloise’s boyfriend and he certainly shouldn’t be feeling this way about me.
I felt like we were to blame for the whole thing but I didn’t know why.
I hadn’t asked the universe to make Finn like me.
And I had definitely not intended to like him in return.
“India,” he said just as I moved to get out of his car. “I’ve never really cared what anybody thought of me before…but I really don’t want you to think I’m a bad person.”
I stared into his beautiful eyes. “I can’t imagine ever thinking you’re a bad person. I meant it earlier…thank you for coming for me tonight. I’ll never forget it.”
“This feels weirdly like a goodbye,” he said with a bitter twist to his gorgeous lips.
“Maybe it is. I guess we’re both just a complication the other doesn’t need.”
Slowly, so slowly my heart had time to increase in hard, steady thumps, Finn slid his hand over the center console between us and stroked his thumb along the side of my hand. I felt that simple touch in every nerve, my body reacting to it in a way it never had to the touches and deep kisses that had come before it.
I stared at our hands for a moment, wondering how different my life could be if Finn wasn’t Eloise’s boyfriend, if we’d just met as strangers at school, felt the inexplicable bond between us and were free to do something about it.
Suddenly very aware of how long I’d been sitting outside the house in his car, I fumbled for the door handle. “See you around, Finn.”






About Samantha Young:

Samantha Young is the New York Times,  USA Today  and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of adult contemporary romances, including the On Dublin Street series and Hero, as well as the New Adult duology Into the Deep and Out of the Shallows.  Every Little Thing, the second book in her new Hart’s Boardwalk series, will be published by Berkley in March 2017. Before turning to contemporary fiction, she wrote several young adult paranormal and fantasy series, including the amazon bestselling Tale of Lunarmorte trilogy. Samantha’s debut YA contemporary novel The Impossible Vastness of Us will be published by Harlequin TEEN in ebook & hardback June 2017
Samantha has been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award 2012 for Best Author and Best Romance for On Dublin Street, Best Romance 2014 for Before Jamaica Lane, and Best Romance 2015 for HeroOn Dublin Street, a #1 bestseller in Germany, was the Bronze Award Winner in the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2013, Before Jamaica Lane the Gold Medal Winner for the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2014 and Echoes of Scotland Street the Bronze Medal Winner for the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2015.


Samantha is currently published in 30 countries and is a #1 international bestselling author.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads



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Monday, June 26, 2017

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

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An unforgettable tale of two friends on their Grand Tour of 18th-century Europe who stumble upon a magical artifact that leads them from Paris to Venice in a dangerous manhunt, fighting pirates, highwaymen, and their feelings for each other along the way.

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.

But as Monty embarks on his grand tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.

Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

Witty, romantic, and intriguing at every turn, The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue is a sumptuous romp that explores the undeniably fine lines between friendship and love.


Source: advance e-galley provided in exchange for an honest review


I'd seen several people commenting about The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue. There was something infectious about their enthusiasm for it that made me want to be in on it, too. 

Folks, I started laughing right away. Monty, who's a rake through and through has two things I love in any hero: dry humour and quick wit. He's been kicked out of school because he was caught messing around with another boy in an unbecoming way. Since he's always getting into trouble you deduce rather quickly that he's kind of a hot mess. But a hot mess that you can't help but love and he knows it. All he has to do is employ his looks, charm and those freaking dimples to worm his way out of (or into) a situation. Unfortunately, that charm doesn't work on his stern father who has found him to be so utterly exasperating and embarrassing. He arranges for him to go on a tour of Europe hoping that it will instill some culture and responsibility in him before he fully immerses himself in the family business upon his return home. Joining him on this journey is his best friend and as it turns out, unrequited love, Percy. They've known each other since they were kids and are thick as thieves, except that Percy's the level-headed one while Monty constantly needs to be reigned in. It's a friendship that has provided both of them the stability they need. Going on tour together is their bittersweet last hurrah before becoming serious adults. It's also important to Monty to have these final few months with Percy before they go their separate ways. 

I was a chapter in when I declared my undying love for this book. Monty won my heart immediately and Percy is so sweet and patient that he deserves a medal. The action takes place almost instantly because Monty can't help but get himself in hot water. This latest debacle though brings tension between him and Percy. Lee effectively shows us Monty's anguish over his love for Percy and him not wanting to ruin what he has with his best friend. I also like how she gradually has Monty opening up about the ugly bits in his life, particularly his hostile relationship with his father which deepens your perspective of him. His character arc and development from one of self-indulgence to maturity is my favourite aspect of this story. Close to that are the various "almost" moments between him and Percy which are written so well, giving you the sense of deep longing, lust and affection. Little things like him touching his ring finger to Percy's lips are so tender and secretive - I felt myself blush at that brief moment of contact. There's also a spectacular scene that takes place at the opera. I mean it, it's a beautiful, hold-your-breath scene! A lovely surprise that comes to light is his sister, Felicity who is forced to accompany them on their tour. Always underestimated or ignored by her family, she's the one who keeps things real. 

Sometimes the characters behaved so convincingly that I forgot that they're just teenagers.Yet they prove their mettle. Lee throws them into various situations from scandalous to perilous, and also introduces other themes relevant to this time period like prejudice, slavery, higher education and sexism, all of which play significant roles in their exploits. It's history come alive as she takes us on a jaunt through 18th century Europe, through the eyes of three different individuals whose personal stories colour their world views. 

I think I've made it clear that I can gush about GGVV all day. There's so much more I want to discuss but that would mean spoilery and I don't want to do that. Just know that an adventure awaits and you don't want to miss it! And you guys, Lee is working on a companion spin-off, The Ladies Guide to Petticoats and Piracy. I'm ridiculously over the moon about this news!

~ Bel


Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Trouble by Avery Flynn Excerpt Reveal


Trouble, an all-new sexy standalone from Avery Flynn is coming June 27th!


Synopsis:

A high school reunion is about to get down and dirty and a whole lot more complicated in this new romance from USA Today bestselling author Avery Flynn.

Brains and a badass attitude. That’s all troublemaker Leah Camacho took with her when she left Catfish Creek. She’d promised herself she’d never go back, but when the invite to her tenth high school reunion arrived along with the chance to show everyone who doubted her what a success she’s made of herself, she couldn’t resist. However, when she discovers a 15-carat, stolen diamond in her rental car’s glove box, there’s only one man she can turn to for help—the same sexy, stubborn domineering man who’d smashed her heart all those years ago.

Sheriff Drew Jackson knew a long time ago that Leah Camacho was nothing but trouble and has sworn to never get caught up in her again—no matter how damn sexy she is or how badly he’d failed to forget her. But, when the woman who test drove his heart right into a concrete wall rolls into Catfish Creek with some serious bad guys on her tail, it’s up to him to keep her safe—even if that means guarding her hot bod 24/7 without giving into temptation or losing his mind.



Excerpt:
Spinning the wheel as he hit the brakes, he came to a stop behind the sports car at an angle that blocked it from reversing. Drew got out of his truck, keeping the open door between him and the other car and flicked open the leather strap on his hip holster that kept his sheriff's office-issued 9mm locked in place.
"Get out of the vehicle," he hollered.
The car's driver's side door opened wide. The first part of the driver to appear was one shapely leg wearing skin-tight denim punctuated with scuffed up black Doc Martens. Some sort of danger alarm sounded in Drew's head, but not the kind that warned of bullets or other bodily danger. A woman got out, facing away from him, her hands up and her dark hair a long silky curtain that led his attention straight down her back to the high curve of her ass poured into those jeans. Parts of him that had no place in police business sat up and noticed. Her ass was a testament to the reason why society required women to wear full dresses for so long—because men were weak, lust-addled idiots when it came to asses like the one that looked more than a little familiar to Drew. His gaze snapped back up as his internal alarm went from quiet buzz to all-out blare. He knew that ass, that hair, and those damn boots.
"Turn around," he ordered.
She did. Her lush mouth—one he knew far too well—was compressed into a tight line, her attention focused on something behind him. Leah Camacho was back and with her always came trouble—for him, for his sanity, and for the part of him that still thought of her at opportune moments in the shower.
"Drew," she said, making his name sound like a curse and a promise. "Get on the other side of the door."
Listening to Leah Camacho was the last thing he should be doing, but he did it anyway for reasons he didn't understand. Just as he rounded the door, an extended cab pickup truck turned the corner. The tires were big, the windows dark, and the speed was slow. As it puttered by, Drew looked it over and mentally confirmed it didn't belong to any of the usual suspects in Catfish Creek. Of course, the high school reunion was bringing in lots of folks who hadn't been here in a while. At the corner, the truck sped up, peeling away from the stop sign and taking a hard right back toward the highway.
"Who was that?" he asked, the smell of burnt rubber drifting back toward them.
"No fucking clue but they've been on my ass for the past hour," she said, reaching up and winding her long hair into a knot on the top of her head—the move emphasizing her amazing tits and making Drew's mouth go dry. "I didn't realize I'd be stopping on your turf."
He bet not. After what happened last time they were together, she'd made avoiding him into an art form. However, the fact that he was the law in town, however temporarily, meant avoiding her was an impossibility because wherever Leah Camacho went, trouble was sure to follow. He glanced down at exhibit A.
"What happened to your tire?" he asked.
"No clue," she said, her voice tight with a lie. "I must have run over something."
Drew squatted down and took a closer look at the tire. It didn't have a tear, it was just gone as if it had been a blow out. If Leah had run over something big enough to do that, she would have realized it.
"What in the hell is going on, Leah?"



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About the Author:

Avery Flynn is an award winning, USA Today bestselling romance author. She has three slightly-wild children, loves a hockey-addicted husband, and is desperately hoping someone invents the coffee IV drip.

She was a reader before she was a writer and hopes to always be both. She loves to write about smartass alpha heroes who are as good with a quip as they are with *ahem* other God-given talents. Her heroines are feisty, fierce and fantastic. Brainy and brave, these ladies know how to stand on their own two feet and knock the bad guys off theirs.

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