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Starline (Book 1, Warriors of the Elector) Erotic Sci-Fi/Fantasy Romance by Imogene Nix
Blurb: One man, one woman, one psychotic alien. Now the race is on to save humanity. Past. Present. Future.
Mellissa Davis is your average bookstore owner and aspiring romance author until one day an electronic book pad slides through the mail slot of her little bookstore. Now all she has to worry about is a sexy time travelling stealthship captain, staying out of the way of the bad guy and saving the universe, past and present. Not much to ask…
Duvall McCord, an up and coming stealthship captain travels to the past to stop the Ru’Edan leader, Crick Sur Banden, destroying the Earth Empire of the future. His mission? Retrieve the handbook for the Elector. He doesn’t count on love, or saving the woman of his dreams. But time is running out. This warrior must do everything he can to stop the plot...
Excerpt:
“Sir, you have an encoded message incoming from Admiralty,” Engineer Corbin Jard stated. A young officer, new to Duvall’s team, he looked up expectantly at his Captain. His pretty-boy face showed eagerness, and he looked ready to jump up and grab something, anything his Captain commanded. Jard had joined the crew just as the ship prepared to make its maiden journey. A big promotion for one who had, until recently, served on the Star of Ishtar.
“I’ll take it in my office, Jard,” Duvall said, striding through the automatic doors and heading to his office. The crew of the Elector carefully trained for multi-tasking, and given the size of the crew and the status of a Stealth Ship, if one officer sustained injury, someone else could continue their role, and the crew while new, had started integrating nicely.
Hopefully this lead would take them to the handbook they sought, he thought, something to give them a break in the ongoing hunt for Crick Sur Banden. His neck itched, and while he didn’t consider himself superstitious, he never neglected to listen to what his senses told him, and right now they screamed that he needed a lead and quickly.
Once in his office, he secured the door and opened the secure link. “McCord here.”
“Duvall, I have a lead, or something, for you.” The earnest voice of WO Meredith Gentry came quickly. Much as he looked forward to hearing from her, he did not expect to. Meredith continued her work safely tucked away on Aenna. Didn’t she? “I don’t have a lot of time,” she hurried on. “I think they know I suspect something. I rigged the handbook with a tracking device. The secure code is—” He could hear the sound of voices behind her. “Quickly, it’s V422J53. That will allow you to access the secure feed,” she said as he jotted down the tracking device’s code. He could hear her taking quick breaths.
“It moved through the gate outside Eris on code LX543GH4.” He knew that code. He had just generated one giving a similar time path.
“Meredith, are you in a secure location?” he demanded forcefully. Another hitched breath floated through the secure line. He gripped his table and leaned forward, not that he could do anything. The sounds faltered from thousands of miles away. “Meredith?” His sister was in danger, and here he listened on a ship so far away. Barsha! He should have protected her.
“Duvall, you need to access frequency…” Quickly she rattled off the information he would need to follow the device as he tapped into his unit. “Oh God! They’re here—” Abruptly the line went dead.
“Meredith? Meredith?” Now he leaned over the device. Quickly accessing the Admiralty, he demanded a connection to Gentry. A voice informed that Gentry could not be raised, and the voice asked if someone else could help with his query. His demands to talk to the Admiral met with a similar fate. Frustration welled upward, nearly choking him as he disconnected. He knew he couldn’t go back and didn’t know who else to contact. He had to maintain a chain of silence while investigating, especially when the Admiralty could be breached. Never had those words choked him so much.
His heart thudded as he sat back down. Could more than a single infiltrator exist? He hoped not, but the itching at his neck grew in intensity, and he feared the worst. Tapping the information Meredith had given him into his desk screen, he started toward tracking the handbook, thankful for the foresight of officers such as his sister.
The blip of the machine echoed through the room; an answer bounced back to him. A heading he would never have guessed. Toward the Time Port. Well, thank Eshra, if he couldn’t go back to help Meredith, he could at least work toward retrieving the item she had risked so much to track. Quickly he hailed the bridge. “Full speed toward the Time Port,” he instructed, just in time to see the blip disappear.
About the Author: A mother of two, compulsive reader and bookstore owner. Imogene lives in regional Queensland, Australia with her husband, 2 daughters, dog, cats, guinea pigs and chooks. She has a particular fondness for Vampires, Star Ship captains and things that go bump in the night. Visit Imogene at http://www.imoginenix.com.
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Finding My Faith (The Six Savior Series, Book 2) Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy Romance by Carly Fall
Blurb:
Growing up in a small Northern Arizona town, Faith Cloudfoot’s life was spent playing in the forests surrounding her house under the protective eyes of her father, and learning about the legends of her Native American heritage. Yearning for more out of her life, she moves to Phoenix, Arizona at the age of twenty-three where she is kidnapped and almost killed.
Rayner has a special ability, one that weighs on him like a curse. He can see spirits trapped in between life and their final resting place. Because he can’t do much to help them, he studiously ignores them. He concentrates, instead, on working with his fellow warriors to right the wrongs caused by the evil criminals from his home planet.
When Rayner sees Faith in her spirit form while investigating a lead in Phoenix, his attraction to her is immediate, yet he follows his own personal code and ignores her cry for attention. When he realizes that she may be a stepping stone to getting him home to his own universe, he engages Faith and begins to use her as a means to an end: going home.
As the attraction grows stronger, Rayner finds himself breaking all sorts of self-set rules, as well as the code of ethics set by him and his fellow warriors. When Faith nears death, Rayner realizes that he must do everything in his power to save her, because if he doesn’t, he may just lose himself.
Excerpt:
Rayner knew what he was doing was wrong, but he simply couldn't help himself. He should have left the room a while back, but seeing Faith standing in the middle of the room in that little blue nightshirt and watching her get angry at him had jacked him up to levels he had never known before. Holy Christ, he wanted her even more when she yelled at him, and when she had come at him with that little fist, oblivious to their size difference...it had sent him right to the edge. He would have to explore the psychiatry of that later. Right now, he was busy teetering on a very dangerous slope. He just wanted Faith. He didn't care about consequences, what would happen later, or what would happen in three minutes. He was only in the moment, and the moment consisted of Faith's hand on his raging erection.
He wanted those lips, but he knew if he kissed her, he would be a goner. A total goner. Game over, hit the lights because his party would be over. So he kissed her cheek, which was soft and warm and just a little damp from all those tears that had ripped at his heart. He hadn't meant to actually nip at her earlobe.
He needed to disengage and get away from her.
Instead he placed his hand at the nape of her neck and pulled her forward—the only thing separating them was their hands, her little fist wrapped in his big paw.
"Rayner—"
"Don't say another word, Faith," he whispered. "Just don't."
He closed his eyes and brought a lock of her hair up to his nose, smelling the fresh mountain breeze scent he had come to associate with Faith. His chest grew tight, his breathing became more labored as the silky strands whispered across his skin. He wanted her with a ferocity that bordered on insanity. What beat within him now was nothing but raw male need, all pretenses of manners and gentlemanly etiquette long gone.
When he felt her hand lay flat on his chest, and she turned her head and rested her cheek on his chest, he thought back to his dream and how good it felt to have Faith touch him, to be near her. To have it happen in real life was a zillion and one times better than the dream.
"I think I'm in love with you, Rayner," she whispered.
He knew that from the ceremony to get her spirit back in her body. It still shook him to his core to hear her say it. His skin developed goose bumps; his knees went weak at her words.
“You can't love me, Faith,” he said into her hair.
“It's too late,” she breathed into his chest. “Too late.”
He knew what he had to do. He needed this to end, to come to a halt, a full stop with brakes screeching. He thought his heart might break, crack, or just fucking stop with his next words. “But it's not too late to let me go,” he whispered. He let go of her neck and hand and stepped away. He didn't meet her eyes as he opened the door and stepped out.
Review: Five Stars - Romance Writer's Reads:
There's always something to worry about when reading the sequel to a book you love. If your expectations are high, you may worry about feeling let down if the second book in a series doesn't live up to the first. As much as I loved book 1, I was hoping that Finding My Faith would capture me the same way. It did!
I loved Rayner and Faith. Faith was one of those headstrong heroines who is not stupid or annoying her independence, and Rayner was the perfect blend of alpha male and heart.
I appreciated that there wasn't a huge info dump, much like what you would have to suffer through in most sequels. The same story of Rayner's alien race was told, but this time from his point of view,
giving it a different angle and a new perspective. I loved how even though Rayner and Faith were from two different worlds, they were both so similar. Faith is Native American and Rayner is from the 'forest
people' of his planet...the two go together like opposite ends of an Oreo!
The love scenes were tender but also scorching hot! I liked how the sexual tension was allowed to build to an explosive level before 'it' finally happened. The chemistry between Rayner and Faith didn't
disappoint!
I am really looking forward to book 3 in the series, just as much as I was looking forward to this one. Well done Carly!
How to Enter:
Go HERE to enter for a chance to win a digital copy of FINDING MY FAITH from Carly Fall. Winner will be selected via Random.org. Contest open internationally and ends midnight US EST April 16.
About the Author:
Carly Fall lives in Arizona with her incredibly supportive husband, their son and their dog. She loves her family, hiking, writing, their pool, and wine, and depending on the day, not necessarily in that order.
To receive Carly's monthly newsletter, please go to CarlyFall.com and sign up at the big box on the right. She promises not to spam you or sell your information (even if someone tries to bribe her with chocolate chip cookies), but instead she wants her newsletter to inspire you, make you laugh, and let you know of super fun promotional activities she's involved in that usually mean free stuff for you.
Visit Carly at her Website/Blog, give her a thumbs up on Facebook, and/or Tweet her @CarlyFall1.
She also loves to see what you're reading, so get friendly with Carly on Goodreads, as well.
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About Amber: Amber Lea Easton grew up in Hartford, South Dakota, where she spent her time daydreaming of big adventures over the horizon under a giant blue South Dakota sky. Now living in Colorado, she is an avid traveler who incorporates her real life travels into her novels as much as possible (minus the illegal activities her characters become immersed in--she swears). To her, setting is another character in the novel and often serves as an inspiration. Although she is a romantic suspense author, she's an avid reader of all genres or "whatever turns her on in the moment". Love is her motivation for all things--whether it be writing, traveling, playing with her dogs or hanging with her two teenagers--if it's not done with love, then what's the point?
To stay up to date with Amber Lea Easton's new releases and events, check out her Website, subscribe to her Author Blog or Email her. Follow her on Twitter or on Facebook.
Author Interview:
When did you first realize you wanted to be an author?
I first realized I wanted to be an author when I was nine years old. At the time, people told me that was a nice “day dream” but wanted to know what I “really” wanted to do with my life. Because of that attitude, I wrote as a hobby all of my life while I did “real” jobs like being a journalist, marketing professional and a trader at a brokerage firm.
On average, how long does it take you to write a book?
Between six to eight months, but that includes all of the revisions. I’ve been known to complete a first draft in only six weeks, but I’m relentless with revisions. I don’t stop revising and rewriting until I can read the manuscript and get lost in the story myself. When I find myself reading as a reader would, I know it’s done and that it’s time to let go.
Where do you find writing inspiration?
From people I meet and places I see. I find the world itself to be fascinating. I love listening to people’s stories and traveling to places that are new to me. When I worked as a journalist, the best part of my job was interacting with new people on a daily basis.
When did you write your first book?
Technically, I wrote my first book when I was nine years old. It was eighty pages long, complete with drawings. Since then, I’ve written about a half a dozen novels for “fun”, but didn’t start taking my fiction seriously until the year 2001 when I quit the commuter world to stay home with my two children. KISS ME SLOWLY is actually my fourth seriously submitted work. By that I mean, in 2001, I started attending writers’ conferences and taking my fiction seriously...as something I am meant to do...and began working hard toward that goal. I wrote DANCING BAREFOOT, RISING TIDE, RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT and KISS ME SLOWLY. RISING TIDE comes out in June...RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT is tentatively coming out in August...DANCING BAREFOOT is my baby and I’m not sure I’ll ever submit it...KISS ME SLOWLY is out now. Funny how it was the fourth completed manuscript, but the first published one. I love how life works!
What do you think makes a good story?
True emotion and conflict make a good story. I probably would make a good psychologist because I’m obsessed with what makes people do the things that they do. There needs to be a lot at stake for the characters in my novels--both emotionally and physically. They need to have a lot to lose but even more to gain.
Does your family (and/or close friends) know that you write and are a published author of mystery fiction? If so, are they supportive of your efforts?
Yes, everyone knows what I do. Some think I need to be doing more “serious” writing, but I don’t really care what they think. I absolutely love my stories and my characters. I wouldn’t change a thing. As for the comment about serious writing, I roll my eyes at that idea. Life is serious enough. I write to entertain, to provide an escape from the every day. I also write non-fiction that deals with issues like grief and suicide--that’s more than enough “serious” for me! Give me a hot romance with a happy ending any day!
Is there a main genre besides romance that you would like to write for?
My current work-in-progress is more of a thriller than a romantic suspense. The only difference is that there isn’t a romance in the book, but the character is strong and the story is gripping. I think I’ll always fluctuate between the two genres. Like I said, I’m fascinated with what makes people tick and both romantic suspense and thrillers dance along that line.
Aside from romance, are there any other types of fiction/literature that you enjoy reading?
Yes, I read everything. I love true crime, comedy and inspirational work.
How important is reader feedback, good or bad, to you?
It’s important, but doesn’t sway me from my purpose. It’s great making people happy...but I will always write what I feel compelled to write. Right now I’m experimenting with darker short stories on my blog--it’s sort of a challenge for me--and people have responded well to it. That being said, whether they liked it or not, I’d still be experimenting with it because it’s pushing me out of my comfort zone. There will always be critics--some will love me, some will hate me. Such is the nature of the business. As a writer, my singular goal is to be true to myself.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I just started belly dancing, which is a lot of fun. Outside of that, I really love hanging out with my kids. We’re a tight trio. They’re teens now and I realize that time is limited before they head off to conquer the world. We travel a lot, go to movies, concerts, hockey games, hiking, that sort of thing. Oh, and I love playing fetch with my dogs. I’m pretty low key, I guess.
What advice, if any, do you have for aspiring authors?
Be open minded to feedback from mentors like published authors and editors, learn when to compromise and when to stand firm. Evolve. Learn. Write. REVISE! Persevere. REVISE! During my own process, I thought of myself as a palm tree that can easily bend against the wind as needed, but still stands tall after the storm. Be like a palm tree.
Kiss Me Slowly Contemporary Romantic Suspense by Amber Lea Easton
Blurb:
Trapped in a set-up that could have him in jail or dead by Monday, Jonathan Alexander trusts no one in his inner circle. It’s Saturday. His only hope is Grace Dupont, the best forensic accountant in Miami. But there’s a glitch with that idea. She’s also his ex-girlfriend who'd rather watch him drown than throw him a life vest. Going to her feels desperate…because he is.
Grace enjoys seeing Jonathan squirm. On your knees boy, she thinks as he pitches for her help. Always a sucker for the dark-haired-blue-eyed boys, she risks her precariously balanced life of secrets to help him. Helping him slaps a target on her back–she’s the key to proving his innocence and that’s a bad, bad thing.
Tangled up in a whirlwind of conspiracy, murder, million dollar money trails and diamond smuggling, Jonathan and Grace flee to the sea to stall for time to prove his innocence. Romance sizzles beneath Florida Keys’ sunshine. Both scoff at happy endings. Both doubt justice. Both know each kiss could be their last.
Excerpt:
“You have blood on your dress.” He fingered the strap in question that had slipped off her shoulder. “You should probably take it off.”
“Careful. We can’t go there.” Sand clung to her neck and stuck to the tangles in her hair. The light from the bedside lamp shadowed her face.
“I meant change out of it, not…well, maybe I meant take it off. But then we’d be crossing lines that you don’t want to cross.” He let his fingers trail down her arm. “That would be wrong. Terribly wrong.”
“You are nothing but trouble.”
“You always liked trouble.” He rested his right palm against the bed, supporting his weight on his healthy arm.
“Listen carefully to me.” She pressed her finger against his lips. “I’m high on adrenaline, we’re alone, no witnesses, no regrets. One kiss won’t hurt anyone.”
“No witnesses, no regrets…” Heat flooded his veins. “Adrenaline…”
“If I don’t do this now, I’ll hate myself in the morning.”
“You mean you’ll regret it when they lock me up in the morning and throw away the key because you didn’t kiss me one last time?”
“Exactly.” She straddled his lap.
“You weren’t supposed to agree.” He smiled despite the circumstances.
“Shut up, sailor boy. Kiss me.”
She kissed him as if savoring the taste. Her hair fell forward, locking them in a caramel-colored veil of intimacy. Eyes open, they stared at each other as their lips moved against each other’s.
His hands slid up her long thighs, over her panties and pressed against the smoothness of her back. Every stroke of her lips against his awakened pure need in his veins. He no longer cared about what was right or wrong. All he wanted was her mouth on his, his hands on her body and her skin against his.
With a quick yank, she pulled her dress over her head. Breasts bared, she pressed him down on the bed and laughed against his mouth. “This is crossing all kinds of boundaries and breaking every rule I can think of.”
“Just like the old days.” He smiled against her lips. His hands moved over her bared breasts. The pain in his shoulder failed to slow him down. He didn’t know who groaned or if they both did, but the sensation of her flesh filling his palms trumped common sense.
Her bare foot slid over his leg, hands curled into his hair, and body flattened against his. All the anger, the terror and confusion poured from him as he deepened the kiss with an urgency that bordered on desperation. The silky warmth of her mouth erased his pain. Kissing her felt like coming home from an exhausting, lonely journey.
“A kiss…that’s all I wanted,” she muttered against his chin. A shiver quaked through her body when she sighed.
“I want more.”
“Impossible. We can’t.”
“We can do whatever the hell we want, Grace.” Despite the burning pain in his left shoulder, he maneuvered so that his body covered hers. He wanted more than a kiss. He wanted more heat.
My Thoughts:
Absolutely amazing read. Worth so much more than the 5 star max allowed by Goodreads/Amazon/Etc. Action packed, sexy and smart with characters you can't help but grow emotionally attached to. With Ms. Easton's descriptive writing style, the pages of this book played out in my mind like a box-office smash. I was truly sad to see it come to an end. I can't recommend this read enough.
In keeping with the celebration of the opening of the newest member of the CBLS family, The YA Cafe, I'm hosting a giveaway of the second book in Amber Riley's Kindred Blood Trilogy, The Well of Truth. This giveaway is being featured as part of Amber Riley's virtual eBook tour presented by CBLS Promotions. For an excerpt and to enter, go HERE and good luck!
The Well of Truth (Kindred Blood, Book 2) Young Adult Paranormal/Fantasy by Amber Riley
Blurb:
Trying to put his past behind him, Kaden moves to New York City where he creates a new life for himself. And that isn't easy, considering the fact that he's a six-hundred-year-old vampire who hasn't fed on a human in more than a century. Unfortunately, the past isn't something you can always escape from. When old enemies resurface, they come with a message. His master wants him back and refusing isn't an option.
Confronted with losing both his freedom, as well as the human that has captivated him, Kaden struggles to hold onto his humanity while controlling his darker side. He knows the showdown is inevitable. He must find a way to stand his ground.
Starline
A mother of two, compulsive reader and bookstore owner. Imogene lives in regional Queensland, Australia with her husband, 2 daughters, dog, cats, guinea pigs and chooks. She has a particular fondness for Vampires, Star Ship captains and things that go bump in the night. Visit Imogene at http://www.imoginenix.com.
