Romance book reviews. Reviews of books that make my heart race, have a beautiful love story, and a happy ending.

Romance book reviews. Reviews of books that make my heart race, have a beautiful love story, and a happy ending.

Aestas Book Database
The Sea of Tranquility GIVEAWAY & INTERVIEW with Katja Millay

The Sea of Tranquility GIVEAWAY & INTERVIEW with Katja Millay

by · 15 Comments

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Today’s 22-22-22 feature is Katja Millay!!!

Katja is the wonderfully talented author of The Sea of Tranquility, a book that just blew me away with its unforgettable story.

Beautiful. Powerful. Deep. Heart-wrenching. Believable. Uplifting. A must-read for absolutely everyone!! 

5 PLUS stars!  One of my favorite reads of the year!!!!!!

Scroll down for book info, a fan Q&A with Katja and…
an special GIVEAWAY!!

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Be sure to check the bottom of the page and
ENTER TO WIN A BOUND GALLEY PAPERBACK COPY OF
“THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY”!!! 

(A “bound galley” is a pre-publication version of a soon-to-be published book.)

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KATJA MILLAY

I grew up in Florida where I spent my time hiding from the sun. Then I moved to NYC where I attended film school at NYU and spent my time hiding from the rats. I was a high school film production/screenwriting teacher in a former life and now I sit at my kitchen table writing stories and ignoring the frightening mountain of laundry threatening to overtake my home. The Sea of Tranquility is my first novel.

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“My name is Nastya Kashnikov.
I was a piano-playing prodigy…
I was murdered two and a half years ago.
Discuss.” 

Former piano prodigy Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone learning about her past and to make the boy who took everything from her—her identity, her spirit, her will to live—pay.

Josh Bennett’s story is no secret: every person he loves has been taken from his life until, at seventeen years old, there is no one left. Now all he wants is be left alone and people allow it because when your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.

Everyone except Nastya, the mysterious new girl at school who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. But the more he gets to know her, the more of an enigma she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he will ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding—or if he even wants to.

The Sea of Tranquility is a rich, intense, and brilliantly imagined story about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.

 

My spoiler-free review of THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY
(5 PLUS stars!)

The Sea of Tranquility is a beautifully written, deep, heart-wrenching drama about two damaged teens surviving unchangeable tragedies, and devastating grief, hurt, and pain, learning to cope with them, accept them, and somehow finding healing, safety and finally happiness and love in each other along the way.

Its quiet and slow building but it just felt SO real and believable. Without my even realizing it, this book had me worked up to the point where my heart was pounding and felt like it was being being ripped out. The emotional punch took a while to build, but when it hit, it was huge and powerful and took my breath away with its intensity.

Here are some of our readers’ questions answered by Katja.

Aestas  ~  Thank you so much for agreeing to do this Q&A. Your story was so beautiful and seamless! The kind that stays with you long after finishing it. What is your writing process? Do you write every day? Do you start with an outline? Do you start at the beginning and work your way through to the end or write in segments?

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Katja  ~   My process is to not have a process! I’m not sure how to even describe it. It’s pure madness. I don’t recommend it to anyone. lol The majority of the book was written out of order, by hand, in notebooks and on random scraps of paper whenever and wherever I could find them. In the beginning it was pictures in my head, random pieces of dialogue, half-scenes. Then I’d start developing the pieces and fleshing them out. At one point I did try to sit down and outline it but it was a joke and I finally just accepted that it was going to come out however it wanted to come out and it wouldn’t let me force it.

After a few months and a mountain of paper, I had to sit down at the computer and start putting it in sequence and smoothing over the transitions and making it flow. That was the most painful part, because nothing was in order. That was the point when I almost quit. The paper and the notes were daunting and to have to sort through it all was unfathomable but at that point I was invested in the characters and I really wanted to see it through. I couldn’t say that I wrote for any specific period of time each day. Some days I’d struggle to write for thirty minutes and I’d finally realize it just wasn’t going to happen. Other days I’d write literally 14 hours straight. There really wasn’t any method to any aspect of it at all.

The sad part is that after I survived TSoT, I swore I would never do it like this again – that if I ever wrote anything else, I would sit down at the computer and type it, in order, like a sane person. Unfortunately, I’m already finding myself drowning in a mass of paper, with nothing in any semblance of order and not one word in a computer. Apparently my brain won’t work without a pen in my hand. Or I just hate myself which is also a distinct possibility.

Trinity  ~  What was the first scene you wrote?
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Katja ~   The first scene I wrote was the flashback of Nastya’s attack.  Once I had the picture in my head of this girl and her hand and what had happened to her, I couldn’t let it go.  Even though that scene didn’t come in until much later in the story, I had to know what had happened to her and what was in her head from the beginning; the event that was the catalyst for everything else.  The scene itself evolved somewhat after I had initially written it but the essence of it was the same and the weight of what occurred there underscored so much of what happened throughout the book.
        Kami B  ~  What was the hardest part of writing your book?
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Katja  ~   The hardest part was deciding how much information to give readers and when to give it to them.  Since the details of what had happened in the past are trickled out slowly, I had to balance how much to reveal as the story unfolded and that was the trickiest thing.  It was also difficult knowing that I had to make Nastya’s character abrasive and borderline unlikable and unrelatable throughout the entire beginning of the book even when I knew what was under that façade.  It was necessary though because she didn’t like herself and she didn’t want to be liked so I had to be true to her character and let her slowly evolve and reveal herself over the course of the book.

       Julie N  ~  Will Drew ever get his own story?
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Katja  ~  I’ve been asked this one a lot, which makes me really happy because I love that readers want more Drew.  I haven’t ruled out the possibility of Drew getting a book.  However, it’s very important to me that his character and the story itself be strong enough to carry an entire book, so I won’t make that decision until I know all of the pieces are there.  That said, I have an affinity for Drew and I do love the idea of revisiting him at some point.
Tracy D  ~  What are you working on right now? 
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Katja  ~  I haven’t made any announcements as to the story I’m working on yet.  I need to make sure that I am handling the material appropriately and that I can give it the respect and treatment it deserves before I reveal it.  That said, knowing me, I probably won’t say anything until it’s done because I won’t believe I have it until the whole thing is down on paper.
Angie L  ~  Did you know how the story was going to end from the beginning?
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Katja  ~     The ending that’s there was in my head throughout writing the book, which was absolutely necessary because it was very important to me that the foreshadowing be there along the way and that it didn’t just come out of nowhere.  However I didn’t know the entire time that I was going to specifically end it at that particular moment.  I made that decision when I was about halfway there.
Abby M  ~  This novel is so flawless, how long did it take you to write it?
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Katja  ~  Thank you so much Abby.  That is a HUGE compliment.  It took me about seven months from conception to publishing.
Jessica – I heard this is your first novel! What inspired you to start writing? 
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Katja  ~  As a teenager I wanted to write for film and television and that’s what I went to school to do.  I detoured for a while as a television producer and film studies & screenwriting teacher but writing was always in the back of my mind waiting for me to come back to it while I made a lot of excuses not to.  Finally, I was going through a particularly difficult time in my personal life and needed to get out of my own head for a while so I jumped into someone else’s.  My father was dying and he had been telling me for years that I should write and I had been telling him for years that I couldn’t.  But when your father is dying and tells you to write, you write.  He passed away in the spring before I even told him I was doing it, but I like to think he knows. 
Danielle  ~  Do you have any particular actors in mind who you could see playing Josh and Nastya in a movie of TSoT?
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Katja  ~    I am absolutely terrible at casting.  TERRIBLE, I say!  I don’t think I’ll ever find a perfect Josh.   I lived with such a specific picture of him in my head for several months that no one seems to fit just right for me.  There’s a Pinterest board that one of the readers (Trinity!) started for the book so if you have anyone in mind, please post the pictures.  We may find him yet!  As for Nastya, several readers have suggested Lucy Hale and I think she’s an amazing choice.  It has to be someone who can pull off the don’t eff with me attitude and retain a very distinct vulnerability at the same time.

Clista S ~ By far, one of the best stories out there!

Paula ~ I clearly love you, Katja! Of all of the authors that I have connected with through the social media, you have been the most warm, fan friendly of them all. Your story has changed me. I am a different person for reading your book. I’ve asked you numerous questions about TSoT and you have answered them all. Thank you so much!

Francine R ~ No question. Just a thank you. This story was simply beautiful.

Stephanie L ~ Absolutely breathtaking book!! Definitely my favorite book of the year! Can’t wait to read anything you write in the future 🙂

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Katja  ~  Thank you for all of your questions and comments and for reading TSoT.  I can’t tell you how much it means to me to hear from you all!

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** Note from Aestas: Readers, you have Katja to thank in large part for this 22-22-22 event. She was the first author I originally talked to about this when I was still considering whether or not I should run it and she was so encouraging about it that it gave me the motivation to put together the rest of the event. Thank you, Katja <3
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Enter the Rafflecopter link below to win a
BOUND GALLEY PAPERBACK of THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY!!! 

A Bound Galley is the pre-publication version of an upcoming published book.

Open to US residents only.

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TOMORROW’S *SIGNED* GIVEAWAY
11:00 AM EST
featuring
A L    J A C K S O N
(author of When We Collide, Take This Regret & Pulled) 
 

Book Review – Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

Book Review – Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

by · 25 Comments

“And once again in my new world full of heartache and lies, this hopeless boy somehow finds a way to make me smile.”

EVERYONE DROP WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND READ THIS BOOK!!!!!

5++ stars!! One of best books of 2012!

Hopeless utterly blew me away. It was the kind of book that makes me want to stand on a rooftop and shout how amazing it is to the whole world! Beautiful, heart-wrenching and uplifting.

Colleen Hoover’s writing is absorbing, captivating, and flows so smoothly you barely feel the pages slipping by.

After just reading the prologue, I. Was. Hooked.  and I just knew that I had to put my life on hold until I finished it. It gives you a taste of where the story is headed and just grabs at your heart in a way that makes you just NEED to know more

Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

When Sky meets Holder, her life changes. He is the first guy to make her heart skip a beat. The first guy to really make her FEEL.

“I’ve never been swept off my feet. I don’t get butterflies. In fact the whole idea of being swooned by anyone is foreign to me… Somehow, in the course of sixty seconds, this guy has managed to swoon me, then terrify the hell out of me.”

Dean Holder was absolutely amazing. With just a touch of bad boy, lickable dimples, a crooked smile and a tattoo, this moody, mysterious and endearing hot guy with a temper just utterly stole my heart.

“I saw a guy at the store after school, and holy shit, Six. He was beautiful. Scary, but beautiful….as soon as I looked at him, it was like my entire body melted to the floor. He was… Wow.”

Deeply protective and totally swoony but with a bad rep, he was so contradictory – warm, cold. Sweet, sharp. Just like Sky, I just NEEDED to know more about him. And the more I learned, the more the mystery deepened.

I loved watching them get closer and closer. Their chemistry was undeniable and their dialogue and banter was rapid fire and brilliant and just set my heart a flutter.

What they had was intense, passionate, and oh-so REAL. Every single thing they went though and did was believable and just made you wish you knew them in person.

I loved that the story was serious but little parts made me laugh out, breaking up the more emotionally charged scenes. I swooned, squeed, proclaimed my undying love for the book, and had to take breathers to wipe the tears that sprung up on me more than once.

I felt so in sync with Sky’s emotions and journey. I felt like I went through all her emotions without ever once feeling disconnected. Through her eyes, I fell in love with Holder, I felt her pain and confusion, and I felt her healing. She was a wonderfully strong, brave heroine – the kind you want to look up to and make you feel proud of.

This book has the. most. beautiful. intense. breathtaking. first kiss. EVER. (without actually kissing). Curious? You’ll have to read it and see. But I am not kidding, it was one of the best written kisses I’ve ever read!

I loved that the story was emotionally charged but with absolutely no stupidity. All the characters’ reactions were understandable and just made me more and more sympathetic to them. This isn’t to say that there wasn’t angst and heart-clutching turmoil, because there was. The subject matter and themes are serious, gut wrenching and very mature. This book is definitely 17+ (New Adult).

“Sometimes you have to choose between a bunch of wrong choices and no right ones. You just have to choose which wrong choice feels the least wrong.”

I have to say that I didn’t see the big reveal coming. I had my suspicions about one part of the story, but the other part totally took me by surprise.

All the pieces of the story just build and build, layer upon layer of things you don’t even realize are important until the secrets come out and the cascade of emotions from them just crash into you and take your breath away.

“Life is real and sometimes it’s ugly and you just have to learn how to cope.”

This is a quite simply a beautiful story about love and survival. About hope and healing. About life and death. About coping with tragedy and finding forgiveness and peace. About being strong. About being a victim, but also a survivor.

I honestly do not have one single complaint about this book. I have entire pages of my copy highlighted. Its THAT good. Every word, every sentence, every scene puts the imagery of the story into your head so vividly that you feel as though you are right there, watching the events unfold.

This book NEEDS to be made into a movie!!

I can’t wait to buy this book in paperback. Its going to be going right up on my top favs shelf <3

This is one of those stories that will stay with you forever.

And yes, there is a HEA 🙂

“Fuck all the firsts, Sky. The only thing that matters to me with you are the forevers.”

Rating: 5++ stars!! 

PS. Thank you Colleen Hoover for providing me with an ARC to review.

CASTING

  • Holder –> Click here (this is the guy Colleen said she thought looked like Holder)
  • Sky –> I know you can’t see her too clearly, but I actually really love the girl on the cover  for her

 

** SERIES READING ORDER **

BOOK #1: HOPELESS — standalone novel
Buy for Kindle | Buy in Paperback | My Review

BOOK #2: LOSING HOPE  —  Holder’s POV novel
Buy for Kindle | Buy in Paperback | My Review

Novella: FINDING CINDERELLA — companion novella
Kindle | My Review 

   

SIGNED GIVEAWAY & Interview ~ Samantha Towle

by · 26 Comments

CALLING ALL ROCKSTAR FANS!!!

This book was made for you!

THE MIGHTY STORM is a well-written, beautiful story that put me through a deliciously emotional angsty ringer, made my heart race and flutter and had me swooning like crazy over Jake Wethers.

 Freaking. Thrilling. Read.

LOVED IT!!

Scroll down for a teaser from Wethering The Storm, a fan Q&A with Samantha and… an international GIVEAWAY!!

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Be sure to check the bottom of the page and
ENTER TO WIN THE A *SIGNED* PAPERBACK COPY OF
“THE MIGHTY STORM”!!! 

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SAMANTHA TOWLE

The standard stuff…

I started writing seriously in 2008 while on maternity leave with my son. I completed my first novel in five months, and I haven’t stopped writing since! I have two novels released through Night Publishing, ‘The Bringer’ and my most recent ‘First Bitten’.

I can’t write a single word without listening to music. I listen to Kings of Leon, Adele, One Republic, The Doors, Muse, Oasis, Fleetwood Mac, Lady Gaga, Ed Sheeran and Lana Del Rey to name a few.

I was born in Hull. I graduated from Salford University in 2002 with a BSc (Hons) in Business and Marketing. I now live in East Yorkshire with my husband Craig, son Riley and daughter Isabella.

The not so standard…
I burn myself cooking on average at least once a week
I have weird phobias – clowns and jelly
I was 27 the first time I flew on a plane
I dip my fries in my milkshake
I somehow have never broken a bone, which is amazing seen as though I can barely put one foot in front of the other
I passed my driving test first time
I crashed my car a month after having my license
I have zero sense of direction
I hate geography for the above reason
I believe in karma and reincarnation
I read weirdly fast
I have a really loud laugh
And I talk way too much


It’s been twelve years since Tru Bennett last saw Jake Wethers, her former best friend and boy she once loved.

Jake Wethers, sexy, tattooed and deliciously bad lead singer, and brains behind The Mighty Storm, one of biggest bands in the world, left Tru with a broken heart when he moved from England to America with his family when they were both fourteen.

Sent to interview Jake for her music column by the magazine she works for, they are both unprepared for the sparks that fly the instant they reconnect. Only, there’s a complication to their instant feelings for one another – Will, Tru’s boyfriend of two years.

Then Jake makes Tru a job offer she can’t refuse – travelling the world with him and his band. But taking the job means leaving Will behind, and being on the road with the band means spending an inordinate amount of time with Jake.

Is Tru strong enough to resist the delectable bad boy who once held her heart so completely, or will she willingly risk it all for one night with the worlds most notorious womanizer?

 

My spoiler-free review of THE MIGHTY STORM
(5 stars!)

This book made me laugh, cry, squee, cheer, gasp, sigh, swoon, melt, fan myself, take deep calming breaths in order to move on, gave me goosbumps, made my breath hitch, made me read with misty eyes for like the whole final 15%, it just TOTALLY affected me. My emotions were all over the place and all of them were INTENSE!

My heart = the author’s yo-yo. I utterly LOVED IT!!

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“I love you… I’ve only ever loved one girl, Tru – and that’s you. It’s  always been you. I’ve loved you from the moment I knew how to love.“
~  Jake Wethers

 

WETHERING THE STORM

(Book #2)

Samantha Towle recently signed a two-book deal with Montlake (Amazon) for TMS and WTS!!

 

** TEASER **

“You’re asking if I want a chance to see you wet, while wearing that bikini?” A grin runs around his gorgeous mouth, as he lifts his brow in question.

I glance down at my favourite, and most recent bikini purchase. It’s white with pink flowers and tiny diamantes sewn into it. I picked it up from the airport. It was love at first sight.

“How do you manage to turn something as simple as my request to swim into sex?” I laugh, as I climb up from my lounger.

I pull my sunglasses off my head and drop them onto my towel. Hands on hips, I stare down at him.

Jake’s eyes skim my curves again. “Well, when you’re in the equation, sweetheart, everything is about sex.”

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Add to Goodreads

To be released Spring 2013.

 

Here are some of our readers’ questions answered by Samantha (and Jake).

Chantel S  ~   When your writing do you listen to music to inspire you? Who are your favorite singers/bands?

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Samantha  ~   I can’t write without music. It’s what inspires me, whether it be a specific line in a song, the meaning behind the song itself or even a music video, it’s where it always comes from for me.  I also love dissecting the meanings behind songs, trying to understand what the writer was feeling when he/she wrote it. Favourite singers …. I have a real mix of music that I like, I’m big on the old stuff – The Doors, Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Elvis, but then I also love The Killers, Kings of Leon, Arctic Monkeys, Oasis, Muse, Snow Patrol, Ed Sheeran, Lana Del Ray, Adele … honestly the list could go on!

Jennifer S  ~   Do you think you might ever write a prequel that shows Jake and Tru when they were younger before Jake moved away?
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Samantha  ~   It’s not something I’ve considered writing. I have considered a step back in time novella, but not with Jake and Tru 😉 But I’m a never say never kind of person, so who knows what might come in the future.

        Denise D – After Wethering the Storm, will you be writing more contemporary romance novels?
Jake, do you have any piercings that we don’t know about?
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Samantha  ~  Yes, but I can’t talk about them at the moment.

Jake ~ Nope, no piercings, sweetheart. Just the tats. You’ll need to speak to Tom about piercings…

         Tracy P  ~ Will this be a trilogy or a duet?
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Samantha  ~  Tru and Jake’s story is only 2 books.
Whitney K   ~ Did you already know how the story would end when you started writing book 1? Do you work with an outline?
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Samantha  ~  Yes, I always know how the book will end from the moment I start writing it, it’s just the journey to get me there that always changes!
Vanessa  ~   When writing, do you name your characters right away or do the names come to you later?
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Samantha  ~   This will probably sound a little strange, but they usually tell me their names the moment they appear in my head with their story to tell.
Lilly B  ~   Do you ever write more than one book at once? Or do you prefer to write one from start to finish before moving on?
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Samantha  ~   I always have more than one book on the go at a time, but I try to just stick to writing one book to give it full focus, and I make a note of all my ideas for the others, so I can use them for when it’s time to write that story.
Amy L  ~   Do you have a dream cast for Jake and Tru if these were to ever by made into movies?
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Samantha  ~   Not really, I have seen some pictures of models that are visually how I see Tru, Jake and the guys, but no actors/actresses as yet. The only one I do have is Matt Bomer for Stuart, I think he would be perfect!

 

Enter the Rafflecopter link below to win a *SIGNED* PAPERBACK of THE MIGHTY STORM!!! 

Open internationally.

Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOMORROW’S EXCLUSIVE GIVEAWAY
11:00 AM EST
featuring
K A T J A   M I L L A Y
(author of The Sea of Tranquility) 
 

R.K. LILLEY ~ Interview & GIVEAWAY

R.K. LILLEY ~ Interview & GIVEAWAY

by · 17 Comments

Looking for another amazing Dominant billionaire BDSM trilogy??
Here it is!!

If you are a fan of the Fifty Shades and Crossfire trilogies, then you  absolutely  have to add these books to your to-read lists.

I am completely hooked on this trilogy. 
James Cavendish has stolen my heart!
He’s a fuckhot and Dominant, and yet tender and swoony billionaire!
and OH MY LORD DO I LOVE HIM!!!!!!

You must must MUST meet him! 

Scroll down for a fan Q&A with R.K. Lilley,  the Up In The Air playlist, new release day news for book #3 and… a GIVEAWAY!!

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Be sure to check the bottom of the page and
ENTER TO WIN BOTH BOOKS IN THE “UP IN THE AIR” SERIES!!! 

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R.K. Lilley has been a writer since she can remember, but has held down some interesting jobs to pay the bills. For several years she was a first class flight attendant, and she always swore that she just had to write a book about it. Mixing her love of romance and all things BDSM, the Up In the Air Trilogy is her debut into the world of contemporary romance and erotica. She is currently working on the final installment in the series.

When reserved flight attendant Bianca gets one look at billionaire hotel owner James Cavendish, she loses all of her hard-won composure. For a girl who can easily juggle a tray of champagne flutes at 35,000 feet in three inch heels, she finds herself shockingly weak-kneed from their first encounter. The normally unruffled Bianca can’t seem to look away from his electrifying turquoise gaze. They hold a challenge, and a promise, that she finds impossible to resist, and she is a girl who is used to saying no and meaning it.

Bianca is accustomed to dealing with supermodels and movie stars in her job as a first class flight attendant, but James Cavendish puts them all to shame in the looks department. If only it were just his looks that she found so irresistible about the intimidating man, Bianca could have ignored his attentions. But what tempts her like never before is the dominant pull he seems to have over her from the moment they meet, and the promise of pleasure, and pain, that she reads in his eyes.

This series is intended for ages 18 and up.

My spoiler-free review of IN FLIGHT (Up In The Air #1) 
 My spoiler-free review of MILE HIGH (Up In The Air #2)
GROUNDED (Up In The Air #3) ~ To be released on Feb 12, 2013. 

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“It was hard to remember we weren’t supposed to feel anything for each other when he looked at me like I was more important than his next breath.”

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“He leaned down to my ear. “I’m going to ruin you,” he breathed. “I’ll be your first, and I’ll fuck you so thoroughly that I’ll be your last too. You won’t want any other man after I’ve gotten my hands on you.”

“Will you be my submissive?” he whispered in my ear.”

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“…you need to learn to trust me. I am sure of this, sure of us.”

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“Yes,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “This is home.”

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(Click the covers to buy copies on Kindle)

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Here are some questions our readers asked RK Lilley.

Kami B  ~ Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
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R.K.  ~   In general, writing is just something I’ve always done because I love it.  Any time it does get difficult, that usual tells me that what I’m writing isn’t quite right, so I’ll go back and reassess what it is that’s bugging me.

Clista S  ~ Who is your James Cavendish? Do you have any particular actor/model in mind?
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R.K.  ~   That is a very popular question!  I would say that James is a mix of people in my crazy head.    He doesn’t come from a specific model or actor for me.  But I will say that in fantasy world if I were to cast someone to play him in a movie, my pick at the moment is Travis Fimmel.  I like the way his face a mix of mean and pretty.  He can smile and still look a little diabolical to me.  I think that’s sexy as hell.
        Grace L – Did you know the ending of the story before you started writing it? And did you originally plan it as a trilogy?
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R.K.  ~  I did know the ending of the story before I started writing.  Before I ever begin the actual writing, the story sort of bounces around in my head for awhile, and the ending is almost always one of the first things that I map out. 

And yes, I did know that it was a trilogy.  James and Bianca have too many issues for one book!:)
        Audrie C  ~ I love Stephen! What an amazing best friend character!…do you think you might do a novella just about him??
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R.K.  ~  Oh, Stephan.  I love him, too.  I have a ridiculous amount of affection for my fictional characters.  I can’t say if I will write a novella for Stephan at the moment.  What I can say is that he is getting a lot of page time in book 3, and that a few scenes will even give you a peak into his head 🙂
Rachel T  ~ How often do you write and do you listen to music while doing so?
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R.K. ~  At the moment I am writing for several hours a day to get book 3 out.  I am hopelessly behind on television and books at the moment.  Every spare second is going into the final installment in the series.  And I always always always listen to music when I’m writing.  Every scene in every book I write has a soundtrack in my head.
Trisha R  ~  What inspired you to write this story? Where/when did you get the idea?
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R.K. ~   I’ve been wanting to write a juicy flight attendant romance for years.  The inspiration for the story comes from several different places.  Some of the darker aspects of the story were inspired from some real events in my family.  The BDSM is a personal fascination of mine.  Some very close friends in my life are immersed in that scene, and rather than the maybe more normal reaction to recoil from it, my reaction was, ‘That’s sexy.  What makes a person do that?’   The series became a combination of all of that to me.
Stacy M  ~ What was the first scene you wrote?
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R.K. ~  The first scene I wrote was actually Chapter 1, but i’d been daydreaming about the characters for months, and I felt like I knew them well before I began the actual writing process.
Jasmine K  ~ Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
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R.K. ~  My advice would be to write the kinds of books that you love to read, and to always mix in some real elements from your own life.  And if you ever find yourself short on inspiration, travel.
Michelle J  ~  I adored both books!! Any news on paperbacks? I’d love to have copies of these on my shelves!
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R.K. ~  I have no definite answers for that right now, but I am working on it, and I will announce when they are available in paperback!
Daniella G  ~ Do you have experience as a flight attendant?
Trisha L  ~ Have you ever worked in the airline business?
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R.K. ~  Yes!  I was a first class flight attendant for years!  I have always had a passion for travel, and before I had kids I did it for a living.  So much of the books comes from that experience, and the crazy mix of people that I met doing it.

Several readers have been asking about the Up In The Air playlist… so…. Here it is!!! 🙂

THE UP IN THE AIR SERIES PLAYLIST
BY: R.K. LILLEY 

Music is a huge part of my writing process.  Basically, I don’t write unless I have a song in my ear.  Here are the ones I’ve been obsessing over while I’ve been writing the Up In The Air series.

This selection is all over the place, just like my taste in music.
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The Limousines – Swrdswllngwhr
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Snow Parol & Martha Wainwright – Set the fire to the third bar
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Rihanna – Breakin’ Dishes
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Pink – Sober
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Kings of Leon – Closer – True Love Way – Four Kicks – Sex On Fire – Cold Desert – Use Somebody – Crawl – Revelry – Notion – Fans – The End – The Face – the rest.
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Christina Perri –  Jar of Hearts
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Brad Paisley – Whiskey Lullaby
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Coldplay & Rihanna –  Princess of China
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Steve Reynolds – Cover of Night
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Mumford & Sons – from Babel in order of obsessive repeat status- Hopeless Wanderer – Broken Crown – Babel – Holland Road – Reminder – The Boxer – rest of album.  From Sigh No More – I Gave You All – White Blank Page – Little Lion Man – Thistle & Weeds – Awake My Soul – The Cave – Sigh No More – Winter Winds – rest of album.
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Jack White – Love Is Blindness
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The White Stripes – Jolene – The Hardest Button To Button – I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself
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Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah
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The Rolling Stones – Play With Fire
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30 Seconds to Mars – Hurricane – Night of the Hunter
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Tori Amos – Jackie’s Strength – Hey Jupiter – Precious Things – Raspberry Swirl
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Vienna Teng – Cannonball – Between – Gravity
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Hurts – Illuminated – Silver Lining
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Robyn – Indestructible
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AWOLNATION – Sail – Not Your Fault
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Beyonce – Broken-Hearted Girl
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Florence + The Machine – Heavy In Your Arms
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The Band Perry – If I Die Young
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Taylor Swift – Safe & Sound
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Within Temptation – Forgiven – Jillian – Somewhere – Pale – Memories – Angels – What Have You Done – All I Need – Stand My Ground
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Leona Lewis – Take a Bow
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Nine Inch Nails – Closer – Hurt

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Enter the Rafflecopter link below to win KINDLE copies of BOTH
“IN FLIGHT ”  and  “MILE HIGH”  !! 

Open internationally.

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TOMORROW’S *SIGNED* PAPERBACK GIVEAWAY
11:00 AM EST
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S A M A N T H A    T O W L E
(author of The Mighty Storm)
Giveaway will be open internationally. 

 

SC STEPHENS ~ Interview & GIVEAWAY

SC STEPHENS ~ Interview & GIVEAWAY

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KELLAN KYLE KELLAN KYLE KELLAN KYLE!!

Easily one of the most popular “book boyfriends” you’ll ever read about!!

The “THOUGHTLESS” series is one of my top top TOP favs EVER!

Its on my 6-star list and I can’t recommend these books highly enough!!

It’s one of those stories that sucks you in, makes your heart race and drop, and doesn’t let you stop turning the pages even for a second.

Scroll down for teasers, a fan Q&A with S.C. Stephens and…
a GIVEAWAY!!

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Be sure to check the bottom of the page and
ENTER TO WIN COPIES OF THOUGHTLESS and EFFORTLESS!!! 

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S.C. Stephens is a bestselling author who enjoys spending every free moment she has creating stories that are packed with emotion and heavy on romance.
Her debut novel, Thoughtless, an angst-filled love triangle charged with insurmountable passion and the unforgettable Kellan Kyle, took the literary world by storm. Amazed and surprised by the response to the release of Thoughtless in 2009, more stories were quick to follow. Stephens has been writing nonstop ever since.

In addition to writing, Stephens enjoys spending lazy afternoons in the sun reading fabulous novels, loading up her iPod with writer’s block reducing music, heading out to the movies, and spending quality time with her friends and family. She currently resides in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her two equally beautiful children.

THOUGHTLESS SERIES #1

For almost two years now, Kiera’s boyfriend, Denny, has been everything she’s ever wanted: loving, tender and endlessly devoted to her. When they head off to a new city to start their lives together, Denny at his dream job and Kiera at a top-notch university, everything seems perfect. Then an unforeseen obligation forces the happy couple apart.

Feeling lonely, confused, and in need of comfort, Kiera turns to an unexpected source—a local rock star named Kellan Kyle. At first, he’s purely a friend that she can lean on, but as her loneliness grows, so does their relationship. And then one night everything changes…and none of them will ever be the same.

 

My spoiler-free review of Thoughtless 

 

“What if I don’t choose you, Kellan? What will you do?” 
He looked away, a tear rolling down his cheek. “I’ll leave, Kiera. I’ll leave, and you and Denny can have your happily ever after.” He looked back at me. “You wouldn’t even need to tell him about me. Eventually, the two of you…” his voice broke and another tear fell on his cheek, “the two of you would get married, and have children, and have a great life.” 
I fought back a sob. “And you? What happens to you in that scenario?” 
“I…get by. And I miss you, every day,” he whispered.” 

 

Kindle | Paperback

THOUGHTLESS SERIES #2

After being caught in the middle of a love triangle which led to a devastating betrayal, Kiera pledged to learn from the mistakes she’d made. She was determined to never again inflict that kind of pain on anyone, especially the soulful, talented man who held her heart. But life offers new challenges for every relationship, and when Kiera’s love is put to the ultimate test, will it survive? Love is easy . . . trust is hard.

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My spoiler-free review of Effortless
(6 stars!!)

 

“…you finally get it.”…
… “get what?”…
“That I’m yours… that you can take me… anywhere, anytime, anyway.
That you own every piece of me.”
~ Kellan

 “…but what it all boils down to is three words that don’t mean nearly enough…
I love you.”
~ Kellan

Kindle | Paperback

THOUGHTLESS SERIES #3

“Can love survive when life gets Reckless?”

When the band hits it big, Kiera and Kellan must ask themselves: Can their love for each other survive the constant pressures of superstardom? The friendships they’ve formed, the new family they’ve found, and the history they’ve forged will all play a part in helping them navigate the turbulent waters of the band’s exploding popularity. A greedy executive hell-bent on success, a declining pop star looking for an edge, and a media circus that twists lies into truths are just some of the obstacles the lovers will have to overcome if they are going to remain together. Fame comes with a price-but will it cost Kiera and Kellan everything?

 

TEASER

Looking up at me with an expression that mixed both desire and irritation, he grumbled, “Are you trying to make this last about five seconds?” I laughed and his impish grin returned. “You’re killing me, Kiera.” He kissed my stomach. “You’re actually killing me.”

As his lips wandered down my stomach, I began to believe that he was killing me; the ache pulsing through me was bordering on painful. His eyes softened into an expression filled with love and adoration. “You’re so beautiful…do you know that?”

I felt my cheeks heat and I averted my eyes. I was…cute, sure, but words like beautiful were reserved for my exotic sister. Kellan removed his shoes and shorts and crawled into the bed with me. Lying at my side, he grabbed my chin and turned my head towards him. “Do you know that?” he repeated.

Since I had no words in me, I shook my head. Kellan sighed, and ran his fingers through my hair. “Well, I do,” he whispered.

 

PRE – ORDER NOW

Kindle | Paperback

Release date : March 5, 2013

 

Here are a few questions our readers wanted to ask SC Stephens.

Louisa M    ~   Did you know from the beginning that Kellan would be the one that Kiera would choose?
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S.C.  ~   No, I actually wasn’t sure who she was going to end up with at first. And my original ending to the story didn’t have her ending up with either boy. 🙂

Kelly Q   ~    Is there a chance you will be writing these books from Kellan’s POV??? PLEASE?!?
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S.C.  ~    I’ve considered writing the first book through Kellan’s eyes. We’ll see if I do though. He’s so beloved, I wouldn’t want to mess that up.
         Lisa C   ~    Did you originally plan this as a trilogy or did it start out as a standalone to you that you decided to take further?
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S.C.  ~ Hmmm, well, I planned a trilogy for the original ending (and I even wrote a sequel for it), but when I changed the ending, I was content to leave it as a standalone. I got a lot of requests for more though, and, just for my own amusement, I started adding onto it. I wasn’t planning on releasing it, but then I wrote the omelet scene. It cracked me up, and I decided to share it, because I didn’t want to be the only one laughing.

        Denise – Do you already have plans for what you will write after Reckless or are you waiting until after it is released to think about that?
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S.C.  ~   I have a backlog of older stories that I’ll be publishing in the next year or two, but while I’m doing that I’ll be busy writing the sequels to Conversion: The Next Generation and Not a Chance.
Kristen M   ~    Do you write every day? If so, how long usually? And with or without music?
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S.C. ~  I try to write every day. I’ve been surprisingly busy lately, so I haven’t been able to write as much as I wish I could. I typically write 3-4 hours a day, and almost always with music. Unless the music takes me somewhere I don’t want to be—say inside Kellan’s head when I’m writing about other characters. 😉
 Holly K   ~    Your books have such a wonderful flow to them!! Do you ever get ‘stuck’ while writing? And if so, what are your tricks for getting back on track?
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S.C. ~   I do get stuck sometimes. When that happens, I’ll reread older sections, look through my notes, or step away from it for a while. I find that doing monotonous things helps clear my head, so I’ll go for a walk or clean the house. Because of that, you would think my house was really, really clean…but no, not really. 😉
 Pat H  ~  Kellan, what is your dream vacation like?
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Kellan ~  Someplace warm, quiet, where it’s just my girl and me.
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Enter the Rafflecopter link below to win your choice of
an eCopy or Paperback of THOUGHTLESS or EFFORTLESS. 

eCopy Giveaway is open internationally.
Paperback Giveaway is US only.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOMORROW’S GIVEAWAY
11:00 AM EST
featuing
R. K.   LILLEY
(author of In Flight) 
 

LIST of SALES, NEW RELEASES & PREORDERS

LIST of SALES, NEW RELEASES & PREORDERS

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There are some very special, rare and limited time sales going on right now and some amazing sounding new releases that I’ve added to my reading list!! Here are a whole bunch of them to check out 😀

 

ADDICTED TO YOU, RICOCHET and ADDICTED FOR NOW by K & B Ritchie — $0.99 Series Sale & Rec

For one day only, the price of the latest book has also dropped to $0.99 so don’t miss out!!! I am absolutely addicted to this series!! LOVE LOVE LOVE THEM!!! Click here for series info.

 

BREACH by K.I. Lynn — $0.99 Sale & Recommendation

Right now the first book + novella in the Breach series are only $0.99 each!! This is a scorching hot, gritty, and heart breaking but intensely passionate romance. The here is also probably the dirtiest talker I’ve ever read!!! Book 1 has a cliffhanger, but Book 2 does not.

 

THE DARK LIGHT OF DAY by T.M. Frazier —  $0.99 Sale & Recommendation

YAY!!! It’s on sale! This is a standalone novel that is dark, gritty, & sexy, and while it was very brutal and unforgiving at times, it was also beautiful and heartwarming. It took me by surprise over and over again and I highly recommend it!! Read my Review.

 

HEARTS IN DARKNESS by Laura Kaye —  $0.99 Sale & Recommendation

My favorite 100-page novella is on SALE today!! What happens when you get stuck in an pitch black elevator for 4 hours with a gorgeous tattooed man you only got a tiny glimpse of? This is perfect for nights when you don’t have time for a full-length book.

 

FOREVER & ALWAYS by Jasinda Wilder — New Release

This is the first book of the brand new Ever Trilogy and I’m SO excited to start it!! It sounds absolutely AMAZING!!!!!! The second book will be coming out in a day or two too so if you want, you’d have 2 books to read back to back. And the third one is scheduled for February 🙂

 

THE REDHEAD PLAYS HER HAND by Alice Clayton — New Release

This is Book 3 in the hilarious romantic comedy Redhead series by the author of Wallbanger!! I love this series! Sooooo funny!! Here is the series reading order: #1 The Unidentified Redhead, #2 The Redhead Revealed, #3 The Redhead Plays Her Hand.

 

TAKE ME ON by Cherrie Lynn — New Release

This is # 4 in the Ross Siblings series & I love the warning on it ➜ “Contains explicit sex, graphic language, Ross family drama, reuniting with beloved old friends…and a hot, tattooed, Harley-riding hero who doesn’t mind being robbed from the cradle.” Series order: #1 Unleashed, #2 Rock Me, #3 Leave Me Breathless, #3.5 Breathe Me In, #4 Take Me On.

 

MISBEHAVING by Abbi Glines — New Release

This was just released today as well and is the latest Sea Breeze novel by Abbi Glines. In this one good guy meets bad girl and “an unexpected affair leads to mind-blowing harmony”. Here is the full series reading order. 

 

BLOODLINES by SC Stephens — New Release

This is Book 2 in the Conversion trilogy – a paranormal vampire romance series. I really loved the first book, Conversion. This series should be read in order though as it is one continuing story so be sure to read Book #1 first.

 

GIRL OF LIES by Charles Sheehan Miles — New Release

This is the first book in a new spin-off of The Thompson Sisters series. It is suggested to read the three Thompson Sisters books first because the characters are connected but it is not necessary. Thompson books: Just Remember To Breathe (Read My Review), A Song For Julia and The Last Hour.

 

PIECES FOR YOU by Genna Rulon — New Release

This is technically Book 2 in the For You series but it can be read as a standalone (although readers of the series advise to read book #1 first). I haven’t read it but the blurb calls it “a captivating journey of survival, healing, and sacrifice—teeming with honesty, humor, unexpected twists, and love’s unsurpassed endurance.”

 

OUT OF TURN by Tiffany Snow — New Release

I’ve heard SO many good things about this romantic suspense series! And I have also heard that it has one of the best written love triangles ever in it. The feedback from readers on this series has been incredible!! Here’s the reading order: #1 No Turning Back, #1.5 Turn On A Dime, #2 Turn To Me, #3 Turning Point, #4 Out Of Turn.

 

JANE’S MELODY by Ryan Winfield — Re-Release

I just noticed that this book is available for purchase again (it’s now been rereleased by Simon & Schuster). The ratings are HIGH and several readers have recommended it to me. I really love the tagline ➜ “What boundaries would you cross for true love?” 

 

PERFECT LIE by Teresa Mummert — New Release

This new release has me curious! Many readers are saying that the ending just blew them away and that has me wondering!! I haven’t read any of this author’s books before but this just might end up being the first one. The blurb has me intrigued… so many secrets!

 

VENDETTA by Autumn Karr & Sienna Lane — New Release

I haven’t read this new standalone yet but the authors note that this is not a dark romance. Here’s the blurb: “I am not a good man. I have lied and cheated and stolen. I’ve decided between life or death, like it was my due. None of it matters, not anymore. These are not my sins. I see her raise her hands, the dark metal she’s clutching reflecting the moonlight. Her finger trembles as she cocks the gun pointed at me. Her eyes are cold, determined, but I know. I know her. My name is Devon Andre and I confess my sin. I am not a good man because this is the woman I love. She pulls the trigger.”

 

PRESENT PERFECT by Alison G. Bailey — $0.99 Sale + Top Recommendation

This is one of my favorite books of 2013 and it’s on SALE!!! It made me feel with every part of my heart and I truly mean feel. It was everything — amazing, breathraking, heartbreaking, original, intense. I can’t recommend it highly enough. It’s a standalone romance. Read my review.

 

FIGHTING REDEMPTION by Kate McCarthy — New Release + Top Recommendation

This  was 5++ stars for me!! A beautiful, powerful, and emotionally charged romance about a solider who has always loved this one girl and even after he’s deployed “no matter how far he runs, or how hard he fights, his need for Finlay won’t let go.” It’s a standalone & one of my favs of the year now! Read my review.

 

 

REVIVING IZABEL by JA Redmerski — New Release

Reviving Izabel is the highly anticipated sequel to Killing Sarai by J. A. Redmerski. If you haven’t read Book 1 yet, here is the link. These books are not standalones and must be read in order.

 

LOVE UNSCRIPTED by Tina Reber — $1.99 Sale + Recommendation

OMG!! This is a VERY rare sale (reg. $7.59) on one of my favorite books!! “An A-list movie star, a small-town girl, and a relationship that doesn’t follow the script.” This is hands-down one of the best Hollywood heartthrob romances! There’s also a sequel out now that fully completes the story. Read my review.

 

NAKED by Raine Miller — $1.99 Sale + Recommendation

Another very rare sale (reg. $5.99)!! This is the first book in the Blackstone Affair series which I absolutely love!! The story is hot, passionate and erotic!! If you’re looking for a possessive, protective and swoon-worthy Alpha male hero, then you absolutely have to meet Ethan Blackstone!

 

REAPER’S PROPERTY by Joanna Wylde — $1.99 Sale

Biker fans, this book is usually quite a bit more expensive and I’ll admit the blurb sold me!! ➜ “Marie doesn’t need a complication like Horse. The massive, tattooed, badass biker who shows up at her brother’s house one afternoon doesn’t agree. He wants Marie on his bike and in his bed. Now… (read more)” Teehee!!! 

 

ENSLAVED BY THE OCEAN by Bella Jewel — New Release

WOW!! A modern day PIRATE romance!! This has a TON of high ratings & it’s only been out for a week! The blurb says, “If you enjoy a biker style book, then you will enjoy the way this one goes down! Alpha males all round. It isn’t a cliffhanger, however the end is left open for the next book.”

 

A LITTLE TOO FAR by Lise Desrochers — $0.99 Sale

This was a really cute double taboo love triangle with just the right amount of angst, swoony guys and just the ending I’d hoped for. I’m not usually a love triangle fan but this was an exception! Read my Review.

 

LIKE GRAVITY by Julie Johnson — $0.99 Sale

This is a standalone romantic suspense novel with a twist and the hero is a lead singer in a band! I haven’t read it yet but a reader recommended it today me and I just checked and it’s on SALE (limited time)

 

FINDING JOY by Jenni Moen — New Release

This is the sequel to Remembering Joy (which I’m reading right now!) and tells the conclusion to that story. The two books are not standalones though and must be read in order but there is a fully resolved ending in the second book 🙂

 

WHAT’S LEFT OF ME by Amanda Maxlyn — New Release

This new book is getting fabulous ratings and seems to be an emotional journey. Also, it comes recommended by AL Jackson!! …. “Tragedy found me when I was seventeen. Love found me when I was twenty-one. My name is Aundrea McCall, and this is my journey.”

 

LONG AFTER by Cheryl McIntyre — $0.99 Series Sale

All the books in the SOMETIMES NEVER series are on sale! I haven’t read them yet but the stories are interconnected and each book is a standalone. Reading order: #1 Sometimes Never, #1.5 Blackbird, #2 Before Now, #3 Long After.

 

UNDENIABLE by Madeline Sheehan — $0.99 Sale

Oooooh I’ve heard this book is RAW & GRITTY!!! It’s a biker romance that comes with this warning ➜ “This is not a typical, sappy, love story. This is an all-consuming, soul-crushing, tear-your-heart-into-pieces story. It’s intense, gritty and raw, dark and disturbing, and it doesn’t happen overnight. This is an epic love story that knows no boundaries and has no time limits. It grows and develops—with hurt, sacrifice, and heartache—over the span of a lifetime.”

 

SWEET FORTY-TWO by Andrea Randall — New Release

This is Book 3 in the November Blues series but focus on a different couple than the first two books. I loved another book by this author and can’t wait to try this series out. Here’s the reading order: #1 Ten Days of Perfect, #2 Reckless Abandon, #3 Sweet Forty-Two.

 

BROKEN DOVE by Kristen Ashley — New Preorder

This is Book 4 in the Fantasyland series (we’re talking real fantasy here — with dragons and such — but also ALPHA males) and it’s available for preorder! The released date is December 27. The previous 3 books are on sale for $0.99 each: Wildest Dreams, The Golden Dynasty, & Fantastical.

 

WOUNDED by Jasinda Wilder — $1.99 Sale + Recommendation

This is a beautiful, realistic, heart-wrenching and erotic standalone romance! I adored it!! One of my top favorites!! In the words of the author: “I promise it isn’t about war. This is an emotional, gritty love story. Give it a chance!” The sale is running for today ONLY!! Read my review.

 

FALLING INTO YOU and FALLING INTO US by Jasinda Wilder — $1.99 Sales + Rec

These are two interconnected standalone romances. They are both about different couples but it is suggested to read Falling Into You before Falling Into Us because the events in “You” affect the events in “Us”.

 

WILDEST DREAMS, THE GOLDEN DYNASTY, & FANTASTICAL by Kristen Ashley — $0.99 Sales + Rec

ALPHA MALE ALERT!! All 3 books in KA’s Fantasyland series (all standalones) are on sale today for $0.99 each! Here are my reviews of Book 1, Book 2 & Book 3.

 

A BEAUTIFUL WEDDING by Jamie McGuire — New Release + Recommendation

This Beautiful Disaster novella tells the story of Travis & Abby’s wedding and reminded me once again why Travis Maddox  is and always will be my favorite bad boy!! 🙂

 

HOLY FRIGGING MATRIMONY by Emma Chase — $0.99 New Release

For fans of the hilarious romantic comedy, Tangled, this is a short story written from Drew’s POV “filled with his sexy charm, unique advice and hilarious one-liners” that takes place at a wedding a year after the end of Tangled 😉

 

BULLYand UNTIL YOU by Penelope Douglas — $0.99 Sale + New Release

Woohoo!! Look what was released!! Until You is Jared’s POV of the story in Bully (along with new material and an extended ending). It was only just released but wow those ratings are high! And, if you haven’t read Bully, it’s one of my favorite standalones & it’s only $0.99. Read my review.

 

IF I WERE YOU by Lisa Renee Jones — $1.99 Sale

This is Book #1 of the INSIDE OUT series (erotic romance/mystery) and the regular price is usually $7.59 so this is a steal. Also, the series is now completed so if you wanted to start, you could read them all at once with no cliffhangers. Here’s my review (along with the full reading order).

EVERYTHING I’VE NEVER HAD by Lynetta Halat — $0.99 Sale

I’ve heard wonderful things about this book!! I can’t wait to read it! From the blurb: “One night. One song. One kiss. The perfect trifecta to unleash the floodgates of a forbidden attraction between the widow and her husband’s bad boy cousin, Adrian.” (This is a standalone romance)

 

OTHERWISE UNHARMED by Shay Savage — New Release

This is the third and final book in the Evan Arden Trilogy. These books have been recommended to me many times but I wanted to wait until they were all out before starting (I’m allergic to cliffhangers). So now that they’re all out, here’s the reading order: #1 Otherwise Alone, #2 Otherwise Occupied, #2.5 Uncockblockable, #3 Otherwise Unharmed.

 

ASHES TO ASHES by Karina Hale — New Release

This is the latest book in the Experiment In Terror series. I haven’t read them yet but SO many readers have told me they are beyond amazing!! Here’s the reading order: #1 Darkhouse, #2 Red Fox, #2.5 The Benson, #3 Dead Sky Morning, #4 Lying Season, #5 On Demon Wings, #5.5 Old Blood, #5.7 The Dex Files, #6 Into The Hollow, #6.5 And With The Madness Comes The Light, #7 Come Alive, #8 Ashes to Ashes.

 

DEAR EMILY by Trudy Stiles — New Release

Holy wow – the ratings on this book are HIGH!! This is a relatively new release that I have on my reading list. It was described to me as “angsty, dark and emotional with some light moments” and the plot also seems very intriguing so I thought I’d share the link in case you want to check it out

 

** UPCOMING PREORDERS **

 

** MORE BOOK SALES & RECOMMENDATIONS **

These are just more sales that I didn’t have room for above.

  • $0.99 — NIGHT OWL by M. Pierce. If you’re looking a book with great blend of sweet, hot, passionate and kinky romance, a healthy dose of angst mixed in, a fast paced plot and complex characters, this is it!! I was hooked from the first page and pretty much squeed and fanned my way through most of this book!! I didn’t want to put it down, didn’t want to stop reading… just totally LOVED it!! Oh, and it’s still priced at $0.99 for now!! Read my review.
  • $0.99 — THE OPPORTUNIST by Tarryn Fisher. This is Book #1 of one of my favorite (completed) trilogies!! If you love flawed, complex, multilayered characters and emotional roller coasters, this is a MUST read! Highly recommended!! Read my review.
  • $0.99 — PLAYING FOR KEEPS by R.L. Mathewson. This is one of my most favorite light-hearted funny books. An enemies-to-lovers romance about a neighbor from hell who also turns out to a swoony bad boy. Oh, and it has a happy ending. Definitely check this out if you want a good laugh ♥
  • $1.49 — THE SWEET GUM TREE by Katherine Allred. This  one of my top favorite books! It’s a beautiful, intense second chance romance standalone. The hero and heroine meet when they are kids and by the end of the book are adults so you really get a deeply rooted, very strong connection between them. I LOVED IT!! Everyone should read this book!! Read my review.
  • $1.99 — CRASH by Nicole Williams. This is the first book in a completed bad boy romance trilogy!! Regular price is usually about $5. Here’s the series reading order: #1 Crash, #2 Clash, #3 Crush.
  • $1.99 – FALLEN TOO FAR by Abbi Glines. Book #1 of the Too Far series (all books are available). This book is fun, hot and highly addictive!! Everyone has to meet Rush! I promise you’ll fall in love! Read my review.
  • $1.99 — BECAUSE OF LOW and WHILE IT LASTS by Abbi Glines. Both of the books in the SEA BREEZE series are now on sale!! (Reg. price: $8.50/ea) They both all standalones about different couples but here’s the series reading order.
  • $1.99 — SEMPRE by JM Darhower. This is one of my top favorites!! It’s the story of two 17-year-olds – one a victim of human trafficking; the other the son of the man who enslaved her – who fall in love and question everything they ever believed…” The new book is only $1.99  (no cliffhanger) and the sequel was just released.
  • $2.00 — LEFT DROWNING by Jessica Park. This is an absolutely gorgeous 5-star standalone romance on sale for 50% off today!! This book sneaks up on you. One moment you’re fine, the next moment you can barely breathe. Highly recommended! Read my Review.
  • $2.50 — RULE by Jay Crownover. I’ve been told by so many readers that I absolutely must read this book!! It’s a good girl meets bad boy type story — the hero is a tattooed and pierced rebel and the heroine is a straight-A pre-med student. It’s the first of a series but reads as a standalone. Guess I’d better bump it up my list!
  • $2.99  — THE EDUCATION OF SEBASTIAN and THE EDUCATION OF CAROLINE have dropped in price from $4.99 to $2.99 each. If you’re a fan of forbidden love stories, this is definitely a series to check out! I loved them both! Here are my two reviews: Book #1 & Book #2. “Everything had a price: every glance, every kiss, every stolen touch… I knew it was wrong; I knew it was right.”
  • $2.99 — ENTWINED WITH YOU by Sylvia Day. Another rare sale!!! I absolutely adore the Crossfire series and Book 3 just went on sale for $2.99 (reg. price $7.99)!! This is not a standalone and should be read after the first two books (#1 Bared To You and #2 Reflected In You). I highly, highly recommend this series for fans of hot, sexy, passionate, emotional and intense romance.
  • Series Sale — THE FEVER SERIES by Karen Marie Moning. Right now you can purchase all 5 books for the price of 4 (so basically, you get one free book). This is completed, highly recommended paranormal romance/urban fantasy series with one of THE. MOST. ALPHA. MALE. HEROES. EVER.!!!!! Read my Series Review
  • 50% OFF — 6 BOOK NEW ADULT BOXED SET. This eBook set contains six complete New Adult books by very popular authors in the genre. I have read (and loved) 3 of them so far! Wait for You by J. Lynn, Losing It by Cora Carmack, Taking Chances by Molly McAdams, A Little Too Far by Lisa Desrochers, Rule by Jay Crownover, and Foreplay by Sophie Jordan.

 

** MORE NEW RELEASES **

  • Cherry Girl by Raine Miller. This is a full length novel that is a spin off of the Blackstone Affair series telling the love story of Neil and Elaina and, judging by the blurb, it sounds heart wrenching and romantic!!! It reads as a standalone.
  • BOUND by Brenda Rothert. You guys know how much I love super emotional books so this new release caught my eye! The heroine is pregnant and alone in her last year of college when tragedy strikes. And then she meets the hero (a pro hockey player) who is recovering from the loss of his wife. “Bound by a grief that haunts them both, they must rely on one another to survive heartbreak.”
  • LAST HIT by Jen Frederick & Jessica Clare. This is a brand new standalone story about a hitman!! I love the sound of it… “I have been a contract killer since I was a boy. For years I savored the fear caused by my name, the trembling at the sight of my tattoos…I will carry out one last hit, but if they hurt her, I will bring the world down around their ears.”
  • HARD AS IT GETS by Laura Kaye. This is a new romantic suspense novel from the author of Hearts in Darkness. The hero of this story is an ex-military guy who now runs a tattoo parlor whose life is turned upside down when the daughter of his ex-commander walks into his life.
  • TROUBLE by Samantha Towle. If you are looking for a bad boy romance, check this one out. This was a really fun standalone romance with a twist I didn’t see coming and one of the best guy POV’s I’ve ever read! It also has a fully resolved ending + epilogue. Read my Review. 

 

** SPECIAL EDITION HARDCOVERS **

Here are a few of our favorite reads available in limited edition hardcovers and most of them come signed by the authors!! Perfect for the holiday season 😉

 

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