Blog Tour & Excerpt ~ Angry God be L.J. Shen

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“Once again, L.J. Shen has blown me away with a hauntingly beautiful, angst-driven, emotionally charged romance that will stay with me long after the last page. A must read for 2020.”

–Siobhan Davis, USA Today bestselling author

Angry God, an all-new beautiful and dark new adult romance from USA Today bestselling author L.J. Shen, is available now!

Angry God eBook Cover

Vaughn Spencer.

They call him an angry god.

To me, he is nothing but a heartless prince.

His parents rule this town, its police, every citizen and boutique on Main Street.

All I own is a nice, juicy grudge against him for that time he almost killed me.

Between hooking up with a different girl every weekend, breaking hearts, noses and rules, Vaughn also finds the time to bully little ole’ me.

I fight back, tooth and nail, never expecting him to chase me across the ocean after we graduate high school.

But here he is, living with me in a dark, looming castle on the outskirts of London.

A fellow intern. A prodigal sculptor. A bloody genius.

They say this place is haunted, and it is.

Carlisle Castle hides two of our most awful secrets.

Vaughn thinks he can kill the ghosts of his past, but what he doesn’t know? It’s my heart he’s slaying.

Angry God is a stand-alone, DARK High School Romance. It deals with sensitive subjects some may find triggering.

AVAIL NOW BANNER

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

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Excerpt

“How good are you at keeping secrets, Lenora Astalis?” His voice wrapped around my neck like a noose.

I wanted to cough. I needed to cough. He terrified me. I hated him with the heat and passion of a thousand blazing suns. He made me feel like a scaredy cat and a snitch.

“Oh, yes. If you’re coward enough to pretend you’re asleep, you’re good enough to keep a secret. That’s the thing about you, Astalis. I can smash you into dust and watch your grains dance at my feet. My little circus monkey.”

I might’ve hated Vaughn, but I hated myself more for not standing up to him. For not opening my eyes and spitting in his face. Clawing his unnaturally blue eyes out. Taunting him back for all the times he’d taunted all of us at Carlisle Prep.

“By the way, your eyelids are moving,” he said drily, chuckling.

He straightened up, his finger making a brief stop at the base of my spine. He snapped his fingers, making a breaking sound, and I nearly jumped out of my skin, letting out a gasp. I squeezed my eyes tighter, still pretending to sleep.

He laughed.

The bastard laughed.

Was he sparing me for the time being? Was he going to check in on me from now on? Retaliate if I opened my mouth? He was so unpredictable. I wasn’t sure what my life would look like in the morning.

LJ Shen prof picAbout LJ Shen

L.J. Shen is a USA Today, Washington Post and Amazon #1 best-selling author of contemporary, New Adult and YA romance. Her books have been sold to nineteen different countries.

She lives in California with her husband, son, cat and eccentric fashion choices, and enjoys good wine, bad reality TV shows and catching sun rays with her lazy cat.

Connect with L.J. Shen

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Website: http://www.authorljshen.com/

Blog Tour, Review & Excerpt ~ Beautifully Broken Control by Catherine Cowles

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A woman trying to rebuild her life.
A man haunted by a past he can’t forget.
But with pasts like theirs . . . you never know when darkness might descend.


Beautifully Broken Control, an all new
unforgettable small-town romance in the Sutter Lake Series from Catherine Cowles, is out now!

Beautifully Broken Control AMAZON

A woman trying to rebuild her life.

Kennedy is doing all she can to escape, to prove that she’s not the monster her father was. A simple life of peace and service is all she needs.

A man haunted by a past he can’t forget.

Cain has buried his demons under layers of control and success. The only thing he needs is his company and his solitude. Certainly not a woman with captivating green eyes filled with ghosts so similar to his own.

He’s a reminder of the life she’s left behind. And she’s a threat to his tightly guarded control. As sparks fly between them, they discover that what they might need most is each other.

But with pasts like theirs . . . you never know when darkness might descend.

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Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2PIcXQG
AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2oGV5KR
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Kobo: http://bit.ly/2PIiQ0i

Add to Goodreads:http://bit.ly/32cFHmW

Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 STARS

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2873446930

Excerpt:

Faint rays of sunshine still lit the sky as I headed to my SUV, but the air had just a hint of a bite to it. That was spring in the mountains. I glanced at Walker. “Thanks for the warm welcome.”

He gave my back a slap. “Anytime, brother.” He paused with me at my vehicle, looking out to the fields and then back to me.

“What is it?” You didn’t know someone as long as I’d known Walker without recognizing their tells. The little ticks that told you they were worried or angry or, like now, had something they wanted to say but were holding back.

“Kennedy.”

My body began to stiffen, but I forced it to relax. I was the master of giving nothing away, and this situation should be no different. “What about her?”

Walker shifted on his feet. “She’s young.”

“Looks it.” I didn’t know how young, but I’d find out soon enough.

Walker’s jaw hardened. “Be careful.”

I bristled at that. But he wasn’t wrong to warn me off. She had an innocence that radiated from her in waves. And I had no plans to change that, but I was curious. That…something I couldn’t put my finger on kept niggling at me as though she were playing at something she wasn’t. I shook my head and gave Walker a grin. “I’ve got no plans to defile Jensen’s protégé. You can rest easy.”

The set of Walker’s shoulders eased. “Good. You want free and easy, there are plenty of women around here who are down for that, just like you are. But I get the sense that’s not Kenz.”

“Kenz?” The nickname curled around my tongue. It fit her.

“That’s what Jensen calls her, said Kennedy was too formal. Guess it’s catching on.”

I nodded. “I gotta get back to the resort, but let’s grab a drink tomorrow. Hopefully, we’ll be celebrating my closing on that property.”

Walker grinned. “I hope it works out. Shoot me a text tomorrow, and we’ll figure out a time.”

“Sounds good.” I beeped my locks and opened my door, but paused before I climbed in. “Walker?” He paused in his trek back to the ranch house, turning to face me. “I’m happy for you.” The words made a burn take flight in my chest.

The smile that spread across his face was one that could only belong to a man who was a total goner for his woman. “Thanks, Cain. You’ll—” He cut himself off before he could finish the sentence. He knew better than to tell me that I’d find that. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“I am, too.” I gave a jerk of my chin and climbed into my SUV. The drive back to the resort I was staying at a few miles outside of town was quiet. Only the sounds of gravel under my tires to keep me company.

Gravel turned to pavement as I pulled into the resort. I hopped out of my Rover, leaving the door open for the valet. I ignored any polite smiles from fellow guests and staff as I headed straight for my suite.

The familiar itch at the back of my brain was back. Something that said I needed to know more about the girl from dinner. I slipped my keycard into the lock, fingers drumming against my thigh as I waited for the light to turn green. I pushed open the door and headed straight for the safe. Keying in the code, I removed my laptop.

I strode to the desk, setting my computer down and settling into the chair. I opened the laptop, typing in my security codes. I launched a browser and got to work. An hour went by in record time. An hour, and almost nothing to show for it.

I stared at the image on my screen. Auburn hair, freckles dusting the tops of her cheeks and nose, creamy white complexion below, and startling green eyes. There was no denying she was beautiful. Beautiful in a way that would stop a man in his tracks and make him do a whole lot of stupid shit just to get her to turn that smile his way.

But there was also no denying that she was a ghost. The only photo I could find of her was the one on her driver’s license. Other than that one single piece of ID, the woman didn’t exist. No bank account. No credit cards. No lease. No car.

There was nothing else, good or bad, that I could find. Anywhere. While some would say that was a good thing, I knew the truth. It was nothing but bad. People didn’t erase a life unless they had something to hide.

One dinner and I knew my friends were taken by her. It was no surprise. Sarah and Jensen had the most tender hearts of anyone I knew. They were forever rescuing strays, both animal and human. Hell, that’s why I was there, wasn’t it?

But they often didn’t think about the risks involved. Walker used to be good about checking that stuff out, but it seemed Taylor had softened him, made him just a touch less cynical about the world. I was happy for my brother, but it just meant that I needed to look out for the friends in my life who were more like family.

And that’s just what I’d do.

About Catherine

Writer of words. Drinker of Diet Cokes. Lover of all things cute and furry, especially her dog. Catherine has had her nose in a book since the time she could read and finally decided to write down some of her own stories. When she’s not writing she can be found exploring her home state of Oregon, listening to true crime podcasts, or searching for her next book boyfriend.

Connect with Catherine

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2IEQXSw
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2Lc4mU0
Twitter: https://twitter.com/catherinecowles
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Website: https://www.catherinecowles.com/
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Blog Tour, Review & Excerpt ~ A Favor For A Favor (All In, Book 2) by Helena Hunting

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“Bishop and Stevie’s relationship is pure, raw, can’t-take-your-eyes-off-the-the-page kindle crack. One of my favorite books by this brilliant author.” – LJ Shen, USA Today bestselling author

A Favor for a Favor, all-new standalone slow burn romance from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting, is available now!

A Favor for a Favor, cover

A new stand-alone romance about trading favors, battling wills, and winning love.

When I joined Seattle’s NHL expansion team, I thought it was the start of something great. But nothing ever goes the way you expect. Take my introduction to my new neighbor. She came rolling in on the hot mess express at midnight, making a racket while she tried to get into my team captain’s apartment. Did I mention that he’s married to a woman who definitely was not her?

Imagine my surprise when I end up with an injury that has me out of the game for weeks, and she’s the one to offer to help me. I should probably add that she’s not the captain’s mistress. She’s his sexy, pastel-haired younger sister.

So we come up with an arrangement: she rehabs me so that I can get back on the ice sooner, and she can add a professional athlete that isn’t her brother to her client list. Seems simple enough. As long as I can keep my hands to myself and my hormones in check.

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Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/31LPGjq

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Review

Click link below to read my review of A Favor For A Favor.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3015981875

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Excerpt

She makes me lift my arm and drapes it over her shoulder. She’s incredibly small compared to me. She tucks one arm under my knee and gently grips the back of my calf with the other. “On the count of three,” she orders. I tense up when she hits three. She gets my leg about six inches off the floor, which is when I scream bloody murder again and grab on to her with both hands.

“Okay. That’s not going to work. The angle is too awkward.” She taps her lip and holds her finger up. “I have an idea.”

She ducks out from under my arm and hooks her fingers in the waistband of her yoga pants.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Calm down. Some bathing suits have less coverage than my underwear. Besides, it’s nothing you haven’t seen before.”

She kicks off her yoga pants, leaving her in a T-shirt and panties. They’re plain cotton boy shorts, which should be a good thing, but apparently my body doesn’t care that it’s not a satin or lace thong. All it cares about is the proximity of almost-naked pussy.

Rook’s sister is standing in my bathroom in her underwear. If I had a sister who looked like Stevie and I knew that she was standing in one of my teammate’s bathrooms half-naked, I would probably kick the shit out of the guy. Thankfully, I have a brother.

I try to keep my eyes averted, sort of, but I catch her reflection in the vanity mirror.

She has fantastic legs. Athletic. Strong. And her ass. Goddamn. She definitely does a lot of squats, based on how round and firm it looks. The ache in my groin turns into that stabbing pain again because I’m getting hard. I think about my grandmother in a bathing suit to counteract the effect of Stevie being partly undressed.

She steps into the tub, and I force myself to keep my eyes down, bringing up the image of that hot chick in the tub who turns into a rotting old lady in The Shining. That helps a bit. At least until Stevie moves into my personal space and starts touching me again. I mutter a string of profanity, especially when I feel her boob pressed against my arm for a few seconds. I have no choice but to latch on to her shoulder as we lift my leg over the edge of the tub. I’m sweating, I’m angry, and I hate my dick.

“I need you to stop touching me!” It’s stupid because I’m still holding on to her, not the other way around.

“Why are you yelling at me?” she shouts back.

“Because you’re half-undressed in my tub, and I’m a guy, and apparently my dick is a fucking sadist. It honestly feels like my balls are on fire right now. A semi has never] been this painful.”

“Well, close your damn eyes and think about dead things.”

“It doesn’t matter if I close them. The image of you in panties is burned into the back of my lids, probably for the rest of my fucking life. It’s all I can see.”

“You’d think you’d never seen a set of bare legs before.” She helps me lower myself into the tub and steps out.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a pair up close,” I grumble.

“Such a surprise, with your warm, fuzzy personality.”

About Helena Hunting

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

Connect with Helena

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Website: http://www.helenahunting.com/

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Excerpt Reveal ~ The Third Best Thing (Fulton U, Book 3) by Maya Hughes

EXCERPT REVEAL

Title: The Third Best Thing
Series: Fulton U #3
Author: Maya Hughes
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cover Design: Najla Qamber Designs
Release Date: January 30, 2020


BLURB


Dear Letter Girl, I need to see you. When can we meet?


Her response never came. My secret pen pal with a dirty mind has ghosted me. I’ve roped Jules, my sweet as pie next door neighbor, to help me track her down.


There’s only one problem—I’m falling for her. The tortoise shell glasses, out of this world curves and delicious treats are making the search for The Letter Girl even harder.


My notes were supposed to be a one time thing. A little too much wine and naughty thoughts on a winter’s night. I never thought Berk would write back. I wanted to tell him it was me, but the fear of rejection kept my lips sealed.


Now he’s enlisted my help to track down The Letter Girl and our search has him hot on my, ahem, her trail.


She’s the girl next door.


He’s my secret pen pal.


Truth is on a collision course with their hearts and it’s only a matter of time before one of them gets wrecked…


EXCERPT



A giddy laugh bubbled up from deep down. I snuck a glance at myself in the mirror again. I was a lumpy diva, but, fuck it, I was a badass too. And I was slowly skidding closer to the ground as the sweat that gathered behind my knee loosened my grip.


Every move I nailed got me a little closer to appreciating how far I’d come. From the first days of slipping off trying to do a basic spin with my feet planted firmly on the floor, to being a diva. 


This was my freaking body and I loved the shit out of it. 


And if I kept telling myself that, maybe one day I’d believe it. 


I lowered myself onto my bedroom floor with a flourish, throwing in one more spin for my imaginary audience.


The song ended and I braced my hands on my hips, panting and sweating like I’d run a 5k, with a grin so damn wide I felt it in my toes. Jumping up and down, I gave myself a high five and a few club-worthy woos. It made it harder to figure out if I was doing the tricks one hundred percent correctly, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to record myself to watch later or head to a pole dancing studio with full-wall mirrors. I wasn’t at that level of okay with me in all my glory—yet. 
I flopped onto my bed and stared up at the ceiling. My hip-hugging short shorts and sports bra gave me little coverage, but pole dancing wasn’t exactly about modesty. I’d given it a try at the urging of my therapist during freshman year and hell if it hadn’t helped—some. It was a way for me to build strength, body confidence, and maybe attempt to feel a little sexy.


The door slammed downstairs and I shot up from the bed. 


“Jules!” Berk’s unmistakable call sent me from pole dancing heart racing to ‘floor it, Louise,’ careening toward a cliff. I shot up and fell off my bed, rattling the perfume bottles on my dresser. Scrambling off the floor, I grabbed my sweatpants and tugged them on, hopping from foot to foot and sounding like I’d taken up bowling in my bedroom. I snagged my glasses off my desk and shoved them onto my face.


Berk was probably wondering how I’d trapped a wild animal up in my room. I grabbed my long sleeved T-shirt and hoodie off the back of my chair even though it was August. The fabric clung to my sweaty skin and I probably had a sweat-stashe going on, but that was better than him walking up here and finding me half naked. A panic spiral shot through me and I got dressed even quicker and threw open my door. 


My feet barely touched any of the steps as I flew downstairs.


“Berk.” I fell into the kitchen, bracing my arm against the doorway. The butterflies in my stomach were replaced by a whole freaking safari. I tightened my lips to what I hoped was a non-serial killer level of smile. My heart was glowing like a spotlight, so I wrapped my arms tighter around myself. Tingles tiptoed up and down my spine at the sight of his floppy hair and jeans that hugged his ass and trim waist better than mine ever fit me. 


His head shot up and the half of the cookie sticking out of his mouth broke off and dropped onto the counter. “There you are.” His words were muffled behind two manhole cover-sized cookies. 


“Did you think I was hiding in my cookie box?” 


“Is that what you’re calling it these days?” Killer smile and a direct hit. “The old cookie box.”




ALSO AVAILABLE IN THE FULTON U SERIES

#1 The Perfect First
Free in Kindle Unlimited

#2 The Second We Met
AU: https://amzn.to/30f1QSn

Free in Kindle Unlimited


AUTHOR BIO

Maya Hughes can often be found sneaking in another chapter while hiding in the bathroom from her kids! 🙂 I’m a romance writer who loves taking inspiration from everyday life, namely my husband and biggest fan. Inspiration also strikes when I hear a song, meet someone new or daydream while at soccer practice.
I’m the mom of three little ones, the wife to an amazing husband and also work full time. Some of my favorite things are cinnamon rolls, white wine, laughing until I can’t breathe and traveling with my family.


AUTHOR LINKS




Release Blitz, Review, Excerpt & Giveaway ~ Never Truth (The a Five Families, Book 2) by Jill Ramsower

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Sofia

My life fractured when I was only five years old.

I thought I’d never be whole again, but a boy helped put me back together, one piece at a time. Nico Conti became my world—ten years later, he shattered my heart.

He took away the light, so I learned to see in the dark.

Now he’s come back, trying to explain away his absence and pick up where we left off. He doesn’t understand everything’s changed. I’m not the same girl he left behind, but he doesn’t seem to care. He wants all of me. That’s more than I’m willing to give.

Nico

They say you don’t know what you’ve lost until it’s gone, but that wasn’t true. I knew exactly how devastating it would be to lose Sofia, and I did it anyway. I thought our separation would be permanent, but now I’ve been forced back into her life. Walking away once was hard enough, I’m not strong enough to stay away again. Now that I’ve seen her, tasted her, I have to make her mine.

Seven years ago, I made the biggest mistake of my life.

I plan to do everything in my power to correct that mistake, even if it means coming clean about the past. There’s a chance the secrets I carry will push her further away, but that’s a risk I’ll have to take. Sofia Genovese was made for me, and I’m determined to win her back.

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Aside from shock, I couldn’t even pinpoint how I felt about seeing him. All my emotions seemed to collide and cancel each other out until there was nothing but shock and numbness, which was one small grace. It helped me pull myself together and pretend I wasn’t falling apart inside.

“You’ll have to excuse my rudeness; I wasn’t expecting to see you here.” I clasped my hands tightly in my lap, attempting not to fidget, my eyes cast anywhere but at him.

“It’s good to see you, Ladybug,” he murmured casually as if it had been weeks and not years since we’d met.

His voice had matured and was now a gravelly rumble that filled my stomach with a swarm of butterflies taking flight, but I hardly noticed. I was too focused on the fiery rage that heated me from the inside out. How dare he use that name after everything he’d done. After all those years. Hot, angry tears burned at the back of my throat.

“Don’t you dare call me that,” I hissed. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but I don’t want any part of it.” I threw my napkin onto the table, but before I could stand, his hand came down on mine.

“Easy, Sofia,” he soothed in a calm tone. “I’m not here to upset you.”

“What other reason could you possibly have?” I scoured his features over the flickering votive candle, trying to decipher what was going on but came up empty.

“Maybe I missed you.” His words were sweet and almost sounded earnest, which is why they made me laugh.

I leaned back in my chair, yanking my hand away from his and feeling my shattered armor repairing itself in record time. “Yeah, right. After seven years, you expect me to believe you woke up this morning and decided to see what I was up to?”

“Not at all. I expect you to believe that I wake up every morning thinking about you. You don’t just cross my mind, you live in it.” He held my eyes with such burning intensity that my gaze fused to his.

What was he implying? How could he say such a thing after he’d cast me away like so much garbage? I took in a shaky breath when my lungs screamed for air, then found the strength to drop my gaze. Every hour and every day of the interminable pain I felt after he left crashed over me, washing away the numbness. There was no question how seeing him made me feel—it was the excruciating refracturing of a wound I’d thought long healed.

Please, leave.” It was only a whisper, and all I could muster past the aching lump in my throat. I couldn’t even lift my gaze as he stood.

He lowered himself and placed an unexpectedly soft kiss on my forehead, his rough fingertips cupping my cheek. “I’m sorry, Sof.”

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Read the First Chapter HERE !

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Enter the Release Day Giveaway HERE!

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Within a year of self-publishing her first book, Jill Ramsower quit her job as an attorney and dedicated her days to churning out romantic adventures. She likes to think of her books as contemporary romance with a touch of fantasy—at its core, her writing is about the connection between two people. Sometimes that connection involves a little magic…

With Jill’s books, you can count on confident heroines, plenty of steamy tension, and deliciously assertive leading men. There are no guarantees in life, but with her books, you know everything will work out in the end. However, a perfect ending would not be nearly as satisfying without a seemingly insurmountable challenge. Jill loves to add plenty of adversity in her stories, creating unforgettably dynamic characters and sneaky plot twists you will never see coming.

Jill is a Texan, born and raised. She manages the hectic social calendars for her three active children and occasionally spends an evening with her dashing husband. Aside from being an author and a mom, she’s a travel junkie and loves to read when she is not lost in her own stories.

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Release Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway ~ Almost Perfect by Claudia Burgoa

Title: Almost Perfect
Author: Claudia Burgoa
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Comedy
Release Date: January 16, 2020
Blurb
USA TODAY bestselling author Claudia Burgoa brings
readers a delightful new romantic comedy that’s equal parts hilarious and sexy
about friendship and learning how to fall in love!
  

Olympic medalist and X-game sensation Alex Spearman thinks
he’s perfect.
He’s not. I know his kind.

Rich, famous, and emotionally unavailable.

Well…He’s perfect enough to hook up with on the weekend of his sister’s
wedding.

His sister is my best friend. This is a disaster
in the making.

Did I mention he’s also hot, sexy and funny?

How can I resist?

After a steamy weekend, I agree. We have chemistry.

But it just won’t work out in the long run.

He’s just a fond memory. That is…until he moves next door.

When I’m in need, the almost perfect man offers to help.

On a “friends-only” basis.

“Just friends,” he said. Yeah, right.

Suddenly, Alex is getting too close for comfort.

Things are becoming heated … becoming too real for me.

Is this the real deal or am I another medal to him? 

Purchase Links
$2.99 for a limited time!
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
B&N / KOBO / APPLE BOOKS

Excerpt

“Harry
Potter geek?”

She nods.
“Dad and I used to read the books when I was young. It’s our thing, you know?
We share our love for mythical creatures and magical worlds.” 

She smiles
widely. “When I was at my mother’s, I used to read the books by myself and
wished I was at Dad’s instead.”

“So now you
get to wear a unicorn necklace and look like a fairy?”

Suddenly, I
see darkness pushing her bright face. She grabs the handle and starts closing
the door. “Thank you again for everything.”

“I’m
supposed to stay with you and binge watch a series or just watch a rom-com,” I
say, showing her my arm where I scribbled my notes.

Her
expression smooths, and her lips slip into a charming grin. Her mouth is framed
by a pair of inviting dimples that enchant me.

“So tell me
about this first day,” I ask. “We could share some of the chocolate chip
cookies I got you.”

She steps
aside, inviting me in. “First experiences suck most of the time.”

“First
kisses never suck,” I tell her.

“Of course
they do,” she protests with conviction.

I brush a
strand of her hair, leaning forward. “There’s always that little moment of
hesitation. When everything is almost happening. Like, right when you’re about
to touch her lips,” I say, my lips are so close to hers. “You wait though.”

“What do
you wait for?” she asks with sweetness and innocence.

“For her to
step back or lean into the kiss.”

“What if
she doesn’t move?”

“That’s my
favorite,” I answer before I brush her soft lips with mine.

She gasps
as I dip my mouth to hers. This is pretty much like going down the slope at
high speed. I can’t stop, I can’t hesitate. One wrong move and it’s a bust. I
have to control every movement, lead her. Lean where I want us to go. I slide
my tongue across her lips, and she opens them while she wraps her arms around
my neck.

I don’t
rush it though. If this is the only kiss I get from Hannah, I want it to be
perfect. My heart hammers as our kiss leads to more than just demonstrating to
her that a first can be extraordinary.

The small
whimper she makes as I slide my hand around her waist and pull her into me gets
me worked up. I hold nothing back, and she doesn’t either. I move my lips to
her jawline, nibbling her soft skin all the way to her earlobe.

She tastes
sweet. Like lavender, vanilla, and honey. I could eat her. Nibble every inch of
her skin, drink her all.

As she
pushes her hips up against me, trying to get closer, my eyes open. Our gazes
connect. I want to consume her. All of her. The pain from climbing the tree is
gone, replaced by desire—a hunger I’ve never come across before.

I run a
hand through the back of her neck, my fingers curl around her skull, gripping
her head tightly.

“Waiting?”
she asks between shallow breaths.

I nod.
“You’re in charge, do you want me to continue?”

She rises
on her tiptoes, leaning closer. This time, I devour her. Our tongues tangle and
fuck if the fire isn’t consuming us.

Lust and
adrenaline rush through my veins. I run a hand up and down her round, tight
ass. My length is turning into a piece of steel. Throbbing, needy steel that
wants to slide inside her. A sexy moan escapes her lips as I move between her
thighs and push her against the door.

Her legs
wrap around my hips, and anything besides fucking her is off the table. There’s
no restraint. For her, or for myself.

I break the
kiss, gasping for some air. “Are you sure about this?”

“I have
this theory,” she says. “Being with a guy for the first time being awkward and
meh. Do you want to prove me wrong?”

“Challenge
accepted.”

Author Bio

Claudia is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling
author. She lives in Colorado, working for a small IT. She has three children
and manages a chaotic household of two confused dogs, and a wonderful husband
who shares her love of all things geek. To survive she works continually to
find purpose for the voices flitting through her head, plus she consumes high
quantities of chocolate to keep the last threads of sanity intact. 
Author Links
Giveaway

Cover Reveal & Excerpt ~ We Are Us by Tara Leigh

We Are Us - CR banner

We Are Us, an all-new, angst-filled, second chance standalone romance from Tara Leigh is releasing February 27th, and we have the gorgeous cover along with the very first sneak peek!

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I fell in love with a beautiful, broken boy.

His whispered words of love were the sweetest of lies.

He gave me his heart and destroyed mine.

I am his.

I fell in love with the beautiful man who broke me.

His boldly spoken vow was the cruelest of cages.

He gave me his name and destroyed my soul.

He is mine.

The boy I once loved is now a man.

The man I once loved is now gone.

We are us.

I have been called many things.

Victim. Survivor. Daughter. Sister. Wife.

Now I am called something else.

Murderer.

Believe it or not, this is our love story.

We Are Us - PO

Pre-order your copy today!

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Cover Designed by Regina Wamba, Mae I Design

Final_HisEyes

Excerpt

“Close your eyes.”

I slant a curious look at Gavin, taking in his kiss-swollen lips and flushed skin, his untamable mop of hair and the blaze of excitement lighting up the blue of his corneas.

Gavin squeezes my hand reassuringly as I do what he’s asked, then slowly walks me the remaining few steps toward our cave. Without vision, my other senses are heightened. The cry of birds sounds closer, like they are perched just overhead instead of on branches thirty or forty feet above. The bite of the breeze on my skin is sharper, each gust sending a chill racing along already sensitive nerve endings. The smell of ripe earth and rich evergreen and the clean, bracing scent of Gavin himself is downright intoxicating, my head swimming as I pull breaths deep into my lungs.

Most of all, the moonstone pendant laying against my collarbone is making my chest tingle, my heart fluttering against my ribcage.

“Okay, open them.”

I do, immediately gasping in surprise at what Gavin’s done to our little cave. There are candles burning and scattered rose petals—no, poppy petals—and a basket filled with drinks and snacks. A pile of blankets and pillows.

“You did all this for me?” I ask, my voice sounding whispery and weird.

I feel whispery and weird.

I’ve never had a birthday like this. I’ve never even imagined a birthday like this. First the necklace and now, seeing the lengths Gavin has gone for me…

Beneath the surface of my skin, I’m a chaotic mess of emotions. I don’t know what to say, how to act. This is unchartered territory for me.

“Of course,” he says, as if it’s nothing. But it’s not nothing. It’s everything.

Before I dissolve into a teary puddle, Gavin reaches into his pocket and pulls out a deck of cards. “You taught me how to play gin rummy—how about I teach you to play poker?”

A strangled laugh leaves my throat. “I think that’s fair.”

We sit down and Gavin spends a few minutes going over the basics of the game before dealing out the cards. It’s not as easy as gin rummy, but I get the hang of it after a few rounds.

And when Gavin lifts a mischievous brow and asks, “Want to make things interesting?” I know exactly what he’s doing. Not just poker. Strip poker.

And that’s when I realize just how much planning went into tonight. Beyond buying me an expensive present. Beyond pimping out our cave. Gavin found a way to make my first time—our first time—a mix of old and new. An experience evoking our past and celebrating our future.

I’ve imagined the night Gavin and I would finally go all the way a million times. But I’d only focused on the physical aspects. Would it hurt? Will there be blood? What if I do it wrong?

It never crossed my mind that he would take such care with… everything.

But, of course, it should have.

Gavin Cross is one of a kind.

And he’s mine.

TaraLeighHeadShot

About Tara Leigh

Tara Leigh is a multi-published author of steamy contemporary romance. To keep in touch, click here! http://bit.ly/TaraLeighNwsltr. A former banker on Wall Street, she graduated from Washington University and holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, but she much prefers spending her days with fictional boyfriends than analyzing financial spreadsheets. Tara currently lives in Fairfield County, Connecticut with her husband, children, and fur-baby, Pixie.

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https://www.taraleighbooks.com

Release Blitz, Review, Excerpt & Giveaway ~ Twisted Hearts (The Camorra Chronicles, Book 5) by Cora Reilly

Twisted Hearts RD-5

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Savio Falcone has a few non-negotiable rules when it comes to girls.

They need to be hot as f*ck.

Spread their legs without much prompting.

And leave as soon as the fun is over. Preferably minus any bitching or tears.

With his easy-going bad boy attitude, a last name that rules over Las Vegas and a body to die for, girls have always been at Savio’s disposal.

Unfortunately, the hottest girl in Vegas comes with a price Savio isn’t willing to pay. For Savio to get Gemma he’d need to seal the deal and put a ring on her finger. Settling down is out of the question, no matter how hot a piece of ass waits at the altar.

Gemma Bazzoli has had a crush on Savio from the first moment she came face to face with his arrogant smile, but for him she was always his best friend’s annoying little sister—until her hard-earned curves catch even his attention.

But Savio likes it easy, and Gemma is anything but. When she’s promised to another man, Gemma resigns herself to the fact that the man she’s wanted all her life, doesn’t want her badly enough.

Savio has to decide how much work he’s willing to invest, because bending the rules in his usual style might not be enough to get the girl that haunts his wet dreams.
Twisted Hearts RD

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 STARS

The fifth book in The Camorra Chronicles was hands down a 5 star EPIC read!!! Savio is all I imagined he would be and more. I enjoyed seeing Gemma evolve from a young girl with the school girl crush, into the young woman who in time discovers her worth.

“This bull won’t ever be chained to one woman.”

Little does Savio know when he makes that comment. I love all the Falcones, but there was something about reading Savio’s story that kept it real.

This story was incredible and I highly recommend picking up this book! Twisted Hearts by Cora Reilly will join the ranks of the BIBLIO-ARISTOCRACY!!!

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Read the First Chapter HERE !

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Twisted Hearts RD-4

Gemma looked up at me. “I’m not one of your other girls, Savio. I’ve been brought up traditionally by my family. My mother raised me with strict values. I believe in the sacred bond of marriage. I believe in giving myself to my husband, and no one else. Nothing will change that. And even a Falcone can’t.”

Surprise washed over me at the vehemence in her voice and the fierceness in her eyes. She meant it. There was not the hint of doubt in her expression. Her crush had made me believe that she might be open to a bit of playing outside of the rules. Now, I realized I might have misjudged her.

“I’ll be your husband soon, and then everything is mine.”

“But you aren’t yet,” she said firmly. “And until then I won’t give you anything. My family will seek retribution if you take something. They won’t care that you are a Falcone. They will protect my honor.”

Diego’s words from last night flashed in my head, and my anger spiked once more. “They would die.”

She swallowed. “Maybe.”

I leaned down, regarding her olive eyes, resolute and anxious. “They won’t have to seek retribution, Gem. If you want to wait until marriage, I won’t push you.”

Suspicion filled her face. “You won’t? That’s not your usual style.”

My smile widened. She was right. I loved to push her buttons, and it would be difficult not to keep doing so, but this was different. While my brothers and I weren’t traditionalists, we respected our men and their families, and that included their old-fashioned values. Remo kept reminding me of that fact repeatedly.

Besides, it gave me a thrill knowing that Gemma would only be mine alone, even if the wait until our marriage would prove tricky. But I had other girls for fucking and sucking until then. Maybe the wait would add even more thrill to our wedding night. I tilted my head, bringing our faces closer. Gemma was the full package. Choir girl and sex bomb, a lethal combination of heaven and hell. Being around her you couldn’t help but want to be sinner and saint, only so you could be closer to her.

“Savio…” Gemma said in warning, bringing her palms up against my chest.

I got that she didn’t want to have sex before our wedding night but why deprive herself of all the other fun things I could show her? “Is a kiss really so bad? Your mouth is so fucking kissable.”

“Well, your mouth is coming around too much for my taste. You’ve probably kissed more lady parts than most toilet seats.”

My arms gave in from the force of my laughter. Fuck, Gemma, was one of a kind. Resting my forehead against the wall, my body pressed into Gemma. “Lady parts?” I repeated between chuckles as I tilted my head down.

Gemma raised her head. We were so fucking close, her lips were begging for me to bridge the few inches between us. “How about you call them what everyone does? Pussy.”

Her cheeks turned red. “I’m not going to take that word into my mouth.” She pushed harder against my chest but I didn’t budge.

“I’d love to have your pussy in my mouth,” I growled, and doing my usual routine without even thinking about it, I ground myself against the woman in front of me to show her what she was doing to me.

Gemma tensed, her eyes widening in shock. She jerked her knee up and hit my balls. Pain shot through my body and I groaned. She quickly slipped out under my arm and stormed away. “That’s called Bull’s eye!”

Fuck. Anger surged through me. I chased her despite the fucking throbbing in my balls, and I grabbed her wrist. She whirled on me. “Don’t do that ever again,” I growled.

She narrowed her eyes. “How about this then?” She swung her fist at me, aiming straight for my nose. My arm shot up, blocking her assault. I’d been fighting in the cage for years now against guys weighing twice as much as Gemma. She was a good fighter, for a small girl, but that was it. I gripped her other wrist and jerked her against me, holding her fast. Her hair had come undone from her ponytail and framed her face in wild curls. “Apologize,” she seethed.

My eyebrows shot up. “I’m not the one who smashed his knee into your lady parts.”

“Apologize for disrespecting me.”

I regarded her. She was dead serious.

“If anyone else treated me the way you just did…”

“I’d cut his dick off and let him bleed out,” I finished.

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Enter the Release Day Giveaway HERE!

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46359874_2316414201925091_2213201513826746368_oCora Reilly is the author of the Born in Blood Mafia Series, The Camorra Chronicles and many other books, most of them featuring dangerously sexy bad boys. Before she found her passion in romance books, she was a traditionally published author of young adult literature.

Cora lives in Germany with a cute but crazy Bearded Collie, as well as the cute but crazy man at her side. When she doesn’t spend her days dreaming up sexy books, she plans her next travel adventure or cooks too spicy dishes from all over the world.

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Blog Tour, Review & Excerpt ~ Release by Aly Martinez

Release - BT banner
Release, an all-new “mesmerizing” and “captivating” standalone romance from
USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez, is available now!

Release AMAZON

Growing up, Ramsey Stewart branded my soul in ways time could never heal.

At twelve, he asked me to be his girlfriend.

At thirteen, he gave me my first kiss.

By sixteen, we’d fallen in love, planned a future together, and had our eyes set on the horizon.

Love never fails, right?

But for Ramsey, it did.

Love failed him.

I failed him.

The entire world failed him.

At seventeen, Ramsey was convicted of killing the boy who assaulted me.

Move on,he wrote in his first and only letter from prison.

Start a new life, he urged.

I don’t love you anymore, he lied.

There was no such thing as giving up on Ramsey. Love may have been our curse, but he was mine—then, now, and forever.

So here I am, twelve long years later, waiting for a man I don’t even know to emerge from between the chain link gates.

Release - AN

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QOughI

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Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2oGE1oo

Review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 STARS

Aly Martinez delivered a heartbreakingly beautiful story between Thea And Ramsey!

What started out as a unlikely friendship that developed into more, which ends in misfortune. I kept wondering with their separation and the secrets, would their love endure. I honestly don’t know if I would be a strong and dedicated as Thea, but I commend her for it.

This was such an amazing book and is a definite MUST read! Release by Aly Martinez will join the ranks of the BIBLIO-ELITE!!!


Excerpt

It was funny. I’d spent almost half my life surrounded by the biggest, baddest criminals the state of Georgia had been able to capture. Yet, I was terrified of a five-foot-five woman who for some asinine reason was still in love with me.

I couldn’t be around her. Not if I wanted to keep my head straight and my eye on the prize. I had three years before I got off parole. I needed to get a job, tuck away some cash, and, the second I was allowed to leave Georgia, get the hell out of there. Maybe, if I was lucky, I’d be able to convince my sister to come with me. We didn’t have to go far. We could stay in the south if she wanted. South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee—there were schools everywhere. Nora wouldn’t have trouble finding a job. The hardest part would be convincing her to leave Thea.

However, maybe if she did, Thea would finally move on with her life and stop obsessing about me.

I’d known they lived together for a while. I didn’t want anything to do with Thea while I was locked up, but I was happy as hell Nora had someone to lean on. I had been under the impression that Nora had gotten her own place when she found out about my release. I had been under that impression because Nora had straight-up told me she was getting her own place after I’d declared there was no way I was living with Thea.

Now, I was hiding in my room, waiting for Nora to wake up, open my door, and escort me to breakfast like a damn bodyguard so I could avoid confrontation.

Next up in my efforts to kill time was a workout. Sit ups, push-ups, planks, running in place. This was when I realized Nora hadn’t bought me any deodorant.

Another shower.

Another naked lap around the bedroom, and this time, I managed to keep my hands off my cock.

Finally, I got dressed. This required me to pick through a bunch of preppy shit Nora had bought for me to find tattered jeans and a fitted green tee that clung to my chest like a damn glove. In my closet, I found a belt and a pair of distressed brown lace-up boots that maybe could have doubled as combat boots if the war was taking place on a runway. But what the hell did I know about style? I’d been wearing orange or puke beige for almost half my life.

When I was done with all of that and there was still no sign of Nora, I sat on the edge of the bed and decided to give the phone thing a try. I wasn’t totally out of the technology loop. We had computers at the library and we were allowed to use them if we earned the privileges. But they might as well have been dinosaurs compared to the phone she’d bought me. I couldn’t even get it to read my face with the fancy secret laser thing. I gave up trying pretty quickly.

So there I was, bored out of my mind, starving, and poking at my newfound wrinkles in the bathroom mirror, when I heard a knock at my door.

“Ramsey?”

I froze, my eyes locked on the mirror, panic staring back at me.

Thea.

Jesus. I needed to find somewhere else to live.

Leaning out of the bathroom, I stared at the door. If I was super quiet, maybe she’d think I was still asleep and go the hell away.

When I didn’t reply, she knocked again. Her voice was timid and sweet, not at all like the fearless girl I’d grown up with. I hated it.

“Ramsey? You hungry? I’m making breakfast? I was wondering if you wanted something?” Everything from my name to the fact that she was making breakfast was a question, as if maybe she was asking permission to cook in her own house.

My stomach was currently feasting on my backbone. Still, I said nothing.

She sighed. “Okay. Well, if you change your—” There were several seconds of silence.

I quirked my eyebrow at the door, trying to figure out why she’d abruptly stopped talking, and then cursed my inability to develop x-ray vision.

I held my breath, hoping to hear her footsteps as she walked away.

No. Such. Fucking. Luck.

The door swung open and she came walking inside with her hands stacked over her eyes. “Look, I know you’re awake. I heard you running earlier. I also heard you take at least three showers. Sorry, but the house isn’t that big. Neither is the hot water heater. Are you at least dressed so I can open my eyes?”

Brave. Unapologetic. And completely oblivious to boundaries. Now that was the Thea I knew.

“Get out,” I barked.

“Dressed? Not dressed? Help me out here?”

“Get. Out.”

She kept her eyes closed. “You gotta eat, Ramsey. You can’t stay locked up in this room forever.”

I wanted to tell her to get the hell out again. Honestly, it was on the tip of my tongue. But it never made it past my lips because my traitorous eyes stole a head-to-toe of her lithe body. She was barefoot, wearing jeans—tight ones that tapered at her ankle. They looked like mine in the sense that they had a rip in the knee. They didn’t look like mine in the sense that they hugged the curve of her hips and more than likely her ass too. A pink tank top stretched across her chest, and I swear on my life, fuck x-ray vision because I could see the pebble of her nipples beneath the fabric.

It wasn’t a ridiculous dress.

It wasn’t stupid fucking heels.

She wasn’t wearing a face full of clown makeup.

She was just Thea.

The nostalgia pumped through my veins like acid even as my cock stirred. Fuck, I should have jerked off again in the shower.

“I’m dressed,” I bit out, desperate for her to put her damn hands down and maybe use them to cover her tits instead.

Her long, brown lashes fluttered as she opened her eyes. Those fucking eyes had once owned me. As a huge smile lit her face, I felt the claim all over again.

“Oh, look, you chose one of the outfits I picked out for you.”

Of course I had. Of fucking course. As soon as I got her out of my room, I was going to take the outfit off and light it on fire.

aly martinez profile picAbout Aly

Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her husband and four young children.

Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, mystery leggings, and olives. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person.

She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.

Connect with Aly

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2RvbjCA

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Release Blitz, Review Excerpt & Giveaway ~ The Hunted by Bethany-Kris

Title: The Hunted
Series: 9INE Realms
Author: Bethany-Kris
Genre: Dark Fairy Tale Retelling
Release Date: January 6, 2020
Let the hunt begin …

After witnessing the murder of his mother by a mermaid, Prince Eryx Bloodhurst of Atlas makes a deal to sedate his need for vengeance: they’ll catch the mermaid who did the deed, but he’ll pay for it with his crown.

Arelle, third princess of the Blu Sea, has never known the true cruelty of the forbidden lands firsthand, but she will soon. The halfling prince with murder in his eyes and the sea’s songs in his blood will make sure of that.

He should kill her.
Perhaps, keeping her might be worse.

Two kingdoms are falling. One king is losing it all and another threatens to ruin everything. The rules of the land and sea are changing. Secrets of the past are spilling.

And all because of a prince and his little mermaid—whether they live or die—nothing in the realm will ever be the same.

*

In The Hunted, Bethany-Kris opens a new world—the 9INE REALMS—for readers with a dark fairy tale retelling, and pulls inspiration from the cult classic favorite and the Hans Christian Andersen original to redefine what it means to be The Little Mermaid.

REVIEW

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 STARS

WOW…I shouldn’t be surprised that I’ve fallen in love with another of Bethany-Kris’ worlds!

I loved her rendition of the classic fairy tale, The Little Mermaid. It’s definitely not a hearts and flowers kind of story, but still an utterly addicting read. Arelle and Eryx are an odd couple considering one is hunting the other, yet the chemistry they share is intense.

I am eagerly awaiting more from the 9INE REALMS. The Hunted by Bethany-Kris is an EPIC read that will absolutely join the ranks of the BIBLIO-ARISTOCRACY!!!

“You never tried to run.” 

So many did. 

And were killed for it, too. 

“No,” his mother said quietly. 

“Why?” 

Anthia’s walk came to a stop, and so did Eryx’s beside her. Her violet eyes—the one thing he hadn’t taken from his mother because he wasn’t full-blooded like she was—met his blue stare, and he mirrored her soft smile. “Now, that, you really should know the answer to.” 

“I think I do.” 

“But maybe you want me to say it?” 

“Maybe,” he agreed. 

“For you. I never ran because of you.” 

So yes, he had known. He was just selfish enough to admit he liked that answer, too. Even if he shouldn’t. 

“Do you know why else I sang to you?” his mother asked. “When you were little, I mean.” 

“I don’t even remember it.” 

“Not here,” his mother said, pointing at her right ear and winking. Then, she pointed at her heart before also gesturing at her mind. “But in these places, you can’t forget them. The water songs—the siren’s calls, Eryx. It’s the thrall of the mermaids. Families hear them singing for miles. Mates, even farther. Through waters and storms and wars … we hear them inside. You hear them, too. Why did you think you came to find me here?” 

“I thought the songs were a way of warning …” 

Anthia grinned. “Or a way to call someone home.” 

The wind blew again, and this time, his mother sang with it, the melody twisting and curling with the breeze and through the trees. He stood right beside her, heard the song as clear as day, but it almost seemed to echo within him, too. 

Except when she stopped … 

Well, the song didn’t. 

But it wasn’t his mother singing anymore. 

Anthia’s head tipped up, and the paleness of her face became far more prominent when her eyes widened like the two moons beginning to peek through the heavy, dark clouds overhead. The song continued on, coming closer and … higher? 

Eryx looked upward into the fruit trees. “Who is sing—” 

His mother made an inhuman noise. “Run.” 

His stare snapped back to his mother. “What?” 

“You’re more like them than us, and that’s all the mermaids will see. Run, Eryx.” 

She didn’t give him the chance to argue about it. The singing in what seemed like the trees above them came louder with every passing second. Her hand locked around his wrist, and she darted back up the channel of high water fruit trees. She ran like the wind, but he was still faster. It didn’t matter because he stayed behind her as they weaved through the narrow trail beside the trees, avoiding low hanging branches that swung in the suddenly heavy winds. 

The storm had arrived. He should have listened to the rustling of the leaves. The creak of branches. 

He might have heard the mermaid when she dropped down on top of them. Except he didn’t. Not until it was too late. 

Red hair and violet eyes. Fingernails sharpened like claws that dug into his throat and teeth bared with a vicious hiss slipping past snarling lips. She was naked, shifted from her water form to walk on land although she attacked from the trees. 

Eryx’s mother’s screams pierced through the howling winds, but from which direction he couldn’t be sure. All he could see was violet eyes and fire-red hair intent on ripping the throat right out of his fucking neck.

Bethany-Kris is a Canadian author, lover of much, and mother to four young sons, two cats, and three dogs. A small town in Eastern Canada where she was born and raised is where she has always called home. With her boys under her feet, snuggling cats, barking dogs, and a spouse calling over his shoulder, she is nearly always writing something … when she can find the time.