Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Heartbreaker by Stacey Kennedy ~ New Release and Review


Handcuffs aren’t just part of their job...


HEARTBREAKER
Filthy Dirty Love #1
Stacey Kennedy
Releasing Jan 31st, 2017


Handcuffs aren’t just part of their job in this sizzling new standalone novel by USA Today bestselling author, Stacey Kennedy.

Veteran cop, Maddox Hunt, is all about the job. Sure, there are women—lots of women, truth be told—but there’s no one special. Until a one-night stand from his past, rookie Joss O’Neil is assigned to his division. Suddenly, all he can think about is her. The scent of her. The taste of her. 

Fresh out of field training, Joss has thrown herself into her job, determined to kick-start her career. And while police work has its thrills, her gorgeous new boss is what really gets her pulse pounding. Too bad he’s nothing but a distraction. Especially since he’s as devastatingly handsome as she remembers, and his sexy smile arrests her heart.

Now that Joss is back in Maddox’s life, he has a plan: satisfy her fantasies and fulfill his every dark desire. Nothing is off limits. Her pleasure is the endgame . . . but even the best-laid plans have a way of falling apart. Despite his best attempts to keep his distance and have things remain only about the pleasure, Maddox soon finds himself breaking the only law he’s set for himself. Don’t fall in love.





STACEY KENNEDY is the USA Today bestselling author of the Dirty Little Secrets and Club Sin series. She writes deeply emotional romances about powerful men and the wild women who tame them. When she’s not writing sensual stories, she spends her time in southwestern Ontario with her real life hero, her husband, their two young children, and her other babies: a mini labradoodle named Jax and a chocolate labrador named Murphy. Stacey is a proud chocolate, television show, Urban Barn, and wine addict. She likes her heroes in her books like she likes her coffee . . . strong and hot!


Elizabeth's Review


My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would Recommend to a Friend


Review Copy Provided by Author


From the title, you'd expect a book that leans toward raunchy and lots of sexy time. Don't get me wrong - there is plenty of colorful sexy time, but this is also a sweet, emotional story.

Maddox and Joss are both interesting characters and I liked her, but this is really Maddox's story and how the right woman changed his ways without really trying to. I appreciated that the author created strong characters who thought they knew what they wanted and saw that evolve the more time they spent together.

To be honest - I just genuinely liked Maddox. He's the stereotypical Alpha, but it doesn't take long to find out he has a soft gooey center. Even when he's trying to be standoffish, he can't help but be gentle and caring towards Joss. Combine that with his emotional evolution and he is definitely a keeper of a book boyfriend!

Heartbreaker has me looking forward to the next book in the series.

View all my reviews

Monday, January 30, 2017

Pieces Of Heaven by Natasha Madison ~ New Release and Review















I didn’t want this life.

But sometimes you’re forced to make the best of the crappy hand you’ve been dealt. I wanted to teach my daughter that. No matter what happens you face your problems head-on.

Never cower. Never give up.

Then someone took her and I had to put my faith in a system that had failed me, and my hope in a man I didn’t know.

Serve. Honor. Protect, are the only things I’ve ever cared about until her case was dropped on my desk. As we searched for her missing daughter, the last woman I thought I’d fall in love with became my reason for living.

Then the world came crashing down around us.

One secret would change everything, but I had one more hand to be dealt. And if I played my cards right, maybe, just maybe we’d get our piece of heaven.

Chapter Eleven
Marissa

The bells over the door ring every single time someone walks in. I’ve been on edge ever since I got in this morning. Lucky for me it’s been non-stop people coming in, so my mind hasn’t been able to wander to Lori.

Now that it has been quiet and I’m filling the salt and pepper shakers, my mind wanders. It wanders to my baby girl, who is somewhere out there begging to come home. The sound of her voice plays in my head on repeat. My hands start to shake, so I close my eyes and sit down on a chair before my knees buckle.

I blink away the tears threatening to fall over, my heart starting to beat so fast I hear the echoes in my ears. A plate of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and gravy is shoved in front of me. Phyllis’s eyes greet me when I look up.

“Eat that and then go home. You are done for the day. You’ve been here for fourteen hours.”
I look over at the clock hanging behind the counter that reads 8 p.m., realizing she’s right.

“I’m just going to finish filling the shakers then I’ll take off.” I know she’s about to argue with me when the bell over the door rings again, making us both look up.

His eyes find me right away. My heart that was starting to calm down is now speeding up. I focus on my meal, cutting a piece of meatloaf and dipping it in the gravy before popping it into my mouth. I try to ignore the heat of his stare, try to think of anything but him and that naked woman from last night. His girlfriend. I was so stupid to think that he would actually want me. I’m a used up stripper whose daughter ran away from home. I’m the opposite of what he wants or needs.

The chair in front of me is filled with his big frame. The scent of his aftershave, of cologne lingers around us. Musky, rich, and woodsy. It’s the smell that has seeped its way into my memory along with the way his lips felt on mine. The way that I just fit, like I was made for him. I blink away the memory, looking up at him.

“All the seats in this place are open and you sit in front of me?” I ask him before scooping up more food. I didn’t notice how hungry I was till I started eating.

“You didn’t text me back.” His voice is hard, his muscles tight, his jaw ticking.

I take out my phone. “Oh, I put the do not disturb on under your name. Maybe that’s why.”

My phone is snapped out of my hand in a blink of an eye. “What the fuck?” I see him touching the screen angrily and turning it off.

“You know you’re doing that for nothing since I can turn it on again?” I finish off my whole plate, making my stomach hurt since it’s the first thing I’ve eaten since last night.

“What if I had information on Lori?” Bulls-eye, hit straight through my heart. He must see the color drain from my face as I realize that I fucked up. I’m not going to admit it to him, though.

“I don’t have Jackson’s number blocked, and he would have called me.” I shrug my shoulders, picking up my plate to bring it to the gray bussing bin.

Walking over, I wipe down the table right when Phyllis comes out from the kitchen.
“There you are! I have your order ready. It’s being boxed up. Did you want dessert with that?”

His eyes never leave mine. “No, that’s okay. Thanks, Phyllis.”

I grab my phone from him, putting it in the front pocket of my waitress pouch. “I’m taking off. My feet are killing me. See you tomorrow, Phyllis.”

I don’t wait for her to say anything to me before I walk out the door to my car. Turning it on, I drive home, determined not to give Mick another minute of my thoughts. Just one problem with that plan, though. No one mentioned to my head that I wasn’t thinking about him because his eyes flash in my mind, the hard lines around them. The sorrow that is buried there, the sadness that he thinks no one sees but is there, if you look long enough.

I make my way into my apartment, taking my shoes off my throbbing feet at the door.

Walking into the kitchen, I take out the tips from my pocket and count them out. Three hundred and seventeen dollars. Two hundred of that is going to that damn debt that I’m still paying off. I can’t fucking wait till it’s over. I walk over to Lori’s room like I do every single night, turning on the light to see if maybe something has been misplaced or moved.

I’ve put scotch tape on the drawers to alert me if they’ve been opened, but it’s still intact. I’ve labeled her clothes hanging in the closet by number, and I count them, seeing that none have been taken either.

The bed is exactly how she left it. I crawl into her bed and grab her pillow, breathing in her scent. Tears run down my face, seeping into the pillow. This has become my nightly routine. I sleep here so I’m closer to her. I lie in this bed, talking to her. Telling her about my day, praying that she calls me again. I tell her stories about when she was small, about the day they placed her in my arms. The tears never stop. It’s like an endless river.

The soft knock at the door has me raising my head. Walking slowly to the door, I look through the peephole and see that Mick is in the hallway. His hands are braced against the doorframe, his head hanging down.

I place my forehead on the door, take a deep breath in, and open the door. His eyes land right on mine. The tears continue to roll down my cheeks, right off my chin on their way to the floor. He brings his thumb up to my chin, catching them.
“Marissa,” he whispers, and it’s all I can do before I collapse into his arms, sobbing. Begging. Pleading with him to bring her back to me.

He picks me up and carries me inside. Sitting on the couch with me curled into a ball in his lap, my tears soak his shirt. I’m so exhausted from the fear, stress, and worry. I’m just too tired to move.

“I’m a good mom,” I whisper to him. “I was tough on her only because I wanted better for her. Wanted her out of this life. Wanted her to be something.” My hand lies on his chest, the beat of his heart pounding against my palm.

“I know, baby, I know.”
I don’t say anything more. I just continue to soak up the feeling of his heart beating as it calms me. My eyes droop, and the exhaustion drags me under.

I don’t move from this position all night. I wake the next morning with the same heart beating against my hand.










When her nose isn't buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, she's in the kitchen creating gourmet meals. You can find her, in four inch heels no less, in the car chauffeuring kids, or possibly with her husband scheduling his business trips. It's a good thing her characters do what she says, because even her Labrador doesn't listen to her...

Author Links





Elizabeth's Review


3.75 stars - Worth a Reader's Time and I would recommend to a Friend


Review Copy Provided by Author


I normally don't feel the need the go in between 3.5 and 4 stars, but for this book I did....

We met both Mick and Marissa in To Hell and Back and the first half of this story is told in parallel to that book. How the two stories are woven together is actually one of the reasons I couldn't go all the way to 4 stars for this one. The (excellent) writing sets things up so that this could be read as a stand alone, but there are occasionally characters mentioned without the context to know who they are unless you've read To Hell and Back first. I struggled with that a little bit - even having read book one. It made me stop and think "who is that?" and created a pause is the flow of reading.

In Mick and Marissa, Ms. Madison crafts characters that jump off the page and make you want to get to know them better and root for them as they deal with the struggles facing them. The final struggle is actually my other issue with the book. While it felt like the why behind it was explained, it seemed like the how was left a little murky and I walked away with several questions.

I really did enjoy Pieces of Heaven - I think it's an excellent book that blends romance, angst, tragedy, and second chances. It's a book I would recommend, but with the caveat that the series be read in order to get the full impact.

View all my reviews

The Truth About Lennon ~ KL Grayson ~ Cover Reveal

Today we have the gorgeous cover reveal for The Truth About Lennon by K.L. Grayson! Check out this gorgeous cover and be sure to preorder your copy today!

lennon_amazon

Title: The Truth About Lennon

Author: K.L. Grayson

Release Date: February 21st

Genre: Contemporary Romance

 

About The Truth About Lennon:

Lennon Barrick-St. James is making headlines as New York City's hottest new socialite. Only she isn't new at all. One well-intentioned night gone wrong has landed the daughter of the vice presidential candidate Christopher St. James on the front pages of every newspaper and magazine in the country. Forced by her father to stay out of the limelight, Lennon flees to the quiet town of Haven, Texas, where she vows to lie low and avoid men. Well, except for the sexy biker she just ran off the road--she definitely won't be avoiding him. Noah Cunningham Already has a girl in his life, and he sure as hell doesn't need another. Especially the beautiful and sinfully sweet angel that just descended upon the quiet little town he calls home. The only problem is that the more time he spends with Lennon, the more he wants to be with her. And that's just not going to work for Noah. He's already been burned once and he's not so sure he's ready to go down that road again. Noah has spent the last five years putting his life back together after secrets and lies ripped it apart. So what will happen when he learns the Truth about Lennon.

Preorder Today:

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2jr7GsQ

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2kG64fQ

iTunes: http://apple.co/2jJq1T3

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2kffwdf

lennon-full

Exclusive Excerpt: “Can I help you?” “Yes, I’m looking for Noah Cunningham. He was brought in by ambulance a little while ago.” The woman looks me over and she smiles, but it isn’t as friendly as it should be. “Are you family?” “Um…” I shake my head. “No.” Her smile fades, and I quickly improvise because I know that look. If I’m not family, she won’t let me back there to see him. “Not yet, at least,” I say, mustering up as much conviction as I can. “I’m his fiancée.” Oh shit. I can’t believe I just said that. Too late now. That makes her frown. “Noah doesn’t have a fiancée.” “How do you know?” Narrowing her eyes, the woman stands behind her desk. “I grew up with Noah. Our brothers are friends. I think I’d know if he was dating, let alone engaged,” she says—a bit too defensively, if you ask me. Does this woman have a thing for Noah? A hint of jealousy sparks in my veins, surprising me. “I assure you he does,” I say with just as much bite, because as it turns out, I have a thing for him too. The bitch crosses her arms over her chest. “Where’s your ring?” “I didn’t put it on this morning. What are you, the engagement police?” Not the cleverest thing to say, I know, but it’s the best I could come up with. Lips pressed firmly together, the woman glares. If looks could kill I’d be dead, buried, and forgotten about. I glance at the woman’s name tag before meeting her death stare head on. “Now I get it,” I say, snapping my fingers as though I should’ve recognized her sooner. “You’re Penny.” Penny’s scowl turns into more of a frown. “Noah told me all about you.” As expected, this perks her up. “He did?” She quickly realizes her mistake. “I mean, of course he did.” “There you are, Lennon!” I turn to see Mikey, the guy from the ambulance, walking toward us. If the look on his face is any indication, he caught some—if not all—of my little white lie. Leaning against the desk, he smiles warmly at the woman. “How are ya, Penny?” It’s amazing how her demeanor changes in the presence of a man. “Hey, Mikey. I’m good. Just been workin’ a lot, ya know?” Mikey nods, and Penny glances at me somewhat timidly. “This woman is trying to tell me she’s engaged to Noah.” “Wait…” Mikey waves a finger between me and Penny. “You mean you didn’t know about Lennon? Brad didn’t tell you?” Penny shakes her head and opens her mouth to respond, but Mikey cuts her off with a fake disappointed sigh. “I guess I’m not really surprised,” he says. “He hasn’t been around much lately, what with his new job and all. How’s that going for him, anyway?” “Good,” she says, looking back toward me, clearly wanting to redirect the conversation. “Good.” Mikey nods. “That’s good. Well,” he says, clapping a hand on the desk, “I’ll take Lennon down to Noah’s room before I go, if it’s all right with you.” Plopping down in her seat, Penny huffs. “Fine.” With a hand pressed to my back, Mikey guides me down the hall. “Thank you,” I whisper when I’m certain we’re out of earshot. “Are you kidding me? Noah should be thanking you. He’s been turning down Penny since the third grade, and now maybe she’ll get off of his back for good.” “Well, then…” I puff out my chest. “I’m glad I was able to help. But I’ll be honest; I thought for sure I lied to the wrong person. I was really worried there for a second.” “This is a small town, Lennon. The kind where everybody knows everybody, everybody thinks they know everything, and you can’t piss without it ending up in the paper or on Facebook. It’ll do you good to remember that.” “Does that mean—” “Yup.” He nods before I even finish. “Penny has probably already posted about it, tweeted it, Snapchatted it, and found a way to put it up on Instagram.” “Great.” I stare at the hospital door. “Now Noah’s really going to hate me, and we don’t even know each other.” “Nah. Noah’s pretty laid back.” I look up at him, cocking a brow. “Okay, he’s uptight, but he’ll see the humor in it,” he says, opening the door before quietly adding, “I think.” A man in a long, white coat is standing in the room, waving his hands as he talks to Noah, who is stretched out on the bed, his jeans and T-shirt now replaced by a green hospital gown. Noah’s eyes widen when he notices me walking into the room behind Mikey. “What is she doing here?” he says, cutting off the doctor. “She’s your fiancée; where else would she be?” We all turn toward the snide voice. Penny. Go figure, she must’ve followed us. She flits around the room. Doing what? No clue. Probably just being nosy. “Fiancée?” Noah looks from Penny to Mikey and narrows his eyes when they land on me. I’m going to go straight to hell. “It’s okay,” I soothe, sitting on the bed next to him. Smiling down, I brush his hair off of his forehead. It’s soft, and I let my fingers linger longer than necessary as I imagine what it would be like to belong to this man—to be able to touch him whenever I wanted, run my fingers through his shaggy hair, kiss him. The thoughts in my mind have no business being there, but I can’t help but wish for every single one. Feeling the weight of silence, I clear my throat. “I told her.” I glance at Penny, who is frowning. “And she’s not going to say anything, are you, Penny? Because we haven’t officially announced it yet.” Her eyes widen, guilt splattered across her face. “Uh...” “I’m so lost,” Noah mumbles, running a hand over his ruggedly handsome face. “Maybe I did hit my head, doc.” “I’m sorry, I missed your name.” The young doctor sticks out his hand, which I quickly accept. “Lennon.” He smiles. “It’s nice to meet you, Lennon. My name is Dr. Ward, and I took care of your fiancé when he came in. In fact,” he says, looking at Noah, “I was just telling him what will need to be done once he gets home.” “Yes.” I turn toward the doctor, giving him my full attention like any dutiful fiancée would. “Please, fill me in.” “You don’t have to fill her in,” Noah says, trying to nudge me off the bed. “She’s not—” “Shush.” Pressing a finger against his mouth, I frown. So does Noah. “He absolutely will fill me in. Who else is going to take care of you?” He swats my hand away. “I don’t need anyone to take care of me.” “That’s not entirely true,” Dr. Ward interjects. “Fine.” Noah rolls his eyes. “I’ll have my mother come help me.” “She’s on vacation,” Mikey offers, holding his hands up in surrender when Noah shoots him a nasty glare. “Noah, this is good. You’ll need some assistance for a few days, someone to help you get around the house so you can stay off your ankle,” Dr. Ward says. “I’m good, doc, really.” He nudges me again, but I just wrap his hand in mine and kiss his knuckles adoringly. Noah furrows his brow and presses his lips together. His gaze on me is so powerful, I swear the man can hold a conversation with just his eyes. What the fuck are you up to? I squint at him, letting him know I’ve got the wheel right now. Play along or I’ll run you off the road again. Noah blows out a long, frustrated breath, and I know I’ve won him over. “Anyway.” The doctor clears his throat. “Noah sprained his ankle during the accident. Nothing is broken, but he did a number on it. He also has a laceration on his leg that we cleaned up. It didn’t need stitches, but I’d like for him to keep an eye on it, because we don’t want it to get infected. I’ll have Penny print out the instructions and give them to you.” I nod, and when Dr. Ward isn’t looking, Penny rolls her eyes. “I would like it if you could stay off your foot for a couple of days,” he says to Noah. “Your ankle needs rest and ice.” “Rest and Ice. Got it.” I turn to Noah. “I’ll just plan on staying with you for the next couple of days.” “He’s your fiancée,” Penny exclaims. “Don’t you live with him?” “No.” I might not be southern, but I do my best to tack on some southern belle charm. I press a hand to my chest, feigning disbelief. “Daddy would not approve of that. No shackin’ up until we’re married. Right, sweetie?” “Shackin’ up?” Noah says. “Whatever.” Penny walks out, followed by the doctor, and Mikey claps his hands together. “Well, folks, I’ve gotta get going.” He walks toward me and squeezes my shoulder. “Lennon, I’ll swing by Noah’s tonight and make sure you two don’t need anything.” “Wait. What?” Noah pulls his hand from mine and scowls up at Mikey. “She’s not really coming home with me.” “Yes, she is.” Mikey looks to me for confirmation, and I nod. “How else would you get home? You don’t have your bike, and your parents are out of town.” “You,” Noah says. “You can take me home.” “Sorry, man. Can’t. Gotta finish my shift. Plus, there’s no way in hell I’m taking care of your ass.” “But you’re a fucking paramedic.” Mikey shrugs. “So? I do that shit all day long. I don’t want to do it when I’m off. Plus, Lennon here has already volunteered to take care of your gimp ass.” “This is a fucking joke.” Noah clenches his hands against the sheet. “She caused all of this,” he says, waving toward his ankle. “If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t even be here.” “And that’s exactly why I want you to let me help,” I plead. “I feel horrible. I promise I’ll take really good care of you, and I won’t get in your way at all. And I won’t really move in for the next few days; I’ll just come by and make sure you don’t need anything, maybe cook dinner for you.” This isn’t exactly how I’d planned to spend my first few days in Heaven, but I like the idea of taking care of someone. Particularly this someone. “You don’t even know me,” he argues. I stick my hand out to shake his, and all he does is scowl. Mikey shoves an elbow into his arm and finally, reluctantly, Noah shakes my hand. Mikey smiles. “Noah, meet Lennon, your fiancée.” “Fuck.” Noah groans, dropping his head back on the pillow, and Mikey shoots me a wink.

  Kirby

About K.L. Grayson:

K.L. Grayson resides in a small town outside of St. Louis, MO. She is entertained daily by her extraordinary husband, who will forever inspire every good quality she writes in a man. Her entire life rests in the palms of six dirty little hands, and when the day is over and those pint-sized cherubs have been washed and tucked into bed, you can find her typing away furiously on her computer. She has a love for alpha-males, brownies, reading, tattoos, sunglasses, and happy endings…and not particularly in that order. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/KL-Grayson/1403900879892076?ref=hl Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorklgrayson IG: @booksbyklgrayson  

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Under Pressure ~ Lori Foster ~ New Release and Review

UNDER PRESSURE - banner    

PASSIONS ARE READY TO POP IN THIS STEAMY NEW ROMANTIC THRILLER FROM AWARD WINNING BESTSELLING AUTHOR LORI FOSTER

From New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Lori Foster comes UNDER PRESSURE, the first book in her brand-new Body Armor series, featuring her trademark alpha-male heroes and strong-willed heroines, who risk everything to save one another from the deadly forces that seek to destroy them.

    UNDER PRESSURE - cover

Get your Copy of UNDER PRESSURE here!

Amazon * Kindle * Barnes & Noble * Nook * Book Depository

GooglePlay *iBooks * BAM * Kobo * IndieBound

UNDER PRESSURE Synopsis:

He can protect anything except his heart

Leese Phelps's road hasn't been an easy one, but it's brought him to the perfect job—working for the elite Body Armor security agency. And what his newest assignment lacks in size, she makes up for in fire and backbone. But being drawn to Catalina Nicholson is a dangerous complication, especially since it could be the very man who hired Leese who's threatening her.

What Catalina knows could get her killed. But who'd believe the sordid truth about her powerful stepfather? Beyond Leese's ripped body and brooding gaze is a man of impeccable honor. He's the last person she expects to trust—and the first who's ever made her feel safe. And he's the only one who can help her expose a deadly secret, if they can just stay alive long enough…

   

“Romantic thriller veteran Foster has been honing her skill for a long time, and it’s clear she’s at the top of her game here. Readers will find themselves, along with her colorful cast of supporting characters, rooting for a happy-ever-after.”

- Kirkus Reviews

“Teasing and humorous dialogue, sizzling sex scenes, tender moments, and overriding tension show Foster’s skill as a balanced storyteller. She sets up a continuing story line for the series with the mystery of who murdered the firm’s founder, Sahara’s brother, but this thread never overwhelms the gripping main story, which will leave readers breathless.”

- Publishers Weekly

   

Add it to your Goodreads Now!

    UNDER PRESSURE - RWB teaser 1

“Foster writes an action-packed story that has everything her readers have come to love about her books…. Foster continues to prove why she is a mega-talent in the romance world!”

- Jennifer Wilson, RT Book Reviews

  UNDER PRESSURE - RWB teaser 2
   

    Lori Foster - Author photoAbout Lori Foster: LORI FOSTER is a New York Times, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than 55 titles, beloved for her contemporary romance novels revolving around alpha males and the women they fall for. Lori has been a recipient of the prestigious RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award for Series Romantic Fantasy, and for Contemporary Romance. For more about Lori, visit her website at LoriFoster.com, or check out these online locations where she interacts with readers: Facebook.com/LoriFoster, Twitter.com/LoriLFoster, Goodreads and Pinterest.com/lorilfoster. You can also sign up for her monthly newsletter at LoriFoster.com/Newsletter.    

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Elizabeth's Review


3.5 Stars - Worth a Reader's Time


Review Copy Provided by Publisher via Net Galley


This is a pretty standard Lori Foster book. Leese is a secondary character from a previous series who gets top billing as the hero here. He's likeable and very alpha.
Cat is a strong female, but has a vulnerability that is appealing too. The interaction between these two is fun to watch. I especially appreciated the fact that Leese tried to avoid crossing boundaries, but found the attraction to Cat too hard to avoid.
The intrigue elements of the story keep things moving and keep everyone on their toes. Well written and fun, this is a good starting place for new Lori Foster fans. People who have enjoyed her recent work will be excited as some old favorites show up for a visit.

View all my reviews


Excerpt:


One thing stuck in Leese’s mind. “You didn’t like the family business?” From what Leese knew, her father had grown a highly successful empire supplying enhance­ments to new tech gadgets. Smartphone covers, special screens, camera lenses—he offered something for ev­eryone, and had distribution throughout the country, as well as in select markets around the world.

“No.” She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t fit the mold. Honestly, though she faked it well, my mom didn’t ei­ther. She could attend the fancy parties and appear to enjoy them. The transition was almost seamless for her. But when we were alone, she was herself. Really warm and funny, sometimes too strict and overprotective.” She fell silent, then whispered, “Webb was different when she was here. I think she was a good influence on him.”

“She passed away from cancer?”

“Yes. A terrible disease. Holt does a lot of fund-raising for cancer research. I think it’s why Bowen went into medicine.”

“Do you look like your mother?”

 She flashed him a smile. “Everyone says I do. She was really petite too. Same color hair and eyes. I always thought my mom was really beautiful, and I know I’m not, so I’m complimented when people tell me that.”

Justice, who’d been so quiet Leese almost forgot he would be listening, said, “Oh, I dunno. You’re awful cute. I imagine if you dolled up, you could turn some heads.”

She laughed. “Thank you, but I don’t have many op­portunities to ‘doll up’ anymore, thank goodness. That’s one of the things I disliked most about wealth. Everyone expected me to look perfect all the time. And I’m just not the type who can pull that off.”

 Leese thought she looked pretty damned perfect, even in her tattered jeans, with her hair tangled and windblown and not a speck of makeup on her face. Her mouth, especially, drew his attention. She had full lips and when he’d kissed her—

“Teaching art to kids means wearing lots of smocks, not gowns. Usually the smock ends up being pretty col­orful though—paint, clay, marker. I’m far better suited to a grade-school art room than an influential committee.”

All in all, Leese thought that sounded pretty nice.
Justice asked, “You like kids, huh?”

“Very much. My students are terrific, even the more troublesome kids. They’re all creative in their own unique ways.”

 Leese let her and Justice talk about children and art, knowing it was a distraction for her. She didn’t yet want to tell him about her stepfather, but time would soon run out.

When the two of them wound down and Justice ran out of teasing compliments, Leese said, “You can have a short reprieve, but when we get to the agency, you’re going to need to decide.”

A whole lot of wariness flooded back into her expres­sion. “Decide what?”

“If you’re going to make my job easier by coming clean, or if you’re going to leave me muddling about in the dark, which could also be riskier for both of us.”

She released a tense breath. “Maybe a better decision would be to leave so you guys aren’t at risk.”

Leese caught her chin, a surefire method to gain and hold her attention. “That’s one choice you don’t have. Whether you like it or not, you’ve got my protection.”

Justice added, “If you’re thinking of dodging him, think again. He’s pretty good at surveillance.”

Cat scowled at them both. “I think I’ll take a nap, after all.” She bunched up her coat and shoved it against the door like a pillow. “Wake me when we’re there.”

So she wouldn’t rest against him this time? Too bad. But he wouldn’t waste the quiet time. He had a whole lot more research to do, and this time his focus would be on her stepfather and his friends. With or without her help, he’d get things figured out. Hopefully in enough time to keep her out of trouble.  
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Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Talk Dirty to Me ~ Lulu Wright ~ New Release and Review

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Talk Dirty to Me, an all-new second chance STANDALONE from Lulu Wright is now Live!!!

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Mark Carrington already broke my heart once.
This sexy, temperamental playboy might dominate the major leagues, but there's no way in hell I'm letting him play ball with my heart again.
Until I find myself facing him down every morning on our new radio show, and his undeniable hotness starts to break down my resistance--and almost erase all the memories of how he dumped me back in high school.
We've both grown up since then, and now Mark is even more gorgeous and infuriating than ever. But I can't get away from him--not when my beloved alternative rock station depends on his sexy ass to avoid getting bought out by a greedy corporation.
But when he corners me in the production room to compliment my sexy radio voice and admire my David Bowie T-shirt, it's all I can do to keep my clothes on and my hands off of him. So I don't.
And the more I get to know him, the more I realize he's hiding a big heart behind all that swagger. And the deeper we get, the deeper I fall.
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Read Today!

Add to Goodreads - https://goo.gl/IqK2HL
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About the Author:

Hi! I'm Lulu. Midwestern-bred, NYC author. My favorite things are wine, wine, and more wine, a steamy book, and a good laugh. If you like any of those three, we will certainly get along. Send me an email or a message and let's get to know each other! luluwrightheadshot

Connect with the Author:

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2jgs8xP
Email: luluwrightwrites@gmail.com


Elizabeth's Review


3 Stars - Average Read


Review Copy provided by Author


Talk Dirty to Me was a cute book.
Mark and Rose knew each other in high school and had a secret fling before insecurities and misunderstandings ruined a good thing. Fast forward several years and Mark is a famous baseball player and Rose is a producer for a struggling independent rock station and fate brings them back together.
I enjoyed the story, but had a hard time connecting with the characters. There wasn't anything "wrong" with them, I just couldn't get in sync with them, especially Rose. I think part of my issue was that several potential conflict/drama situations were either ignored or dealt with in a manner that seemed to brush them under the carpet.
This was my first book by Ms. Wright and while I didn't love it, it was a good read and has me intrigued. I am looking forward to seeing growth in future efforts.

View all my reviews