Natural Harmony by Kate Roth **Release Day Blitz**

Synopsis

Suddenly named the acting president of her uncle’s record label, former pop princess Sabrina Walker is finally ready to grow up. While her professional life moves forward, she still clings to the last fragment of her past life in the form of an uncertain relationship with her manager, Beau.

When Sabrina hires handsome, young assistant, Wade Lawson, he awakens in her the hidden confidence she’s always desired. What starts as a casual affair quickly intensifies to something much more. 

Sabrina must decide—return to the familiar life of an insecure one-hit-wonder, or embrace Wade and the woman his passion has helped reveal. 

Natural Harmony is a stand-alone contemporary romance novel for readers 18+ and is the first in the Confession Records collection.

Excerpt

Sabrina’s eyes flew open and she quickly found the clock with her sleepy stare. She shot up in bed, holding the luxurious Egyptian cotton sheets up to cover her bare breasts. Her hand yanked through the tangles of her deep brunette waves as she realized she’d overslept. “Shit,” she breathed before bracing herself for the chill her naked body would feel as she left the comfort of the California King. 

Near the bedroom door she found her clothes, where she had slipped them off the night before to form a fabric puddle on the floor. Her eyes flicked back to the bed when she heard him grumble. She clasped her hot pink bra and zipped up the black pencil skirt she had shimmied into. An exasperated sigh rolled out of her and she sent out a tiny prayer that no one in the office would notice her wearing the same clothes two days in a row. A walk of shame was one thing, but strolling back in to work in a rumpled version of yesterday’s pristine outfit was a low she never thought she would sink to.

“What’s wrong?” he moaned from inside the mess of blankets and sheets she’d just left. Sabrina took in the sight of him as he sat up and met her gaze. The tanned skin of his defined chest was enough to make her quiver, but the grin he let settle on his lips when he saw her in nothing but her bra and skirt would’ve been the death of her had she not been so rattled by the clock. 

“I’m gonna be late,” she replied. She found her V-neck sweater and smoothed it out as best she could. Looking in the mirror above his dresser, she wiped at the flecks of day-old mascara under her eyes and tried to perk up her cheeks with a few pinches. Through the mirror she could see him sitting in bed behind her. He ran a hand over his short-cropped salt-and-pepper hair and his grin turned into an arrogant smirk.

“I think the office can survive the morning without the one-hit wonder. Now get that beautiful ass back in my bed,” he said. Sabrina stopped and caught her own eyes in the mirror for a moment. How had he become so good at backhanding her with ancient history all while thrilling her with sideways compliments?

“I have a meeting with Charles. It’s important.” Her gut fluttered as she pulled her shirt over her head. It was half hangover and half unresolved guilt for not bending to him. He stood up, stretching his arms above his head, and she cursed herself for watching the muscles in his stomach twitch before letting her eyes linger south. He moved to her smoothly and wrapped his arms around her from behind, looking at her through the mirror while pushing his morning erection against the fabric of her skirt. He smelled like sex and cologne and Sabrina hated how badly those two things made her want him. 

“Why don’t you just come work for me?” he asked, placing a kiss on the curve of her neck. That would go over well, she thought sardonically.

“I like my job, Beau. It’s not like I’m a secretary or something. I’m head of A and R …” Her voice disintegrated into midair as his kisses trickled down her neck and he began pawing at her sweater, coaxing her to take it off again. Her head swam as Beau’s strong hands slid under her shirt and smoothed over the skin of her abdomen and up to her breasts. A moan was waiting at the back of her throat. All she had to do was let go and submit to him.

Sabrina took a deep breath and stepped toward the dresser, pulling away from Beau. She spun, still barely in his grasp, and looked into his liquid copper eyes. He grinned and stopped his advances.

“I know you’re not a secretary, kid. You’re impressive and that’s why you should be working with me. You know enough about the business to easily transition into management,” he said, slowly drawing her near with his fingertips on her hips. Sabrina let her feet close the space between them. She looked up at him through her dark lashes and felt, as she often did under the weight of his stare, like a teenager. His proposal came as a shock to her. It had been years since he sounded that supportive of her. She couldn’t remember the last time he paid her a compliment that didn’t have to do with her body or how she used it.

“You mean that?” she asked, letting her hands settle on the ridges of his hard stomach. She loved the way her skin contrasted his. He had a naturally dark complexion—she was pretty sure he once said his mother’s parents were Greek—but spending a decent amount of vacation time in Maui was what kept him perfectly bronzed all year long. 

His mouth lifted on one corner and his brows knit neatly together. Her eyes scanned his face for some sort of clue. She’d known him since she was seventeen years old but she still couldn’t read him. Maybe his offer was just a joke. Her stomach pitched and she looked at the clock again. Now she was really going to be late.

“Of course I mean it, kid. Go to your meeting and tell Uncle Charlie you’re moving on.” His voice was so smooth and confident. Her heart was pounding in her chest at the idea of working closely with Beau. Was this his version of commitment? Before her mind got any more wrapped up in the details his lips were pressed against hers roughly, melting away all of her thoughts. His tongue brushed against hers and she felt the butterflies in her stomach that had never gone away since the day she met him. Beau disconnected from the heart-stopping kiss easily and made his way to the adjoining bathroom. 

Sabrina stood with her eyes shut for a moment, replaying his words in her head, willing herself to take him seriously and, more importantly, to accept his proposition. The sound of the shower woke her from her trance and she took one last look in the mirror. Good enough, she thought. She popped her head in the bathroom and grinned at the sight of his naked body behind the clear glass that had started to fog.

“Should I call you later?” she asked. 

“Uh, yeah. If you want. I have a bunch of work to catch up on so…”

A wince flashed across her face at what she’d been expecting all along. The chill. She swallowed hard and told herself not to care, but it was too difficult. He always found a way to stifle whatever feeling he helped to bloom. It was the story of her life, in fact. Once upon a time, he’d been the one to help her flourish but it seemed like he’d spent the last ten years finding little ways to crush her. 

“Okay,” she said, trying to hide the shaking in her voice. “I’ll see ya when I see ya.” She tried like hell to sound easygoing but she just ended up feeling like an idiot. Like the kid she knew he thought she was. Still.

“Yeah, see ya, Sabra,” he shouted over the water. 

A shudder rolled through her and she wanted to blame it on the hangover. 

“That’s not my name,” she muttered as she walked out of the bathroom.

About Kate Roth

Inspired by music, film, art and the wealth of stories she has heard through her career as a professional hair stylist, Kate Roth has been dreaming up love stories since junior high. 

Kate’s first two novels, new adult romance The Low Notes and new adult paranormal romance Reckless Radiance were released by Rebel Ink Press in May of 2012 and September of 2013. Natural Harmony is her third novel and her first venture into independent publishing. She is hard at work on the next two novels in the Confession Records collection, as well as her first erotic romance, Last Resort. She is a small business owner and lives in Indiana with her husband, Adam and their dog, Sampson.

You can find more about Kate and her work on her website www.katerothwrites.com and stay up to date with all her news by following her on Facebook www.facebook.com/authorkateroth

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Remember When 3 by T. Torrest

Synopsis

"I’d spent too long in limbo. 

It was time to put The California Plan back into effect."

~Layla Warren 

I’ve been in love with Trip Wiley since I was sixteen years old.

Yep. That Trip Wiley. 

Academy award-winning actor, known philanthropist, People’s Sexiest Man Alive two years running…

Yeah. 

It’s not like I’m some delusional stalker-fan. It just so happens that he was my high school sweetheart back in 1991.

In the years since, he’s simply been The One That Got Away. 

We just can’t seem to get on the same page at the same time.

Our timing may have sucked, but the feelings had already been confirmed. Years ago.

At least his were.

He doesn’t know that I had chosen to love him back. 

I need to fix that.

And I need to do it now.

Remember When 3 is the third and final book in the Remember Trilogy.

It’s a story about taking chances and following your heart…

and knowing that sometimes, you just have to learn when to let go.

Kota's Review

Before reading on..  catch up with Kota's thoughts on Remember When 1 & 2 by reading her reviews here.

Remember When 3 picks up where RW2 left off – Trip and Layla are not together and at least for Layla, her heart is still pining.  Then fate steps in when a family situation brings them together for a short time.

Up until this point circumstances had meant that life had not quite turned out as expected for Layla and Trip, and it was only going to be tested more before it becomes as it should be.

T Torrest has written this final chapter in Trip and Layla’s story perfectly.  The journey takes us on the highs and lows of these two characters finally getting their shit together.  While the path they are on is the exact one we readers have been cheering for since RW1 it still comes with speed bumps along the way.

The full cast is back in Remember When 3 and the dynamics continue as they did in high school, it reminds us of the quality of those few lifelong friends that you can’t and don’t want to get rid of!

As per my past reviews of the Remember When books – I am a fan of T Torrest tone and writing style, her conversational narration is seamless in its delivery.  I love the ending of this book – this is one happily ever after that was hoping for, and to see how it played out was sweet and provided great closure for the trilogy.

The only thing that I was not a fan of on the most part was the banter between Trip and Layla when the first meet up again.  I get the need for the relationship to remain constant and untouched by Trip’s Hollywood life, but I felt that it came across extremely immature which brought Layla’s credibility in to question.  I mean they have lived through many life experiences, not to mention the 15 years taken to get to this point, and some of the one liners had me going come on… really, in the beginning it was just too much!  

But then T Torrest brought it all together and the banter worked well again – the 80’s, early 90’s innuendo and references still rocked and made me laugh out loud.

I am sad to see this story end, but very satisfied with its conclusion, there are no questions left unanswered for me....  and the ultimate message of knowing when it is time to forgive and let go is a message that lots of people could do to receive - me included!  Thank you T Torrest for a really sweet story.

About T Torrest

T. Torrest is a New Adult fiction writer from the U.S. She has written many books, but prays that only a handful of them will ever see the light of day. Her stories are geared toward readers of any age that know how to enjoy a good laugh and a dreamy romance.

She likes pina coladas and getting caught in the rain. She's not much into health food, but she does enjoy talking about herself in the third person.

A lifelong Jersey girl, she currently resides there with her husband and two boys.

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Heights of Desire by Mara White **Promo with Giveaway**

Title: Heights of Desire (Heightsbound Series #1)

Author: Mara White

Genre: Erotic 18+

Publication Date: December 22, 2013

Cover Designed By: Daniela Medina

Event organized by: Literati Author Services, Inc.

Synopsis

A woman who has everything meets a man who can offer her nothing but trouble. They bring each other to a height of desire neither thought possible, but is it enough to overcome the differences that tear them apart?

Kate Champion, a forty-two-year-old, married mother of two, leads an enviable upper class life of luxury. Her comfortable path takes an unexpected detour after a chance encounter at a neighborhood playground.

Jaylee Inoa is a twenty-two-year-old, second generation New York Dominican with close ties to the Heights and the gangs that run them.

Her life of privilege is no match for the code of the streets he navigates with ease. When a crime of the heart leads to a crime in the flesh, how far will she go to redeem him? Can she risk all in her life that is golden for the love of her golden-eyed man?

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About the Author

I’m a reader, a writer, and a lover of all things romantic. I’m also a coffee, hot sauce, ink, telenovela and Bikram Yoga enthusiast. I live in New York City with my husband and two children, and I spend a lot of time on the playground.

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Wild by Adriane Leigh

Title: Wild

Author: Adriane Leigh

Genre: Erotic Romance

Release Date: December 13, 2013

Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qhs2Ve3lj1c#t=0

Hosted by: Love Between the Sheets Promotions

Synopsis

An independent woman, a controlling man, and one wild one-night stand… Kat Kennedy moved to the rugged coast of Maine to start a new life, but encountered much more than she bargained for in dark, dangerous, and seductive Lane Wild. Desire and temptation smolder before she succumbs to her darkest fantasies with the captivating stranger. She doesn't expect to see him again after an explosive one-night stand leaves her breathless and craving more, but just like lightning in the darkness, he shows up in her life at the most unpredictable moments. A sensual game of cat and mouse ensues before the attraction between them reaches a fever pitch—the magnetism combustible, the sexual tension nearly unbearable—and Kat finally abandons inhibition and explores the cunning, selfish, and sexual side of a world she's never known. They have the perfect non-relationship—passion-fueled nights with no strings attached—until life gets real and the past and present collide in a dangerous storm of lust and obsession.

Iva's Review 

Kat Kennedy thinks she has run long and far enough from something in her past when she moves to a small coastal town in Maine. She has buffered herself from others, not wanting to develop relationships and put someone at risk. That is, she didn't until temptation came her way via a blue eyed, dark haired package with a sexy attitude and a crude but oh so irresistible mouth.

Lane Wild has his own past to deal with. He has a no strings attached policy when it comes to women and doesn't want them as friends either. Kat is no exception. So why does he keep seeking her out? 

Adriane Leigh's Wild is written with a two person narrative. Transitions between the two are smooth and there is no repetitive story telling because of this. There is good use of dialogue and description and a lot of hot and steamy sex. The writer has an easy to read style but this story felt too superficial to be a convincingly good read.

Kat Kennedy was under developed as a character. Some of her backstory mismatched how she acted during the story and although the author attempts to make it sound feasible, it isnt enough. Kat doesn't appear to have much resolve and gives in to temptation too easily. This is slightly exasperating throughout the story but when you learn why she is running, it cripples her as a character.

Lane Wild is well developed in comparison, though his back story felt a little flimsy. The author has done a fantastic job of diversifying his dialogue from "chip on the shoulder" Wild to a less bitter Lane. In the beginning Lane is crude and vulgar, but sort of bad boy sexy. He becomes more likeable as he begins to develop feelings for Kat and lets go of his past.

Minor characters are very infrequent and are only used as bystanders rather than as part of the story. 

I felt the storytelling was weak. The story is 85% sex. The descriptions were very hot and I was looking forward to seeing my husband while reading several of the scenes in the book, but the frequency overwhelmed the story and affected my emotional connection to the characters. It was also purely physical coupling and didnt convey any feeling between Lane or Kat, despite some suggestion that there was something developing between them.  

The attempt at suspense by the author falls flat. Both characters had something they didn't want to talk about, but I felt Lane's story was anticlimactic to the build up it was given, whilst Kat's needed more build up and an earlier reveal to the reader so that I had a chance to worry along with her. I think that this lack of knowledge contributed to the feeling I had that Kat's past and it's consequences was too hastily told when the past caught up with her and was also conveniently finished rather than given a chance to engage the reader.

I think this book would have been better if the author had concentrated more on Kat's backstory. A more emotional connection during the sex would increase the readers angst in regards to the climactic plot point and would make the ending a more authentic happily ever after.

 

 

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About the Author

Adriane Leigh was born and raised in a snowbank in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and now lives amongst the sand dunes of the Lake Michigan lakeshore. She graduated with a Literature degree but never particularly enjoyed reading Shakespeare or Chaucer. Adriane is married to a tall, dark and handsome guy, plays mama to two sweet baby girls, and is a voracious reader and knitter.

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Fallen by Julie Morgan

Release Date: December 1,2013

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Synopsis

Lisa Adams wants what every other woman wants: The perfect job. The perfect home. The perfect guy. When she receives the opportunity of a lifetime, Lisa has no idea what she’s actually signed up for. Her boss, who is tall, dark and incredibly sexy, starts making advances towards her and she’s having a hard time telling him no. Lisa begins seeing things that are scaring the Hell out of her. Nightmares are leaving her frightened. Then there’s this new guy that’s come into her life. He brings a new light into the darkness that threatens to claim Lisa. He’s mysterious, heartwarming and kind. Not to mention the most beautiful man she’s ever met. But something with him seems to be off. Faced with love, seduction, sacrifice and deceit, Lisa will find herself being pulled in two directions; one pursues her to claim her soul and the other will sacrifice everything to save her.

 

Excerpt

  ( Taken from Chapter 2) One of the stalls opens up and Lisa ventures forward. “Finally.” Stepping inside and closing the door, she thinks of the red eyes she thought she saw. "Maybe I didn't see anything," she whispers to herself. As she’s using the toilet, the girls inside the bathroom quickly begin to leave. The sound of the music fades in and out a few times before Lisa is left alone. Finishing up, she raises a foot to flush the toilet. Then she smells something that makes her wrinkle her nose. It smells like…sulfur? It reminds her of the sulfur springs in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Hearing a growl, Lisa freezes and her heart skips a beat. The pungent sulfur smell grows stronger and she hears the growl again but, this time, it's deeper and closer. Panicking, she stands there frozen, unsure of what to do. Lisa peeks through the crack between the stall door and the lock. On the other side, something steps away from the wall. The image resembles a human-shaped bubble, but the clear substance begins to solidify. The figure starts to shift into a tall, hooded man. She gasps and holds her breath. She can feel her heart beating so hard, it’s flooding her ears. The hood is pulled down far enough to cover his features, providing a shadow over his face. He snarls as he stretches his arms out, cracking his neck. Feeling a force like a wind blow through the bathroom, the first stall door slams open. His low voice growls, "Come out, come out, wherever you are. I know you are in here." He sniffs the air, then snarls, "I can smell you." Lisa gasps. His voice is dark, sadistic. Growls and struggled breathing fill the air. If fear were a language, he was the creator. Lisa begins to shake. Not knowing what else to do, she pulls the pumps off of her feet, then steps on the toilet seat to hide herself. Looking up, she sees a vent in the next stall. That probably wouldn’t help her escape. Looking back down, her heart begins beating faster as panic rises in her chest. She feels the force of wind again as the next stall slams open. Tears begin to form in her eyes. Swiping at them, Lisa dares to peek over the top of the stall to see a black hood covering the man's head. He's tall and carries a thick build. His skin is tan, and his toned chest is thick with muscles and dark chest hair. "Lisa…” he hisses, as a serpent's tongue slips through his lips, tasting her presence in the air. “I know you're in here. Come on out.” He chuckles darkly, the sound low and almost hypnotic. “Let’s play."

 Trailer

 

Iva's Review

What if you unknowingly sold your soul? 

We tend to think nothing of saying things like; "I'd kill for a coffee!" or "I'd give anything to meet the man of my dreams!" But what if saying that really did come with a price?

Julie Morgan's The Fallen is a story exploring what happens when Lisa Adams unknowingly puts her soul at risk, and how one blonde haired, blue eyed stranger will do all he can to prevent that from occurring.

The author, Julie Morgan, has written an interesting novel that will appeal to quite a few paranormal romance fans. The concept of a demon incubus staking claim on an unsuspecting soul is a fascinating one. The story itself, is well thought out and enjoyable, however there are a few areas that need the writing tweaked for it to be a more compelling read.

The book is written in present tense and follows Lisa, who is a PR consultant for well-known PR company in Manhattan. She is perhaps a little wishy washy as a character, so I couldn't really make my mind up about what kind of woman she was. In her job interview, she was direct and confident. But after that she didn't really give me anything palpable. 

Alex is a heavenly looking blonde haired, blue eyed godsend that enters Lisa’s life just when things begin to frighten and confuse her a little. He has sex appeal with a little bit of sweetness that ties in well with the role he played. 

Samuel is Lisa’s boss and is the more developed character of the three. He oozes a cunning charm and a ruthless nature. I would have liked him to have more overbearing presence in Lisa's life, one that confused her mentally as well as physically, in order to really be sucker punched when I got to the end. But I was wary of him throughout the book which is what I think the author intended.

The writing is the biggest downfall in the book. The pace is affected by a lot of unnecessary detail that has no impact on the story. My brain kept trying to process things as important only to find that the item in question played no part in the story despite how much attention it was given.   For example; we are given lots of detail about the appearance of a fruit basket that has no impact upon the story apart from the fact that Lisa receives it;

"The next morning, Lisa went into the office to find a basket on her desk. Its light tan wicker texture was decorated with a red-and-white checkered pattern, similar to a picnic blanket. Wrapped in cellophane, the basket is topped with a light blue bow. Inside are oranges and grapefruits. A note, causally* placed next to the bow, is addressed to “Ms. Lisa Adams”. She pulls it off, opens the note, and smiles:"  (*As appears in book) (pg 121)

I felt The Fallen could have achieved a better connection with me if some of my own imagination was engaged rather than force fed the more insignificant details of the book.

The romance between Lisa and Alex overrides the paranormal aspect of the story to such an extent that it becomes a romance story for most of the book. This is a significant reason of why the book fails to keep a reader in a reading bliss, and it’s not helped by the fact that there were no challenges to the relationship for the most part.

The Fallen's sex scenes are good, and certainly got my hormones pumping. But greater impact would have a lot more readers in desperate need to open their bedside table drawers if there had been less emphasis in other areas of the book.

Overall the book is acceptable to good.. The story concept is really good and Samuel is a great character. Some of the writing needs to be smoothed over with some of the unnecessary detail taken out. The flow of the book is a little inconsistent, and you find yourself surfacing from the depths of reading bliss several times. But it is still worthy of a read. 

Character Bios

Lisa: Lisa Adams grew up in New York City and went to college NYU, majoring in public relations. Pi Beta Phi is her sorority who's symbols are Golden Arrows and Angels (coincidence?) Colors are wine & silver blue. After graduation she spent time in PR firms building her career, where she landed in Elite PR & Marketing. As a child she wanted to be a rockette, then a super star singer. Realizing she couldn't carry a tune, she thought it would be fun to go into acting. That is when she discovered public relations and she's never looked back. She had her first boyfriend at age 14. Her first love at 18 when she started college. She unfortunately found him cheating on her with her "best friend". This is when she met Jill. Jill was in the dorm where she found her "ex" boyfriend. Jill took her out for drinks and the two instantly connected Alex/Archangel Selaphiel: Alex is his human name. Selaphiel was born a man before he became an angel. He was the profit to Elijah. Once he passed on and was accepted into Heaven, Selaphiel became the angel of prayer, eventually becoming the Archangel Selaphiel. He helps people connect to God through prayer, giving them the focus they need to block out distractions and concentrate on praying. Selaphiel motivates people to express their deepest thoughts and feelings to God in prayer, and to listen carefully for God’s responses. In art, Selaphiel is usually depicted in one of two ways. Icons of Selaphiel from the Eastern Orthodox Church show him looking downward with his hands crossed over his chest -- an expression of both the humility and concentration that he encourages people to have when praying to God. Catholic art usually shows Selaphiel holding a water container and two fish, which represents God’s provision through prayer. Typically is aura is red. 

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Author Bio

Hailing from Texas and growing up in the country with big tractors and bon fire parties, Julie would day dream about far off lands, hoping to one day get inside their worlds. Always having a love of books and paranormal stories, Julie finally took the leap to begin writing with encouragement from her family. Having worked in IT her entire career, Julie now spends her free time writing. Living in Central Florida with her husband and daughter, her favorite pastime is reading children's stories to her daughter, especially those around animals. 

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Thorneless by Mia Michelle

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Synopsis

** SPOILER ALERT FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN’T READ BOOK ONE**

I hate him..I love him..I hate that I still love him but I do. My parents, my life, my happiness, my heart….he has officially taken all of them from me now. Yes, I am the wilting dying Rose that once belonged to Sebastian Thorne. He had given me back my life, but little did I know he was the very one who had taken it all away from me from the start. I hate him…I love him. 

I never expected Lucas Drake to walk back in my life when I was at my lowest and darkest point. He promises that he will help me heal this pain, but in order to do that he says I need to get away from this town. Maybe he is right. There is nothing here for me anymore but painful memories…and Sebastian. Maybe the only way for this Rose to survive is to do the one impossible thing. I Skylar Rose… must become Thorneless.

Excerpt

Michael and my father begin talking about football and the stock market, but I don’t hear a damn word they’re saying. My eyes and ears have never left the angel standing across from me. I remain mesmerized watching her dance back and forth with my niece against her chest. I savor their precious interaction with one another and burn the image in my brain. As I watch her smile down adoringly at my niece, I can’t help but imagine her one day holding our child.    

   

Would our daughter be the perfect miniature version of her? Would our son have her dark hair and blue green eyes? These are the thoughts racing through my mind right now and I silently pray for that to be in our near future.   

“Thank you so much for helping me since it seems my worthless lazy husband isn’t!” Stacey shouts loudly and then sends death glares at Michael.  

“I’m Stacey, by the way. It’s so nice to finally meet you, Skylar! We won’t be long, I promise,” she says as she walks past us with Josh to tuck him in upstairs. She stops beside me when she sees me watching Skylar with the baby.

She covers up Josh’s ears as she leans in and whispers into my ear, “Lucas Drake, if you let that one get away, you’re a fucking idiot!” I shake my head at her and glance back to still see Skylar dancing around the yard with a giggling Avery in her arms. Before her, I never even wanted a relationship, much less marriage. I adore kids, but I certainly didn’t see me as a father. In one moment, in one meeting . . . Skylar changed all of that. All I can see is the beautiful angel that I want to have as my wife and the mother of my children. I’m okay with as many little miniature versions of us as she wants to have.

Kota's Review

Mia Michelle’s Thorneless is book 2 in the Rose of Thorne series.  This book picks up immediately when Book 1 finishes, and because of this you cannot read this as a standalone.  So whatever you do – if you haven’t read Rose of Thorne (book 1)  Check out my 4 heart review here, and read that first.  

I am not even sure I could manage to avoid spoilers in this review, so its best you just don’t READ ANY FURTHER!  

Got it?   Good – off you go – grab your copy of Rose of Thorne and then come back to me!

Now…  Thorneless

Skylar has left Sebastian, and is absolutely shattered by his betrayal.  In her state of mind she is lucky that Lucas stumbles across her.  Lucas is still in love with Skylar so this presents him with an opportunity to make you see how much she needs him.

This story unravels as Skylar settles in to trying to live her life without Sebastian in it.  Her and Lucas become firm friends and you can see how much Lucas wants no needs this to become more.  Will Skylar ever let go of the love she felt for Sebastian?

Is Lucas really that much of a sap?  I mean the things he was willing to accept just for a taste of Skylar – man – get some self respect!

Will Sebastian ever get the chance to talk to Skylar and try and make her understand?

You will definitely need to read this to find out – be prepared though Mia does what Mia does best and leaves you hanging on that cliff…

Thorneless is pure Mia Michelle, it is well written and an easy read.  There is angst throughout, but it sits in the shadow of perfect relationship dynamics.  That said, the heartbreak throughout this story was clearly evident, and made you feel for the players involved.

I was a little disappointed that this was more about Skylar and Lucas, and little about Sebastian – although he was always lurking, I wanted more direct interaction between him and Skylar.  I also think I wanted this to be the conclusion, and it wasn’t!  Which of course makes me need to see where this story heads and how it gets there – but I was hoping it would have gone full circle in this story.

Again this was sent through as an ARC, which had editorial errors, I hope these are corrected before publishing, but…  it is my niggling pet peeve..   Anyhoo – the story was there, and that is the main thing.  

I will give Thorneless 4 hearts – it is a well-constructed and entertaining read, and I cant really rate it down because I wanted a different outcome… can i?  Mia I enjoy your tone and style and look forward to the next installment!

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About Mia Michelle

Mia fell in love with the literary world at a very young age and began putting her active imagination to pen and paper by the age of six. Over the years, she has filled up numerous shelves with her notebooks and journals of her favorite stories. Twelve years ago, Mia began drafting The Thorne Series and through encouragement of a close friend, decided to finally take the leap of faith to bring her dream to life. She openly admits to having a hopeless infatuation with her Kindle and suffers from the one-click book addiction (No intervention required). 

Mia is currently a stay at home mom who has mastered the fine art of making a PB&J sandwich in between laundry and shuttling kids to ballet and swimming. In her spare time (“What spare time?” She laughs), she enjoys photography, traveling, and having a girls night out with her pals. She enjoys the simple things in life, such as sleeping more than 3 hours per night and 10 minute showers without being interrupted by children yelling “mommy” from the other side of the bathroom door. 

Mia Michelle resides in Tennessee with her soul mate and husband of 18 years and their 2 beautiful young children. She is currently working on her Masters in Counseling and drafting her new series. 

Kota & Iva's Author Advent Event - Day 1 *eek*

About Pepper

Pepper Winters wears many roles. Some of them include writer, reader, sometimes wife. She loves dark, taboo stories that twist with your head. The more tortured the hero, the better, and she constantly thinks up ways to break and fix her characters. Oh, and sex… her books have sex. 

She loves to travel and has an amazing, fabulous hubby who puts up with her love affair with her book boyfriends. 

Her debut book Tears of Tess will be followed with Quintessentially Q. You didn’t think Q could stop so soon, did you? Her other two titles, Last Shadow and Broken Chance will be coming soon. 

Five facts about Pepper you don’t know

1. I have insomnia and only sleep 4-5 hours (If I’m very lucky)

2. I can write up to 12,000 words a day, but don’t try and read it as the spelling hurts your eyes 

3. I hate coffee. 

4. I love Coke Zero

5. I took a month off work to write Quintessentially Q so the Tears of Tess fans didn’t have to wait too long 

Interests and hobbies 

I love to read. (duh)

I love to travel and lie in the sun doing nothing

I also love to scrapbook. I’m a nerd for all things glitter

Books

I love any book that makes me feel something. Any genre. Any author—I’m easy to please as long as the words make me believe.

You can stalk her here

Pinterest  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Blog  |  Email

Tears of Tess (Book 1)

Synopsis

A New Adult Dark Contemporary Romance, not suitable for people sensitive to grief, slavery, and nonconsensual sex. A story about finding love in the strangest of places, a will of iron that grows from necessity, and forgiveness that may not be enough.

“My life was complete. Happy, content, everything neat and perfect.  Then it all changed.

I was sold.”

Tess Snow has everything she ever wanted: one more semester before a career in property development, a loving boyfriend, and a future dazzling bright with possibility. 

For their two year anniversary, Brax surprises Tess with a romantic trip to Mexico. Sandy beaches, delicious cocktails, and soul-connecting sex set the mood for a wonderful holiday. With a full heart, and looking forward to a passion filled week, Tess is on top of the world.

But lusty paradise is shattered.

Kidnapped. Drugged. Stolen. Tess is forced into a world full of darkness and terror. 

Captive and alone with no savior, no lover, no faith, no future, Tess evolves from terrified girl to fierce fighter. But no matter her strength, it can’t save her from the horror of being sold.

Can Brax find Tess before she’s broken and ruined, or will Tess’s new owner change her life forever?

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Smashwords  |  Goodreads  |  
Kota's 4 &1/2 heart review

Quintessentially Q (Book 2)

Synopsis

“All my life, I battled with the knowledge I was twisted… fucked up to want something so deliciously dark—wrong on so many levels. But then slave fifty-eight entered my world. Hissing, fighting, with a core of iron, she showed me an existence where two wrongs make a right." Tess is Q’s completely. Q is Tess’s irrevocably. But now, they must learn the boundaries of their unconventional relationship, while Tess seeks vengeance on the men who sold her. Q made a blood-oath to deliver their corpses at Tess’s feet, and that’s just what he’ll do. He may be a monster, but he’s Tess’s monster.

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Smashwords  |  Goodreads  |  
Kota's 5 heart review

Twisted Together (Book 3)

Coming Early 2014

Synopsis

“After battling through hell, I brought my esclave back from the brink of ruin. I sacrificed everything—my heart, my mind, my very desires to bring her back to life. And for a while, I thought it broke me, that I’d never be the same. But slowly the beast is growing bolder, and it’s finally time to show Tess how beautiful the dark can be.” Q gave everything to bring Tess back. In return, he expects nothing less. Tess may have leashed and tamed him, but he’s still a monster inside.

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Getting to know Pepper Winters a little bit more!

1. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? 

I’ve know it for a while. Ever since I’d get grounded by my dad for reading too much. My favourite part of school was writing essays and short stories.

2. How long does it take you to write a book? 

Tears of Tess took me 7 weeks from first word to publication and Quintessentially Q has taken me 4 weeks for a 111,000 book. It’s with my editor now. I’m lucky that I can write quick, but then I suffer with edits and making sense of my scribbles.

3. What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

I took a month off to write QQ all the time. So I do about 2 hours of catching up on messages and emails in the morning and then write, with small breaks on FB through the day! I normally start around 11 am and don’t stop till about 10pm what with social marketing and other things that go along with writing. It really is a full time occupation.

4. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I have to have at last one class of Coke Zero while I’m writing and I have to have complete quiet.

5. How do you plan to publish? (self or publisher)

I self published Tears of Tess and plan to do so for all my work. I love the freedom and flexibility.

6. Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

They just pop into my head and the characters take me on a whirlwind journey that I just jot down as they tell me.

7. When did you write your first book and how old were you?

I was about 7 when I wrote my first book. It was terrible. I didn’t start finding my groove until 4-5 years ago.

8. What do you like to do when you're not writing? 

Read, relax, hang with my hubby, travel..

9. What does your family think of your writing?

Up until Tess started to sell no one in my family really understood why I spent SO many hours glued to my laptop. They couldn’t see why I dedicated myself to something so compulsively. Now they’re very supportive. However, my hubby has always been there for me. Without him I probably wouldn’t have had the confidence to dedicate so much time to getting my craft under control..

10. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

That people like my work. That was the best thing ever!

11. How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

I’ve written six total but plan to write a LOT more. 

12. Do you have any suggestions to help me become a better writer? If so, what are they?

Keep at it. Just keep trying, keep improving. Read blog forums on general pitfalls of writing and get some beta readers! I owe my life to my critique partners.

13. Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

Yes, I hear from them on a daily basis which is awesome. They’re all amazing and I love hearing how my book has affected them. I try to keep up with every FB message, tweet, email, and share. I value each of my readers more than they know.

14. Do you like to create books for adults? 

Oh yes. I love writing sex. I would never survive writing for young adults LOL

15. What do you think makes a good story?

Something that makes you feel every range of emotion possible.

16. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? 

Be a writer...  Living the dream.

New Projects

Last Shadow (expected release April 2014)

Synopsis

A New Adult Dark Contemporary Romance, not suitable for people sensitive to slavery, cruelty, and non-consensual sex. A story about a killer with no remorse, a woman living in nightmares, and a future that binds them in servitude.

***

I’m named after the blackest of shadows. Conjured from earth, created by demons, molded by fire to become the perfect killer. I need no-one. I feel nothing. I am nobody… until her.

***

My name is of no consequence, they sometimes call me whore, slut, or possession. I dance by night and waste away by day. Every foul moment of this life is replaced with my hopes and dreams, inked onto my skin for the world to see. I have a promise to keep. I will be free—it’s only a matter of time…until him.

Goodreads

Broken Chance (expected release mid 2014)

Working at the local race track for Beatrix Black is heaven and hell. She may or may not have a gambling problem. 

Paying her way through college, Trix lives up to her name by using her skills as mathematics major to work out race algorithms and bets far more than she can lose. 

The tips aren’t bad, and the view of hotshots in their suits ain’t bad either, until Arron Jackson appears. Betting heavy on a shitty horse, he wins the jackpot. 

Then Trix’s luck runs out and her debts are called in. 

Flashing his new cash, Arron has eyes on other ponies and tries to rope Trix in for a ride. In a game of chance they both battle to say on top, but someone has to lose and it won’t be Trix. 

Goodreads

Ofelia (expected release late 2014)

What would you do if you knew you were going to die? 

I’ll tell you what I plan to do. 

• Travel the world 

• Indulge in a Ménage à trois

• Get so deeply into trouble someone kills me before I waste away.

At twenty-three, Ofelia thought she had decades left to live. That was before the news. The news that changed her from prim honour student who always obeyed the law, to an adrenaline seeking rebel who no longer cares about her mortal body. 

At twenty-nine, Griffen no longer has blood in his veins—he has cocaine. Carving a niche for himself as a business-savvy drug-lord amongst cutthroats and dealers, he’s looking for someone reckless. Someone who has no morals, expectations, or aspirations. 

A woman who no longer suffers consequences meets the man who will ruin her life. Ofelia got what she wanted.

For better or for worse.

More information coming soon...

Goodreads

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