Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Release Day Blitz ~ Enforcer by L. Ann Marie



Book - Enforcer (Princes of Prophecy 4)
Author - L.Ann Marie
Release Day Blitz
Hosted by Hooked on books & Cherry0Blossoms Promotions




Enforcer is the Fourth book in the Princes of Prophecy. It is a little different than the others. Women are extremely resilient when they need to be. This book shows that right from the beginning. Things aren’t always what they seem to be and we get a firsthand look at how that plays out for our Enforcer and the heart, mind and soul kind of love that takes hold of all our Badasses.





Sheila grew up in the MC. Adopted by a biker family she was always just another Brother. She’s trained for High Security and moves with the Princes when they take their new town and place within the MC Chapter. As a jack of all trades, Sheila is the Princes go to Brother. She gets the job done and can comfort the victims when needed. To her Club she’s invaluable. To Sheila it’s just another day. Seeing everyone around her growing up and moving on, she realizes her past may be holding her down. When her past threatens to take the job she loves and Club she would give her life for, she jumps at the chance for help. Going it alone isn’t easy, but she’s Sheila. Jax left Family Security with the MC when a teenage girl started showing interest in him. He knew it was only a matter of time before he lost control with her and put his life on the line. Badass Bikers are known for doling out justice their way. Seeing her on the list for the new Club he figures five years is long enough. It’s time to grab a taste of that forbidden fruit, that is, if she doesn’t kill him first.








Enforcer is the Fourth book in the Princes of Prophecy. It is a little different than the others. Women are extremely resilient when they need to be. This book shows that right from the beginning. Things aren’t always what they seem to be and we get a firsthand look at how that plays out for our Enforcer and the heart, mind and soul kind of love that takes hold of all our Badasses.

L. Ann started with the Baxters and is working on her third series, The Princes of Prophecy MC. While her books feature ex-SEALs and Badass Bikers, L. Ann is writing about the strong women that these men need in their life to help right the worlds wrongs and help keep their small part of the world safe. The women are extraordinary, strong and determined to make a difference.


The men fight for right in every book. Yes they kill people. Yes they shoot at the bad guys feet to cause them pain. Yes they throw tampons at each other regularly.

That being said, they do these things while stopping human trafficking, bringing their Club into legitimate businesses, fight gangs to keep drugs away from their town and kids, keep women sheltered safely while trying to stop domestic abuse. These are men that don't leave a Brother behind. They don't treat women as possessions and they don't cheat. Respect takes on an honorable meaning. Women and kids are cherished. Everyone is looked out for.
L. Ann has made the perfect Club, tackled the taboo subjects and made it easy to imagine living in a world where your protection comes from the SEALS and Bikers.

With readers writing about rereading the series over and over, she feels like she's told her characters stories in a way that would make them proud.
Every book will make you laugh, every book will make you angry for the wrong that happens in the world. Every book will make you cry for the pain that a character feels.
Don't take my word for it. Pick one up and try it out. The Baxters book 1 is FREE. MC Book 1 is .99. Give them a shot and Happy Reading!



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Sunday, August 28, 2016

Blog Tour ~ Not a Game by Cardeno C.

Not a Game An accidental meeting and a misunderstanding lead to a life-altering connection. An accidental meeting and a misunderstanding lead to a life-altering connection. A new job, a new city, and hopefully a new life. When chubby gamer Oliver Barnaby receives a job offer from the best boutique game developer in the country, he leaves his family and his less than spectacular existence in Oklahoma without a second’s hesitation. Determined to change more than his career and his geography, Oliver implements a plan to finally land a boyfriend. Step one is improving his skills in the bedroom. A life that looks perfect on paper, but feels empty in reality. Attractive, successful, charismatic Jaime Snow has a life other people envy. His already booming business is growing. He isn’t lacking in friends. And he has no trouble finding a date. But there’s an emptiness in Jaime’s heart and a hole in his life that only the right man can fill. An accidental meeting, a misunderstanding, and falling in love. When Oliver and Jaime end up at the same bar at the same time, they each see something they want in the other. Going to bed together that first night is easy. Building the lifetime relationship they both desperately crave will require trust, time, and a little misunderstanding.

EXCERPT

Not a Game Print Chapter 1: He had chosen the bar because of its name: The Bookstore. It was clever and unusual and he had laughed internally at how happy his mother would be if he told her he was spending time at the Bookstore instead of in front of his computer. Oliver’s entire life, she had mourned the fact he wasn’t a reader, and even though he had now moved two thousand miles away from their home in Oklahoma City, she still sent him books she was sure he’d love. Maybe someday he’d open one of them. For now, he glanced down at the only book he had read countless times and adjusted it at the edge of his table to make the spine as visible as possible. The title—Coding—wasn’t as clever as the bar name, but the information and the way it was phrased had clicked perfectly in Oliver’s brain when he was a college freshman. He had long since moved past the information inside, but the textbook was the closest thing he had to a security blanket, so he had held onto it through four years of progressively more complicated computer science classes, three dead-end computer repair and technical support jobs, and a move to Seattle to finally, finally, live his dream developing video games. When he had to pick a way to identify himself to the stranger who would guide him on the last phase of his journey toward living the life he had always wanted, the first thing that came to Oliver’s mind was the book that had started it all. With the spine facing the bar and walkway and his glass empty, Oliver had nothing left to do but wait or get his phone out to play a quick turn on Clash of Clans. He reached into his pocket almost before his brain had formulated the thought. A quick glance at his screen confirmed it was still twenty minutes shy of eight o’clock. Oliver prided himself on timeliness, something his father had drummed into him since he was a boy, and after two months in Seattle, he hadn’t yet gotten a handle on how long it took to get anywhere, so he had erred on the side of caution and ended up arriving half an hour early. In his head, his mother lectured him about playing on his phone when he should be paying attention to people, but he was twenty-eight years old, and she was too far away to see him, so he ignored her and tried to lose himself in a game. Besides, taking his mind off why he was in that bar would stop him from falling headfirst into an anxiety attack, and even his mother would agree that was a good thing in a social setting. Not that she would ever have the chance to know about his plans that evening, because, despite how close they were, this was one activity Oliver absolutely would not share with his family. Or anyone else for that matter. Nerves rising, he scratched his upper back through his shirt with one hand and his thigh with the other. Recognizing what he was doing, he forced his hands away before he broke the skin. Hoping for a distraction, he jerked his gaze toward his pop when, suddenly, from the corner of his eye, he noticed someone moving in his direction. Instinctively, Oliver grabbed the glass and scrunched over it, using the act of sipping from a straw as a shield to keep himself from staring at people who inevitably didn’t notice him. But when the man didn’t veer away and instead came closer, Oliver glanced up and realized the stranger was looking right at his book. Which meant he was either coming to tease the chubby nerd for having a textbook at a bar on a Friday night or… Oh my God. This is him. Oliver kept his head down but couldn’t stop himself from flicking his gaze back and forth between his still empty glass and the approaching man. Older than Oliver, but not too old, broad shoulders, light eyes, short dark hair, and a sculpted face. The man stopped right next to the table, waited for Oliver to look up, and then said, “Interesting reading choice.” He tapped the top of the cover and tried to meet Oliver’s gaze. Even though this was one situation where Oliver couldn’t be rejected or laughed at, he still struggled to speak to such a handsome man, and he definitely couldn’t make eye contact with him. And now that he was close enough for Oliver to see him clearly, he definitely knew that was true. He set his gaze on the man’s chin and took in his features. The dark hair was brown but it had strands of chestnut at the top and flecks of silver in the sideburns, which extended to the bottom of his earlobe. The light eyes were green, a pale shade that still managed to look warm. And the broad shoulders topped a chest so muscular that it stretched the black T-shirt he wore underneath a well-fitted jacket. This guy was fantasy material, and Oliver couldn’t believe he had gotten so lucky. “Is this book yours?” “Yes,” Oliver said hoarsely and then cleared his throat. “It’s mine.” The man’s forehead crinkled. He tilted his head to the side and stared at Oliver. At first, the odd look discomforted him, but then Oliver remembered the social etiquette classes he had been forced to attend in middle school, and he realized where he had gone wrong. “Please have a seat,” he said, raising his hand toward the empty chair across from him. Though his voice still shook more than he would have liked, it was a bolder invitation than he usually gave. Of course, usually men didn’t approach him, especially incredibly handsome men, and usually people didn’t want to hang out with him, and usually he didn’t look up escort services and set up a meeting. So today was anything but Oliver’s usual. “Thanks.” The man pulled back the empty chair, sat, and then scooted it forward. “I’m Jaime.” He reached his hand out. Oliver glanced down at the hand, blinked, and then remembered his manners. “I’m Oliver.” He wiped his sweaty palm on his jeans, took Jaime’s hand, and shook it. “Oliver Barnaby.” Oh crap. Was giving his last name in this situation a bad idea? Oh well. If everything went as expected, Oliver would be spending time alone with this man, which would put him at more risk than sharing his name. He had made reservations at the hotel upstairs, which was expensive and not completely secure, but it had to be safer than bringing a stranger to his apartment. “So, Oliver Barnaby.” Grinning, Jaime glanced at the book and arched his eyebrows. “What are you doing here with this?” Straight to the point. In Jaime’s line of work, being direct made sense, but Oliver wasn’t skilled at holding an articulate conversation with a live human so he fidgeted in his seat. “Well, uh…” He gulped. “Late night study session?” The comment was teasing, but the tone held no malice and Jaime’s expression, while most definitely amused, wasn’t cruel. “Sorry. I’m being silly.” Oliver shook his head. “We both know why we’re here so—” He drew in a deep breath. “I’m not sure how much he told you.” He frowned and thought back to the brief phone call he’d had with the man from the ad. “Actually, I don’t remember how much detail I gave him other than saying I needed someone experienced.” “Experienced?” “Uh-huh. Because, uh.” He looked at Jaime’s handsome face and once again lost the power of speech. He hadn’t thought through how the escort agency would interpret his request but now he realized they had taken it to mean Oliver wanted someone a bit older. As luck would have it, older men were very much Oliver’s type. Or they would be if he had a type. Someone probably needed to go on actual dates rather than just fantasize about them before he could say he had a type. “Oliver?” Oliver blinked. “You were saying you needed someone experienced?” “Right.” He bobbed his head. “See the thing is, I didn’t hire you for sex.” There was no missing the shock that crossed Jaime’s face. “That didn’t come out right.” Oliver quickly backtracked. The last thing he wanted was for Jaime to think he was being stiffed because then he’d get up and walk out and Oliver would have to start his search all over again. The odds of finding someone as attractive and nice as Jaime to teach him were so low they rounded to zero. “I know what escort means and I’m all set to pay you. I have the money.” He patted his pocket and said an internal thank-you for his new company’s generosity. “What I meant was that I don’t want to have sex with you.” Jaime chuckled and arched his eyebrows, but he didn’t say anything. “Ugh.” Oliver shook his head. “I didn’t mean that either.” He raised his hand and moved it up and down in Jaime’s direction. “Look at you. Obviously, I want to have sex with you. But it’s not about eating the meal, it’s about learning to fish, you know?” “I think I’m getting the picture, but why don’t you fill in the details?” Jaime lowered his voice. “And try to keep the whole paying for sex thing out of it.” One side of his lips rose in a crooked smile. “We are in public after all and not everything is legal in Washington.” Oh God. Oliver jerked his head from side to side, checking to see if anyone was close enough to hear him. The bar wasn’t big and there were a decent number of customers, so someone probably had. He leaned forward, his belly squishing against the table. “Do you think people will call the police? Should we leave?” “No and”—Jaime’s smile shifted from amused to wicked—“eventually. But first, tell me about learning to fish.” Jaime settled into his chair and crossed his arms over his chest, his biceps giving the gray suede jacket a workout. “I assume we aren’t talking about the great outdoors, so what exactly are you hiring me to teach you?” When he had come up with the idea to hire an escort, Oliver had focused on how much it would cost, where to do it, and what he’d be able to squeeze into one night. He had also spent a decent amount of time second-guessing his plan. But he had never considered how he would explain what he wanted to the man he paid to help him. “Do you guys have like, uh, confidentiality requirements?” Oliver asked. Jaime arched his eyebrows. “Confidentiality?” “Yeah.” Oliver bobbed his head. “What I tell you has to stay between us, right?” “Well.” Jaime’s mouth turned up at the corners and then he licked his lips, coughed, and said, “I’m not a psychiatrist or an attorney, so there’s not a licensing board out there keeping me honest, but I’ll give you my word to keep this just between us. How’s that?” After considering the response and his alternatives for a couple of seconds, Oliver said, “That works.” “Glad we got the preliminaries out of the way.” Jaime smiled. “Tell me what you need, Oliver.” When he said Oliver’s name, Jaime’s voice dropped, going deeper and raspier. The tone sent a pang through Oliver’s gut and reminded him why this man got paid to do what he did. That made what Oliver had to say even more humiliating, but he didn’t want his life in Seattle to be like his life in Oklahoma, so he pushed through the shame and forced himself to speak. “I’m pretty sure I’m bad in bed and I want help with that.” He bit his lip. “Real help. Not what people brag about online.” He had read endless blogs and subscribed to chat rooms, but loath as he was to admit it, the internet didn’t have all the answers. Looking surprised, Jaime blinked a few times, cleared his throat, and then said, “Why do you think you’re bad in bed?” That question was easy to answer. “My ex told me.” The good-natured, amused expression disappeared from Jaime’s face. “Your ex sounds like a dick. Find someone else and forget about him.” “That’s just it. I can’t find someone else.” Realizing he sounded whiney, Oliver took a moment to breathe. He sat up straight, rolled his neck, and then ruined his attempt at looking confident by slumping. “People never like me in real life. I’m twenty-eight and Ted was the only guy who’s ever been willing to sleep with me. That was four years ago.” His voice shook. “I need help.” “Hey.” Jaime’s eyes softened, and he leaned forward, curling his hand around Oliver’s forearm. “It’s going to be okay. I promise.” Jaime’s touch was ten times more potent than his voice, and suddenly, Oliver wanted to follow through on his plans for the night because of something entirely unrelated to learning and improving himself. He stayed perfectly still, letting the pleasurable feelings wash over him until Jaime removed his hand. And then the floodgates opened. “I just moved to Seattle in August. Did I tell you that already? I want things to be different here. I got this great job making lots of money, and I have my own apartment, but that’s not enough. I’m going to join a gym so I can lose weight, because I know guys aren’t going to be interested in me like this.” He waved his hand up and down beside his too fat, too flabby body. “I’ll never be good-looking like you, but hopefully exercise will help, and I can diet too and then maybe someone will be interested, but then what? At some point we’ll end up in bed and then he’ll never want to see me again.” He took a deep breath, his heart racing. “That’s why I hired you. I need to get better, so if I actually find someone who’s interested, I can hold on to him.” He squeezed and released his hands and stared at Jaime, hoping he’d understand. “All right,” Jaime said calmly. “I hear you and I’m not turning you down.” He looked at Oliver meaningfully, only continuing after Oliver nodded in understanding. “We can get out of here and do this, but before we do, I want you to know that not every guy is into gym bunnies or twinks. You’re really good-looking, Oliver.” “You’re getting paid to say that,” Oliver mumbled, dropping his gaze from Jaime’s eyes. Even that part of him was attractive—layers of green far more interesting than Oliver’s own boring brown. “No, I’m not.” Jaime’s jaw ticced as he spoke, and he sounded so firm that Oliver would have believed him if he hadn’t found the man through an escort ad. “It’s fine,” Oliver said. “I’m past worrying about being pathetic for paying for sex.” He sighed and dragged his fingers through his hair, hoping he wasn’t making the too long strands stick out in weird directions. “Actually, it helps. I’d never have the nerve to talk to a guy like you in real life, even if it was just to answer a question about directions or something.” He rolled his eyes at his own shortcomings. “Knowing you can’t laugh at me or judge me or turn me down makes this better.” It made it possible. “That’s all I need. Don’t worry about the fake compliments.” “It wasn’t fake.” Of course it was. Oliver was good-looking in the same way the bar was a bookstore. But that didn’t matter and Jaime sounded angry, so Oliver stopped arguing and refocused the conversation on the reason they were both in the Bookstore that wasn’t actually a bookstore. “I reserved a room upstairs in the hotel.” Jaime pulled his eyebrows together and narrowed his eyes and, for a horrible moment, Oliver was sure he had changed his mind and he was about to leave. Oliver was about to plead for another chance, but then Jaime’s face smoothed and he rose from his chair. “Lead the way, Oliver. I’m looking forward to”—he dragged his gaze over Oliver’s body, his expression unlike any Oliver previously had seen directed at him—“fishing with you.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cardeno C - Logo
Cardeno C. - CC to friends - is a hopeless romantic who wants to add a lot of happiness and a few "awwws" into a reader's day. Writing is a nice break from real life as a corporate type and volunteer work with gay rights organizations. Cardeno's stories range from sweet to intense, contemporary to paranormal, long to short, but they always include strong relationships and walks into the happily-ever- after sunset. Cardeno's Home, Family, and Mates series have received awards from Love Romances and More Golden Roses, Rainbow Awards, the Goodreads M/M Romance Group, and various reviewers. But even more special to CC are heartfelt reactions from readers, like, "You bring joy and love and make it part of the every day."

Thursday, August 25, 2016

New Release ~ Fix You by Gen Ryan

 On Sale for 99 cents 
Delicious M/M Romance
Author: Gen Ryan
Title: Fix You (Trade Me Collection)
Genre: Gay Romance
Release Date: August 23rd, 2016
Publisher: Hot Tree Publishing
Cover Artist: Soxsational Cover Art
Maxwell Craver pretends his entire life to be someone he’s not. It used to be easier to lie to himself and to everyone who cared for him until Jason Lewis comes along and changes everything. For the first time, Maxwell thinks that maybe he can finally be his true self.

Jason Lewis has always been open about his sexuality. When he hires Maxwell to restore his new car, their connection and heat are instant. By agreeing to help him overcome his fears, Jason vows to fix him, even if it means breaking his own heart.
Hot Tree Publishing Exclusive M/M Romance Collection

Trade Me is a new genre-linked collection of 30,000 - 50,000 word novellas. With so many sexy trades to pant over, Trade Me stories offer heat, swoon-worthy men, and HEAs that will leave M/M romance lovers completely satisfied.

 On Sale for 99 cents 
All buy links HERE


You can find Genevieve curled up reading paranormal romance and romantic thrillers, or frantically typing her stories on her laptop.
Psychology is her trade by day, teaching and molding the minds of college students. Her interest in psychology can be seen in her books, each including many psychological undertones. Although she loves teaching, her passion, her true love, lays in the stories that roam around her in head. Yes, they all come from her mind--the good, the bad, and the totally insane. 
She lives in Massachusetts--no not Boston-with her husband, daughter, and American Eskimo dog. With each story she shares, she hopes her love for writing and storytelling seeps through, encompassing the reader and leaving them wanting more.


Hot Tree Publishing

Blog Tour ~ Politically Incorrect by Jeanne McDonald

 Title: Politically Incorrect
By: Jeanne McDonald
Publication Date: August 16, 2016
Cover Designer: Jada D'Lee Designs
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Sex. Lies. Greed. Power. Scandal. Politics. Political strategist, Elizabeth McNeal has been called a lot of things throughout her career—bitch being at the top of the list—but she doesn’t let it get to her. She’s bold, she’s blunt, and she takes orders from no one. This is how she’s survived working in a man’s world. She’s the master of diversion, and her specialty is winning an election—no matter the cost. That is, until she meets her new client, Democratic candidate, Congressman William Baxter. Kind, considerate, insanely handsome, honest, and ten years her junior, he’s a unicorn among politicians. He infuriates her. He challenges her. Most of all, he makes her see past the scandalous world of politics and helps her to discover the heart of the woman inside her. With sparks flying between them and the election rapidly approaching, the last thing either of them need is to be caught in a compromising position. Some lines are meant to be crossed and some rules broken, but for Elizabeth and Liam is it worth the cost of being politically incorrect?
Amazon UK - https://goo.gl/Owk0G8 Amazon CA - https://goo.gl/2aFuq4 Barnes & Noble - http://goo.gl/B8Dd4b iTunes - https://goo.gl/8lmPwe
Chapter One
Dark garnet liquid reverberated in the wineglass as I circled my finger around the rim. With every swirl, the motion of the wine increased. The effect was almost hypnotic.
“Elizabeth?”
The flicker of fingers snapping in my face drew me from my entranced state.
“Elizabeth, are you even listening to me?”
Truthfully, I’d tuned out the conversation a while back, but I wasn’t about to tell him that. There was only so much a girl could listen to when it came to what it took to make ugly people beautiful.
For the most part, this date had been a complete and total failure. At least he had good taste in restaurants, however, with the location being inside one of the most elegant hotels in Dallas, I was sure he had more than dinner on his mind. He could think again.
“Of course I am,” I schmoozed, gracing him with my most polished smile.
Dr. Jack Gamble had met all my criteria on his dating profile. First and foremost, I needed a professional man. Having been out of the dating game for far too many years, gainful employment was pretty much my main criteria. I didn’t have time to babysit a man who didn’t have a job and I certainly wasn’t going to become someone’s sugar mama. Work took up a lot of my time and I would never apologize for loving my job. If a man couldn’t understand that then he wasn’t the one for me.
My second criteria – he had to be good looking, and Jack fit the bill there. He was handsome with his ocean green eyes, wavy black hair, and perfect smile. While the black suit and red button-down shirt hid his body, it was easy to see he spent many hours at the gym ensuring he stayed fit.
And my third criteria, which was probably the most important of all, was he had to be a Democrat. There was no way in hell I’d be caught out on a date with a Republican. I’d never hear the end of it. I worked too long and too hard to make a name for myself as the political strategist of the Democratic Party. I might’ve enjoyed the occasional tryst with a Republican, but dating one, nope. Not gonna do it.
“Oh, really?” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. The luxurious white linen table cloth bunched beneath the Italian silk of his well-tailored jacket. His dark brow lifted and his lip curled into a half grin.
“Yeah, really.” I batted my eyelashes and widened my grin. Another tactic I’d learned while working with politicians. Lie all you want, but do it with a smile on your face.
Taking my wineglass by the bowl, I swirled the alcohol twice and took a sip, savoring the rustic flavor on my tongue. Up to this point there had been food sitting in front of me, which allowed me to keep busy. Now, the only place to direct my focus was on Jack and my wine.
This wasn’t the first date I’d been on since my daughter, Jordyn, persuaded me to get out there again, but this might very well be my last for a while. Men my age were full of themselves. They wanted a little thing, more like my daughter's age, that they could dangle on their arm as a trophy, not a successful woman who spent her life raising a child and making a career for herself.
Yep. It’s certain. Perpetual bachelorette life for me.
And why couldn’t I remain alone? What was wrong with it? I was happy. I had a full life. Just because I didn’t have a man didn’t mean I was incomplete. No. Dr. Jack Gamble had officially made me realize that finding Mr. Right wasn’t in the cards for me. Mr. Good for Right Now was all I needed. At least with him, I could toss him back when I was done. No harm, no foul.
Jack stroked the stem of his wineglass between his thumb and index finger. It took all the self-control I had not to roll my eyes at his unconscious sexual suggestion. He leaned back in his seat, continuing to tease the stem of the glass. As if to challenge me, he lifted an eyebrow and rolled his tongue along his bottom lip. “Okay. What did I just say then?”
Dammit! He had to ask that.
I had no clue what he’d said. For most of the date I’d been off in La-La land. He talked so much that I really didn’t need to worry about doing anything more than nod and ask the occasional appropriate question. This man was dull and entirely full of himself. He even had the audacity to mention his last girlfriend was only thirty. Who gives a fuck? I sure didn’t. It was right about then when I completely tuned him out.
I positioned myself so that my cleavage would draw in his attention. Just because the guy wasn’t getting any, didn’t mean I couldn’t use the gifts the good Lord gave me. I might be forty-five, but I still had a great rack. Pursing my lips, I peered over the rim of my wineglass as I took a sip. “You were talking about a patient,” I guessed.
He didn’t waver. His eyes flickered down to my breasts, but only for a moment. Those blue-green eyes remained locked on mine as a smirk curled the corners of his mouth. “Which one?”
I gulped down the last of my wine without so much as enjoying it. My gaze dropped to the black screen of my cell phone. If only it could give me the correct answer. “The one who had a facelift.” It was a viable answer, and I had a fifty/fifty chance of being right.
“Wrong,” he snapped. “I was talking about the penial extension I performed last week. You haven’t heard a word I’ve said all night, have you?”
Every inch of my skin crawled at him admitting to discussing such a terrible topic. In my line of work, it was customary for me to go to places no one else wanted to go. Dark, dirty, sweaty, smelly, seedy, or forbidden. I’d seen it all and did it all in the name of a win, but for him to discuss this, well, that was too much for even me.
My fingers drummed against the screen of my cell phone. The one night I wished it would ring, it was silent.
“Okay. You caught me.” I released a sigh. “I’m sorry. I just have a lot on my mind.”
Jack leaned forward and took my hand in his. “I can tell by the way you stare at that phone; you’re anticipating it to ring. Trust me. I know the feeling. My life is a constant on call fiasco.”
On call? Who was this guy kidding? He’s a plastic surgeon not a heart surgeon. Good grief!
His thumb rubbed along the outer shell of my index finger. “I turned mine off to be with you. So, how about you put it away for the night?” His thumb continued to rub along my fingers. “We can get a room and I can help you relax a little.”
I slipped my hand from his, resting it in my lap, creating distance. “It’s a sweet offer, Jack, but we’ve only just met.”
“But I feel as if I’ve known you all my life.”
Face meet palm. Of all the pick-up lines he could choose from, he went with that one?
I scratched the back of my neck looking for the waiter. It was time for me to make my exit and fast. “That’s sweet, but I think we need to get to know one another a little better first. Besides, I told you when I agreed to this date that I’m leaving town in the morning. I have to get back to DC for work.”
Jack ran his fingers through his perfectly coiffed hair. “I know what you said, which is why I want to spend the night with you,” he stated in a slight huff. “And quite honestly, you’re making me feel like a sleaze here. I only want to help you relax. You seem so tense.”
Nope. Just bored.
“Thanks, but really, I’m fine.”
“Okay. Fine. I understand and I’d never take advantage of a lady.”
I nodded, my eyes searching the room for the waiter.
Jack reached into the pocket of his jacket, retrieving his wallet. He pulled out a little black card and handed it to me. “How about you stop by my office tomorrow before you leave for some Botox.”
My smile dropped and my brow furrowed. “I beg your pardon?”
“Many of my patients tell me it’s very relaxing, and it’ll take about ten years off your face. It’s only an hour of your time and you’ll feel like a million bucks afterward.”
This asshole was serious!
My perfected persona dropped. It was a rare person who could cause me to break my polished demeanor, but somehow, Jack Gamble had managed it.
“Listen here, buddy, I don’t know who you think you are…”
Just as I was about to tell this prick what I really thought of his offer, my cell phone started playing the Star-Spangled Banner and flashing the name Guy Harper across the screen.
Saved by the bell, dickwad!
“Hold that thought.” I paused and took in a deep breath. “I need to take this.”
Without giving Jack a chance to respond, I grabbed the phone from the table, slid my finger across the screen, and answered, “McNeal.”
“My, my. So professional,” came Harper’s jovial tone.
“How can I help you?”
“Oh, right. I forgot. Tonight’s date night! I take it’s not going very well.” Harper’s chuckle only added to my bad mood. He was taking too much pleasure in my torture.
“You might say that.”
“Wow! This guy must really be a doozy.” Harper chuckled low.
I glanced up at my date. A look of frustration brightened his tanned skin. Served him right after insulting me like he did.
“You don’t know the half of it…”
“Well, then, ditch him, Bet, and get over here. We have business to discuss.”
Harper and I had known each other since high school. He was my ex-husband’s best man and Jordyn’s godfather. It was safe to say, he was pretty much family. I trusted Harper with just about everything, which was saying a lot. Trust was a high commodity in politics, and was never given freely. While I worked my way through college, Harper coasted through life on his family’s dime. He came from a long line of old money, but no one would suspect it if they’d seen him on the street. When I entered the realm of politics, he joined me by donating to campaigns for many of my most promising candidates. He always said his donations weren’t wagers on the candidates, but on me, because I was the safe bet. Hence, the nickname. Over the years, he’d developed a good eye for finding the right person for the job, so when he said we needed to talk business, I knew exactly what he meant.
I didn’t have to look up this time to know I was being stared down by the man across the table. Frankly, I didn’t care. Harper had given me the out I needed. “I’ll be there in forty minutes or so.”
“Perfect. See ya then.”
I ended the call and slipped my phone into my clutch.
“So that’s it? I try to help you by offering my services and you’re going to give me the brush off?” Jack sneered.
My eyes jolted up to meet his death stare. I stood up and leaned over the table, coming nose to nose with him. “My dear, Jack, your services are not necessary.”
“I beg to differ. Not only do you need some work on those crow’s feet, but I can help you get rid of those extra ten pounds you can’t seem to run off in the gym.” His mouth bowed and his thick brows lifted as if he’d actually one-upped me.
He didn’t.
I took in a deep, cleansing breath and plastered a smile on my face. “I’ll have you know I look damn good for my age. Now, if you’re interested in spending your time with a twenty-year-old blonde bimbo, go find one, but don’t you dare try to Dr. Frankenstein a woman to meet your stereotypical idea of perfection.”
“At least a twenty-year-old woman would know how to be engaging on a date. She’d listen to me.”
“Jack, if you’d had anything interesting to say, I might’ve listened to you.” I let out a half-hearted laugh. “But from what I did hear, I can tell you this. You and I are on the same side of the coin. We both tell people how to look, but the difference between us is I tell them how to act. So, the next time you try to tell a woman how she should look or what standard she should try to achieve, think of me and what I do. Because no matter how pretty you make her, she’ll never be what I turn my clients into. You see, Jack, I create power.” I moved in a little closer to him. “I create legends…” I paused for dramatic effect, “I create gods!”
I reached into my purse, pulled out a one-hundred-dollar bill from my wallet and dropped it on the table. “Don’t say I never paid for your services.” I dusted my hand over his shoulder, pretending to remove lint from his jacket. “It was nice meeting you, Jack.”
With a flick of my blonde locks, I grabbed my belongings and started to walk away. “Oh, and Jack,” I called out without so much as a glance back to see the baffled expression on his smug face, “the next time you want to implant something, how about you implant some brains in that head of yours, because you’re thinking with the wrong one, buddy.”
Throes of laughter reverberated behind me as I slipped into my frock coat and exited the building with my pride intact.
Jeanne McDonald is an author, a mother, a wife, a student of knowledge and of life, a coffee addict, a philosophy novice, a pop culture connoisseur, inspired by music, encouraged by words, and a believer in true love. When she's not spending time with her family, she can be found reading, writing, enjoying a great film, chatting with friends or diligently working toward her bachelor's degree in literature. A proud Texan, Jeanne currently resides in the Dallas/Fort Worth area with her family. Social Media Links
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Jeanne.M.McDonald/ Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/JeanneMcDonald Twitter - @JeanneMcDonald_ Website - http://www.jeannemcdonald.com/ Facebook Reader Group - http://bit.ly/2ardmBi Newsletter- http://eepurl.com/VFamn Pinterest- http://bit.ly/2avdUre Tumblr- http://bit.ly/2aaCDhu Google+- http://bit.ly/2aazNdf YouTube- http://bit.ly/2aaDT42 Amazon Author Page- http://amzn.to/29f6C9z BookBub Author Page- http://bit.ly/2arcEEm

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Cover Reveal ~ 33 Rillington Crescent by Samantha Fontien



44 Rillington Crescent - Samantha Fontien
Book - 44 Rillington Crescent
Author - Samantha Fontien
Cover Reveal - 24th August 
Hosted by Hooked on books & Cherry0Blossoms Promotions









44 Rillington Crescent

I’m calculating, like most women... Except... I’m no ordinary woman...
I’m emotionally damaged… And, I accept that, hell… I embrace it.
I’m a lost soul… I don’t do Love in any shape or form, well I didn’t think I did, until the universe didn’t see eye to eye with me and decided to teach me a lesson that I would never forget, showing me Love can take many forms…

* This Love story contains; Drama, Profanity and Mature Content, intended for readers 18+ *






I'm a Happily Married, MUM of 2 very loved children.
I LOVE Music… I should do as I am the daughter of Musicians; I was reared with a Guitar in one hand and a pen in the other.
I'm originally from London and am now living somewhere, in the Irish countryside. 



* My books contain Drama, Heartache and Mature content, intended for readers 18+ *


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