Bare Assets & Bare Essentials-- ML Stephens!!

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Synopsis

With nothing but shattered dreams and a busted heart to fuel the way, Angela Fletcher drove out of Arkansas and never looked back. 

Six years later, the new and improved version of the girl she used to be steered clear of romance, love and late night promises. The only pillow talk Angela engaged in these days was making sure the person on the other pillow knew to lose her number as soon as he left the bed. She only had room for one love in her life and that was Bare Assets, the gentlemen's club she poured her heart and soul into. 

Dean Murray was the devil in disguise and had left behind enough broken hearted women to populate a small country. Angela would know. She was an expert markswoman who was skillfully self-trained at shooting down the good, the bad and the ugly of all masculine targets. After all, as the owner of the most successful strip club in Dallas, Texas, it was her business to know men. 

Just as she begins to fall for Dean's silky words and passionate ways, her past and present unexpectedly collide and a meticulously planned future turns into unpredictable chaos. Is the smooth-talking, denim-wearing devil responsible for the chaos? Or are the secrets she left buried in Arkansas coming back to haunt her?

Review



Angie and Dean- OMG, talk about hot!! These two basically danced around each other for 2 years, so you just knew that when they finally got together- it was going to be amazing. And it was!!

I loved them together, and how even though Angie was a bit gun shy about the whole idea of the two of them- he was not. Dean is a man who knew what he wanted, and he went for it- no holds bar. Love me a damn alpha!! I just wanted to take him home myself after seeing the way he was with Ang- it was great.

I was a little worried at first how the whole Cutter/ Ang thing was going to play out given that there was so much history between them, but I can definitely see why he was such an integral part of the story. We had to know the past to get to see a glimpse of Ang and Dean's future. And even when I thought my heart was going to break when that future got threatened- I held on to the hope that ML would see them through. And boy did she ever!! Their story wasn't simple or drama free- it was full of curves and bumps along the way, and hard as hell for them- but in the end, they made it through. It was awesome!!

Besides, we all know that the best things in life, are the hardest to come by!!   5 stars for this wonderful book!!!

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Synopsis

Trouble never looked so good. 

He's a cowboy with a guitar and an attitude. She's Nashville's toughest, most sought after music agent. They have one thing in common: country music. 

Cutter Harrison relies on two things: beer and music—his music. At twenty-six, he's happily divorced and plans to keep it that way. 

Holly Avery is on the hunt. She's determined to discover the next country music superstar and is willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen. 

When two paths collide, Cutter and Holly are suddenly forced to question their pasts, their futures, and the bare essentials of love. Country music brought them together, but will their dirty little secrets keep them apart? 

Review

Cutter, oh Cutter. How I do love that you also got your own story and the HEA that I could see you so desperately needed!! Hooray to ML for giving us this beautiful story of the sweet cowboy Cutter, and his love Holly.

 

Cutter and Holly definitely don't get off to a conventional start, seeing as how Cutter is still in the throws of his heartache over the loss of Ang. It makes ya wonder how in the world he will ever get out of his pit of despair long enough to try and move on to someone else. I honestly had my doubts, because I really didn't think that Cutter was going to let go. Not that he was being the creepy ex or anything, just that he was so deep in the loss of his past dreams and what he thought was the way his life had failed, that it didn't seem like he would have his eyes open to other possibilities.

 

Then, along came Holly (hehe, little movie joke there), and suddenly the future didn't look so bleak. He actually saw the possibility of making a new path for his life, one that he had no idea would include Holly as much as it did. But, when they finally admitted their feelings and gave into the craving, it was pretty damn sweet. Their chemistry was amazing, so there was plenty of steam for us readers, just like in Bare Assets.

 

I love how Cutter fell just as quickly in love with Holly's daughter as he did with Holly- it made me melt that he finally got the family that was so cruelly ripped away from him in the past. It finally made his life make sense to him- and that was a wonderful sight to see.

 

Bare Essentials, much like Bare Assets, receives 5 stars from me- awesome book!!

About the Author

I write the characters and stories that scream the loudest.

I have an unshakable fetish for a good mystery and anything paranormal, along with an insatiable appetite for coffee and travel. When I'm not reading the novels of so many great authors, I'm creating stories of my own. My family keeps me grounded, my pets keep me jumping, my friends keep me focused, and it all happens in Texas!

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Cover Reveal!!! Shame-- Rachel Van Dyken!!!!

Finally, we get Lisa's story.........

Everything done in darkness, will eventually be brought into the light.

I ran, but all it did was keep me one step ahead of my past. I tried to start over; new name, new identity. But you can't change your soul.
A fresh start at college was just what I needed. For a while, it worked. I was the party girl, the one that seemed confident, but it was a lie.
When guys kissed me--I felt only pain. 
When they touched me--Nothing but fear.

Deep inside, every girl wants to be the beauty in the story, to find someone that will see you as their world. 
But the truth? I was the beast. And as much as I wanted redemption, I wasn't fool enough to think I'd ever get it. 
Until he walked into my life.

I wasn't prepared to fall for someone. My scars were too deep, the wounds too raw. But he offered me peace, he offered me security. I should have known it was just another lie--I should have known that falling in love with my professor was a bad idea.
But I was powerless to stop myself from falling. 
And he was powerless to catch me.

Because the darkness finally caught up to me, and as fate would have it, a cruel twist almost bled me dry. But I'm stronger than I knew. I'm stronger than you think.
You think you know my story, but you don't....after all everyone has Shame in their lives-- and I'm no longer afraid to show you mine.

 

GOODREADS: http://bit.ly/1vHtT6V

 

BUYLINKS:

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shame-rachel-van-dyken/1119971808?ean=2940045636421

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/shame/id899649469?mt=11

EXCERPT:

          “Just hold still!” I yelled, holding up my phone while Gabe gave me the finger. I grimaced and dropped the camera away from my face. “Nice, thanks for that.”

“I’m a giver.” He smirked.

Saylor, his wife, smacked him on the arm and rolled her eyes.

“Ouch.”                  

I scrunched up my face when he leaned in and took Saylor’s mouth with his, kissing her senseless in the local Starbucks like they were doing a romance scene in a movie. I coughed.

They didn’t pull apart.

So I took a picture.

I earned another finger, but Gabe still didn’t dislodge from his wife.

“Whoa!” Wes’s voice sounded from behind me. “They been at it long?”

“Are all newlyweds disgusting?” I voiced aloud.

Wes moved around the table with his wife, Kiersten, and gave me a goofy shrug. I wanted to roll my eyes, but Wes was too nice and hot. Let’s not forget the hot part. Both he and Gabe were like walking poster boys for GQ. Both blond, now that Gabe had decided to dye his hair back to his original color. It was like staring at two really bright superstars.

Hating them was like hating the Easter bunny. Try all you want, but you’ll eat every piece of chocolate in the basket, just you wait.

“So, classes?” Kiersten leaned forward. “I heard you got stuck with that hot new psych prof.”

Wes growled low in his throat.

“Down boy.” I braced my hands on the table and laughed. “Besides he’s not that hot.”

“A girl passed out.” Kiersten’s eyebrows shot up. “Like in class.”

“Dehydration?” I shrugged, taking a sip of coffee.

“Or…” She leaned forward. “…the rumors are true.”

“Rumors…” Gabe backed away from Saylor, his lips swollen. “…are always based on truth.”

“So you really did do a naked dance in your underwear last week after getting drunk downtown at Pike Place Market?” I tilted my head and waited while Gabe rolled his eyes and popped his knuckles. “Exactly.”

He opened his mouth.

I took a picture.

With a grimace, he snatched my phone away from me. “Never thought I’d have to tell you to lay off the pictures, Miss Paparazzi.”

I slumped in my seat. “It’s for an assignment with that hot professor.”

“Aha!” Kiersten jabbed her finger at me. “I knew it.”

I pinned her with a look. “Sarcasm, friend, sarcasm.”

“Boys get girls pregnant,” Gabe offered, while Wes choked on the coffee he’d just stolen out of my hand.

Serves him right!

“Don’t date them.”

“You’re going to be a great dad.” I smiled sweetly. “What? You’re just going to lock your girls in their rooms and go—” I mimicked his voice. “—uh, you see boy parts are bad, they make girls have lots of babies, like rabbits, and you know how rabbits make dad nervous and—”

“Hilarious,” Gabe’s eyes narrowed. “And please don’t talk about kids yet…”

Saylor laughed quietly next to him then squeezed his arm.

My heart dropped.

A very long time ago, I’d wanted to be that for Gabe, then Taylor happened and well… I shuddered, blocking out the painful memories, the things I’d done, the things he’d done, the things we’d done.

“You okay?” Wes asked, his voice soft. He was way too perceptive for my taste. If I’d wanted to share, he’d be the guy I’d talk to, but I was a vault. Sharing meant admitting my guilt, and admitting meant I’d probably go insane just like he had.

“Yeah…” I straightened in my seat. “…I just don’t want to fail my class, and I need to write down nonverbal cues and take at least one picture. And pretty sure I need to ace this first assignment on account that I was late to my prof’s class, and I got in trouble.”

“He spank you?” Gabe’s eyes mocked across his coffee.

“Yes, Gabe,” I said calmly. “Because that’s how they punish bad students here at UW — with a yardstick and a smile.”

“I wish.” He whistled. “What I wouldn’t give to have Saylor—”

I plugged my ears.

He threw his head back and laughed while Saylor turned bright red and put her hand over his mouth to shush him.

“So…” Wes ignored Gabe as was his usual and leaned across the table. “…why don’t you take pictures of people here in the coffee shop? I mean, ask permission, but most people here are super interesting, right? Studying? Stressed out? Tired?” He pointed to a guy in the corner. “He looks like he’s running on five cups of coffee and one hour of sleep. Go ask, take the picture, make some notes, project done.”

“You make it sound so easy,” I grumbled.

He grinned. “I’m Wes Michels.”

I hung my head lower and grimaced.

“Phone.” He held out his hand and stood.

Within minutes, not only had he snapped two pictures for me but had taken notes on two pre-med students who had stayed up all night cramming for what they’d assumed would be a pop quiz, only to find out that they’d been in the wrong class on the wrong day.

“And that’s why I'm not pre-med.” Gabe shuddered.

“Really?” Kiersten asked. “I thought it was because big words scared you?”

“Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. What now?” He nodded. “Keep talking, Kiersten, or keep walking.”

“Spell it.” She smirked.

“So this professor…” Gabe changed the subject. “If he tries anything, use the Mace or the rape whistle.”

“Right.” I nodded. “I’ll be sure to do that. In class. With a hundred other students. When he looks at me cross-eyed.”

“Good,” he huffed.

“I was kidding.”

Saylor patted Gabe’s shoulder. “Gotta let the baby birds out of the nest someday, Gabe.”

 

 

About Rachel Van Dyken:

Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.
She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband and their snoring Boxer, Sir Winston Churchill. She loves to hear from readers! You can follow her writing journey at www.rachelvandykenauthor.com

Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RachelVanDyken

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachVD

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4882127.Rachel_Van_Dyken?from_search=true

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Van-Dyken/e/B0054TW5AA/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1407369649&sr=8-2-ent

Release Day!!!! Rival-- Penelope Douglas!!!!

It's LIVE!!!! And it is WONDERFUL--- GET IT NOW!!!!!!!

 

Title: Rival (Fall Away, #2)

Author: Penelope Douglas

Genre: NA | Contemporary Romance

Release Date: August 26, 2014

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

From the New Adult sensation and New York Times bestselling author of Until You

 

Madoc and Fallon. Two estranged teenagers playing games that push the boundaries between love and war…

She’s back.

For the three years she’s been away at boarding school, there was no word from her. Back when we lived in the same house, she used to cut me down during the day and then leave her door open for me at night.

I was stupid then, but now I’m ready to beat her at her own game…

I’m back.

Three years and I can tell he still wants me, even if he acts like he’s better than me.

But I won’t be scared away. Or pushed down. I’ll call his bluff and fight back. That’s what he wants, right? As long as I keep my guard up, he’ll never know how much he affects me….

Amazon | Amazon UK | B&N | iTunes | Kobo

♦ Rival - Excerpt ♦ 

Madoc jumped out of the car, not even caring to close the door behind him. “You stole my car?!” he shouted, peering down into the bowl.

With the headlights behind him, the area was well lit, and I tried to breath against the flutter in my chest.

He was here. We were alone. We were angry. Déjà vu. 

This is what I wanted. It’s what I’d planned.

But I turned my back on him anyway.  

I’d told myself time and again that I didn’t care what he thought of me. I didn’t want his heart after all. It wasn’t part of the equation. He didn’t need to love me or respect me for this to work. I would use him—get what I wanted—without worrying about whatever was in his head. It. Did. Not. Matter.

So why couldn’t I just draw him in like I’d planned? Why did I want to spit back? 

“I didn’t steal it. I borrowed it, Princess,” I shot back.

He jumped down into the bowl, his flip flops slapping against the wet cement. “Don’t touch my shit, Fallon!”

“Oh, but you got to come into my room last night and touch me? You don’t get to have everything, Madoc.”

He stopped a few feet from me, and I felt the walls of the bowl close in as he stared. I expected more yelling and insults, but he just stood there, looking like everything that could destroy me without even speaking. Looking like everything that nearly did destroy me.

He was still dressed in only his board shorts and flip flops. No shirt. I guess he would’ve left the house in a hurry if he was coming after me. He’d changed so much in the years I’d been gone. His shoulders and arms were works of art. Madoc always liked to work out, and it paid off. He had a build like a quarterback, and he was tall. I wished I didn’t feel the invisible cord pulling me to him, wanting to touch him again, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t. We always want what’s bad for us.

Madoc was hot. He knew it. And he knew everyone else knew it.

But what was underneath the blonde hair, boyish blue eyes, and toned body was bad. He was bad.

And someday, his looks would fade, and his wife would just have someone bad. I had to remind myself of that. There was nothing in him that I should want.      

The light rain blew around his face, and he blinked away the water dripping down his face. “You know? Whatever,” he sneered, looking like he was about to turn away. “I’m so over your bullshit, Fallon. I wish I knew what the hell you wanted from me.” His voice got stronger. “You act like everything’s fine around Addie and then you show up to my party dressed to impress down to your underwear around all of my friends, and then you bring up my party two years ago.” He got in my face. “What do you want from me

“Nothing!” I shouted, my eyes burning with anger. “I want nothing from you. Nothing ever again!”

He reared back just a little as if I’d surprised him.

“Again? Is that what this is about?” he asked. “Us fucking three years ago?”

Fucking. I averted my eyes.  

I’d rather shove a drumstick up my nose than let him see how that hurt. I wiped the water off my forehead and smoothed my hair over the top of my head.

“You know what?” He narrowed his eyes, speaking up before I got a chance. “You can go to hell, Fallon. I was sixteen, too. I was a virgin, same as you. You were all over me, too, and you know it. I didn’t force you! You didn’t have to go and complain to our parents. Jesus Christ!”

Huh?

He breathed hard and kept folding his lips between his teeth. “They treated me like I was pressuring you or some shit!” he shouted, throwing his hand out into the air. “You told them that I was forcing you?”

♦ Grab the rest of the series ♦ 

Bully (Fall Away, #1) - Buy Links:

Amazon | Amazon UK | B&N | iTunes | Kobo

Until You (Fall Away, #1.5) - Buy Links:

Amazon | Amazon UK | B&N | iTunes | Kobo

♦ About Penelope ♦

Penelope Douglas is a writer in Las Vegas. Born in Dubuque, Iowa, she is the oldest of five children. Penelope attended the University of Northern Iowa, earning a Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, because her father told her to "just get the degree!" She then earned a Masters of Science in Education at Loyola University in New Orleans, because she hated Public Administration. One night, she got tipsy and told the bouncer at the bar where she worked that his son was hot, and three years later they were married. To the son, not the bouncer. They have spawn, but just one. A daughter named Aydan. Penelope loves sweets, The Originals, and she shops at Target almost daily.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

♦ Giveaway ♦

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thin Love-- Eden Butler!!!

This is by far my favorite Eden Butler book so far!! I simply adore her Seeking Serenity series, but Keira and Kona have even surpassed the Serenity gang! And I honestly didn't know if that could be done, but Eden has.

Synopsis:

Love isn't supposed to be an addiction. It isn't supposed to leave you bleeding.

Kona pushed, Keira pulled, and in their wake, they left behind destruction.

She sacrificed everything for him.

It wasn't enough.

But the wounds of the past can never be completely forgotten and still the flame remains, slumbers between the pleasure of yesterday and the thought of what might have been.

Now, sixteen years later, Keira returns home to bury the mother who betrayed her, just as Kona tries to hold onto what remains of his NFL career with the New Orleans Steamers. Across the crowded bustle of a busy French Market, their paths collide, conjuring forgotten memories of a consuming touch, skin on skin, and the still smoldering fire that begs to be rekindled.

When Kona realizes the trifecta of betrayal—his, Keira's and those lies told to keep them apart—his life is irrevocably changed and he once again takes Keira down with him into the fire that threatens to ignite them both.

 

 

Review: 

Maybe it's the fact that Keira and Kona's love spanned a 16 year period, or maybe it's that there were so many forces working against them that it was almost impossible for their love to survive, or it could have been the immense tragedy that they had to endure as young adults, or maybe even the secret that Keira had to keep for so long- or maybe it was just all of that. Everything about this story made me fall in love with it, while breaking my heart at the same time. There are so many times that I had tears in my eyes, and even some where they were rolling down my face- but it was all still so beautiful. Eden makes the story so real, that you feel everything right along with Keira and Kona. You feel their love, their heartbreak, their anguish and their joy. It is a great rollercoaster of emotions.

Also, you are going to feel a whole lotta hate. You are going to meet one of the most vile people in this book that you can imagine. A true snake in sheep's clothing. Kona's mother. The woman embodies all that is evil and cruel as far as I am concerned. I hated her. Literally, I wanted to jump into my Kindle and end this woman- that's how powerful that emotion was for her. The things that she does, all while trying to justify it by saying she does it out of love for Kona- yeah, it sickened me. Eden did a fabulous job creating her character and making sure that you had a clear cut opinion of that woman. I was elated to see the outcome of the situation involving this evil lady-- it gave me a huge smile to see Karma work it's magic.

I cannot say enough about Thin Love, except that you should not hesitate to pick it up. It is a standalone, so you don't have to worry about having read her other works before this one. That said, pick them up anyway- most especially the Seeking Serenity series (it is amazeballs). Thin Love receives an absolute 5 stars from me!!!

Pick up Thin Love here:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MUX3UUM
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00MUX3UUM
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thin-love-eden-butler/1120165208?ean=2940046253443
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/thin-love/id910225577?mt=11
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/468207
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Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21945749-thin-love

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway here: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/05dc89ff168/

Be sure to follow the rest of the blog tour here: http://bit.ly/UlGPkZ


Don't forget to stalk Eden as well:

Eden Butler is an editor and writer of New Adult Romance and SciFi and Fantasy novels and the nine-times great-granddaughter of an honest-to-God English pirate. This could explain her affinity for rule breaking and rum. Her debut novel, a New Adult, Contemporary (no cliffie) Romance, “Chasing Serenity” launched in October 2013 and quickly became an Amazon bestseller.

When she’s not writing or wondering about her possibly Jack Sparrowesque ancestor, Eden edits, reads and spends way too much time watching rugby, Doctor Who and New Orleans Saints football.

She is currently imprisoned under teenage rule alongside her husband in southeast Louisiana.

Please send help.

Author Social links:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/eden.butler.10

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Blog: http://edenbutlerwrites.wordpress.com/

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