BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE by Jenna Galicki Review & Character Interview

Title: Between a Rock and a Hard Place (Radical Rock Stars, #2)

Author: Jenna Galicki

Release Date: September 30, 2014

Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance

 

Exclusive Interview with Jessi Blade

I want to welcome Jessi Blade today. Jessi is that new designer taking over New York with her new boutique of edgy clothes. I’ve walked through and can confess to making a few purchases.

Hi Jessi, it’s so nice to have you here.

JB: Thank you. It's very nice to meet you.

How does it feel to have one of the hottest boutiques in the city?

JB: “It's amazing! I never expected my line to take off as quickly as it did. It's hard work, though. I'm always sketching and trying to push myself to create garments that are outside the box.”

Where does the inspiration for your designs come from?

JB: “Angel Garcia!” (laughs) “It's really the stage and the music that inspires me, but I love designing for Angel. I know his aesthetic.” (She gestures to her studded, leather outfit.) “It's much like my own. He gives me free reign with construction and embellishment, and I have more fun making his stage outfits than I do making clothes for myself. And he's so dramatic and excited when he wears them. He’s a designer’s dream.”

A little birdy has told me that a major fashion publication will be featuring a story about you soon, how do you feel about that?

JB: “You really do your homework! I'm not supposed to discuss it until the publication makes the announcement, but it was one of the highlights of my life.”

You are married to Tommy Blade the guitarist for Immortal Angel. He has credited you to be the force behind his music. How did you two meet?

JB: “We met at a party in college.” (A dreamy smile spreads across her face, and she gazes up at the ceiling.) “I'll never forget the first time I saw him. He was a big football jock, and I saw him clear across the field. As soon as he took his helmet off and shook out his long blond hair, I gasped. Then, when his blue eyes cut through the crowd, I swore he looked directly at me, and my heart just about stopped. A few weeks later I ran into him at a party. I spotted him as soon as I walked through the door. He stood out with his broad shoulders and that gorgeous mane of hair. I practically had to beat the girls off with a stick in order to get near him. I introduced myself, offered him a beer, and there was an instant connection. It was a fairytale romance.”

The two of you have also included Angel Garcia in your relationship. Will you talk to us about that?

JB: Of course. I know it's unconventional and a lot of people don't understand it. I never expected to bring another man into our marriage. But once Tommy and Angel met, the three of us knew that our world was about to be turned upside down. The connection they have is very similar to the connection me and Tommy have. Luckily, I also share a strong connection with Angel, and he respected my marriage. I love Angel for that, among a million other reasons.”

Was it hard for you to come to terms with Tommy and Angels relationship?

JB: “At first, yes. I'm not going to lie. It scared the shit out of me.” (Her hand flies to her lips, and she smiles.) “I'm sorry. I probably shouldn't say shit in an interview. I really didn’t know if our relationship was going to work, but I knew that we had to try.”

Recent pictures of the two of them on the Asian tour were very intimate, did you ever feel left out?

JB: (She momentarily lowers her eyes to the floor and draws her brows together.) “The paparazzi can be very cruel, and they manipulate people's lives in order to sell a photo. I learned that the hard way.”

What does the future hold for Jessi Blade designs?

JB: (She smiles again and tucks her hot pink hair behind her ear.) “I’m branching out into formalwear, but that’s all I’m going to say right now.”

And what about the future with you and your two gorgeous men?

JB: “We’re going to stay home for a while and enjoy our house, then we’re going to take a nice long vacation and relax. This European tour was rough. We’ll be heading again in a few months on the third leg of Immortal Angel’s world tour, and you never know what might happen.” (She gives me a mischievous smile.) You know these guys like to get into trouble. Whatever happens, I’m sure the media will broadcast it worldwide.”

I want to thank you for being here today and giving my readers a glimpse into your life. Please give our love to Tommy and Angel as well.

JB: I will. Thank you for inviting me. Before I go, I have something for you.
(She reaches into the Hermes Birkin Bag at her feet and hands me an Immortal Angel T-shirt.)

Oh I know I'll be wearing that to the next Immortal Angel show!!

Synopsis

She’s a rock goddess.
He’s a sex pistol.
I need them both, in my life and in my bed, and I'm not living without either one of them.
I’ll do whatever it takes to keep them there, even if it costs me everything I ever wanted.
I’m Tommy Blade, The Prince of Punk Rock, and this is the rest of our story.

When Jessi Blade is forced to miss the first leg of Immortal Angel’s world tour, Tommy Blade and Angel Garcia are alone together for the first time. Their romance flourishes and brings them closer together, but time apart puts a strain on Tommy and Jessi’s marriage. The demanding schedule of a world tour, pressure from the record label and a wife who feels neglected, leaves Tommy under a blanket of anxiety. He’s helpless as his perfect life slowly falls to pieces.

When Jessi finally catches up to Tommy and Angel four weeks into their world tour, she begins to feel like an outsider. She’s not about to take a back seat to Angel and she competes for Tommy’s attention. Tired of the rivalry, she begins to wonder if they’d be happier without her.

Angel is trying to hold their relationship together, but Jessi’s animosity and Tommy’s nervous tension, are a heavy load to carry. Before long, it becomes clear that their life, and the band, are doomed unless they work out their differences.  

Review

This is the second book of this series and I've been waiting to read this book all summer!!  Jessi, Tommy and Angel are getting ready for the Asian tour to kick-off and Jessi realizes that she can't go and still accomplish her dreams of getting her degree and opening her boutique. The boys don't want to leave her behind but Tommy knows how much she's given up to help him get to where they are. 

While in Asia, Tommy and Angel get even closer, sharing each day and exploring each other. Unfortunately, the paparazzi are able to capture those intimate moments and broadcast them to the world. Jessi sees the photos and is feeling left out, but what she doesn't understand is that distance really does make the heart grow fonder. Angel has missed her just as much as Tommy has, in fact he's had some interesting dreams about their future. 

When the three are together again for the European tour, things don't get much better for Jessi. The boys have a new tour manager that keeps them busy working on their second album whenever they are not on stage or doing interviews. Jessi is being left alone too often. The strain of the relationship is causing Jessi to start snapping at Angel who then gets defensive. Tommy is stuck in the middle of the two people he can't live without. 

So two hot rock gods and a woman who loves them, what's not to love about that? Can I tell you that Angel stole this book for me?  In the first book I didn't like him that much, I thought he felt entitled and didn't give Jessi enough of himself. I know that he is not bi and would never really want to be with her but in the first book he seemed to dismiss Jessi's feelings. In this book we see Angel really start to feel like Jessi is part of his life too. 

Jessi has a really hard time in this book. She's not involved on the Asian tour and has to sit on the sidelines as the world sees Tommy and Angel together. When she finally gets them back she can see the intimacy between them has grown. Then when they don't have time for her during the European tour the insecurity seems to grow by leaps and bounds. 

If you enjoyed book one you will love book two!!  And this isn't the last we will hear about Immortal Angel!!  There is another book coming! I for one can't wait!

Excerpt

Tommy thought he was still dreaming. A gentle hand tucked strands of hair behind his ear. Warm lips met his neck just below his ear and they rested there long enough to make the hair on the back of his neck prickle. A hot, thick tongue licked tiny circles on the sensitive skin of his neck and warm breath blew on his cheek like a summer breeze. It sent a tingle down his back. The soft moan in his ear let him know that this wasn’t a dream. It was Angel. Tommy kept his eyes closed and reached for his lover’s cheek. He tilted his head to the side to allow Angel’s magnificent tongue to bathe him in delightful blistering heat. He sighed and turned his face to catch the fleshy godlike tongue in his mouth. He held Angel’s face in his hand and drank in the warm sensuous dew on Angel’s lips. “That’s the way I want you to wake me up every morning for the rest of my life.”  

Between a Rock and a Hard Place (Radical Rock Stars: Book Two)

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Nook

 

 

Catch up with The Prince of Punk Rock (Radical Rock Stars Book One)

I love her, but I also love him. She’s everything to me. He sets my world on fire. It's our dirty little secret, and it’s about to blow our record deal sky high. I’m Tommy Blade, the Prince of Punk Rock, and this is our story. Tommy Blade is a man with a secret. It’s a secret he only shares with one person, Jessi Blade – and the men he surrenders to in the bedroom. Jessi’s only condition to their tumultuous sex life is that the men are one night stands. But when Angel Garcia enters their life, it’s like a match to gasoline. Mega-talented punk rock singer Angel Garcia, with his smoldering ebony eyes, tight leather pants and unstoppable stage presence, is a man who is used to getting what he wants. He has his eyes set on Tommy Blade as his new lead guitarist, and as his life partner. Jessi Blade, sympathetic to her husband's bisexual needs, loves him enough to share him, but she never counted on Angel Garcia to test the threshold of her marriage. He makes her life hell . . . and heaven. He’s her damnation and her salvation. She wants to hate him. She wants to despise him. But his charm and raw sex appeal are impossible to resist. Without warning, she finds herself falling in love with her husband's gay lover. At the height of it all, their punk rock band catapults to stardom. Their lives are marred by secrecy, deception and sacrifice. Feelings of betrayal, backlash from the sensationalistic media and threats of blackmail send them down a hard road filled with tough decisions. They aren't your ordinary rock stars. They're radical rock stars. And they have a big story to tell.

The Prince of Punk Rock (Radical Rock Stars: Book One)

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Nook

   

About the Author

Jenna Galicki is a strong advocate for LGBT rights and marriage equality. She lives in Long Island, NY with her husband and two dogs, and she loves meeting new people. She's a rottweiler enthusiast and an avid music buff. When she's not hunched over a computer, you can find her front row at a rock concert.

Follow Jenna Galicki, she would love to hear from you

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 

Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Other books by Jenna Galicki

Amazon US | Nook

He's the shoulder she leans on. He worships her. She shields and protects him. He watches over her. They're soul mates for life. They're not lovers; they're best friends. Their struggle to find someone who can handle their intense bond is met with a roller coaster of raw emotion, loyalty and heartache. Follow their journey to find love. When Heather Cooper married Peter, she thought that she had finally found someone who could handle the inseparable bond she shares with her gay best friend, Justin Perrotta. It’s only a matter of time before jealousy rears its ugly head, and Peter’s true feelings emerge – and he starts drinking. Burned by an ex-boyfriend, Justin refuses to open his heart to love again. Wild relationships and one night stands leave him lonely and unfulfilled, even though he will not admit it. He finds love when he least expects it, but his fear of commitment threatens to ruin the best thing that has ever happened to him. In this modern day ‘Will and Grace’ meets ‘Sex and the City’, two best friends, a straight woman and a gay man, struggle to find someone to love as much as they love each other.  

Blog Tour ~ Peyton 313 by Donna McDonald

Amazon Purchase Link

BLURB

Worst epic fail of her scientific career? Falling for a cyborg she helped create.

Kyra Winters never meant for her cyber science discoveries to be used for evil, but that’s exactly what happened. Now returning Peyton 313’s humanity is the last chance she’ll ever have to atone. She can’t get back the lost decade, but she can change the present by restoring the cyborg who was once Marine Captain Peyton Elliot.

Certainly her grand plan for rectifying her mistakes didn’t include madly kissing the confused, passionate Marine when he begged her to. The same scientific mind that constructed the cyborg creator code now warned her not to let Peyton’s tempting offers of heaven cloud her rational decision making. Yet it’s difficult to        resist the cyborg she’s restoring when he’s also the most intriguing man she’s ever known.

                                                   EXCERPT

Satisfied by his fierce complaining, Kyra walked back to the chair and knelt at his feet again. She had thumb-printed the chair restraint locks so a light swipe across the sensor instantly opened them. After the ankle ones were removed, she removed the one across his chest. Lastly, she moved to his wrists, pausing as she met his questioning gaze. She had to tell him what she was feeling. The urge was too compelling and his gaze was too full of hope. “Today you are more yourself than you’ve been in a long time, Captain Elliot. Since this may be the only nice conversation you and I are ever going to have, I want to thank you for your military service and all the amazing things you’ve done. I’ll even admit that you’re far more charming than your record indicated. In another time and another place, I might have been willing to play all kinds of flirty games with you. But this is definitely not that time or place. We are suspended between heaven and hell right now, and neither of us is an angel.”

“Sleep in the cage with me tonight and I’ll show you heaven, Doc. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a woman as much as I want you right now. Sorry if the speed of my interest offends your sensibilities. I’m listening to a little voice that keeps yelling inside me. It’s saying this may be my one and only chance to get you to see I’m more than just some super soldier machine in need of fixing.”

Kyra felt her lip tremble and bit it hard to make it stop before she answered. “I already know that about you. That’s why I’m doing this. Now don’t make me like you any more than I already do.”

“See? I knew you liked me,” Peyton bragged, wishing she’d come a lot closer. She smelled amazing.

Kyra wondered if Peyton’s desire for her was a lingering after-effect of all those years of Cyber Husband programming? He would have studied her file extensively because Norton would have made him do so. He would have learned all he could about her likes and dislikes. That’s how the program worked. She purposely hadn’t removed that chip because she needed him to like her at least a little for just a while longer.

Peyton stared at the woman’s disappointed face. She looked ready to cry and he couldn’t stand seeing her that way. “How about a kiss to test your theories about us, Doc? Just one. I need it and I think you need it too. You already admitted you weren’t married. Look—my wrists are still chained to the chair. What could one kiss hurt? Come on—what do you say?”

Kyra sighed. She was as exasperated with him as she was charmed by his pleading. Tomorrow Peyton Elliott was going to hate her. She was one hundred percent sure of it because it had been proven true twice already before him.

Tomorrow when Peyton Elliott knew the truth, he would hate his life and those who had consigned him to his living hell. Tomorrow the machine would be partially back and Peyton would not be this light-hearted, mostly human version of himself. He would be a new kind of redefined cyborg. While no one knew what that was going to be like—not even her—she would bet her retirement Peyton was still going to hate her after he integrated the present with his past.

“Please—one kiss, Doc. That’s all I’m asking,” Peyton whispered.

Kyra sighed loudly. “You’re a hard man to say no to and today I’m a sentimental fool. Close your eyes, Captain. I haven’t kissed a man in a long time. I can’t look at you or I’ll lose my nerve.”

When Peyton sighed dramatically in return and leaned his head back, Kyra climbed on the electrical shield at the bottom of the operating chair until she was standing between his legs. Heat emanated from every inch of the man and he still smelled a little like burnt circuitry. Yet underneath that stark reality, Peyton also smelled masculine and very alluring.

Kyra sighed again. “I wish I could send you out the door to live whatever kind of life you want just as you are right now. That’s what you deserve, Captain Elliott. I want that badly for you, but I can’t make it happen. Your cybernetic enhancements require you to retain knowledge of how they work. Too much is at stake and the outcome of your healing affects more than just the two of us. But thank you for giving me a glimpse of why putting you through this hell is so important. This moment—it’s very humanizing for both of us—to want to be kissed and then be kissed. Thank you for sharing this moment with me.”

“Man, you sure talk a lot. Still waiting for that kiss, Doc,” Peyton said. He was keeping his eyes tight and his mind off how sexy she sounded when she got all philosophical.

Kyra snorted at his chastising. She touched her lips to Peyton’s and instantly found her bottom one nipped aggressively between two rows of even teeth. Moaning at the delicate trap he’d set for her, her body tipped forward against his and she had to catch herself on his wide shoulders. Her hands slipped over them and down his chest without her mind questioning the action.

When she moaned against his mouth, Peyton ordered himself to turn loose. After he did, he stared hard at the lip he’d bitten. The woman wanted him. He could taste it, smell it, and damn it he wanted her too. It was exhilarating to feel such pure desire flowing so freely through his cells.

A demand to sate that intense longing came from some desperate part of him that was both familiar and strange at the same time. What the hell was happening to him mind? It was both relieving and like finally waking up after being asleep for too long.

“Climb up here and give me a real kiss, Doc. And don’t be so damn stingy with sharing your tongue. I intend to use it to imagine what else I’m going to do when you cut me loose from this freaking chair.”

Groaning at how aroused he’d just made her with his sexy declaration, Kyra climbed into Peyton’s large lap to straddle him. It gave her better access to his mouth and the chance to indulge just a little more as she eased her hips down on him. She sighed at her nearly out-of-control feelings and touched her forehead to his.

“The only reason I’m doing this is because I know you’re going to take great pleasure in ridding yourself of this memory tomorrow. I won’t blame you for that action, Peyton. I think it’s the smartest thing you could do.”

“Stop whining about what hasn’t happened yet, Doc. It’s damn cruel to suggest this instant attraction between us is nothing. Now kiss me like you want to—and damn it I know you want to. I am a cyborg, you know.”

He ordered his processor to store the image of her face just as she caved into his demand and dipped her mouth to his. Her lips were lush and hot and wet, and her kiss was the most deliriously wonderful experience he could recall happening in ages. He watched her eyes close in pleasure as he strained towards her, but froze in the chair when he saw two tears run down her face. A second later, tears were flowing off her chin in two tiny, steady streams.

“What? What is it, Doc? What’s wrong with this? The attraction is mutual, isn’t it? We’re alone in here just the two of us. I’m wearing too many damn restraints to do much harm to you. Hell, keep the chair restraints in place woman—just be with me before I die from wanting you.”

“I can’t. I can’t take advantage of you, no matter what I’m feeling,” Kyra said, lifting her arm to swipe at her eyes. “Thank you for the sexy kiss, Captain. It’s been a very, very long time since I felt anything remotely close that level of desire for a man. Even if you wipe this away, I’ll never forget it—or you.”

Kyra slid reluctantly off his lap and straightened her clothing. “I’m going to release the last of the chair restraints now. Please keep your distance so I don’t have to use the controller. I’ve hurt you enough in the last couple of days.”

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon Link

Barnes and Noble

Itunes

Kobo

REVIEW

Kyra is a scientist that has helped develop cyborgs. Now the technology is being used to enslave the soldiers that helped fight the war, women to make them into the perfect wives, but what really broke Kyra was when parents started using the technology to control their kids. 

Now she's trying to rectify her mistakes. She's trying to return the soldiers back to a more human state. After two failures where the cyborgs died she has one last chance. 

Captain Peyton Elliot was a Marine in the war, now he's being sold as a "husband" to the highest bidder. He fights for control over his programming every day.  When he is delivered to Kyra he is instantly drawn to her and not in a "she's my wife, I have to please her" programming way. After Kyra removes his chips and he wakes up in her lab all he wants to do is drag her into his lap and have his way with her. When she tells him what he's been doing for the last ten years and her part in it, he is angry but he still wants her. 

Is it just programming that causes Peytons senses to react to Kyra or has his human side actually bonded with her?  Kyra is unable to trust his responses but can't keep herself away from him. 

Kyra and Peyton have their work cut out for them if they are going to save any more of the cyborgs. Together they want to free the men and women who've unwittingly become slaves. Danger and intrigue follow them as they fight for what they believe.  

I must admit that it took me a few chapters to get into this book, but once I did I was hooked. Peyton is funny and charismatic, and really who wouldn't want an enhanced man who was taught to please women? Kyra is a strong woman who's overcome some really shitty things done to her by her ex-husband, but around Peyton she is shy and vulnerable. These two make a great couple. 

I would love to read about how the rest of Peyton's team finds their way after being released. 

I give this book a 3.5 star rating.

Donna McDonald

www.donnamcdonaldauthor.com

Donna McDonald is an active dreamer and finds writing to be the best way to use her creativity.

Needing to satisfy both sides of her brain, she is a cross-genre author of contemporary, fantasy, and paranormal romances. Her books appear on bestseller lists for humor, romantic comedy, space opera, and more.

She craves laughter from her readers and focuses her attention on making that happen as often as possible. She loves to hear from anyone who has read her books.

Here’s the other bio version I use:

Donna McDonald considers herself blessed to be a best-selling author in Contemporary Romance, Humor, and Paranormal Romance. Paranormal reviewers are calling McDonald "a literary alchemist effortlessly blending science fiction and romance". Contemporary and humor reviewers often write to tell her that the books keep them up laughing all night. She likes both compliments and hopes they stay true forever.

Her idea of success is to be sitting next to someone on a plane and find out they are laughing at something in one of her books. She hopes that will be you.

Cover Reveal ~ Light Shadows by SL Jennings

Blurb

Twenty-one years ago, Gabriella's life was stolen from her before it even began.

Orphaned at birth and encompassed in a fortress of lies to protect her identity, she never truly understood her purpose on this earth. But now that she has ascended, embracing her destiny, the ghosts of her past have come back to haunt her.

Even with insurmountable power running through her veins, part of Gabriella is irreparably broken. And with old enemies working to destroy the tiny shred of normalcy she has left, she'll be forced to face the ugly truth about Dorian, the man she chose to love despite his darkness.

Everything she loved is a lie, and everyone she thought she knew is a stranger. And now that Gabriella is about to be thrust into the battle of her life, she discovers that she may be fighting for the wrong side.

*This is book 3 of The Dark Light Series, the highly anticipated conclusion to Gabriella and Dorian's beautifully tragic love story.

 

Excerpt

I finally turn to Dorian to find him naked and so close that my breasts press against the top of his abs. My lips part automatically, but he doesn’t kiss me. He never gives me what I want—just what I need.

“You want to explain that look earlier?” he deadpans looking down at me, his voice low and sinister.

“What look?” I slide my hands up onto his shoulders, yet he still doesn’t touch me.

“Between you and my brother. And don’t lie. I know when you lie. And it will just make it worse for you.”

Without looking him in the eye, I give him a carefree smile. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Suit yourself.”

He's kissing me hungrily, angrily, painfully before I even know what's happening. His greedy hands cup my breasts, so swollen for him, and pinch my nipples hard enough to leave a lingering sting. I yelp into his mouth and he nips my bottom lip with his teeth.

“Hurts, doesn’t it?” he rasps, pulling away just enough to utter the words. He doesn’t even give me a chance to answer before he’s kissing me again, smothering my little whimper and whines with his lips and tongue.

Still devouring my resistance, he parts my thighs and cups my sex possessively, as if he's holding a rare jewel in the palm of his hand. Then, without warning or provocation, he sinks two fingers inside of me to the knuckle.

"What are you doing, Dorian?" I manage to gasp against his demanding lips.

He looks at me—wild with lust or fury or both. I feel myself grow hotter and a bead of sweat trails its way between my breasts. Dorian doesn’t even think about it. He bends his head and licks the salty droplet, his tongue not stopping until his lips are at my jaw. His voice is gruffer than I have ever heard it and it frightens and entices me. "Reminding you."

I blink once...twice...before good sense returns. "Of what?"

He eases his fingers out slowly, those pale blue eyes lit with passion trained on me, before pushing them back in to the hilt. "Who owns this."

His face is buried in my neck in the next second and he inhales deeply, breathing me & fingering me all at once. Bringing us both to heaven with such deviant acts. I try to swallow my screams as his skillful fingers beckon my orgasm, commanding I come for him, but he won't have it. His other hand fists a handful of my hair and pulls so hard that my head snaps back, ensuring that I can see him and only him.

"Scream for me."

 

Dark Light

(Dark Light #1)

Amazon

B&N

The Dark Prince

Dark Light #2

Amazon

B&N

Nikolai

A Dark Light Novella

Amazon

B&N

About the author:

S.L. Jennings is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romance, reality TV junkie, obsessive coffee drinker and collector of crazy.

Facebook / Twitter / Website

 

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Day & Giveaway! Relentless Rhythm by Michelle Mankin

Michelle Mankin is excited to share her new release Relentless Rhythm (Tempest Series)! Make sure to add to your Goodreads, order your copy & enter the GIVEAWAY below!

Release date: October 9, 2014

Come join our Release Day & Blog Tour Event

The one she really wants is out of reach.

The one he really needs is already taken.

Dizzy Lowell, rhythm man for the rising rock band Tempest is a wizard on the guitar and a wonder with women. But the hookup specialist hides his emotional scars beneath his suave exterior. He never lets anyone truly touch him.

April Reynolds, the confident bartender of the Diamond Mine, knows her way around a cocktail, but Dizzy has her all mixed up. She knows what’s safe. She’s tired of settling, though. It would be so easy to fall under his spell.

Except for that ring around her finger.

Two searching souls separated by a thin metal band.

Some dreams are dangerous.

Some secrets shouldn’t be shared.

Sometimes what we wish for most can never be.

*Each book in the Tempest series features a different band member and can be read separately, but would be even more enjoyable if read in order**

Tempest series:

Irresistible Refrain: http://amzn.to/SFJ96J & Audible: http://bit.ly/1vOTPPm

Enticing Interlude: http://amzn.to/1gelLT3

Captivating Bridge: http://amzn.to/RT7AMV

Michelle Mankin is the author of the Black Cat Records series of novels.

Romance with subtext.

Reimagining classic stories with sexy rock stars and thought provoking issues.

For many years she worked in the insurance industry as an underwriter. Somehow, the boredom didn't kill her but the hours and hours of looking at facts and figures provided ample time for her mind to wander.

Black Cat Records in Vancouver provides the central backdrop for all of Michelle’s current novels. Love Evolution, Love Revolution, and Love Resolution are a Brutal Strength centered trilogy, combining the plot underpinnings of Shakespeare with the drama, excitement, and indisputable sexiness of the rock 'n roll industry.

Things take a bit of an edgier, once upon a time turn with the Tempest series. These pierced, tatted, and troubled Seattle rockers are young and on the cusp of making it big, but with serious obstacles to overcome that may prevent them from ever getting there.

When Michelle is not prowling the streets of her Texas town listening to her rock music much too loud, she is putting her daydreams down on paper or traveling the world with her family and friends, sometimes for real, and sometimes just for pretend as she takes the children to school and back.

Brutal Strength series:

Love Evolution: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0080ZCZ14

Love Revolution: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A6DE8IG

Love Resolution: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CC705J0

Connect with Michelle Mankin on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Michelle-Mankin/233503403414065

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichelleMankin

On her website: http://www.michellemankin.com/

Receive the Black Cat Records newsletter: http://eepurl.com/Lvgzf

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For A Reason by Jessie G BT & Review

For A Reason by Jessie G.

Publisher: Jessie G Books (October 1, 2014)
Pages: 304 pages
Genre: MM, Erotica, Romance

For A Reason Blurb:

Former Marine and full time big brother, Bull Connor, spends his days helping those in need of a second chance and his nights fighting the inner demons that won’t let go. During a routine tow he comes face to face with the only person who refuses to need him and the one man he wishes would.

As a throw away, Ian Jones is used to being alternately overlooked or ridiculed but hasn’t given up on the idea that with just one chance he could turn it all around. Rescued by the one man who neither overlooks nor ridicules him, he longs to be more than a man in need, but can he be the man Bull loves?

Ian isn’t pining for the family he’s never known but when they descend, unwanted and uninvited, Bull must prove that he’s the man who will protect Ian’s long neglected heart by sharing the demons that torment his wounded soul.

Review:
Bull is the type of guy that saves the world. He was a Marine and watches over his family with a hawks eye. Ian grew up in foster care. He's known from an early age that no one would ever want him.

Ian is driving to a job interview one day when his car breaks down. Bull is the tow truck driver that saves him. When Bull sees where Ian is living, a run down, drug infested tenement, he refuses to leave the man there. He takes Ian home.

Bull lives over his garage. He's built up a good clientele and he has a loyal crew but he is missing someone to share his life with. Ian has never known a family and when he is thrown into this one he starts to thrive. Ian also starts to save Bull, initially by seeing him through his nightmares and eventually making his life complete.

I loved the scene when Ian sees Bull for the first time on the side of the road. You can see the scene play out in your mind. I love Bull, he's such a teddy bear with Ian although he's hard as nails with others. I also love the fact that Ian comes in and sees things in Bull's life that need work and just goes ahead and fixes them.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more from this series!

For A Reason Buy Links:

Amazon            Amazon UK

Author Bio:

Before I am a writer, I am a voracious reader who panics when there are less than fifty books on her wish list. That wasn’t always the case and shamefully I must admit there was a time early in life that I hated to read. After throwing every possible age appropriate book my way a relative snuck me my first romance and I have been hooked ever since.

My love of reading morphed into a desire to write and I still have old notebooks and floppy disks full of ideas and partially written plots. While earning my computer degree, and starting on my career and family, I didn’t write a single word. It wasn’t until I was buying school supplies for my oldest son that the itch came back. Oddly, I can sniff out the stationary aisle in any store and have been known to skip an item on the grocery list in favor of a shiny new notebook.

With the advent of social media I filled up my feeds with my favorite authors hoping to glean some words of wisdom as I pounded out half formed ideas with alarming regularity. Two repetitive themes emerged: To be a great writer you must read a lot and your butt must be in the chair every day like it’s a job. Even if you write dribble, you’re writing. The more you write, the easier it will be to write and the better you will get at writing.

Every day I took the time to write dribble, every day I told myself I was a writer, and on January 28, 2014 I woke up in the middle of the night with Past Hurts pounding in my head. Within two months, I also had the foundation for Books 2 and 3 and the Sizzling Miami Series was born.

When I’m not reading or writing, I own a successful web design business. My husband and I live in Central Florida and we’re enjoying life as parents of adults. Whenever possible we hit the road on the motorcycle and dare anyone to find us.

Social Links: 

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessieGBooks 

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jessiegbooks/ 

Tumblr (NSFW 18+): http://jessiegbooks.tumblr.com/ 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jessiegbooks 

Amazon Author Page: amazon.com/author/jessieg

For A Reason Giveaway #1:

Amazon copy of For A Reason. Just comment below and tell me "Have you ever gotten a tow?" Be sure to include your email address so Jessie can contact you.



For A Reason Giveaway #2:

2 $25 Amazon eCard

1 Set of For A Reason & Past Hurts eBook (.mobi)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Post & Review After the End by Sara York

I'd like to welcome Sara York to the blog! She's written a wonderfully touching story After The End about two young men facing a very different life then either of them planned.

Things rarely turn out how we think. I remember having dreams and ambitions when I was in high school. Almost a quarter of a century since graduation, most everything I was positive would happen, hasn’t. I’m very happy with how my life has turned out. I love my kids, they are two of the greatest people I know. My marriage is good. It has lasted 23 years, so I’d say that it’s better than I really thought it would be. I’m not doing the job I thought I would be doing, but being an author is so much better than anything else I would have done. I do struggle with blog posts, but otherwise the writing is good.

Anyway, William and Dean have plans for after graduation, but everything changes when the Ebola virus mutates and spreads. Both William and Dean have choices they need to make at the end of high school. William’s choices leave him in Atlanta, but Dean is planning on moving to Boston. Dean has had it rough and needs to get away. When William gives him money, it drives a wedge between them that is so deep that it seems like nothing can bring them back together. However, the end happens and William and Dean are forced to rely on each other.

Love forged in the flames has the potential to be deeper. William goes searching for Dean, and brings him back to his house. In those first few days, Dean is unsure how he feels. In that uncertainty, Dean works through his issues, but nothing is how either one of them thought it would be.

I think the instability both William and Dean experience helps them to grow. They both become better men because of what they go through. I hope you enjoy their story. Both Dean and William are true heroes. They become stronger through the adversity as they learn what love really is.

Excerpt

The sharp sound of a siren jolted Dean awake. He slapped William’s chest and started to stand but got tangled up in the sheets. The floor came at him and he tumbled, bracing for the impact.

“Oof.” The air was knocked from his lungs, but he didn’t stay still. He started moving again, kicking his legs free from the sheets. “Will,” Dean screamed.

William groaned and said something, but Dean couldn’t make out the words over the loud noise. He moved to the wall, searching for the light switch. Nothing happened.

“The lights, they won’t turn on.”

William was beside him, his hands on the switch with Dean’s. They both flipped the lights then clutched each other. Dean reached for the door but William grabbed his hand.

“Don’t, it could be hot.”

Blood roared through Dean’s ears and the room spun. “Shit, I didn’t even think of that.”

“We need clothes. If the house is on fire, we should grab more than what we need right now.”

“Fuck.” Dean bent and searched frantically for their clothes. He picked up a pair of underwear then another, one was big, the other smaller. Something crashed downstairs and he jumped. He dropped the underwear then picked them back up, sliding on the smaller pair.

“Will, underwear?”

“What?” William stepped out of the closet. Though Dean couldn’t see his expression, he knew he was pissed.

“Underwear, here.” He tossed the underwear and William grabbed it from the air before ducking back into the closet. Dean heard a zipper and wondered what William was doing, but he didn’t go look. He tugged on the borrowed shorts and pulled on a shirt, not caring if it was his or William’s.

“What are you doing?” Dean called out.

“Getting some sweats and hoodies. The weather may be getting warmer, but it’s still cold out at night.”

Panic filled him when another crash sounded. He could hear the angry spit and pop from the fire. The noise grew louder, and he wondered how much time they had. “God, where are we going to stay?”

“I have a small tent in here. Let me grab it.”

Another crash from below and he jumped. “Damn it, William. The house is on fire. We don’t have time.”

“Babe, just let me grab some stuff.” William yelled, his voice going high. “My room is over the side porch. We can climb over the roof to the balcony. It’s only a five or six foot drop from there. Then we can go down the stairs by the pool.”

“Shit. How bad do you think it is?” The tone William used made Dean pause. He’d been upset and now William was even more upset. They needed to calm down if they were going to get out of this alive.

“No clue, but there is a fire suppression system. We’ll be okay in here as long as the water sprinklers don’t turn on.” William stepped out of the closet and Dean went to him.

“We’ll be okay, right?”

“I swear I’ll do all I can to make sure we’re oaky. If the sprinklers come on, run to the window and get out. For now, here is a sleeping bag. We might need this.”

William continued packing and Dean stuffed the bag along with some clothes into a backpack that William had given him. He went back into the bathroom and grabbed his bag that he’d tossed in to the room earlier in the day. Money might not be needed now that the world was going to hell, but they didn’t know that for sure yet and he didn’t want to be caught without cash if he needed it.

William stepped out of the closet with a flashlight that illuminated the room. Dean glanced to the door and saw that a bit of smoke was seeping into the room. He was glad he hadn’t opened it earlier.

“I don’t hear any sirens. My parents have an alarm that ties directly to the fire station. If there are any firemen left, they’ll be coming to help.”

“What if there is no one to help?”

“Then we’re on our own. We can deal with anything. You and I are both strong.”

Dean took William’s hand and tugged him close. “I’m scared.”

“Me too.”

Blurb:

With international flights crisscrossing the skies on an hourly basis, are we ever really safe?  When a strain of the Ebola virus mutates; it spreads quickly leaving the medical community shattered. People are dropping in the streets and life, as most know it, comes to an end. Two city dweller survivors, Dean and William, are forced to flee the city and live in the wilderness—where dangers lurk behind every tree and in every valley. Not everyone alive after the end is good, and William and Dean are faced with challenges that would bring many to their knees.  Growing up in the hood of Atlanta, Dean knows how to overcome trials, but he knows nothing of love. Can he sustain a relationship with William, or will his doubts end them before they even have a chance?  From birth William has had a silver spoon in his mouth and two in each hand, but the end brings him face to face with reality where he has to take responsibility for his life. After the end, money has no meaning, and life is lived on the edge.  Join William and Dean after the end and find out how close to the edge they come. 


REVIEW:
Talk about a book hitting home.  With both the ebola scare and the severe respiratory virus sending kids to the hospital around the country this book is timely to us all.

Dean is a senior in high school. He goes to a school on scholarship that is so out of his league he has hidden where he lives from everyone at school. William is the golden boy. His parents have his whole life planned out, including how many kids he will have with the girl he marries. Unfortunately William is gay.

William and Dean have been having sex for a while now. Hiding their hook-ups and when William offers Dean money after they have sex Dean takes offense. After he leaves William is contacted by his parents who are in London. He hears them die on the phone right after they warn him to stay inside and hide until the initial outbreak has passed. Once he gets over his shock the one person he wants to save is Dean.

Dean reluctantly comes back home with William but when William's house is set on fire they have to run for their lives. While Dean has taken care of himself for years this is a whole new world. Finding somewhere for them to stay and a way to live off the land while realizing what they mean to each other is the crux of the story.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I enjoyed it thoroughly. The characters are well thought out and represented. There is enough action to keep the story moving along. I would give this one 4 stars.

The Author:
Writing is Sara York's life. The stories fight to get out, often leaving her working on four or five books at once. She can't help but write. Along with her writing addiction she has a coffee addiction. Some nights, the only reason she stops writing and goes to sleep is for the fresh brewed coffee in the morning. Sara enjoys writing twisted tales of passion, anger, and love with a good healthy dose of lust thrown in for fun.
Website: http://sarayork.com/sarayork/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sara.york1?fref=ts
Twitter: @sarayork: https://twitter.com/sarayork

Release Day~ Twin Reasoning by Dee Avila

Title: Twin Reasoning

Series: Pool Boys #1

Author: Dee Avila

 Release Date: October 6, 2014

Synopsis

Sloan Smith built a wall around his broken heart. After his ex-girlfriend crushed him, he threw himself into the only thing that mattered: his future.

Sloan’s life consisted of two things: the gym and sleep. The discipline it took to build his physique and push himself further than ever was worth it. Until his twin brother Sebastian presented him with a job, he couldn’t refuse. The money he would make with Divine Services would help him enter as many Body Building competitions as he could and help him reach his goal of being on stage in Vegas, sooner.

Katelynn Ashton, the only girl he cared about, couldn’t have chosen a worse time to admit her feelings for him. No matter how Sloan felt about her, he wouldn’t start a relationship with her while he was a Pool Boy.

Amazon US:  http://amzn.to/1uOGYxO

Amazon UK:  http://amzn.to/1n7Q5Hf

Add to Goodreads

Links to Buy

Insert purchase links here

Excerpt

I am not looking forward to tonight. We are meeting Madame Elleanor and Kyle, an old high school buddy of ours, at a small, local bar. My dipshit of a brother found us a job; well, two actually. Elleanor owns a pool cleaning service that is more like a front for an escort service. Sebastian begged me to go to this meeting and keep an open mind about joining their businesses.

I need the money. I have bodybuilding competitions coming up and could use the money for registration. I began getting involved in the bodybuilding scene during my junior year of high school but, at twenty-three, this will be my first year to compete. I have packed on close to twenty-five pounds of muscle since graduating. It is hard work and takes a lot of discipline, but is well worth it. Someday, I will be on the stage in Las Vegas competing for Mr. Olympia.

Sebastian squeals the tires as we round a corner. Pulling into the parking lot, I see Kyle’s beat up old Dodge parked three spots in. Back at, Ashlane High, Kyle Ashton was a senior when we were freshman. Sebastian ran into him, again, a few months ago and they had been hanging out together ever since. Kyle bartended at Eric’s, the bar were we just parked. Even though the bar is in the heart of San Jose, it is chill. I’ve been here my fair share of times. There are many regulars and TV’s to watch sports. The older jukebox still sounds good and isn’t insanely loud, like at a club. It is the perfect spot to have this meeting and discuss our new adventure. Yeah, right! Ok, maybe adventure isn’t the right word, more like fornication.

Sebastian pulls me out of my mental conversation by flinging my door open. “Dude, Slo, get out of the damn car.”

Fuck! I don’t want to do this. My brother had better realize he owes me. I step out of the car, straighten my button-down shirt, and mess with the sleeves I have rolled up to the elbow. “Fine. Let’s do this. But you, asshole, you owe me big!”

I follow him inside the dark bar, rounding a sharp corner and head for the bar along the far wall. I quickly scan the area and see it is nearly dead. Two older guys occupy one booth and a young woman sitting at the bar, alone, talking to the bartender. The place always smells of smoke and mildew, even though you haven’t been able to smoke in restaurants or bars for years. Sebastian marches ahead of me to the farthest, darkest, corner in the bar.

In the circular booth, Kyle sits next to a woman who couldn’t have been much older than we are. I take Elleanor in before we fully reach them. She is wearing a dark business suit and has her straw colored hair pulled back, neatly. She looks prim and proper, especially with the librarian glasses that sit on the tip of her nose as she reads over some paperwork.

“Hey, guys!” Kyle announces. Miss Prim and Proper pops her head up. Elleanor takes in every inch of Bash before shifting her eyes to me. Her thin lips twitch, but remain tightly sealed. Her left eyebrow quirks, drawing my attention to her ice blue eyes. If she didn’t look like such a bitch, she could be pretty.

“Ky, you didn’t mention they were twins.” Her high-pitched voice sounds like nails on a chalkboard to me. I couldn’t do this. This chick is irritating the shit out of me, already.

Kyle shrugs. “Didn’t think it mattered.”

Elleanor huffs before extending her hand out to us. “I’m Madame Elleanor.”

I watch my brother transform, flashing a grin my way before taking Madame Elleanor’s hand and pressing a kiss to it. “I’m Sebastian.”

“Sloan.” I’m not going to pretend I liked her.

“Alright, have a seat boys and we can discuss your future with Devine Services.”

As we sit down, the waitress brings over a margarita, two beers and a coke. Lifting one of the beers to my lips, I take a long pull from the bottle. Elleanor sips her drink and then starts talking, again. “I operate two businesses under one name. If I hire you, you will be required to work for both entities. Devine Pool Services and Devine Male Escorts. I don’t know how much Ky has told you about me, or my businesses, so I will explain how this works. That way there is no miscommunication.”

I don’t know what she wants from us at this moment, but she continues to wait, looking at us expectantly. I finally nod. “Got it.”

Clearing her throat, she hands us each a packet. “The pool business is legit and you will be cleaning pools. However, each house on your route has a female in need of a companion. Most of the time they are just looking for someone to talk to—lonely housewives, widowed younger woman, and occasionally they will request your presence at some function or another.”

“So, we have sex with the Desperate Housewives of San Jose? Awesome!” Bash belts out next me, relaxing into the back of the booth and taking in what he wants to hear from our boss.

“No. Sex is up to you. As far as what you are required from me, you will find a list on the second page of your packet. But, what I just stated pretty much sums it up. Companionship. These women are looking for a companion. With that being said, I do suggest you figure out pricing for your extracurricular activities, as they do ask for them. The price for that is up to you, with me getting a portion. All of this is covered in your handbooks.

“We will meet once a month to go over any complaints from you or your customers.  We will also discuss new customers and payments. I have an account set up for the ladies to pay online and then I pay you out of those deposits. Extracurricular activities are set up differently. You receive cash payment at the time of service and deliver me the percentage at the following month’s meeting. Are there any questions?”

“Yeah, will I be fired for not participating in the extra stuff?” I don’t want to be rude, but these ladies probably are dirtier than street hookers are. I don’t need my junk falling off; besides, I don’t think I can do this. If it’s just talking and hanging out with them after cleaning their pool, okay, maybe. Nope. I can’t, I’m going to have to bail on Sebastian. When we get home, I’m telling him I can’t do it.

“Not at all, as long as you clean their pool once a week and chat with them a little, you’re golden. Now at the back of the handout is a form for you to be tested, just in case. I need proof you’re clean.”

“Is that all? I need to go.” I start to slip out of the booth.

Bash grabs my arm. “Hold on. Madame Elleanor, when can we start? I’ll get my clean pass and be ready to work tomorrow. So will Sloan.”

“First, call me Elleanor. Second, my number is on everything in there; call me once you’re done with your tests and we can set up your routes.”

I am out of the booth and standing a foot away with my hands in my pockets. Bash jumps out of the booth, clapping his hands together. “Alright, we’ll talk tomorrow. It was nice meeting you, Elleanor.” He clutches her hand in his, placing a lingering kiss.  Releasing her hand, he reaches over and fist bumps Kyle. “See ya later, Ky.”

Sebastian’s laugh echoes throughout the nearly empty bar as he spins around and saunters toward the door.

“It was nice meeting you. See ya, Kyle.” I’m not promising her I’d call. If I have it my way, I won’t be joining the Divine Services team. I am going to kill Sebastian. I know he won’t let me get out of this, because I owe him. But, after this, we’re not going to be even; he is going to owe me, times ten.

Author Bio

Dee Avila is a mother of four that enjoys reading and writing. You can catch her at anytime with her note app open, people watching. She lives in a small community in California and loves to tie the small-town feel into her writing.

Author Links

FACEBOOK

TWITTER
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE
GOODREADS
NEWSLETTER SIGN UP

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway