Pages

Saturday, March 31, 2018

Pre-Order Blitz for THE REDEMPTION OF LILLIE ROURKE by Loree Lough

The Redemption of Lillie Rourke Tour Graphic
THE REDEMPTION OF LILLIE ROURKE
Bestselling Author Loree Lough
The Redemption of Lillie Rourke
Series: By Way of the Lighthouse Series Book 3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Harlequin Heartwarming
Publication Date: April 1, 2018
She'd worked for that second chance, but will he believe she has changed?
When she fled Baltimore after a near-fatal accident that left her dependent on painkillers, Lillie Rourke lost everything. Now, physically and emotionally healed, she’s ready to make amends and start over. But Jase Yeager has moved on, and who can blame him? Yet Lillie isn’t giving up—on her--or them. Earning back Jase’s trust won’t be easy, but Lillie’s no stranger to challenges…

Book Excerpt

The kid who’d offered to help him earlier now pecked keys on the register. “This sheet music is on sale,” he said, running the book across the scanner screen. “Are you a kindergarten teacher or something?”
Lillie grinned. “No, nothing like that. I volunteer at Hopkins Children’s Oncology every couple of weeks, and my material is getting stale. Those kids are going through enough without me, adding boredom to their list of complaints. Not that they complain. They’re the bravest little souls I’ve ever met.”
Lillie tended to ramble when nervous, and he felt bad that his nearness made her feel that way.
“My cousin was in there a few years ago,” the kid said, sliding another songbook over the screen. “Leukemia won.”
Jase watched as Lillie, ever the caring comforter, lay a hand atop his.
“I’m so sorry,” she said. “How old was he?”
“Fourteen.”
Her shoulders rose, then fell with a sympathetic sigh. How many times had he told her that her heart was bigger than her head? Too many times to count.
The cashier bagged her music, hit the register button to ring up her total. “It’s really nice, what you’re doing,” he said, handing her the receipt. “The thing Lance hated most about that place was how long the days were with nothing to do but watch TV and listen to his monitor beep.”
Jase had to agree…it was a nice thing she’d been doing.
She thanked the kid and turned to face Jase. “Well, it was a nice surprise, seeing you again.”
“Can you hang around a minute, just until I pay for this stuff?”
She looked surprised by his invitation. In truth, he’d surprised himself, extending it. But he couldn’t just let her leave.
“Okay,” she said. “I’ll wait for you over by the door.”
There was a time when, as she looked up at him that way, his heart had beat doubletime. But who was he kidding? It was happening, right now.
The kid made smalltalk with him, too, but Jase barely heard a word as he watched her from the corner of his eye. Silhouetted against the bright sunshine on the other side of the window, he couldn’t help but notice the way her chin-length hair curved and curled above her shoulders. She used to dress like a tomboy. Sneakers and jeans with comfy t-shirts, like she’d worn to plant flowers that day in her parents’ yard. But that little dress—
“All set,” the kid said, holding up Jase’s bag.
He thanked the boy and wasted no time, joining Lillie.
“You want to grab a cup of coffee?” He held open the door, hoping that slight frown didn’t mean she’d say no. “It’s only a short walk to Café Latte’da…”
“On Aliceanna Street. I remember.”
Of course she did, because before her addiction destroyed them they used to go there at least once a week to decide the order of the songs they’d sing at Three-Eyed Joe’s.
“So what do you say? I’ll treat you to a sandwich. Or pie. Or both.” Recalling her penchant for eating small portions, he added, “We could share…”
Her sweet, sad smile told him she, too, remembered all the meals they’d shared. And again, it made his heart beat a bit harder.
“I don’t have to be at work until six, so okay, pie and coffee it is.”
They were waiting for the light to change at Fleet and Aliceanna when she said, “This won’t upset Whitney, will it?”
“Why would it upset her?”
“I, well, that day at The Flower Basket, I got the impression she knows that we were a couple.”
“I haven’t been seeing her long, so I doubt she cares enough to be jealous.”
The image of that candlelit table flashed in his mind, proof that she cared. Clamping his jaw against a twinge of guilt, Jase said, “So how long have you had this Hopkins gig?”
“Couple months now.”
The light changed, and he pressed a hand to her back to guide her across the street. Not that she needed his assistance. Lillie had been walking to and from her folks’ inn to the restaurant and hotel for months. Still, it felt good, felt right, being this close to her again.
Inside Café Latte Da, Jase admitted that he’d skipped breakfast.
“The guy who’s forever reminding people it’s the most important meal of the day?” Lillie laughed. “Why!”
“Just got back from Florida, and didn’t have time to make a grocery run. My cupboards are as bare as Mother Hubbard’s.”
“I caught the last few minutes of the casserole demonstration. You were born to be a TV host.”
“Yeah, well… So I think I’ll get the chicken wrap. What about you? In the mood for something more substantial than pie?”
“Coffee’s plenty.”
“Thought I heard your belly growl earlier…”
Instinct made her press a palm to her stomach. “An espresso is plenty for now. I’ll whip up a sandwich or something before I clock in at the hotel.”
When she’d paid for the sheet music, Jase saw a lone ten dollar bill in her wallet. He knew her well enough to explain why she’d said no: Lillie had decided that until he could deposit every dime she’d borrowed, she wouldn’t take anything more from him. Unnecessary as that was, Jase respected her decision.
The sat at an empty table near the door—a rare occurrence on a Saturday afternoon—and settled in.
“Tell me about this volunteer work. When did you sign on for that?”
“A week or so after I got home, I gave in to a moment of self-pity.” She stared out the window. “It was time to stop focusing on me, and start focusing on others.” Eyes locked to his, she added, “Best—and worst—thing I have ever done.”
He didn’t get it, and said so.
“Life has put those kids through the wringer. Some of them are barely hanging on, but they’re hanging on. A person can’t help but admire the fight in them.” She sipped her espresso. “Hard to feel sorry for yourself after spending time with them.”
It made sense, considering how she’d always said that self-pity was the most dangerous of all human emotions.
“Must be tough, though, working that closely with them.”
“Only during the drive home.”
“Why?”
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “Because I never know which of them won’t be there when I go back.”
And not because they’d gone home, healthy, he surmised.
She started talking about individual kids, the conditions that put them into Hopkins, the parents and siblings that supported them, and the staff that cared for and comforted them. Hands folded on the table, Lillie said, “And then there’s Jason, the sweetest, cutest ten year old boy you’ll ever meet. He told me the other day that he wants to marry one of the girls—Sally—because his mom’s biggest regret is that she’ll never see him walk down the aisle with the girl of his dreams.”
Wiping away a wayward tear, she added, “Then he asked me if I’d sing at their wedding, and help him make arrangements. Flowers. Streamers. Punch and a cake.”
And he knew that she’d agreed to everything. Jase wanted nothing more at that moment than to take her in his arms, tell her what a terrific person she was. But he sat back, instead, and said, “How can I help?”
“Help? You?”
“Hey. Quit looking so shocked. I do nice stuff once in a while, you know.”
“I know that better than almost anyone,” was her quiet reply.
“Maybe we can work up a couple of tunes, two or three of the things we’d sing at Three-Eyed Joe’s when people were celebrating anniversaries…”
It meant spending time with her, alone, and Jase hoped the offer hadn’t been a big mistake.
“I think the kids might like that.”
She thought the kids might like it? Why the hesitation? And then it hit him: She was as afraid of being so close, of reliving warm and wonderful moments as he was.
“Then let’s put our heads together, figure out… When is this ceremony, anyway?”
“In two weeks.” There wasn’t a trace of a smile on her face when she added, “If he makes it that long.”
“Keep a good thought, Lill. If the kid is half as determined to do this for his mom, he’ll make it. And who knows? Maybe it’s just what he needs to push him closer to a cure.”
She brought the espresso cup to her lips and, nodding, met his eyes.
His high school Lit teacher had made the class memorize what she’d termed “love poems.” It surprised him that, after all this time, he was able to zero in on a line from Sir Walter Scott’s “Lochinvar”: She’d look’d down to blush, and she’d look’d up to sigh, with a smile on her lips and a tear in her eye…”
Yet again, Jase had to fight the urge to draw her into a comforting hug.
He cleared his throat. Sat up straighter. Downed a gulp of his iced tea. “So where do you think we should get together? My place? We’d have plenty of quiet and privacy there.”
Too much, too soon, he realized when her eyes grew big and round.
“The acoustics are great in the inn’s turret. I’m sure Mom and Dad won’t mind. In fact, they were just asking about you the other day. I’m sure they’d love seeing you.”
“Sounds good. I’ll be home for a month, so my schedule is pretty flexible. You’re the one who’s clocking a hundred hours a week, so…”
“I’m happy to see you haven’t changed much,” she said, laughing. “Still exaggerating like crazy…one of the things that made me crazy about you.”
She gasped a little when that last line came out and, hands over her mouth, Lillie said, “Good grief. I’m sorry, Jase. That was really inappropriate. And bad timing.”
“It’s neither, and it’s okay. Nothing wrong with concentrating on the good times. We had plenty of those before…”
If he’d been standing, Jase might have kicked himself, because things had been going really well until he put his big foot in his mouth. Lillie shoved the espresso cup into the center of the table, her way of saying their meeting was over. She’d gathered her things and stood, and he did, too.
“So should I call you? Or would you rather call me? About a time when we can get together. To rehearse, I mean.”
Rambling again. And again, he felt bad for raising her stress level. “Do you have a pen?”
Like magic, she produced one from her purse.
Leaning over the table, he scribbled three phone numbers on a napkin. “Home, cell, and office,” he said, “in that order. You can always get me on my cell. Call any time.” Call soon, he thought. As he pressed the napkin into her hand, their fingers touched. Not for long—a blink in time, if that—but long enough to send a current of longing straight to his heart.
He’d been behaving like some guilt-ridden goofball who’d dumped his best girl, when in reality, Lillie had ended them by choosing booze and pills over their relationship.
It hit him like a punch to the gut: Suggesting that they get together, for any reason, had been a bad idea. But maybe luck was on his side, and she’d hesitated earlier because she felt the same way. Jase hoped she wouldn’t call. And he hoped she would. Why had she come back, just when he’d gotten himself back on track, and turn order into chaos again?
Feeling miserable and confused, Jase held open the café door.
A tiny frown furrowed her brow. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Just remembered something I forgot to do.” Like…staying the heck away from her.
“Oh. Because you look…different.”
“Don’t mind me,” he said, leading the way across the street. “I’m a little annoyed with myself, is all, for forgetting…” He let his sentence trail off.
“I remember what a perfectionist you are, and how frustrated you get with yourself when you let something, no matter how trivial, slip through the cracks.”
Yeah, she knew him, all right. Their closeness is what allowed her to use him, time and again, to suit her I love drugs more than you needs.

About Loree Lough

Loree Lough
Bestselling author LOREE LOUGH once sang for her supper, performing across the U.S. and Canada. Now and then, she blows the dust from her 6-string to croon a tune or two, but mostly, she writes novels that have earned hundreds of industry and "Readers' Choice" awards, 4- and 5-star reviews, and 7 book-to-movie options. Her 115th book, 50 Hours, is her most personal to date, and released in June. More recently, The Man She Knew, book #1 in her “By Way of the Lighthouse” series (Harlequin Heartwarming) and Bringing Rosie Home. Next, #3 in the series, The Redemption of Lillie Rourke…and additional surprises for 2018, 2019, and beyond….
Official website: http://www.loreelough.com
Connect with Loree Lough on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Giveaway

WIN ONE OF FIVE FREE EBOOKS
The Redemption of Lillie Rourke Giveaway Graphic
Prizes up for grabs:
Five (5) eBook Copies of The Redemption of Lillie Rourke
Contest runs from March 29 - April 4, 2018.

In partnership with
Book Unleashed Logo

Release Blitz for A Little Spark by Amy K. McClung




Title: A Little Spark
Author: Amy K. McClung
Publisher: Hot Tree Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 31, 2018



Blurb

Sparks fly when sassy firefighter Jilli meets her match in Amy K. McClung’s enemies-to-lovers romance. 

When Sam and Jillian meet, the snark and sparks start to fly. Despite their intense attraction, words and actions are misunderstood, and miscommunication is rife. Will their stubbornness be their downfall or the start of something extraordinary?







Purchase Links

$1.99 (half price!) for a limited time

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU






Author Bio

Amy McClung was born in Nashville, TN. She is the second oldest of four girls and occasionally suffers from middle child syndrome. She met the love of her life online in August of 2004, on his birthday of all days, and married him in September 2005. Currently they have no human children only the room full of colorful robots that transform into vehicles and the large headed Pop Funko’s who represent their favorite characters. Collecting movies, shotglasses, Pop Funkos, and dust bunnies are some of her favorite pastimes. She began writing in September of 2011 and independently published her first YA novel called Cascades of Moonlight, Book one of the Parker Harris Series the following May. Her first book was a means of therapy for her as it enabled her to escape reality for a while during a difficult transition in her life.  


Author Links





Book Tour for Blood and Roses by Jordan Petrarca



Organized Crime Fantasy
Date Published:  June 2017

 photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png


Seven organized crime Families, known as the Seven Blessed Families, rule the World of Exodus and its people with the use of their mysterious magical artifacts, called Relics. Relics give powers to the Blessed members of the Families, and they use those powers for corruption and control of everything in Exodus.

Maretto Rose, the patriarch of the Rose Family, celebrates his 50th birthday by attending a performance at the Grand Theater with three of his four sons. The theater is attacked by the heir of the Cicello Family, Zasso Cicello. His mission is to abduct Maretto, but it fails when Maretto's son, Georgiano, fights Zasso to protect his father and family. Georgiano is ultimately slain and Zasso flees and goes into hiding. Now, the Rose Family must find where Zasso is hiding. They want answers. Who gave him the order for the attack, and what do they want with Maretto Rose? And most of all, they want revenge...But who could it be? A leader of a rival Family? Or someone or something else more powerful than they could imagine?

Meanwhile, Maretto's youngest son, Ric, must battle his demons and addictions in order to become a Blessed member of the Family and become the man he was destined to be, before he ends up being another dead junky on the street.

So, sit back and enjoy the ride, because in Exodus, gangsters make the world go round.









Excerpt


So far, it had been the perfect birthday for Don Maretto Rose.  Well, maybe not perfect.  His youngest son was not present for the celebration, and it hurt the powerful man very much on the inside.  But it was still as close as it was going to get to being perfect.

But sometimes, when you least expect it, the unexpected happens...And everything goes to hell.



Outside the Grand Theater, two black extended SUVs came flying from around a nearby skyscraper and hovered towards the ground.  They landed on the street directly in front of the red-carpeted entranceway.  As soon as they were grounded, the doors on each SUV flew open, and gangsters came pouring out like water from a spout.  One of the Rose Family guards and two theater security went into immediate action to stop the unwanted guests from entering the theater.  An array of other guards and security lined the stairs and main entrance.

            Now, a lot of the gangsters spilling out of the cars looked pretty much the same, dressed in regular black suits and fedoras, but there were two in particular that were dressed a little nicer and a little weirder.  They both took their good ole time striding towards the main guard as the other gangsters filed behind them.  The one in front was tall and lanky, wearing a royal blue suit with a matching necktie and white dress shirt.  He bore a blue fedora over his silvery black hair that hung down to his cheeks.  His eyes matched his hair, and his face was thin like his body.  He was draped in gold jewelry around his neck and had gemmed rings on almost every finger.  The pride in his walk signified that he was a man of importance.  And he was.  The man was none other than Zasso Cicello, son of Don Xanose Cicello.

            Walking closely behind, was a shorter man dressed in a shiny silver suit and black dress shirt.  His face was round but came to a point at his chin, and he bore a pair of sunglasses that could be mistaken for a couple of round mirrors.  His long and thin hair was shoulder length and was black with a bluish tint.  He, also, had a certain pride to his walk.  And that’s because he was Zasso’s personal protector and assassin, Razo Malvagio.

            As Zasso and Razo approached the main guard, he put up a hand to signal them to stop and said, “I’m sorry gentlemen, but this is a private viewing and you need to show credentials to enter the theater.”

            In the blink of an eye, Razo came whirling around Zasso, holding a pistol-gripped sawed-off shotgun.  It was pointed directly at the guard, and Razo didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger.  There was a loud burst, and then the guard’s hand exploded clean off his arm, along with half of his face.  His limp body collapsed on the red carpet.  A puddle of blood formed underneath the other half of his face.

            “There are my credentials,” Zasso said to the corpse.

            The two theater security guards reached for their firearms, but Zasso was too quick for them.  Like a gunslinger, he drew a small pistol from his waist and fired multiple shots.  Blood burst out of their chests, and they perished before they even touched their guns.  Zasso and Razo continued on, with their entourage following behind.

            The Rose Family guards and theater security wasted no time opening fire at the oncoming murderers.  They fired numerous times whether it was with a handgun or semiautomatic rifle.  But it was to no success.  Upon the masquerade of bullet-fire, Zasso raised a hand and magically constructed a transparent yellow force field that deflected the bullets.  Then, all hell broke loose.

            Zasso’s gangsters came storming around him and returned fire upon the guards and security.  Zasso and Razo went on the offensive as well with their short-arm weapons.  Blood started spilling, and bodies were falling everywhere.  When Zasso reached the bottom of the stairs, he extended his left hand and bolts of electricity spewed from his fingertips in the direction of his targets.  And at the same time, he kept on firing shots out of his pistol with his right hand.  His targets were electrocuted and blown away by bullets at the same time.  Zasso was Blessedwith magical powers by his Family’s Relic, which made him a very dangerous killer.

            While a few of his men were taken down, Zasso and Razo came away from the chaotic scene unscathed.  The Rose Family guards and theater security were all dead.  It was now time for them to enter the premises of the theater and accomplish what they came here to do.




About the Author


Jordan Petrarca lives in Erie, Pennsylvania with his wife and twin girls. "Blood and Roses" was inspired by his love for fantasy and organized crime stories.







Contact Links



Purchase Links

RABT Book Tours & PR

Friday, March 30, 2018

Featured Author: Derek Masters


Welcome Today's Featured Author
Derek Masters!!


Image may contain: 1 person, text

Riot - 
Free with Newsletter Sign-up - newsletter.derekmasters.com

Raven:
Going to college was supposed to give me a new start in a life. A life that Riot wasn't a part of. I was the bad girl who had gone good. At least, I thought I was.
One look at him was all it took to pull me back in, those eyes burning a fire deep inside my soul. I was able to save myself, so I knew I could save him too, but who in the hell was going to save me from myself? I'm too good for him. WAY too good for him. I should have stayed far away from this town, but now it's too late. I can't change what has happened.

Riot:
I've never allowed myself to get tied down. Sure, I may tie a girl to my bed, but that's as far as it goes. I'm the enforcer of my club. Fighting, F*cking, and Partying is what my world is all about.
Being me is all about taking chances, banging anything that catches my attention, and representing the patch that I wear proudly on my back. Those are the only things I'm guilty of. Murder? No way, regardless of what law enforcement says.
Protecting Raven was going to be harder than I thought. Inserting herself in the middle of a serial killer investigation and sticking her neck out on the line meant that I had to up my game. Challenge accepted! And while I'm at it, I'm gonna make her do a bit of squirming on my own. Does she hate me? Not yet but by the time I'm done with her, she might.




Share Me -
Publication Date: September 25, 2017

Amazon buy links:
CA - http://a.co/6NtC0c7          
UK - http://amzn.eu/8fHGSyo          

Could you handle your husband sharing you with other men?

Dillon's an established doctor, a complete professional, but he has a dark secret that his wife Kayla doesn't know about him. He fantasizes about sharing and watching her with other men.
Their marriage is on the rocks, and things only get worse when his wife accidentally stumbles across his shocking fantasies. Initially, Kayla thinks her marriage is in much more jeopardy than she ever realized and that her husband doesn't love her anymore.

But when she and Dillon begin to work through their problems, his desires become hers and she's determined to make them a reality.

Can their marriage survive their darkest secrets? Or will everything come to an end?








Image may contain: one or more people and text

Only You -  
The Only Series Book 1
Publication Date - October 30, 2017

Amazon Buy Links:
US - http://a.co/9ffRZ8Q          
CA - http://a.co/dqrUv6j          
UK - http://amzn.eu/iZgQhRx                 

We have a pact, we share everything, and now she’s about to tear it all apart.

Lucas and I are best friends. Some best friends share things, but we share everything—including women. It’s worked for so long that it’s completely normal for us, until we meet Penny. Her perfect body, her soft, supple curves and pouty lips are all I think about; all we think about.

Everything has always gone according to plan, but when she confesses her feelings for me, it completely changes everything that I thought was normal. I thought I could push it under the rug and pretend that she never said those things to me, but the more I see her with Lucas, the more jealous I become.

I don’t want what we have to end, but I can’t keep living a lie. Now I’m forced to choose between the pact that I made with my best friend or forget the woman who means everything to me. I can’t lose either one of them, but we all have to make choices.


Image may contain: 1 person, text

Image may contain: one or more people and text

Image may contain: one or more people, sunglasses and text

Image may contain: 1 person, text





Only Me - The Only Series Book 2
Publication Date - November 28, 2017

Amazon Buy Links:
UK - http://amzn.eu/8B6pAKa          

Our past destroyed us once, but I refuse to lose her again.

It only takes one mistake to ruin everything you’ve got, and I’ve made several of those. We spent so much time together: loving each other, hating each other, and, eventually, trying to get over each other, but I could never forget her. Every smile, laugh, and curve of her beautiful body was etched into my heart and soul.

I thought our love story was over, but fate brought us back together when I was least suspecting it.

When I lay eyes on her again six years later, I know things aren’t over—at least not for me. The moment I see her, a thousand unspoken words pass between us and all the feelings I’d lost come flooding back. But I have to ask myself, did I ever really heal or are the ghosts of our past too much to overcome?











Stalker -
Publication Date - January 8, 2018

Amazon Buy Links:

The moment I laid my eyes on her, I knew she was going to be mine. I also knew that I'd have to do everything I could to ensure that my past remained a secret. The trouble I'd been in shouldn't have to define my future.

I should have known that secrets can't stay hidden forever. Now that they're out, she's as frightened of me as everyone else. She wants nothing to do with me. She's ordered me to stay far, far away. She has no idea how deep my love runs and I'm not giving up on her. She can push me away as much as she wants but she will be mine, even if it's the last thing we do.








 

Twisted Steel -
Publication Date - February 12, 2018

Amazon Buy Links:
UK - http://amzn.eu/edFUx5f          

Some things are beautifully twisted.

I never wanted commitment.
I was perfectly content being part of the Sinner’s Syndicate.
The nights were crazy.
The girls were wild.
There were no expectations.
No strings attached.

But then I met Sara.

She is a beautiful, broken mess who’s getting herself into a whole lot of trouble running with a man like me. I’ll show her what happens to good girls who do bad things and when I’m done, she’ll never want to return to Suburbia again.

The thing is, I’ll never let her go back to living the civilian life. She’s my twisted angel— body and soul.










Bought - The Owned Series Book 1
Release Date - March 20, 2018


Hannah

There are no good men, only bad ones. The men from my past have proven this time and time again. I have no reason to think this one will be any different. One minute, I’m having dinner with my father and the next, I’m locked in a dark room waiting to be sold to the highest bidder. I can only imagine what kind of hell my life is about to become.

Reed

I am what I am. A sadist with a soul as dark as night. I’ve accepted this long ago. I wasn’t always like this. A man can only see so much evil until it changes him, haunts him,  and clouds the way he views the world. I swore to never let anyone get close to me, but there’s something about Hannah. She intrigued me. I wanted her. I needed to know what lies beyond that broken spirit. I had to have her...so I bought her.



 
 






About Derek Masters

Derek Masters grew up in Overland Park, Kansas and now lives in the immediate Kansas City, Missouri area.

When he's not writing, you can typically find him working out in the gym, watching the game at one of his favorite sports bars, or hanging out at the park with his dog, Bully.   


Author Links -

Newsletter: newsletter.derekmasters.com