5 stars

Promo Blitz: Lovely Trigger by R.K. Lilley (Review, Exclusive Excerpt, Book Trailer and Giveaways)

Title: LOVELY TRIGGER (BOOK #3)
Author: R.K. LILLEY

THE EXPLOSIVE CONCLUSION OF 
DANIKA AND TRISTAN’S STORY


THE IMPACT

Tristan hit rock bottom, and no one felt the impact harder than Danika. She was forced to see, in the most brutal of ways, that love does not conquer all. Bruised, bloody, and broken she had to walk away. 

THE AFTERMATH

Picking up the pieces of your life after a tragedy is a daunting prospect, and that’s considering you still own all of the pieces. But what if you don’t? What if someone else owns those pieces, and those pieces are a part of your soul?
You dig deep and work with what you’ve got. 
That’s what Danika told herself and believed, every single day, for years. 
Tristan and Danika’s love had failed every test that life had thrown at them. She couldn’t forget that, not for one second. And if those tests had been overly harsh, well, she wasn’t one to wallow in self-pity. The failure was the thing she had to focus on. The failure was the lesson. She had no intention of working so hard to make it out of hell without learning that lesson well. 

THE REUNION

Over six years after the night that changed everything, Danika finds herself forced to spend the weekend constantly in Tristan’s company, as they attend the wedding of two of their dearest friends. It’s been long enough that she feels they can be friendly again without it destroying her peace of mind, but just a small amount of time in his presence has her remembering something she had forced herself to forget: There’d been a reason she’d gone through hell with this man, for this man, some true good to precede the bad. 
She shocks herself by quickly giving in to a hunger that she never imagined could still consume her. 
Even the best intentioned denial has a breaking point. 

THE HARSH REALITY

After everything that’s happened, the rise and the fall, the pain and the aftermath, can these two navigate the waters of acute regret, survive the trials of coming face to face with all that they have lost, and find the strength to try again? 
This book is intended for readers 18 and up.


Have you ever read a book that was completely addicting, really moving (enough to make you cry), and almost perfect that you don’t know how to rate it?
Lovely Trigger is every reader’s dream. I felt I was given the ability to create my own relationship with Tristan and Danika, as well as take something from their challenges, their failures, and their triumphs. R. K. Lilley has officially spoiled me with rich characters; feelings that make me feel everything, intricate details, and the cool balance of romance, intimacy and complication that is dealt with so delicately and so passionately.
It is a beautiful exploration of how T&D’s choices and decisions in the past have shaped how they move forward. Their relationship has been shaken to a core in Rock Bottom. Lies, betrayals, questions left unanswered, words left unspoken and feelings left unexpressed. And this leads us to an epic and imperfect love story. In my mind, that is the best kind; because it’s authentic.
Love is never easy. Love is not without challenge. And we see the inner workings of a deep relationship from the get-go. The most intimate of details and moments are shared, and I felt like I was experiencing their relationship right alongside them; that even though I knew how it would all end, I’m still grateful I could watch how everything played out.
There’s something about Ms. Lilley’s work that makes me feel automatically at ease. Her writing feels organic, full of detail and real emotion, depicting the super highs and lowest lows of love and life. For practically all of my other reading, it takes a good chunk of pages before I’m “in it” but give me five pages of a RKL’s story and I am completely comfortable.
I’ve wracked my brain trying to figure out how she makes her characters so human — flaws and all — and I come up short every single time. Because it just happens. It is so natural how these characters live and breathe on the page, even when I disagree with their actions and especially when everything becomes right in their worlds.
Lovely Trigger never feels like one character or plotline is getting ignored. Nothing feels under developed. There is not one storyline left unanswered. It made me swoon, it made me cry, and it made me feel so many things relative to my own life right now.
It’s one of those books that I was sad to finish; I noticed myself feeling more and more attached to the story as time passed. This is truly a testament to R.K.’s writing and how much her craft has grown; she’s not relying solely on a love triangle to create tension but instead has found a natural balance between family, romance, and friendships. I can’t wait to read it again and again.
Nothing in this world could have prepared me for the overwhelming amount of love I feel for this book. A gem that has solidified R.K’s spot on my most treasured author’s list.
Lovely Trigger is an experience. It is hands down one of the best book I have read so far in 2014, and probably in my top 5. I guarantee it is going to take a long time before I feel this strongly about another novel. Stop what you are doing and go read it now!

I didn’t trust myself Danika, I needed my sobriety. I’m nothing without it, and you were a lovely trigger for me. I knew that if you looked at me like that again, I’d hit rock bottom, and this time I wouldn;t come back for it.

DANIKA
I was expecting it. I wasn’t even a little bit surprised when Frankie made a point of cornering me.
She and I weren’t the type of friends that fought. We gave each other shit on a regular basis, but that little scene earlier was as good as a full-on confrontation for us.
I’d known she was going to feel bad about it, and quickly try to make it better.
The reception was still in full swing when I returned to the party. I’d have been surprised if it didn’t go until morning.
I made my way quietly to my table, very acutely aware of the fact that, though I’d cleaned up as well as I could in a hurry, I hadn’t showered. I was planning to slip away and do that just as soon as I thought it was politely possible.
Frankie joined within a minute of me sitting down. She was alone. Almost everyone else from the wedding party was dancing. Estella was currently going to town as the dancing meat in a Stephan and Javier sandwich.
“You remember that I set you two up, right?” I asked her as I met her very serious eyes. “You owe me. I brought that hot thing into your life.”
She shot her longtime girlfriend a fond glance. “I know it.” Her face crumpled slightly, not a breakdown, not tears, just screwed up a bit, as though she were in pain. She looked away. “You know I love you, right?”
It was my turn to look away. We were close friends, but not the mushy kind. Things like this were rarely said between us. “I do. I love you too. You’re one of my closest friends, and I know that your heart is always in the right place.”
“Forgive me?” Her voice had gotten very very quiet. “I overstepped back there. I know it. It’s just so hard for me to see him suffer any more, and no one can hurt him like you can. But I overreacted. I was a dick, and I’m sorry.”
“Frankie, I’m well aware of the position we’ve put you in, and how hard it’s been for you, but you’ve got to stop interfering, and you’ve got to stop thinking it’s your job to protect him, or even me. We are adults, and we don’t need a buffer, much as I might like one, may even have depended on it in the past. He and I…we need to sort our messes out ourselves.”
“Of course. And for the record, I never took his side. Or yours. You know I’m always just trying to help whichever one of you is hurting the most.”
“I know. We’re both lucky to have you.”
I considered the matter settled, and apparently so did she, as she didn’t mention it again. We sat there for a long time, just watching the revelry.
There were a lot of people in the colossal reception tent, but I could still tell that there was no sign of Tristan. He hadn’t returned yet, and I found that odd. I was sure he’d gone and cleaned up, but he couldn’t possibly need more time than I had, even if he’d taken the time to get in an actual shower, and to change.
I was so involved with this thought process that it took me a moment to realize who else was so glaringly missing. “Did James and Bianca ditch out on the rest of their own reception, already?”
Frankie laughed. “I would bet a lot of money that they’re off in the forest somewhere, having a quickie. James is a kinky fuck, but they’ll be back.”
We continued to watch the dancing crowd. “Who is that Marnie and Judith are assaulting on the dance floor?”
Frankie squinted, then started laughing. “That’s Jackie’s dad. Marnie is making it clap for him. I think Jackie was right. They’re going to give that poor man a heart attack. And get a load of Lana and Akira. They’re making out like teenagers. God, that guy is huge.”
“He’s hot,” I added.
“So is Lana. And this is the first time I’ve met her brother, Camden, but he’s smokin’. This tent is chalk full of hot people.”
“True. Some good dancers too.”
Finally I saw Tristan re-enter the tent. He stopped at the entrance, scanned the crowd, and zeroed in on me. The second his eyes touched on me, he started striding towards our table.
“Did you two, uh, work out whatever that was you two were having? Was it a fight?”
I couldn’t quite hide my wince. “Yeah, I guess we worked it out.” “So you finally had a good talk? You both disappeared for a while.” “I guess. You know how we are. It’s complicated.”
“Complicated. Now there’s an understatement of epic fucking proportions.”
I had to laugh. She wasn’t wrong.
And that’s how Tristan found us as he approached, laughing and relaxed. The relaxed part went a bit south as he sat right next to me, and I instinctively started to tense up.
“If you’ll excuse me,” Frankie told us with a grin. “I have some freaking to do on that dance floor.”
“Who the hell calls it freaking?” I called to her back, but she just kept walking.
It wasn’t easy, but I made myself turn and look him in the eye.
I’d likely be mortified in the morning over what we’d done, but I thought the entire thing was too new for my shocked mind to react appropriately. His face was sober. “We need to talk.”
That surprised a laugh out of me. “We just tried that. Didn’t exactly work out.”
Tristan
“I wouldn’t say that. I’d say it was cut short. I’d like to try again.”
I couldn’t stop laughing. “I bet you would!”
Finally, his solemn face cracked into a smile. I had to clench my fists to keep from touching one of those calamitous dimples. “Well, yes, of course I would. God, Danika, I’ve missed you, even just to see you laughing again.”
I looked down at my hands, the laughter dying a bit. “I think you’re right. I think you’ve always been right. We should be friends. I miss that, too. I know you’re worried that I’ll never speak to you after this—after that little scene back in the forest, but you don’t need to worry. That was insanity, and it does not need to happen again, but we can be adults here. I…won’t be a stranger when we get back to town. I’ll give you a call. We can sit down for coffee, or, you know, something.”
There was a very long pause on his end, and I wondered which part of what I said was eating at him.
He didn’t address that though, instead said, “Do you mean it this time, or are you just blowing me off, like last time?”
I sent him a rueful smile. I hadn’t meant it last time, and I had blown him off. But I found that, shockingly, I’d had a real change of heart. “I mean it this time.”
I did mean it, but, while I didn’t avoid him for the rest of the weekend, I also made sure our contact was limited. It was necessary. I needed time to think, to have a battle plan before we started to transition into this friendship idea.
We’d been at war for way too long for me to delude myself that a battle plan wouldn’t be necessary, even when we were playing nice.
I was packing to leave for home, the happy couple already having ditched the party and jetted off to God knew where, to do God knew what kind of kinky shit, when I noticed something odd.
My perfume was missing. I did a quick search of the bathroom, but there weren’t that many places it could have gone, and I’d thought the small bottle was sitting right on the counter.
I was annoyed. I loved that perfume, and it wasn’t cheap, but I shrugged it off. Some lost perfume was really the least of my problems.
Tristan managed to corner me one last time before I took off.
The wedding’s location was remote, and so all of the guests had been flown to the nearest airstrip, and driven in limos the rest of the way. I couldn’t even wrap my mind around how expensive that must have been, but there was no doubt that James could afford it.
Even so, people were sharing rides to the airstrip, and planes to their various destinations. It only made sense.
Tristan and I hadn’t flown or driven in together, even though we’d come from the same place.
He could not understand why we couldn’t share on the way home.
He’d actually come to my room to talk about it, and charged into the space, sprawling out on the room’s only chair like it was the most natural thing in the world.
I supposed it was better than the bed.
I stayed by the door, determined not to do anything stupid for the five minutes it would take me to get rid of him.
“Stop being pushy,” I told him, arms crossed over my chest. It felt surreal to be talking to him as though no time had passed, but it was happening so naturally. “See, this is the problem. I give an inch, you take five more. Knock it off.”
He grinned, leaning forward in his chair. “C’mon. It will be fun. We can play some road trip games. Remember all of our games?”
I sighed. Of course I remembered. “Not this time, Tristan. I need a few days to think. Like I said, I’ll call you. Now if you’ll excuse me.”
“No,” he said casually, his smile dying. “I do not excuse you.”
He stood, and moved so close to me that I backed away. “I’ll give you a few days, but if I don’t hear from you, I am coming for you. This is fair warning.”
I glared at him. “Dramatic much? I said I’d call, I’ll call. I said I needed a few days, give me a few days.”
R.K. Lilley lives in Colorado with her husband and their two beautiful sons. She’s had a lot of interesting jobs, from being a first class flight attendant, to being a stablehand, but swears she never knew what hard work was until she had children. She’s been addicted to both reading and writing fiction since she can remember. She loves to travel, read, hike, paint, game, watch anime, and make the most of every single day. She is the author of the erotic romance novels In Flight, Mile High, Grounded, and the novella, Lana.

Blog Tour: Rare and Precious Things by Raine Miller (review, top 10 best moments video, author spotlight & giveaways)

Title: RARE AND PRECIOUS THINGS
(The Blackstone Affair Book 4)
Author: RAINE MILLER
hosted by: The Book Avenue

The fourth part in the New York Times bestselling series, The Blackstone Affair: A bright beginning for two damaged souls fighting for their hard-won love, and the promise of a new hope to secure their happily ever after.
Fresh from an idyllic honeymoon along the Italian coast, the Blackstones prepare for the birth of their precious baby and the challenges of settling into a new home. But things get complicated when specters from the past reappear to threaten the very foundation of their relationship. Ethan and Brynne will have to fight harder than ever for each other. Rare and Precious Things is the story of two people who both need the other in order to be complete, but learn just how “rare” their brand of love is when they have to risk everything in order to hold onto it.
It’s common knowledge to all how I adore this couple. They are two of the most endearing characters I’ve ever encountered. They are so admirable, so real, and so human. The poignancy of their story made my heart ache in a happy and sad way, as I struggled with them through their self-doubts and fought the battle within to reclaim the faith they had in their love and each other. I held my breath as I watched the doubt and insecurity creep into their minds, tempered by the disappointments which life often brings, praying that they wouldn’t succumb, that their love and faith in each other would prevail.
Rare and Precious Things shows us the kind of romance that we all would love to have—totally committed, passionate, and loving. It’s a gentle, endearing story with even more endearing characters who have won our hearts since book 1 and now make us sigh with delight at their happy ending. 
Of all the stories about Ethan and Brynne, this is the one that touches me the most. It showcases their extraordinary, unshakable bond better than any of the stories before. Their relationship obviously isn’t traditional, but I truly admire them. They’ve only grown closer as the series continues and show maturity not only to their partnership but also within themselves. They are coming into their own, particularly Brynne and I was very impressed with her trying to mend the damage caused by her past and now moving on with her new life as a wonderful wife to Ethan and a doting mother to Peaches. She shows us how much she’s grown into a mature, secure person who now exhibits all of the goodness, positivity and forgiving heart; the qualities she’s always had, but now shine brighter than ever. It’s a real tribute to the idea that letting go of the past and all those excess baggage is the way to secure a happy existence in the future.
I would have to commend Ms. Miller and her magnificent mind. This story is so well written, logical, and clear. The characters as always are wonderfully formed and extremely easy to understand. It’s an extraordinary story and one that we will all do well to keep in mind. I was grasping for more and left in awe after reading it. I finished it with tear-stained cheeks ~ one of the best epilogues I have ever read. I was choking back more tears and couldn’t stop thinking about it. It’s like I could not turn my brain off. It made me think so much about how our decisions, even the most ordinary, can impact someone else’s life so deeply. It made me think about life, about how love can be so powerful, it makes you heal the wounds in the past, forgive those who have hurt you and then make you a totally different person…better person.
Raine Miller is at her best in this book. She proves simplicity and two great characters make for the best romances. I couldn’t have enjoyed it more.
This book perfectly sums up Ethan and Brynne’s relationship, Rare and Precious…

“Brynne was my life. The last piece of my puzzle that had finally completed me.”

1. When you are in the process of writing, do you have your storyline mapped out and you do your research of people, places, buildings, scenery, etc. based on that or have you ever written a scene in any of the books based solely on an image or picture you’ve come across and that image/picture spoke to you so profoundly that you incorporated a storyline into a book based on it?

I’ve written whole scenes because of a picture I’ve seen. An example of this is when a fan sent me a picture of a man with angel wings tattooed on his back and his baby sleeping on top. I loved it, so you will see that scene in Rare in Precious Things with Ethan and his _______. I do it all the time. In fact, the whole inspiration for the first book, NAKED, was because I found the image on Shutterstock one night and the idea for the story came into my head. Images are huge in giving me inspiration to write. I make Pinterest boards now for books while I am writing.

2. How long from concept to publishing?

Ten Months. I knew as I was finishing Eyes Wide Open that I really needed to do a fourth book in order to give Ethan and Brynne the complete resolution to their life together.

3. When you first knew of David Gandy and have you ever met him?

I knew of him over three years ago, and no, I have never met him. He did chat me a little and send me a birthday wish last year though. He is my muse for Ethan, and was from the first page I wrote about Mr. Blackstone.

4. Out of all your books, which one has been the most challenging to write?

That would be Rare and Precious Things. It was a challenge because when you are at the end of a story arc, everything must be resolved and tied together. You have to have reasons for the character’s behaviors and actions, their motivations have to make sense. Another difficulty is to give page time to all of the side characters that have been introduced into the story and the tangled web gets very big.

5. Living in the UK myself, made this book easier to read, envisioning the places, characters, Olympics etc, Why choose this place at this time for the books to be set in?

I am a certifiable Anglophile and I always have been. I really liked the idea of having an American heroine and a British hero, so the idea of setting up the story in that way appealed to me. I found out it appealed to many other women readers too!!! LOL Talking dirty in an English accent is pretty smokin’ hot I guess.

6. If you could be a character in any fictional book, who would you want to be and why?

Jane Whitcomb. Because she is loved by Vishous. Read Lover Unbound, by JR Ward if you have no idea what I am talking about.

7. When you started writing the books, did you have the idea for the historicals first or Naked?

I wrote the historicals first and knew the world in which they were set. So when I began writing Naked and Brynne was an art conservationist, I just used my fictional artist I had already created in my historical novel The Muse, which has yet to be published. I had so much fun doing the connections I continued to do it in every book, and will probably do it for every book I write from here on.

Raine Miller has been reading romance novels since she picked up that first Barbara Cartland book at the tender age of thirteen. And it’s a safe bet she’ll never stop, because now she writes them too! Granted Raine’s stories are edgy enough to turn Ms. Cartland in her grave, but to her way of thinking, a hot, sexy hero never goes out of fashion. A part-time teacher and writer of sexy romance stories every other chance she gets pretty much fills her days. She has a handsome prince of a husband, and two brilliant sons to pull her back into the real world if the writing takes her too far away. Her sons know she likes to write stories, but gratefully have never asked to read any, thank God! Raine loves to hear from readers and to chat about the characters in her books.

OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES
NAKED (BOOK 1)
Goodreads | Amazon US | B&N | Kobo 

ALL IN (BOOK 2)

EYES WIDE OPEN (BOOK 3)
CHERRY GIRL (BOOK 3.5)
Blackstone Affair spin-off, yet can be a standalone

Blog Tour: Saving Forever by Jasinda Wilder (review and giveaway)

Title: Saving Forever
(The Ever Trilogy)
Author: Jasinda Wilder

Ever and Cade,

Sorry I vanished like I did. I’m not sure I can even explain things. I don’t know when I’ll be back. IF I’ll be back. I’m not sure of anything, except that I love you, Ever. You’re my twin, my best friend, and leaving you was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I know you don’t understand. Maybe you never will. I hope you don’t, honestly. It would be easier that way. That’s cowardly, I’m sure.

Cade, take care of her. Love her, the way she deserves. The way you always have, for forever and always.

If I could ask you anything, it’s that you remember me as I was, and forget me as I am.

I’m sorry, and goodbye, and I love you.

Eden

And so all good things must come to an end…

“I love you. No matter what. Forever and Always.”

It felt like a year since I finished book two of this trilogy. Jasinda left off with a shocking ending and questioning where book three would take me. Taking events full of tragedy, heartache, loneliness, and anger and twisting them into 541 pages of hope and second chances is not easily achieved. Jasinda’s words layer like Band-Aids. Word by word and page by page, Saving Forever, heals four lives that will never be the same. 

“Forgiveness is a choice, and so is love.” 

Forgiveness and eternal love become the shining glimmer of hope in a story full of angst. Having the strength to forgive and an iron clad hold on eternal love push forward both Ever and Eden’s stories. To forgive others is hard but to forgive yourself…well that is where you start Saving Forever. 

“Accept the guilt, acknowledge your fault. Then, live. Learn from it, and keep going. You don’t forget, you don’t block it or bury it. You just… live. Don’t let guilt define you.”

Live and accept. There are moments in life that will thrust you so far out of your own body that you feel as if you are watching someone else’s story. Coming to grips, this foursome helps one another through what would break most. Saving Forever illustrates that there is more to life then our own personal burdens but when we step back and see “the” big picture only then can we live it. Book three of The Ever Trilogy adds to a long line of Jasinda Wilder favorites! Adding this series to your bookshelf is a book lover must.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jasinda Wilder is a Michigan native with a penchant for titillating tales about sexy men and strong women. When she’s not writing, she’s probably shopping, baking, or reading. 
​Some of her favorite authors include Nora Roberts, JR Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Liliana Hart and Bella Andre. 
She loves to travel and some of her favorite vacations spots are Las Vegas, New York City and Toledo, Ohio. 
You can often find Jasinda drinking sweet red wine with frozen berries and eating a cupcake. 
Jasinda is represented by Kristin Nelson of the Nelson Literary Agency.

GR | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon

Saving Forever Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00HFFEN4C
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HFFEN4C

Forever & Always Buy Links:
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/18WCGFL
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1cgL0WT
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/18WDLgO
ITUNES: http://bit.ly/18WENcF
Kobo: http://bit.ly/18WEWg5

After Forever Buy Links:
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/Jbr9eJ
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/192Yv9E
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/192Yzq4

Blog Tour: Unwanted Stars by Melissa Brown (review, playlist, giveaway)


Title: Unwanted Stars
Author: Melissa Brown
 Release Date: Feb 3rd, 2014

It’s funny how the tiniest of things can change your life… an invitation, a simple kiss goodnight, a matchbook…
Auden Kelly is in need of a change.
She’s trading in her nine-to-five sales job for the adventure of a lifetime: a one year contract with a European tour company.
For one full year, Auden will get paid to see the world. What could be better? Her brother gives her a journal, instructing her to document all of her adventures as she travels from country to country. And that’s exactly what she does.
When a mysterious stranger enters her life, however, everything changes: her expectations, her priorities and her view of the world. And nothing for Auden will ever be the same.
Note: Although these books are part of a series, they do not need to be read in order

Adventure takes on a whole new meaning in Melissa Brown’s Unwanted Stars. 
Attractive settings, a handsome stranger, and a journey of self-discovery help create a picture perfect postcard. In this charming 5 star travel experience, Unwanted Stars proves that even though the landscape has changed Melissa Brown still retains her “Queen of Love” crown.
Travel the world. Find yourself! Sometimes easier said than done…Right?!?!
Desperately seeking her own place in this ordinary world, Auden has set her course for adventure. 
   

Armed with her journal, a cast of thrill seeking tour guests, and the idea that there is more to life than 9 to 5, Auden learns the most important lesson of all. Love is a universal language and no matter where you go love will you.

“Everything you feel…absolutely everything. I feel it too. Please. Don’t. Doubt. That.”


To say that this journey was one of ease would be an untruth. Let’s face it, self-discovery never is. Auden’s European Adventure was not tour brochure perfect. Family truths boil to the surface and the limited stable ground that Auden is standing on crumbles to pieces. What do you when your known becomes the unknown?

“You make me feel so loved,” I said. “Even with all the craziness of my life. You’ve made everything better somehow.”

Melissa Brown has proven that love is more than four letter word. Crafting real life relationships with relatable characters her stories weave the perfect balance of angst, laughs, character growth, and just plain fun. Unwanted Stars will have you looking at the little things in life, like matchbooks and journals, in a whole new light. Part of the Love of Your Life Series, Unwanted Stars maybe read as a standalone or as the forth book of the series. If you don’t presently have Melissa marked as one of your go to authors stop what you are doing and add her to the list. You won’t want to miss a single word.

Total side note…the playlist for this book is musical perfection! Please do yourself a favor and pull it up. It will add to your reading experience and put a smile on your face. You can follow Melissa Brown on Spotify and hear the whole list.


I love books—everything about them. I love reading them, being surrounded by them in bookstores and libraries, and most recently, writing some of my own.

********

Cover: Bouquet Toss (Book One)
Cover: Champagne Toast (Book Two)
Note: Although these books are part of a series, they do not need to be read in order

Blog Tour: Loving Cara by Kristen Proby (review, book trailer, author spotlight &giveaway)

Title: Loving Cara
Author: Kristen Proby
Released: Jan. 21st

CHEMISTRY WAS NEVER THIS SEXY IN HIGH SCHOOL.
In her sizzling new series, USA Today bestselling author Kristen Proby sets the stage for a passionate reunion under the breathtaking Montana sky.
Cara Donovan’s summer tutoring job is turning out to be a challenge—and not just because of her troubled twelve-year-old student. It’s his uncle Josh who’s the real problem. If problem is the word for an irresistibly cocky, muscle-bound rancher with a taste for tight Levi’s and shameless flirtation. . . .
Cara is nothing like the wallflower Josh King remembers good-naturedly teasing in high school. This Cara is gorgeous, confident, fun. From the moment the fiery teacher steps foot on his family’s Lazy K Ranch, the stubborn playboy is determined to corral her. So what happens when his luscious lover takes over the reins?
The first in a steamy trilogy, Kristen Proby’s enthralling novel is filled to the brim with one hardworking family’s triumphs and challenges, all the wild adventure of the modern West, and a whole lot of titillating fun.

Josh King is an expert at running his family’s multi-million dollar ranch in Montana. (And all that outside manual labor has done wonders for sculpting his six-foot-three body, too.) But as sure footed as he is when it comes to the ranch, Josh doesn’t know anything about how to deal with an adolescent boy—so when his twelve-year-old nephew, Seth, is dropped off on his doorstep, looking scared and acting surly as hell, Josh knows he needs help in straightening him out.
Cara Donovan loves her quiet life as a teacher in her sleepy hometown, so she jumps at the chance to make a little money over the summer as a tutor. But when she learns she’ll be teaching Josh King’s nephew, Cara’s sweet summer job gets a little bit hotter. Cara tries to focus all her attention on tutoring Seth, but Josh proves to be a delicious distraction, while Josh’s memories of the shy girl he once teased in high school are nothing like the beautiful woman he’s facing now. Can he persuade her that there’s more between them than a summer fling?
________________________________________________________________________
“If you can tell stories, create characters, devise incidents, and have sincerity and passion, it doesn’t matter a damn how you write.”
– Somerset Maugham
And that my friends sum up Kristen Proby. Truthfully, she could create a story about a boy and his pet rock and I would be lining up to read it. Kristen’s sincerity and passion flow through each and every word that graces the pages of her novels. I was lucky enough to stumble upon her first series by complete accident. Powerful stories of love, friendship, personal struggles, and family have moved Kristen to the top of my must read authors list. When discussion of a new series came to light I made sure I had open real estate on my Kindle because lets face it…its Kristen Mother F’n Proby.
The Love Under the Big Sky Series brings us the family/friends dynamic you’ve come to love from Kristen. Not only has she given us an awe-inspiring love story but we are also treated to a cast of secondary characters that prove, within a mere 352 pages, they are worthy of more. Loving Cara may have you asking “Montgomery Who?” *ducks and runs for cover* Ok maybe you won’t forget our loving friends northwest of us because there are far too many hot men running around that state BUT will you definitely leave a little of your heart under the Montana sky.
Josh King! King is very fitting for this man. His undying devotion to family wins him a gold star, heck he gets the whole pack. Once is nephew makes an unexpected journey back to the Montana ranch, the King family steps up. Seth, as would any child, is troubled and fighting to find himself after being pushed aside by his own mother. Josh begins working with Seth and also supplies a little extra assistance with one Cara Donovan. 
Cara is thrown back into Josh’s life and while Cara means business, Josh is looking at the once shy girl in a new light…a bright shining 100 watt bulb. Always the shy girl Cara is unsure of the new attention. Will Josh breakdown Cara’s walls? Only way to find out is to pick up this Proby treasure. Loving Cara is well worth the buy. Not only will you get Josh and Cara but for one low, low price you will get the whole Montana gang…Seth, Ty, Zack, Lauren, and Jillian included! Sounds like a late night infomercial. Right?! Don’t lie you watch them and maybe even have a set of knifes tucked in a drawer! So give into the guilty pleasure know as Kristen Proby. Loving Cara = blissful joy!
  1. First congratulations on your new series!  I know all the “Proby Peeps” are excited for Loving Cara and the whole Love Under the Big Sky crew.  You have gifted us with yet another gem.  Where did the idea for this series come from?              
Thank you so much! I’m excited about this new series too. I came up with the idea for a series based in Montana about fifteen years ago. I grew up in a small town in Montana very similar to the one I’ve created in Cunningham Falls. It felt natural to write about that setting and the colorful people who live there, although none of my characters are based on anyone real.
  1. How hard was it to make the transition form the big city to life under the Montana sky?    
It wasn’t hard at all, actually, and I think that’s because of the many years I spent in Montana. It’s home for me.
  1. You are never lacking for HOT men and Josh King is one very HOT man.  Where do you pull these guys from?  Do you have a HOT guy pocket in your brain?  A secret room of your home filled to the rim with HOT men?  By the way…I will be over in 5!   
Ha! I wish I had a Hot Guy Room! That sounds better than the red room of pain. 😉 I guess I just have an over-active imagination that has no trouble thinking about gorgeous men.
  1. Loving Cara has the strong family dynamic that we have all come to love from your With Me Series.  Do you draw from your own family experiences?     
Some, yes. I had a large, boisterous extended family growing up. My parents instilled the importance of family in me when I was very young.
  1. Thank you for writing strong female characters.  Sometimes with all the alpha males running around the women get lost.  You write women who have a voice, are funny, and relatable.  Women you want as best friends.  Are these women in your life?
Absolutely. I am surrounded by strong, funny, loving women. This describes the women in my family, and those that are my friends. It’s rarely boring around here!
  1. After reading Loving Cara I am over the moon about the men in this series!  The next two books are going to be epic!  Ty and Zack just make me happy!  Can you let us in on what to expect form the next two books? 
I love the men in this series too. Thank you! Ty is a tattooed guy who wears a business suit every day. He’s protective and sweet, and I can’t wait for you to read his story! Zack is beautifully damaged. He has his share of baggage, but along with that, he has a great sense of humor and love of family. They are both going to give their girls a run for their money!
  1. Do you think the Seattle family would ever take a trip to the Montana ranch for a family vacation?  Maybe a small novella??  Maybe!  Just Maybe!  Plus just think of the funny American Girl store trip!  You know the girls need cowgirl outfits before the head on over to the Big Sky!  Priceless! *hint hint
LOL! That would be funny, but there are no plans to merge the two series at this time.
  1. Lastly, THANK YOU!  Your words and have touched so many.  I read over and over that the books are bringing people together. Creating friendships across state lines and even across countries.  Loving Cara and the Big Sky Series will just be another in a long line of Proby excellence!  Any last words about Loving Cara or the new series you would like to share?
I’m so grateful to all of my readers, whether they’ve been with me since the first book, or they’re brand new, just discovering me. THANK YOU, for reading and talking about the stories. I hope you enjoy the Love Under the Big Sky series. They are stories that are close to my heart, and I can’t wait for you all to make new friends and fall in love with them. And thank you, Pam and Cris, for hosting me! I love you girls! xo
Kristen is the author of the Amazon and USA Today bestselling With Me In Seattle series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong characters who love humor and have a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type; fiercely protective and a bit bossy, and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves.
Kristen spends her days with her muse in the Pacific Northwest. She enjoys coffee, chocolate and sunshine. And naps.

Blog Tour: Rome by Jay Crownover (Review and Giveaways)

The MARKED MEN are coming back on January 7, 2014, so get ready for the ride of your life with ROME (MARKED MEN #3) by the fabulous Jay Crownover.
You’ve met inked-up bad boy RULE (Marked Men #1) and have been swept away by the lyrical JET (Marked Men #2). Now, get ready to be riveted by Rule’s older brother ROME.
Rome returns to Denver after serving his country and leaving a part of his soul, along with his blood, behind on the sands of the battlefield. When he meets Cora, sparks fly and all bets are off in this steamy, heart wrenching love story. Can two souls who have their own dark past survive the explosion of them coming together. Find out in ROME on January 7th.
Be sure to join us as are part of the Jay Crownover’s Rome Book Tour.

Author: Jay Crownover
Genre: New Adult
Publication Date: January 7, 2013
Synopsis
Cora Lewis is a whole lot of fun, and she knows how to keep her tattooed bad boy friends in line. But all that flash and sass hide the fact that she’s never gotten over the way her first love broke her heart. Now she has a plan to make sure that never happens again: She’s only going to fall in love with someone perfect.
Rome Archer is as far from perfect as a man can be. He’s stubborn and rigid, he’s bossy and has come back from his final tour of duty fundamentally broken. Rome’s used to filling a role: big brother, doting son, super soldier; and now none of these fit anymore. Now he’s just a man trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life while keeping the demons of war and loss at bay. He would have been glad to suffer it alone, until Cora comes sweeping into his life and becomes the only color on his bleak horizon.
Perfect isn’t in the cards for these two, but imperfect might just last forever . . .

Goodreads:

Pre- Order Links

Five amazingly burning stars!!!!
Rome! Rome! Rome!
All hail Rome!
Can I just say that Rome is soooo hot – there aren’t enough words to describe just how hot he is!
Rome is a man who is tortured by the demons of his past – both in the battlefield and the news he’s learned of his brother. He’s not in a good place to say the least. His brother Rule is having a great life with his deceased brother’s best friend and Rome is not convinced that Rule has changed or that he will be actually happy with Shaw. Life hasn’t been kind to Rome and he takes out his aggression to his closest friends and family.
Enter Cora – aka Tink – a spitfire who can duke it out with Rome and his grumpiness. Whew!!! The pages were burning with sexual tension and rich dialogues that as a reader you go, “Egads, what just happened?”
Jay Crownover is a master storyteller. Her stories are rich with content, character, and their backstories are just as amazing. The Marked Men gang’s back in full force and I don’t want to give away so much but I love reading about all of them – Rule, Shaw, Jet, Ayden, Nash, even Asa…The cover is smoking! I can really picture the guy on the cover as Rome and boy is he good-looking!!
Ms. Crownover’s hit the ballpark and then some in this latest Marked Men installment and I cannot even begin to say how much I’m anticipating Nash’s story next!

Author Information

Jay Crownover Author Pic copyI’m supposed to share interesting details about myself so that my readers get to know me so here we go in no particular order: I’m an natural redhead even though I haven’t seen my real hair color in years, I’m a big fan of tattoos and have a half sleeve on either arm and various other pieces all over the place, I’ve been in the bar industry since I was in college and it has always offered interesting insight into how men and women interact with each other, I have 3 dogs that are all crazy, I live in Colorado and love the snow, I love music and in all reality wish I could be a rock star not a writer or a bartender but I have zero talent so there is that.
I love to write, love to read and all I’m interested in is a good story with interesting characters that make the reader feel something.

Book Review: Rock Bottom by R.K. Lilley

Title: Rock Bottom
Author: R.K. Lilley
Published: Nov. 25, 2013
Their love had the power of a runaway freight train, and the potential to be just as destructive.
The tempestuous sequel to Bad Things picks up where the first book left off. Reeling from a profound loss, Tristan and Danika struggle to pick up the pieces and build a life together, but the hard habits of a lifetime are not so easy to escape.
Rock Bottom takes us on a dual point of view journey through addiction and desire, through love and agony, and answers the question we’ve been asking since these characters were introduced in Grounded: “What happened between Tristan and Danika?”
DANIKA
Even love couldn’t cushion a fall like ours. My love for Tristan was so big that I felt consumed by it, and even so, it was not enough to overpower our combined demons.
I struggled. I yelled and screamed. I scratched and kicked. 
I fought like hell, but even the most determined fighters have to stop before they break. 
No one could say I didn’t fight for him. 
“I love you,” I spoke softly into his ear. 
He gripped me harder. “I can’t ever lose you, Danika. I’m not sure I’d survive it.” 
“You’ve got me. And I’m not going anywhere. Not ever.” 
I meant the words when I said them, but life had other plans for us.
I’d have given my life for that fight. In fact, I very nearly did. 
TRISTAN
She was the one. 
If I’d ever had a doubt, I didn’t now. She was the one I’d be thinking about, longing for, until I took my last breath. If I lost her tomorrow, I’d pine for her like a lovesick fool. 
This was the kind of love that only hit you once in your life. 
This book is intended for readers 18 and up.

Rock Bottom is a completely captivating, breathtakingly bittersweet love story. I don’t think I took a single breath between the first and last page and I loved every second of it. R.K. Lilley has masterfully created a piece that I will never get tired of re-reading. Every line, every dialogue is packed in every single scene, it’s sooooo good!

The premise is simple enough but Ms. Lilley seems bent on injecting it with her usual angst, you cant help but to be sucked in.

I loved Danika and Tristan.

They are two of the most endearing characters I’ve ever encountered. They are so admirable, so real, and so human. The tragedy of the story made my heart ache in a happy and in a sad way, as I struggled with them through their self-doubts and fought the battle within to regain the faith they had in their love and each other. I held my breath as I watched the doubt and insecurity creep into their minds, tempered by the frustrations which life often brings, praying that they wouldn’t surrender, that their love and faith in each other would prevail.

Did I want to smack Tristan for being a jerk and giving up on Danika’s love after all they have been through? Oh! More than you can imagine! But to be honest, after a few days bawling my eyes out, pulling my hair and trying to figure out why things happened the way it did, I finally came to understand why. That’s the only perfect way to end it…and im only hoping but good things for the next book.

I could go on and on about this book and how much I connected with it, but I want potential readers to discover it’s joys for themselves.

This a great love story, full of angst and emotions from one end of the scale to the other, and a very fulfilling conclusion. I could not recommend this book enough. So if you haven’t started the series yet, please, in the name of everything holy go one-click this series. 6 words! THE BEST IS YET TO COME!

R.K. Lilley lives in Colorado with her husband and their two beautiful sons. She’s had a lot of interesting jobs, from being a first class flight attendant, to being a stablehand, but swears she never knew what hard work was until she had children. She’s been addicted to both reading and writing fiction since she can remember. She loves to travel, read, hike, paint, game, watch anime, and make the most of every single day. She is the author of the erotic romance novels In Flight, Mile High, Grounded, and the novella, Lana.

B&N | KOBO
OTHER WORKS OF R.K. LILLEY

BAD THINGS
IN FLIGHT (Up in the Air #1)
MILE HIGH (Up in the Air #2)
GROUNDED (Up in the Air #3)
LANA (Novella)

Book Review: Forever & Always and After Forever by Jasinda Wilder (Pam)

 Forever & Always  and After Forever
(The Ever Trilogy)
Jasinda Wilder
Released: Dec. 20th, 2013
Ever,
These letters are often all that get me through week to week. Even if it’s just random stuff, nothing important, they’re important to me. Gramps is great, and I love working on the ranch. But…I’m lonely. I feel disconnected, like I’m no one, like I don’t belong anywhere. Like I’m just here until something else happens. I don’t even know what I want with my future. But your letters, they make me feel connected to something, to someone. I had a crush on you, when we first met. I thought you were beautiful. So beautiful. It was hard to think of anything else. Then camp ended and we never got together, and now all I have of you is these letters. S**t. I just told you I have a crush on you. HAD. Had a crush. Not sure what is anymore. A letter-crush? A literary love? That’s stupid. Sorry. I just have this rule with myself that I never throw away what I write and I always send it, so hopefully this doesn’t weird you out too much. I had a dream about you too. Same kind of thing. Us, in the darkness, together. Just us. And it was like you said, a memory turned into a dream, but a memory of something that’s never happened, but in the dream it felt so real, and it was more, I don’t even know, more RIGHT than anything I’ve ever felt, in life or in dreams. I wonder what it means that we both had the same dream about each other. Maybe nothing, maybe everything. You tell me.
Cade
~ ~ ~ ~
Cade,
We’re pen pals. Maybe that’s all we’ll ever be. I don’t know. If we met IRL (in real life, in case you’re not familiar with the term) what would happen? And just FYI, the term you used, a literary love? It was beautiful. So beautiful. That term means something, between us now. We are literary loves. Lovers? I do love you, in some strange way. Knowing about you, in these letters, knowing your hurt and your joys, it means something so important to me, that I just can’t describe. I need your art, and your letters, and your literary love. If we never have anything else between us, I need this. I do. Maybe this letter will only complicate things, but like you I have a rule that I never erase or throw away what I’ve written and I always send it, no matter what I write in the letter. 
Your literary love,
Ever

Forever & Always

Here are some things you will need to know before you pick up book one in the Ever Trilogy. 

  1. This book will be read in one sitting 
  2. From page one a rollercoaster of emotions will whip you from sad to happy to hope to well…just about every emotion in between. 
  3. Stop by your local super store and pick up a case of tissues. 
  4. You may or may not dislike Mrs. Wilder for about 24 hours (or more). 
  5. You will long for the simple beauty of the written word. The lost of pen pal friends and the simple joy that a stamped square envelope can bring. 

Extraordinary! This is the one word that will sum up Forever and Always for me.

“That summer we met, Interlochen. The lake. Drawing all day. Sitting on the dock together. It was the last day of my childhood, I think. The last happy days of my life.”

Beautifully painful, this story paints a picture of love, uncertainly, growth, and the strength to live life no matter where it may lead. Ever and Cade meet as children and although their time was limited it bonded them forever. Pen to paper, they both created a connection stronger then either of them thought possible.

They both become each others life line…

“It really was a drug. The more I got, the more I needed. And I didn’t know where the endpoint was. I was afraid I’d reached the event horizon, the point from which I’d never escape the inexorable gravity of needing him.”

Just as the strokes of a painting or sketched lines of a drawing, life will never be predictable. The beauty of existence is that in a moment, a split second, the unbearable can and will happen. Forever altering the reality we thought we knew.

“I also knew I’d never be the same. I felt the scars on my heart and in my mind. I’d been cut deep and the wounds would never really heal… I’d been painted by pain. Several coats of it, a deep, thick varnish that wouldn’t ever fade.”

This book, really this series, is a game changer. Jasinda writes exquisite stories that overwhelm the reader, pulling them into a world of emotions. I find it hard to explain what this book is all about. Simply put my words will never do justice explaining why you need to read Forever and Always. Read! This! Book! If you are already a Wilder fan or if this is the first book of hers you pick up know that you are promised no less then a wild ride of pure literary genius.

    
After Forever

Ever,
I don’t know who I am anymore. I’m a castaway. Lost. Drowning. I love you. That’s the only true thing I know, and it’s all I have to hold on to. I love you. I’ll love you forever. Until the day I die, and I’ll love you in whatever world comes after this one. I love you so much, Ever. I miss you. Dear Jesus, I miss you. Come back to me.
For forever, and after forever,
Caden

Forever and Always rocked me to my core. When Jasinda told the masses that she was releasing book one and two of this trilogy back to back I was hesitant. If the author is willing to state upfront that this book will wreck you then you may want to take notice. Cracking open After Forever I was a mess. How could I piece myself together to continue Ever and Cades story? I am unsure of how I did but it happened and now I wait for book three…

A spoiler free review is complicated for After Forever. The twist in this book is earth shattering. Up until the last words I was jaw dropped (and I still am). I felt the twist. I did! The words flowed and I keep giving myself a mental pep talk…Will it? NO! Really? REALLY? Well it did and I will say I am still on the fence about my feelings. I keep looking at the big picture and I am emotionally mapping out book three in my head. I know what I want but one very wicked Wilder may have other plans.

Jasinda Wilder writes one hell of a story! You may love or hate her but you can not deny the basic fact that her stories provoke emotions. So my lack of a review is the best review I can produce. As I, not so patiently, wait for February 14th I hope you pick up the first two books of the trilogy and hop on the emotional rollercoaster with me!

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jasinda Wilder is a Michigan native with a penchant for titillating tales about sexy men and strong women. When she’s not writing, she’s probably shopping, baking, or reading. 
​Some of her favorite authors include Nora Roberts, JR Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Liliana Hart and Bella Andre. 
She loves to travel and some of her favorite vacations spots are Las Vegas, New York City and Toledo, Ohio. 
You can often find Jasinda drinking sweet red wine with frozen berries and eating a cupcake. 
Jasinda is represented by Kristin Nelson of the Nelson Literary Agency.

GR | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon

Forever & Always Buy Links:
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/18WCGFL
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1cgL0WT
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/18WDLgO
ITUNES: http://bit.ly/18WENcF
Kobo: http://bit.ly/18WEWg5

After Forever Buy Links:
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/Jbr9eJ
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/192Yv9E
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/192Yzq4

Book Review: Rock Bottom by R.K. Lilley

Title: Rock Bottom
Author: R.K. Lilley
Published: Nov. 25, 2013
Their love had the power of a runaway freight train, and the potential to be just as destructive.
The tempestuous sequel to Bad Things picks up where the first book left off. Reeling from a profound loss, Tristan and Danika struggle to pick up the pieces and build a life together, but the hard habits of a lifetime are not so easy to escape.
Rock Bottom takes us on a dual point of view journey through addiction and desire, through love and agony, and answers the question we’ve been asking since these characters were introduced in Grounded: “What happened between Tristan and Danika?”
DANIKA
Even love couldn’t cushion a fall like ours. My love for Tristan was so big that I felt consumed by it, and even so, it was not enough to overpower our combined demons.
I struggled. I yelled and screamed. I scratched and kicked. 
I fought like hell, but even the most determined fighters have to stop before they break. 
No one could say I didn’t fight for him. 
“I love you,” I spoke softly into his ear. 
He gripped me harder. “I can’t ever lose you, Danika. I’m not sure I’d survive it.” 
“You’ve got me. And I’m not going anywhere. Not ever.” 
I meant the words when I said them, but life had other plans for us.
I’d have given my life for that fight. In fact, I very nearly did. 
TRISTAN
She was the one. 
If I’d ever had a doubt, I didn’t now. She was the one I’d be thinking about, longing for, until I took my last breath. If I lost her tomorrow, I’d pine for her like a lovesick fool. 
This was the kind of love that only hit you once in your life. 
This book is intended for readers 18 and up.

*Taps mic*

Sung in the key of D minor in my best Miley voice…

R.K. came in like a wrecking ball…

BOOM! Game over!

“What was left of a woman when she gave a man everything?”

And that’s no F’N JOKE!! I knew what was going to happen! I KNEW and I am still wrecked! Like TOTALLY WRECKED! 

“Tragedy never took its full chunk out of you right away. It always took a while to hit you head on, and sink in and for something substantial, some hint of the real feeling, the real reaction, to come to the surface…”

R.K. I never would have guessed this story would play out the way it did! Thank you for that. Having read the Up in the Air Series I knew the score but that didn’t stop me from rooting for these two crazy kids. Danika and Tristian are unlike any other couple I have read. I don’t know why but they both just clicked with me and I love them.

“Always. Every second of every day.”

Picking up where Bad Things left off we follow Danika and Tristian on a no hold bar ride of emotions. Examining their lives post family deaths and messed up childhoods these two press on creating what they think is a promising relationship. Forgetting that in order to move on from past you must first understand and learn from it. Moving on is never easy and moving on with understanding is even harder but necessary. 

“Every misstep that led us down the path to our destruction was our own doing…”

Tristian is damaged. He holds so tight on to Danika hoping for a life unlike the one he has lived. In life, all is not a fairytale and sometimes the bottom of a bottle, liquid or pill form, holds tighter than one person ever could. 

“I can’t ever lose you Danika. I’m not sure I’d survive.”

There was no lack of HOT in this book. R.K. can write the hell out of a sizzling sex scene. These two together are like fire! Danika and Tristian balance a slow burn that will heat you to the core. 

“Talk to me, sweetheart,” he rasped into my ear. “I want you to tell me just what you want. Make it dirty.”

What’s hot and sizzles will cool as it hits rock bottom in a fizzle. Scorched permanently, both in mind and body, Danika and Tristian are left fighting a war. They may not have created the battle ground but anything worth loving is worth saving. 

“This was the kind of love that only hit you once in your life.”

With that I say…R.K. fans pick up this book and clear your schedule. You will not want to put it down. This is also the perfect time, if you have yet to do so, to read the Up in the Air Series. Good God if you really have waited this long to read that series we may need to chat! You are missing out! Do yourself a favor read them. You will be 100% ready for Lovely Triggers. Wrecked but ready. 
Oh and a side note for my beloved Mrs. Lilley! I am on my knees! Begging! I ain’t to proud to beg! I want, need, desire, demand a Frankie novella! Ok…maybe not demand! I will ask nicely! PLLLLLEEEEEAAAASSSEEEEESE! She is amazing! You created a secondary character that stands out. I want to hang out with her! Party with her and get inked by her! And if you cannot tell by my OVER use of exclamation marks…I WANT IT NOW. So after you do the 100 other things I am sure you have your little writing fingers in, think about it. I mean it is the least you can do for making use a corny Miley Cyrus reference. Mwah!

R.K. Lilley lives in Colorado with her husband and their two beautiful sons. She’s had a lot of interesting jobs, from being a first class flight attendant, to being a stablehand, but swears she never knew what hard work was until she had children. She’s been addicted to both reading and writing fiction since she can remember. She loves to travel, read, hike, paint, game, watch anime, and make the most of every single day. She is the author of the erotic romance novels In Flight, Mile High, Grounded, and the novella, Lana.

B&N | KOBO
OTHER WORKS OF R.K. LILLEY

BAD THINGS
IN FLIGHT (Up in the Air #1)
MILE HIGH (Up in the Air #2)
GROUNDED (Up in the Air #3)
LANA (Novella)

Blog Tour: Fighting Redemption by Kate McCarthy (review and giveaways)


Title: Fighting Redemption
Author: Kate McCarthy
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 2, 2013

Ryan Kendall is broken. He understands pain. He knows the hand of violence and the ache of loss. He knows what it means to fail those who need you. Being broken doesn’t stop him wanting the one thing he can’t have; Finlay Tanner. Her smile is sweet and her future bright. She’s the girl he grew up with, the girl he loves, the girl he protects from the world, and from himself.
At nineteen, Ryan leaves to join the Australian Army. After years of training he becomes an elite SAS soldier and deploys to the Afghanistan war. His patrol undertakes the most dangerous missions a soldier can face. But no matter how far he runs, or how hard he fights, his need for Finlay won’t let go.
Returning home after six years, one look is all it takes to know he can’t live without her. But sometimes love isn’t enough to heal what hurts. Sometimes people like him can’t be fixed, and sometimes people like Finlay deserve more than what’s left.
This is a story about war and the cost of sacrifice. Where bonds are formed, and friendships found. Where those who are strong, fall hard. Where love is let go, heartache is born, and heroes are made. Where one man learns that the hardest fight of all, is the fight to save himself.

Sometimes it’s beneficial for love to hurt; it gives us a different perspective. It helps us remember the reasons why we fell in love in the first place and why and even though things become complicated sometimes, through all the hardships and temptations, we still find a way to fall in love. 
Ryan and Fin’s story is in the throes of such a battle.
Driven to impress his parents and prove that he is worth of something, Ryan puts all his heart and soul into becoming a soldier; the only way he knows how to escape the demons of his past except for one thing…his feelings for Fin. That even after those six years of being away from each other, he knew that nobody holds his heart the way Fin does…and so does she.
Fin has always been in love with Ryan. Even if she knows that she won’t completely own him. Having such a big responsibility to protect others and keeping them safe, Ryan was left with no other choice but to leave her but Fin continues to love him despite of.
How long will they be able to resist each other and the temptations of love?

“For six years I fought every day not to think of you and I lost, because every day you were all I could see. You were the best thing in my life–so sweet and innocent, and so goddamn tempting.”

Kate McCarthy is one of my favorite writers, and once again she has managed to impress. This is a bittersweet tale of finding courage and compassion; a story full of desperation and fear of getting hurt. There is enough angst and emotional confusion in the beginning to make anyone wonder whether they will end up or not, and the level of passion once they dare to start falling again is breathtaking, and boy, do they make up for lost time once they get back together.
This is one of my favorites so far from all her writings, perhaps because I, as well as many others can easily relate to the almost hopeless feeling of sensing that something wonderful is slipping away and not knowing how to fix it. The story is so well written, logical, and clear. The characters are wonderfully formed and extremely easy to understand. It’s an extraordinary story and one that we will all do well to keep in mind. Truly captivating! Her best work so far. 
If you are a hopeless romantic, like me, you will enjoy this heartfelt story of bravery, love, loss, passion, intrigue, and discovery, reminding us that true love and hope is worth fighting for.
Kate McCarthy grew up in a small town outside of Port Macquarie, Australia. Raised in a house just a short walk to the beach, Kate enjoyed the peaceful, relaxed atmosphere and friendships that come from being raised in a friendly, small town area.
She now resides in Brisbane, Australia, a city in the state of Queensland where she works as an accountant, along with a sideline wedding cake business and her writing. 
She is married with two children, has two dogs and house in the suburbs, and a pile of friends and family dotted all over the country that help keep her sane.
When she’s not busy running after naughty kids, filthy dogs, crunching numbers, piping buttercream and writing books, you can find her curled up in bed in the early hours of the morning reading new books and re-reading old favourites. Her favourite books are the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward in which she longs to eventually join the brotherhood and change her name to Phierce Mutha.