Monday, January 25, 2016

TAKE ME DUET by STEPHANIE SUMMERS

 

TAKE ME DUET
Stephanie Summers
Name of cover designer – S. Summers
Official genre of book - Contemporary Romance
Content warning - Sex, some violence, and some drug use TAKE ME ON (Book 1)
Ash London, front man for uber-successful rock band Ferrum, is over the lifestyle. He’s done with it all, yet finds himself going through the motions out of a sense of obligation to his fans, band, and crew members. He’s living the dream, but what he wants is to be a normal dude with an ordinary life far away from the touring scene. He could have any woman he wanted, but what he wants is someone who can look past the rock star—someone who will bust down the walls he’s built around himself and break free the man lying dormant within. 
Lila Stephens hasn’t had the best past. In fact, it’s been downright traumatic. After the death of her beloved grandmother, she picks up her life and moves to Brooklyn, NY to build a new life for herself. She’s given up on the notion of love and is content living alone with her beagle dog. 
Lila attends a party thrown by her best friend, Tori, who just happens to be the wife of Ferrum guitarist, Matty Tabor. As she’s ready to leave, a drunken man runs into her, sending her falling into the arms of Ash London. Will she stay there where it’s warm and comforting, or will she flee as her past threatens to taint any hope of happiness for the two of them?
I stepped out into the unseasonably warm early-October afternoon. It would be getting colder soon as the warm air of summer blew away, leaving the cold winter wind to take its place. I was determined to make the most of the warmth while I still could because the forecast had indicated that these were the last couple of days before heading into a cold snap that could bring freezing rain and ice. 
As I walked down the street, I soaked up every bit of the neighborhood. My mind raced, frantically trying to take in everything I encountered. It would take me ages to remember where anything was, but I was up to the challenge, and I had the rest of my life ahead of me. 
Manny and I continued on our journey to who knows where when several blocks from my house, I stumbled upon one of the greatest sights known to woman kind—the elusive man beast. You know, those men who are ridiculously tall, ridiculously built, ridiculously good looking, and also ridiculously hard to find outside of a movie screen or television show. This one happened to be trimming some hedges along a house that sort of resembled mine. 
His skin, covering long, lean muscles, glistened as loose burgundy athletic pants sat dangerously low on his hips, exposing the top of a perfectly defined “v.” He was the most mouthwatering thing I’d seen in all of my life. His dark chestnut hair, gathered at his nape, hung just below his shoulders. He was one of the tallest men I’d ever seen, well over six feet. Christ, he was a real beast of a man. I felt myself gawking at him and tried to look away before he caught me. I was sure he would probably think I was some kind of a freak with a staring problem. 
From across the street, I remember thinking how he kind of looked like the lead singer of Tori’s husband’s band Ferrum, but she hadn’t mentioned him living in the neighborhood when she was helping me find a place to live. It just never really occurred to me that it could actually be him. I assumed with the amount of people living in the whole of New York City, it was more likely that I’d just found his clone. I wondered to myself if rock stars even did their own yard work. Note to self: this is the way to go when I want to go… well… anywhere.
TAKE ME HOME (Book 2)
A romance with a rock star, not a rock star romance...
Ash London, front man for uber-successful rock band Ferrum, is happily living the life he always dreamed he could have with Lila Stephens. After working through Lila's traumatic past and Ash's trust issues, they've finally connected and life is good. One phone call changes everything though when Ash finds out the time off he was promised is being cut short. The stress of being on the road and away from Lila gets to Ash, and when a face from his past shows up, it turns his world upside down, dragging up past demons that he's chosen to keep from Lila. Would she look at him differently if she knew the truth? Will her love be enough to save him from himself?






I want more than anything to go to her, sling her over my shoulder, and carry her home where she belongs. To hell with the show. To hell with my commitments. To hell with the fact that she doesn’t want anything else to do with me. She’s the only woman I’ve ever truly loved. The same one I’ve hurt too badly for her to ever forgive me. The same one I would do anything to have back in my arms. I still love her. I always will. And the truth of the matter is, I don’t deserve her. I’m not sure I ever did. When you aren’t honest with the ones you love, you lose them. That’s how it works. Maybe if I’d been up front about my past to begin with, things would be different. Maybe she’d be here with me instead of some other dude.





Stephanie Summers is a paranormal and contemporary romance author. She graduated from West Virginia University with a degree in accounting, though writing is her true passion. Stephanie seemed to always have a story or two or ten running around in her mind. At the ripe old age of 30, she finally decided it was time to put aside the thought that she didn't have what it took to write a novel and began writing her first story. 
She has since written her first paranormal series, The Willow Creek Vampires Series, with Craving (Book #1), Haunting (Book #2), Awakening (Book #3), and the short companion story, The Bludworth Chronicles: Origin, available now. Her short story, Love Forgotten, was chosen to be published in Stardust: A Futuristic Romance Collection, and another short story, Saved by the Bear, is available now. Her contemporary rock star romance, Take Me On, was released summer of 2015, with the sequel, Take Me Home, due out soon.

Friday, January 22, 2016

EARLY ONE MORNING & WINTER IN WAIANAE by AUBREE LANE the LOVE IN OAHU SERIES


LOVE IN OAHU SERIES
Aubree Lane Genre: Romantic Suspense Cover Designer: The Graphics Shed

EARLY ONE MORNING
BOOK 1

Under the guise of saving her best friend’s marriage, Annie Harper catches the red-eye out of LAX to Oahu. Less than twenty-four hours after hearing Marissa wanted to kiss their old high school crush, Annie sails away with the handsome owner of the Erika Rose excursion boat. She only meant to keep Terence Javier from locking lips with Marissa, but the moment she learns his little girl needs an advocate, Annie brings her friend back into the fray and destroys the remnants of Marissa’s anniversary vacation. 
Caught between two women from the mainland, Terence Javier finds himself at a crossroad. Ten years ago, he had the dubious honor of having his high school photograph drooled on by Annie and Marissa’s choir class. If not for his daughter and the ensuing custody battle, he wouldn’t have given either woman more than an appreciative glance. When Marissa’s credentials check out, he has little choice but to accept the savvy lawyer’s offer of help. Knowing he’s walking a tightrope, Terence prays he can purge the beautiful Annie from his mind and keep the balled fist of Marissa’s jealous husband away from his nose.



He had to get rid of her quick. He saw how she looked at him. The last thing he needed was to get involved with some tourist looking for a wild time, especially one he couldn’t trust. He was only human, and if they spent the next week alone in the close confines of the Erika Rose, there was a good chance something would happen. He drained the last of his orange juice and made a decision.
“Let’s just call this whole thing off. I’ll return your money, and you can go back to your hotel where you’ll be much more comfortable.”
Annie grabbed his arm, “I didn’t say I wanted to go back.”
He was surprised by her strength and had to pluck her pinching fingers off his bicep. “Look, I need to be with my daughter. I miss her, and we only have a few more weeks before she has to go home. I made a mistake taking this job, so I’m rectifying it.”





WINTER IN WAIANAE
BOOK 2


Escaping San Diego and a difficult home life, eighteen-year-old Brittany Sutherland shows up unexpectedly on her sister’s doorstep. Annie Javier and her family welcome the teen with open arms. It is blue skies and fair sailing until tragedy strikes. The young woman suddenly finds it difficult to trust Annie’s pledge of devotion.
~~~
They come in with the dolphins and leave with the Winter Solstice. When Brittany and her new love, Grady, share an ocean adventure with a pod of spinner dolphins, the believers in the family rejoice. The prophecy handed down by the matriarch of each generation is about to unfold, but the longest day of the year is almost upon them. Will the saviors infuse luck and love upon the young couple, or will Brittany and Grady lose everything they worked so hard to achieve?



Brittany saw the gleam in Grady’s eyes and knew he had something planned. Well, let him try, she thought. Her body had grown strong and quick with all the manual labor she performed, and her mind had never been slow. Just like Annie, Brittany spent as many hours as possible away from her house and the abusive parents who dwelled within its walls. The friends she hung out with were a rowdy bunch whose only interest in life was getting high and having fun.
For the most part, Brittany passed on the highs and focused on the fun. It had been sorely lacking in her life, and she’d been desperate to make up for lost time. Brittany was the jokester of the group. One prank after another was played on her unsuspecting pack of loveable oddballs.
Grady’s ploy to lure her deeper into the warm tropical water was obvious. As a San Diego native, Brittany wasn’t a stranger to surf and sand. A rip current boiled a few feet behind Grady. If she could somehow get him into it, he would be whisked out to sea.
A devious grin formed on her lips. She wanted to keep a poker face, but the smirk wouldn’t go away. Her scheme was probably just as apparent as his, but she didn’t care. Grady wanted to play, and she was prepared to beat him at his own game.
She opened her arms for a hug and Grady stepped willingly into her web. He danced her closer to the churning undercurrent. Brittany threw her head back and laughed. They both had the same thing in mind.





Aubree Lane lives in the beautiful foothills of Northern California with her husband, two wonderful sons, and her super special peek-a-poo, named Tanner.
Her motto: Write Until Your Butt Hurts, And Your Eyes Are Crossed.
         






Thursday, January 21, 2016

THE MASTERPIECE TRILOGY by Nikki Lynn Barrett





Nikki Lynn Barrett
Official genre: CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE SUSPENSE
Content warning: Suited for age 18+ due to sexual content and language.
A MASTERPIECE OF OUR LOVE
BOOK 1
The first in a contemporary romance with mystery elements trilogy! WARNING: Please note: This is a trilogy that follows the same characters. There is a mild cliffhanger in this book, as a mystery element is not solved in this story.
Two Lives Torn by tragedy.
Eight-year-old Becca and twelve-year-old Hunter cling to each other and life after surviving a plane crash which stole their families.
Two Souls Seeking Love.
Each year, from the time she was old enough to travel on her own, Becca met up with Hunter on the island that altered their lives forever.
Until he stopped showing.
Her constant. Her link to the past. Gone in the blink of an eye.
Two Lives Bound by Secret.
Suffering more heartbreak, Hunter returns to the one place he's always sought comfort, the island where he and Becca met. It was the place that stole from him, and in the same instance gave to him. He hasn't been back or spoken to Becca in four years.
Though he's sure she must hate him for disappearing, Hunter discovers the girl gone, now a woman in her place. Hunter is determined to prove to Becca he isn't the same twelve-year-old boy of yesteryear.
But someone isn't happy about their reunion...
Strange things begin happening. Letters start showing up in their hotel rooms and at home with cryptic messages.
Two Broken Hearts Heal as One.
With the mystery unsolved, Hunter convinces Becca to spend the remainder of the summer back home with him, both for safety and to give them a chance to discover the adults they've now become.
Will love get a chance to blossom, or will the past come back and tear the masterpiece of their love apart once and for all?

Hunter followed Becca inside, taking in the sights of her living space. The walls were a plain dull white, but Becca had filled them up with painting after painting, many of which he'd never seen before. Right by the patio door sat a large easel. A beige sectional took up a good amount of space in the living room. "It's so homey. Very you." he said, continuing to look around. Why had he never come to see her home before?
"All these paintings... You know I'm going to have to ask again. Why are you not selling these in a gallery somewhere?"
Becca's cheeks reddened again. She faced him, taking his hands in hers. "You really think I should, don't you?"
"Well of course." He pulled her closer, sliding his arms around her waist. "You just wait. You'll meet people that are going to bow down to your talent. Don't be surprised if you have a few offers. Then when you're world famous, I can say with pride that I knew you back when. That I love the most amazing, talented artist on this planet."
Her eyelashes fluttered and she looked down for a second, then flashed her gaze back to him. "Say that again," she whispered.
"What? That I knew you back when?" His lips curved up in a grin. He knew exactly what she meant, but had to mess with her anyway.
A MASTERPIECE UNRAVELED
BOOK 2
As love blossoms, twenty year old secrets threaten it all...
Becca and Hunter have always tried to make sense of a tragedy, but they never fully asked why. Why were they on the same plane? Where were they going or coming from? Recent events force them to find out everything they can about the plane crash and the events that led them there.
Becca's always been strong. She's always found a safety net in Hunter, the man who saved her as a child and always stuck by her, giving her reason to go on when no one else gave her a chance. Now she fights to keep her strength going, but her fears begin to get the better of her. The facade she tries to hold up threatens to crack.
Hunter is learning to fight his demons and put them to rest, but he can't help but worry about Becca and the future they've just begun to build. She's become the withdrawn person he'd been for the past few years and he doesn't know how to help, unless he finds the answers they both are desperate to know.
They've always battled every storm together, but a new storm could sweep in and blow the foundation right out from under them...
The second installment of the Masterpiece trilogy is full of twists, turns, and secrets that come unburied...

"Becca? What's going on out here?" Hunter ran down the sidewalk toward them.
"This woman nearly knocked me over and when I try to help, she goes psycho on me as if I'm trying to hurt her. I didn't do anything to her, man." The guy took a few steps back.
Hunter knelt beside Becca, checking her over. "Did he try to hurt you?"
"I didn't-" the guy started.
Fresh tears in her eyes, Becca shook her head.
"I don't know. I did bump into him, and when he grabbed me I got scared."
"Come on angel, let's get inside then." Hunter held out his hand and helped get her on her feet.
"Crazies always come out at night. If your girl can't handle the dark don't let her out of your sight," the guy snarled, taking off.
She'd done it again. Panicked when nothing was going on. Practically attacked a guy most likely just trying to help, especially when she was the one who ran into him.
Hunter slid an arm around her shoulders. She limped away, her knee throbbing from hitting the ground. Before they went back inside, he stopped her on the patio by touching her shoulders, keeping her in place. "This isn't good, Bec. You can't-"
She stepped away from him. "I know. I can't keep doing that. You think I don't know this! I don't want to be jumping all over everyone when they're innocent bystanders! I hate losing my mind! I'm afraid I'm going to hurt somebody because I can't stop thinking someone's going to come after me again! I heard voices, talking about scaring someone. Part of me thought they were talking about me. Is that what you want to know? I'm paranoid. There, I said it."
Becca left Hunter standing there in shock as she bolted back indoors.
A FOREVER MASTERPIECE
BOOK 3
Becca and Hunter plan a future without knowing their past...
Few people know the entire truth about Becca and Hunter's connection. Even fewer are living. One is in hiding, and another is closer than they think. They're still no closer to knowing everything. Hunter gets a piece of his old life back, while Becca still longs for all the answers.
One terrifying night brings consequences...
Someone doesn't want them to find the answers and will go to dire lengths to keep the past hidden. The question is, who? With so many people involved, which one of them would go to the extreme to make sure they never know?
The hunter becomes the hunted...
With the one person who started the whole thing in hiding, everyone is desperate to find her and gain the truth or keep her silent forever. It's only a matter of time...
The final installment of the Masterpiece Trilogy is full of triumph, mystery, romance, and so much more. Prepare for the twists and turns as Becca and Hunter make their way to forever.
Needing to lighten the mood before his heart broke even more, Hunter took Becca's hands in his. He gave her a light, mischievous smile. "You know, I never did get to bring a girl in my room to kiss her." Not at twelve. He hadn't been interested in girls that way, really. Not yet.
Had Becca been in his room when his parents brought her home? Did they bring her here, even for a while? They had to have before bringing her to the Langes. Hunter tried to picture what baby Becca looked like. Had he been curious about a tiny baby all of a sudden in the house? Did they try to keep her hidden, even from their four year old son? So many questions, and not enough answers.
"So what you're saying is you wanted to take an innocent girl up to your room and seduce her," Becca said coyly, fluttering her eyelashes at him. "I don't know. I'm not that kind of girl. You'll have to really work your way to get a kiss from me."
Hunter chuckled, loving that she played along. He pulled her closer, sliding his arms around her waist. "Hard to get, eh? I think I can win you over. I've got the skills."
She tilted her head to the side. "Oh? This I need to see."
He leaned over and kissed her neck, trailing all the way to her jaw. "You know you want to kiss me. I'm one of your painting inspirations." He blew air on the nape of her neck. Her fingers dug into his back. "Come on, give a man his wish. Do I have to beg?"

A MASTERPIECE OF OUR LOVE
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A MASTERPIECE UNRAVELED
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A FOREVER MASTERPIECE
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I'm an avid lover of books. I've been writing as far back as I can remember, completing my first "book" by fifth grade in one of those one subject spiral notebooks. I have a passion for music, photography, jewelry and all things creative. I live in Arizona with my husband and son, but dream of being somewhere much colder and stormier. For now, I'll have to live that life through my characters and stick it out with the summer heat.
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