One man wants her dead. Another will do anything to protect her. Firefighter Kenzie Hughes never thought saving lives would make her a target. When someone rigs her car and sexy Stephen Galway offers to be her bodyguard, the flames of danger burn red-hot. Stephen lost his fianc'e to violence years ago, but he can't resist Kenzie. Can he keep Kenzie safe and out of his arms when they're forced to confront what they fear most? Braving the Heat is an immensely enjoyable read, I loved every moment and word of it. It has a strong and capable heroine with an equally strong hero, who both have faced deep pain and sorrow from a loss of a loved one, and together their find a solace, healing, and a possibility for a new chance of happiness, life, Joie de vivre - if only they will survive alive... The story is well built with the intensifying danger and threat hanging in the shadows, lurking around Kenzie Hughes. No matter how much protection she has surrounding her, the culprit with his hateful manners manages to get up close to her. With the hero, it is quite the opposite. Stephen Galway goes out looking for trouble, he hunts the drug dealers in the shady neighborhoods, his atonement for not being able to protect his fiancee. Kenzie and Stephen bond over their interest in everything cars and mechanical. I absolutely adored this, the team they made working in the garage, how they got each other, the joy they found in racing the classic cars, the way they related to each other, were there for each other. And it started from the cars and fixing them, but in the process, they started to heal as well, and the old wounds were less infected the tighter their relationship got. There is so much to like and enjoy about in this story - from the community surrounding them, the meddling family, the banter of the siblings, to the swoon-worthy, emotional, heartfelt love story, to the spellbinding, eerily creeping suspense that gives you the chills. Each moment and scene smoothly flowing from one to the next, until you realize that you have read the book in one sitting and it is the early hours of the morning. From the frightening, unrelenting suspense to the delectable, ardent romance, with each deeply felt emotion, the story held me captive until the very satisfying end. A must read, indeed! ~ Five Spoons!
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CUSP OF NIGHT
Hode’s Hill #1
by Mae Clair
Genre: Thriller/Suspense
Pub Date: 6/12/2018
The truth hides in dark places…
Recently settled in Hode’s Hill, Pennsylvania, Maya Sinclair is enthralled by the town’s folklore, especially the legend about a centuries-old monster. A devil-like creature with uncanny abilities responsible for several horrific murders, the Fiend has evolved into the stuff of urban myth. But the past lives again when Maya witnesses an assault during the annual “Fiend Fest.” The victim is developer Leland Hode, patriarch of the town’s most powerful family, and he was attacked by someone dressed like the Fiend.
Compelled to discover who is behind the attack and why, Maya uncovers a shortlist of enemies of the Hode clan. The mystery deepens when she finds the journal of a late nineteenth-century spiritualist who once lived in Maya’s house—a woman whose ghost may still linger. Known as the Blue Lady of Hode’s Hill due to a genetic condition, Lucinda Glass vanished without a trace and was believed to be one of the Fiend’s tragic victims. The disappearance of a young couple, combined with more sightings of the monster, trigger Maya to join forces with Leland’s son Collin. But the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she comes to a hidden world of twisted secrets, insanity, and evil that refuses to die…
Within moments, Charlotte was outside in the dismal weather. The drizzle had steadied into a light rain, pattering in a ceaseless rhythm against the cobblestones. The gas lamp on the corner was barely visible through the thickening fog. It would be a rough ride back in the carriage, bordering on miserable, now that she’d lost the opportunity to communicate with her deceased mother and share the news of Reginald’s birth. Drawing the collar of her cloak about her throat, Charlotte hurried down Chicory toward the alley. How far to the carriage? The fog played tricks with the
distance, shapes materializing from the mist with an abruptness that made her regret not taking the lamp Frederick offered. When a cat shot out in front of her, she gasped. “Silly animal.” Pressing a hand to her heart, she breathed deeply. The feline darted across the alley, vanishing into the mist. Were those footsteps behind her? She glanced over her shoulder, but it was impossible to see more than a few feet. Rain trickled from the edge of the umbrella and splattered onto her gloves. Quickening her pace, she scurried forward. She’d only managed a few steps when the footsteps echoed again. Once more she looked over her shoulder. “Frederick.” Perhaps he’d left the carriage in search of her when the rain grew heavier. “Frederick?” The footsteps quickened, lengthening into a fleet run. Hair prickled on the back of her neck. She hesitated, torn between fleeing and needing to see who followed. Within seconds, a painted face bobbed in front of her from the fog. The macabre mask hung disembodied, a leering devil with ice white eyes and cadaverous grin. The Fiend! Dear God, the monster was real. Charlotte screamed and tried to run, her long skirts twisting about her ankles. Stumbling, she dropped her umbrella. “Frederick!” Her frightened cry echoed through the night, swallowed by the fog. “Oh, Frederick, please help!” Fingers fisted on the back of her cloak and yanked hard, wheeling her around and tugging, until she was pressed up against the hard body of the Fiend. Trapped mere inches from that demonic face and hateful gaze, she swooned. Her vision spun into a funnel curtained with fog and rain as if the night had blindfolded her. A stinging flare of heat ripped across her stomach, chased by something sticky and damp. She tried to find her breath and wheezed out a faint bubble. “Oh!” Pain ruptured upward from her navel. Fire seared her voice and left her choking soundlessly on cold air. Her knees buckled. The Fiend released her, and she wilted to the cobblestones, conscious of a dark stain spreading beneath her. Blood. The stench of hot metal and damp wool clotted her nostrils. She choked on tears, overcome by the realization she would never cradle her baby again or see the husband who had given her such a precious gift. A foolish woman, she’d paid for her folly. Why hadn’t she heeded Henry and stayed safe at home? Blood plastered her bodice to her skin, sticky heat against the rain. She folded to the side—down to the damp press of cobblestones against her cheek, the thick gathering silt of the dead. The Fiend stepped closer. Hunkered down near her head. Charlotte forced herself to grip the hand that clutched the bloody knife. Twisting her neck, she stared up into the awful leering face. “Why? Please…tell me why.” The slice of the blade across her throat paid her passage to Summerland.
Mae Clair opened a Pandora’s Box of characters when she was a child and never looked back. Her father, an artist who tinkered with writing, encouraged her to create make-believe worlds by spinning tales of far-off places on summer nights beneath the stars.
Mae loves creating character-driven fiction in settings that vary from contemporary to mythical. Wherever her pen takes her, she flavors her stories with conflict, romance and elements of mystery. Married to her high school sweetheart, she lives in Pennsylvania and is passionate about writing, old photographs, a good Maine lobster tail and cats.
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Jessa Meyers never let herself think about forever before her heart transplant. When you don't think you'll have a future, it's too painful to plan for one. But now that the stunning, blue-eyed beauty isn't "the sick girl" anymore, she's determined to dream big and make those dreams come true. Only one problem: every time she tries to dream up her "forever," all she can seem to think about is Ethan Steele. Ethan Steele knows that loving Jessa is a probably a losing proposition. She's made it clear again and again over the years that she doesn't want his attention. Only one problem: that's not what her eyes say each and every time they meet his. The sexy, brooding U.S. Marshall knows that a plan is the clearest path to success, and he has one: convince her to be his fake girlfriend for the summer. What could go wrong? Stand-alone Whisper Lake romance, complete with HEA--and plenty of heat, humor, and heart along the way! 18+ An entertaining, delightfully sexy, sweet, and sensuous story that captivated my heart and mind. The story is filled with all the warm and fuzzy, tender and gentle, loving feels and deep, deep emotions, the kind that makes you smile, gives you the good vibes, makes you want to hug your loved ones and be thankful for all your blessings. Just what I needed right now, a perfect escapism that makes you believe in the goodness in people, that love still wins, and that there are happily-ever-afters in this world. Jessa Meyers is a heart transplant recipient, living the life she never thought she would have as a kid with a serious heart disease. Jessa is a smart, funny, and kind-hearted person, she is a true survivor, with strength and determination to make the most of her life, the second chance she was given. Ethan Steele has loved Jessa from the afar for a long time, and now is the time to finally make the move, to convince her that there could be a future for them together if she was just willing to open up her heart to him and the possibilities in front of them. I loved how Ethan started his campaign to win Jessa over by teasing her with the images of him running, all sweaty, sexy, muscle, and hotness in abundance. I loved his patience, his tenderness, him taking care of her, looking after her, always being there for her. I loved how he could turn all that gentle loving into an alpha man in charge in a blink of an eye. I loved how close Jessa was with her best friend. I loved her relationship with her parents, and how the small town grapevine didn't scare her too much. I loved her stubbornness, her willingness to take a chance, and knowing what she wanted from her future. I loved that she was willing and able to forgive, to see the error of her assumptions, and to be able to move on and embrace the life at full speed. With the funny references to the eighties pop culture, the always entertaining small town living, the tragedies both Ethan and Jessa have faced during their young lives, and how those hardships shaped them to be the people they are today, and the journey they have to travel to find their happiness, the peace of heart and mind, it altogether makes a heartfelt, intense, poignant story that brought up all the feels, from tears to laughing out loud. A deliciously dreamy story from the first kiss to the HEA that kept my mind captivated and won my heart over again and again. Just a perfectly done and well-written romance story ~ Five Spoons!
UNPREDICTABLE LOVE by Cristiane Serruya releases July 5th - read an excerpt below, find out more about this sexy suspenseful romance below, and preorder your copy today!About UNPREDICTABLE LOVEAvailable July 5th He needs a woman to rescue him from his past. She needs a man to save her from the horrible things she’s done. Together, they might save each other...or get themselves killed. Billionaire Tavish MacCraig survived Afghanistan as a POW. Despite being back home and working at his family’s worldwide renowned art gallery, Tavish feels shattered. Wracked by PTSD, Tavish’s days are bleak, his nights, living nightmares, and his heart, an empty shell. And no one can understand the torture and pain eating at his soul. No one but painter Laetitia Galen. Laetitia fled hell on earth when she was sixteen…at a very high price. She’s recently found peace and doesn’t want to disturb the false safety her small world gives her by falling for Tavish or accepting his gallery offer of an exclusive contract. Yet, she can’t resist the powerful and sizzling attraction that ignites between them. But there is a man plotting a long-awaited revenge against Laetitia, and he will do whatever it takes to make her—and, incidentally, Tavish—pay for what she’s done. Before he kills them. Tavish and Laetitia will discover falling in love is life's greatest risk! Suspenseful and steamy, UNPREDICTABLE LOVE by USA Today bestselling author Cristiane Serruya is a thrilling contemporary romance novel in the tradition of Nora Roberts, Barbara Freethy, and Maya Banks!
The instant his mouth touched hers, Tavish knew he had acquired a new addiction for something that he would never get enough of. His blood sizzled, electrified, and he felt himself grow erect.
As unforeseen as the gentleness of his kiss, so was the violence of the lightning bolt that ran through her. Her lips parted. He lifted his head. Disappointed, she thought he was done. He was certain he hadn’t even begun. He slammed his forearms on either side of her shoulders, trapping her against the wall, pressing his hard body against hers, smashing his lips against hers, thirsty for the pleasure he had forgotten. Laetitia would have sworn the ever-cool temperature of her house rose a hundred degrees in seconds. She should be terrified of his violence, but all she could feel was a burning arousal. He had messed up her emotions from the moment they had met. All she craved to do right at that moment was to throw caution to the wind and give in. And she did, throwing her arms around his neck, which made him snake his around her. Tavish kissed her thoroughly— a man skilled in the art of passion, who knew exactly what he wanted and meant to have it. His lips took possession of the softness of her mouth, in a decadent openmouthed kiss, whirling her in a bedazzled dance of desire. She reveled in his possession, in the sure way his strong arms wrapped around her and held her prisoner against his muscular torso. He was all male, solid and strong. Tendrils of his oak and bitter-chocolate scent entwined her and put her senses into overdrive. He tasted like the scorching sun in the summer, like her deepest fantasies and darkest fears all mixed into one. About Cristiane SerruyaUSA TODAY and Amazon bestselling romance author Cristiane Serruya—or just Cris—is Brazilian and lives in Rio de Janeiro, with her husband, two teenage daughters, and Loki, her Shetland Sheepdog. She has studied in England, France, Italy, and Switzerland and graduated in Law, with a Master’s in Business Law and a BA in Fine Arts. In 2012, she published her first romance, and is proud of the awards her novels have received. She still works as a lawyer, but writing has become an essential part of her life, and a fulfilling adventure, as it allows her to make friends all over the world. Website | Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter | Instagram | BookBub
Insatiable Thirst by J.P. Uvalle, Lexi C. Foss, Lori Titus, Shelique Lize,
Katherine Rhodes, Mary Winter, Linnea Alexis, and Tina Glasneck Series Summer of Supernaturals #3 Genre Adult Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Romance Publisher Pure Textuality PR Publication Date July 1, 2018
Sink your fangs into this collection of paranormal short stories dedicated to immortal creatures of the night with a lust for blood, cursed to walk the earth for all of eternity.
INSATIABLE THIRST, the third action-packed anthology in the Summer of Supernaturals series featuring vampires from eight of today’s best urban fantasy and paranormal romance authors. Featured Authors: J.P. Uvalle, Lexi C. Foss, Lori Titus, Shelique Lize, Katherine Rhodes, Mary Winter, Linnea Alexis, and Tina Glasneck GIVEAWAYTo celebrate the SUMMER OF SUPERNATURALS anthology series, we’re giving away a $50 Amazon gift card to four lucky winners! GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS: Open internationally. Four winners will each receive a $50 Amazon gift card. This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of PTPR and Paranormal & Urban Fantasy Book Bargains. Giveaway ends 8/31/2018 @ 11:59pm EST. Pure Textuality PR will send the prizes to the winner via email. Limit one entry per reader. Duplicates will be deleted. CLICK HERE TO ENTER!
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