Special release day price of $2.99. (May change at any moment.)
Badass Athlete: I dare you to...
Delaney Shaw: Who is this?
The late night text is random, but "Badass Athlete" sure seems to know who she is...
Delaney Shaw.
Good girl.
Lover of fluffy kitties and Star Wars.
Curious.
His dare? Spend one night in his bed--a night he promises will be unforgettable--and she can solve the mystery of who he is.
She knows she shouldn't, but what else is she going to do with her boring Valentine's Day? One sexy hook-up later, her mind is blown and the secret's out.
Maverick Monroe.
Bad boy.
The most talented football player in the country.
Just ask him.
Too bad for him Delaney's sworn off dating athletes forever after her last heartbreak.
But Maverick wants more than one night and refuses to give up on winning Delaney's heart. She isn't one to be fazed by a set of broad shoulders.
Will the bad boy land the nerd girl or will the secrets they keep from each other separate them forever?
I DARE YOU is a full-length stand-alone novel. For a limited time, when you buy or download the book in KU, you'll also receive an extended excerpt of her #1 Amazon romance Dirty English!
Hot jocks and nerds = reading bliss, make said hot jock a swoon
worthy hero and you have romantic gold. I read this book in one sitting, it was
fast paced and very entertaining. Ilsa Madden-Mills has kinda made high school
romance her own and I Dare You is another great one to add to the collection.
I Dare You is Maverick and Delaney’s story. Delaney is a
nerd, she always has her nose stuck in a book and is proud of it. Having just
split from her jock boyfriend she has vowed to stay away from them for life and
just concentrate on graduating. When Delaney first started college, she had a
little run in with Maverick. Delaney was extremely embarrassed and has avoided
him ever since. Now, years later it seems their paths are crossing once again.
Will Delaney face it head on or will she do what she has been doing for years…running
in the opposite direction?
“You know that moment when
everything stops and the next breath you take is the first one of the rest of
your life? That’s what it feels like as Maverick Monroe stares at me with his
piercing blue eyes.”
Maverick is not your typical jock, even though that is what
he portrays to keep the persona expected of him. On the outside he is cocky and
arrogant, but on the inside, he is one of the most loyal people, protective, he
has his head screwed on and the only person that has messed with that is…Delaney.
Maverick hasn’t been able to get over his one and only encounter with Delaney.
It seems the old folk lore is true, you never forget the first person you kiss
on bonfire night, he certainly hasn’t. Maverick has been biding his time, now
that Delaney is single, that time is up.
“Maybe I’ve been waiting two
years for you to be free so I could ask you out.”
This was so much more than a college romance and the secrets
that these two have are really the crux of everything. Everything that could
make them… or break them. Ilsa Madden-Mills really delivers with a witty, yet
emotional read that did have me in tears on more than one occasion. That is
testament to the fantastic character connection. Both characters have had a
rough life in some way or another, and if any couple deserve a happy every after
it was these two.
“You’re everything I’ve ever
wanted.”
Another great read from Ilsa Madden-Mills and I cannot wait
to rea Ryker’s book. Ilsa Madden-Mills always manages to pull you into these
college cliques and this was one I didn’t want to leave.
Please note the kindle copy ends at 56%, there is a bonus
extended excerpt from Dirty English along with some recipes that pertain to I Dare
You. I know how peeved I get when I think I have loads left to read and I don’t,
so be prepared. I Dare You is a full-length novel though, you just get some
yummy extras and if you haven’t read Dirty English, you need to!!
As the bus approaches my stop on the Lower East Side, I raise the hood of my black sweatshirt. Anonymity is key in my neighborhood—particularly as a lone female walking at night.
All I want is to leave my crime-ridden shadow of a home in New York City. I’ve done everything I can to keep my head down and focus on my studies. College is my only goal; love has never been on the map…
That is, until my sister brings me to an underground fight, where I meet a gorgeous and mysterious man: Vincent.
He is the ghost in my shadows, showing up to feed me pieces of his upper-crust life, then evaporating into darkness until his next visit. I’m falling hard and fast. How can I trust him amidst the depth of his secrets?
Vincent may be even more dangerous than the dark world I’m trying to escape.
About the Author:
Jessica Ruben lives and works in New York City, where she spends her days dominating in the court room as an attorney. Come nightfall, she writes romances centering on gorgeous alpha males and the intelligent women who love them.
Jessica is an insatiable reader, and will devour a few books a week without batting an eyelash. Books have always been her drug of choice, and she has no plans on detox anytime soon. She has three wildly delicious children and a husband who, for reasons unimaginable to her, loves her brand of crazy.
Confessions: Julien, book two in the steamy contemporary MMM Confessions Series from Ella Frank, is coming June 4th!
Confessions: Julien by Ella Frank
New Release Date: June 4th, 2018
Genre: Contemporary MMM Romance
Cover Design: Hang Le
Cover Photographer: Jules Godfrey Photography
Cover Model: Jack Dutton
Book Description:
People are complex.
Love a double-edged sword.
And when it comes to a broken heart, there are no rules, only time…
For the past eight years, Julien Thornton has been living with a secret. One that only a handful of people know about.
To the outside world, he has it all.
A thriving career. A loving husband. And a face that the American public fell for by the millions, on a reality show that inadvertently saved his life.
But behind the shine of celebrity, behind the easygoing nature, a crippling truth fills Julien with pain and self-loathing. It’s a truth that he fights to overcome daily with the help of his husband, Joel Priestley, and now their boyfriend, Robbie Bianchi.
But unlike Priest, Robbie doesn’t know what he’s helping Julien to fight. He doesn’t know what Julien did all those years ago. And with the anniversary of his sister’s death fast approaching, the time for explanations is running out.
And thus the question: will the princess be able to forgive the prick as the priest once did?
Ella Frank is the USA Today Bestselling author of the Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust and is the co-author of the fan-favorite contemporary romance, Sex Addict. Her Exquisite series has been praised as “scorching hot!” and “enticingly sexy!” Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Phillips.
Jensen is a mystery I can’t figure out. She’s a liar. A thief—though the only thing she stole is my heart. She tried her best to escape me and by pure luck, I found her. In the very last place I expected. No matter how hard we try, we can’t resist each other, and as we grow closer, she’s starting to reveal pieces of herself. Sharing her secrets, sharing her truths. Yet she’s still hiding something from me, and I can’t figure it out. Soon I have my own secrets to keep. One that has the potential to ruin everything…
“Maybe it’s because I don’t want
to give up on you.”
“Everyone else does.”
Damn, Monica Murphy, what a tangled web we are weaving. For
a second book this was fast-paced, action-packed and full of drama, of the best
kind. We always thought that Jensen was the only one with secrets, yet it seems
that Rhett’s family are just as bad and the more this progressed, the more
secrets are exposed. Monica Murphy ends this book on a doozy, leaving the
reader salivating for more.
“You think the world is normal?
You’re wrong. It’s not. We’re all out there fucking around, doing forbidden
things, excited that we might get caught. Even more excited when we don’t. The thrill
of doing something you’re not supposed to is intoxicating stuff…”
With book two of a trilogy, you find the author eithers
nails it or fails miserably, and I am pleased to say that Monica Murphy
definitely hit the former. This book is packed with back story, giving me the
character connection that I craved in the first book. I loved that this book
was told from Rhett’s point of view and this really gives the reader that extra
narrative and answers a lot of questions. Was Jensen a game to him? Are his
feelings genuine? I was worried that perhaps this was just a bit of fun for Rhett,
but alas, no, Rhett is in this for the long haul.
“I don’t go for skanks who work
at strip clubs,” I sneer. The moment the words leave me, I feel like shit.
Because I actually do go for skanks who work at strip clubs. I just didn’t realize
it until tonight.”
Rhett’s family is one of the most dysfunctional, and it only
gets worse in this book. With an older brother and younger sister, Rhett is the
doomed middle child, but out of all of them, seems the most put together. Yes,
he is jaded, but he doesn’t let it define him. He knows he has been lucky when
it comes to financial support, but the support he has been lacking the most is
emotional and that is why he and Jensen are just so good together.
“One minute all I want is to feel
your skin pressed against mine and the next I want to punch you in your perfect
face.”
I hate to think what Monica Murphy has in store for us with
Damaged Hearts, but with this soap opera style trilogy I am seriously worried.
It seems nothing is off-limits. I am worried for the longevity of Rhett and
Jensen, they are chalk and cheese and when Jensen’s secret finally comes out
are we talking atomic bomb kinda consequences? However, I am hoping that these
two can find a way to stay together, because they really do bring out the best
in one and other and each deserve a slice of happiness for once in their, so
far, miserable lives.
I do feel that these books could have been released as one
lengthy one, I am unsure of the page count but I read this in a little over an
hour, like the first. When you have a story this fast paced, I personally feel
it would create more of an impact, if you read it hit after hit after hit. Anyhow,
bring on book 3.
About the Author:
Monica Murphy is the New York Times, USA Today and #1 international bestselling author of the One Week Girlfriend series, the Billionaire Bachelors and The Rules series. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and has sold over one million copies worldwide. She is both self-published and published by Random House/Bantam and Harper Collins/Avon. She writes new adult, young adult and contemporary romance.
She is a wife and a mother of three who lives in central California on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere along with their one dog and too many cats. A self-confessed workaholic, when she's not writing, she's reading or hanging out with her husband and kids. She's a firm believer in happy endings, though she will admit to putting her characters through angst-filled moments before they finally get that hard won HEA.
Every person has a story to tell. Some may be sweet with a happily ever after, but there are others that end in tragedy. Mine has yet to be finished. My name is Elizabeth Kingston and this is where my story begins. I never thought my life could be so perfect. I have an amazing job owning my own bakery, and a wonderful husband who I love and who loves me back. Never once did I have to worry about anything, at least, not until the texts started coming in. They always begin the same way … numbers that spell my nickname when read upside down. 31773 It’s someone from my past, only they won’t to tell me who they are, but that by talking to them, I’ll figure it out. It’s a game I refuse to play. Unfortunately, I’m left with no choice when things begin to take a dangerous turn. His name is Anonymous and there’s only one thing he wants … ME.
It’s closing time and Vikki and I are busy cleaning, so we can get home. My phone beeps with an incoming text and I look down at it and growl. “You can’t be serious.” Staring back at me isn’t a text from Jake, but from Anonymous. Even though I deleted and blocked the number ninety days ago, I still recognize it. Vikki moves closer, her eyes wide. “What’s going on?” I show her the text. Anonymous: 31773? Brows furrowed, she sits back. “What does that mean?” I turn my phone upside down, so she can see that the number spells out my name. Her eyes widen. “Wow, that’s cool you can type your name with numbers.” “But not so cool when I don’t know who the person is,” I counter. “About three months ago, I got texts from this exact same person. Whoever it is likes to play games. I’m sick of it and I want them to leave me alone.” Taking a deep breath, I type out a reply. Me: WHO IS THIS? Anonymous: Why all the yelling? I roll my eyes. This is just ridiculous. Me: I like using all caps. Anonymous: Don’t stop on my account. So, what have you been up to? Been a while since we talked. Me: Yeah, it’s because I blocked the number. Anonymous: Why? Me: BECAUSE I DON’T KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!!!!!!! “What is he saying?” Vikki asks. I show her the texts and her eyes widen. “So, you haven’t talked to him since you blocked the number?” I think back to when I blocked it and if my calculations are correct, the ninety days was up yesterday. “No, but he has perfect timing. My ninety days ran up yesterday. I might need to run to the cell store and see if they can block it permanently.” My phone beeps again and a sharp pain settles in my gut. I just want whoever it is to leave me alone. Anonymous: That hurts. You’ve always been friendly toward me. Me: Obviously not friendly enough, if you can’t tell me who you are. It’s weird and it makes me uncomfortable. You need to leave me the hell alone. Don’t text, call, or try to contact me in any way. I’m happily married, and I want it to stay that way. GOODBYE! Heart racing, I log into my cell phone account and before I can block the number, another text comes through. Anonymous: Sorry 31773 but that’s not going to happen. The blood in my veins runs cold. Hands shaking, I block his number and my phone drops onto the table. Vikki picks it up and reads the final text, her face growing pale. “I don’t think this person’s going away."
Our Review:
Reviewed by Donna ~ 3.5 stars ***ARC received for an honest review***
“Every person has a story to tell.
Some may be sweet with a happily ever after, but there are others that end in
tragedy. Mine has yet to be finished.”
This was a book that drew me in by its cover, dark and
mysterious, and that pretty much sums up its contents. Mystery, suspense and
intrigue. This book centres around an already married couple, so don’t go into
this expecting romance, although our hero and heroine are still very much in
love and extremely “active.” For me, this was all about the suspense and while
I had guessed early on who the “baddie” was it still made for entertaining
reading.
This was an extremely quick read, especially for a mystery,
thriller type book. I did feel that this would have benefited from a little
more meat in places, but none the less, what was delivered got the job done,
however, it did feel a bit choppy at times. This is fast paced, action packed
and doesn’t give you a chance to breathe. Stalker books are always a good read
and this one was great as the reader tries to determine what are clues and what
are red herrings.
Our heroine, Ellie is happily married to Jake and runs her
own bakery. This couple are still hopelessly in love and this oozes from every
page. Jake was an adorable, loving and protective husband, ex MMA and now an
architect and Ellie knew she had hit the jackpot of the husband lottery with
him. Ellie starts to get anonymous text messages and the more they continue,
the creepier and more worrisome they become. Initially keeping them to herself,
it soon becomes clear that she needs help and Jake knows just the person.
“Changing your number won’t get
rid of me. I’ll still be able to find you.”
As I said above, I had guessed the culprit early on, but the
author did have me questioning myself a few times and she does a great job
dropping little curveballs to throw you off the scent. Being a crime
documentary and serial buff, I did feel that the author exercised artistic
license and felt this did not follow procedures or protocols, but none the
less, it did make for some entertaining reading. I read this in a few hours, a
great way to get lost for a while.
Meet the Author:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author L. P. Dover is a southern belle living in North Carolina with her husband and two beautiful girls. Before she began her literary journey she worked in periodontics, enjoying the wonderment of dental surgeries. She loves to write, but she also loves to play golf, go on mountain hikes and white water rafting, and has a passion for singing. Her two youngest fans expect a concert each and every night before bedtime, usually Christmas carols. Dover has written countless novels, including her Forever Fae series, the Second Chances series, the Gloves Off series, the Armed & Dangerous series, the Royal Shifters series, the Society X series, the Circle of Justice series, and her standalone novels It Must’ve Been the Mistletoe and Love, Lies, and Deception. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense, but if she got to choose a setting in which to live, it would be with her faeries in the Land of the Fae.
As the bus approaches my stop on the Lower East Side, I raise the hood of my black sweatshirt. Anonymity is key in my neighborhood—particularly as a lone female walking at night.
All I want is to leave my crime-ridden shadow of a home in New York City. I’ve done everything I can to keep my head down and focus on my studies. College is my only goal; love has never been on the map…
That is, until my sister brings me to an underground fight, where I meet a gorgeous and mysterious man: Vincent.
He is the ghost in my shadows, showing up to feed me pieces of his upper-crust life, then evaporating into darkness until his next visit. I’m falling hard and fast. How can I trust him amidst the depth of his secrets?
Vincent may be even more dangerous than the dark world I’m trying to escape.
About the Author:
Jessica Ruben lives and works in New York City, where she spends her days dominating in the court room as an attorney. Come nightfall, she writes romances centering on gorgeous alpha males and the intelligent women who love them.
Jessica is an insatiable reader, and will devour a few books a week without batting an eyelash. Books have always been her drug of choice, and she has no plans on detox anytime soon. She has three wildly delicious children and a husband who, for reasons unimaginable to her, loves her brand of crazy.
So, in my blogging haze I didn't realise I had been blogging for 5 years a couple of weeks ago, so for a few days I'm going to be doing some giveaways!!
I have had a fantastic time blogging, I have made so many friends, have attended loads of signings, met some amazing authors, but the best part is reading over 2,300 books!! I have lived over 2300 lives and journeys.
I have selected my top reads from each of the past five years and will give away a few or more signed paperbacks to some lucky winners. All you have to do is like and comment with which paperback from the picture you would like signed. Tag the author if you can so they know they are loved. Shares would be appreciated!!
Check out this new excerpt for RISING by Jessica Ruben! Don't forget to add it to your TBR! I finished reading this one the other day and OMG, to say I was impressed by this debut author is a severe understatement. You can find my review on Goodreads here.
As the bus approaches my stop on the Lower East Side, I raise the hood of my black sweatshirt. Anonymity is key in my neighborhood—particularly as a lone female walking at night.
All I want is to leave my crime-ridden shadow of a home in New York City. I’ve done everything I can to keep my head down and focus on my studies. College is my only goal; love has never been on the map…
That is, until my sister brings me to an underground fight, where I meet a gorgeous and mysterious man: Vincent.
He is the ghost in my shadows, showing up to feed me pieces of his upper-crust life, then evaporating into darkness until his next visit. I’m falling hard and fast. How can I trust him amidst the depth of his secrets?
Vincent may be even more dangerous than the dark world I’m trying to escape.
Excerpt:
“Carlos is out,” she says in a rush. I look at her face, feeling my stomach sink. She’s playing with the hem of her shirt and glances at me nervously. Finally, her gray-blue eyes bore into mine, and I know that she’s gearing up to tell me some serious shit.
With trembling hands, I put down my coffee mug. “Tell me.”
“Yeah. Well, I heard he made bail—” She stops, clearing her throat. “I also heard that he’s, um, angrier than usual.” She stands, bringing the rest of the carafe of coffee to the table and pouring more into my cup.
I lick my dry lips. “What do you mean?”
She moves to the edge of her seat, pushing sugar my way. “Well, I was on the stoop yesterday. It was my day off. I was hanging out with everyone and listening to Mr. Samson talk about a new jazz club that recently opened up in Harlem. We were all getting high with someone’s hash, shooting the shit—”
“And?” I raise my eyebrows, waiting for her to get to the point.
“Juan came over, and sat with me.” She slightly shifts her head to the side and presses her lips together. “Well, he told me that Carlos is out now. And, he’s been talking shit all over town that he and you have some unfinished business. Juan wanted to tell me because he’s scared for you. I know he’s an annoying little shit, but after he heard...” her voice trails off.
I blink once, twice, three times.
“There’s more,” she says on an exhale. “Apparently, he hooked up with some girl last night. Beat the shit out of her. Ms. Santini from Three-A was on her way to work and stopped to drop off her trash by the dumpsters. Apparently, she heard a moaning sound. When she saw the girl, her clothes were torn. She was beaten up and started bawling about Carlos…”
My head gets dizzy, but I force myself to hear every detail. “An ambulance took her away, but she was in pretty bad shape.”
I want to ask more questions, but the terror has a clamp on my throat.
“I think you need to stay close to me for a while, okay? The Snakes are getting more aggressive. They want the Blue Houses as their own territory, and it looks like they’re trying to instill some bigger fear on the streets.” She drops her gaze. I know she’s afraid. Every girl in the Blue Houses probably heard the story by now.
“Yeah. Okay. I’ll make sure Angelo knows I need to leave before it gets dark out.”
“Good idea. We need to sync our schedules so you aren’t walking alone at night. I’m gonna talk to some other people and try to get their schedules down so that everyone has a buddy or something at night. I’m sure when everyone hears about this, we won’t be the only ones who are scared.” I nod my head and stand up mechanically, rinsing my mug and walking to my room to digest the new information. After grabbing my stuff, I check my purse to make sure that my gun is still inside. I lock myself in the bathroom and load and unload the gun a few times, reacquainting myself with the weapon. If Carlos comes, I’ll be ready for him.
Getting to work, I let Angelo know the details of what’s new with Carlos. He’s angry and continues to tell me that I shouldn’t be so stubborn and I need to let the Borignones get involved. But I refuse. I still don’t want any debts to my name. I’ve made it this far, and I believe I can wait it out a little longer.
Work passes in a blur. I’m convincing a girl to sell her diamond ring while Angelo sells the two violins and a Cartier watch to an elderly couple who want to buy something for their grandchildren.
When the day is done, Angelo insists on calling a car to take me home. I sigh deeply, knowing that the driver will be one of Angelo’s associates. But considering the fact that Carlos is out of jail, I’m not going to complain. I nod my head and take his ride in the name of safety.
I get in the huge black Escalade and see a massive man sitting in the driver’s seat. Swallowing hard, I remind myself that he’s not an enemy, but on my side. He drives me right up to my building and I gingerly walk out, my shaking hand inside my purse, gripping my gun. I’m scared as hell, but it makes me feel a modicum of control. The driver enters the building with me and steps into the elevator as well.
We reach the fourth floor when I tell him he can go. “I can get into my apartment fine now.” He nods his head wordlessly and re-calls the elevator to bring him back downstairs.
I get up to my door without incident and let out the breath I was holding while I pry my fingers off my gun. “I’m okay,” I say out loud, turning my head and letting my gaze run up and down my hallway. It’s empty. I pull out my key and step forward onto my threadbare Welcome mat when I feel like I’ve kicked something. I look down, confused at what’s on the floor. It must be Janelle’s sweater that she dropped on her way out. I bend down to pick it up and freeze.
About the Author:
Jessica Ruben lives and works in New York City, where she spends her days dominating in the court room as an attorney. Come nightfall, she writes romances centering on gorgeous alpha males and the intelligent women who love them.
Jessica is an insatiable reader, and will devour a few books a week without batting an eyelash. Books have always been her drug of choice, and she has no plans on detox anytime soon. She has three wildly delicious children and a husband who, for reasons unimaginable to her, loves her brand of crazy.
We are thrilled to bring you the cover for REBEL HEART the second book in the Rush Series Duet by New York Times bestsellers Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland, releasing on May 22nd!
Model: Micah Truitt
Photographer: Leonardo Corredor
Cover designer: Sommer Stein, Perfect Pear Creative
Book Description:
Rush and Gia’s story continues in the gripping conclusion to Rebel Heir… How to screw up a great summer in the Hamptons: Sleep with your boss. Check. Blow all your money on a rental you can’t afford. Check. How to walk away from a man you fall in love with at the end of a summer: …I’ll let you know when I figure it out. Rebel Heir is the second book in the Rush Series Duet. Book One,
How to kick off a great summer in the Hamptons: Snag a gorgeous rental on the beach. Check. Get a job at a trendy summer haunt. Check. How to screw up a great summer in the Hamptons: Fall for the one guy with a dark leather jacket, scruff on his face, and intense eyes that doesn’t fit in with the rest of the tony looking crowd. A guy you can’t have when you’ll be leaving at the end of the season. Check. Check. Check. I should add—especially when the guy is your sexy, tattooed God of a boss. Especially when he not only owns your place of employment but inherited half of the town. Especially when he’s mean to you. Or so I thought. Until one night when he demanded I get in his car so he could drive me home because he didn’t want me walking in the dark. That was sort of how it all started with Rush. And then little by little, some of the walls of this hardass man started to come down. I never expected that the two of us, seemingly opposites from the outside, would grow so close. I wasn't supposed to fall for the rebel heir, especially when he made it clear he didn’t want to cross the line with me. As the temperature turned cooler, the nights became hotter. My summer became a lot more interesting—and complicated. All good things must come to an end, right? Except our ending was one I didn’t see coming.
Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son and beautiful daughter with autism. With over a million books sold, she is a seventeen-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over fifteen novels, including RoomHate which hit #2 on the New York Times bestseller list and #1 on the Wall Street Journal bestseller list. Other New York Times bestsellers include Stepbrother Dearest, Neighbor Dearest, Drunk Dial, Cocky Bastard, Stuck-Up Suit, Playboy Pilot and Mister Moneybags (the latter four co-written with Vi Keeland).
Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles have appeared in over ninety Bestseller lists and are currently translated in twenty languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.
It started the moment I saw the simple message pop up on my computer screen:
Cameron’s Mac: Hi.
And when I met the eyes of the gorgeous man messaging me from across the coffee shop, I never thought my reply would lead to the most intense, sexual, and passionate relationship of my life.
We both agreed to check our bags at the door and put our future hopes and aspirations on the table.
It worked.
I fell in love with his no holds barred attitude, sexy smirk, and undeniably good heart . . . and for a while we forgot about our baggage. We happily tripped over it to get to the other, neither of us willing to show the contents of our pasts in the off chance it could ruin us.
We built our love on a foundation of gray.
It was life in black and white that threatened to tear us apart.
I feel like I have been on an epic journey with this book,
being involved from the beginning, reading draft after draft and seeing it’s
growth from a great story to an incredible story. These characters have
embedded themselves into my heart and soul, the journey they embarked…I have
taken every footstep with them, the highs and lows…I witnessed them all…I felt
them all and these two have definitely made a lasting impression.
“Ask a hundred people what love
means to them and you’ll get a hundred different answers. I suspect most of
them will say it has something to do with comfort or safety. But that’s false.”
Kate Stewart is an author for me that never fails to deliver.
Many, many years ago, I read my first Kate Stewart book and I just clicked with
her writing. The emotion pours from every page and her character connection is
always on point. Kate Stewart writes real romance with real characters, those
you can relate to, understand and connect with and most importantly, fall in
love with and The Real is a prime example.
“This is me at my worst. Please
don’t do this to us.”
“I didn’t do this.”
“You’re right. I did. Love me
anyway.”
Dialogue forms a huge part of this book and Kate Stewart
killed it, she brought back wooing with a capital W, she brought back the days
of getting to know a person before jumping into bed, building up that trust and
using that as a foundation to build a relationship. Yes, this is a slow burn, but
it is a delicious slow burn, one that has you wanting for the next step, the
next kiss, just salivating for…more.
“Tell me I can have this, tell me
I can be this happy. Tell me I can have you.”
Cameron and Abbie meet at a coffee shop, where Cameron first
makes contact with Abbie from his Mac, sending her a message. This is the start
of a beautiful friendship, a stunning courtship and the beginning of an epic
romance. A romance born from the here and now, no pasts, no baggage, just them
in their coffee shop cocoon.
“A kiss can be an introduction,
statement, and a promise. I plan to make all three when you let me.”
This is a book best read blind. Read this book as the author
intended so that the King of Woo and his Witchy Woman can take you along for the
ride. As with any Kate Stewart book, the course of true love never runs smooth,
but this is one heck of a journey, one that most will never see coming.
“I wanted what we had to be it. I
wanted him to be the last man I kissed, the last man I gave my heart and body
to. And I didn’t want my heart to be a liar. And only he had to power to make
it true.”
The Real is an epic, all-consuming read with all those
emotions I crave, a book with its own heartbeat. No cookie cutter romance, just
a Kate Stewart original with all those writing traits I love and crave. Their
story will consume you, it will probably make you cry, but by the end you will
be so in love, the journey will be a distant upset and you will bask in the
glow of an unforgettable love story.
“It was so obvious we were more
than coffee.”
Fan Made Trailer:
Excerpt:
Cameron’s Mac: Hi.
I looked above my laptop and took a deep breath before I accepted his invitation.
Abbie’s Mac: Hi.
Abbie, he’s going to wear your skin! I tried to ignore my inner voice.
Cameron’s Mac: I saw you with the homeless guy.
Abbie’s Mac: Ok?
He took a sip out of his Real Men Love Pomeranians mug and shrugged before he typed.
Cameron’s Mac: So, that was nice of you. Most people in the city just walk on by.
Abbie’s Mac: Oh. Most people do walk past Bennie. But he’s different and I’m not most people.
He lifted a brow and bit his lip.
Cameron’s Mac: I see that.
Cameron’s Mac: Want to have your next cup with me?
Say yes, say yes! It’s only coffee!
Abbie’s Mac: No, thank you.
You idiot.
His brows drew tight with his frown.
Cameron’s Mac: Sure? How about some breakfast?
My pulse raced with the memory of my last reaction to that type of attention and the consequences, and I answered without another thought.
Abbie’s Mac: No, thanks.
His chuckle was deep and covered me, even across the space between us. He bit his full bottom lip as he typed, his smirk still intact.
Fuck. Me. Damn it, Abbie!
Cameron’s Mac: Well, I guess today is not my day.
Abbie’s Mac: That’s all you’ve got?
I had no clue why I sent that message . . . why I was bothered that he didn’t try harder. Just that fucking smirk. It was sexy as hell.
He read my message and shrugged as he typed.
Cameron’s Mac: You seem to enjoy coffee. I don’t have an agenda. You’re beautiful, I noticed. I wanted to drink coffee with you. You said no. I’m going to scrape up the rest of my pride now and head out.
He closed his laptop and stood while I deflated. Damn it. He was being nice. Since when are guys just . . . nice?
Am I a man hater? Have I become that woman?
I spoke up as he slipped his computer into a worn leather bag.
“I’m sorry,” I offered in quick apology. “I was expecting some horrible line or screwed up proposition. The web, messaging, anything that has to do with technology has been hazardous for me. I’ve seen enough unsolicited dick pics for a lifetime. I was just being cautious.” And that was the truth. But I’d said it aloud in verbal vomit. Did I really say “dick pics” out loud?
He chuckled again as he looked down at me from where he stood, then grinned.
“Today isn’t the right day.” The husky baritone of his voice matched the silky hue of his eyes, which seemed to darken as he looked me over.
“No?” I asked in a whisper as I sized up his six-foot-plus frame and imagined the possibilities.
“No,” he said. “Maybe we can not have coffee again sometime?”
He’d tapped out with a simple ‘no’ from me. He couldn’t have been that interested in the first place.
I couldn’t deny the disappointment welling up in my ovaries.
“Okay.” I lifted the last syllable when he didn’t press further.
Cameron pulled out his wallet and set some money on his table then walked over to mine and did the same.
“At least let me buy your next cup.”
After setting the bills down, he stood over me briefly and I caught his scent—purely masculine. I inhaled as much as I could without being obvious. He didn’t smell like a psycho.
Cameron picked up his man–bag while I pictured running my fingers through his messy, inches thick, dark-brown hair.
Don’t let him leave. Tell him you aren’t that big of a bitch. But that would seem desperate. You aren’t desperate. But you are horny. Omg, are you horny??
As if reading my thoughts, I caught another flash of his teeth and had to bite my cheek to keep my reaction in check.
“I’ll see you.”
“Yeah, see you. And thanks,” I said to his retreating back, an octave louder than necessary. “For the coffee,” I added. Outside the window, Cameron bent and exchanged words with Bennie before sticking some cash in his hand.
Well, Abbie. Guess you’ll just have to wait until the next time you roll out of bed and a beautiful man hits on you. Should happen again, you IDIOT!
Once again, my hesitance had cost me. And I couldn’t help but feel like this time it cost me big.
Sagging into my seat, I continued to stare in his direction, watching those broad shoulders walk out of my life.
Giveaway:
Kate Stewart is having a $100 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway here:-
Kate Stewart lives in Charleston, S.C. with her husband, Nick, and her naughty beagle, Sadie. A native of Dallas, Kate moved to Charleston three weeks after her first visit, dropping her career of 8 years, and declaring it her creative muse. Kate pens messy, sexy, angst-filled contemporary romance as well as romantic comedy and erotic suspense because it's what she loves as a reader. A lover of all things '80s and '90s, especially John Hughes films and rap, she dabbles a little in photography, can knit a simple stitch scarf for necessity only and does a horrible job of playing the ukulele. Aside from running a mile without collapsing, traveling is the only other must on her bucket list. On occasion, she does very well at vodka.
