Monday 30 October 2017

This Weeks Releases!!!

This week is a huge release week, lots and lots of varied books to pique your interest!!


RELEASED TODAY


Book Description:

From international bestselling author Monica James.

My name is Hunter O’Shea and I have a confession to make…I’ve met a girl who consumes me. I know that makes me sound completely whipped, but Mary “Lamb” Mitts has the power to bring me to my knees…it’s just too bad she hates my guts. But that’s okay, because I hate hers, too. The fiery redhead stirs something in me that I can’t explain. 

This temporary insanity could be due to the fact my best friend, who used to be a bigger player than me, is getting married. That must be it. I’m caught up in an Oprah moment. 

The only solution is to get back in the game and forget she exists. That theory is great—too bad I don’t want anyone else. 

I…just…want…her. 

I’m so screwed.

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Book Description:

From USA Today best selling author Rebecca Shea comes a new standalone second chance romance, Fault Lines.

At eleven he was my first crush. At sixteen he became mine. At nineteen he broke my heart and destroyed me. That was ten years ago and the last time I saw Cole Ryan.

They say you never get over your first love...I beg to differ. I left my shattered heart buried in a town I never expected to return to. I erased every thought of him and buried the memories never to be found. 

I moved on...now ten years later I have the perfect life, the perfect fiancé, the perfect career. Everything I ever wanted until I'm forced to go back and face my past and the man that destroyed me. 

He won't stop until I know the truth no matter how hard I fight it. In the end, lies will be uncovered, hearts will be broken, and my life as I've come to know it destroyed.

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Book Description:

Charlotte Daley is the daughter of the newly elected POTUS. An only child, she’s both spoiled rotten and entirely neglected by her powerful family. She’s been forced to eat with the right forks, smile at all the right times, and be the picture of perfection for months. Now that her father is in office and too busy to know she exists, she’s determined to exercise her new freedom before she heads back to college in New York.

Zane Parker has one job—to protect the President’s daughter, all day, every day. But she’s been on a partying spree since the inauguration, heading down a dangerous path that threatens to ruin her reputation and cause a major scandal for her father. Zane will lose his job if he can’t get her under control. Except he wants to sleep with her as badly as he wants to set her straight. She needs discipline. And he might be just the one to give it to her.

When unexpected circumstances tie Charlotte to D.C. for the foreseeable future, Zane makes her an offer that’s anything but honorable. He’ll give the first daughter all the thrills she’s seeking in exchange for one thing… Her obedience. Fascinated by Zane’s dark promises, Charlotte agrees. Submission has never felt so good. But as Zane brings her deeper into his forbidden desires, enemies surface and danger lurks…

****
Misadventures is a romantic series of spicy standalone novels, each written or co-written by some of the best names in romance. The stories are scandalous, refreshing, and, of course, incredibly sexy. They’re the perfect bedside read, a ‘quick blush’ for the reader who loves a page-turning romance.

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Book Description:

He wants her soul. Too bad she already sold it. 

Family is everything to gambling den darling, Teresa Valentini. Blood comes first, especially before men. So when her brother lands himself in hot water, she's willing to do whatever it takes to save him. And showing up topless in her unwitting savior's motel room is turning out to be the furthest thing from a hardship...

Will Caruso is the bad boy of New York's financial scene...and he just found out the very thing that drives his success is a damn lie. Now, he's exchanged his high-stress life for the open road, no one but his Great Dane...and half a million Instagram followers to keep him company. When a mysterious beauty arrives, her secrecy prods his suspicions, even while she tempts his lust to the breaking point.

Teresa met Will under false pretenses, but the bond consuming them is real. They're strong enough to overcome a little betrayal...aren't they? 

**FOLLOW is a mega hot, contemporary, first person standalone**

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Book Description:

The best of friends.
Two men. One woman.
A sinful playground called The Wicked Horse.

Entrepreneur turned millionaire, Dane Hawthorne, has been known to get his kicks at The Wicked Horse Vegas, and he has no shortage of beautiful women waiting for a shot at him. Driven to succeed, no matter if he’s in the boardroom or the bedroom, Dane never backs down from a challenge.

Avril Carrigan isn’t the type of woman to take risks in her personal life but after a broken heart and too much liquid courage, Avril decides to best way to get over one man, is to get under another. Looking to experience all the debauchery she’s heard about from her best friend and business partner, Dane, she requests one thing of him—take her to The Wicked Horse.

The request seems simple. One friend helping another in her time of need. But now that they’ve crossed the threshold, things aren’t as easy as they once seemed. Not only is Dane looking at Avril in a new light, but so is their other business partner and best friend, Andrew Collings. As Dane’s envy blooms, he wonders if he made the right decision when he agreed to show Avril his wicked world.

What happens when the lines of friendship are blurred and boundaries are crossed? Will their relationships survive or will jealousy tear them all apart?

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Book Description:

Wildly successful entrepreneur, Thane Walker is stubbornly set in his ways and adamantly resists the shackles of commitment. He’s seen enough unhappy endings to learn the best way to play is by keeping his men on the payroll. 

Levi Silva’s dream of graduating from one of the country’s top medical schools is in his grasp, until news from home changes everything. Now, he’s raising his two teenage brothers and trying to keep everyone’s head above water, emotionally and financially. 

When Levi’s new job puts him in Thane’s path, their chemistry explodes, but their fear of being involved in relationships keeps them apart. Unfortunately, despite the intense desire drawing them together, neither man can move forward until they get past their own…Reservations.

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RELEASING TOMORROW



Book Description:

They say that every tragic hero has a fatal flaw, a secret sin, a tiny stitch sewn into his future since birth. And here I am. My sins are no longer secret. My flaws have never been more fatal. And I’ve never been closer to tragedy than I am now.

I am a man who loves, a man whose love demands much in return. I am a king, a king who was foolish enough to build a kingdom on the bones of the past. I am a husband and a lover and a soldier and a father and a president.
And I will survive this.

Long live the king.

***American King is the third and final book in the New Camelot Trilogy***

Pre-Order Links:





Book Description:

New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak returns to Silver Springs with a moving story about rebuilding your life when you've got nothing left to lose 

Savanna Gray needs a do-over. Her "perfect" life unraveled when, to her absolute shock, her husband was arrested for attacking three women. With her divorce settled, she takes her two children home to Silver Springs to seek refuge between the walls of the farmhouse where she was born. It needs a little TLC, but she's eager to take control of something. 

Gavin Turner understands the struggle of starting over. Abandoned at a gas station when he was five, it wasn't until he landed at New Horizons Boys Ranch as a teen that he finally found some peace. He steps up when Savanna needs help fixing things—even when those things go beyond the farmhouse. 

Despite an escalating attraction to Gavin, Savanna resolves to keep her distance. She trusted her ex, who had a similarly tragic background, and is unwilling to repeat her past mistakes. But it's hard to resist a man whose heart is as capable as his hands.

Pre-Order/Buy Links:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2gWjk3R (LIVE)



Book Description:

Brotherhood. Club. Family.
They live and ride by their own rules.
These are the Raven Riders...

Wild with grief over the death of his wife, Sam “Slider” Evans merely lives for his two sons. Nothing holds his interest anymore—not even riding his bike or his membership in the Raven Riders Motorcycle Club. But that all changes when he hires a new babysitter.

Recently freed from a bad situation by the Ravens, Cora Campbell is determined to bury the past. When Slider offers her a nanny position, she accepts, needing the security and time to figure out what she wants from life. Cora adores his sweet boys, but never expected the red-hot attraction to their brooding, sexy father. If only he would notice her...

Slider does see the beautiful, fun-loving woman he invited into his home. She makes him feel too much, and he both hates it and yearns for it. But when Cora witnesses something she shouldn’t have, the new lives they’ve only just discovered are threatened. Now Slider must claim—and protect—what’s his before it’s too late.

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Book Description:

Papa says everyone has a story that deserves to be told. 

Most begin years ago, after the second bomb hit, unearthing a deadly contagion that divided the population into the pure, the infected, and the Ragers. 

Many recount the moment we rose up from the ashes and started anew.

Others tell of the day we built a wall to keep them out.

For some, they’re nothing more than the vestiges left behind—a simple name carved into the knotty bark of a Juniper tree.

My story begins with a boy. A mute, from the other side of the wall, known only as Six, who touched my heart in ways that words never could, and gave me the courage to face my darkest truth.

Juniper Unraveling is a full-length standalone dystopian romance.

Pre-Order Links:




Book Description:

From New York Times Bestselling Authors Krista & Becca Ritchie, comes the next book in their sexy new contemporary romance series. 

Twenty-seven-year-old Farrow Keene lives by his actions, and his actions say he’s the best at whatever he does. As a 24/7 bodyguard and the new boyfriend to Maximoff Hale, protecting the headstrong, alpha billionaire has never been more complicated. And one rule can’t be bent: 

Keep your relationship secret from the public.

Farrow is confident he’s the best man for the job. But a twist in Maximoff’s fast-paced life sticks them with the rest of Security Force Omega and their clients. 

On the road. 
In a sleeper tour bus. 
For four rocky months.

Sexual frustrations, check. Road trip drama, check. Awkward bonding, check. 

But Farrow couldn’t have accounted for a high-risk threat (identity: unknown) that targets Maximoff before the ignition even turns. And it hits Farrow — someone has it out for the guy he loves. 

Every day, Maximoff & Farrow's feelings grow stronger, and together, they'll either sink or swim. 

The Like Us series is a true series, one continuous timeline, that follows a family of wealthy celebrities and the people that protect them. You must read Damaged Like Us, Book 1, before reading Lovers Like Us.

Pre-Order Links:




Book Description:

Running a dating agency can be a killer…

Shelley Linley is sick of sickos. Yet another prankster has applied to her dating agency. This one says he’s a vampire and he wants Shelley to help him find a wife.

Meeting him for a second interview against all her better judgement, Shelley discovers that he has no clue about women. A shame because he’s super-hot, amusing, and has a lot of single friends he could recommend her struggling business to, even if he does say they’re werewolves and demons. She has to help him, even if he’s crazy.

If she can ignore his delusions, she’s sure she can help him meet someone. But when death threats start arriving on her doorstep, Shelley’s not sure she’s cut out for the job…then her dating algorithm states she’s his ideal partner. Now she’s not sure if she should take the risk for love, or run like hell. 

Welcome to Withernsea and the Supernatural Dating Agency, for readers of Michelle Rowen, Gerry Bartlett and Michele Bardsley who like their humour to have bite.

Buy The Vampire wants a Wife to see if Theodore gets his happy forever after.

Pre-Order Links:




Book Description:

He’s got every reason to be cocky . . . until a female cuts him down to size.

I’m Dallas Easton, the best goaltender in the league. I make a damn good living playing hockey, and with women falling at my feet wherever I go, why not enjoy it? I get whatever I want, whenever I want—that is, until I come across the one player who gets the best of me on the ice.

When I try to pummel the dude, all hell breaks loose. Imagine my surprise when the helmet comes off to reveal a woman underneath. And not just any woman, but the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen. Callie Davis is the complete opposite of the puck bunnies I usually go for, a good girl with sick moves and a selfless streak a mile wide. I need to make amends, but she dodges me at every turn. It doesn’t help that Callie’s brother hates my guts, or that my agent thinks she’s bad for my career.

But I could care less what they think. I can’t let our little run-in on the ice be the end of our story. Because when I set my sights on something, I won’t rest until I score.

Pre-Order Links:




Book Description:

Mr. Perfect, Mr. Romantic, Mr. Corporate, Mr. Mysterious, and Mr. Match found what they were looking for and now it’s time to seal the deal. Five Aston hasn’t quite found his happily ever after yet… not quite. But he will. And he’s about to host the party of the century for all his family and friends.

If you loved Happily Ever After, you can’t miss this one either. It’s the delicious cherry on top of the most perfect dessert and all your favorite characters will be back for one… final… swoon-worthy story. 

Pre-Order Links:




Book Description:

Grim Reaper Charley Davidson is back in the twelfth installment of Darynda Jones’ New York Times bestselling paranormal series, The Trouble with Twelfth Grave.

Ever since Reyes Farrow escaped from a hell dimension in which Charley Davidson accidentally trapped him, the son of Satan has been brimstone-bent on destroying the world his heavenly Brother created. His volatile tendencies have put Charley in a bit of a pickle. But that’s not the only briny vegetable on her plate. While trying to domesticate the feral being that used to be her husband, she also has to deal with her everyday life of annoying all manner of beings—some corporeal, some not so much—as she struggles to right the wrongs of society. Only this time she’s not uncovering a murder. This time she’s covering one up.

Add to that her new occupation of keeping a startup PI venture—the indomitable mystery-solving team of Amber Kowalski and Quentin Rutherford—out of trouble and dealing with the Vatican’s inquiries into her beloved daughter, and Charley is on the brink of throwing in the towel and becoming a professional shopper. Or possibly a live mannequin. But when someone starts attacking humans who are sensitive to the supernatural world, Charley knows it’s time to let loose her razor sharp claws. Then again, her number one suspect is the dark entity she’s loved for centuries. So the question becomes: Can she tame the unruly beast before it destroys everything she’s worked so hard to protect?

Pre-Order Links:




Book Description:

I'm a werewolf King who chose to step down out of grief for my mate.

For centuries I've been alone, choosing to live a life of modesty despite the wealth surrounding me.

I deserve to be punished.

I crave things I have no business craving.

And it is manifesting itself in a way I'm terrified I won't be able to control any longer.

Especially since she arrived.

Vampire. Orphan. Beaten beyond recognition.

My blood calls to her in a way that makes no sense.

I'm a wolf.

She's a vampire.

The two don't mate.

They barely tolerate one another.

All it takes is one slip of control on my part ― one taste.

And I doom us all.

Then again, I never knew what is lurking inside has the power to balance good and evil.

Pre-Order Links:

Amazon UK: TBA
Amazon US: TBA



Book Description:

Ripples: A Consequences Stand-alone Novel

You don’t have to read the Consequences series to enjoy this stand-alone novel, but if you know Tony Rawlings, you know that disappointing him isn’t an option. Imagine being his youngest daughter...imagine telling him the unimaginable...

“Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it.”

Sometimes ideas find you, and dreams begin as nightmares. Sometimes the truth that has been kept hidden is the key to opening a door you never knew existed. 

“You might not know me. I’m the baby of the Rawlings family, the princess, the daughter who came along later. I’m not like my older siblings, successful at everything they touch. My mother and father have provided me with every luxury as well as their unyielding love and support, but I’m not spoiled. I’m also not content. By example, my parents have shown me how love should be. I don’t know their past, and that doesn’t matter. I know what I’ve seen—two people devoted to one another. 

I don’t believe that I’ll ever find that kind of love, the kind that forgives and accepts all. And as my life falls to pieces and I travel to visit my family to face their disappointment, I’m not even looking for it. 

I’m looking for an escape...from my life as a Rawlings...from the pressure to achieve and not let others down. I dream of the time I can live for my own desires without the expectations that come with my name. 

I don’t find what I’m seeking...it finds me. Or should I say...he finds me. 

This time is different. I have a family who will search for me and find the answers. Little do we know—any of us—that my father set my journey into motion long before I was born.”

"Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects." ~Dalai Lama

Ripples (Unabridged Version) is Natalie’s story, the youngest of Tony and Claire’s children—their baby. This story first appeared in shorter form in Glamour: Contemporary Fairytale Retellings. Due to the length restriction of each novella in that anthology, many scenes in Ripples were shortened or omitted for that anthology. This unabridged edition is the entire story—double in length and—a full-length novel. 

Please enjoy this Consequences novel along with special appearances from your favorite Consequences characters. 

Pre-Order Links:




RELEASING TOMORROW!!! I need this in my life, I am always petrified reading in the bath, problem solved!!


Kindle Oasis ~ 


- Our largest, highest resolution display— 7” and 300 ppi, reads like real paper without glare, even in bright sunlight.


- The first waterproof (IPX8) Kindle so you are free to read in even more places.


- Now with Audible, listen to the world’s largest library of audiobooks. Pair with Bluetooth to take the story with you anytime, anywhere.


- Thin and light ergonomic design with dedicated page turn buttons and adaptive front light so you can read even more comfortably for hours.


- Keep reading—a single charge lasts weeks, not hours.


- Enjoy twice the storage with 8 GB. Or choose 32 GB to hold more magazines, comics, newspapers, and audiobooks.


- Instant access to new releases and bestsellers, or from over a million titles at $2.99 or less. Prime members read free with unlimited access to over a thousand titles.


Pre-Order Links:



RELEASING WEDNESDAY


Book Description:

“I swear. Give me one more chance and I will make the most of it.”

Ex-escort Javier Landes is asking for his third chance at love. And the third time is the charm. He meets an art therapist named Steffen Finch and what starts as casual deepens into a passionate relationship—everything Jav has ever wanted, and everything he fears losing. 

Stef’s business card reads Curator & Sailor. His creativity and insightful nature have made him into a talented therapist, the one to call for tough cases. His professional success can’t conceal a deep need to connect with someone, but Javier Landes is the last person Stef expected.

Geronimo "Geno" Caan is Stef's most challenging case. To cope with his ordeal, he's allowed an alter-ego called Mos to make decisions, and now lives a double life within a web of lies. Under Stef’s navigation, Geno uses art to express what Mos forbids to be spoken aloud. But as Geno’s attachment to Stef gradually extends to Jav, the boundaries between professional and personal begin to blur.

Over the course of a year, Jav, Stef and Geno form an unexpected and unconventional triangle, revealing how men make love in times of war and how love is a great wisdom made up of small understandings. The long-awaited second book of the Venery series, A Charm of Finches is an epic tale of survival and secrets guaranteed to make you think and feel and remember.

Pre-Order Links:




Book Description:

At Twin Oaks Country Club, there are the fortunate ones, and then there are the rest of us: the waiters, the caddies, the valets, and in my case, the cabana girls. Most days, I’m poolside in a pleated skirt, dishing out margaritas to tycoons and titans. It’s not exactly my dream job, but it does come with one perk…

James Ashwood.

He’s my silver lining in a custom black suit.

Besides being a legacy member at the club, he’s a tech mogul and Austin’s most eligible bachelor. Oh, and those dimples? Yeah, they make my stomach dip too.

On good days, I catch his sleek Porsche winding down the tree-lined drive. On better days, I steal a glimpse of his handsome profile as we pass in the hall. And on the absolute best day, I find him alone at the bar, looking for company.

“Come have a seat.”

Those four little words set me down a path I never could have imagined. Private planes, penthouse suites, and temptations around every corner make it impossible to keep my distance. His world feels decadent and wild—but overindulgence comes with a cost. Every kiss comes with strings. Every erotic encounter is a promise I’m not ready to keep.

When I pump the brakes, he hits the gas. James doesn’t want to go slow—he wants a commitment. 

And the thing about the fortunate ones?
They’re used to getting what they want.

Pre-Order Links:



THURSDAY


Book Description:

Artist Mackenzie Lane is almost thirty and still single, which, according to her neighbors, pretty much makes her the Spinster of Sweetbriar Cove. She’s sworn off terrible fix-ups, and is looking forward to her solo future of woolly mumus and cats. (Lots of cats). But a chance Halloween rendezvous awakens her reckless spirit, and makes her wonder if love might be in the cards, after all…

Jake Nash is back in town for the first time in years, recovering from a career-ending sports injury. He’s dazzled by the mysterious woman he meets by chance - and even more intrigued when he discovers it’s his high-school friend Mackenzie. 

Ten years ago, Jake was the first (and only) guy to put a dent in Mackenzie’s invincible heart. She’s determined not to make the same mistake again, but when the pair are forced to team up to plan the annual Starbright Festival, old sparks fly - and new passion runs riot. 

Soon, Mackenzie and Jake are risking it all. But will their connection last longer than the first snowfall? And can these old friends start a new chapter for love? Find out in the sizzling, romantic new novel from New York Times bestselling author Melody Grace! 

Sweetbriar Cove:
1. Meant to Be
2. All for You
3. The Only One
4. I'm Yours
5. Holiday Kisses (novella)
6. No Ordinary Love

Pre-Order Links:




Book Description:

I should've never agreed to this arrangement...

Thirty days ago, my boss--Mr. Wolf of Wall Street, came to me with an offer I couldn't refuse: Sign my name on the dotted line and pretend to be his fiancée for one month. If I agreed, he would let me out of my employment contract with a "very generous" severance package.

The rules were pretty simple: No intimate kissing, no actual sex. Just pretend to love each other for the press, even though I've secretly wanted to knock that sexy smirk off his face since the first day we met. 

I definitely didn't need to think twice about this. I signed my name and started counting down the seconds to when I would never have to deal with his special brand of ass-holery again. 

I only made it to one minute...

We argued the entire four-hour flight to his hometown, failed to make a convincing impression with the welcoming press, and right when I was about to knock that arrogant look off his face in real life? He purposely dropped his bath towel in front of me, distracting me with his nine-inch cock to "show me who the bigger person was" in our relationship. Then he gave me his trademark smirk once again and asked if I wanted to consummate our marriage.

Tragically, this is only day one. 
We still have 29 more days to go...

Pre-Order Links:




Book Description:

I got the call. The dreaded call every child fears. My dad wasn’t well, and the man who had always been my everything needed me. 

There was only one thing to do; pack up and head back to my hometown. I had finally made my dream life in the city with the great job and loving boyfriend. But was there really a choice not to go? 

I found a wonderful job, a quaint house to rent, my boyfriend was working on joining me in Binghamton, and my favorite pizza place was only miles away. Life was good. 

Until I met my neighbor. 

It's been three years since I'd seen Aaron Walters, and my God is he all kinds of sexy gorgeous. Figures. He was supposed to be my forever, the man I grew old with, but he had different plans. How can a man who ripped my heart apart still trip me up? How can he make me still want him now more than ever?

I’m tempted, I’m drawn toward him, I’m completely and utterly unaware that I’m dating his biological brother.

Now two men own my heart. The question is, which brother will I choose?

Pre-Order Links:

Tuesday 17 October 2017

Release Day Review ~ Most of All You by Mia Sheridan


Book Description:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Archer's Voice comes a heart-wrenching new stand-alone contemporary romance.

A broken woman . . .

Crystal learned long ago that love brings only pain. Feeling nothing at all is far better than being hurt again. She guards her wounded heart behind a hard exterior and carries within her a deep mistrust of men, who, in her experience, have only ever used and taken.

A man in need of help . . .

Then Gabriel Dalton walks into her life. Despite the terrible darkness of his past, there's an undeniable goodness in him. And even though she knows the cost, Crystal finds herself drawn to Gabriel. His quiet strength is wearing down her defenses and his gentle patience is causing her to question everything she thought she knew.

Only love can mend a shattered heart . . .

Crystal and Gabriel never imagined that the world, which had stolen everything from them, would bring them a deep love like this. Except fate will only take them so far, and now the choice is theirs: Harden their hearts once again or find the courage to shed their painful pasts.

Buy Links:


Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 stars
***ARC received for an honest review***


“It’s not the things you do with love and good intentions that you end up regretting. It’s the things you don’t do that you have to live with.”


Wow, this week has been one hell of an emotional reading week, three books, three lots of tears spilled of various quantities. But this is why I love reading. I love to experience those emotions, I cherish that character connection that can only be delivered by an author whose words call to every heart string, every fibre of my being, words that embed themselves into your heart and soul and Mia Sheridan never fails to deliver. Archer’s Voice is one of my all-time top favourite books ever, I have read that book well over twenty times and it is one that I will treasure for the rest of my reading days. Most of All You had all those Archer vibes, it had that same intensity, that all-encompassing emotional connection and a story that even the hardest of hearts could empathise with. I loved everything about this book, my second favourite Mia Sheridan read, because frankly, Archer’s Voice is untoppable.


“I told my heart to stop beating. I told it not to hurt anymore. I told my heart I wouldn’t let it hurt anymore. Ever.”


Captivating, superbly written and breathtakingly unique, Most of All You delivers two characters that you cannot help but embrace, empathise with, sympathise with and love implicitly. Their story ripped me apart, piece by piece, every ounce of empathy I had was given to these two broken characters that deserved their happy ever after more than anyone. Their back stories were harrowing, but it was those that made them the people they are today. Yes, they were fractured, they just hadn’t found their band aid, until the unlikeliest of couplings brought together one of the most tragic yet totally uplifting love stories that I have ever had the pleasure of reading.


“You shouldn’t love me.”
“It’s too late. I already do. I’m sorry but I can’t take it back.”


I am not going to go into this story at all, this is a book that you need to read as the author intended. From the first word, your attention will be gripped in Mia Sheridan’s words as she expertly navigates the reader through Gabriel and Ellie’s story. Our pasts are often our backbone, childhoods often meld our futures and the more traumatic the past, the greater the ramifications. You can either let it make you or break you. Your past doesn’t have to define your future, you can break the cycle, but sometimes it just needs that person that can help you navigate, give you the strength and belief, but the only person that can make that change a reality…is you.


“Gabriel was a brilliant artist and I was a disgusting, talentless joke.”


This book was truly awe inspiring, life is a series of choices, some are harder to make than others, some are in fact not choices at all even if that is how they manifest themselves. You never know what choices you will be forced to make and often you are torn between a rock and a hard place. When life always gives you lemons sometimes it is hard to make the lemonade. This book was about those choices, how one can let them define them and how the other made them a stepping stone, a stepping stone to being a better person. Be the best you can be, find the positives, don’t dwell on the negatives.


“He wanted to give me the peace of this moment, the…poetry of this place, the romance, the scents and the sounds and the serene beauty all around us. He wanted to give me love. And, God, I wanted to take it, I was just so scared to reach out and grab it.”


This book was all about character growth, I loved how these characters transformed before my eyes. Their journey was fraught with obstacles, both physical and emotional and yet, not once did I ever not believe in them as a couple. Sometimes the heart knows, the soul calls and the future is a foregone conclusion it just took Gabriel and Ellie a little time to fix themselves before that was even a possibility.


“and time. That’s all it is, my sweet love. Just sand and pressure and time.”


Mia Sheridan delivered this book with perfection. That perfect balance of angst, emotion, laughs and love. Nothing was overdone, everything believable and the story felt organic. Once again Mia Sheridan delivered and although Archer remains my favourite, this one is a very close second.


Release Day Blitz, Review & Excerpt ~ Drive by Kate Stewart


We're celebrating the release of DRIVE by Kate Stewart!

This book is in my all time top 3, by far my favourite read of 2017 and is a definite must read!! If there is only one book you read this year, make sure it is this one!!


Contemporary Romance
Stand Alone
Designer: Q Designs
Scheduled to release: October 17, 2017

Add it to Goodreads

Book Description:

Music . . . the heart’s greatest librarian.

The average song is three and a half minutes long; those three and a half minutes could lead to a slow blink, a glimpse of the past, or catapult the soul into heart-shattering nostalgia.

At the height of my career, I had the life I wanted, the life I’d always envisioned. I’d found my tempo, my rhythm. Then I received a phone call that left me off key.

You see, my favorite songs had a way of playing simultaneously. I was in love with one man’s beats and another’s lyrics. But when it came to the soundtrack of a life, how could anyone choose a favorite song? So, to erase any doubt, I ditched my first-class ticket and decided to take a drive, fixed on the rearview.

Two days.

One playlist.

And the long road home to the man who was waiting for me.


Buy Links:

Paperback UK: http://amzn.to/2ygO17S
Paperback US: http://amzn.to/2wSsOj4


Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 stars are not enough
***ARC received for an honest review***


“You have to wait one minute past desperation...”


To be honest, 5 stars is not enough for this book. Out of the thousands and thousands of books I have read I have two all-time favourites that I recommend to anyone who will listen. These two books have been on that list for a long time with no stand out books that have deserved to match them…until now. I have read this book three times already, three times this book has destroyed me and each time of reading, despite knowing what is coming, it hurt just as much as the first. That is testament to this authors innate ability to master emotion. With a Kate Stewart read you experience everything, she immerses you into the lives of her characters so naturally and absolutely that when they hurt, you hurt. You take her characters into your heart and soul, you live and breathe their love, their pain, their highs and their lows, they smile you smile, they love you love. I experienced this like life itself, it felt real, and despite the many highs, the lows hurt like a bitch.


“You can’t go beating up everyone that pisses you off. Use your words, I promise you they are much better weapons. But be careful with them because bruises heal.”


For me, this was one of those EPIC reads. One of those reads that you will remember for a lifetime, a book that I will read time and time again and one that will never age. I know I am harping on about the tears I spilled, but for me, emotion is everything. I am an emotional reader, I have to live and breathe a book to truly connect with the characters and when a book truly destroys me, the way that this book did, it deserves ALL the PRAISE. I am trying to convey just how special this book was. This book is one of my unicorns, I am now the proud owner of three.


“Even in hindsight, with all your mistakes disappearing in the distance, the things you got right are right alongside them. I’d made the mistake in only looking for the hurt…”


Drive is an epic journey of self-discovery, life lessons, love lessons and everything else in between. Music plays a huge part in this book, for all the characters, and if you experience this book the interactive way, by clicking on the music link on each chapter heading you will only fall deeper into the Kate Stewart abyss and truly experience this book heart, mind, body and soul. The balance and flow of this book was PERFECT. Angst in spades, but more importantly heat and passion, laughs, a lot of love and that all-encompassing emotion.


“Welcome to adulthood…It fucking sucks here.”


This book was captivating from start to finish as you live Stella’s life as she tries to find her place in the world. We start in the present but Kate Stewart soon takes us back to how Stella, became Stella. Stella was a journalist and her specialty was music. Her father in particular had born her love of music and music was her blood, her life line, her de-stress, her true love. Stella wasn’t Stella without her music. Along her travels, making her mark and discovering new talent we also follow Stella’s love life which is full of highs and lows and this is where Kate Stewart comes into her own. Kate Stewart always writes fantastic hero’s and with Drive there is more than one to choose from and I dare anybody not to fall in love with them both. This is not a love triangle per se, there is no cheating, just one heck of an all-encompassing love story, that will have your heart beating a mile minute, the tears plentiful and the highs far outweighing the lows.


“When it came to the men in my life, my emotions were my kryptonite, and so was my indecision.”


Stella was an amazing heroine, it is rare for me to love a heroine as much as the hero but with Stella she wore her heart on her sleeve, she was an open book, opinionated, sassy but vulnerable with her charming personality a mask for the naïve and fearful woman underneath. As this book progresses though you witness Stella’s metamorphosis to the strong, independent, yet still extremely lovable woman she becomes. Her journey was tough and hard fought, there were no winners and losers, Kate Stewart brought this book to a close perfectly.


“Because music is the heart’s greatest librarian. A few notes had the ability to transport me back in time, and to the most painful places.”


As I said above, this is more than a book, it is an experience, like a movie that you are watching in glorious technicolour. It will infuriate you, it will make you laugh, it will make you cry, but at the end, even though you will be physically and emotionally exhausted you can only look back in stunned silence and wonder what the hell you had just read. This is by far my favourite Kate Stewart book. This author truly outdid herself with one hell of a memorable book, one that as I said before I will read time and time again. This is a slow burn, as Kate Stewart sets the scene, but once this book comes into its own around the 40% mark there is no going back. Captivating and unputdownable this is definitely a book you should read with a glass of wine, a huge bar of chocolate and a box of Kleenex, especially if you are a soft sap like me.


“Money used to be the whole fucking problem and now it can’t solve anything.”


I could harp on about this book forever, but then it will just be boring, so all I am going to say is READ IT. Experience this as the author intended, go in blind and live, breathe and feel this book, it is truly AMAZING!!


“I used to think I was cursed for having fallen in love with two men. But, in hindsight, I realized what a gift it was. They were my lovers, my teachers, my best friends, and I would love them both until I took my last breath.”


Excerpt:


Breathe. Breathe. This is in the bag, Stella. You can do this, so do it.



I clicked on the camera and quickly glanced at my notes.

One minute.


Electricity shot through my veins and seeped through every pore, reminding me that this was it.


Thirty seconds.
I took a sip of water and set it beside my laptop as I waited.

Ten seconds.
A flicker of doubt processed for mere seconds before I wiped it away.

Five.
I expelled a stressed breath, clicked Go Live, and addressed the camera.

“Womanizer, bully, genius, recluse, and the world’s greatest MC. Even with all those labels, Phillip Preston, also known as Titan, is still a bit of an enigma. Despite the universe he’s constructed with storytelling lyrics, he’s always left it up to us to decipher his truth from his fiction. He burst onto the music scene fifteen years ago, an underdog in the belly of rap, with chaotic and desperate rhymes that resonated and pushed him into an unexpected level of stardom. With one hundred and eighty million records sold, he still holds his title as heavyweight and remains a household staple for his die-hard fans, collecting an army of new followers over the past two decades. I must admit, I was a bit intimidated when I sat down with him this past weekend in his Chicago fortress. I, like millions of others, am a huge fan of his genius. The simplicity of our surroundings in his home studio was shocking, to say the least. The feeling was a bit clinical and there were no platinum records on his walls, no personal photos, and there was no hint of the history he’d made as the world’s most notorious rap star. He sat in a leather chair next to his soundboard, water bottle in hand, and spoke about his love of rap, while subtly redirecting questions about his personal life—though we know he recently broke up with his long-time girlfriend, Jordan Wilson.”

My eyes nearly watered as I watched the live view box tick to a hundred thousand. I had a hundred thousand people watching my podcast in a matter of minutes. I took a deep breath.

“But it seemed my reputation had preceded me because when I sat down with the rap mogul, Phillip appeared ready for the firing squad. We dueled well as I asked the hard questions—the questions of a fan. Questions I know so many of his loyal listeners want answers to, and I think you’ll be surprised to hear his answers. So, without further ado, take a look at my exclusive with the man behind the myths. Feel free to form your own opinions, but above all, remember it’s the music that matters most.”

I linked my pre-recorded interview and watched the ticks explode as soon as his face hit the screen.

That was the moment my career peaked.

With pride, I watched my interview with the white whale, the Moby Dick of the music industry. Gorgeous, brilliant, and highly elusive, Phillip Preston was the hardest artist to get personal with in an interview. And I was the woman he reached out to, to break his silence about his road to success, his parents, his ex-wife, and finally—after some careful eggshell coaxing—he spoke about his recent relationship. He had delivered to me, on a silver platter, highly personal details about his life where so many other journalists had failed, and it was nothing short of miraculous.

It was my greatest accomplishment as a music journalist. I was flying, soaring as my phone began to blow up with message after message. I hadn’t told a soul, not a single person about my exclusive. I was high on adrenaline when the notifications began to ping on my phone. A hundred, two hundred messages, and then I saw the viewer ticks had jumped drastically to half a million. Half a million! I laughed out nervously and checked Phillip’s social media. He had just posted my podcast link to our interview. My jaw dropped. He had over eighty million followers on one forum alone.

And the viewer counts just kept rising. I had done it. I gasped when the ticks went past a million.

A million people were watching my podcast.

A million people were watching my podcast!

“AHHHHHH!” I screamed to no one as I looked around the vacant room. I raised both hands in the air when the ticks rolled past two million. “Oh my GOD!” I shot up from the desk, my eyes full of incredulous water.

I’d never had more than a million views. Ever. And those took months to accrue. It was the greatest career high of my life. I looked back down at my phone, anxious to talk to someone, anyone. Lexi’s middle finger popped up on the screen, and I couldn’t resist answering her call.

“AHHHHHHHH!” I screamed into the phone..

“Stella?”

“Yes! Is it good? You think I asked the right questions? I edited for like nine hours.”

“What?”

“What do you mean, what? Titan’s interview.”

“You interviewed Titan?”

A small amount of my excitement dispersed. “Yours was the wrong call to answer.”

“You fucking interviewed Titan?”

“Yes. I wanted to surprise everyone.”

“And you didn’t bring me?”

“Sorry. I’ll feel guilty later.”

“Yeah.” Her voice dropped. I heard a toilet flush. “Yeah, Stella, that’s so cool.” Another toilet flushed.

“Where are you?”

“I’m in the bathroom at the Marquee.”

“Okay. Well, I’m buzzing right now, woman. Like, literally, my phone is exploding. Five million hits, Lexi. Five million!”

“I’m so happy for you, Stella.”

I frowned. “Yeah, with that amazing monotone, I can tell.”

“I’m so sorry.” And then her voice broke. My best friend doesn’t cry. Ever.

“Oh, shit. What’s up?”

“I’ll call you back, okay? I don’t want to ruin this.”

“You aren’t ruining anything. You couldn’t ruin this. I promise. I’ll be high for days. So, tell me. Why are you in the bathroom?”

“I’m on a blind date. He took me to a wedding.”

“Okay. You need an excuse? That’s not like you. You’re ballsy. Just give him your usual, it’s not me, it’s you.” I chuckled because she’d used it in front of me on a bass player with a cowlick and halitosis.

“Stella.”

I knew that tone. That tone was the bearer of bad fucking news.

“What? Say it.”

“It’s his wedding.”

I eyed the clock while I zipped my suitcase. I had an hour and a half before my flight. I was cutting it close. “Whose wedding?”

“Stella.”

“I know my name. Damn, who—” Realization struck and my heart met the floor. I stayed mute while she rambled on nervously.

“What are the odds? What are the goddamn odds? I don’t know what to do. Do you want me to leave? There’s no handbook for this. Did you even want to know this? That he’s married? I can’t believe I just watched him get married! Who in the hell ends up at their best friend’s ex-boyfriend’s wedding? I couldn’t not tell you.” She sniffed as the toilets repeatedly flushed around her.

“Stella, please say something.”

I pressed the sting back. “I’m alright, of course. I’m fine. Why are you crying?”

“I don’t know.” She sniffed. “Ben called me last night, and things are just so fucked up, and today this shit happens, and I know you’re happy. I know you are. But . . . I mean, this is—”

I put my hand up as if she could see it. “Don’t tell me anything else, okay? I’m good.” I looked at my reflection in the mirror from the bed into the adjacent bathroom. Nothing had changed. I wasn’t leaking. I was fine. “I’m okay. I’m glad you told me. I have to leave for the airport now, or I’ll miss my flight.” A slew of questions was on the tip of my tongue. Did he look happy? Was she beautiful? And more questions I hated myself for that Lexi would never be able to answer. Still, my head and heart refused to keep those questions bottled.

Was she prettier than me? Did he look at her the same way? Did he propose to her with half his heart? Did he think of me when he did it? Was any part of him thinking of me now? Was I in his dreams the way he drifted through mine sometimes?
All my thoughts were selfish. All of them. And of all the thoughts I could have had that day, self-loathing was not the one I expected to nudge its way front and center. I forced myself to speak.

“Stay.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes, of course. I’m fine.”

“This freaky shit always happens. Always with you.”

“I know.”

“It’s like karma or God or someone hates you. It’s so fucked.”

I laughed ironically, though inside my heart was pounding.

Silence passed over the line as we both waited for some sort of solution that wasn’t coming.

“Stella, God, I’m so sorry.”

“About what? Stop. You know I would have told you if the situation were reversed. I should go. Love you.”

“Love y—” I hung up the phone before she could finish, frozen in the middle of the hotel room.


About the Author:


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.

Contact Kate- Email-authorkatestewart@gmail.com