Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Books That Need More Attention Giveaway Hop ~ Confessions of an Alli Cat by Courtney Cole



I love this Blog Hop idea! 
The purpose is to highlight a book that I loved that I want to introduce to more readers.
Who doesn't love sharing books, right???

I looked through my bookshelves, physical and virtual, to find a book that I wanted to get in the hands of more readers, and when my eyes landed on Courtney Cole's, Confessions of an Alli Cat, I knew I had the book I was looking for. 

Now, Courtney Cole is a wildly successful write, and her Beautifully Broken series is off the charts. But before If You Stay, there was, Confessions of an Alli Cat, and that is the book I'm urging readers to give a chance. 

Funny, sexy, and all kinds of dirty, Confessions of an Alli Cat is the kind of book that will have you laughing out loud, while you're squirming in your seat. 



Blurb:

Thirty-five year-old Allison “Alli” Lancaster has it all—a fabulous job, a beautiful 15 year-old daughter, a hilarious BFF and a gorgeous house with a pool and Jacuzzi in an exclusive Las Vegas neighborhood. What she doesn’t have is a husband, because she kicked her lousy, cheating ex to the curb nine months ago. Since then, Alli has paid her dues with seemingly endless self-improvement and seemingly endless mourning. Now she’s ready to move on and try new things. 

Alli’s idea of “trying new things” is nothing like that devil-of-a-best-friend of hers. Somehow, Sara, the devil of a best friend, talks Alli into trying out a sex toy, sleeping with a younger man and letting a stranger in a lab jacket put hot wax on a place that should never, ever, ever see wax. And that’s only the beginning. 

Alli never saw her life going quite like this. She also never thought she’d meet someone else who had the very real potential to change her life forever. 

But she did. 

Enter the new guy. He’s gorgeous, refined and mature. He’s also marriage material. But that poses a problem for Alli, who renounced the institution of marriage when she renounced her ex. What’s a girl to do? 

They say that what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. But what the heck happens when you can’t leave Vegas? Well, you spin the wheel, of course. You play the game and let the chips fall where they may. 

Alli just hopes she can find them all.

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
iBooks 


Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway




Courtney Cole is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling novelist who would rather write than eat chocolate. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Business, but no amount of working in the corporate world could quell her urge to write.
Courtney was born and raised in Kansas, home of incredibly friendly people and the most horrendous weather on the planet. Because summer days were so hot, she grew up reading stacks of books... and when she didn't like the ending, she wrote her own.
Courtney loves hot pink nail polish, Mitch Albom and thunderstorms (not necessarily in that order).
She currently lives near Chicago with her real life Prince Charming, two sons, one daughter and small domestic zoo. To learn more about her, visit wwww.courtneycoleauthor.com

Release Day Launch ~ All Things Pretty by M. Leighton


I'm so excited to be participating in the Launch of ALL THINGS PRETTY by one of my favorite people in the world, M. Leighton.

ALL THINGS PRETTY is a Contemporary Adult Romance and the third novel in M. Leighton’s Pretty Series. Sig's book is here!

Just look at this beautiful cover!



Excerpt:

Her lips are still curved when she turns her attention back to me.  Something about the moment hits me like a punch to the gut.  I think for a second that I could stand here and stare at her, just enjoy her smile and her happiness for hours.  Days, maybe.  But I can’t.   We can’t. So, instead, I brush a clump of mud from the end of her nose. “Have fun?”

“I did. Thank you. This was so good for him.”

“And you.”

“And me,” she concedes.

“You can be the real you around me anytime.  I won’t tell a soul.”

“So you prefer this?”

“Oh, hell yeah!  I don’t need glamorous. Or proper.”

“I’m not proper.”

“You forget that I heard your…expressiveness that day on the side of the road.  And it didn’t consist of ‘darn’ or ‘golly gee’.  But I haven’t heard anything like that come out of your mouth since then.”

“Ladies aren’t supposed to talk that way, according to Lance.”

“I don’t want a lady. I want a woman.  One who knows her own mind. One who wears what she’s comfortable in, one who says what she’s thinking.”  I take a step closer. I can’t help myself. Her scent draws me in.  Even covered in mud, she smells like sexy sunshine.  “I want the woman who kisses like she’s on fire and makes me feel like I’m the only one who can put her out.”

“Sig,” she begins.

I break in to cut her off.  I know her objections.  And I know how much I don’t want to hear them.  “I’m just being honest.  I’m not even touching you.”

Her eyes are glued to mine, a damn near irresistible gravity pulling us together.  “It’s not like you can anyway.  I mean, we’re in public.  With my little brother.  What could you possibly touch?”

I reach down and smear my hand in mud.  With her eyes locked on mine, I reach between us and flatten my palm on her chest, right over her heart.  “This.  I’d touch this.”


ALL THINGS PRETTY Synopsis:

Pretending to be something they’re not, afraid to trust anyone completely, destined to tear each other apart– this is the story of unlikely love and unbearable consequences.

Sig Locke is a cop. He was raised by a cop and all his brothers are cops. He bleeds blue, believes in right and wrong, and sees in black and white, never in shades of gray.

But that was before he met Tommi.

Tommi, with her long legs and bright green eyes, she captured Sig’s interest from the moment he saw her. Even after he discovered who she was–the girlfriend of a drug dealer, the beauty behind a criminal–he still found her utterly irresistible. What Sig doesn’t know, however, is that she has a secret even a cop can’t uncover. 

Tommi Lawrence hasn’t had an easy life, and it only got more complicated the day she met Sig. She learned long ago that she can’t trust anyone. Her gut tells her that Sig is no exception, her heart tells her that he is. But that was before she found out his real identity.

Can love be forged in a fire of lies? Or will the truth destroy them both?

Rafflecopter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have you had a chance to read the first to books in the Pretty Series?









M. Leighton Bio:
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, M. Leighton, is a native of Ohio. She relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she can be near the water all summer and miss the snow all winter. Possessed of an overactive imagination from early in her childhood, M. Leighton finally found an acceptable outlet for her fantastical visions: literary fiction. Having written over a dozen novels, these days M. Leighton enjoys letting her mind wander to more romantic settings with sexy Southern guys, much like the one she married and the ones you'll find in her latest books. When her thoughts aren't roaming in that direction, she'll be riding horses, swimming in ponds and experiencing life on a ranch, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office.

A note from M. Leighton: I love coffee and chocolate, even more so when they are combined.
I'm convinced that one day they could be the basis for world peace. I also love the color red and am seriously considering dying my hair.

Links:

Twitter | Author Goodreads | Website | ALL THINGS PRETTYGoodreads | Facebook


Saturday, September 20, 2014

Indelible by @bethanylopez2 is On Sale for $.99!!!




Blurb:

After a year of partying, Sam decides to buckle down and focus on college. Things are going great until a one-night stand leaves her pregnant and alone. Raising a child while going to school isn’t easy, but Sam is determined to be strong for her daughter. She doesn’t have time for guys or relationships, and takes great care to protect her child and her heart.

Judd doesn’t fit the mold of a college ballplayer. His long hair and tattoos may fit the life he’s created for himself, but baseball is the one thing he takes seriously. When he meets Sam, he’s immediately drawn to her curves and refusal to put up with his crap. When Judd learns the truth, can he handle the responsibility that comes with loving a single mother? 

Sam yearns for the fire that Judd fuels in her, but her child’s needs have to come first. Can two people at different stages in their life find a way to make a life together?

Purchase Link:
Amazon



Excerpt:


Samantha 

I’m twenty-two years old, wear a size twelve, and am a single mom – things that don’t make me the most popular girl on campus.
I live in family housing. It’s cheap, has a washer and dryer, and makes it a little easier to juggle going to school full time while raising a two-year-old daughter.
Her name is Karrie, and she’s the smartest, funniest, and sweetest child I’ve ever met. I never imagined I’d be pregnant at nineteen, let alone raising a kid by myself. But I guess life doesn’t always go according to plan.
At least, that’s been my experience so far.
When I went away to school, I was your typical first-time-away-from-home, irresponsible, and crazy party girl. I had a blast my first year. Didn’t go to many classes, and partied way too much. You’d think that was when I got knocked up.
Nope.
My sophomore year I straightened up. After a series of long lectures from my parents and the arrival of my final grades for my freshman year, I realized I was making a lot of mistakes. I actually started going to my classes. I stopped partying every night and only went out with my friends on the weekends.
Things were going great, until one night I met this hot guy at a frat party and we hooked up.
That was all.
No great love story, no blossoming relationship.
Just a one-night stand.
When I found out I was pregnant, I was scared and devastated.
It had been six weeks since the party that changed my life. I’d been feeling nauseous and extremely tired. It wasn’t until I got lightheaded in the shower that I decided to go to the doctor and see what was wrong.
I wasn’t prepared for the diagnosis.
I felt a myriad of emotions that day: disbelief, anger, sadness, and finally terror.
I worried about what I’d tell my parents, and what it would mean for my future. But first I had to share my terror with the one person that I assumed would feel my pain. I went to the frat house and told my hookup that he was going to be a father.
He laughed and said I was mistaken. He had no intention of being a father to anyone.
I had expected disbelief, and possibly anger, but I’d never expected that. He said no matter my decision, he didn’t want to be a part of the baby’s life. He told me not to even put him on the birth certificate.
I eventually told my parents and they were surprisingly supportive.
“Don’t worry, Sam,” my mother had said as she cradled me in her arms. “Everything happens for a reason. Your father and I are here for you and our grandbaby. You aren’t alone.”
My mom took me to all of my doctor’s appointments and helped me get on the waiting list for family housing. By the time Karrie was born, I had our small home in order and ready for her arrival.
I thought I was ready and knew what to expect.
I was wrong.
The past two years have been the most challenging years of my life. I’ve learned a lot, and am a better mother and person because of it. But I’m tired…and lonely.
The friends I used to hang with are living the single life. I’ve made some new friends here, but we all have kids and they're our top priority.
About once a month my mom takes Karrie for the weekend and I get the opportunity to have some alone time. I usually clean up the house and take advantage of the quiet to do homework, but sometimes I go out.
I learned my lesson though. I haven’t had sex since I found out I was pregnant with Karrie. Not only am I still carrying around some excess baby weight, but the thought of getting pregnant again is terrific birth control.
I’m not saying I never date or anything, because I’ve gone on a few. But I never go past a couple dates with the same guy, and I’ve never introduced any of them to Karrie. No way am I bringing random guys into her life.
I’ll hook up. I love that feeling that comes from first kisses and anticipation, but any real satisfaction comes from my own hand. Unfortunately, I’ve gotten really good at pleasing myself.
I missed the touch of a man, but on the upside, I found my G-spot the other day.
This was one of the weekends where Karebear was with my mom. I’d cleaned the house as much as possible and got caught up on all of my homework, so I had no excuse not to go out with my friend, James. Her parents wanted her to be a boy, hence her name, but it actually fits her perfectly.
I met James in my Religious Exploration class last semester. We sat next to each other on the first day, and have been hanging out sporadically ever since. She’s a hard person to tie down. She doesn’t like making plans or having relationships that involve commitment or planning. She’s my polar opposite, and that’s probably why I enjoy hanging out with her. She brings out a totally different side of me. When I’m with her I’m free of responsibility, it’s a nice feeling.
When I pulled on my tight jeans and low-cut blouse, I smiled at the way my assets were displayed. I certainly never filled out jeans this well when I was a size four. I kind of enjoyed the ass and boobs that came from bearing a child. Some of the perks, I guess.

After my eyes were perfectly smoky and my hair was flat-ironed until it couldn’t get any straighter, I headed out the door to meet James.

Goodreads










Friday, September 19, 2014

Cover Reveal ~ The Redemption by S.L. Scott






Release Date: Nov 3



He was everything she never wanted. Yet, she couldn’t stop thinking about him.

Soulful, amber eyes

A sex, drugs, and rock n’roll reputation

A body that beckoned for sin

Three years ago Rochelle Floros was living her dream come true… then lost it all. On the worst day of her life, the last person she
expected to be there for her was a rock star and tabloid favorite. Now, she’s trying to rebuild her life after the tragedy that destroyed her fairytale. Slowly, she found herself captivated by a sexy, bad boy drummer she had known for years.

Rochelle was caught between the grief that shrouded her heart and the charismatic man that made it race. What she didn’t know is if he was being sincere or toying with her heart. The Redemption is about finding the pulse of
your soul in the most unlikely places and giving love a chance to grow.

Can what she wants really be what she needs? With his rhythm and her passion, can they make music together? Or will their harmony be lost forever?












S.L. Scott is a former high-tech account manager with a journalism degree pursuing her passion for telling stories. She spends her days escaping into her characters and letting them lead her on their adventures.

Live music shows, harvesting jalapenos and eating homemade guacamole are her obsessions she calls hobbies.

Scott lives in the beautiful Texas hill country of Austin with her husband, two young sons, two Papillons and a bowl full of Sea Monkeys.

Her novels include Naturally, Charlie, Good Vibrations, and A Prior Engagement.



LINKS:

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Indelible by @bethanylopez2 #SampleSunday



Blurb:

After a year of partying, Sam decides to buckle down and focus on college. Things are going great until a one-night stand leaves her pregnant and alone. Raising a child while going to school isn’t easy, but Sam is determined to be strong for her daughter. She doesn’t have time for guys or relationships, and takes great care to protect her child and her heart.

Judd doesn’t fit the mold of a college ballplayer. His long hair and tattoos may fit the life he’s created for himself, but baseball is the one thing he takes seriously. When he meets Sam, he’s immediately drawn to her curves and refusal to put up with his crap. When Judd learns the truth, can he handle the responsibility that comes with loving a single mother? 

Sam yearns for the fire that Judd fuels in her, but her child’s needs have to come first. Can two people at different stages in their life find a way to make a life together?

Sample:
Samantha 

I’m twenty-two years old, wear a size twelve, and am a single mom – things that don’t make me the most popular girl on campus.
I live in family housing. It’s cheap, has a washer and dryer, and makes it a little easier to juggle going to school full time while raising a two-year-old daughter.
Her name is Karrie, and she’s the smartest, funniest, and sweetest child I’ve ever met. I never imagined I’d be pregnant at nineteen, let alone raising a kid by myself. But I guess life doesn’t always go according to plan.
At least, that’s been my experience so far.
When I went away to school, I was your typical first-time-away-from-home, irresponsible, and crazy party girl. I had a blast my first year. Didn’t go to many classes, and partied way too much. You’d think that was when I got knocked up.
Nope.
My sophomore year I straightened up. After a series of long lectures from my parents and the arrival of my final grades for my freshman year, I realized I was making a lot of mistakes. I actually started going to my classes. I stopped partying every night and only went out with my friends on the weekends.
Things were going great, until one night I met this hot guy at a frat party and we hooked up.
That was all.
No great love story, no blossoming relationship.
Just a one-night stand.
When I found out I was pregnant, I was scared and devastated.
It had been six weeks since the party that changed my life. I’d been feeling nauseous and extremely tired. It wasn’t until I got lightheaded in the shower that I decided to go to the doctor and see what was wrong.
I wasn’t prepared for the diagnosis.
I felt a myriad of emotions that day: disbelief, anger, sadness, and finally terror.
I worried about what I’d tell my parents, and what it would mean for my future. But first I had to share my terror with the one person that I assumed would feel my pain. I went to the frat house and told my hookup that he was going to be a father.
He laughed and said I was mistaken. He had no intention of being a father to anyone.
I had expected disbelief, and possibly anger, but I’d never expected that. He said no matter my decision, he didn’t want to be a part of the baby’s life. He told me not to even put him on the birth certificate.
I eventually told my parents and they were surprisingly supportive.
“Don’t worry, Sam,” my mother had said as she cradled me in her arms. “Everything happens for a reason. Your father and I are here for you and our grandbaby. You aren’t alone.”
My mom took me to all of my doctor’s appointments and helped me get on the waiting list for family housing. By the time Karrie was born, I had our small home in order and ready for her arrival.
I thought I was ready and knew what to expect.
I was wrong.
The past two years have been the most challenging years of my life. I’ve learned a lot, and am a better mother and person because of it. But I’m tired…and lonely.
The friends I used to hang with are living the single life. I’ve made some new friends here, but we all have kids and they're our top priority.
About once a month my mom takes Karrie for the weekend and I get the opportunity to have some alone time. I usually clean up the house and take advantage of the quiet to do homework, but sometimes I go out.
I learned my lesson though. I haven’t had sex since I found out I was pregnant with Karrie. Not only am I still carrying around some excess baby weight, but the thought of getting pregnant again is terrific birth control.
I’m not saying I never date or anything, because I’ve gone on a few. But I never go past a couple dates with the same guy, and I’ve never introduced any of them to Karrie. No way am I bringing random guys into her life.
I’ll hook up. I love that feeling that comes from first kisses and anticipation, but any real satisfaction comes from my own hand. Unfortunately, I’ve gotten really good at pleasing myself.
I missed the touch of a man, but on the upside, I found my G-spot the other day.
This was one of the weekends where Karebear was with my mom. I’d cleaned the house as much as possible and got caught up on all of my homework, so I had no excuse not to go out with my friend, James. Her parents wanted her to be a boy, hence her name, but it actually fits her perfectly.
I met James in my Religious Exploration class last semester. We sat next to each other on the first day, and have been hanging out sporadically ever since. She’s a hard person to tie down. She doesn’t like making plans or having relationships that involve commitment or planning. She’s my polar opposite, and that’s probably why I enjoy hanging out with her. She brings out a totally different side of me. When I’m with her I’m free of responsibility, it’s a nice feeling.
When I pulled on my tight jeans and low-cut blouse, I smiled at the way my assets were displayed. I certainly never filled out jeans this well when I was a size four. I kind of enjoyed the ass and boobs that came from bearing a child. Some of the perks, I guess.

After my eyes were perfectly smoky and my hair was flat-ironed until it couldn’t get any straighter, I headed out the door to meet James.


Purchase Links:
Amazon
Goodreads