Cover Goodness: Baby, Be Mine by Vivian Arend

What the mind forgets, the heart remembers.

Since the moment Katy Thompson transformed from annoying tagalong to desirable woman, Gage Jenick has awaited his chance. When she kicks her boyfriend to the curb, he doesn’t hold back—in spite of the next day work assignment that will take him completely off the grid for two long months.

After a head injury sustained on a storm-swept road, Katy can’t remember her own email password, much less how the little pink “positive” on the pregnancy stick got there. Barring an influx of midichlorians, she’s at a loss to explain what happened, or when…or with whom.

Suddenly Gage is back in her life as if he has a right to be there. While she vividly remembers the crush she had on him, she’s no one’s charity case. But another thing she’d forgotten was just how stubborn Gage can be—especially when her domineering ex tries to stake a claim…

Warning: An unforgettable night that gets forgotten. A crazy redneck ex, and a hero who’s ready to take on the world, and his past, for his heroine.

*~*~*

 

February 18, 2014

 

www.vivianarend.com

Read Full Post »

Excerpt & Giveaway: Dandelion Wishes by Melinda Curtis

SOMETIMES WISHES DO COME TRUE, SHE’D HEARD IT SAID

Will Jackson was a control freak and a killjoy. He had been since they were kids. He’d made it his mission to come between Emma Willoughby and her best friend—his little sister—all their lives. But why? Until the day of the accident, Emma had always thought of herself as adventurous, not dangerous…. And then her friend had almost died.

She desperately needed to apologize, to try to explain, if she could. Will had managed to keep the two apart while Tracy was in the hospital, but now that she was home in Harmony Valley, the winemaker wannabe had to understand that getting past this was the only way they could heal. And yet even if Tracy was able to, Emma wasn’t sure she could forgive herself. And Will had made it abundantly clear: he wouldn’t sleep until he’d found retribution.

~~**~~**~~

Excerpt:

A sound behind Will had him spinning on the defensive. It wasn’t unheard of—if you believed local myth—for a mountain lion to attack out here. He cocked his arm back, ready to launch his only weapon besides his signal-less iPhone—a water bottle.

But it wasn’t a mountain lion behind him. It was Emma, legs churning pedals as she rounded the turn below. She wore black bike shorts and a tight blue flowered halter top, exposing most of her lithe limbs. Emma might have pulled off the professional racer look, if not for the uneven back and forth, near-tumbling way she worked the bike, accented by her unbridled smile, and a pink helmet decorated with daffodils and ladybugs.

Laughter—warm, unbidden and unexpected—filled the air.

His, Will realized with a start, watching Emma close the gap between them.

He frowned. Put his hands on his hips. Told himself Emma hadn’t heard him laugh and waited for her and what would certainly be another argument about visiting Tracy.

Instead of stopping at his side, Emma kept going. “See you at the top.” And then she laughed. To be sure, it was a ragged, I’m-breathing-hard-kind of laugh. But she delivered it with an I’m-gonna-kick-your-butt jab at his ego.

~~**~~**~~

For a chance to win a copy of Dandelion Wishes by Melinda Curtis, leave a comment below. (US only) Good luck! 🙂

Read Full Post »

Duke of Midnight by Elizabeth Hoyt ARC winners!

Blondieblack

*

Carla Krissinger

*

Tiffany Zhao &

*

Bellesblue

Win an ARC of Duke of Midnight by Elizabeth Hoyt.

*

*

Congrats! To claim your prize, please email mad @ romancereaderatheart.com (without the spaces). You have 48 hours to email before a new name is chosen.

Read Full Post »

Latest Winners!

Elizabeth Haney

Wins a download of Dragon’s Heart by LaVerne Thompson.

*

*

Brenda Rumsey

Wins a copy of a previous Lucky Harbor book by Jill Shalvis.

*

*

This Chick Reads

Wins a download of Amber Rules by Mel Curtis.

*

*

Congrats! To claim your prize, please email mad @ romancereaderatheart.com (without the spaces). You have 48 hours to email before a new name is chosen.

Read Full Post »

ARC Giveaway: Duke of Midnight by Elizabeth Hoyt

The lovely people at Forever Romance have given me three ARCs of DUKE OF MIDNIGHT by Elizabeth Hoyt. One of my favorite series, I practically begged to get an early peek at Maximus’ book. Everything about it just worked for me. I adored both Maximus and Artemis. *sigh*

Anywho, like I said, I’ve got 3 ARCs to give away. Only stipulation is that it’s only open to US residents.

BUT!

Before I get comments of “that’s not fair!”, I’ll offer the ARC I was sent to read as the 4th prize, that IS open to International readers. This one will be sent by me while the other three will be sent by the publisher. When leaving a comment, please say if you’re US or International so there is no confusion when I pick the winners. Sound good to you? 😉

Now, for the contest….just let me know which of Elizabeth Hoyt’s heroes/heroines have been your favorite and what you love best about her writing.

WHEN A MASKED MAN . . .

Twenty years ago Maximus Batten witnessed the brutal murders of his parents. Now the autocratic Duke of Wakefield, he spends his days ruling Parliament. But by night, disguised as the Ghost of St. Giles, he prowls the grim alleys of St. Giles, ever on the hunt for the murderer. One night he finds a fiery woman who meets him toe-to-toe-and won’t back down . . .

MEETS HIS MATCH . . .

Artemis Greaves toils as a lady’s companion, but hiding beneath the plain brown serge of her dress is the heart of a huntress. When the Ghost of St. Giles rescues her from footpads, she recognizes a kindred spirit-and is intrigued. She’s even more intrigued when she realizes who exactly the notorious Ghost is by day . . .

DESIRE IGNITES A DANGEROUS PASSION

Artemis makes a bold move: she demands that Maximus use his influence to free her imprisoned brother-or she will expose him as the Ghost. But blackmailing a powerful duke isn’t without risks. Now that she has the tiger by the tail, can she withstand his ire-or the temptation of his embrace?

Read Full Post »

Excerpt & Giveaway: Blue Rules by Mel Curtis

Are you ready for the new season of reality television?  Blue has a nice life.  He’s got a job in public relations with a local production studio and a nice social life with some hot reality stars.  But then his father dies and his sister, Amber, blackmails him into working with her at the Dooley Foundation, their father’s life coaching business.  His social life grinds to a halt.  Now every woman wants him to fix her – and not in bed!  Along comes Maddy Polk, up-and-coming reality show producer, with an idea about a new reality show based on their work at the Foundation, featuring him as a matchmaker.  Who does Maddy want him to match up?  All his really hot, slightly crazy, reality show ex-girlfriends!  Trouble is, it’s Maddy who makes Blue hot and slightly crazy.

Amazon BN iTunes Kobo Print

“Mel Curtis has reinvented the glitz novel, infusing it with heat, heart and humor.” Jayne Ann Krentz

~~**~~**~~

Excerpt

“I don’t know how you came to these…these erroneous conclusions about my brother, but you’re wrong.” Amber’s words fell weakly between them.

Sensing she was near victory, Maddy pressed on. “The Avengers launched the retail portion of their web site last week. Selling Avenger T-shirts and logo thongs means they’re in it for the long haul. There’ll be no escaping the gossip and subsequent damage to the Dooley Foundation if you don’t sever this at the jugular.” At Amber’s perplexed look, Maddy shrugged. “Another of Poppa Bert’s pearls.  It means you need my form of damage control.”

“Hello, ladies.” A deep voice. From behind her. And then a tall man with the grace of a dancer and the swagger of a model settled in the chair next to hers, unsettling Maddy’s pulse.

She’d never seen photos of Blue Rule in khaki shorts and a dark polo. He wore tuxes. He wore suits. He wore body hugging button downs. Regardless, he still didn’t manage to look like the guy next door.

Pitch anxiety returned, prickling her skin with nervous heat.

Blue Rule had the kind of looks that most women only saw on television and in fashion magazines – a long lean body, short crisp black hair that was never unruly, lips that quirked knowingly and dark eyes that seemed to penetrate your very soul with the promise of bone melting, I-just-met-you sex. Maddy imagined him reclining on a penthouse suite bed, the camera panning up his body, across all those very hard body parts, until it reached that smile.

   Did her mental camera have to shoot porn now? In the middle of a pitch meeting?

“I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Blue Rule.” He extended his hand. If Blue’s appearance inspired I’ll-do-whatever-you-want bedroom fantasies, his voice did not. Cool. Confident. Controlling.

To her credit, Maddy didn’t miss a beat as she introduced herself, thrusting her clammy hand toward him and shaking his hard, because there was only one reason for Amber to bring Blue into this – to confirm Maddy was not one of his ex-girlfriends.

Blue’s smile broadened like a hunter who had a deer in his sights.

And Maddy, who had always fled the mighty male hunters that prowled L.A., felt her anger rise like the fire that swept through Bambi’s forest, burning her anxiety to ashes. News flash: her kick-ass idea had legs that made these two Rules nervous. “Now that we’ve confirmed I’m not one of Blue’s Avengers, can we continue?”

 

~~**~~**~~

For a chance to win a download of Book 1, Amber Rules by Mel Curtis, leave a comment below. Good luck! 🙂

Read Full Post »

Excerpt & Giveaway: Always On My Mind by Jill Shalvis

THERE’S NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THING

After dropping out of pastry school and messing up her big break on a reality cooking show, Leah Sullivan needs to accomplish something in her life. But when she returns home to Lucky Harbor, she finds herself distracted by her best friend, Jack Harper. In an effort to cheer up Jack’s ailing mother, Dee, Leah tells a little fib – that she and Jack are more than just friends. Soon pretending to be hot-and-heavy with this hunky firefighter feels too real to handle . . .

No-strings attachments suit Jack just fine – perfect for keeping the risk of heartbreak away. But as Jack and Leah break every one of their “just friends” rules, he longs to turn their pretend relationship into something permanent. Do best friends know too much about each other to risk falling in love? Or will Jack and Leah discover something new about each other in a little town called Lucky Harbor?

~~**~~**~~

Short Excerpt:

“Okay, Mr. Rules, Mr. Gotta Be In Charge…we’re going to have to renegotiate some things.”

“Such as?”

“That,” Leah said, and pointed to the bed. “What the hell are we going to do about that?”

“If you’re referring to the amazing orgasms, then I vote for more as soon as possible.”

“At least that part isn’t pretend,” she said.

Jack frowned at her. “What does that mean?”

“Look, forget it. But we need to remember your first rule: this isn’t real and there are no hurt feelings.” She whirled away and began digging through her purse for her keys. “When people are bitching that I don’t have any fresh bread or donuts available today at the bakery, I’m going to blame you.”

“Sure,” he said, a little distracted by her reiterating his own rule. Which was ridiculous of him. “My reputation could use the boost.”

She rolled her eyes, headed to the door, then stopped, sighed, and came back to him. “You’re still naked.”

“Yeah,” he said. “Just in case you want to give me any more birthday presents…”

~~**~~**~~

For a chance to win a copy of any of the previous Lucky Harbor books, winner’s choice, leave a comment below. Good luck! 🙂

Read Full Post »

Dragon’s Heart by LaVerne Thompson

Can you hear the dragon’s roar?

Over a thousand years ago Draakar was forced to leave Earth, now he has no choice but to return. The dragon lord, whose world teeters on the brink of destruction, must find his truemate. The one woman with the power and love fated to save them all. The woman he left behind.

Maya Trent was abandoned on Earth, apparently human but so much more and unaware of her dual heritage. Once Draakar awakens her dragon within all she wants to do is kill him. Yet they must work together to save mankind as well as the brethren. But first Draakar has to convince her that the truemate bond between them is real, as is his love for her. She just has to believe in him.

                     ~~*~~*~~

No insect, animal or bird sounds were ever heard in the center of the stones because all knew better than to venture into the circle of power. Even the wind only danced around its edge. Just before dawn, something changed. For miles around the stones not a creature stirred. They sensed something coming and were careful to give the area an even wider berth than usual. Only heavy fog moved across the mountains as a dragon lord from a time long gone glided slowly through the gateway and landed squarely in the center of the Stones.

Black talons dug into the rich soil and the humming sound emanating from the Stones changed to a fevered pitch, far beyond human hearing.

Read Full Post »

Tear You Apart Book Winner!

Marika

Wins a copy of Tear You Apart by Megan Hart.

*

Congrats! To claim your prize, please email mad @ romancereaderatheart.com (without the spaces). You have 48 hours to email before a new name is chosen.

Read Full Post »

Cover Goodness: East of Ecstasy by Laura Kaye

Annalise Fallston made peace with postponing her big-city dreams to care for her ill father, but lately she’s been filled with a restlessness not even her beloved painting dispels. Worse, the colors don’t speak to her as they always have, and all her efforts produce dark, foreboding images of a dangerous man and a terrifying future.

Devlin Eston, black-souled son of the evil Anemoi Eurus, is the only one who can thwart his father’s plan to overthrow the Supreme God of Wind and Storms. But first, Dev must master the unstable powers he’s been given. Distrusted and shunned by his own divine family, he never expected to find kindness and passion in the arms of a mortal.

But Devlin’s love puts Annalise in the path of a catastrophic storm, and in the final Armageddon showdown between the Anemoi and Eurus, sacrifices will be made, hearts broken, and lives changed forever…or lost.

 

 

April 22, 2014

 

http://www.laurakayeauthor.com

Read Full Post »