Cover Reveal: The Lie by Karina Halle

       
Blurb:

Their love led to a lie. Their truth led to the end. Scottish enigma Brigs McGregor is crawling out from the ashes. After losing his wife and son in a car accident - and, subsequently, his job - he's finally moving forward with his life, securing a prestigious teaching position at the University of London and starting a new chapter in the city. Slowly, but surely, he's pushing past the guilt and putting his tragic past behind him. Until he sees her. Natasha Trudeau once loved a man so much she thought she'd die without him. But their love was wrong, doomed from the start, and when their world crashed around them, Natasha was nearly buried in the rubble. It took years of moving on to forget him, and now that she's in London, she's ready to start over again. Until she sees him. Because some loves are too dangerous to ever rekindle. And some loves are too powerful to ignore. Can you ever have a second chance at a love that ruined you? The Lie is a second-chance romance with a dark, forbidden twist.

  ADD TO GOODREADS

iBooks pre-order

About the Author:

 

With her USA Today Bestselling The Artists Trilogy published by Grand Central Publishing, numerous foreign publication deals, and self-publishing success with her Experiment in Terror series, Vancouver-born Karina Halle is a true example of the term "Hybrid Author." Though her books showcase her love of all things dark, sexy and edgy, she's a closet romantic at heart and strives to give her characters a HEA...whenever possible.

Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently lives on an island on the coast of British Columbia where she’s preparing for the zombie apocalypse with her fiancé and rescue pup. FACEBOOK TWITTER GOODREADS AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

 

Blog Tour: Getting Lucky by Mia Storm

“Getting Lucky”

a song by Tro Gunnison

Wouldn’t care if I could. I’m up to no good.

Taking what I want instead of what I should.

 I’m made of pure greed. There’s shit that I need.

The mask is off and the demon’s freed.

 I’m gonna get drunk.

I’m gonna get played.

I’m gonna get rich.

I’m gonna get laid.

 And I’m gonna get Lucky.

Raised in the system, Shiloh Luck’s first sixteen years have been anything but lucky. After winning The Voice, she’s finally living the dream—a record contract, talk shows, a North American tour opening for the hottest band out there. Everything is going according to plan...until their frontman, Tro Gunnison, explodes her life into chaos. He’s shallow, self-centered, and completely infuriating, and he’ll do anything for notoriety. Including her. Like it or not, she’s stuck with him for three months on the road, but the longer they spend together, the more she begins to realize there’s more to Tro than anyone has ever dug deep enough to find. If his attention is anything other than just another publicity gimmick, she might let herself see where it leads. But before she can risk everything, she has to be sure.

If there’s one thing that Tro Gunnison has learned in the six years since he left his past in the dust, it’s that living life big, bold, and totally outrageous keeps people from seeing past the glare. He’s buried his demons beneath six feet of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, and he’s convinced no one will ever dig them up…until Lucky. She’s young, but not naive, and without even trying, she sees past the facade to the man underneath…which scares the hell out of him. Because what started out as smoke and mirrors has somehow turned real, and for the first time in his life, there’s someone he cares about more than himself. But it turns out getting Lucky could be a double-edged sword.

He’s always been sure it would be his past that would bring him down, but it might turn out to be Jail Bait instead.

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26099352-getting-lucky

EXCERPT

Chapter 1

Tro

I squint against the reflection of the megawatt stage lights off the shiny cover of the Rolling Stone issue Jimmy Fallon is holding up for the The Tonight Show cameras. There’s a ripple of excited chatter from the live audience, then a girl near the back shouts, “Marry me, Tro!”

On the screen at stage right, I watch as the TV monitor pans in on the cover, a full frontal of me totally nude except for the black and red Schector C-1 Hellraiser hanging from the strap around my neck and covering the part of me that would have made the cover X-rated otherwise. She’s my baby—my first electric guitar and the only thing I own that I truly give a shit about.

Jimmy flips his hand at the image. “It’s pretty safe to say you’re comfortable in the limelight, but some people say you’re over the top.”

I almost never agree to interviews. First, you sort of have to be sober for them, and second, they’re bullshit. But Jimmy’s pretty cool, and my manager was pissed that I’d turned down every other promotional opportunity leading up to this tour, so here I am.

I loop my arm over the back of the chair next to his desk and slouch into it, crossing one black-booted ankle over the other knee. “Balls out, man. That’s how I live my life. I know some people find that offensive, but…” I give the audience my best I-don’t-give-a-shit smirk. “Who the fuck cares?”

There’s a mix of chuckles and gasps from the studio audience, and the girl in the back yells out, “I love you!”

Jimmy cringes. “And…that’s why we do these segments on tape,” he says, scratching the top of his head. He leans on his elbows toward me. “So balls out.”

I nod. “I live life on my own terms. Otherwise, what’s the point. I march to someone else’s orders, then I’m living someone else’s life. I’m not gonna waste my time worrying about what other people think. I do my thing, they do theirs, and everyone’s happy. That’s all it’s gotta be.”

A wry smile curves Jimmy’s mouth as his fingers drum the desk. “That’s pretty philosophical for a guy who’s first big hit was about getting lucky in the middle of a barroom brawl.”

I pull myself up straighter. “Let it be, let it be, let it be, oh let it be,” I sing, doing my best John Lennon. Girls in the audience scream. “That was a from guy who’s first hit was all about begging some chick to love him.” I plant my elbow into the arm of the chair and lean toward Jimmy. “And as for nailing someone in the middle of a brawl, the deeper symbolism there is that life is all about finding the positive in adverse situations—looking for the silver lining, and all that shit. So that song might have been a little more philosophical than you’re giving it credit for.”

He cuts an amused glance backstage. “Got your finger ready on that bleeper, Pete?”

I’d apologize, but I don’t. Ever. That’s part of living balls out. I live in the moment and never apologize for any of it.

Or regret it.

 I spent way too much time doing that before I learned that the only thing that really matters is right now. My real life started six years ago, when I walked away from what I thought was life. I never look back at all the shit that came before. None of it matters.

 “So, I’ve got to ask,” Jimmy says, setting the Rolling Stone issue face down on his desk. “How sick do you get of the paparazzi and the tabloids? You must feel like you’re living in a fishbowl most of the time.”

He’s right but, “I don’t really give a shit.”

My manager, Ray, called me last night while I was kicking back at the hotel with the guys to ask me what the fuck I was thinking. Apparently, last night’s episode of Access Hollywood had someone’s iPhone footage of me banging some actress I don’t even remember meeting on a table at the Sunset Lounge. I was pretty fucked up at that after-party, but just because I don’t remember it doesn’t mean I doubt it happened.

“The way I see it, they’re just doing their job, trying to make a buck. Why anyone would want to read or watch that shit is beyond me, but as long as there’s a market, I can’t really get too pissed about it.”

“You don’t feel like you’re entitled to a private life?” he asks.

I give him half a shrug. “Nothing they do is going to change anything I do. I’m just living my life. If they feel compelled to capture that on film, so be it.”

“That attitude will probably save your sanity.” He scoops a copy of Roadkill’s latest studio CD off his desk and holds it up for the camera. On the over, I’ve got this sort of deranged psycho-killer look in my eye and the guys are in the shadows behind me. Totally fucking sinister.

“Speaking of which, the lead single off your new CD, ‘Insane,’ debuted at number one on the rock charts last month.”

“Yeah.” I send an appreciative wave toward the audience. “Thanks, guys.”

A handful of girls scream my name and the rest of the audience applauds.

“Fuck me, Tro!” the girl in the back shouts.

I shield my eyes with my forearm and squint through the lights to a seat near the back, where two security guards are converging. “Be right there, doll.” I flick a hand at Jimmy. “Just give me a sec to finish up what I’m doing here.”

My Review

Mia Storm has done it again. In fact, I can't believe I am about to say this, but I think this one may be my favorite of the series. Okay. okay, I have loved them all. But I really, really, loved this one, more than I thought I was going to! 

This is a standalone, but I feel like you will connect more with the characters if you have read the other books, or even just Lilah's. I say this because Lilah is Shiloh's best friend and we first "meet" Shiloh in Lilah's book. Anyways, Shiloh has always had a rough life and is wiser than someone at sixteen should be. She knows what it is like to struggle and to live in places that many of us can't even imagine. So when she wins  The Voice her whole life is turned upside down. Now she is dealing with interviews, managers and now her first tour. Which is a big deal considering she is opening for the hottest band right now, Roadkill, and the hottest part about that band is Tro, the lead singer and songwriter. As much as Shiloh wants to hate him, she can't help but see behind the mask that Tro shows everyone else and she sees HIM.

Tro has had a rough life himself, one that he likes to hide from everyone. There are things in his past that even his own band members don't know about. Tro is every bit of a rock n roll God. He is living the life: drugs, sex and rock n roll. But then he meets Shiloh and something in him changes. He wants her but he always wants to protect her from this life and what it can do to you. 

I have to say I loved this book. I loved Shiloh and I loved Tro. These two together just felt right and musically they seem to compliment each other. I think the music is one of the things I loved the most about this book. And even though this is a Jailbait book, I didn't feel it as strongly as the other books and while I loved those, it really worked in this one to not focus solely on the age difference. I loved this book and wish that I could have heard every song they sang!

5 Stars!!!!! 

***ARC provided for the Blog Tour in exchange for my HONEST review. Thank you!!***

About the Mia Storm:

Mia Storm is a hopeless romantic who is always searching for her happy ending. Sometimes she’s forced to make one up. When that happens, she’s thrilled to be able to share those stories with her readers. She lives in California and spends much of her time in the sun with a book in one hand and a mug of black coffee in the other, or hiking the trails in Yosemite. Connect with her online at MiaStormAuthor.blogspot.com , on Twitter at @MiaStormAuthor, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MiaStormAuthor

Blurb and Excerpt Reveal: Murder by Ella James

 

Murder: A Sinful Secrets Romance

Ella James

Cover Design: Regina Wamba

Publication Date: January 17, 2016

       

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Please note these stories were inspired by fairy tales, but are contemporary rather than fantasy.

RED & WOLFE:

When Sarah "Red" Ryder loses her job as an art critic for a Boston newspaper, she's brokenhearted. Worse than that? She's broke. With no immediate family to turn to, Red reaches out to her estranged grandmother, a reclusive writer living on an island off the coast of Charleston. Several days later, Red receives $30,000 and an invitation to visit. James Wolfe is not Red's grandmother - but he's the only person waiting for her at the boat dock. Red has something he needs. He won't take "no" for an answer, and he doesn't mind screwing her over to get it. He lost his conscience six years ago, when he went off the grid. Since then, life is about him - and the renowned oil paintings he does under the mysterious pseudonym "W." Until the moment he sees her. Then Red is all he wants. And Wolfe will have her - thoroughly.

  HANSEL:

One boy. Mother calls him Hansel. One girl. Mother named her Gretel. Locked in little rooms, in the mountainside mansion of a crazy woman. Until he saws a hole into the wall dividing them. Then at least, they have each other's hands. It doesn't end well at Mother's house. Everything gets...broken. Ten years later, they meet again in an exclusive Vegas club. Whips. Chains. And most of all, a mask. What happens to love when it gets twisted? Fairy tales are cautionary tales, remember?

  BEAST:

FROM HOLLYWOOD ROYALTY... At twenty-one years old, third-generation movie star Cal Hammond was on top of the world. He had more money than God and more women than any man could need. But when a night of debauchery ends in tragedy, he forfeits a life of luxury for a ten-year prison sentence at La Rosa, California's most violent prison.

TO BRUTAL BEAST. Eight years later, a ruthless, cunning man runs La Rosa from the inside. He is known simply as Beast. All the wardens fear him. All the gangs obey him. He speaks to no one but his inner council. What he says is law. ONLY SHE CAN SAVE HIM. Annabelle Mitchell's stepfather is the warden at La Rosa. He deals as dirty as his trustees, and after years of smooth relations with Beast and the gangs he runs, Holt lands on the powerful prisoner's hit list. That very afternoon, Annabelle pays a surprise visit to La Rosa, hoping to use her new counseling license at a place she thinks she could make a difference. When Beast sees her, he releases the warden and grabs the nameless girl who played a starring role in the worst night of his life. The price for the warden's error is not death. It's his precious Belle.

  * Red & Wolfe, Hansel, and Beast were originally serials and can still be purchased in that format. They are included here as novel-length stories - a special edition box set for the holidays. (It will probably disappear in early 2016). * All three stories are erotic. Hansel is darker than the other two.

 

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Ella James is the USA Today bestselling author of fourteen teen and adult romance novels. She's a Southerner who came to Colorado and can't say goodbye to the mountains, despite missing sweet tea, the Gulf Coast, and good barbecue. Ella is married to another author, and together they are raising two children who will probably grow up believing many untruths about everything from dragons to the necessity of wearing shoes. CONNECT WITH ELLA:

Facebook at facebook.com/ellajamesauthorpage

Twitter: https://twitter.com/author_ellaj/media author_ellaj

Website: http://www.ellajamesbooks.com

     

Cover Reveal: Clutched by Elizabeth Lee

CLUTCHED

Chayse McCade learned along time ago that the only person she can depend on, both on and

off the motocross track, is herself. Her parents disappointed her on more than one occasion

and every relationship she's ever had—platonic, professional, or romantic—has ended in

disaster. When a sponsorship offer from Throttled Energy comes along she worries that it's

too good to be true. Especially when she meets the know-it-all riding coach they are insisting

she work with.

Hoyt Travers is a lot of things. Level headed, discerning, intelligent, patient, or so he thought.

That is until his new riding student rolled into his life. She's wild, unpredictable, and

gorgeous—all of which she uses to get under his skin in every possible way.

The two of them have undeniable, explosive chemistry that threatens to burn both of their

dreams to the ground. Once Chayse let's Hoyt in, she can't seem to keep her protective walls

up anymore. Too bad there's a hard rule about them being anything more than colleagues.

Hoyt never steps outside the lines but Chayse will push him in more ways than one. Lines will

be irrevocably blurred in the final installment of the Wild Riders series.

PRE-ORDER: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019B80H4A

SERIES LINKS

THROTTLED

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/nzbbyrm

Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/p5duxhn

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1035140901

B&N: http://tinyurl.com/oc4dvys

WHIPPED

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/pvq8ygu

Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/o6wcrr9

B&N: http://tinyurl.com/q7w9shz

iTunes: http://tinyurl.com/pfka2hg

EXCERPT

“I'm not sure exactly what has your panties in such a twist today,” I bit out, standing to

face him. “All I've done is exactly what you’ve told me to. The past week, I've been on time.

I've done every workout. I've watched every film. Even the ones of my deadbeat dad, thank

you very fucking much for that, by the way. All I asked was how much longer you planned on

making me watch other people ride when that's exactly what I should be doing. Riding.”

I could see the remorse in his eyes but his stubborn stance remained. “Oh, you're a

coach now?”

“I don’t know. Are you?” I couldn't stop the words if I'd wanted to. This guy had been

pushing my buttons and I'd had enough. I felt my nails bite into my skin as my hands balled

into fists at my side. “You helped your brother. Big deal. You've got about as much experience

coaching as I do.”

He shook his head and huffed out a breath.

“If I was coaching a rider, I sure as shit wouldn't expect the person I was hired to help

to sit on her ass all afternoon and waste daylight. The whole point of a riding coach is to be

coach while riding. Why that's such a hard concept for you to understand, I'm not sure.”

“Oh I understand the concept,” he assured me, pushing the chair that was separating

us to the side. I felt my chest heave with the effort of taking in oxygen when he stepped

toward me. His eyes looked like laser beams about to cut completely through me. “The

problem is, the second you fire up your bike, you stop listening. You stop paying attention to

the words that are coming out of my mouth. At least in here, sitting on your ass, you are

paying attention.” He reached up and tapped my forehead with his finger. “If you could get

your brain to stop pretending that it knows everything then maybe I'd be more inclined to let

you ride.”

I fought back a laugh. A laugh that was brought on by the fact that I was so utterly

pissed at him that my only option was the laugh, cry, or punch him in the face. I never

pretended to know it all. I never even pretended to know half of it.

“Well, maybe if you'd get this,” I reached up between us and tapped my finger against

his forehead the same way he'd done to me. “Out of your ass and actually act like a coach

instead of a drill instructor, I'd be more inclined to listen.”

He didn't move. He didn't even flinch. He stood there with his jaw clenched and his

eyes still locked on mine. I'd expected him to say something. To argue that I was wrong. Hell,

a tiny little part of me even actually thought he might apologize. Instead, he did nothing.

Glaring and breathing—that was all we were both capable of at that particular moment.


About the Author:

For more on Elizabeth Lee and her books visit www.elizabethleewrites.com

Blog Tour: The Best Goodbye by Abbi Glines

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Abbi Glines comes the next sizzling novel in the Rosemary Beach series, featuring well-known playboy and Blaire’s half brother, Captain.

“The look on Rose’s face had screamed that she was hiding something. Hell, she’d practically run away from me. There was something to that. I knew there was . . . “

After ten years in the employ of a mysterious crime boss, River “Captain” Kipling is ready to leave his sordid past—and his cover occupation as an upscale restaurateur—behind him. The only thing standing in the way of his “retirement” is his commitment to launch a new restaurant in the resort town of Rosemary Beach. With his sister, Blaire, nearby, Captain can delay his dream of running a humble bar on the waterfront, but the unwanted attentions of his head server, Elle, have him itching to get out.

Until he notices Rose Henderson, the new server at the restaurant. All he knows about the pretty redhead with the cute glasses is that she’s a hardworking single mom from Oklahoma. But there’s something overly familiar about her laugh…something strange about the way she looks at Captain…

My Review

I have to admit that I haven't read but maybe one other book in this series, and even then it was a spin off from the series. However, I do think that eventually I will pick up book one and go from there.

River "Captain" Kipling has what i would call a really sad past. Even though it was painful to read about, I think those moment were my favorite because we got a glimpse at the person he use to be. I'm not sure how much he is mentioned in the other books, but I think it will be important to go back and read those to see. I felt like there was so much more about him that I needed to know. Anyways, he's trying to leave his not so innocent past behind him and move on. Which he is starting to be able to do until he meets Rose. She triggers something in him that he had tried to bury years ago.

Rose is a single mom who moved to Rosemary Beach to locate the father of her daughter to see if he is worthy enough to be in their lives. She's been looking for him for years. We are shown glimpses of Rose's past and it wasn't easy. She has overcome that though and became a damn good mom. Sometimes in life you go searching for things and once you find them things go completely opposite of what you expected and that happens here. 

I liked River/Captain and I liked Rose for the most part. At times I found her a little annoying but other parts make up for that and I guess her past explains it. 

Overall this was a quick read for me and I am seriously considering reading the series from the beginning even though this is a Standalone. 
3.5 stars!


ARC provided via the Publisher in exchange for my HONEST review. Thank you!

ORDER YOUR COPY!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Rw8JUc

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1FUVBqy

Blio: http://bit.ly/1Zhdx4L

Books-a-Million: http://bit.ly/1VHfFDE

Google Play: http://bit.ly/1Nq9M9s

IndieBound: http://bit.ly/1hsHixt

iBooks: http://apple.co/1L93ENd

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1PjXzm2

Enter the giveaway!

Use the rafflecopter for your chance to win one of five signed posters and print copies of THE BEST GOODBYE (US/Canada only). Contest begins on 11/30 and runs through 12/21. Good luck!

DIRECT LINK TO RAFFLECOPTER: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/7c51936155/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Abbi Glines is the New York Times, USA TODAY, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Field Party, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, and Existence series. A devoted book lover, Abbi lives with her family in Alabama. She maintains a Twitter addiction at @AbbiGlines and can also be found at Facebook.com/AbbiGlinesAuthor and AbbiGlines.com.

FIND ABBI ONLINE:

Website: www.AbbiGlines.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/AbbiGlinesAuthor

Twitter: @AbbiGlines

Instagram: @AbbiGlines

THE BEST GOODBYE by Abbi Glines

Atria Books | 256 pages | ISBN 9781501115318, $16.00 | December 1, 2015 | eBook ISBN: 9781501115387, $7.99

Random Ramblings

I haven't written a random post in a while. Everything has been cover reveals or some sort of tour. So I decided to switch it up a bit today. Why you may ask? Well, I've been thinking. Scary, right? However, it is something I do daily. 

I'm going to get started by asking a question. What is YOUR story? As bloggers and readers we have the ability to live not one life, but hundreds and sometimes thousands of lives. Which is amazing and one of the things I love about reading the most. I love that I can "live" through all of these different characters in all kinds of different situations and even worlds. Reading is a way to escape life and is a healthy outlet, in my opinion. Maybe it is just me, but sometimes I think it is easy to become so swept away in these other worlds that we forget that we are living our own story right now. So that brings me to the aforementioned question. What is YOUR story? 

I have been guilty of reading a book and wondering what it would be like if that was my life. Would I have made different decisions? Or would I have done exactly the same thing? I ask myself is my love like that love? I think these are normal thoughts, but I think sometimes you have to pull back and see your own life as your own story. 

It's easy to look back on your life and see it as boring or not as amazing as your favorite book. But what if you step back and start looking at your life as if it was a book? One that is being written every day? Maybe it's just me and I'm a little crazy today. That's okay. It happens. But as I sit here and think back about my life and the struggles I have been through, I realize that I am living my very own book. And you know what? I think it is my favorite. It has a lot of things that I love reading about and some things that I hate reading. It's easy to have regrets in life. But I think that we need to remember that our life is just our story and we are the authors of our own books. And it will be messy and imperfect, but it will our story and that is what makes it the best one. 

If you have read this far then thank you. I just wanted to be random today and though I totally don't make sense on here, I do in my head! :) That's all that matters right? Enjoy writing your story for the day. Just remember it's beautiful even when it's imperfect because it makes you who you are. 

Release Blitz and Review: Misconduct by Penelope Douglas

Title: Misconduct

Author: Penelope Douglas

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: December 1, 2015

Organized by: As the Pages Turn

Synopsis

Former tennis player Easton Bradbury is trying to be the best teacher she can be, trying to reach her bored students and trying to forget her past. What brought her to this stage in her life isn’t important. She can’t let it be. But now one parent-teacher meeting may be her undoing…

Meeting Tyler Marek for the first time makes it easy for Easton to see why his son is having trouble in school. The man knows how to manage businesses and wealth, not a teenage boy. Or a young teacher, for that matter, though he tries to. And yet…there is something about him that draws Easton in—a hint of vulnerability, a flash of attraction, a spark that might burn.

Wanting him is taboo. Needing him is undeniable. And his long-awaited touch will weaken Easton’s resolve—and reveal what should stay hidden…

(*STANDALONE, NO CLIFFHANGER*)

Misconduct - Excerpt

His three-piece black pin-striped suit looked crisp and dark against his fair skin, and his white shirt and slate-gray tie shimmered in the glow of the light overhead.

I took a few steps forward. “What are you doing here?” I asked.

His eyes shot down to my feet, and I followed his gaze, remembering that I’d forgotten to put my heels back on.

“Always losing your shoes,” he commented, a smile curling his mouth.

I pursed my lips and turned around, snatching my heels off the seat and slipping them back onto my feet. Grabbing the back of the chair, I pulled it behind me and entered my classroom, knowing he’d follow.

“You came to my workplace unannounced,” he stated behind me. “I thought I would return the favor.”

I replaced my chair behind my desk and looked up, seeing that he had closed the door behind him.

“And?” I prompted.

“And I came to apologize,” he admitted, stopping a few feet in front of my desk. “I’ve been unfair, and I’m sorry. Christian has his phone back, so we’ll see how this goes.”

I stilled, my heart galloping in my chest, and I almost smiled.

Really?

I opened my mouth but had to swallow the lump before I could speak. “Well, that’s great,” I said, surprised. “Thank you.”

I guess I got through to him at his office. 

He slid one of his hands into a pocket and narrowed his eyes on me, looking a little surprised.

“You seem very knowledgeable and determined.” His voice sounded genuine. “You’re an impressive woman, Ms. Bradbury, and I should’ve taken the time to understand your methods.”

I kept my shoulders squared, but my eyes dropped, embarrassment warming my cheeks.

“Thank you,” I mumbled, turning around to grab a dry-erase marker to start writing the schedule on the board for when then kids came back on Thursday.

“Christian talks about your class,” he said behind me. “I can tell your teaching interests him, even if he would never admit it.”

I uncapped the marker and rested my hand on the board but didn’t write anything.

“He really can’t stand me, can he?”

I dropped my hand to my side and spun around slowly, surprised by his question.

And feeling terrible all over again. I should never have said that.

No matter how much I thought I knew about him, they were nothing more than assumptions. Who was I to insinuate his son didn’t care for him or vice versa? And what gave me the right to say anything at all in the first place?

He breathed deeply, and for the first time since I’d met him, he looked unsure of himself.

“I was twenty when he was born,” he told me. “That’s no excuse, but it’s the only one I have.”

Twenty.

I was twenty-three, and I couldn’t imagine having a child right now.

I watched him and waited, not wanting to say anything or interrupt because I found I kind of liked it when he talked.

“I know what you think of me.” He looked me dead in the eye and then dropped his gaze, speaking in a voice close to a whisper. “And what he thinks of me.”

And then he let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “I don’t know why I even care what you think. You don’t give a shit about me, but I guess that’s what’s so intriguing.” He moved forward, his soft eyes turning to steel. “You’re so cold and distant,” he charged. “I guess I wouldn’t think anything of it if I hadn’t seen you so different at one time.”

I inhaled a shaky breath, looking down at his right hand. The same one that had held my waist while we danced.

I licked my lips, barely noticing him advance.

“You were flirty and fun.” His voice turned husky, and I looked up, seeing him round my desk slowly. “And you keep pissing me off, but it feels good,” he whispered, playing with me, drawing me in.

I knew that look in his eyes. I may not know much about him, but I knew that look.

And we were in my classroom.

His son’s classroom.

I may have had little shame, but he had none.

“Mr.—”

He cut me off. “Why won’t you ever say my name?” 

I shook my head, confused. “Why do you care what I think?”

“I don’t,” he maintained. “I care that you don’t think of me at all.”

I narrowed my eyes on him, clenching my teeth. “That’s not . . .” I trailed off, plastering my back against the whiteboard as he hovered over me.

“That’s not what?” he pressed, his voice sounding strained.

He stood so close that I had only to lift a hand and I could touch him.

“That’s not true,” I finished.

He leaned in. “You look at me like I don’t matter.” His eyes searched mine. “And I don’t like it.”

My Review

Misconduct was such a good book. I will be honest, while I have read a lot of good books lately I have found myself getting bored with reading similar stories. But I have to say this one was different. It grabbed and held my attention right from the beginning.

Easton is fresh out of college and lands a job at a private school. I really liked the way she taught her class, too. As a parent I can see how there would be concerns, but what she does is simply amazing and I can very easily see this becoming something that happens in reality, if it hasn't already. Anyways, the only complication to her job is Tyler Marek, the sexy man she had met briefly six months before.

Tyler Marek has two goals at this point in his life, to become a senator and to be present in his son, Christian's life. He has no time for women unless it's for some quicky no string attached relationship. So meeting Easton Bradbury one night is no big deal, until he sees her again, in his son's classroom as his new teacher.

I loved seeing the interactions between these two. Easton is stubborn and independent and I would say that Tyler is the same. I loved seeing them butt heads and I love that Easton always sticks up for herself. I will admit there were times I got aggravated with both of them but that quickly passed. There is a little suspense mixed in with some things that are a little unexpected and some predictability, but it was still really enjoyable. While there are some sexy scenes, it isn't overly filled with sex and that was a relief right now!

4 stars!

***ARC provided in exchange for my HONEST review. Thank you!***

About Penelope Douglas

Penelope Douglas is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Fall Away series.

She dresses for autumn year round, loves anything lemon flavored, and believes there is too much blood in her Coca Cola stream. Or too much Coca Cola in her blood stream. Or...

You know what? It doesn't matter. She loves Coke. Now you know.

She lives in Las Vegas with her husband and daughter.

Website + Facebook + Twitter + Pinterest + Instagram + Goodreads

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• (5) Signed copy of Misconduct (Intl)
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Review: Under the Influence by L.B. Simmons

SYNOPSIS:

Dalton,

I loved you once. A love I thought irrevocable. A love I mistakenly believed could transcend both time and circumstance. Under the influence of my dimwitted, naïve, traitorous heart, I became intoxicated with what I now know was simply a figment of my self-indulgent imagination. So drunk on the feeling, I couldn’t see what was right in front of my face. So foolishly enamored, I blindly followed my heart into the depths of an emotion that would ravage me. 

Years later, I know now what I wish I knew then. I am stronger. Smarter. Tougher. I will not allow myself to be broken again. 

I loved you.

I raged for you.

I wept for you.

And now, I’m letting you go.

Author’s Note:  Under the Influence is the journey of two childhood friends that spans the course of five pivotal years in their lives. It is a story about their discovery of true friendship as it blossoms into first love, their experience of crucial sacrifice and ultimate betrayal, and their endurance of agonizing heartbreak on the way to finding lasting redemption.

My Review

"I have always belonged to you. I will always belong to you. Regardless of what you've done, what you do, or what you will do, I will forever be yours. And that's my choice to make, whether you choose me or not.

ALL.THE.FEELS. I went into this book knowing that there was a possibility that it would make me cry. However, I didn't think it would tug on my heart strings right off the bat, but it did. I was pulled in to Spencer and Dalton's story and I could not put it down. 

This book tackles some heavy subject matter and I feel like even though it is tagged that way, there needs to be a warning for those that could possibly not handle this. Because it was difficult to read just because it made my heart hurt. 

Anyways- without giving much away, because I am all for diving in clueless, Dalton has not had an easy childhood, not even a little. Because of this he has not always made the best decisions. But deep down he was still a good kid that just got the shitty end of the stick. The only bright spot in his life is Spencer. 

I liked Spencer a lot. She instantly came across as a genuine and compassionate person and I couldn't help but be drawn to her. It's no surprise that her and Dalton are drawn to one another. But Dalton's poor decisions catch up to him and lead to devastating outcomes. That's all I will say. 

I have to admit I was surprised a little with how things turned out but I was so drawn into this story! I love the way everything worked out. This book was nothing like I expected, I never wanted it to end. 

"I loved you. I raged for you. I wept for you. And now, I'm letting you go. Goodbye, Dalton.

5 STARS!
ARC provided in exchange for my HONEST review. Thank you!

EXCERPT

Dalton POV:

And that’s when I see it. The faded bruising high on the little girl’s cheek and the red welts that line it. A slap mark.

I force a deep breath through my nose and crack my neck, my natural response when stricken with memories from my own past. The rage I feed upon, the anger that fuels me to perform on a regular basis, skims dangerously close to the surface as my fingers tighten around the crayon in my hand.

Her blue eyes remain locked with mine. She watches closely for a moment, studying me intently, then rises and leans her tiny body across the table to place her palm on my cheek.

Normally I would strongly object to anyone I don’t know putting their hands on me, but I remain frozen as the warmth from her hand seeps into my skin. Huge tears sprout, coating her eyes before she finally speaks.

“You’re one of us. I can tell.”

She removes her hand and places it on my chest, the burning beneath my ribcage strangely anesthetized by the contact.  “I know. “ She nods as she focuses on her touch. “It hurts here. Where they break your heart.”

When I’m barely able to nod my response, she offers me a defeated smile. My throat clogs with emotion I haven’t felt in years, and I’m forced to swallow it deeply. Her eyes fall to my throat and then rise once again to meet mine.

“Yeah, I feel it too.”

Author Bio:

L.B. Simmons is a graduate of Texas A&M University and holds a degree in Biomedical Science.  She has been a practicing Chemist for the last 11 years.  She lives with her husband and three daughters in Texas and writes every chance she gets.

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