Book Giveaway: A SEAL'S TEMPTATION by Tawny Weber!

Subject: Navy SEAL Shane "Scavenger" O'Brian

Mission: Seduce and satisfy Lark Sommers!

Lark Sommers's dry spell is officially a sex-starved desert. Since taking over her mom's quirky coffee shop in Nowhere, Idaho—putting her own career on permanent hold—Lark's been, well, miserable. But her friends have a plan…one that starts with a superhot guy with a rockin' hard bod.

US Navy SEAL Shane O'Brian has no clue he's being set up. All he knows is that Lark does incredible things to his libido. Still, Shane can't quite bring himself to tell her what he does for a living. After all, their risqué business is temporary—no strings, no falling in love. Especially when there's no way this SEAL would ever be tempted into anything more than a sexy little fling…

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Learn more (and how to purchase a copy) by visiting Tawny Weber's website:

 http://tawnyweber.com/a-seals-temptation/

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A Perfect 10: WIN ME OVER by Nicole Michaels

WIN ME OVER – Nicole Michaels 
Hearts and Crafts Series , Book 2 
A Perfect 10 
St. Martin's Paperbacks 
ISBN: 978-1-250-05816-4 
September 2015 
Contemporary Romance 

Preston, Missouri 

Callie Daniels of the popular Callie's Confections bakery spent lots of her early childhood competing in beauty pageants. She loves to dance, and so she took a side job as a dance coach for the local high school cheerleaders. This, added to her shop and work as a partner in a three-woman blog about things creative and domestic, keeps her very busy. Yet she can't say no when the school principle asks her to compete in a dance off with the head football coach, Bennett Clark. 

Clark spent two glorious years with the NFL until an accident that seriously injured his left leg and hip ended his career as a football player. It still pains him at times, but he manages to hide that fact. He's been coaching and teaching biology for six years and really cares for his students and the team. When the principal asks him to enter a dance contest, he wants to refuse, but the prize will be a generous grant that he can divide among several of his senior students and team members. How can he refuse? He can't, not with the grant money and the chance to hold the sexy dance coach in his arms! He tells Callie he doesn't dance, but not about his pain. That he wants no one to know about. 

Teaching a non-dancer to dance is a challenge Callie thinks she can manage. But can she manage to handle the affect the hot Coach Clark has on her? 

I feel fortunate that I've had a chance to discover the work of this talented writer. Her characters, major and minor, are very likable and do interesting things. Her story world holds together nicely and one can't help to enter fully into it. There is humor, romance, suspense, and her love scenes are not just hot, but emotion-filled. In WIN ME OVER, Bennett Clark, especially, is an unforgettably real person. Do yourself a huge favor, get START ME UP and WIN ME OVER. I promise you will be delighted. 

Jane Bowers

Spotlight Review and Promo: SWITCHBACK by Catherine Anderson

A WANTED MAN – Jennifer Morey

Cold Case Detectives, Book 1

Harlequin Romantic Suspense #1864

ISBN: 978-0-373-27934-0

September 2015

Romantic Suspense Series

Salt Lake City, Utah and Rock Springs, Wyoming – Present Day

Penny Darden is spending the weekend with her new boyfriend, Jax Ballard, at his cabin in the Utah mountains and while out walking alone she stumbles across a barn with a white pickup truck hidden in it. Afterwards, Jax seems upset to learn she was outside walking, so she doesn’t tell him about what she found. Then, on the television comes a report about a child who was kidnapped and murdered, with the only clue about the killer being that they drove a white pickup truck. Penny is afraid Jax is the killer, so she leaves and later contacts a man hired by the child’s family to investigate the murder.

Kadin Tandy lost his only child to a murderous pedophile and even after he found the killer on his own, he could not save his wife from suicide. This drove Kadin to leave the police force in New York City and move to Wyoming, where he opens his own business investigating cold cases. When Penny walks into his office with information about his latest case, he is confused by his reaction to her. Kadin had sworn off women after his wife and child died, but within 24 hours after meeting Penny, he’s making love to her. She’s smart and independent, so she’s certainly not looking for a husband, especially  one as damaged as he, yet the sparks between them continue to sizzle. Will getting involved with Penny interfere with Kadin’s investigation?

In A WANTED MAN, Kadin is a vigilante when it comes to taking on cold cases where the police have no credible leads. The current case he is working on has everyone stumped. Penny didn’t go to the police because not only is she dating Jax, but his family’s company has a big contract with her employer and if she falsely accuses him of murder, she most likely will lose her job. She wants Kadin to check it out without involving her name. He does, but of course, it doesn’t take long for Jax to figure out she had spoken to Kadin. Unfortunately, the main evidence – the pickup—is destroyed in a fire before the police can get to it. And Jax’s alibi and lack of DNA evidence to the murder stymies both Penny and Kadin. Soon after, shots are fired at Kadin and Penny, but they are unable to find the culprit. With Jax breathing down her neck about the accusations, Kadin takes on 24/7 protection of Penny. However, this closeness only intensifies their growing attraction for each other.

Raised by a mother who seemed lonely even as she was independent, Penny fears she is headed down her mother’s path and had hoped things would work out with Jax—until she began to suspect he is a killer. Kadin has closed his heart to love and marriage, but boy oh boy…the sex is great. Penny finds herself falling for Kadin, but he makes it clear he isn’t the man for her. Despite her feelings, they continue to work closely together, as the evidence grows—and the attempts on Penny’s life—continue. Evidence continues to point to Jax being connected to the crime, but there’s not enough to charge him. In A WANTED MAN, this tale takes some twists and turns before the final—and stunning—puzzle is put together.

A WANTED MAN is the first one in Jennifer Morey’s new heart stopping suspense series. From the first page to the end, readers will be engrossed in wondering if Jax is indeed the murderer and if Kadin and Penny can find a way to make their relationship work. If you’re looking for an intriguing and entertaining romantic suspense to read, then grab a copy of A WANTED MAN.

Patti Fischer

Author's website  http://www.jenniferamorey.com/

Buy Links:

Amazon

B&N

Guest Blog Post by Kristen Luciani – Who Are You And Why Should I Care?

We’re basically all salespeople, in some form or other.  There’s always a pitch to be made – whether it is to sell a product, an idea, a service or a project.  If you want to be successful, you need a compelling value proposition for your “brand” -  to entice potential customers and expand your reach.

As authors, we have to be innovators.  We need to figure out how to differentiate ourselves from the competition (which is plentiful!) and capitalize on these distinctions in order to be effective (no easy feat!).

Three key questions must be answered in order to establish and solidify our positioning to potential readers.

1.  What do we write?

Do you write about topics that are unique?  Trendy?  Exciting?  Dismal?  Newsworthy?  Are there established audiences for these subjects who are interested in consuming different views/perspectives/ideas?  Is the subject matter widely appealing?  Or does the subject have only a small niche group of interested readers?  What sets your work apart from all others? 

When I first started writing, I created a story that impassioned me. The only problem was, my original manuscript didn’t resonate with my targeted readers. Major roadblock! I’ve since changed gears. My advice is to first figure out who your readers are, find elements of a potential storyline that will interest them and then map out a strategy for creating your book, weaving in those elements. I know it’s disheartening to go down a path, only to find out your manuscript doesn’t meet the expectations or desires of your targeted readers. It’s better to take a step back and ask questions before starting that first chapter. Passion projects don’t always have the intended impact we want but early feedback can help guide us through the process of creating something we are just as excited about sharing with the masses.

2.   How do we write?

Do you use special techniques to craft a manuscript?  Does the writing entail a lot of research to satisfy a thirst for knowledge about a particular topic?  What is your general style?  Conversational?  Informative?  Snarky?  Humorous?  How do readers typically respond to your style?  Is your style appealing to the masses?

This is really important as well because it will contribute to your brand. You may be somewhat of a comedian… incorporate elements of comedy in your writing to help it stand out from the rest. Leverage your personality while writing. It’s yet another impactful way for readers to get to know you. A lot of authors incorporate signature writing styles because that is another differentiating factor that makes readers pick up one book over another. And differentiation is critical.

3.    Why do we write? 

Herein lies the key.  Why do you take precious time out of your days to write?  Why is your subject matter special enough that it should demand attention?  Why does your story need to be told? What is the perceived benefit of your work in the eyes of potential readers?  What’s in it for them?

Every time you write something, ask yourself… what makes this different and better than everything else out there? You’re spending an inordinate amount of time writing, editing, re-writing, perfecting that manuscript. At the end of the day, who is going to care, besides you? And why should they care?

Figure that out and you’re definitely ahead of the game. Then use that differentiator to your advantage and it becomes the hook for why readers should buy your book.

Answer all these questions and you’ll set the foundation for your author brand. I know, it sounds easy in theory.  In reality, it requires a tremendous amount of time and research.  I’ve barely scratched the surface on this myself and there is always new information to uncover and apply to my process. 

What I’ve outlined above is a tried-and-true methodology, and it makes sense if you think about it.  Figure out what makes your work special and unique and find an audience who supports that belief.  Form relationships with these people, get to know them, let them get to know you – as a person as well as an author.  Spend the time to figure out what makes your offering so attractive and nurture your reader relationships to ensure that you are always delivering value.  After all, the most important thing about writing is satisfying the needs and wants of your audience.  Take care of them and they will (hopefully) return the favor.



Get to know Kristen Luciani

Her website: http://kristenluciani.com/

Her newest release

Blurb

 Mia Bradshaw realized long ago that falling in love is a harbinger of pain. As a single mom working for one of the most prestigious venture capital firms in the country, she doesn’t have time for serious emotional entanglements. Her sort-of–friend boy is de-pendable, respectful and…okay, fine, maybe a little lukewarm but whatever! Who ever said there was anything wrong with being…vanilla? It’s safe, low-risk and not fraught with conflict and heart wrenching disappointment. 

Chris Camden is one of the most eligible bachelors in northern California. A successful entrepreneur with a hot car and a panty-dropping grin doesn’t need to do much to keep his bed warm at night. His smoldering hazel-eyed gaze makes women melt at his feet. No strings, no conditions, no questions - just the way he likes it. Why should he settle for just one when there are so many sizzling alternatives begging for a spin? 

A coveted opportunity to partner with Chris’s company stirs up emotions that threaten everything Mia’s been so careful to protect and control. The guy with more lines than a crowded supermarket before a snowstorm can singe her insides with the slightest acci-dental touch, proof that she needs to steer clear. 

But reality hurls a very unexpected curve ball that can change Mia’s life in a heartbeat. And sometimes…the perception of safety is relative.

Buy links

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1KaYYpn

B&N: http://bit.ly/1Luy7oo

iBooks: http://apple.co/1Ld2tzP

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1KOSNNj

Promo Spotlight: ASYLUM HARBOR by Isla Grey

Title: Asylum Harbor

Series: The Salty Dog Series Book One

Author: Isla Grey

Genre: Contemporary/Suspense

Approximately 198 pages

Published:  September 16, 2105  Publisher:  Wild Rose Press

Trouble is the last thing Devon Brown needs when she leaves the painful memories of her past behind and heads to Shell Island. As the Salty Dog’s new bartender, she finds herself drawn to Kerr, the Shell Island harbormaster. But finding her happily-ever-after is difficult when dealing with an obnoxious bootlegger who supplies the bar with illegal liquor and a jealous coworker.

A standoffish loner with damaged emotions, Kerr avoids relationships like the plague. Things change when Devon catches his eye. As a simple flirtation grows serious, the coworker and bootlegger quickly become obstacles to any future Kerr and Devon may have together. As the situation worsens, Devon realizes that even the still waters of Asylum Harbor are no refuge during a storm.

“You already got dibs on this one Kerr?”

Porter shot an evil glare at the opposite end of the bar and looked back toward her. “I’ll see you tonight.” He flicked his tongue. “After work.” He raised his glass in a mock toast and chugged it in one gulp.

The lights dimmed for Victoria’s dance of the night. Devon watched Kerr, who was usually headed for the exit by now, and breathed a sigh of relief when he remained glued to his seat with his back to the stage. He wasn’t staying for Victoria’s peep show. There must have been something about this Porter character that got under his skin in a bad way.

Devon was eager for the quick break. She hustled to the back as the chords to “Simply Irresistible” began to pelt over the speakers and ran some cold water over her forearm. A red welt was beginning to show where Porter had held onto it. She hoped he would be gone by the time she got back.

Making it out before mid-song, Devon rounded the bar when someone snagged her wrist and thrust her hard against the bar, knocking the wind out of her. She could smell Porter’s alcohol-laced breath as his weight pinned her under him. One of his grubby hands shot under her shirt while the other wrestled with the button on her pants. “Let’s give them a real show.”

She struggled to reach the Equalizer, but it remained hidden, out of her grasp. Devon hoisted her knee toward his crotch, but Porter lost his balance and fell backward before she could make contact.

Kerr towered over him. “Get your hands off her.”

Isla Grey is from Central Virginia and still lives in the same small town she grew up in. She developed a love of writing at an early age and over the years has tried her hand at penning poetry (some good, some not so good), screenwriting, newspaper articles and historical stories. She’s “old school” when it comes to writing and is a hoarder of more pens, post-it notes and writing journals than she’ll ever need. Isla likes to write different types of stories from romance to mystery and anything in between and loves a “happy for now but there could be some bad things coming” feel. When Isla’s not writing, she spends her time being called “Mom, Mama, Mommy” (well, you get the picture) by her daughter who is forever active, even in her sleep. She considers herself an unofficial “cat whisperer” and is a pet human to a plethora of cats that have taken up residence at her home over the years. Isla also enjoys reading a good biography or ghost story, traveling even though “there’s no place like home”, good music played loud and walking.

Isla loves movies and is the movie mistakes editor at Bellaonline.com where she talks about…well…movies.  Her novella, “A Voice in the Dark”, is available now and her book, “Asylum Harbor”, will be released September 16th, 2015 through Wild Rose Press.

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Spotlight Review and Promo: SWITCHBACK by Catherine Anderson

SWITCHBACK – Catherine Anderson
Harlequin Intrigue #1587
ISBN: 978-0-373-69854-7
September 2015
Romantic Suspense

Seattle, Washington – Present Day

Private investigator Bud “Mac” Phearson is summoned by his good friend and mentor, businessman Keith Christiani, to protect Keith’s widowed daughter-in-law and granddaughter. But before Mac can get to the job, Keith is felled by a stroke, and the granddaughter is kidnapped by the crime boss’s henchmen. With Keith in intensive care at the hospital, Mac does intercept the daughter-in-law, Mallory, and attempts to whisk her away. However, someone soon is shooting bullets at them and they’re running for their lives. The crime boss is insistent that he wants a mysterious package that Keith was supposed to deliver to them. In exchange, Mallory’s daughter will be released.

Mallory is confused by what is going on around her, but her biggest concern right now is finding her daughter, Emily. She isn’t sure she can trust Mac, but he appears to be a friend of Keith’s. He also is insistent on protecting her, which she should be grateful since bullets are flying and bombs are going off wherever she turns. As the hours tick on, Mallory soon experiences something she hasn’t since her husband died: attraction to another man, namely Mac. Will they let the mutual attraction get in the way of finding the mystery package and rescuing Emily?

SWITCHBACK by Catherine Anderson is actually a reprint of a book first published in 1990, so there are some details that will make a reader wonder. For example, the characters do not use cell phones, and phone booths existed back in 1990 (gasp!). But beyond things like that, readers won’t miss the basic premise of SWITCHBACK: a suspenseful tale of a couple trying to rescue her daughter even as bad guys are in hot pursuit to kill them. It takes Mac and Mallory a little bit to figure out why someone wants to kill them even as the crime boss wants them to find and deliver a package to him. Turns out even the crime boss had his own men turning on him and they don’t want Mac and Mallory to find the package, either, as it will incriminate them about their own bad deeds against their boss.

There is plenty of romance to go along with the suspenseful twists and turns in SWITCHBACK, and this action will keep readers glued in order to find out what happens next. Mallory starts out at first not trusting Mac, which is understandable as her world comes apart around her with Keith’s stroke and her daughter’s disappearance (which isn’t ruled a kidnapping by the police since no one saw her taken).  Mallory and Mac have been warned not to contact the police or they will kill Emily.  Mac also has to use his street skills and contacts to try to figure how to work against the crime boss and his henchman. Being so close to one another 24/7, Mallory and Mac were bound to have feelings for each other. As everything falls into place in SWITCHBACK, both will do anything to protect and help the other.

An exciting and intriguing tale, SWITCHBACK is a tale I highly recommend.

Patti Fischer

Purchase a copy at:

Amazon
B&N
 

Author's website:  http://www.catherineanderson.com/