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Showing posts with label read an excerpt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label read an excerpt. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 2, 2022

Excerpt: Love in the End Zone by Carina Rose

Read an excerpt from Love in the End Zone by Carina Rose.  You can pre-order this standalone romance for 99 cents. Love in the End Zone will release on April 12, 2022. 

Love in the End Zone by Carina Rose Kindle Crack
Synopsis:

Pro quarterbacks regularly face tough linemen determined to knock them down—but for one hotshot athlete, it was an infuriating blonde who stood the best chance of laying him on his back.


I was one of the top quarterbacks in the league, riding high after scoring a lucrative deal with the DC Rockets. Fans adored me, sponsors wanted me, and women, well, they were eager to date me. Except my life revolved around football, not falling in love.


Until I saw her.


I’d just scored the winning touchdown, sending the Rockets into the playoffs and ending the Virginia Thunder’s season. I spiked the ball and basked in the fans’ cheers. I’d done it. But then I took off my helmet and locked eyes with a gorgeous blonde.


She wasn’t cheering. Instead, she stood with her arms crossed, glaring at me. I smirked and winked, hoping to soften her murderous expression. Except it had the opposite effect. Rather than smiling back, she lifted her hand and extended her middle finger before disappearing into the crowd.


That was unexpected.


After my press conference, I couldn’t stop thinking about the woman in the stands. It didn’t help that social media had turned our interaction into a meme, and then I found out that the beauty was none other than Reese Parker, granddaughter of Charles Reese, owner of the Virginia Thunder. Which explained her reaction… sort of.


I should have been preparing for the playoffs, but all I wanted to do was convince her I wasn’t enemy number one—and that scoring with me would be her best move.

Pre-Order Links: 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3KdBJ3Q

iBooks: https://apple.co/3MsoU82

B&N: https://bit.ly/3MhSxIR

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3481O5h


Goodreads Link: https://bit.ly/GRLoveInTheEndZone 



EXCERPT

LOVE IN THE END ZONE

© Carina Rose 2022


Trent

“Playoffs bound!” my center yelled as he thrust his fist into the air. I smiled at him right before taking off my helmet. As soon as it slipped off, the sound of jubilant fans amplified, despite not being in our home stadium. The thing was, we were close enough in proximity and there were more Rockets jerseys than Thunder ones in the crowd.

When I looked up, a gorgeous blonde stared at me. Our eyes connected, and the seventy thousand screaming fans seemed to vanish. It was as though we were in a tunnel, just a pretty girl wearing the home team’s colors and me. Her eyes narrowed into a glare. I almost turned around to see what or who she was tossing darts at. Rather than do that, I turned on the charm and blew her a kiss right before I winked—a move I’ve perfected and most women liked. Much to my surprise, she lifted her hand and flipped me off, causing my mouth to gape. I’ve had adverse reactions from opposing fans before, but generally they had a beer gut and facial hair. The female population tended to like me. Well, all but this one.

Knowing reporters would be waiting for an interview, I turned and headed toward the sideline. “Who was that?” Jackson, our tight end and my closest friend, chuckled. “Don’t tell me there’s someone in the DC Metro area who hasn’t fallen for the charms of the Trent Archer?”

I shoved him and laughed. “Dude, whatever. We’re going to the playoffs!”

“Damn straight we are!” Jackson jogged off. I couldn’t help but look over my shoulder to see if the mystery woman had returned—she hadn’t. I hustled past a couple of my teammates being interviewed, smacking them on the shoulder pads as I jogged by. It was great to see them all so happy.

A reporter stopped me. I didn’t recognize her, but she had credentials hanging around her neck. “Trent, Veronica Tate, from the Chronicle, do you have a minute?” she asked, holding out her mic.

This was what players thrived on. Celebrating. Talking up the team and our season. Not giving some chick in the stands who was bitter about a loss any attention. Granted, I understood the feeling. To feel so passionate about something that you spout off to the first person you come across. No one liked to lose. Still, her reaction irked me.

“Of course, go ahead.”

“Thank you. First, congratulations on your win.”

I nodded. “Thank you so much. The team worked really hard, and I’m just happy it all paid off. The Thunder is a tough organization. They had us on the ropes today.”

“Yes, well, I’m going to jump right in and ask the question everyone is clamoring to know.”

I bent at the waist to bring my ear closer to her. I didn’t want to miss what she wanted to ask. Although, questions and answers to the obvious were already filtering in my head.

Veronica nodded to her cameraperson, who took a step closer. “What did you do to the woman in the stands to provoke such a . . . well . . . greeting?”

I straightened and stared at Veronica. How did she see the woman in the stands? And that was her question? I shifted my focus to the camera and smirked. “Well, I guess that was her way of telling me I was number one in her book.”

The man behind the lens chuckled. Veronica gave me a weak grin. “So not an ex?” Was she writing a sports’ article or a gossip column? When I didn’t answer, Veronica wrapped up what she called an interview. “Good luck next week.”

“Thanks,” I said dryly and did my best to hide my annoyance before moving on to a couple more interviews about the game and not an opinionated blonde.

###

Jackson and I sat in my living room relaxing with beer and watching the Sunday night game between the Austin Stars and the Nebraska Lightning. The outcome didn’t matter, since Nebraska was

in a rebuilding year. They had a great organization, and I almost signed with them, but I wanted to play on the East Coast.

“Stars look good,” Jackson said, taking a pull from the longneck bottle.

“They do.” I observed their defensive lineman barely missing a sack.

“Look out for him.”

We watched the first half, taking notes and coming up with a few plays we would run by the coach on Tuesday since we had tomorrow off.

The whistle signaling halftime blew and a commercial came on. I pushed off the leather chair and stood. “Want another beer?”

Jackson lifted his bottle, drained it, and nodded. “Sure, thanks.” The doorbell rang. “That must be the pizza, I’ll grab it.”

“Okay, I’ll get our beer.”

With our dinner and drinks, we plopped onto the sofa just as my face popped up on the screen.

“There’s our pretty boy,” Jackson crooned, chuckling around a piece of pepperoni.

Ignoring him, I went to take a bite of my slice when an image appeared. No, not really an image, a meme. A meme of the girl flipping me off, with the Thunder’s logo over her finger on one side, and me on the other. Despite her crassness, she looked gorgeous. I, on the other hand, looked dumbfounded. Wide eyes, mouth in the shape of an O, and the caption, “Are you talking to me?” scrawled across my chest.

Jackson’s laugh had me scowling. “Oh my God. This is too good.” Then he paused. “Wait . . . what did they just say her name was?”

“I don’t know, jackass, you were too busy laughing.” I grabbed the remote off the coffee table, and rewound the broadcast.

“Thunder’s owner, Charles Reese’s granddaughter and namesake, Reese Parker, seemed to have a message for America’s favorite quarterback.”

Everything started to sound like a mess of blurred words. “Granddaughter?” I whispered. That wasn’t Reese’s granddaughter. I met her. She was a brunette, worked in the front office with her husband.

“Looks like you pissed off a part of his family,” Jackson offered as an explanation. “But wow is she gorgeous. And practically football royalty. Great job.”

Jackson knew I had almost signed with the Thunder. He also knew how I struggled with the decision that was made for me. That withstanding, obscene gestures caught on camera weren’t my thing. Still staring at the screen, I shook my head and used my pizza slice as a pointer to the image in front of us. “Dude, I’m a meme. This is the last thing I need before playoffs. Do you know what this means? My social media is going to be blowing up.”

“Don’t let it distract you or coach will flip out.”

Flip out? He was going to lose it. One thing Coach Mark prided himself on was his players keeping their noses clean. Despite any fines a league could impose for behavior unbecoming, he had his own set of rules. None of this was my fault, but still, he might not see it that way. “You’re right. I need to put a stop to it.”

Jackson nodded and took another bite out of the slice in his hand. After swallowing, he asked, “How do you plan on doing that? Looks like the media loves her.”

When I glanced at the television, images of Reese at the local children’s hospital, volunteering at a school in the city, and then serving dinner at one of the shelters on Thanksgiving flitted across the screen. In each image she had a tray of cookies in her hand.

“Yeah, and she loves sweets.”

“Are you not listening?”

“To what? I’m watching this just like you.”

He bobbed his head up and down. “Then you know she works at a cookie bakery.” Well, that made sense. Weird that she didn’t work for her grandfather, especially being so passionate about the game. “So, now what?” he asked, knowing me well enough to realize a plan was formulating in my mind.

“Looks like it’s time to satisfy my sweet tooth.”

“What are you going to do? Order cookies in hopes to get in her good graces?”

“No, I’m going to ask her out on a date.”

“Pardon me for pointing out the obvious, but I don’t think she likes you.”

He was right. Except Reese Parker didn’t know me. But after tomorrow, I’d make sure that wasn’t the case.

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

NEW RELEASE REVIEW: Possession by T.M. Frazier

Check out my spoiler-free review of Possession by T.M. Frazier.  I'm dying to read the conclusion to this series in December.

“This trilogy is EPIC! If you loved TM Frazier's King series, you MUST read the Perversion trilogy!"
- Meghan March, New York Times Bestselling Author  
Kindle Crack Book Reviews Blog


POSSESSION, part two of the dark and gritty Perversion Trilogy from USA Today bestselling author T.M. Frazier is available NOW! 

The story of Grim and Emma Jean continues. 

War is on the horizon. 
We've come so far. 
We'll have to fight for what we have. 
Or die trying. 

POSSESSION IS BOOK TWO IN THE PERVERSION TRILOGY
BOOK THREE: PERMISSION
BOOK ONE: PERVERSION

Download your copy today!

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2xsJXCn

Pre-order PERMISSION now 
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/Permission
Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2Np7gHa

Start the trilogy today with PERVERSION

Review of Possession:
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
4.0 - 4.5 Possession picks up where Perversion left off without skipping a beat. Grim & Tricks are to trying to stay alive and together in the middle of murder and mayhem. The Bedlam and Los Muertos gangs are going to war, and not everything is what it seems. Loyalty, love, and family bonds are put to the test in this fast-paced second installment in the Perversion trilogy. This series is gritty and raw, much like T.M. Frazier’s King series. I need more! What an ending! 

Excerpt: 

Bethany nods to the box, again pressing her finger to her lips. “We will know more when you’re assigned a judge. Until then, we will just have to wait,” she says loudly. She points with her eyes to the item in my hand, then leaves. 
The object I’m holding is a rock with a piece of paper attached to it by a rubber band. I pull the paper free and flip it over. It’s a note.
Stay by the glass, motherfucker! Whatever you do, don’t turn around. PS-You look nice today. Prison blue suits you.
The one-piece scratchy uniform I’m wearing is bright orange. What the fuck is all this about?
I peer out from my cell. There’s no one in the room now. Not even the janitor. The security camera high in the corner across from my cell, the one that’s usually pointed directly at me, is now facing down toward the floor.
Whatever you do, don’t turn around. Okay, so I won’t turn around completely, but curiosity leads me to risk a glance over my shoulder. It’s just a wall. An empty blank wall. BOOM. BOOOOOM!
An empty blank wall...that just exploded.
The sound resonates through my eardrums. I duck and cover my head with my hands as pieces of cement rain down into the cell. Dust coats my hair and the back of my neck. After a few beats, I stand, waving away the plumes of the aftermath.
Through the debris, I can just barely make out headlights. It’s a truck with a battering bar attached to the hood.
“All aboard! This train is leaving the motherfucking station. Literally!” shouts a voice. I can’t see who it is through the windshield which is shrouded in what remains of my cell. I don’t have time to ask any questions of the mystery voice.
There’s no time to question anything.
The passenger door flies open. Two officers appear behind me. One fumbles with the cell keys while the other shouts at him to move faster.
It won’t be fast enough.
I leap into the truck and slam the door. The tires spin in place for a few seconds until they finally grip the concrete. My head hits the headliner as we reverse over the broken bricks until we’re clear of them and are able to make forward motion. It isn’t until we’re through the field and on the road when I finally get a good look of my getaway driver. 
“Preppy?” I ask. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
Preppy may not be part of any official organization, but he runs a tight ship over in Logan’s Beach. Belly and I have worked with him and his friend King a few times in the past. I haven’t seen Preppy since before he was thought to be dead only to later be rescued from an underground cave where he was held captive for the better part of a year.
“Grim? Fuck, I thought I was rescuing Bear. Get the fuck out,” he teases. “Just kidding. If Bear was locked up I wouldn’t help him escape. That fucker could use some ‘me time’ to contemplate his grumpy nature.”
He holds the wheel with one hand and straightens his signature bowtie with the other. His white dress shirt is rolled up to his elbows revealing arms heavily covered with both tattoos and angry jagged scars.
He lights a joint and tugs on the wheel, making a sharp turn off the road into a dark heavily wooded area. When we’ve made it in far enough to be fully camouflaged by trees and brush, Preppy kills the engine.
He passes me the joint, and I take a much-needed hit, holding the smoke for as long as I can before slowly exhaling.
“Thanks, man. How the fuck did you get sucked into this?” 
Preppy types out a text on his phone, then sets it back in the console. “Bethany. I owed her a favor. She got my boy, Bo, out of some trouble recently.”
“Isn’t your kid like ten now?” I ask. “What kind of trouble can a ten-year-old get into that needs Bethany’s kind of help?”
“He’s eight,” Preppy corrects. “And my boy catches the kind of trouble most kids his age don’t know is out there to catch. My girls are easier. Twin toddlers. Miley and Taylor. The three of them, along with their mama, are the loves of my fucked-up life. Bo’s a good kid. He’s just…well, his brain arrow doesn’t exactly shoot straight. Its target is usually more…”
Preppy shapes his hand like an arrow aimed at the windshield, then changes the aim to me.
“Human.” He drops his hand. “And the incident in question wasn’t that bad. It may or may not have had something to do with the unfortunate disappearance of a certain…”
He waves the rest of his sentence away like there’s a gnat flying around his head.
“Let’s just say he’s grounded. VERY grounded. For life. Or like a week. Minimum a few days. Or a day. Maybe, an hour or two. Poor kid. Maybe, I’ll just take him to the movies.” He sighs. “You’ll see. Wait until you’ve got some sex trophies of your own. You’ll understand.”
Kids. I’ve never thought of myself with a kid before. I picture Tricks holding a baby in her arms. Our baby. Much to my surprise, I don’t fucking hate it. Although, the thought isn’t helpful to my current situation and only makes me more impatient and enraged.
One thing at a fucking time.
Sirens wail through the night. Preppy remains cool and calm like he’s driving a parade float down main street, and not at all like he’s running from the law with a fugitive.
Blue and red flashes light up the woods. After a few seconds, the vehicles pass, and both the lights and sirens fade off into the distance. “That’s our bat signal. Let’s get you the fuck outta here so I can get home to the missus and eat her cookies.” Preppy pauses, probably realizing his odd choice of words. “I do actually mean cookies. Dre makes a mean batch of chocolate chip.”
I stare silently out at the passing trees.
“I’m going to eat her pussy, too. You know, after the other kind of cookies. Just so we’re clear.” 
“Thanks, man. We’re clear. And if you ever need anything and I’m not dead or serving time, I’m there,” I assure him. I mean it. I owe him a debt. A huge one.
“Hhhhmmm,” he considers, taking the joint I pass him. “How do you feel about babysitting?”
I smile at his joke until I look over at Preppy only to see he’s not doing the same. 
In fact, it’s the only time in my life I’d ever seen him with a straight face.
“I uh…”
He looks straight ahead through the scratched and broken windshield. Bits of concrete from our escape attempt cover the dashboard, and some of it is lodged into the glass. “Never mind. You can do me one favor, though.”
“Anything within my power. It’s yours.”
“Don’t tell King about this,” he says. It comes out as a sheepish high-pitched question.
“Why? He wouldn’t want to know that you broke me out?”
King was a friend of Belly’s and a good ally to Bedlam. It wouldn’t make sense that he’d be against helping me. I’d do the same for any of them if the roles were reversed. 
Preppy shakes his head. “Oh no, he knows I broke you out. I just sent him a text to tell him it’s over. The grand escape is complete.” He steps on the gas. “But he don’t gotta know I used his truck to do it.”


Kindle Crack Book Reviews Blog
About the Author 
T.M. (Tracey Marie) Frazier never dreamed that a single person would ever read a word she wrote when she published her first book. Now, she is a five-time USA Today bestselling author and her books have been translated into numerous languages and published all around the world. 

T.M. enjoys writing what she calls sexy‘wrongside of the tracks romance’ with morally corrupt anti-heroes and ballsy heroines. 

Her books have been described as raw, dark and gritty. Basically, what that means, is while some authors are great at describing a flower as it blooms, T.M. is better at describing it in the final stages of decay. 

She loves meeting her readers, but if you see her at an event please don’t pinch her because she's not ready to wake up from this amazing dream. 


Connect with T.M. Frazier 
Facebook: http://bit.ly/TMFRAZIERBOOKS 
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2JWHAv8
GoodReads: https://amzn.to/2OjmESr
Join Frazierland:http://bit.ly/frazierland 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/t.m.frazier/
BookBub: https://bit.ly/2xtlQ4u
Twitter: @TM_Frazier
Stay up to date with T.M. by signing up for her mailing list: http://bit.ly/TMFrazier Website: http://www.tmfrazierbooks.com 

For Text Alerts: TEXT “TMFRAZIER” TO 77948
*Standard text messaging rates apply*


Thursday, November 1, 2018

NEW RELEASE REVIEW: The Legacy by Dylan Allen


Check out my spoiler-free review of The Legacy by Dylan Allen.  This is a standalone/no cliffhanger. This book is FREE on Kindle Unlimited! 

Kindle Crack Book Reviews Blog

“Hands down, one of my fav reads this year!”
- Ilsa Madden-Mills, Wall Street Journal bestselling author 

The Legacy, an all-new steamy contemporary romance standalone from Dylan Allen is available NOW! 

He's the king of all he surveys.
Except her.

Exiled for 15 years, Hayes Rivers has finally assumed his place as head of Houston’s oldest and most powerful family.
Now, they call him King.
A legacy of wealth and prestige are his to claim.

As age-old rivalries, long-buried secrets, and generations of betrayal threaten his birthright, he finds himself in a battle for control of his family’s future.
When he meets Confidence, she’s a sweet distraction.
Everything he shouldn’t want.  
But after a weekend of passion and surprising intimacy,
he realizes she's everything he needs

He holds the keys to a kingdom,
But he covets the key to her heart.

And he'll stop at nothing to claim his queen.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/TheLegacyDA

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2NltngQ

Review of The Legacy
The Legacy (Rivers Wilde, #1)The Legacy by Dylan  Allen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4-5 stars.
The Legacy by Dylan Allen was unputdownable. I found myself finally looking up from this book at 1 am. It was that good.

Confidence (yes, that’s the heroines name) is super strong, smart and lives up to her name! She’s a successful lawyer and country girl from “right in the armpit of Arkansas, just across the Tenessee border, and along the banks of the great Mississippi River.” She meets Hayes, who is an heir to a king-sized texas fortune. He writes Confidence off as a golddigger and insults her in every possible way. After a shared life-altering experience he sees the real Confidence. She is a backwoods girl with a heart of gold. Will their family secrets and bad choices dedicate their future? Can Hayes learn to be compassionate and let love into his world?

The Legacy was filled with so many great twists and turns to make this one epic romance! One-click worthy! 



He rakes his eyes down my body. My white blouse feels thin under his heated gaze. I shift in my shoes when he lingers on my hips. 
“You’ve missed me,” he says. 
“I haven’t,’’ I lie.
“If I touched your pussy, what would I feel?” he asks. 
“That’s one question you won’t be answering tonight.” 
“I want to touch you.” He dips his head and kisses my cheek. His hand grips my hip. 
“You’ll feel better when I’ve made you come,” he whispers against my cheek. 
He moves so fast that my ass is up on the edge of the sink before I can protest. 
“Do you want me to stop?” he asks. His finger trails up my leg and stops at my knee. Blood rushes in my ears, heat pools between my thighs. 
“Of course not,” I breathe. 
His fingers slip under the hem of my shorts and I grab his fingers.
“But I’m going to ask you to anyway.” His eyes fly up to mine in surprise, but there’s no anger there. In fact, I think what I see is respect. 
“Why?” he asks and stands back up. 
 If it could speak, my vagina would be cursing me out. 
“Because what I want isn’t what I need, Hayes.” 
“Why are they mutually exclusive?” 
“I don’t want to just be your partner in bed,” I admit.
“Oh, Tesoro,” he sighs and drags his nose across my temple before he moves us back to facing each other. He cups my face in his hands and presses a soft kiss to my lips before he pulls back. 
“There’s not a pussy in this world I’d fall on my knees for. Not even yours,” he says, the fierce love and tenderness in his eyes stealing my breath. 
 His eyes never leaving mine, he continues. “But for this, Tesoro…” His palms cover the space between my breasts and my heart kicks against the wall of my chest, desperate to find its way into the hand of the man it loves.  
“For the love of the most brilliant woman I’ve ever met.” He kisses me again. “I would spend the rest of my life on my fucking knees.”
     And then, my big, strong, beautiful man brings my entire world to a halt. He drops to his knees in front of me. On the floor of the public restroom. 
“Hayes, get up.” I tug his arm. “Please.” 
Friday, September 29, 2017

NEW RELEASE REVIEW: Touched by Mara White - 5 Stars!

Touched by Mara White is LIVE!  This book blew me and touched me on so many levels.  Check out my review and read an excerpt below.  

Kindle Crack Book Reviews Blog


Praise for Touched
“Fresh, raw, relevant. TOUCHED slips under your skin with lush prose, unforgettable characters, and a story like no other.”
-Leylah Attar, New York Times best-selling author

“Hauntingly beautiful and downright emotional, White grabs you by the soul in her latest novel, Touched, and leaves an indelible mark."
-K. Bromberg, New York Times best-selling author

“Mara White has crafted characters so real and complex, they live and bleed. Watching their story unfold was heartbreaking, beautiful, and riveting. Touched is stunning work.”
-Nikki Sloane, Best-selling author of the Blindfold Club Series

“Touched is a truly beautiful book. It's raw, real, and possessing of a quiet poetry.”
-Emma Scott, Best-Selling author of the Full Tilt Duet

"I can confidently say, without a shred of doubt, that this story and these people will stay with me for the rest of my life. I bow down, Mara White. You wrote a category 5 masterpiece."
-BB Easton, Bestselling Author

“A phenomenal, mesmerizing and unforgettable masterpiece!
This story blew me away! I cannot put into words how beautiful this story was! Absolutely astonishing! A must read!”
-The Book Queen

“The writing is voracious and hungry and insatiable. Touched is a story that will devour you as you stuff your face with it. I'm not only touched, I'm digested. Just read it.”
-Suanne Laqueur, Best-Selling author of the Fish Tales Series

Synopsis:
-Does your sister let you touch her, Gemini?
-Barely, but, yes, more than anyone else. I remember even in preschool when the teacher would grab her hand, she’d stare at the spot where their skin connected as if it were an affront to her existence. Just stand there and glare like she wanted to hurt someone.
-Junipera suffers from a rare phobia.
-Please, what does June not suffer from?
-When did she start chasing storms?
-In third grade she started obsessing about the rain. Full blown? I’d say after hurricane Katrina she never looked back. And she didn’t just chase them, June became those wild storms.


Junipera and Gemini Jones, Irish twins born during the month of June, survive a childhood of neglect and poverty by looking out for one another. Destined for a group home, the girls are rescued by a rich aunt and uncle who move them from Northern Minnesota to Fairfield, Connecticut. One sister thrives while the other spins out of control. A violent assault leaves Gemini searching for clues, but what she finds might be questions that are better left unanswered.

BUY LINKS:
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/2xvFHAS

EXCERPT
Kettling, Minnesota
1985

If she lined her spine up perfectly with the porch railing, she could balance. One leg on the porch, the toe of her sneaker just touching, the other dangling maybe two feet above the scraggly grass and the house’s foundation. Her view when she rested her head all the way back was half of the porch roof overhang and half of a deceptively sunny blue sky that wasn’t as warm as it pretended. Still, she wore shorts and a t-shirt with a stretched-out neckline. Some other kid’s faded camp shirt, found at the Goodwill, advertising a canoe ride Gem never in her life got to go on.
Fuck them. Who cared? She didn’t want their stupid camp anyway.
It was summer and Gem wasn’t going anywhere except to the front porch, the creek, the gas station for candy and maybe to the lake to swim if she were lucky. Her sister June wouldn’t be going either. But June had Maggie and Maggie’s mom Charlene who was generous and responsible; she’d pick June up and bring her over to their house for the day, feed her, and sometimes even give her clothes.
Smack!
Gem struck a mosquito on her exposed thigh. Her legs were bruised. Scabs decorated her knees like a relief map, little brown islands on a white sea of skin.
Both girls had birthdays this month. Gem would be turning ten and her little sister June, nine. They were Irish twins, born twelve months apart. They left their father when they were just babies, or maybe their father left them. The story changed every time their mother told it.
Charlene beeped the horn of her rusted Buick as she turned onto 5th Street. All the windows in the car were wide open and neither Maggie nor June wore seatbelts. Charlene blasted the radio and sang along to “Eye of the Tiger,” while smoke from her cigarette swirled through the car. Both girls slid across the long backseat as she took the corner.
Monday, September 25, 2017

NEW RELEASE REVIEW: Touched by Mara White

Touched by Mara White is LIVE!  This book blew me and touched me on so many levels.  Check out my review and read an excerpt below.  
Kindle Crack Book Reviews Blog

Praise for Touched

“Fresh, raw, relevant. TOUCHED slips under your skin with lush prose, unforgettable characters, and a story like no other.”
-Leylah Attar, New York Times best-selling author

“Hauntingly beautiful and downright emotional, White grabs you by the soul in her latest novel, Touched, and leaves an indelible mark."
-K. Bromberg, New York Times best-selling author

“Mara White has crafted characters so real and complex, they live and bleed. Watching their story unfold was heartbreaking, beautiful, and riveting. Touched is stunning work.”
-Nikki Sloane, Best-selling author of the Blindfold Club Series

“Touched is a truly beautiful book. It's raw, real, and possessing of a quiet poetry.”
-Emma Scott, Best-Selling author of the Full Tilt Duet

"I can confidently say, without a shred of doubt, that this story and these people will stay with me for the rest of my life. I bow down, Mara White. You wrote a category 5 masterpiece."
-BB Easton, Bestselling Author

“A phenomenal, mesmerizing and unforgettable masterpiece!
This story blew me away! I cannot put into words how beautiful this story was! Absolutely astonishing! A must read!”
-The Book Queen

“The writing is voracious and hungry and insatiable. Touched is a story that will devour you as you stuff your face with it. I'm not only touched, I'm digested. Just read it.”
-Suanne Laqueur, Best-Selling author of the Fish Tales Series

Synopsis:
-Does your sister let you touch her, Gemini?
-Barely, but, yes, more than anyone else. I remember even in preschool when the teacher would grab her hand, she’d stare at the spot where their skin connected as if it were an affront to her existence. Just stand there and glare like she wanted to hurt someone.
-Junipera suffers from a rare phobia.
-Please, what does June not suffer from?
-When did she start chasing storms?
-In third grade she started obsessing about the rain. Full blown? I’d say after hurricane Katrina she never looked back. And she didn’t just chase them, June became those wild storms.


Junipera and Gemini Jones, Irish twins born during the month of June, survive a childhood of neglect and poverty by looking out for one another. Destined for a group home, the girls are rescued by a rich aunt and uncle who move them from Northern Minnesota to Fairfield, Connecticut. One sister thrives while the other spins out of control. A violent assault leaves Gemini searching for clues, but what she finds might be questions that are better left unanswered.

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EXCERPT
Kettling, Minnesota
1985

If she lined her spine up perfectly with the porch railing, she could balance. One leg on the porch, the toe of her sneaker just touching, the other dangling maybe two feet above the scraggly grass and the house’s foundation. Her view when she rested her head all the way back was half of the porch roof overhang and half of a deceptively sunny blue sky that wasn’t as warm as it pretended. Still, she wore shorts and a t-shirt with a stretched-out neckline. Some other kid’s faded camp shirt, found at the Goodwill, advertising a canoe ride Gem never in her life got to go on.
Fuck them. Who cared? She didn’t want their stupid camp anyway.
It was summer and Gem wasn’t going anywhere except to the front porch, the creek, the gas station for candy and maybe to the lake to swim if she were lucky. Her sister June wouldn’t be going either. But June had Maggie and Maggie’s mom Charlene who was generous and responsible; she’d pick June up and bring her over to their house for the day, feed her, and sometimes even give her clothes.
Smack!
Gem struck a mosquito on her exposed thigh. Her legs were bruised. Scabs decorated her knees like a relief map, little brown islands on a white sea of skin.
Both girls had birthdays this month. Gem would be turning ten and her little sister June, nine. They were Irish twins, born twelve months apart. They left their father when they were just babies, or maybe their father left them. The story changed every time their mother told it.
Charlene beeped the horn of her rusted Buick as she turned onto 5th Street. All the windows in the car were wide open and neither Maggie nor June wore seatbelts. Charlene blasted the radio and sang along to “Eye of the Tiger,” while smoke from her cigarette swirled through the car. Both girls slid across the long backseat as she took the corner.
Tuesday, September 19, 2017

$25 AMAZON GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY & REVIEW: The Grip Series by Kennedy Ryan

GRIP, Kennedy Ryan’s sexy, emotional Amazon Bestseller,
 is available now for only 99¢!  Check out my review & enter for a chance to win a $25.00 Amazon gift card!  Grip is available for 99 cents & Flow (prequel) is FREE!

Kindle Crack Book Reviews Blog

“...one of the most engaging and well-written romance books I have read...It's like nothing you've read before. It touches the issues no one talks about in our community. And it's a MUST-READ."  
--LJ Shen, Amazon Bestselling Author

GRIP, Kennedy Ryan’s sexy, emotional Amazon Bestseller,
 is available now for only 99¢! 

Scroll all the way down for an excerpt and to enter the 
$25 Gift Card Giveaway!
Resisting an irresistible force wears you down and turns you out. I know. I've been doing it for years. 

I may not have a musical gift of my own, but I've got a nose for talent and an eye for the extraordinary. And Marlon James - Grip to his fans - is nothing short of extraordinary. 

Years ago, we strung together a few magical nights, but I keep those memories in a locked drawer and I've thrown away the key. All that's left is friendship and work. 

He's on the verge of unimaginable fame, all his dreams poised to come true. I manage his career, but I can't seem to manage my heart. 

It's wild, reckless, disobedient. And it remembers all the things I want to forget.

Read GRIP today for only 99¢ or FREE in Kindle Unlimited! 

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Add to GoodReads   http://bit.ly/2k1T1rL 

FLOW, the FREE prequel, MUST BE READ before GRIP!
WATTPAD  http://w.tt/2kUo8Yk

STILL, the sexy and emotional final installment of The Grip Series, 
releases September 24th!

Preorder STILL Today!
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REVIEW OF GRIP
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I'm in love with Grip. Full review to follow.

Bristol and Grip come from two different worlds. Bristol is white and grew up in a privileged and dysfunctional family. Grip is black and grew up in a heavily gang-infested area in California with tight family ties. Bristol meets Grip, her brother’s best friend, while visiting him during a break from college. While they couldn't seem more opposite, the two couldn't be more similar in so many ways. Grip is a super talented musician who is trying to make it in the music business. Bristol plans on pursuing music management after graduation. Their physical and emotional chemistry is off the charts, and they decide to see if they can make a long distance relationship work. An unfortunate misunderstanding causes the two music lovers not to speak until they see each other eight years after they met.

OMG, where did this book come from? I loved every heartfelt moment - even the ones that gave me anxiety. I found myself messaging a friend late night who was reading Grip at the same time. Both books, Flow (#0.5 prologue) and Grip (Grip#1) are packed with a ton of poetic, emotional intensity. I have some serious love for Grip and Bristol. Both characters were strong and smart. They didn't see black or white; they saw love. When she finally got a grip on her feelings her love flowed. Don't wait to read this their story. Epic. I can't wait to read other books by Kennedy. Wow!!!

You do not have to have any affinity for hip hop or rap music to appreciate this beautiful love story. I have to tell you that I’m no stranger to hip hop and have been a fan of this genre since the 80’s. I just saw DJ Kool & Rakim perform a few weeks ago. I have a whole new appreciation for this music after reading this gripping series.

This review appears on www.kindlecrack.net, www.facebook.com/kindlecrack, Goodreads, Amazon, Pinterest, Google+ and Twitter. A review copy of this book was kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.


Excerpt 

“Neither of us has been in a serious relationship in years.”
“That doesn’t mean anything.” I stand and slide my feet into the Jimmy Choos. “You haven’t exactly been waiting around, have you?” 
“Damn right I haven’t been waiting around.” He doesn’t get up, but his firm hold on my wrist stops me from walking away. “I’m not Rhyson.”
I look down at him, frowning my confusion.
“What do you mean?”
“Remember when Kai put Rhyson in the friend zone?”
Of course I do. For a long time, my sister-in-law Kai denied the attraction between her and Rhyson.
“Yeah, so?” 
“When Kai wasn’t checking for Rhys, I assumed he had to be sleeping with other girls.” Grip shrugs. “I mean, he and Kai were just friends. But, nope. He said he only wanted Kai and didn’t sleep with anyone else.”
“Then you’re right.” I tug at my wrist, but he holds on tight. “You’re definitely not Rhyson.”
“It was months, Bristol. She shut him out for months. Not years.”
“I’m not shutting you out.” I release a tired breath. “I’m living my life, and you’re living yours.”
“Right.” He nods and turns his mouth down at the corners. “So, if you won’t be with me, then I’ll fuck whoever the hell I want. If you have a problem with that, you know what to do about it.”
For a moment, our eyes tangle in the dimness. His words sink into my flesh like briars. Every word out of his mouth only proves that I’m right to get out of here. That I’m right not to give in. If I ever gave him a chance and he fucked around on me . . . I’ve seen what that looks like. It looks like a woman as strong as my mother reduced to pathetic, teary drunkenness.
“It’s none of my business.” I shift my eyes away from him and to the glittering city skyline just beyond the rooftop.
“It’s none of your business until you say it is.” 
I force myself to look back.
“Don’t hold your breath, Grip.” I say my next words with deliberation. “I mean, it’s not like I’m sitting around saving it, either.”
He pulls me forward, and I press my hand to the hardness of his chest so I don’t fall into him. My knee supports me, pressed against his on the couch.
“Are you poking me?” One strong hand wraps around the back of my thigh, anger marking his expression. “Do you want to know if it bothers me when you fuck other guys?”
I just stare at him unblinkingly. He presses my leg, urging me forward until I’m fully on the couch, fully on him, one knee on either side of his legs, facing him. Straddling him.
“It makes me want to set the world on fire.” His words come softly, but the truth roars in his eyes. “To think of you with them.”

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About the Author: 
Kindle Crack Book Reviews Blog

Kennedy Ryan is a Southern girl gone Southern California. A Top 100 Amazon Bestseller, Kennedy writes romance about remarkable women who find a way to thrive even in tough times, the love they find, and the men who cherish them.

She is a wife to her lifetime lover and mother to an extraordinary son. She has always leveraged her journalism background to write for charity and non-profit organizations, but enjoys writing to raise Autism awareness most. A contributor for Modern Mom Magazine, Kennedy’s writings have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul, USA Today and many others. The founder and executive director of a foundation serving Georgia families living with Autism, Kennedy has appeared on Headline News, Montel Williams, NPR and other outlets as a voice for families living with autism.

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