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Wednesday, August 5, 2015

The perfect INDULGEnce is here: Review of Indulge by Georgia Cates

Indulge is LIVE  & 99 cents. This is one HOT book.  Check out my review below...Indulge really exists! 


Indulge by Georgia Cates:
Release: August 3, 2015
Indulge by Georgia Cates is


From New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal best-selling author, Georgia Cates, comes a steamy new standalone contemporary romance novel.

Beau Emerson is no gentleman. 

Those hazel eyes.
That filthy mouth.
That greedy, hard body.

It all equates to one thing. Irresistible.

One look and I know he’ll bruise my lips and scar my knees. He’ll give me the best nine days of my life while ruining me in the most beautiful way imaginable. And I’ll let him because he has the power to talk me into anything.
Except one thing.
Staying.

I have no choice. The things I desire from him will destroy me in the end. I want more than he’s capable of giving––something true and beautiful.
He can never know how much of me belongs to him. Too much is at stake.
Shh … don’t tell him he’s my everything.

My name is Anna James Bennett. And this is our story.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25820243-indulge

IndulgeIndulge by Georgia Cates
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Spoiler-free review
Rating: 4.5 stars
Title: Indulge
Author:  Georgia Cates
Release Date: August 4, 2015
Cliffhanger: No

Georgia Cates cranked up the heat in this vacation romance fantasy. This sexy new book from Georgia is the perfect INDULGEnce. Indulge goes from sexy to serious with an ending that will make you want to want book a trip. This book is sex on the beach…literally. One-click this one!
A little fun fact: By the way there is a real “Indulge”, and it’s called Hedonism. This popular Jamaican vacation hot spot for swingers is alive and swinging.  I have two friends who visited Hedonism a long time ago. One friend came home and needed penicillin shots and was hospitalized. Then there are the pictures my other friend took on his trip. I have seen them...I can't unsee them.
This review appears on www.kindlecrack.net, www.facebook.com/kindlecrack ,  Goodreads, Amazon, Google+ and Twitter. A review copy of this book was kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Georgia resides in rural Mississippi with her wonderful husband, Jeff, and their two beautiful daughters. She spent fourteen years as a labor and delivery nurse before she decided to pursue her dream of becoming an author and hasn’t looked back yet.

When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing. When she’s being domestic, she’s listening to her iPod and visualizing scenes for her current work in progress. Every story coming from her always has a song to inspire it.

Representation: All questions regarding subsidiary rights for any of my books, inquiries regarding foreign translation and film rights should be directed to Jane Dystel of Dystel & Goderich.

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Georgia-Cates/213130102082500?ref=br_tf 
NEWSLETTER: http://goo.gl/ILvz8L  
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/GeorgiaCates 
WEBSITE: http://www.georgiacates.com/   
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5228869.Georgia_Cates
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/Georgia-Cates/e/B005RQM69U/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1412959384&sr=8-2-ent 




PROLOGUE:
Anna James Bennett
Prologue

I sigh as I toss the thick legal envelope across the island in Meredith’s gourmet kitchen. The proof of my marriage’s dissolution barely comes to a stop before plummeting over the edge. “It’s final, as of today.”
My best friend, Meredith, squeals. “Yes. This calls for a celebratory drink.”
The word celebratory implies happiness or joy. That isn’t the case for me. My husband of twelve months left me for a nineteen-year-old. A kid. His former student.
Fucker.
He swears nothing happened while she was his pupil.
Liar.
He claims it’s true love.
Dumbass.
Drake’s relationship with Caitlyn is fleeting. She’s an immature teen who wants to play house. The paint won’t dry on the walls of their new apartment before she’s ready to bail.
“I’ve been saving this one for a special occasion.” Ahh. A bottle of Wittmann Westhofener Morstein Riesling. Always rich in body and texture. My favorite.
Gulp. Gulp. The bottle gurgles as Meredith pours far more than three ounces. My glass is three-quarters full when she presses two fingers against the base and glides it across the sleek Carrara marble toward me. I instantly salivate when the essence of honey, peach, mango, and flowers invades my nostrils.
Meredith lifts her glass, cueing me to the toast she’s about to make. “Here’s to the end of an error––your misconception that Drake Langston was a knight in shining armor rather than what he really is—a turd in tinfoil.”
“I know that’s the truth.” I tap my glass against hers before taking the first sip of dry, fruity goodness. Damn, that’s good stuff.
“Capone made sure you got everything you wanted?”
Alec Capone is the most successful divorce attorney in Georgia. He should be with a name like that. “I got more than I wanted, including custody of Little Bastard, since Drake relinquished ownership of him. Caitlyn’s allergic.” I’m epically pissed off about him dumping his cat on me.
“Are you keeping the lil’ guy?”
“I haven’t decided.” Kermit, AKA Little Bastard, has no love for me. Doesn’t matter that I’ve been the one who has fed him his every bite, changed his litter box every time, taken him to the vet for every visit, even the time he was deathly ill from eating part of my foam flip-flop.
“You won’t have a problem if you decide to re-home him. He’s beautiful. Plenty of cat lovers would take him just because he’s a Bengal.”
Kermit was Drake’s trophy cat. Pretty to look at and that’s about it. Much like Caitlyn.
I have no emotional connection to Little Bastard. I’ve tried to bond but he’s resistant. That’s why I’m so surprised by the way I feel when I think of giving him away. He’s resistant to loving me. Just like Drake.
“I got my name back.” That’s what I wanted most. Bennett. My daddy’s name.
The wrinkle in Meredith’s brow serves as a warning. It’s always a prelude to something serious. “I understand those papers feel like a painful ending but that’s because they’re disguising what today is. A new beginning. Grayson and I think it’s important for you to treat this as a fresh start.” 
Meredith disappears into the dining room and returns with a gift bag covered in curly ribbon and filled with tissue paper.
“Your divorce gift. Read the card first.”
I open the envelope and read the message aloud. “Congratulations on your divorce. We hated him.”
“No secret there.” I already knew Meredith and Grayson despised Drake.
I rip into the bag, tossing aqua and lime tissue paper in every direction. I’m worse than a child when it comes to tearing into gifts.
I take out each item and place it on the countertop. Sunscreen. Ray-Bans. The ridiculously expensive bikini I lusted for at that expensive boutique in Buckhead. And condoms.
“Sur…prise. Grayson and I are taking you to Jamaica with us next month.”
Umm … not just no. “Forget it. Not happening.”
“Oh, it’s happening. We’ve already booked two suites and your airline ticket. First class.”
She’s out of her mind. I’m not going to that place. “Cancel one. Unless you and Grayson plan to use separate suites.”
“Can’t cancel. It’s Wicked Week at the resort so both rooms had to be paid for in full. Nonrefundable.”
This is her way of guilting me into doing what she wants. She thinks I’ll say yes if her money won’t be returned. “You’re so wrong for doing this to me.”
“You need a getaway and we knew you’d never agree otherwise. Don’t be mad.”
I’m not mad. I’m pissed. I’ve already made plans for the next three months. “I’m taking a second job while school’s out for summer. There’s no way an employer will give me vacation time four weeks after hiring me.”
“Maybe not, unless your bosses are Meredith and Grayson Faulkner. Come to work for us and we’ll guarantee you the time off. There won’t be a reason in the world you can’t go.”
Right. No reason in the world unless you consider the fact this all-expenses-paid vacation is for a getaway at a hedonism resort. A freaking no-holds-barred sex retreat.
I’m neither a hede nor a swinger.
Meredith Faulkner has been my best friend since ninth grade. We’ve been through thick and thin. There’s nothing she and I haven’t shared, apart from one huge exception.
Meredith and Grayson practice hedonism. They chase pleasure in any form it presents. They’re also part of a local community known to many as the lifestyle. They’re swingers. Wife Swappers.
Whatever floats their boat is fine by me. I don’t judge. But hedonism and swinging ain’t my thang. I’m not into casual sex. I prefer intimacy with a man I love, and always within the boundaries of a committed relationship.
Call me old-fashioned but I need more than a physical connection. A quick fuck with a person I’ve just met isn’t my cup of tea. Neither is having sex with someone else while my husband watches. Or the other way around.
“Don’t be worried about the money. Indulge is all-inclusive. You won’t be out a dime.”
I am cash-strapped but Meredith knows my resistance is unrelated to my financial status. “I don’t practice hedonism and I’m not a swinger. I have no business going to Indulge.”
“It’s Jamaica, mon! There are plenty of activities that have nothing to do with hedonism or swinging.” She picks up the top of the bikini she just gifted me and holds it up over my shirt. “Think of how great you’ll look on the beach in this.”
I’m not denying I need an escape from this hell I call reality but I don’t want it to be at Indulge, even if all expenses are paid. “Seeing you and Grayson with other people will be a problem for me.”
“Then we’ll ensure you don’t.”
“What kind of things would there be for me to do?”
“Let me grab my laptop and I’ll show you.”
The website for Indulge makes it appear to be a classy establishment. But looks can be deceiving. “This isn’t what I was expecting.”
“Hedonism resorts are like anything else. There are different levels. Go to a hundred dollar a night establishment and you’ll get what you pay for. Indulge is five stars all the way so it’s only the best accommodations and amenities for its guests.”
Meredith navigates to the page of offered activities. The list is huge. “You’ve always wanted to try snorkeling and scuba diving.”
“True.” I wanted an island honeymoon where Drake and I could do those things together. He took me to the mountains instead, the last place I wanted to go, because it was cheaper.
“I know you don’t think so but this is your kind of vacation, Anna James. The pools are luxurious. The beaches are white with the bluest water you’ve ever seen. You’re provided with all the alcohol and food you can hold. Calories don’t count there.”
“Well, that changes everything.”
“The service is magnificent. You can lie on the beach, in this new bikini, and have drinks brought to you by a handsome cabana boy. Who wouldn’t enjoy that?”
I imagine the serenity of being on a Jamaican beach. I envision the sun warming my skin. It lightly glistens with sweat but I’m not hot because the breeze cools me when it blows against my sun-kissed skin. The rush of the waves rolling in and out is steady. It’s my favorite sound in the world. A perfect recipe for relaxation.
My lovely imagery is interrupted by a notion—some old naked coot standing beside me where I’m sunbathing on a lounger. I look over to see who’s blocking the sun and his spunk spitter is staring me down. “I don’t want some dude’s frank ’n beans in my face.”
Meredith bursts into laughter. “Despite what you think, the men don’t go around shaking their balls like maracas.”
“I won’t be hounded?” That would piss me off. And completely ruin my good time.
“You’re a beautiful woman. I don’t think it’s possible for you to not be propositioned.”
I’ve spent my life being compared to a life-size version of Barbie. Long blonde hair, blue eyes, but petite. At five four, I don’t have those mile-long, lean legs like the doll.
I’ve never had a problem with men finding me attractive. Except my own husband. I must have aged out for him since he likes ’em young.
“There’s a policy in place and everyone adheres to it. All you have to say is ‘I appreciate your interest, but no thank you.’ They won’t bother you after that. Harassment isn’t allowed. Anyone who doesn’t abide by the rules is made to leave.”
“But what about the one refusing to take no for an answer?” It never fails. There will be one in the bunch.
“There’s always someone at Indulge who will say yes. They don’t waste their time on uninterested people.” Well, that makes sense.
I hear the garage door lifting. “Sounds like G’s home.”
Meredith beams. Three years of marriage and she still lights up like a candle for him. Yet she’ll have sex with another man. Their marriage is an enigma I don’t think I’ll ever understand.
“Grayson’s comfortable with me going to the resort with y’all?”
“It was his idea. He wants to do something nice for you. Let him.”
G’s a good friend. Loyal. Protective. So much so I thought he was going to kill Drake when he found out what he’d done to me. I adore him for that; it was nice to know I had someone in my corner.
Grayson enters from the garage and is nearly tackled by their golden retriever, desperate for his daily dose of petting from his master. “Hey, Howie. Were you a good boy today?”
“No, he damn sure wasn’t,” Meredith calls outs. “He snuck into the laundry room and stole my favorite panties from the laundry basket. He chewed a big-ass hole in the crotch.”
Grayson chuckles loudly before giving Howie one last scratch behind his ears.
“It’s not funny. It’s the third pair this week.”
My best friend’s husband comes to her and kisses the side of her face. It’s so loving. Normal. Someone looking in from the outside couldn’t possibly imagine the things they do behind closed doors. “Howie knows I like you in crotchless panties.”
Meredith gasps and slaps his arm. “Stop. Don’t say things like that in front of Anna James.”
Grayson grins in my direction. He’s so handsome. Dark hair graying at the temples. Bright blue eyes. I wouldn’t dare share him with another woman if I were Meredith. “My dear wife would totally say something like that in front of you.”
He’s almost right. “No. She would say much worse.”
Meredith winks at me. “I absolutely would but only because I can. I’m her best friend.”
Grayson gestures to the gift bag on the counter. “Is AJ still calling you a friend after opening our gift?”
I pick up the card. “I loved this. And the bikini.”
Grayson smirks. “What about our offer?”
I don’t know what to say. To decline feels like a shitty, ungrateful thing. To accept feels wrong. Wicked.
“Don’t think about what kind of resort it is or what goes on there. It’s the change of scenery and escape from life that you need. Think of it as a palate cleansing.”
All valid points.
A palate cleansing. I like that idea. A lot. “Okay. I’m in.”
Meredith squeals and darts to where I’m sitting. She throws her arms around me and squeezes tightly. “You’re going to have the time of your life. This is going to be a getaway you’ll never forget. I guarantee it.”
I’m certain it will be an experience I’ll never forget. Even when I try.
Now, to find someone to keep Little Bastard.
Tuesday, August 4, 2015

NEW BOOK RELEASE & REVIEW: Kick Push by Jay McLean is LIVE


Blog Tour & Review
Title: Kick, Push
Author: Jay McLean
Release Day:  August 4, 2015
GOODREADS LINK:
PURCHASE LINKS:
US:  http://bit.ly/kickpushamznus
UK:  http://amzn.to/1L0SmwZ

BLURB
There’s a single defining moment within every skater.
It lasts only a second. Two if you're good.
Three if you’re really good.
It’s the moment you’re in the air, your board somewhere beneath you, and nothing but wind surrounds you.
It’s the feeling of being airborne.

The sixteen-year-old version of me would’ve said it was the greatest feeling in the world.
Then at seventeen, I had my son.
And every single second became a defining moment. Even the ones that consisted of heartbreak when his mother left us.

Seventeen. Single. Dad.
That’s what my life became.
Yet, every day, I managed to find that feeling of being airborne.
Or at least I convinced myself I did.
But I lied—to myself and to everyone around me.
Until she showed up; Tanned skin, raven dark hair, and eyes the color of emeralds.

You know what sucks about being in the air?
Coming down from the high.
Sometimes you land on the board and nail the trick.
Then kick, push, and coast away.
Other times you fall.
You fall hard.
And those are the times when it’s not as easy to get back up, dust off your pads and try again.
Especially when the girl with the emerald eyes becomes your drug...
And you become her poison.
Review of Kick Push
Kick PushKick Push by Jay McLean
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Spoiler-free review
Rating: 5 stars
Title: Kick Push
Author:  Jay McLean
Release Date: August 4, 2015

I love Jay McLean!  She is one of my favorite “Queens of The Feels”.  Along with Colleen Hoover, I depend on Jay to deliver emotionally driven stories that make me feel EVERY emotion. Jay did it again with Kick Push. This heartbreaking and beautiful story will leave you wanting more.  In the end, I wanted to KICK my Kindle and think about PUSHing Jay for MORE. One click this one.  Bravo Jay!

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





AUTHOR BIO
Jay is an avid reader, writer, and most of all, procrastinator. When she's not doing any of those things, she can be found running after her two little boys, or devouring some tacky reality TV show.

She writes what she loves to read, which are books that can make her laugh, make her smile, make her hurt, and make her feel.

For publishing rights (Foreign & Domestic) Film, or television, please contact her agent, Erica Spellman-Silverman, at Trident Media Group.


AUTHOR LINKS
Facebook | Fan Group | Web | Twitter | Instagram | Newsletter |

COVER REVEAL & GIVEAWAY: Wrath (Wrong #2) by LP Lovell & Stevie J. Cole

I need Wrath NOW.  I have a feeling the sequel to Wrong is going to be incredible.  Check it out below & enter for a chance to win a $10.00 Amazon gift card.

COVER REVEAL
Title: Wrath
Series: Wrong #2
Authors: LP Lovell & Stevie J. Cole
Cover Design: SM Piper
Release Date:  August 25, 2015

BLURB

Tor

Jude Pearson could just as well kill me as kiss me most days. He was my captor, my living hell, and yet, he became my saviour, my heart. Stupid. He’s heartless, conditioned to feel nothing, and so I ran... straight into the clutches of his enemy. Joe Campbell wants Jude to suffer, and I just became a pawn in a very dangerous game.

Joe has broken me in every way, everything that I once was stripped away, and in it’s place is festering hatred and a rage so cold I feel nothing else. I have one purpose.
Revenge.

Jude

Love makes you weak, it makes you irrational. She was collateral, completely innocent when she was unwillingly dragged into my corrupt world. With the damage I’d already caused her, I couldn’t let her love me, so I let her go, and now...he has her.

No matter where she is, she will always be mine. This man has taken every-fucking-thing from me, and he has the last thing that matters to me. I will kill him. Slowly. Joe Campbell better run because the devil is fucking coming for him.

Sometimes two wrongs can make a right.

Rage.

Hate.

Revenge.

Our Wrath binds us, but it may also break us.


PRE-ORDER LINKS

US:  http://amzn.to/1M4M6GN
UK:  http://amzn.to/1OWEJQ1
CA:  http://amzn.to/1JFkfLp
AU:  http://bit.ly/1IdmuDr


AVAILABLE NOW

#1 Wrong

US:  http://amzn.to/1DWFoct
UK:  http://amzn.to/1GwNUAu
CA:  http://amzn.to/1VUC26a
AU:  http://bit.ly/1DkfTYI
B&N:  http://bit.ly/1IcJwHO



LP LOVELL

Lauren Lovell is an indie author from England. She suffers from a total lack of brain to mouth filter and is the friend you have to explain before you introduce her to anyone, and apologise for afterwards.

She's a self-confessed shameless pervert, who may be suffering from slight peen envy.


AUTHOR LINKS

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/lplovellauthor

Twitter:   https://twitter.com/Authorlplovell

Goodreads:   https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7850247.LP_Lovell

Website:  http://www.lplovell.com/


STEVIE J. COLE

Stevie J. Cole is a secret rock star. Sex, drugs and, oh wait, no, just sex. She’s a whore for a British accent and has an unhealthy obsession with Russell Brand. She and LP plan to elope in Vegas and breed the world’s most epic child.


AUTHOR LINKS

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/authorsteviejcole

Twitter:   https://twitter.com/steviejcole

Goodreads:   https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7736491.Stevie_J_Cole



GIVEAWAY 

There is a giveaway for a $10 Amazon gift card

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Monday, August 3, 2015

COVER REVEAL: Deadly by Ker Dukey

I can't wait to read this novella by Ker Dukey!  Check out Deadly.
Title: Deadly (an Empathy Novella)
Author: Ker Dukey
Release Date: August 24,2015

Synopsis
Normal is not something Ryan and Cereus have ever been, where’s the fun in normal?

When Cereus’s dreams follow her into the waking hours, she has to come to terms with the fact, Ryan is not the only monster in her madness.
That she herself… can be just as deadly.

Also Available:

Empathy
US http://amzn.to/1ExCzUK
UK http://amzn.to/1pXgZQg
CA http://amzn.to/1q60qzJ
AU http://bit.ly/1FgOUYS
B&N: http://tinyurl.com/qyz2yrj
iBooks: http://tinyurl.com/nt5a9d5

Desolate
US http://amzn.to/1C4uyDj
UK http://amzn.to/1CKrkH0
CA http://amzn.to/1CmcnLL
AU http://bit.ly/1F7OGbG

Vacant
US http://amzn.to/1C7z2Hl
UK http://amzn.to/1C7yfWH
CA http://amzn.to/1IkSgjZ
AU http://tinyurl.com/npchlvl

Indulge by Georgia Cates is LIVE - 99 Cents Release Day SALE!

Indulge is LIVE & 99 cents.  This is one HOT book.  Look for my review later this week.


Indulge by Georgia Cates:
Release: August 3, 2015
Indulge by Georgia Cates is


From New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal best-selling author, Georgia Cates, comes a steamy new standalone contemporary romance novel.

Beau Emerson is no gentleman. 

Those hazel eyes.
That filthy mouth.
That greedy, hard body.

It all equates to one thing. Irresistible.

One look and I know he’ll bruise my lips and scar my knees. He’ll give me the best nine days of my life while ruining me in the most beautiful way imaginable. And I’ll let him because he has the power to talk me into anything.
Except one thing.
Staying.

I have no choice. The things I desire from him will destroy me in the end. I want more than he’s capable of giving––something true and beautiful.
He can never know how much of me belongs to him. Too much is at stake.
Shh … don’t tell him he’s my everything.

My name is Anna James Bennett. And this is our story.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25820243-indulge 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Georgia resides in rural Mississippi with her wonderful husband, Jeff, and their two beautiful daughters. She spent fourteen years as a labor and delivery nurse before she decided to pursue her dream of becoming an author and hasn’t looked back yet.

When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing. When she’s being domestic, she’s listening to her iPod and visualizing scenes for her current work in progress. Every story coming from her always has a song to inspire it.

Representation: All questions regarding subsidiary rights for any of my books, inquiries regarding foreign translation and film rights should be directed to Jane Dystel of Dystel & Goderich.

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Georgia-Cates/213130102082500?ref=br_tf 
NEWSLETTER: http://goo.gl/ILvz8L  
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/GeorgiaCates 
WEBSITE: http://www.georgiacates.com/   
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5228869.Georgia_Cates
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/Georgia-Cates/e/B005RQM69U/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1412959384&sr=8-2-ent 



PROLOGUE:
Anna James Bennett
Prologue

I sigh as I toss the thick legal envelope across the island in Meredith’s gourmet kitchen. The proof of my marriage’s dissolution barely comes to a stop before plummeting over the edge. “It’s final, as of today.”
My best friend, Meredith, squeals. “Yes. This calls for a celebratory drink.”
The word celebratory implies happiness or joy. That isn’t the case for me. My husband of twelve months left me for a nineteen-year-old. A kid. His former student.
Fucker.
He swears nothing happened while she was his pupil.
Liar.
He claims it’s true love.
Dumbass.
Drake’s relationship with Caitlyn is fleeting. She’s an immature teen who wants to play house. The paint won’t dry on the walls of their new apartment before she’s ready to bail.
“I’ve been saving this one for a special occasion.” Ahh. A bottle of Wittmann Westhofener Morstein Riesling. Always rich in body and texture. My favorite.
Gulp. Gulp. The bottle gurgles as Meredith pours far more than three ounces. My glass is three-quarters full when she presses two fingers against the base and glides it across the sleek Carrara marble toward me. I instantly salivate when the essence of honey, peach, mango, and flowers invades my nostrils.
Meredith lifts her glass, cueing me to the toast she’s about to make. “Here’s to the end of an error––your misconception that Drake Langston was a knight in shining armor rather than what he really is—a turd in tinfoil.”
“I know that’s the truth.” I tap my glass against hers before taking the first sip of dry, fruity goodness. Damn, that’s good stuff.
“Capone made sure you got everything you wanted?”
Alec Capone is the most successful divorce attorney in Georgia. He should be with a name like that. “I got more than I wanted, including custody of Little Bastard, since Drake relinquished ownership of him. Caitlyn’s allergic.” I’m epically pissed off about him dumping his cat on me.
“Are you keeping the lil’ guy?”
“I haven’t decided.” Kermit, AKA Little Bastard, has no love for me. Doesn’t matter that I’ve been the one who has fed him his every bite, changed his litter box every time, taken him to the vet for every visit, even the time he was deathly ill from eating part of my foam flip-flop.
“You won’t have a problem if you decide to re-home him. He’s beautiful. Plenty of cat lovers would take him just because he’s a Bengal.”
Kermit was Drake’s trophy cat. Pretty to look at and that’s about it. Much like Caitlyn.
I have no emotional connection to Little Bastard. I’ve tried to bond but he’s resistant. That’s why I’m so surprised by the way I feel when I think of giving him away. He’s resistant to loving me. Just like Drake.
“I got my name back.” That’s what I wanted most. Bennett. My daddy’s name.
The wrinkle in Meredith’s brow serves as a warning. It’s always a prelude to something serious. “I understand those papers feel like a painful ending but that’s because they’re disguising what today is. A new beginning. Grayson and I think it’s important for you to treat this as a fresh start.” 
Meredith disappears into the dining room and returns with a gift bag covered in curly ribbon and filled with tissue paper.
“Your divorce gift. Read the card first.”
I open the envelope and read the message aloud. “Congratulations on your divorce. We hated him.”
“No secret there.” I already knew Meredith and Grayson despised Drake.
I rip into the bag, tossing aqua and lime tissue paper in every direction. I’m worse than a child when it comes to tearing into gifts.
I take out each item and place it on the countertop. Sunscreen. Ray-Bans. The ridiculously expensive bikini I lusted for at that expensive boutique in Buckhead. And condoms.
“Sur…prise. Grayson and I are taking you to Jamaica with us next month.”
Umm … not just no. “Forget it. Not happening.”
“Oh, it’s happening. We’ve already booked two suites and your airline ticket. First class.”
She’s out of her mind. I’m not going to that place. “Cancel one. Unless you and Grayson plan to use separate suites.”
“Can’t cancel. It’s Wicked Week at the resort so both rooms had to be paid for in full. Nonrefundable.”
This is her way of guilting me into doing what she wants. She thinks I’ll say yes if her money won’t be returned. “You’re so wrong for doing this to me.”
“You need a getaway and we knew you’d never agree otherwise. Don’t be mad.”
I’m not mad. I’m pissed. I’ve already made plans for the next three months. “I’m taking a second job while school’s out for summer. There’s no way an employer will give me vacation time four weeks after hiring me.”
“Maybe not, unless your bosses are Meredith and Grayson Faulkner. Come to work for us and we’ll guarantee you the time off. There won’t be a reason in the world you can’t go.”
Right. No reason in the world unless you consider the fact this all-expenses-paid vacation is for a getaway at a hedonism resort. A freaking no-holds-barred sex retreat.
I’m neither a hede nor a swinger.
Meredith Faulkner has been my best friend since ninth grade. We’ve been through thick and thin. There’s nothing she and I haven’t shared, apart from one huge exception.
Meredith and Grayson practice hedonism. They chase pleasure in any form it presents. They’re also part of a local community known to many as the lifestyle. They’re swingers. Wife Swappers.
Whatever floats their boat is fine by me. I don’t judge. But hedonism and swinging ain’t my thang. I’m not into casual sex. I prefer intimacy with a man I love, and always within the boundaries of a committed relationship.
Call me old-fashioned but I need more than a physical connection. A quick fuck with a person I’ve just met isn’t my cup of tea. Neither is having sex with someone else while my husband watches. Or the other way around.
“Don’t be worried about the money. Indulge is all-inclusive. You won’t be out a dime.”
I am cash-strapped but Meredith knows my resistance is unrelated to my financial status. “I don’t practice hedonism and I’m not a swinger. I have no business going to Indulge.”
“It’s Jamaica, mon! There are plenty of activities that have nothing to do with hedonism or swinging.” She picks up the top of the bikini she just gifted me and holds it up over my shirt. “Think of how great you’ll look on the beach in this.”
I’m not denying I need an escape from this hell I call reality but I don’t want it to be at Indulge, even if all expenses are paid. “Seeing you and Grayson with other people will be a problem for me.”
“Then we’ll ensure you don’t.”
“What kind of things would there be for me to do?”
“Let me grab my laptop and I’ll show you.”
The website for Indulge makes it appear to be a classy establishment. But looks can be deceiving. “This isn’t what I was expecting.”
“Hedonism resorts are like anything else. There are different levels. Go to a hundred dollar a night establishment and you’ll get what you pay for. Indulge is five stars all the way so it’s only the best accommodations and amenities for its guests.”
Meredith navigates to the page of offered activities. The list is huge. “You’ve always wanted to try snorkeling and scuba diving.”
“True.” I wanted an island honeymoon where Drake and I could do those things together. He took me to the mountains instead, the last place I wanted to go, because it was cheaper.
“I know you don’t think so but this is your kind of vacation, Anna James. The pools are luxurious. The beaches are white with the bluest water you’ve ever seen. You’re provided with all the alcohol and food you can hold. Calories don’t count there.”
“Well, that changes everything.”
“The service is magnificent. You can lie on the beach, in this new bikini, and have drinks brought to you by a handsome cabana boy. Who wouldn’t enjoy that?”
I imagine the serenity of being on a Jamaican beach. I envision the sun warming my skin. It lightly glistens with sweat but I’m not hot because the breeze cools me when it blows against my sun-kissed skin. The rush of the waves rolling in and out is steady. It’s my favorite sound in the world. A perfect recipe for relaxation.
My lovely imagery is interrupted by a notion—some old naked coot standing beside me where I’m sunbathing on a lounger. I look over to see who’s blocking the sun and his spunk spitter is staring me down. “I don’t want some dude’s frank ’n beans in my face.”
Meredith bursts into laughter. “Despite what you think, the men don’t go around shaking their balls like maracas.”
“I won’t be hounded?” That would piss me off. And completely ruin my good time.
“You’re a beautiful woman. I don’t think it’s possible for you to not be propositioned.”
I’ve spent my life being compared to a life-size version of Barbie. Long blonde hair, blue eyes, but petite. At five four, I don’t have those mile-long, lean legs like the doll.
I’ve never had a problem with men finding me attractive. Except my own husband. I must have aged out for him since he likes ’em young.
“There’s a policy in place and everyone adheres to it. All you have to say is ‘I appreciate your interest, but no thank you.’ They won’t bother you after that. Harassment isn’t allowed. Anyone who doesn’t abide by the rules is made to leave.”
“But what about the one refusing to take no for an answer?” It never fails. There will be one in the bunch.
“There’s always someone at Indulge who will say yes. They don’t waste their time on uninterested people.” Well, that makes sense.
I hear the garage door lifting. “Sounds like G’s home.”
Meredith beams. Three years of marriage and she still lights up like a candle for him. Yet she’ll have sex with another man. Their marriage is an enigma I don’t think I’ll ever understand.
“Grayson’s comfortable with me going to the resort with y’all?”
“It was his idea. He wants to do something nice for you. Let him.”
G’s a good friend. Loyal. Protective. So much so I thought he was going to kill Drake when he found out what he’d done to me. I adore him for that; it was nice to know I had someone in my corner.
Grayson enters from the garage and is nearly tackled by their golden retriever, desperate for his daily dose of petting from his master. “Hey, Howie. Were you a good boy today?”
“No, he damn sure wasn’t,” Meredith calls outs. “He snuck into the laundry room and stole my favorite panties from the laundry basket. He chewed a big-ass hole in the crotch.”
Grayson chuckles loudly before giving Howie one last scratch behind his ears.
“It’s not funny. It’s the third pair this week.”
My best friend’s husband comes to her and kisses the side of her face. It’s so loving. Normal. Someone looking in from the outside couldn’t possibly imagine the things they do behind closed doors. “Howie knows I like you in crotchless panties.”
Meredith gasps and slaps his arm. “Stop. Don’t say things like that in front of Anna James.”
Grayson grins in my direction. He’s so handsome. Dark hair graying at the temples. Bright blue eyes. I wouldn’t dare share him with another woman if I were Meredith. “My dear wife would totally say something like that in front of you.”
He’s almost right. “No. She would say much worse.”
Meredith winks at me. “I absolutely would but only because I can. I’m her best friend.”
Grayson gestures to the gift bag on the counter. “Is AJ still calling you a friend after opening our gift?”
I pick up the card. “I loved this. And the bikini.”
Grayson smirks. “What about our offer?”
I don’t know what to say. To decline feels like a shitty, ungrateful thing. To accept feels wrong. Wicked.
“Don’t think about what kind of resort it is or what goes on there. It’s the change of scenery and escape from life that you need. Think of it as a palate cleansing.”
All valid points.
A palate cleansing. I like that idea. A lot. “Okay. I’m in.”
Meredith squeals and darts to where I’m sitting. She throws her arms around me and squeezes tightly. “You’re going to have the time of your life. This is going to be a getaway you’ll never forget. I guarantee it.”
I’m certain it will be an experience I’ll never forget. Even when I try.
Now, to find someone to keep Little Bastard.


Friday, July 31, 2015

NEW BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Finding Us by Debra Presley

★★ RELEASE BLITZ ★★
#NewRelease #ContemporaryRomance #DebraPresley #BEP
Finding Us by Debra Presley Release Blitz @Debra_Presley_
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 31, 2015
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions (http://bookenthusiastpromotions.com @BookEnthuPromo
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#BuyNow

#Synopsis:
Pop star Abby Murphy is living every girl’s dream. She has fame, fortune, and a handsome boyfriend, a guitar player named Sean. That changes the night she finds him in the arms of another woman. Hurt and betrayed, Abby ends their relationship. But Sean won't accept the breakup, and she soon learns that he’s had a hidden agenda all along. Overnight, Sean transforms from loving boyfriend to dangerous adversary, and Abby no longer knows who she can trust among her friends and family.

Abby turns to her bodyguard, Danny Nucci, a man who will do everything in his power to keep her safe. But when Abby realizes her feelings for Danny run much deeper than she thought, she refuses to give in to her attraction in order to preserve her new found independence as well as protect Danny from Sean's machinations.

When Abby finally finds the strength to reclaim her life and acknowledge her growing love for Danny, will she be able to let him in? And will Danny be able to overcome his own demons to be the man she needs him to be? Or will she be forced to let him go forever?

#Review of Finding Us
Finding Us (Nucci Securities, #1)Finding Us by Debra Presley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Rating: 4 stars
Spoiler-free review
Title: Finding Us (Nucci Securties #1)
Author:  Debra Presley
Release Date: July 31, 2015
Cliffhanger: No

Fantasy: Abby is a megastar pop princess and looks like she has it all.  The fame, fortune and a hot boyfriend who plays in her band.  Reality: Her uncaring, negligent “Momager” only cares about herself and not what’s best for daughter’s well-being.  Her boyfriend is a manwhore and almost no one around her can be trusted except for her friend Sophie and Abby’s hot bodyguard, Danny.  Danny has his own demons to deal with while protecting Abby.  Will this rock and roll fantasy turn into a fairytale or nightmare?
Debra’s debut book was seriously good. Finding Us reminded me a little bit of the movie “The Bodyguard”.  I loved the characters, the angst, and drama filled twists and turns.  I hope the next book is about Abby’s friend Sophie.  Bravo, Debra!

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





#MeettheAuthor
Debra is a native New Yorker who made her escape to the suburbs. She often returns to her hometown to visit her favorite deli for a bagel with butter, because there’s no better bagel than a New York bagel. When not in search of bagels, Debra spends her time running Book Enthusiast Promotions, an online promotions company that helps indie authors spread the word about their books. She’s also the owner of The Book Enthusiast blog.
She started writing lyrics in her wall-to-wall NKOTB bedroom at the tender age of thirteen while dreaming of the day she’d become Mrs. Jordan Knight.  That dream never came to fruition, but she has continued to write. Now she’s working on her first novel. 
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Tuesday, July 28, 2015

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Out of Time by Beth Flynn is LIVE!

Check out my review and enter Beth's giveaway for a chance to win a signed paperback set of Nine Minutes & Out of Time!


OUT OF TIME is the HIGHLY ANTICIPATED sequel to NINE MINUTES where Grizz, Kit & Grunt's gritty tale continues!  You aren’t going to want to miss this!
NOW AVAILABLE
Barnes & Noble:  http://bit.ly/1JFlBBw


Blurb
RECOMMENDED FOR READERS 18 AND OLDER DUE TO
STRONG LANGUAGE, SEXUAL SITUATIONS AND VIOLENCE

Out of Time is book two in a series. It is not a standalone novel. I highly recommend that you read my first novel, Nine Minutes, to be able to understand the background stories of the main characters. There are many twists and turns in both stories that can best be connected if read consecutively.
Although I do answer all of the outstanding questions from Nine Minutes, there is more to this story, and some readers may consider it a cliffhanger. If you do not like cliffhangers, you may want to wait until the third novel is released in 2016.

They thought with his execution it would all be over.
They were wrong.

The leader of one of South Florida’s most notorious and brutal motorcycle gangs has been put to death by lethal injection. Days later, his family and friends should have been picking up the pieces, moving on. Instead, they’ve been catapulted into a world so twisted and dangerous even the most ruthless among them would be stunned to discover the tangled web of deception, not only on the dangerous streets of South Florida but all the way to the top.

In this gripping follow-up novel to Nine Minutes, Out of Time takes readers from the sun-drenched flatlands of 1950s Central Florida to the vivid tropical heat of Fort Lauderdale to the halls of Florida’s Death Row as we finally learn the gritty backstory of Jason “Grizz” Talbot and the secret he spent his life trying to conceal.

Not even Grizz’s inner circle knows his full story—the tragedy that enveloped his early life, the surprise discovery that made him the government’s most wanted and most feared, and the depths of his love for Ginny, the tenderhearted innocent he’d once abducted and later made his wife.

Once Grizz’s obsession and now the mother of his child, Ginny has spent years grieving the man she’d first resisted and then came to love. Now remarried to Tommy, a former member of the gang, the pair have spent more than a decade trying desperately to live a normal existence far from the violent, crime-ridden world they’d once carved out on the edge of the Florida Everglades. For Tommy, especially, the stakes are high. Desperately in love with Ginny for years, he’s finally living his dream: married to the woman he never thought he could have. But even with the façade of normalcy—thriving careers, two beautiful children, and a genuinely happy and loving marriage—they can’t seem to put the past behind them. Every time they turn around, another secret is revealed, unraveling the very bonds that hold them together.

And with Grizz finally put to death, now Ginny has learned secrets so dark, so evil she’s not even sure she can go on.

Will these secrets tear their love to pieces? And how far will Grizz go to protect what he still considers his, even from beyond the grave?

REVIEW OF OUT OF TIME
Out of Time (Nine Minutes, #2)Out of Time by Beth Flynn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Out of Time is the highly anticipated sequel to Nine Minutes. Please read this series in order.

My head was spinning from the first to the last page.  I was finally able to come up for air when OOT ended. What a doozy of a cliffhanger! OOT is one hell of a twisted and intricate tale of love and lies.  At times, I felt that this story was somewhat complicated and confusing.  There were so many subplots, time periods and a labyrinth of relationships to keep track of. It was hard for me to keep it all straight. The final plot twist and the wild ending made up for it!  Team Grunt of Team Grizz? You just wait.  Nothing is what it seems.  Book three will hopefully land on our e-readers soon!

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




Haven’t read this series yet, check out Nine Minutes for 
ONLY $2.99! 
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1KXRtHk

About the Author:
Beth Flynn is a fiction writer who lives and works in Sapphire, North Carolina, deep within the southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Beth and her husband, Jim, have spent the last 17 years in Sapphire, where they own a construction company. They have been married 31 years and have two daughters and two dogs. In her spare time, Beth enjoys writing, reading, gardening, church and motorcycles, especially taking rides on the back of her husband’s Harley. She is a five-year breast cancer survivor.

STALK HER:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads 





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