Sunday, November 2, 2014

Blog Tour, Review, & Giveaway: 53 Letters for my Lover by Leylah Attar


This is not your typical love story. 
It’s not so black and white. Lines are crossed. 
Walls are smashed. Good becomes bad. 
Bad becomes very, very good.


Shayda Hijazi—the perfect wife, the perfect mother, the perfect daughter. For thirty-three years, she has played by the rules, swallowing secrets, burying dreams and doing whatever it takes to anchor her family. Shayda Hijazi is about to come face to face with the one thing that can rip it all apart, the one thing her heart has always been denied: Love.

Troy Heathgate—untamed, exhilarating, dangerous—a man who does exactly as he pleases. Life bends to his will. Until he comes across the one thing he would give it all up for, but can never have.

Born on the same day in opposite corners of the world, their lives collide. And nothing is ever the same again. 

Spanning three decades, 53 Letters for My Lover is a fiercely sensual, emotional ride to the heart of an epic, forbidden love that defies it all—an intimate exploration of love, loyalty, passion, betrayal, and the human journey for hope, happiness and redemption.

"Sexy, intense fiction isn't afraid to step out of the box." 

Contemporary women's fiction: Ages 18+ 




The doorbell rings. Repeatedly. Followed by loud thumping on the door.
“Coming, coming! Now what did you what forget?” I swing the door open.
My heart screeches to a slamming halt. “Troy.” I turn pale. “You...you shouldn’t be here.”
“No?” He storms past me into the house. “Where should I be, Shayda? Waiting by the phone? Staking out your office? Checking my email? Where the fuck, Shayda?” His fist slams into the console table, so ‘fuck’ is an obscure, jarring thud, like some censored song on the radio.
“I changed my mind.”
“You changed your mind. Just like that?” He starts pacing the hallway. “And when were you were planning to tell me exactly? When, Shayda?”
“I made a mistake.” My voice quivers. “I got caught up in the moment. We were alone, we were away. It was...it was all an illusion.”
“An illusion?” He pulls me hard against him. Our bodies collide, knocking the breath out of me. “Is this an illusion?”
His lips assault mine.
“And this?” His hand slides under my dress, claiming my thigh.
“What about this, Shayda?” He pushes my panties aside and slides two fingers inside.
“Tell me, Shayda. Tell me this is all in my head.” He shoves me against the door and deepens his strokes. “Tell me this is nothing.” He rubs his fingers on my neck, leaving the unmistakable trail of my reaction.
“This is you, Shayda.” His finger slips inside my mouth. “Your taste, your smell, your skin, your touch.” He grabs me by the hair and pulls my head back. “Tell me you’re not real, Shayda. Tell me!”
I feel the gathump gathump of his heart. Our breath comes in short, shallow gasps. His eyes darken, black holes pushing sky blue irises to the edges of raw emotion. Hunger. Anger. Love. Pain.



53 Letters For My Lover  is a well-written, emotional story of a love
that spans over three decades and is told in the past and present from Shayda's
point of view. I would easily give this book 4 BB❤️SC stars!

Shayda was born in Tehran, Iran and later moved to Canada to live with her aunt.
In their tradition, you do not get to courtship and marry the man of your dreams
you are set up to marry him and hope that he will end need up being that.

Later, she goes to work for a Canadian family doing real estate and there she
meets Troy where their long journey begins but can they hang on. He is head over
heels for Sheyda but she is married with children and living the dream. He is
holding on and will wait forever for her to choose him but will she chose her
family over her lover?

I don't want to wire too much because I want you to experience this book on your
own.

          Mentionable Quotes:

"My grandma used to say that people born on the same day are two halves of. A
whole."
-Shayda

"Your father and I, we were something, you know. We burned so bright, the stars
grew jealous. But maybe you know something I didn't. Maybe if you don't allow
yourself to shine, you never burn out."
- Maamaan

The fight drained out of me. I turned into the shelter of his embrace, and he,
not knowing, not asking, took me in.
- Shayda

"I may not always be a gentleman in bed, but I do believe in ladies first." -Troy

They tell you that an affair destroys everything, that there are no winners,
that there is only heartbreak. I know this. And I still do it. Still I take his
face in my hands and kiss him until he returns my fierce, desperate kisses with
a fervor that pushes everything else aside.
-Shayda

"I'm the luckiest man in the world because I get to make your toes curl and your
knees shake. I'll be the first to hear the kind sounds you make when you come.
Will you plead, Shayda? Will you moan? Or will you give me quiet little gasps?
Whatever it is, Shayda, I can promise you one thing. It'll be mad and
passionate. Because I don't believe that mediocre sex is worth having."
-Troy

"No one knows how many tomorrows they have. That's what makes it all so
precious."-
Shayda


Leylah Attar writes stories about love - shaken, stirred and served with a twist. When she's not writing, she can be found pursuing her other passions: photography, food, family and travel. Sometimes she disappears into the black hole of the internet, but can usually be enticed out with chocolate.




Blog Tour & Review: Bigger Than the Sky by Harper Bentley


Title: Bigger Than the Sky (Serenity Point #1)
Author: Harper Bentley
Release Date: Sept 30, 2014
Find on
Goodreads

Five years ago, I left my fiancé, hotter than hot Navy SEAL Kade Kelly, at the altar. 
No, I’m not an idiot.
Yes, I had my reasons. 
Now I’ve made a new life for myself working at a large firm in Richmond and I’ve left the past behind. Or so I thought.
Upon returning to my hometown of Serenity Point, Virginia, to take care of some business, I find that Kade’s now home for good and he’s none too happy about my being here. 
Two months. That’s all I’m staying then I’m out of here. Unless I believe the town’s pink-haired psychic’s prediction. Or embrace the sense of belonging I feel at being back home. Or give in to the emotions stirring inside when Kade's attention is suddenly on me. 
He scares the crap out of me. 
He thrills me. 
He used to tell me our love was bigger than the sky.
I always knew ours was a once-in-a-lifetime love. So how can he be so sure it can happen again?

“Amelia?”
After my squawk of surprise, I turn and see Brody Kelly walking across the street and I can’t help the huge smile that covers my face.
“Brody!” I holler and run to meet him, jumping up and throwing my arms around his neck for a hug as his encircle my waist and he spins me around.
“Thought that was you,” he says with a grin as he sets me back down.
“In the flesh,” I say with a smile as I look up at him, covering my eyes with my hand to block the sun. Brody was always such a cutie with his messy sandy brown hair, expressive hazel eyes and mischievous grin that always let you know he was up to no good. He’s around six-two, two-hundred pounds of rock solid muscle and I’d think he was hot if not for the fact that he’s like a little brother to me.
He walks over and whistles at my car. “Man, Mill, getting’ pretty fancy on us. Might wanna hide it in the garage tonight so no one steals the rims.” He grins down at me when I come up beside him and smack him in the arm. He looks around for a second and says, “Seriously, where’s Jeeves? Didn’t he drive you?”
“Shut it, Brody,” I reply with a giggle.
“Guess you’re doing pretty well for yourself then, huh?” he asks, a small frown forming on his face.
I purse my lips then respond, “Yes, I’m doing okay, I guess.” He looks at me out of the corner of his eye in a that was so an understatement kind of way since my car cost almost six figures. “Um, what’re you doing here? I mean, it’s like  you just appeared out of the blue,” I say.
He takes me by the shoulders and turns me to face across the street. I look at Pettyman’s Lumberyard, but that’s when I notice it no longer says Pettyman’s on the front but Kelly & Family Lumber and Construction in its place.
“Y-you bought Pettyman’s?”
He nods with another grin then asks, “So how long you in town for?”
“Not sure. I’ve got two months’ vacation time I’m using so I came to finally check out the station,” I explain, turning back to face it, my smile falling away.
“Aw, Mill, I’m sorry. They were good people,” he replies. “I know Harley feels terrible about everything.”
Harley Sedgwick, the local heating and air technician, had inspected the heater in Papaw and Meemaw’s house for years, telling Papaw on his inspection five years ago (the winter after my wedding debacle) that it really needed to be replaced. Papaw had scoffed at him telling him there was at least a good five more years in it. The next year, Papaw had neglected to call Harley to come back out and take a look, and Harley had been so busy that it hadn’t even occurred to him to check on them. The heater had developed a leak since the previous year it’d been checked, and my beloved grandparents tragically died in their sleep from carbon monoxide poisoning on a chilly day in early November.
“I know,” I say. “I hope he knows it’s not his fault. Papaw was a stubborn old fool anyway, as Meemaw would’ve said.” I chuckle sadly.
He curls an arm around my shoulders to comfort me. The Kelly men and their protectiveness, I think which makes me sigh.
“So think you might be back to stay?” he asks looking down at me, eyebrows raised.
I huff out a laugh because that’s a ludicrous idea. “No. I wanted to see if maybe I could get the place up and running again then sell,” I inform him.
He drops his arm then nods with what looks like disappointment, which I think is ridiculous. He knows I’m never coming back.
“So how are you? How’s Piper?” I ask.
“She’s fine,” he says aloofly. Then he gets a shy look on his face. “I passed the fireman test. I’m a real-live firefighter now.”
My eyes now get big and I squeal, “Really? Oh, my God! I’m so happy for you!” I hug him again telling him his news is wonderful when I hear someone clearing his throat behind him. Still holding on to him, I lean to the side and look around his shoulder, and what I see makes me swallow down a gasp.
Dear God.
Brody’s older brother Kade Kelly.
Still hotter than hell Kade Kelly.
Kade Kelly who’s got a hard body that’s sculpted like a magnificent work of art.
Who has a large Celtic cross tattooed on his back with “Fiona” in the middle of it in honor of their baby sister who’d died at birth.
Kade Kelly who sings and plays guitar in a band.
Who took my virginity when I was sixteen and he was eighteen.
Kade Kelly who I left standing at the altar five years ago.


Bigger Than The Sky by Harper Bentley is a story about allowing fear to take you away from what your heart desires, from a love that consumes but leaves you needing more at the same time.  About taking a risk from what is expected and doing what one needs to do in order to survive.  The story of Amelia and Kade is one that will tug on your heartstrings and have you silently rooting for this couple to make it as you turn each page.  Bigger Than The Sky was a 3.5 star read for me and I would recommend it to others who want to dive into a love story unlike any other you may have encountered.

"And after five years, I think I've finally figured it out.  Everyone needs a home.  It's not just a place where you put pieces of furniture that you like.  It's not a place that you retreat to once you're back from work.  Home is the place where you feel safe, where you're most comfortable."

Amelia, or Mill as she is referred to throughout the book left the love of her life Kade Kelly at the alter, literally and never looked back to her hometown of Serenity Springs.  Returning home after five years to fix up the garage that her Papaw had owned in order to either sell or find someone to manage it when she returned to her life, she dreaded running into Kade Kelly.  Never had she expected to Kade and his brother Brody owned the business across the street and she would be faced with him each and every day; reminded of her feelings for him, how she almost married him, and how she walked away from it all.

Kade Kelly was a marine when he was left at the alter by Amelia and he was crushed by it, or so his brother Brody tell her on more than one occasion.  Blowing out his knee while on active duty, he returns home and opens his own business with his brother and begins to make a life for himself.  And then Amelia walks back into his life and so did the feelings that he had for her.  After a cold shoulder start when the two encounter each other again for the first time, the love that they had begins to resurface, along with the hurt that went along with it.

It is only when someone seems determined to run her out of town in the fancy car that she drove up in do Kelly and Amelia start to rekindle the romance that they had all of those years ago but not without some struggles.  Amelia has insecurities in regards to Kade's true intentions, which seem to grow due to a series of easily explained but completely misinterpreted events. And Kade...Kade never seems to waiver from his love for Amelia, which the reader can feel jump right off the page; especially when he tells her "bigger than the sky" which had been his way of telling her that he loved her all those years ago.  Will their love conquer all?  Can they have the life together that they started five years ago?  Only time will tell.


Harper Bentley has taught high school English for 22 years. Although she’s managed to maintain her sanity regardless of her career choice, jumping into the world of publishing her own books goes to show that she might be closer to the ledge than was previously thought.
After traveling the nation in her younger years as a military brat, having lived in Alaska, Washington State and California, she now resides in Oklahoma with her teenage daughter, two dogs and one cat, happily writing stories that she hopes her readers will enjoy.

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Blog Tour & Review: Nocte by Courtney Cole

NOCTE-cover-300px


My name is Calla Price. I’m eighteen years old, and I’m one half of a whole. My other half--my twin brother, my Finn--is crazy.
I love him. More than life, more than anything. And even though I’m terrified he’ll suck me down with him, no one can save him but me.
I’m doing all I can to stay afloat in a sea of insanity, but I’m drowning more and more each day. So I reach out for a lifeline.
Dare DuBray.
He’s my savior and my anti-Christ. His arms are where I feel safe, where I’m afraid, where I belong, where I’m lost. He will heal me, break me, love me and hate me.
He has the power to destroy me.
Maybe that’s ok. Because I can’t seem to save Finn and love Dare without everyone getting hurt.
Why? Because of a secret.
A secret I’m so busy trying to figure out, that I never see it coming.
You won’t either.

NOCTE-releasegraphic-V21-600px
 

 Amazon - iBooks - B&N - Kobo  

Add it on Goodreads

Everyone has secrets. Today, you find out mine.


Find Courtney Cole

NOCTE-trailer

Save me, and I'll save you.

This is my second Courtney Cole book. I am a big fan of If I Stay. If you haven’t read it yet you should. It was an inspiring story. It was also heartbreaking as well…. Those are my favorite types.
Nocte is different. It has a mysterious appeal to it.  The story was essentially a bit of a puzzle that unfolded as the pieces came into play. As the pieces aligned, the depth grew. Along with that, so did the darkness and intrigue. So did my interest. I couldn’t put it down! I loved the dialogue, connection between the characters and the plot….. It was a big unknown for awhile. I needed to know. Was deperate to Know. And that is what made this book an unforgettable experience. It made me feel…. It made me curious…. It took me on one heck of an emotional journey….. I felt the desperation, the suffering as well as the love.
The Price family live in a secluded area. They are cloaked by elements of death daily. The theme of death has seeped itself into their life. This family has endured their fair share of sadness. They are working towards moving on, but obstacles and unforeseen circumstances get in the way.
Calla is a loner. She has a brother. They share an inexplicable bond.   She is almost ready to go to college. Her life is turned upside down and she is left to deal with more than the average teen.
“He was telling me terrible, something that I couldn’t quite hear, but my heart could feel. It was something dark.” –Calla
Dare and Calla met and he ends up spending time with her. You can feel that they are drawn. Connected. Watching them fall for each other was beautiful. But it was obvious that something isn’t being said… It plagues her. It piqued my interest even further…..
“I am falling for him, and there’s nothing  I can do about it. In fact, there’s nothing I want to do about it.” -Calla
Finn is her brother. He has his own set of problems. Your heart will bleed for him. You will be puzzled and curious as you deduce what is going on with him.
“The guy looks decent enough, but there’s something about him. Something unsettling, separate from the way my sister is staring at him in rapt fascination.” –Finn
Courtney Cole can write! I know her secret….. She knows how to channel inner turmoil well. Her stories are brilliant, clever and so dynamic. The break your heart and heal simultaneously……
“My blood is ice, my heart is heavy, my very being filled with terror and forboding, …..” - Calla
I learned one thing. I need more of Courtney Cole in my life. I plan to read more of her work. Stories that offer more than a sexual connection are my favorite type. They are rare to find… They are gems!
NOCTE  is mind puzzling, euphoric, intense, dazzling…. And much more! I give it 5-QUINQUE  DAZZLING STARS…..

Where do I begin? This is the first book I have read by Courtney Cole and I must say that she is moving up to my top 10 go-to authors. WOW!! Extraordinary author!!
Therefore, I give NOCTE 5 extraordinary stars!!!
 
I am not going to make this a long review because I hate spoilers and so I want to protect you from having an excellent book ruined by a review.
 
Author's note:
"I wrote this story the away it needed to be written. I couldn't sugarcoat it. I couldn't water it down. It is this way because the story demands it. I'm sorry" - Courtney Cole
 
I want thank Courtney for writing this story and not changing it in any way
because I think that it was written magnificently and any other way might not do it the justice it deserves.
 
In NOCTE you meet three characters, Calla, Finn and Dare.  Calla and Finn are
twins and Dare is someone they meet along the way.  There is no bond like a bond between twins. You learn......Secrets. Everybody's got 'em. Who has the biggest secret of them all? When you find out you will gaps for air.
 
Calla feels the need to take care of her brother due to the fact that he has a mental illness and she is his saving grace. She is the only person he goes to and feels safe with. She takes care of him. They are trying to convince their parents to allow them to go to college together but they feel that Calla needs to let go and live her life.
 
"By night, I am free.
No one hears my monsters but me.
My freedom is fragile, though,
because ever morning,
Over and over,
The night is broken
by the sun."
-an early entry from the journal of Finn Price
 
"I can't I can't I can't
Hear.
I can't see
light
anymore.
Calla Calla Calla Calla
Save me, save you
Save me
Serva me, servabo te.
Save me and I will save you."
-an early entry from the journal of Finn Price
 
A secret I'm so busy trying to figure out, that I never see it coming. You won't either. -Calla
 
"I think it's probably kismet, anyway. That you and I are here at the same time, I mean." - Dare
 
"Freedom is an illusion." -Dare
 
"Words can harm people just as much as a weapon." -Calla
 
"I wake up in the middle of the night wanting you. I dream about you. But right now, you're tied up in a lot of painful, hard things. I need to make sure that you're not just drawn to me because you're confused. I want to make sure that you really want me." - Dare
 
"You're the thing that brought me back. You gave me reality. You tethered me,
anchored me, loved me. I thought you were going to break me, but that's just
because I didn't understand. You were trying to help me all along." -Calla
 
There were so many times that I just kept wondering what was coming next. What is Dare hiding? What is Finn hiding? How will they go on once they go their separate and attend different colleges, what will happen? There are so many questions.
 
I highly recommend one-clicking, you won't be disappointed.


Blog Tour: Regretfully by Leighton Riley


Title: Regretfully
Author: Leighton Riley
Release Date: Oct 16, 2014
Find on
Goodreads

How do you heal after everything has been ripped away from you?
Completely devastated and alone, Tristen cannot fathom life after losing Cami and his unborn child. He attempts to find normality in his broken world but everything seems wrong.
Aria is compelled to help Tristen and cannot escape the undeniable connection she feels for him, even though Cami was one of her closest friends. She tries to help him move forward by befriending him but quickly realizes that there is more.
Tristen and Aria are both struggling to deal with these confusing emotions. Can they find happiness even when they feel utterly broken?

“I don’t- I’ve always been the sister-type, never like this.  Do you really want this?  I don’t expect anything afterwards, but are you really attracted to me like that?”  She murmured, so unsure of herself.  Her hands landed on my bare chest and glided over my nipple piercings.  The sensitivity was there and I briefly thought about what it would feel like having her luscious lips wrapped around them. 
“Listen to me.  Listen very carefully because you should already know this.  You’re gorgeous, inside and out.  We never saw you as our sister, we all respected you though.  You were the one everyone wanted but never had a chance with.  I could call up any of our surfing friends and they’d agree.  Hell, the girls knew it too.  When one of the guys started working up the nerve to ask you on a date, the others would warn about what would happen if he hurt you.  I guess we all kinda cock blocked you.”  I rub my neck, realizing how we were back then.  “I’m sorry for that.”
- The birth date on the gravestone is my actual date of birth ;)
- I try to include names from my street team and readers in my books. (Rebecca, Elixix, Tami, Cassia were all from them in Regretfully)
- Tristen got his name from a good friend of mine. She was with me in the beginning of my writing process and her boyfriend’s name was Tristen and I fell in love with the name. 
- I saw Cirque Du Soleil’s Zumanity and one of the performers had his nipples pierced. I was sold and knew Tristen would be getting them. :D
- I was able to relate to Tristen in some ways regarding Cami’s death. A boyfriend of mine was taken from this world too soon and I drew from those memories. 
- Gloria’s is my favorite Latin restaurant and I had to include it in the book. The one I go to is in Dallas though. 
- Aria’s flashback (you’ll know which one I’m talking about, hint- alcohol) was tough for me to write. I spent weeks on it, making sure it was accurate and written in a respectable manner. That’s one scene I don’t go back and reread very much, but it’s often on my mind.

Texas born and raised, I found my love for dirty books rather recently.  I work in real estate for my day job and I write contemporary romance with a twist of suspense and erotica.  Sinfully, Regretfully, and Deceitfully can be read in order or as standalones.  Sinfully and Regretfully take place around the same time frame and can even be read in reverse order (will give more background on Payton and Ryder’s story).  Tate’s story, Deceitfully, will finish off the series and will be out in spring of 2015.