Friday, February 13, 2015

Release Day Blitz & Reviews: Bender by M. Stratton

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Since high school everyone thought Jake Bender would end up behind bars; after all, he comes from a long line of bad boys. He spent years away from the place he called home. When he finally comes back, everyone thinks he's just a punk kid all grown up who’s now running a dive bar called The Night Club. What they don't know is he heads up a special task force, which cleans up neighborhoods and makes them safe again. Stormy Ryan has always felt more comfortable with her books than with people. She loves to spend her days within the pages of her books. When her second-hand bookstore is robbed for the third time in as many months, her employees quit leaving her to run the shop on her own. With the pressure of having to deal with her shop and people, not to mention the declining neighborhood, she is at the end of her rope. When closing up her shop late one night, she is held up and the neighborhood bad boy saves her, putting both of them at the forefront of a psychotic’s obsession. Being bad has never looked so good.

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Prologue
Eighteen year old Jake Bender sat slouched over in a chair in the principal’s office listening to the asshole saying over and over and over how he’d end up in jail or dead. Blah, blah, blah. It wasn’t anything he hadn’t heard a thousand times before. He was thankful this one wasn’t followed up by fists like his old man liked to do.
“Are you listening to me, boy?” The principal slammed his fist on the desk and walked around wagging his finger in Bender’s face. “You mark my words, boy; you’re heading for jail or the cemetery. Either way this world is better off without you. You could disappear and no one would care. We don’t need you.”
He sat there and slowly looked up at the principal raising an eyebrow. He’d been hearing this for years from his old man; that song was stuck on repeat. Bender was counting down the days until he could leave this place behind. He’d go full time at the garage, find a place to live, and try to stay alive. Once he was on his own he’d be the one who came first, no one else, just like he’d been raised, look out for number one.
“Don’t give me that look, boy.” He raised his hand as if to slap him.
Bender sighed and leaned back. He knew there was no way he was actually going to hit him. Besides, if for some reason he did, it wouldn’t hurt as much as what his dad did on a daily basis. “Do it. I dare you.”
They stared at each other before the principal backed down. “You’re not worth it. Get out of here and don’t come back for a week.”
“What, no Saturday detention?”
“Never worked for you before; sure isn’t going to work now. We just have to get through the next two months, unless you want to drop out now. Then you’re society’s problem.”
Bender stood up. “Way to inspire the youth there, sir. You may want to write that little speech down for future reference.”
“Get out, Bender. Just get out.”
*****
Bender slowly walked home kicking a rock hoping the old man was out getting drunk somewhere and wouldn’t be home until later. He wasn’t worried about his mom; she’d been beaten down so much over the years she didn’t care about anything as long as his dad wasn’t beating on her.
When he saw the man sitting on the steps to his house he paused. There was something familiar about him, but Bender couldn’t place him. He knew he’d seen him before, but couldn’t remember.
“We need to have a talk son.”
“You’re not my dad.”
The man leaned back and crossed his ankles looking relaxed, but Jack knew he wasn’t. This man didn’t look like he ever let his guard down. “No, thank God for that. I’m here to help you.”
“Yeah, well I don’t want your fucking help.”
“Listen, you punk ass kid, do you want to end up like your old man? Nah, I can see from the look in your eyes you don’t. Well, I’m offering you a way out. A way you can hold onto that tough kid attitude while helping people.”
“Fuck them. They never helped me.”
“What do you think I’m doing? You sure as hell aren’t the first I’ve gotten out of here, and you won’t be the last, but you’d better listen up, boy, before it’s too late. This is your one shot at redemption. I suggest you take it.” He held out a card.
Bender stood there on shaking knees, thoughts going through his head. He wanted to escape the wrath of his father and the scum of the neighborhood. He knew if he stayed, he’d be dead within a year. Slowly, he reached out and grabbed the card, feeling deep down in his gut his whole life was about to change. Now, if it was for the better was yet to be seen.


AMAZON/KOBO

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Are you ready for Bender?

He had an unconventional life. He was mischievous. He was the type of kid you wouldn’t want to mess with. His future didn’t look too bright. In this intense suspense like story – Bender, you will see how his background helped him become fierce and almost unmatched. This book will intimidate and exhilarate your mind and senses.

“I’m offering you a way out. A way you can hold onto that tough kid attitude while helping others.”

M. Stratton has found her niche. She has spun many dark romantic suspense books. They are a bit unnerving, seedy and delicious. I am hooked!

I liked that this was different than what I usually read. M. Stratton follows her own rules and doesn’t shy away from violence and gore.

Bender and Stormy are in a race to protect their lives and community. They unite and maneuver the bad guys. Unfortunately Stormy is a bit stubborn or just is not use to this level of insanity.

“I never judge a book by its cover. It’s too much fun reading each chapter and discovering all the twists and turns buried underneath.”

Click, Click, Click… Bender and see what you are missing. You will discover the bond, the beauty, the light & darkness in this tale…




Bender is another fantastic wicked tale by the cryptic mind of the lovely M. Stratton.  I would rate this book a 5 stars!  If you haven't read any books by M. Stratton you need to put down everything right now and go grab them.  She writes POV's of almost all the characters including the ones I call the "crazies" and let me tell you her book crazies are the most insane characters I have ever read about but damn if it doesn't blow my mind and make me cringe at the same time.  So needless to say this book will take your mind to places of disgust and lust and you will find yourself flipping pages to see what is next.  I would say for people that can't read a story and think outside of the box this may not be for you, but if your looking for a book that is like no other and can still steam up your kindle then this is most definitely for you!

Stormy is a book store owner in a very bad part of town, when she finds herself in a situation that the bad men of the town are wanting to takeover she has starts to fear for her life.  They will stalk her and make her feel like she has no where to hide.  When she finds herself taking the trash out late one night and gets cornered by the deranged men her life will change when the sexy man Bender comes to her rescue.  He will not only be her savior but when there interactions become more often because he has come to clean up the town there chemistry will start to spark.. but will he be able to keep her safe without letting his heart get involved?  Will the danger they are both in break them apart in the end or will they survive the storm?  

Bender hasn't had the best of life but he cleaned himself up when he was a teenager with the help of a man that was more a father figure than his own dad.  He decided he was going to clean up the trash in towns and not be the trash anymore.  When he finds himself back in his hometown he will face his final clean up of his life and that comes with a relationship with Stormy he never saw coming.   Can he keep his mind in the game or loose it to love finally?

There will be danger, there will be hot sexy scenes, and most of all it will twist and turn your mind.

Go get this book now!  I can't wait for more from this fabulous author!  Thanks for a wicked ride and look forward to sooooo much more hopefully in the near future!


M. Stratton is an International Amazon bestselling author in the romantic suspense and mystery suspense categories for her debut novel After the Storm. She is a self-proclaimed dork that loves to make people laugh and can trip over nothing. Her inner rock star is always on stage performing to a sold out crowd but is quiet and shy on the outside. She lives with her husband and son in Arizona, which is a big difference from where she grew up north of Chicago Illinois. As an only child she learned to tell herself stories to make the long winters go by quicker while dreaming of summer vacations. Now as an adult she still makes up stories to pass the time, but now she writes them down to share with other people. When not writing you can find M. watching football (Go Bears!), NASCAR, or classic movies, watching her husband and father restore classic cars, and seeing who can be sillier, her or her son, and of course reading.

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