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In Her Element by Laurel Richards

9/17/2016

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Welcome to Laurel Richards, who I'm delighted to have as a guest to tell you about her new paranormal romance series set in Florida. We Florida novelists have to stick together. Take it away, Laurel.

Thanks for letting me visit your blog today, Annette. I’m very excited to share my new release, In Her Element, which kicks off my Elemental series. The book is set in the fictional location of Paradise City, Florida. The hero, Ethan Zale, works in marine biology, while the heroine, Darya, uses the city as a place to hide from other Elementals. Surrounded by water, hot sun, sand you can sink your toes into, and ocean breezes, the tropics seemed like a great setting for Elementals who can control water, fire, earth, and air.

Blurb

Darya Drake is a Water Elemental who has lived a difficult life. She’s raising her younger brother, Matthew, who is mentally ill, and she has had to fight off Phages—Elementals who kill and cannibalize other Elementals to steal their powers. It isn’t until she meets Ethan Zale, a Water Elemental with stormy blue eyes and a body to die for, that she dares to hope for a better future. Ethan is everything she has ever wanted, but trouble looms when a Phage begins stalking her. Can Ethan find out who is after her and keep her safe? Will her brother accept another man in her life? Darya discovers true love in the midst of strife, but for a girl who has lost almost everyone she has ever cared about, it’s hard to believe in happy endings.

Excerpt
 
She stood alone at the east end of the plaza near where Paradise City’s biggest hotel was unveiling its new water display out front. Her friend Kristy was supposed to meet her here, along with Kristy’s boyfriend Orrin and one of his friends. They were all going to dinner together after the show.

Darya took a deep breath and fought not to fidget. Friday night had just gotten started in Florida’s newest east-coast hotspot, and the bright lights of the nearby storefronts and restaurants bathed everyone in yellow and blue. She didn’t see any sign of her friend, though it was already ten minutes past when they had agreed to meet. If Darya hadn’t forgotten her cell phone in her rush to get here, she might have called Kristy to see where she was. Still, it wasn’t late enough to get herself worked up.

Staying out of the main stream of foot traffic, she did her best to blend in. She and Matthew had moved to Paradise City precisely because it was such a good place to hide. They could mix with the regular humans here. Running into that other Elemental had simply been bad luck, like getting struck by lightning or having a falling coconut kill you. She certainly wasn’t afraid of coconuts.

The thought made her smile. She was about to check her watch again when a shiver ran up her spine. Although it was just after New Year’s, it wasn’t the chill in the air that caused the tremor. Every muscle in her body turned rigid, and her heart pounded as she recognized the familiar feeling.

“No,” she whispered.

This couldn’t be happening. Not again.

But it wasn’t her imagination. Somewhere, lurking among the ordinary humans, there was another Elemental in the crowd. Even now, his magic pricked at her senses and made the hair on her arms stand up. All of her bravado abandoned her, and her heart pounded so hard she was sure she could hear it. Every nerve in her body trembled at high alert as she scanned the faces around her. The danger had to be close. She never sensed another Elemental until he was nearly on top of her. But where? Where was he?

She backed away and looked for an escape, but she hadn’t taken more than a few steps when one man caught her eye. His stormy gray-blue gaze instantly snared her, and his hair—the color of rich, gourmet coffee with a bit of cream—stirred softly in the wind. She noticed his strong jaw and chiseled cheekbones stopped just short of being severe, and his rugged features smoothed instantly when one corner of his mouth kicked up. He had to be at least six feet tall. His lean, muscular body was a sight to behold, especially as he walked closer.

Darya found herself rooted to the spot as her heart did a strange somersault in her chest. She swallowed hard, aware that her mouth had gone dry. This man was gorgeous. He was also one of the few things on Earth that could get her killed in less than one lustful heartbeat. This was the other Elemental she sensed in the crowd.

“Sister, get away from him!” her brother cried telepathically.

Although Matthew was nowhere near her, his voice came through loud and clear in her head, and it finally shook her from her trance. The stranger was advancing on her, and she could see the curious glint in his eye. She tore her gaze from his and backpedaled right into a group of tourists. With no time to apologize, she blocked everything out as she shifted her concentration. She tapped into the power of her element to make herself invisible. Her body became as clear as water as she took off running across the square.

She was better at staying transparent when she wasn’t moving, but experience had taught her well. After the last attack, she had practiced her magic until she had learned to use her limited powers with better skill. The murmur of human voices warped as she raced through the crowd. When she sped past a nearby food vendor, a cloud of steam briefly clung to her, and the thick scent of hotdogs punched her in the face. Lights and colors blurred together and trailed like streamers along her periphery. Although she didn’t look back, she sensed the other Elemental was following.

Memory stalked her along with this new pursuer: the shadows, the knife, and the pounding of feet right behind her. She ripped her mind from the past before she gave in to mindless panic. By sheer force of will, she made herself slow down when she reached Atlantic Street so that she could drop the spell and use the foot traffic as cover. Once she had traveled three blocks, she risked a backward glance, but she didn’t see the stranger. She should have been relieved, but she remained cautious as she turned the corner and darted down the next lane.

This roadway wasn’t exactly a dark alley, but it was one of the narrower, less-traveled side streets. The parking had been terrible, and this was the shortest route to her car. If she could get behind the wheel and lock the door, she would be safe.

“Please wait,” a masculine voice said behind her.

Darya spun around. The sexy Elemental stood at the corner less than ten feet away. Her sense of self-preservation caused her to glance around for help, and she almost cried when she realized how stupid she had been. She had been so focused on escaping and reaching her car that she had abandoned the safety of the crowd. She was pretty sure she had just gotten herself killed.​

Buy links

Amazon US:  www.amazon.com/Her-Element-Elementals-Book-ebook/dp/B01L0B28CU/
Amazon  UK:  http://amzn.to/2chwG7l​
Amazon Canada:  http://amzn.to/2d3j00T
ARe:  www.allromanceebooks.com/product-inherelement-2091573-149.html
OmniLit:  www.omnilit.com/product-inherelement-2091573-149.html
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2cvBlhY
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/in-her-element
Inktera: http://www.inktera.com/store/title/9810de17-3c67-49b9-a5cf-b701d43a5b3c
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1147811202

Author links

Website   http://www.author-laurelrichards.com/
Twitter    https://twitter.com/Laurel_R_books
Google+    https://plus.google.com/118269442385691046045/posts
Amazon     https://www.amazon.com/author/laurelrichards
Goodreads   http://www.goodreads.com/LaurelRichards
GR Blog    http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6035139.Laurel_Richards/blog
Manic Readers   http://www.manicreaders.com/laurelrichards/

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Branded by Candace Havens

9/15/2016

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It's my pleasure to welcome Candace Havens to my blog to give you a taste of her latest new adult romance novel, Branded, which releases Sept. 19.

Praise for Branded:
​"I was hooked from the first page. It sizzles with sexy tension, and Cole is HOT!"    

---- Jennifer Blackwood, USA Today bestselling author
      

Blurb

I have my hands full taking care of my little sister and covering for my uncle as ranch foreman. The last thing I need is a Texas princess like Callie Llewellyn getting up in my business and messing with my head.
 
All I can think of is getting up close and personal with those curves of hers. And being on the edge of discovery makes our quick-and-dirty encounters twice as hot. And that’s all they are—quick and dirty—there’s nothing deeper going on here.
 
There’s only one rule to keeping my job and a roof over my sister’s head: stay away from the boss’s granddaughter. But I’m not always great at following the rules.

Excerpt


The idea of her giving any man what she’d given me pissed me off. I had no right to be jealous. None. But I didn’t want to think about anyone else touching my princess. She was fucking hot and deserved someone who knew how to handle a woman who was reserved on the outside but burning on the inside. I shoved my hand up her shirt. Her breath caught as I rubbed a thumb across her nipple. God, she made me come undone.

The mere thought of another man’s hands on her and I was a damn gorilla beating my chest and telling her no. Ridiculous.

My cell rang, and I pushed away from the wall. Away from her. I growled and then I answered.

Callie was a vision, with her mussed hair and those swollen lips. For a few moments, she just watched me. Usually, her feelings were easy to read, but not this time. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“Cole?” My name came over the cell. I’d forgotten to answer the damn phone after I’d accepted the call.

“Yeah, Doc.”

“I’m going to send out Avery to check some of the other cattle. I’m worried about the bacteria spreading. Your boss would have my hide if he lost any cattle because of this. You might want to rustle up some of the others to test the herd. It’s going to be long day.”

I didn’t hear the rest of what he said. Callie pulled her T-shirt down and grabbed a band to pull up her hair.

She turned without a backward glance and headed out of the barn. I wanted to say something but couldn’t. It was best if she left.

But damn if I didn’t want to believe that even though I had a ton of work to do.

Author links

E-mail  candacehavensbooks@gmail.com
Web site  www.candacehavens.com
Blog:  https://candacehavensbooks.wordpress.com/author/
candacehavensbooks/

Twitter   @candacehavens
Facebook    www.facebook.com/candacehavensbooks/
Goodreads   www.goodreads.com/author/show/116617.Candace_Havens
Newsletter sign-up link   www.candacehavens.com

Author bio
​

Best-selling author Candace Havens has published more than 25 books. Her novels have received nominations for the RITA's, Holt Medallion, Write Touch Reader Awards and National Readers Choice Awards. She is a Barbara Wilson Award winner. She is the author of the biography “Joss Whedon: The Genius Behind Buffy” and a contributor to several anthologies. She is also one of the nation's leading entertainment journalists and has interviewed countless celebrities from George Clooney to Chris Pratt. Her entertainment columns are syndicated by FYI Television, Inc. Candace also runs a free online writing workshop for more than 2000 writers, and teaches comprehensive writing classes. She does film reviews with Hawkeye in the Morning on 96.3 KSCS, and is a former president of the Television Critics Association.

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Seduction in Scotland by Olivia Night

9/4/2016

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I​'m very pleased to host Olivia Night as she wraps up her series The Men of FTI with a sexy romp set in Scotland.

Blurb

She never thought she’d see him again. Not after what she’d done to them… Sarah Cosgrove wakes from labor and emergency surgery to find her soul mate staring down at her. It’s been six years since she’s seen the face of the only man she’s ever loved. Since she broke Logan’s heart.

Logan Harper, a skilled killing machine and top ranking member of Fairlane Trade International, entered a hostage situation, expecting the task to be quick and easy. It becomes anything but when he finds Sarah giving birth to another man’s baby. When she tells him her life is in danger from the powerful and abusive father of her child, Logan has no choice but to protect the woman he once loved and her newborn baby, but he vows to never love her again.

As they trek through Europe to get to safety, the mystery of the last six years begins to unfold, sparks fly, and emotions rise to the surface. Can Logan keep the love of his life safe without letting her back in his heart? Can Sarah learn to trust a man again after being abused? Will soulmates reunite?

 
Excerpt

“Sarah?” She blinked at him. A small smile formed on her lips. She looked tired, but happy. Her eyes seemed to hold a secret. Like there was something she had just learned that made everything all right. Logan watched as the light in her blue eyes grew dim, but the smile remained. “Sarah.” Logan put his hands on either side of her face. His fingers speared through her hair. “Take care…of her, Logan. Don’t let him find her. He can’t find her.” She pulled in a shallow breath. “Always loved you. Was always yours,” she whispered to him. She smiled a bit more, and then that was it. Her eyes closed gently. Her chest slowly fell. The heart monitor flat lined. Logan stared, unwilling to believe his eyes. Unwilling to believe his ears. He could hear the baby was still crying as they checked her over. Her lungs sounded healthy. He listened as the other doctors worked between Sarah’s legs, one pushing on her stomach. Sarah’s limp body moved from the pressure of the doctor’s hand. And then reality came crashing in at the same time a wave of heat spread over his body like fire. Sarah’s chest didn’t move. He watched another beat, not believing what he was seeing. No. Logan roared. His face never left hers as he roared to the fates. His whole body shook with anger and disbelief as he bellowed his denial. “Sarah! No! No! Help her!” he howled to the doctors. A middle-aged male nurse was suddenly next to him and tried to push Logan out of the way. “Sir!” The nurse had his hands on Logan’s arms. No one would be able to move him from her side without his approval. “Sir, you need to move so I can help her.”  The nurse spoke in heavily accented English. Numbly, Logan moved away from the one woman he had ever loved, from the one person who could bring him to his knees. He stumbled back as he watched the doctors and nurses work frantically to bring her back. Another nurse walked over to him and placed something in his arms. He gazed down. And he saw the most beautiful baby in the world. And just as Sarah was and had always been, so too, was Madeline. She was his.

Buy links
Amazon 
 https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1?ie=UTF8&text=Olivia+Night&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Olivia+Night&sort=relevancerank
 
Barnes and Noble 
 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Olivia%20Night%22?Ntk=P_key_Contributor_List&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchall

iTunes 
 
 https://itunes.apple.com/us/author/olivia-night/id1020494788?mt=11
 
Kobo
    https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/search?query=Olivia%20Night&fcsearchfield=Author
 
Website   www.olivianight.weebly.com
Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/olivianightauthor
Twitter ​@olivianightread
 


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Reviews for The Men of FTI Series
 
Night Owl Reviews - Top Pick!
 
“Seduction in Sierra Leone has a great combination of action and romance. This book is well written and fast paced. There is enough hot sex to keep you reading and cheering on the couple. I recommend this book to all suspense and military romance readers. I’m looking forward to next book.” 
 
 Nerd Girl Official 
 
We are taken on a wild ride and I loved every minute of it. It is very well written and the characters are great. I look forward to reading more from this author.
 
Goodreads
 
Great storyline with action and steamy romance. There has obviously been great thought put into the characters. Olivia has a great writing style that pulls you in immediately and grips you, hard.
 
Ravens Reviews
 
The characters are so well developed in this story. They have an incredible depth and chemistry that makes them so compelling. Right from page one, you can feel for them and want them to succeed. I can’t recommend this book enough. If you are a fan of romantic suspense, you won’t want to pass this one by. So exceptionally well written.
       
 
 
About the author
 
Olivia Night, a fictional character herself, has always been an avid reader and writer. She found the romance genre in college and has never been able to get enough. One sleepless night, the main characters of Book One in her Men of FTI  series sprang from her head fully formed. They demanded she tell their story; so she did. As they revealed themselves, so did two other intriguing characters. Those characters convinced her to give them their own books because their stories were worth telling too. And so Olivia suddenly became a romance author. When Olivia is not writing, she has the best job in the world, which, too, will remain a secret. In her free time, she reads, write, drinks wine, or is, most likely, out emulating Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Olivia lives in one of the most diverse and vibrant cities in the U.S.—Baltimore. She lives with her cat, who she is convinced was a gladiator in his past life. Olivia plans to continue being awesome at this thing called life. Really, that’s her only goal.
 
Enter to win a $15 gift card to Amazon
 
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1f9af1760/

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    Author

    Annette Mardis writes the kind of contemporary romance novels she loves to read: sexy, funny, smart and filled with "ah" moments.

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