Reviews

Friday, August 7, 2020

COVER REVEAL: Cruel Seduction by Kelli Callahan




Title: Cruel Seduction
Series: Underground Kings #2
Author: Kelli Callahan
Genre: Dark Romantic Suspense
Cover Design: Silla Webb
Photo: Wander Aguiar
Model: Christoph L.
Release Date: August 21, 2020



Blurb

I’ve heard blood is thicker than water, but those people must not have ever been stabbed in the back by their family.
At least water made rivers.
All blood did was stain.
My brother was a stain on my damn life.
No matter how hard I scrubbed, his betrayal was still there.
He set me up to take the fall on one of the biggest jobs we ever did together, and I did five years behind bars for fraud and money laundering.
I’m out of prison now, and I’m ready to turn the river red.
No one messes with me and gets away with it. I’m going to take everything that belongs to me.
Including her. His ex-wife that he kept under lock and key like an animal.
Last I heard, Gabriella Regio has the bite of a beast, and I can’t wait to set her free.








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Excerpt

I took a deep breath and clawed my fingers into the old worn wood of the counter. My body shook with anger. I wanted to bust through the glass and hold her, to tell her everything was going to be okay, but I couldn’t lie to her anymore. I had no idea if things would ever be okay again.
If she went back to my brother, Gabriella would be nothing but a ghost to me. I was haunted in many ways, and losing her would leave me in purgatory, where the doomed, broken, and dangerous were meant to be.
“Goodbye, Sebastian,” she sobbed my name and hung up the phone with a soft click as I stared at her. 






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Author Bio


Kelli writes hot and steamy romances with delicious alpha males who will not stop until they get the women they crave exactly where they want them. Kelli’s heroes are tough as nails, hot as sin, and underneath the rough exterior is a heart of gold begging to be unleashed. If you think you can tame them, you’re probably right, but it won’t be an easy journey.


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COVER REVEAL: Under My Skin by Jo-Anne Joseph

Title: Under My Skin
Author: Jo-Anne Joseph
Genre: Dark Romance 
Release Date: Aug 13th 





Many know me,
yet none have seen my face.
I’m the topic of conversation,
but nobody knows my name.
I am a life thief.
A soul destroyer.
An invisible plague.
And still, you want to know me.
Because my darkness reminds you,
of the desires that lurk within you.

It was initially published as part of an anthology under the title Dark Desires.

For those who have read it, there is a new cover, bonus content and an extended Epilogue to look forward to.

If you haven't you're in for a treat.


Jo-Anne Joseph is a South African Author who writes fiction contemporary romance, psychological romance and romantic suspense. She has a flair for creating stories that are sweet and sassy, others riveting and suspenseful. Along with a passion for writing, she is an avid reader and enjoys painting and coloring. She also has a deep love for poetry and prose. Her lifelong love affair with words started at a young age and resulted in her debut novel Infinity published in September 2017. She has since published five other titles along with a poetry anthology, as well as contributed to two anthologies.
Her books are available on Amazon.com, Ibooks, Kobo, Barnes and Noble in ebook and paperback format. She has worked with an international publishing company on one of her anthologies. Bridge Books in Johannesburg and Maboneng carry her titles.
Jo-Anne is a business professional by day, she works in the field of corporate governance, and an Author by night. She also writes on a volunteer basis for on-line publications Still Standing Magazine and the website Glow in the Woods. Her articles have been republished in several newsletters.
She is eager to encourage the culture of reading in South Africa and show regular working woman and parents that it's not impossible to follow the creative aspect of their dreams and goals. If you love something enough, you'll make the time for it. 



COVER REVEAL: Just the Tip by Kat Addams




Title: Just the Tip
Series: DTF (Dirty. Tough. Female.) #4
Author: Kat Addams
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Cover Design: Lori Jackson
Photo: Wander Aguiar
Models: Andrew & Ella
Release Date: August 18, 2020



Blurb

DTF. Support your local girl gang!
These dirty, tough females were ready to go ALL. THE. WAY.

As an artist, I was used to getting creative and thinking outside the box. But this time, I might be in over my head.

Or head over heels …

I was ready for love. And the life of wedded bliss that was sure to follow. I just hadn’t found the one. Until I found myself doing the horizontal mambo in the backseat of my best friend’s car.

Aiden was the hottie Aussie who ran the famous Scarlett Herb restaurant. His shizzle sauce was the perfect condiment for the pink taco truck I worked.

I was positive we were just friends until one little plus sign turned our world upside down. I wanted forever, not a baby daddy.

Apparently, he hadn’t kept his shizzle sauce to himself.

Just the tip? Yeah, right!







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Also Available


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Free in Kindle Unlimited



AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited



AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited






Author Bio


Kat Addams is a forever twenty-nine-year-old fashionista following her lifelong dream of writing contemporary romance inspired by the exotic men she meets in her worldly travels. At least, that’s what she would like for you to think. She’s certainly not a stay-at-home mom indulging in excessive daydreaming, frozen pizzas, an unhealthy addiction to purchasing pajamas, and one too many cocktails on the regular. That’s some other romance author. The poor thing probably has to sneak away upstairs to write her dirty stories! What would her family think? Thankfully, that’s not Kat!


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COVER REVEAL: Rated XXX by Mya Oh




Title: Rated-XXX
Author: Mya Oh
Genre: New Adult Romantic Comedy
Release Date: September 1, 2020



Blurb

So, this whole thing started with a dick cake. Literally, a cake shaped like a dick. Phallic confectionary. I spill a cup of coffee on the patron. We become friends. We fall in love.

Wait, let’s back-track a bit.

I’m Bailey Finch: twenty-four, living in LA, and working as the lowly Calendar Editor for a trendy Sex & Relationships magazine - think Cosmo on methamphetamines. I mostly take coffee orders.

I’m also woefully body-conscious, clinically anxious, and still a virgin. Not the cute, quirky sort, either. I’m a borderline train-wreck on my best days, and a dumpster fire on my worst.

But here’s the real kicker: the Dick Cake Guy? He also ends up being the best career opportunity to possibly fall into my lap. His name is Elijah Mattox: BDSM Porn Star prodigy, wanna-be mainstream actor, and the subject of my very first magazine interview.

Or at least, that’s how it started. There was something much bigger yet to come - no pun intended.

Rated XXX: A virgin. A porn star. A comedy.






Excerpt

CHAPTER 1
The Dick Cake Guy

Cue: Darude – Sandstorm.
Wait. 99 Luftballons. That's a much better intro song.
No. That's not how I want to start this shit show. Or is this supposed to be a romantic comedy? You know, happy ending, lots of tissues, laugh-out-loud dialogue. Brilliant and sweet, with well fleshed-out, dynamic characters. Because that's usually a thing, isn't it?
And I'm already rambling.
So how on Earth do I start this? I'm twenty-four. Name's Bailey Finch. Yeah, that's a good name – it's not just my actual name, but it also looks damn good in print. A good, solid protagonist name.
And the guy? There's always a guy. I know you're waiting for the guy.
Well, what to say: Tall? Check. Muscles? Sorta-check. Tattoos? Check. Wry grin and one of those devious smiles akin to Ian Somerhalder? Check and check. One-thousand checks.
His name is Elijah Mattox. He's twenty-nine-years old. Favorite things that I've scrounged up so far include Asian-fusion cuisine, Single Malt Scotch, and perfecting his purposely-tousled hairstyle. He's an actor, trying to break into main-stream, silver screen. Accolades and Oscars.
As for now, well – he's only the most renowned Porn Star in the country. Over three-thousand scenes to-date. Yeah, no kidding.
And here I am, sitting at my desk, pen in-hand, trying to conjure up some questions to ask him that don't consist of how many tits he's seen and what his thoughts are on the real-to-saline ratio. How many times could he climax in one session? Was his relationship with sex boring now? What is sex like once you've made a career out of using your cock?
Was he worried that working in porn might affect his career as a mainstream actor? This isn't some one-time Kardashian sex tape. Even though I'm sure he's got one of those floating around somewhere. The guy has history.
Then again, I've never actually seen his stuff. Never been much into porn. Even the soft-core variety. I mean, I've done a few Google searches in my time. I technically know what a penis looks like. One time in fourth grade, me and my old best friend, Ginny Weirkowitz, looked up Two Girls One Cup, and refused to eat for the rest of the day. Whatever you do, don't do it. Don't Google it. My eyes went to hell.
But IRL, I've never seen the real thing. I'm a virgin. And I don't say that to sound interesting, either: I've wanted to get laid more times than I could count. I have a vibrator, thank you very much. Have you ever used a Hitachi Magic Wand? Let me tell you...
I've just, you know, never had a real dick. I've never made love, had intercourse, fucked. Real hands, rough, desperate, passionate. Body-crushing. Mouth-on-mouth action. My only real kiss was Sophomore year of high school, on a dare, and that same guy ended up pouring an open container of spaghetti into my backpack after I reminded our Geometry teacher that he had forgotten to collect our homework.
I tapped my pen against the edge of my desk, glancing around the office: large windows, exposed brick walls, and blown-up copies of magazine covers from over the years, largely featuring notable men and women of the celebrity variety.
This was Come's first porn star. Clever magazine name, I know. Come as in: welcome, enter. Come as in...orgasm.
We were known for our sex tips and relationship advice. That said, it's been agreed upon that fucking in the shower just doesn't really work. I've never fucked a guy before, and even I can tell you that I know for a fact, unless maybe you've got one of those shower-bath combos or a seat in your shower, it's freaking impossible. I'd like to put out a request: if you're a woman who has had mind-blowing shower-sex while standing up, please write to me.
I grinned unabashedly, outwardly, probably looking ridiculous. I hadn't accomplished a lick of work in the past two hours. I couldn't concentrate. I was hungry: one of those gripping, all-consuming, carb-salt-sugar craving hungers. I wanted a pretzel, doughnut, and Diet Coke, stat.
What do you ask a porn, star, though? What are the questions?
I don't know, Bailey. Maybe treat him like a normal human male. Like a person. Like you.
I flushed at the thought. Like me, a virgin. A big-mouthed mope of a virgin, with brown hair that was frizzy on good days and unhinged on bad days. Shoulder-length. I wore loafers and slacks to work, button-downs with quirky designs. Today was yellow ducks. But Bailey Finch, as a whole, was painfully unquirky. I was a poser. Inauthentic. Maybe a little too self-deprecating. I was most authentic at home, in bed with my laptop, wearing a hooded sweatshirt, leggings, and cabin socks. The fluffier the socks, the better.
I wondered briefly what Elijah would think of me in comparison to the girls he'd been with on-screen. Did that even matter? No, of course not.
Still, I wondered. Maybe I should flat-iron my hair, or wear shoes with wedges. Lip-gloss vs. lip balm.
Procrastination: I typed out on the keyboard. Failure to concentrate. Here are some random facts: Scotland has 421 words for 'snow'. Elephants are the only mammals that can't jump. The first oranges weren't actually orange. The most common name is Mohammed. Cats can hear ultrasound.  Children grow faster in the springtime. Karaoke means 'empty orchestra' in Japanese.
Delete. Roll eyes. Sigh heavily.
As I sat there, staring at a blank Word document, my boss, Deborah – a tall, all-limbs woman, popped her head into my cubicle.
“How are the interview questions going?”
Her expression was vaguely fatigued despite remaining without a single crease or line; her face was elongated, elegant. She had the most delicate bird-face. Long, a pointed nose, elven cheek-bones. Her eyes, two silver buttons, were wide, perpetually surprised. Her foundation was light enough that I could still see the subtle, natural gloss of oil on her forehead. She was, all said, pretty in a pained sort of way. Her ash-blond hair was always styled as if she were ready to step out onto a runway. She wore Louis Vuitton stilettos and a tailored houndstooth-print suit.
“Excellent,” I lied. “I'm wrapping them up now, actually. I'll email them to you in a minute.”
I'll email them to you in a minute. Panic. My heart jumped. Why did I always do this? I was a people-pleaser to my core, and it always, always ended up biting me in the ass. I lived in constant pause-or-panic.
“Awesome,” she said, pleased. Her smile showed a bit of rose-pink lipstick on her front tooth. “Don't feel the need to get too detailed with them. Let him lead the interview, if you can. He seems talkative enough in past interviews. He did a very informative interview with Cosmopolitan last fall – we want to go deeper than that. Deeper than male skincare, workout regimens and how to maintain an erection, at least.”
“Do you want me to confirm how many inches he is, exactly?” I inquired.
Deborah laughed.
“These are the imperative questions,” she said. “Yeah. If you can get his favorite lay, too, there's a good one. Best orgasm story.”
“I doubt his best orgasm has been on-film,” I quipped. “I mean, three-thousand scenes. I'd be surprised if he wasn't constantly sore. I wonder if dick-fatigue is a thing.”
“Then in a relationship! I don't really care. I just want the details and we can Jane Doe or John Smith the rest.”
“Gotcha,” I nodded. “I'll keep it professional. I'll keep it sexy.”
While, of course, still focusing on the fact that he was now looking to step away from the Adult Industry. Maybe he wouldn't want to talk about anything sexual. He possibly wouldn't. Maybe he'd find it offensive – like a stain on his shirt that he was hoping nobody would notice, or an unruly cowlick.
Deborah scurried off in the direction of her next to-do, and I shook my head, a common mind-reset practice of mine. Like one of those Etch-A-Sketches.
Elijah Mattox, who are you, sir?






Author Bio


Mya Oh is an author, mother, and amateur baker. Rated-XXX is her debut novel.

When not writing, she enjoys spending time exploring the woods of her rural town. She currently resides on the East Coast with her husband, two sons, and ginger tabby cat.


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RELEASE BLITZ: The Marinara Theory by Kristin O'Ferrall




Title: The Marinara Theory
Author: Kristin O'Ferrall
Genre: Chick Lit/Romantic Comedy
Release Date: August 7, 2020



Blurb

Meet Ashley Whitaker, a twenty-six-year-old advertising associate, who considers herself a modern-day Mary Tyler Moore. Filled with moxie and a contradicting wealth of insecurities, Ashley uses all her coping mechanisms to deal with the minefield of dating.

After being dumped via text message, Ashley decides to focus her energies on her aspiring advertising career, becoming a Taekwondo badass, and funding a trip to Europe with a part-time waitressing job.

It’s only when she discovers the magic of the Marinara Theory that her life takes a surprisingly positive turn upwards. Suddenly it seems as if the heavens have opened up and populated the universe with available bachelors seeking her affection. Even her ex (AKA Mr. Text Dumper) is susceptible to the Marinara Theory’s magic and wants Ashley back.

The Marinara Theory also lands Ashley the role of manager of a lucrative new advertising account. But can Ashley rise to the challenge? It doesn’t help that tongues are wagging at work about a juicy rumor. There’s also office politics and her own self-doubt that she must overcome in order to lead her creative team and please the client.

Will the power of the Marinara Theory dissipate like Cinderella’s glass slipper at midnight or will Ashley recognize the secret to sustainability? The answer can be found in the pages of The Marinara Theory, which humorously chronicles Ashley Whitaker as she searches to find self-empowerment and, with any luck, her Prince Charming.







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Playlist



Excerpt

Not in person. Not by phone. Not even by email. Text. 
Are you kidding me? 
That is how I, Ashley Whitaker, was dumped by my boyfriend (AKA guy I was dating).   
Don’t think it’s going to work out. Please take care. 
That was it!  No explanation. No apology.
I really liked him too—at least, I think I did. No, what am I saying? Yes, I did like him. And, I thought he liked me too.  Case in point: his last text to me – the one before the last text – seemed so promising.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing you tonight.”
It didn’t say “see you tonight” or even “looking forward to seeing you tonight”.
It said “really”.  “I am really looking forward to seeing you tonight.”
I mean, really?
And our date in retrospect also seemed great. We had gone to dinner and then to the movies. At dinner, he held my hand across the table and laughed at all my corny jokes. While waiting in line for the movie, he put his arms around me. I remember thinking: This is good. We’re now at the stage where PDA is acceptable. 
I remember coyly looking up at him, and when I did, he smiled back as if we were sharing a moment.  My stomach actually had butterflies.
And then, it happened. I opened my mouth and impulsively spewed, “So, would you consider me your girlfriend?”
I never did get an answer—the ticket lady conveniently asked for our tickets right at that moment. I also never got another date or another “really looking forward totext.
Oh, right. I guess that was my answer. No, he didn’t consider me his girlfriend.
I need chocolate.






Praise for The Marinara Theory

This novel was a delightful read. It was everything you want in a book. Characters you love and can relate to and an engaging plot. I highly recommend this book. Perfect for reading on the beach or anywhere. If you are looking for a fun book that will entertain people of all ages, The Marinara Theory is perfect.

I absolutely LOVED reading this book!!! I recommend it to any book lovers in search of something timeless, funny, honest, and riveting.


O'Ferrall truly understands the everyday comedy AND tragedy of being a female in our current society. Such a wonderfully relatable and hilarious read. I'd say more, but I don't want to spoil the plot.

I recommend The Marinara Theory to any and all readers, male or female! You won't be disappointed.


Love this book! Hard to put it down! I highly recommend it!






Author Bio


Kristin O’Ferrall is a creative at heart who has incorporated writing throughout her career as a grant writer, marketer, blogger, and author. Her first writing job was at eleven years old when Kristin was regularly commissioned by her mother to write pithy words of inspiration for her sales newsletters.

Kristin’s debut novel Marianna Mestre: Nothing’s As It Seems is the first in the middle-grade mystery series, Marianna Mestre. The sequel will be coming out later this year.

To learn more about Kristin O’Ferrall, be notified of future releases, or to sign up for her newsletter, visit https://linktr.ee/KristinOFerrall.


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