Second Chance

by Allyson Sinclair

Contemporary Romance

Anabella Stewart had the perfect marriage, children and a husband who loved her unconditionally or so she thought. She'd built her life around them for ten years until she was blindsided with the truth of who her husband really was, and everything she held dear and believed in evaporated in an instant.

Anabella's heart filled with darkness and the only glimmer of light is the love she holds for her two young daughters. She’s content in her 'no-one can hurt me life', it’s controlled, she isolates herself, studies, goes to work and just keeps breathing.

A freak accident helps Anabella find her way out of the darkness when she meets Nikolas Turner. After the death of his parents he has a decision to make; return home to England or take over the reins of the family company.

As fate, would have it Anabella crashes into Nikolas' life. She’s everything he thought he didn’t want from a relationship; a single mother who’d depend on him for comfort and support he didn’t know he could give. Being with her means not only loving her but also becoming a father figure to her children.

When life offers you a second chance, even when you don’t think you need one, you hold on tight with everything you have.

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“Feel like going on an adventure with me?”

Being with you is already an adventure.

“Sure.”

“Have you ever been to D’Aguilar National Park?”

“No, I don’t actually go outdoors that much.”

“There’s a five-kilometre hiking track with an incredible view. I thought we could hike together?”

Oh my God, he doesn’t know how clumsy I am! Like, Bella from ‘Twilight’ clumsy.

“Nikolas, that sounds great, but I’m not always good on my feet. Maybe we should do something less dangerous?”

He laughs and raises an eyebrow. “Do you think I would allow any harm to come to you?”

“Ha! You don’t know how bad my version of clumsy is. On Claire’s cross country day, I rolled my ankle on the school oval and that was flat!” I laugh at my own clumsiness.

He reaches over the console for my hand and I let him take it, he raises it to his lips and kisses my knuckles. “I promise I’ll protect you, even from yourself.” He takes his eyes off the road for a moment to look at me. “Trust me, Anabella.”

He has no idea how hard those two words are for me.

Allyson Sinclair is a mother of two beautiful girls. She is a down to earth Aussie girl with a passion for reading and now writing. After being introduced to reading by her best friend, she soon fell in love with the literary world. The Twilight Saga and Fifty Shades of Grey are some of her huge favourites, amongst hundreds more. While reading these books, soon enough scenes and plots began to form, but because she felt as though she couldn't achieve her dream of becoming an author, she decided to share her ideas with author friends for them to write. But they fully encouraged her to begin her writing journey and so her story began and has become her life over the last two year. Now the ideas keep flowing with many more stories to share in the future.

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Title: A Hotel in Venice
Release: 8/1/15
Genre: Romance, Mystery

A romantic gondola ride on the Grand Canal, a shimmer reflected in the moonlit night, and the beginning of murder and mayhem for Minola Grey and Peter Riley. Minola Grey and her fiancé Peter Riley travel to Venice for a romantic wedding surrounded by their friends. However, a romantic Grand Canal gondola ride embroils the couple in a conspiracy as mysterious and mystifying as the city itself. Here, Minola’s notoriety and powers of observation make her a target of someone’s sinister machinations. Worse, the murderer seems to want to undermine and destroy her relationship with Peter. When an old friend asks for help finding a missing Master Glassblower and art he’d created, Minola cannot refuse. Yet, in the thick of the investigation, she must be careful. Her very involvement may heighten the threat against her and Peter, making them the next targets. Unfortunately, Minola has never been able to resist a friend in need. Why were Master Glassblower Julio Divini’s glass daggers stolen in the first place? What secrets have been hidden in century old traditions? And will Peter be able to share his own secrets with his future bride? Most importantly, will the wedding happen as Minola and Peter plan… Or not at all?

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Series Books

Hotel in Paris

Hotel in Bath

About Margot Justes

Born in Poland, Margot Justes has lived in some of the world's most wonderful places, including Israel, France and South Africa. Currently living in the East Coast, she has taken her love of art and travel and cultivated it into unique settings and stories for her writing, 2007 brought her a contract for her first novel A Hotel in Paris .

A Hotel in Bath was released in February 2013, A Hotel in Venice will be released in June, 2015, and Margot is currently working on her fourth book in the hotel series, set in Barcelona, Spain. She is also hard at work on a sequel to Blood Art .

A Fire Within, set in Chicago was released in February,  2014.  The story first appeared in the Hearts and Daggers anthology. Her other projects include a novella also set in Chicago, Dazzling Diamonds, scheduled for release in September 2015. She also writes travel articles and blogs.

Margot Justes is a Member of Romance Writers of America, the Chicago North RWA Chapter, as well as the Georgia Romance Writers. She is a past president of the Chicago North RWA Chapter, and the Chicago Chapter of Sisters in Crime. She loves to hear from readers.

 

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An innovative and collaborative collection of Shifter stories set in one town, with a guaranteed Happily Ever After.

Authors included:

Scarlett Dawn, Aria Kane, Lia Davis, K.N. Lee, Calinda B, Kate Corcino, J. Rose Alexander, J.M. Witt, Carina Wilder, Sarah Makela, Tasha Black, Emily Walker, Michele Bardsley, Elle Thorne, Renee George, Nicole Blanchard, Mandy Rosko, J.D. Hollyfield, Mindy Larson, M.C. Cerny, Xandra James, Raci Ames, Isobelle Cate, April Aasheim,
Cherie Marks, Rachel M Raithby, Eden Butler, Ever Coming, Jenni Moen, and K Webster.

For two years Becca Kian has been in an abusive relationship; leaving could prove deadly, but when she’s pushed a step too far, Becca has no choice but to flee. After an accident that leaves her unconscious, Becca wakes to find herself in the cabin of a man as entrancing as he is dangerous. Because this man makes her want to dream — dream of a world where Alex Scar doesn’t exist.

Both Minotaur and human, Aster Tavros is a shifter in hiding. Living in Woodland Creek, he’s made no effort to form relationships; too afraid to allow others to see his true nature. Because when they do; they run, or worse…die. Yet when Becca comes crashing into his life, he ignores every one of his rules. Passion ignites between them, but when secrets and pasts collide, Aster must hide his identity — or reveal his true self, and save Becca, all the while, risking losing her forever…

 Release Date : November 15th 2015

Woodland Creek Website

*Copyright Rachel M Raithby - subject to change unedited.

Becca hadn’t had a blessed life. Though recently she thought it was reaching an all-time low. Even being tossed from one foster home to the next her entire childhood, was beginning to seem like heaven compared to the last few months.

Her life drained the very essence from her. Every day she witnessed horrible acts she could never erase from her mind. Becca was trapped, a prisoner, yet her captor didn’t see it as such.

At seventeen Becca had run away from her final foster home; deciding she’d rather chance the streets than live with the foster dad with wandering hands. After a year things began to take there toll, thieving for food wasn’t easy, and no one wanted to employ a homeless woman who’d not even finished school. The day she met Alex Scar was a turning point in her life. At the time she’d thought it was for the better, but how very wrong she’d been.

Alex Scar had many talents. His best though; wearing a mask. Alex Scar could turn from safe, handsome, nice guy to the leader of a drug cartel within seconds. He’d worn his mask for months, luring Becca into his trap. He gave her a home, a job, and he wanted nothing for it in return…well for the first six months at least.

Becca knew she was beautiful…sexy even. When she had nice clothes and a place to live, her dark brown hair glimmered almost black. Her blue eyes shined when she had no worries on her shoulders, and her smile was infectious and easily given. For six months Alex had only been a friend, he’d given her a new life, and not once attempted to want anything more. The night he’d first touched her he’d been gentle and sweet, his kiss had been light, teasing, leaving her wanting more.

I never do this Bec…The girls I help, I never have any intention of wanting anything from them, but you Becca, you are the sweetest of them all…I can’t help myself.

His words, and his smooth tone, had captured Becca in his spell, and for a while she’d been happy. Yet eventually Alex’s mask began to slip. She witnessed glimpses of his real nature, and his real life. By the time Becca wanted out. She’d seen and heard too much. Becca’s only out was death.

So here she was; just twenty and girlfriend to Alex Scar, leader of the drug cartel in Detroit. Alex kept her by his side like a trophy. He knew she hated what he did, and it seemed to only please him more. He loved torturing her mind, loved to make her watch his interrogations. He also enjoyed hitting her when she stepped out of line.

Becca often wondered whether she had a limit. When would the point arrive when she couldn’t take anymore? What would finally make her snap?

“Come here Bec.”

Becca glanced up plastering a smile on her face as she gazed at Alex. There was a new shipment in, and Alex and his crew where sampling the goods. Becca never touched the stuff, and Alex had never forced her too…yet.

“Yes?” she asked sweetly, as she approached. Pulling the hem of her dress down, Becca felt eyes on her. Alex chose her clothes, he told her what to wear.

“Stop fiddling,” Alex scolded, slapping her thigh. “Come, sit on my lap.”

Swallowing her revulsion, Becca complied. She hated nights when Alex got high; he always got too rough.

“My sexy sweet thing,” Alex cooed, taking hold of her breast and squeezing tightly. “Show me how grateful you are Becca.”

Sliding her hands up his body, Becca’s mind went blank as she retreated deep into herself, and performed an act she’d done many times with no thought. She didn’t feel anything when she kissed, and touched Alex Scar. It was like she wasn’t home; she’d left her body, and it acted on its own accord. Becca felt dead on the inside, with each time she died a little more, yet she could see no way out.

Feeling extra hands on her, Becca snapped back to herself and pulled away as Tony, Alex’s right hand man groped her.

“Get off!” Becca yelled, venom in her tone.

Tony looked shocked she’d even spoke. His eyes narrowed, anger filled his features. She wasn’t quick enough to miss his strike, he clipped the side of her face and she fell back onto the floor and scrambled away. Her eyes met Alex’s, pleading him to say something, to stop this, but Alex laughed, delighted with this new game.

“Get back here Bec,” he order patting the hard bulge between his legs.

“What?” Becca whispered, her eyes looking from Tony to Alex. “But I’m yours?”

“Yes you are. I own you Becca, and I want you here on my lap, and you’ll let Tony do as he pleases.”

Her legs moved on their own. Her mind screamed in protest but nothing seemed to respond. They pulled at her, touching her, and stripping her body of her clothes. She felt their damp skin rubbing against her but saw none of it, registered none of it.

Her back met the floor, as Alex loomed above her, ripping the last shred of clothing from her body. A tear rolled from her eye as Tony’s cock hovered above her face.

“Now be a good girl and open up,” Tony sneered.

With one last pleading glance at Alex, Becca complied. I really do have no limit…

The door burst open.

“I’m busy!” Alex growled.

“I’m sorry Boss but this is urgent.”

Alex’s hands dug painfully tight into her thighs. “I’ll finish with you later… Enjoy Tony.”

For one hopeful second Becca had thought she’d been saved. Yet Alex stood, pulled on his jeans and then left, closing her in the room with Tony.

“At last I have you all to myself.” Tony smiled.

Becca snapped. Scrambling away she turned to escape, only to be pulled back. Her head hit the coffee table painfully and the stack of cocaine tumbled to the floor, sending white puffs of clouds into the air.

“Bitch, you’re going to pay for that.”

“No…please.”

Her begging only enticed him more, and as he neared her entrance, Becca turned her head away unable to watch. Her eyes focused on the contents she’d knocked from the coffee table; bags of cocaine, cigarettes and a gun, half hidden under a newspaper.

Becca had always wondered if she had a limit. What vile act would send her over the edge? She knew there was a high probability she’d not leave the warehouse alive, and even if she did, Alex would never stop hunting her, yet her hand clasped the gun. The metal felt oddly right in her hand, her finger found the trigger and as she aimed. Tony laughed not expecting her to shoot, but whether she lived or died, Becca wouldn’t allow herself to be loaned out to Alex’s men…She’d reached her limit, and she fired.

New Dawn Novels

True love is powerful, but some people will go to any lengths to destroy it.

Book 1 - Winter Wolf

#BestSellingParanormal #YoungAdult

Amazon US   | Amazon UK     |  Amazon AU   |  Amazon CA  |  Amazon FR  |  Amazon DE

Pre-Order Paperback | Audio

 Book 2 - Wolf Dancer

 #Nico&OliviasStory

RELEASE DATE TBA 2016

Due to Winter Wolf being picked up by Skyskape Publishing Rachel has had to postpone the release of Wolf Dancer.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE DEADWOOD HUNTER SERIES

#BestSellingParanormal #Adult

War is inevitable, the question is who will survive?

Lexia #Book1 Goodreads   eBook #FREE - Amazon US - UK - AU - CA - FR - DE |iBooks |  Kobo  | Barnes & Noble
Whispers of Darkness #Book2 Goodreads  BUY LINKS - Amazon US - UK - AU - CA  -FR - DE - Barnes & Noble
Holocaust #Book3 Goodreads   BUY LINKS - Amazon US - UK - AU - CA  - FR - DE

 

Rachel M. Raithby started her writing career in 2013 and hasn't looked back. She draws her inspiration from the many places she has lived and traveled, as well as from her love of the paranormal and thriller movies. She can often be found hiding out with a good book or writing more fast-paced and thrilling stories where love always conquers all. A Brit who left the UK in 2008, she resides in a quiet town in Queensland, Australia, with her family.

Her books include, the adult Paranormal Romance novels 'The Deadwood Hunter Series' and the Young Adult novel 'Winter Wolf.'

Keep up to date with Rachel  Join Rachels Street Team

Twitter: @Rach1986UK | Facebook | FacebookPage
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Google+ | Blog

Book Title: How to Catch Crabs 

Author: Demelza Carlton 

Genre: Historical Romance 

Release Date: June 2015 

Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions

Love and babies: two things Lucy doesn't have time for in her life. It's 1926 and this young West Australian woman is happy as an accountant. And she intends to stay that way.

Until Giorgio, an Italian migrant fisherman sent to Australia in disgrace. The moment their eyes meet across the fish market, he knows Lucy's the girl for him. If it weren't for his reputation as a rake, he's certain he could catch more than just her eye - perhaps even her heart, too.

A tale of crabs, cricket bats and catching your heart's desire in Jazz Age Western Australia.

I smelled smoke faintly on the wind and knew Mum wasn't the only one brewing up a morning cup of tea.

When my basket was empty, I slipped under the lines of washing until I reached the outermost rank. A quick touch told me that these were far from dry, so I returned to the lean-to laundry to finish up the last load of boys' clothes. I'd already scrubbed these once, but they were so dirty, I'd given up and decided to soak them for longer.

I wound them around the copper stick – actually an old cricket bat of Dominic's – and dumped the mess into the rinse water, praying that I wouldn't have to scrub them again. It wouldn't kill the boys to wear grey shirts to school, especially after they'd turned them that colour.

I shoved my arms into the tub of water, weaving my hands between the shirts and shorts in an effort to untangle them. The smell of smoke intensified as I touched the bottom of the stone tub. No, this wasn't the clean, sharp smell of burning jarrah from a neighbour's chimney. This was the fug of tobacco that shouldn't be anywhere near my laundry.

"Nick, if you're smoking again, I'll tell Mum!" I hissed, glancing over my shoulder.

The masculine silhouette in the doorway was too muscular to be my fifteen-year-old brother. As if to demonstrate this, he removed the cigarette from his lips and blew a stream of smoke at the ceiling. "Who is this Nick, streghetta? Your brother, I hope."

Giorgio's deep voice stopped my heart for a moment, before it stuttered back to beating. How could one man have such an effect on me? I only hoped he didn't notice.

"None of your business," I snapped. "What are you doing, trespassing here?"

He laughed softly. "I am driving my sister-in-law to see her friend. My brother didn't trust me to mind his shop, so he gave me his wife and truck instead. So, this friend. Is she your friend, too? Or your sister, perhaps?"

"My mother. And my father is pruning the grapevines, but he'll be back for lunch any moment, so you should get out of here and leave me to my work." I deliberately turned my back on him, concentrating only on the task at hand. I willed him to leave.

"But you have bewitched me, streghetta. I've thought of nothing and no one else since I met you in the market last week." I heard the crunch of footsteps on the hard-packed clay as he entered the lean-to.

He's right behind me, but I won't give him the satisfaction of paying him undeserved attention, I vowed, lifting a shirt from the suds so I could scrutinise it for stains.

Something warm touched my neck and I dropped the shirt with a splash. Whirling around, I glared at Giorgio. "How dare you touch me without my permission!"

"This new fashion of short hair drew my eyes to your neck, as I'm sure you intended, and I could not resist you, streghetta." He touched two fingers to his lips. "Your neck tastes of soap and salt, the products of your hard labour. Do your lips taste sweeter?"

I drew in a sharp breath to shout at him again, but he seized my shoulders and kissed me. His lips were warm as he took me by surprise, taking advantage of my open mouth to mingle his breath with mine, before his tongue darted in to dance. It was a kiss that spoke of passion, longing and a desire for more as his body pressed mine against the sink. He tasted of ash and smoke, coupled with the warmth of a fire that could melt even the iciest heart. Even mine, I realised, as my knees weakened. I groped for the sink behind me to stay on my feet and my fingers closed on the copper stick.

All those years of backyard cricket with my brothers was worth it, I decided, as I brought up the bat to hit the rogue for six. Cold, soapy water doused us both, but I didn't care because I heard and felt the satisfying thunk as the bat made contact with his head.

Immediately, he released me and backed up, touching a hand to his head to see if he was bleeding. Sadly, I hadn't hit him hard enough for that. My arms were too tired from a morning's worth of washing.

I brandished the bat. "Don't do that again."

He laughed and I almost hit him again. "Only if you promise not to bewitch me any more. Tell me your name."

"You've never had the good manners to introduce yourself, so why should I?" I retorted. I could still feel the heat of his mouth on mine. Heavens – I almost wanted to feel it again.

Demelza Carlton has always loved the ocean, but on her first snorkelling trip she found she was afraid of fish.

She has since swum with sea lions, sharks and sea cucumbers and stood on spray-drenched cliffs over a seething sea as a seven-metre cyclonic swell surged in, shattering a shipwreck below.

Sensationalist spin? No - Demelza tends to take a camera with her so she can capture and share the moment later; shipwrecks, sharks and all.

Demelza now lives in Perth, Western Australia, the shark attack capital of the world.

The Ocean's Gift series was her first foray into fiction, followed by the Nightmares trilogy. She swears the Mel Goes to Hell series ambushed her on a crowded train and wouldn't leave her alone.

Title: The End Game

Author: Kate McCarthy

 Release Date: September 8, 2015

Blurb

“Professional athletes are pillars of their respective communities. They are heroes in the eyes of boys and girls and are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that positively represents their community.”

The public loves a good scandal. Seeing someone fall from the pinnacle of success makes a great headline. No one knows that better than I do. What started out as a promising career in college football, spiraled into scandal and shame.

But being a hero is easier said then done. Especially when there are those who expected to see the great Brody Madden fail. I craved nothing except being the best—willing to do anything to prove them wrong. But I went too far, and I tried too hard, and it broke me.

“At the time of going to print, Jordan Elliott was unavailable for comment.”

I met Brody Madden in my senior year of college. An Australian native on an international scholarship, I was the female soccer sensation with stars in her eyes and no room for a hotshot wide receiver with a chip on his shoulder.

But a heart bursting with ambition and a driving fire to succeed isn’t made of stone. I became his strength, his obsession, and the greatest love of his life. Only I wasn’t there when he needed me most.

This is a story about love and a game that takes everything. Where the path to glory is paved with sacrifice. Where pressure makes you, or breaks you, and triumph is born in the ashes of failure. Where two people’s end game will change everything.

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Author Bio

Kate McCarthy is an Australian, living in the pretty sunshine state of Queensland with her two kids and two dogs, Rufus and Pete.

She loves to bake sweet stuff and eat it too. With an exciting degree in business, she works as an accountant by day, and an author by night. In between family life, she is most often found in bed reading, or at the beach, still reading.

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