Padme's Library: Released Day Blitz: Crazed Reckoning by Valerie J Clarizio

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Released Day Blitz: Crazed Reckoning by Valerie J Clarizio

Title: Crazed Reckoning

Author: Valerie J Clarizio

Series: Nick Spinelli Mystery #3

Genre: Mystery, Crime

Release Date: March 12, 2015

Publisher: Melange Books, LLC

Click here to follow the Blog Tour

Summary:
After experiencing a murderous Christmas and Valentine's Day with love interest Shannon O'Hara, Detective Nick Spinelli assumed Saint Patrick's Day couldn't be any worse.

He was wrong.

While out on a geocaching adventure in Door County, Shannon and her friend Anna find more than a clue in the cache box. When Shannon disappears, Spinelli is sent racing to find her. Amidst the chaos of an unruly Irish celebration, and a decades-old Irish family feud, he must rescue her from the hands of a madman.

Caving to his selfishness, Spinelli lifted his hand and combed his fingers through Shannon’s smooth, silky strands of hair before his hand came to rest against her warm, inviting, cheek. Her eyes fluttered open but quickly closed again. He tilted her head slightly for better access to her soft, irresistible lips. He touched them lightly with his before he pulled his head back in hopes to catch a glimpse of her beautiful emerald eyes. It took but a moment for her lids to rise, and the sea of green staring back at him instantly swallowed him whole.

Wasting no time, he dipped his head and fully took her mouth. The heat of her tongue nearly set him to flames. Her fingers wove through his hair; his hand cupped a breast through her shirt. Her back still pinned one arm between her and the chair. As if reading his mind, she shifted her position more upright, freeing his arm and his hand for roaming. He nearly chuckled at her mind-reading skills in the few short months they’d been together. At this rate, he’d soon have no private thoughts left.

Her scorching tongue turned his mind to mush. She sent every nerve ending in his body to the highest point of arousal he’d ever experienced. He couldn’t think anymore. He could only react and deepened his kiss.

Straddling him in the chair, she placed her hands on his cheeks and locked her smoldering gaze onto his. He needed a crowbar to tear his gaze from hers, as he glanced at her letter still on the arm of the chair. Unless she saw it in the last few seconds, she would have no way of knowing he’d seen the letter she wrote to him. Shifting his gaze back to her, he found her looking at the paper. Her breath held for a moment.

The sheer intensity of her concentrated gaze bored into his soul. “I meant every word of it, Nick.”

A thrill snapped through him like a lightning bolt as if this information was new to him. Deep down he’d known it for a while, but the letter confirmed his suspicions. Hearing her say the words, with such sincerity and assurance, rendered him speechless. His heart pounded in his chest.

Shannon’s green eyes darkened as she leaned forward and pressed her fiery-hot and needy lips to his. Spinelli’s greedy hands went to work, pulling her shirt up and over her head so quickly their lips hardly parted to complete the task. His fingers loosened the hook on her bra, freeing her small perky round breasts from their confinement.

Pulling his lips from hers, he fastened his mouth around one breast as he cupped the other in the palm of his hand. Her breath hitched and released with a soft moan. If that was the last sound he ever heard, he’d die a happy man. She had the most beautiful breasts.

Shannon’s small hands floated down and fluidly worked the button and zipper of his jeans. If she took any longer, the force of his erection would take care of that task.

He somehow found enough sense to lift himself to his feet with Shannon in his arms. Her legs wrapped around his waist. He took the four steps needed before playfully tossing her onto the bed. Kneeling before him, she tugged at his jeans as he pulled his shirt over his head. She eyed his erection. He always loved how she looked at him. Only two things were better. Yep, wrapping her mouth around him was one. Her sizzling tongue slid around and over the tip of him before taking him in completely. The escalating pressure was nearly more than he could bear and she’d hardly started. His pulse pounded in his ears as his aching body begged for release. His concentrated effort to hold out nearly failed him as she freed him from the depths of her knowing mouth.

Shannon scooted up on the bed. Her skin flushed at his gaze. He tugged her jeans and panties from her before he crawled up beside her. Before he knew it, his mouth covered hers, probing, exploring, as if it had never been there before. He was ready, so ready to dip inside her velvet opening.

Reviews/Accolades for Valerie J. Clarizio:
Covert Exposure, a Nick Spinelli Mystery
~The Reading Reviewer/Mary Gramlich~ Valerie Clarizio has written a wonderful story with amazing characters and an interesting turn of events you just never see coming. Christmas is all about surprise and this book shows what happens when you unwrap a great one.
~Maddie Cochere / Author of the Susan Hunter Mystery Series~ Whether it be the friction between Shannon and Spinelli when they first meet or when they first kiss, there are plenty of sparks in this entertaining romance suspense novella. The characters are easy to care about and root for, the writing is solid, and the mystery/suspense is well done. A very entertaining first book from Valerie Clarizio, and I’m looking forward to the next one!
Craving Vengeance, a Nick Spinelli Mystery
~Shelley R. Pickens – Author of The Haunting of Secrets~ Clarizio does an excellent job of pulling the reader in immediately and making you want to read until you figure out who the culprit is! Throw in a spice of humor and a heaping spoonful of love and you have yourself a wonderful story. You will enjoy reading this latest Spinelli mystery!! I can't wait for the next one. Nick is such a hot character!!

1. What is the biggest influence/interest that brought you to this genre?
I like action and sexy heroes. Throw in a teaspoon of quirkiness and humor, and I’m one happy camper. I also like to watch detective movies and TV shows. Some of my favorites are Castle, Remington Steele, Magnum PI, and Simon and Simon.

2. When writing a book, what is your favorite part of the creative process(outline, plot, character names, editing, etc)?
I love picking character names. I have a thing for Italian names for men and Irish names for women; however, you will see me throw in a Belgian or Bohemian name here or there out of respect for my heritage.

3. When reading a book, what genre do you find most interesting/intriguing?
My favorite is romantic suspense but I’ve started to venture into other genres.

4. If you could co-author with any author, past or present, who would you choose?
If I could co-author with anyone I would choose Janet Evanovich. I absolutely love her Stephanie Plum series, and I truly enjoy her quirky sense of humor.

5. Have you always wanted to write or did it come to you "later in life"?
It came much later in life. The ‘want’ to write came to me about seven years ago. I had just finished the course work for my Master of Business Administration degree and found I had a boatload of time on my hands. I always held a full-time and part-time job while attending college at night, and suddenly I found I had nothing to do at night. I was bored.
An avid reading friend of mine handed me an Evanovich book and I promptly said, “No thanks.” The last thing I wanted to do was read anything. I’d read enough text books to last me a lifetime, and up to this point in my life I had never read for pleasure. She pushed the book toward me and urged me to read it. I read that book in two days, and then I read every book Evanovich penned. When I was done with her I moved on to JA Konrath and Leanne Banks. I logged over 50 books read in the first year. They were much easier reading than text books I was accustom to. Anyhow, one night I dreamt up Detective Nick Spinelli and I thought to myself that he would be an awesome character for Evanovich to write. After more thought, I figured I should just do it myself, and did.

Author Bio:
Valerie is a writer of romantic suspense, contemporary romance, and women’s fiction novels. She lives in beautiful Door County Wisconsin with her husband and two very spoiled cats. She loves to read, write, and spend time at her cabin in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. She’s lived her life surrounded by men, three brothers, a husband, and a male Siamese cat who required his own instruction manual. Keeping up with all the men in her life has turned her into a successful hunter and fisherwoman.
She is a member of Romance Writers of America and the Wisconsin Romance Writers of America. Additionally, she was a finalist in the 2011 Celtic Hearts Romance Writers, Novellas Need Love, Too! Contest.