Pre-Order Blitz: Seeking Hope by JM Maurer

Title: Seeking Hope

Author: JM Maurer

Series: Emerging from Darkness Trilogy #3

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Expected Release Date: August 18, 2016

Summary:

Jessica and Matthew’s captivating love story comes to an epic conclusion in the final installment of J.M. Maurer’s Emerging From Darkness trilogy that began with the novels Seeking Love and Seeking Redemption.

I’d been given promises in the past, all of which were broken.

Inevitably, they broke me.

I wouldn’t let those broken promises stop me from believing in new ones, though.

I couldn’t.

Matthew Moi was different.

His dimpled smile and witty sexual banter has held me spellbound since day one.

Falling in love with him came easy.

Marrying him—a dream come true.

Now, he wants something I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready for.

As I struggle, he faithfully remains at my side.

Through it all, his protective nature shields me from an evil I didn’t see coming.

Together, we have it all—love, passion, trust.

Apart, the possibilities are endless, even death.

Seeking Hope is the final book in the Emerging From Darkness trilogy, and as such, is not intended to be a standalone. The trilogy reads as: Seeking Love, Seeking Redemption, & Seeking Hope.

Follow Jessica and Matthew’s captivating and steamy love story from the beginning—start the trilogy today!

Maracuja traums.

The yummy drink was on my mind days later as Matthew and I lounged under the heat of the sun, its rays warming my face as if I had an intravenous infusion of rum. I tossed around the idea of sipping on another one, but opted for a chilled bottle of water instead. After taking a sip, I rolled my head against the cushioned pillow and squinted against the bright light, seeing Matthew’s muscled chest. “Thanks for last night. I had a lot of fun.”

“You enjoyed yourself. I wasn’t sure you’d be able to handle the sunlight today.”

“I must have danced it all off, or something.” I winked, hearing a tone from Matthew’s phone. “You going to answer that?”

“Answer what?” He grinned. “A hundred bucks says it’s Holly.”

“I can’t take that bet, and you know it.”

“Yeah, you’d lose for sure.” He slid his thumb across the screen. “We’re not here. Leave a message, Holly.” He looked over my shoulder, disconnected the call, and then suddenly tossed the phone.

“You two are something else. The instant I called, I found you.” Holly kicked sand across my skin. “Would you stop hiding and join in on the fun? I have another surprise.”

I sat up, dusted off the sand, and offered her a seat. “Maybe we’re hiding from you,” I teased.

“There’s no hiding from me. And this,” she grabbed my hand and yanked me up, “you’re not gonna want to miss. Come on, you two. The Morgans are here, and Connor is serving drinks. You’re happy. I’m happy. Everybody is happy and having fun.”

She yanked again, dragging me away so fast that the sand wasn’t even able to sink in between my toes. “I’ll answer next time, Holly. I promise. Please stop jerking my arm.” I looked back at Matthew, mouthed a sorry, then shrugged, struggling to shuffle my feet.

“No problem, Mrs. Moi,” he shouted.

“Tomorrow,” I hollered back. “Not until tomorrow.”

Click Here for a Closer Look at Books 1 & 2

Author Bio:
J.M. started working as a registered nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit where she cared for critically ill children, transported them from outlying hospitals, and even picked up overtime hours treating patients of all ages while inside a hyperbaric chamber. Holding a Bachelor's degree in nursing, she loves to write about strong characters and their struggles in life. Her books explore themes of revenge, redemption, and hope along with the intrigue of true love, sex, and marriage.

 An incurable romantic with a penchant for dark chocolate and red wine, no matter what trials or tortures her characters face, love will always prevail . . . because, after all, what's better than a happily-ever-after?

 When not writing, you can find her spending time with family and friends, exploring the outdoors, or attempting most any sport. She resides in Chicago with her husband and son.

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Seeking Hope #3

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Seeking Love #1

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A Brush with Darkness by Erastes

Summary:
Florence, 1875

After making a grisly discovery one night, I needed proof that there was still goodness in the world. I never dreamt it would come to me during my next commission—with a subject whose very name means light...

Yuri was glorious in his otherworldly beauty, surrounded by a bright halo of iridescence, but I detected a fierce darkness lurking underneath the surface. Sketching all night, I could hardly wait to capture his likeness in a painting. For Yuri has stimulated not only my creative urges, but my sexual ones as well.

His very presence infuses me with joy and passion, but what will happen if my patron should discover our trysts? Dependent on his good graces, I can't afford to lose his support. But I fear the time will soon come when I must choose between restoring my family's fortunes and obeying the temptation of the muse before me...

This novella by Erastes has a little bit of everything I love: historical, paranormal, love, and mystery.  I won't tell you just what Yuri is even though it's not much of a surprise once it's revealed, at least I was able to guess it.  A well written tale that is chock full of intriguing characters, both good and bad, that had me hooked from page one.  It was a little shorter than I would have liked but it is also one of those that probably would not have been any better than it already is with addition of extra pages.  A great addition to both my paranormal and historical libraries.

RATING: 

Florence, 1875

Now I think back on it all, it's ironic and yet so very apposite how I always associate him with light. It seems impossible to think of him in any other way but surrounded by a bright halo of iridescence—the bright yellow glare of candles, or the greener glow of the gas lamps. Light shrouds him, an impossibility he manages to achieve. Perhaps the light is jealous of him, or perhaps it misses him and clings to him where it can. Like a lover, or a second skin. A never-ceasing wonder to someone like me, who lives his life through every hint of light and shade. Even in the dark he is never entirely obscured but seems to shimmer with a phosphorescence all his own. Even his very name means light.

There was no wonder, and little enough light, in the alley at the back of the Pitti Palace. This story probably began there, although it is always hard to decide that kind of thing when one is in the eye of the storm.

I'd been prowling the streets of Florence late at night. Even a newcomer to the city such as myself knew it wasn't a sensible thing to do in some areas, even in daylight, but my muse had deserted me and I was driven to it by desperation. If I didn't paint, my patron—the unctuous and two-faced Signor Bettano—would soon think twice about supporting me and my family.

The shadows on the walls of my bedroom, so often an inspiration in their shrouded beauty, were nothing but the flickerings of the candle flame and the promise of little else. They failed me when I needed them—they gave me neither inspiration nor joy. So I dressed in the dark and slipped down the creaking staircase in stockinged feet, shoes in hand. Past Bettano's rooms and out in the musty cool of the Florentine night, charcoal in pockets, a sketch pad optimistically tucked beneath my arm.

I knew little of my surroundings. The city was unfamiliar to me, but as I slid into the stream of the night—joining a small drift of others who, for their own reasons, also found solace in the shadows—I felt a peace that had recently eluded me, shut away in the top of my patron's house.

I moved aimlessly by the Arno. The river poured by, black and swift. The moss-dank stones of the river's path were cool, slippery and slick to my touch, like drowned flesh beneath my hands. For an hour or more, I sat on the muddy edge of the empty riverbank, getting myself chilled in the process, watching the yellow moon rise above the black edges of the city. Pregnant and gibbous, she cast her sickly reflection in the water beneath.

But nothing spurred me to take my charcoal in hand, and even under the bright light of the moon, I did not feel moved to commit anything to paper. I saw nothing to inspire me. For all the glamour of my relocation from Fiesole to Florence, for all the excitement I'd felt—and yes, some trepidation too—at leaving my family behind to restore our fortunes in the city, I saw only water, light and stone. And that was nothing I couldn't have seen at home, despite the buildings that towered over the river and me.

The moon had moved above the buildings and was perched overhead, hanging like a huge yellow apple on a tree I couldn't see. I was considering walking back to my rooms and drinking the remainder of my wine in an attempt to sleep when I heard a scream and voices raised in consternation. The human reaction is to run towards these cries of distress, it seems—however unwise—and without a thought I found myself running along the bank, up the narrow cobbled streets, towards the inhuman cries.

Author Bio:
Born in Essex, England in 1959, Erastes attended Southend High School for Girls.

Erastes is the penname of a female author who lives in Norfolk, UK. She drew her inspiration to write historical fiction from works such as Gaywyck by Vincent Virga and the novels of Mary Renault. Erastes was the Director of the Erotic Authors Association for two years and is an active member of the Historical Novel Society. She is the moderator of Speak Its Name, an influential blog dedicated to gay historical fiction.

Erastes has been writing since 2003, and details of all her books and short stories can be found on her website.

Her second novel, "Transgressions," was one of the flagship releases by Running Press in their M/M Historical Romance line which is being marketed directly at the existing romance market and was shortlisted for a Lambda award in 2010.

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EMAIL: erastes@erastes.com

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Release Day Blitz: Oxygen Deprived by Lani Lynn Vale

Title: Oxygen Deprived

Author: Lani Lynn Vale

Series: Killgore Fire #3

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: August 4, 2016

Cover Photographer: Furious Fotog

Cover Model: Gary Taylor

Summary:
No take-backs.
That was the motto that Drew lived by in all things, including his love life.

He’s a player, pure and simple.

He’s learned the hard way that women aren’t all hearts and flowers.  Sometimes their sexy bodies and beautiful faces are just a pretty shield to hide the crazy, and he’s so freakin’ over crazy.

Been there, done that.  He has the divorce papers to prove it.

Karma hits like a bitch.
Aspen needs a break.  A long one that doesn’t include anything with a Y chromosome.  Not even one as tempting as her new neighbor who just moved in across the street.  Men are trouble with a capital freakin’ T, and she has the ankle monitor to prove it.

The last man she gave her heart to was a police officer. A man whose life was dedicated to protection, and he was supposed to protect her heart—not break it.

She decides right then and there that she’s done with being the better person.

Everything happens for a reason.

A rash decision—undoubtedly regrettable, undeniably unforgettable.  In the heat of the moment, Aspen’s actions with a tire iron and her ex-boyfriend’s brand new SUV land him in the ER getting stitches and have her seeing the inside of a jail cell for the first time.

It’s just her luck that the whole town is there to witness the result of her poor decision, including her police officer brother and the neighbor that already made it more than clear she was more trouble than she was worth.

House arrest never looked so good.

Hide your crazy.
Drew enjoyed the show, though. For the first time in a year, he’s thinking about his life, and how it would be a lot more enjoyable with a woman like Aspen at his side.

Maybe crazy isn’t so bad after all.

I slammed my fingers down on the keyboard, insanely annoyed that I now had to tell how fun the product was, despite the fact that the person I’d had the fun with was a douche bag.

A knock sounded at my door and I turned to glare at it.

“Who is it?” I yelled.

“You know damn well who it is. It’s the same person that’s been knocking at your door for the last twelve hours,” Drew growled.

I shrugged.

“Go away,” I ordered him.

I could hear him sigh through the door.

“In my eyes, the marriage Constance and I had was over,” he started.

I picked up the nearest thing to me, which happened to be a half finished water bottle, and then launched it at the door.

“Go away!”

He left, but not without one last parting comment.

“I still have a few things left in that box that I want to try on you. When you’re ready, let me know.”

I glared at the box he’d just spoken about, and went back to my review.

If you’re looking for a fun, awesome thing to do with your significant other, this is the thing for you. It offers many benefits; but most importantly, it gives you time with your significant other. And, might I add, it’s totally fucking worth it. I’ve used it three times in the last two days. It’s like he’s here.

On a side note, the vibrator is not very proficient. It offers about two hours of battery life before they need replaced.

Not that I used it for two hours or anything.

Oh, who am I kidding?

I would’ve used it longer if I hadn’t run out of batteries.

  

Author Bio:
I’m a married mother of three. My kids are all under 5, so I can assure you that they are a handful. I’ve been with my paramedic husband now for ten years, and we’ve produced three offspring that are nothing like us. I live in the greatest state in the world, Texas.

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Oxygen Deprived #3

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Shock Advised #1

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Flash Point #2

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Controlled Burn #4(Pre-Order October 5, 2016)

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Counting Daisies by Nicola Haken

Title: Counting Daisies

Author: Nicola Haken

Genre: M/M Romance

Release Date: August 1, 2016

Summary:
Dylan Roberts and Cameron O’Neil were good kids. Growing up together, they shared everything. By the age of fourteen they were more than best friends – they were in love. They dreamt of their future, of success, marriage…happiness. They were going to grow old by each other’s side.

But… “Kids are stupid.”

When tragic circumstances forced them apart, Dylan discovered that life wasn’t the fairytale he dreamed of; it was dark, difficult, saturated with pain and shame. Life wasn’t meant to be enjoyed, merely survived, but even that became a challenge.

Damaged, worthless, and disgusting, he saw no point to his pitiful existence…

Until he came face to face with the boy he used to love.

Successful, honourable, and happy, Cameron had achieved the future they planned. He was good, positive, popular…everything Dylan would never be. What would happen if Dylan let him back into his world? Would he destroy Cameron too? Would his poison push him away like everyone else?

“Everybody leaves.”

“They leave or they die.”

But what if…what if Cameron didn’t?

He clung to my shirt, his knuckles turning white. “Make it s-stop.” 

“I…I don’t know how.”

Fuck this. Fuck heroin. Why the hell would someone do this to themselves? I’d never seen this level of pain before that hadn’t resulted in death, and even that was only on TV. 

Dylan sobbed into my chest and I held him while he did. My arms were all I had to offer. He remained so cold despite my palms rubbing up and down his back, and he was dirty, too - dried up vomit sticking to his skin and hair. I’d never felt so helpless in all my life.

Needing to do something, anything, I climbed to my feet, lifting his body with me. “Come on,” I encouraged, struggling to take his weight on my own. “Try and walk for me.”

He whimpered and mumbled but made little effort to move. So, sliding one arm behind his thighs, I scooped him up like a baby, carrying him towards the bath. He clung to my neck, his grip weak, while I turned on the water. I turned the temperature down to barely warm, worried the heat might burn his shivering skin, before lowering him into the bathtub, under the fine spray of the shower. 

His muscles twitched and his eyes closed as he hugged his knees to his scrawny chest. Taking a sponge and some shower-gel, I scrubbed softly up and down his trembling body, gently manoeuvring his arms and legs when needed so I could clean every inch of him.

“I’m tired, Cam,” he barely whispered, dropping his head to the side.

My heart ached, like it was trapped inside a vice that was trying to crush its ability to beat, as I lathered some shampoo into his fair hair. “You can sleep soon. Nearly done.” 

I tried not to cry as I massaged his scalp. I wanted to be strong, but I’d never felt more vulnerable. Removing the showerhead from the hook on the wall, I hovered it over his head, rinsing away the tea-tree scented suds, before doing the same to the rest of his skin. After shutting the water off, I grabbed a large towel from the heated rail next to the toilet and rubbed it over his skin in the bathtub before lifting him out and doing the same to his back.

“I-I can’t d-do it anymore,” Dylan cried as I wound my arm around his waist, urging him to take a step.

“You are doing it. It’s almost over.” I had no idea if my words were the truth, but I had to hope they were for both of our sakes. Honestly, I felt like I couldn’t do it anymore either.

What Others Are Saying:
“This is a deep and powerful book with the main theme which is refreshing less about the path of a relationship and way more about the real life gritty obstacles that come on the way of their HEA.” - Reader Review

“This book was phenomenal. I cried so many tears. Story was heart breaking and heartwarming all at the same time.” - SiKReviews

“ This was a beautifully crafted story of friendship, love, bonds, addictive behaviour and heartache. It was hugely emotional in parts, and Nicola doesn't hold back.” - 2 Girls & Their Kindles

Author Bio:
Nicola lives in Rochdale, England with her husband and four children (six if you include the dog and cat!) She is the author the author of the m/m romance Souls of the Knight series, and is currently working on a standalone with new boys, James and Theo, due for release early 2016. When she is not busy playing with her imaginary book friends (or talking about them with real life friends!) she can usually be found carrying out her ordinary mum/housewife/all round slave duties. Oh, and if the kids ever ask, she moonlights as the Pink Power Ranger while they're sleeping...

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Lord of the Jungle by Sheri Fredricks

Title: Lord of the Jungle

Author: Sheri Fredricks

Series: Jungle Island #1

Genre: Erotic Romance

Release Date: June 24, 2016

Summary:
A shipwrecked woman.
The uncharted island.

Jane Porter craves a thrill but when marauders scuttle her ship and she washes ashore onto an island inhabited by animals and one sexy wildman, that’s when the real adventure begins. Dependent upon her vine-swinging rescuer who acts more ape than musclebound man, she places her survival in his rugged hands and relinquishes her desire to his raw sensuality.

For more seasons than he can remember, Tarzan has lived among the tiny island’s gorilla band. Instinct propels him to save the female he finds half-dead in the surf, but gazing into her eyes, his mating tool dances an ancient tribal beat.

While the pirates search for their bounty, Tarzan and Jane are in danger. To survive, they’ll have to hang onto each other as they swing for dear life. Their adrenaline-rush of passion among the canopy of the jungle threatens not only a dizzying fall from a great height, but also into love.

Before the next surge pushed forward to cover the human’s head, he made a quick decision to help the weakling, who floundered like a newborn gorilla caught in the drag of the sea.

Less than two leaps away, a sharp-pointed fin broke the water’s surface. Drawn by the smell of blood, more would appear in a matter of time.

The stranger lifted a hand out of the water, weaker now, vainly reaching for a source to save him. The arm bore a reddish skin cover sprinkled with tiny yellow flowers that ended below the crook of a delicately boned arm. Colored rocks circled the wrist and a shiny type of silver metal circled the middle finger.

The fin turned with a splash from the meat-eater’s tail. If the human were to survive, Tarzan had to act now.

Avoiding the human’s injured palm, he grasped the small wrist and hoped the bones beneath his tight grip wouldn’t break. Instead of pulling the limp body up, out of the surf, he waited for the next wave to lift the dead weight. Carefully stepping horizontally across the rock and sharp barnacles, he moved away from the dangerous part of the shore. Only when the soles of his feet touched coarse pebbles of shallow water did he move backward to where the sand lay warm and dry.

Safe from the fish that tore meat from the bone, he dropped the thin arm lacking necessary muscle to survive. He stepped back a few paces and crouched on his haunches to watch. Stomach-side down, the small human lay still for so long he feared he’d been too late.

Two thin legs, covered in dark blue to the knees, jerked and twitched. One cough, then another, followed mouthfuls of regurgitated water and a long string of more hacking coughs. The weakling’s arms moved under his chest and pushed at the sand. Turning to flop onto his back, the person lay there taking in great gulps of air and coughing out droplets of sea water. Sand covered a portion of a child-like face; the rest of the features covered by wet, matted hair.

From his huddled position, Tarzan scanned the beach before crab-walking closer to investigate. Curious, he reached his finger forward and slid a hunk of wet hair off the small, pale face.

What Others Are Saying:

✯✯✯✯✯Lord of the Jungle - WOW. me Tarzan - you Jane - Let's have some fun. by George R. Park

A wild man-ape is astonished as he watches from the shore as a giant fish starts it final run at the frail human struggling in the water. Keeping a close eye toward the ocean for other humans, he debates whether to save the tiny human from certain death. At the last possible moment he reaches out and grasps the tiny hand fighting the ocean current. Dragging the unconscious body to shore he lays it face down in the sand, stepping back a few paces he watches in fascination as the human chokes and spits out large gasps of filthy water.

Jane Porter had struggled with the last bit of her strength to escape from the clutches of the Pirates who had thrown her overboard. Just as she was to sink beneath the water's surface for the last time a rough male hand grasped her uninjured arm and pulled her to safety. Choking and gasping as her body expelled the river water into the sand underneath her body, she finally gained sight of the fearsome beast which had been her rescuer.

So begins the tale of Tarzan his encounter with his mate, Jane. Thrilling scenes of escapes from hungry animals below from above in the uppermost reaches of the thick forest; then brutal pirates with weapons; followed by the raw and necessary bonding of the two in the thralls of overwhelming surrender of their wills to each other.

Thank you so much for this wonderful read. I enjoyed every line and nuance.

✯✯✯✯✯You can Feel, Hear, See the jungle, let alone the Jungle Man! by Loves to laugh Verified Purchase

Ever wondered what it would be like to have sex with a primitive man who has never experienced it before? This is where Fredricks truly excels. The author takes us right into Tarzan's mind. Just fascinating! I dare any woman to read this and not want to be Jane. Pick up this book if you want a wonderful escape, complete with pirates and primates. A glorious erotic adventure, with a cliffhanger ending that has me panting for more. Luckily, more is to come.

Author Bio:

Always on the hunt for the uncommon things in life, award-winning author Sheri Fredricks thrives on creating romantic adventures.

A former engineering secretary, she lives on California’s beautiful central coast. "I wanted to move away from a profession of inflexible right angles and create an unboxed world with no boundaries." A voracious reader since her early years, Sheri found her brain crowded with stories of her own. "Ultimately," she says, "my husband encouraged me to write them all down."

Winner of the Paranormal Romance Guild Reviewer’s Choice Award, and a Finalist multiple times for InD’Tale eMagazine’s Reward Of Novel Excellence award (RONE), she has numerous five-star reviews everywhere eBooks are sold.

Sheri loves to spend time at home and connecting with readers. A computer hutch keeps her focused on creating stories, but the panoramic view of life on a ranch will call her outside to play in the sun.

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