BOOKS AND BLOGGING PHILOSOPHY

Philosophy is defined as a theory underlying or regarding a sphere of activity or thought. Well, my theory is if I can add at least 10 new books to my Wishlist and move at least 5 older Wishlist selections to my TBR list every month, then life is a ice cream sundae. And if I can find those 10 books from at least 5 new blogs each month then that's the cherry on top.

NEW VISITORS AND OLD- WELCOME!

NEW VISITORS AND OLD- WELCOME!
Well, I've made it almost 5 years now, so for better or worse, I continue on. I tend to blog in spurts as the urge to be creative erupts. As I don't have an artistic bone in my body, you will see very few changes in the layouts. Hey, I'm a reader not an artist like so many of the awesome bloggers I follow. I know you don't always have the time but if you stopped and looked, take a half a minute and say your piece. Recommend a book that you have enjoyed or hated for that matter. Thank you to all who visit.
Oh, and I moved my Google Friend Connect info and share this buttons to the top, as without our friends, who are we?


Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Tasty Release Blast For BLUE SATIN SASHES by Milenia Black


BLUE SATIN SASHES
Favorite Things Trilogy#2
Millenia Black
Releasing Nov 28th, 2016

From the #1 bestselling author of The Great Pretender comes the highly anticipated second book in the captivating Favorite Things Trilogy—Blue Satin Sashes is a searing story of passion, desperation and vengeance…
What happens when you fall in love with someone else?
Paris, France. Corporate brand designer Michael Frost knows he’s found a once in a lifetime love in professional illustrator Priscilla Bauer, the granddaughter of a legendary Hollywood icon—but Michael must now cross an ocean of regrets to repair damage inflicted by his heartbroken high school sweetheart Amber Holland, whose increasingly extreme attempts at sabotage may know no bounds…
How will she win? How will she lose?
Brave the razor-sharp edges of an intensely hot love triangle as Michael and Priscilla discover the depths of Amber’s passion ultimately rivals their own.
Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes
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No one does family and relationship drama quite like bestselling author Millenia Black! Heralded as a double life and relationship expert, she's been a featured guest on radio shows across the country, discussing the 7 Smoke Signals Your Man is Living a Double Life. 
Millenia lives in Florida where she's currently unmarried and has never dated anyone living a double life...
She thinks.



They seemed to reach the Rue de Bacilli in a blink. He thrust euros at the driver and left the cab, so glad the rain had stopped. When he slipped through the gate, his steps slowed as he approached the keypad. He tried to relax. Earlier he’d been anxious, now adrenalin fueled him. Pressing the button, Michael waited. A minute later the blue light came on and he stared into the camera, breathing.
When the door buzzed he slipped inside, climbed the stairs and found Priscilla standing at the door in her PJs, giving him a questioning look. Her face was devoid of makeup, her hair in a loose bun atop her head.
Without a word, Michael approached and she stepped back. Their eyes locked. He walked into the apartment and closed the door. The air ripened around them.
Priscilla opened her mouth to speak but closed it when he took her hand and pulled her toward him.
Michael brushed his lips across hers, gently pulling the clip from her hair. When the silky mane fell, he cupped her head; and they stood that way for a long moment, neither moving. He inhaled her powdery scent. When he finally kissed her again, he was hungry for reassurance. Her hands went up his arms and she squeezed his shoulders.
Michael lifted her against his body; their kiss grew more intense. He slid the thin strap of her top off her shoulder, exposing one of the things he loved most about Priscilla’s body. He bent and took her taut, dark nipple into his mouth, making her sigh and sob at the same time. He lavished it with his tongue, sucked fervently with his lips.
As he raised her, she wrapped her legs around him as her hands worked to unzip his jacket. Carrying her down the hall, he found the bedroom purely on instinct. He laid her on the bed and quickly shed his top. Priscilla’s hooded eyes were on him and he loved what he saw there. Holding her gaze, he slid off her pajama shorts and tossed them to the floor. Then he moved the crotch of her undies to one side, exposing another of his favorite things. He caressed it gently with the pad of his thumb, up, down; her body trembling as she moaned his name and began pushing at his sweatpants. When he didn’t move fast enough to get them off, she nudged him back and slid them down herself, then she got him on his back.
As she leaned over him, Michael fiercely kicked the sweats from his ankles as her hair tickled his chest and her tight wetness inched down on him like a velvet glove, slowly, sweetly stealing his sanity.
The ride began slowly, deliciously. Michael caressed her body and raised his head to meet her nipple, sucking for dear life as the ride got faster, harder. Her honeyed breast fell from his mouth as their eyes locked and he felt the approach of his climax. His body trembled as the pleasure built up inside him, his love for her set to explode. He gripped her ass with both hands, tighter, trying to hold back. Their sighs and moans filled the room, the apartment. Her movement got deeper, more measured as she rode him at slight angles; Michael could feel she was about to come. He grit his teeth and swore, his body trembling.
When she came it was violent; her body gripped him like a vice, gushing a warmth so wet, he came inside her immediately.
Priscilla collapsed beside him, eyes closed, body quivering. The silence that followed their intense cries was deafening.
Breathing heavily, his ears ringing, Michael pulled her into his arms, entwining their legs and kissing her lips, nose and closed eyes. “I’m sorry I hurt you,” he panted, feeling her fingers caress the hairs on his chest. Her eyes opened and he could see her tortured heart in them. “Cilla, I swear on my mother’s grave I’ll never hurt you again.” He watched as tears filled her eyes and he kissed her again, then trailed kisses down to her neck where he sucked long enough to leave a mark as she writhed and clung to him.
Caressing her nipple he whispered, “Say you believe me. It’s why I came back.” When she didn’t speak right away, he got on top of her and parted her thighs. Michael was already hard again, rubbing himself against her moist clit. Up and down, back and forth. She cried out, calling his name as her hips left the bed. Her legs wrapped around his waist as she tried to get him to slip inside.
“Say it,” he said fiercely. “Say you believe me.”
“I believe you.”
He slid into her slowly, stretching her inch by inch. “Do you really?”
She tightened around him as she raised her hips. “Yes,” she whispered. “You’ll never hurt me again.”
“Cilla.” He traced her lips with his tongue. “I love you.”
“I love you,” she managed as he thrust deeper, awakening the oasis.
Before long, Michael’s movements were less rhythmic and took on urgency. Priscilla’s fingers plunged into his hair and she tensed beneath him moaning, her eyes closed.
Looking down and seeing her beautiful face rapt in pleasure, hearing her sigh his name...Michael lost control of his movements and died in her body.


Rafflecopter Giveaway ($25 Amazon Gift Card, 5 Audible copies of Raindrops on Roses and 5 digital copies of Raindrops on Roses)


Cover Reveal For WHERE ON EARTH? An Alaska Adventure By David H. Minton


Where On Earth? An Alaska Adventure
By David H. Minton
Fiery Seas Publishing
May 2017   
Romantic Adventure



Dan Richards, an Iraq war vet, is a surveyor for the mining company, looking to open a new silver mine. Scrambling to establish his helicopter charter business in the wilds of Alaska, while trying to stay connected to his teenage daughter, his world soon turns upside down when he rescues a woman and her dog sledding team after an avalanche. 
Samantha Bettencourt, an environmental engineer, is eager to begin her first project with the university. A spokesperson for an environmentalist group intent on preserving the wilderness, she is on the path to saving the wild, but when Dan walks into her life things start to change. 
Sparks fly between Dan and Samantha as they find themselves running for their lives—from the good guys as well as the bad guys out to ruin the things they long to protect. Will they be able to escape before it’s too late? Will they get a chance at love or will they lose everything. . . including their lives?



After graduating college, David spent two tours in United States Military Assistance Command Republic of Viet-Nam, before beginning his career as a nuclear engineer, then electronics engineer, tele-communications engineer, and software security engineer. He has previously published three non-fiction books, several poems, and many non-fiction technical and historical articles.  

Release Blitz & Giveaway For TEACH YOUR HEART (Far North #3) by Tracey Alvarez

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Book Title: Teach Your Heart
Author: Tracey Alvarez
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: Nov 30 2016
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions
Goodreads Button with Shadow
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Some lessons are harder to learn than others…
Doctor O-for-Awesome Owen Bennett is all about fixing broken things. Then the arrival of his orphaned nieces and nephew for twelve weeks causes his workaholic life to plummet into chaos. Hiring the beautiful but unpredictable Gracie Cooper as a live-in nanny might just get him out of a tight spot…or it could seduce him into a reckless affair.
After four years flitting around Europe, waitress/dog-walker/au-pair Gracie Cooper has returned home to New Zealand. Her plans to hang out with her big brother change when Owen offers a perfect solution to her crippling university debt. In spite of her sexy-stick-in-the-mud boss, she’ll spend fun days playing in Bounty Bay’s sand and surf with three cute kids. At summer’s end she’ll follow the sun overseas again.
Gracie and Owen’s opposites-attract connection is so unexpected and powerful that their foundations are rocked. But some things aren’t easy to fix. Some past hurts can’t be run from forever. And the lessons they teach each other risk breaking their hearts.
excerpt

Release Blitz & Giveaway For MUST LOVE LIONS by Alma Black

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Book Title: Must Love Lions
Author: Alma Black
Genre: Paranormal Shifter
Release Date: Nov 30, 2016
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions
Goodreads Button with Shadow
GR
Alexis Parrish is very single. Sassy and smart, she's great at her job as a journalist, but it's never given her the time to find the right man--specifically, a human. So when she gets assigned to interview Max, a lion shifter, about the new dating app he's created, she can't believe her intense attraction to him. After all, humans and shifters don't date.
Max is used to causing trouble. He broke tradition by creating the dating app, Shifter, which humans and shifters alike can use to answer the call of the wild.
When Max challenges Alexis to give him a chance, she can't say no. A human like her has no business with this handsome alpha lion, but she can't resist his magnetism. Their chemistry is primal, their connection positively animalistic. After all, once you go shifter, you never go back.
But when a rogue shifter group against interspecies dating targets Alexis, Max will stop at nothing to protect her. It's more than his pride on the line; it's his mate.
Warning: If sassy, sexy, and carnal reads aren't your thing, this book isn't for you. It contains lots of dirty sex, violence, and witty banter.

Book Blitz/Excerpt & Giveaway For THE WORKATION by Kayley Loring

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Book Title: The Workation 
(Work Less, Play More: #1)
Author: Kayley Loring
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Release Date: Nov 14, 2016
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions
Goodreads
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When twentysomethings Molly Kidd and Ryan Murphy formed a startup company in Seattle three years ago, they agreed that they were perfect for each other—as business partners.
Molly made the rules: they will never date each other, they will never talk about their personal lives, they will never visit each other’s homes. Fortunately, they have so much fun spending so much time working together at the office that they barely have time to do or talk about anything else anyway.
Now that it’s winter and everyone at their small successful company is overworked and grumpy, Murphy gets this crazy idea that they should all take a work vacation at a resort in Hawaii. Yes, the woman who organizes the workations at this resort happens to be gorgeous, but Murphy believes it will benefit the whole team to have more work-life balance.
Molly refuses to admit that she’s intimidated by the thought of the most important guy in her life falling for this perfect lady, so she agrees to the trip despite being equally uncomfortable with the idea of relaxing in a bikini in front of her coworkers.
Turns out it’s impossible to draw a line between business and pleasure in the sands of Oahu, and giving in to temptation could lead Molly and Murphy to lose more than just their hearts. But would it be worth it?


THE WORKATION is a standalone, the first in the 
Work Less, Play More series.
It’s a friends to lovers romantic comedy that works!
excerpt

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Book Blitz & Giveaway For HARD TO REGRET (Scarlet Bay Romance #1) by Kris Pearson

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Book Title: Hard to Regret (Scarlett Bay Book 1)
Author: Kris Pearson
Genre: Sexy Contemporary Romance
Release Date: Nov 4, 2016
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions
Goodreads
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Heiress Anna Wynn is hiding a secret – a secret that has blighted half her life and forced her to become an unfulfilled over-achiever. Even preparing for her wealthy family’s summer break in their idyllic New Zealand holiday house, Anna has to be all business and is strung tight as piano wire. Finding her bedroom appropriated by an over-muscled, overbearing, testosterone-soaked tower of annoyance is the final straw.
Dragged up under the callused thumb of his dirt-poor father, Jason Jones regrets his choice of security over his dream. His ambition to work as a freelance photographer has been ruthlessly suppressed in favour of setting up his own construction company. He has a pre-Christmas deadline looming on the current project, and the last thing he needs is constant surveillance by the owner’s sharp-tongued daughter – or the lure of her hot body and big blue eyes.
Forced to endure each other’s company in the small-town beach house, mutual frustration and undeniable chemistry pull Anna and Jason together for a few stolen days. Enemies become lovers – but how long before secrets are revealed that will change everything?


HARD TO REGRET is the first in Kris Pearson’s new Scarlet Bay series of sexy, funny and heart-warming romance novels and is intended for mature readers.

Celebrate the release of THE WATCHER by Rebecca E. Neely

Hell bent on avenging his own death, former Keeper Dev Geary eagerly accepts when the Watchers task him with returning to the human realm to discover the secret for rendering Similitude—the very thing that killed him.
But to succeed in the seven days he’s been granted, he’ll need to work with the one human who wants nothing to do with him, and who he can’t help falling for—Meda Gabriel, a cagey, street smart bar owner with a unique skill set, and maybe, the key to his mission.
With the clock ticking and the Betrayers barely a step behind, can Dev conquer his demons and find the answers the clan so desperately needs, with Meda at his side? Can love find a way, or will he be forced to abandon her and the clan, leaving them all to face imminent destruction?
Find out more: Goodreads / Amazon 

Excerpt:
He smoothed her bangs. His breath was warm on her ear, his lips too close to hers. “What if I kissed you?”
Her voice caught in her throat. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she got out.
“You’re absolutely right.” Closing the distance between them, he pressed his mouth to hers.
Soft. Warm. She could’ve stopped him, knew he would. But her lips moved beneath his, sampling, cautious, fearful that impressions would make their way through.
None did.
Normal, a part of her brain registered. And yet the farthest thing from it.
A moan stirred in her throat, and he deepened the kiss. She twined her fingers into that stubborn curl brushing the back of his neck, still damp from the rain. His face, rough with shadow, grazed her cheeks. He tasted like the night, dark and hot. She reveled in him, his warmth exploding around her, through her. A wicked blend of comfort and lust burned bright, searing her, even as warm, wet heat assaulted her. Her breath hitched. She knew now, knew she’d been starving.
And he was the feast.




A sucker for a happy ending, Rebecca writes the kind of stories she loves to read—those featuring authentic, edgy and vulnerable characters, smack dab in the middle of action that explodes from page one. 
Raised on a down home blend of Johnny Cash, Jack London, Sherlock Holmes, the Steelers, and all things small town, Rebecca feels blessed to have grown up in a close knit, fun loving and artistic family. Her mother, a voracious reader and scratch cook, and her father, an entrepreneur, English teacher and lover of literature, taught Rebecca and her brother to work hard, aim for the stars, and live life. 
With music, books and laughter as constant companions, she grew up working, cooking and eating in the family’s restaurant business. A certified book and hoagie junkie, Rebecca thrives on live music, mysteries and the outdoors. 
She’s a cheddar enthusiast, lover of cats, teddy bears, hot coffee, cold beer, thunderstorms, the blast of a train’s whistle, the change of seasons, country roads, woodpeckers, spoon rings, cool office supplies, and the Food Network. 
Careers, past and present, include freelance writing, accounting, mother, problem solver, doer and head bottle washer.
Rebecca is a member of the Three Rivers Romance Writers, a PAN member of the Romance Writers of America (RWA), and is honored to serve as a judge for several writing contests each year.
Connect with Rebecca: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads | Pinterest


Giveaway:
Rebecca is giving away one $25 Amazon Giftcard and 
5 Kindle copies of The Watcher!

Release Day Blitz & Giveaway for MAYBE THIS TIME by Jennifer Snow


 MAYBE THIS TIME
 Jennifer Snow
Series: Colorado Ice, #1
On Sale: Nov 29, 2016
Publisher: Forever
Mass Market: $5.99 USD
eBook:  $5.99 USD


Starting over means a second chance . . .
Abigail Jansen is done with hockey . . . and hockey players. After leaving her two-timing NHL-star husband, Abby decides to start over in her hometown of Glenwood Falls, Colorado. There she doesn't have to deal with people gossiping behind her back or hear the word "hockey"---until her daughter tries out for the junior hockey team. Now Abby has to face her fears . . . and coach Jackson Westmore. He's tall, dark, handsome---and happens to hate her.
All through high school, talented hockey player Jackson Westmore had a crush on Abby, but he would never make a move on his best friend's girl. He gave her the cold shoulder out of self-preservation and worked out his frustrations on the ice. So when Abby returns, newly divorced and still sexy as hell, Jackson knows he's in trouble. Now even the best defensive skills might not keep him from losing his heart . . .
“Quietly humorous, profoundly moving, and captivatingly seductive, with supportive secondary characters, this novel is sure to enthrall fans and newcomers to this series.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review of Maybe This Time

DUKE OF PLEASURE by Elizabeth Hoyt - Release Day Blitz


Duke of Pleasure - Maiden Lane #11
Author: Elizabeth Hoyt
ISBN-13: 9781455539123
Publication Date: 11/29/2016
Pages: 364
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback

IN THE ARMS OF DANGER
Bold. Brave. Brutally handsome. Hugh Fitzroy, the Duke of Kyle, is the king's secret weapon. Sent to defeat the notorious Lords of Chaos, he is ambushed in a London alley-and rescued by an unlikely ally: a masked stranger with the unmistakable curves of a woman.
IN THE HEAT OF DESIRE
Cocky. Clever. Courageously independent. Alf has survived on the perilous streets of St. Giles by disguising her sex. By day she is a boy, dealing in information and secrets. By night she's the notorious Ghost of St. Giles, a masked vigilante. But as she saves Hugh from assassins, she finds herself succumbing to temptation . . .
ONE KISS WILL CHANGE THEIR LIVES FOREVER
When Hugh hires Alf to investigate the Lords of Chaos, her worlds collide. Once Hugh realizes that the boy and the Ghost are the same, will Alf find the courage to become the woman she needs to be-before the Lords of Chaos destroy them both?
DUKE OF PLEASURE will be available wherever books are sold on November 29, 2016.

Buy the Book!

About the Author:
Elizabeth Hoyt is the New York Times bestselling author of over seventeen lush historical romances including the Maiden Lane series. Publishers Weekly has called her writing "mesmerizing." She also pens deliciously fun contemporary romances under the name Julia Harper. Elizabeth lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with three untrained dogs, a garden in constant need of weeding, and the long-suffering Mr Hoyt.

Social Media Links:
Add Duke of Pleasure to your shelf on Goodreads: 

Release Day Blitz & Giveaway For LUKE by R.C. Ryan -



Title: LUKE
Author: R. C. Ryan
Series: The Malloys of Montana, #2
On Sale: Nov 29, 2016
Publisher: Forever
Mass Market: $7.99 USD
eBook: $7.99 USD

Wild at Heart. . .

Wild. Reckless. Stubborn. That's Luke Malloy in a nutshell. The solitary life of a rancher and the untamed Montana wilderness make him feel alive-and nothing will ever change that. Not even being thrown from his horse and forced to accept a stranger's help. The fact that this stranger is a beautiful blonde with a passion for ranching that rivals his own doesn't hurt. But there's a secret she's hiding, and Luke won't rest until he uncovers it...
Ingrid Larsen doesn't need anyone's help. Not with managing her family's ranch. Not with raising her little sister. And certainly not with the mysterious incidents occurring on her property. When this too-sexy-for-his-own-good cowboy needs a place to recover, she hopes he'll be in and out in no time flat. But just as she's beginning to trust Luke's promise of protection, Ingrid's secret threatens to tear them apart.

GR

Spotlight Post & Giveaway For BLACK BULLET by L.D. Rose



 Black Bullet
The Order of The Senary Series #2
L.D. Rose
Genre: Dark Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing
Date of Publication:  11/9/16
ASIN: B01MCWB3GU
Number of pages: 293
Cover Artist: Fiona Jayde
Fledgling vampire Jonathan Kerr has just met his match.
Not even his past life as a former marine and FBI agent could prepare him for the battle against the monster inside him, struggling to take hold. After an old nemesis of the Senary surfaces in Brooklyn, unleashing chaos and terror in the battered borough, Jon sets out to take him down. Instead, he ends up with far more than he bargained for when he clashes with the beautiful half-vampire hybrid, Lawan Knight. After escaping near death and suffering unspeakable horror at the hands of vampires, Lawan trusts no one, regardless of species. In between bouts of drunken stupor, her only goal is to exterminate all those who've wronged her, including every member of Jon's vampire bloodline. But Jon’s soulful eyes and quick smile crawls under her skin, transforming her black and white world into a hazy shade of gray.
As the days rapidly grow darker, Jon and Lawan turn to one another, but their inner demons threaten to tear them apart. The only way either of them will survive is if they overcome
their greatest fear—love.


Excerpt

Monday, November 28, 2016

Cover Reveal/Pre-order Blitz & Giveaway For SUNSET READS: Damian & Layla by D.C. Triana

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Book Title: Sunset Reads: Damian & Layla
Author: D.C. Triana
Genre: Romance/Suspense
Release Date: Dec 26, 2016
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions

One year.
It’s been one year since Agent Damian Trent left for Washington without a word.
One year since he’s seen her beautiful face.
One year since he’s heard his name on her lips.
He's been recently called back to New York City on assignment, to catch a criminal who’s trying to infiltrate Sunset Reads. The last thing he expects is to work side by side with the woman he turned his back on.
Having her close is an unwanted distraction that he’s more than willing to ignore, if only she wasn’t so damn tempting.
Everything seems under control, until a night of feverish passion has him abandoning all thoughts of reason. Now, he will do everything in his power to get her back, and even more so to protect her.
Layla Reece wants nothing to do with the man who left her a year ago.
The man who took her heart with him, leaving her broken.
After a year of trying to forget Damian Trent, she is finally ready to move on.
But trying to forget him becomes a tedious task when he suddenly reappears in her life.
Although she fights to stay away, his magnetism is too strong and she finds herself giving into the deep timbre of his voice, and the strength and safety of his arms.
Staying away from Damian turns out to be futile, especially when his kisses consume her and his heart shatters the walls she spent so much time building.
Finding herself in danger, she now has to turn to the only man she trusts to keep her safe, but can she trust him enough to give him her heart once again?

Read the Prologue


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A PROMISE MADE by Anissa Garcia



A feisty redhead and an alpha male makes for a steamy pairing you can't resist. Fans of The Matchmaker's Playbook by Rachel Van Dyken and Violet Duke’s Resisting the Bad Boy, will love this super sweet and sexy romance from Anissa Garcia.  

Title: A Promise Made
Author: Anissa Garcia
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: Nov 3, 2016
                            Publisher: AG Romance Reads LLC                                                   
 Josh McKenzie may come off as intimidating with his solid build and cold stare, but when trouble calls, Marla quickly learns there is more to the sexy tatted man with the British accent. And if she’s not careful, she can easily lose herself in his gentle touch and soft voice.
A feisty redhead with a mouth that won’t quit, Marla Sullivan knows how to push all of Josh’s buttons, making him want her in the worst way. His biggest hurdle is breaking through her stubborn walls and proving he’s here to stay.
When Marla’s faced with an unknown danger, Josh is forced to reveal his buried past. Promises made and surfaced truths may be the catalyst that brings them together...or pushes them further apart.

Get More information at: Goodreads  | Amazon
Learn more about her debut novel, A Promise Kept :

Excerpts

Marla’s form strutted out the door, her long hair flowing down her creamy white shoulders and hourglass frame.  That black dress hugged her petite body, and I observed the way her ass moved as she hooked her coat and purse over her arm.  Her femininity was alluring.  The way she held herself and her delicate skin smelling like cinnamon made me hard.  It matched her sizzling mouth that I wanted to suck on and kiss raw.  
I lifted myself out of the seat and crossed the room to her as she fumbled to put on her coat.  One side hung down and I grabbed it with ease.  She jerked away, attempted to escape me as I held it up.  Mahogany eyes glared at me.  She was on defense, no doubt from Ryan and whatever other idiots had disillusioned her about chivalry and romance.  I would prove to her it wasn’t dead.  
“Is the date set with Dumbledore?”
Her ruby red colored lips pressed down a smile as she shook her head.  “His name’s Gandalf, and he asked me to an early bird dinner at Denny’s.”  
Cute.  At least she was open to joking with me, if only a bit.  But she was also nervous.  I could see it reflected in the way she moved, even the way she breathed.  “Let me walk you to your car.”
“No, I’m fine.”
She moved at a faster pace and I kept up easily.  I wasn’t letting her walk alone at night, especially with the type of men I saw in there.  “I’m walking you out.” 
“My car’s in the parking garage, they have security cameras.”  
She was one tough cookie.  Independent, used to doing things on her own, she probably attracted the men who were complete opposite of her.  She liked to be in control and so did I.  You’d think this would pose some type of problem, but I was attracted to it.  I moved closer to her, my mouth near her ear.  “You like pushing me away, don’t you?”
She turned her head toward me and rolled her eyes.  “Let me guess, you’re one of those alphas who likes to see his woman submit.  You want the type of woman who will adore you every night, follow you around all day, and tell others how amazing you are at everything you do.”  
“You certainly like pretending you know who I am.  Since we met you’ve been nothing but judgmental toward me and only me.  Why is that?”  
We were riding in the lift, but she didn’t dare give me a glance.  Instead she pressed the button to the ground floor, even though it had already been lit up.  She pressed at it again, as if it would make it go faster.  
“I don’t like guys like you.”
“Guys like me?”
“Yeah.  I’ve dated guys like you.”  
I couldn’t help but laugh as I rested in the corner against the wall.  What to say to a woman who thought she already knew everything about you?  I’d give it a go.  “So, some idiot who lived in the gym dated and hurt you, and now you think all men who work out are the same?”
“Whether they live in the gym or not, they all end up being the same.  They all want a certain type of woman.”  
“Which is what?”
The doors finally opened and she scurried out, searching for her keys in her bag.  “The easy woman to comply with whatever they want, whenever they want, however they want.” 
“That type of woman is boring.”  
She turned to her red Toyota Prius and opened the door, throwing her purse in the passenger side and starting her car.  “Exactly.  Yet they all want it.”  
Before she could shut the door, I stepped in front of it and leaned down as she strapped on her seatbelt.  “Darling, I’m not afraid of hard work.  I know you’re an independent woman, and though most men find that threatening, I find it extremely sexy.”
“You know what I find extremely not sexy?  The fact that you find a woman like me to be hard work.  Strike one, pal.”    
She threw her hand up holding two fingers, and either she was warning me that I had two chances left, or she shot me the peace sign.  I believe it was the latter.  Either way, she was not happy.  If I wanted to make headway with Red, I was going to have to get some inside help to thaw the icy heart within that fiery woman.  





Anissa Garcia resides in Austin, Texas and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Speech Communications and English. She held an array of jobs including Public Relations Manager for Barnes and Noble. Wanting a change of pace, she moved to Los Angeles where she attended The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and trained full-time in theatre. After working in Hollywood, she returned to Texas where she has written articles for Cosmopolitan and Lady Couture. When not writing stories, watching movies, or drinking a latte, she loves to daydream about romantic fictional men.

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