2018 Wrap Up

Hey y’all! Whew what a year…

I hit my reading goal (150), branched out to a few new authors, attended my first Apollycon (can’t wait for 2019!), hit my first 1K on Instagram, and officially become and audio lover! But throughout out it all, I read some pretty amazing books. I wanted to share a new style of wrap up with you guys this year. Sort of like an awards ceremony. Not a top ten and no one better than the other; but stories that stood out to me outside of just the romance aspect. Whether they made me cry, laugh, swoon, or beg for more check out my 2018 Wrap Up Awards!

First some stats!

I read 35,942 pages across 152 books

get more details from my goodreads and check out all of my 2018 reviews/reads! And while you’re there, add me!

On to our winners…

All You Need Is Love

Light-hearted, drama-free romance

A sexy, slow-burning best-friends-to-lovers romance with a guaranteed HEA and no cheating. Dive in, and get ready to melt for Cam! The slow burn never fizzles out; it’s the perfect speed for two friends who discover they could be more. And then they have to discover how they feel about that revelation. For Cam, it’s been a deep desire he’s buried beneath that friendship. For Natalie, there’s more to love than just sex and she’s not sure of the risk of losing friendship of two men she’s known for years. All around heartwarming and entertaining. Filled with sexy, intimate moments and heartfelt relationships all around; you can find out more here!

Secret trysts and stolen kisses abound in this brand new, swoontastic novel from #1 NYT bestselling author Lauren Blakely. Starting off with a steamy fantasy scene between our hero and heroine allowed for a novel size tease the rest of the plot! This novel had a touch of old school romance. With lust and desires dripping off every page, you need to grab this read and begin to raise your expectations when it comes to love! Fond out more here!

A sexy, standalone forbidden romance about a sports star and the woman who’s off limits. There’s something about a forbidden romance that can give readers just the right amount if danger. Neither our heroine or hero want to risk their careers but can’t resist the pull against one another. And while some secret and forbidden romance can leave readers feeling secondhand embarrassment, I couldn’t help but find myself yelling at Jillian and Jones to just BE TOGETHER! Find out more about it here!

Heartbreakers

Break out the tissues and wine

He didn’t want to be bad. He just didn’t have a choice… We had crazy drama around Trouble & Wild and hilarious wit and sass with Legs & Loser; but with Shay & Stitch…..be prepared to have your heart MANGLED in the BEST POSSIBLE WAY. Not only does Daniels’ manage to tell the story of a broken and defeated man, she does it while painting him in the brightest light possible. I stayed up all night, sacrificing sleep, to finally read this story and I was not one bit disappointed. I cried so many times but with so many happy tears. Prepare to have your heart wrung out here.

An all-new second chance standalone romance by New York Times bestselling author Corinne Michaels and USA Today bestselling author Melanie Harlow, this story killed me and brought me back to life! After the young romance left her broken-hearted in the worst way she’s sworn off Ian for life. But tragedy strikes when Sabrina and her husband pass away and leave the children to Ian to raise. Prepare to have your heart ripped out of you chest as each of Sabrina’s children have to handle their grief alongside Ian and London. I love that Harlow and Michaels kept their reactions real. There’s no pretty crying or band aids over the wounds in this story, no. Now mix in the romance between Ian and London and this is one powerful read. Find out more here.

A forbidden stand-alone romance in A.L. Jackson’s Confessions of the Heart Series. How can I put in to words the way this book made me feel? Gripping and intense. Sexy and forbidden. Heartbreaking and yet filled with love and warmth that is key to any Jackson story. All of Me takes the darkest parts of two people’s lives and thrusts them in to the light in order to survive. I cringed, I gasped, I needed wine, and I had a happy cry. This book is downright AMAZING. No spoilers here, you’ll have to grab this amazing story for yourself to find out just what darkness dares to creep up on our hero and heroine. Prepare your tissues and buckle down for one hell of a romance! Find out more about Ian’s story here.

a brand-new novel about arson investigator, Anne Ashburn, who is consumed by her troubled past, her family’s scorched legacy, and her current case: chasing a deadly killer. A new branch back into the contemporary world, Consumed is not only intrigued and a standout novel, readers won’t be able to predict what will happen and become addicted to finding out the truth. This book is FILLED with twists and turns and new angles you won’t predict. Hooked from page one I had to know what Anne and Danny’s inner thoughts were. Ward does an incredibly job taking brutal, damaged characters and pulling those flaws right into the light, shoving them in to the face of readers and shouting “ACCEPT THEM”. Be consumed by this romance here.

Is it love, or is she just his good luck charm? New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Helena Hunting absolutely delights with this witty and fun standalone romantic comedy. Helena brings back the heavy in the best way with The Good Luck Charm. A young romance ended too soon. A woman with a second broken heart and a man with a second chance. The light-hearted humor and wit that any HH fan knows is definitely present in TGLC. Ethan and Lilah, whether they’re fighting or reminiscing, have the ability to outwit and go head to head with one another. But Hunting takes us back to her original romance feels of heavy story lines. Get lucky here.

Bad (BOY) Romance

Bad boys do it better

From New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Jay Crownover comes a standalone romance with a hero sure to keep readers up long into the night. Jay frickin Crownover. She continues to blow me away with her ability to create dark and gritty characters that have obvious faults but still endeavor you to feel hope for what may be. Cable and Affton’s story is filled with heartbreak, doubt, and somehow a sliver of hope, a light at the end of the tunnel. Crownover has delivered a character with a mysterious past that was painstakingly revealed over time (almost a year for us newsletter subscribers!). And as each peace of Cable’s puzzle finds it place, the picture of a boy becoming a man and finding his way to recovery was shown and hearts everywhere fell for the dark handsome boy. Find out more about Cable here.

An enemies-to-lovers romance where opposites not only attract, they ignite. Trying to think of a way to explain this romance isn’t easy. First of all, JB Salsbury is in her own genre when it comes to romance. They’re dark in a different way, with non-traditional heroes who are tough to love at first. And that can definitely be said with Jesse. Jesse is an ASSHOLE at the beginning of Playing by Heart. I hated him at first, but in the best way. Reading his level of dirty, you just KNOW there’s going to be an epic redemption of his soul. This love story is all a tale of what a person can handle when it comes to self-love before loving anyone else and Salsbury does it ABSOLUTE justice. Find out more here.

The Queen of Paranormal Romance, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Gena Showalter, stuns with SHADOW AND ICE, the first title in her scorching new paranormal romance series Gods of War Series. This story is about love. And sex and violence and power and control but beyond all that LOVE conquering all. A message conveyed in every caress from Vale. In every sacrifice from Knox.Filled with explicit and entertaining fights scenes to rival and blockbuster, this story will have on the edge of your city dying to know how Vale and Knox can overcome every obstacle that threatens to tear them and the world apart. Dive in and find out more here.

Talk about a powerful hero! Evans impresses with her latest alpha and brother to one of our past heroes. Cullen Carmichael is a magnetic and demanding poker player. When Wynn steps into his card game months later, single, Cullen knows its time to up the stakes and risk it all for the feisty redhead. I can’t explain just how much chemistry is between these two characters. The push and pull of Wynn’s ability to give it all to Cullen against his ability to show his hand sends a message about the lengths people will go to find their happy ever after. Filled with tense moments, secrecy, and one hot alpha this is one emotionally packed romance. Find out more here.

Prepare for a story that hits hard, digs deep, and holds tight. Unconscious Hearts is a powerful romance with an alpha hero and a magnetic heroine that you’ll immediately fall for. Covered in leather, dripping with sin, smelling like temptation. Thorn is made for lustful nights and stirs something in Ari she hasn’t felt for a long time. I love that Sloan slowly reveals the truth behind both Thorn and Ari’s past as well as why they initially fight their attractions to one another. There’s no huge history dump as you’re reading; you get discover why these characters are the way they are as if you were slowly learning about them as a friend in their world. I couldn’t put down this dark romance not just for the passion in each page but for how hard it pulls you in and has you begging for what comes next. Find out more here.

One More Chapter

Cliff hangers that left us begging for more

From New York Times bestselling author Meghan March comes a brand new saga of forbidden love and second chances. Heady, rich with passion, and rife with excess, the Sin Trilogy is brimming with drama. With flashes of the past mixed in with the current events of the Riscoffs and the Gables, readers will be in a whirlwind of emotions. Stolen kisses, secrets abound, and a doozy of a twist I GUAR-AN-TEE you won’t see coming, this romance will have you hooked from the start! Prepare yourself for more drama than any reality TV show and some steam scenes more risque than you’ve experienced!! Find more about the series three novels: Book 1, Book 2, Book 3.

She was brainwashed into believing she could save mankind. Now, she’s the one who needs saving. An original plot line, complex characters, and twists and turns to drag you in to the story, the Mercy Series is its own brand of romance and mystery. So unlike any other new adult romance, Ghostgirl pulled me in from the start and never let go. This slow burn was completely satisfying as their feelings developed alongside the story. Pieces of Mercy’s past slowly come out as the puzzle of what truly happened to her begins to form. Filled with moral quandaries and blurring the line between right and wrong, Saint delivers another powerful message about personal faith and fighting for the truth. Dive in to learn more about Milo and Mercy.

How do you put in to words a story that takes years of love, laughter, and pain and wraps them in a package under heartbreak and hope? The amazing duo that is Kennedy Fox saved the most detailed and heavy Bishop for last. Readers who have stuck alongside the series have openly waited for the tricky twin Jackson’s story behind his playboy ways. Now spoiler free here…but be warned that you will want quiet, wine, and something to bring yourself comfort when reading this romance. The supposed climax is right at the beginning and I LOVED getting to read the back and forth up to the pivotal day. KF definitely set the bar high with this tale, I swear they save the end of their series for the high stakes drama and it is WORTH IT! So sit down, stock up, and buckle up for one insane ride here.

The highly anticipated sexy, suspenseful stand-alone second-chance romance from NYT Bestselling Author, A.L. Jackson. Magnetic. Heart stopping. Filled with passion and suspense but brimming with hope. Jackson’s finale to the Fight For Me series is an amazing collaboration of regrets and second-chances. I could not believe how engrossed I became in this story! Ollie and Nikki have an obvious connection that no one can deny. Watching them gravitate towards and away from one another was such heartbreak. No spoilers for the truth about Sydney but I will say to read between the lines and come to your own conclusions as the truth will SHOCK you. I was not prepared at all for the twist ending but I could not have read any faster, turning page after page to see just what would happen. Find out more here.

What has a sexy, bad-ass veteran hero…
A feisty and independent heroine who won’t hesitate to stand up for herself. A forbidden, best friend’s younger sister conflict. And a forced-proximity roommates-to-lovers situation that creates all kinds of sexual tension? The second standalone title in New York Times bestselling author Laura Kaye’s Warrior Fight Club series! There’s a connection with Shay and Billy that sparks the minute the two characters come together. Kaye impresses with her ability to once again combine sexy heroes with rough pasts and even tougher walls to break through. Sexy, with a surprise twist you won’t see coming. add this new romance to your TBR!

Love Bites

Novellas and quick reads

From New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author K Bromberg, comes CONTROL, a new novella in her Everyday Heroes Series, brought to you by 1,001 Dark Nights! I love the 1001 Dark Nights series because it’s more than just a sneak peek into an author’s series, it’s a splash into that author’s voice and style. K Bromberg is stellar at writing drama mixed with sex and romance. Control is a stunning look into her Everyday Heroes series and shows how two lost people can find happiness with each other.

Now don’t judge me….but I’m a Kylie Scott fan that hasn’t finished the Stage Dive series at this moment. GASP SHOCK AWE. Now that that’s out of your system…let me introduce you to a quick and sexyyyyy novella from Scott and 1001 Dark Nights. Whoo lordy say hello to your newest naughty dream. Sam is H-O-T. He’s a rough and gruff silver fox with a smooth tongue for Martha. Filled with sweet and sexy, this novella is a great taste of the Kylie Scott world!

The perfect combination of sweet and sexy, Laura Kaye amazes again with her novella peek into the Raven Riders series. This story was a fun treat vote into existence by Kaye fans. I was hoping for my smooth talking charmer Phoenix to get his story but Caine took me by surprise. It’s the quiet ones that see and hold the most. Filled with more honesty and truth in a smaller format, Kaye delivers the heart-wrenching pain of a characters path while revealing the bright hope of their love filled future. Find out more here.

Aural Fixations

Who knew audio books were so addicting

Read Me Romance is a FREE podcast hosted by New York Times Bestselling Authors Alexa Riley and Tessa Bailey. Trust me when I say you WANT to be listening. These three slowly reveal an audio book EVERY SINGLE WEEK, with snippets each day. Add in their hilarious banter and it’s like hanging out with your own mobile book club. Get introduced to new authors, feed into your guilty, dirty reads, or like me discover you new found love of audio books and the worlds they open up. Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss a single installment!

A standalone romance novel published by Montlake Romance: It all started with a mysterious blue note sewn into a wedding dress. The name embossed on the blue stationery: Reed Eastwood, thanks to a twist of fate, he’s my new boss. But that’s not going to stop me from discovering the story behind his last love letter. A love letter that did not result in a happily ever after. My very first full length audio book and I fell in love! Entranced by their voices, escaping into their worlds. This romance was filled with drama and twists I never saw coming. I loved every minute as Charlotte attempted to learn Reed’s truth. All while Reed harbored a shocking secret that threatened everything! Find out more here.

Be prepared to fall in love with Sara Ney and her captivating new adult romances! Being a well known jock-blocker gets Scarlett noticed for all the wrong reasons; just like that, she’s banned from Jock Row. Week-after-week, she visits Jock Row with her friends and is quarantined to the porch with one Sterling “Rowdy” Wade. As the weeks progress, the two find out how much they have in common and fall madly in love. Hilarious. witty, and filled with flirtatious fun, this audio was so uplifting and Scareltt and Rowdy’s romance is so real and honest. Drama free and filled with happiness!

Dark and Deep

Dark romance filled with deep emotion

It’s passionate and powerful; suspenseful and seductive. Kristen Ashley’s finale of the Honey series is an endless list of beautiful adjectives that add up to an explosive read. Stellan’s eyed the beautifully intriguing Sixx for longer than she could imagine. After waiting years for her to make a move he decides that only another Dom is willing to crack the shell of this mysterious femma fatale. What Stellan hadn’t planned on was not only culling the dominatrix but releasing the submissive inside. In KA’s distinctive voice, I found a new hero within Sixx. In addition to our final Honey couple, KA dives into more worlds of the exotic and risque. Find out more about them here.

How can I describe how amazingly sexy and sweet this book is? I’m new to Laura Kaye’s Blasphemy series but you can bet your sweet butts I went out and bought the the rest of the entire series after I finished this book in the late hours of the night. I couldn’t put it down, couldn’t look away from the sheer power this book holds. Not for the faint of heart, On His Knees is filled with raw sexuality alongside a man coming to grips with the reality of his sexual preferences. Kaye’s depiction is honest and real and truly makes you understand what it means to go through the struggle of discovery. Find out more about this M/M romance here.

Holy Jesus….this was my first “age difference” romance and I am SOLD! Kylie Scott has been killing the standalone game and this did not disappoint. Adele is stuck staying with her father’s friend and business partner, Pete. Bad news? She’s been terribly in love with Pete for years and now that she’s older, she’s not quite sure what their relationship will be like (especially considering how badly it ended 7 years before). When a night of high emotions turns an argument into one steamy night, their worlds change forever. Not only does Pete have to come to terms with his feelings towards Adele, he has to come face to face with a future he never planned for with her. Another real and relatable romance from Scott; find out more here.

A YA novel from USA Today bestselling author Sarina Bowen. I’m so glad she’s decided to branch out once again and she’s delivered a compelling YA story about love, loss, and the power of music. Rachel’s daydreamed about her rockstar father for years, despite her mother’s protests. Now, her mother’s passed away and left Rachel in his hands just as she’s to turn 18 and experience the world on her own. But the imaginations of a little girl rarely match up to reality. Her dads not all rock god; he’s just a man with imperfections. The Accidentals truly emulates the rag-tag combination of teenage heartbreak and over abundance of emotions. It had me crying, it had my heart breaking, but the power of Rachel’s love of music and her family pulls readers through in the end for a warm ending worthy of any story. Dive in here.

LOVE & LAUGHTER

Cry from laughing instead of heartbreak

I was honestly taken by surprise with how emotional this book made me feel. There’s no terrible past from Jean about her child’s father. There’s no cataclysmic event to force Eric to decide what he wants. This a story about two people (technically three with the baby lol) who fall for each other all out of order. But who are we to judge. You never know what a relationship looks like to the two people in it. And Chaser is the soothing balm after the rough and rich stories of Vaughn and Joe. Scott couldn’t have done a better job on Eric’s story! Find out more here.

an all-new standalone in the USA Today bestselling Rugby Series from Penny Reid and L.H. Cosway. I didn’t want this series to end; I’ve loved it since the moment I started to read it. But Cosway and Reid go out with an amazing story filled with a spunky heroine and a secretive hero. Will, one of our beloved rugby players, is caught amidst a sports scandal as his sexy secret comes to light: he’s a voyeur. But he’s determined to clean up his so called dirty act for the team’s image. In comes the klutzy and foot-in-mouth speaking Josey as his new roommate and pseudo-babysitter. These characters are just plain heartwarming and I found myself laughing hysterically throughout the whole book. A wonderful ending to an amazing series! Find out more here.

OMG Sarina and Tanya deliver another hilarious five-star rom-com! Man Card features sassy, sexy Ash and hilariously metrosexual Braht as our hero and heroine. The two have spent months as “frenemies”; there’s chemistry (and one sexy time in a pantry!) between them but for some reason the attraction leads to an all out turf war as the two realtors love to one up one another. And of course one-upsmanship leads to some hysterical moments for them! Filled with riotous wit and endearingly flubbed sexy-times, Man Card easily slips into a five-star read status. Find out more here.

December 23, 2018 1

UNCONSCIOUS HEARTS – A Harper Sloan Review & Excerpt Reveal

Prepare for a story that hits hard, digs deep, and holds tight. Unconscious Hearts is a powerful romance with an alpha hero and a magnetic heroine that you’ll immediately fall for. Ari is a solitary woman; she has her store and her cat to keep her humble and her busy work life makes her happy. While there’s a heartbreak in her past that shares a darker secret, she’s trying to move on and find happiness in herself. Then he walks in to her shop. Covered in leather, dripping with sin, smelling like temptation. Thorn is made for lustful nights and stirs something in Ari she hasn’t felt for a long time.

Thorn doesn’t date. But the instant he set his sights on Ari Daniels he’s tempted to lay the world at her feet for just one night. It’s coincidence he found her shop, and the temptress wants to strike a bargain to finalize their deal. He just has to convince her that a night in his bed is worth the millions he’s selling her. As Thorn and Ari finally give in to desires their chemistry will set pages and e-readers on fire! Thorn is seriously sexy and if you think this classy man’s intense stare and powerful aura was enough…wait until he uses his 30 seconds to win Ari (you’ll need a glass of water…ICE water).

I love that Sloan slowly reveals the truth behind both Thorn and Ari’s past as well as why they initially fight their attractions to one another. There’s no huge history dump as you’re reading; you get discover why these characters are the way they are as if you were slowly learning about them as a friend in their world. Thorn decided to win Ari fully but her past is a big stone to push. As we catch glimpses of an evil lurking, you know the climax is going to be dark and cataclysmic. The power behind just how hard Torn and Ari are willing to fight for each other is unstoppable. I couldn’t put down this dark romance not just for the passion in each page but for how hard it pulls you in and has you begging for what comes next and that’s why it’s my latest 5 Star Read!

Ari Daniels didn’t count on her whole world tumbling down around her in a mess of shredded promises, broken love, and unbelievable heartbreak. Alone and stricken with grief, she shouldered the blame and eventually closed her heart off, refusing to open it for another. After all, anytime she tried, guilt and regret were waiting in the wings to remind her how painful it was.

A bet and one steamy night with a stranger force Ari to confront all she’s been hiding behind. She tries to move on, but he refuses to stand down, wanting what she is terrified to give—herself. This man may very well destroy her in the end, especially when it’s clear he has his own demons.

What happens when two broken souls come together, finally allowing themselves to believe in the beauty of love … only to have to fight harder than ever to keep it.

AVAILABLE NOW

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | BN | iBooks | Kobo

His eyes get hard for a beat before his features smooth back out.  “Yeah, beyond sure.  No one to pass this shit down to, and even if there was, I wouldn’t be givin’ someone ideas of materialistic bullshit if I did.  More to life than all this shit.”

“Okay, well, in that case …” I cough, not wanting to fight with him about our views when it comes to expensive wants versus needs.  Last time I tried to argue the benefits of learning to care for and value something you work hard to buy, I had a black eye for almost two weeks.   “In that case, I’m prepared to offer you a lump sum as a buyout for the whole collection, but I also want to mention, again, that consignment would be a more lucrative approach.  Our buyout is just a standard percent of resale value, but consignment would allow us to mark up each to give you a larger profit.”

“Told you, babe, want it gone.  I don’t give a shit about making it more lucrative.  Look around you, hardly hurting.”

“Still, it’s my obligation to make sure you’re informed.”

“Consider me informed.”

“Okay … so I can offer a tentative amount of three million.  I would need more time to inspect each item in depth for any defects that could affect the value and also to research a few pieces I feel may be limited editions so that could also affect the value.  Meaning that amount could go up or down, but I wouldn’t expect it to be less than two point five or more than four point seven-ish.  I wouldn’t need but maybe five days tops, and I can come during the day if that works better for your schedule.”

“You get this gone in two days, and I’ll take one mil.”

My whole body jerks back as if I had been slapped, staring at him like he was absolutely insane.

“That’s absolutely insane,” I tell him, voicing my thoughts.

“No, that’s me not giving a shit and wanting it gone so I can get out of this place and sell it and all this shit some hand with care placed around each room.  Woulda left this shit in and sold it with the house, but for some reason I’ll never understand, you’re here, and I still just want it gone.  You don’t need five days when I’m taking a two mil hit, babe.  That would waste your time and mine, and I’m not a huge fan of wasting my time.  Way I see it, you win, and I get a cold mil for some shit I didn’t buy nor care about.  So you get this shit outta here, and all I need is that.”

“Thorn, I can’t in good conscience accept that.”

“Then dirty that conscience up and laugh your tight little ass all the way to the bank.  Don’t give a shit as long as it’s gone, and I don’t have to do anything to make it that way.”

“This is insanity.”

“Insanity would be tossing it all at the Goodwill drop-off.  I’m making money.  You’re making money.  Only thing sweeter than making money is doing it while I’m getting my cock wet, and babe, that only happens when my stock rises at the same time my cock does.”  He steps closer, and I back into the island, my chest burning as I hold my breath.  “Course, never had four mil worth of shit to sell to a woman who makes my cock rise without even trying.”

“Thorn,” I whisper, placing my hand against his hard chest with the intention of pushing him back.  Only, the second his warmth burns through his shirt and hits my skin, I can’t move an inch.

“Ari,” he mocks, his eyes bright.

“I, uh, the paperwork …” I close my eyes and focus on my breaths and the words my mouth can’t seem to form.  When my heart slows enough that I won’t die of a heart attack right here in heaven, I look back up at him.  “You’re breaking my brain, Thorn.  Please step back so I can think clearly without my body trying to die on me.”

The corners of his eyes crinkle as he continues to gaze down at me, but he does step back.  My arm falling down to my side.

“As much as I wish I could have this room cleared out for you tomorrow, it will take at least until late Monday.  I’ll need to meet with you beforehand to have some legal paperwork signed for the sale due to its size.  But my lawyer is an old family friend, so I can have that by tomorrow around dinnertime, if you wouldn’t mind meeting me to take care of that.  I won’t be able to get the cashier’s check until after those are signed, so late Monday is the best I can offer you.”

“Want this shit gone, but it’s hardly a hardship to wait a few more days if that means I’ve got a few more opportunities to try to make you want me as much as you want this shit around you,” he says, his deep voice thick with desire.

“Good heavens, you don’t stop, do you?”

“Not unless you beg, babe.”

“I think it’s best we went back to keeping things professional, Mr. Evans.”

This time, it isn’t a ghost of a smile on his lips.  Oh, no.  Not this time.  If I thought he was handsome before this moment, I was a fool.  Because Thorn Evans giving you his full, unhindered smile and a gaze so thick with unspoken promise as it washes over you and creates a fire of the desire you already felt … well, that expression on him turns him from sinfully hot to heart-stopping and irresistible instantly.

“It would take me five minutes to get you to beg me for it, Ms. Daniels.  Admit it.”

Offended at the thought that I’m easy, I narrow my eyes.  Finally.  At least anger is an emotion I’ve had plenty of practice dealing with.  “I’m not sure what kind of women you’re used to, but I promise you, I am not that type of woman.”

“Maybe three,” he oddly says, ignoring me.

“Three, what?” I snap.

“Minutes, sweetness.  Three minutes and you’d be begging me for all this shit and my cock.”

My mouth flounders, and I gasp.

“Though, pretty sure I could get that in less than a minute and get you doin’ all the work while I watch from my back.”

My arm is up, palm cracking against his cheek before I have the ability to do anything to stop it.  “I think we’re done here.”

I walk around him, ready to find my way out and let him find someone else to take all of this off his hands even if it kills a little part of my lux loving soul.  When his hand curls around my bicep—not painfully, but firm enough to make me stop—I look over my shoulder with a frown.  For a man who was just slapped, he looks almost gleeful.

“One minute, Ari.  Give me a minute and if you aren’t ready to beg me for it, when those sixty seconds are up, you can take this shit and not give me a penny for it.”

Walk away, Ari.  Walk.  Away.  No amount of money is worth being some man’s whore.

Spinning away from his hold, I jerk my arm free and step toward him with a roll up to my toes, getting my face as close to his as I can.  His scent overwhelms me. The subtle notes of his cologne fog my rational thought, making me drunk with need, and I sway slightly before correcting myself.

“Thirty seconds,”  I retort, my jaw tight with stubbornness.

I’m not sure who I shocked more—him or me.  I have my answer, though, when I see victory flash in his eyes.  Oh, my God … what have I done?

“You’re on,” he agrees, his eyes alight with the promise backed up by his devilish grin.

I nod, incapable of anything more.  I stand there in shocked silence as he takes my phone, his thick fingers moving quickly over the screen.  I vaguely hear a chime from his pocket and before I can so much as blink, he’s handing me my things.

“Tomorrow, I’ll text you.  Paperwork first, then you beg.”

I gulp, jerk my head in what I hope resembles a nod of agreement, and then … I flee.

Harper is a NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL and USA TODAY bestselling author residing in Georgia with her husband and three daughters. She has a borderline unhealthy obsession with books, hibachi, tattoos and Game of Thrones. When she isn’t writing you can almost always find her with a book in hand.

June 12, 2018 1

UNCONSCIOUS HEARTS – A Harper Sloan Cover Reveal

What happens when two broken souls come together, finally allowing themselves to believe in the beauty of love … only to have to fight harder than ever to keep it.

PRE-ORDER NOW

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | BN | iBooks | Kobo

Preorder now before the price goes up to regular pricing (4.99) after release!

May 18, 2018 0

CORPS SECURITY – A Harper Sloan New Release

JB Salsbury – Fighting For Honor

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2fLYi42

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author JB Salsbury brings her Fighting series to Harper Sloan’s Hope Town in this Kindle Worlds exclusive, Fighting for Honor.

UFL fighter Caleb hasn’t been to Hope Town since he was eighteen. His next big fight takes place in Atlanta and the serene lakefront home from his childhood is the perfect place to train without distractions.

Until he stumbles downstairs to find a woman in his house. He’s met her before, and he’s never forgotten.

Honor was raised by her grandfather, Crazy Colonel Cartwright. Ostracized at a young age she was an outcast. Combined with her awkward personality and she became the local bully’s favorite plaything.

Honor and Caleb come face-to-face and feelings from fourteen years ago come rushing back—not all of them good.

She prefers to remain unknown, but she’s seen in public with the world’s most talked about fighter and thrust into a national spotlight that catches the attention of her childhood tormentors.

And they aren’t finished with her yet.

JM Walker: For You

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2wSbIkQ

Brogan Tapp tries to be strong. Guilt and fear that the man she loves will fall within himself and not know how to find his way out, haunts her.

Coby Porter vows not to let the demons in his mind take over. He plans a trip to save his relationship, once and for all.

Hope Town, Georgia is the saving grace for their love, before the nightmares consume them both.

SR Watson – Deliverance

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2wSEeml

Bleu Loren

My life has never been my own. I’ve always been a rule follower—the obedient girl who always did what she was told. I played the part given to me and got engaged to the man my parents set me up with. He was supposed to be my Prince Charming. He promised me a happily ever after, only he delivered a nightmare instead. Now I’m on the run. No money. No plan. Just freedom. How ironic is it that my desperate escape lands me in a place called Hope Town? I lost hope a long time ago.

Beau Rivers Lair

I’m a manwhore. It’s a known fact and exactly how I like it. I make my own rules and live without expectations. Returning to Hope Town to help the woman who raised me with her restaurant meant my past was here to greet me, but I refuse to allow the mirage of possibilities to engulf me a second time around. I don’t believe in love or fairy-tale endings. There’s lust, and there’s screwing. I don’t have time for anyone or anything outside of these two principles. There is no hope for me. Accept it or not … you’ve been warned!

Somethin’ Bad by Cat Mason

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2jYEvTD

Tequila can make a woman do somethin’ stupid.

Somethin’ bad…

After celebrating my birthday with my best friends turns into the most embarrassing night of my life, the last thing I expected was to see him walk into my bakery. The sexy smile on his face lets me know that he has no intention of letting me off the hook either. He doesn’t want an apology or an explanation.

He wants me.

The way Matt Hudson crashes into my life and bosses me around as if he has known me all my life is frustrating. What’s even worse is the power he has to bring me to my knees with the flash of one his panty-melting smiles. He steals my control without even trying.

Makes me want.

Makes me need.

Even when my life begins to unravel right before my eyes, there is a part of me hoping that the man my friends have dubbed Hunk P.D. may be something good to come out of all my heartache.

The entire Corps Security series is together for a limited time box set.

Years after the Marines brought them together, the men of Corps Security are together again.

These six novels follow their lives as they take a chance at love. Can love truly conquer all?

From broken souls to broken hearts, they all will find out if they’ll get their second chance at happily ever afters and that love really is worth fighting for.

**Warning**
These books are intended for a mature reading audience and aren’t suitable for younger readers. There are some mild scenes of abuse that happen outside of the relationship of the H/h in some of the books.

AMAZON | iBooks

September 26, 2017 0

CORPS SECURITY IN HOPE TOWN – A Harper Sloan Kindle World Announcement

It’s not secret that the Corps Security and Hope Town crew are close to my heart. Not only did they begin it all, but they’ve continued to steal my soul since book 1. Because of this, I couldn’t be more excited that some of my favorite authors in the world have joined in to give them a new and exciting breath. With them and these new stories, we get to jump back in with some of our favorite cast and crew. You never really know what you’ll get, but one things certain, you’ll be within the world we all know and love while enjoying a little sexiness from their own worlds. It’s got me so excited, I can’t handle it! I hope you all enjoy this next step with the new Kindle Worlds branch; Corps Security in Hope Town COMING SEPTEMBER 26!

Love,

Harper

JB Salsbury – Fighting For Honor

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author JB Salsbury brings her Fighting series to Harper Sloan’s Hope Town in this Kindle Worlds exclusive, Fighting for Honor.

Until he stumbles downstairs to find a woman in his house. He’s met her before, and he’s never forgotten.

Honor and Caleb come face-to-face and feelings from fourteen years ago come rushing back—not all of them good.

She prefers to remain unknown, but she’s seen in public with the world’s most talked about fighter and thrust into a national spotlight that catches the attention of her childhood tormentors.

And they aren’t finished with her yet.

Felicia Lynn: How To Breathe

I can’t go back to the man I was any more than I can forget the memories locked inside me. Few men qualified for the mission and even fewer were willing to accept the required life sentence. Counting the days, good and bad, I exist as the world keeps spinning.

There’s a price to pay for a life with a greater purpose, but the healing of time is a damn liar. I’m supposed to be a dead man, and the silence couldn’t be more deafening. Even though I could never look back, I thought I’d taken enough out of that life to carry me forward. The success of the mission was meant to give the tragedy of my life meaning, but I’ve been stuck in this wreckage of my past . . . until now.

One look into her eyes disarms me. These walls I’ve built shouldn’t break on their own, but they crumble whenever she’s near. I’ve spent years waiting for a reason to breathe again, and now that I have her within reach, I’m not sure I can keep her. Is it possible to find both the missing piece of my soul and the remedy to my healing in one set of bright green eyes?

JM Walker: For You

Brogan Tapp tries to be strong. Guilt and fear that the man she loves will fall within himself and not know how to find his way out, haunts her.

Coby Porter vows not to let the demons in his mind take over. He plans a trip to save his relationship, once and for all.

Hope Town, Georgia is the saving grace for their love, before the nightmares consume them both.

SR Watson – Deliverance

Bleu Loren

Beau Rivers Lair

Somethin’ Bad by Cat Mason

Tequila can make a woman do somethin’ stupid.

Somethin’ bad…

He wants me.

Makes me want.

Makes me need.

Even when my life begins to unravel right before my eyes, there is a part of me hoping that the man my friends have dubbed Hunk P.D. may be something good to come out of all my heartache.

The entire Corps Security series is together for a limited time box set.

Years after the Marines brought them together, the men of Corps Security are together again.

These six novels follow their lives as they take a chance at love. Can love truly conquer all?

From broken souls to broken hearts, they all will find out if they’ll get their second chance at happily ever afters and that love really is worth fighting for.

AMAZON | iBooks

August 30, 2017 0

JADED HEARTS – A Harper Sloan Review & Excerpt

Signing with Brighthouse Records was supposed to be everything we ever wanted—our better life. Our chance at everything we never had but always wanted. All our dreams would finally come true and we were on top of the world. It was our chance at the happiness we never had in life.

Our every desire was at our fingertips and the power of that feeling was all consuming. But then it took every dream we thought would come true and it slapped us in the face with the cold hard reality.

Dreams were just that…something that floated on the cusp of untouchable, taunting you with every graze of your fingertips before slipping even further away.

Happiness…that feeling is a joke.

In the end it became painfully obvious that each of us would always have each other, but we would forever be alone.

ADD IT TO YOUR GOODREADS

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Nook | Kobo | iTunes

*ARC received from the author for an honest review*

I really wanted to like these two more than I did. They were just missing something. That being said….Wrenlee and Chance are HOT! Rockstar love is not a thing to mess with!

Wrenlee is the rock chick that everyone wants to be and the girl no one can have. Living in the spotlight has had its downside when Wrenlee realizes that living and loving the rock and roll life leads to a loveless one. And sometimes that spotlight becomes dangerous when it puts you in the sights of someone out to take what’s yours. In comes Chance…the guardian with a heart of gold. This sexy stud has one thing on his mind: Protecting Wrenlee Davenport at all costs; even if the cost is his heart.

Wrenlee and Chance fall hard and fast and I have not doubt thats how it could be in the rockstar world but for some reason it left me wanting more. No doubt these two had a connection that couldn’t be denied. But some of the time jumps or even the short timespans left me spinning (and not from their intense kisses!). Wrenlee threw me for a loop when she fell for Chance so hard. In the beginning she wanted someone to love her as Wrenlee and not the rockstar; and she had a hard time trusting others. It was Chance that had felt connected to her before they even met so I had assumed that wold come between them. But the twist of Chance’s past comes to light and threatens once again right as he has to make his decision to save Wrenlee or lose her forever.

Excited for Jamison’s story next….oh man…THAT one is going to be entertaining!

XOXO Nalla

Goddamn, that smile is dangerous.

Who am I kidding? He is dangerous.

I do my best to ignore him, but it’s impossible. The steady brush of his arm against where mine is resting on our shared armrest constantly reminds me how much my body wants his touch. The scent of his delicious cologne hits my senses, making me want to climb in his lap and rub my face over his chest to get a potent lungful of it.

I can’t even remember the last time I was this horny, which is pathetically sad, since it was probably around the same time I actually got laid. Years. I think. Close to three. Maybe that’s why I’m a hot mess lately. I turn my head to study the side of his face and wonder if I can use this situation to my advantage. I mean, after all, we are in a ‘relationship’ now.

He turns and gives me a questioning arch of his dark brows, but I brush it off in favor of playing Disney Emoji Blitz on my phone.

By the time we had hit cruising altitude, I could hear the other men around me snoring away but not Chance. He’s fiddling with his phone, completely ignorant of the fact I’m about to start humping his leg.

“Excuse me,” I breathily say, unbuckling my belt and standing to move around him. I stand there, my head bent slightly because of the overhead, and wait. He doesn’t move, though. Instead, he drops his phone to his lap and gives me his complete attention; his eyes even dance a little like he’s finding this whole damn thing funny. “Excuse me,” I repeat, no longer breathy, and seconds away from coming.

No, that’s a lie. I’m still breathy and very much seconds away from soaking my panties even more than they already are.

His large hands grab my hips, and he guides me down on his lap with no resistance from my treacherous body.

“Not what I meant,” I say through clenched teeth, trying to sound harsh and offended, but I just sound dazed and turned on. I wiggle in his hold, trying to get free, but he’s too strong for me.

He leans up in his seat, his chest hitting my back and buries his face in my neck. I’m sure anyone who saw us would see a loving couple who just can’t keep their hands to themselves. He’s playing a dangerous game, though, because the second the solid, hard length of him presses against my backside, I forget this is supposed to be a game and squirm a little more. His teeth nip at my shoulder at the same time his groan hits my ears.

“Stop moving, Wren,” he demands, tightening his fingers on my hips.

“You’re the one who put me on your lap.” I curl my fingers over the empty seat in front of me and squeeze my eyes shut when I feel him growing harder under me.

“Yeah, because the flight attendant who just walked by had her phone out and pointed right at us. She’s doing a shit job of making it look like she’s doing something with her paperwork.” His hand comes off my hip, and he cups my jaw, turning my head to the side just when I was about to look up at where I last saw the attendant, forcing me to shift until all it would take is me throwing one leg over his body to be face-to-face. “Do not look at her,” he stresses; the sudden movement of twisting my body makes me bounce slightly in his lap, rubbing my legging-clad ass against his erection. His eyes drop to my mouth where I pull my bottom lip between my teeth and groan.

“Give me a reason not to look,” I dare him.

“You don’t want to go down that road, Wren. I’ll protect you from the world, but you need to protect yourself from me.”

“No one is asking you to.”

Not even knowing if we’re still being watched, I twist my torso the rest of the way, pulling my legs up until they’re bent at his stomach between us. Now that I’m facing him completely, I bring my hands up to curl them both around his shoulders before dragging them up to wrap around the corded muscles at the sides of his neck. His nostrils flare, but he doesn’t stop me. I give him the chance, but it never comes. Dropping my head, I press my lips to his. I explore his lips with small pecks and little licks of my tongue, learning his mouth before pressing more firmly. He sucks in a breath when I open my mouth and slowly drag the tip of my tongue over his bottom lip.

And then his control snaps.

His hands—still at my hips—lift me effortlessly until my legs are no longer folded between us, but now digging into the hard armrests with my knees pushing into his thighs, my back hitting the seat in front of me. His mouth opens, and his tongue meets mine, no hesitation whatsoever, as he deepens the kiss.

Our breathing echoes around us, making it sound like everyone on this plane could hear us, but I know it’s just because our faces are so close. I let out a moan, one that he swallows, that turns into a whine when he pulls back.

“That can’t happen again,” he softly scolds, just as breathless as I am.

What the hell? I might not have been into this whole fake-boyfriend-slash-bodyguard thing before, but I’ll be damned if I’m not going to take advantage of the situation. Especially now that I know how alive he makes me feel. Three years since I had pleasure from anything other than my own hand, and if that kiss is anything to go by, what Chance could make me feel is ten times more powerful than anything I’ve ever felt in my whole life.

I’m not passing that up.

Nope.

No fucking way.

“We’ll see about that.”

CONNECT WITH HARPER…

December 13, 2016 0

JADED HEARTS – A Harper Sloan Exclusive Excerpt

Jaded Hearts by Harper Sloan

Dreams were just that…something that floated on the cusp of untouchable, taunting you with every graze of your fingertips before slipping even further away.

Happiness…that feeling is a joke.

In the end it became painfully obvious that each of us would always have each other, but we would forever be alone.

ADD IT TO YOUR GOODREADS

Prologue

Signing with the record company of our dreams should have been the best thing that ever happened to us.

And it was…for a short while anyway.

While the glitz and glamour of the fame’s promise was shining as bright as our stage lights we could forget where we came from and live in the glory. The money bought us every happiness we ever craved. Those false securities that you think will make your life better. The instant friends, lovers—you name it—would do whatever we asked just to spend a second in our presence.

We had it all.

The only problem was when we had those quiet moments in between the insanity. When we were slapped in the face with the reality that all we really had—all we could count on—was each other.

My brother, Weston, is the only constant I’ve ever had in my life. He’s the person that I know will never let me down and will always be my biggest support. We grew up with parents that hated us. Really…it sounds ridiculous, the notion that parents could hate their children, but ours did … no, do. They made no secret of it when we were younger. And they continue to attempt to pick at our very souls like the vultures that they are.

My earliest memory of them is somewhere around third or fourth grade. That was the year that they seemed hell-bent on reminding us that we had ruined it all for them. Constant screams and verbal lashings.

According to them, they were on the edge of fame and then we came along and it all went down hill. Even now, I still can’t understand how they came up with that logic. How we were to blame for their reckless behavior. The same reckless behavior that, in reality had ruined whatever path they might have traveled. It has nothing to do with us, but to them, we were essentially their bad luck.

When we hit middle school it got worse, but only because they knew that they could leave us for long periods and we wouldn’t die.

Our parents, like us, were born to be stars…or at least they assumed they were and they had no qualms about reminding us that fact daily. Unfortunately for them, they lacked the drive and ambition to never back down until they had everything they ever wanted. The first challenge that was thrown in their path they decided to take the low road full of scavengers and sinners.

Like I said, vultures through and through.

Our dad knocked up mom in the early eighties, when big hair rock bands were all the rage and theirs was seconds away from signing the record deal that would make their careers.

Then they found out about us.

The twins that ruined it all.

And all those long nights performing in whatever local hole they could find, bouncing from town to town just waiting for their big break was washed away.

Mom was no longer the singer that men would lust over. Not when we ruined her body. And our dad was so deep in the bottle I’m not sure he realized he was swimming in it. Again, something that was blamed on us.

When their band fell apart, they decided hating us was almost easier than hating each other. They had a common goal in their blame and right or wrong, to them we would never be anything other than a reminder of why they aren’t living their dream.

Their band mates obviously didn’t share the same bond that Weston and I have with Jamison and Luke. God forbid I ever found myself in a position like my parents had been in, I know my boys would band together and the show would go on.

Because for us, this is it.

This is our future’s promise of a better life and even if for me it’s starting to look like more of a curse than a promise, it’s something that we would die before we gave up.

Unfortunately for me, I’m pretty sure that there are a few people that would love to make that happen.

I’m getting ahead of myself. You’re probably wondering who am I.

I’m no stranger to you. I’m on every magazine cover. You open social media and I guarentee you there is a spondered post about my group. Turn on the radio, boom – there we are.

I’m everywhere.

I’m Wrenlee Davenport, lead singer of Loaded Replay, and I’ve learned the hard way that there is plenty of people in the world that would love to have a piece of me, but they don’t give one shit about the person behind the voice.

They see the persona. The fake me that the record label loves to market as the sexy singer with the body of a sinner and the voice of a saint, but for me—I’m probably always going to be that stupid little girl that believes that my prince charming will come riding in on his black horse—because really, black horses are so much more badass than white ones—and prove to me that every little jaded piece of my heart is worth loving.

And he will love me for me.

For Wren.

Not the Wrenlee that, for more times than I care to admit, has to drink herself stupid just to face this fucking life I’m living.

Yeah… fame and fortune is far from everything I ever dreamed it was.

It’s my own personal hell and I pray that there’s something or someone out there that can prove to me that the world isn’t screwed because the majority of humanity is too busy licking the windows on the outside to see the beauty behind it. All they care about is what’s at face value when what matters is skin deep.

I should feel bad for prince charming. My knight in tarnished armor. Because he’ll have one giant battle on his hands to make me believe that there might be someone left out there that doesn’t just want a piece of me.