Cover Reveal – The Allure of Dean Harper by R.S. Grey

Title: The Allure of Dean Harper
Author: R.S. Grey
Release Date: Oct 2015
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Synopsis

From: LilyNBlack@Gmail.com
To: JosephineKeller@VogueMagazine.com
Subject: You’re a flippin’ idiot
Good morning my dear, naive friend,
I hope you’re enjoying a breakfast of regret and sorrow.
Why?
Because you sent me to work for Dean Harper, aka a control freak in a tailor-made suit. Sure he owns the trendiest restaurants in NYC, but c’mon Jo, his ego makes Kanye West look like the Dalai Lama.
He’s the type of guy that only hears the word “no” when it’s followed by “don’t stop.”
Working for Dean Harper would be like selling my soul to the devil…and before you say anything, I don’t care if the devil has punch-you-in-the-gut brown eyes and an ass to match. My soul isn’t for sale.
Love,
Regretfully yours,
Lily
The Allure of Dean Harper is a full-length standalone romance with overlapping characters from The Allure of Julian Lefray. Both books can be read separately. Chronologically, The Allure of Julian Lefray happens first.

 

 

 

About the Author

I am a lover of books, chocolate, reality TV, black labs, and cold weather. Seriously, if I had it my way, I would be curled up on the couch with all of those things… everyday.
I live in Texas where I spend my free time writing and reading. My favorite authors include Mindy Kaling & Jonathan Safran Foer. I’m a comedy geek and love all things “funny”. Women like Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Mindy Kaling are definitely the biggest inspirations for my writing, though I think my work tends to skew a bit smuttier than theirs.

 

 

Excerpt – Chapter 1 Reveal Cocky Bastard by Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland

cocky bastard excerpt reveal

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RELEASE DATE: August 17th, 2015

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RELEASE DATE: August 17th, 2015

Cocky Cover

 

 

He was someone who belonged in my wildest fantasies instead of a rest stop in the middle of Nebraska. A sexy, cocky, Australian named Chance was the last person I expected to run into on my cross-country drive. When my car broke down, we made a deal. Next thing I knew, we were traveling together, spending sexually-tense nights in hotels and taking unplanned detours.

My ordinary road trip turned into the adventure of a lifetime. It was all fun and games until things got intense. I wanted him, but Chance wouldn’t make a move. I thought he wanted me too, but something was holding him back. I wasn’t supposed to fall for the cocky bastard, especially when I knew we’d be going our separate ways. All good things must come to an end, right? Except our ending was one I didn’t see coming.

Excerpt – Chapter 1 Reveal

This is an exclusive sneak peek of

COCKY BASTARD

I wondered if the vibration would feel good between my legs.

The sun caught the chrome of a Harley Davidson parked a few spots over, gleaming in the sweltering midday sun. I waited until Maroon Five finished playing on the radio, oddly fixated on the two-wheeled-man-toy as I fished in my purse for my cell phone. The motorcycle was simple—high gloss black and shiny silver, worn leather saddlebags with a skull embossed below the initials C.B.

How good would it feel to ride? Wind blowing through my long hair, arms wrapped around a man with a tough sounding nickname, engine purring beneath my jean clad thighs. Horse? Drifter? Guns? Wait. No. Pres. My imaginary biker was most definitely called Pres. And he’d look just like Charlie Hunnam.

I glanced down at my iPhone and found a half dozen new messages from Harrison. Inwardly, I smirked. Certainly, there is no one named Harrison that ever rode a Harley. Tossing my phone back in my bag, I cut the engine of my packed BMW and glanced behind me into the backseat. Boxes piled to the ceiling were beginning to make my full-size car feel claustrophobic.

A bus full of travelers pulled into the rest stop. Great. I’d better go in now and get my lunch, otherwise I’d never get out of here. Ten hours into a cross-country trip from Chicago to Temecula, California, I was somewhere in the middle of Nebraska with about another twenty some odd hours to go.

After a fifteen-minute wait inside for Pepsi and Popeyes fried chicken bites that I planned to eat back in the car, I stopped into the small souvenir shop. I was so tired and didn’t really feel like driving the additional five hours I had to go before finding a place to sleep for the night. Yawning, I decided to stall and browse for a few minutes. Checking out some trinkets, I eventually picked up a Barack Obama bobblehead and shook it mindlessly, watching its maniacal smile as the head bounced up and down.

“Get it. You know you want it,” a deep, raspy voice said from behind my shoulders. Startling me, it caused a knee-jerk reaction that resulted in the bobblehead slipping from my fingers and falling to the ground. The head broke off of the spring neck and rolled away.

The woman at the register shouted, “I’m sorry, ma’am. You’ll have to pay for that. Twenty dollars.”

“Damn it!” I spewed, following the path of the rolling head. As I bent down to pick it up, there was the voice again from behind me.

“And to think, some people say he’s got a good head on his shoulders.” He seemed to have an Australian accent.

“You think this is funny, asshole?” I asked before turning around and getting my first look at the man behind the voice.

I froze.

Oh. Shit.    

“You don’t need to be a fucking bitch about it.” His mouth curved into a wicked grin as he handed me the bottom half of Obama. “And for the record, I did think that was really funny, yes.”

I swallowed and seemed to lose my ability to speak as I took in the Adonis standing before me. I wanted to smack that cocky smile right off his face, though—his gorgeous, chiseled, scruffy face, framed by a thick head of copper-brown hair. Fuck me. This man was insanely hot, not someone I expected to come across out here. This was the middle of nowhere USA, not the Australian outback for Christ’s sake.

I cleared my throat. “Well, I didn’t think it was funny at all.”

“Then, you need to take the stick out of your arse and lighten up.” He reached out his hand. “Give it to me, Princess. I’ll pay for the damn thing.” Before I could respond, he grabbed the two broken pieces from me, and I cursed at the shiver that ran down my spine from the brief contact of his hand brushing against mine. Of course, he had to smell amazing on top of it all.

I followed him to the register as I fished through my messy purse for money, but he was too quick and had paid for it already.

He handed me a plastic bag containing the broken bobblehead. “There’s some change in the bag. Buy yourself a sense of humor.”

HUE-MA. That accent.

My jaw dropped as he walked away and out of the store.

What an ass.

It was. A fine one. A thick, juicy, round ass hugged tightly by his jeans. God, I really needed to get laid, because it didn’t seem to matter that this guy had just insulted me to my face; my panties were practically wet.

After several minutes of staring into space at a shelf of Nebraska Cornhuskers t-shirts, I gave myself a mental kick in the butt. My reaction to the incident proved that fatigue had gotten the best of me; I wasn’t usually that short-tempered. It was time to shake off the bizarre encounter and get moving. My stomach was growling, and I was looking forward to breaking into the fried chicken once I hit the road. I snuck a piece out of the box in my bag as I walked out of the building. My chewing ceased when I noticed him two spots down from my car—sitting on the very motorcycle I’d been fantasizing about earlier.

Approaching slowly, I hoped he didn’t notice me. No such luck. Instead, when he spotted me, he flashed an exaggerated smile and waved.

Frantically searching for my keys, I rolled my eyes and muttered, “You again.”

He snickered. “Did you end up buying a sense of humor?”

“I used the change to buy you some couth instead.”

Chuckling, he shook his head at me. Running his hand through his hair, he put his shiny black helmet on and cranked the Harley. The rumble shook me to my core.  

Getting in the car and slamming the door, I couldn’t help taking one last look over at him, seeing as though I’d never see this guy again in my lifetime. He winked through the helmet, and my pathetic heart fluttered.

I watched through the rear view mirror as he backed out of the spot. I expected him to take off like a bat out of hell, but after moving away slowly, he abruptly stopped. He kept trying to rev the bike to get it to move, but nothing was happening. Eventually turning off the engine, he removed his helmet and ran his hand through his hair in frustration before getting off to inspect things. I should have just left, but couldn’t take my eyes off him as he struggled to get it to run. Man, that sucks.

I dipped one of the chicken bites into the honey mustard sauce and popped it into my mouth, continuing to watch this like a spectator sport for several minutes. At one point, he took out his phone and made a phone call as he paced back and forth.

Putting his phone away, he looked in my direction and glared at me. Caught in the act of watching him, I let out a nervous laugh. I didn’t mean to laugh at the situation, but it just came out. He raised his brow, and that made me cackle harder. He slowly walked toward me, clutching the helmet by his side. He knocked on my window, and I lowered it.

“You think this is funny, Princess?”

“Not really…maybe.” I snorted.

“Well, I’m glad you finally managed to find your sense of humor.”

HUE-MA.

God, his accent was sexy.

He arched his neck to look into the backseat and took notice of all the boxes. “You homeless or something? Living out of your car?”

“No. I’m in the middle of a cross-country move.”

“Where you headed?”

“Temecula.”

“California.” He nodded. “Me, too.”

I looked toward his Harley. “Well, it looks like you’re not exactly headed anywhere anytime soon. I guess it’s payback for calling me a bitch.”

“Well, that would seem to be the case.”

“That it’s payback?”

“No, that you’re a bitch.”

“Very funny.”

“You know what’s even better than payback?” he asked leaning into the window, his cologne intoxicating me.

“What?”

He wiggled his brows. “Karma.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Come around and have a look at the back of your Beemer.”

BEE-MA.

I got out and walked around to the back of my car to find my right rear tire was completely flat.

What? This cannot be happening.

With my hand on my forehead, I looked over at his smug expression. “Are you kidding me? Did you know my tire was flat all this time?”

“I noticed it right around the time I caught you popping chicken and laughing at me, yes. It was real hard for me to keep a straight face at that point.”

I didn’t know how to change a tire to save my life. I couldn’t believe what I was about to ask of him.

“Do you know how to change a tire?”

“Of course I do. What kind of a man would I be if I didn’t know how to change a tire?”

“Will you help me? I know you have no reason to want to…after our little altercation, but I’m seriously desperate. I don’t want to be stuck out here all alone at night.”

“Let me ask you a question.”

“Okay…”

He rubbed the scruff on his chin. “How badly do you want your tire changed?”

I backed away from him. “What exactly are you getting at?”

“Get your mind out of the gutter, sweetheart. I’m not fucking propositioning you if that’s what you think. You’re not my type.”

“And what exactly is your type?”

“I typically go for women who don’t have the personality of a door knob.”

“Thanks.”

“My pleasure.”

“So, what are your conditions?”

“Well, as you clearly know from your laughing fit, my Harley is experiencing a technical malfunction at the moment. It needs a part that I don’t have. I just called a tow company. But I’m on a deadline, and like you, I need to get to California.”

“You’re not suggesting…”

“Yes. Yes, I am. If I change your tire, you let me ride with you.”

“Ride with me?”

“Ride me, yes.”

“What did you just say?”

“You’re hearing things.”

I shook my head to rid the images now flashing through it. Did my tired mind only imagine that he just said that, or was he messing with me?

“I cannot drive hundreds of miles with a total stranger,” I said.

“It’s a fuck of a lot safer than driving alone.”

“Not if you’re a serial killer!”

“Look who’s talking. You’re the one who decapitated a U.S. president.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. This situation was seriously insane.

“Holy shit, Princess, is that a laugh at your own expense, I see?”

“I think you’re making me delirious.”

He stuck out his hand. “So, you in?”

I crossed my arms instead of taking it. “What choice do I have?”

“Well, you could always have him change your tire.” He gestured to a large and scary-looking man who seemed to be watching us. This guy looked like Herman Munster in the flesh.

Letting out a deep breath, I conceded. “I’m in. I’m in! Just get me out of here.”

“I thought you might say that. Please tell me you have a spare.”

“Yeah. But I have to move some of my boxes so you can get to it.”

He started to crack up when he got a load of the situation inside my trunk. “Damn, what the hell is all this crap?”

I looked into his eyes and answered honestly, “My entire life.”

I temporarily piled the contents of the trunk onto the pavement. He got the spare out and immediately got to work.

As he was changing the tire, his white t-shirt rode up, exposing his tanned, rock-hard abs and a thin trail of hair that ran into his underwear line. Unwanted tension built between my legs. I needed a distraction, so I walked over to his bike and sat on it, gripping the handles and imagining what it would be like to ride in the wind. But all I could envision now was him in front of me, and that wasn’t helping.

He slid his body from under my car. “Be careful, little girl. That’s not a toy.”

I hopped off and ran my finger along the letters emblazoned on the saddlebags. “What’s C.B. stand for anyway?”

“Those are my initials.”

“Let me guess…Cocky Bastard?”

“See…I would have told you my name, but since you’re so clever, I think I’ll just let you guess.”

“Whatever, Cocky.”

He lay back down on the ground. “I’m just tightening up these nuts, and we’ll be ready to go.”

“Nuts?”

“Lug nuts…on the wheel, dirty girl.”

“Oh.”

Hopping up, he lifted his shirt and used it to wipe his forehead. “All set.”

Damn.

“That was quick. Are you sure it’s on right?”

“I’ve got a few screws loose, darling, as you’ll soon find out, but none of them are on your wheel.” He winked and for the first time, I noticed his dimples. “We should probably stop tomorrow and get a new tire put on. This spare is really not meant for long term use.”

Tomorrow. Wow. This was really happening.

“We should get going,” I said. “I’ll drive. I need to be in control of this situation.”

“Whatever you want,” he said.

I could feel the tension in my neck as I backed out of the spot. This was going to be very interesting to say the least. He wasted no time digging into my chicken bites.

I playfully slapped his hand. “Hey, lay off my food.”

“Honey mustard? I prefer barbecue.” He licked his thumb, and I swore at myself for getting turned on a little. This was going to be a long ride.

He smirked and lifted the plastic bag from the souvenir shop. “Did you even open it?”

“No. What’s the point? It’s just a broken bobblehead.”

Handing it to me, he said, “Is it?”

With one hand on the steering wheel, I took out the bobblehead which was…in one piece.

“What the…how did you?”

“You seemed to like it, so I paid for the other and bought you a different one. You were too busy looking through your purse to notice.”

I couldn’t help but smile and shook my head.

“Well, whaddya know. A genuine smile.” He held out his hand. “Here…gimme.” When, I handed it to him, he took an adhesive strip off the bottom and stuck it to the dash. Obama’s head was now bopping up and down with every movement of the car.

I broke out in laughter at the ridiculousness but also couldn’t help the warm feeling that came over me with that sweet gesture. Maybe he wasn’t really a bastard at all.

We were quiet for a while as he lay his head back and shut his eyes. Somewhere along I-76 after the sun set into a bright orange glow that illuminated the horizon in the distance, he turned to me.

His voice was groggy. “I’m Chance.”

After several seconds of silence, I said, “Aubrey.”

“Aubrey,” he repeated in a breathy whisper, seeming to contemplate my name before closing his eyes again and turning his head away.

Chance.

About the Authors

Vi Keeland is a native New Yorker with three children that occupy most of her free time, which she complains about often, but wouldn’t change for the world. She is a bookworm and has been known to read her kindle at stop lights, while styling her hair, cleaning, walking, during sporting events, and frequently while pretending to work. She is a boring attorney by day, and an exciting smut author by night!

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Pinterest

Additional Books by Vi Keeland

Life on Stage series (2 standalone books)

Beat

Amazon US     Amazon UK     iBooks     Kobo     B&N

Throb

Amazon US    Amazon UK     Barnes & Noble     iBooks    Kobo

MMA Fighter series (3 standalone books)

Worth the Fight (MMA Fighter Series, Book One)

Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Kobo     Smashwords     iBooks

Worth The Chance (MMA Fighter Series, Book Two)

Amazon US     B&N    iBooks      Kobo     Smashwords

 Worth Forgiving (MMA Fighter Series, Book Three)

Amazon US     B & N     iBooks     Kobo

 

The Cole Series (2 book serial)

Belong to You (Cole Series, Book One)

Amazon US     Amazon UK     Barnes & Noble     iBooks     Kobo

Made for You (Cole Series, Book Two)

Amazon US     Amazon UK     Barnes & Noble     iBooks     Kobo

 Standalone novels

Left Behind (A Young Adult Novel)

Amazon US     Amazon UK

First Thing I See

Amazon US     Amazon UK     Barnes & Noble

 

 

 

 

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor, before switching to a more family-friendly career. She is the proud mother of a beautiful 10-year-old girl with autism and a 9-year-old boy. Penelope and her family reside in Rhode Island.

 

Stalk Her: Facebook | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads

Other books from Penelope Ward

Stepbrother Dearest

Amazon     B&N     iTunes      kobo

Gemini

Amazon     B&N     iTunes     kobo

Jake Undone (Jake #1)

Amazon      B&N     iTunes     kobo

My Skylar

Amazon     B&N     iTunes     kobo

Jake Understood (Jake #2)

Amazon     B&N     iTunes     kobo

Coming Soon – Drowning to Breathe by A.L. Jackson

Drowning to Breathe by A.L. Jackson has a release date!!!

The danger in pretending is it becoming real…

Sebastian Stone, Sunder front man and guitarist with a rap sheet about ten miles long, escaped to Savannah, Georgia, to get away from the trouble he’d caused.

Not find more of it.

The moment he saw Shea Bentley, he saw beneath all her sweet and innocence to something that went deeper.

Darker.

Their relationship was built on secrets; their love built on lies.

Sebastian never imagined how deep her secrets went.

When the past and present collide, Sebastian and Shea find themselves fighting for a future neither believed they deserved. Their passion is consuming and their need unending.

Now, holding the truth in his hands, Sebastian is faced with sacrificing everything he’s come to love to protect Shea and his family.

Two pasts intertwined.

Two lives bound.

Will their demons drown them or will Shea and Sebastian finally learn to breathe?

 ADD TO GOODREADS
iBooks Exclusive Pre-Order
He wanted nothing at all…
Until he found she had everything to give…
Sunder lead singer and guitarist Sebastian Stone has
everything—fans, fame, and fortune. He also has a heart full of bitterness and
a reputation for a short-fused temper. But an outward reputation rarely reveals
the true man inside. Facing assault charges after trying to protect his younger
brother, Sebastian is sent to Savannah, Georgia to lie low until the dust
settles in L.A.
Shea Bentley is beautiful, kind, and hiding from the very
lifestyle Sebastian has always embraced.
When the mysterious, tattooed stranger begins hanging out at the
bar where she works, Shea is quick to recognize he is nothing but trouble, but
she’s helpless to the way her body lights up every time his intense gray eyes
tangle with hers.
They both soon find themselves drowning in a sea of desire and
passion that won’t let them up for air.

Sebastian knows firsthand secrets never die, and he’s not the only
one who’s hiding them.
Loving someone always comes with a price. But will it be Shea’s
past that costs them everything?
 

About the Author

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of contemporary and new adult romance.
 
She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student.  She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the
difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.
 
Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends
and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children.

Review – A Stone in the Sea by A.L. Jackson

He wanted nothing at all…

Until he found she had everything to give…

Sunder lead singer and guitarist Sebastian Stone has everything–fans, fame, and fortune. He also has a heart full of bitterness and a reputation for a short-fused temper. But an outward reputation rarely reveals the true man inside. Facing assault charges after trying to protect his younger brother, Sebastian is sent to Savannah, Georgia to lie low until the dust settles in L.A.

Shea Bentley is beautiful, kind, and hiding from the very lifestyle Sebastian has always embraced.

When the mysterious, tattooed stranger begins hanging out at the bar where she works, Shea is quick to recognize he is nothing but trouble, but she’s helpless to the way her body lights up every time his intense grey eyes tangle with hers.

They both soon find themselves drowning in a sea of desire and passion that won’t let them up for air.

Sebastian knows firsthand secrets never die, and he’s not the only one who’s hiding them.

Loving someone always comes with a price. But will it be Shea’s past that costs them everything?

BFF K’s Review

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A Stone in the Sea is a book that I had purchased at release time, but waited to read….I’m not always a big fan of super angsty emotional reads, so I kept putting this off. Then, it popped up on my Audible match so I downloaded the audio, gave it a listen, and this book blew me away!

A Stone in the Sea is an amazing story with rich, deep, well-written characters. Both Sabastian (Baz) and Shea are complex people trying their hardest to do the very best that they can. They’re both keeping secrets, but only to protect those they love. They also try to keep their distance; they’re trying to protect each other and their own hearts. But, they can not overcome the incredible pull they have to one another. Sabastian’s alpha-male protective instincts draw him to Shea when his brain tells him to stay away. And, Shea is fantastic. She’s sweet and light, but with an incredible strength and self-awareness that makes her a delight to read.

Oh….and did I mention that Baz is a brooding, tattooed, rock and roll icon who is super sexy and knows how to bring the steam???? Oh yeah, so there’s that too….

There were twists and turns in the book that I didn’t see coming. This was one of those books that I would listen to in the car, find reasons to listen at home (like cleaning-yuck) and then sneak a few minutes reading on the Kindle. I was so drawn in, I couldn’t wait to know what happened next.

Baz and Shea are one the best couples I’ve read all year. I’m dying to know what happens next. Drowning to Breathe, the next book in the series, will release next month and I won’t wait at all to dive right in!

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dual point of view

WARNING: cliffhanger

iBooks    AMAZON   Barnes & Noble

 

About the Author

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of contemporary and new adult romance.

She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student.  She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the
difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends
and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children.

Review – Every Other Saturday by MJ Pullen

Every Other Saturday BT Ban

BFF Book Blog is pleased to bring you our review for the upcoming release of Every Other Saturday by M.J. Pullen! This is an absolutely wonderful book that I can’t recommend enough!

 

 

From romantic comedy author M.J. Pullen comes a unique story about finding help when you need it most, and love where you expect it least.

Even though their daughters have been in the same Jewish preschool class for three years, struggling store owner Julia Mendel and sports blogger Dave “from the Man Cave” Bernstein have never gotten along. She sees him as a definitely arrogant, possibly misogynist symbol of everything that’s wrong with the men in her life. He sees her as the odd, short-tempered PTA president, out to make his life more difficult at every opportunity.

As part of his job, Dave accepts an on-air challenge: go out with a different woman from a Jewish dating site every Saturday for the next four months, and blog the results. He quickly secures his daughter’s favorite preschool teacher (and super-nanny) Ms. Elizabeth to make the experiment possible. Little does he know Julia is in desperate need of the same sitter for the same schedule, so that she can take a part-time job while pacifying her son, who has severe OCD.

A confrontation in the carpool lane leads to an uneasy compromise: they will pool their resources to share Ms. Elizabeth’s services every-other Saturday night. After a while, Dave finds himself sharing his dating stories with non-Jewish Julia across her kitchen table; while she reluctantly turns to him for the masculine perspective – especially for her son – she’s been missing since her divorce. As the Saturdays wear on, however, they may discover they have more in common than car seats and custody schedules.

BFF K’s Review

rating_4.5

I love that this is not an NA story, which seems weird to say, because I love the coming of age stories. But this is a book about already-adults. Real grown-ups dealing with intense and sometimes confusing emotional issues. But, they’re grow-ups and I can relate to them in a way that I can relate to very few other characters.

The characters are really well written and developed and I loved jumping into their lives and situations. Their circumstances are so real. Life is messy and complicated. The characters and story lines are full of self-confidence and insecurities, success and failures, love and loss, and friendship and rivalries. It mirrors the highs and lows that we experience in real life.

This story felt so familiar, not in a “this is my boring life” kind-of-way, but in a way that I could relate to and understand the settings and emotions. As a child with divorced parents and a wife and mom, I just felt a connection to these characters and a deep desire to see them reach gratifying conclusions.

The ending of this story didn’t disappoint. It is true to the storyline and the characters; it is real and raw and a little messy, but it also has an HEA (ending and epilogue) that is incredibly fulfilling. I believe that each of the characters I have come to care about achieve a realistic, but incredibly satisfying resolution!

If you’re looking for a break from angsty NA novels, but still want a delicious story with great characters discovering who they are and what they want and need in life, I encourage you to read Every Other Saturday. You’ll be so glad you did!

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An ARC of this book was received in exchange for an honest review.

Buy Links

Amazon

Links for more info and future availability

Giveaway

Be sure to visit M.J. Pullen’s website to enter a GREAT Rafflecopter Giveaway!

About the Author

MANDA (M.J.) PULLEN, former therapist and marketer, is the author of complex, funny contemporary romances. She was raised in the suburbs of Atlanta by a physicist and a flower child, who taught her that life is tragic and funny, and real love is anything but simple. She studied English Literature and Business at the University of Georgia, and Professional Counseling at Georgia State University.

Manda has a weakness for sappy movies, juicy gossip, craft beer and boys who talk baseball. After traveling around Europe and living in cities like Austin and Portland, she returned to Atlanta where she lives with her family.

 

 

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Coming Soon – Hot in the Hamptons

HITH_2days

Today we are featuring some exclusive content for the HOT IN THE HAMPTONS series! This series includes the titles SUMMER DREAMING by Liz Matis, SUMMER TEMPTATION by Wendy S. Marcus, and SUMMER SINS by Jennifer Probst.

The HOT IN THE HAMPTONS series will be released on Tuesday, August 4th.

Read below for an interview with Liz Matis, Wendy S. Marcus, and Jennifer Probst about their novellas and enter to win an amazing prize pack during the pre-order giveaway!

Backlit Sexy Blond Girl In White Bikini

SUMMER DREAMING by Liz Matis

1. Can you tell us a few perks of writing with other authors on a series like this?

At times we were like the three friends in the story!

2. If you had to pick the perfect summer destination, where would it be?

Point Pleasant on the Jersey Shore. My sister and I have rented a house there for the past 5 years.

My husband doesn’t like the beach so he doesn’t mind that I go without him. I read all day on the beach and then at night my sister and I go to dinner, sing karaoke or watch a band.

3. I know it’s hard to choose, but can you share a favorite line from your book?

Uh-oh, Tears. I should run while I had the chance but I stood rooted to my spot, fascinated by the way her eyes seem to swim in sunshine.

Synopsis

I’m looking for a hero. Not.

You’d think as a new college grad I’d be looking for the perfect job and the perfect man. Well, I’m not. Summer is here and instead of plotting my future, I’m playing in the Hamptons with my two best friends. Sun and sex is all I’m

looking for. Then I meet Sean Dempsey, my fantasy lifeguard in the flesh. But he is more than just a hot bod with a whistle. And after he makes a daring save, I’m thinking a hero is exactly what I’ve been looking for all along.

To the rescue…

By day I guard the beaches in the Hamptons, by night I’ve had my fair share of summer flings. Then I meet Kelsey Mitchell, a girl with eyes like the setting

sun and I burn for more. Something I have no right to ask of her…forever.

Love burns hotter in the Hamptons. Come play.

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Portrait of a beautiful woman in bikini

SUMMER TEMPTATION by Wendy S. Marcus

1. How did the idea for this series come about?

Liz Matis, Jennifer Probst and I are all members of Hudson Valley RWA (Romance Writers of America). We met and became friends at the monthly meetings. It was Liz who came up with the idea for a Hot in the Hamptons series – mostly so she could finally write her hunky lifeguard fantasy! She found the covers for the books and then invited Jen and me to participate. This was about two years ago. It’s taken until 2015 for us to work out our writing schedules.

2. Can you tell us a few perks of writing with other authors on a series like this?

First off, Liz and Jen were wonderful to work with. It was great bouncing ideas around. Our first in person meeting was at Chili’s over lunch. (I had the bacon ranch chicken quesadillas.)

When we completed our manuscripts we each reviewed all three for series continuity, plot problems, and to make sure they were the best they could be.

Our second in person meeting to finalize distribution and promotion took place at Jen’s house because she lives about halfway between us. Jen served a delicious quiche and salad lunch! I brought fruit. (Can you tell I’m writing this just before dinner and I’m starving?!!)

One of the best things about writing a series with other authors (assuming the other authors are as awesome as Jen and Liz!) was that any time I had a question or problem, there was always someone there, familiar with the story, to help me work through it. Also, since Summer Temptation is my first self-publishing project, I had a lot of questions. And Jen and Liz have helped me every step of the way.

3. If you had to pick the perfect summer destination, where would it be?

Okay, you wouldn’t know it to look at me, because I’m more prone to pink than tan, but I love the beach! I love the smell of the ocean and warm summer breezes and listening to/watching the waves roll in. I’ve vacationed in the Hamptons once, many years ago, and the beaches were beautiful. Since having children, I’ve been to Myrtle Beach, Cape Cod, and the Jersey Shore. How about you? What’s your favorite beach?

Synopsis

Meet Leigh DeGray…

After graduating college with honors and landing the job of my dreams in New York City, I’m off to The Hamptons to spend the summer with my two best friends.

My life seems perfect, right? It’s not. The truth is, I have a secret that may make the future I’d planned so carefully completely fall apart. A hot summer romance is the absolute last thing I’m looking for… Until I meet a man who tempts me like no other and shows me a hot summer romance is exactly what I need.

Meet Nick Kenzy…

After two years of working my ass off as a Wall Street analyst, I’m out of a job, with no warning, no thank you, and no severance. Am I angry? You’re damn right I am. So when I head to the Hamptons for the weekend to spend time with my granddad, I plan to regroup and relax before I return to the city to hit the job search hard. I don’t need any distractions. Then I meet Leigh. Suddenly, a summer temptation makes me question everything I want for my future…

Love burns hotter in the Hamptons. Come play.

—————————–

summer sins by Jennifer Probst 300dpi

SUMMER SINS by Jennifer Probst

1. Can you tell us a few perks of writing with other authors on a series like this?

I loved the camaraderie and fun writing Summer Sins with two great writers and friends. We brainstormed, shared ideas, and I feel created a unique reading experience – three books linked for extra bonuses, yet able to stand alone. It was also nice to have other ideas and opinions, which helps writing projects remain fresh. Basically, it was a fabulous experience!

2. If you had to pick the perfect summer destination, where would it be?

Sigh. I love summer, it’s my fave season. I also love travelling so this is a tough one, but I’m consistently drawn back to Cape May, NJ. Besides the beach, which I adore, they have a beautiful town filled with Victorian houses painted in bright peacock colors, horse and carriages, great shopping, and great food. Picture yourself on a big wraparound porch, sitting in a rocker, looking at the beach, sipping homemade lemonade and reading a book. It’s the perfect getaway experience.

3. I know it’s hard to choose, but can you share a favorite line from your book?

It is very hard to choose! Storme and Holden had so much heat and sizzling banter, sometimes my fingers would burn on the keyboard haha! But there was something about her jumping on his motorcycle for a ride that I just loved…

Synopsis

Summer fun before my wedding…

I have one goal this summer. Hang with my besties for some much needed sun, sand, and relaxation while I put the final touches on my idyllic wedding. I didn’t count on meeting a smart-mouthed, bad boy biker whose gaze burns hotter than a beach bonfire. I never planned to lose myself, body and soul, and question my entire future. Now, I have to make a choice that’s tearing me apart, and could shatter the lives of the two men I love…

Turns into summer sins….

I have one goal this summer. CHILL. Do nothing. Nada. I need simple before I have to head into Manhattan to take on a high powered position on Wall Street. I didn’t count on a dark haired, inky- eyed spitfire who’d spin my world upside down, or make me burn for things I never thought I wanted. I vowed to make her my summer fling, but had no idea she was claimed by another. And now that she possessed not only my body but my soul, the stakes are too high for me to lose her…

Love burns hotter in the Hamptons. Come play.

—————————–

 

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Pre-order them now for .99¢ each!

SUMMER DREAMING by Liz Matis

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SUMMER TEMPTATION by Wendy S. Marcus

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SUMMER SINS by Jennifer Probst

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SERIES BOOK TRAILER

Youtube: bit.ly/HotintheHamptonsTrailer

 

CONNECT WITH THE AUTHORS

Liz Matis:

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Jennifer Probst:

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Wendy S. Marcus:

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Cover Reveal & Excerpt – Life Rewritten by Andrea Johnston

Life Rewritten
Andrea Johnston
Release Date: Aug 20, 2015
Find on Goodreads

I FLOVE this cover; it is absolutely charming and I can’t wait to read this book!

I never thought that, at 40, this would be my life. Mourning the loss of the man I vowed to love for life was hard enough. Online dating, starting a business, and falling in love was never the plan.
Victoria Bennett has been blessed with a loving husband, a wonderful son and amazing friends. Always the organized planner, Victoria was thrown life’s curve ball when she found herself a widow and single mom before 40. After mourning the loss of her husband and rejoining her friends and family in her once simple life, Victoria finds herself venturing into the world of online dating with little success.
After hanging up her keyboard and focusing on new experiences and hobbies, Victoria is as surprised as everyone else when her favorite pastime leads to a new career and passion for life. When a friendship turns to romance, her life is once again thrown for a loop. Like everything new in her life she takes on the relationship with gusto, and a series of mishaps. 
Victoria soon learns that sometimes the life you’ve planned isn’t the life you lead. It is still your life, just your life rewritten.

Excerpt

“I’m sorry, what?”
I had to have heard him wrong, right? There is no way this guy is serious. And yet, by the look on his face, I’m pretty sure he is.
This is the worst date ever.
“I said I would love to take you back to your house and pleasure your feet,” he says with more than a hint of disdain.
Well, hell. I had heard him correctly. He said pleasure and feet. Together. On purpose. Oh, I’m going to pleasure my feet all right, by sticking my stiletto up his ass. This guy is nuts if he thinks I’m taking him back to my house so he can get his rocks off by messing with my feet. I get it; I am wearing some pretty hot shoes. I thought they were ridiculous at first, but my sister, Charlotte, insisted they were a must have for my new life. I still don’t know why I need a new life, but I listened, and if I’m completely honest, I love them. Peep-toe, leopard-print, five-inch stilettos that make me feel like I can hold my own in this crazy world. They give me the power I need for moments like this.
“You know, Phillip, I don’t think I’m really there.”
I’m not likely to ever actually be there. Sadly for Phillip, I lack a poker face and imagine my eyes have fluttered a minimum of ten times while I purse my lips and inhale through my nose and out through my mouth.
Looking across the table, I am greeted with a furrowed brow and a look I can’t quite put my finger on, but I know it isn’t welcoming. Shit. I’d hoped to at least leave this date with a friend.

 

About the Author

Andrea Johnston spent her childhood with her nose in a book and a pen to paper. An avid people watcher, her mind is full of stories that yearn to be told.  A fan of angsty romance with a happy ending, super sexy erotica and a good mystery, Andrea can always be found with her Kindle nearby fully charged.
Andrea lives in Idaho with her family and two dogs.  When she isn’t spending time with her partner in crime aka her husband, she can be found binge watching all things Bravo and enjoying a cocktail. Nothing makes her happier than the laughter of her children, a good book, her feet in the water, and cocktail in hand all at the same time.

Review – Release Me by Ann Marie Walker & Amy K. Rogers

 


RELEASE ME
Chasing Fire #2
Ann Marie Walker & Amy K. Rogers
Releasing July 21st, 2015
Berkley/Intermix

The second in the “seriously sexy and sinfully steamy”* Chasing Fire series, about a pain too deep to forgive and a passion too hot to forget…

Alessandra Sinclair knows that Hudson Chase is the last man she should want. The boy from the wrong side of the tracks has grown into a man who would do anything to get ahead, even if it means breaking Allie’s heart. But whenever she’s near him, the attraction between them is undeniable. And now that they’re working together, keeping her distance from Hudson is almost as impossible as keeping her feelings in check…

Hudson already lost Allie once and he refuses to lose her again. He’s determined to use their new business partnership to rekindle the spark he knows is still there. Only the closer he gets to winning her over, the clearer it becomes there are still secrets that could tear them apart for good…

BFF K’s Review

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I am pretty much gushing about this series to anyone who will listen! I’ve emailed, texted, Facebooked, Tweeted and raved to anyone who seems even remotely interested. The Chasing Fire Series is absolutely FANTASTIC! Release Me sort-of starts where Remind Me left off, but with a twist! Allie had plans to regain control of her life at the end of Book #1, but those plans are quickly blown apart in a terrible discovery that rocks her world. With this shocking turn of events, Allie finds herself face to face with Hudson once again. And, though she tries desperately to stay away, the overwhelming pull to him is just too much.

Allie continues to struggle in this book, but you can understand her stress and frustrations with all she has been/is going through. There are portions of the book where Allie shows fantastic flashes of resilience and gritty determination. I think she’s going to need these in the final book. (Plus, resilience is one of my favorite traits for a heroine!) Hudson is just as swoony as ever! <3 He is absolutely consumed by Allie, while at the same time, managing multiple companies and looking after his younger brother. Hudson is going through so much in his present life while still dealing with some slowly uncovered issues in his past that you can’t help but love him. I don’t remember the last time I wished so hard for a book couple to find their Happily Ever After.

BUT, if Hudson Chase can’t find his HEA with Allie Sinclair, could he please take a chance with me? #HudsonChaser

I LOVE this story. It reminds me so much of the feels I had reading Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James. The Chasing Fire series is full of romance, steam, a great hero and heroine, bad guys, suspense, great characters and a wonderful storyline. I sped through this book in record time. The suspense builds with each chapter until the end left me with sweaty palms and a racing heart. I have a feeling that pasts and present are about to collide in a massive explosion. The question is who will make it out alive and what price will they pay to survive? The thought of waiting until October 20 to finish this story makes me anxious: the calendar is already marked!

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Be AWARE :  cliffhanger

An ARC of this book was received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Exclusive Tour Excerpt

In the distance Allie could see the black limo waiting at the bottom of the hill. She paused, her hand reaching out to rest on the gleaming wood of her father’s casket, before turning to leave. She and Harper had nearly reached the car when she heard someone call her name.

“Alessandra,” Benjamin Weiss said, hurrying to catch up to her. “A word, please.”

“I’ll wait for you in the car,” Harper said. She slid into the limo and Clayton closed the door behind her before assuming his post a few feet away. Allie knew that behind those dark sunglasses his razor-sharp gaze was scanning the crowd, and that beneath that well-tailored suit a loaded gun was holstered. She tried not to think about why, focusing her attention instead on Mr. Weiss.

“I’m sorry to bring this up now,” he said, “but the board has called for an emergency meeting at Ingram headquarters. I’d hoped to put this off until at least next week, but between your parents’ passing and the revelation of Mr. Chase’s acquisitions . . . Well, I’m sure you can understand their concern.”

Allie nodded. Of course the other board members were concerned. Richard and Victoria Sinclair were gone, and now their daughter, a relative stranger to them, was at the helm alongside a man who’d spent the past few months covertly acquiring a substantial portion of their stock. When he wasn’t fucking her on every available surface, that is. At least the last part wasn’t general knowledge. It was going to be hard enough to face that room with Hudson sitting across the table from her. Thankfully no one on the board knew about their personal involvement.

“When?” she asked.

“Tomorrow morning.” Mr. Weiss gave her a quick rundown of the proposed agenda before ducking into the back of a waiting town car.

Allie pulled her coat closed and crossed her arms over her chest, holding the pieces of herself together as she stared out across the top of the limo at row after row of headstones. When she’d walked out of Hudson’s penthouse two weeks prior, she hadn’t planned on ever seeing him again. Now she had a little less than twenty-four hours to prepare for her first board meeting with him. She had no idea how she would react once they were in the same room, but one thing was certain: she had to keep her distance. And never, under any circumstances, allow herself to be alone with him.

Giveaway

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About the Authors

Though thousands of miles apart, Ann Marie Walker and Amy K. Rogers are in constant contact, plotting story lines
and chatting about their love of alpha males, lemon drop martinis and British supermodel, David Gandy. You can find them on twitter as @AnnMarie_Walker and @Amy_KRogers. 
 
 
Amy K. Rogers
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Ann Marie Walker
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Trailer Reveal – Every Last Breath by Jennifer L. Armentrout

ELB - series banner

 

The BFF’s are very excited to bring you the trailer for the Epic Finale in Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Dark Elements Series, EVERY LAST BREATH!

Published by HarlequinTeen, EVERY LAST BREATH is a young adult paranormal filled with romance and danger being released on July 28th, 2015. Be sure to pre-order your copy today and enter to win some AMAZING Dark Elements prizes!

 

Every Last Breath - Cover

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Some loves will last ‘til your dying breath

Every choice has consequences—but seventeen-year-old Layla faces tougher choices than most. Light or darkness. Wickedly sexy demon prince Roth, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers. Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust.

Layla has a new problem, too. A Lilin—the deadliest of demons—has been unleashed, wreaking havoc on those around her…including her best friend. To keep Sam from a fate much, much worse than death, Layla must strike a deal with the enemy while saving her city—and her race—from destruction.

Torn between two worlds and two different boys, Layla has no certainties, least of all survival, especially when an old bargain comes back to haunt them all. But sometimes, when secrets are everywhere and the truth seems unknowable, you have to listen to your heart, pick a side—and then fight like hell…

“Armentrout is a major talent…I just can’t stop reading!”

—New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter

“Armentrout works her magic with swoon-worthy guys and a twist you never see coming.”

–#1 New York Times bestselling author Abbi Glines on White Hot Kiss

 

And here’s the amazing trailer for EVERY LAST BREATH…

 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/QLM2WuvsX4g

 

And don’t forget to preorder your copy of EVERY LAST BREATH today and enter to win!

 

ELB - prize teaser

Enter now to win an INCREDIBLE Dark Elements prize pack including a VISA GIFT CARD!
Register your pre-order of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s EVERY LAST BREATH now to enter PLUS help unlock MORE prizes! ► http://bit.ly/1Fy7ekS

EVERY LAST BREATH Preorder Links

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Don’t miss the first titles in the Dark Elements Series!

 

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BITTER SWEET LOVE

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WHITE HOT KISS

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STONE COLD TOUCH

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Author Photo

About Jennifer L. Armentrout:

# 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA.

She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

 

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Cover Reveal – Cocky Bastard by Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward

Cocky Cover

COCKY BASTARD

(A Contemporary Romance standalone novel)

New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Authors

Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland

Cover designer: Letitia Hasser, r.b.a designs

Model: Nick Ayler

Add Cocky Bastard to your TBR list on Goodreads!

Sign up for Penelope & Vi’s mailing list now and be the first one notified of releases!

RELEASE DATE: August 17th, 2015

Cocky Jacket

 

He was someone who belonged in my wildest fantasies instead of a rest stop in the middle of Nebraska. A sexy, cocky, Australian named Chance was the last person I expected to run into on my cross-country drive. When my car broke down, we made a deal. Next thing I knew, we were traveling together, spending sexually-tense nights in hotels and taking unplanned detours.

My ordinary road trip turned into the adventure of a lifetime. It was all fun and games until things got intense. I wanted him, but Chance wouldn’t make a move. I thought he wanted me too, but something was holding him back. I wasn’t supposed to fall for the cocky bastard, especially when I knew we’d be going our separate ways. All good things must come to an end, right? Except our ending was one I didn’t see coming.

About the Authors

Vi Keeland is a native New Yorker with three children that occupy most of her free time, which she complains about often, but wouldn’t change for the world. She is a bookworm and has been known to read her kindle at stop lights, while styling her hair, cleaning, walking, during sporting events, and frequently while pretending to work. She is a boring attorney by day, and an exciting smut author by night!

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Pinterest

Additional Books by Vi Keeland

Life on Stage series (2 standalone books)

Beat

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Throb

Amazon US    Amazon UK     Barnes & Noble     iBooks    Kobo

MMA Fighter series (3 standalone books)

Worth the Fight (MMA Fighter Series, Book One)

Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Kobo     Smashwords     iBooks

Worth The Chance (MMA Fighter Series, Book Two)

Amazon US     B&N    iBooks      Kobo     Smashwords

 Worth Forgiving (MMA Fighter Series, Book Three)

Amazon US     B & N     iBooks     Kobo

 

The Cole Series (2 book serial)

Belong to You (Cole Series, Book One)

Amazon US     Amazon UK     Barnes & Noble     iBooks     Kobo

Made for You (Cole Series, Book Two)

Amazon US     Amazon UK     Barnes & Noble     iBooks     Kobo

 Standalone novels

Left Behind (A Young Adult Novel)

Amazon US     Amazon UK

First Thing I See

Amazon US     Amazon UK     Barnes & Noble

 

 

 

 

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor, before switching to a more family-friendly career. She is the proud mother of a beautiful 10-year-old girl with autism and a 9-year-old boy. Penelope and her family reside in Rhode Island.

 

Stalk Her: Facebook | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads

Other books from Penelope Ward

Stepbrother Dearest

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Gemini

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Jake Undone (Jake #1)

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My Skylar

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Jake Understood (Jake #2)

Amazon     B&N     iTunes     kobo