Wednesday, June 30, 2021

The Mixtape by Brittainy Cherry ~ Excerpt, Guest Post & Giveaway

Title: The Mixtape

Author: Brittainy Cherry

Release Date: July 1, 2021

Publisher: Montlake




 

Summary

 

Emery has never felt more alone. Raising her daughter is both her pleasure and her pain as she struggles to hold on to her job as a bartender and keep a roof over their heads. With no one to help them—no support system—any unexpected expense or late bill could turn their whole world upside down.


Reeling from the death of his twin brother and bandmate, rock star Oliver Smith is trying to drink his problems away. Apparently he isn’t very good at it; they follow him wherever he goes. Also in hot pursuit are the paparazzi, who catch Oliver at his lowest low.


He could have walked into any bar in California, but he walked into hers. Emery helps Oliver lose the crowd, and they find themselves alone: two people whose paths are marked with loss and pain. However, they hold an unshakable hope for healing. They find solace together, but can their love withstand the world?


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About the Author

 

Brittainy Cherry has been in love with words since she took her first breath. She graduated from Carroll University with a bachelor’s degree in theater arts and a minor in creative writing. She loves to take part in writing screenplays, acting, and dancing—poorly, of course. Coffee, chai tea, and wine are three things that she thinks every person should partake in. Cherry lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with her family. When she’s not running a million errands and crafting stories, she’s probably playing with her adorable pets.

 

 

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Author Brittainy Cherry Writes Her Own Mixtape

 

Hi, Everyone! I’m Brittainy Cherry, author of The Mixtape, a contemporary romance novel. I am so excited to share Oliver and Emery’s story with you all. These two characters are both struggling through life in their own ways, and it is through music and love that they find their way back to themselves and each other. 


The Mixtape could’ve never come together without my own mixtape of sorts to help guide the way to this novel. Music not only plays a huge role in the story, but also in my personal life, so of course I had to whip up my own mixtape as I wrote this story. For example, my playlist began with “Godspeed” by the extremely talented James Blake that set the mood of the story. His tones and lyrics wrapped me up into a warm hug and I allowed the song to move me as I crafted Oliver’s character. 


Then, we moved into “Soldiers” by Rachel Platten which is a powerful song about taking moments to breathe in order to move forward for another day, like soldiers in the night. It’s a song that showcases the strength of our heroine, Emery, who is a single mother, trying her best to create a better life for her young daughter. 


I had the best time tying in songs like “Slow Dance” by AJ Mitchell (feat. Ava Max) to show the slow burn between Emery and Oliver falling together, followed by their first kiss being written to the song, “Can I Kiss You?” by Dahl. 


The whole story was wrapped up with a classic, “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love” by the Spinners, which sums up what I hope you experience reading this novel: a mixtape of emotions which lead to you falling in love with the love story of Emery and Oliver. I hope this novel heals you the same way music soothes my soul. 




 

The Mixtape Excerpt

 

Sometimes the world didn’t make sense. No parent should’ve ever had to bury their own child. I couldn’t even imagine that kind of pain that raced through her heartbeats on a daily basis. If I could offer up only one set of prayers for the remainder of my life, it would be for the parents who had to say goodbye too early on to their own. 


Those hearts would always beat a little slower in my mind. 


“I’m so sorry, Michelle.” 


“Thank you, sweetheart.” She reached out and patted my hand, and I knew it was because she needed a hand to hold. So, I wrapped both of mine around hers. “The mourning doesn’t get easier. It just get quieter. Some days, I still cannot get out of bed, but I’m blessed. Because Richard stays in bed with me and my quietness. Then, when it’s time for me to get up, he pulls me to my feet, and we dance. A piece of advice—find yourself a man who would dance with you even when your heart is broken.” Her eyes flashed with tears and she held my hands tighter. “You want to know a secret?” 


“Yes.” 


“I thought I was going to lose Oliver, too. He kept everyone so far away. So, when I flew out here, I prepared myself for the worst. I thought he’d be in a drunken slumber or, worse…so much worse. Last time I came a few weeks ago, he wasn’t doing too well. But this time? This time I came back and he’s smiling.” 


“That’s so good.” 


She smiled brightly up at me as tears freely danced down her cheekbones. “So thank you.” 


“I didn’t do anything,” I swore. 


“You’re the only difference in his life since I came back. Plus, there’s the way he looks at you when you’re not looking. Now, sweetheart, I don’t know what you did, but I’m almost positive that you helped bring my son back to life after he was holding death’s hand. Call it my mother’s intuition. So, thank you for helping him. Even if it’s just by being his friend.” 


Now I was tearing up, and I pulled her into a tight hug. “You’re an amazing mother,” I whispered, and she began to cry harder. 


“You have no clue how hard it is to believe that each day.” 


I think all mothers thought that. The ones who doubted her mothering skills, were sometimes the ones who were trying their best day in and day out. I didn’t expect the conversation with Michelle to go the direction that it had, but I was glad it had taken that path, because it was clear we both had some healing corners of our heart that had to be touched that evening. 


“Oh, don’t tell me you two are wine drunk and emotion,” Richard cut in, walking in our direction. “We were just picking out a song for two seconds and we turn around to find you both moping.” 


“Oh hush, Richard. Can’t us girls have a moment every now and again?” Michelle remarked, standing to her feet. 


“Yes, but for now, we dance to The Spinners, my lady.” Richard reached out for his wife and took her into his arms as they began swaying to the song, Could It Be I’m Falling In Love. Richard serenaded Michelle as she smiled and melted into him like a perfectly fit puzzle piece. 


Oliver came to stand beside me as we both watched his parents fall more and more in love with one another. 


“This was their wedding song,” Oliver mentioned. “Dad recorded it, and they danced to it for their first dance.” 


“Oh my gosh, how sweet is that,” I swooned. True romance. 


“They dance to it every single night. On the good days and bad days. Especially on the bad days.” 


“They’re what I want my love to look like,” I confessed. Oliver gave me a tight smile but didn’t say anything. I shifted around for a minute before looking toward him once more. “Do you want to dance with me?”


***

 

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Misadventures On The Night Shift by Lauren Rowe ~ A Stuck In Books Giveaway

 



Hotel clerk Abby Medford has always enjoyed the quiet solitude of the night shift. The long, boring hours allow her time to study her law books. But when bad-boy-rocker Lucas Ford checks into the penthouse suite one night and demands Abby personally deliver his room service request, her formerly quiet nights are quickly filled with Lucas's erotic games.
But as Abby soon learns, if she thinks she can indulge her innermost desires with Lucas without giving him her heart, she's dead wrong.
*****
Misadventures is a romantic series of spicy standalone novels, each written or co-written by some of the best names in romance. The stories are scandalous, refreshing, and, of course, incredibly sexy. They’re the perfect bedside read, a ‘quick blush’ for the reader who loves a page-turning romance.



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Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Keeper of Souls by Harper Ray ~ Excerpt & Giveaway

Keeper of Souls
Harper Ray
(The Revenant Trilogy, #1)
Publication date: June 29th 2021
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal

“What would you do if Death gave you a second chance?”

Most people who escaped death were relieved, happy to be granted that second chance at life. In my case, it was more of a curse than a blessing.

Everyday I woke, I was tortured with another soul. They all wanted something from me, but I couldn’t give it to them. Instead, I ignored them. I neglected the pain they had laced beneath their hollow eyes. I dismissed the screams that shattered my eardrums every time my head hit the pillow.

The souls took pleasure in patronizing me. They were a constant reminder of why I shouldn’t have been granted a second chance.

I had managed to escape Death twice, but the third time was my undoing. He came back with a heavy vengeance. Suddenly, I was thrown into a battle between two brothers. Heaven and Hell. Light versus Dark.

They both needed me on their side, but after facing Death for the third time, I wasn’t sure I would survive the cruel fate he had planned.

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EXCERPT:

Slowly, I managed to pull myself off the hard ground, and rise to a standing position. I glanced around and noticed that all the souls I had seen earlier were gone. My lips dipped into a frown. That’s weird.

“Well, things just got…interesting, didn’t they, Ace?” the guy with dark hair taunted.

Ace sighed. “Why are you here, Deagan?”

His body was radiating an un-humanly amount of heat, so I took a few steps back, looking for an exit. The animosity between these two had me ready to bolt, but for some reason, I didn’t think Deagan would let me leave that easily.

I took another step back. Deagan took a few steps forward. There was something about him that made me want to run for the hills. He was dangerous, and that cocky smirk he had plastered on his lips told me that he knew it too.

“Where do you think you’re going, sweet cheeks?” he asked.

“Away from you,” I sneered.

His brows raised. “We’ve got a feisty one here. I like it.”

I clicked my tongue and turned around to bolt in the direction towards the exit. My ear-shattering scream filled the cemetery when Deagan materialized in front of me. I glanced behind me and back to him. “How did you do that?”

His sharp gaze was full of amusement. He was getting off on being a jackass.

A hand landed on my shoulder, pushing me back as Ace stepped between us. “I suggest you leave. You have no purpose here, Deagan.” His words came out clipped, and somehow, even I felt threatened just being in his presence.

My eyes narrowed. “I don’t need you to defend me.”

Ace glanced over his shoulder, and his gaze turned to slits.

Great, now I was on his shit list too. Why the hell was I still standing here?

“Already protecting her, huh?” Deagan pursed his lips, and the temperature outside raised the humidity twenty degrees. Sweat started leaking down my forehead.

Ace’s jaw ticked.

“Did you forget what happened the last time you interfered?”

Ace whipped his head in Deagan’s direction and crossed his arms over his chest. “The real question of the hour is what you’re doing here. We both know whose territory this is.”

Deagan’s stocky body stiffened. His obsidian gaze hardened. For a brief moment, I could have sworn I saw flames dancing in the darkness of his eyes. I shook my head, I really needed to get out of here, it seemed that I was on the verge of losing my mind.

Author Bio:

As an author of young and new adult romances, Harper has a passion for writing stories that readers enjoy reading over and over again. Her imagination is the creative tool that helps her come up with several intriguing story lines that she hopes to share with the world. Her fans call her the "page turner author" because with each story she sucks the readers in, instantly hooking them from page one.

If Harper's not busy writing her next book, she's either digging into a sappy romance novel, binge watching Harry Potter or going to school full time.

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Dating You Hating You by Christina Lauren ~ A Stuck In Books Giveaway

 




All’s fair in love and work. The first standalone romance by New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Christina Lauren (Beautiful Bastard) is a sexy, compulsively readable romantic comedy that dives headlong into the thrill and doubt of modern love.

Despite the odds against them from an embarrassing meet-awkward at a mutual friend’s Halloween party, Carter and Evie immediately hit it off. Even the realization that they’re both high-powered agents at competing firms in Hollywood isn’t enough to squash the fire.

But when their two agencies merge—causing the pair to vie for the same position—all bets are off. What could have been a beautiful, blossoming romance turns into an all-out war of sabotage. Carter and Evie are both thirtysomething professionals—so why can’t they act like it?

Can Carter stop trying to please everyone and see how their mutual boss is really playing the game? Can Evie put aside her competitive nature long enough to figure out what she really wants in life? Can their actor clients just be something close to human? Whether these two Hollywood love/hatebirds get the storybook Hollywood ending or just a dramedy of epic proportions, you will get to enjoy Christina Lauren’s heartfelt, raucous, and hilarious romance style at its finest.




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Monday, June 28, 2021

Dead Calm by Annie Anderson ~ Excerpt & Giveaway

Dead Calm
Annie Anderson
(Grave Talker, #3)
Publication date: June 29th 2021
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy

There’s not enough coffee or tacos in the world to deal with Darby Adler’s family.

If it’s not her death-dealing father, her back-from-the-dead mother, or her ghost grandfather, it’s her long-lost siblings and their bid for power.

With the ABI radio silent and her siblings to find, Darby’s got a major problem on her hands—especially when the local coven figures out that her father is no longer bound.

Can Haunted Peak, TN handle this family reunion?

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Author Bio:

Annie Anderson is a military wife and United States Air Force veteran. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she is a southern girl at heart, but has lived all over the US and abroad. As soon as the military stops moving her family around, she'll settle on a state, but for now she enjoys being a nomad with her husband, two daughters, an old man of a dog, and a young pup that makes life... interesting.

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Beautiful Player by Christina Lauren ~ A Stuck In Books Giveaway

 




A bombshell bookworm. A chronic Casanova. And a lesson in chemistry too scandalous for school.

When Hanna Bergstrom receives a lecture from her overprotective brother about neglecting her social life and burying herself in grad school, she’s determined to tackle his implied assignment: get out, make friends, start dating. And who better to turn her into the sultry siren every man wants than her brother’s gorgeous best friend, Will Sumner, venture capitalist and unapologetic playboy?

Will takes risks for a living, but he’s skeptical about this challenge of Hanna’s…until the wild night his innocently seductive pupil tempts him into bed- and teaches him a thing or two about being with a woman he can’t forget. Now that Hanna’s discovered the power of her own sex appeal, it’s up to Will to prove he’s the only man she’ll ever need.




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Sunday, June 27, 2021

Stacking Our Shelves


Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.  Make sure to checkout her post with links to all the other participates.

Click covers for Goodreads links


For Review...





Small Town Pretender NOW AVAILABLE!

Thanks goes to...

Brighton Walsh





That's what we added to our shelves this week! What do you think? What did you add to your stacks? Leave us a comment and link us up!

Saturday, June 26, 2021

A Wicked and Beautiful Garden (Witches of the Island #1) by Katie McGarry ~ Review

Source: eARC provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Twenty-eight year-old Cassie Strega can’t escape fate.

All she wants is to live a normal, quiet life delivering the babies in her small town. But when she discovers she comes from a lineage of witches, her life becomes extraordinary—in the gravely dangerous type of way.

Then, she’s reunited with her first love.

Orion, the sultry Fae warrior who broke her heart years before, is searching for a baby. Not just any baby, but the queen of the Fae who will one day lead them in their final battle against the demons determined to rule the world. The same baby who has been calling to Cassie for help in her dreams.

Fighting the intense attraction of their former blood bond, Cassie and Orion work together to find the child. But when the heartbreak that nearly destroyed Cassie nine years before looms once more, she’ll have to decide whether getting involved in the supernatural war is worth losing everything, including her life.


I've been a fan of Katie McGarry since her first book, but all of her books I've read have been contemporary. So I was very intrigued to see how she handled a new genre. Especially since this step into a new genre had such a interesting premise--with witches and fae and a romance with a warrior??? Count me in. And I'm glad I picked it up because A Wicked and Beautiful Garden is a very good introduction to this new series.

I'm going to do this review in list form because that's the way my brain is working right now...

Things I Liked:

- First and foremost I will say that Katie McGarry is great with words. It wasn't hard to get interested in this book, and it wasn't tough to stay interested either. 

- I loved the characters. Cassie was awesome. She's kind and selfless and smart and sassy. And Orion took time to grow on me, but he seems like a good guy. And I very much enjoyed the side characters as well.

- The take on witches and fae was so unique. Especially the way they were intertwined for this world...I'm excited for more as the series progresses.

- Flashback scenes can be hit or miss for me, but I rather liked the ones in this story. It really helped piece things together as the plot progressed. Especially things between Cassie and Orion.

- Speaking of Cassie and Orion...I'm kind of on the fence about them. Do I like them together? Yes. Do I feel like they have had adequate time to really form a strong relationship? Not so much. So they're going in both what I liked and what I didn't like. Here I'll talk about what I liked: they are very devoted to one another. And they make a good match. I'll be very interested to see where their romance goes...

Now...Things I Did Not Like:

- Cassie and Orion and their romance. Second chance romances are always a hard sell for me, and this one has me torn. I like the characters individually. And I don't hate them together. But I feel like we didn't see enough of their relationship building and growing. Instead, they just resurface feelings they apparently had before rather quickly. I'm looking forward to more of them in the next book, where hopefully their relationship feels more organic.

- While the plot was good, it sometimes read as a little disjointed. This was rather minor, but it was on my mind as I read.

- Like the plot, some of the worldbuilding and the magic system was kind of odd. I have high hopes that it will all make more sense as the series arc continues to play out, however. But things seemed to be introduced out of nowhere--like the connection with Orion, for example. I wish we could have gotten more info on exactly how that works. Mostly that's what I'm saying here--I want to know more about how things WORK.

Overall, A Wicked and Beautiful Garden was a solid and interesting introduction to the Witches of the Island series. There were a few aspects I found a little rocky, but it's a unique take on witches and fae. I'd say it was definitely worth the read, and I am very much looking forward to picking up book 2!


3.5 stars - A solid & interesting introduction to a new series!


Friday, June 25, 2021

Mimic by C.L. Denault ~ Excerpt & Giveaway

Mimic
C.L. Denault
(The Prodigy Chronicles, #2)
Publication date: April 3rd 2021
Genres: Dystopian, Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Three simple rules. One secret skill. Let the game continue.

In 2012, one cycle of an ancient calendar system came to a close. Humanity predicted its downfall, but it wasn’t the end of their evolutionary climb. It was the beginning.

Willow Kent is discovering that life as a second-phase prodigy comes at a price. Trapped in the London Core, her choices are limited, made difficult by her forbidden romance with Reece and the presence of a new commanding officer who establishes harsh rules. With unpredictable skills and a growing distrust in her birth parents, she is struggling to play the Core’s game. But when opportunity arises in the form of a mysterious shapeshifter, Willow realizes there’s more to her own evolution than meets the eye. She soon learns that keeping secrets is a key move, and the more dangerous they are, the greater her need to evolve into the powerful prodigy nature intended her to become.

But those closest to her have their own secrets, and her status has made her an easy target for betrayal. Who will she turn to…when nothing is as it seems?

Mimic is the second book in The Prodigy Chronicles, a Hunger Games meets X-Men dystopian romance series about a young girl struggling to control her immense powers and find her place in a city filled with enemies.

MORE IN THE SERIES:
Book 1: Gambit
Book 2: Mimic
Book 3: Gauntlet (coming soon)

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

“Gem.” I put my hand on her arm. “What did you see on that screen?”

She raised her eyes to meet mine. “A prediction.”

“Prediction?” I immediately thought of the gypsy seers that traveled between villages. They tagged alongside the musicians, setting up tables with rich fabrics and candles, coaxing a jingle out of anyone drunk enough to fall for their silky promises. “About my future?”

“About your skill level.” Ignoring the food, Gem rested her arms on her folded legs and clasped her hands. “After the machine stopped, did you see the way that commander worked with the data?”

“You mean, when he was spinning it around?” I made circles in the air with my fingers.

She nodded. “Something about your frequency shut down the program, but he forced it into making a guess about your skill level. The prediction popped up on the screen.”

That’s the message you saw?”

Again, she nodded.

“What did it say?”

She pressed her lips together, thinking. “Do you know anything about Callayo Roanoke?”

I blinked. “A little. He was my great-great-something or other, I think, but—” I shook my head, confused. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“He was like you, Will. He had telekinesis. Really strong telekinesis. He used it to keep London from being totally wiped out during the prodigy wars.”

“Okay, but how does—”

Waving her hands, she stopped me. “He was a Level Three prodigy. That’s the highest level on record. Anywhere.”

Slowly, the tiger uncoiled in my belly. “Go on.”

“His DNA frequency sets the standard for all programs—here, and across the sea. The parameters don’t go any higher, because no one thought . . . well, it’s just a guess, but . . .”

I reached out and grabbed her shoulders. “What are you saying?”

She took a deep breath. “The program thinks you’re a Level Four.”

Thunder rumbled outside the window, but it was nothing compared to the sound of the tiger laughing in my ears. Her delight swept through me, followed by a strange sense of awakening. Something potent and powerful unfurled in my belly as she rose to all fours. Then her laughter faded, and Gem’s voice broke though.

“—change the software and run the test again. If it’s true, Will, then everything has to be reconsidered.”

Blood pounded in my ears. “Everything?”

“Security, location, testing, even your betrothal contract.”

Nausea set in. “What do you mean?”

Peeling my hands off her shoulders, she held them tightly between us. “I mean that no one knows what you can do, and that could scare a lot of people. If Callayo Roanoke was able to save this city, you could easily be capable of . . .” She trailed off, the tiger finishing for her.

Destroying it.

Author Bio:

C.L. Denault is a speculative fiction writer who loves dreaming up tales of adventure and intrigue. A former systems analyst, she gave up her nerdy code-writing skills to care for her family (including a son with special needs) and currently lives among the vast stretches of cornfields in Illinois.

Writing and working out are her biggest passions, along with coffee and sci-fi. When she’s not hanging out with her husband and kids, she can usually be found at a library or tucked away in the shadowy corner of a hip coffeehouse. She’s also been glimpsed sneaking into her garage, late at night, to work on her time machine.

She enjoys connecting with people—especially those from other planets, nearby dimensions, and the future. To find her, just visit her website or social media pages. Or use a Stargate. Whichever is easiest.

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THREE 1001 Dark Nights books ~ A Stuck In Books Giveaway

 

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Thursday, June 24, 2021

Small Town Pretender by Brighton Walsh ~ Happy Release Day

 Release Date: June 24

Asher McCoy can win over a sold-out crowd with a husky note and a strum of his guitar, but proving to a judge he’s responsible enough to gain custody of his niece and nephew? Not so easy. His big idea—a fake marriage. And who better to play his doting bride than his longtime best friend? He just needs to get her home first...

Natalie Haven couldn’t get away from her suffocating hometown fast enough. For years, she’s fluttered around the globe as a freelance photographer. And if that unconventional job pisses off her daddy? Well, all the better. But when her best friend sends out an S.O.S., she heads back to the one place she swore she’d never land.

Except a fake marriage means a not-so-fake living arrangement, including only one bed. Nat's witnessed enough women fall for Asher’s charms, but she refuses to be one of them. Because permanence isn’t in her blood. Not even for him.

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Meet Brighton Walsh

USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Brighton Walsh spent a decade as a professional photographer before taking her storytelling in a different direction and reconnecting with her first love—writing. 

She likes her books how she likes her tea—steamy and satisfying—and adores strong-willed heroines and the protective heroes who fall head over heels for them. 


Brighton lives in the Midwest with her real life hero of a husband, her two kids—one who’s already taller than her and one who’s catching up too fast—and her dog who thinks she’s a queen. Her boy-filled house is the setting for dirty socks galore, frequent dance parties (okay, so it’s mostly her, by herself, while her children look on in horror), and more laughter than she thought possible.

Connect with Brighton Walsh

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The Perfect Murder by Kat Martin ~ Excerpt & Giveaway

The Perfect Murder
Kat Martin
(Maximum Security, #4)
Publication date: June 22nd 2021
Genres: Adult, Thriller

New York Times bestselling author Kat Martin is back with her most thrilling novel yet in the Maximum Security series—The Perfect Murder. Fans of Sandra Brown, Linda Howard and Julie Garwood will fall in love with The Max.

The eldest of the three wealthy Garrett brothers, Reese Garrett is in the middle of a major purchase for his multimillion-dollar oil and gas company, Garrett Resources. The Poseidon offshore drilling platform venture will greatly enhance the company’s value.

But when Reese is on a trip out to see the rig, his helicopter crashes, leaving him hospitalized and two men dead. It’s discovered the chopper was sabotaged, and Reese is determined to find out who’s behind the crash—and whether he was the intended target. Then, when his lover, Kenzie, is accused of her ex-husband’s murder—a man with a vested interest in the Poseidon deal—clues start pointing to a connection that puts Reese, Kenzie and her young son in the sights of a killer.

From the Texas heat to the Louisiana bayous, Reese and his brothers must track down the truth before the body count gets any higher.

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EXCERPT:

“I’ve got a few things I need to add to my schedule,” he said. “Derek Stiles called yesterday. Looks like we’re having more problems with the rig.”

“You’ll get them sorted.” She flashed him a smile. “You always do.”

But there was one thing he was having more and more trouble handling and it was standing right in front of him.
Reese clenched his jaw and went to work.

He was sitting at his desk two hours later when his intercom buzzed.

“It’s Frank Milburn,” Kenzie said. “He has news about the crash.”

Milburn was in charge of the NTSB investigation. “Put him through.” Reese pressed the speaker button and settled back in his chair.

“I know you’ve been anxious to hear from us,” Frank said, a small man with close-cropped brown hair. “I wish we could have completed the investigation sooner, but these things take time.”

“I’m aware. So what have you found out?”

“The last of the reports came in. We’d been waiting for some metal structural tests. Combined with the rest of the information we’ve assembled, the reports revealed what we had recently begun to suspect but until today weren’t able to confirm.”

“Go on.”

“Sometime before the flight took off the morning of the crash, someone tampered with the engine. A piece of metal in one of the gears was filed just enough to cause it to grind itself to pieces. The flight control mechanism disconnected, rendering the helo uncontrollable. To put it in layman’s terms, the helicopter was sabotaged.”

Tension tightened Reese’s shoulders. He didn’t ask Milburn if he was sure. The NTSB team had been investigating the crash for weeks. Two men were dead. The authorities had to be extremely thorough. The question now was who had done it? And why?

“Have you found out who’s responsible?” Reese asked.

“Unfortunately, not yet. As we’ve known from the start and you were informed, pilot error contributed heavily to the event. There should have been room for the chopper to safely auto-rotate down, but the pilot misjudged his position. He came in too close to the building, one of blades clipped the corner, and the helicopter was torn apart.”

“So what, exactly, do you know?”

“As of today, we know a criminal act was committed that ended up causing the deaths of two men. As of this morning, the FBI will be taking over the investigation. They’ll be actively pursuing whoever is responsible for the crime, now a double murder.”

Murder. The news sent a chill down Reese’s spine. He leaned over his desk, shut off the speaker, and picked up the phone. “Whatever you find out, I’ll expect you to keep me in the loop.”

“I’ll do my best,” Milburn said. “It’ll be more difficult once the gears of the FBI begin to turn.”

He understood how a federal agency worked. Lots of interlocking pieces and parts that inevitably slowed things down. The call ended, but Reese had no intention of leaving the matter in the hands of some governmental bureaucracy, not even the FBI. The feds would have to start over, look at the crash from an entirely different angle. It could take weeks, even months.

Two men were dead and he could have been the third. He thought of the accidents that had been plaguing the Poseidon. The helo crash hadn’t been accidental. The chopper was meant to go down.

Was it possible he had been the target?

Author Bio:

Currently living outside Missoula, Montana, Kat Martin is the New York Times bestselling author of over seventy-five Historical and Contemporary Romantic Suspense novels. Before she started writing, Kat was a real estate broker. During that time, she met her husband, L. J. Martin, an author of Westerns and high-action Thrillers. Kat is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara where she majored in Anthropology and also studied History. She spends her winters in Arizona.

"I love to travel and especially like visiting the places where my books are set," Kat says. "I love history and enjoy spending time in museums and art galleries. My husband and I often stay in out-of-the-way inns and historical houses. It's fun and it gives a wonderful sense of a by-gone era."

To date, Kat has over seventeen million copies of her books in print. She is published in more than two dozen foreign countries, including Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, China, Korea, Bulgaria, Russia, England, South Africa, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Japan and Greece.

Kat is currently writing her next Romantic thriller.

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