Cover Reveal for Finding Autumn: A Falling for Autumn Novella Plus ARC Giveaway!!!

Summary:

Two years earlier, Blake Preston received a phone call that would change everything. His stepfather—a man he trusted and admired—had been accused of sexually assaulting one of his students. His stepfather declared his innocence and Blake chose to stay loyal to the man who had raised him as his own.

Cook University is the one place Blake can keep his anonymity. No one knows about the scandals surrounding his stepfather’s arrest and subsequent conviction. To his friends, he is merely the star running back for the college team and an NFL hopeful. But the life he has built at Cook is threatened when Autumn Dorey locks eyes with him at a campus party.

Getting entangled with Autumn is a mistake. Yet Autumn is the only person who can answer the one question that haunts him: is his stepfather a monster?

Blake conceals his identity and starts a friendship with Autumn under false pretenses. What begins as a way to uncover the truth about his stepfather changes as he grows close to Autumn. His relationship with her calls into question everything he thought he knew about his family. Against all odds, he falls in love with the one girl he’s forbidden to have feelings for. But can their love last once Autumn finds out who Blake Preston really is?

***Not a standalone. Falling for Autumn from Blake's POV. Includes bonus chapters set after the events of Falling for Autumn.**

Publication Date: July 15, 2014

Thanks to Mayhem Cover Creations for the amazing job they did on the cover! I love it =) And below is a sneak peak of Finding Autumn!

Unedited Excerpt:

I had thought the night had turned around and was improving, but I understood it wasn’t to be as I returned to the table from the Valley Amusement’s bathroom. Autumn had pulled me out of my funk as soon as we arrived at the bowling alley. Touching her and kissing her was exactly what I needed to chase away all of the other dark feelings. Autumn Dorey absolutely and positively consumed my entire being.

Kissing her did funny things to me. It made me hope for things—things that I probably had no business hoping for. It made me want to come up with outlandish schemes to stay forever inside this bubble I had created for us.

Walking up and seeing Autumn surrounded by three guys had me seeing red immediately. She may not have been mine for good, but she was mine for the moment—and no one was taking her from me without a fight. Moving closer, I was able to make out the discomfort on Autumn’s face and it made me want to hit first and ask questions later.

“What’s going on?”

Autumn gave me a stricken look and I wondered what was going on with her and these three jackasses. They looked like complete tools—tall and skinny with almost a matching uniform of jeans hanging off their asses and Abercrombie t-shirts.

One of the douches came up behind me and slapped my back as if we were old friends. Before he even opened his mouth, I was ready to end him. “Is Autumn your girl? No judgment here, dude. We’ve all been there, done that.”

“I’d watch what you say next. Because unless I hear an apology to Autumn, your teeth will end up on the floor.”

It didn't take me long to put it together that Autumn went to high school with the three losers. I didn’t know the guys, but I knew their type. There were always the big talkers in the locker room who liked to brag about how much “tail” they got. Most of us knew the truth—the only action they were getting involved stealing a bottle of their mom’s lotion and turning on Cinemax after midnight.

The tall blond faced me and he puffed up like a peacock. It was an intimidation tactic and I almost rolled my eyes. If he thought I was backing down, he was out of his mind.

“I’m not sure what you know about Autumn, but I’ve known her for a long time. I was her boyfriend and the bitch fucked around on me the entire time we were together…”

Fuck me, I thought. No wonder Autumn’s parents were overprotective. The guy had crazy eyes and by the way he spoke, he sounded like he was still bitter over their breakup.

“If you’re her ex, then you definitely deserve at least a punch in the face.”

Giveaway:

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Review: All Lined Up by Cora Carmack

Goodreads Summary:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cora Carmack follows up her trio of hits—Losing It, Faking It, and Finding It—with this thrilling first novel in an explosive series bursting with the Texas flavor, edge, and steamy romance of Friday Night Lights.

In Texas, two things are cherished above all else—football and gossip. My life has always been ruled by both.

Dallas Cole loathes football. That's what happens when you spend your whole childhood coming in second to a sport. College is her time to step out of the bleachers, and put the playing field (and the players) in her past.

But life doesn't always go as planned. As if going to the same college as her football star ex wasn’t bad enough, her father, a Texas high school coaching phenom, has decided to make the jump to college ball… as the new head coach at Rusk University. Dallas finds herself in the shadows of her father and football all over again.

Carson McClain is determined to go from second-string quarterback to the starting line-up. He needs the scholarship and the future that football provides. But when a beautiful redhead literally falls into his life, his focus is more than tested. It's obliterated.

Dallas doesn't know Carson is on the team. Carson doesn't know that Dallas is his new coach's daughter.

And neither of them know how to walk away from the attraction they feel.(less)

Publication Date: May 13, 2014

This book was so cute! I love Cora Carmack’s books and All Lined Up didn’t disappoint. I enjoyed the slow-building romance between Dallas and Carson. I especially loved that the story was built around Texas football.

I was melting over how Dallas met Carson. Their first kiss at the party was equal parts sweet and hot. Dallas has been screwed over by jerky football players, but Carson breaks the trend for her. Her father is the team’s football coach and that fact has a tendency to make her leery of getting involved with players. Carson feels a bit like an outcast on the team and is driven to play for Rusk University despite being a walk on. Both characters were easy to cheer for.

The pace was good and there wasn’t too much angst between the characters. The things keeping Carson and Dallas apart felt realistic since it involved issues that college age new adults often face.  

The book is definitely more sensual than sexual and I really loved that the two leads didn’t jump into bed together. The relationship developed at a very gradual pace and I enjoyed how both characters grew close as they spent more time together. Carson was definitely a sweetie and I probably liked the chapters told in his POV a tad more than the ones from Dallas.

Overall, a great read for fans of YA and NA books! I love Carmack’s writing style and can’t wait to read more from her.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book for review!

Stacking the Shelves #92

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and features books you've added to your shelves, both physical and virtual.

For Review:

Rules of Survival by Jus Accardo

The Jewel by Amy Ewing

By a Thread by R.L. Griffin

A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray

The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain

The Vault of Dreamers by Caragh O'Brien

You by Caroline Kepnes

Review: The Broken by Shelley Coriell

Goodreads Summary:

He took her life, but left her alive.

Three years ago, reporter Kate Johnson was the first victim—and only survivor—of the Broadcast Butcher. Scarred both physically and psychologically by the brutal serial killer, Kate lives life on the run, knowing that one day, he will find her and finish what he started.

In the pursuit of justice, you sometimes have to step outside the law.

Agent Hayden Reed spends his life chasing monsters. The only way to stay sane is to detach, but the second the Broadcast Butcher case crosses his desk, Hayden knows this is the case that might just cost him his soul. To catch this vicious murderer before he strikes again, Hayden must find Kate and earn her trust. For it's her darkest secrets that hold the key to stopping this madman once and for all . .

Publication Date: April 29, 2014

Sometimes I’m just in the mood for a good romantic suspense read and it was the reason I couldn’t wait to start The Broken. The book grabbed me from the beginning and I felt the suspense was really well done.

The Broadcast Butcher is the serial killer at the center of the novel and he was super scary. The chapters told from his POV gave me the heebie jeebies and I definitely don’t recommend reading this book before bed. Kate is one of his victims that got away while Agent Reed is determined to stop the killer.

Agent Hayden Reed was a great protag and I liked how dedicated he was to solving the case. I also found his past intriguing and I enjoyed how the author gave us tidbits along the way to slowly reveal his complicated romantic history. I liked Kate’s feistiness and her relationship as a caregiver to a disabled vet named Smokey Joe. When Kate and Hayden meet, I could feel the chemistry instantly. I did enjoy the angst of whether the characters would be able to get over their issues and get together.

The book is light on the romance and more about discovering the identity of the killer before the murderer closes in on Kate. I figured out some of the mystery early on, but there were still a few twists thrown in to keep me invested. The final third was full of a lot of action that kept me reading until I finished the book.

The Broken is a great romantic whodunit that I’d highly recommend to readers of the genre. The book is the start of a series but it looks like the next book features a new mystery and characters.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the novel for review!

Guest Reviews: Imaginary Lines by Allison Parr and The Dare by Hannah Jayne

Tamar Rosenfeld has been in love with New York Leopards linebacker Abraham Krasner since they were twelve years old. She'd always considered it destiny that they'd end up together…until Abe was drafted and she professed her feelings in a moment of blind excitement. The sting of his rejection was like nothing she'd ever felt before, and it's nothing she'll ever forget.

Older and wiser, Tamar has landed a dream job as a reporter for one of New York's premier athletic websites. Determined to stop being the safe, boring girl she's felt like for most of her life, Tamar makes a list of all the things she wants to do and see in her new city, and Getting Over Abraham is priority number one.

But destiny has finally chosen to interfere. Just as Tamar's decided to move on, Abe's realized she's the only woman for him. When he confides the truth, Tamar has to decide if she can put her crush behind her, or take a chance on the very man who's been holding her back all these years.

Publication Date: April 14, 2014

Jessica's Review:

4 stars. I really liked this book and while I may not rush out and buy it, but I've already snagged the others in the series. I loved the friendship between them and how they stood by each other through all life through at them. It wasn't full of drama, don't get me wrong, but if I had a guy stand by me like Abe did with her than I'd still be married. LOL worth reading!!!!

Two jumped off the pier that night...but only one came back alive

Bryn did everything with her best friend Erica. So when someone dared Erica to jump off the pier one night at Harding Beach, Bryn was right by her side. But when Bryn made it back to the surface, Erica was nowhere to be found. Bryn tries to make a fresh start by burying her memories of that awful night. But when a Twitter post from "EricaNShaw" pops up on her feed and a chilling voice mail appears on her phone, she realizes that someone isn't ready to let go of the past...

Publication Date: July 1, 2014

Jessica's Review:

4 stars. There were a few grammar issues, but other than that this was a really good book. I don't usually do the whole suspense genre, it tends to freak me out, but this one just sucked me right in and all the twists made me feel as crazy as the main character felt. I sort of figured out the bad guy before the end, but I didn't realize I was right until the end of the book. Worth a read!

Thanks to the publishers for copies of these novels for review!

Works in Progress Updates and Deadly Prophecy (Second Sight Spinoff) Book Teaser

Here are my current works in progress:

Finding Autumn (In Edits)-Release Scheduled for July

Pretending Hearts (Falling for Autumn #2) (In Progress)

Deadly Prophecy (Second Sight Spinoff) (1/4 Complete-In Progress)

The Memory Witch 2 (In Progress)

I'm not going to post official release dates for the rest of the books since I still have a large chunk of them to write. I will give you a teaser though (unedited) of Declan's spin-off book. This will have spoilers if you haven't read the final Second Sight book.

Before he could ask Kate her opinion on the case, she shoved him hard. His back slammed into the brick siding of the restaurant. He glared down at her as she twisted her lips into a hateful expression. “What the hell was that?”

“What are you talking about?” He held up his hands in front of his body. “I told you what she wanted. Not every case is going to be about someone missing.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about and you know it. You’ve been a bastard since yesterday and just embarrassed me in front of a client.”

“You’re the one who kicked me and made a scene. I was joking with you, it’s how we always are.” Kate opened her mouth to retort, but he rallied on. “I don’t know why you’re so sensitive about getting married to Jared. Maybe it’s a mental problem. Have you talked to your mom about it? Maybe your parents’ divorce has given you commitment issues.”

“Or maybe you’re just a dick. Yes, we always rag on each other, but this was different. You called me fat and made fun of my ring.”

“You act like such a girl sometimes. I always tease you about how much you eat and your relationship with Jared. Stop being so uptight.”

“We’ve been friends for a while now and I know you, Dec. I know when you’re messing with me and when something else is going on. You’re not happy about the engagement.”

“Christ Kate, leave it alone. My life doesn’t revolve around you and your convoluted love life. I said I’m happy for you. What else do you want? Should I throw a parade in your honor? Offer to give you away at the wedding?”

Kate took an uncertain step away from him. “No. I thought you would be my friend and Jared’s friend. I thought you would be a decent human being and realize I’m finally happy after almost losing Jared. I can’t change what happened between me and you, but if you can’t deal with it, then maybe we should reconsider a partnership.”

Declan stared over her head into the parking lot. “We’re good. I swear. Maybe my jokes were tasteless, but I didn’t mean anything by then. We make a good team and it would be stupid to walk away from what we started to build together.”

Kate stared at him for a long moment, apparently weighing whether to accept his half-hearted apology or walk away for good. “Fine, but our business needs ground rules.”

“What kind of rules?”

“For one, no sleeping with the clients.” Declan’s jaw dropped as Kate continued on. “Don’t give me that look. I saw the way you were looking at Jenna and picturing her with no clothes on. We can’t have you scorning women who have come to us for help.”

Declan thought it was a stupid rule, but his relationship with Kate was shaky at the minute. He would give her this to appease her. Making their business a success was more important than sleeping with the clients.

“Fine. My rule is to stop hitting me. If we’re working together, I can’t be worried about your violent urges.”

Kate rolled her eyes. “What can I say? You bring out the worse in me.”

Review: Push by Claire Wallis

I feel like I am wrapped in a cyclone. Everything is whirling around me, drawing the air out of my lungs and filling me with the best kind of turmoil. Every time his tongue slides against mine, a prickle in my gut tells me how right we are together. How much I need David. How much I need us.

I hope the cyclone never stops.

Emma Searfoss has spent a lifetime trying to escape her abusive stepfather. It's why she moved far away from home. It's why she's kept no ties with her remaining family. And it's why she's got a major rage problem. When her neighbor shows up to fix the kitchen in her new apartment, his enigmatic charm calms the fire in her. David is cool and collected, and he makes Emma feel safe for the first time ever. But David has his own chilling past—his six previous girlfriends have all disappeared without a trace. Emma's walking a dangerous line, but David's pull is intoxicating. And impossible to resist…

This is a new adult romance with mature content for readers 17 and up.

Publication Date: May 1, 2014

Gah! This book! I rarely can’t figure out a rating for a book and Push is one these incidences. The story is very intriguing, but the characters were all so messed up, it made me hard to root for them. I was definitely more into the mystery aspects of the book than the romance.

Emma was such a crazy main character. At first I was glad to read about a female not being a pushover, but she wasn’t tough—she was mentally unstable. She jumps into this consuming relationship with a virtual stranger and seems to accept all of his shadiness just because he’s a good lay and tries to beat every man who is inappropriate to her to a pulp. David seemed great on paper: sexy, thoughtful and protective. But from the summary and flashbacks through the novel, it is obvious he is not all that he seems.

A big portion of the book has to do with Emma’s intense relationship with David. I wasn’t feeling the romance because of the characters, so I actually skimmed a lot of the sex scenes. The sex scenes were well written and super hot, but I just felt icky reading them since I couldn’t cheer for the couple to work out.

The mysteries were what kept me reading. The flashbacks were my favorite parts of the book. The prologue and epilogue were also fantastic! The author is super talented and really knows how to draw readers into the lives of these dark and twisty people. Beware of the HUGE cliffhanger though. However, it will make readers eager to check out the next installment.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the novel for review!