Showing posts with label Self Published. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Self Published. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

ALIGNED SERIES VOL 2 BY ELLA MILES




Title: Aligned
Author: Ella Miles
Series: Aligned (Vol 2)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: Nov 30 2015
Editon/Formats: eBook & Print

Blurb/Synopsis:

My mind is a mess.
I can’t live this way anymore. He thinks I’ve told him the worst, but I’ve barely told him anything at all.
I can’t love Landon.
He just brings more confusion. I need to leave. Then I can break through the chaos that haunts me.
— —
My mind has never been so clear.
I’m writing new songs faster than ever before. I’m falling for her, even as the secret that I’ve kept hidden for years threatens to reveal itself.
I can’t love Alex.
Everyone will know I’m a monster. I’ll stay away. It’s the only way.



***Aligned: Volume 2 is the second novella in a four part contemporary romance series. Volumes 3 & 4 will be full length novels Coming Spring 2016. ***


Book Links
Amazon Kindle
Amazon Print
Excerpt

I lose myself in his kiss letting thoughts of Ethan drift away as his body consumes mine. I devour him back. I know I only have precious minutes, maybe only seconds left, until my world comes crashing down on top of us. The panic will return, as will the guilt, and I’ll put a stop to this. We shouldn’t be doing this. We can’t do this. It will destroy me if I go through with this, but it doesn’t stop me from enjoying this moment wrapped in his arms.
I open my eyes with his next hungry kiss trying to take him in. Every tattoo and ripped muscle of his tanned body. With each kiss, I take more of him in so I will have this memory when I tell him we can’t be together. We can never be together. I can never be with anyone ever again.
Landon tries to move back to kiss me somewhere other than my lips, but I don’t let him. If he moves his lips, the panic will return faster, and I just want this to last as long as possible. I grab his thick, wavy hair and keep his lips pressed to mine; I barely let either of us come up for air between panting kisses.
I can’t stop his hands from wandering all over my body and making me moan. He grabs my ass and pulls me closer to him; he’s begging my body for more, but I can’t give him more. He pulls his lips away from mine just enough to speak against my lips.
“God, Alex. I want you so bad.” He runs his tongue over my lips, and I feel myself melting into his arms as he holds me up, not letting me fall. “I’m such a monster for wanting this after what you just told me, but I don’t care. I know you need this too,” he says. 
He pulls me on top of him on the bed giving me control to do what I want. He’s giving me the chance to walk away if I want to stop this, but I can’t.

“I’m the monster,” I whisper before I nibble on his ear.




Author Information



Ella Miles writes sexy romance with strong females that could kick your butt if you piss them off, which they often do to the men that fall for them. She's currently living her own happily ever after near the Rocky Mountains with her high school sweetheart husband. Her heart is also taken by her goofy two year old black lab that is scared of everything, including her own shadow. Ella is the author of the Aligned Series and Maybe Series. Get her free books by visiting her website: EllaMiles.com/freebooks



Author Links
Twitter @AuthorEllaMiles



Tuesday, May 31, 2016

ALIGNED SERIES VOL 1 BY ELLA MILES

Aligned Book 1




Title: Aligned

Author: Ella Miles
Series: Aligned (Vol 1)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: Nov 8 2015
Edition/Formats: eBook & Print
Blurb/Synopsis:
He’s an arrogant complication.
I don’t care if Landon Davis has sold millions of records. I don’t care that his damn crooked grin makes my panties wet.
I can’t want him.
I should be mourning, but I can’t. I just need him gone. Then I can align the chaos floating in my head.

——
She has a f*cking boyfriend.
I’ve seen the picture of them together. But Alex Blakely still wants me. And who am I not to oblige when her body is begging for me?
I need one night to own her body.
I should be focused on getting my career out of the gutter. I’ll take one night first. Then I’ll be gone.

*** Aligned: Volume 1 is the first novella in a four part contemporary romance series. Volume 2 is a novella coming in December 2015. Volumes 3 & 4 will be full length novels coming spring 2016. ***


Book Links
Amazon Kindle
Amazon Print 
Excerpt

“Ma’am, are you okay?” a deep voice says to me.
“I’m not a ma’am,” I say, not bothering to open my eyes or move. He’s confirmed that I’m not dead, so I expect him to leave me alone. I have learned after living in LA for the past three months that the people here aren’t any more considerate than the people in NYC are. I exhale when I hear the lobby door swing shut again.
“I’m such a disaster,” I mumble to myself.
The same deep voice laughs. “A beautiful disaster.” I open my eyes and see golden brown eyes peering curiously at me. I slowly sit up and gulp at the sight in front of me. He grins and my cheeks burn a bright shade of red. His dark brown hair is tousled; it doesn’t look like he’s ever combed it. Dark stubble covers his strong chin and neck. He’s not wearing a shirt - just shorts and running shoes, which allow me to see every perfect muscle glistening from the sweat covering his body. Tattoos cover his torso and arms. Beautiful. I realize I’m staring, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him if I wanted. He’s too beautiful. I feel my heart racing again, my breath quickening and the sweat forming have nothing to do with my earlier panic attack.
He gently places one finger under my chin, raising it to close my gaping mouth. I flush a shade redder, but I don’t stop staring. He has a gleam in his eyes as he looks intently from my mouth to my eyes and then my forehead. 
“Shit, you’re bleeding,” he says, breaking the spell that has come over me.
“I’m sure I’m fine. I just need to get back to my condo,” I say as I begin to stand. He offers his hand to me, and I take it as he easily pulls me into a standing position. He holds onto my sweaty hand for much longer than what is necessary for me to regain my balance. I stare up at him now as he towers over me before he quickly jogs around the lobby picking up every apple, orange, and tube of Pringles that rolled out of my bags when I fell. My mouth gapes open again, but no words come out. I just stand frozen.
“Breathe,” he says, smiling. My face heats up again as I release a breath I didn’t know I had been holding. Get it together. You can’t be into him. It’s too soon. I reach into my pocket to feel the warm green fabric there. It reminds me of what I’ve lost and what I am not willing to lose again. I take a pained breath as I let the guilt wash away.


Author Information

Ella Miles writes sexy romance with strong females that could kick your butt if you piss them off, which they often do to the men that fall for them. She's currently living her own happily ever after near the Rocky Mountains with her high school sweetheart husband. Her heart is also taken by her goofy two year old black lab that is scared of everything, including her own shadow. Ella is the author of the Aligned Series and Maybe Series. Get her free books by visiting her website: EllaMiles.com/freebooks



Author Links
Twitter @AuthorEllaMiles


Wednesday, April 6, 2016

RBTL Presents Learning to Breathe Again by Kelli Heneghan Release Day Blitz




Title: Learning to Breathe
Again
Author: Kelli Heneghan
Series: Texas Learning Book 2 (but Read as a Standalone)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: April 6 2016
Edition/Formats: eBook & Print on Demand via Amazon
Blurb/Synopsis:

Bayleigh Morrow just wants to hide from the world for a little while, recover
from all the knocks she’s been taking lately.
What better place than small-town Texas, where she can reconnect with
her brother, meet her new sister-in-law, and just be left alone?


Jack Williams has no intention of ever falling in love
again.  One betrayal was enough for
him.  But when Bayleigh almost collapses
in his office, he’s determined to help her and keep her safe.
Stranded by an ice storm, Jack is the only one there to pick
up the pieces when she has a panic attack.
Sparks begin to fly and flames ignite as these two love-wary souls find
their way out of the darkness and learn to breathe again.
Book Links

Author Information

Kelli grew up all over the East Coast but her
family finally settled in Cincinnati long enough for her

Graduating from the University of Cincinnati with her BS in Nursing, she left
Ohio for Texas and the U.S. Army.  She received a medical discharge for a
knee injury, but was able to meet the man she'd one day call her husband
first--thanks to some mutual friends who insisted they would perfect together.
And what do you know--they are! 
to finish high school
and college.  She has always loved to read books and write her own
stories.  In high school, she used to
pass around the latest chapter of the story she was writing for her friends to
read.  There is more than one high school
teacher out there that can probably remember telling her to put the book down
and pay attention to the lectures.

She continued to read books
by the dozens and write her own stories.
And then one day, a friend dared her to enter a contest.  She didn’t win, but the feedback she received
from the judges convinced her that maybe people were interested in the stories
she wanted to tell.

She still lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two children and 2
dogs. 
Author Links











Saturday, September 26, 2015

BTL Presents Braid of Tongues by Monica David Blog Tour






Title: Braid of Tongues
Author: Monica David
Series: Braids Series (#1)
Genre: Erotic Romance
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: May 27 2015
Edition/Formats: eBook & Print





Blurb/Synopsis:
What if your perfectly contented life was suddenly turned upside down and you were forced to face a decision you never imagined you’d have to?
Ariane Reis has a husband who loves her, a young son and a cosy family routine.
When she starts a new job in the heart of London, she has no idea she is about to embark on a scorching sensory journey of eroticism and self-discovery that will irrevocably alter her life.
Luka Volkov is a smart and unnervingly intense Russian on her team. He is young, sharp and insatiable. He doesn’t just seduce her body. He seduces her mind and the very essence of her being.
Despite the emotional angst she finds herself in, Ariane must fight to get through the impossible task of untangling love from lust, or risk losing everything she holds dear. The problem is - not everything is black and white. 
A story both delightful and heartbreaking about regular people in unanticipated circumstances. 





Book Links
Amazon UK
Amazon US



 Excerpt
When I return to Luka’s room, he is still sleeping in the exact same position I left him in – sideways, his head resting on his folded right arm, left arm stretched in front of him, towards me, like an invitation.
I set my stuff on the chair and can’t resist. I kneel by the bed next to him and carefully pull the sheet off his body. Dear lord, he is something beautiful. He must have removed his shirt and trousers at some point after I blacked out, but he kept the trunks on and they look rather constricting. I’m not remotely surprised at finding him hard.
I reach out and gently set the beast free. Luka sighs. His penis is nothing short of perfection. Most penises I’ve seen, even in porn, have something that make them imperfect - size aside, they’re often bent to one side, the head is disproportionate to the shaft, the skin colour is too pink. Not this one. This one came straight out of an exclusive mould. Perfectly symmetrical, dead centre, up, smooth, mid skin-toned, not to mention the girth and length, which are imposing to say the least. Perfect.   
I sweep my fingers gently along it and it twitches. Someone is definitely awake and it’s not Luka. I caress the stem softly all the way down, over his testicles. They don’t have a single hair on them. That’s new. I’m guessing he shaves them. They’re smooth like ripe apricots. I lean forward and take one in my mouth, sucking lightly. Luka moans but doesn’t wake up. I do the same with the other testicle, then both, cautiously. I want to enjoy this. When I drag my tongue along his penis, Luka groans, stretches, and opens his eyes. I smile, caught with my hand in the cookie jar, or rather my mouth on the cookie so to speak.  
“Having fun?” he mumbles, his eyes bleary.
“Shhhhh,” I murmur. “This has nothing to do with you. Go back to sleep.”
His grin stretches from ear to ear. “I see ...”
Not one to waste time, Luka shoves a second pillow under his head, props himself up and lies on his back, hands behind his head.
“Help yourself then,” he prompts.
“Shhhhh,” I say, pulling down his trunks and tossing them on the floor. “I haven’t had a chance to introduce myself properly.” 
His penis twitches. I lie on the bed between his legs and lick the length from the balls to the tip, gingerly, repeatedly, focusing on my new toy.
“Well, he’s definitely ecstatic about meeting you.”
I wrap a hand around the base and circle the engorged head with my tongue, careful not to touch it with my lips. Luka moans and bucks his hips.
“Uh-huh, stay out of this,” I scold.
He rolls his eyes but is clearly delighted with the game. My tongue moves around and around in soft circles till I taste some of his pre-cum. I lick it off. It’s salty. “Hum ...”
His breathing roughens when I gently suck him into my mouth and hold it there for a moment. I don’t even come close to taking it all in my mouth, but I ease it in as far as I can bear.
Luka’s lips part as he enjoys the sight of me swallowing his erection, the lustful frown on his face spurring me on. I rub my tongue on the underside of his penis and cup his balls, rolling them slowly. His muscles tighten and a sigh escapes his throat.
Some women don’t enjoy giving blowjobs. I’ve always loved the control of throwing a man into escalating levels of pleasure until he reaches that exquisite place of masculine abandonment. I like to watch it without clouding my mind with too many of my own needs. Right now is my opportunity to give him back a fraction of what he gave me last night, and I’m relishing it.
I pull his penis out of my mouth only to sink it back in. I do this repeatedly, making it slide a bit further each time.
“Fuck!” he groans.
I begin to work my mouth up and down the straining flesh, sucking him greedily, my tongue twirling around the head while my hand strokes him.
Suddenly Luka sits up and pulls me to him. “God, Ariane, I have to fuck you.”
“No! Uh-huh! Lie back down immediately,” I admonish, pushing him back onto the pillows. “I just had a shower, and besides it’s my turn to have some fun.”
His eyes sparkle with a mix of excitement and frustration. “Really? I thought you’d been having a lot of fun.”
“Well, there can be some improvements.” I resume my torture.
“Ooh ...” he croons. “Is that so?”
“Uh-huh.” I nod.
“I’ll ... I’ll have to work on that then.”
“Uh-huh.”
Luka lifts his hips up and thrusts into my mouth. He keeps his eyes on me, glazed with a fervour that has me redoubling my efforts. He praises me with louder and harsher groans which I reply to with whimpers of my own. The power I hold over him in this moment sears me. He is steel-hard and by the pain in his tone, I know his self-control is waning.
His balls draw up, heavy and tight in my hand, preparing for release. I want to taste him so badly, I fist the base of his erection slightly faster.
Luka grabs hold of my head and pumps into my mouth, making me gag, saliva dripping from the corners of my lips. I gasp for air and subject myself to his rhythm.
“Fuck! I’m gonna come, baby, is that what you want? You want me to come in that sweet little mouth of yours, Ariane?”
My sex clenches at his dirty talk, protesting its emptiness while I vibrate muffled mewls against his cock. I guess that’s all the answer he needs.
“Have it, baby, have it all!”
He pushes my head down and holds me still as the climax hits him, his face ravaged by pleasure. He growls and his body jerks and his hot sticky cream hits the back of my throat again and again. I swallow as fast as I can and heave for air as soon as he lets me. Then I adjust the suction to a velvety stroke while he pants under me. He slumps back down onto the pillows.
Smiling victoriously, I wipe my mouth on the back of my hand. A wide grin breaks across his face and he reaches for me. I move up his body and it takes me by surprise when his tongue seeks mine. It’s so hot, my body rekindles. Sean won’t go near my mouth if there’s even a glimpse of semen.
“Thank you,” Luka drawls in between kisses.




Author Information
Monica David was born in Zimbabwe but she grew up in Portugal, by the sea. She has been living in London for nearly two decades, initially on and off in between travels and now permanently with her family. In addition to writing, Monica loves to read, photograph and travel. She values kindness, honesty and a good sense of humour.







Author Links
Facebook Page Braid of Tongues






Thursday, September 10, 2015

RBTL Presents Time Shifters by Myra Nour Blog Tour






Title: Time Shifters
Author: Myra Nour
Series: Standalone
Genre: Paranormal Romance w/ Time Travel Elements
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: May 1 2015
Edition/Synopsis: eBook





Blurb/Synopsis:

Briana has heard his voice for years in dreams. Calling to her. She hears that same voice in the handsome stranger she meets on vacation. Captivating and so familiar. When he unexpectedly transforms into a werewolf, Briana flees in horror. She knows him … he is the wolfman who haunts her dreams. More than anything else, it is her lustful response to the beast that terrifies her.
When Raynor finally meets his mate, he is confused by her reaction and even more so by her response when he shifts. She doesn't recognize him. In an attempt to escape, Briana jumps through the time portal of his people, landing her in Medieval England. Raynor must rescue her, which requires bonding with Briana as her mate. But first he must teach Briana that she is a shifter, then convince her not to be repelled by her other self, an ancient, powerful shifter. A snakewoman.

Book Links


Excerpt
“Oh,” she groaned aloud. There he was again, the dark mysterious figure that haunted her more nights than she cared to count. This time, they stood facing each other in the middle of a night-black forest; she was already frightened, her breathing frenzied and her heart pounding. She felt like she was caught in the middle of a Twilight Zone episode—death approached, but it was as if she were stuck in quagmire and couldn’t move.
He edged closer, stepped into the moonlit glade between her and the protective foliage that had covered his form. A werewolf! Briana was shocked. Even though she was a strong person, she was too scared to move an inch. She’d expected a menacing stranger, not a fictional monster. He looked real enough, his body bulky with muscles, and she even noticed a musky odor.
Abruptly, the creature jumped in one great predatory leap, landing directly in front of her. His weight crashed a small branch into kindling as he landed. Strangely, she wasn’t frightened, not now. Why? She didn’t know. Her heart thudded heavily against her chest, her breathing came out in short pants, but from another source entirely—she was turned on. Briana found this startling. The appearance of a savage, beast-like wolfman made her hot? It was insane, this sudden switch from terror to lust.
For years, she had been involved in strange encounters with this mystery man, who tonight, had turned out to be a nightmarish creature. But this was turning into the weirdest experience she’d ever had. Once he had made his appearance in wolf/human form, she no longer feared his presence. It was as if there was a connection between them, a hidden knowledge she found puzzling.
“Who are you?”
His answer was a guttural growl, then a pounce onto her body. She fell to the ground, landing uninjured on a soft pile of leaves. For some crazy reason, she knew he did not intend to hurt her. The beast’s body was heavy, his long hair tickling against her exposed skin. She glanced down at her naked body, again surprised; she’d been wearing her nightgown earlier.
Drool dripped onto her chin and she looked up into its beautiful, but eerie golden eyes, strangely unaffected by the savage grin of its fanged mouth. She still wasn’t frightened.



Author Information
Myra has published 14 books with Ellora's Cave & New Concepts Publishing. She enjoys writing romances with paranormal, fantasy & S/F elements, creating believable characters, and is known for her vivid imagination. Recently she has been writing horror; one short story was published by Undead Press in the House of Terror anthology.
Since 2012 she started Book & Trailer Showcase with her husband Simon. She is CEO of the company and BTS Book Reviews Magazine. Her EC novels have been released to her this year with the goal of turning them into Indie books.
Visit Myra's at www.myranour.net
Check out BTS Book Reviews at www.btsemag.com

Author Links

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

RBTL Presents Claiming Addison by Zoey Derrick







Title: Claiming Addison

Author: Zoey Derrick

Series: 69 Bottles (Book 1)

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic, LGTB, M/M/F, M/F/M,

M/F, F/M , M/M

Publisher: Self Published

Release Date:  Feb 17 2015

Edition/Formats Available In: eBook & Print

Blurb/Synopsis:

For Addison Beltrand, PR rep for Bold International, Inc. climbing the corporate ladder is all that matters in life. Her hard work is finally rewarded with the promotion she’s worked her ass off to earn—but the gig comes at a price. She leaves in two days for a twelve-week tour with America’s hottest alternative rock band, 69 Bottles.
Talon Carver, lead singer of 69 Bottles, has no problem with women--as long as they’re gone by morning. When Addison shakes up his world, it’s a huge problem—compounded by the fact that Addison’s not the only one he wants.
Kyle Black, manager of 69 Bottles, has a secret. He and Addison are closer than she thinks, but telling her could keep her away. When Talon sets his sights on Addison, Kyle uses his secret to push her into Talon’s arms, only to discover she isn’t the only one he needs.
Two men. One dilemma.
Talon is wild, reckless and loves control.

Kyle is calm, collected and loves passion.
The perfect balanceor Addison’s ultimate undoing?
Talon and Kyle push their boundaries and Addison’s, but can they throw their reservations to the wind and claim her together?
Two men.  One woman. A rock band. A tour bus.  One Wild Ride…

 ****Content Warning****
Sexy, naked, bisexual rock starsand a lot more…
This book contains, but is not limited to the following sexual content – reader discretion is advised - hot sex between two men and one woman. M/M/F, M/F/M, M/F, F/M and M/M sexual content. There are no boundaries when these three crash together, as long as you’re over 18 years of age.



****Content Warning****
Sexy, naked, bisexual rock starsand a lot more…
This book contains, but is not limited to the following sexual content – reader discretion is advised - hot sex between two men and one woman. M/M/F, M/F/M, M/F, F/M and M/M sexual content. There are no boundaries when these three crash together, as long as you’re over 18 years of age.

Book Links 
Kindle
Amazon Print
ARe
iTunes/iBooks
Kobo
Goodreads



Tuesday, February 17, 2015

RBTL Presents Craving Talon by Zoey Derrick Release Day Blitz



Title: Craving Talon
Author: Zoey Derrick
Series: 69 Bottles
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic, LGTB, M/M/F, M/F/M, M/F, F/M , M/M
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date:  Feb 17 2015
Edition/Formats Available In: eBook & Print 
Blurb/Synopsis: 
The story picks up as 69 Bottles continues their tour, riding a surge of success thanks to an impromptu duet between Talon and Addison. 
It’s a crazy turn of life for Addison Beltrand, who’s always lived to work and worked to live. Now, everything is shifted upside down—and that’s not a bad thing. Stepping on the 69 Bottles tour bus has banished the heartache of her past, and feels like a rocking new beginning. 
Talon Carver and Kyle Black couldn’t agree more. The band’s lead singer and manager are falling hard for the beautiful rock chick, and will do anything to keep her in their bed—and between their bodies—forever.
The trio’s blissful bubble is popped by a danger nobody has anticipated. The band’s security team, always watchful for fan attacks on the members, isn’t prepared for what happens to Addison during this leg of the tour. Will Kyle and Talon be able to help save Addison? Or will her fear force her to pack her bags and return to LA?

Everything hinges on her decision…
Two men. One woman. A rock band. A tour bus. One Wild Ride… 

a Rafflecopter giveaway




Best Selling Author Zoey Derrick comes from Glendale, Arizona. She was once a mortgage

underwriter by day and is now a paranormal, romance and erotica novelist full-time. She writes stories as hot as the desert sun itself. It is this passion that drips off of her work, bringing excitement to anyone who enjoys a good and sensual love story.
 

Not only does she aim to take her readers on an erotic dance that lasts the night, it allows her to empty her mind of stories we all wish were true.
 Her stories are hopeful yet true to life, skillfully avoiding melodrama and the unrealistic, bringing her gripping Erotica only closer to the heart of those that dare dipping into it. 
 

The intimacy of her fantasies that she shares with her readers is thrilling and encouraging, climactic yet full of suspense. She is a loving mistress, up for anything, of which any reader is doomed to return to again and again.


Places to find Zoey 



Thursday, December 11, 2014

RBTL Presents What Lies Within Us by Kiki Howell Blog Tour





Title: What Lies Within Us
Author: Kiki Howell
Series: Stand Alone
Genre: Gothic/Paranormal/Romance/Contemporary/
Suspense/Thriller
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: Nov 1 2014
Edition/Formats Available In: eBook & Print






Blurb/Synopsis:
After receiving a letter from an aunt she never knew existed, Kyna Hughes travels to Ireland only to find out that her whole life has been a series of well-orchestrated lies. Suddenly, this poor girl from the foothills of the Alleghany Mountains is thrust into a life of not only the wealthy and affluent, but of dark magic and secret societies. As Kyna learns of the magic hidden inside her, purposefully stunted as she grew up for her protection, she must now battle mystical hauntings which are the result of curses while getting a crash course in utilizing her powers. Kidnappings and satanic weddings become her daily events as she struggles not to lose her heart to one of two men—a former Navy SEAL hired to protect her or a wizard hired to train her. Soon she will realize just how true it is that “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”


Amazon Top 100 Best Seller in Gothic Fiction & Occult Horror


Book Links  

Amazon




Excerpt:

Ominous fanfare for her arrival in County Monaghan, lightening shred the fall of dusk. As a grisly storm surrounded the car she rode in, her every nerve vibrated with electricity. The well-read letter in her hand trembled in the heat of her clenched fist. Her last minute research of this part of Northern Ireland had not done the place justice. Beauty that of a rolling and majestic nature even in the dark downpour, stole her already shallow breath.
The thousand slices of light tearing through the sky reflected in the grey water beside the road. The black shadows cast by the trees, Kyna perceived as decrepit, arthritic fingers that reached out for her from the heavy flowing stream. A resounding flood of sound, deep rolling thunder, made her body curl in on itself as she angled away from the car window. The squall so violent, she imagined the glass would shatter. Never one to cower, she swore in a whisper to herself. Ever since she’d landed in Ireland, a someone or a something, specifically an indescribable dark presence, followed her. Sure, it made no sense, but she couldn’t tell her over stimulated brain and racing heart that.
Trying to swallow despite the dryness in her mouth, looking straight ahead, she sought a moment’s peace. Deep breathing exercises had yet to award her any. This unexpected turn in her life over the past few days propelled her toward her wits end. From the moment she’d taken the letter from her mailbox, every part of her being had been altered in some way. From bursts of indefinable energy making her want to run a marathon, to unbidden ideas reminiscent of familiar dreams, to a feeling of having a sixth sense that warned of impending danger, she warred within herself to keep some semblance of composure. She didn’t understand her own body anymore, but had not the time or the mental capacity to analyze the abrupt changes as she traveled.
Erratic thought patterns plagued her instead, a barrage of unanswered questions. Prior to that fateful letter, she’d just been a girl from the foothills of the Alleghany Mountains, having lived her whole life in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia. Her mother’s confession of her true heritage came when confronted with the letter, the damned letter, scrolled in a shaky hand, from an aunt from Ireland she never knew existed.
Apparently, Kyna was more Irish than she knew, as in born in Ireland and adopted through the Irish Mafia into the United States. The father she barely remembered, a man who’d died in a mining accident when she’d been barely five years old, had ties to the organization. She’d been a black market baby, for the love of all that is holy! The adoption had born conditions. Telling the poor child of her adoption stood a deal breaker punishable by death. None of these random facts brought about feelings of safety and security as she traveled abroad to meet her aunt on her biological mother’s side.
The letter, the freaking destroy-a-simple-life letter, ranted on for two pages a heartbreaking tale. Her birth mother, Alana O’Riagain, had passed away a few years ago. Her aunt, Saoirse O’Riagain, now desperately wanted to meet her only living relative. Kyna’s birth father and his family were all long go buried, so whatever perceived danger her mother had given her away to protect her from had passed away with them. Maybe her tired eyes played her for a fool, but even now, Kyna swore that words following danger on the paper in her hand appeared written in an even shakier scroll.
Rain assaulted the car window with the unrelenting onslaught of gunfire. Her pulse beat as if under attack. Another round of multiple lightning strikes, the ones that cross the distance of the sky to the ground, brought Kyna out of her murky thoughts of a re-written past to a clearly foreboding present. Just ahead, the first glimpses of her aunt’s home in Armaugh appeared and disappeared in brief glimpses granted by the windshield wipers and the lightening.
Her breath caught at the vast size of what resembled a castle on a hill. A steep incline of land seemed formed to hold up the formidable three storey stone façade. The structure consisted of several three-sided bays stuck together and one four-storey tower to the right side. On the tower hung corner bartizans. These came into view as they made the steep climb closer to her ancestral home. These rounded turrets cut with windows multiplied her sense of being watched, that some sinister being stood sentinel over her, taking in her every move.
Crazy. All of it. She’d lost it, and she had to get it back in the immediate future. Tough, a fighter in an impoverish world, surely she could handle whatever this display of wealth held for her. But, little made sense. Her past lay in a shamble of lies around her feet. Her future looked, well, scary. She had a lot to sort out, and planned to get right to it once she met her aunt.
Her mouth had remained parched and her shoulders tense since she’d landed in this country. Her body betrayed her in various other ways as well. Strange sensations of heat in her core coupled with flashes of what she could only refer to as static electricity along her limbs, made her feel a foreigner in her own skin.
As her driver grunted and got out, Kyna took advantage of another long streak of lightening to gaze upon this veritable castle of a house. The bays had mullioned windows, curvilinear gables and tall chimneys. While she guessed the stone a light grey in the day, it accosted her with looming shades of smoke, as if old and charred, from her storm-shielded, misty view.
The metallic shriek of her door opening sent a wave of panic crashing over her. From her teeth set on a painful edge to that cold slither of fear down her spine, she forced herself to ignore each physical sensation, each body betrayal. Looking toward her driver, a streak of lightening silhouetted him, made him a dark outline like that of a large monster-figure looming over her. He had several inches on her as well as a bulky, full-muscled build one could only achieve with hours in a gym or steroids she supposed. As he reached for her hand, the strength of his grip intensified to painful when an explosion of thunder rolled over them seconds later. She reminded herself, as way of comfort, what little she knew of the man. Aedan Dunne, employed by her aunt, served as head of security, a man the woman trusted with her life.
In a brief conversation at the airport, Kyna had learned through grumbles of words in response to her barrage of questions, that the man had been injured then forced into an early retirement from the Navy SEALs. Irish-born, he’d come home in hopes of finding similar work, something where a mere leg injury would not be the big deal the military had made it out to be. While he may not be able to hide underwater at night in frigid water for hours like he used to without pain and cramping of the damaged muscles, he could surely protect on land, a home and a woman. From what her aunt had written of Aedan, while he may be short on words, failure wasn’t in his vocabulary.
The cool sweat covering her skin intensified with the firm grip Aedan took of her waist once she stood. While looking at his face, what she could see of it for the shadows created by his hood, sharp cheekbones chiseled into a grimace. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the image of a man and a woman in black uniforms run to the trunk of the car and grab her belongings in a swift and sure manner. To her, the rain-soaked stones that made up the pathway to the inset of the main door resembled yet another insurmountable obstacle. Really, she’d reached that point in her day. Every little thing currently escalated to dramatic portions. Never the type to make a mountain out of a mole hill, she straightened her spine and raised up her head, determined not to start now.
Yes, life had dumped a whole crap load of change and new discoveries on her. By the looks of things, another dump truck sped her way, but her mother hadn’t raised a quitter. Besides, Aedan’s strong arms and solid frame offered a possible means to diversion if desired. From what her glimpses in the airport had gathered her, outside of being exactly what she’d imagine a SEAL to be, retired he could now pursue a career in modeling with such intense eyes and full lips. Simply put, he had rugged good looks that rivaled anything she’d seen in the movies. He stood beside her an image of masculinity beyond any she’d witnessed before, at least in her mind.
While she dared another look, Aedan focused on getting her inside. With her first glimpse despite the rain that fell in large drops from the hood framing his face, her stomach tightened even more. Locks of dark brown hair fell in long, messy sections on each side of his forehead. Full eyelashes framed moon-shaped eyes, wide with flecks of green and gold shimmering in the house lights. Intense and mesmerizing, she lost her train of thought, even as curiosity and anxiety mixed to further unsettle her.



My Review:


I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the book very much. It captivated my attention in a way that this book offered me a quick read and a well thought out story.  I loved the way the author described the setting and the characters. It allowed me to fully immerse myself. The relationship between Kyna and Aedan had that sweet appeal that I think many of us found  ourselves in at that age. I have to say that though I wasn't surprised by the end, I loved the twists the author presented to me. 






Author Information

Ever since she was young, Kiki Howell has loved to listen to a well-woven tale with real characters, inspired plots, and delightful resolutions. Kiki could spend hours lost in a book, and soon she knew that creating lives, loves, and losses with just words had to be the greatest thing that she could do. To that end, she pursued her study of literature and writing, earning a bachelor’s degree in English. She has now had over forty stories published, and could not be more thrilled or grateful to see her creations polished and out in the real world.

In May, 2011, Kiki was chosen as an Ohioana Book Festival author for her novel, Torn Asunder. She's also had three flash fiction stories win writing contests. In the fall of 2013, her novel, Hidden Salem, made the Amazon Top 100 Bestsellers Lists in 3 categories: Paranormal, Suspense and Ghosts. You can find out more about Kiki on her website www.kikihowell.com or stop by her blog http://anauthorsmusings.blogspot.com/

Author Links

Other Works by Kiki


M