COVER REVEAL and GIVEAWAY ~ London Bound by Amy Daws

Book 3 of the London Lovers Series

An interconnected stand-alone adult contemporary romance series.

Release Date: May 14th

Add to Goodreads link: http://bit.ly/1x9GuPU

When your past and present collide, can love surpass it all?

When Leslie Lincoln, a spunky, red-headed American, suffers an awkward moment with an arousingly-sexy British man—she thinks her life can’t get any more pathetic.

She’s done with men.
She doesn’t need them.
She especially doesn’t need their muscular thighs.
No siree, she’s going to forget all about the brooding, complicated, and seductive “Theo” who captivated her on the dance floor of a London nightclub.

Keep telling yourself that, Lez….. 

Immersing herself into a new type of romantic cleanse, Leslie thinks she’ll never lay eyes on Theo again. But somehow, he’s managed to bulldoze his way back in—her cheetah-print onesie pajamas be damned.
He wants more.
She wants to run.
But he can’t seem to let her go.

Both of them have a past—and neither want to share.
How can love possibly survive in darkness?

 Welcome all. Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing, Amy Daws, author of the London Lovers Series and the upcoming new release, London Bound.  

Hi Amy, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Congratulations on the cover reveal!

Thank you! I’m really excited about releasing London Bound. Leslie is a heroine unlike any other I think.

The cover is gorgeous, who are the models?

The girl is from my hometown actually. Just a small town in Iowa. My first two covers featured a girl from my hometown too so I think I’ve started a trend here without even knowing it! That author, Jake Kerouac said the prettiest girls in the world are from Iowa! So I’m just taking a page out of his book!

London Bound is the third book in the London Lovers Series, correct? Do readers have to read the first two?

Definitely not. I wrote them to all be interconnected, but still able to stand on their own. Books one and two are told through my heroine, Finley. Those are nicer to read in order I suppose. But this with London Bound, it’s a different heroine, Leslie. Leslie was Finley’s best friend in books 1 and 2, so you’re getting a completely different story.

What’s Leslie like?

Oh goodness. Leslie is that kooky, crazy, hilarious best friend that everyone wishes they had. She’s a fiery red head with a creative side and a heart of gold for her friends. She’d do anything for her friends and actually does a lot for Finley in books one and two.

How did you decide to give her her own book?

Probably the biggest reoccurring compliment I got in reviews for books one and two was how awesome my secondary characters were! It was crazy! Everybody loved them! I think with a lot of books, secondary characters are almost annoying to readers because all they care about are the leading characters. But somehow, I write great secondaries! So I’m grateful to be able to capitalize on that! It’s fun to see the funny girl get her HEA.

Do did you have any idea Leslie was going to get her own book when you started writing this series?

I did not. I’m a fly by the seat of my pants writer and I didn’t even know I was going to give Leslie a love interest in A Broken Us, but all the sudden, I was writing it. And it was a hilarious first impression! I thought I was done but then, alpha Theo got under my skin. He’s a bruiser of a man who’s very sensitive but in a caveman sort of way. He’s sexy as hell and I wanted to see how Leslie got on with him!

What are you most excited about in London Bound?

The comedy element for sure. Leslie is the funny girl! And her best friend Frank is a fantastical gay man who says the most out-landish things. I’m really pushing the funny factor in this romance as much as possible.

But it’s not going to be a totally light hearted book. There’s a really deep, dark tragedy that  I’ve written that will bring a huge juxtaposition to the lightness and silliness of Leslie. I think it’ll be a really interesting contrast for readers.

Will there be more books in this series?

Yes! Liam from A Broken Us was such a sweetie pie! He needs his love story told. I have lots of ideas him.

Any other WIPs we should know about?

My memoir series is still in progress. Chasing Hope released last May and Chasing Peace will hopefully come out before the end of the year.

Thanks for your time today.

Thank you for having me! And sorry about not having a presale link for this new book yet, but that’s why I dropped book one to 99 cents this week, it’s something for readers to feed that #oneclick addition!

Looking forward to it. Thanks again. 

Such a sweet and realistic college love story that turns out to be more than a fling. I’m so excited to read A Broken Us (the next book in the series)! There was a little sneak peek at the end of Becoming Us and those first chapters … I NEED MORE!

–Laura W rated it 5 of 5 stars

The dreaded friend-zone…
The last place I ever want to be with college basketball God, Jake LaShae.
I am losing my mind trying to figure out what this gorgeous and confident man wants from me. I need to break through his walls. What is it about me that makes him not go there? What am I lacking?
When a mind-blowing betrayal knocks the wind out of me, and I think I can’t feel any lower…Brody stumbles into my path—barefoot no less, and sexy as hell. His direct and mouth-watering swagger is a breath of fresh air. The feelings this man gives me are like nothing I’ve ever experienced.
But Brody has a past.
A past that makes it nearly impossible for him to trust me and let us become us in whatever capacity that may be.
Just when Brody and I truly connect, just when I think that finding my soul-mate in college isn’t a total joke, Jake comes back into my life…and messes things up…possibly for good.

AMAZON

An epic love story, to say the least. I’m always looking for a good fast read and this book was EXACTLY what I was looking for. From the second I started reading the book, I couldn’t put it down…. I actually found myself thinking about the characters when I wasn’t even reading!!!

–Amcaskey rated it 5 of 5 stars

The moment those words come out of the doctor’s mouth, I feel sick. So sick. The life I have dreamed of…obliterated. And Brody. God, Brody. How will he look at me? How can he accept me? He’ll know what I hid from him. He’ll know everything. It’s over. It’s completely over. I can’t tell him “I love Us” anymore. Even though I do. Even though it will kill me. I can’t tell him anything. Everything is ruined. Pummeled. Broken. I have to leave him. I have to give up us. I know he’ll come after me. I just have to do something to make him not want to.

AMAZON

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Amy Daws lives in South Dakota with her husband, Kevin, and their miracle daughter, Lorelei. The long-awaited birth of Lorelei is what inspired Amy’s first book, Chasing Hope, and her passion for writing. On most nights, you can find Amy and her family dancing to Strawberry Shortcake’s theme song or stuffing themselves inside children’s-sized playhouses because there is nothing they wouldn’t do for their little miracle.

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT ~ Becoming Us by Amy Daws

 

The dreaded friend-zone…

The last place I ever want to be with college basketball God, Jake LaShae.
I am losing my mind trying to figure out what this gorgeous and confident man wants from me. I need to break through his walls. What is it about me that makes him not go there? What am I lacking?
When a mind-blowing betrayal knocks the wind out of me, and I think I can’t feel any lower…Brody stumbles into my path—barefoot no less, and sexy as hell. His direct and mouth-watering swagger is a breath of fresh air. The feelings this man gives me are like nothing I’ve ever experienced.
But Brody has a past.
A past that makes it nearly impossible for him to trust me and let us become us in whatever capacity that may be.
Just when Brody and I truly connect, just when I think that finding my soul-mate in college isn’t a total joke, Jake comes back into my life…and messes things up…possibly for good.

Amy Daws lives in South Dakota with her husband, Kevin, and their daughter, Lorelei. The long-awaited birth of Lorelei is what inspired Amy’s passion for writing. On most nights, you can find Amy and her family dancing to Strawberry Shortcake’s theme song or stuffing themselves inside children’s-sized playhouses because there is nothing they wouldn’t do for their little miracle. For more of Amy’s work, visit: http://www.amydawsauthor.com

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“Where’d you get this scar?” His brow furrows as he looks at the white bumpy area of skin.

The tickling sensation of his finger outlining my scar sends instant shivers straight to my groin. I clear my throat. “I, um,” I choke out. Get your shit together, Finley. “I wish I had a cool story to tell you, but honestly, I was just a klutz. I was driving a moped on Leslie’s farm and wiped out on the gravel. It was nasty. I was like a freshman in high school I think. Just another part of my awesome and talented coordination!”

His laughter rumbles in his chest. He then spreads all five fingers across my knee and strokes it affectionately. Jesus. I never knew a kneecap could be an erotic zone on my body, but I’ll be damned. If it’s Jake LaShae’s large, warm hands doing the touching, it’s erotic as hell.

“That tickles,” I laugh, delicately shoving his shoulder. I hate how girlie I sound right now.

He captures my hand on his shoulder and holds it there, stroking his thumb over the back of my hand. I frown and look into his deep brown eyes. His expression morphs from friendly to lustful—needy. I exhale a shaky breath.

“Jake,” I whisper, as he strokes his hand down my wrist, to my elbow and then slowly up to my shoulder. When his palm meets my bare shoulder and pauses, I lean into it and close my eyes, relishing in his touch. He rubs the pad of his thumb over my collarbone, and my lips part in response.

The need I feel in my core for Jake to kiss me is at an all time high. I feel like I’m free-falling off a cliff right now, waiting for this incredibly tumultuous feeling inside me to go away. I lean forward slightly, expecting to find his lips, but instead I feel the bed shift and his hand is suddenly gone. I flutter my eyes open and see him quickly tossing his stuff back into his backpack.

“What are you doing?” I ask, trying to register the expression on his face, but his head is dropped too low for me to get a good look.

“I…uhh, have to go,” he clips out, awkwardly.

“What? We just started…” I reply, not sure what I’m referring to. Our homework or our—whatever the hell that just was.

“No, I mean, yeah,” he stutters, and glances out the window, avoiding eye contact. “I just forgot I was supposed to be at open gym to shoot free-throws with Coach. I gotta run. I’m already super late.”

“What about the assignment?” I ask, feeling my anxiety rise.

“I’ll do some, you do some, and we can put them together in the morning before class. Just email yours to me, I’ll do it,” he finishes abruptly, and turns to exit. He comes back and drops a chaste kiss on the top of my head, completely avoiding eye contact.

“Jake!” I say, but he doesn’t respond. He doesn’t even look back.

I get up quickly and rush to the window and watch him walk swiftly to his apartment. I continue watching and see him enter his bedroom and immediately close his curtains. What the fuck was that all about?

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Hi Amy, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself and your background?

I’m currently a TV commercial producer for a local network affiliate station in South Dakota. So I still have a day job…booo! But it’s not so bad. I write, shoot, and edit commercials for a living. So it’s creative and laid back. And really fun. I love it. But writing is definitely a huge passion of mine.

What started your writing?

Well, I went through many years of personal tragedies and sadness. I suffered from multiple miscarriages. In the course of about three years, I lost five babies. It was terrible. But magically, I got my happy ending. My daughter is two and feisty and cool and just badass. I love her like crazy. Anyways, after getting her, I realized how fortunate I was and what an incredible journey I went through. I call it tragically beautiful. I didn’t want to forget that journey and I wanted to be able to tell my daughter about it someday, so birthed my memoir, Chasing Hope.

Is Chasing Hope available for purchase?

Yes it is. I released it in May of 2014. It was my very first book and a huge learning experience for me in the book industry. It’s a true story obviously. It’s emotional and inspirational and will definitely make you go and hug your babies. I wrote it in a way where you read it like a novel, not necessarily a chronological autobiography. So I feel like I did something interesting there. I’m incredibly proud of it. The feedback has been amazing.

How did you branch out into fiction?

I’m a serial contemporary romance reader and really wanted to try my hand at a totally made up story. I wanted more creative freedom. With the memoir, I was limited. So birthed…A Broken Us, an adult contemporary romance. I released it in September of 2014.

What inspired you to write Becoming Us?
Well, Becoming Us, is the prequel to my, A Broken Us. A Broken Us starts off with a breakup…the title sort of gives it away, so I don’t think I’m revealing too much there. Anyways, I decided to write a prequel to that story because I was curious about Brody and Finley’s backstory. I had an idea in my head when I was writing A Broken Us…but I hadn’t totally flushed it out. The more I sat on it, the more curious I became! So…I thought…hey, I’ll write a prequel! If Star Wars can do it, why can’t I? J

What should the reading order be?

You can read Becoming Us and A Broken Us in any order, but I think now that both of the books are out, I’m going to suggest people start with the prequel. It gets you attached to Brody and Finley a bit more and it’ll make A Broken Us all the more powerful when you get to it!

Are these books a part of a series?

Yes! Becoming Us and A Broken Us are the beginnings of my London Lover Series. In both books, I created some amazing secondary characters that are demanding their stories to be finished/told. The secondary characters were easily fan favorites, so I’m excited to see how people respond when I give them full-length novels of their very own!

What’s going to be the third book in the London Lover series?

Leslie! Oh my goodness. Finley’s best friend, Leslie is SO LOUD in my head! She will not stop. I’ve been trying really hard to just focus on marketing Becoming Us and getting that out, but ideas for Leslie’s character keep screaming at me! I’ve had to cut numerous showers short because of Leslie. Don’t ask me why I get ideas in the shower because I have no damn clue! 😛 Leslie’s book is going to be called London Bound and it’s going to be very dramatic and even a little dark, which should be interesting because Leslie is such a silly, funny character. So there’s going to be a big juxtaposition worked in there that should be interesting. And Frank…I have to give Frank his HEA…and since he is Leslie’s gusband…he will definitely get some time to shine in London Bound. I can’t wait to really dive into all of that.

NEW RELEASE FROM AMY DAWS ~ BECOMING US, THE PREQUEL TO A BROKEN US

Author, Amy Daws
released A Broken Us
last September,
but now she’s
re-wound the
clock to go back in time
to where it all began…

 

THE PREQUEL TO A BROKEN US:
College love never hurt so good.

Press Play to View this Exclusive Author Rap
Disclaimer: you should probably prepare yourselves for something extraordinary

The dreaded friend-zone…
The last place I ever want to be with college basketball God, Jake LaShae.
I am losing my mind trying to figure out what this gorgeous
and confident man wants from me.
I need to break through his walls.
What is it about me that makes him not go there? What am I lacking?
When a mind-blowing betrayal knocks the wind out of me,
and I think I can’t feel any lower…Brody stumbles into my path—barefoot no less,
and sexy as hell. His direct and mouth-watering swagger is a breath of fresh air.
The feelings this man gives me are like nothing I’ve ever experienced.
But Brody has a past.
A past that makes it nearly impossible for him to trust me and let us
become us in whatever capacity that may be.
Just when Brody and I truly connect,
just when I think that finding my soul-mate in college isn’t a total joke,
Jake comes back into my life…and messes things up…possibly for good.

Brody pulls me into his room, shuts the door, and presses me up against the back of it. His lips connect with mine and he strokes his thumb tenderly along my jaw. I groan into his mouth at the forceful entry of his tongue. Brody doesn’t kiss like a college boy, he kisses like a man.

“I thought about you all night,” he moans against my lips, and comes back in, pulling my lower lip into his mouth and gently scraping his teeth along it as he releases it.

I instantly pull it into my mouth, sucking off the remnants of the searing kiss he just laid on me. “Damn,” I whisper.

“Damn what?” he whispers back.

“Damn, this is going to be so hard.” I scrape my hands through the sides of his hair and kiss him passionately, taking control and showing him that while I love the power of his kiss—I can match it. He presses his hips against me in response and I let my hands fall down to my sides, feeling at a loss with the epic arousal approaching.

He strokes his hands softly down my arms, then grabs my wrists and pushes them up above my shoulders, pinning them to the door. Holy Jesus, this is too much.

now available now available coming soon

*If you’re new to Amy Daws…we recommend reading this new release, Becoming Us, first and, A Broken Us, second! Though they can be read in any order. 🙂

Hi Amy, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself and your background?
I’m currently a TV commercial producer for a local network affiliate station in South Dakota. So I still have a day job…booo! But it’s not so bad. I write, shoot, and edit commercials for a living. So it’s creative and laid back. And really fun. I love it. But writing is definitely a huge passion of mine.

What started your writing?
Well, I went through many years of personal tragedies and sadness. I suffered from multiple miscarriages. In the course of about three years, I lost five babies. It was terrible. But magically, I got my happy ending. My daughter is two and feisty and cool and just badass. I love her like crazy. Anyways, after getting her, I realized how fortunate I was and what an incredible journey I went through. I call it tragically beautiful. I didn’t want to forget that journey and I wanted to be able to tell my daughter about it someday, so birthed my memoir, Chasing Hope.

Is Chasing Hope available for purchase?
Yes it is. I released it in May of 2014. It was my very first book and a huge learning experience for me in the book industry. It’s a true story obviously. It’s emotional and inspirational and will definitely make you go and hug your babies. I wrote it in a way where you read it like a novel, not necessarily a chronological autobiography. So I feel like I did something interesting there. I’m incredibly proud of it. The feedback has been amazing.

How did you branch out into fiction?
I’m a serial contemporary romance reader and really wanted to try my hand at a totally made up story. I wanted more creative freedom. With the memoir, I was limited. So birthed…A Broken Us, an adult contemporary romance. I released it in September of 2014.

What inspired you to write Becoming Us?
Well, Becoming Us, is the prequel to my, A Broken Us. A Broken Us starts off with a breakup…the title sort of gives it away, so I don’t think I’m revealing too much there. Anyways, I decided to write a prequel to that story because I was curious about Brody and Finley’s backstory. I had an idea in my head when I was writing A Broken Us…but I hadn’t totally flushed it out. The more I sat on it, the more curious I became! So…I thought…hey, I’ll write a prequel! If Star Wars can do it, why can’t I? J

What should the reading order be?
You can read Becoming Us and A Broken Us in any order, but I think now that both of the books are out, I’m going to suggest people start with the prequel. It gets you attached to Brody and Finley a bit more and it’ll make A Broken Us all the more powerful when you get to it!

Are these books a part of a series?
Yes! Becoming Us and A Broken Us are the beginnings of my London Lover Series. In both books, I created some amazing secondary characters that are demanding their stories to be finished/told. The secondary characters were easily fan favorites, so I’m excited to see how people respond when I give them full-length novels of their very own!

What’s going to be the third book in the London Lover series?
Leslie! Oh my goodness. Finley’s best friend, Leslie is SO LOUD in my head! She will not stop. I’ve been trying really hard to just focus on marketing Becoming Us and getting that out, but ideas for Leslie’s character keep screaming at me! I’ve had to cut numerous showers short because of Leslie. Don’t ask me why I get ideas in the shower because I have no damn clue! 😛 Leslie’s book is going to be called London Bound and it’s going to be very dramatic and even a little dark, which should be interesting because Leslie is such a silly, funny character. So there’s going to be a big juxtaposition worked in there that should be interesting. And Frank…I have to give Frank his HEA…and since he is Leslie’s gusband…he will definitely get some time to shine in London Bound. I can’t wait to really dive into all of that.

Amy lives in South Dakota with her husband, Kevin, and their miracle daughter, Lorelei. The long-awaited birth of Lorelei is what inspired Amy’s first book, Chasing Hope, and her passion for writing. Amy’s contemporary romance books are a part of the The London Lover Series and currently have two installments out with more to come. Amy’s inspiration for writing is and always will be her six precious angel babies and her daughter. On most nights, you can find Amy and her family dancing to Strawberry Shortcake’s theme song or stuffing themselves inside children’s-sized playhouses because there is nothing they wouldn’t do for their little miracle.

1 Grand Prize Winner will receive signed paperbacks of
Becoming Us & A Broken Us + a Swag Pack
1 Winner will receive a $10 Amazon Giftcard
(click below to register)
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NEW RELEASE FEMME FATALE, THE PERICOLO SERIES ~ BY KIRSTY-ANNE STILL (PENNY STEPHANIE)

Title: Femme Fatale

Author: Kirsty-Anne Still

Release Date: Nov 7, 2014

Find on Goodreads

They call me the Femme Fatale.

But only because they don’t know me.

My job – seduce men to the climatic point of falling in love with me and then deliver their death sentence.

I work for my father’s business. I’m his secret weapon. I’m the one that gets away with murder.

For years, I’ve given in to my father’s demands, lived the life of a mob princess, fell into this merciless realm where he presents me with a man and one goal – to kill. 

When it’s to keep the Abbiati name from ruins, I’ll run with the wolves and protect it fiercely.

However, when he brings a new name to the table, I know my newest mission could well be the one that breaks me – Don’t feel, don’t deviate, kill Zane Maverick. 

It should be simple, but how am I supposed to choose between the man who raised me to be this heartlessly strong female and the man I could only ever love to death?

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I shake my head and chortle a little at him. “People only lie when they’re afraid. Fact.”

“Did Daddy Dearest teach you that one, Princess?” he asks me, leaning over toward me.

“No,” my words are swiftly followed by a smirk, “You did.”

I watch as all amusement disperses from his face. My comment breaks his normal pretentious attitude; it takes his entire happy demeanor and squishes it into nothing more than harsh reality we live in.

“Don’t look at me like that,” I counter, challenging his newfound expression. “You lied when you said you loved me once and wanted forever with me, Zane. You did that because you were afraid of my family. You lied and gave me promises when you knew all along you were going to run sometime in the future.”

“Granted,” he agrees, “but why can’t you just lie to them about round two with me?”

I look at him with doleful eyes. “Zane, we aren’t the same people we were over a year ago. You might think you are, but I am not that girl.”

“Idon’t think you are, Amelia, I know you are,” he fights me on the matter. “The other night, in my car, it was proof. We are unchangeable, Sweetheart. You know you felt it.”

“Just because sexually we’re the same, does not mean in every other department we are. I changed the moment my heart broke, and you need to understand that. I’m not that sweet girl. I was changing into something else back then, but now there is no going back.” I gulp back the lump forming in my throat and sit up straight. “You are better staying away from me.”

“You’ll have to try harder than that,” he admonishes, not listening to a word I’ve just said. “If I have my way, you will be the girl you’ve always wanted to be.” He leans closer, putting his hand on the back of my chair to form a closeness between us. “You’ve just got to give us a chance.”

“This is going to end badly,” I oppose and reach for my drink. I can feel the alcohol is loosening my tongue enough, and I know I should stop, but the burn of the liquor down my chest is inviting enough that I can’t stop myself. “So, I’ll ask again, are you my knight in shining armor or my kryptonite? Before we go further, I need to know.”

He smirks so casually at me. “I’m your knight in shining armor laced in kryptonite.” He looks so sure of himself, but all I can think is one dangerous thought – This cannot bode well. “Sweetheart, let loose,” he tells me, even throwing in my derogatory nickname for impact. He only uses that one to get a reaction from me. “I keep saying it. You just need to loosen up a little.”

I release the remainder of my drink and sit back only to look at him. “Then show me a good time,” I challenge him simply.

“Deal,” he grants me and puts a hand out. I take it and just follow – I’m already a lamb waiting for slaughter, I may as well enjoy the journey.

 

I used to be just another Fanfiction writer! That was until one person showed real interest in my work. And then another, and then another, until I had this whole group of people reviewing like crazy and wanting original work from me. I’d spent years writing for free online, I didn’t believe I had it in me to publish something!

But I’m glad I did!! I never imagined pushing my work and striving to reach my ultimate. I never imagined I’d be the girl who started The Viper Rooms! But who am I to deny the inspiration when it hits?

I love writing, it’s a lifeline. I love creating a world that others fall into. I love having the control to make a whole new world. It’s like a dependency, an addictive one. It’s one of the things I’m extremely proud of.

As much as I complain, I love the mini dialogues that go on in my head, the plotlines that attack me when I least expect them to. The ones that jump to life at the most inappropriate times and drive me totally crazy!!

For now I split my life between writing, dreaming, working, and volunteering with children.

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COVER REVEAL ~ BECOMING US, THE PREQUEL TO A BROKEN US ~ BY AMY DAWS

Ever read a great love story and wish that you could read about the couple before they found each other?

So did author, Amy Daws!

---

Becoming Us…..the sequel PREquel to, A Broken Us

Prepare yourself for Brody and Finley….college days.
Add to your Goodreads To Be Read Lists! —> Becoming Us

Finley has been grabbing coffee at Chaz’s C-Store every morning for over a year. As a senior at K-State, she’s found her groove on campus and not much can shake her. When basketball God, Jake LaShae, strolls into Chaz’s, with his tall, broad, and lean bod…he gives Finley’s dreams material for weeks.
Jake appears to only want a friendship, but Finley thinks if she’s patient, it’ll turn into more. Then, scandalously hot, Brody, stumbles into her path, barefoot no less. Finley thinks his silly but sexy mannerisms might just be what she never knew she wanted.
Becoming Us takes you on a journey through all the fun and crazy drama that happens when you’re a senior in college…and falling in love.

Why did you decide to write a sequel, PRE-quel?
Besides the fact that I don’t think 99.9% of the things I do through? Well, the fact is, A Broken Us was a story in my head that I was aching to tell. I was ready to write it! So I did…in like two weeks. It was madness. It’s is an epic love story that begins when Brody and Finley are already many years into a relationship. But of course (title gives it away here), the story starts with a break up. So it’s about Finley’s journey to finding true love again. So it still reads like a wonderful, suspenseful, twisty, turny stand-alone love story! So, I released it. And it has been AWESOME hearing how much people love it! The reviews are amazing. It’s my debut novel, I’m incredibly proud of it.

Then what happened?
Then this weird voice in the back of my head (that sounded NOTHING like Gollum from Lord of the Rings, I swear) kept saying…college, college, COLLEGE. Go back to college! Write their back-story. Give me more! What happened with Jake and Olivia? What was Brody and Finley’s first date like? All of that! I wanted to tell it. So that’s why I decided to write a PREQUEL.

So what book should readers read first?
Either one. That’s the beauty of writing A Broken Us first…you’re most definitely not missing anything in A Broken Us, because “anything” wasn’t even written yet! If that makes sense. Both books will be great as stand alones. You can start with A Broken Us and then jump right in to Becoming Us. I’ll still include twists and turns and suspense and excitement. Heartbreak. The whole nine. I love it all!

Which story was easier to write?
A Broken Us…for sure. The idea just poured out of me. Becoming Us has been a bit more challenging, only because I’ve had to become younger in my mind. Writing Brody and Finley in the New Adult genre needs to sound a bit different than when they were 25 in A Broken Us. But it’s all still fun!

What’s next for you?
I’m going to finish up my memoir series, Chasing Peace, the SEQUEL (I did that one right…LOL!) to Chasing Hope. Then I have spin off book ideas/characters in mind for A Broken Us! Hint, hint…Leslie & Theo….and of course, the sexy Liam!

I storm out of my apartment frustrated at Angela and in desperate need of air. I can’t keep doing this crap to myself. Tormenting myself over what Jake is thinking and why we’re no longer speaking. I mean, we go from being practically best friends to mere acquaintances. This makes no sense. I did nothing wrong.
I look up when I hear a door slam from across the parking lot and see a guy rushing down the steps of the upper level apartment that sits kiddy-corner from my building. My eyebrows knit together as he pads across the parking lot straight toward me.
“Hey,” he says looking up at me and holding a half empty black trash bag.
“Um, hi,” I reply figuring he’s going to ask me where the dumpster is.
“You’re Finley right?”
“Yeah, that’s me,” I reply feeling slightly surprised. He looks familiar. I know I’ve seen him around campus before but I’ve never spoken to him. I look him up and down and feel a stirring in my abdomen. He’s somehow managed to pull off comfortably sexy. I didn’t even know those two words could go together. He’s wearing a loose pair of athletic shorts and a white t-shirt that shows a nicely sculpted body underneath. Jesus, this guy has something. My eyes continue traveling downward and see that he’s completely barefoot. My excited perusal is momentarily distracted as I think about the nasty things that go down in this parking lot. No shoes is simply not safe.
“You work in the computer lab right? In the business building?” he asks scratching the back of his head. He has dark brown hair that looks like it has a natural curl to it, but it’s cut short on the sides. The top is slightly longer, long enough to yank on. Woah…where did that thought come from?
“Yeah! In the business building,” I answer and silently chastise myself because he just said business building. Get your shit together Finley.
The corners of his mouth turn down like he’s trying to contain a laugh. I absolutely like that look. I need to find more ways to make this man conceal laughter because it is hot as hell.
“You live here?” he asks changing hands with his garbage bag.
“Yep, that building.” I turn around and gesture back behind me.
“I just moved here this semester. I live with my buddy, Mark. His roommate bailed on him, so he needed someone to fill the space. I was in a month-to-month lease further off campus, so it worked out for me to move in.”
“That explains why I’ve not really seen you here.”
He tries to contain his laughter again and I get a good look at his eyes and have to take a big gulp of air to calm myself. His eyes are this gorgeous navy blue. They remind me of a really great dark denim wash. Those eyes, his dark, curly hair, and his creamy complexion make one delicious package. How have I over-looked this guy for so long?
“Where are you headed?” he asks and I see a twinge of nervousness fleet over his face.
“Chaz’s, I’m gonna grab a coffee or something. Honestly my roommate was just driving me nuts.”
“Cool, mind if I go with you?” he asks.
I glance down at his feet and look back up and my eyes collide into his sheepish smile. Another adorable look I must make him do over and over.
“Yeah, I, uh, should probably go grab some shoes.” He gestures for me to follow him and I can’t help myself. I follow.

Becoming Us will release in January 2015, add to your Goodreads To Be Read Lists! —> Becoming Us

In the mean time, check out A Broken Us

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Amy Daws is a local TV commercial producer and lives in South Dakota with her husband, Kevin, and their miracle daughter, Lorelei. The long-awaited birth of Lorelei is what inspired Amy’s passion for writing. On most nights, you can find Amy and her family dancing to Strawberry Shortcake’s theme song or stuffing themselves inside children’s-sized playhouses because there is nothing they wouldn’t do for their little miracle.

For more of Amy’s work, visit: http://www.amydawsauthor.com

Blog Tour Stop ~ A Broken Us by Amy Daws (Penny Lisa)

 

 

Finley and Brody live in their own little bubble of “us.” Instead of, “I love you,” they say, “I love us.” It’s their own perfect endearment to each other. Finley’s quirky ways are the perfect contrast to Brody’s scandalously sexy passion.

But Finley’s picture-perfect world gets pummeled when she gets a hard dose of reality from her doctor that changes everything.

Crippled with the fear of Brody’s reaction, Finley does what she does best—she runs. She breaks his heart and leaves behind a life that is just too painful to live.

One international flight later, Finley’s best friend welcomes her with open arms in London and she is immersed in a new country with new experiences and eccentric roommates.

Nursing a broken heart, Finley grieves for the life she left behind and attempts to embrace the new one she is creating. When a cheeky Brit named Liam, a self proclaimed “fixer” catches her eye, she hopes it’s exactly what she needs to forget. But when Liam wants to help Finley unpack her bags for good, she realizes that her heart is still back home…with Brody.

Amy Daws is a local TV commercial producer and lives in South Dakota with her husband, Kevin, and their miracle daughter, Lorelei. The long-awaited birth of Lorelei is what inspired Amy’s passion for writing. On most nights, you can find Amy and her family dancing to Strawberry Shortcake’s theme song or stuffing themselves inside children’s-sized playhouses because there is nothing they wouldn’t do for their little miracle. For more of Amy’s work, visit: http://www.amydawsauthor.com

 

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CHAPTER 10:

“I like it here so far. Way, way, waaaay better than back home.”

“I like it here, too,” Liam says, looking at me as I hop off the bleacher and sit on the lower level. I twirl myself around and face him. His eyes lock onto my mouth.

“You have to stop doing that!” I exclaim, looking away from him.

“Doing what?” he asks, smiling thoughtfully.

“That thing you do with your eyes, where you look at my mouth like you’re trying to decide if you should kiss me or not,” I state, brazenly. Good Lord, I’m not holding anything back this afternoon. Thank-you-very-much, Lemon Dreamy Delish.

“I wasn’t even aware I was doing it,” he says as he sets his mug down next to him and uses his arms to scoot himself down to my level.

Facing backwards while he is facing forwards, our mouths are dangerously close together. His eyes continue to dance between my eyes and my mouth.

“It does serious things to my under-carriage,” I breathe onto his face.

He laughs, hard. “Did you just say under-carriage? Oh my word! That’s a first. That’s a true and definite first,” he continues laughing hard and I look away, not the least bit embarrassed. Lemon Days’ Drink makes me buoyant, apparently.

He composes himself as I continue to watch him thoughtfully. “Well,” he says, “So far, I just love hearing what comes out of your mouth, I guess.” He looks down and smirks. “It always seems to surprise me,” he finishes, tucking a piece of my brown hair behind my ear.

It tickles and I reflexively turn my face into his hand. He takes the opportunity to stroke the backs of his fingers down my cheek and over my lips. His eyes are locked on my mouth as my lips part slightly and his face grows serious.

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Welcome all. Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing, Amy Daws, author of contemporary romance novel, A Broken Us.

 

Hi Amy, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself and your background?

I’m currently a TV commercial producer for a local network affiliate station in South Dakota. So I write, shoot, and edit cheesy commercials for a living. Electronic Media and Journalism is what I went to school for, so I’m grateful to have a job in my industry, but writing is definitely a huge passion of mine.

 

A Broken Us is your first novel, correct?

Yes it is! I can’t tell you how much fun I had writing it. It’s my first novel, but not my first book. My first book was a memoir entitled, Chasing Hope, and that was released Memorial Day of 2014. It was my true story of my journey through multiple miscarriages and eventually the miraculous birth of my daughter Lorelei. I’m so thankful I wrote that book because it ignited this huge passion I have for writing and I have tons more books to get out there!

 

Where did your inspiration for, A Broken Us, come from?

I’ve read hundreds and hundreds of contemporary romance novels and I’ve never really read a book that had an infertility storyline in it. Since I’m so experienced in that area, due to my history, I thought it could make a really interesting storyline for a heroine of a romance novel to be struggling with something like this. I saw this as a way for me to interest my Chasing Hope readers, but also open up my demographic to romance lovers like me.

 

Where do your ideas come from?

From all over! I stole my daughters Hello Kitty notebook one day because I realized that if I didn’t start writing these ideas that popped into my head then I would forget them and lose them forever. So now I have that notebook with me everywhere. I steal a lot from my personal life but twist it and morph it until it’s barely recognizable. My life is so not as cool and romantic as the stuff I write in, A Broken Us, but that’s the beauty of writing fiction, you get to take more chances.

 

How long on average does it take you to write a book?

I probably wrote Chasing Hope in 3-4 months. But I took a lot of breaks and didn’t spend nearly as much time on it. It was emotional and painful, so I had to step away from it at times. A Broken Us consumed me until I finished. I wrote it in two weeks. But that was tough because I have a full time job and a husband and daughter, so I literally wrote from 9 at night til 2 in the morning when everyone was in bed. There was a lot of coffee consumed during those couple weeks.

 

What are your ambitions for your writing career?

Publish more of course! Chasing Hope will have a sequel to it called, Chasing Peace that will sort of wrap up my true story and give a bit more closure on all of that. So I’m currently working on Chasing Peace. But I love love love reading contemporary romance. And now I love love love writing contemporary romance! A Broken Us has definite spin off potential and I’m working some of those ideas out now as well. So, overall, I imagine contemporary romance is where my writing career will be heading.

 

Tell us about the cover and how it came about?

The girl on the cover is a girl from my hometown who I actually took senior pictures for when she graduated high school a while back. I do a little photography on the side, so when I was trying to find a model to be my Finley…she immediately popped into my head. My sister-in-law, Megan Daws, and myself shot the cover photo. We both had our own cameras armed and clicking at our shoot. I don’t actually know who’s picture ended up on the cover…and I don’t care. We’re a great team and I love working with her. A bunch of the photos from our shoot were used in the book video trailer, so it’s definitely a collaborative effort. I did all the cover design myself. I work in advertising and am very familiar with graphic design. I’m in love with my cover…it’s just beautiful!

 

What do you think most characterizes your writing?

Candid, honest and self-deprecating. And I love to write humor. I am a total goof in real life and I love to laugh, so I do my best to portray interesting characters that have funny moments. If you LOL while reading my books…I’ve succeeded.

 

Which writers inspire you?

Well I have to first give a shout out to my all time favorite British Chick Lit author, Elizabeth Young. Her book, Asking For Trouble was one of the first chick lit books I read and I haven’t been able to stop reading since! She has a hilarious self-deprecating humor to her heroines that resonates so strongly with me. Also, Jennifer Lancaster, who made memoirs about non-famous people cool! She’s got a great voice on paper. Then of course there’s Samantha Young…love her On Dublin Street series, then Colleen Hoover, Jamie McGuire, Abbi Glines. Okay, I have so many more but I’ll leave it at them. J

 

What’s next for you?

My memoir sequel, Chasing Peace, is going to be published in early 2015. And then I’m working on a spin off book to, A Broken Us, that I would love to release in the summer of 2015 if possible. Then there’s many more spin off potentials for, A Broken Us that I’m super excited to get started on after that!

Blog Tour Stop ~ Review and Interview ~ Take (An erotic series) by Ella Frank (Penny Pam)

TAKE – verb: to reach for and hold in one’s hands or get into one’s possession, power or control. 

Logan Mitchell is a man who’s always been more than happy to take what he wants. It’s a philosophy that’s proven lucrative in both his business and personal life, and never was it more apparent than the night he laid eyes on Tate Morrison. After pulling out all the stops and convincing the sexy bartender to give him a try—he’s hooked.

Now, Logan finds himself in a predicament that demands more from him than a smart-ass answer and his innate ability to walk away when things get too deep.

He has a choice to make, and it’ll force him to do something he’s never done before—take a chance.

Tate Morrison knows all about taking a chance. He took the biggest one of his life the night he showed up at Logan’s apartment to explore his unexpected reaction to the man.

Ever since then, he’s thought about little else.

At first he was convinced his attraction was based solely on his body’s curiosity. But the more time he spends with the silver-tongued lawyer, the more Tate realizes that their physical chemistry is only the beginning.

He’s starting to catch a glimpse of what life with Logan would be like, and it’s one full of excitement and satisfaction—a far cry from what he had in the past with his soon to be ex-wife.

Each man will face their fears as they begin to understand the true meaning of give and take. Their feelings for one another will be tested, as will their very beliefs. But now that they’ve found love where they least expected it, will they be brave enough to reach out and take it?

 

Releasing July 8, 2014

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“That’s your truck?”

“Yes.”

“It’s so…”

“So what?” Logan challenged as he pulled his keys from his pocket.

“Old?”

“Excuse me. I’ll have you know I was driving this baby all through college and she still runs like a dream.”

Tate watched as Logan walked over to run his hand over the scratched-up tailgate, and he was amazed that he even made that look sexy. Like he was stroking a lover.

“And it’s a she, huh?”

Now around at the passenger’s side, Logan opened the door and looked at him over the bed of the truck. “Yeah. Jealous?”

Laughing, Tate walked over to where Logan stood with a hand on the door and kissed him slowly on the mouth.

“I’m jealous of anything you stroke like that.”

“Get in the truck, Tate.”

“Or else?”

Logan stepped forward, crowding him back against the inside frame of the vehicle. “You’re not ready for the or else…”

 

Take is the continuation of Logan and Tate’s story, and if you have read Try, then trust me…you have to pick this book up.  Logan and Tate have been through a lot in their short time together, but together they will fight through the fears and barriers they each old so close to themselves.

Logan is one tough lawyer, he knows what he wants and goes after it.  But Tate has never been easy for Logan to convince, and once he has that man where he wants him, he is determined not to let it go.

Tate is going through a divorce, he has come to realize that the something that has attracted him to Logan, just might be more than he bargained for.

At the end of Try, Tate is ousted by his sister and soon to be ex-wife, and Take picks up right where Try left off.  When I first met Logan and Tate in Try, I fell for these two gorgeous men, and I have been waiting for Take to come out so I can get my fix of them.  When it popped up on my kindle, yes I squealed, I couldn’t wait to open it up and start reading.  Everything these two men go through, is heatbreaking and heartwarming at the same time.  They both deserve happiness and love, and you can’t help but root for them as they work through their own issues to be able to come together.

Take ended with me squeezing my kindle so tight I thought I just might crack it, I was so lost in the book, I hadn’t realized that it was almost over, and as soon as I finished reading the last word, I went back and started it all over again.  Tate and Logan have wound themselves into my head, and they don’t want to leave – and I like them there, lol – so it was worth it to me to just start it all over again.

I love this series, and I will be watching Ella Frank (yes, stalking) for any information as to when the next book will come out.  This isn’t a book you can pick up without reading the first, if you do…..you will be missing out quite a bit, so be sure and read Try first then you can pick up Take and continue the journey with Logan and Tate.

If I could rate this book higher than 5, this would deserve it, it is so well written, you can’t help but feel for both characters as they deal with their pasts and look towards their future.  I’m a sucker for a good series, and this is one I am more than happy that I tried when I picked up Try and Take just blew me out of the water.

Thank you guys so much for taking time out of your busy lives to meet with me today.

Ella: Thank you for having the three of us. We’ll try to behave.

Logan: Speak for yourself.

Tate: Well, Ella and I will behave. Good luck with him (points to Logan)

PFMTBB : Ella, thank you so much for sharing these two wonderful men with us, when did you first realize that Logan would get his own story and were you nervous about how it would be received by your fans?

Ella: Oh, you’re more than welcome, thank you for wanting to read about them. Hmm (looks to Logan) I decided to write about this guy when I met him in Edible, Cole’s story. He has a way of making an impression.

Logan: In the best way possible, right?

Ella: (laughs) Of course. I’m sure it has nothing to do with your smartass mouth. Then I met Tate, and he is so—

Logan: Don’t say sweet, because we both know that would be a lie, Ella.

Ella: I was going to say honest, I couldn’t help want to know more about his story. But he’s very sweet too. (Looks around Logan to wink at Tate)

PFMTBB : Ella, without giving too much away (but please feel free to do so if you wish) what is next for your fans to look forward to?

Ella: Without giving too much away…hmm…okay.

It’s a secret.

That doesn’t give much away, right?

PFMTBB : Logan, you admitted to so much in this book, is there anything else you’d like to admit to now? Feel free to be explicit if you wish.

Logan: This wasn’t explicit enough? You’re a tough sell. I think Ella pretty much covered everything at this juncture of our lives. Tate and I had to really work through some issues early in our relationship, and it certainly wasn’t easy for him or myself. So if he could be brave and do everything that he did, the least I could do was open up and be honest with him.

Tate: (takes the hand on Logan’s leg and squeezes it) And I thank you for it, everyday.

Logan: Sometimes twice a day.

Tate: Behave yourself.

PFMTBB : Tate, have you and Logan gone out dancing again?

Tate: (coughs) Umm, nope. Not since that night. I don’t really like to dance, but I have to say if anyone could convince me we should make it a regular thing, it would be Logan. He is very good at moving his body.

PFMTBB : Logan or Tate, any more game nights planned?

Logan: Oh god, fuc—

Tate: What he means to say is, yeah we’ve been invited to a monthly game night with the usual suspects, and we will be attending.

PFMTBB : Ella, which one of these two men are the loudest? I can’t picture Logan being very quiet (sorry Logan) or is Tate as commanding with your attention as he seems to be with Logan?

Ella: Ha! As if we need to really put this up for debate. Loudest volume wise is Logan (looks to Logan and shrugs), sorry. But that’s not to discount, Tate. He’s loud in other ways. He’s very stubborn and when he feels strongly about something, I know it, and in turn, so do all of you. Plus, he never takes Logan’s crap and I love that.

Logan: Hey!

Tate: You love that too. Don’t even try to argue otherwise.

PFMTBB : Can anyone give us a sneak peek as to what to expect next?

Logan: Ella?

Tate: Yeah, that’s all up to her…don’t look at us.

Ella: All I will say is…stay tuned.

PFMTBB : Ella, who is a M/M author you’d like to meet?

Ella: I have several, but the two who come to mind are Ann Lister & SJ Frost.

PFMTBB : Tate and Logan you seem pretty protective over each other have you always been that way or is it something new?

Logan: I’ve never had anyone to feel protective over before, so yes it’s new. Very new for me. I f**king love it.

Tate: (looks to Logan) So do I.

Ella: Umm guys, stop it, you’re making her blush.

Tate: Sorry. Yes, it’s new. But I’m not complaining, at all.

PFMTBB : Logan, you cooked for Tate in the cabin, has Tate tried to cook for you?

Logan: No, (laughs) Tate doesn’t cook. He can make a mean piece of toast though.

Tate: You’re such an ass.

Logan: It’s true.

Tate: (laughs) Yeah, it really is.

PFMTBB : Ella, I am such a huge fan, what is the weirdest thing a fan has done at an event you’ve been to? Or even on the street and they have recognized you?

Ella: Thank you. I’ve only done one event and I have to say, there were no weird reactions, everyone was lovely. I am so fortunate to do what I do, and I love meeting people who have read and enjoyed any of my books.

PFMTBB : Logan, does Tate have any habits that you either love or hate?

Logan: There isn’t one thing I hate about him, well, since he stopped smoking. As for what I love, at the risk of sounding sentimental, the answer would be the opposite, everything.

PFMTBB : Logan, any more plans to go back to the cabin?

Logan: Yes definitely. We go to the cabin often.

Tate: I love it. Logan actually relaxes when we’re there. And I love that he feels he can do that with me.

PFMTBB : Tate, is Logan any easier to convince to get on the back of your bike?

Tate: No. (laughs) I don’t think he will ever willingly get on, but I have tactics, now and I’m not afraid to use them.

Thank you guys for being here with me today, there is so much I’d love to ask, but I have a feeling you guys wouldn’t answer me. I might just have to become a regular at After Hours, just so I can keep an eye on you guys *winking at the group*. Logan, can that be arranged sometime soon? Tate, I promise to leave a big tip.

All: Thank you for having us.

Ella: It’s been a pleasure.

Logan: You can find me there easy enough, for sure. I like the scenery. (winks at Tate)

Tate: Stop by anytime, I’d be happy to make you a drink, no tip required.

One more thing guys, anytime you guys want to let me fangirl all over you, please let me know…I’ll drop everything to hang out with you.

 

Ella Frank is a #1 Amazon Bestselling Author. She writes both contemporary and erotic fiction and is best known for her Exquisite Series, Try and her most recent novel Veiled Innocence.

The minute she began her love affair with reading, she became and avid supporter of the romance genre and has never looked back.

Ella is Australian born and bred but currently resides in Houston, Texas with her husband.

 

 

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A Hunted Man (The Men of Halfway House #2) by Jaime Reese ~ Blog Tour ~ Author Interview ~ Review (Penny Pam)

 

Written by Jaime Reese

Published on April 27, 2014

 

After surviving ten years in prison, Cameron Pierce is attempting to put the past behind him. He tries to adjust to his newfound freedom with a place at the halfway house and a job. But one lesson he learned in prison keeps him guarded: hope is a dangerous thing.

Hunter Donovan, Assistant State Attorney, is a man of justice who loves a challenge. After a lifetime of putting his career first, a milestone brings him to a harsh realization—he’s lonely.

Hunter’s world changes when he meets Cam. The wary young man intrigues him and awakens a desire unlike anything he’s ever experienced. When Cam’s past resurfaces and threatens to rip them apart, their budding relationship is challenged and Cam’s hope for a future begins to dim.

These outside forces hunting Cam will stop at nothing to send him back to prison. But they’ll have to get past Hunter first.

 

A Hunted Man is the second book of the series, and can I just start out by saying……Jaime did it again.  After reading A Better Man (see my review here) I knew Jaime would soon become one of my favorite authors, and I was right.

In A Hunted Man, we get to meet Cameron (Cam) Pierce, nothing in his life has been easy. The walls he has built around himself to protect him are strong and his fears are even stronger. While he may no longer be in prison, his fears of hope are keeping him locked up inside.

Hunter Donovan, is a strong man in many ways, not only in physical strength, but also he is emotionally strong, he knows who he is and what he wants.  When he first lays eyes on Cameron, he knows there is so much more there than what meets the eye.

Cam is just trying to get by, day by day, he finds himself employed as the “coffee guy” and finds out that he loves it. He quickly learns how to do coffee art. And finds himself thinking more and more about the regular customer that is Hunter. While Cam would still like to never talk about his past in fear of losing Hunter, he soon learns that Hunter is not interested in the why’s of what happened, Hunter just wants to keep Cam close. Hunter learns that keeping Cam close also involves keeping Cam safe.

Hunter is trying to clean up the streets, and learns that not all the evil he is fighting is out on the streets…sometimes it is closer than you ever thought.

Each and every character in this book, good or evil, is so well written that you can’t help but believe in the world that Jaime has created and has allowed us all to join in. While we get glimpses of new characters who will hopefully be able to tell us their stories as well, Hunter and Cam shine like the stars that they are.

There are so many lines in this book that have touched me one way or another, but the one that I think will stay with me for far longer than any of the others is

“You know what the best part of having a gay son is?”

“What’s that:”

“I inherit a second son.”

Instant tears!

Cam and Hunter found their way into my heart, and I found myself fighting along side them trying to gain what they each deserved.

Without any hesitation on my part, I give this book a

 

 

Hello Jaime, thank you for taking the time to speak with me today.

Thanks so much for the invitation! It’s great to be here 🙂

 I guess my first question would be…. what is next for the men of the Halfway House?

Ooh, put me right into the hot seat! LOL I’m planning on the 3rd book to be Cole’s story.

Do the nerves get any easier when you press that publish button?

 No, they get worse 🙂

Who has been the most memorable character you have written? Who has been the most difficult to get to open up to tell their story?

They are all special to me for different reasons. Julian stands out because he has a simplicity to his nature but a complexity to his character – if that makes sense.

 Cam was the toughest story I’ve had to tell. Tearing him apart was difficult but it was part of his healing process.

What author do you absolutely have to read the moment they publish a book?

 I like the badassery of J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

What is the best part of being an author?

Hearing from a reader how my story or character touched them.

What is your one vice that you absolutely need to have to write (music, coffee, candy, etc)?

To write, I absolutely need time in my schedule. My regular work is purely deadline driven. This time of year has been particularly busy and, of course, everything that can happen has in the last couple of months. So it’s been a bit crazy. I’m hoping things settle down a bit soon and I can find my happy place so I can sit and write for a while. Once I start, it usually flows if I’m not interrupted too much.

What/Who was the first author you read in this genre?  

My first encounter with M/M was with Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooters series. Within her M/F series was a gay character who caught my attention far more than the main characters of the story. I anxiously waited for his book in the series then I was hooked and on the hunt for more M/M stories. My first official M/M book was Out of My Mind by ML Rhodes. What left the strongest impression on me was how different the story was from others I had read up to that point—the depth of emotion, the complexity of the relationship, just about everything.

If you could say anything to someone who hasn’t read your books, what would that be?

It’s probably not what you would expect 🙂 Give it a try.

 I want to thank you again for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with me today. I am absolutely in love with all of the men of the Halfway House, and can’t wait to continue to read all about them. I wish you nothing but the best!

 Thank you so much for inviting me!

About me…
Jaime Reese is the alter ego of an artist who loves the creative process of writing, just not about herself. Fiction is far more interesting. She has a weakness for broken, misunderstood heroes and feels everyone deserves a chance at love and life. An avid fan of a happy ending, she believes those endings acquired with a little difficulty are more cherished.

…and yes, it was totally weird reading something about myself in 3rd person 🙂

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Happy 1st Bookiversary Sarah Dosher!!! (Penny Lisa)

 

Book #1 Haven from the Storm Release Date – March 28, 2013

“If you’re going to make me cry, at least be there to wipe away the tears…”Most were asleep in their beds the night Lily Grace’s entire world was ripped apart leaving only darkness and torment in its place. The only remaining person she depended on abandoned her without a second thought…or so that’s what Lily’s believed for the past four years.Dean Haven has returned for one reason, to win Lily’s love again. He broke her heart once because of the demons that haunt him, can his desire for Lily keep him from succumbing to those demons again?Dean has no idea what awaits him when he tries to fight his way back into Lily’s life. Everything he remembers has changed, including Lily.Is love enough when you’re forced to weather the storms life has blown your way?

PFMTBB Recap

Haven From The Storm is the first in The Storms of Life series.  It is a tale of love, tragedy, heartbreak and hope. The story is crafted in such a way that make you want happiness to find these friends and take them away from all the things that hurt them. The characters, however, are so strong that they endure what life puts before them and deal with it without asking for outside assistance.

Haven From The Storm introduces us to Lily, her brother Easton and his best friend Dean. This trio hails from rural Kolby, Oklahoma and while they are rich in love for each other, they have received more than their share of heartache from and disappointment from the adults and authority figures in their lives.

After a destructive storm hits Kolby, Lily’s life is turned upside down. Left to virtually fend for herself, she works hard to create a level of normalcy and safety in her now chaotic world. So when Dean returns from college to begin his student teaching requirement, it throws them back together, left with lingering feelings of love and loss.

 

 

Book #2 Before the Storm Release Date – August 29, 2013

This is not a simple story of first loves, this is an emotional yet touching look at life and how the smallest decisions can shape futures.What you think you know can change before your eyes. Fathers abuse, mothers deceive, best friends betray, sisters dismiss, love controls, and anger consumes.After graduating from high school, Easton Grace knows exactly what he wants and how to get it. His goal for the summer includes two things: avoiding his father’s wrath and protecting his sister. His carefully laid plans are quickly changed when a girl comes to town causing him to lose his tight grasp of control on everything, including himself.Following years of sorrow, Taylor Monaco returns to a town she never wanted to see again but will forever call home. Her life was eternally changed by the people in this town, especially one boy. Her heart desires someone she’s not sure her soul can handle.Can Easton and Taylor find their path before it’s too late – before the storm.

PFMTBB Recap

Before the Storm is the prequel to Haven from the Storm. This story begins with Easton, Lily and Dean as children. While left to their own devices, Easton, Lily and Dean spend their long summer days playing outside, swimming in the river and enjoying their small town’s public activities. When Taylor, aka Stretch, arrives in Kolby to spend the summer with her aunt, Easton is immediately drawn to her. He tries to draw her out of her shell as best as a young man his age is capable.

Years later, Taylor returns to Kolby just as Easton and Dean are graduating high school. The story bounces back between both summers and reveals how painfully raw misunderstandings from their youth can be.

~~~Cast of Characters~~~

Lily Grace is enjoying the summer before high school. She has a serious crush on her older brother’s best friend Dean. These feelings have grown exponentially over the years for Dean, but are always thwarted by her very protective brother Easton.

Dean Haven, Easton’s best friend has just graduated high school. He is spending the summer enjoying the company of his friends before heading off to college and hopefully leaving Kolby behind for good.

Easton Grace, Lily’s older brother and Dean’s best friend is the anchor of this group. He is strong, protective to a fault, caring deeply for his sister and his friend.

Grandma Violet is Dean’s grandmother. The only adult to show love and concern for this group, she provides them a place of solace when it is needed.

Taylor Monaco shows up in Kolby just in time for graduation. She is tall, gorgeous and a total mystery to Easton Grace. Flattered that he is attracted to her quickly fades to disappointment when she realizes he does not know who she is.

Sarah Dosher took time out of her busy schedule as wife, mother and author to answer some questions about her books for us.  Thank you Sarah for sharing your wonderful gifts with us!

PFMTBB – Kolby is a fictional place. How closely does it resemble where you grew up or live now?

Sarah Dosher – I grew up in a small town and now live in an even smaller town. A lot of the quirks of small town life that you glimpse in this series are true. But the level of devastation seen in Haven from the Storm is not something that I have personally experienced but there are numerous places in Oklahoma that have been through something similar.

PFMTBB – Was it difficult to write about this type of natural disaster as Oklahoma is part of Tornado Alley and these events happen somewhat regularly in your region of the country?

Sarah Dosher – It wasn’t hard to write about the actual storm because I think growing up in Oklahoma we grow accustomed to hearing about tornado devastation and living through it yearly. However writing about loved ones losing their life was definitely hard. A little under two months after I released this novel there was massive destruction with numerous lives lost in several tornadoes in Oklahoma. It was very sad and hard for me to watch after having just released a fictional book that seemed so close to reality.

PFMTBB – Have you or close personal friends suffered the kind of loss that the residents of Kolby did?

Sarah Dosher– I have known several that have had a huge loss of personal belongings to tornadoes but not the loss of life to the extent seen in Kolby.

PFMTBB – At different points in the story, school officials discuss Lily’s bruises and other signs of physical abuse. How did you feel when you wrote their sense of helplessness because she would not come clean about what was really happening?

Sarah Dosher – This has actually been a very hot topic for my novel. There are many that feel this was not true to life and would never occur. Some reviewers have even said that it ruined the whole story for them and I hate hearing that.

I can promise that it is very true to life. I did not make this portion of the story up. I have seen this occur over and over with my own eyes. I even spoke with several that work within Child Protective Services in Oklahoma and they confirmed that this scenario happens on a regular basis. Haven from the Storm has been passed around to many different employees in Child Protective Services because they feel it is so true to what they see –and I am very proud of that!

 

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Author Spotlight Nothing Special ~ A.E. Via Review & Giveaway & Interview

***Mature Content 17 +***

Nothing Special by A.E. Via

Released on March 21, 2014

Detective Cashel ‘Cash’ Godfrey is big, tattooed and angry so people typically keep their distance. He’s fresh out of the police academy, however, no one is looking to partner with the six foot four beast with a huge chip on his shoulder and an inability to trust. When Cash scans the orientation room he wasn’t expecting to find sexy hazel eyes locked onto him. Eyes of the handsome Detective Leonidis ‘Leo’ Day.

Leo is charming, witty, hilariously sarcastic and the only one that can make Cash smile. He’s proud, out and one bad-ass detective.​

Together Cash and Leo become the most revered and successful narcotics detectives Atlanta’s ever seen. Able to communicate and understand each other, without even having to voice it, they quickly climb up the promotional ranks.

When Cash saves Leo’s life in a raid that turns deadly, Leo begins to see something in the big man that no one else does…something special. But Leo fears he’ll never break through the impenetrable wall that protects Cash’s heart.

Nothing Special takes the reader through various emotions throughout the richly fulfilling plot that’s full of erotic gay romance, heartache, passion, trials and tribulations, police action scenes, and an intriguing twist that comes to an amazing ending that’s impossible to see coming.

4 out of 5 Pennies

Nothing Special is about Cash and Leo. Both of which are detectives in Atlanta. On Leo’s first day out of the academy and at his new job as a police officer he and Cash meet up as partners, and as they say the rest is history.

While Cash and Leo are partners at work and best friends out of work, neither man has ever thought of the other in any other way.

When circumstances bring Leo and Cash together, they each realize just how much they mean to one another. Knowing that together they are complete, the pain from the past plus the dangers of their job, and the truth finally coming out, both lean on one another and they will do what they need to do to stay together.

I enjoyed this book, it even brought up Prescott from You Can See Me (see my review here). I find it nice when characters intermingle, but don’t feel lost if you haven’t read the other books. The book is written with just the right amount of back history for the characters and hotness, so to me, it was a wonderful mix. A.E. is on my list of authors who I will be looking forward to reading in the future.

Excerpt:

“I’m going to get some coffee.” Day walked off, leaving God to answer the unnecessary questions.

As soon as Day turned into the kitchen he skidded to a halt. Fuck, not right now.

“Well hello, Day. I was hoping to see you today,” Detective Johnson continued stirring his coffee.

“How’s it going?” Day said dryly and went about setting up his coffee machine.

“It’s going better now that I’m seeing you.” Detective Johnson came over to Day and stood over him. Day had to practically reach around the tall man to start the machine. “Dude, want to give me a little room here.”

“No. I like being close to you.” Detective Johnson took one long finger and slowly dragged it down the front of Day’s chest.

“Well fuckin’ unlike it.” They both jumped at the sound of God’s gruff voice.

God walked up to Day and grabbed him by the back of his neck. He spun Day around so hard that he dropped the small packs of sugar to the floor. All he could do was hold on to God’s massive biceps as he ravaged his mouth. Day let God completely control him until he was done proving his point. God released him and Day practically fell back into the counter.

“Fuck, Cash,” Day whispered, completely out of breath. After Day got his wits about him he noticed that God and Johnson were in a serious stare off over his head.

Johnson broke first and looked down at Day.

“You’re fucking God now?” Johnson asked disbelievingly.

“Okay, that just sounds wrong saying it like that, so I’m not going to comment.” Day inched away from the two giants and propped himself up on one of the break-room tables. “I think I’ll watch this one from the sidelines.”

“You’re goddamn right he’s with me. So you have to find someone else to harass every day, Johnson.” God huffed. “Or are you going to run tell daddy?”

Johnson stepped closer to God and Day watched God’s nonchalant reaction to the detective’s scowl.

“I didn’t know you batted for my team, God.”

“Johnson, even if you were on the all-star team I wouldn’t bat for your team. I’m with Day and that’s just it.” God crossed his arms.

“Well a man like Day requires commitment, effort, someone to put in full-time work. You are more of a detached from society kind of guy aren’t you, God? I mean are you up for that type of job to keep him yours?” Johnson smirked and took a sip of his coffee.

“Yeah, I know all about that job, Johnson, because I worked the hell out of it last night.” God stepped in even closer and mock whispered. “But you know what the difference is between me and you and our jobs? I usually quit mine, you end up getting fired. But seriously. You can stop applying with Day, because the position’s been fuckin’ filled.” God caught the muffin Day threw at him and walked out the door.

Day did very little to hide his grin as he drank his coffee.

A.E. Via is the new best-selling author in the beautiful gay erotic genre. Her writing embodies everything from spicy to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.

When she’s not clicking away at her laptop, A.E. runs a very successful paralegal-for-hire business, and in her spare time, she devotes herself to her family—a husband and four children, her two pets, a Maltese dog and her white Siamese cat, ELynn, named after the late, great gay romance author E. Lynn Harris.

While this is only her third novel, she has plenty more to come. So sit back and grab a cool drink, because the male on male action is just heating up!

Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peak on upcoming work, free reads, and where she’ll appear next.

A.E. Via’s other books:

 Blue Moon: Too Good To Be True                     You Can See Me

1 – First off, Congratulations! I know this is your 3rd book to be published, are the nerves any easier to deal with?

 (Laughing) Absolutely not. I always have butterflies on how the readers are going to respond to my work. I’m beginning to wonder if that feeling ever subsides.

2 – What inspired you to start writing? And what is it you find most intriguing about writing this type of genre?

 I read my first M/M romance nine years ago, and I’ve been hooked to the genre ever since. The passion is so raw and gritty. There’s a different level of intensity and power in gay romance, than in M/F. Last year, I started putting my own thoughts and characters on paper, just loving where the scenes took me…like my own very hot world when I’m writing.

3 – If you could sit down with any author, living or not, who would it be and why?

That would be philosophical writer Cornel West (currently living). He’s as real and as deep as it gets…that I can relate too.

4 – If you could talk to a reader who has not yet read into the world of m/m genre, what would you like to say to them if they are nervous or unsure about this type of book?

 I would say: “It’s at least worth a try. I don’t believe you’ll be disappointed, just like I wasn’t. If you are open about this type of love, you will enjoy it immensely.”

5 – Who is or was the loudest character in your head while writing? Who was/is the most reluctant to get to open up to tell their own story?

 My loudest character is in this current novel I’m promoting ‘Nothing Special’. Detective Leo Day was my funniest, most hilarious character to write…and not to mention he’s the most like me, in regards to sarcastic charm.

The most reluctant character to tell his story is my current MC that I’m writing (but fans will know who I’m referring to), the mysterious Navy Seal from Blue Moon – Hawk.

He left a pretty lasting impression at the end of Blue Moon and now he’s back in Blue Moon 2 ~ This is Reality, with his own story. He’s giving me hell…all the way. He’s not open, he’s dark and magical, and wants what he wants without pause.  He’s really driving me crazy. No doubt, the hardest character I’ve written.

(Readers can get a glimpse of what I mean at the end of ‘Nothing Special’ there is an excerpt for Blue Moon 2)

6 – Are you working on your next book?

Yes, Blue Moon 2 ~ This is Reality.

 The story of Hawk, Pierce, Shot and Fox. Along with the introduction of a couple very rogue assassins.

7 – Your family seems very supportive, if you could say anything to them what would it be?

 Thank you for not being negative.

8 – What was the first book you read from this genre? What is your favorite type of genre to just sit back and read?

 My first book ever read in Gay Romance was E.Lynn Harris: Invisible Life. I’ve always loved the romance genre, but now it’s all I read….absolutely no M/F.

9 – What do you do in your spare time (when your fans aren’t stalking you to publish early – sorry if I fall into that category, but I’m really looking forward to this book)?

 (Smiling happily). I love writing and I do it a lot. But, when I’m not writing I love a good happy hour and dinner with my 3 sisters. Or, I prefer to have a cozy game and movie night with my hubby and 4 kids. I’m not very wild and out there…so not very much clubbing and partying.

10 – Will there be any author events you will be attending, either as an author or as a fan?

 Oh yes! My first event. I’ll be in Tampa, Florida at the RainbowCon April 17-21^st as an author.

 I’ll also be at GayRom Lit in Chicago in October as a reader.

11 – Do you have a tradition that you do after you hit the publish button?

 Well, I guess after I actually hit send and email my manuscript to my publisher (Amira Press Publishing), I bite my nails as I wait for a contract or a rejection Eemail. (Smiling). So far, my publisher’s been wonderful and very accepting of my work. I’m very grateful to them for all the hard work and time they put into getting my writing out to readers.

At the end of the year, I’m heavily considering self-publishing one novel…to see if I got what it takes.

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