Monday, February 29, 2016

FORBIDDEN ROSE by Vivian Winslow

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Title: Forbidden Rose (Wildflowers, #2)

Author: Vivian Winslow

Publication Date: February 29, 2016

Genre: New-adult contemporary romance - *Can be read as a STANDALONE*

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Blurb

Rosa Cruz, the fiery and ultra-sexy heiress of the Mama Linda Latin foods empire, is determined to create something on her own and not rely solely on her family's name and legacy. For her new upscale restaurant in the trendy Wynwood neighborhood of Miami, she enlists the help of her childhood friend, the hot, young Cuban-American chef, Eliseo Perez, who's already made a name for himself on the New York culinary scene. Despite Rosa's reservations about a forbidden workplace romance with her new employee, not to mention longtime friend, the chemistry between them is undeniable. When the cooking starts, things quickly heat up in the kitchen and the bedroom. But with Eliseo's troubled past coming back to haunt him, can Rosa and Eliseo hold onto love and keep the restaurant from going up in flames?   FORBIDDEN ROSE - teaser 3

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Excerpt

Lily clears her throat again. “So, you want to tell me what you have going on with your new chef?” Rosa can hardly mask her surprise. “Who told you?” “Your face,” Lily chuckles into her glass. “You look like some lovesick schoolgirl when you look in that direction.” Rosa shakes her head and in a low voice says, “You are sworn to secrecy.” Lily makes an X over her heart. “Absolutely.” “I’m in love.” Rosa immediately purses her lips, hoping to swallow up the words that just fell out of her mouth. Her sister-in-law hugs her. “I’m so thrilled for you. You deserve to find someone who makes you happy.” “Yeah, except it won’t work.” “Why not?” “He works for me.” “And? If you’re really in love, there has to be more a deal breaker than that,” Lily insists. “It’s just . . . it’s complicated. In any case, it’s over.” Lily snaps her fingers. “1, 2, 3. Like that?” Rosa nods. “I don’t believe you. If you really love him, then you have to find a way to make it work. Like I did with your brother.” “But you two didn’t have so much baggage or family drama.” Lily tilts her head at Rosa, as if to say, “Look at who you’re talking to.” Between a double-crossing Brazilian ex-lover who nearly ruined their wedding, and an interfering mother, she’d brought plenty of baggage to the relationship. “But you made it work.” Real relationships based on real love always require work. There’s no getting around it.” “Yeah, but . . . .” “You’re finding excuses, Rosa, because you’re scared. I turned down your brother at first because I was scared. Consider your life, not as a series of moments, but in a larger context. If you can see yourself with him, experiencing something profoundly satisfying in the long term, I’d say it’s worth the risk. Whatever problems you have in the moment will always resolve themselves in time.” Rosa leans against the stone pillar, taking a real cocktail off the tray of a passing waiter. She knows Lily’s right. But how to make it work without compromising the restaurant? That’s the question she can’t answer. Lily kisses her sister-in-law’s cheek. “Unfortunately, I have to go talk to that couple over there.” She nods in the direction of an older gentleman and woman looking admiringly at the sculpture. “Just remember what I said. And keep in mind, a man who could do what he did to your neck may be worth keeping in your life.” She winks as she walks away. Alejandro separates himself from a conversation as soon as he notices his wife heading toward him. Rosa can’t help but smile at the gesture. That’s commitment. “If I remember correctly we met somewhere around here,” Juan says approaching Rosa. In his hands are two freshly made doughnuts. The idea that he may break his daily calorie intake by eating one of them makes her grin. Rosa looks out toward the water and nods. “I think you’re right.” She takes one of the doughnuts out of his hands and takes a bite. The scent and taste of the pastry reminds her of the morning she spent with Eliseo. What she wouldn’t give to relive that time. Maybe when he asks, “Are we?” She’d respond with, “No, we’re not finished.” “You have a bit of . . . ,” Juan runs a finger over her lip to gather a bit of the guava jelly. He licks his finger. It’s like a scene from a predictable romantic comedy. The hot leading man standing with a gorgeous woman, who doesn’t realize just how beautiful she is to him, reminiscing over their first flirtation over a warm doughnut. Of course a kiss is expected to follow, maybe a laugh at the memory of how that night was the first of many nights together that led to them falling in love without realizing it—your typical romance trope. It’s all fantasy, Rosa realizes. A very beautiful one, but a fantasy nevertheless.   FORBIDDEN ROSE teaser 1   Blossoming Flower (Wildflowers, #1) Amazon US | Amazon UK BlossomingFLower Horse In the wake of the collapse of her father’s business empire, Flor, the gorgeous twenty-one year-old daughter of disgraced former Brazillionaire Gustavo de Lima, is forced to forge her own path in life. Flor decides that none of it—the private jets, the vacation homes and the luxury cars—were real. Or at least they really didn’t matter. The only thing that’s real for Flor is her love of horses and her desire to go to veterinary school. Heading into her final year of college, Flor seeks out the help of an unlikely benefactor to secure a summer internship working with horses. Arriving at the secluded Belo Horizonte ranch, Flor is awed not only by the majestic beauty of the place, but also by handsome cowboy and skilled horse trainer, Collin Taylor. Yet nothing is quite as it appears on the surface. When the hidden past is revealed, will love end up blossoming for Flor?  

About the Author

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Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Blog

Vivian Winslow was born and raised in Southern California. Before becoming a writer, she made a career out of moving around the world every couple of years thanks to her husband’s job and her incurable wanderlust. She currently lives in New York City with her husband and two elementary school age children, and is grateful to finally have a place to call home for more than two years. New York is the perfect city to indulge her love of fashion, the arts and especially food. If she’s not at home writing or running around the city with her kids, you’ll most likely find her eating at the newest restaurant in her beloved Lower East Side or having a cocktail at her favorite bar in Alphabet City. That said, she’s still a California girl at heart and would gladly trade in her heels for a pair of flip-flops to catch a sunset on the beach.  

Giveaway!

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*Review* for One last song by Kristi Cramer

One last song was definitely unlike any book I have ever read. From the topic and situations Kylie and Jax found themselves in, to the way the story jumps to hear what's happening with multiple characters throughout, I knew this was a different type of story. At first I struggled to keep up with the change of characters telling the story but once I got used to who everyone was and how they were connected it made more sense. This was actually the first book in the series that I had read so had I started with book 1 I probably would have been more familiar with who everyone was and it would have been easy to follow from beginning. There were a few spots in the story that seemed to drag on but for the most part I couldn't put it down because I was so eager to find out what was going to happen next. I can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series after finishing this one

Can't Stay Away by Lilly Avalon




Can’t Stay Away
by Lilly Avalon
NOW LIVE!




Piper Winchester is fresh out of college. With only three weeks until her father remarries and five weeks until her first business venture launches, she's got her hands full. She certainly doesn't need any distractions to get in the way of building the future her father's always wanted for her. But when a familiar boy with bright green eyes walks back into her life, she's thrown for a loop.

Four years ago, Chase MacKenzie left for college without looking back. He didn't mean to disturb the peace then, and he definitely doesn't want to do that now. Once he lays his eyes on Piper again, there's no way he can leave without fixing what went wrong in the past. Although she's more determined than ever to push him away, he still manages to get under her skin. Regardless of what happens between them, there's one thing that will always be standing in their way...

He's about to become her stepbrother.













Lilly Avalon is the author of the RESIST series as well as other romances. She's somewhere in the midst of her twenties and lives mostly in the stories in her head. When she's not enveloped in the worlds she creates, she's out in the real world making stories happen. That or reading other romances. It's a toss-up.






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Six Guns Volume 2 by Sara V Zook

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Cover Reveal

Title: SIX GUNS: Volume 2

Author: Sara V. Zook

Release Date: April 1, 2o16

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synopsis

Life is good—too good. When you have everything at your fingertips, it’s like a ticking bomb just waiting to go off. Nicky Cain’s just biding his time until everything explodes in his face. The City of Haven fears him. He’s risen to power and brought along with him a reputation for brutality that knows no mercy. After a little taste, he now craves more respect, more power, more money. But there is still one unanswered question—who is Carmine’s murderer? Paranoia is setting in as Nicky is constantly looking over his shoulder. Someone’s waiting for Nicky to slip. He can feel it. They’re passing time until the right moment to send Nicky spiraling to his grave. It’s keeping him up at night, and even his relationship with Lilah suffers. Who’s on his side? Who’s against him? His life has become a giant game of chess. He needs to figure out who are his pawns. Someone else wants to be king. Nicky Cain just hopes he can play smart enough to call checkmate first.

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  authorbiosarapic2 Sara V. Zook pursued her dream of becoming a writer and after earning her bachelor's degree, sat down to create her first novel in which Strange in Skin was completed in three short months. She's the author of the Strange in Skin Trilogy, Clipped, A Magic Within, Evanescent, Reminiscence, her mobster release, Six Guns, A Chaos Within, and her first contemporary romance, The Pull and its sequel The Push. She resides in Pennsylvania, where she was born and raised, with her husband and three small children.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaraVZook Website: http://authorsaravzook.blogspot.com/ Twiiter: @SaraVZook Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6450481.Sara_V_Zook?from_search=true   Read Six Guns Volume 1 now for only 99cents!   Amazon: http://amzn.to/1NC0MyX Six Guns cover         jomppromotions

The Bellator Saga: The First Trilogy Box Set (Books 1-3) by Cecilia London

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Two souls intertwined. One epic love story.
Get swept away in the passionate romance between political opposites Caroline Gerard and Jack McIntyre in the first half of The Bellator Saga.
This set contains the first three books in the series, Dissident, Conscience, and Sojourn. ***
"If you only read one series in 2016, make it The Bellator Saga by Cecilia London!" - Irene, The Literary Gossip 
"I can't recommend this series enough. It's one for any contemporary romance reader, any Hunger Games lover, any dystopian lover, any fans of erotica. I IMPLORE you to read this series. You don't want to miss it." - TeriLyn Reviews 
"...One of the most unforgettable reads of my life. This riveting and compelling story gripped me. Stole my heart. And I don't think I will ever get it back." - Bianca, Biblio Belles 
"This series is unique, poignant, and unforgettable. Readers will be irreversibly captivated by London's writing and intensely invested in the exquisite creativity that her mind has to offer." - Vivian, Beauté De Livres
"An unforgettable saga unlike anything I've ever read before...I can't recommend this series enough!" -Suzanne, Tied Up In Romance
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Dissident:

Rising Democratic star Caroline Gerard is reluctant to fall in love again after losing her husband. Can Republican playboy Jack McIntyre break through her grief and capture her heart? Told mostly in flashback and set against a chilling fascist backdrop, Dissident is a rollercoaster ride of political intrigue, passionate romance, and undying love.

Conscience:

Caroline faces the biggest challenge of her life when confronted with the cruelty and sadism of her captors at The Fed. Hope fades quickly, even as she holds onto her one last bit of sanity and her unshakable belief that her husband will rescue her. But is that faith just a mirage?

Sojourn:

Reeling from her experiences at The Fed, Caroline tries to forge ahead and create a new identity. But that’s hard to do with the ghosts of the past constantly whispering in her ear. She is determined to find the rebellion and move on with her life, but what will she find when she arrives there?
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When they reached the ballroom he locked the door behind him. Jack walked over to one of the decorative side tables and produced a box wrapped with red paper. 
“Merry Christmas,” he said, handing it to her.
“Why didn’t you give this to me earlier?”
“I needed us to be in private when I gave it to you. Open it.”
It had to be jewelry. “I told you not to get me anything outlandish.”
“I don’t have to listen to you. Even if we are married.”
Caroline ripped the paper away. She opened the box and was greeted with an exquisite emerald necklace. Fringe design, with each individual green stone framed by tiny sparkling diamonds. The necklace was dripping with jewels from end to end. It looked like a prop from an eighties soap opera except it was stunningly, gorgeously real. She wouldn’t even want to speculate about the cost. “Jack-”
“Do you like it?” he asked.
She was convinced he only gave her presents just to gauge her reaction. To see how long she’d gawk at them before starting to gush. Caroline wasn’t refined when it came to her spontaneous responses to him. Did she like the necklace? A rather silly question since it was one of the most amazing things she’d ever seen. 
“It’s beautiful,” she whispered.
He took the box from her. “I didn’t recall seeing you with anything other than sapphires or diamonds. We’re going to have to do something about that.”
She could only imagine the media attention they’d get if she paraded around wearing a necklace that cost more than what the average household made in a year, several times over. Sometimes her husband forgot that he was running for governor, not auditioning for the cast of Falcon Crest. “It’s too much, Jack. It’s so…elaborate. I can’t wear that in public.” 
He smiled. “Then don’t. Wear it just for me.”
“Just around the house? Like, when I’m watching baseball and stuff?”
He laughed. “‘And stuff’?”
Her language was less polished than usual. “I’ve had a ton to drink today. I can’t always be articulate.”
Jack pulled her to him, leaning toward her ear. “How about you wear the necklace and nothing else, and grant your husband a dance?”
Now she saw where he was going. “A nice Christmas waltz?” Caroline suggested. “Fully clothed, of course. We must always be proper.”
He tugged at her sweater. “Try again.”
His romantic and seductive gestures were sweet, but impractical. “It’s cold in here.”
“I’ll turn the heat up.”
“What about you?”
“We don’t need to worry about me.”
Caroline sighed. “I meant your clothes.”
He unbuttoned her pants. “They’re staying on.”
That seemed unfair. “I’m not sure I like this power differential.”
Jack ran a finger under the waistband of her panties. “I think you do,” he whispered.
She shivered when he pulled her pants and underwear down. “Will there be music? Or are you going to parade my naked self around the ballroom in silence?”
“I picked a special song for the two of us.” He grinned. “And you won’t be naked. You’ll be wearing the necklace.”
She ran her hands down the front of his shirt, imagining how it would feel for her bare chest to rub against it while they danced. “You will undress at some point, right?”
He kissed her again. “Upstairs. Let me do this,” he said softly, stripping off the rest of her clothes, even her bra and panties. He laughed when he reached her socks. “Are those dinosaurs?”
Caroline liked wearing fun socks. She didn’t care if they were juvenile. She’d get away with it for as long as she could. “They’re wearing little Santa hats.”
Though he’d started to yank them down, he hastily pulled them back up to below her knees. “These can stay on. But only because they make you look so damn adorable.”
She tried not to think of what she’d look like wearing nothing but whimsical dinosaur knee socks and an emerald necklace, but the expression on his face indicated that Jack didn’t particularly care. He kissed her deeply before retrieving the necklace. He took his time placing it around her neck, then stepped back to look at her. It took all her effort not to blush. She hadn’t anticipated the night ending this way. 
Jack tipped her chin up. “You look fucking marvelous.”
Her face had to be as red as a cherry. “Even with the socks?”
He brushed a stray hair out of her face. “There are few things sexier than a woman wearing an emerald necklace and dinosaur socks…and nothing else.”
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Join Cecilia on her Facebook like page for the release party!
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Cecilia London is the pen name of a native Illinoisan currently living in San Antonio, Texas. She's filled several roles over the course of her adult life - licensed attorney, wrangler of small children, and obsessed baseball fan, among others. An extroverted introvert with a serious social media addiction, she is the author of The Bellator Saga, an epic, genre-crossing romance series. You can catch all of her quirky updates on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or at her website.
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