Thursday 29 June 2017

REVIEW: Insight by Santino Hassell

***NOTE: (Updated Mar 2018) Leaving my review on this one as I received an ARC for this and I want to hold up my end of the bargain. This is no way a denial of those hurt by the author and and I actually do want to give a shout out to all the brave souls who bared themselves and told their stories. May they find the healing they deserve.)


Insight by Santino Hassell
Series: The Community, Book #1
 Publisher: Riptide Publishing
 Subgenre: Romantic Suspense, Paranormal


Blurb

Growing up the outcast in an infamous family of psychics, Nate Black never learned how to control his empath abilities. Then after five years without contact, his estranged twin turns up dead in New York City. The claim of suicide doesn’t ring true, especially when a mysterious vision tells Nate it was murder. Now his long-hated gift is his only tool to investigate.

Hitching from his tiny Texas town, Nate is picked up by Trent, a gorgeous engineer who thrives on sarcasm and skepticism. The heat that sparks between them is instant and intense, and Nate ends up trusting Trent with his secrets—something he’s never done before. But once they arrive in the city, the secrets multiply when Nate discovers an underground supernatural community, more missing psychics, and frightening information about his own talent.

Nate is left questioning his connection with Trent. Are their feelings real, or are they being propelled by abilities Nate didn’t realize he had? His fear of his power grows, but Nate must overcome it to find his brother’s killer and trust himself with Trent’s heart.


Review

RATING:




Well, well... That was kinda cool...

If this were a movie, it's totally the kind of movie I dig. What can I say, I'm a total sucker for supernatural stuff like this.

So if I break this down along that vein, here are my thoughts:

► Because this is the first one in the series, there's a bit of world building. So it did feel sluggish at certain points bec it felt like nothing is happening. But, but, but... I also thought it was well-paced. Before I knew it, I was done. Santino def sucked me in to this world of psychics wrapped in mystery and suspense.

► We have very interesting characters, both main and secondary ones. Nate is full of of zingers, he just cracks me up. He has a bite to him, an endearing one. Trent is one cool dude, and funny too. The people at the Community are fascinating, each one of them. But, but, but... *whispers* I couldn't fully connect with the lot of them, including Trent:o Don't mind me, though. I think it was just me overthinking these characters that I forgot to take some of them at face value. I unfortunately tend to do that with whodunnit stories. Don't get me wrong. I love Nate, I love Nate and Trent together, and I do love Trent as well. And they did both make me laugh:D


Quote…"A psychic community", Nate said slowly. "What is it, like a Facebook group?"description

Quote…Trent winked. "The sidekick usually is. It's the only way I can keep up with my superhero.description


Oh, Santino def knows how to give texture to his characters!

Regardless of my conflicting thoughts, one thing I'm not conflicted about is in the way I lose myself in whatever world Santino creates. His way with words just let you get immersed in his characters' world, from the heat of the Texan sun to the vibrating energy of New York. And while the romance took a backseat here, the few moments that Santino gave were seductive in every sense of the word. How can it not be! This is Santino after all. So you might find yourself wanting like I did...

Lastly, Nate and Trent do get their HEA, but this ended in a way that allows you glimpse of what's to come. You'd want to know more. I know I do!


About the Author


Santino Hassell was raised by a conservative family, but he was anything but traditional. He grew up to be a smart-mouthed, school cutting grunge kid, then a transient twenty-something, and eventually transformed into an unlikely romance author.

Santino writes queer romance that is heavily influenced by the gritty, urban landscape of New York City, his belief that human relationships are complex and flawed, and his own life experiences.


Connect with Santino: Website | Twitter | Instagram | FB Group | FB | GR | Tumblr



Thanks for dropping by!

~Leftie


*And I own a copy as well

Wednesday 28 June 2017

COVER REVEAL: The Darkest Sunrise Duet by Aly Martinez

Today we are sharing the incredible covers for The Darkest Sunrise Duet by Aly Martinez. Check them out below, along with the blurbs for each title. The first book in this contemporary romance duet will be released on July 13th! Be sure to follow Aly's newsletter to be notified when the books are up for pre-order.

     

The Darkest Sunrise (The Darkest Sunrise Duet, #1)

Coming July 13

Synopsis:

Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me. Whoever coined that phrase is a bald-faced liar. Words are often the sharpest weapon of all, triggering some of the most powerful emotions a human can experience. “You’re pregnant.” “It’s a boy.” “Your son needs a heart transplant.” Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me. Lies. Syllables and letters may not be tangible, but they can still destroy your entire life faster than a bullet from a gun. Two words—that was all it took to extinguish the sun from my sky. “He’s gone.” For ten years, the darkness consumed me. In the end, it was four deep, gravelly words that gave me hope of another sunrise. “Hi. I’m Porter Reese.”


   
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The Brightest Sunset (The Darkest Sunrise Duet, #2)

Coming July 27th

Synopsis:

Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me. Bullshit. Words destroyed me. “I’m sorry. She didn’t make it.” “Daddy, he can’t breathe!” “There’s nothing more we can do for your son.” Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me. Lies. Those syllables and letters became my executioner. I told myself that, if I didn’t acknowledge the pain and the fear, they would have no power over me. But, as the years passed, the hate and the anger left behind began to control me. Two words—that was all it took to plunge my life into darkness. “He’s gone.” In the end, it was four soft, silky words that gave me hope of another sunrise. “Hi. I’m Charlotte Mills.”


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You won't want to miss this amazing series! Click here to get the pre-order links as soon as they're live, and to hear about giveaways and events for this duet.

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AUTHOR INFORMATION:

 

  Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her four young children. Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, mystery leggings, and baked feta. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person. She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.    
AUTHOR LINKS:
 
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Thanks for dropping by!

~Leftie

Tuesday 27 June 2017

RELEASE BLITZ: Shattered King by Sherilee Gray


SHATTERED KING by Sherilee Gray
SMP Swerve
Publication Date: June 27, 2017
ISBN: 9781250155665; Price: $3.99



Description

He’s after the woman who helped put him behind bars. She’s been in hiding for three years raising the son he doesn’t know about.

Holding a grudge has never felt so good.

Shattered King is an intense, ultra-sexy standalone novel set in the world of the Lawless Kings. Sherilee Gray’s raw, hard, beautiful, deeply-emotional voice will leave you breathless long after the last page. 

“Shattered King is a sexy, beautiful second chance love story... a truly enjoyable read.” - Sawyer Bennett, New York Times bestselling author

"Raw, gritty, and full of supercharged sexual tension...SHATTERED KING will break you into pieces right before it stitches you back together again." -Diana Gardin, author of SWORN TO PROTECT, Rescue OP's Series

 Excerpt: Shattered King by Sherilee Gray



I blinked several times, working the heaviness from my eyes. Somehow I’d fallen asleep, locked in this room, surrounded by people that thought I was lower than dirt. God knows how I managed that, especially after what happened in that bathroom. I shivered. Every time I thought about it, my body heated. I was more screwed up than I thought.

The light in the room was diluted, gray. I guessed sometime late in the afternoon.
I froze. I wasn’t alone.
Hunter. His volatile energy filled the room, saturated it. My skin prickled and I sucked in a sharp breath. I didn’t move, stayed right where I was. I had no desire to find out what came next. I was still here for a reason. I didn’t know what that reason was, but considering the way he felt about me, things were not looking great.
“I know you’re awake.”
His voice was rough, low, but not angry for once. Something else, something I couldn’t name, set off little zaps of electricity in my lower belly. I’d decided before I fell asleep that I was done talking. Every time I opened my mouth, I pissed him off. And since he didn’t believe a word that came out of it, I was going to save my energy. With that in mind, I sat up, shoved my hair back from my face, and waited.
He was standing at the foot of the bed, arms crossed over his wide chest, chin dipped, head tilted, eyes locked on me. I couldn’t read his expression. But he was studying me in a way that made me want to squirm.
His jaw tightened, not much, but enough that I saw it. That gaze got more intense, so intense I couldn’t hold it any longer. I picked at the hem of my T-shirt, fidgeting.
“Why?” he said into the quiet room.
That’s it. That one word. I knew what he was asking. I’d heard that one word, Hunter’s voice, echoing in my head, for three years. The pain and anger distorting it as he was dragged away by prison guards.
I had nothing.
Nothing I was prepared to give, anyway. I made myself meet his gaze. It wasn’t easy. God, how I wanted to tell him everything, but I couldn’t and clamped my mouth shut instead. I refused to put Josh at risk just to appease my guilt. No good would come from telling him what happened, not now. Nothing would change. Nothing would make any of this all right. If I knew without doubt that Josh was Hunter’s, maybe I’d open my mouth. But I didn’t know that. Telling Hunter would only turn a spotlight on my little boy. It would make him a target, if he weren’t already. I’d die before I did that.
Hunter’s expression hardened. “You f*cking owe me an explanation.”
I didn’t move, didn’t blink, just kept my eyes locked on his and my mouth shut.
He shook his head. “What did I ever do to you, Lulu? To make you hate me so damn much?”
I jolted, a full body spasm. Oh God. It was him. There he was. My Hunter. Just a glimpse of the man I loved beyond reason. It hurt to see him again. I wasn’t prepared for it. I looked down at my hands, tears stinging my nose, the back of my eyes. I swallowed down the lump threatening to choke me. My tattered heart couldn’t take much more of this.
I felt his gaze hot on me, waiting. Hoping I’d give him what he needed, give him the answers he wanted. I couldn’t do it.
Finally, after what felt like forever, he hissed through his teeth.
I looked up, couldn’t help it. His eyes were back to that cold, dead stare. He was gone again.
He tilted his head toward the door. “Time to go.”
I wanted to ask where, but since I’d just made a point of not talking, I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut. I stood as he opened the door and followed him back upstairs.



Author Bio

Sherilee Gray is a kiwi girl and lives in beautiful New Zealand with her husband and their two children. When she isn't writing sexy, edgy contemporary romance, searching for her next alpha hero on Pinterest, or fueling her voracious book addiction, she can be found dreaming of far off places with a mug of tea in one hand and a bar of Cadburys Rocky Road chocolate in the other.


Author Links


Thanks for dropping by!

~Leftie

COVER REVEAL: On a Tuesday by Whitney G

On a Tuesday

by Whitney G. 
Publication Date: On A Tuesday, Summer 2017 
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Second Chance Romance, Standalone 
Cover Design: Najla Qamber Designs 
Model Credit: Andrea Denver


Preorder: iBooks

We met on a Tuesday. Became best friends, then lovers, on a Tuesday. And everything fell apart on a Tuesday... Charlotte Taylor has three automatic strikes in my book: 1) She hates me. She also claims that I'm a "domineering jerk with a huge, overbearing ego." (I do have something huge. It's not my ego, though.) 2) She takes our mandatory tutoring sessions way too seriously. 3) She's sexy as hell...And a virgin. At least, those were her strikes before our study sessions started lasting longer than they were supposed to. Until one innocent kiss became a hundred dirty ones, and until she became the first woman I ever fell hard for. Our future together after graduation was supposed to be set: Professional football for me. Law school for her. But she left me at the end of the semester with no explanation, and then she completely disappeared from my life. Until tonight. We met on a Tuesday. Became everything, then nothing, on a Tuesday. And now it's seven years later, on a Tuesday... *This is a full length second chance romance, inspired by Adele's "When We Were Young"

 

About Whitney G.

Whitney G. is a twenty-eight-year-old optimist who is obsessed with travel, tea, and great coffee. She’s also a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of several contemporary novels, and the cofounder of The Indie Tea–an inspirational blog for indie romance authors. When she’s not chatting with readers on her Facebook Page, you can find her on her website at http://www.whitneygbooks.com or on instagram: @whitneyg.author. (If she’s not in either of those places, she’s probably locked away working on another crazy story.) Don’t forget to sign up for Whitney’s monthly newsletter here: http://bit.ly/1p9fEYF





Thanks for dropping by!

~Leftie

Monday 26 June 2017

RELEASE BLITZ: Oversight by Santino Hassell

***NOTE: (Updated Mar 2018) Leaving this one as I received an ARC for this and I want to hold up my end of the bargain. This is no way a denial of those hurt by the author and and I actually do want to give a shout out to all the brave souls who bared themselves and told their stories. May they find the healing they deserve.)


OVERSIGHT by Santino Hassell
Series: The Community, Book #2
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Release Date (Print & Ebook): June 26th, 2017
Length (Print & Ebook): 242 pages
Subgenre: Romantic Suspense, Paranormal

Book Blurb:

Spoiler Alert! The following blurb contains spoilers for Insight, book one of The Community.

Holden Payne has it all . . . or so he thinks. As heir to the founder of the Community—an organization that finds, protects, and manages psychics—he’s rich, powerful, and treated like royalty. But after a series of disappearances and murders rock the Community, he’s branded the fall guy for the scandal and saddled with a babysitter.

Sixtus Rossi is a broad-shouldered, tattooed lumbersexual with a man-bun and a steely gaze. He’s also an Invulnerable—supposedly impervious to both psychic abilities and Holden’s charms. It’s a claim Holden takes as a challenge. Especially if sleeping with Six may help him learn whether the Community had more to do with the disappearances than they claimed.

As Holden uncovers the truth, he also finds himself getting in deep with the man sent to watch him. His plan to seduce Six for information leads to a connection so intense that some of Six’s shields come crashing down. And with that comes a frightening realization: Holden has to either stand by the Community that has given him everything, or abandon his old life to protect the people he loves.


Excerpt:

The man who walked into the office did not remotely resemble the teen boy who'd just strolled through his memories. Adult Sixtus was Holden’s height but corded with about thirty more pounds of muscle. His biceps were nearly bursting from the sleeves and his pecs were clearly visible beneath the tight black polo he wore, making the typically conservative style— look like the prequel to a stripping routine in Magic Mike. He also wore khaki pants so tight his thighs looked like they were being strangled. He'd paired the two articles of clothing with scuffed motorcycle boots with steel toes.

Holden didn't make an attempt to hide his slow ogle, and dragged his eyes from boot to crotch to clavicle before taking in Six's face. His fathomless black eyes were the only familiar feature in that olive complexed face. He had a full beard and mustache, thick black hair tied up in a bun, and wide lips that Holden wanted to suck on. Why did his sociopathic handler have to be a disgustingly sexy lumberjack hipster?

"Huh," Holden said. "He's filled out."

Richard went back to pursing his lips but Sixtus didn't even blink. He didn't scan Holden or react to the intense eyef*ck he'd just received. There seemed to be nothing behind those dark eyes. The effect was more disturbing when Holden, by default, reached out with his gift to get an impression. He'd expected a hint of impatience or irritation even if it was muted by the mental shield that was apparently always in place.


Author Bio:


 Santino Hassell was raised by a conservative family, but he was anything but traditional. He grew up to be a smart-mouthed, school cutting grunge kid, then a transient twenty-something, and eventually transformed into an unlikely romance author.

Santino writes queer romance that is heavily influenced by the gritty, urban landscape of New York City, his belief that human relationships are complex and flawed, and his own life experiences.

Connect with Santino: Website | Twitter | Instagram | FB Group | FB | GR | Tumblr




Review to follow for this series that keeps getting better, I say...

Thanks for dropping by!

~Leftie

RELEASE BLITZ: Coach's Challenge by Avon Gale


Coach’s Challenge by Avon Gale
 Series: Scoring Chances Book #5
 Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date (Print & Ebook): June 26, 2017
 Length: Ebook: ~70K (181 pages)
 Subgenre: Sports romance, LGBTQ+ romance

Buy Links:

 B&N

Book Blurb:

It’s been decades since blackmail forced Troy Callahan to retire from playing professional hockey, and he’s built a successful career behind the bench. When he’s offered the opportunity to coach the Asheville Ravens—the most hated team in the ECHL—he’s convinced that his no-nonsense attitude is just what the team needs to put their focus back on hockey. But Troy is disheartened when he finds that the Ravens have signed Shane North, a player known for his aggression—especially when Shane’s rough good looks give Troy inappropriate thoughts about a player, even if Shane’s set to retire at the end of the season.
Shane’s career in the majors never quite took off. Wanting to quit on his own terms, Shane agrees to a one-year contract with the Ravens and finds himself playing for a coach who thinks he’s an aging goon and with a team that doesn’t trust him, the coach, or each other. Despite his determination to not get involved, Shane unwillingly becomes part of the team… and is just as unwillingly drawn to the gruff, out-and-proud coach. As the Ravens struggle to build a new identity, Shane and Troy succumb to the passion that might cost them everything.


Quotes from the author about the book:
Troy and Shane’s story was a joy to write – I loved writing about two characters who were so confident in what they wanted and determined to get it no matter what. These are two stubborn, opinionated and passionate men and their interactions were so much fun to write.

Quotes from other authors about the book:
"I hope this series continues forever. I always have time for more of Avon Gale's quirky, impeccably written hockey players. Shane is the perfect smartass, and watching him fall for Troy is terrific fun." - Sarina Bowen, USA Today bestselling author of Him

Excerpt:

“Give him a chance. He’s not in bad shape, is he?”
“No,” Troy mumbled into his drink. “He’s not.”
There was a long, pregnant pause. Troy lowered the glass and stared at the whiskey stones intently. Troy had no idea where you even got such a thing. He was lucky he had ice in his freezer.
Gabe cleared his throat.
“What?” Troy shot him a glare. “He’s in good shape. Yes. I’m agreeing with you.”
“I know, that’s why I’m speechless.” Gabe grinned at him, and the lines crinkled around his eyes. “You think he’s hot, don’t you.”
“He’s a hockey player in great shape who is over the age of thirty, and he surfs for fun,” Troy reminded him. “I’m not dead. But he’s also got a bad attitude—”
“So do you.”
  

Author Bio:


Avon Gale wrote her first story at the age of seven, about a “Space Hat” hanging on a rack and waiting for that special person to come along and purchase it — even if it was a bit weirder than the other, more normal hats. Like all of Avon’s characters, the space hat did get its happily ever after — though she’s pretty sure it was with a unicorn. She likes to think her vocabulary has improved since then, but the theme of quirky people waiting for their perfect match is still one of her favorites.
Avon grew up in the southern United States, and now lives with her very patient husband in a liberal midwestern college town. When she’s not writing, she’s either doing some kind of craft project that makes a huge mess, reading, watching horror movies, listening to music or yelling at her favorite hockey team to get it together, already. Avon is always up for a road trip, adores Kentucky bourbon, thinks nothing is as stress relieving as a good rock concert and will never say no to candy.
At one point, Avon was the mayor of both Jazzercise and Lollicup on Foursquare. This tells you basically all you need to know about her as a person.
Avon is represented by Courtney Miller-Callihan of Handspun Literary Agency.

Connect with Avon: Website | Twitter | Facebook | FB Group | Newsletter | Goodreads



Review to follow for this delish read*g*

Thanks for dropping by!

~Leftie
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