Books We Didn't Finish September Edition

I do love a good horror story.  I'm not really that squeamish, honest!  But, I can on occasion get really grossed out by a book.  The Troop had that effect on me.  I just couldn't get that far into the book without being grossed out.  I knew that it wasn't a story for me.



I didn't find anything funny about The Viagra Diaries.  I thought I was getting something like Sex in the City for the older women, but I just found all of them annoying.  Maybe because I'm not in my 60s, I just didn't get the humor.

Autumn ended up liking The Vanishing Season. For me, it was really slow and kind of boring.  I lasted about 1 disc in and I wasn't interested in what was happening to the girls.

Mind of Winter was another boring book.  It was so repetitive and just made no sense.  I did skip ahead to peek at the end and found it a dumb cop-out ending.

Debbie Doesn't Do it Anymore.  While I was a little bit surprised that this book was better than I was expecting, in the end I got kinda tired of all the sex talk.  Yeah it was a book about a porn star, but still.  She was supposed to be Not Doing it Anymore.  That entails not talking about it constantly right?  I don't know.  It wasn't badly written, but after awhile it just got to be too much for me.

Blog tour: Angel Killer by Andrew Mayne

Author: Andrew Mayne
Publisher: Bourbon Street Books
Date of publication: September 2014

FBI agent Jessica Blackwood believes she’s left her complicated life as a gifted magician behind her . . . until a killer with seemingly supernatural powers puts her talents to the ultimate test.

A hacker who identifies himself only as “Warlock” brings down the FBI’s website and posts a code in its place that leads to a Michigan cemetery, where a dead girl is discovered rising from the ground . . . as if she tried to crawl out of her own grave.

Born into a dynasty of illusionists, Jessica Blackwood is destined to become its next star—until she turns her back on her troubled family to begin a new life in law enforcement. But FBI consultant Dr. Jeffrey Ailes’s discovery of an old magic magazine will turn Jessica’s world upside down. Faced with a crime that appears beyond explanation, Ailes has nothing to lose—and everything to gain—by taking a chance on an agent raised in a world devoted to achieving the seemingly impossible.

The body in the cemetery is only the first in the Warlock’s series of dark miracles. Thrust into the media spotlight, with time ticking away until the next crime, can Jessica confront her past to stop a depraved killer? If she can’t, she may become his next victim.

Angel Killer is the debut novel by Mr. Mayne. I find that debut novels in general to be an iffy prospect. You never know what you are going to get.  After devouring Angel Killer, I can honestly say that this debut book was awesome!  I loved it and am pretty sure it will make my top 10 for the year.  Jessica Blackwood comes from a family of magicians, but has decided to make her living as an FBI agent.  I felt like her background in illusion and deception gave her an edge as an investigator because she can really think outside the box. Her background was essential in helping to stop "Warlock".

While I was a little disappointed with the mildly cliffhanger ending ( you all know I hate those...), I loved the mystery.  It was was fast paced and full of puzzles.  I really felt like this would make a great movie!  The author has a background in magic and working in the industry.  You could tell that the author really threw his knowledge into the story-line.  I loved trying to figure out how the Warlock did something and eagerly read to find out how it was done.

The ending left it open with the possibility for another book.  I feel like Mr. Mayne has a bright future in books and hope the next Jessica Blackwood novel comes out soon!

About the author:

Andrew Mayne is the star of A&E’s magic reality show Don’t Trust Andrew Mayne, and has worked for David Copperfield, Penn & Teller, and David Blaine. He lives in Los Angeles.

Connect with him through his website, Facebook or follow him on Twitter.

 Purchase Links

Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

Andrew’s Tour Stop

Tuesday, September 23rd: Always With a Book

Wednesday, September 24th: Living in the Kitchen with Puppies

Thursday, September 25th: Priscilla and Her Books

Thursday, September 25th: Mysteries and My Musings

Monday, September 29th: From the TBR Pile

Wednesday, October 1st: The Road to Here

Thursday, October 2nd: A Dream Within a Dream

Friday, October 3rd: Not in Jersey

Monday, October 6th: BoundbyWords

Tuesday, October 7th: Ace and Hoser Blook

Wednesday, October 8th: Book Loving Hippo

Thursday, October 9th: Open Book Society

Monday, October 13th: Tales of a Book Addict

Tuesday, October 14th: No More Grumpy Bookseller

Wednesday, October 15th: Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

Wednesday, October 15th: A Bookworm’s World

Thursday, October 16th: Book Marks the Spot

Friday, October 17th: Girl Lost in a Book

TBD: Why Girls Are Weird

I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes

by:  Terry Hayes
published by:  Atria
publish date:  May 27, 2014

Pilgrim is the codename for a man who doesn't exist. The adopted son of a wealthy American family, he once headed up a secret espionage unit for US intelligence. Before he disappeared into anonymous retirement, he wrote the definitive book on forensic criminal investigation.

But that book will come back to haunt him. It will help NYPD detective Ben Bradley track him down. And it will take him to a rundown New York hotel room where the body of a woman is found facedown in a bath of acid, her features erased, her teeth missing, her fingerprints gone. It is a textbook murder - and Pilgrim wrote the book.

What begins as an unusual and challenging investigation will become a terrifying race-against-time to save America from oblivion. Pilgrim will have to make a journey from a public beheading in Mecca to a deserted ruins on the Turkish coast via a Nazi death camp in Alsace and the barren wilderness of the Hindu Kush in search of the faceless man who would commit an appalling act of mass murder in the name of his God.

That's a really long synopsis I know!  The book is really long.  I kind of have an aversion to really long books because I hate investing a lot of time only to find out that I really don't care for the book or the ending isn't very good or something else goes wrong with it.  Fortunately, I took a chance on I Am Pilgrim and it paid off.  Everything was perfect about this book.  It was a thriller of every kind:  political, police procedural, medical, espionage...it was all in there.

It's hard to kinda sum up this book and talk about what it was about because it had so many elements and twists and turns.  That makes it sound like it would be confusing, but it wasn't.  It was very well planned out and outlined so that it was easy to follow and keep track of what was going on.  That's pretty hard when the book is getting well into 700 pages and the story is bouncing all over the planet.  

I'm beyond impressed with Terry Hayes, it looks like while he has been writing for awhile, this is his first novel.  Great job!  I can't wait to read the next one!!

Neverhome by Laird Hunt

by:  Laird Hunt
published by:  Little, Brown and Co.
publish date:  September 9, 2014

She calls herself Ash, but that's not her real name. She is a farmer's faithful wife, but she has left her husband to don the uniform of a Union soldier in the Civil War. Neverhome tells the harrowing story of Ash Thompson during the battle for the South. Through bloodshed and hysteria and heartbreak, she becomes a hero, a folk legend, a madwoman and a traitor to the American cause.

Yesterday I wrote about I Shall Be Near to You, which is also about a woman that fights as a Union Soldier in the Civil War.  While I liked that book a little better, Neverhome was probably a more realistic portrayal of what happened to woman in the Civil War era.

In Neverhome, Ash's husband is described as weak and unable to go to war, so she goes in his place.  She wants to have an adventure and see the country before she settles in to married life.   She is able to pass herself off as a man and earn the respect of her fellow soldiers and even has a popular written about her gallantry.  However, she is eventually caught and sent to an insane asylum.  This was the part of the book that I felt was the most realistic.  Women in that era would have probably been treated very poorly for acting the way that she did.  She did eventually escape the asylum.  Even after she escapes, she doesn't take a direct path home, which was a part of the book that I had trouble understanding.  It seemed to me that if you had been in war and then an asylum, you'd want to go directly home to the familiar.  

Both of the books I reviewed, and a third one coming out next year called Sisters of Shiloh are all about women fighting in the Civil War.  Neverhome would great for a historical fiction fan or a Civil War buff.

I Shall Be Near to You by Erin Lindsay McCabe

by:  Erin Lindsay McCabe
published by:  Crown
publish date:  January 28, 2014

Rosetta doesn't want her new husband Jeremiah to enlist, but he joins up, hoping to make enough money that they'll be able to afford their own farm someday. Though she's always worked by her father’s side as the son he never had, now that Rosetta is a wife she's told her place is inside with the other women. But Rosetta decides her true place is with Jeremiah, no matter what that means, and to be with him she cuts off her hair, hems an old pair of his pants, and signs up as a Union soldier.

This was one of my most favorite books I read this year.  I saw it on the library's website and thought "what an interesting concept", then I swear the very next day I saw a write up for the book Neverhome which has a similar story line.  So I decided to read both of them and see how they compare.  Out of the two, I Shall be Near to You was the winner in my opinion.

Rosetta is raised to be a strong woman.  She is as strong as any farm hand her father has and can run just as fast.  When she gets married she loves her husband fiercely, but has trouble settling into the gentlewoman ways that her mother-in-law is expecting.  When Jeremiah goes off to war, her discomfort becomes greater and until she decides that her rightful place is at his side no matter what the consequences.  She disguises herself as a man, names herself Ross and joins up with the Union Army.

Ross' story is so amazing and heartbreaking at the same time.  All the work and effort she put forth to be with her husband was incredible.  Not only her work, but the dedication of Jeremiah and their unit members to protect her identity was really an heartwarming thing.  I talk about it like it really happened, which I know it didn't, but there had to be true instances of this happening, which make the story all the better.  This is a war story ultimately so parts were bloody and gory and tragic, but it was a really beautiful story.

I definitely recommend this story to anyone.  Historical fiction lovers will be all over this one.  This Civil War buffs should be interested in this one too.  Along with this book, I'll be posting about Neverhome tomorrow.  There's a third book about women soldiers in the Civil War coming out sometime next year called Sisters of Shiloh.  I wondered what prompted all the attention to this topic all the sudden.

Throwback Thursday: Dead Cat bounce by Sarah Graves

Author: Sarah Graves
First published in 1998 by Bantam

dead cat bounce n. Stock market jargon for a small, temporary rise in a stock's trading price after a sharp drop.

Since she bought her rambling old fixer-upper of a house, Jacobia Tiptree has gotten used to finding things broken. But her latest problem isn't so easily repaired. Along with the rotting floor joists and sagging support beams, there's the little matter of the dead man in Jake's storeroom, an ice pick firmly planted in his cranium.

Not much happens in her tiny Maine town, but that's about to change. Jake's unknown guest turns out to be a world-famous corporate raider, local boy turned billionaire Threnody McIlwaine. When Jake's best friend, quiet and dependable Ellie White, readily confesses to the murder, cops and journalists swarm into snowbound Eastport.

Jake smells a cover-up, and begins poking into past history between McIlwaine and Ellie's family. But someone doesn't like nosy neighbors...and Jake's rustic refuge may become her final resting place.

As I started this audio-book, I had the feeling that I had read this book before a while ago.  I'm not usually one for re-reading books, but I remember  enjoying it.  I did not remembering the identity of the killer.  So, I stuck with it.  Dead Cat Bounce was a very enjoyable mystery.  I think fans of Murder She Wrote from the 80s will enjoy this cozy mystery.  That is what it reminded me of as I was listening.

I loved Jake.  I thought she made a great amateur sleuth.  She is smart, tough, and loyal to her friends.  After just under a year living in the small Maine town, she is becoming accepted by the locals.  She has settled in nicely as has her son, Sam.  She has a new love in her life and everything with her ancient house is going nicely.  Until, she finds a dead man in her storage room.  When her best friend confesses to the crime, Jake knows something isn't right.  I thought the mystery was well laid out with a few surprised along the way.  

This is a series I know I will definitely be checking out once again.  There are about 16 books so far, so I have a lot of catching up to do!

Ryder by Nick Pengelley

Author: Nick Pengelley
Publisher; Random House Alibi
Date of publication: September 2014 

As Israeli and Palestinian leaders prepare to make a joint announcement at the Tower of London, an influential scholar is tortured and murdered in his well-appointed home in St. John’s Wood. Academic researcher Ayesha Ryder believes the killing is no coincidence. Sir Evelyn Montagu had unearthed shocking revelations about T. E. Lawrence—the famed Lawrence of Arabia. Could Montagu have been targeted because of his discoveries?

Ryder’s search for answers takes her back to her old life in the Middle East and into a lion’s den of killers and traitors. As she draws the attention of agents from both sides of the conflict, including detectives from Scotland Yard and MI5, Ryder stumbles deeper into Lawrence’s secrets, an astounding case of royal blackmail, even the search for the Bible’s lost Ark of the Covenant.

Every step of the way, the endgame grows more terrifying. But when an attack rocks London, the real players show their hand—and Ayesha Ryder is left holding the final piece of the puzzle.

Ryder is a convoluted, faced paced thriller that will have lovers of this type of book racing to  the finish line along with the lead character, Ayesha Ryder.  It is an international thriller with a bit of a treasure hunt thrown in.  For me, it was a little too convoluted to follow and ended up being just an OK read for me.  

I did enjoy the parts where Ayesha was trying to work out the clues and puzzles that would lead her to why her lover was killed.  Those parts were exciting and kept my interest.  But, I felt, at times, there were too many characters to keep straight.  Every time the scene switched to someone other than Ayesha, I was a little lost.  I also felt like there was too much history (real and imagined) thrown in and that slowed me down.  I skimmed parts and eventually ended up skipping to the end to see if Ayesha could save the day.

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About the author:

Nick Pengelley is the author of the political thriller Ryder. Australian by birth, he’s had careers in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom as a law professor, legal consultant, and analyst on Middle East politics, which is his passion. Pengelley lives in Toronto with his wife, Pamela.

Nick Pengelley’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, September 22nd: Bell, Book & Candle

Monday, September 22nd: Omnimystery News – guest post

Tuesday, September 23rd: No More Grumpy Bookseller

Wednesday, September 24th: D. L. Kamstra | Writing about Stories

Thursday, September 25th: From the TBR Pile

Monday, September 29th: Reading Reality

Tuesday, September 30th: Tales of a Book Addict

Wednesday, October 1st: Patricia’s Wisdom

Monday, October 6th: Crime Book Club

Tuesday, October 7th: Read Love Blog

Wednesday, October 8th: 2 Kids and Tired Books

Thursday, October 9th: Queen of All She Reads

Friday, October 10th: A Fantastical Librarian

Friday, October 10th: Mystery Playground – Drinks with Reads guest post

Monday, October 13th: By the Book Reviews

Tuesday, October 14th: the smitten word

Wednesday, October 15th: Dwell in Possibility

A Matter of Mercy by Lynne Hugo

Author: Lynne Hugo
Publisher: Random House Alibi
Date of publication: August 2014

Caroline Marcum thought she’d escaped the great mistake of her life by leaving Wellfleet harbor, but is forced to face it when she returns, reluctantly, to care for her dying mother. Ridley Neal put his past-and his prison term-behind him to return home to take over his father’s oyster and clam beds. Casual acquaintances long ago, when a nor’easter hits the coast, Rid and Caroline’s lives intersect once again. When Rid and two other sea farmers are sued by the wealthy owners of vacation homes who want to shut them down, and Caroline accidentally meets the person she most wronged, they each must learn to trust-and love. Inspired by a 1996 lawsuit, A Matter of Mercy is a riveting novel about treasuring the traditional way of life in the shallows of beautiful Cape Cod bay by discovering where forgiveness ends. And where it begins.

I was looking forward to read A Matter of Mercy especially because of the setting.  Being familiar with the area, I am always ready for a story about Cape Cod or Massachusetts in general.  I could tell right away that the author had researched the material very well before writing.  Her description of the area were spot on and I learned a few things about farming clam and oyster beds.

The problem was the rest of the story.  I was never able to fully connect with the characters. I was expecting more of a mystery but I never felt like it got started.  The story was slow and I found myself seeking out other things to read.  I stopped at about 20% of the way through.  The book has gotten great reviews, so I'll just have to chalk it up to not being a book for me.  

About the author:

Lynne Hugo is a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship recipient who has also received grants from the Ohio Arts Council and the Kentucky Foundation for Women.  She has published five previous novels, one of which became a Lifetime Original Movie of the Month, two books of poetry, and a children’s book.  Her memoir, Where The Trail Grows Faint, won the Riverteeth Literary Nonfiction Book Prize.  Born and educated in New England, she and her husband currently live in Ohio with a yellow Lab feared by squirrels in a three state area.  www.LynneHugo.com

Purchase Links

IndieBound |Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Connect with Lynne

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Lynne Hugo’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Tuesday, September 2nd:  Bibliotica

Wednesday, September 3rd:  5 Minutes for Books

Thursday, September 4th:  Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Friday, September 5th: Vox Libris

Monday, September 8th:  Patricia’s Wisdom

Tuesday, September 9th:  Good Girl Gone Redneck

Friday, September 12th:  Svetlana’s Reads and Views

Monday, September 15th:  Fiction Zeal

Tuesday, September 16th:  Time 2 Read

Wednesday, September 17th:  Stitch Read Cook – author guest post, “A Day in the Life”

Thursday, September 18th:  Chronicles…

Monday, September 22nd:  Walking with Nora

Tuesday, September 23rd:  Mom in Love with Fiction

Wednesday, September 24th:  From the TBR Pile

Thursday, September 25th:  Musings of a Bookish Kitty

Monday, September 29th:  Deckled Edge Books

Tuesday, September 30th:  Jorie Loves a Story

Pre-publication blog tour for Ruining Mr. Perfect by Marie Harte

 We are excited to be taking part in a pre-publication tour to promote Marie Harte's upcoming book, Ruining Mr. Perfect!, Book 3 in the McCauley Brothers series.  Over the next two weeks, a different blog will be releasing a new excerpt every day.  We have the second one for you below! ( The full list of stops can also be found below) 

 Also, make sure to check out my reviews of The Troublemaker Next Door (Book 1) here and  How to Handle a Heartbreaker (Book 2) here.

Author: Marie Harte

Publsiher: Sourcebooks

Date of publication:

IT’S NOT EASY BEING RIGHT

Vanessa Campbell is a CPA by day and a perfectionist by night. She’s fit, successful…and decidedly lonely. She can’t stop thinking about the youngest McCauley brother, Cameron. He’s just like her: smart, attractive, and usually right—except when dealing with her.

…BUT SOMEONE’S GOT TO DO IT

Cameron McCauley likes Vanessa a little too much. She’s a blond goddess with a razor-sharp tongue. She hates to be wrong, just like him. But she can hold a grudge and is stubborn to a fault—also like him.

A past disagreement has them rubbing each other the wrong way. Cam is dying to shake Vanessa up—get her to let loose. But if he succeeds, can his heart handle it?

An Excerpt

The waitress brought their drinks, but Vanessa stared past hers at the ocean, watching the waves roll. A rhythm of swells coming and going. But never staying.

“Cameron? Can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” he answered softly.

“Do you like talking to me?” She didn’t want to see his expression when he answered, didn’t want to know what he really thought. For all that he could get on her nerves, Cameron was a kind man. He would tell her what she wanted to hear.

He didn’t speak. She heard him take a sip and then he said, “Look at me.”

She forced herself not to feel and turned. “What?”

His tender expression confused her, because she wanted to hold on to it as much as she wanted to look away. “I love talking to you. I think the first thing about you that attracted me, aside from those long, long legs, was your mind.”

She sighed. “Right.”

“No, really.” He smiled warmly. “I live with people who think I’m both a nerd and a moron, which shouldn’t actually be possible. My family treats me like a girl half the time—no offense. And my job sounds interesting to women until they ask me about it, and I tell them. They don’t want to hear me. They just want to look at these fine features and get a crack at my stellar skills in bed.” He leaned closer. “You would understand if you’d really tangled with my tongue.”

She found herself smiling when moments ago she’d wanted to cry.

“I know what it’s like to be misunderstood. Trust me, I’ve been living with my personal demon for almost two weeks now. And I’ve never felt more alone or useless in my life.”

“I’m sorry.” She knew how hard family could be. “My own parents and I never talk. They don’t do birthdays or holidays or… Hell, they don’t do fun. Never have. If it wasn’t for Aunt Michelle—Maddie’s mom—I’d probably be a sociopath. Or so Maddie likes to say.”

He laughed. “Maddie’s so dramatic. She’s cute, but if I had to put up with that roller coaster of emotions all the time, I’d shoot myself.”

“I know.” She sipped her drink and watched Cameron’s throat as he swallowed his. Why she found that sexy she couldn’t say.

“Vanessa…” He paused. “This isn’t going to sound right. But I’d like to continue our conversation in private. Would you like to come up to my room?” 

To continue reading, amke sure to check out The Bookish Babe tomorrow.

22-Sep	Manga Maniac Café	http://www.mangamaniaccafe.com/
23-Sep	From the TBR Pile	http://fromthetbrpile.blogspot.com/
24-Sep	The Bookish Babe	http://thebookishbabes.blogspot.com/
25-Sep	Books n Kisses	http://www.books-n-kisses.com/
26-Sep	The Bumble Girl	http://bumblesandfairytales.blogspot.com/
Weekend
29-Sep	The Good, the Bad, and the Unread	http://goodbadandunread.com/
30-Sep	SOS Aloha	http://sosaloha.blogspot.com/
1-Oct	Ramblings from this Chick	http://ramblingsfromthischick.blogspot.com/
2-Oct	Talk Supe	http://www.talksupeblog.com/
3-Oct	Bitten by Romance	http://www.bittenbyromance.com/

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About the author:

Caffeine addict, boy referee, and romance aficionado, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Marie Harte is a confessed bibliophile and devotee of action movies. Whether hiking in Central Oregon, biking around town, or hanging at the local tea shop, she’s constantly plotting to give everyone a  happily ever after. Visit www.marieharte.com and fall in love.

Pre-Order Now:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/YuEjvW

BAM: http://bit.ly/XNlwet

B&N: http://bit.ly/YuEqrhChapters: http://bit.ly/1vmjvFg

Indiebound: http://bit.ly/1skZooG

iTunes: http://bit.ly/1pMMCbH

Kobo: http://bit.ly/WOUP8r

How to Handle a Heartbreaker by Marie Harte

Author: Marie Harte
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Date of publication: August 2014

It’s lust-at-first-sight when Brody Singer first sees Abby Dunn. Abby looks a lot like a woman he once knew, one who died years ago. But Abby’s definitely different—shyer but sexier. 

Abby’s still trying to put her last disastrous relationship behind her and overcome the flaws her ex wouldn’t let her forget. But somehow Brody isn’t getting the hint. It doesn’t help that when writing her steamy novels, she keeps casting Brody as the hero. 

Only Abby can write her own ending—will she choose her own happily-ever-after, or stay safe in her shell.?

How to Handle a Heartbreaker is the second book in the McCauley Brothers series.  Brody is the unofficial 4th McCauley brother.  He is family in every way except blood to the family.  Abby is one of the roommates that lives next door to Mike McCauley.  Brody has been fascinated with her ever since she moved in to the house with her roommates.  

I loved these two together.  I thought they fit perfectly as they are both seeking acceptance for who they are.   Brody has lived with that tiny feeling in the back of his mind that he has never really fit into the McCauley's clan.  That f they really knew his background, they wouldn't accept him anymore.  I found his lack of confidence heartbreaking and was really rooting for him to see the truth.  I loved his "deep conversation" with Flynn.  Abby writes erotic novels, yet she hides it from most people by using a pseudonym.  I felt badly for her that she didn't feel confident enough to share her passion with her family and fans.  I loved what Brody did for her in the bookstore!  

I thought this was a great addition to the series.  I will admit that one of my favorite characters from the book was the dog.  Did the ever name him?  You'll have to read the book to find out!

Stay with Me by Jennifer L. Armentrout Release Day Launch Trailer

 We are so pleased to bring you the Release Day Launch for Jennifer L. Armentrout's STAY WITH ME! STAY WITH ME is a New Adult contemporary romance being published by Avon (William Morrow), an imprint of HarperCollins, and is a part of Jennifer’s With You Saga!

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wait for You and Be with Me comes a daring tale that pushes boundaries . . . At 21, Calla hasn't done a lot of things. She’s never been kissed, never seen the ocean, never gone to an amusement park. But growing up, she witnessed some things no child ever should. She still carries the physical and emotional scars of living with a strung-out mother, Mona—secrets she keeps from everyone, including her close circle of college friends. But the safe cocoon Calla has carefully built is shattered when she discovers her mom has stolen her college money and run up a huge credit card debt in her name. Now, Calla has to go back to the small town she thought she’d left behind and clean up her mom’s mess again. Of course, when she arrives at her mother’s bar, Mona is nowhere to be found. Instead, six feet of hotness named Jackson James is pouring drinks and keeping the place humming. Sexy and intense, Jaxis in Calla’s business from the moment they meet, giving her a job and helping her search for Mona. And the way he looks at her makes it clear he wants to get horizontal . . . and maybe something more. Before Calla can let him get close, though, she’s got to deal with the pain of the past—and some very bad guys out to mess her up if she doesn't give them her mom.  

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 EXCERPT:

 As I lay there, trying to swallow a loud, obnoxious yawn, I remembered something he’d said when we first met, about life being too short. I imagined he had firsthand experience with shortened lives while he was serving. That mentality came from experience. I got that now. Could even understand it, but there was something I didn’t understand. “Why?” I asked. There was a beat. “Why what?” Jax sounded tired, and I should shut up or point out that I was now tired and could sleep, so he could leave. But I didn’t. “Why are you here? You don’t know me and . . .” I trailed off, because there really wasn’t anything left to say. A minute went by, and he hadn’t answered my question, and then I think another minute ticked on, and I was okay with him not answering because maybe he didn’t even know. Or maybe he was just bored and that was why he was here. But then he moved. Jax pressed against my back, and the next breath I took got stuck in my throat. My eyes shot open. The sheet and blanket were between us, but they felt like nothing. “What are you doing?” I asked. “Getting comfortable.” He dropped an arm over my waist, and my entire body jerked against his. “It’s time to sleep I think.” “But—” “You can’t sleep when you talk,” he remarked. “You don’t need to be all up on me,” I pointed out. His answering chuckle stirred the hair along the back of my neck. “Honey, I’m not all up on you.” I freaking begged to differ on that point. I started to wiggle away, but the arm around my waist tightened, holding me in place. “You’re not going anywhere,” he announced casually, as if he wasn’t holding me prisoner in the bed. Okay. The whole prisoner thing might be melodramatic, but he wasn’t letting me up. Not when he was getting all kinds of comfy behind me. Oh my God, this was spooning. Total spooning. I was spooning with an honorary member of the Hot Guy Brigade. Did I wake up in a parallel universe? “Sleep,” he demanded, as if the one word carried that much power. “Go to sleep, Calla.” This time his voice was softer, quieter. “Yeah, it doesn’t work that way, Jax. You have a nice voice, but it doesn’t hold the power to make me sleep on your command.” He chuckled. I rolled my eyes, but the most ridiculous thing ever was the fact that after a couple of minutes, my eyes stayed shut. I . . . I actually settled in against him. With his front pressed to my back, his long legs cradling mine, and his arm snug around my waist, I actually did feel safe. More than that, I felt something else—something I hadn’t felt in years. I felt cared for . . . cherished. Which was the epitome of dumb, because I barely knew him, but feeling that, recognizing what the warm, buzzing feeling was, I fell right asleep.



Jennifer L. Armentrout/J.Lynn Bio: # 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

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