Review – Confessions of a Reformed Tom Cat by Daisy Prescott

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I, Thomas Clifford Donnely, am a manwhore.

I’ve been told I’m irresistible to women. Like catnip for a different type of pussy-cat. I guess you could call me a Tom Cat.

This is the story about how I lost my wingman, broke all my own rules, and found myself falling in love.

Tom Donnelly isn’t the marrying kind, or the dating kind. Even after losing his #1 wingman to love, he doesn’t see the point in relationships. When his sister’s best friend returns to Whidbey Island and propositions Donnelly for a one-night stand, he breaks one of his biggest rules—no fooling around with his sisters’ friends. It’s just sex, nothing more. That’s what Tom does and does well.

What happens when “just sex” isn’t enough?

Hailey King is more than a match for Tom’s flirtations. She’s known him most of her life and has heard the rumors about his “skills” for years. When her perfectly planned future falls apart, will the last man she should ever fall for turn out to be more than a one-night stand?

BFF K’s Review

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Confession: I have a book crush on Tom Donnely! MEOW!  The Tom Cat has always been one of my favorite side characters in the Modern Love Stories series, but until this book he sort of just stalked around the edges pouncing on his prey. This story brought him front and center and then turned his world upside down. Getting a glimpse of Tom (and the whole Donnely family) was a fun ride.

As a reader, you get the chance to see a different side of Tom – he’s unassuming, loyal, humble, creative, caring and generous. Though he hides many of those qualities behind his playboy image, Hailey seems to bring those best qualities to the forefront. It is fun to watch the carefully constructed walls and persona that Tom has crafted begin to crumble before he even realizes it.

This book is FUNNY, I cracked up when I went back and read quote after highlighted quote.

“Guys move shit that needs moving. I think it’s in the sacred book of being friends, especially in the men being friends with women chapter. On page forty-two: Have a penis? Thou shall move shit.”

Tom is clever and funny and his confessions are a riot. I enjoyed the banter Tom has with his friends and Hailey and I really enjoyed his internal monologue. The sex scenes are steamy, but still painted with the “book-sex-meets-reality” humor that Daisy Prescott is so skilled at capturing! All in all Confessions of a Reformed Tom Cat is a wonderful little feel good romance that adds even more characters to the beloved world of the Modern Love Stories series. The characters and stories make this series one of my all time Besties AND most recommended. It’s my kind of catnip!

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Daisy Prescott Bio:
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Before writing bestselling contemporary adult romances, I dreamed of being an author while doing a lot of other things. Antiques dealer, baker, blue ribbon pie-maker, fangirl, freelance writer, gardener, pet mom and wife are a few of the other titles I’ve acquired over the years.

Born and raised in San Diego, I currently lives in a real life Stars Hollow in the Boston suburbs with my husband, our dog Hubbell, and an imaginary house goat.

Twitter | Facebook | Author Goodreads | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+

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That’s What She Said – Kim Holden Author Interview

Secrets.
Everyone has one.
Some are bigger than others.
And when secrets are revealed,
Some will heal you …
And some will end you.

Kate Sedgwick’s life has been anything but typical. She’s endured hardship and tragedy, but throughout it all she remains happy and optimistic (there’s a reason her best friend Gus calls her Bright Side). Kate is strong-willed, funny, smart, and musically gifted. She’s also never believed in love. So when Kate leaves San Diego to attend college in the small town of Grant, Minnesota, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with Keller Banks.

They both feel it.
But they each have a reason to fight it.
They each have a secret.

And when secrets are revealed,
Some will heal you …
And some will end you.

BFF K Gave Bright Side a 5-Rating!

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Bright Side is by far the saddest book I have ever read in my entire life. It is also one of the most uplifting stories filled with incredible characters and amazing life lessons. When I finished, I had a few questions and Kim Holden was gracious to answer those for me. I share her answers with you below in our 2nd edition of….

That’s What She Said

An Author Interview with Kim Holden

BFF K: Let’s get this out of the way….why did you write such a gut wrenching book? What was the inspiration behind the book?

KH: I really didn’t intend for it to be gut wrenching. When I started
writing Bright Side I wanted to create the most believably positive female
character I possibly could. (That’s still what the story’s all about for
me.) Halfway through the book I completely changed the storyline to what
Bright Side is today. I don’t outline, the story just evolved. It did end
up a bit heart wrenching, but I like to think of it as uplifting as well.
____________________

BFF K: Did you cry your eyes out when you were writing it?

KH: I didn’t cry while writing Bright Side, but I felt it. I felt the
emotions the characters were going through and it made me sick to my
stomach for days.

____________________

BFF K: Was Kate inspired by anyone in particular? Her perspective on life and her huge heart and her lack of judgment are inspiring!

KH: Kate is truly the person I’d like to be when I grow up. She’s a mash-up
personality-wise of all of my favorite women in my life. I’m very, very
lucky to know them.

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BFF K: Do you personally relate to Kate or are you more like one of the other characters?

KH: There’s probably a little bit of me in all of the characters. I hate
being late like Keller. I don’t generally dance unless I’ve had a few
drinks like Shelly. I tend to drive a little bit like Kate. I LOVE music
like Kate. I hate the cold like Kate. My son’s unofficial name is dude –
that’s a little Gus. And I love pretty fiercely like most of them do. 🙂

____________________

BFF K: I love the music component to the story! Do you have a playlist of songs that you listened to as you wrote the book? Are they available on Spotify?

KH: I’m obsessed with music. I listen to it all the time, but especially
when I write because it feeds emotion. The playlist is on Spotify thanks to Cristal from the Bright Side family.

Here it is:
Bright Side Playlist

(Potential Spoiler Warning)
I cannot write without music—physically, psychologically, emotionally
impossible. The writing process for this book started late 2012 and
wrapped up early 2014. These are the songs that I fell in love with for
the first time, or the hundredth time, while writing Bright Side. They
inspired the overall vibe of the story and its characters, or in some
cases they inspired very specific situations or even entire chapters.
Kate’s passion for music is my own, though I can’t play an instrument and
I’m completely tone deaf when it comes to singing. Like Kate, I LOVE me
some strings, especially in unexpected places—they make any song sexy.

And I’ve got a HUGE thing for California bands. I’m lucky to say I’ve seen
most of these bands perform live (many of them while I was writing this
book)—the rest are on my bucket list.

We Might Be Dead By Tomorrow, Soko
If Bright Side has a theme song … this is it. It’s like being privy to the
internal dialogue that goes on inside Kate’s head. Just Kate talking to
Kate. And it’s far from depressing, it’s realistic and encouraging. And
the strings … ahh the strings. They’re magical and so, so pretty.

400 Lux, Lorde
This is Kate and Gus. Their friendship. Solid. Laid-back. True. Easy.
Comfortable.

Eula, Baroness
My husband says this song is Rook. I’m not going to argue with him. When
he’s right … he’s right. It is Rook.

Sleeping Witch, Royal Thunder
I saw this band play live while I was writing Bright Side. They opened up
for Baroness and I’d never heard of them. They. Blew. Me. Away. The lead
singer’s voice is a wall of sexy, aggressive, raw power – it’s
intimidating. If Shelly had a theme song, this would be it.

Jump Into the Fog, The Wombats
The Wombats’ lyrics are smart and clever. This song is no exception. It’s
Gus.

Bug Eyes, Dredg
Dredg is the most underrated band on the planet. Bug Eyes is one of my
favorite songs. They’re also from California, so naturally Kate would love
them. Phenomenal live.

Done With Love, Teenage Bottlerocket
You’ve gotta love any song that starts with “I got shit to do.” Teenage
Bottlerocket is the best punk band around.  I’ve seen them play live many,
many times. They never disappoint.

Waiting All Night, Rudimental featuring Ella Eyre
I can see Kate, Clayton, and Shelly dancing to this song, because I can’t
sit still when I listen to it. I love the energy—it’s happy. Happy is
amazing.

Same Love, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
The first time I heard this song I was in the car with my husband and son
driving down Church Ranch Road to go to lunch on a Saturday afternoon. I
remember it vividly because we all sat in complete silence (which is hard
for P. and I) and listened to the entire song. When it was over my husband
and I just looked at each other. It was a look of agreement. A look that
said I am totally on board with everything that guy just said. I wanted to
roll down the window and scream, “Yes! This guy gets it! He gets it!” This
song is for Clayton & Morris and Romero & Dan.

Mutilate Me, Teenage Bottlerocket
Another of my favorite Bottlerocket songs. This song is for Peter and
Evelyn … from Gus … with love.

Lullaby, The Cure
I love The Cure … LOVE them. I remember hearing them for the first time
when I was in eighth grade and it literally flipped a switch inside me. It
was an epiphany. I finally understood what made music so magical and
inspirational. It fueled a lifetime love of music.

Angels, The xx
The xx is one of my favorite bands and Romy Madley Croft is my favorite
female vocalist. I could include every song they’ve ever recorded, but
chose Angels because it fit within the context of the story. It’s the
ultimate love song. This is how Kate sees Keller. If you have the chance
to see The xx live, do it!

My Song 5, Haim
This song is Kate. Everything about this song is badass. It’s confident
and doesn’t take any shit – just like Kate. This may be one of my favorite
songs of all time, I love it that much. Another California band. There
aren’t many female guitar players killing it, but Danielle Haim is. She.
Kills. Live.

Sex, The 1975
I would include every song by The 1975 on this playlist if I could because
they’re like children – hard to pick a favorite. I. LOVE. THIS. BAND.
Amazing, amazing, amazing live. This song is for Franco.

Panic Switch, Silversun Pickups
This song is controlled chaos, which makes it freaking genius. Love
everything about Silversun Pickups, but I especially love Nikki Monninger.
She is the most badass bass player ever, pretty dresses and all. And … yup
… California band.

Sweater Weather, The Neighbourhood
This song is Keller. It’s his heart and all the feelings it holds for
Kate. I listened to this CD over and over and over again while writing
this book. Yet another California band.

Nothing Left to Say, Imagine Dragons
This is the song Gus writes after finding out about Kate. This is the song
they record together. I listened to this song no less than two hundred
times in the days leading up to writing that chapter. Every time I hear it
I can see Gus in my head in the recording studio singing his heart out …
and it gives me goosebumps.

Northern Lights, Thirty Seconds to Mars
Though I love early screamer Leto (think The Kill), Mars latest album was
released while I was writing this book. This song is my favorite on the
album. It’s the oddball, and I mean that in the best possible way. And the
strings. I’ll say it again … the strings. They’re beautiful. This is the
kind of song I think Kate would write (at least in my head). And yeah, you
guessed it, California band.

Pictures of You, The Cure
Absolutely beautiful song. Breathtaking. Robert Smith is a god.

Let Her Go, Passenger
This song belongs to Gus and Keller. I heard this song for the first time
as I was working through the final few chapters in my head. I wrote those
chapters while listening to this song on repeat … repeat … repeat. It may
be the saddest song I’ve ever heard, but I love it.

Everything to Nothing, Manchester Orchestra
The title says it all. Manchester Orchestra tops my favorites list in two
catagories: best lyrics and best live performance. They’re perfect.

Favor’s Keeper, Index Case
This song is intense and desperate and passionate. And when it hits the
3:42 point hold on, because for the next three minutes it’s perfection.
This song is Gus at the end of Bright Side moving into my next book, Gus.
“And I loved you more.
Then I loved you.”
Best ending to a song ever written.

____________________

BFF K: Will there be follow-up books to Bright Side? I feel so invested in Gus, Keller, Shel, Clayton……I want to make sure they all end up ok.

KH: I’m working on Gus’s story now. It will be a follow-up to Bright Side.
I hope to release it in May.

____________________

BFF K: What is your next project(s)?

KH: See above. 🙂 After that I don’t know.

____________________

BFF K: I need massive amounts of wine and chocolate to pull my heart out of the Bright-Side-Funk. Have you taken out stock in companies that sell these items? It might be a good secondary investment strategy!

KH: Thanks for the tip. I’ll ponder that. 😉

Thank you to Kim Holden for being such a great sport about sharing her thoughts with me AND for Bright Side. I’m beyond grateful for both!

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One-Click Bright Side on Amazon

About the Author

I (Kim Holden) live in the greatest city in the world: Denver, Colorado. Some of my favorite things: reading, writing, the two coolest guys on the planet (my husband and son), my bicycle, Facebook, iced coffee, and music. I also love dreaming. And speaking of dreaming, I have a bit of advice for anyone reading this … follow your dreams. It’s never too late. Get started today … heck get started RIGHT NOW! Make your dreams reality.
I love to hear from fellow readers. Love. It. Please come find me. We’ll hang out. It’ll be fun:
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KimHoldenAuthor
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7445352.Kim_Holden
My Website https://kimholdenbooks.com

Review – Bright Side by Kim Holden

Secrets.
Everyone has one.
Some are bigger than others.
And when secrets are revealed,
Some will heal you …
And some will end you.

Kate Sedgwick’s life has been anything but typical. She’s endured hardship and tragedy, but throughout it all she remains happy and optimistic (there’s a reason her best friend Gus calls her Bright Side). Kate is strong-willed, funny, smart, and musically gifted. She’s also never believed in love. So when Kate leaves San Diego to attend college in the small town of Grant, Minnesota, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with Keller Banks.

They both feel it.
But they each have a reason to fight it.
They each have a secret.

And when secrets are revealed,
Some will heal you …
And some will end you.

 BFF K’s Review

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Bright Side is by far the saddest book I have ever read in my entire life. It is also one of the most uplifting stories filled with incredible characters and amazing life lessons.

I stayed away from this book as long as I could. I was terribly afraid, and rightly so. When a group of awesome ladies in an online book group (#VixenLove) decided to tackle this together as a group read; I agreed to join them since there would be hand-holding. Kim Holden promised lots of virtual hugs, so I jumped!

The first 60% of Bright Side flies by in a terrific way. The characters are full and rich and written in a way that you want to be them or be BFF’s with them! I developed a serious-girl-crush on Kate, and I wanted her to be my BFF. I was also supremely jealous of her to have the love and devotion of both Gus and Keller. But, she’s such an incredible person that you can see why she has a loyal band (pun intended) of friends and devotees! I was constantly so impressed with her thought process and her attitude. And the music – ohhhhh – the music!

Somewhere around 60-70%, you start to figure out what’s coming. From 70% to the end, I recommend not leaving your home. Notify your family of the impending breakdown. Prepare a soft comfy reading spot, get a full box of tissues, a trash can (to put said tissues), a glass of water (to replenish the fluids you will loose) and your book. Just know, you’re going to cry. A lot. And, when you think it can’t possibly get any sadder…..it does. But, I promise, when it’s over, it is SO worth it!

Here’s my post about Bright Side on our BFF Book Blog Facebook page. My eyes actually looked worse than this. I’ve never been such a wreck over a fictional ‘event.’

Post by BFF Book Blog.

 

(The next morning, I messaged Kim Holden and she graciously agreed to an author interview, which I will be posting after this review. I’m so grateful to her for taking part in our 2nd edition of “That’s What She Said”! She’s delightful.)

Bright Side is the very first book character that inspires me to be a better person. I want to look at life with the same lens Kate uses. And, I want to approach people with the warmth, compassion and understanding that Kate offers to everyone she encounters. I want my life (and the way I live it) to have impact and meaning for those that matter the most to me. I want to live on the Bright Side and Do Epic!

I’ve recommended the book to several friends and family. Every person who’s read it RAVES about it. I owe a HUGE thank you to the Vixens who gave me the support and encouragement I needed to take the plunge. If you’re scared to jump in, message me on Facebook and I’ll be happy to talk you through it/hold your hand!

Prepare. Be Brave. Read Bright Side!

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I know that HERO is listed twice…..Once for Keller and once for Gus! <3

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One-Click Bright Side on Amazon

About the Author

I (Kim Holden) live in the greatest city in the world: Denver, Colorado. Some of my favorite things: reading, writing, the two coolest guys on the planet (my husband and son), my bicycle, Facebook, iced coffee, and music. I also love dreaming. And speaking of dreaming, I have a bit of advice for anyone reading this … follow your dreams. It’s never too late. Get started today … heck get started RIGHT NOW! Make your dreams reality.
I love to hear from fellow readers. Love. It. Please come find me. We’ll hang out. It’ll be fun:
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KimHoldenAuthor
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7445352.Kim_Holden
My Website https://kimholdenbooks.com

New Release – Collateral Damage – Elisabeth Grace

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 This is on my TBR list and I can’t wait to check it out – soon!

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About COLLATERAL DAMAGE

Now trending

Hollywood It Girl, Francesca Leon, has just landed the biggest role of her career…one that could clinch an Oscar nomination and open doors. If she’s going to move her career to the next level and work with top directors, she has to nail this part — and keep her sexy, but unreliable leading man from screwing everything up.

Team Calder

Bad boy Calder Fox is the son of Hollywood royalty and fresh out of rehab after his best friend’s death sent him on a downward spiral of drugs and alcohol. While his fans still love him and the paparazzi stalk him, he’s never taken life, or anything about his career, seriously. He may be charming and drop-dead gorgeous, but if he doesn’t stay sober, he could ruin Frankie’s future and expose her long-hidden family secret to the voracious media.

Behind the scenes

Things heat up during filming and have the potential to become hotter, deeper, and much more real. But can Frankie trust Calder with her secret? Or is he doomed to sabotage his own happiness yet again?

COLLATERAL DAMAGE releases February 19th – add it to your Goodreads list here!

You can read an excerpt on Heroes & Heartbreakers!

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo – links coming soon

Giveaway

Elisabeth is giving away a $10 Amazon giftcard – you can enter on the Rafflecopter below!

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Newsletter

Be sure to sign up for Elisabeth Grace’s newsletter – she’s releasing a new chapter of BUILT TO LAST every two weeks, which will be available to newsletter subscribers only as she writes it!

Connect with Elisabeth Grace

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If you’re US based and you want to receive a text message when Elisabeth has a new book go LIVE, text ROMANCE to 313131!

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Review of New Release – Lure by Alyssa Rose Ivy

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LURE is the first novel in her New Adult Paranormal Romance series The Allure Chronicles! Make sure you grab the prequel novella, SEDUCTION’S KISS, while it is FREE for a limited time!!!

 

LURE

There’s danger in the beauty…

Two years, six months, and twenty-five days. That’s how long it had been since I’d seen my winged hero— not that I’d been counting. I’d suffered through years of counseling just to convince my friends and family that I wasn’t crazy and knew he didn’t exist.

But he did. And I was done waiting.

Days after college graduation I headed back down to New Orleans to retrace my steps and find Owen again only to find my life was about to get even crazier… thanks to the most beautiful and dangerous of all paranormal creatures, the Allures.

BFF K’s Review

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Alyssa Rose Ivy has created a fantastic new world! It was so much fun to read a great new paranormal romance series; and this one has a little bit of everything. Vampires, shifters, heroes with beautiful black wings and beings that prey on human emotions – I am loving all of these incredible paranormal creatures.

I feel like Seduction’s Kiss (which I read before I started Lure, and you should too) and Lure both set the foundation for the rest of the series while establishing a fantastic romance between Owen and Daisy. If you’re a fan of paranormal romance, you’ll definitely want to check out this terrific new series. The only problem – you’ll have to wait (get in line behind me) for the next book in this new series to be released. UGH – the wait!

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Excerpt

(This was BFF K’s favorite part in the book!)

We stood awkwardly for another moment before I had to break the silence. “It’s been a while.”

“Two and a half years.”

“I thought about you the past few Halloweens.”

“I thought about you more than that. It’s actually pretty humiliating now that I’m standing in the same room with you. I don’t know what I was thinking.” She looked away.

“I lied.”

“About?”

I walked toward her. I had to wipe that regret off her face. “I thought about you a lot more than just Halloween.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” I stopped right in front of her. “You were very memorable.”

“So were you.” She licked her lips. Again with the lips.

“I probably should ask you a million questions right now, but would it be okay if we put those off and did something else?”

“I guess that depends on what else you want to do?” Her eyes widened slightly.

“I want to kiss you.”

“I’m okay with that.” Her eyes seemed to sparkle.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

I didn’t wait for her to change her mind. I brushed my lips against hers gently. I was going to keep it short, but I had to know if I was glorifying the last kiss.

She moved her lips against mine, and any thoughts of keeping it short disappeared. I wrapped my arms around her as I deepened the kiss, greedily pushing for access beyond those irresistible lips of hers. She opened up, welcoming me in with the same intoxicating taste as she had the last time.

She moaned, encouraging me to continue the kiss. I didn’t need the encouragement. I lifted her up and carried her over to the couch. I sat down, settling her on my lap. I needed her close, closer than standing would allow.

Her fingers tangled in my hair as she let me explore her mouth. My hands ached to explore more, but I didn’t want to rush it. I’d waited over two years to taste her lips again, and I was going to enjoy every second of it.

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Don’t miss SEDUCTION’S KISS, the prequel novella to Lure (The Allure Chronicles #1)…

Seductions Kiss

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Alyssa Rose Ivy- Author PhotoAbout Alyssa Rose Ivy:

Alyssa Rose Ivy is a New Adult and Young Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.

 

 

 

 

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LURE Available now

Cover Reveal – Black Number Four by Kandi Steiner


Known as one of the youngest and most ambitious poker players in the country, Skyler Thorne has a reputation to uphold in Vegas this year. Her sole focus for spring semester is to perfect her game and get tournament ready – and have some fun with her sorority sisters, of course. Meeting a care-free pledge with incredible arms adds a whole new element of fun to her semester, but when a shocking discovery about his past surfaces, Skyler finds herself stuck in a game she wasn’t prepared to play.

Kip Jackson is on a mission from his father. His plan was to get in, have a little fun, and then get out – on to bigger and better things. A feisty girl with bright blue eyes wasn’t on his list of things to do, but she quickly moves her way up to the very top. When he realizes completing his dad’s mission means crushing her in the process, he must decide if his dreams are worth the risk – or if he even has the same dreams, at all.

Two secrets. Two hearts. Two hands being played in one twisted game of deceit.

When the cards are on the table, will anyone be left standing?

The perfect poker face can only hide them for so long.

Pre-Order Black Number Four

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Excerpt from Black Number Four

There are three things you should know about me.
One, I can read a bluff like a neon street sign. Everyone gives themselves away in some form of a twitch or another, and after a few rounds at the table with me, I can guarantee I’ll know yours. So, throw your best fake smile or confident wink at me, but just know I can see right through you – and we both know there’s no sense in betting all your chips with nothing but a Jack high in your hands.
Two, I have the best poker face in the game. I’ll make you think you’re reading me, show a little sign of being nervous maybe or bite my lip in anticipation of the river, but it’s all part of the plan. I’m building you up to expect the wind to blow one way just so I can pull out an industrial size fan and send your shit flying just the opposite. And if by chance you do get to me, you won’t know – because I don’t let it show, not even a little. If anything, I’ll make you think you actually played right into my hand – making you the nervous one, in turn. The key to a killer poker face is to strip your soul of all emotion and show only what you purposefully want the other person to see. And trust me – I’m the lead singer in the band of No Emotion.
Number three and, perhaps, the most important thing to know about me is this: I know when to fold. I know when to hang in tough, when to push my luck, when to bluff my ass out of a tight situation and when to throw the cards down and run as fast as I can in the other direction. In poker and in life, it’s all about knowing the game you’re playing and how you stand up to the competition. And pace – you have to know when to push and when to sit back and let it ride. Now don’t get me wrong – I hate throwing in the towel as much as any other competitive, adrenaline chasing poker junkie, but I’ve learned even in my short time in the game that there are some hands you just don’t mess with… some cards that forever trump others.
All three of these things are true. If you asked any sports reporter, any poker analyst, any pro standing around watching the final table of this tournament right now – they would tell you all three of these things about me and maybe add in a few notes of their own. Which is why I can’t understand why my hands are trembling, why my skin is slick with a film of sweat as I drop any shred of a poker face I have left and push the remainder of my chips forward – toward the one person who managed to get under my skin, to break me down, to change the game, to flip me on my ass and toss every rule I’ve ever had into a massive wood chipper, leaving me with nothing but the shavings.
The last thing I see before I close my eyes and give one final push of the chips toward the center of the table are the burning blue eyes that will forever haunt me, forever remind me that – even when we think we have a game completely mastered – there’s always the possibility that Chance and his brother, Luck, will show up and utterly screw everything.
“All in.”


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About the Author

Kandi Steiner is a Creative Writing and Advertising/Public Relations graduate from the University of Central Florida living in Tampa with her husband. Kandi works full time as a social media specialist, but also works part time as a Zumba fitness instructor and blackjack dealer.

Kandi started writing back in the 4th grade after reading the first Harry Potter installment. In 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.” She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a die hard hopeless romantic (like most girls brought up on Disney movies).

When Kandi isn’t working or writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, talking with her extremely vocal cat, and spending time with her friends and family. She enjoys beach days, movie marathons, live music, craft beer and sweet wine – not necessarily in that order.

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Austin Book Fest Giveaway

Austin Bound!

I’m attending Austin Book Fest on March 7, 2015. This is an incredible event and the lineup of outstanding authors blows my mind: Colleen Hoover, Tarryn Fisher, K Bromberg, Heather Lyons, R.S. Grey, Amy Bartol, Karina Halle, Daisy Prescott, Rachel Hollis, Jennifer Armentrout and so many, many more!

You will not believe the stack of books that I’ve amassed to take with me. I’m looking forward to meeting so many of my favorite authors and getting a chance to discover more! But, since I already have a HUGE stack of books, what’s one more for you?

You can win one signed copy of any one book published by an author attending ABF. The book must printed and available for delivery on or before February 14, 2015. The book will be signed but may or may not be personalized. I’ll get it signed for you and ship it out when I get back from ABF!

This giveaway is open to US Residents only. (Sorry!) If you have any questions, comment or contact us!

 

Good Luck!

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***BFF Book Blog is solely responsible for this giveaway. It is not affiliated with any of the authors or organizers for Austin Book Fest.

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Review – The Grown Ups by Robin Antalek

From Robin Antalek, author of The Summer We Fell Apart, comes an evocative and emotionally resonant coming-of-age novel involving three friends who explore what it means to be happy, what it means to grow up, and the difficulties in doing both together. Spanning over a decade, and told in alternating voices, The Grown Ups explores the indelible bonds between friends and family and the challenges that threaten to divide them. It is the addictive and moving story of these old friends who wind up confronting their past in order to find happiness in their adult lives that make this novel an anticipated winter release.

Sam Turner, the summer he turns 15, feels lucky enough to enjoy the unexpected attention of his friend Suzie Epstein, even though it’s only a few secret months. For reasons Sam doesn’t entirely understand—and will never question—the budding relationship is kept hidden from their close circle of friends. But before their summer tans can even start to fade, Sam’s world unexpectedly shatters twice: Suzie’s parents are moving away to save their marriage, and his own mother has suddenly left the house, leaving Sam’s father alone to raise two sons.

Watching as her parents’ marital troubles escalate, Suzie Epstein takes on the responsibility of raising her two younger brothers while simultaneously planning an early escape to college to seek independence. Though she occasionally thinks of Sam, it’s her oldest friend Bella Spade she finds herself missing. Embarrassed by the destructive wake of her parents as they left the only place Suzie could call home, Suzie makes no attempt to reconnect with the one person she needs. Its years later that a chance meeting with Sam’s older brother Michael will reunite her with both Sam and Bella—finally forcing her to confront her friends, her past and what she left behind.

After losing Suzie, Bella surprisingly finds her first real love in Sam. But his inability to commit to her or even his own future eventually drives them apart. Watching Suzie and Michael as they seem to have worked it all out, Bella’s only to wonder where she went wrong and how to make it right.

BFF K’s Review

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Multiple characters, multiple points of view, spanning several years. The Grown Ups is one of those reads that builds characters and layers experiences and emotions one on top of the other over the span of the most formative years in life and leaves the reader raw and aching for the beautiful insights that turn the every day into the extraordinary.

The Grown Ups is told from the point of view of three major characters who grew up together in a neighborhood filled with children and families and drama. This is the kind of idyllic setting that would lead you to think there are perfect families behind all of the closed doors. But, you get a glimpse into dysfunctional marriages, illnesses and experiences that impact the development and maturation of the children in those neighborhoods. This is a story that shows how simple it is for several people to share similar, or even the same experiences, yet interpret them completely differently as they use their own filter and experiences to make sense of their worlds.

The hallmark of this book is the incredibly rich and deep characters that are built. You will fall in love with Sam, ache with Bella and share the joys and heartaches of Suzie. It’s a beautifully written book that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

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(I know that character development is there twice. It is really the highlight of the book and it’s really that good!)

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Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes | iTunes | IndieBound

Excerpt

Mrs. Spade died in the winter of their junior year of college and they all returned home for the funeral.

Bella had called from Vassar to tell Sam. He’d picked up the phone and heard his name and then nothing, just a rush of air across the wires followed by what sounded like a far away howling. Bella and Sam had continued, despite distance and any real commitment, to find their way back to each other. She surprised him first at school, showing up at his door, and they had fallen back onto his twin mattress as if they were starving.   It felt exotic, somehow, to be in a place where no one knew them as a couple. To hold hands as they shared crummy food off Sam’s meal ticket at the dining hall, to drink dollar pitchers at The Rat, to wake up next to each other and have sex without talking, like they had the map of what they liked inked indelibly in their brains. By the time Sam’s roommate returned from his girlfriend’s place, the weekend ended, the buzz would wear off, and Sam would think they wouldn’t do it again. Until one of them showed up on the doorstep of the other’s room and it started up all over again. Sam thought this thing with Bella was casual, comfortable. They had never labeled what they were or talked about where it was going. He thought that was what they both wanted. Or maybe they were just too scared to bring it up. Sam liked things the way they were until something like this happened, and he had no idea how to act or what they meant to each other.

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About the Author

Robin Antalek is the author of The Summer We Fell Apart. Her nonfiction writing has been published in literary journals and in several collections, including The Beautiful Anthology; Writing off Script: Writers on the Influence of Cinema; and The Weeklings: Revolution #1 Selected Essays 2012-1013. Her short fiction has appeared in 52 Stories, Five Chapters, Sun Dog, The Southeast Review, and Literary Mama among others. She lives in Saratoga Springs, New York.

 

Author Links: Website | Tumblr | Facebook | Goodreads

Review – Floored by Melanie Harlow

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The new release of Floored has it all! Be sure to read through the end of this post!

Review, Excerpt, Links to reviews of the other books in the series AND a Giveaway!

Erin Upton is too embarrassed to tell the cops what she was really doing while her townhouse was burglarized, especially since the first officer on the scene is former nuisance next door Charlie Dwyer. Where’s the justice in the world when a neighborhood know-it-all grows up to be six-foot-three inches of solid muscle with gorgeous green eyes and a slow, sexy please-arrest-me-now-officer smile? It’s bad enough she’s wearing her robe and slippers—did he have to notice her fuzzy hand cuffs on the bathroom sink?

He’s arrogant as he ever was, which is fine by her—she’s too busy with her dance studio’s grand opening to make time for a man. But they keep crossing paths, and

when Charlie offers to help her put in new flooring at the studio one night, things go from hammering nails to hammering each other in a hurry. And about those hand cuffs…

They agree it’s a one-time thing. But when that becomes a two-time thing, then a three-time thing, Erin starts to wonder if maybe she and Charlie could be a life-time thing. Her best friends Mia and Coco found love in unexpected places. Is it finally her turn?

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BFF K’s Review

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There’s no doubt in my mind that Melanie Harlow saved the very best story for the end of the Frenched series! I absolutely adored the story of Erin and Charlie. It’s sweet and steamy. I loved Erin! When I started the book I felt like she was really the least known and understood of the Frenched series heroines. She had made appearances in the other books, but I didn’t feel like I really knew her.

I really loved getting inside Erin’s head. She was a great character with a good heart and wonderful intentions. And, she proved a worthy partner for new-comer Charlie. Swoon! Charlie is absolutely charming and endearing. Woooo – can he bring the steam with his dirty mouth and big ideas! One of my favorite parts was how Charlie teases Erin. He brings out a lighter side for her and it was fun to read.

AND – the epilogue was a bright bow on the wonderful present that has been the Frenched series!

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Read BFF K’s Reviews for the Frenched Series

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Floored Excerpt

I waited under my covers the entire time the police were checking the house, about twenty minutes. I had the phone under there with me, and I called both Mia and Coco, but neither of them answered their phones. I left messages, telling them what happened and begging both of them to call me back. I would’ve called my mother, but she’d left this morning for a twelve-day religious pilgrimage to Spain. I should have gone with her, like she wanted me to. Now God is punishing me! He knows I have unholy thoughts about Brad Pitt (a married man!) and now I have to pay for it!

A knock sounded on my locked bedroom door, making me jump.

“Ma’am? We’ve checked the house. There’s no one here.” The officer’s voice was deep and reassuring. “When you’re ready, we’d like to speak with you. We’ll wait in the kitchen.”

I peeked out from the covers, eyeing the door suspiciously. “How do I know you’re really the police and not the intruder?”

“Well, you could open the door and take a look at me in uniform.”

“No way. Slide your badge under the door or something.” That’s what they did in the movies, right?

“Come on, Erin. Open the door.”

“No. And how do you know my name?”

“The police department has all kinds of useful information, like who lives where. Either that or I’m psychic.”

I made a face at the door. Did I know this guy? His voice was familiar somehow, but I couldn’t think of who it could be. “I’m not in the mood for jokes.”

“You never did have much of a sense of humor. Now come on out and see me in uniform. I think you’ll be impressed. The ladies usually are.”

My jaw dropped. Who on earth was this? Curiosity got the better of me, and I threw the covers off and jumped out of bed. In front of the door I paused for a second, my hand on the handle, thinking that if it was a scary hairy madman I’d be ready to give him a great big grand battement to the balls. Then I turned the handle and yanked it open.

Oh dear.

Oh dear.

The crazy thing was, he was so handsome I had the fleeting thought this whole burglary thing was a hoax and this “cop” was actually a stripper. For a second I just stared at him, half expecting him to rip open his shirt at the chest and start gyrating.

Confession: I really, really wished he would. (For a couple of reasons.)

But he didn’t.

“Have I changed that much, Red?”

It hit me. “Oh my God. Charlie Dwyer. You’re a cop?”

He smiled, and if he hadn’t been such a turd when we were younger, I might have melted right there at his feet. As it was, I could only shake my head in disbelief at this nightmare—not only had more than two thousand dollars’ worth of electronics been stolen from my townhouse while I was upstairs getting myself off, but here to protect me was the bully next door who’d kidnapped my hamster for ransom and held up my charity lemonade stand with a Taser. And he was drop-dead gorgeous! Where was the justice in the world?

 GIVEAWAY

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About the Author

Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her lipstick red, and her history with the naughty bits left in. She lifts her glass to readers and writers from her home near Detroit, MI.

Website:        http://www.melanieharlow.com/

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMelanieHarlow

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7095467.Melanie_Harlow?from_search=true

Twitter:           https://twitter.com/MelanieHarlow2

Cover Reveal – Intercepted by Emma Hart

Release Day arrives on April 13

for Emma Hart’s final book in the By His Game Series

INTERCEPTED EMMA HART ITUNES EBOOK COVER

Four people. Four goals. Four endings.

In the third and final book of the USA Today bestselling By His Game series, the rules of the game no one knew they’d have to play are blurring, and when the past becomes the opposing team, hearts aren’t the only thing at stake of being lost…

Finding naked pictures of her best friend on her boyfriend’s phone wasn’t in Everleigh White’s five year plan. Neither was moving back to Los Angeles, the city of dreams that never managed to make hers come true. There’s only so many years you can be in love with your best friend before you realize he’s never going to love you back, after all. If only her ex would stop showing up at the gym where she works, she’d be much happier.

Being a father at nineteen wasn’t how Reid North, the Vipers’ wide receiver, imagined his life going, but when his ex-girlfriend tricked him into parenthood, he accepted it. Eventually. Now, with his ex on the verge of being released from prison, he’s holding onto full custody of his seven year old son, Leo. Football and Leo have left Reid no time for dating… Until Everleigh comes back.

His best friend his whole life, Everleigh never knew Reid loved her. She left before he could tell her. Now she’s back in front of him, and he’s not letting go. Even if all he gets is her friendship again. But in a city like L.A., dreams come true when you’re least expecting it.

So do nightmares.

With their exes beating down their doors with demands and explanations, their hesitant and building relationship is threatened at every corner. They’re at serious risk of being intercepted by the past, and that’s a ball Reid is determined to catch.

Except desperation can lead to stupidity—and Reid soon realizes he can’t catch every ball, no matter how perfectly it’s thrown to him. This time a fumble could cost more than a few points.

It could cost him everything.

 

(INTERCEPTED is the third and final book in the By His Game series and can be read as a standalone, although it is advised to read BLINDSIDED and SIDELINED before, in this order.)

ADD TO GOODREADS

EXCERPT

I follow him down the sidewalk, feeling a little antsy. I mean, he looks like Reid. Okay, an older Reid, but still Reid. He sounds like Reid, he acts like Reid, but he… feels like someone else. He doesn’t feel like the guy who dragged me out from behind curtains at parties and forced me to the dance, or the guy who begged me to go to his high school and college football games because he insisted he always caught better when I was there.

He feels… rawer. Realer. Rougher.

And I’m terrified.

He was always the one person I struggled to say no to. It was his eyes, and his smile, and the fact that I was crazy fucking in love with him. I’m afraid that now, although four years have passed, that I won’t be able to say no, either

That much is obvious by the fact I’m standing outside a sandwich shop I’ve never seen in my life.

“Trust me,” Reid says, smiling as he pushes the door open.

I stare at him flatly. Still, I follow him in like a little puppy because I’m always game for a good sandwich.

“Two meatball subs,” Reid orders. “Both toasted with cheese, but one with extra cheese. No salad or sauces on either.” Order done, he looks back at me and winks.

God. He even remembers the sandwich.

“This isn’t good for my diet,” I mutter, following him along the counter to the register.

“Or mine.” He smirks, glancing at me and running his eyes over my body. “And for what it’s worth, you could probably have another cheat day without it making a difference.”

I hit his arm again. “Shut up. You can’t perve on me. It’s wrong.”

“That’s what you think.” He hands over twenty bucks and raise his eyebrow at me. Then, leaning in, he whispers, “My cock thinks different, Ever.”

I swallow. Well, shit. How am I supposed to respond to that?

I’m not. That’s right. I’m not.

I take my warm sandwich from the counter and grip it tightly, heading toward a table in the corner. I slide into the seat against the wall and unwrap my sandwich at a snail’s pace. Each crinkle of the paper surrounding it seems ten times louder than normal as I studiously ignore Reid’s bulky, muscular form sitting opposite me.

Dammit. I shouldn’t be attracted to him. I shouldn’t consider being attracted to him.

Sure, I was before. In the ‘you’re handsome, be my Prince Charming’ kinda way. Now, though? Now it’s a, ‘holy crap, rip off my clothes and ravish me on your backseat!’ kinda attracted.

I’m not saying either way is bad. I’m just saying that I would prefer for the first type of attracted.

I bite into the sandwich so I don’t have to talk to him. But, apparently, he doesn’t get the message.

“I didn’t know you worked at the gym.”

I swallow. “You say it like it’s the only gym in Los Angeles.”

“It’s just… the gym.” He smirks. He studies me for a second before the curve turns downward. “Why’d you leave, Ev?”

“You knew I was going.”

“Sure I did. I just didn’t know you were going Casper on my ass and fucking off without a word.”

My eyes fall and I focus on my sandwich. Carelessly, I pick at the top of the bread. “I had my reasons, okay? It was easier for me if the media didn’t follow me so intently. You know they thought I was going to star on Broadway instead of college.”

“God, you’re a damn shit liar, Everleigh White.”

“It’s the truth, Reid, okay? They were all up in Dad’s business because of the Hartman movie, and when those Broadway rumors started it was bullshit. I ran without anyone knowing so they wouldn’t follow me. It lasted a week, but I didn’t have them timing my pees on the plane so there we go.” I glance up. “Believe me, okay? I’m not lying.” Not entirely, anyway.

“Whenever you’ve told me you’re not lying, you’ve been lying.” The force of his gaze makes me look up. “I still fucking know you, Ever. You haven’t changed a single damn bit.”

“And you still can’t control your f-bomb,” I shoot back.

“Says the girl who drops it like she drops the word ‘hi’ at a high school reunion.”

“Kiss my ass.”

“You offerin’, firecracker?”

“You taking me up on it?”

“I could flip you over this table in a second and you know it.”

I narrow my eyes and grab my half-eaten sandwich. Standing, I reach toward the trashcan and slam the screwed-up package into it, leaving the lid to slam down as I turn on my heel and head for the door.

Reid says nothing. But he follows me. I hear his footsteps against the tiled floor of the sandwich place, and he grabs the door the second I let it go, stopping it from slamming.

My feet pound against the sidewalk. Jesus, I don’t remember him being this so fucking infuriating before. Was he this demanding? Or frustrating? Or goddamned annoying?

Hell to it all. Was he this fucking sexy?

No, siree. No, he was not.

And that’s the frickin’ problem.

 

From Emma Hart, the New York Times bestselling author of the
Game series, comes a brand new series where the game is realer, the tension is
tighter, the sex is hotter, and the stakes are the highest of all…

 

Two people. Two agendas. Two games.

What happens when the out-there It-Boy of football meets the secret It-Girl of fashion?

As the daughter of Hollywood’s sweetheart, Leah Veronica can’t even buy a coffee without finding her face on a magazine stand, so it’s no wonder she’s launching her first fashion line in secret. With it debuting at New York Fashion Week in just under a month, extra time in the spotlight is the last thing she needs.

The son of the best quarterback the league has ever seen, filling legendary shoes as the L.A. Vipers’ quarterback was inevitable for Corey Jackson. So was meeting Leah Veronica—the first girl to hand him his ass without putting a hair out of place.

Getting the handsome, prickly blonde into his bed becomes his number one goal. But getting the sexy, over-confident footballer the hell away from her becomes Leah’s—at least until she realizes the best way to do that is to give him what he wants.

If only it was that simple.

When Corey discovers who she is, and private photos of Hollywood’s finest find their way online, everything they thought they knew is thrown into disarray.

And when secrets are exposed and hearts are shattered, they have to figure out if they’ve been blindsided by love or reality, and if it’s worth running the extra yard to win the game they never meant to play.

 

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Three people. Three motives. Three reasons.

When the game leaves the field in the second book in the USA Today bestselling BY HIS GAME series and mixes with sex, lies, and betrayal, the future isn’t the only thing on the line…
Macey Kelly has sworn off men. Unless they’re going to zip in and out of her apartment—and her vagina—quicker than they can give her an orgasm, she’s not interested. Finding out her boyfriend of three years got her cousin pregnant was a total confidence knock. Luckily for Macey, confidence is
something she has in abundance, so all Mitch’s asshole move did was make her pretty cynical toward men.
The last thing Jack Carr needs at the start of the season is for a dark-haired, sexy as sin, gyspyesque beauty to be consuming his thoughts. Football is his life, which leaves no time for girls. Unless they’re the love ‘em and leave ‘em girls. Becoming one of the best running backs the league has ever seen by racking up the yards is his top priority… not bedding Macey Kelly, despite her affinity for blow jobs and total sexual abandon. Avoiding each other is the perfect solution, but when your best friends are in a serious living together kind of relationship, that isn’t always an option. Sometimes, sex on tap is the easiest option. And the sweetest.
Until Mitch shows up with a bombshell that could shatter Macey’s perfectly carved out life. It’s been a year, but he isn’t giving her up, not now he has a chance at winning her back. And he knows her buttons. Every single one of them.
Unfortunately for him, Jack Carr isn’t a loser. The star running back has his eye on the Vince Lombardi—and on Macey. But seeing her hanging between them both isn’t something he’s down with, not when he discovers why she’s so against anything more-ish, as she puts it.Macey quickly realizes she’s the ball being passed between two desperate yet opposing teams, and that only one of them can score the touchdown. But will the winner be the guy she lived with and loved for three years, or will the winner be the guy who understands her and makes her body come alive?
In this game, someone will be sidelined, and calling the play isn’t always as easy as it seems.
(SIDELINED is a full-length, standalone novel. It’s not necessary to read BLINDSIDED before this book, but it is advised.)
RELEASE DAY: MARCH 2, 2015

 

By day, New York Times and USA Today bestselling New Adult author Emma Hart dons a cape and calls herself Super Mum to two beautiful little monsters. By night, she drops the cape, pours a glass of whatever she fancies – usually wine – and writes books.

 

Emma is working on Top Secret projects she will share with her followers and fans at every available opportunity. Naturally, all Top Secret projects involve a dashingly hot guy who likes to forget to wear a shirt, a sprinkling (or several) of hold-onto-your-panties hot scenes, and a whole lotta love.
She likes to be busy – unless busy involves doing the dishes, but that seems to be when all the ideas come to life.