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Lost and Found (Masters and Mercenaries: The Forgotten #2) by Lexi Blake-Review & Excerpt Tour

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Lost and Found (Masters and Mercenaries: The Forgotten #2) by Lexi Blake-Review and Excerpt Tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / ibooks /Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 26, 2019

Owen Shaw and his “brothers” lost everything, their entire existence erased. Science had robbed he and all the Lost Boys of their memories and their past, but not their future. Hunted by every intelligence agency in the world, they are focused on two goals: find a cure for what was done to them and ensure that the technology that ruined their lives doesn’t get out into the world. Rebecca Walsh might be the key to achieving both. Owen has been studying her closely, living in her building, and he cannot resolve how such a beautiful, giving woman could have helped design the evil process that destroyed his past.

Dr. Rebecca Walsh has dedicated her life to researching the secrets of the mind. Her atmospheric rise in her field was fueled by the horror of watching her mother’s agonizing journey into madness at the hands of a disease with no cure. She vowed to never rest until she finds it. But obsession takes a heavy toll, and when Owen moves into her building she realizes how much of her life she has missed out on. Owen opens her eyes to a whole new world, filled with joy, laughter, and possibly love.

Owen and Rebecca grow closer, unraveling more about each other and the mysteries surrounding her connection to Hope McDonald. As the sinister forces working against the Lost Boys descend on Toronto, secrets long buried are uncovered that could shatter the bonds holding the Lost Boys together and cost Rebecca her life.

•••••••••

REVIEW: LOST AND FOUND is the second instalment in Lexi Blake’s contemporary, adult MASTERS AND MERCENARIES: The Forgotten erotic, romantic suspense series focusing on six former military soldiers (Jax, Dante, Sasha, Tucker, Owen and Robert) whose minds and lives were eradicated and erased. This is Scotsman and former SAS soldier, Owen Shaw, and Dr. Rebecca Walsh’s story line. The Forgotten is a spin-off from the author’s Masters and Mercenaries series, and the characters were first introduced and play an important throughout the original series.

NOTE: If you have not read Lexi Blake’s original Masters and Mercenaries series, their may be some confusion as it pertains to the Lost Boys and their backstory.

SOME BACKGROUND: Several months earlier, the mercenaries from the McKay-Taggart Black Ops group rescued, from an unauthorized military lab, run by Dr. Hope McDonald, six men they labelled the ‘Lost Boys’. With their memories wiped clean, no ID, and no traceable DNA, the Lost Boys were essentially ‘new born’ soldiers trained to kill and destroy. The Forgotten are their stories.

Told from several third person perspectives including Owen and Rebecca LOST AND FOUND follows Owen Shaw as he is tasked with learning as much information about their target-Dr. Rebecca Walsh- a research scientist once known to have worked alongside Dr. Hope McDonald. Now working in Toronto Canada, Rebecca Walsh is unaware of the ramifications of her earlier research and tests, tests that may have included wiping the memories of innocent men. Hoping to have made a clean break from her past, Rebecca will soon discover that she has been targeted by more than one source including the man with whom she will fall in love. As the relationship between Owen and Rebecca continues to build, the truth will be revealed leaving Rebecca wondering if everything she knows and was told is a lie. What ensues is the building relationship and romance between Rebecca and Owen, and the fall-out as Rebecca and the ‘Lost Boys’ continue to be targeted for who they are and what they know.

Owen Shaw has no idea of the who and what of his previous life but suspects the truth may send all of the ‘Lost Boys’ spiralling out of control. With flashes of memory from his past, Owen struggles with the realization that he couldn’t save the people he loved, regardless of the promises made or the expectations met. Meeting Rebecca Walsh, an assignment and nothing more, gave Owen a hope for the future but a future with too many unanswered questions, secrets and lies. Rebecca Walsh had only ever wanted to discover a cure for Alzheimer’s and dementia, a disease that took the life of her beloved mother. But like all research there comes the good and the bad, and it is Rebecca’s knowledge of what was that makes her a target on so many levels.

The relationship between Owen and Rebecca begins as a lie. Owen is assigned to get up close with our story line heroine never expecting to fall in love. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate with some scenes of light discipline and spanking.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful secondary and supporting characters including Owen’s Lost Boy brothers: Jax and his significant other River: Dante, Sasha, Tucker, and Robert, as well as Big Tag; Theo Taggart and Erin Argent, Nick and Hayley, and Ezra Fain. The requisite evil has many faces including the continuing struggles with Levi Green. I have only touched the tip of the proverbial iceberg with the number of characters and familiar faces. Once again, there may be some confusion as it pertains to the names, nicknames and former names of several agents, soldiers and lost boys.

LOST AND FOUND is a story of betrayal, secrets and lies; family, friendship, hope and loss. The premise is intriguing and energetic; the characters are charismatic, strong, broken and hopeful; the romance is seductive and intense. LOST AND FOUND follows the lives of six men who against the odds, have survived to fight another day.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one -MEMENTO MORI

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

“Becca.” Owen’s voice was low. “Concentrate on me, on our conversation. You’ve done incredibly well. You’ve been able to hold it off, but this has gone on far longer than you ever should have been expected to handle it. This elevator is tight. I feel it, too, but we can hold off the anxiety together.”
She doubted very much the man in front of her was anxious. He looked solid, like the kind of man who took whatever came his way and simply dealt with it. He wouldn’t have needed two freaking years to figure out what he wanted. He would have signed his divorce papers and moved on, not hiding in his work.
It struck her forcibly that she might never have met a man like Owen Shaw. Her childhood had been fairly sheltered. She’d constantly been surrounded by intellectuals, men and women who were far more concerned with their work than anything else.
The ground beneath her shifted and the elevator dropped what felt like ten feet, but she knew in her head it was mere inches. Her heart rate tripled, and she grabbed on to the closest thing she could—him.
His arms went around her, holding her up, and she heard it. He was so tall that her head naturally rested on his chest, and she could hear his heart beating in rapid time.
He was nervous.
The phone rang and Owen cursed, reaching out to grab it. The shaft was so small, he didn’t have to let her go to grasp it.
“What the bloody hell is happening, Colin?”
She could hear his voice over the line. “Sorry. So sorry. We had to lower the shaft the tiniest bit. I should have warned you. It’s not going to fall. Just needed to reposition to get to the problem. Not long now. Another half an hour or so and I’ll have you right out of there.”
“If you do that again, do you know what I’m going to do to you, Colin?”
There was a pause over the line and she could practically hear Colin’s gulp. “Write my father a tersely worded letter of complaint?”
“No, I’m going to pull your heart out through your throat and then I’ll shove it back up your arse.”
“You sound very much like Liam Neeson in that movie.”
“Liam Neeson is Irish. I’m a Scot. I assure you what I’ll do to you will make you run into Liam Neeson’s arms and beg him to save you.” He reached back and hung up the phone with a resounding clang.
His arm went back around her. “It’s going to be all right. They’ll move faster now. So you’ve taken a sabbatical from men.”
She breathed him in, loving how he smelled. Were men supposed to smell so good?
She could feel herself relax as he held her. She’d known him for three hours. She shouldn’t let him hold her like this.
And why the fuck not? Because it wasn’t smart? Because he might think she wanted something she shouldn’t?
She was human. Why shouldn’t she want him? Because society told her that good girls didn’t make out with guys they’d just met in an elevator?
Society sucked, and she wasn’t a good girl. When her husband had tried to put his name on her work, she’d told him to fuck off and write his own paper. When he’d cheated on her, she’d walked away.
She was single.
God, was he single?
She stepped back.
“What’s wrong?” Owen asked.
“Do you have a girlfriend?”
His lips curled up in the sweetest grin, as though he knew exactly why she was asking that question. “No, love. I don’t have a girlfriend and I don’t have a wife.”
He was single. She was single.
The moment lengthened between them.
He stepped back. “I’m sorry. I’m coming on way too strong.”
He wasn’t. He’d been gentlemanly, friendly. Up until the last couple of moments, he hadn’t put a hand on her or leered. She could feel his attraction. It was there in the warm way he looked at her, in the set of his shoulders, relaxed earlier and tense now that he’d touched her. He was thinking about the same thing she was.
“I’m very nervous, Owen. My logical mind knows that it’s far more likely for me to die getting hit by lightning than in an elevator, even one that’s stuck.” Unfortunately, her logical mind was slowly losing control of her dumbass lizard brain.
“Will talking help?” Owen asked. “Because I’m willing to do that. Or whatever you need to take your mind off things.”
There was a wealth of promise in those words. Dirty and sweet at the same time. They’d shared her wine, passing it back and forth between them, her lips touching the same place his had been moments before. When she’d drank after him, she’d thought about kissing him.
It had been too long. Two years was way too long to go without sex.
They had a half an hour or so. At least that’s what Colin—who might be murdered soon by Owen Shaw—said. She even thought his name was sexy.
What exactly would it hurt if she did kiss him? If she touched him and let him touch her? Hell, what would it hurt if she fucked him? They were both single, both a little needy. They had some time to kill. They’d done everything else.
“I would like to kiss you.” If he didn’t want her to, he could say no and they could find something else to do. She wasn’t going to be embarrassed because some guy didn’t want her. Some stunningly gorgeous guy. Some really funny, sexy guy. After all, she wouldn’t see him after this. She’d never seen him before. He’d told her he was moving in, but she went into work early and came home late. He was a bodyguard, so he likely worked odd hours and traveled a lot.
He was safe. She could open that door, enjoy herself, and then close it again. Owen Shaw could be her first really good memory in a long time, the start of many because it was time to get serious about finding some joy and balance in her life.
But only if he wanted some joy, too.
He moved back, placing his back against the elevator wall, the sweetest smile lighting up his face. “You have no idea how much I want you to kiss me. I’m right here, love. Do your worst.”
He was letting her make the first move. And probably the second. And the third. He was obviously a careful man. It would be easier if he took over, but he was right. This needed to be her choice, and she had to make the move.
She’d been the girl who’d told her parents at the age of five that kindergarten was boring and she wanted to move through the grades until she found something challenging. When they’d told her they wanted her to slow down and enjoy her childhood, she’d gone on strike until the teachers at her school begged her parents to let them move her up.
She was the girl who’d put it all on hold to take care of her mother, too.
She wasn’t the girl who didn’t take what she wanted, and she wanted Owen Shaw.
“It’s been a long time since I did this.” But her body was already heating up. Her body remembered. Her marriage might have sucked, but the sex had been fairly good. It had been the reason she’d married him. She’d gotten used to regular, good sex.
She’d get used to it again, just on her terms this time.
“Somehow, I think you’ll remember,” he said. “You play all you like. Stop when you want to.”
She’d been right about him. He was a careful man. “And if I don’t want to stop?”
“Then you should be happy I’m a man who believes in being prepared.”

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

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Evidence of Desire by Lexi Blake-Review,Excerpt & Giveaway Tour

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EVIDENCE OF DESIRE (Courting Justice #2) by Lexi Blake-Review & Giveaway Tour

 

EVIDENCE OF DESIRE
Courting Justice #2
by Lexi Blake
Release Date: January 8, 2019
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romantic, suspense

 

 

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 8, 2019

Isla Shayne knows she’s in over her head. As former all-star linebacker Trey Adams’s personal lawyer, she’s used to handling his business dealings and private financial matters, not murder charges. She needs to find an experienced criminal attorney who speaks her client’s language. David Cormack of Garrison, Cormack and Lawless is exactly what she needs in the courtroom–and the only man she wants in the bedroom.

For David, taking on the Adams case means diving back into a world he thought he’d left behind and colliding head on with tragic possibilities he’s in no mood to face. There’s a reason professional football is in his past and no matter how close Isla gets to the truth he intends to leave it there.

But long days working on the case together lead to hot nights in each other’s arms. As their feelings grow, the case takes a deadly twist that could change the game between the two lovers forever.

•••••••••

REVIEW:  EVIDENCE OF DESIRE is the second instalment in Lexi Blake’s contemporary, adult COURTING JUSTICE erotic, romantic suspense series. This is attorneys Isla Shayne, and David Cormack’s story line. EVIDENCE OF DESIRE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary. There is a slight cross-over with the author’s Lawless Series, and her Masters and Mercenaries series.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Isla and David) EVIDENCE OF DESIRE follows the building relationship between attorneys Isla Shayne, and David Cormack as they are tasked with proving their client’s innocence. Isla Shayne represents the Adams family, a family engulfed in a personal and private war but a war that now focuses on the murder of Portia Adams, apparently by the man she loved. When one-time football great Trey Adams is the number one suspect in the death of his beloved wife Portia, all bets are off as Isla must battle the district attorney and the media as the vultures begin to circulate for scraps. Hiring defence attorney David Cormack opens Isla’s eyes to the possibility of her own happily ever after, a happily ever after that is threatened in more ways than one. What ensues is the building relationship and romance between Isla and David, and the potential fall-out as our leading couple are targeted when they get too close to the truth.

Both Isla and David have loved and lost but none more-so than our story line heroine. Meeting David Cormack means a second chance at love but David begins to wonder if there is any future based on what he knows, and what may never be.

The relationship between Isla and David begins as a business arrangement but soon turns into something more. Threats against our heroine’s life push David into a protector and guardian role, a role for which he was willing to die. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters several who become prime suspects in the death of Portia Adams. We are introduced to Portia’s husband Trey, and their adult children Miranda and Oscar; Guardian’s football owner Carey Kendrick and his wife Amber; fellow attorneys Noah Lawless and Margarita Reyes. We are reintroduced to Henry Garrison and Win Hughes (Order of Protection #1).

The world building focuses on the search for the truth. Isla Shayne knows that Trey Adams did not, and would not murder his wife. The story line will focus on CTE –Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy-a brain disorder caused by repeated head injuries, and numerous concussions suffered by athletes in contact sports.

EVIDENCE OF DESIRE is a story of heartbreak, secrets and lies; friendship, family and betrayal: second chances and falling in love. The premise is captivating and entertaining; the romance is seductive and sexy; the characters are colorful, engaging and lively. EVIDENCE OF DESIRE is a dramatic, moving and tragic story of passion, and the potential vulnerability for those unable to protect or defend themselves.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one -ORDER OF PROTECTION

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

 

NOTE: The excerpt is intended for mature readers 18+ due to the language and text.

 

 

Isla couldn’t believe she was doing this, but the minute she got a good look at David Cormack without his suit on she knew there was no going back. She’d been ready to make a pot of tea and wait for him to come out of the shower when Erin Taggart had appeared in the kitchen.
“Not jumping his bones, then?” she’d asked as she dragged a bottle of water out of the fridge.
“He wants to take it slow.” She was aware of how disappointed she’d sounded.
“No man who looks at a woman the way that one looks at you wants to take things slow. He’s scared you’re too good for him or something stupid like that,” she said. “I should know. I held off my gorgeous hottie for way too long because he was a tiny bit younger than me. Don’t waste time. Take command. And then when he’s all in, give that control up. That always works for me. ’Night.”
There was something in the way the redhead smiled, something intimate and soft. Something Isla wanted for herself again. She’d had it as a girl with Austin. She wanted to know how it felt to have that connection as a woman.
So she’d made the decision. Maybe for the first time in her life, she’d genuinely made the decision to be brave, to go after what she wanted with a singular purpose, to put herself out there and see if she was bait enough to catch the one fish she wanted.
Though first she needed some fishing gear. According to Noah, that was in the nightstand drawer.
She’d stepped in and taken off her clothes. All in. Just like a poker game. If he refused to play, she would be devastated and potentially never be able to face the man again, but she’d felt almost compelled to undress and walk to the entry of that sexy natural stone shower. She’d stood there and looked, really looked at David Cormack. He’d been turned away from her, his back on full display. He was beautifully male, his muscles defined by years of athleticism. His back was strong, his butt practically perfect, and he was held up with strong legs. But his head hung low and she could swear she felt how lonely he was.
She hadn’t realized how lonely she was until she’d met him. “David?”
He started, every muscle tensing, and then he turned, though he mostly moved his torso as though trying to keep his private parts private. His eyes latched onto her, but he didn’t say a word.
Oh, she wanted to run. He was far too gorgeous. She wasn’t in his league. She knew she was attractive, but she wasn’t even close to being in the same condition he was in. He’d been an elite athlete and he’d obviously never stopped working out. She could stand to lose a few pounds.
And if those pounds and the roundness of her hips ran him off, then so be it. She was done sitting around and hoping she got what she wanted. At least she would know. “I don’t want to go slow.”
For a second, she was almost sure he would tell her to go. Then he turned and he was standing there in his full glory, as though let- ting her see what he had to offer. When she simply stared, he crossed the space between them and, without a word, his hands cupped her face and his mouth was on hers.
The minute they touched, something sparked to life inside her, something wild she’d never felt before. It seemed to start in her toes, making them curl as the sensation rushed through her system. Heat and anticipation and pure joy.
It had been forever since a man kissed her like this. Maybe never. The only thing that compared was the sweet high school fumbling between her and Austin. He’d been eager, but he had no idea what he was doing.
David Cormack knew how to kiss. He mastered her mouth with his, soft when he needed to be and then rough, sending a thrill through her system that burned a path straight to her pussy. He brushed his lips against hers and then zeroed in on her lower lip, biting gently and sucking briefly before another soft kiss allowed her to breathe again. And then when she was ready to beg, his tongue surged in, rubbing soft velvet against her own.
“Tell me you’re sure,” he said against her mouth as his hands moved down.
“I’m sure,” she replied with a breathy whisper. He could throw her up against the side of the shower and take her then and there and she would be perfectly satisfied.
“Because there’s no going back. I’ve been a good boy up until this point. I’ve been civilized, Isla. I’ve played the gentleman around you, but if you let me in, I’ll invade and you’ll see the real man under- neath the suit. I’ll be demanding and overly protective and I’ll want you every fucking minute of the day.”
And that was bad, how? She’d been on the outside looking in for so long, the idea of being someone’s center, being the person for him, made her heart ache with longing. “Please touch me, David. I want the real you, every dirty, possessive part of you.”
His hands found her hips and he dragged her against him, their bodies coming together for the first time. He was warm, his skin soft over the steel of his muscular body.
She took a moment, letting her arms wrap around him, her breasts against his chest, that hard erection of his cradled to her belly. This was sweet intimacy. Yes, it would lead to something wild, but for a moment she basked in the comfort of another body against hers.
He stepped back, taking her with him and bringing them into the warmth of the shower. He seemed to understand she needed a moment, and he followed her lead perfectly. One hand held her to him while the other smoothed back her now-wet hair as he brushed light kisses over her forehead and down to her nose, lavishing her with affection she’d been starved without. He stood like that with her, learning her body with his hands and mouth.
“See,” he said with the sexiest chuckle as he leaned over and ran his tongue along the shell of her ear. “We’re still taking it slow. I could do this for hours and I haven’t even gotten to your tasty parts yet. You’re sweet, Isla. I could eat you up. Are you going to let me eat you up?”
She nodded.
One hand tangled in her hair, gently drawing her back and forc- ing her to look up at him. His eyes were hot, his jaw tight with arousal. “Talk to me. I won’t let you disconnect from me when we’re intimate. Tell me. ‘‘Yes, David, I want you to eat me up.’”
“Yes, David. I want you to eat me up.”

 

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

The Reading Cafe and Lexi Blake’s publisher are offering a paper copy of EVIDENCE OF DESIRE to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging onto the site, please refresh the page (at the top of your computer).

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Follow Lexi Blake on Facebook.

4. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

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8. Giveaway is open to USA only

9. Giveaway runs from January 9-14, 2019

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Memento Mori (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten #1) by Lexi Blake-Review & Excerpt Tour

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MEMENTO MORI (Masters and Mercenaries: The Forgotten #1) by Lexi Blake- Review & Excerpt Tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 28, 2018

Six men with no memories of the past
One leader with no hope for the future

A man without a past

Jax woke up in a lab, his memories erased, and his mind reprogrammed to serve a mad woman’s will. After being liberated from his prison, he pledged himself to the only thing he truly knows-his team. Six men who lost everything they were. They must make certain no one else gets their hands on the drugs that stole their lives, all while hiding from every intelligence organization on the planet. The trail has led him to an unforgiving mountainside and a beautiful wilderness expert who may be his only hope of finding the truth.

A woman with a bright future

River Lee knows her way around the Colorado wilderness. She’s finally found a home in a place called Bliss after years lost in darkness. The nature guide prefers to show her clients the beauty found in the land, but she also knows the secrets the mountains hold. When she meets Jax, something about the troubled man calls to her. She agrees to lead him to the site of an abandoned government facility hidden deep in the forest. She never dreamed she was stepping into the middle of a battlefield.

A love that could heal a broken soul

Spending time with River, Jax discovers a peace he’s never known. Their passion unlocks a side of himself he didn’t even know he was missing. When an old enemy makes his first move, Jax and River find themselves fighting for their lives. But when his past is revealed, will River be caught in the crosshairs of a global conspiracy?

•••••••••••

REVIEW: MEMENTO MORI is the first instalment in Lexi Blake’s contemporary, adult MASTERS AND MERCENARIES: The Forgotten erotic, romantic suspense series focusing on six former military soldiers (Jax, Dante, Sasha, Tucker, Owen and Robert) whose minds and lives were eradicated and erased. This is Jax, and mountain tour guide River Lee’s story line. The Forgotten is a spin-off from the author’s Masters and Mercenaries series, and the characters were first introduced and play an important throughout the original series.

NOTE: If you have not read Lexi Blake’s original Masters and Mercenaries series, their may be some confusion as it pertains to the Lost Boys backstory.

SOME BACKGROUND: Several months earlier the mercenaries from the McKay-Taggart Black Ops group rescued, from an unauthorized military lab, six men they labelled the ‘Lost Boys’. With their memories wiped clean, no ID, and no traceable DNA, the Lost Boys were essentially ‘new born’ soldiers trained to kill and destroy.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Jax and River) MEMENTO MORI follows the building relationship between Jax, and tour guide River Lee. Jax, and his fellow Lost Boys are desperate to uncover the truth about their pasts, and the drugs used to control their lives, but without any memories of the who, how, or why, the where was a mystery until the probability of a secret government lab in the mountains near Bliss, Colorado. Enter mountain tour guide River Lee, a woman whose own life spiralled out of control with the death of her father, and the subsequent fraudulent marriage to a serial con-man. What ensues is the building relationship and love between Jax and River, and the potential fall-out as Jax must keep secret the truth about the mission that is about to go horribly wrong.

Jax is a man frustrated about his lack of a past. Along with the men he calls ‘brothers’ Jax is willing to risk it all to discover the whereabouts of the secret lab but risking the life of the woman he loves means going it alone. River Lee is unable to move past the her husband’s betrayal, and falling for a man like Jax meant another round of betrayal when the truth was revealed.

The relationship between Jax and River is one of immediate attraction but Jax’s handler ‘Big Tag’ has warned the Lost Boys that their mission must remain a secret; and affairs of the heart will only lead to heartbreak and pain. The $ex scenes are intimate and seductive without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a very large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including the men that Jax calls brothers: Dante, Sasha, Tucker, Owen and Robert, as well as Big Tag; Heather aka Solo; Andy and Ty. The requisite evil has many faces, some of whom may be working for the same side. You may need a spread-sheet to keep track of all of the characters, and their relationships to one another. There is plenty of confusion as well, with the numerous names and aliases for all of the story line characters, which makes for a difficult time trying to keep track of the familial relationships, government departments and connections.

MEMENTO MORI is a story of family, friendship, betrayal and loss focusing on six men who have had to relearn the skills of life, as well as their struggle to move on from the evil that continues to permeate their minds. The premise is entertaining and engaging; the characters are broken, colorful, dynamic and lost; the romance is passionate and heated.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

“This place is beautiful,” he said when she hesitated.
She nodded but didn’t move from her seat. “I love it here. I went to college in Denver, but I always missed this place. When I was younger, my dad had a house in Creede. He started the business there, but when he could, he moved us out of town. My dad was a loner, I suppose. Creede has a population of four hundred and Dad thought that was way too many people.”
“I know the feeling. I lived in London for a while. That was definitely too many people.” He kept his tone even. It was odd. Now that he was here, that hunger he always felt was tempered by her fear. He’d thought he would take anything offered to him, but he couldn’t having met her. If the blonde had offered herself up, he would have turned her down. Over the two hours they’d sat in the booth, eating fried food and drinking beer, he’d figured something out. Some people were more special than others. River was special. He should be more cynical. He could hear Damon Knight telling him to be cautious, but he couldn’t make himself do it. Perhaps it was the fact that he didn’t have a long well of history to draw from and to teach him that this was likely a mistake.
It didn’t feel like a mistake.
“Wow. I’ve never been farther than Kansas City.” She still wasn’t moving and her voice had taken on a tremulous tone.
His heart constricted, and it was surprisingly easy to not listen to his dick. His dick was pleading with him to get aggressive. His dick was trying to convince him that if he could get inside her, she would accept him.
Yeah, he wasn’t going to listen to his dick.
“If you’ve changed your mind, I can call my brother to pick me up. I have a phone and so does he. His number is programmed in. I don’t want to scare you. I had a good time talking to you tonight. It was one of the nicest nights I’ve had in a long time.” Ever. It was the best night ever. It was the first night he felt normal, though he wasn’t exactly sure what that word meant. Comfortable was a better one. That tight feeling in his chest had eased as he’d sat in the booth with River and Tucker and Heather.
Although he’d hated lying to her.
She finally turned, looking at him. Her eyes shone in the moonlight. “You mean that, don’t you?”
He wanted to touch her. He’d had to force his hands not to move toward her all night long. The most he’d allowed himself was to have their hips and shoulders touch as they’d sat next to each other. He’d decided it had been a good thing he’d sat next to her because he was fairly certain he had a case of Big Tag’s crazy eyes, and she would have seen them had he sat across from her.
“I do mean it. Please don’t get me wrong. I want you. I would like nothing more in the world than to take you into that cabin, lay you out, and make a feast of you. I want to kiss you and when I say that I don’t merely mean your lips. I want to put my mouth all over your body. But more than I want that, I want you to like me.” It was important somehow. He wouldn’t see her after tonight, but he couldn’t stand the idea that she was afraid of him.
Everyone was afraid of him. Everyone he knew was waiting for his powder keg to blow, but he’d sworn to himself earlier in the evening that it wouldn’t blow around her. He would protect her even if it was only for one night.

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

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Protected (Masters and Mercenaries 16.5 / 1001 Dark Nights) by Lexi Blake-Review & Excerpt Tour

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PROTECTED (Masters and Mercenaries # 16.5: 1001 Dark Nights) by Lexi Blake-Review & Excerpt tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon. uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

About the book: Release Date July 31, 2018

A second chance at first love

Years before Wade Rycroft fell in love with Geneva Harris, the smartest girl in his class. The rodeo star and the shy academic made for an odd pair but their chemistry was undeniable. They made plans to get married after high school but when Genny left him standing in the rain, he joined the Army and vowed to leave that life behind. Genny married the town’s golden boy, and Wade knew that he couldn’t go home again.

Could become the promise of a lifetime

Fifteen years later, Wade returns to Broken Bend, Texas for his brother’s wedding and walks into a storm of scandal. Genny’s marriage has dissolved and the town has turned against her. But when someone tries to kill his old love, Wade can’t refuse to help her. In his years after the Army, he’s found his place in the world. His job at McKay-Taggart keeps happy and busy but something is missing. When he takes the job watching over Genny, he realizes what it is.

As danger presses in, Wade must decide if he can forgive past sins or let the woman of his dreams walk into a nightmare….

••••••••

REVIEW: PROTECTED by Lexi Blake is instalment 16.5 in the author’s contemporary, adult MASTERS AND MERCENARIES erotic, romantic, suspense series, and the latest addition to the multi-authored 1001 Dark Nights series. This is thirty-three year old, security specialist Wade Rycroft, and Geneva Harris’ story line. PROTECTED can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Wade and Geneva) PROTECTED follows the second chance romance between security specialist Wade Rycroft, and his high school sweetheart Geneva Harris. Fifteen years earlier Geneva Harris destroyed Wade Rycroft’s heart; obliterated his soul when she sent him a ‘Dear John’ letter stating he wasn’t the man she was going to marry. Fast forward to present day wherein Wade will come face to face with the woman he despises more than anything else, a woman whose past is mired in betrayal, abuse, secrets and lies. What ensues is the rekindling romance between Geneva and Wade, and the potential fall-out as Geneva’s past threatens everyone she loves, including the man whose heart she broke.

Geneva has never stopped loving Wade Rycroft but in order to protect the people she loved, Geneva was force into a marriage that all but destroyed her life. Now a divorced, single mother of a thirteen year-old son, Geneva is desperate enough to make contact with Wade Rycroft, knowing Wade’s feels nothing by contempt and hatred for our story line heroine. Wade Rycroft’s actions and attitude towards Geneva Harris is nothing short of acrimonious and wrong but Wade is unaware of the truth about what happened fifteen years earlier, a truth his brother Clint kept hidden from them all.

The relationship between Geneva and Wade is a second chance romance that continues to struggle with demons from the past. From the outset Wade is unable to forgive and forget until his brother Clint forces an increasingly agitated Wade to listen to the truth. Geneva battles between her head and her heart including her first priority of protecting her son. The $ex scenes are passionate and seductive with some light D/s scenarios.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and familiar secondary and supporting characters including a number of security specialists who have worked or are currently working for McKay-Taggart, as well as referencing the upcoming characters in the author’s new Lost Boys spin-off series. We are introduced to Geneva’s thirteen year old son Asher, a boy who has experienced more than most children his age.

PROTECTED is a heart breaking, emotional and engaging story line. The premise is sensitive; the romance is tender and breath-taking; the characters are broken, flawed but healing. PROTECTED is an electrifying, spirited and encouraging story of second chances, and happily ever afters.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

“Don’t. Don’t tell me how to feel. I know you’ve worked through this, but I don’t know how to.”
“It helps to admit that we were all children back then.”
“My mother wasn’t.” He needed to talk about this with her.
“No, but she wasn’t the same after your dad died. She was lost and I’ve forgiven her,” she replied quietly. “You can’t spend your life being angry.”
“You’re angry with me.”
For a moment he thought she would ignore him. Then she turned to him, her eyes shining in the moonlight. “Maybe. It’s hard to figure out how I feel about you. For a long time, I dreamed about you at night. You were the only man I ever loved. Brock killed that. I think he might have killed the part of me that can love someone other than my son. I didn’t feel a lot when my father passed. But then he was the one who told me to suck it up. I went to him after Brock hit me the first time. He told me to not make my husband mad.”
“Genny, he should have killed him. I would have. God, I should have.” That sorrow that had been building inside him threatened to spill over. Anger was there, but it was overshadowed by the terrible pain he felt at the thought of her being alone and afraid.
“It’s funny,” she said, studying him in the silvery light. “I went over pretty much every possible scenario I could, and this wasn’t the way I thought you would handle it. It’s why it took forever for me to talk to you. I thought you would either not care at all or that you would be so angry you went after everyone. I hesitated because I thought I might unleash a beast.”
He could give her this. Since the moment he’d learned the truth, he’d genuinely forced himself to think about how he reacted. It would be selfish to act out in anger when she needed him to be calm, to think about what was best for her. The drive from Broken Bend to Dallas with Ash had made that clear to him. They needed someone who would thoughtfully protect them, not a raging animal who fed his own needs. “You’ve had enough anger in your life. It’s there. God, it’s there, but I swear I won’t act on it because I won’t do anything that could hurt you. I’ll try to handle him in every legal way I can and if I have to take him out, I’ll do it in a way that can never come back on any of us. You don’t need my rage. You do need me though.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Because you think I’ll let you down again.” It wasn’t a question.
“Because I don’t want to love anyone again,” she admitted.

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

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Order of Protection (Courting Justice #1) by Lexi Blake-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway Tour

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ORDER OF PROTECTION (Courting Justice #1) by Lexi Blake-Review, Excerpt and Giveaway Tour

ORDER OF PROTECTION
Courting Justice #1
by Lexi Blake
Release Date: June 5, 2018
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romantic, suspense

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play/iTunes

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 5, 2018

To high-end defense attorney Henry Garrison, Win Hughes is a woman he met during one of the most trying times of his life. She’s soft and warm, and he finds solace in their brief relationship. But Win has a secret. She’s actually Taylor Winston-Hughes—born to one of the wealthiest families in the country, orphaned as a child by a tragic accident. Win moves in the wealthiest circles, but her lavish lifestyle hides her pain.

When her best friend is murdered in the midst of a glittering New York gala, Win’s charged with the crime, and the only person in the world she wants to see is Henry.

Henry is shocked at the true identity of his lover, but he can’t reject the case. This trial could take his new firm into the stratosphere. Still, he’s not getting burned by Win again. And yet every turn brings them closer together.

As the case takes a wild turn and Win’s entire life is upended, she must look to the people she’s closest to in order to find a killer. And Henry must decide between making his case and saving the woman he loves.

•••••••••

REVIEW: ORDER OF PROTECTION is the first installment in Lexi Blake’s contemporary, adult COURTING JUSTICE romantic, suspense series, a spin-off from the author’s LAWLESS series. This is thirty-seven year old, high-powered, defense attorney aka The Monster of Manhattan, Henry Garrison, and twenty-nine year old, former reality TV star/heiress Taylor Winston-Hughes aka Win Hughes’ story line. There is a slight cross-over with the author’s Masters and Mercenaries series with the inclusion of several security experts from McKay-Taggart.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Win and Henry) ORDER OF PROTECTION follows the acrimonious relationship between thirty-seven year old, high-powered, defense attorney Henry Garrison, and twenty-nine year old, former reality TV star/heiress Win Hughes, and the search for the truth. A month earlier, hiding from scandals that had become their lives, Henry Garrison and Win Hughes would spend several glorious weeks together on Chappaquiddick with the knowledge that their relationship was only temporary, and no-strings attached. Never having revealed to Henry the true identity about her past and reality TV, Win would return to civilization, only to be charged with the murder of her co-star Brie while attending a fund-raiser set up by her Uncle Bel. Enter Henry Garrison, who has been hired to defend our story –line heroine. What ensues is the caustic relationship between our leading couple as everyone struggles to uncover the truth.

Approximately twenty-seven years earlier, an infant Taylor Winston-Hughes was the lone survivor of an explosion at sea wherein her billionaire parents were killed leaving their only child the heir to a fortune but her personal life would become fodder for the news media naming her the Billion-Dollar Baby, that followed her the rest of her life. Quiet, shy, determined and beautiful Win is a recovering anorexic whose time spent on the gossip beleaguered, reality television show brought with it the demands of perfection and more. Working with Henry to solve the murder meant working with a spiteful, angry, and demeaning man whose inability to forgive and forget found our heroine on the receiving end of acidic barbs and accusations of murder from the man hired to work on her defense.

From the outset, recovering alcoholic and scandal plagued Henry Garrison finds himself attracted to his temporary neighbour, and his relationship and sexual attraction is palpable and sweet, but murder charges against, and the revelation of our heroine’s true identity turn Henry into a caustic, monster of epic proportions. Cynical and untrusting Henry is unable to move beyond the scandal that plagued his marriage to actress Alicia Kingman, a disastrous and fraudulent marriage that has blinded our hero to love and a happily ever after. For all intents and purposes Henry became the nightmare our heroine was trying to avoid.

The relationship between Henry and Win is plagued by Henry’s intolerance of the lies of omission, and secrets about our heroine’s past. Henry’s bitter comments and scathing treatment of Win Hughes borders on mental and emotional abuse for a woman already haunted by the events of the past. Win is a sweet, sassy and intelligent heroine whose reactions to our hero’s abusive treatment are rather calm and emotionless under the circumstances. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and impassioned.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and dynamic secondary and supporting characters including several cast members of the reality TV show Kendalmire’s Way-Brie Westerhaven, Hoover Kendalmire, and Kipton Keever; Win’s uncle Bellamy Hughes, her cousin Trevor, and nanny Mary Hannigan; an assortment of security and investigation specialists from McKay-Taggart; attorney Margarita Reyes, and Henry’s legal partners David Cormack, and Noah Lawless of Garrison, Cormack and Lawless.

ORDER OF PROTECTION is a detailed and complex story line with a couple of twists revealed at the very end. The premise is engaging, entertaining and edgy; the romance is dramatic and provocative; the characters are spirited, startling and animated but saying that Henry’s abrasive, antagonizing and ill-tempered treatment of our story line heroine is offensive until the very end; the character portrayal of Henry is questionable-he is not a likeable hero but more of an anti-hero; redemption is difficult. ORDER OF PROTECTION is a well written, thought-out story of suspense with an energetic cast of characters.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Henry glanced up at the clock. Two thirty p.m. Somehow he’d expected Win to show up bright and early this morning. He’d woken up and made a pot of coffee, and he’d gone over all the ways he would explain to her that this was a bad idea.
Because it was still a bad idea.
Alicia might have given in to Noah and Drew Lawless’s blackmail, but she would be back at some point. Then there was the fact that he dealt with unsavory clients on a daily basis. He took on high-profile cases and often got dragged through the mud along with the client.
There were plenty of people out there who hated him. Loathed him and despised the very fact that he existed and cheered if he failed. He was used to it. Sweet little Win was not and would be horrified.
So he was going to tell her how amazing their night together was and then turn her down gently.
Except she hadn’t shown up and that bugged the hell out of him.
She’d been the one to claim she would be here despite the fact that he’d told her not to come. She’d told him she didn’t care what he thought.
It was perverse, but if he’d had her number, he might have called and said a few things about setting expectations and then not meeting them.
He started another pot of coffee. This was completely foolish. She’d put some distance between the two of them and realized how little they had in common. At least one of them had some sense.
The scent of French roast hit the air and he realized he was pro-crastinating. He was putting off the moment when he had to step back into the city and face the music. He would have to work his ass off to find anyone who wanted to hire a lawyer with his tarnished reputation. It didn’t matter that his addiction issues had never cost a client a dime. The perception would be there, and perception was over half the battle in life.
He should pack up tonight and leave it all to the agent. It’s what he should have done yesterday, but he’d enjoyed spending time with David, showing him places on the island and telling him stories.
It was time to go home now. Time to forget about pretending to be someone he couldn’t afford to be anymore. Time to put away thoughts of quiet and peace and get back to being the Monster of Manhattan. That was the only way he was going to survive.
The Monster of Manhattan didn’t give in to urges. He plowed through all problems with a single-minded, ruthless intent. The Monster didn’t need attention, though he tended to get it. Attention didn’t matter to the Monster. Money mattered. Power mattered.
He would get them both back.
The Monster certainly didn’t need some do-gooder in his bed. He would select a woman, rationally discuss his needs with her, and pay her for her services, whether they be as a plus-one to gatherings or as a body in bed. That was how he would view it. Transactional.
Transactional was safe.
So he was going to stop being such a whiny asshole and be grateful that Win had some sense.
A knock broke through the quiet of the house.
He practically ran for the door.

He opened it and there was Win, standing in the soft light of the afternoon, her hair up in a ponytail. She was wearing denim shorts and a blousy, feminine shirt. She had a bag of groceries in one hand and what looked like a duffel in the other.
“I know you said I shouldn’t come back, but you’re wrong and I’m going to give you all my reasons why.”
He didn’t care. She was here. He walked straight up to her and cupped that pretty face in his hands and kissed her for all he was worth.
Fuck transactional. He wanted something real for once in his damn life.
When he came back up, he was rewarded with a soft look in her eyes, her lips curving into a small smile.
“No arguing with me?”
He did have some problems they should discuss. “You’re late.”
Her smile went brilliant. “I had some things to clear up. I thought if you didn’t mind, I might stay with you for a few nights.”
He took the bag of groceries out of her hand and led her inside. “I think that sounds like a great idea.”
“This is way easier than I thought it would be,” she admitted. “Have you had lunch? I could whip up some sandwiches and we could have a picnic.”
He stashed the grocery bag in the fridge. She set down her duffel, and that made it much easier to scoop her up and into his arms. “I know exactly what I want for lunch.”
Her eyes went wide, but she didn’t struggle at all. Her arms went around his shoulders as he carried her to the big bedroom.
It had been cozy in his old room, but he needed more space if she was going to live here with him for a few weeks.
He stopped at the edge of the big bed he’d had brought in after he’d inherited the place. It was the only room he’d redone, with the thought of spending long weekends with his friends up here. He never had managed the time, but now he was happy he’d spent the cash to do it because he could share it with her.
The last few weeks of being Henry before going back to the real world.
He set her down on the bed and pulled his shirt over his head. He wasn’t playing around this time. That was for later. It had been entirely too long since he’d had her.
He needed her.
He knew it was something he should question, even be slightly afraid of, but he didn’t care in the moment. All that mattered was she was here and he could put off any thoughts of letting her go for a few days. He could sink into her.
She was his reward for every crappy thing he’d been through in the last couple of years.

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

The Reading Cafe and Lexi Blake’s publisher are offering a paper copy of ORDER OF PROTECTION to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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9. Giveaway runs from June 8 to June 13, 2018

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Lexi Blake Multi-Authored Masters & Mercenaries Cross Over Series- Review Tour

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Lexi Blake Multi-Authored Masters and Mercenaries Cross Over Series-Review Tour

A note from Lexi Blake…

Who doesn’t love a crossover? I know that for me there’s always been something magical about two fictional words blending and meeting in a totally unexpected way. For years the only medium that has truly done it well and often is comic books. Superman vs. Batman in a fight to the finish. Marvel’s Infinite Universe. There’s something about two crazy worlds coming together that almost makes them feel more real. Like there’s this brilliant universe filled with fictional characters and they can meet and talk, and sometimes they can fall in love.

I’m a geek. I go a little crazy when Thor meets up with Iron Man or The Flash and Arrow team up.

So why wouldn’t we do it in Romanceland?

There are ways out there. A writer can write in another author’s world, giving you her take on it. There’s some brilliant fanfiction out there, but I wanted something different. I wanted to take my time and gradually introduce these characters from other worlds, bring you in slowly so you don’t even realize what I’m doing. So you think this is McKay-Taggart, nothing odd here. Except there is…

Welcome to the Lexi Blake Crossover Collection.

••••••••••

NOTE: My reviews cover CLOSE COVER, JUSTIFY ME, HIS TO PROTECT and RESCUING SADIE

CLOSE COVER
(Masters and Mercenaries #16)
by Lexi Blake

Amazon | iTunes | B&N | Kobo |GooglePlay

To read the first chapter, click here.

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 10,2018

Remy Guidry doesn’t do relationships. He tried the marriage thing once, back in Louisiana, and learned the hard way that all he really needs in life is a cold beer, some good friends, and the occasional hookup. His job as a bodyguard with McKay-Taggart gives him purpose and lovely perks, like access to Sanctum. The last thing he needs in his life is a woman with stars in her eyes and babies in her future.

Lisa Daley’s life is finally going in the right direction. She has finally graduated from college after years of putting herself through school. She’s got a new job at an accounting firm and she’s finished her Sanctum training. Finally on her own and having fun, her life seems pretty perfect. Except she’s lonely and the one man she wants won’t give her a second look.

There is one other little glitch. Apparently, her new firm is really a front for the mob and now they want her dead. Assassins can really ruin a fun girls’ night out. Suddenly strapped to the very same six-foot-five-inch hunk of a bodyguard who makes her heart pound, Lisa can’t decide if this situation is a blessing or a curse.

As the mob closes in, Remy takes his tempting new charge back to the safest place he knows—his home in the bayou. Surrounded by his past, he can’t help wondering if Lisa is his future. To answer that question, he just has to keep her alive.

•••••••••••••

REVIEW: CLOSE COVER is the sixteenth full-length instalment in Lexi Blake’s contemporary, adult MASTERS AND MERCENARIES erotic, romance series focusing on the men and women who work for the McKay-Taggart and Knight Security Agency. This is security specialist Remy Guidry, and twenty-nine year old accountant Lisa Daley’s story line. CLOSE COVER is part of the Lexi Blake multi-authored cross-over series. CLOSE COVER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

NOTE: CLOSE COVER is an erotic romance story line with sexually explicit, light BDSM scenarios that may not be suited for all readers.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Lisa and Remy) CLOSE COVER focuses on the building relationship, a second chance romance between accountant / submissive Lisa Daley, and security specialist /Dominant Remy Guidry. Months earlier Lisa offered herself as submissive to Remy Guidry but our hero wasn’t interested breaking Lisa’s heart in the process but desperate times call for desperate measures, and Lisa is the primary witness in a money laundering case, and Remy has drawn the short straw to protect the woman that calls to his heart. What ensues is the re-building relationship between Remy and Lisa, and the potential fall-out as their time together draws to a close.

Remy doesn’t do relationships: with a failed marriage, and a crazy family back in the Bayou of Louisiana, Remy was putting in time until he could return home and take over the family bar. Lisa has struggled since reporting her boss for laundering money for the mob, struggled in more ways than one, and with no money our heroine was desperate to make ends meet but what she never expected was to find the man that she loved offering her a second chance-with an end date and short term contract.

The relationship between Lisa and Remy is one of second chances. Lisa was humiliated and heartbroken when Remy refused her offer of submission but Remy knows his time in Texas is limited as he heads back to the Bayou, and the family he left behind. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense with some light BDSM scenarios including rope play.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including many of the couples from the earlier instalments as well as DS Maia Brighton, Dom and Top’s bar manager Lincm and bodyguard Shane Landon. CLOSE COVER brings together the characters we love as the author heads into her new spin –off focusing on the Lost Boys.

CLOSE COVER is an edgy and sexy story line with a sassy heroine, and a driven hero. The premise is intense and dramatic; the romance is emotional and provocative; the characters are familiar, sensual and inspiring. CLOSE COVER is a thrilling and exquisite ride.

Follow Lexi Blake: FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

____________

JUSTIFY ME
(Stark International / Masters and Mercenaries Crossover Collection)
by J. Kenner

Amazon | iTunes | B&N | Kobo |GooglePlay

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 10, 2018

McKay-Taggart operative Riley Blade has no intention of returning to Los Angeles after his brief stint as a consultant on mega-star Lyle Tarpin’s latest action flick. Not even for Natasha Black, Tarpin’s sexy personal assistant who’d gotten under his skin. Why would he, when Tasha made it absolutely clear that—attraction or not—she wasn’t interested in a fling, much less a relationship.

But when Riley learns that someone is stalking her, he races to her side. Determined to not only protect her, but to convince her that—no matter what has hurt her in the past—he’s not only going to fight for her, he’s going to win her heart. Forever.

•••••••••••••

REVIEW: JUSTIFY ME by J. Kenner is a contemporary, adult, erotic, romantic suspense novella in the author’s Stark International series that crosses over with Lexi Blake’s Masters and Mercenaries series. This is McKay-Taggart operative Riley Blade, and PA Natasha Black’s story line. For fans of Kenner’s Stark series, we were first introduced to Natasha and Riley in Wicked Dirty.

Told from first person point of view (Natasha), and third person perspective (Riley) JUSTIFY ME follows the rekindling romance between Hollywood PA Natasha Black, and McKay-Taggart operative Riley Blade. On a layover at LAX Riley will discover that the woman from his past, Natasha Black, has been targeted by an unknown stalker. Not leaving anything to chance, Riley volunteers his time and knowledge to protect the woman he has always loved. What ensues is the second chance relationship between our leading couple, and the potential fall-out as Natasha’s stalker makes good on their threats.

JUSTIFY ME is a quick, erotic read with some light BDSM sexual scenarios; another sexy and sassy story line about second chances, jealousy, betrayal and a happily ever after. J. Kenner adds another dimension to her Stark International series as Riley and Natasha discover the kink in their growing relationship. The premise is captivating; the romance is edgy; the characters are colorful and energetic.

Follow J. Kenner: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YouTube | Amazon Author Page

_________

HIS TO PROTECT
(Bodyguard Bad Boys 2.5/ Masters and Mercenaries Cross-over Series)
by Carly Phillips

Amazon | iTunes | B&N | Kobo |GooglePlay

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 10, 2018

Talia Shaw has spent her adult life working as a scientist for a big pharmaceutical company. She’s focused on saving lives, not living life. When her lab is broken into and it’s clear someone is after the top secret formula she’s working on, she turns to the one man she can trust. The same irresistible man she turned away years earlier because she was too young and naive to believe a sexy guy like Shane Landon could want her.

Shane Landon’s bodyguard work for McKay-Taggart is the one thing that brings him satisfaction in his life. Relationships come in second to the job. Always. Then little brainiac Talia Shaw shows up in his backyard, frightened and on the run, and his world is turned upside down. And not just because she’s found him naked in his outdoor shower, either.

With Talia’s life in danger, Shane has to get her out of town and to her eccentric, hermit mentor who has the final piece of the formula she’s been working on, while keeping her safe from the men who are after her. Guarding Talia’s body certainly isn’t any hardship, but he never expects to fall hard and fast for his best friend’s little sister and the only woman who’s ever really gotten under his skin.

•••••••••

REVIEW: HIS TO PROTECT in instalment 2.5 (and novella) in Carly Phillips’ contemporary, adult, BODYGUARD BAD BOYS romantic suspense series, and a part of the multi-authored cross-over series Masters and Mercenaries by Lexi Blake. This is McKay-Taggart bodyguard and security specialist Shane Landon, and scientist Talia Shaw’s storyline. HIS TO PROTECT can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives ( Talia and Shane) HIS TO PROTECT focuses on the protection of scientist Dr. Talia Shaw. With the development of a new heart drug on the horizon our heroine is targeted for the formula by an unknown source. Desperate for help, she calls her brother Tate, who calls in a favour from his childhood friend. Enter McKay-Taggart bodyguard Shane Landon, and the man with whom Talia will fall in love. What ensues is a cross-country road trip wherein our couple find themselves in the direct line of fire, as the struggle to stay one step ahead of the people intent on taking them down.

The relationship between Talia and Shane is one of second chances, of sorts. Talia has been in love with her brother’s best friend for most of her life but Shane has kept his distance in respect of his best friend’s younger sister. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense.

HIS TO PROTECT is a quick read; a suspense-filled, sexy and edgy story line. The premise is dramatic and energetic; the romance is intimate and provocative; the characters are inspiring and engaging.

Follow Carly Phillips: Website /  Mailing List  /  Newsletter /  Goodreads /  Amazon /  Facebook /  Twitter / Text Updates of New Releases /  Carly’s Corner!  / Instagram. / Blog & Website Updates  / Bookbub

Copies supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Say You Won’t Let Go: A Return to Me/Masters and Mercenaries Novella

by Corinne Michaels

I’ve had two goals my entire life:

1. Make it big in country music.

2. Get the hell out of Bell Buckle.

I was doing it. I was on my way, until Cooper Townsend landed backstage at my show in Dallas.

This gorgeous, rugged, man of few words was one cowboy I couldn’t afford to let distract me. But with his slow smile and rough hands, I just couldn’t keep away.

Now, there are outside forces conspiring against us. Maybe we should’ve known better? Maybe not. All I know is that I want to hold on, but I know the right thing to do is to let go…

 Amazon | iTunes | B&N | Kobo |GooglePlay

__________

Her Guardian Angel: A Demonica Underworld/Masters and Mercenaries Novella

by Larissa Ione

After a difficult childhood and a turbulent stint in the military, Declan Burke finally got his act together. Now he’s a battle-hardened professional bodyguard who takes his job at McKay-Taggart seriously and his playtime – and his playmates – just as seriously. One thing he never does, however, is mix business with pleasure. But when the mysterious, gorgeous Suzanne D’Angelo needs his protection from a stalker, his desire for her burns out of control, tempting him to break all the rules…even as he’s drawn into a dark, dangerous world he didn’t know existed.

Suzanne is an earthbound angel on her critical first mission: protecting Declan from an emerging supernatural threat at all costs. To keep him close, she hires him as her bodyguard. It doesn’t take long for her to realize that she’s in over her head, defenseless against this devastatingly sexy human who makes her crave his forbidden touch.

Together they’ll have to draw on every ounce of their collective training to resist each other as the enemy closes in, but soon it becomes apparent that nothing could have prepared them for the menace to their lives…or their hearts.

Amazon | iTunes | B&N | Kobo |GooglePlay

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Nobody Does It Better (Masters and Mercenaries #15) by Lexi Blake-Review & Excerpt Tour

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NOBODY DOES IT BETTER (Masters and Mercenaries #15) by Lexi Blake-Review and Excerpt  Tour

NOBODY DOES IT BETTER
Masters and Mercenaries #15
by Lexi Blake
Release Date: February 20, 2018
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, BDSM, romantic suspense

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / iTunes / Google Play / Smashwords

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 20, 2018

A spy who specializes in seduction

Kayla Summers was an elite CIA double agent, working inside China’s deadly MSS. Now, she works for McKay-Taggart London, but the Agency isn’t quite done with her. Spy master Ezra Fain needs her help on a mission that would send her into Hollywood’s glamorous and dangerous party scene. Intrigued by the mission and the movie star hunk she will be shadowing, she eagerly agrees. When she finds herself in his bed, she realizes she’s not only risking her life, but her heart.

A leading man who doesn’t do romance

Joshua Hunt is a legend of the silver screen. As Hollywood’s highest paid actor, he’s the man everyone wants to be, or be with, but something is missing. After being betrayed more than once, the only romance Josh believes in anymore is on the pages of his scripts. He keeps his relationships transactional, and that’s how he likes it, until he meets his new bodyguard. She was supposed to keep him safe, and satisfied when necessary, but now he’s realizing he may never be able to get enough of her.

An ending neither could have expected

Protecting Joshua started off as a mission, until it suddenly felt like her calling. When the true reason the CIA wanted her for this assignment is revealed, Kayla will have to choose between serving her country or saving the love of her life.

•••••••••••

REVIEW:  NOBODY DOES IT BETTER is the fifteenth instalment in Lexi Blake’s contemporary, adult MASTERS AND MERCENARIES erotic, romance series focusing on the men and women who work for the McKay-Taggart and Knight Security Agency. This is CIA double agent Kayla Summers, and Hollywood action star Joshua Hunt’s story line. NOBODY DOES IT BETTER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from previous story lines is revealed where necessary although there are references to ongoing scenarios from previous investigations and the continuing fall out from a mission that saw the rescue of the ’Lost Boys’- men whose minds and memories were wiped clean of their pasts. The Lost Boys will get their own spin-off series Master and Mercenaries: The Forgotten starting in August 2018.

NOTE: LOVE ANOTHER DAY contains sexually, graphic scenes of Domination, submission, and discipline.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Kayla and Joshua) NOBODY DOES IT BETTER follows the building relationship between CIA double agent Kayla Summers, and Hollywood leading man Joshua Hunt. Thirteen years earlier, rookie CIA agent Kayla Summers turned double agent when the twin sister she never knew, Jiang Kun, was murdered by the MSS, China’s version of the CIA. Five years undercover with the MSS taught our heroine that the world as we know it is nothing compared to the truth. Fast forward to present day wherein Kayla, who now works for McKay-Taggart and Knight Security Agency finds herself assigned to the security detail of Hollywood action star Joshua Hunt, a man whose sexual proclivities tend towards Domination to our heroine’s submissive side, and a man whose friendship with the leader of the Mexican cartel questions his involvement at a deeper level. A number of stalkers including a blackmailing scheme have threatened to destroy our story line hero, a man whose past remains secret and dark. What ensues is the building relationship between Joshua and Kayla, as Kayla and the team at McKay-Taggart work undercover to ferret out our hero’s connections to the Mexican cartel; the search for a blackmailer; and the potential fall-out when Joshua discovers the truth about both his blackmailer, and the woman with whom he is falling in love.

Joshua Hunt doesn’t do relationships and the last thing he wanted was to be guarded by a woman who played the role of his girlfriend and submissive. A dark and tormented history prevents our hero from revealing the truth about the who, where and why of his past-a past mired in abuse, neglect and sexual assault. Kayla Summers is the adopted daughter of two American men who are fiercely protective of the young woman they call their own but Kayla’s history proves she is very capable of looking after herself and the people she loves including Joshua Hunt-the man for whom she is willing to sacrifice her own life and her love as an international spy. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense. There are some scenes of spanking, as well as some questionable acts of discipline dealt in anger and contempt.

NOBODY DOES IT BETTER is a detailed, complex and captivating story line that follows several intersecting paths involving a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters who will struggle against blackmail, betrayal, deception and lies. Allegiances are questioned; lines are blurred; friendship, family, McKay-Taggart and the CIA are double-crossed in a game of international espionage, intrigue, betrayal, power and control. The premise is entertaining and inviting; the characters are numerous, intelligent and charismatic; the romance is provocative and intense.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Watch the trailer: Direct link: https://video214.com/play/X9d2hkhA1efXNQwHVL0fOg/s/dark

“Kayla?”
Her eyes came up, a flash of recognition there. “Yes?”
“Are you going to sign the contract or do you have more questions?”
She picked up the pen sitting on top of the contracts that would bind the two of them together for the next six months. They would reevaluate the relationship at that point in time, but for the next six months, she was his. His bodyguard. His submissive.
Bought and properly paid for. He would take care of her and she would give him what he needed.
She signed with a flourish and sat back, a gleam of curiosity in her eyes.
He was curious, too, and there was zero reason to not satisfy their curiosity. Hard and soft limits had been gone over. They would find their communication style as they went along. But first she should understand that he was in control.
“Come sit on my lap.”
She didn’t hesitate. She stood and turned, shifting so she could maneuver her way onto his lap.
Her weight came down on him and he wrapped an arm around her waist. Damn but she made him feel big. He’d seen her take out a man twice her size, but sitting here in his lap she felt small and vulnerable, and fuck but that did it for him.
He slid a hand along her knee, letting himself indulge in the silky-smooth feel of her skin against his palm. “Did you do as I asked?”
He was well aware his voice had gone husky, deeper than normal.
“Yes, Joshua.” She squirmed the tiniest bit, as though trying to find a comfortable position. It might be difficult for her because she was sitting right on his cock, and it was harder and thicker than he could ever remember it being.
“How can I trust you?” This was all part of the game he loved. Here he could let go and play out the darker of his impulses—to control, to take, to possess.
See. Want. Have.
“You’ll have to check,” she replied. “Though shouldn’t we go inside?”
He reached out and picked up his cell with his free hand, pushing one number and connecting to the security room. He put them on speaker. She needed to understand what she was up against in order for the game to be fair. “Landon?”
“This is Burke,” the deep voice replied. “Shane’s on patrol. What can I do for you?”
“Burke, I would like to fuck my submissive on the third-floor balcony. Is anyone watching us? Can you see any cameras pointed our way?”
A low, masculine chuckle came across the line. “No, Mr. Hunt. And given the angle relative to the beach, you should enjoy your evening without worry. The only peepers I would worry about would be your next-door neighbor, and Jared is out for the night.”
“I wouldn’t care if he wasn’t. Keep up the good work.” He hung up and his hand tightened. “I would prefer when we’re playing that you don’t question me like that. I know where I want to fuck you. I know when I want to fuck you, and I’m in charge. If I want you in the middle of a crowded freeway, your only response is a yes or a no. Not to question me.”
She seemed to relax back against him, as though she was giving up the struggle and choosing to submit. “Yes, Joshua. Yes, I understand, and yes to the sex. Please.”
He liked the breathy please and loved how she squirmed. Still, he wasn’t absolutely sure she’d obeyed him, and he was a man who required proof. He slid his hand up her thigh. “Spread your legs for me.”
Her knees fell apart, and he could feel the heat from her core. He slipped a hand up until he made contact with her softest skin. No panties. Nothing but wet heat waiting for him, and it was obvious the play had cranked her up, too. His free hand eased one button on her shirt free, and then another and another until he could move in like a soldier conquering territory. No bra. Her breasts were like the rest of her. Soft and delicate. One nipple rolled against his palm, hardening then and there.
“I can see you’ve been an obedient sub,” he said, his mouth against her ear. “You need to stay that way or there will be punishment. I’m not a sadist, Kayla. I truly don’t get off on your pain, but I will give it to you if you need it. I am a disciplinarian. I gain satisfaction from your obedience. In exchange, I’ll show you how good it can be to obey me.”

Lexi BlakeNY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

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At Your Service (Topped 4: Masters and Mercenaries 14.5) by Lexi Blake-Review & Excerpt Tour

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AT YOUR SERVICE (Masters and Mercenaries 14.5: Topped 4) by Lexi Blake-Review & Excerpt Tour

At Your Service Banner

AT YOUR SERVICE
Topper #4/ Masters and Mercenaries 14.5
by Lexi Blake
Release Date: November 14, 2017
Genre:adult, contemporary, erotic,romance

At Your Service

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / iBooks / Google Play /Smashwords

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 14, 2017

Juliana O’Neil’s promising future was burned away in the heat of battle. She had been an officer with a bright future in the military, but now she is struggling to survive. Her husband gone and her career in shambles, she finds a job at Top as a hostess and tries to put together the pieces of her life. The last thing she needs is any kind of male attention, but she can’t help but be amused at her neighbor and coworker’s lothario antics. Not that she would have anything to do with him, at least not for more than one night.

Javier Leones doesn’t understand monogamy. No woman could ever be enough for his endless libido, but he has to admit Juliana has his attention. For reasons he doesn’t fully understand, he can’t seem to get the gorgeous redhead with the sad eyes out of his head. After one scorching night together, he realizes he’ll never be able to get her out of his system. But with his reputation, he fears she’ll never see him as more than a one-night stand.

When their passions collide, these new lovers will be forced to confront Juliana’s past and come to terms with Javier’s present. Will they find their way or will this reservation be cancelled at the last minute?

••••••••••

REVIEW: AT YOUR SERVICE by Lexi Blake is the latest novella in the author’s contemporary adult MASTERS AND MERCENARIES: Topped BDSM romance series. This is naval officer and amputee Juliana O’Neil, and chef Javier Leones’ story line. AT YOUR SERVICE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Juliana and Javier) AT YOUR SERVICE follows several paths including the building romance and relationship between co-workers and neighbors Juliana O’Neil, and Javier Leones, as well as the destructive nature of loss and war. Juliana is a naval veteran who lost her dominant hand while on deployment over seas, and has found a bit of a kindred spirit in her neighbour Javier Leones, whose older brother continues to struggle with the loss of his legs. What ensues is the back and forth between Javier and Juliana as our heroine battles between her head and her heart, and the loss of a future she longed to explore; and the potential destruction of Javier’s brother when the demons come knocking on Javier’s door.

Javier Leones, a former military man, is a manwhore whose doesn’t do relationships; whose reputation with the ladies precedes his introduction to our story line heroine. A Master at the BDSM Club Sanctum, as well as a chef at Sean Taggart’s TOP restaurant, Javier also faces an uphill battle with his older brother who has struggled since the loss of his legs while on deployment over seas. A series of unexplained break-ins, and threats to his brother’s life find Javier stepping back to protect the woman he loves.

A one-time chef, Juliana now works as a hostess at TOP due to the difficulty using the tools required for the job but Javier is determined to push our heroine to take the steps to further a career long thought lost. Juliana is a woman afraid of losing her heart, and accepts that a relationship with Javier means there is always someone else waiting in the wings.

The relationship between Juliana and Javier is one of friends/co-workers to lovers; a relationship that struggles on preconceived notions, a past riddled with too many one-night stands, and a woman who battles some ghosts of her own. The $ex scenes are intimate and seductive; the D/s and BDSM scenarios are limited and light involving some spanking, and show and tell. Juliana’s constant back and forth, yes and no, up and down was a little disconcerting; her jealousy, anger and indecisiveness juxtaposed with her easy going concern for Javier’s brother. The author’s need to constantly remind the reader about Javier’s past indiscretions is bothersome and annoying.I struggled with the numerous mentions from family, friends and the woman he loved.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including several previous story line couples as well as a number of TOP employees, and SANCTUM members, Javier’s ex Kristy, and his brother Rafe Leones; and nosy neighbors Mrs. Gleeson and Mr. Cassidy.

The world building continues to look at the friendships and relationship at TOP and SANCTUM, as well as the ongoing struggles for the military personnel who continue to do battle upon returning home.

AT YOUR SERVICE is a story of family and friendship, and the daily struggle for American veterans whose lives have been destroyed or forever altered. Both the H/h have issues and vulnerability that need to be addressed, hopefully their happily ever after isn’t compromised by ghosts from the past. The premise is captivating and inviting; the characters are energetic and lively; the romance is provocative and intense.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

At Your Service teaser

Excerpt

All alone with the storm. Maybe she should call Kai. And ask him to get out in the middle of this? That seemed pretty selfish especially since she knew exactly how poorly driving in storms could go.
A hard flash of white light made her jump back.
Nope. She wasn’t going there. She was going to stay in the here and now, and that meant finding a flashlight and trying to get some candles lit. Someone was out there working on getting the power back on, and then she would ride out the storm watching rom coms and falling asleep on the couch. It was going to be okay. Deep breath. It was going to be okay.
A few moments later she’d found her one flashlight and had a nice set of candles out, and she was faced with the problem of lighting the suckers. Oh, she had a big box of matches, but she’d never struck a match without her left hand.
A lighter would be easier. She could figure out a lighter maybe. Jules tried holding the box against the table with her stump while she struck the match with her right hand. She fumbled, the action so unnatural it made her slip up and break the match.
And the second one.
And the third one.
Tears pierced her eyes, but she wasn’t going to shed them. She was going to figure this out or she would make due with the flashlight. It was all about adapting. That was what she had to do. Adapt.
She wasn’t going to let this beat her. Normally she was tough. It had happened and she dealt with it, but between the storm and the conversation with Suzanne the day before about her mother and the sweetness of flirting with a handsome man she couldn’t have, she was feeling awfully vulnerable. She wasn’t going to sit here in the dark and cry.
A knock on the door made her gasp and jump.
Fuck. She wasn’t like this. She hated this…this anxiety she got when it rained. It was weakness and she couldn’t abide it.
If you walk away from this you’ll ruin your life, Juliana. Don’t think I’ll watch you do it. You go through with this and you do it on your own. Am I understood?
Sometimes she felt like she was still seven years old, and if she could just get her mom’s attention everything would be okay.
Jules gripped the flashlight and walked across her apartment to the door. It was likely one of the neighbors coming to check on her. Actually, that was an excellent idea. She could go down and see if Mrs. Gleeson needed some company. There were some elderly residents she could check on and a single mom she’d met at the end of the hall. She could see if she could be of any assistance and that would get her through the night.
She opened the door expecting to see anyone but the man she saw standing there.
Javier Leones. He had a flashlight in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. He was wearing jeans and a button down that he’d left undone enough she could see a nice swath of golden brown skin. His hair was deliciously mussed, as though he’d taken a shower and simply rubbed a towel over it to get it dry.
He was big and male and so sexy it hurt to look at him, and Jules realized she could do something else to take her mind off things.
Those plump, sensual lips of his broke into a bright smile. “I thought you might like some company. I know I would. I actually don’t have any candles, so I was sitting in my living room with this sad one flashlight. You look like a woman who likes some candles.”
But she couldn’t light them. She hadn’t figured that part out.
His face fell and he walked into her place, closing and locking the door behind him. “Hey, what’s wrong? It’s okay if you don’t have any candles. It’s cool. Two flashlights are better than one.”
He set the flashlight and wine bottle down and moved into her space, his hands coming up to cup her shoulders. “Jules, what’s wrong?”
She had to be stronger than this. She shook her head. “Nothing. I’m fine.”
His jaw tightened. “Don’t. Please don’t. I live with a stubborn asshole who won’t let me help him in any way. I get that we’ve only known each other for a few weeks, but I thought we were friends. You help me out all the time. You’re kind to me. Fucking let me be kind to you. I spend every day trying to help someone who won’t let me. Please let me feel like I’m worth something.”
If he’d said anything else, joked about the weather or told her to suck it up, she could have, but he’d opened a door. He’d been vulnerable and honest, and she found she couldn’t pay that back with stubbornness.
“I have candles and I can’t figure out how to light them.” Tears rolled down her face. She was vulnerable. All the time. Even when she pretended like she wasn’t.
“You can’t…” he began and then he looked down. Instead of stepping back and giving her space, he drew his hand down her arm, warming her skin where he touched her. It was dark but the moon was full and gave enough light to see the outline of his face. There was no look of horror there. He caressed her arm until he got to the place where she’d been split apart and sewn back together unwhole. He brought it up and wrapped it against his palm, his fingers closing around it until the whole thing was surrounded with his warmth. “You haven’t figured out how to do it yet. Probably hasn’t come up or you would know what to do. How long since you lost your hand?”
“A year and a half,” she said. He was touching her there. No one had touched her there except her doctors and therapists.
Come to think of it, no one had touched her at all since before the accident. Had it really been so long since she’d felt warm flesh against her own? He was so close, close enough that all she would have to do was go up on her toes to brush her lips against his.
Would that be wrong? As long as she remembered who she was dealing with, why couldn’t she take a few moments of respite for herself? If he wanted her.

About the author

Lexi BlakeNY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

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