Sunday, September 15, 2013

Sexy Sunday - 'Breaking Elle' by Antoinette Candela Blog Tour & Review









For this week's Sexy Sunday post, I'm glad to sneak in on the last day of the tour celebrating Antoinette Candela's first novel, Breaking Elle! Scroll away to check out all the teaser goodies, a smokin' excerpt AND my review. Also be sure to hit up Antoinette's Facebook page to enter the giveaway

Please feel free to leave a comment below and don't forget to subscribe to my blog (over here →) if you haven't already. Thanks for stopping by! smiley Crush






Synopsis:

How is it that the one person who you have avoided is the same person who could give you true happiness?

When Elle Bennett meets Reed Austin she can't deny the attraction. She discovers that certain people come into your life who make you question everything that you've ever believed about love and life. Will she risk everything for something exciting and dangerous or will she choose what is familiar and secure? 

Reed Austin isn't looking for love when he moves to Boston. The distance was supposed to help him escape the trouble he left behind. Once he meets, Elle, everything changes. Reed can't figure out why he's drawn to Elle, but one thing is certain - he needs her.

Passion. Betrayal. Solace. Confusion. Desperation. 

Love and life are not simple and emotions and relationships are tested. Will attraction be enough or will their secrets and past keep them apart?


Excerpt:
*HEADS UP: CONTENT BELOW IS NOT PG-13*


"Hey,” she whispers, standing on her tiptoes gazing at me passionately. I lean in, crushing my lips to hers, wanting to taste her again, feel her body under my hands, and hear the sounds she makes when I'm pleasing her. "These won’t do," she murmurs in my mouth, and I feel her tug at the waist of my shorts. I groan when she slowly slides them off and kicks them aside. She grins when she sees how primed I am for her. I moan when she reaches down, curls her fingers around me, and strokes me up and down several times.

I lift her by her thighs and press her up against the wall; she curls her legs around my waist, pinning her hips tightly against me. Grabbing my face, she kisses me slowly at first, but then all control is out the window. The kiss becomes deep and hungry. Pulling away breathless and panting, she stares into my eyes. I haven't seen this look before, and I hope I see it again. From where I stand, things look good for me.

“No good girl tonight," she whispers in my ear. "Give me all you got. I want what we share tonight to hold me over until you come back." She breathes as she continues to kiss me, my mouth exploring hers. The heat in the room doubles, and I react by grabbing her waist tighter. "I want you to be rough with me." She purrs, tugging at my hair. I'm already insane for her, but those last words she speaks take me over the edge.

Locking eyes with her, I reach down and caress between her legs. “I need you. So. Bad. Baby." I utter, pressing into her. She moans and steals my lips, taking it to a frenzied pace, her hips meeting mine. The noise that escapes her when she feels my length pressed against her is nothing short of ecstasy. I want her so fucking bad. I nip at her swollen breast, slowly working my way back to her sweet lips, tracing and teasing every inch of her body with my fingers.

"Baby, please." She moans. "I need you now." The sound she makes right before I slowly sink into her is pure music to my ears.





Teasers:











My Thoughts:

Okay...straight up, here. Should you buy this book (and I do recommend it, as it's certainly one of the better written ones I've read since I started doing this reviewing thing - and understand I quit reading more books than I actually finish and review here), there are a few things that got a wee bit under my skin... smiley 1zvaluu

First off, be prepared that this is a book full of excessively hot people who all seem to know they are excessively hot. But not necessarily in the way that the cocky hot guy is gonna get cut down to size once he meets his OTL, but in the way that everyone - EVERY. ONE. - in this book is above average in appearance and there isn't a troll or nerd or even a quirky hipster to be found. It's as if Boston were freakishly Stepford-esque (and I know that ain't right cuz I'm from the East Coast, holla...we can grow some fugly up there!). 

Next, prepare yourself that our heroine, Elle, appears to have super powers because every man in her immediate vicinity seems to fall madly in love with her. Now how am I supposed to like a girl like that??? (j/k...sorta smiley Wink )

Finally, prepare yourself that our heroine is also a bit of an emotional hot mess and has no idea what she wants, who she wants, why, how or when she wants it/them. Although, I suppose if I was that gorgeous, built like a brick shithouse and had three minor gods after me all at once, I wouldn't know if I was coming or going, either. But I left the book feeling like this girl wouldn't know what true love is if it literally bit her in her "super snatch," (to quote the vampiress Pam from HBO's "True Blood"). If she loves one, she loves them all. To be fair, I do recognize that Elle's discombobulation is very obviously part of her character's journey and because of the skill of the author I am confident that in subsequent books she will find her way; it just made me a little crazeballs at times.

That said...let's talk about the stuff that I really liked... 

I simply enjoyed reading this book. It kept my interest 90% of the time and that's saying a lot because the majority of contemporary romances I read bore me to tears by chapter two.

I really enjoyed that each chapter switched the POV from Elle to Reed (one of our hunks, who I assume is the eventual HEA, since we aren't privy to any of our other hotties' thoughts - at least not in this installment). This is a very refreshing take on the popular first person writing format in our genre. Since I personally prefer to know what everyone's thinking, I very much liked this twist. 

I also thought the characters were well-developed and the subplots were interesting. Everyone's motivation was clear - or their frustrations were clear, as in Elle's case - and that is due to the author's detailed attention to exposition and her distinct writing style. After reading (and not finishing) so many books that are written with all the flare of a newspaper article, I appreciated that the author actually gives us more than just "then they went here....and then they went there...and then they fucked...and then it was true love," etc. The author lets us inside their heads, which as a reader and an author myself, is my favorite place to be. At times I felt like some of the exposition got a little repetitive and could have used a bit more editing, but I'd rather that than feel like I'm reading the outline of a book instead of the book itself.

There's lots of erotic tension and sexing up. Fun, sizzly, angsty yearnings and sweaty, scorchin' monkeylovin' between uber-hotties. Yeah, daddy.   smiley Animated-smileys-love-erotic-448_zps28f383ed

Breaking Elle of course ends abruptly with a gargantuan cliff hanger, as we do in the ebook world, but it did leave me wanting to read the next one to find out how Reed manages to get out of his self-made mess and if Tyler (Elle's long time best friend whose love she doesn't reciprocate) gets to find himself a woman that actually deserves him, and I'm of course anxious for Elle to get her pretty little head on straight (what she really needs is TIME ALONE!!! A BREATHER!!! But then we wouldn't have a story, would we? smiley Tongue ). With all the characters to explore (and a little brother who should get his own story, too!), all of whom I actually like, the stage is set for a fun series.

Overall I think Antoinette Candela made a very respectable debut she can be proud of with Breaking Elle and I look forward to reading her future works. Now go buy the book and let me know what you think!

Rating: Four Smooches! (out of five)  smiley Kiss smiley Kiss smiley Kiss smiley Kiss


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Meet The Author



Antoinette Candela is a little shy with a larger than life personality. Suffering from Peter Pan syndrome, she refuses to grow up. She finds inspiration for her writings from everyday life, through her fun and quirky interactions with friends and family and the drama that never ceases to disappoint.

One thing is for certain, Antoinette lives by her own rules. As a Bostonian she loves the Yankees and is proud to wear her “I Love Derek Jeter “T-shirt. You can catch Antoinette on the beach soaking in the rays, but when the rumble of the thunderstorm rolls in, she’s curled up with a book or tapping away on her keyboard.

Mother, Writer, Reader, Lover of Music and all things learning, Antoinette is the charismatic author of Breaking Elle.


5 Fun Facts about Antoinette:

1. I hated English in High School
2. I'm allergic to cats
3. I'm ticklish everywhere and I hate it.
4. I love to watch scary movies but I cover my eyes when there's a scary scene. Don't ask.
5. I can't drink wine. It makes me sick. So I drink cosmos and martinis instead and do shots of patron.


FACEBOOK   |   BLOG   |   GOODREADS







Monday, September 9, 2013

Book Blitz - 'Withstanding Me' by Crystal Spears



Happy to blitz out best-selling Amazon author Crystal Spears' new novel in the Breakneck Series! Withstanding Me is now available...check it out! 

*THE FOLLOWING MATERIAL IS NOT RATED PG-13 
AND IS INTENDED FOR MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY.*










Amazon Buy Link



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Blurb:

While the chaos and bloodshed have slowed for a short period, life is never quiet in the world of Breakneck. The club is taking time to regroup from internal betrayal and the changing of the guard in a rival group.

Zig Zag became a father at the age of thirteen. While raising a child has never been easy, now his eighteen year old daughter Tatiana makes his life downright hard. She has caught the eye of Travis, the new President of the rival MC Gunners, but all she really wants is Shadow, the newest addition to the Breakneck family. When Shadow’s rejection sends Tatiana running from the only family, home, and safety she’s ever known, ZZ is crazy with worry. The distraction caused by Tatiana’s disappearance could prove to be Zig Zag’s downfall.

If that isn’t enough, ZZ finds himself rampantly attracted to the one and only Storm. She’s beautiful, quick and witty. Their friendship is the one thing that keeps him from growing crazy, and Storm stands by ZZ through all the turmoil. Zig Zag is not accustomed to hearing the word no, so Storm’s constant withstanding just draws him in deeper. Their friendship is one thing keeping him from going crazy, until one night…

The club is regrouping and rebuilding from the mayhem known as the Russian Mafia. A hit is ordered on Tatiana, Storm, Winter, and Piper.

Tatiana’s egg donor reveals secrets that a thirteen year old Zig Zag was too young to understand.

Braxxon is out of reach while he helps Greg Cage deal with some dirty business.


Bloodshed… Secrets… Betrayal…Trauma… Welcome back to the Breakneck world.






Excerpt:



It’s been two fuckin weeks since Mira stopped by the damn clubhouse wanting to talk to my daughter. What gives her the fucking right? She left me to raise a child at the age of thirteen, and eighteen years later, she thinks she can magically return into Tatiana’s life? Yeah, that’s right; I’m a thirty-one year old man with an eighteen-year-old daughter. Judge me bitches. I don’t give a shit. I admit I’m sitting at Club Sated and getting wasted off my ass over this shit. Why am I here, and not at Breakneck? Well, there’s plenty of naked pussy around, and when any man is upset and feeling down, he wants to be around pussy. Don’t let any of them lie to you. But there’s this one bitch here that I want and for the first time in my life, a bitch doesn’t want me back. I don’t see what the big deal is. I just wanna take her home and fuck the shit outta her. Hell, we don’t even have to leave the club. I can fuck her right here. I’m sure Winter and Braxxon wouldn’t give a shit, but then again, they just might because the bitch my cock is aching for is their manager Storm. And shit do I wanna ride that Storm. 

Storm is just another piece of ass, but for some reason, something about this woman fascinates me. She’s a fucking young buck too. She’s Winter’s age, only twenty two. That’s literally only four years older than my own daughter is. You would think that alone would detour my cock, but it doesn’t.





Meet The Author



Crystal resides in Indiana with her family, her dog Dozer and two fancy rats. She enjoys the outdoors and in the summer you will rarely catch her at home. Her other passions aside from writing are dancing and photography. She is a retired blogger and professional book reviewer. She is the Bestselling Author of Seize Me and just released Withstanding Me, both from her “Breakneck Series.” 








Sunday, September 8, 2013

Sexy Sunday - "l'Italia" (Erotic Poetry)



For this installment of Sexy Sunday, I decided to be self-indulgent (because it's my blog and I can!) and share a piece of my own erotic poetry with you. I hope you enjoy it! I would be so grateful for your feedback in the comments section below this post. Writing is such an isolated art form - your interaction keeps me going. And pretty please, don't forget to subscribe (). I thank you in advance. smiley Crush



*THE FOLLOWING MATERIAL IS NOT RATED PG-13 
AND IS INTENDED FOR MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY.*





l'Italia 
An erotic poem by Deliza Rafferty




awakening 
seven hours later
his aroma lingers on her skin
in her hair
between her thighs
mingled nectars
evaporated
imprinted on her sheets

still 
she tastes him on her tongue
her lips
her fingertips

rolling over
an ache within her core
remembering him
with every move

feeling his ghost
his mark

pulsing 
for the memory of it
hooked upon him
impaled to her womb
helpless
the fullness
completed

owned

langorous, melancholy smile

still
she hears his voice
lilting, musical
his breath against her ear
spine tingle


lo senti, bella?
do you feel it?

...yes...god, yes...


ti piace, bella? è buono?
do you like it? is it good?

...sweet jesus, yes...


dimmi...mi pregare...
tell me...beg me...

...pleeeeeeaaaase...


oh god...prenderlo...take it...
remember me...



her eyes open
skin flushed
nipples straining
bud hums
walls contract

but the emptiness there...
the nothingness...

catch in her throat


Forever Gone.  

Forever Remembered.




Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed my poem, maybe you'll enjoy the short story/novella series I'm currently writing, The Savannah Rossi Chronicles, as well. There are four volumes available so far (volume five coming soon). I hope you'll check them out. 




SMASHWORDS   |   AMAZON   |   BARNES & NOBLE   |   KOBO     






Thursday, September 5, 2013

Blog Tour/Giveaway - 'How Many Chances' by Beverley Hollowed






Today I'm thrilled be part of my friend Beverley Hollowed's blog tour for her new novel, How Many Chances, Part Two of the Chances Series (the sequel to No Second Chances). I tried like mad to finish the book in time for a review, but sometimes the Universe has other plans for my schedule! The good news is that you can read my review of No Second Chances to give you an idea and this much I can already tell you even though I haven't finished: Beverley's trademark, heart-wrenching angst is veritably oooooozing out of this one! I swear to God this poor couple will NEVER find happiness!  If that's your bag as a reader, then you need to be a Bev Babe like yesterday (I just totally made that name up - you're welcome, Bev!). So check out the teasers below, enter the giveaway and then download your copy. Or both, if you haven't read the first (you will be completely lost if you haven't, fyi). 

Thank you for stopping by and please be so kind as to subscribe to my blog so you know when I have new posts up and news about my own writing (over there →). ENJOY!







Synopsis 

Having fallen head over heels in love with the handsome and very charming Cole Thomas, Ally Brody had her heart broken and her world torn apart. 

She feels lost, but is determined to move on and start her life a fresh. 

However, Cole still fills her every thought and she is finding it harder and harder to stick to her rule of no second chances.

Cole is left a broken shell. He can’t think of anything but Ally and showing her just what she truly means to him.

Can Cole prove to Ally that she is meant to be with him? 

Can Ally ever learn to trust Cole again?

Can they start over and find happiness or will life keep throwing hurdles in their way…How Many Chances does true love get? 



Teasers

When he reached Ally’s door he stood for a moment and took a deep calming breath before he softly knocked on the door.  He listened for movement inside but there wasn’t a sound. He knocked once more but still there was no reply.

“Ally, please,” he begged pressing his head against the door. “Please open the door and talk to me. I love you.”

He listened for a sound but there was still none. Panic started to bubble up inside him. Why wasn’t she answering the door? What if Jason had come back? The sudden thought filled him with so much terror and he began banging on the door in panic.


♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

  
As she sat there, immersed in the hot water, she closed her eyes and once again her thoughts were consumed by Cole. She longed to see him. She longed to have him hold her in his arms and tell her this was all just a mistake. But she knew that was never going to happen. She could barely breathe, she needed him. But she knew she had to let him go. He lied to her and he broke her heart.

As the song that was playing on her iPod ended, the sounds of Kiki Dee’s ‘Amorouse’ filled the bathroom. The words of the song hit her like a steam roller. “Should have told him, I’d do anything if I could hold him, for just another day.”


♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥


“Why is it stupid?” Cole asked looking her straight in the eyes, taking a step towards her. “You love me, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do,” she agreed.

“And you know I love you?” He continued as he walked towards her slowly.

“Yes,” she swallowed nervously as he stopped directly in front of her. He was so close she could feel his breath wash across her face. She knew she needed to stay strong but she also knew he knew exactly how to get under her skin. He reached up and traced his fingertips down her face and her stomach contracted.

“I want you Ally,” he said breathlessly, his lips barely and inch from hers. “I want to have you with me when I go to sleep at night and I want you next to me when I wake up. I need you. Please. Tell me you want me too.”


♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥


“I know you have something on your mind, gorgeous girl,” he said finally. “And I know you will talk when you are ready. But I am begging you, please don’t shut me out. Let me help you.”

His words cut through her. He thought she was shutting him out because he had done something wrong. But truth was, she was about to destroy his world and she was afraid he would hate her for it.

“Promise me,” he continued looking down at her lying in his arms. “Tomorrow we will talk.”

“I promise,” she said in a quiet voice. And she knew she would have no choice. Tomorrow, whether she was ready or not, she was going to have to tell him everything.


♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥


“I love you,” he breathed against her mouth. Suddenly he moved above her and pinned her to the bed, his mouth claiming hers. She could feel the need in his kiss. She knew he was hurting and he was trying to deal with it the only way he knew how.

She wanted to talk but she knew he wasn’t ready. So she returned his kiss. She wanted him to know they were still okay.

“I need you,” he said hungrily against her mouth. “Please.”

“I’m yours” she whispered breathlessly back to him.

She kissed him harder, pouring every bit of hurt and pain that she had felt that day into showing him what he meant to her.

He broke his lips from hers and stared down into her face and all Ally could see was love staring back at her.

He reached down and, taking hold of the end of her dress he slowly slid it up her body and pulled it over her head. Never taking his eyes from hers, he pulled back the straps from her bra, each one falling down on to her arms. Then he reached behind her and undid the clasp of her bra, slipping it down her arms and dropping it to the floor.





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(COMING SOON)



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Buy No Second Chances 
(Part 1 of the Chances Series):



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ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!








Meet The Author





I am Beverley, though my friends call me Bev. I am 38 years old and I live in Dublin with my Husband and two sons. I love to read and I love music. 


I have been writing as long as I can remember.

I released my first book in December 2012 called Forever and Always.

My second book, No Second Chances (the first book from The Chances Series) was released April 29th.

My third book A Stolen Heart was released July 12th.

Some random facts about me.... I am a middle child, I have a fear of mirrors, spiders and birds and I make custom jewelry.

I adore music and it is a big part of my writing.