Monday, October 31, 2016

Halo by R.C. Stephens ~ Review by Juls

HaloHalo by R.C. Stephens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


4.5 Stars

“You’re my Halo, my ray of light. I will always find my way back to you.”

This is an awesome story about life's miracles happening in the most unexpected ways! Halo shows us a perfect example of how true soulmates can overcome the odds. I loved reading about the power of love between two characters. Halo was gifted a second chance at love and I loved watching her take full advantage of it both times! A beautiful story that was beautifully written by R.C. Stephens!

-Juls

View all my reviews

DIRTY (Raw Family, #2) by Belle Aurora: Review by Lys

Dirty (RAW Family, #2)Dirty by Belle Aurora
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think DIRTY may just be the most anticipated book 2 ever! I have been dying to read this story, and hoping for more of Twitch and Lexi. I am thrilled to tell you, that you get that and so much more! It has been years since I've read RAW, but within just a few chapters, I was right back in their world. Julius and Ana's story was a tough read. Dark, sinister, and terrifying are words I'd use to describe all that Ana endured. Their story is clearly not for the faint of heart, but it is a must read for fans of the Raw family. I enjoyed getting to know more about Julius, and I was giddy over a few cameo appearances that were tied into this story. Belle Aurora will once again reel in her fans with this riveting mafia romance and leave them begging for book 3, REBIRTH!

♥ Review by Lys

View all my reviews

***Release Blitz!*** DIRTY (Raw Family, #2) by Belle Aurora




Title: Dirty
Series: RAW Family #2
Author: Belle Aurora
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: October 31, 2016


Blurb

My marriage seemed perfect from the outside looking in.
People envied me. They wanted my life, wanted to be me.

Mrs Alejandra Gambino.
Wife of Dino Gambino. Daughter of Eduardo Castillo.
Respected. Loved. Mob royalty.

They had no idea of the horrors that lurked behind closed doors.
They didn't know I was at the lowest point a person could reach.

Enter Julius Carter.
Aloof, handsome, blue-eyed Julius Carter.

He saved me.
I screwed him over.

Now everybody was after me. My life was forfeit.
It was only a matter of time. I was a dead woman walking.

The question was, who would get to me first?






PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
B&N / KOBO / iBOOKS





AUTHOR BIO

Belle Aurora is twenty seven years old and was born in the land down under.

At an early age she fell in love with reading. Boredom one summer had her scouring the bookshelves at home. She stumbled across Sandra Brown's Breath of Scandal and fell in love with romance.

Having been brought up in a loud and boisterous family of Croatian descent, she developed a natural love for dramatics and humor. Only some years ago had she discovered a new love.

Humorous romance novels.

Kristen Ashley and R.L. Mathewson had opened a brand new world where she could lose herself yet feel safe and at home in their stories. Belle has been known to become a screeching banshee while anxiously awaiting their newest titles.

Belle never thought she would write. It had never interested her until recently. Friend-Zoned began to form and in February 2013 Belle typed the words Chapter One. And she fell in love.

With words.
With writing.
With a creative imagination she never knew she harbored.

Friend-Zoned is the first in the Friend-Zoned series. Keep an eye out for this cheeky author.


AUTHOR LINKS

***Release Blitz!*** MR. PRESIDENT by Katy Evans


  Mr. President by Katy Evans

Release Date: October 31st Genre: Contemporary Romance

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Synopsis:

He's won the hearts of millions. But is he willing to lose his?
I met the president’s son when we were both young. Matthew Hamilton was handsome, polished, and intelligent. I’d never met a guy like him.
He promised me that he’d never run for president. I promised that if he did, I’d be by his side.
Three terms later, an invitation to join Matthew Hamilton’s campaign is the most exhilarating opportunity I’ve ever experienced. I'm determined to make a difference; he is determined to win.
Focused on his goal, Matt is steadfast, ruthless, and disarming. All eyes are on him and his popularity is surging. But soon, the next possible president of the United States is possessing me in more ways than one—and despite the risks, I'm helpless to resist.
We're stealing touches, stealing moments, and stealing away at night. But our chemical connection is quickly becoming dangerously combustive, putting not only my heart, but Matt's chance at the presidency on the line.
Winning will take everything. Walking away will be the hardest thing of all.

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Add to Goodreads

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Buy Links:


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About the Author:

Katy Evans is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Her debut REAL shot to the top of the bestselling lists in 2013 and since then 9 of her titles have been New York Times bestsellers. Her books have been translated into nearly a dozen languages across the world.

Email / Facebook / Twitter / Website

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

***Release Boost!*** WRITTEN IN THE SCARS by Adriana Locke




Title: Written in the Scars
Author: Adriana Locke
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Release Date: October 20, 2016



Blurb

Falling in love is easy.

Falling out of love is the hardest thing in the world.

And Elin and Ty Whitt are terrible at it.

The first time the local basketball star smiled at Elin, she was a goner. It was just so damn easy to fall for the dark-haired hometown hero with his charming smile and strong, athletic build.

Thousands of sleepy smiles, aimless drives down country roads, and squeaks of the backdoor after a swing shift later, reality hits. And it hits hard. Falling in love was definitely the easy part. Watching it break apart was impossible.

Through the tears, the second-guesses, the memories of a life built together, the world keeps spinning. With each turn comes clarity and hope—sometimes in the form of a pair of muddy boots by the back door or from the words of a wise friend.

When Ty shows back up with a new found determination to put his family back together, Elin's torn between the fights of the past and the possibility of a new start. This is the man that holds her heart, the man she loves beyond anything else. But this is also the one person in the world that can cause her the most pain.

Life’s not always easy. Love’s not for the faint of heart. But with life comes lessons and Ty and Elin have the scars to prove it. But it's their love written in those scars that will hold them together … or break them apart.






Don't miss these release week events!!!

Lots of fun things and giveaways will be happening in Adriana’s Facebook Group. Make sure you join the festivities!
 


Check out Adriana’s website for a Week of Giveaways, starting Monday, October 24th. You don’t want to miss this!




Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK

Available in Kindle Unlimited





PRAISE FOR WRITTEN IN THE SCARS

“Locke has created magic!” - NYT Bestselling author SL Scott

“A book you must read—just keep the Kleenex close.” - NYT Bestselling author Melanie Moreland

“Written in the Scars is without a doubt one of the best books I’ve ever read, and I give it all the stars.” - author Rachel Brookes

“This book … one of the most emotionally powerful and beautifully written books I’ve ever read.” - BB Belle, Goodreads review

“A top read of 2016 … Impeccable and stellar!” - Dawn, Divas Book Lounge

“The words will seep into your soul.” - Books and Boys Book Blog

“What a beautiful book that left me in tears.” - Minxes Love Books

“There are no words to express how much this book affected me.” - Kristin, Book Lovers Obsession

 
"...it's the scars that makes us who we are, that tell the story of the life we lived."

Adriana Locke has written her best book yet!

Written In The Scars is an emotional read about life, love, and second chances. Ty and Elin's story touched my soul in a way that few books have. It was heart breakingly beautiful. It was real.. and raw... and it gutted me in so many ways. I highly recommend a box of tissues with this one! I loved these characters. Each and every one of them added so much to this story. I felt their pain, there hope, their despair, but most of all... I felt their love for each other. Written In The Scars was truly an amazing read. I LOVED it!
 
♥ Review by Lys



Excerpt

I pull her into me, trying to put her, me, our life back together with my embrace. Her arms find my waist, and I hold her in the middle of the driveway, swaying back and forth in a moment I’ll never, ever forget. The feeling of my world careening back into focus, into the places it should be, nearly drops me to my knees with my girl in my arms.

“I should go in,” she says, looking up at me.

“It’s cold in there.”

She shrugs and I see her start to slip away from me again. Frantic, I struggle to find a way to stop it.

“Let’s go for a drive,” I suggest.

She looks at me warily.

“It’s just a drive,” I promise. “The house can warm up and then I’ll drop you back off, if that’s what you want. What can it hurt?”

“You won’t try to make out with me or anything, right?” she teases. “Because I know that look in your eye, Tyler Whitt.”

“Only if you ask,” I wink, opening the door to my truck and watching her climb in. Before I shut it, I lean in and whisper into her ear. “Hey, E.”

“Yeah?”

“Please ask.”





Author Bio

USA Today Bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other authors, Adriana has created her own.

She resides in the Midwest with her husband, sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather's nice and there's always a piece of candy in her pocket.

For sneak peeks, giveaways, and more, please join Adriana's Facebook Group, Books by Adriana Locke, or her Goodreads group, All Locked Up.



Author Links

***Excerpt Reveal!*** BLOW by Heidi McLaughlin

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In Blow, the start of an emotionally charged series from bestselling author Heidi McLaughlin, an insatiable heartthrob gets blinded by the spotlight—and learns to fight for love.

Meet the complicated men behind the sexiest boy band in America!  Releasing November 8th!

Pre-Order NOW!

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Blurb
Bodhi McKnight has always had everything handed to him on a silver platter: fame, success, money, girls. The raven-haired, blue-eyed hottie is the son of Hollywood A-listers, and when he’s asked to join the boy band Virtuous Paradox, his star shoots even higher. But so do expectations, leading Bodhi down a destructive path of addiction—until a drop-dead gorgeous guardian angel shows him her sizzling brand of tough love.

When Bodhi ends up in rehab, he doesn’t expect to meet someone as cool and down-to-earth as Kimberly Gordon. Although he’s enjoyed the company of beautiful, charming women before, none of them have tried to get to know the “real” Bodhi. But Kimberly isn’t fazed by his stardom. She’d rather go horseback riding, teach Bodhi to play guitar, or ask him about his feelings. Soon Bodhi realizes he’s fallen head over heels for her. He just hopes that he’s strong enough to protect what they have from all the pressures and temptations of the outside world.

Includes a special message from the editor, as well as an excerpt from another Loveswept title.



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About the Author

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Heidi McLaughlin
Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband and two daughters. Also renting space in their home is an over-hyper Beagle/Jack Russell, Buttercup and a Highland West/Mini Schnauzer, JiLL and her brother, Racicot.

When she isn't writing one of the many stories planned for release, you'll find her sitting court-side during either daughter's basketball games

Heidi's first novel, Forever My Girl, is currently in production to be a major motion picture.

NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author




THANK YOU!

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

***Release Blitz!*** SECRETS OF AN ALHA MALE by JD Hawkins

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Secrets of an Alpha Male by JD Hawkins Release Date: October 25th, 2016 Genre: Contemporary Romance

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Synopsis:

What happens when a cocky bad boy falls for a good girl?
I'm Connor 'Alpha Male' Anderson. Pound for pound I'm the best MMA fighter in America, and I've got the brains, balls, and brawn to back it up - 230 pounds of pure muscle, infinite charm, and the stamina to last all night long. But with the biggest fight of my career coming up, I've got to keep my pants zipped and get my head in the game. That's when Frankie Jones comes in. An amazingly hot yoga teacher, she drives me crazy with those booty shorts and sports bras. I'll hold downward dog as long as she wants so I can show her my cobra. She's a total bombshell, feisty, and challenges me every step of the way. She doesn't fall for my alpha game, and that only turns me on more. But how can I get myself into her skin-tight leggings, with the pressure of this title match coming up and my trainer's orders to keep it in my pants? Before I met Frankie, all I wanted was to win this fight. But now? All I want is her. Opposites attract in this Standalone Romance Novel with an HEA that will knock you out!
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Add to Goodreads

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Buy Links:

FREE on Kindle Unlimited

About the Author:

I grew up in Southern California and now live with my wife in Venice, CA. In between I've lived in NYC, India and Thailand. I love to travel and enjoy surfing, training in MMA and riding motorcycles. I've always enjoyed making up stories, especially ones inspired by real life.

Amazon / Facebook / Twitter

***Release Day Blitz!*** PREPPY - The Life & Death of Samuel Clearwater

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Love. Never. Dies.
Find out why in Preppy by T.M. Frazier


Order your copy NOW at the following retailers:

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Blurb
Samuel Clearwater, A.K.A Preppy, likes bowties, pancakes, suspenders, good friends, good times, good drugs, and a good f*ck.

He’s worked his way out from beneath a hellish childhood and is living the life he’s always imagined for himself. When he meets a girl, a junkie on the verge of ending it all, he’s torn between his feelings for her and the crippling fear that she could be the one to end the life he loves.

Andrea ‘Dre’ Capulet is strung out and tired.

Tired of living for her next fix. Tired of doing things that make her stomach turn. Tired of looking in the mirror at the reflection of the person she’s become. Just when she decides to end it all, she meets a man who will change the course of both their lives forever.

And their deaths.

For most people, death is the end of their story.
For Preppy and Dre, death was only the beginning.

This is the fifth book in the King Series and it's meant to be read after Soulless.

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About the Author:
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T.M. Frazier is a USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR best known for her KING SERIES. She was born on Long Island, NY. When she was eight years old she moved with her mom, dad, and older sister to sunny Southwest Florida where she still lives today with her husband and daughter.

When she was in middle school she was in a club called AUTHORS CLUB with a group of other young girls interested in creative writing. Little did she know that years later life would come full circle.

After graduating high school, she attended Florida Gulf Coast University and had every intention of becoming a news reporter when she got sucked into real estate where she worked in sales for over ten years.

Throughout the years T.M. never gave up the dream of writing and with her husband’s encouragement, and a lot of sleepless nights, she realized her dream and released her first novel, The Dark Light of Day, in 2013.
She’s never looked back.

Visit her at www.tmfrazierbooks.com for news, information, and appearances.

Stalk Her: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, and Goodreads.



THANK YOU!

***Release Day Blitz!*** BENEATH THESE SHADOWS by Meghan March

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From USA Today bestselling author Meghan March comes another dangerously sexy alpha hero…

The only permanent thing in my life is the ink I put on my clients.

I drift form city to city, in and out of beds, from one tattoo shop to the next.

Every time I start to put down roots, I rip them up.

Until New Orleans.

Until her.

She’s everything I’m not.

Full of fire and life. An innocent where I’m a sinner.

I want to consume her. Protect her. Keep her.

But first, I have to escape from beneath these shadows.

Beneath These Shadows is a STANDALONE romance set in the world of the Beneath series. You DO NOT have to read any other books in the series to enjoy it.

AMAZON US / AMAZON UK / AMAZON CA / AMAZON AU / iBOOKS / KOBO / B&N

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“You ever broken the law before this, Eden?” I expected a quick and unequivocal no, but it didn’t come as fast as I thought it would. “I don’t think so. I mean, I’m sure I have by accident sometime. I’ve jaywalked. But I’m not some kind of criminal.” Well, that makes one of us, I thought. My anger from earlier started to fade and be replaced by the heat of the knowledge that Eden’s naked tits were only inches from my chest, separated by water I could see right through. Last time I’d seen them under her pink bra, she’d been too fucked up for me to take advantage . . . but tonight she was completely sober. I raised my gaze from her chest, expecting her cheeks to be red when she realized I was staring at her nipples, but she wasn’t watching my face. She was staring down at my body. “Like what you see?” That got her attention. Eden jerked her head up to meet my eyes, and the blush colored her skin like I’d timed it. “You’re . . . big.” A booming laugh broke free from my throat at her unexpected response, and her cheeks flamed even brighter. “No, that’s not what I meant. I mean . . . everywhere. Not just, in the . . .” She looked down, then jerked her gaze back to mine. “I’m going to shut up now.” That kind of awkward and fumbling response couldn’t be faked, and protectiveness rose in me again. Eden was no con artist. She was a girl who couldn’t even say the word cock without turning red. “Ain’t no shame in my game.” She reached out a hand and covered my lips with her fingers. “Stop. You’re just making it worse. I wasn’t checking out your . . . package. I mean, I did before you got in the pool, but that’s only because I thought you’d have underwear on because who doesn’t wear underwear?” The babbling continued, and so did my laughter. Hell, I hadn’t laughed this much since Delilah had given in to a customer’s request and tattooed a flexing veined eggplant cartoon on a client so he could send pictures of it instead of dick pics. Eden pulled her hand back and covered her face. “I’m going to stop talking now. I seriously can’t be trusted to say anything that’s not completely humiliating when you’re standing this close to me naked.” “I disagree, and since I’m not ready to get out and put my clothes on, you’re going to have to deal with it.” She mumbled something under her breath. “Come again?” Eden pressed her lips together for a beat before saying, “I don’t know how to deal with it. This isn’t something I’ve ever dealt with before.” A crazy thought popped into my brain. “Are you a virgin?” If there was a red brighter than fire engine, that was the color of Eden’s cheeks. “No! Of course not. Really. I’ve touched a dick before. I mean, just the one, but it still counts. Well, I didn’t really touch it. Except, you know, inside me. Oh my God, I’m just going to shut up now.” Realization dawned on me as her babbled protest silenced. “You’ve had sex with one guy? Once? How old are you?” Eden turned to bolt, but instead smashed her tits into my arm. I stepped close enough so that only an inch of water separated us. Her gaze went skyward. “This is so humiliating.” That’s where she and I had differing opinions. “Why? Because you haven’t fucked every guy you’ve ever met? What’s wrong with that?” Eden’s gaze snapped down to mine and her brows drew into slashes. “Hey, whoa now. You can toss that double-standard crap right in the trash. What if I had screwed every guy I ever met? Would that make me less of a person? I mean, it’s not like you probably haven’t been with dozens and dozens of women. I’m not judging you. Except for maybe that Kitty girl. I mean, really? You’ve got to have some standards.” My laughter boomed out again across the courtyard. “Cupcake, just because I can get most any pussy I want, doesn’t mean I do it.” “Still, double standards are—” When she started on another tirade, I decided to silence her the best way I knew how. I leaned down and covered her lips with mine. 
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Meghan March has been known to wear came face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered books, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She’s also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she’s ever had. She loves hearing from her readers at meghanmarchbooks@gmail.com.

Monday, October 24, 2016

***Release Blitz! BETWEEN HERE AND THE HORIZON by Callie Hart

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Betrayal. Lust, Unrequited Love. Redemption.
Between Here and the Horizon is an Epic Love Story
by Callie Hart!
NOW LIVE!
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Blurb

Ophelia Lang needs money, and she needs it bad. Her parent’s restaurant is going under, and ever since she lost her job teaching third grade elementary, scraping enough cash together to pay the bills has proven almost impossible. Her parents are on the brink of losing their home. The vultures are circling overhead. So when Ophelia is offered an interview for a well-paid private tutoring gig in New York, how can she possibly say no?

Ronan Fletcher is far from the overweight, balding businessman Ophelia expected him to be. He’s young, handsome, and wealthy beyond all reason. He’s also perhaps the coldest, rudest person she’s ever met, and has a mean streak in him a mile and a half wide. A hundred grand is a lot of money, however, and if tolerating his frosty temperament, his erratic mood swings and whatever else he throws at her means she’ll get paid, then that is what Ophelia will do.

Her new boss is keeping secrets, though. Awful, terrible secrets.

The ghosts of Ronan Fletcher’s past are about to turn Ophelia’s future upside down, and she can’t even see it coming.

Note: Between Here and The Horizon is a brand new standalone contemporary romance novel from USA Today bestselling author, Callie Hart. Between Here and the Horizon does contain some scenes of violence and sexual content, and so is directed at audience 18+.

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CHAPTER ONE
AFGHANISTAN
2009
Get back, Fletcher! Get back! The tank’s gonna blow!”
I was running. Behind me, seven miles of desert stretched out toward Kabul city, glowing in places where burned out military trucks were being devoured by fire. Twisted metal rained down from the sky, on fire and sharper than a razor’s edge, impacting in the dirt. Thud. Thud, thud. Thud. Shrapnel whistled through the air, striking the ground a few feet away from me as I weaved my way through the wreckage. Smoke was biting at my lungs, acrid and burning, making it hard to breath.
“Fletcher! What the fuck, man!”
Behind me, Specialist Crowe was losing his mind. Alternating between shouting into his radio and shouting at me, he couldn’t seem to decide which course of action to take. I’d ordered him to follow, but I could understand why he hadn’t. The situation was more than unsafe; charging headlong into the fire and destruction was a suicide mission, and I knew it. I also knew that my men were trapped inside the upturned vehicle still a hundred feet ahead of me, however, and I knew the truck was going to blow any second. They were going to burn to death if I didn’t help them. I wasn’t going to abandon them to that fate.
Captain! God, man, stop!”
My heart was surging, my veins overflowing with adrenalin. My boots hit the dirt, left, right, left, right, left, right, my fists pumping back and forth as I sprinted toward the truck that was laying on its roof up ahead. Through the fractured windshield, I could see Hellaman and Wicks still strapped into the front seats of the vehicle, upside down and unmoving. They were either unconscious or dead. Hopefully they were just out for the count, but there was a lot of blood splattered on the inside of the glass. A lot of blood.
Black smoke curled upward from the underside of the truck, and I could already hear the hissing sound of fuel burning and sizzling somewhere. Groaning. I could hear groaning, too.
I reached the truck just as something inside the engine caught fire, and Hellaman came to. His eyes were wide with pain and fear as I dropped down onto my belly next to the driver’s side window, which was smashed out, small cubes of safety glass scattered into the dirt.
“Captain? Captain Fletcher. Shit, I can’t breathe. I can’t…breathe.” His face was deathly pale, and his hands shook violently as he tried to claw at the seatbelt that was digging into his chest.
“It’s okay. It’s okay, Private. We’re gonna get you out of there, okay? Just hold on a moment.” My bowie knife was in my hand. I took it and made quick work of slashing through the webbing holding Hellaman in place. There was nothing I could do to cushion his fall. Slamming into the roof of the truck, Hellaman groaned weakly, and then passed out again, either from pain or from the shock, I didn’t know. I stowed my blade and grabbed him by the shoulders, then wrestled him free through the window. His face was cut; his arms were striped with blood and running rivers of crimson out onto the ground. No time to be gentle, though. No time to be safe. I hooked my hands under his arms and I quickly jogged backwards, dragging him away from the wreckage. Twenty feet was enough.
I ran back to the truck. Flames were visibly licking at the underside of the vehicle now, snaking upward toward the night sky. Wick was still out cold. I ran around to the back of the truck and tried to force the loading doors open, but they were jammed closed, bent and warped, refusing to budge.
Shit.”
Clang.
Clang.
Clang.
There was someone alive inside. Running out of time. Almost no time left. I positioned myself by the truck’s rear right window, thanking god the thing was already splintered. The bulletproof windows on military trucks were no joke. You could take a semi automatic to them and it would take longer than I had to smash them. The impact of rolling three times had obviously been enough to compromise the glass, though.
“Shield your faces,” I hollered. “Glass, glass, glass!” Bracing, I spun around and smashed the sole of my boot against the window as hard as I possibly could. The glass groaned, fracturing some more, but it didn’t shatter. I kicked again, and again, and again. Finally, the window exploded in a shower of bright shards, giving in under the force of my boot.
“Captain, there’s fuel in here,” someone inside yelled.  “Get back!”
I ducked down and lay flat on my stomach again, crawling in through the now empty window frame. Inside the truck, gasoline hung heavy in the air, burning my nostrils and my eyes. Next to me, Roberts was dead, his head twisted at an odd angle, eyes staring, unseeing into the abyss.
On the other side of the truck Private Coleridge, Sam, a nineteen-year-old kid from Houston, was lying on his back on the roof, holding his rifle in both hands, his body convulsing wildly. His eyes swivelled to look at me, but his head remained locked in position, his teeth grinding together.
“What…what happened, Capt’n?” he asked. “We were drivin’ along, and then…everything was…spinning.”
“IED,” I told him. “Desert’s full of them. Come on, let’s get you out of here.”
“I can’t…move. I can’t feel…anything.”
He wasn’t paralyzed. If he were, he wouldn’t be shaking the way he was right now. He was just in shock. A sharp slap to the face would probably go a long way to getting him moving, but there simply wasn’t time for that kind of motivation. Grabbing him by the webbing stitched onto the strap of his pack, which was still on his back, I hauled him to me and then backed out through the window as quickly as I could. The fire was raging now. I dragged Sam back to where I’d left Hellaman and was about to run back to the truck when a loud metallic crack split the air apart, and then a ball of fire rocked the truck, a wall of heat and pressure slamming into my body, sending me reeling back into the dirt.
Oscar!” Sam yelled. “Oscar’s still alive in there!”
Fuck.” I was up on my feet and running. The heat was intense—so intense that I had to shield my face as I grew closer to the wreck.  The fire had consumed the underside of the truck, the tires blazing, the gas roaring as the fuel line was engulfed. And I could hear screaming. The kind of blood curdling, awful screaming of a man being burned alive.
My radio headset crackled with static, and then Colonel Whitlock’s voice barked out through the speaker. “Fletcher, do not go back inside that vehicle. Do you hear me? Do not go back inside that vehicle.”
Disobeying a direct order from a colonel was an offence worthy of court marshal. I ripped my headset from my ears and threw it to the ground, ignoring it. Ignoring the consequences. Another blood curdling scream reached me, and that was it. I was on my stomach, crawling into the mouth of hell.
My side pressed up against the frame of the window, and pain tore at me, sinking its teeth into my skin. Heat. The heat was overwhelming, so fierce and violent that there was no oxygen inside the truck. Only smoke and confusion. Only death.
“Oscar!” I called out, reaching with both hands, trying to find him. “Where are you, man?” The truck was only a six-guy transport, but the billowing, rolling clouds of black smoke hid everything. I went by touch until I heard him cry out again, weaker this time, voice riddled with agony. He was at the very rear of the truck. A few seconds was all I had. Any longer and I would either suffocate or burn up myself. My head was pounding, my lungs begging for clean air, and I could feel myself start to drift.
The journey to the back of the truck took an eternity. One hand over the other, I pulled myself around an upturned transport box, and jammed my body in between the narrow gap at the right hand side of the vehicle, reaching out, groping, searching, until I found what I was looking for. A leg. A foot, to be precise. I grabbed hold of it and pulled. An agonised yell filled the truck.
“Ahh, my leg. My leg. It’s fucked!”
“I know. I’m sorry, man. I can’t get you any other way.”  I gritted my teeth, and I pulled. In any other situation it would have been a crime that I was handling an injured man this way. The clock was running down, though, and if causing more pain, causing even more damage meant the difference between one of my guys being injured or being dead, then I was going to do what I had to do.
I somehow managed to maneuverer myself so that I was over Oscar—I couldn’t even see his face, the smoke was so thick—and then I started shoving. Six hard pushes and I managed to drive him through the gap in the window frame, out onto the desert floor. His body was ripped away, pulled free by someone else, and then he was gone. I was almost too tired to heave myself free, but I scrounged up my last scrap of energy and I crawled forward, determined to make it out before the entire vehicle was enveloped. Halfway out, my fingers clawing in the dirt, my body lit up with pain. Indescribable. Unbearable. A pain so sharp and breathtaking that I couldn’t even cry out. It felt like something was ripping my body in two. I spun around and looked up to see a burning line of fuel pouring down on me, hitting my side, burning into me. I was on fire.
I kicked and jerked myself out of the truck, ripping at my jacket. Tearing at the material, trying to get it off. The fabric seemed to come away in my hands, and then I was shirtless in the cold, cold desert, rolling on the ground, trying to put the flames out.
The world went black. Someone threw something over me, and then hands were beating at my body, slapping and trying to roll me. A strangled gasp worked its way out of my mouth, but that’s all I could manage. The flames were out. The thick, heavy material that had been thrown over me was pulled back, and Crowe stood over me, face covered in soot and grease, eyes the size of dollar coins. I could barely see him properly. Barely hear the words coming out of his mouth.
Colonel Whitlock appeared next to him, and then the sky was filled with the beating thump of helicopter blades. They spoke for a second, and the thundering drum of the helo overhead dipped long enough for me to make out what Crowe said to Whitlock.
“He didn’t stop, sir. He didn’t stop until they were all out.”
Whitlock scowled. “I can see that, Specialist. He disobeyed a direct order in doing so, too.”
“He’ll be reprimanded?” Crowe asked. He was speaking as if I was no longer present; both of them were.
“No,” Whitlock said sternly. “Ironically, I think Captain Fletcher’s more likely to be honored than punished in this particular instance. Now get him on the chopper before I change my mind. The crazy bastard’s bleeding everywhere.”

Book Trailer


WOW! This book was so much more than I had anticipated. Not that I didn't expect a fantastic read by Callie Hart... I loved Calico, it just took a turn that I did not see coming. What a huge surprise that was! I was completely shocked and thought, "What the hell just happened?!" I didn't read the synopsis (Who needs to read the synopsis of a Callie Hart book, right? You simply 1-click!), so I had no idea what I was getting myself into. That being said, I really enjoyed this book. It was hauntingly beautiful. It was refreshing to read something original and unique. I loved the hero and the heroine in this story. Both were incredibly strong and selfless characters. I adored their journey together. I was lost, my heart ached, and I fell in love right along with them. Between Here and the Horizon is a tale of betrayal, lust, unrequited love, and redemption. I highly recommend it!

♥ Review by Lys


Meet Callie Hart
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Callie has experienced many changes throughout her life, and gone through many ups and downs that have all worked towards shaping and moulding her into the person she is today: fun loving, active, social, and hard working. The only thing that has remained a constant throughout her life is writing. Creating characters who will tear your conscience in two is a favorite pastime of Callie’s. There are few real saints and sinners in her books; more often, the denizens of her stories are all very human. Broken, flawed, and always with the potential for redemption.
Despite the subject matter being markedly hot and heavy in comparison to the stories she wrote in elementary school, there will always be an element of fairytale to her work.
Callie Hart is the author of the Blood & Roses Series. Zeth & Sloane’s story is now complete, but there are a number of stories still to be released under the Blood & Roses banner. 2015 will see Cade, Michael and Rebel’s stories being released, as well as a number of brand new stories, all of which will be Dark Romance novels.
If you would like to contact Callie, you can do so here.  
If you would like to sign up to Callie’s newsletter for info on upcoming releases, exclusive teasers, excerpts and competitions, you can do so here.

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