Thursday, 25 June 2015

Spotlight with Excerpt: Shattered by You by Nashoda Rose


Crisis’ story is FINALLY here!



Barnes & Noble :http://bit.ly/1GWOICU

What started out as a deal quickly became a friendship that conquered monsters.

I killed, but I escaped hell.
Emotionless. Disconnected. Cold. A mannequin. It’s what I’d become in order to survive the years held in captivity. I was able to endure the abuse and devastating loss as long as I remained detached.
But he wouldn't let me.
Crisis, the bass guitarist in my brother’s rock band, Tear Asunder. He’s cocky, rude, a total man-whore. But the rock star has far more beneath the surface of his inked skin, and he’s determined to make me laugh again.
He made me a "deal", but really, it was blackmail.
His terms were simple. Until his playful honesty became the building blocks to something unexpected. Something strong enough to pull me from the eye of the storm.
Because even though I escaped years of abuse, it didn’t mean I was free.



Excerpt #1
Haven

I woke up to my phone buzzing on the nightstand. I rolled over and put the pillow over my head. My leg muscles ached from my run last night, having pushed myself farther and longer than usual. The wind had been strong, trying to unhinge me with each step. I refused to give in. I’d win this fight. I’d kill the monsters. I’d watch them bleed until they no longer lived inside me.
But they did. My last few episodes proved that.
Buzz.
I sighed and tossed the pillow aside.
“Pick up your phone,” Crisis called through the door.
Oh, my God. “What are you doing outside my door?”
“Pick up your phone and find out.” I heard a thump on my door.
I reached over and snagged my phone.
Move it, Ice. We’re taking out the big tractor.
I scrolled.
Don’t ignore me, baby.
Third text.
I made coffee.
Fourth.
Okay, maybe not yet, but I will.
Fifth.
I’ll just sit outside your door until you get your ass out here.
I glanced at the time on the screen. Nine. “It’s Sunday. I’m going back to sleep,” I called, then tossed my phone aside and rolled over, tucking the sheet under my chin.
The door burst open and quickly shut again. Crisis leaned against it, his lips pushed together with that familiar crease between his eyes. “Our brother is a fuckin’ Terminator. I swear he has radar in his head that goes off every time I talk to you.”
My eyes narrowed in on him; he was so full of crap. “Crisis. Get out.” My brother wasn’t—
A light knock sounded on the door. “Sis?”
Shit. I sat up, making certain to keep the sheets covering me because I was wearing a pink silk negligee with skimpy spaghetti straps and it barely covered my breasts. Kat had bought it for me when I first came to live with them, along with a drawer full of panties and bras. She said, ‘every girl deserved to have beautiful negligee next to her skin.’ At first, I balked, internally of course, wanting nothing to do with anything sexy. But after a few months feeling the soft silky material on my hands as I pushed them aside in my drawer . . . I tried one of them on.
I’d never had anything but cheap clothes, and the negligee felt nice against my skin. It made me feel . . . good about myself.
Crisis crossed his arms and I couldn’t stop from glancing at his tatted biceps. Then my gaze trailed down his hard muscled body to strong thighs clothed in worn jeans hanging low on his hips.
God, where was my head? It was too early in the morning and I was wavering under the sweet clenching between my legs and the whirl in my belly. He was a rock star, a hot rock star who was always on social media. Triple hard limit.
“Haven? I just saw your door close.”
I cleared my throat and gestured to Crisis to get away from the door before my brother barged in, saw him and jumped to conclusions. He pushed away and came straight for me, his eyes sparking a mischievous glow.
My brother knocked again. “We’re going to brunch today at Georgie and Deck’s. I’d really like you to come.”
Fine. Crisis wanted to play . . . he froze halfway toward the bed when I raised my brows and smiled. He shook his head back and forth and mouthed, “Don’t do it.”
“Yeah, come in,” I yelled.
Crisis dove for the bed, threw the duvet up in the air and landed flat on his stomach, the cover settling over him just as Ream strode in. I lay frozen beneath the covers, my heart racing, and a whoosh of blood charging through my veins. My breath hitched as warm heated air brushed across my bare thigh and goose bumps popped up along my skin.



Excerpt #2

I walked down the hall, pulled the elastic band on my boxers and glanced at my hard throbbing cock. “You’ll have to wait a little longer, buddy.”
“Are you really talking to your cock?”
I let go of the elastic and it snapped hard on my abdomen. Haven wasn’t making coffee; she was coming up the stairs with an armful of clothes. Fuck, she looked hot, long blonde hair messy as if she’d tossed and turned in her sleep, and she had sleepy eyes—adorable.
“Yeah. He’s angry this morning.” I stood right in the middle of the top of the stairs so if she wanted to get by, she’d need to brush up against me. It was childish, but fuck, I was a guy.
Her brows lifted. “Why is he angry?”
I smirked, loving that she was down for a little play. “Placed an ‘out of order’ sign on him.” Her brows drew together and her eyes flicked to my tented boxers.
“Doesn’t look out of order.”
I laughed and couldn’t help myself as I stroked the back of my hand down her cheek. It took her by surprise and she swayed backwards. I grabbed her arm before she toppled down the stairs and pulled her up onto the landing next to me.
A white piece of clothing slipped from the pile she was holding and fell at her feet. I smirked when I realized what it was, and took great pleasure in helping her out since there was no way she could bend over and get it without everything falling from her grasp.
I let her go and crouched, picking up the white lace panties. I held them out and her nose twitched like a rabbit sensing danger. “I like white. Prefer pink though, for future notice. And lace I love.”
She was trapped because if she snatched them from my hand, she’d drop the clothes and if she didn’t then . . . I curled them up in my palm.
“They aren’t mine,” she blurted.
God, she was cute. “Darlin’ I know they are and I love that you’re denying it. Means you care.”
Now that raised a little heat in her cheeks and I liked it. Shit, I liked it a lot because when I left a few months back, that would’ve never happened and now that was twice. She was affected by me—good to know. “I don’t care.”
I shrugged then turned to head back to my room to hide my newly acquired treasure. I had no doubt she’d search for them the second I left the house. I looked back over my shoulder and caught her eyes staring at my butt; could’ve been my back, but unlikely. Really, it didn’t matter which. I was just impressed she was eyeing me up.
“You can look, but don’t touch,” I said.
Her mouth dropped open then snapped shut. I disappeared around the corner, then heard her stomping down the hall. Haven wasn’t a stomper. She was graceful, elegant and controlled. Too controlled. And that part of her was coming down.


Haven’t read this series yet?
Grab Books 0.5 - Two in the Tear Asunder Box Set



Nashoda Rose is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Toronto with her assortment of pets. She writes contemporary romance with a splash of darkness, or maybe it’s a tidal wave.

When she isn't writing, she can be found sitting in a field reading with her dogs at her side while her horses graze nearby. She loves interacting with her readers and chatting about her addiction—books.




Two Signed Paperbacks of Shattered by You


Spotlight & Review: Easy Target by Kay Thomas


Easy Target
Elite Ops # 3
By: Kay Thomas
Releasing June 9, 2015
Avon Impulse



Easy Target

Elite Obs Novels


AEGIS: an elite team of ex-military men who will do anything for their country…and their women.

Fighting to clear her brother of murder, freelance reporter Sassy Smith is suddenly kidnapped and thrown into a truck with other women who are about to be sold…or worse. When she sees an opportunity for escape Sassy takes it, but she may have just jumped from the frying pan into the fire.

Former Marine Bryan Fisher (aka Hollywood) is no stranger to dangerous situations, or to his best friend’s little sister. When he rescues Sassy, Bryan is determined to keep her safe…if he can keep his hands off of her. Because Sassy is all grown up and not at all like the girl he used to know. But he’s got bigger problems. And with enemies coming at them from every corner, Bryan and Sassy will need to work together if they’re going to survive.


Oh My! I'm completely new to the Elite Obs Series and now need to read the first two books as soon as is possible! This is an exciting, action packed romantic suspense novel I read as a standalone.

Sassy Smith may be tiny, but what she lacks in height she gains in attitude. She has a pretty smart mouth and can't resist baiting the guy she's had a crush on since she was fourteen years old. Only she uses this tactic as a smoke screen to deflect away from the effect an incident in high school impacted on her life.

After his best friend's kid sister dared him to kiss her, Bryan “Hollywood” Fisher left Mississippi and joined the Marines. Now twelve years later, he's back to help and protect Sassy as she tries to uncover evidence to gain her brother's release from a Mexican jail for a crime he didn't commit. Only Sassy is all grown up now...

The tentative romance between Sassy and Bryan isn't the driving force of the plot – more of an enhancement. Flitting from Africa to the US, the action packed story is full of suspense, conspiracy, deception and hope. Our protagonists whilst incredibly attracted to each other, really have a problem communicating their feelings for one another. Both looking for excuses for not being together instead of finding a way of making a personal relationship work. That is once they are both out of danger and have achieved what they set out to do. Somehow, against the odds they manage to do just that.

I absolutely loved this book, but found that at times I was struggling to keep track with all the information; there are a lot of details crammed within the pages and wonder if I would have benefited by reading the first two books first, if only to familiarise myself with the supporting characters and their backgrounds? This doesn't detract too much from the overall enjoyment and I'll definitely be catching up with the series and other works by this author.

4 stars


Bryan’s stomach tightened when he ripped the shower curtain aside to find Sassy asleep on the tub’s porcelain floor with her head leaning back against the tile. Her position didn’t look very comfortable, but as exhausted as she was, it wouldn’t have taken much. Steam floated around her, and the shower spray was hitting the wall two feet above her head.
“Sassy?” He kept his voice low, not wanting to startle her.
She never stirred, but she’d been crying earlier. That much was obvious from the red splotches around her eyes. And if the sight of her wet body in the shower hadn’t brought him to his knees, her tear-splotched face did.
God, please. Let him face another man with a gun and a grenade any day. He had no idea what to do with this woman’s tears.
“Sassy?” He spoke a little louder this time.
Was this just the shock of everything catching up to her?
Praying she’d just sat down for a moment and dozed off and that this wasn’t some residual effect of the concussion, he reached to turn off the still warm water. Otis must have a monster hot water heater in this place.
Ignoring the torque in his back, he grabbed the threadbare towel and borrowed robe from the countertop and reached to pull her up and out of the tub.
When he leaned down over her, her blue eyes flew open. Only then did she react. But not like he would have expected. She went wild.
“No, dammit. No. Don’t touch me … don’t ever touch me. Just stop! Stop!”
“Sassy? Sassy, it’s me.” He dropped the robe on her shoulder and leaned back in a squat beside the tub.
Her eyes were glassy and unfocused. She jumped to her feet and covered her breasts with one hand protectively across her chest. He sat on his haunches, taking in the sight of a naked, wet Sassy standing over him. Momentarily stunned, he never saw it coming.
When her other fist connected with his jaw, the cracking sound reverberated around the bathroom. Still in a squat, he tipped backward. His shoulder bounced off the countertop and he landed on his ass directly on the wet linoleum. He felt the jolt all the way up his back again.
Jesus. He’d forgotten she definitely didn’t hit like a girl. Damn.
The slap of his butt hitting the wet floor seemed to pull her from wherever she’d been. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened in a wide O.
“Bryan. Ohmigod. I’m so sorry. I … sat down to shave my legs and … I must have dozed off.”
The shock on her face no doubt mirrored his own as he rubbed his jaw. “Just glad you weren’t holding the razor,” he mumbled.
She started to reach for him, then stopped. He saw the moment she remembered she was stark naked.

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Kay Thomas didn't grow up burning to be a writer. She wasn't even much of a reader until fourth grade. That's when her sister read The Black Stallion aloud to her. For hours Kay was enthralled—shipwrecked and riding an untamed horse across desert sand. Then tragedy struck. Her sister lost her voice. But Kay couldn't wait to hear what happened in the story—so she picked up that book, finished reading it herself, and went in search of more adventures at the local library.
Today Kay lives in Dallas with her husband, two children, and a shockingly spoiled Boston terrier. Her award-winning novels have been published internationally.


Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
Rafflecopter Giveaway ($50.00 Amazon or B&N eGift Card and Five Digital Downloads of PERSONAL TARGET (Elite Ops #2)