Wednesday 8 July 2015

Spotlight: Fighting Shadows by Ali Martinez


Flint’s highly anticipated emotional story is FINALLY here!


**Each book in the series can be read as a standalone**


I come from a family of fighters. I always thought I’d follow in their shadows, becoming unstoppable in the ring. That changed the day I saved the life of a woman I loved, but could never have.
My brother hailed me as a hero, and my reward was a wheelchair.
Paralyzed, my life became an inescapable nightmare.
Until I met her.
Ash Mabie had a heart-stopping smile and a laugh that numbed the rage and resentment brewing inside of me. She showed me that even the darkest night still had stars, and it didn’t matter one bit that you had to lie in the weeds to see them.
I was a jaded asshole who fell for a girl with a knack for running away. I couldn’t even walk but I would have spent a lifetime chasing her.
Now, I’m on the ropes during the toughest battles of my life.
Fighting the shadows of our past.
Fighting to reclaim my future.
Fighting for her. 


Flint and Ash 
Hey, Flint? What time is it?” Quarry asked.
Ash’s smile actually slipped completely. For the briefest of seconds, she appeared almost ashamed.
I dragged my eyes away from her in order to answer his question, but as I looked at my wrist, I had no answer at all.
Here,” she said as she pulled my watch from her pocket.
What. The. Fuck?
Quarry howled with laughter, and Ash chewed on her bottom lip.
Explain,” I demanded, wrapping my watch back around my wrist and shoving my wallet in the front pocket of my hoodie.
Quarry filled in the blank. “She’s a pickpocket, dude. You should have seen her when she fell on your lap. It was so fucking fast. She straight-up stole that shit from you, and you had no fucking clue.”
I didn’t steal it! I was gonna give it back,” she amended uncomfortably. “It was just a joke.”
A joke.
A. Fucking. Joke.
And just like that, I remembered why I didn’t laugh anymore.
Was it funny? Stealing from the cripple? You get a good laugh out of that?” I snapped, spinning and rolling myself away. “You know, maybe my judgment of you wasn’t all that off to begin with. Like father, like daughter, I guess.” It was a low blow, but I felt completely betrayed by a woman I didn’t even know.
Flint, wait. I wasn’t picking on the cripple!”
I fully realized that I had just used the term, but it enraged me that she’d had the audacity to repeat it back to me. Who the hell was this chick? I pushed a hand into my pocket, searching for my keys. Fuck the food. I’d leave her ass there. Hell, Quarry too if he didn’t get his ass to the car.
Get in the car, Q!” I yelled, only to close my eyes and drop my chin to my chest when my hand never made contact on the keys. “Son of a bitch,” I said as I spun back around.
Quarry was laughing next to her, but Ash’s cheeks were bright red.
Keys.” I snapped my fingers and opened my hand, palm up.
Stop being a dick,” Quarry said, casually tossing an arm around Ash’s shoulders.
She didn’t budge as she held my glare.
Keys,” I repeated, but she remained still.
It was a joke.” Her chin began to quiver.
For fuck’s sake, I wasn’t in any kind of mood to deal with bullshit from some girl I didn’t even know and was quickly discovering I didn’t care to know, either.
Quarry’s eyes grew wide as she turned to him and buried her cries in his chest.
What the fuck, asshole! Q signed before rubbing his hands over her back.
Her shoulders shook as she let out a loud sob that shocked us both.
Come on. Let’s sit down.” Q tried to guide her over to an empty table.
Ash refused to look up and tripped over one of the chairs.
Shit,” Q said, catching her around the waist.
I was just about to roll my eyes when she glanced my way. He was still trying to get her back on her feet and over to a table when her tear-free, bright-blue eyes pointedly glanced in my direction. My head snapped back in surprise, but a smile grew on her face.
Ash was about to put on a show, and with that one look, she had invited me to have a front-row seat.
As she floundered all over Quarry, her hands slid between his pockets and her own. Every noise she made and each time she flailed covered up a jarring movement. She was keeping his mind too busy for it to process all the places she was touching him. Hell, I was only watching her and I could barely keep up.
There was no denying that it was entertaining, but I wasn’t willing to show her that. However, as she accidentally lifted her knee, catching Q in the balls, a laugh erupted from my throat. He cupped his crotch while she apologized profusely and pushed him toward the same chair he’d been dragging her to only seconds before. Just before he sat, Ash swung her arm out, unwinding Q’s belt from around his body before tossing it at me.
Oh God. I’m so sorry!” she said as Quarry held a finger up to ask for a second to recover. She didn’t wait at all though. Instead, she walked over in my direction; her prideful smile grew with every step.
She pulled my keys out of her pocket and dropped them into my lap. They were quickly followed by Quarry’s phone, wallet, and house keys. Then she snagged his belt off the floor and tossed it over her shoulder.
It had absolutely nothing to do with you being in a wheelchair. It was a joke and it wasn’t supposed to piss you off.”
Hey!” Quarry yelled. “That was messed up. You did not have to knee me in the balls to prove a point to him.”
Oh, that wasn’t to prove a point. That was for bullshitting me. You knew good and damn well that he wouldn’t find it funny,” she said without ever tearing her gaze from mine. “Look, I’m sorry. I don’t have a lot of friends. And I’ve mentally noted that pickpocketing might not be the best way to make new ones.” She shrugged. “Consider it a lesson learned.”
Three burgers all the way, onion rings, and a shake?” the guy at the counter called out.
Ash arched an eyebrow. “You want it to go, or are we good?”
I didn’t have to drop my attitude. Sure, she’d apologized, but while I might have had a short fuse, I also had a hell of a long burn. However, as she stood in front of me with her arms crossed over her chest and her blue eyes pleading for forgiveness, it magically fell away.
I swallowed hard. “No. We’re good.”
You sure?” She leaned in, eyeing me warily, but her smile began to grow.
I swear to God it pulled at my lips as well. I fought it. But the harder I tried to keep it restrained, the bigger Ash’s grew. She was stealing my smile. The chick was good! Finally, with an eye roll, I let out a quiet chuckle, which seemed to appease her.
Good. Now, help your brother get redressed and I’ll make the fancy sauce.” She waggled her eyebrows.


Haven’t read this series yet? Meet Flint Quarry, Till & Eliza
in Fighting Silence



Born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, Aly Martinez is a stay-at-home mom to four crazy kids under the age of five, including a set of twins. Currently living in South Carolina, she passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a glass of wine at her side.
After some encouragement from her friends, Aly decided to add “Author” to her ever-growing list of job titles. Five books later, she shows no signs of slowing. So grab a glass of Chardonnay, or a bottle if you’re hanging out with Aly, and join her aboard the crazy train she calls life.


$50 Gift Card
Signed Set of Paperbacks (Fighting Silence & Shadows)


New Release: In Deep by Brenda Rothert


In Deep 
by Brenda Rothert  
Buy on Amazon 




I’ve got a secret.

No one knows how I blow off steam, and that’s how I like it. Most of the time, I’m happy just being part of a big family in a small town. And those times I need to get away are mine and mine alone.
My secret stays safe until I meet her – the woman who
simultaneously pisses me off and turns me on. She seems like a wallflower at first, but it turns out there’s a lot more to her than I realized. Despite her hidden strength, she has a vulnerability I can’t resist.

As we open up to each other, I realize she’s starting to mean everything to me. She doesn’t feel the same way, but that won’t stop me from doing whatever it takes to keep her safe – even if it means exposing my secret to her. I’m in way over my head, and all I can hope is that someday, she’ll feel the same way about me.


April

I pressed my lips together, silencing my indignation. Mousy?  Librarian? Who the hell did Mason Lockhart think he was?

If only I was the kind of woman who’d fly out from behind the corner I was hiding around and defend myself. Poke a finger against his chest and show him just how unmousy I was.

But I wasn’t that kind of woman. His words hurt because of the spark of truth they held. My cheeks were flaming with embarrassment as I managed to sneak into another room to hide from view so they wouldn’t see me. I’d die of shame if Reed and Mason saw me, or if they knew I’d accidentally overheard their conversation.

I’d been waiting to meet Mason and thank him for helping move my stuff in. Ivy and I got back early and I had headed down to my room to start unpacking. But I heard the brothers talking as they headed to my room and I didn’t want to interrupt so I managed to make myself scarce. But I still heard every word of their conversation. Fat lot of good that had done me. Now I knew Reed’s brother thought I was a frumpy, mousy bore.

But, seriously, did Mason Lockhart think people got dressed up for moving day? I’d just pulled a U-Haul truck from Seattle to Lovely, Missouri, stopping at motels on the way. Today I’d completed the last leg of the journey and judging by the dark skies it looked as if I arrived in the nick of time. I’d be willing to guess that snow was in the forecast. This morning, after I’d showered and looked through my stuff for my hair dryer and clean clothes, I hadn’t been able to find exactly what I wanted.

And that was why my long curly hair was wound into a bun and I was wearing a random, longish skirt. But the cardigan? That was totally on purpose because it was soft and warm. Mason Lockhart could piss off if he didn’t like it.

I’d seen him at Ivy and Reed’s summer wedding. The Lockhart brothers were pretty much impossible to miss. They were the quintessential tall, dark and handsome man – times five. Other than Reed, I didn’t know any them. Except, possibly, Mason. I doubted I’d ever forget his name now.

(Book 1) Down Deep Purchase Links


Amazon | B&N | iTunes


Brenda Rothert lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three sons. She was a daily print journalist for nine years, during which time she enjoyed writing a wide range of stories.
These days Brenda writes New Adult Romance in the Contemporary and Dystopian genres. She loves to hear from readers by email at bjrothert@sbcglobal.net.


Release Day: Dangerous Desire by Sebastian Ex




Title: Dangerous Desire
Series: The Onyx Club #2
Author: Sebastian Ex
 Release Date: July 8, 2015


My name is Brandon Edwards. Men like me don’t come along often. I’m a gentleman, a lover, a protector, and a Dominant. I’ve never been the type who can – or even wants to – commit to a woman…until I met Penny a couple of years ago. Since then, we've been in a committed relationship. I adore and cherish her. 

Penny has a darkness inside her, a yearning for extreme pain. But I don’t want that for her, nor can I give her what she’s so desperate for. Her craving has led her down risky paths, and it’s my job to keep her off those now.


There’s a dangerous desire lurking within all of us. But when does wanting more become too much?







AMAZON US / UK / AU / CA

Also Available




AMAZON US / UK / AU / CA




“More,” she begs as I bring the cane down on her already red ass.

I drop the long thin piece of bamboo, it makes a sound as it hits the concrete of my playroom. “I didn’t give you permission to speak, Petal,” I say to Penny. My voice is low, angry though controlled.

“Please, Sir. Harder,” she begs.

Her body is filled with marks. Her alabaster skin is no longer white. It’s a perfect hue of flaming crimson. Welts have developed from every one of the toys I’ve used on her. I’ve spanked her, flogged her, paddled her and caned her. And with everything I’ve done she wants more.

I’ve noticed since Matthew and Ella’s wedding, Penny’s upped the ante with her pain tolerance. She’s begging for more, desperate to have pain in her life at every opportunity.

She’s tried to top me many times, just like she is now.

“Did I give you permission to talk?” I ask again.

I stand behind her, her legs open, her pussy on show to me along with her glorious ass. Her blonde hair is falling out of the ponytail she had it in, and the strands are a stark contrast against the rich brown of the leather from the spanking bench. She’s up on her knees, her wrists are secured to the front legs of the bench.

“So-sorry, Master,” she stutters.

I fucking hate it. She’s called me Master a few times and I know she wants that from me, but I don’t want a slave. I want a submissive.

Standing back, my eyes travel the length of her body. From her upper back all the way to her ankles- she’s marked. The heavier lashings are around her upper thighs and butt. Her mid-section only has slight color, because hitting with a heavy hand around the kidneys is not pleasurable. It’s flat out pain. 

Penny’s been wanting more pain and I’m not ready to take her there. Nor should she want to travel into such dangerous territory.




Sebastian Ex is a native of Sydney, Australia, having grown
up in a tight-knit family mostly surrounded by women. From a young age he had a passion for all things green and outdoors, when he hit mid-teenage years he did an apprenticeship as a landscape gardener. 

A serial lover of women, Sebastian was encouraged to pen his words when a lady friend of his compared some paragraphs from contemporary erotic novelists to his scorching, hot sexts. Now, Sebastian is about to release his debut novel in a bid to transition from landscaping to writing full-time.

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