A TRUE STORY told through the voice of New York Times Bestselling author E.K. Blair.
She’s an author.
She’s a mother.
She’s a wife.
She’s a fraud.
A woman marked and bound by her own deceit, this is the astounding tale of how one choice knocked her world from its axis forcing her to battle through a year of scandal and betrayal, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy.
"A scandalous tell-all and cautionary tale penned by E.K. Blair but based on the true-life story of another romance author. Author Anonymous is based entirely on real events that transpired in the life of another New York Times best-selling romance author. Blair was approached by Anonymous to pen the work, as it was perceived as too illicit, and possibly too damning, for Anonymous to write herself."
New York Times, USA Today, and International Bestselling Author E.K. Blair, takes her readers on an emotional roller coaster with her dynamic and intense writing style. Noted for her ability to create fleshed-out characters that will evoke a realm of reactions, you can be assured that her stories will linger with you far beyond the last word.
A former first grade teacher with an imagination that runs wild. Daydreaming and zoning out is how she was often found in high school. Blair tends to drift towards everything dark and moody. Give her a character and she will take pleasure in breaking them down, digging into their core to find what lies underneath.
Aside from writing, E.K. Blair finds pleasure in music, drinking her Starbucks in peace, and spending time with her friends. She’s a thinker, an artist, a wife, a mom, and everything in between.
'Waiting On Wednesday' is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine. It spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.
This week's pre-publication 'can't wait to read' book chosen by me is:
Title: The Velvet Cloak Of Moonlight by Christina Courtenay
Expected Release Date: 7th October 2016
Publisher: Choc Lit
(From Goodreads)
"As the velvet cloak of moonlight settled over the ruined towers of Raglan Castle, the shadows beneath them stirred ..."
When newly widowed Tess returns to Merrick Court, her husband's home, it's to confront her past head-on.
But during a visit to the nearby Raglan Castle, an extraordinary hallucination transports her to a past that existed long before her own - to seventeenth-century Wales and to a castle on the brink of a siege.
Even when Tess leaves Raglan, the strangeness continues as her life becomes increasingly intertwined with her dreams and visions. And when she meets Josh Owens, a stranger from New Zealand, the parallels become even more obvious.
But perhaps the voices from the past are simply trying to tell their own story or is it something more...
Why am I waiting for this book?
As a book reviewer, I like to stray slightly away from what I normally read and this book has piqued my interest. Although it is a contemporary romance; one of my usual genres, it also has a time-travel element that intrigues me. Another plus is the setting...The UK, so it'll be nice to read something from my home country for a change. The author Christina Courtenay is new to me, so that's an added bonus.
That’s all Luke Collins, local bad boy and motocross champion, has to not only find his redemption, but win back the girl he lost. He’ll stop at nothing to make her his, even if it means playing dirty.
Lara Jacobs doesn’t want her heart broken again and refuses to give Luke a second chance. After he left her after their one night stand, she ran right into the arms of her close friend, Grayson Moore. He’s always loved her, and he’s determined to make her see he’s what she needs.
However, in life nothing goes as planned and tragedy strikes. After a fatal accident nearly claims Lara’s life, she’s left inside a world she can’t remember. Her memories are gone, including those of the men vying for her heart. Grayson sees her loss as a possibility to forget her love for Luke, but Luke sees it as an opportunity to start over. All he wants is one last chance to show her that she’s the one he’s been in love with all along.
*** An updated version of One Taste has been included in Last Chance with all new scenes. I highly recommend reading it again. ***
“Why can’t I go in there and tell her I’m sorry? She needs to hear it from me.”
“No, she doesn’t because she won’t believe it. You need to do a lot more than tell her you’re sorry. Actions speak louder than words. And until you can show everyone you’ve changed, it’s best you stay away from her. It’ll only make things worse.”
“What if I go in there anyway?” I questioned, crossing my arms over my chest. I didn’t want to fight Evan, but I was getting desperate. I needed her forgiveness, for her to know I never meant to hurt her.
Evan huffed and closed his eyes. “You’ll have to go through me first. Lara doesn’t want to see you. She’s with someone else now.”
It was as if someone had sucker punched me in the gut, the air being ripped out of my lungs as I took the hit. Summer groaned and I glared at her. “Is that true?”
“Yes, but I don’t see how that is any of your business. She’s happy, so leave her be.”
“Fuck that,” I shouted. “I’m going inside.” I tried to push past Evan, but he blocked me. We faced off with each other, the tension rising.
Summer stepped between us with a hand on each of our chests. “Guys, this is stupid. You’re friends.”
I scoffed and backed away. “That’s where I beg to differ,” I said, glaring at Evan. “If our situations were reversed and it was Summer inside, I’d let you go to her. I would give you the benefit of the doubt and accept that you’ve changed. But you’re not going to do that, are you?”
Evan’s face softened and he sighed. “I would, brother, but this night is special for Summer and Lara. The last thing they need is you and Grayson battling it out. I have no doubt he’ll come after you if you go in there.”
I faltered, the anger welling in my chest. “Fucking Grayson? That’s who she’s with?”
“Can you blame her? He was there for her, after everything you put her through,” Summer said.
Peering down at her, I hoped she could see the determination in my face. “You tell her it’s not over. I’m not going to give up.” With those final words, I jumped in my truck and sped out of the parking lot. The thought of Grayson touching her made me so goddamn furious. I didn’t care if she was with him . . . I wasn’t going to give up.
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author, L.P. Dover, is a southern belle residing in North Carolina along with her husband and two beautiful girls. Before she even began her literary journey she worked in Periodontics enjoying the wonderment of dental surgeries.
Not only does she love to write, but she loves to play tennis, go on mountain hikes, white water rafting, and you can’t forget the passion for singing. Her two number one fans expect a concert each and every night before bedtime and those songs usually consist of Christmas carols.
Aside from being a wife and mother, L.P. Dover has written countless novels including her Forever Fae series, the Second Chances series, the Gloves Off series, the Armed and Dangerous series, the Royal Shifters series, and her standalone novel, Love, Lies, and Deception. Her favorite genre to read is romantic suspense and she also loves writing it. However, if she had to choose a setting to live in it would have to be with her faeries in the Land of the Fae.
Loving
him was hard. Wanting him was so damn easy . . . Sofia
Mercer may have been sick as a teen, but she’s no delicate flower.
And she’s proven it by making it on her own and starting a new life
away from the town that turned against her, away from the boy who
broke her already fragile heart. But when her aunt Luz dies
unexpectedly, leaving Sofia with a mountain of regrets and the keys
to a quirky boutique, Sofia has no choice but to return to Cape Cod.
Only, this new life in her old town comes with complications. Burke
Wolf was Sofia’s first love—a relationship that burned bright and
went up in flames. Seeing him again, Sofia can’t help but get
caught up in that all-too-familiar tornado of passion and pain. He’s
battled his own demons—that much is clear. But Sofia can’t afford
to be careless with her heart . . . and loving Burke again might just
break it completely.
“The
scar,” she said, taking control of a situation that had her feeling
as though she were disconnected from gravity, “is here.” Taking
his hand, she placed it between her breasts. The gnarled and knotted
scar tissue tingled at his pressure and heat.
“Sofia…know
what you’re doing?”
Glancing
up, she found him watching her. Closer than even his touch was his
gaze on hers. It might’ve singed her, if she weren’t so cold to
begin with. “I’m showing you my scar. You’re going to look with
your hands, not your eyes. Okay?”
“Okay,”
he said solemnly, taking what she could spare.
“And
it goes down, like this,” she continued, guiding his hand along the
path of the scar. Heat built, curling the edges of the old hurt
they’d caused each other.
He
put her arms at her side, said something against her ear.
“Full
circle?” she echoed.
“We
went from me just wanting to sleep with you, to being friends, to
hating each other.”
Burke’s
hands skimmed her neck, found her shoulders, traced her scar. One
hand, then the other, then—oh, God—his fingers splayed and he
cupped her breasts.
Sofia
felt her eyes slide shut as he squeezed her flesh, but they opened
again when he teased her nipples and drew a moan from her
bourbon-flavored lips. She’d never known trouble could touch her
like this, make her feel like this. “You’re back to just
wanting to sleep with me? Is that all you’re after, Burke? Because
if it’s not”—her arms swung out to hook around his neck—“then
we haven’t come full circle at all.”
Lisa
Marie Perry encounters difficult fictional men and women on a daily
basis. She writes sizzling, deep fiction featuring flawed heroes
brought to their knees by the love of complicated women. She has
received high praise from USA Today and has been nominated for an RT
Book Reviews literary award. She lives in America's heartland, drives
a truck, enjoys indie rock, collects Medieval literature, watches too
many comedies, has a not-so-secret love for lace and adores rugged
men with a little bit of nerd. For
laughs, randomness and occasional inappropriateness, visit LMP
at www.perrytalebooks.com.
There are two things Max “Deke” Deacon can always count on: his old high school teammates and Fitz Hawkins. But no matter how much Deke might secretly fantasize otherwise, a relationship with one of his best friends is off limits. Until one unexpectedly smoldering encounter has Deke and Fitz looking at each other in a whole new way.
Angelica “Fitz” Hawkins knows for a fact that it is not better to have loved and lost. After losing her parents, she’d rather lock up her heart and throw away the key than endure that kind of pain again. If that means giving up any hope of a lasting relationship, then so be it.
With Deke, Fitz finally feels like she's back in the land of the living. But she won’t risk another broken heart—even if it means saying good-bye to Deke for good. It’s up to Deke to convince her that the safest place she could ever be is right here with him.
I've previously read Calling It, book one in the Calling It series, so I dived straight into Calling Up; a much anticipated second book, where I'm instantly drawn into the plot by the familiar characters from Inspiration, Iowa!
Angelica 'Fitz' Wade Hawkins is baseball player Nate Hawkins' half-sister. At thirty-two years old, she runs the Iowa Dream Foundation set up by her brother in Inspiration, the town where she's lived for seventeen years...if only it felt like home. After an incident during high school, her brother, and his friends provided a much welcome protective shell around her, as she'd lost trust in those supposed to be her friend. All those years later, she still prefers to be one of the guys, with Deke as her best friend. However, she's reached a crossroads in her life and begins to consider other options, only she didn't expect her best friend to make her life changing decisions more complicated.
Max 'Deke' Deacon, Inspiration's bar owner and League League coach is also a favourite with all the townswomen. He's never been embarrassed by the fact he's never wanted a serious relationship, yet recently, hooking up with any woman he fancies has lost its appeal...why?
I love Fitz and Deke together. Neither expected to come to some serious conclusions within their close friendship; the realisation they don't know each other as well as they thought!
How can best friends satisfy their new found lust for each other without ruining their friendship? "Regular anything equals a relationship," she managed, closing her eyes. "No," he said, "It's like… It's a schmelationship. Sounds like, but not the same thing." We get to experience a full set of emotions from both protagonists as Deke realises he's found his 'your it for me,' with Fitz, but feels guilty for missing important facts in her life where he could have actively helped her overcome her issues. Fitz wants it all too but believes her past is too broken; that she's not capable or deserves to expect more from her life. It's a time for soul-searching; to find a compromise that works for them mutually once the secrets are out openly.
I really love that within each book in this series, the secondary characters are so much more than a quick introduction and exit. For those that have previously read Calling It, we get plenty of insight into how Nate and Dorie are doing. Other members of the Iowa Dream are included too as their lives are very much interwoven with those of the protagonists. However, this isn't overwhelmingly so, as Jen Doyle does a pretty good job at keeping the balance just right. All this is glued together with witty dialogue, some sizzling sexy times and a cast of likeable characters you'd want to befriend in the real world.
***arc generously received courtesy of Carina Press via NetGalley***
“Hey, Dorie,” she heard from above her. “Do you know where Fitz wants these bottles of water?”
Speak of the devil. Fitz brought her head up a little too suddenly, banging it on the underside of the table. “Ouch!” Her hand going to the back of her head, she came up frowning, and...
Oh, God, was he this gorgeous before? Had he always smelled amazing?
Doing everything she could to keep herself immune from his physical charms, she spun on her heel. “Back here.”
Very specifically not looking in Deke’s direction so that she didn’t give anything away, she forced herself to act exactly as she always did around him. Except she suddenly couldn’t quite remember how that was. Did she flirt with him? Did she flat-out ignore him? Did she generally just go around in a state of low-level irritation? Because right now she had absolutely no clue.
She had even less of a clue as she bent down to open up the lid to the cooler and he crouched down next to her, his head so close all he’d need to do was turn it slightly to the left and his mouth would be on her breast.
And was that…?
Oh, hell, no, her nipples had not just hardened. She slapped her arms over her chest.
Because they had. And Deke, with his superhero sex god extra sensory perception, had definitely noticed. He at least had the decency to look down at the ground as he grinned.
“It’s the cold,” Fitz snapped. “From the cooler.”
Pushing the bottles down into the ice, Deke just answered, “You’d be amazed at all the bits and pieces I can warm up with my tongue.”
A big believer in happily ever afters, Jen Doyle decided it was high time she started creating some. Jen is a member of the Romance Writers of America, as well as a member of the New England, New Jersey Romance Writers and Music City Romance Writer chapters of RWA. She is represented by Sarah E. Younger of the Nancy Yost Literary Agency. She has an M.S. in Library and Information Science and, in addition to her work as a librarian, has worked as a conference and events planner as well as a Communications and Enrollment administrator in both preschool and higher education environments (although some might say that there is very little difference between the two; Jen has no comment regarding whether she is one of the “some”).
This is my world, my kingdom. I sit on the throne and control the empire I created.
My skill? Providing illicit pleasure to thousands. If there is a fantasy to fulfil, my company will provide it.
I am the Porn Prince.
The cold hearted producer at Stone Industries who creates the hottest porn in the business.
But every ruler has an Achilles heel, and mine is chaos.
Abigail Warner is chaos.
From the moment she entered my office my world was turned upside down. She is my passion, my fantasy and everything I never wanted in life. The chaotic infuriating mess of a woman is everything I hate and avoid.
So a little bit about myself. I love to read, and create stories for others to enjoy. I've always been told I have a vivid imagination, I just lacked the confidence to pursue putting it onto the written page. But finally I embarked on making a single dream come true.
I love to read, and write. I only read romance, any in that genre really. But it has to have a beautiful happy ending, I know reality isn't like that, but I read to excape real life not re-live it. Reality is too broken and jaded without having to live through the trauma and angst in a book for it to end unhappily.
I live in Yorkshire, England with my family, and many pets. When I'm not writing I am a very busy mummy and wife. My family is my world, my purpose and I am proud to be a part of their lives.
