Blog Stop with Excerpt: The Wedding Gift by Cara Connelly

The Wedding Gift
Save The Date #3.5

By: Cara Connelly

Releasing May 5, 2015

Avon

The Wedding Gift

Save The Date Series

What's the New-Jan-Plan? Discover the answer in Cara Connelly's newest Save The Date Novella, and see how mousey Jan Marone gives herself the gift of living, laughing, and finally loving … all under the hot Key West sun.

She'd come to Key West for a wedding, only to discover the hotel had messed up her reservation. So although Jan Marone has to share a tiny room with sexy Mick McKenna, it shouldn't really be a problem. Mick's her best friend, and he doesn't think of her "that way" … or does he?

Mick McKenna loves hard and plays hard. His thick black hair, chiseled jaw, and hard, muscled body make him irresistible. But when once-innocent Jan walks into his hotel room, Mick can't believe his eyes. Now she's wearing a sexy bikini and telling him it's time for her to "get lucky," making him protective and tantalized at the same time.

Worried she might be in over her head, he decides never to leave her side … and suddenly their hotel room seems smaller—and hotter—than ever. Mick's always been hands-off with Jan—but has the right woman been under his nose the whole time?

A quick glance around revealed the limited amenities: modest flatscreen on the wall; dorm-sized fridge; and a tiny bureau that doubled as a nightstand, holding a digital clock and small lamp. At the foot of the queen bed, Mick’s suitcase flopped open on a narrow bench.

Jan sidled along the bedside and closed herself in the world’s smallest bathroom: a budget-sized toilet wedged between a teacup sink and a phone-booth shower stall.

Everything was clean as a whistle, but one wrong move and she’d have black and blue funny bones in the wedding photos.

Washing her hands in the teacup, she made the mistake of looking into the mirror above it.

“Hello, palest person in Key West. And your hair.” Six hours on three airplanes, and her bun straggled like spaghetti.

Unwrapping the scrunchie that bound it, she ran her fingers through the light brown waves. Humidity or not, she was wearing it down this weekend.

In fact, she was wearing it down from now on. “I’m done with the bun,” she rapped to the mirror, and tossed the scrunchie into the trash.

Day One of the New-Jan Plan.

Out in the bedroom, she found Mick stretched out on the mattress, hands locked behind his head, watching a Simpson’s rerun.

“You’re getting the bed wet,” she said automatically.

“It’ll dry.”

That was Mick, never worrying about anything, while she worried about everything. And where had it gotten her? Out on the street, that’s where, while he was tucked up in Paradise.

Which was exactly why she was changing her old, boring ways. They weren’t working for her. At. All.

“Wow.” From Mick. “Your hair got long.”

“Eh.” She plopped down next to him. “Hair grows.”

“It’s just that you never wear it down.” He reached out and rubbed the ends between his fingers. “Soft.”

She eyed him. Sometimes she wondered about Mick. They’d been friends since kindergarten, through the years when boys and girls were supposed to hate each other, even through high school when he was the quarterback and she was a dork.

Twelve years out, he was still captain of the team, so to speak. Fire Captain at his Engine Company, a bona fide hero with a shiny new Medal of Valor, and a mother’s lifelong gratitude for rescuing her eight-year-old.

Meanwhile Jan was still fighting dorkyness. Still too skinny, too nerdy, too plain to be anything more than his buddy, his pal.

But sometimes … sometimes when he looked at her the way he was looking at her now

…

Nah. She locked it down. She wasn’t Mick’s type. And truthfully, he wasn’t hers either. If she ever found a guy, he’d be white collar all the way. A lawyer or an accountant. Not someone who risked his life every day.

Her mother had that much of it right. Yes, she was controlling, neurotic, and paranoid. But about marrying a man with a dangerous job, Jan’s mother could speak with authority.

Knuckles rapped the door, and Mick hopped up and opened it to the blond from the desk. “Hey, Barbie.”

Barbie? Seriously?

Barbie’s gaze tracked slowly from Mick’s bare chest up to his lips. “Hi, Mick.” Breathless.

Jan rolled her eyes and did a finger wave. “Looking for me? Did you find me a room?”

Barbie dragged her gaze away from Mick. “Um, no. No rooms.”

“Nowhere on the island?” Mick dragged a hand through his hair. “This is bullshit,” he declared to the world at large.

“I’m so sorry.” Barbie sounded genuinely sympathetic—on Mick’s account, not Jan’s. “The whole island’s been booked for months. Even if someone cancels, everyplace has a waiting list. There’s nothing I can do.”

“Thanks for trying.” Mick melted Barbie with a smile. “I’m turning my room over to Jan. I’ll figure something out for myself.”

Jan popped up. “Wait just a minute—”

Barbie steamrolled her. “I’ve got a spare room at my place,” she said to Mick. “You can crash with me.”

“No.” Jan wagged her head definitively. “No no no no no.”

Mick had a way of pissing women off. Not completely his fault, since he never made any promises. The problem was, Mick loved women. He couldn’t help making them feel special, and their imaginations ran away with it.

Then, when he didn’t fall in with their plans, things went downhill with a bullet.

All Julie’s wedding needed was Barbie storming the reception and dumping the cake over Mick’s head. Julie would lay the disaster at Jan’s door, because Mick was her wedding guest.

But Barbie was clueless, batting lashes as long as her namesake’s. “Really, Mick, I don’t mind.”

“I mind,” Jan said, sounding more possessive than she meant to.

Mick must have picked up on it, because he flicked his gaze her way, a quick bolt of blue that could steal an unsuspecting woman’s breath.

Her clothes were sure to follow.

But Jan wasn’t an unsuspecting woman. She’d been there from the beginning, keeping herself out of harm’s way as Mick learned to handle his sexual mojo, wielding it like a blunt instrument in high school, and like a light saber ever since.

Sometimes, like now, he carelessly swung it in her direction.

Ignoring the sting, she took one for the bride and groom.

            “Thanks anyway,” she said to Barbie, “but Mick’s staying right here with me.”

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CARA CONNELLY is an award-winning author of contemporary romances. Her smart and sexy stories have won high praise, earning Cara several awards including the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart, the Valley Forge Romance Writers’ Sheila, and the Music City Romance Writers’ Melody of Love. Cara, who lives in rural upstate New York, works as appellate court attorney when she’s not crafting steamy novels of love and romance.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Blog Stop with Review: Rush by Gina Gordon.

Rush

By: Gina Gordon

Releasing May 12, 2015

Loveswept

In this edgy, sizzling romance for fans of Monica Murphy and Abbi Glines, a bad boy shows a straitlaced law student how to slow down and savor the good things.

Everly Parker is about to graduate from law school, always busy, and can’t stop rushing through life. Her late grandmother left her a bucket list of meaningful, can’t-miss experiences, but she hasn’t completed a single one. Then searing-hot Max Levin bursts into her world. As a casting director for a porn production company, Max is loaded, cocky, and all wrong for Everly. Still, she’s tempted enough to cross the first item off her list: Go out with someone you’d never give the time of day.

Inheriting a porn empire isn’t every guy’s dream (well, actually, it probably is), but Max isn’t complaining. It’s just that until he meets Everly, he has no idea what he’s been missing. As the pressure mounts to take over the family business, Max can’t help wondering what would happen if he chose Everly instead. So far, his life has been a wild ride, but only Everly promises the greatest rush of all: love.

“I’m Jade.” The second girl held out her hand, green eyes sparkling up at me—the color of . . . jade. “Wonderful to meet you, Mr. Levin.”


She was much younger than Stella. Her auburn hair hung over her shoulders. Her lips were plump and a subtle shade of pink. Her tits, a perfect handful. She was the girl-next-door that had been plucked from the shopping mall and turned into every man’s fantasy. She was exactly the type of girl I was looking for. Something about the stereotypical-looking porn star just didn’t do it for me. Unfortunately, it was women who looked like Stella that my father preferred.

Although I had the final say in the girls who signed contracts, there was a distinct look my father wanted in his stars. A look that hadn’t changed since his entrance into the industry in the 1980’s, but I was making room for both our visions.

“This is our director, Ben Lockwood.” Ben had complete creative control and was in charge of every piece of film and photo White Lace put out for sale. He hired his own staff, other directors and photographers, who held the same vision.

He extended his hand to Stella, but I noticed his eyes were on Jade. “I’m going to grab us some drinks. Ladies . . . ?”

“Vanilla latte,” Jade replied.
“

Regular coffee, just cream,” Stella answered.


Ben nodded and left us.


“Thank you for meeting with me tonight.” I liked to meet potential talent in person. It gave me a chance to weed out the crazies. As much as I hated myself for it, I needed girls who were responsible and serious about building a career. I operated on a strict no drugs or drama queens policy.

“What is it exactly that you’re offering, Mr. Levin? Madam was vague, but we’re interested.” Stella spoke for the both of them.

The fact that these girls already had sex for a living diminished my worry about hiring newbies. They were experienced and knew exactly what they were getting into.

“I’m the vice president of White Lace Productions, responsible for casting and location scouting. I contract every one of our actors.” There were a lot of shady casting agencies and Internet modeling sites out there and we didn’t follow the same rules at all. “When you sign with White Lace, you have the control. I’m here to help you build a career. I’m here to help all of us make money.”

My father, on the other hand, saw the porn business as a stepping-stone and went out of his way to help our actors achieve their dreams, and then ship them out the door. A direct counter-philosophy to mine—making money. Needless to say, we had a high turnover of actors.

Ben returned to the table, ladies’ coffees in hand. With a wink he lowered their drinks to the table then returned to counter.

“Our production is high quality, but low maintenance. We film in hotel rooms and private homes. We film fantasies. Plain and simple.”

Our catalog of film spanned from romantic porn for women to rough, fetish sex. We filmed two feature films a year, but the majority of our products were single scenes that could be purchased online. In one respect that was the beauty of porn. There were so many possibilities and there was a demographic for everything.

“What exactly are you looking for?” Jade asked as Ben squeezed into the booth beside her with a regular coffee for both of us. She seemed much more interested in asking the right questions, unlike Stella, who was more interested in making eyes at me.

“I’m looking for new talent that will be open to all sexual scenarios, positions, and genders. The more versatile you are, the more money you make.”

I knew a little about the escort business, but I knew these girls made a hefty sum per hour. They’d have to be very versatile.

“We’d be more than willing to give you a sneak peek.” Stella leaned in to me and ran her red fingernail down my arm.

Rush is something of a surprise.  With a porn industry setting, I was expecting a fun, light-hearted romp, but what we have is a meaningful insight into the lives of two young people struggling to live the lives that have been mapped out for them.

As the son of a parents working in the adult entertainment industry, Max Levin has always known that his destiny is to take over the running of White Lace Productions, the empire his father has built up over the past thirty years.   Along with his film director best friend Ben Lockwood, whom he's known since he was an eight year old boy, the pair have increased the profits of the company making it a market leader.  When Max meets a young woman whilst scouting for new talent, he begins to question his career path.  Is it time to branch out and follow his heart in more ways than one?

Everly Parker is just one semester away from graduating from law school.  As the daughter of high flying lawyers, her parents have micro-managed her schooling to ensure she is a credit to themselves.  Spending most of her time studying, Everly's had little time to date over the years but as she gets nearer to graduation, with a distraction called Max she begins to realise there is more to life than fulfilling her parents dreams. 

Max Levin and Everly Parker appear to be as different as chalk and cheese, at opposite ends of the spectrum!  It doesn't take long to realise,  through the sparks of sexual chemistry that their lives are more similar than you think - a common bond,  which isn't instantly recognisable to either of themselves.  Both see in each other very different characteristics they want to emulate in themselves, but wires get crossed when both mis-understand what they want and expect from each other.

The author has created a fabulous, sexy reading experience and I'll admit I had to consult a few unfamiliar terms via the Urban Dictionary!  The protagonists show depth of character and the supporting ensemble add to the overall fun of this highly entertaining book.  This is my first book by Gina Gordon but will look out for more books from her in the future.

4¼ Stars

***arc generously received courtesy of Random House Publishing via NetGalley***

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When her dream of becoming a mafia princess didn’t pan out, Gina Gordon went after her second dream: becoming a writer. And she hasn’t looked back. A self-proclaimed happily-ever-after junkie and cupcake connoisseur, Gordon loves spinning contemporary tales of knee-bending first kisses, unconditional love, and super-hot sex. She lives in Milton, Ontario, with her husband and their lovable dog.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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