A Soul to Keep by Moira Keith

  A Soul to Keep by Moira Keith Release Date: June 30, 2014 Blurb: In the realm of the Fallen, there’s a little saint and sinner in us all… One moment can impact the future. Love never served Jayde Cross well and owing a debt to a demon is the proof. Reaping is a lonely existence and with her thirtieth birthday approaching, she's got enough to worry about without adding romance to the mix. It's why her friendship with the man living next door works so well. They both live lives filled with secrets and ignoring their self-imposed rules isn’t an option. Too bad her heart disagrees. The past is about to come back and haunt one of Heaven’s Fallen. Caleb Thorne always found living among mortals difficult, until he met the intriguing woman down the hall. She demands nothing of him and is completely safe. When an enemy from his past catches up with him, Caleb soon discovers the rules of the Fallen exist for a reason and loving a mortal may prove to be the bigger danger. In a world where their love is forbidden, Jayde and Caleb may just discover that sometimes breaking rules is the only thing that can set you free. 

 Authors Bio: Moira Keith is a lover of shoes, a connoisseur of Guinness, baker of cocktail themed cupcakes, and an overall complete mess! She is also a proud Texan by birth (and true Southern girl at heart). Moira lives in the city of neon with her twin zombie sons, a fish, three parakeets, and a turtle. Do you have a tag line: Where there’s magic…mayhem will follow. http://moirakeith.com/ https://twitter.com/moirakeith https://www.facebook.com/authormoirakeith 

 Buy Links: Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Itunes   

 Excerpt:   So a little background to this scene. Jayde is a reaper and she's not all too fond of her job, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. This gives you a little glimpse into her world.   While he was preoccupied, I glanced around at the other patrons. They all appeared focused on their meals, or their dates. I reached over, flipped open the ring, and let the liquid pour into the glass of scotch sitting on the table. With a flick of my finger, the ring snapped shut and I pulled away from the man at my side.     “How about a toast?”   “What should we toast to? Your beauty?” He winked at me. “Getting lucky.”   Not in a million years.   “Survival.” I raised my glass.   “Odd thing to toast to.”   “Why is it odd?” I studied him for a moment and when he didn’t respond, I continued. “I learned a long time ago the will to survive drives people. It’s what drives you.”   “And you,” he said as he took a healthy swig of his scotch. “It’s one of the things that draws me to you.”   “Then I’m sure you will understand.” I watched over the rim of my glass as I took another sip and his face quickly began to turn shades of red and purple.   “What have you done?” He managed to choke out the words.   “What was necessary to survive.” I leaned in close and whispered against his ear. “Azrael's expecting you.”   Marco's eyes widened and he gasped for air. Before anyone noticed their beloved boss was choking, I grabbed my purse and slid out from the seat. I walked away, but not fast enough to avoid hearing Marco struggling to catch his breath and the commotion behind me as people rushed to his aid. There would be no saving him.   Once a name landed in the hands of a reaper, there were only three things that could stop the order from being carried out—a mortal willing to make a deal on their behalf, the demon in charge of the assignment, or the reaper themselves.

Guest Post - Affair in Athens

Title: Affair in Athens

Author: Matina Nicholas

Genre: Literary Fiction

Release Date: April 1, 2013

Blurb:

Fulfilling her mother’s dying wish to discover her roots, Athena Vallas journeys to Greece and finds more than history as she reunites with a part of her family she didn’t know existed. While documenting her grandfather’s heroic role as a Greek Orthodox priest in Plaka, sheltering Jews during the Resistance in WWII, Athena meets Luke, a dangerously charismatic man who sees her as the ideal wife.

Drawn into an extravagant lifestyle, her attraction to Luke is intense until she discovers that he plays a high stakes game of illegal pursuits. When she attempts to distance herself, Luke refuses to relinquish his plans. Ruthlessly, he keeps his eye on the prize—Athena—who won’t compromise love for wealth or fidelity for lifestyle.

Affair in Athens includes a set of authentic Greek recipes at the back of the book, passed down through Matina’s family. Read, eat, and enjoy!

Guest Post & Giveaway - Risky Return by Nicole Helm

GUEST POST BY NICOLE HELM

Tell me about your literal hottie and why am I going to love him.

Thanks so much for having me today. My "literal hottie"'s name is Ryan Harrington from my current release, Risky Return. He's a former divorce lawyer now working with his brother at his family's private airport in rural Kansas, helping his brother's girlfriend create a reality show about Ryan and his identical twin fixing up planes for celebrities.

In order to accomplish that, Ryan calls in a favor from a friend. Okay, an ex-wife. Well, actually technically, still his wife, and also a world famous actress, America's Sweetheart if you will.

Celia's none too happy to be brought back to her home town, and Ryan isn't particularly thrilled to still have feelings for the woman who left him high and dry. But he does, and sparks fly, as they tend to do.

Ryan doesn't always make the best decisions, but at his heart he's a man who wants home, belonging, and love. He also wants what's best for the people he loves, and goes about helping them get it, which is probably his best trait. He sees Celia, the real Celia, in a way no one else does, and once he realizes his mistakes, he isn't afraid to do what it takes to atone for them.

Oh, also, I like to picture him as a green-eyed, not-Australian Chris Hemsworth, if that helps. ;)

Guest Post & Giveaway - Rising Assets by Rebecca Zanetti

~~~GUEST POST~~~

You Write Where?!?  By Rebecca Zanetti

Thank you for having me here at Literal Hotties today!  Do you ever wonder where authors write?  Before I started writing, I kind of pictured my favorite authors writing poolside at tropical resorts with umbrella decorated drinks next to them as sexy pool guys brought them chocolate covered strawberries.

Sounds good.

In reality, we write wherever we can.  At this moment, I’m sitting on a spotless white couch in a music room while my daughter takes her piano lesson.  Her teacher is a retired music teacher whose house always smells like sugar cookies.  They’re working on a lovely song I’ve never heard before, although there’s some fun clapping involved somehow.  I truly haven’t figured out when to clap.  

That’s okay, because I’m writing.

I also write at football, basketball, softball, and volleyball practices.  Not during games, because I love watching the kids and my husband play.  But practices are a great place to put on the headphones and just type away.  My home office is wonderful to write in, but sometimes I have to just change environments.  Of course, right now we’re moving houses, and I can’t find anything.

During the summer I often write at the lake, and during the winter, I’ve written in the ski lodge.  For the record, it’s impossible to write on a snowmobile.

Last year I spent plenty of time writing on airplanes and in hotel rooms because I attended so many conferences and book signings.  Plenty of RISING ASSETS was written in the south – both Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia.  That’s a bit funny because Rising Assets takes place in Montana – a place close to my home and one I visited right after turning in the book.

I love Montana.  Big spaces, large mountains, real cowboys.  There’s nothing like a man who knows how to stride in cowboy boots and control a wild animal that hugely outweighs him.  Also, not sure if you knew this, but cowboys can dance.  Smooth and sexy…and they know how to lead.

In Rising Assets, hero Colton Freeze is a cowboy, a financial genius, and an organizer who has his life planned out perfectly.  Heroine Melanie Jacoby is a free-spirited tomboy whose life has taken a definite left turn.  They’ve been best friends for years until one explosive, fire-hot kiss throws them into chaos…because being best friends with benefits was never the plan.

I hope you enjoy Colton and Melanie’s red-hot romance, which is on a release sale of less than a dollar for a very short time.  Thanks again for having me over to play today!

Spotlight - Two for Protection by Marissa Dobson (Alaskan Tigers)

Two for Protection

Marissa Dobson

Murder…

Courtney Mathews was in the wrong place at the wrong time when she witnessed two murders. After going to the authorities her life is turned upside down, and she’s forced to flee back to her hometown in Alaska to save herself.

Mistakes…

Tad Brown is third in line to take over his sleuth—bear clan—but his mistakes cling to every decision, making him question himself. Finding Courtney forces him to confront his past in order to embrace his future. Will he be able to put the past where it belongs, and keep Courtney safe, or will it cause him to lose the woman he’s destined to be with?

Changes…

With so many people depending on Milo, he must come into his own. Stepping into a role of authority has him doubting himself. Never before had he wanted to be a leader, content as one of the Elders guards. On a mission for the Alaskan Tigers, the three of them must work together to survive, with Milo taking the lead.

Author Bio:

Spotlight & Giveaway - Win the Rings by K.D. Van Brunt (Evernight Teen)

Win the Rings by K.D. Van Brunt

Blurb:  Jace has been the property of the U.S. Army since they found out about her when she was five, and now she has become one of its most valuable weapons.  But Jace is not the only one of her kind. Gray is one too, but with the help of his sister, he has spent most of his sixteen years hiding from the Army.  

Now, the Army has found out about Gray and they cannot allow him to roam free.  Operating on the theory that it takes one to catch one, Jace is send out with a special ops squad to hunt Gray down. But Jace is not the only one pursuing Gray, and the competition is after her too.  What ensues is a desperate chase through city after city as duty and honor collide with love and sacrifice.

Bio:

During the eight hours of the day when I’m not writing, reading or sleeping, I’m a lawyer in Washington, DC.  I grew up in Southern California, moved to Seattle before coming east to Boston to go to school.  Now, I live in the great state of Maryland with my wife, my dog—a standard poodle named Buffy (and who do you think named her?), and my hot Camaro.  One of the few things I like better than pizza is driving fast.  So, if you happen be in the DC area and a black Camaro with a red stripe and a rear spoiler roars by and blows your doors off…thaaat could be me. 

Website: http://www.kdvanbrunt.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KDVANBRUNT

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Spotlight - Caught by Cassandra Carr

CAUGHT

CASSANDRA CARR

Blurb:  When Callie returns to her hometown for the holidays she comes face to face with her old lover and Dominant, Jack. She left him three years ago believing he could never be the happily-ever-after man she needed. Yet Jack still wants her and she finds herself wanting to submit to him again.

As Jack and Callie explore their Dominant/submissive relationship, Callie gets drawn deep into Jack's world all over again. For his part, Jack can't seem to forget how she nearly ruined him when she took off without even saying good-bye all those years ago, but he's afraid his baser needs will destroy Callie.

If Callie give Jack another chance to prove he can be what she needs, can Jack overcome his own fears and claim Callie forever?

Author bio

Spotlight - Midnight Mistletoe Laurel Cremant

MIDNIGHT MISTLETOE

LAUREL CREMANT

Blurb:  WARNING: This short novelette/short story of 8,000 words is the first book in this serial and contains snarky dialogue, extremely inappropriate uses of mistletoe, alpha HEROINES and the weres smart enough to chase them. 
All were-hybrid, Georgia Walker wants for Christmas is to spend some time away from her pack and in particular, away from one increasingly dangerous enforcer turned Beta. She has every intention of spending her days basking in the warm Caribbean sun and indulging in an island fling, or two. Anything to forget the way a certain were made her pulse race and skin tingle. 
Marcus Legrand has only one goal this holiday season, bring Georgia home and finally claim her for his own. Convincing the strong willed ice princess will take all of his skill and patience, but Marcus is no stranger to hunting prey. He has every intention of putting both his rank and heart on the line.

Excerpt:

Spotlight - Lynked

Title: Lynked

Author: Bethany-KrisRelease Date: February 3rd, 2014

Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance

He’d give up everything to keep her, in fact he did. But will she still be waiting on the other side

when it’s over?

Blurb:

When a fighter’s path crosses with a beautiful woman, he’s positive the meeting will only end in her leaving his penthouse with sex hair and a smile—until life and the law steps in, inevitably linking their futures forever.

The accident that ended his fighting career wasn’t enough to keep former mixed martial arts champion Devon Lynk out of the sport. His new business, Chaine Lynk, an all-exclusive fighting company, has made him millions through illegal gambling. Happy with his life, he never suspected it could be his downfall … until the morning after leads to something so much more than he expected, and he’s left with the weight of guilt and responsibility on his shoulders.

Veronica “Nic” Stacey made her way to Edmonton with the intention of starting life anew, but her first night in the city lands her in a stranger’s bed and things don’t quite go as planned. Waking up to find out her brother is in jail is one thing, but learning the man she slept with is also his boss is another matter altogether. With no knowledge of the city and nowhere to go, she’s left taking the only help offered: Devon’s.

With Chaine Lynk’s doors closed and Devon facing possible jail time for his involvement, reality takes a front row seat. Love and lust intermingle as he comes to learn what his business and choices have cost the girl he wants most—now he just has to fix it. But is it already too late?

Authors Bio:

Guest Post - Public Affairs by Cassandra Carr

Guest Post by Cassandra Carr

Why Nate from Public Affairs is a Literal Hottie and why you'll love him

by Cassandra Carr

Nate is the hero from my recently released contemporary single title romance, Public Affairs. He's a hot-shot PR spin doctor to the stars whose life gets turned upside down when his college friend begs him for help with a messy situation at the cancer hospital where he serves as CEO. The first time the heroine, Val, meets him, she's struck speechless by his good looks. Then he opens his mouth and her speechlessness continues in the face of Nate's too-slick-for-his-own-good charm.

But as time goes on, Nate shows Val many other sides, and that the charm he displayed at first is only a facade. How can a girl resist when there's a full-on assault showing a man to be good, even sweet? Clearly, she doesn't, and shouldn't. Here's how Val describes Nate upon first meeting him:

A crisp white shirt stretched over a set of shoulders that looked as if they could hold up the entire world. His tie, a dark plum color, set off his suit beautifully. Looking up at his face, she noted a broadness which might not be considered handsome, unless you liked that kind of thing, which, judging by the surprising throbbing between her thighs, she did. Nate had thick black hair too, and if she didn’t know his last name was O’Halloran she would’ve thought he was of Hispanic descent. She wondered idly if his mom had given him his eye color and swarthy skin tone, as they didn’t look very Irish to her.

But it isn't until Nate comes to her defense against an unprovoked verbal attack by a doctor that Val realizes she's truly in danger of falling in love with Nate. It's these little glimpses at his true nature that reveal to Val that Nate is much more than meets the eye. And that's why Nate is a literal (and figurative) hottie.

Guest Post & Review - Jade's Peace by Melissa Stevens

GUEST POST BY MELISSA STEVENS

Why will you love Steve? Number one, he's hot. Steve is a little older than the typical romance hero, he's well established and sure of himself and his position in the clan. Aside from being the head enforcer for his clan, he also has honor, and he always has. When he first felt the draw to Jade, when he was in his late 20's and she still a teenager, he knew better. He left his home, and his family behind to keep from doing something he knew would be wrong. What he didn't expect was for her to turn up on his doorstep ten years later. He's reluctance to become involved with her doesn't stand a chance against her determination and their mating instinct. He knows it's not going to be easy, especially once he learns the demons that haunt her, but he never backs down, he never doubts that

Can you think of anything better than a guy who's not only there for the good times but stands beside you and helps you through the bad ones too? I can't.

Jade’s Peace

Melissa Stevens

Blurb:Steve left his hometown to avoid doing something he knew he would regret. Now, ten years later, the girl he left to avoid has come looking for him, but she's not a child anymore.

Jade has spent the last six years haunted by memories and nightmares. At a turning point in her life, she's tired of waiting for something to change. She tracks down the only person she's ever been drawn to, a man she hasn’t seen in more than ten years. But can she convince him that their differences don't matter, that together they can both find peace?

Back List Buy Links:

Change: AmazonB&NiTunesKoboSmashwords

Fight:AmazonB&NiTunesKoboSmashwords

Hunt:  AmazonB&NItunesKoboSmashwords

Escape:AmazonB&NiTunesKoboSmashwords

Robin's Nest:  AmazonB&NKoboSmashwords

Author Bio:Melissa was born and raised in Arizona, she’s spent her entire life living across the southern half of the state. She’s found that, along with her husband and three children, she prefers the small towns and rural life to feeling packed into a city.

She started reading at a very young age, and her love for series started early, as the first real books she remembers reading is the Boxcar Children series by Gertrude Chandler Warner. Through the years she’s found that there’s little she won’t read, and her tastes vary from westerns, to romance, to sci-fi / fantasy and Horror.

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MY REVIEW

Jade's Peace by Melissa Stevens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After reading Escape, I was really interested in checking out this book. I was not disappointed. It took the world created in the short story to a higher level. We get the HEA for Rebecca and Nick's second in command Steve.

I love JV, or Jade as her mate calls her. She is a total kick butt chick and sassy fun to read! She has so much spunk and attitude that you might think she would find a guy more deserving of her affections. I was not a huge Steve fan for most of the book, he had his head up his butt about the mating. Seriously, ten years is no big deal these days. It might have been an issue when she was 17 and her was 27, but he was smart enough to leave. That does not explain why he did not come back when she was a bit older, or why he was fighting the attraction so hard. Happily he won me over in the end, mostly cause he pulled his head out of his butt!

This is mostly from JV's POV, with a few others mixed in every now and again. The extra POVs were great for getting insight into the supporting characters feelings and motives. They were also very clearly separated, not at all confusing. Really great device for moving the story along.

This story was a touch long at times, we went over a bit more day to day routine than I generally like. While the storytelling was smooth the pace could have been a touch quicker. I just needed more action throughout to keep my interest.

I was really digging the vibe of the whole story and can not wait for more of the series. There is serious potential here. I might even have to check out Ms Stevens other series set in the same world!

Disclosure - I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts, opinions and ratings are my own.

View all my reviews