ARC Review: A Christmas Hope by Stacy Henrie

Title:  A Christmas Hope (Of Love and War Novella) Author:  Stacy Henrie Publisher/Publication Date: Forever Yours, December 2, 2014 Format/Source:  E-ARC, Publisher/NetGalley Genre: Historical Romance Book Summary Tis the season for second chances… Having experienced the heartache of unrequited love, Maria Schmitt desperately seeks a new life. Landing a position as a clerk in a Sioux City bank is just what she needs to get started on her journey toward healing. But a dashing stranger soon puts her job-and her heart-in jeopardy. Saving lives was all Dale Emerson ever wanted to do . . . until a fateful day in France shattered his career as a surgeon. He lost everything that mattered, and the last thing he wants to do is resign himself to a life without medicine working at his uncle's bank. Then he meets Maria, a compassionate woman who can see past his scars to the man he once was-and the man he could be again. With Christmas right around the corner, these two wounded hearts may find that hope and a little holiday cheer are just the ticket to letting go of regrets-and embracing a future full of love and possibility. Buy links for A CHRISTMAS HOPE Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1yc6kCA Books-A-Million: http://bit.ly/1sl3ChF Kobo: http://bit.ly/1sl3E9b Google Play: http://bit.ly/1Bt9d5r iTunes: http://bit.ly/1wkC8bl Amazon: http://amzn.to/1z3l0Ij Review A Christmas Hope by Stacy Henrie is a compelling holiday read. Once again Henrie has created a historical romance that highlighted the role of women during WWI as they took on more responsibilities, which—as I indicated in the Hope Rising review—is a fascinating aspect of this series. A Christmas Hope is Dale and Maria’s story. It takes place in Sioux City, Iowa. Maria was introduced in Hope at Dawn. In the previous book things didn’t work out so well for Maria, so it was nice to read her story as she was moving on with her life. Maria was depicted as feisty, resilient, and knowledgeable; whereas Dale was insecure at times. I liked the depiction of Dale and Maria, because they complemented each other as they both dealt with major life changes. —A must read! Rating 5/5 I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

ARC Review: Hope Rising by Stacy Henrie

Title: Hope Rising ( Of Love and War, #2) Author:  Stacy Henrie Publisher/Publication Date: Forever; December 16, 2014 Genre: Historical Romance Format/Source: ARC, Publisher Book Summary In France at the height of World War I, American nurse Evelyn Gray is no stranger to suffering. She's helped save the life of many a soldier, but when she learns her betrothed has been killed, her own heart may be broken beyond repair. Summoning all her strength, Evelyn is determined to carry on-not just for herself and her country, but for her unborn child.  Corporal Joel Campbell dreams of the day the war is over and he can return home and start a family. When a brutal battle injury puts that hope in jeopardy, Joel is lost to despair . . . until he meets Evelyn. Beautiful, compassionate, and in need of help, she makes an unconventional proposal that could save their lives-or ruin them irrevocably. Now, amidst the terror and turmoil of the Western Front, these two lost souls will have to put their faith in love to find the miracle they've been looking for. Buy links for HOPE RISING: Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1pnwQLn Books-A-Million: http://bit.ly/1GkP98a IndieBound: http://bit.ly/1E5Ee0Y Amazon: http://amzn.to/1xc8AOO Review If you love historical romances and have time to read just one more book during 2014, you'll want to read Hope Rising by Stacie Henrie. Henrie presents this historical romance novel in a manner that will keep you glued to the pages until the very end. Although this is book 2 of the Of Love and War series, Evelyn Gray and Joel Campbell's story can be read as a standalone. I absolutely love Henrie's writing style and the fact that the emotional connection between the hero and heroine is at the forefront of their romantic tale.  Hope Rising is even better than the first book in the series as we follow nurse Gray's experience in the Army Nurse Corps. I like the fact that Henrie's stories are inclusive of women and their experiences during World War I—Including their roles in society along with their struggles. The nurses serving in the corps had to abide by a set of rules. At times, Evelyn struggled with adhering to these rules. After her betrothed died she met Joel Campbell, an injured soldier. Their nurse-patient relationship evolved into a friendship and a gripping yet heartfelt story of life after experiencing loss. It was also a story of  faith, letting go, and God's will. Also, Henrie seamlessly integrated history and the morals of the time along with the hope and despair associated with love and war.  It's a perfect book for those who like clean historical romances. And it's a must read if you like stories with tense heart-stopping moments that will whisk you  back in time to the heart of a conflict on the front lines as a forbidden romance unfolds.  I would definitely recommend Hope Rising and can't wait to read book #3 of the series, A Hope Remembered in March of 2015. Rating 5/5 I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Click on the link to read an excerpt from Hope Rising!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from Reading on the Rocks!

I hope everyone has a marvelous day!

New Adult Christmas Blog Hop, Excerpt & Giveaways with Chanel Cleeton!!!

It's a New Adult Christmas! Thanks for joining us as we celebrate the holidays with thirteen New Adult authors. Check out every stop leading up to December 24 to get excerpts, exclusive content, and hopefully a cutie under the mistletoe! Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter to win a grand prize pack of an ebook from every author! Excerpt This scene takes place after the events in French Kissed… I woke late, the Paris sun shining through my bedroom window. I reached across the bed and found cool silk rather than Max’s warm body. I leaned over, glancing at the alarm clock, wincing slightly at the time. In my defense, he’d wanted to ring in Christmas last night in his own unique fashion, and I’d been more than happy to do my part. I figured I’d earned a lazy morning in bed…I just wished I had someone to keep me company. I threw on the cashmere robe at the foot of my bed, tying it tightly around my waist, and went off in search of my man. I reached the hallway and ran into Maggie. She grinned. “Merry Christmas.” “Merry Christmas,” I repeated, figuring I was going to have to start learning the American way of things. Her eyes twinkled with mischief. “I guess I don’t need to ask if you had a good night last night.” I could actually feel my cheeks flaming. It wasn’t lost on me that I could be…loud. I groaned. “Tell me you guys didn’t hear me having sex.” “We didn’t hear you having sex.” She grinned. “But if we did, then I just have to say, well-done, Max.” I fought to keep the smile off my face. She didn’t know the half of it. We’d been apart for weeks and he’d taken our reunion very seriously. “Although, Samir might have mentioned something about wanting to pour bleach in his ears.” I made a face at that. I didn’t blame him. If the roles had been reversed, I would have died if I’d heard my cousin having sex. “Where is Samir?” I asked, trying to change the subject. “I don’t know. I, uh, slept in, too.” I stifled a snort. I had a feeling I wasn’t the only one ringing in Christmas between the sheets. We walked down the long, marble hallway, headed toward the formal rooms. We froze at the sound in the entryway, voices reaching us. Max and Samir stood in front of the giant Christmas tree Maggie had convinced us to put up, their arms full of wrapped presents with giant bows. Some of the presents were beautiful—elegant paper that definitely looked professionally packaged, with easily recognizable paper in familiar store colors. Other presents had wrinkled edges, pockets of wrapping bunched at the sides, images of snowmen and candy canes on the paper. The sight of presents Max had so obviously wrapped brought a lump to my throat. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a family Christmas. Usually my parents just deposited some money in my account and called it my Christmas gift. But Max had clearly gone out—gone shopping—and then tried to wrap them himself. I loved him. So much. “Did you remember to put the tags from Santa on some of the gifts?” Max asked. Samir made a noise and muttered something in Arabic under his breath. Maggie grinned. “No.” Max glared at him. “You need to do some gifts from Santa. It’s tradition.” Samir looked like he was about to lose his patience. I had no clue how long they’d been up arranging gifts under the tree, just that it definitely hadn’t looked like this when we went to bed last night. More Arabic from Samir. My cousin had mellowed a lot since he and Maggie had gotten together, but he was a whole other beast from Max, but he didn’t do Christmas with his family, and the image of him celebrating a holiday he clearly knew nothing about was hilarious. He looked frustrated, and yet, by the impressive display of gifts that looked like they were for Maggie, I figured he’d tried his best. “How about the hot cocoa?” Max asked, his tone sounding equally frustrated. “Is it ready?” I snickered. Samir really looked like he was ready to lose it. We’d both grown up with chefs. I’d bet my favorite Birkin bag that he’d never made cocoa in his life. I figured we had thirty seconds before they noticed us standing there watching them because Maggie looked about ready to burst out laughing. “It’s ready,” Samir grumbled. “And the cookies for Santa are on a tray.” And just like that, Maggie’s eyes went from laughter to complete and total adoration. Yep. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to make her happy. Even if it meant giving her a traditional American Christmas when she was spending her holiday away from her family, with her half French, half Lebanese boyfriend who had never celebrated Christmas like this in his life, her best friend—and I’d totally own that up until Christmas Eve last night when Max had surprised me and given me the best present ever, I’d never been a big fan of the holidays—and her boyfriend’s best friend who seemed determined to single-handedly bring Christmas cheer to us all. And then the boys turned, and their gazes landed on us, and I watched as the two most important guys in my life gifted us with smiles that brought a lump to my throat. Yep. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. We went into their arms, Samir’s gaze on Maggie, Max’s arms around me, and everything else fell away. We spent the morning laughing, drinking cocoa and eating cookies, opening gift after gift, and when it was all said and done, and we all collapsed on the sofas, surrounded by crumpled wrapping paper and discarded bows, my gaze connected with Maggie’s across the room, and we both smiled and I knew—  Love was the greatest gift of all.  FRENCH KISSED BOOK SUMMARY On the surface, Fleur Marceaux has it all. If only the facade matched reality. With one year left at the International School in London, Fleur’s struggling to graduate, her love life is a mess, and she can’t stop thinking about Max, her ex-boyfriend’s best friend. But all that pales compared to the blackmailer determined to destroy her.  There’s a social hierarchy at the International School and Max Tucker is outside the velvet ropes. After watching Fleur break his friend’s heart, Max knows to stay away from trouble, despite the crush he’s had on her since freshman year. But when they’re partnered on a project, Max learns there’s more to Fleur than meets the eye, and she just might be worth the wild ride.  The more time they spend together, the further Max falls. And when a kiss awakens a passion Fleur never imagined, she’s unable to resist Max, who she had thought was all wrong for her but might be the only thing that’s right. But will he stand by her when her secrets are revealed? Don’t miss the final book in the International School series. This New Adult romance is recommended for readers 17 and up. BOOK LINKS Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22858376-french-kissed FRENCH KISSED (International School Book #3) Amazon: http://amzn.to/ZH8BeL Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1vlkljJ iBooks: http://bit.ly/1x2UaLu I SEE LONDON (International School Book #1) Amazon:  http://amzn.to/MpM27V Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1ibPGgh iBooks: http://bit.ly/1ewcogY LONDON FALLING (International School Book #2): Amazon:  http://amzn.to/1n6rvo2 Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/VxbiOd iBooks: http://bit.ly/1ziLXaq   AUTHOR INFORMATION Originally a Florida girl, CHANEL CLEETON moved to London where she received a bachelor’s degree from Richmond, The American International University in London and a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Chanel fell in love with London and planned to stay there forever, until fate intervened on a Caribbean cruise and a fighter pilot with smooth dance moves swept her off her feet. Now, a happily ever after later, Chanel is living her next adventure in Asia. Law school made Chanel realize she’d rather spend her days writing sexy stories than in a courtroom, and she hasn’t looked back since. An avid reader and hopeless romantic, she’s happiest curled up with a book. She has a weakness for handbags, her three pups, and her fighter pilot husband.  She is the author of I SEE LONDON and LONDON FALLING, published by Harlequin HQN, the upcoming FRENCH KISSED, and FLIRTING WITH SCANDAL, the first book in a new three-book series to be released by Penguin/Berkley in 2015.  AUTHOR LINKS Website:   www.chanelcleeton.com Facebook:   www.facebook.com/authorchanelcleeton Twitter:   www.twitter.com/chanelcleeton Goodreads:   www.goodreads.com/chanelcleeton Newsletter:   www.chanelcleeton.com/mailing-list/ NEW ADULT CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY Rafflecopter Link CHANEL CLEETON’S A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS GIVEAWAY: 5 NA Contemporary Romance Ebooks a Rafflecopter giveaway 5 Adult Contemporary Romance Ebooks a Rafflecopter giveaway 4 YA Contemporary Ebooks a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway! Hope Rising & A Christmas Hope by Stacy Henrie

Title: Hope Rising Author: Stacy Henrie Publisher/Publication Date: Forever, December 16, 2014 Review will be posted soon! About HOPE RISING In France at the height of World War I, American nurse Evelyn Gray is no stranger to suffering. She's helped save the life of many a soldier, but when she learns her betrothed has been killed, her own heart may be broken beyond repair. Summoning all her strength, Evelyn is determined to carry on-not just for herself and her country, but for her unborn child. Corporal Joel Campbell dreams of the day the war is over and he can return home and start a family. When a brutal battle injury puts that hope in jeopardy, Joel is lost to despair . . . until he meets Evelyn. Beautiful, compassionate, and in need of help, she makes an unconventional proposal that could save their lives-or ruin them irrevocably. Now, amidst the terror and turmoil of the Western Front, these two lost souls will have to put their faith in love to find the miracle they've been looking for. Buy links for HOPE RISING: Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1pnwQLn Books-A-Million: http://bit.ly/1GkP98a IndieBound: http://bit.ly/1E5Ee0Y Amazon: http://amzn.to/1xc8AOO HOPE RISING Excerpt Evelyn lowered her gaze to the root she’d tripped over rather than continue to stare at her gallant rescuer. “It’s mostly Louis and Pierre who’ve been interested in reading, but they’ve caught on well.” She slid a few more inches away from him, finagling her feet around the gnarled roots. Breathing was difficult with Joel so close. He shifted to lean his shoulder against the tree trunk. “Is something wrong?” She pressed her lips together and shook her head. “Are you angry at me? For coming over to the group, instead of staying away like we talked about?” Evelyn flicked a glance at those hazel eyes. “No, not at all.” Silence reigned for several heartbeats, then she felt his finger beneath her chin. He gently prodded her head upward until she had to look at him. Her stomach flip flopped as she peered fully into his handsome face. Light fuzz covered his chin and jaw. He needed another shave. A strange, irrational thought that she must be the one to do it filled her mind. “Are you afraid of something, Evelyn?” You. She kept the word sealed inside as her thoughts spiraled like a tornado. What if he didn’t reciprocate these growing feelings? What if he decided not to marry her next week? There’d been times over the last few days when she thought Joel was beginning to soften toward her, even like her. She’d notice a lingering look from him or a smile, but they would disappear as quickly as they came and his manner would return to its usual, kind aloofness. Perhaps she ought to be asking him a similar question. What was he afraid of? “I’m fine, really.” She swallowed hard. “Just a bit tired is all.” Instead of releasing her chin as she expected, Joel lowered his gaze to her mouth. The rush of sound in Evelyn’s ears grew as thunderous as a windstorm. Was he going to kiss her? Should she let him? Yes, her heart cried. She wanted him to kiss her, had dreamt of this moment She held her breath as Joel leaned forward. Closing her eyes, she waited for his lips to reach hers. Would his kiss be as glorious as she’d imagined? Or better? She felt his breath brush her chin, sending her stomach into another frenzy of flutters. The sudden blare of horns dropped like a bomb into the quiet of the trees, obliterating their shared moment. Evelyn opened her eyes and turned toward the hospital. “More wounded soldiers.” Joel straightened, robbing her of the warmth of his closeness. “Which means more surgeries.” His disappointed tone had her hopes soaring heavenward again. Did it mean he cared? “Yes, it does. Will you watch after Louis for me?” “I don’t profess to be as good a teacher as you, but I’ll try.” “Thank you.” She turned to go, but Joel caught her hand, stopping her retreat. “Evelyn?” “Yes?” She wished she didn’t sound so breathless. Wished she didn’t have to leave him. He released her hand to brush her cheek with his thumb, heating her skin with the tender touch. “Good luck.”  Title: A Christmas Hope (An of Love and War Novella) Author Stacy Henrie Publisher/Publication Date: Forever Yours, December 2, 2014 Review will be posted soon! About A CHRISTMAS HOPE Tis the season for second chances… Having experienced the heartache of unrequited love, Maria Schmitt desperately seeks a new life. Landing a position as a clerk in a Sioux City bank is just what she needs to get started on her journey toward healing. But a dashing stranger soon puts her job-and her heart-in jeopardy. Saving lives was all Dale Emerson ever wanted to do . . . until a fateful day in France shattered his career as a surgeon. He lost everything that mattered, and the last thing he wants to do is resign himself to a life without medicine working at his uncle's bank. Then he meets Maria, a compassionate woman who can see past his scars to the man he once was-and the man he could be again. With Christmas right around the corner, these two wounded hearts may find that hope and a little holiday cheer are just the ticket to letting go of regrets-and embracing a future full of love and possibility. Buy links for A CHRISTMAS HOPE Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1yc6kCA  Books-A-Million: http://bit.ly/1sl3ChF  Kobo: http://bit.ly/1sl3E9b  Google Play: http://bit.ly/1Bt9d5r  iTunes: http://bit.ly/1wkC8bl  Amazon: http://amzn.to/1z3l0Ij  About Stacy Henrie Stacy Henrie has always had an avid appetite for history, fiction and chocolate. She earned her B.A. in public relations from Brigham Young University and worked in communications before turning her attentions to raising a family and writing inspirational historical romances. Wife of an entrepreneur husband and a stay-at-home mom to three, Stacy loves the chance to live out history through her fictional characters, while enjoying the modern conveniences of life in the 21st century. In addition to author, she is a reader, a road trip enthusiast and a novice interior decorator. Stacy’s SM @StacyHenrie https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stacy-Henrie-Author http://www.stacyhenrie.com/  Giveaway  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway: Decadent by Adrianne Lee

Title: Decadent (A Big Sky Pie Novel, #4) Author: Adrianne Lee Publisher/Publication Date:  Forever, December 16, 2014 Genre: Contemporary Romance About DECADENT "Adrianne Lee always delivers!" ---Susan Wiggs Contractor Wade Reynolds is having a tough year. His cherry farm went bust, and his construction clients threaten to unhinge what's left of his sanity. But Wade's passion for life heats up when he's hired to remodel a new storefront next to Big Sky Pie -and he falls for the red-hot, bad girl who's setting up her catering shop there.  Fresh off her own divorce, Roxy isn't looking for another relationship, just a spontaneous fling or three. Her contractor Wade looks as delicious as her specialty confections, but he's way too buttoned-up for a casual affair. Yet there's an ultra-sexy strength about him Roxy can't resist. What that man clearly needs is something decadent-like her… Buy Links Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1wpfeyy Books-A-Million: http://bit.ly/1wkqa1z IndieBound: http://bit.ly/1skV4XZ Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Gwasle Excerpt She closed the gap between them, a smoldering light ablaze in her pale eyes.  “You really are gorgeous cowboy, and there’s no denying that some kind of electric storm is raging between us.  You feel it.  I feel it too.  And there is nothing I’d like more than to encourage you to act on how we’re both feeling.”  She’d backed him against the closet door frame.  “But you’re not ready to let go of the past. “But if you were, I’d stand really close to you like this, and shove my hands into your hair like this, and pull your head toward me, and kiss you like this.”  She kissed his mouth, hard, not sweet or gentle as he was used to being kissed, but with a pressure that ignited a fuse in him.  Then her tongue was pushing inside his mouth, shocking him, the sensation at once foreign, yet damned pleasurable. She pulled away, leaving him breathless, panting for more.  She was also breathing fast.  “If you were ready, I’d unbutton your shirt like this, run my hands up your back like this, and I’d tell you that just touching you makes me weak in the knees and crazed with desire.  And you’d push your hands under my sweater like this, up under my bra, to torture my tingling breasts.”  She shoved his hands beneath her sweater as she spoke, slowing, torturously bringing them to the rigid beads, the breasts were full in his palms, and an earthy groan slipped from between his lips.  She threw her head back and moaned, “Oh, my. . .” “And if you were ready, I’d unbutton your shirt and pull it loose from your jeans, then slip my fingers through your chest hair—God I love a man with chest hair—and you’d put your hands on my bottom, like this.”  She placed his hands on her butt and pulled herself hard against his erection, their hips meeting, grinding, the need a pulsing, living entity. She was kissing him again, working the buttons of his jeans.  He’d lost his mind completely, all he wanted was to be inside this woman with her legs wrapped around him, as he drove deeper and deeper.  But she was pushing back again.  Pulling his hands from her, pushing away from him, trying to catch her breath.  “It would be so nice, but you can see that it’s impossible, right?” “No.”  He grabbed her by the waist, urging her closer.  “Why is it impossible?” “On the surface, we’d be a perfect ‘friends-with-benefits’ couple, since I’m never falling in love again, never getting married again, and you’re still in love with your wife.  We’re both looking for someone who will satisfy that itch five or six times a month without expecting anything more than a romp in the hay.  I admit that it would be nice if that someone was a person I also had amazing chemistry with.  The kind we’re feeling right now.  But you’re not the kind of guy who has casual affairs.  If you were, you’d have removed your wedding ring long ago.” His silence seemed to confirm it for her. “Yeah, I thought so,” she said, looking sorry to be right.  “I hope your wife knew how lucky she was to have you.” Lucky?  Wade almost laughed at the absurdity.  The only thing keeping his ring on his finger was guilt, and giving into his baser instincts with Roxy would only make the guilt worse.  But at that moment, he wanted to grab her and kiss her so damned bad, it was killing him.  Instead, he let her step back, watched her righting her bra and her sweater, her lips puffy and sexy as hell. “I don’t know about you, cowboy, but make-out sessions always give me one hell of an appetite,” she said, a bit breathlessly.  “Let’s go get that steak Quint offered.” Wade watched her sashay to the ladder and don her outdoor gear.  His considerable discomfort wasn’t allowing him to move just yet.  He had a hell of an appetite, allright. But not for steak.           About Adrianne Lee Adrianne Lee lives with her husband of many, many years on the beautiful Olympic Peninsula in Washington State in a pole barn building her husband transformed into an upstairs apartment with a shop below for his hot rods. Adrianne creates her stories on her laptop, in her recliner with her adopted cat, Spooky, curled between her calves, snoozing.  Over thirty years of summer vacationing in the Flat Head Lake area near Kalispell and Glacier Park has given her a love for all things Montana. Adrianne’s Social Media Links Website @akaAdrianneLee Facebook Giveaway Enter for a chance to win the entire Big Pie Sky series or a print copy of Decadent from Adrianne Lee!!!  a Rafflecopter giveaway US & Canada Only

Release Day Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway: Bold Tricks by Karina Halle

Title:  Bold Tricks Author: Karina Halle Publisher, Publication Date:  Grand Central Publishing, December 17, 2014 Genre: Romantic Suspense About BOLD TRICKS: The Faster They Live, the Harder They Fall . . . Raised by con artists, Ellie Watt has a lot of crazy childhood memories-but none crazier than being scarred with acid by the demented crime boss Travis Raines. Now Ellie is a full-grown woman who lives for revenge, and Travis is a full-blown drug lord who kills for pleasure. The sadistic bastard has kidnapped her good friend Gus as well as her mother, whom he's been holding as prized possessions in his heavily guarded lair. And Ellie has only one chance in hell of getting them out alive-using two dangerous men who love her to death . . . One is Camden McQueen, a talented tattoo artist who's made a permanent mark on Ellie's heart. The other is Javier Bernal, her fiery ex-lover who's busted more than a few heads in his time. From the crime-ridden streets of Mexico City to the predatory jungles of Honduras, this unlikely trio forms an uneasy alliance in the deadliest game of all-a gun-blazing battle to the finish that will pit enemy against enemy and lover against lover. And Ellie must choose the right man to trust . . . or die. Buy links Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1BsL9zC  Books-A-Million: http://bit.ly/1zKqcB0  IndieBound: http://bit.ly/1wInERo  Amazon: http://amzn.to/1z30DuP  Excerpt The motel room was a lot nicer than the one we stayed at before. Sort of a Best Western, middle-ground quality of place. No roaches on the floors, no geckos on the wall. Shit mattresses, I discovered as I pounded my fist on the bed, but I didn’t care. Camden had just put the final box on my bed, Violetta sprawled out on hers in a state of drug-induced euphoria, when I noticed Javier lingering at the doorway. “I’m going to be meeting Dom in about twenty minutes,” Javier said to me. “Is that enough time for you to get ready?” I frowned and he quickly added, “You know he’ll want you there, if this is going to get anywhere. I figured you might want to shower and look nice.” He rapped his fingers along the doorframe, his mouth opening as if to say something else, then he turned and walked off. Camden eyed me. “I’m going with you.” “You might be kind of drunk, Camden,” I told him, though the determination in his voice warmed me like the finest cognac. “I’ve never felt better,” he said, enunciating each word. His eyes, my god they were still such a clear fucking blue, even in the pallid light of the hotel room. They bore into me with such startling clarity, sending shivers down my back like trailing fingertips. He would be coming with me. I wished he’d be coming in me. A vision of us in this hotel room, alone, him nailing me to the bed, the headboard banging, slammed into my head. “Are you okay with that?” he asked. I suppressed the thought, the flare of heat between my legs, and smiled quickly. “Yes, of course.” Meanwhile Violetta’s head flopped to the side, her arm still bound to her stiffly in the sling, and started snoring lightly. I motioned to her. “Do you think it’s safe to leave her here?” He watched her for a few moments, blinking a few times, before saying, “I think she needs to sleep it off.” He went and sat down on my bed. “I’ll be here when you get out.” I grabbed my bag of clothes I had brought out of the car and brought it into the bathroom. I had a quick shower, trying to rub off all the grim – both real and imagined – with the flimsy hotel soap, then picked through my clothes. Everything that had been in my trunk was musty and wrinkled, some even dirty. I had a packet of unopened (and decidedly unsexy) Hanes underwear, a bra, another pair of jeans, a pair of gladiator sandals that I thought were dressy enough, a pair of Timberland hiking boots, a plain white tee shirt, a couple of wife-beaters, a coral-colored blouse, a plaid shirt, and a light blue tank dress that went to the ground. I wasn’t exactly known for my fashion sense and even with the cherry blossoms covering the scars on my leg, bringing me beauty that I didn’t have before, I didn’t see myself branching out anytime soon. Dressing up in my old clothes for Javier hadn’t exactly helped either. I slipped on the tank dress, opting to go commando for the evening, and put on the sandals. I looked at myself in the mirror. Once again, I felt like a different person was staring back at me. This me, this Ellie, was tired and hardened. I rubbed the residue mascara away from under my eyes and applied a new coat. My skin was brown from the sun now and I didn’t need much else. When I came out of the bathroom, Camden straightened up on the bed. I felt strangely shy in front of him, especially as his eyes trailed up and down the length of me. “Do I look okay?” I asked him, feeling the need to say something. “I mean, if you can see me, that is.” He bit his lip and stared, a multitude of emotions flashing through his eyes, too fast for me to pick up on each individual one. I thought I saw lust in there – maybe that’s what I wanted to see. When he still didn’t say anything, I walked over to the dresser where I had my clutch purse left over from the other night at Travis’s and rifled through it for my lip stuff. His silence at my back was a heavy weight, laden with too many uncertainties between us. It was eating at me, burning through me, rendering me with a lead heart. There were so many things I had to focus on, to worry about, fucking impossible things, and yet I needed him to tell me I looked beautiful. I needed him to tell me I was something to him. I heard him get off the bed and walk toward me, that heaviness, that warmth that he brought with his bones, teased at my back. He stopped, close enough to touch me, and I was about to turn around, perhaps to do something foolish, when he crouched down. “How is my art?” His hands found my leg, one of them lifting the hem of my dress, the other slowly moving over the cherry blossom tattoo. I sucked in my breath, holding completely still, trying to contain my nerves that were firing wildly as his fingers ran along the ridges of the ink. He touched me gently over every vine, leaf and petal, until I had to supress a shaky moan that that tried to escape from my lips. “It feels fine,” I said softly when I found my voice. “It looks beautiful,” he said. “I had a beautiful artist,” I told him. I turned at the waist and look down at him, my blue dress glowing in his tanned hand, his other one placed firmly around my calf, his strong fingers imparting heat that sunk deep. He was looking up at me, lips parted slightly. I couldn’t take a second more of this. I turned and dropped to the ground, my knees rubbing against his. I grabbed his face, his rough stubble pressing into my palms, and kissed him. Hard. There was surprise for a second, a hesitation, a pulse that refused to beat on. Then Camden kissed me back, his soft lips enveloping mine, his mouth opening to give me life. He put his hand behind my head, holding it there with power and control. My heart was an elevator car, the cable suddenly snapped, and I was freefalling and falling and falling as his lips and tongue and hot, wet mouth took away every inch of my resolve. The more he kissed me, the deeper and longer we found each other, the thirstier I got for him. I felt like if we stopped, I would die, empty on the inside and forever longing. About Karina Halle: Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and the USA Today Bestselling author of Love, in English, The Artists Trilogy, and other wild and romantic reads. She lives in a 1920s farmhouse on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books. Karina’s SM http://authorkarinahalle.com/ @MetalBlonde http://facebook.com/pages/Karina-Halle Giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway US & Canada Only