Excerpt & Giveaway! Remembering Everly, Lost & Found #2 by J.L. Berg

After two years in a coma, August Kinkaid has forgotten the darkness in his past. But his past hasn't forgotten him. His beautiful former fiancée, Everly, remembers every tumultuous moment of their stormy relationship. The sizzling passion. The web of lies. And the terrible secret Everly's been hiding since her last fateful night with August.

Now the truth is out and August remembers everything. As his long-buried memories come flooding back, he begins to understand why Everly would want to move on with her life. Why she would give her heart to another man. And why August should try to forget her once and for all.

But he can't give up on the only woman he's ever loved. Even if he has to reopen old wounds--and face the darkest demons of his past--August will do whatever it takes for a second chance with Everly. He let her slip away once. He's not about to spend the rest of his life remembering Everly when he could be holding her in his arms forever . . .

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Secrets. 

They had the ability to destroy lives, obliterate relationships and sabotage even the strongest partnerships. Big or small…it didn’t matter. Even the tiniest white lie had the power to corrode—to shatter and dismantle everything you loved. 

I’d carried a secret so big, for so long that sometimes I felt physically weak from its weight. I had thought I could carry its burden to my grave—that eventually its truth would die along with me. 

But secrets never die. 

They live on far longer than we do, and they always find their way to the surface. 

Mine certainly did. 

Sitting alone in the apartment I shared with my fiancé, I gently rolled the smooth green stone between my thumb and forefinger, over and over, remembering the day it was returned to me. 

In all our years together, I’d never seen August so cold. So lifeless. 

It frightened me to my core. 

But I still hadn’t told anyone. It had been three days and I had yet to tell my fiancé or best friend about the events that had taken place in that bridal shop. As far as Ryan and Sarah knew, August had rudely interrupted my bridal appointment to tell me he had his memories back—that was all. 

Nothing more, nothing less. 

Why hadn’t I elaborated? I didn’t want to admit my shame. I couldn’t share this secret, my darkest lie. What would they think of me? I was the reason August had been in that hospital bed for two years. And the worst part? I’d lied about it—to everyone.

Author J.L. Berg is a California native living in the South. She is the author of the self-pubbed Ready series, which has sold over 100,000 copies. Married to her high school sweetheart. She and her husband have two beautiful girls that drive them batty on a daily basis. When she's not writing, you can find her with her nose stuck in a romance book, in a yoga studio or devouring anything chocolate.

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Teasers, Excerpt & Giveaway! #REV, GearShark #2 by Cambria Hebert

Trent Mask puts the REV in revolution.

A line has been drawn.

Indie vs Pro

Here at GearShark, we’re straddling that line to bring you exclusive coverage of what some have dubbed the war of racing.

Every war starts with a spark and ends in revolution.

Drew Forrester was the spark,

but his second-in-command is the REVolution.

What does it take to stand brave in the face of opposition?

resolve of steel…

Stubborn will…

And a heart that refuses to give up.

It isn’t just the drivers in this war.

The revolution is about more than just racing.

It’s about shattering labels and taking risks.

So we asked Trent Mask: Truth or Dare?

His answer?

Both.

Check out the full feature article inside…

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Drew

I was no quitter.

I refused to quit Trent.

So angry. I was so goddamned angry.

He was pushing me away when all I wanted to do was pull him close. It was almost laughable he tried to break up with me. I felt the laughter bubbling up inside me, ready to explode. It was like I was so incredibly infuriated I couldn’t yell, I couldn’t cry, I couldn’t even speak.

But I wanted to laugh. The kind of laugh only villains in movies did. The kind that bespoke of internal madness.

That’s what tonight was. Madness.

He was jumped. Beaten.

He told me he loved me.

Then he laid out intent to withhold that love.

Trent was trying to protect me, in his mind he wasn’t keeping the love he felt from me, rather showing it in the best way he knew how. I respected that. I did.

But I wouldn’t have it.

We’d gotten one week together, I wanted more.

I suppose thinking we could keep our relationship a secret was naive. Merely wishful thinking. When you loved someone the way we loved each other it was impossible to hide.

It showed in every way.

Not just in the way we looked at each other. Or the way we spent every spare moment together. It showed in ways I never wanted to see until now. Ways I thought no one else would notice.

I’d been fooling myself.

It was the way he put ketchup on his plate so I could eat his fries. The way I automatically pulled the tomatoes off my burgers and slid them on to his plate. It was the fact I went to him first whenever something happened I wanted to share. And the way we made each other’s coffee, exactly as we drank it.

Love is in the details. It is in the every day. It is the way you treat someone when they aren’t even looking and the way they fill your head when you’re apart.

Of course people were going to see it.

Joey saw it almost from day one. Braeden and Ivy already knew. The reporter from GearShark knew from just one conversation…

Hiding our relationship was almost not an option.

Dissolving it wasn’t either.

My hand throbbed and my knuckles were slick with blood when I slammed out of the room. I was so intensely frustrated I couldn’t look at him another minute.

We weren’t over. No way in hell.

But I needed a minute.

My mind was so clouded with anger I didn’t see him. I didn’t notice him at all until he cleared his throat. My body jerked to a stop and my head whipped around to see Romeo leaning against the wall, like he was resolved to be there a while.

I’m sure he heard everything.

Me and Trent had been yelling. And the sound of my hand going through the wall hadn’t exactly been silent.

“Guess I don’t need to ask how he is.” Romeo said, straightening off the wall.

“You agree with him?” I challenged, my hand flexed. It was already fucked up from going through a wall, but I’d use it again if I had to.

“I understand why he thinks he’s doing what’s right.”

At first his words didn’t sink in. They just pissed me off even more. All I heard was Romeo understood Trent. I growled low and stepped forward in an aggressive movement.

Romeo’s every narrowed, watching me close but other than that his body language didn’t change.

That’s when I realized he was no threat to me. That’s when I realized he was on my side.

“We’re in a relationship.” I said, point blank. I kind of wanted to shock him. I wanted someone other than me to feel the sting of words tonight.

I also wanted a fight.

Just not with Trent.

Never with Trent.

“I know.”

The amusement in his tone took a little heat out of my oven.

“You can’t keep secrets like that from family. Family who really loves you.”

I tilted my head to the side and regarded him. Was he saying he knew before he walked into this house a little bit ago?

Was he saying he didn’t care?

“You should probably get that hand cleaned up. You’re bleeding on the floor.”

I glanced down at the blood dripping off my knuckles.

“I’ll talk to Trent.” He went on.

Romeo stepped off the wall and toward the bedroom door. I moved fast, silently snatching his arm and turning him around. He didn’t pull away or act like my roughness was a threat, but his muscles tensed beneath my arm and I felt tension coil in his limbs.

“He cares what you think.” I said low. “Your opinion matters. So if you aren’t sure how you feel about our relationship or the fact there are two gay guys in your family walk away, walk away right now.”

Romeo stared at me level, his blue eyes bouncing between mine.

“He’s already fucked up enough right now. If you can’t offer him the brother he needs tonight I won’t let you in that room.”

Romeo smiled. His lips curved up into a knowing, almost pleased expression. “He pissed you off so bad you put your hand through a wall and he’s pushing you away, but yet here you are, standing guard at the door protecting him.”

“That wasn’t an answer,” I growled.

Romeo laughed beneath his breath. And then he answered.

Not with words.

In seconds his arm was out of my grasp and he was hugging me. I hesitated, shocked that he would just reach out and hug me like this.

“Family takes care of family.” his voice was low. “I’m not sure if there is anything that could make me turn my back on family, but if there is, it isn’t this.”

When he pulled back I looked him in the eye.

He meant it.

“Congratulations on finding a love worth fighting for.”

Cambria Hebert is an award winning, bestselling novelist of more than twenty books. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair. 

Besides writing, Cambria loves a caramel latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching movies. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chorkie (the real boss of the house). 

Cambria has written within the young adult and new adult genres, penning many paranormal and contemporary titles. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense. A few of her most recognized titles are: The Hashtag Series, Text, Torch, and Tattoo.

Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC.

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Book Promo! Playing the Game, Derek Backhard (Book 2 in the Game Series) by Shawnte Borris

Since being drafted by the NHL to play for his home team at age nineteen, Derek Backhard has had everything he's ever dreamed of - unrivaled MVP mentions, countless goals and assists, even being compared to the great one. Holding the power to control his future in the palm of his hands, nothing stood in his way. 

Until the unthinkable happened, and everything about his life shifted. Past priorities fell away the moment he held baby Ryder in his arms mere moments after losing his close friend, and Ryder's father, Brad.

After weeks of watching Liz fall apart over the loss of her husband as she struggled to adjust to life as a single parent, Derek vows to give her and Ryder everything they deserve, creating a life he never knew he always wanted. 

Rocked to her core by her changing feelings for him, Liz doesn’t know what to do with Derek or his offer. Uncertainty swirls within her as she leans on her lifelong friend during the hard times, but how much of his attention is real, and how much is pity?

Is she strong enough to let him in and let him take care of her, or will she force him away and back into the life she thinks he really wants?

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Shawnté lives in central Alberta, with her husband Ricky of 10 amazing years and together they have two beautiful children. Somehow her husband has managed to trick her into running a cow/calf operation. As much as she fusses about it, she loves it. 

When Shawnté is not sitting at her kitchen table hammering away on her laptop while watching the moose chase her cows across the yard, yes this really happens. Then she is busy attend school activities, community events and chauffeuring children here and there. She is big on playing softball and watching hockey.

When the time comes to relax, you will find her snuggled underneath her down comforter reading on her Ipad. Wait…who are we kidding, if the dishes, vacuuming, laundry or the bathrooms needs a hose down, you’ll always hear her say, “Just after this chapter.” She doesn’t have a favorite author or best story because everyday she falls in love with someone new. 

Shawnté is technology challenged so with the help of Lacy you can find her anywhere. Please go like her page and leave a review/star rating on the books she’s wrote.

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Excerpt & Giveaway! Forever in Ocala by Connie Y. Harris

Can the healing power of love prevail over the high stakes demands of duty and personal sacrifice?

Determined to protect her life and heal her broken heart, Ariel Armstrong seeks a refuge from her violent ex-boyfriend. Her dream job working with prized race horses, as an equine vet, enables her to hide in plain sight and care for her brother, an injured Marine. After losing her father to war and witnessing her brother’s daily battle to overcome his injuries, she’s sworn off military men forever.

Gavin Cross, Navy SEAL, and the son of Ariel’s new boss has one mission in life -- to serve his country. But after showing signs of PTSD, he’s sent home where he struggles against the diagnosis and vows to get back to the action ASAP. The last problem he needs is an emotional entanglement with the beautiful, new farm vet. Denying the attraction between them only stirs the fire of their growing passion. Gavin must choose where his duty lies -- with his country or at home with the woman he loves and wants to protect. Leaving Ariel to rejoin his SEAL team means fulfilling his mission, but at what cost? The promise of her love tempts him in an undeniable way and has him questioning his need to serve. Gavin’s time to choose is up. A future without Ariel is no future at all, but is saving America from terrorism the greater good?

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Her gaze flicked to an imposing male figure planted directly in her line of vision, his stance wide, wearing leather combat boots seemingly bolted to the earth. Whoever the man was, he surveyed every detail of his environment with the presence of someone whose self-confidence couldn’t easily be shaken. He carried himself like he belonged here. Hell, like he owned the place. The startling combination of blue eyes, the color of glacier water, against an olive complexion and full black beard created a commanding presence. Glued like a sentry next to the man, Wager, the farm’s Border collie exuded absolute devotion with his tongue lolling out and head tilted up to the hand stroking him.

Jesus, who IS that dude? He can’t be a new buyer interested in our foals the way Wager is fawning all over him but he’s someone important, no doubt. Focus Ariel, you’re here to work, not get infatuated with the first cowboy who comes along.

As if he sensed her curiosity, the enigmatic stranger turned his attention toward her. The intensity of his stare invaded her comfort zone as he coolly and completely assessed her with a visual review of her body that left her feeling undressed. The hair on her arms stood erect. She rubbed them as if removing a chill. The physical reaction was her own intuitive warning system and experience had taught her to listen to her body. She understood all too well about arrogant, possessive men. Her controlling ex-boyfriend was a moral zero and the most deceptive man she’d ever met. The image of him sent shivers skidding down her spine but she quickly thrust the memories aside. He’s out of my life and nowhere near here.

Ariel slid the dog tags back and forth on the chain she wore around her neck….

With close ties to the Navy SEAL community, Connie’s mission as a writer is to offer the reader a realistic portrayal of men who transfer their alpha tendencies and athletic prowess into serving a noble cause.

A former English teacher and corporate executive Connie holds a B.A from East Carolina University. Although she continues her role as Vice President in a busy ad agency, her first love has always been writing. She maintains a portfolio of songs, poems and stories she wrote as early as ten. When she isn’t working or writing, Connie enjoys Zumba fitness and claims her best story ideas come to her while dancing.

Connie lives with her family and two adorable Westies near the Gulf Coast of Florida.

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Excerpt & Giveaway! Give Us a Chance by Allie Everhart

Jake Wheeler doesn't date. He has a one and done rule. Some would say he's a player but he disagrees. He's always upfront with a girl, letting her know he's not interested in a relationship. That is until he meets Ivy.

A talented carpenter who can hold her own on a construction site, Ivy worked for Jake last summer. He asked her out but she turned him down. Now, months later, Jake is ready to try again. He can't get this girl out of his head and he needs to figure out why. When he asks her out he assumes she'll say no again, so he's shocked when she actually says yes.

After the first date, Jake knows he's in trouble. Ivy is actually someone he could see himself being with, for a lot longer than a night. But what Jake doesn’t know is that Ivy’s only going out with him to prove she’s not the girl for him. She’s dated his type before and doesn’t want to do it again. But is Jake really the player she thinks he is? And if not, is she willing to trust him with her heart?

Author's Note: Give Us a Chance is a standalone and book two of The Wheeler Brothers, a series of standalone novels that each feature a different brother. Next to Me, featuring Jake's older brother, Nash, is book one.

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Jake

Before she gets in my SUV, I stop her and kiss those beautiful lips again. Then I slide my hand over her smooth silky hair and say, “It’s kind of a rule.”

“What’s a rule?”

“You kiss me before you get in the car.”

She smiles. “And why is that a rule?”

“It’s for good luck. It ensures we’ll have a safe drive. I’m very superstitious.”

“You didn’t do it last night.”

“Yeah. And thank God we didn’t get in an accident. But tonight, I’m not risking it. You need to kiss me before you get in.”

“Every time? That’s too much.”

“It’s for our safety. People drive like maniacs around here.”

“Fine. I’ll go along with it but only because your kisses are…” She glances to the side. “Not completely horrible.”

I laugh. “What the hell? Not completely horrible? That’s how you describe my kisses?”

“What did you want me to say?”

“That the kiss I gave you was the best kiss you’ve ever had. That I kiss like a freakin’ pro. An expert. Someone who could give lessons to all the idiots you’ve kissed before who didn’t know what the hell they were doing.”

“You’re awfully full of yourself, you know that?” Her lips tick up.

“I know when I’m good at something and I’m not afraid to admit it.” I step forward, backing her against my SUV, my eyes on hers. “And I fucking know how to kiss.”

“You really think so?” She leans back but there’s nowhere for her to go.

“I know so.” And with that, I grip the back of her head and bring her mouth to mine and kiss her hard. She grabs my coat and yanks me closer and I thrust my tongue in her mouth. It lashes with hers in a heated frenzy, and then we both slow down, parting just enough to breathe each other’s air, our bodies relaxing. And then I kiss her again, softly, gently, my hand still cradling her head, and we continue on as if we’re not standing in a parking lot in the middle of winter. As if we’re the only two people here, despite the cars driving down the street and the people walking by. We’re completely lost in the moment, lost in each other. It’s surreal, and I don’t understand it because I’ve never experienced anything like this before.

Ivy lets go of my coat and I look at her and see that her face is expressing exactly what I’m feeling. Uncertainty. Doubt. Fear. Because we both know there’s something here. There’s something between us. Something we haven’t felt with anyone else, and never in a million years expected to find with each other.

I don’t know what I was expecting with Ivy. Maybe she was just an experiment to see if I could really date a girl without it being about sex. Or maybe I was just determined to convince her to go out with me since she’s only the girl who’s ever said no. But when she finally said yes, I never expected THIS. This overwhelming need to make her mine and never let her go. Where is this coming from? It can’t just be from a kiss, can it?

Allie Everhart is a hopeless romantic who writes books about love. Allie has authored fifteen novels, including The Jade Series, a college romance that follows the story of Jade and Garret as they deal with numerous obstacles trying to tear them apart. Her other series, The Kensingtons, is a romantic suspense series. Her standalone romance novels include Next to Me, and her latest book, Give Us aChance.

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Excerpt & Giveaway! Stubborn Hearts, In Cold Mud #1 by Heidi Hutchinson

Ryan Zacherson’s life was forever altered the moment her mom passed away. Thrust into a family feud decades old, she attempts to hold tight to the reins of her life without losing control. She embarks on a forced journey of self-discovery. As she becomes more deeply involved in the world of horse racing, liars, gamblers, and cheats, she learns harsh lessons as the girl no one wants. She’s taught the value of love, compassion, loyalty, and resilience. With the help of her closest friend, Jesse Hart, she learns what it really means to be brave.

With every lesson she learns, Ryan proves time and time again: nothing can break her spirit without her permission.

Companion to Brand New Sky.

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Red hadn't run since the last threatening note had caused so much strife and upheaval in Louisiana. They also hadn't changed his schedule. They proceeded as if everything was normal. But Ryan was a bit apprehensive, especially in light of the things Jesse had shared with her over Thanksgiving.

Red's next scheduled race was in a week.

Jesse straightened and held his stopwatch in his hand. “Let's see how he's feeling.” He lifted his hand and signaled the jockey to bring him around and open it up.

Red was the kind of horse who didn't just like to run.

He liked to run.

Full out, no restrictions, no limits.

The trouble these days was horses' bodies were degrading at a faster rate than they did fifty or a hundred years ago. Ryan had her theories, so did Jesse. They'd discussed them in depth. Horses were being pumped with too many performance enhancing drugs and their bodies were deteriorating. Sometimes only allowing them six good races before being called into retirement due to weakened bone structure and the higher rate of injury. Breeding was where the big money had moved and Ryan could see why, a single horse winning a dozen stakes races in a year was unheard of anymore. 

However, it appeared, Red was immune to the things that held back the other horses and their teams. And under Jesse's training, he had blossomed into a horse no one saw coming.

A legend in the making.

It had a lot to do with Jesse being old school. No drugs, no enhancements. He wanted his colt to feel every moment of the race, not be numbed stupid. The diet was important, too. For years, there was a belief that feeding a horse a higher amount of protein would contribute to muscle growth and better performance. It had the opposite effect. Horses need a high carb diet, it was just body chemistry. Which Ryan had studied extensively in college.

Putting Ryan, Jesse, and Red on the same team? It made them unstoppable.

Red stood still at his start, then Eddie made a slight move and the horse jumped forward. The power in his hindquarters propelling him to a phenomenal speed instantly. He thundered by, the ground shaking beneath them and ricocheting through Ryan's rib cage.

Red picked up speed as he came around again.

It was an eight furlong dirt track, or one mile. Usually taking a horse a minute forty. Jesse stiffened, his head jerking back and forth from his clock to his colt. Ryan could sense it, but she didn't take her eyes off of the fastest horse she had ever seen. If it were even possible it looked like....

“That's not possible,” Jesse said out loud.

“What?” Ryan asked as Red went by a third time. Eddie was standing in the stirrups, trying to get him to slow down.

“He... damn.” Jesse laughed out loud and shoved away from the fence. Ryan spun to watch him. His smile was enormous and unsuccessfully hidden by his hand.

He charged forward, getting close to Ryan. “He just broke a track record.” He shook the stop watch in Ryan's face excitedly. “Twice!”

“What?” Ryan asked, not following.

Jesse's flushed face was beaming. “The track record was a minute thirty-five for a mile. He ran the first mile in a minute thirty-four-five. And he ran the second in a minute thirty-three.”

“That's not possible,” Ryan said, feeling the blood drain from her face.

Jesse laughed again, running a hand through his short hair so it stood up all crazy on top. “But he did it anyway.” He kicked his boot in the dirt and pointed the watch at Ryan. “I told you! Didn't I tell you?”

Heidi Hutchinson was born in South Dakota and raised the exact right distance away from the Black Hills. She had an overactive imagination very early on, and wasted no time in getting most of her friends in trouble due to her unrealistic and completely ridiculous ideas. Seeing as she was so lazy and also afraid people would think she was bonkers, she didn’t write down any of the story lines that played out in her daydreams.

During her high school years, she took pen to paper and filled more notebooks than she is proud of with angsty, depressing, self-deprecating poetry. This led to her writing down more things: notes, ideas, character bios, plot twists that had no plot yet to twist. After years of cleaning up her own scraps of imagination with nothing solid to hold on to, she sat down and wrote the story that had been in her head the longest. Fueled by coffee and her unwavering and perfectly normal devotion to Dave Grohl, she discovered a writer living inside of her.

She still lives in the Midwest, though not as close to the Black Hills as she would prefer, with her alarmingly handsome husband and their fearless child. They eat more pizza than God intended and she listens to her music the same way she lives: loudly.

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