PERFECTLY TOXIC BY KRISTINE MASON - VIRTUAL TOUR + GIVEAWAY

Perfectly Toxic

by Kristine Mason

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Romantic Suspense

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

What do you get when you mix a mad scientist, a psychopath, an ice cream lady and a repo man? Something perfectly toxic…  

Melanie Scarlet is a knife-wielding badass who knows how to dispose of a body, and make evidence disappear. But Mel, a.k.a., the Ice Cream Lady, draws the line at one thing: she refuses to live with her husband, Cash Maddox, unless he quits the repo business that nearly got him killed—no matter how much she loves him.

To thaw Mel’s heart and convince her to leave the Everglades and move back home to Tallahassee, Cash is finally ready to retire from his adrenaline-fueled job…until homeless men begin vanishing. As Mel investigates the disappearances, Cash’s temper goes into overdrive when he realizes his wife has been keeping a dangerous secret from him. She’s been doing more than scooping ice cream—she’s a cleaner for the underground criminal investigation agency, Above the Law.

Mel isn’t the only one with a secret. A scientist has created a drug that will cure psychopaths by deadening the urge to dominate, hurt and murder. To prove his chemical combination works, he uses the homeless as test subjects. He breaks and scrambles their minds, turns them into killers, then tries to fix them. But what if the scientist creates a killer he can’t fix? A true psychopath he can’t control? As Cash joins Mel and the ATL crew, they learn firsthand, the results could be…toxic.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

“You’re seriously not staying here?” Since she’d left him, there hadn’t been a time that she hadn’t stayed with him when she’d returned to Tallahassee. And those times had been great, until the topic of their marriage and his job had come into play. Then they’d fight, she’d leave and they wouldn’t speak for weeks. A vicious cycle, but one he’d become familiar with—until now. She was changing things up on him, and he didn’t know how to react. He did, but his therapist would likely have a frickin’ stroke.

“Well, you’re seriously not going to change and I seriously want a divorce. So, yeah. I think it’s best if I stay at a hotel.”

He pulled her close. “Stay with me.”

Her gaze dropped to his mouth. “No.”

He pressed his body against hers and slid his hand along her rear. “Give me a few days.”

“I’ve given you two years,” she said, breathless, her gaze shifting from his mouth to his eyes.

She had him there, and he had nothing to counter her argument. She had given him two years, and he arrogantly figured she’d eventually come back to him.

“You’re right,” he said honestly.

“I’m right?”

He nodded and walked her backward. “I don’t want a divorce, but we can’t keep going on the way we’ve been.” He pressed her against the foyer wall. “Give me the time you’re here to prove we can make this work.”

“I’m here to find Bobby, not deal with our marriage.”

“I know, baby. We’ll find him. I promise. I’ve already put word out on the street that we’re looking for him.” He leaned closer. “Just give us a chance.”

Her eyes filled with tears again. “I can’t keep doing this. It hurts too much.”

Knowing he was hurting her left him hollow and shameful. “I’m sorry.”

She punched him in the arm. “You’ve said you’re sorry more times than I can count. Do something about it.”

He kissed her.

She pushed him away. “Not with sex.”

“That’s right. You have your period.”

“I lied.”

“And I just want to kiss you.”

She stared at him, her eyes unreadable. “Sometimes I hate you,” she said, then shoved her hands through his hair and captured his lips.

His therapist would tell him to end the kiss, that they weren’t solving anything, only prolonging the hurt. His therapist could go fuck himself. He had his woman in his arms and she was kissing him. Running her hands through his hair in that possessive way he loved. Pressing her breasts against his chest as if she couldn’t get close enough. Skimming her tongue along his in a way that him hard and ready.

The damned horn beeped again. Mel tore her mouth away from his, then gave him a push. “I’m leaving.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Kristine Mason is the bestselling author of the popular romantic suspense trilogies, C.O.R.E. Shadow and Ultimate C.O.R.E. She is currently working on her next trilogy, C.O.R.E. Above the Law, along with a series of Psychic C.O.R.E. novellas.

Although Kristine has published a few contemporary romance novels, she focuses most of her energy on her romantic suspense stories, which she loves for their blend of dark mystery/suspense and sexy romance. She is fascinated with what makes people afraid, and is famous for her depraved villains whose crimes present massive obstacles for her heroes and heroines to overcome.

Kristine has a degree in journalism from Ohio State University and lives in Northeast Ohio with her husband, four kids, and two dogs. If she’s not writing, she’s chauffeuring kids, gardening, or collecting gnomes. Oh, and she makes a mean chocolate chip cookie!

Connect with Kristine on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kristinemasonauthor, Twitter https://twitter.com/KristineMason7 or email her at authorkristinemason@gmail.com. You can also find out more about Kristine’s books at http://www.kristinemason.net

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Perfectly-Toxic-Book-C-O-R-E-Above-ebook/dp/B014GSX3RS/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY

Kristine Mason will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN to two randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

THREE DAYS IN HELL BY BLAIR HOWARD - VIRTUAL & REVIEW TOUR + GIVEAWAY

Three Days in Hell

by Blair Howard

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Historical Fiction

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

For more than two months, Union General William Rosecrans and 

his Army of the Cumberland pursued General Braxton Bragg's Confederate Army of Tennessee from Murfreesboro to Chattanooga. Finally, on September 18, 1863, on the banks of a small river in Northwest Georgia, the two great armies came face to face, and so began three days of hell, including the two bloodiest days of our nation's Civil War.

Three Days in Hell is a novel, a work of fiction, based on actual historical events. The characters, with one exception, were all real people. The words they speak throughout the story are the author's, the deeds they did, their success and failures, are their own. Drawing on many years of meticulous research, Blair Howard dramatizes one man's contribution to the stunning Confederate victory at Chickamauga. Brigadier General Bushrod R. Johnson was the key player for the army in gray.

This is the story of Confederate General Johnson's three days at Chickamauga, and his grand and glorious charge of more than a mile that smashed through the enemy lines and resulted in a resounding victory for the Confederate cause and an ignominious defeat for General Rosecrans. Even Johnson's enemies praised what he did that day. Some compared it to Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg, but where Pickett failed, Johnson succeeded.

Three Days in Hell, action-packed from start to finish, is the story of Confederate General Bushrod Johnson's Chickamauga as told through the eyes and words of one of his staff officers, Major Chester Rigby. The author takes you onto the battlefield as no one has done before. He plunges you right into the center of the action, which doesn't let up until the very end. It's a story of heroism, desperate deeds, and death and destruction on a scale the likes of which had never been seen before.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

All around me the hail of iron and lead tore at the trees. The wind had dropped away almost to nothing. The smoke billowed around us, blinding, choking. I could barely see across the few yards between me and the two generals. My eyes felt as if they were full of acid. I could barely see. To my right, Lieutenant Everett’s battery was hurling load after load of canister across the field. The noise was deafening. My head throbbed. My ears ached, and every blast seemed to hammer my brain against the inside of my skull. The insides of my nose and the back of my throat were on fire. Even my teeth hurt, though that might have been because I had them clamped together, hard. The ground seemed to shake under my feet as each gun fired its double-loaded charge, sending its gun rearing two, three feet into the air.

KABAM! I almost came off the ground myself, so startled was I as, just a few yards away to my right, one of Everett’s Napoleons was hit by a solid shot. A four-and-a-half-inch, twelve-pound iron ball smashed into the wheel nearest to me, shattering it and most of the rest of the gun’s carriage. Huge chunks of wood and iron – the rim, spokes, trail and axle – spun in all directions, flinging the great bronze tube high into the air. Every member of the gun crew was either killed or severely wounded: one lost an arm, torn off at the shoulder by the cannon ball as it careened off the wheel. Two more were hit by flying spokes – one of them speared in the chest. Another lost an eye to the wildly spinning, iron wheel rim, and still another was crushed to death when the 1,200 pound tube fell on him. For a moment, there was silence, but only for a moment. The gun was quickly replaced, and the firestorm continued.

For the most part, we were fighting blind, but every now and again, a breeze would get up and sweep away the smoke, and we’d get a glimpse across the field.

But there was obviously something strange going on; even I knew it. They were fighting as if they had two or three brigades, not just a couple of regiments, and Forrest and Johnson couldn’t figure out was how they were doing what they were doing. We were throwing more than 6,000 Minié balls a minute across that open field, not to mention what our artillery was doing. We should have trounced them an hour or more past, but somehow they were matching us almost shot for shot.

Suddenly, Forrest cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted in Johnson’s ear, “They’ve got repeaters, General.”

Johnson nodded, but never took his glasses from his eyes. He just continued to stare into the wall of smoke.

Repeaters? I wasn’t sure if I’d heard him right, what with noise and all. If I had, he must have meant the new Spencer repeating rifle we’d all heard about. I’d never seen one myself. But from all accounts, it held a load of seven .56 Minié balls in copper cartridges, and a man could fire them just as fast as he could crank the lever and thumb back the hammer. No wonder they were holding us.

MY REVIEW

Three Days in Hell: A Novel of the American Civil War by Blair Howard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Three Days In Hell was read in six hours of angst.
How can I translate in words the amount of feelings that this story made me feel?
The book is full of action, action and more action. The Author have an excellent knowledge of the Civil War almost like he lived it and know all the characters. They are portrayed in the most vivid way, unbelievable.
Fast paced, historically accurate and amazingly written, this book deserves five stars and much more.
Extremely Recommended!!!

*I received a Free copy in exchange for an Honest review*

View all my reviews

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Blair Howard was born and raised in England, near Stratford-upon-Avon (Shakespeare Country), close to the English Cotswolds. He writes sweeping historical epics, and is the author of four historical novels, with a fifth due to be released at the end of July this year: be on the lookout for Three Days in Hell: a Novel of the American Civil War. His current novels are: Chickamauga: a Novel of the American Civil War; The Mule Soldiers: a Novel of the American Civil War; The Chase: a Novel of the American Civil War: and Comanche: a Novel of the Old West. All of Blair's books are available on Amazon as eBooks or Paperbacks.

Blair is also a travel writer and professional photographer specializing in golf travel, vacation travel, and golf course photography. His travels take him throughout the United States, Europe and the Caribbean playing golf, writing about his experiences, and photographing the golf courses he visits. You can follow him on About.com here: http://abt.cm/1zoDpei.

Blair is the author of more than 40 books and more than 4,500 magazine, newspaper, and web articles. His work has appeared in many national and international publications, including Delta's Sky Magazine, PHOTOgraphic magazine, The Mail on Sunday, The Walking Magazine, Petersen's Hunting Magazine, The Boston Herald, The Detroit Free-Press, The Anchorage Times and many more.

Visit Blair's blog: http://bit.ly/1KA0CCR

Blair's Website is: http://bit.ly/1zBru1C

Follow Blair on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blairhowardbooks  

On Twitter https://twitter.com/bcwhoward

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011YMZVN8/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY

Blair Howard will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A WICKED TRUTH BY JOYCE PROELL - VIRTUAL & REVIEW TOUR + GIVEAWAY

A Wicked Truth

by Joyce Proell

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

The wedding date is set, and life is magical for Doyle Flanagan and Cady Delafield. Honor-bound to repay an old debt, Doyle agrees to help a friend find her sister. As he searches for the girl, painful memories surface, stunning Cady when she discovers facts about his past. Now mired in tragedy, can Cady and Doyle overcome the turmoil with a fateful decision that changes their future forever?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

Cady set the book on her nightstand and went to the armoire. From the top shelf, she withdrew an old cigar box where she kept her cherished notes. After reclaiming her seat, she opened the lid, pleased to see the ribbons, lace and a doll carved from a clothespin left over from childhood. She extracted a stack of notes, a dozen in all from Doyle. Thinking there was enough time, she read through each one, her heart lifting with each written endearment. She frowned and flipped through the stack. Something was wrong. She’d missed one.

She glanced around the room, thinking to see it on the dresser or on the floor, where it might have fallen. She raked her brain, wondering where she had put it. Nothing came to mind.

“Wouldn’t you know,” she mumbled, annoyed. “It had to be one of my favorites.” It was the note where Doyle had written of their first kiss, when he’d held her in his arms and felt her ‘tremble at his touch’. His words. How accurate they had been. Then he’d cupped her breast, and… Blushing, she recalled his hands as they’d roamed over her body. Thank goodness he hadn’t gone into the details in the note. What if another person were to see it?

An obligatory peek under the chair and bed revealed only dust bunnies and a hatbox. Where was it? It wasn’t like her to misplace items. First she’d lost the scarf and now this.

A sick feeling pinged in her stomach. Maybe she’d never lost the scarf or the note. Maybe they’d been stolen. As she wondered who would do such a thing, the hair at the back of her neck rose.

MY REVIEW

A Wicked Truth by Joyce Proell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Set in 1800's Chicago, A Wicked Truth is a romantic mystery full of twists and turns.
The story grabs you and keeps you turning page after page until you realize that it is over.
Cady is an intriguing character, at first I didn't like her, I felt her too weak and condoning with Doyle, until she starts developing her own voice and it's a pretty one. Doyle is a complex character, full of secrets and a troubled past. Both have great chemistry, they are a handsome couple.
Regarding the plot, the storyline space fluctuates, some chapters goes fast and others are a bit slow, it haves some great dialogues, twists and turns and amazing scenes that would leave you asking what's going to happen?
The time period and descriptions of the 1800's are impeccable, you can see that the Author has done a great amount of research.
Highly Recommended to all type of readers.
*I received a Free copy in exchange for an Honest Review*

View all my reviews

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Joyce grew up in Minnesota and attended college and grad school in Chicago. After working in mental health, she retired at a young age to write full-time. Her first book, Eliza, was published in 2012. A Wicked Truth is the third book in the Cady Delafield series. When she isn’t writing mysteries or historical romances, she loves to swim, walk and is a crossword puzzle fanatic. She and her husband live in Florida and Minnesota, in her very own little house on the prairie.

Visit her website at www.joycepoell.com or at www.facebook.com/AuthorJoyceProell 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/jproell1

www.champagnebooks.com

www.amazonbooks.com

www.barnesandnoble.com

www.kobobooks.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY

Joyce Proell will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CONTRACT TO WED BY HOLLY BUSH - VIRTUAL & REVIEW TOUR + GIVEAWAY

Contract to Wed

by Holly Bush

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE:  Historical Romance

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

1891 . . . Jolene Crawford Crenshaw, heiress and Boston socialite, went from her family home directly to Landonmore upon her marriage, the mansion she shared with her handsome and charismatic husband. She’d never in her life worried in the slightest over anything as crass as the dollars required to maintain that home or the lifestyle she’d been born to. Her extensive yearly wardrobe, the stables and the prime horseflesh within it, even the solid silver forks and knifes that graced her table, were expected and required to maintain the social standing that she’d cultivated over the years. But suddenly she was a widow with little money and just her pride and her secrets to keep her upright.

Max Shelby made his fortune in oil wells and cattle, but lost the love of his life the day his wife died. Now, his happy, carefree daughter needs instruction and guidance as she grows into a young lady and his dream of becoming a Senator from his adopted state of Texas seems out of reach with few political or social connections. The right wife would solve both problems. As it happens, his sister knows of a woman, a recent widow, charming, beautiful and socially astute, but in reduced circumstances, who may want to begin again. Max signed the wedding contract sight unseen.

Will Jolene be able to shed her sorrows, anger and fears to begin anew away from the censure and hidden tragedy that marred her life? Is her new husband, confident, strong and capable Max Shelby, the man, the only man, to see past her masks to find the woman beneath?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

“Come in,” Jolene said and picked up her brush from her vanity. She wanted to think, and she didn’t want to make small talk or even acknowledge that someone else was in the room. “You may go to bed, Alice,” she said as she turned.

Maximillian Shelby stood in her doorway. She gasped. “What are you doing in here?” she said as she cinched her satin robe. “What do you want?”

But he just stood there staring at her. It was disconcerting and strangely provocative. She was covered but felt as if she was naked in front of him. She could feel the cool shimmery satin against her breasts. One strap fell away from her shoulder under her robe, and she forced herself to let it alone. He swallowed, cleared his throat, and walked within inches of her until she had to look up at him.

“You are the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever set eyes on.”

With those words, Maximillian wrapped his hands around her upper arms, touching the sides of her breasts as he did. Every bit of her being was focused on the pressure of his fingers where he held her.  She was aware of herself. Sensually aware that she was taking short breaths and that her lips had parted and her eyelids had drooped. Her mind was screaming that she should twist out of his grasp, but she made the ghastly error of looking at his face, at his tanned skin with a shadow of a beard, dark brown eyes and a well-defined mouth filled with even white teeth. He was breathing hard, too, and she could smell the whiskey on his breath. He was magnificent.

MY REVIEW

Contract to Wed by Holly Bush
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Contract To Wed it's a captivating Historical Romance.
We meet Jolene, a very complex character, she's a beautiful and intelligent woman but not a very agreeable one, her main goal it's to secure her financial situation without involving feelings, until Max... He is a wonderful character! Strong, good father, hard-working and in need of a wife and mother for his beautiful daughter.
With patience and great amounts of love, our H begins to unravel Jolene's past and that's when she starts to blossom in a more likeable person. The storyline is fast paced, full of emotions, excellent written and with a strong message, love can heal everything.
Highly Recommended

*I received a Free copy in exchange for an Honest Review*

View all my reviews

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Holly Bush writes historical romance set on the American Prairie, in Victorian England, and recently released her first Women’s Fiction title. Her books are described as emotional, with heartfelt, sexy romance. She makes her home with her husband in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  Connect with Holly at www.hollybushbooks.com and on Twitter @hollybushbooks and on Facebook at Holly Bush.

www.hollybushbooks.com

Twitter - @hollybushbooks

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/pages/Holly-Bush/247399131941435

Buy Link: Amazon

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Holly-Bush/e/B006ZDTQ1A/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY

Holly will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner

a Rafflecopter giveaway