Labels

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Born to be Bound by Addison Cain




Title: Born to be Bound

Series: Alpha's Claim #1
Author: Addison Cain
Genre: Omegaverse Dark Romance

Release Date: April 6, 2016




Blurb


“Unapologetically raw and deliciously filthy, Shepherd
& Claire's dark, gritty story is an emotional punch to the gut!” - Anna
Zaires, New York Times bestselling author




Every bit as ruthless as his reputation suggests…



Shepherd ravages both Claire and her conquered city, refusing to let either
slip through his fingers.

He steals Claire's innocence and future by forcing a pair-bond on the rare,
unwilling Omega female.



Violent, calculating, and incapable of remorse, he demands his new mate's
adoration. Her attention. Her body.



Publisher's Note: The first book in Addison Cain's exciting, raw, and
suspense-filled Omegaverse series is a Dark Romance featuring complete power
exchange. If such material offends you, please do not purchase.












Purchase Links



FREE on all platforms!!



AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

B&N / KOBO / APPLE BOOKS











Excerpt



She watched
him bolt the door with a rod so thick it dwarfed her ankle, trapping her,
cornering the Omega for mating. Unsure if Shepherd had heard, she used her feet
to scoot away from the male until her back hit the wall, and tried again.
"Food… we can't go out... hunted, forced. They're killing us." Her
blown pupils looked up at the intimidating male and pleaded for him to
understand. "You are the Alpha in Thólos, you hold control... we
have no one else to ask."
"So
you foolishly walked into a room full of feral males to ask for food?" He
was mocking her, his eyes mean, even as he grinned.
The horror
of the day, the sexual frustration of her heat, made Claire belligerently raise
her head and meet his eyes. "If we don't get food, I'm dead anyway."
Seeing the
female grimace through another cramping wave, Shepherd growled, an instinctual
reaction to a breeding Omega. The noise shot right between her legs, full of
the promise of everything she needed. His second, louder grumbled noise sang
inside her, and a wave of warm slick drenched the floor below her swollen sex,
saturating the air to entice him.
She could
not take it. "Please don't make that noise."
"You
are fighting your cycle," he grunted low and abrasive, beginning to pace,
watching her all the while.
Shaking her
head back and forth, Claire began to murmur, "I've lived a life of
celibacy."
Celibacy?
That was unheard of... a rumored story. Omegas could not fight the urge to
mate. That was why the Alphas fought for them and forced a pair-bond to keep
them for themselves. The smell alone drove any Alpha into a rut.
He growled
again and the muscles of her sex clenched so hard she whined and curled up on
the floor.
It was hard
enough to make it through estrous locked in a room alone until the cycle broke,
but his damn noise and the smell invading past the rotting stickiness of her
clothing was breaking her insides apart.
The
degrading way he spoke made her open her eyes to see the beast standing still,
his massive erection apparent despite layers of clothing. "How long does
your heat typically last, Omega?"
Shivering,
suddenly loving the sound of that lyrical rasp, she clenched her fists at her
sides instead of beckoning him nearer. "Four days, sometimes a week."
"And
you have been through them all in seclusion instead of submitting to an Alpha
to break them?"
"Yes."
He was
making her angry, furious even, with his stupid questions. Every part of her
was screaming out that he should be stroking her and easing the need. That it was his job! With her hand still
pressed over her nose and mouth, her muffled, broken explanation came as a
jumbled, angry rant, Claire hissing, "I choose."
He just
laughed, a cruel, coarse sound.
Omegas had
become exceptionally rare since the plagues and the following Reformation Wars
a century prior. That made them a valuable commodity which Alphas in power took
as if it was their due. And in a city brimming with aggressive Alphas like
Thólos, she'd been trapped in a life of feigning existence as a Beta just to
live unmolested, spent a small fortune on heat-suppressants, and locked herself
away with the other few celibates she knew when estrous came. Hidden in plain
sight before Shepherd's army sprung out of the Undercroft and the government
was slaughtered, their corpses left strung up from the Citadel like trophies.
Claire had
been forced into hiding the very next day, when the unrest inspired the lower
echelons of population to challenge for dominance. Where there had been order,
suddenly all Thólos knew was anarchy. Those awful men just took any Omega they
could find, killing mates and children in order to keep the women—to breed them
or fuck until they died.
"What
is your name?"
She opened
her eyes, elated he was listening. "Claire."
"How
many of you are there, little one?"
Trying to
focus on a spot on the wall instead of the large male and where his beautiful
engorged dick was challenging the zipper of his trousers, she turned her head
to where her body craved to nest, staring with hunger at the collection of
colorful blankets, pillows—a bed where everything must be saturated by his
scent.
An extended
growl warned, "You are losing your impressive focus, little one. How
many?"
Her voice
broke. "Less than a hundred... We lose more every day."
"You
have not eaten. You're hungry." It was not a question, but spoken with
such a low vibration that his hunger for her was apparent.
"Yesss."
It was almost a whine. She was so near to pleading, and it wasn't going to be
for food.
The
prolonged answering growl of the beast compelled a gush of slick to wet her so
badly, she was left sitting in a slippery puddle. Doubling over, frustrated and
needy, she sobbed, "Please don't make that noise," and immediately
the growl changed pitch. Shepherd began to purr for her.
There was
something so infinitely soothing in that low rumble that she sighed audibly and
did not bolt at his slow, measured approach. She watched him with such
attention, her huge, dilated pupils a clear mark that she was so very close to
falling completely into estrous.
Even when
Shepherd crouched down low, he towered over her, all bulging muscle and musky
sweat. She tried to say the words, "Only instincts..." but
jumbled them so badly their meaning was lost.
Starting
with the scarf, he unwound the items that tainted her beautiful pheromones,
purring and stroking every time she whimpered or shifted nervously. When he
pulled her forward to take away the reeking cloak, her eyes drew level with his
confined erection. Claire's uncovered nose sniffed automatically at the place
where his trousers bulged. In that moment all she wanted, all that she had ever
wanted, was to be fucked, knotted, and bred by that male.
Only
instincts...
Shepherd
pressed his face to her neck and sucked in a long breath, groaning as his cock
jumped and began to leak to please her. He had gone into the rut, there was no
changing that fact, and with it came a powerful need to see the female filled
with seed, to soothe what was driving her to rub against her hand in such a
frenzy.
The words
were almost lost in her breath, "You need to lock me in a room for a few
days..."
A feral
grin spread. "You are locked in a room, little one, with the Alpha who
killed ten men and two of his sworn Followers to bring you here." He
stroked her hair, petting her because something inside told him his hands could
calm her. "It's too late now. Your defiant celibacy is over. Either you
submit willingly to me where I will rut you through your heat, or you may leave
out that door where my men will, no doubt, mount you in the halls once they
smell you."
A knock
came. Shepherd rose up tall before her, staring down with open demand that she
submit and obey. Dominance established, he went to the door and pulled back the
lock. Claire saw the same soldier, the smaller Beta with the far too vibrant
blue eyes, and found him sniffing the air in her direction, growing openly
excited at the intoxicating blend of pheromones her slick and sweat were
pumping into the air.
Shepherd
was right. He had taken her from what would have been a mass rape, saved her
from damage and most likely death. He'd listened, though he had not answered
her, and men were already salivating in the hall. The understanding of the
situation passed openly across her face. Claire nodded, estrous clouding her
judgment.
Something
was muttered between the men, ending in, "...only Betas on guard."
A tray was
handed over, laden with food, another armful piled with bedding and pillows,
and she went white. They had already known Shepherd would have her, and had
prepared accordingly. The little chat had no purpose but to make her think she
had a choice. He saw her expression and the rumble of his purring returned.
She had to
eat... he had to feed her before it began. The tray was set on the floor where
she crouched, his order loud enough to grab her attention away from where his
pants bulged. "Eat."
As she
picked at the unseen food, he began to undress. All armor, every under-layer,
was carefully removed and organized, the man having no shame about the state of
his Da'rin marked body or the jutting cock proudly on display. But more than
the visual, it was the smell—the scent of a rutting Alpha, aroused and swollen
for her—that made reason completely flee her mind. Everything hummed in that
incessant purr, reminding her that he was what her body needed, and she was
salivating for it... even if she was scared.
Shepherd
began to pace, naked, rolling his shoulders as he prowled, all the while
watching her and sniffing the air over and over. "Eat more... drink the
water."
Voice
downright nasty, threatening, Claire hissed as if he should have known Omegas
could not eat during estrous, "I don't want food!"
No, she
wanted the thing that was supposed to happen. He was supposed to be fucking
her. Why was he waiting? She came to her feet and he was there, the dominant
male growling so loud her eyes rolled back in her skull.
A rending
of fabric preceded cool air over fevered skin.
He was all
around her, tugging away unnecessary things like clothing. The smell of him,
the raw sweat, sent her cunt to seeping. Sucking in great panting breaths of
the fertile Omega, Shepherd sought out to stroke uncovered flesh, a bit
surprised all her body hair had been permanently removed—recognizing the
precaution the Omega had taken to help mask her scent.
She was so
far gone, her little tongue already licking at his skin, completely high on the
taste and smell, that when his finger swiped drops of his leaking pre-come to
run over her lips, she moaned loudly and sucked it deep into her mouth.
Claire was
so small compared to his mass, easy to move where he wanted. Her back hit the
bed, Shepherd standing between her slender spread legs, staring down with wide,
hungry eyes at the river of slick that came forth. Little pink lips were
spread, the swollen glans of his cock lined up where she seemed far too small
to accept an organ so large. With one hand on her chest, petting the twisting
thing, Shepherd pressed forward, breaching her slippery womb, and gave a full
body shudder at the sound of her desperate cry.
The woman
had not lied... she was so tight it made his cock pulsate more fluid to aid
her. He only got halfway before she began to whine and squirm. Alphas were big
and Shepherd was huge, his girth massive, and there was only so much space
inside her body.
"Open
for me, little one," Shepherd growled, using his thumbs to stretch her
lower lips further apart, thrusting forward, gaining hard earned inch by inch
while the female watched a cock as thick as her forearm slowly disappear
between her legs.
When the
expanding thrust bottomed out, when all her tightness enveloped that hard
length... utter bliss. She needed it, was moaning and arching, grinding her sex
against his pubic bone. The stretch was divine, the vibration from his purrs,
the smell. When he began to pull out, she showed her teeth and snarled
at a man many times her size. Shepherd seemed amused, and then snapped his
hips, burying that massive cock to the hilt, knowing she would squeal.
Claire
learned quickly that he liked her little spurts of temper, but it was Shepherd
who dominated the exchange. He rutted with the vigor she needed, hard and fast,
building up that furious pulse in her core. When she began to roll her hips,
eyes closed and lost in the insatiable need to mate, he took her by the scruff
of the neck and barked at her to open, to look at the male fucking her, to
recognize his prowess.
Those
harshly snarled words sent her over the edge. Perfect fulfillment exploded.
Claire felt every single muscle in her pussy jump to life, saw his eyes grow
vicious and feral, felt his knot expand as he ground in, hooking behind her
pelvic bone, locking them as deep as he could go. Jerking under the intensity
of the orgasm, she felt that first hot gush of semen, heard him roar like a
beast while she screamed. Shepherd came again, more of that copious fluid, her
body's need finally met, and with his third liquid surge, she blacked out.
It could
not have been long before she woke, as his knot was still binding their bodies
together. He lay below her, her body sprawled on top, Claire's ear to his
heart. The serenity from the mating was fading and the impulse to fuck was back
again. The urge, the only thing that defined her at that moment, grew beyond
her when her tongue darted out to lick the salt of sweat from his chest, to
entice the tattooed male to begin again.
The instant
the knot began to diminish, she registered the loss of precious fluid, felt his
seed leaking out of her, and whined. As if knowing her thoughts, Shepherd
dragged his fingers in the little river and brought his ejaculate to her mouth.
The smell alone drove her wild, the taste a thousand times more.
"They
would have broken an Omega so small." Shepherd watched, fascinated, as she
greedily sucked his fingers, explaining quietly as if educating a female who
should have known better. "Not shown restraint at a scent so
overpowering."
She didn't
want him to talk. She wanted him to fuck her again. A large hand came to her
hair, rubbing at the scalp of the female, soothing her with pets and purrs
while the knot slowly abated so he could thrust against her jerking hips.
The second
mating was much less frantic, far more fulfilling, and when he had filled her
again, Claire began to lose the edge that was making her so ferocious. It was
his hands, maybe, lifting and lowering her at the tempo that made her cunt
sing, or the look in his eyes, the unabashed lustful pleasure.
So
that's what it was like to mate an Alpha
.
He seemed
to know her thoughts, and by the crinkles at the corner of Shepherd's eyes, she
could tell he was amused with her. He cupped her face, tender and gentle, and
she didn't feel overpowered or forced... She felt mistakenly safe in the
delirium.
It was not
until a day later, when he took her from behind at the peak of estrous, his
full weight on her back, that she sensed trouble. The high had not faded, the
slow building fervor of her heat nowhere near breaking... but he roared, began
to squeeze and bruise; to restrain her. Fighting the hold, writhing, Claire had
a sobering fear the tyrant might bite her so savagely it would scar—that he
intended to leave claiming marks.
Worst of
all, instinctively, she wanted him to. Her estrous-high mind wanted to bond to
the monster that had destroyed Thólos and made her life hell, simply because he
was the one who was fucking her.
"And you
will!" he growled in her ear.
She told
him no, panting it over the sound of his skin slapping against the fleshy
mounds of her ass. Sharp teeth came to her shoulder, Shepherd's knot growing
bulbous until the Alpha could no longer thrust and she could not squirm away.
She screamed in pain and pleasure, sobbing as his teeth ripped into her skin,
Shepherd growling long and low with her flesh torn from his bite.
She
climaxed from the claiming, rhythmically squeezing, drawing the jets of fluid
from his dick while he crooned at her and lapped up the blood.
Claire
cried even as he purred and petted, wept from the hazy recognition of the total
loss of control she'd so carefully cultivated in her life. When ten minutes
later her body sent out signals it was time for Shepherd to fuck her again, he
pulled her beneath him and was gentle, caressing the woman he'd stolen even
though her tears fell throughout the whole coupling.
When it was
over, when he had wrung out another explosion that chased away the urge of
chemical madness, a calm descended on them both. Claire briefly slept against a
man she did not know, pressing as close as she could, in the exact place the
brute expected her to rest.

***

In the end,
it took three days to break the starving Omega's heat. She was sleeping,
nesting deep into the blankets covered in his semen and her slick—blissed out.
Toying with a strand of her sooty black hair, Shepherd mulled over just what to
do with what was now his possession, impressed that the little female was
plucky enough to dress in a corpse’s clothing and parade into a pack of Alphas
just to speak to him. She would have died if he had not found her scent worth
killing for.
Claire
would also be sore now that estrous had ended, and her mind was not clouded
with the insatiable drive to mate. He was certain she would also be resentful
of the binding he'd forced. But that was the lot for Omegas, the way of nature.
He wanted her, he took. End of story.
Silver eyes
ran over the lithe dancer's body she possessed, the Alpha growling at the
obvious fact his Omega was underfed. It was getting him into such a mood that,
when a knock came to the door, he covetously grabbed what was his and roared.
The
commotion—being jerked against a mountain of heat—woke Claire, and she hissed
in discomfort. Everything felt sticky, a male pawing over bruises that did not
appreciate the attention. The words he spat were in another language—an
outskirts' lost tongue, she assumed. Remembering who he was and what he'd done
to her, she pushed away from Shepherd's chest, only to feel his arms grow
impossibly constrictive. The conversation between the Follower on the other
side of the door and her captor stretched on, Shepherd tightening his grip each
time she squirmed.
When it was
over, Shepherd swung his skull her way, barking, "You need to sleep
more." It was not a suggestion, and she could clearly sense he was
provoked.
"The
Omegas." That was the reason she had come to him... not to have him knot
her for three full days.
Mercurial
eyes diminished between narrowed lids. Shepherd sniffed her once, then he
growled, "Your assumption it would be plausible to have a private
distribution of provisions is flawed. It would only draw attention to your
group. All Omegas will be delivered into my care and segregated from the
population in the Undercroft. Should any come into heat, an Alpha will be
chosen from amongst my Followers. Most will be bonded at their next
estrous."
"What?
No!" Claire's voice was pure horror. "That's not what we want. They
need food, not to be made into slaves."
"This
is best. You are Omegas, fragile, and it is not your place to decide such
things."
Everything
about the male was suddenly repulsive. Claire wanted him off of her and tried
to scoot away. "I won't tell you where they are."
As he
smirked, a scar across his lips made the expression sinister. "Then they
will starve and be picked off one by one. That is your decision, little one. If
given to me, they would be protected."
"From
whom? The very men who are raping and knotting girls who have not reached
maturity are the same you surround yourself with."
Shepherd
was petting her, touching her hair as if she were not upset, as if she didn't
loathe him in that moment, and it was setting her into a temper. When she tried
to bat his hand away, he snarled and pinned her beneath him. His teeth went to
the crook of her neck and he smelled, growling at the sweetness while using his
thigh to pry her legs apart.
Claire felt
his cock pulsing against her belly and grew frightened. There was no estrous,
no abundant slick, and she was sore. Shepherd didn't care. He reminded her who
was dominant in one sharp thrust, taking his Omega with no purrs or caresses,
knotting without her climax to urge his seed forth. When the powerful spurts
bathed her womb, there was no settling peace, only frustration and tears.
When he
seemed to have caught his breath, the unwelcome press of his mouth came to her
ear. "You will sleep more."
His fingers
went back to toying with her hair while Claire cried herself beyond exhaustion,
embraced by a man who lived up to his reputation as a monster.












Also Available





AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

B&N / KOBO / APPLE BOOKS







Author Bio


USA Today
Bestselling author and Amazon Top 25 bestselling author, Addison Cain is best
known for her dark romances, smoldering Omegaverse, and twisted alien worlds.
Her antiheroes are not always redeemable, her lead females stand fierce, and
nothing is ever as it seems.

Deep and
sometimes heart wrenching, her books are not for the faint of heart. But they
are just right for those who enjoy unapologetic bad boys, aggressive alphas,
and a hint of violence in a kiss.


Author Links

e43rt

Girl By Any Other Name by MK Schiller





Title: Girl By Any Other Name
Author: MK Schiller
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 15, 2019





Blurb


I fell in love with her. Then she died. But
that’s not the end of our story.

I met Sylvie Cranston when I was ten years old. Back then, she was the
annoying, weird girl who had moved next door and got me in trouble. But by
twelve, we became friends when I taught her how to bait a fishing line and she
showed me the value of a selfless act. At fourteen, she owned my heart.

At seventeen, she died.

Or so I was told. But I don’t believe it. Sylvie is part of my soul. I would
know if she was no more. I searched and prayed for her to come back to me.
Finally, I just waited for her.

Ten years later, she strolled into the English lit course I taught. Only this
girl claimed her name was Sophie Becker and she had no idea who I was. But I’m
not giving up. I’m going to get the girl I love back and protect her from the
danger that took her away all those years ago.

My name is Caleb Tanner and this is our story.








Purchase Links

$2.99 for a limited time!

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU






Author Bio



Not knowing a word of English, MK Schiller came to America
at the age of four from India. Since then, all she’s done is collect words.
After receiving the best gift ever from her parents—her very own library
card—she began reading everything she could get her greedy hands on. At
sixteen, a friend asked her to make up a story featuring the popular bad boy at
school. This wasn’t fan fiction…it was friend fiction. From that day on, she’s
known she wanted to be a writer. With the goal of making her readers both laugh
and cry, MK Schiller has penned more than a dozen books, each one filled with
misfit characters overcoming obstacles and finding true love.


Author Links







Shayn by Kate Rudolph


Shayn
Kate Rudolph, Starr Huntress
Publication date: August 13th 2019
Genres: Adult, Romance, Science Fiction

Shayn NaZade is looking for answers…

A Detyen father and Oscavian mother have left Shayn wondering whether he and his brothers will be forced to pay the Denya Price. Unamted Detyens die on their thirtieth birthdays, but will that hold true for someone with Oscavian blood? His question brings him to Oscavia where he finds his mate… and a whole lot of trouble.

Naomi’s a psychic, but she didn’t see this one coming…

Orphaned as a child and raised by scientists, Naomi’s mind is opened to all the secrets of the universe. But she can’t see the lies and betrayals standing right in front of her, and when experiments to control her powers take a dark turn she knows she’ll have to run. It’s just her luck that her instincts push her towards a charming blue alien.

A dangerous escape, a daring rescue, and scorching heat send Shayn and Naomi tumbling together as the denya bond ties them ever closer. But when the forces against them get too close, that bond will be tested to the breaking point.

Read Shayn today for fated mates, a heart-melting hero, and adventures that are out of this world!

Shayn is the seventh book in the Mated to the Alien series about a race of aliens doomed to die if they don’t meet their fated mates. The series can be read in any order and there are no cliffhangers!

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo


Author Bio:

Kate Rudolph is an ex-derby girl who lives in Indiana. She loves writing about kick butt heroines and the steamy heroes who love them. She's been devouring romance novels since she was too young to be reading them and had to hide her books so no one would take them away. She couldn't imagine a better job in this world than writing romances and sharing them with her fellow readers.

Want to know when she releases a new book and get a free copy of The Alpha Heist?

Sign up to her mailing list to receive notifications of new releases and deals. The link can be found here: http://katerudolph.net/index.php/subscribe

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram


GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

XBTBanner1

Perfect Storm by Erica Marselas






Title: Perfect Storm
Author: Erica Marselas
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: August 16, 2019





Blurb


I should have never taken the babysitting job at the Goodwin
house, but I had my reasons.
But what I really shouldn’t have done is fall for Mr. Goodwin. 
For years, I watched his marriage fall apart, and when it ended, I was the one
who helped him put back the pieces of his broken heart. 
Now there's a storm brewing in the form of his ex-wife. 
I'm hoping I can hold on as she comes blowing back into his life.
Though it isn't only her that could destroy us… 
I have a secret, 
and I'll do anything not to have it exposed.








Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited





Excerpt

"I love her,
maybe more than life itself. But in the eyes of everyone else, our relationship
might never be anything more than a sordid affair.
Lola Anderson is
every bit the forbidden fruit.
She’s the perfect,
intoxicating, taboo treat, and I have fallen for her. Hard."






Author Bio



Erica is a wife, a
mother of four, and a tequila drinking smart mouth. When she’s not wrangling
her children and trying to keep them alive, she’s writing. She’ll write
anything from sweet stalkers, to forbidden love, to erotica, to rom coms to
young adult because she believes no love story is created equal and every story
deserves to be told. Even the fictional ones. As long as she can dream it,
she'll write it. 


Author Links





Giveaway

Imitation of Life by Felice Stevens




Title: Imitation of Life

Series: Rock Bottom #2
Author: Felice Stevens
Genre: Contemporary MM Romance
Release Date: August 16, 2019




Blurb

Benny DeMarco is the nicest guy you’ll ever meet. He works
hard, takes care of his little sister, and pays the bills. Childhood bullies
and an abusive stepfather invade his dreams, and at times he wishes life would
grant him a do-over. Would he like a boyfriend? You bet. But Benny knows love
isn’t for him. He’s been looked over, looked through, and looked past all his
life. Even worse, the one guy he’s been in love with for almost two years is
the biggest flirt who will sleep with anyone. Anyone except Benny.

Gino Acosta smiles to keep from crying. Everyone he meets tells him he’s
beautiful and sexy, but Gino knows the truth. His outside may be perfect, but
inside he feels dirty and unworthy. Bounced around as a child, he yearns for
someone to love and a family to call his own. He hops from man to man,
desperate to belong, believing the lies he’s told, but all he finds is a body
for an hour or two. Things would be so different if only he knew—the man he’s
searching for is waiting for him, right under his nose.

Benny starts dating the “perfect guy”and it’s okay if there’s no spark—that’ll
happen eventually. Won’t it? Gino’s fast-paced modeling career has taken off,
but once again, he’s trading his body for a dream. When Gino’s world explodes,
Benny must fight for what and who he really wants. Gino must learn to trust
what people tell him—that he’s got so much more to offer than a pretty face and
a moment of pleasure.

If all your life you believe you’re nothing, how do you move past heartbreak
and hardship to reach for everything?








Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU


Free in Kindle Unlimited









Also Available


$2.99 for a limited time!

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited






 Author Bio


I have always been a romantic at heart. I believe that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending around the corner, my characters have to work for it, however. Like life in NYC, nothing comes easy and that includes love.



I live in New York City with my husband and two children and hopefully soon a cat of my own. My day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. I practice law but daydream of a time when I can sit by a beach somewhere and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there is bound to be a few bumps along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.


Author Links









Giveaway

Love Block by S.M. West



Title: Love Block

Series: Love Lock Duet #1
Author: S.M. West
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 22, 2019



Blurb

I’m screwed.
Pippa just showed up
uninvited with plans of staying the weekend.
I can hardly handle
an hour with her, let alone two days.
Despite more than a
year of dodging her, nothing has changed.
She’s the only woman
I want.
Smart and sexy and
bold.
My best friend’s
little sister.
Forbidden.
Denying my desire
for her is torture.
And she doesn’t make
it easy; she wants me too.

The thing is, making
her mine means ruining my best friend.

Love
Block is the first book in the Love Lock Duet. 








Pre-order Links






Excerpt

Drew

“Holy shit, you’re really doing this adult thing, aren’t
you?” Finn clinks his shot glass with mine and sticky amber liquid spills over
the sides onto my fingers. 

Sugary caramel flavors invade my senses as I bring the glass
to my lips, and the Canadian whiskey slides smoothly down my throat, heat
nipping at my gut. 

“You know you’re old when you buy property and shit, right?”
He licks his upper lip. “First a condo, and now a cottage. Damn, just talking
about all that responsibility makes me queasy.”

Ken snickers at my side, and despite Finn’s intention, I
accept his jab as praise. Praise for a dream come true. They can take all the
pot shots they want, I have no regrets.

“You’ve got to grow up sometime. A cottage isn’t exactly a
burden.” A wide, goofy grin steals my face. 

Pretty soon their sorry asses will be begging to crash at my
cottage from the Victoria Day long weekend in May—also referred to as May
two-four, which marks the beginning of cottage season, blackflies, and
summer—to Thanksgiving. Who’ll be laughing then? 

Friday night with the guys comes with lots of ribbing, lots
of laughing, and lots of cold ones. Tonight’s no different, except we’re
celebrating more than the end of the work week. We’re celebrating my new
cottage in Muskoka. Well, it’s not new, rather old actually. A fixer-upper that
cost a fucking fortune. But it’s mine and totally worth it. 

“Nah, not ready to grow up quite yet. My mom’s pestering me
about when I’m gonna propose to Cass. That’s enough stress.” He shivers
mockingly but ends up looking like he’s having a seizure. 

Finn Raine is a liar. I’ve known him since we were in
diapers—our mothers are best friends—and Cassandra Donnelly is his high school
sweetheart. Nothing about marrying her causes him undue stress. 

“And when are you gonna pop the question?” Ken, another
buddy from our high school days, asks about what most would call the ultimate
commitment—marriage. 

“Not any time soon.” 

Full of shit. He’s counting the days, literally, until Cass
graduates with her Ph.D. to get down on his bended knee. He already has the
ring. 

Cupping my mouth with my hand, I fake-cough, “Bullshit,” and
elbow him in the ribs. 

“Shut it.” Finn shoves my arm. “What’s that you said?
Another round on you?” 
Tipping my head back, I laugh hard, my insides heating from
our usual spirited banter, the top shelf liquor, or both. 

“You’re in luck. I’m in a good mood. One more round on me,
asshole.”

The guys whoop and whistle and bang their fists on the bar.
That gets the attention of not only the bartender but half the room. Heads spin
toward the ruckus, including a cute blonde a few seats down from us. 

She licks her lips, her hunger growing the longer I hold her
gaze. If I wanted, we’d be fucking in under thirty minutes. 

I don’t. 

Our beers arrive, and I take a long pull of the cold, frothy
lager. Finn called it. At twenty-nine, I’m an adult, already wading through
burgeoning responsibility as a criminal lawyer and the proud owner of not one
but two properties. All I need now is a woman to share my life. 

Like bitter February flurries in Toronto, my spine freezes,
ripples of frost spreading through me. Where the hell did that thought come
from? 

There isn’t a woman in my life or any prospects on the
horizon. Marriage is a long way off. Came close with Scarlett, my girlfriend of
two years, but we split six months ago. The break was amicable and
mutual. 

Some days I miss her, some days I don’t, and some days I
can’t make sense of what happened. Even still, if she were here right now
wanting to get back together, I’m not sure that’s what I’d want. 

Since then, I’ve had a couple one-night stands—more out of
habit than desire. Enough to realize I’m done with meaningless hookups. 

The blonde smiles again, and Finn notices, winking
suggestively as if I need his approval or permission. 

“I’m gonna piss, and then I’m out. Go make your move, bud.”
He slaps my shoulder like a coach boosting his player before sending him onto
the field.

He vacates his stool, and I ignore him, signalling the
bartender to settle my bill. 

“Ken, I’m gone too.” I take out my card as the bartender
nears with the machine. 

“Sure. I’ll see you later this week.” Ken swigs the last of
his drink and scans the crowd, on the hunt. The guy thinks with his dick. 

As I head out, I find Finn leaning against the wall by the
entrance, with a shit-eating grin swallowing his features. The idiot was
waiting for me, hoping I’d score. His eyebrows climb to his hairline at my solo
exit. 

“Where’s the chick?” Both shoulders rise, his hands out,
palms up.

I brush past him, out the door, and into the balmy May
night. He follows, bewildered. “But she wanted in your pants.”

“I’ve got to get up early tomorrow.” I’m bored with this
conversation.

“What? Since when does that have anything to do with a quick
fuck?”
“Not interested.” I yawn. 

“The fuck?” He grabs my shoulder, twisting me to face him.
“Who the fuck are you, and what did you do with Drew?” 

I chuckle. This guy can be a diva. He’s been with Cass for
eleven years and lives the bachelor life through Ken and me. He’s beyond
dramatic if we pass up a hookup. 

“I’m done with the one-night stands.” This isn’t news. We’ve
had this chat.

I keep walking, but he’s rooted to the sidewalk, puzzled. My
building is a block away, and I can’t get there fast enough. The insanity of my
workload is finally hitting me. I’ve worked my ass off the past few weeks,
knowing I’d be away for the next two. 

Sleep would be an awesome way to spend the weekend, making
up for the long hours I’ve been putting in, but sleep has to wait. There’s too
much to do.

“You’re crazy, asshole. Get back there,” Finn orders like
this is life or death. Idiot. “The blonde was hot.”

“Don’t bust my balls.” Not interested. Blondes aren’t my
type. 

Bold-faced lie. 

Only one blonde kicks my heart rate into overdrive, twists
my insides, and brings me to my knees.

Pippa Raine. 

Finn’s younger sister.

Sexy spitfire and off limits. 

Shit. Shit. Shit. Why did I even go there? She’s not only
Finn’s sister, she’s my younger sister Paige’s best friend. She’s family. 

Not to mention Finn has made it abundantly clear that if I
so much as think about making a move on Pippa, he’ll chop off my nuts and feed
them to me. 

Ouch. My hand involuntarily slides into my pocket and
adjusts my junk. All good.

“You’re fucking dumb,” Finn pants, winded from the few feet
of jogging.

“Have you looked in a mirror lately?” I quip, opening the
door to my building. “You crashing here, or what?”

“Nah. I’m the smart one. Cass is waiting for me. I’m getting
laid tonight. Later, loser.” He pulls out his phone for an Uber.

“Whatever,” I chuckle, holding my thumb and pointer finger
in the shape of an L.

“I’ll come up next weekend with Cass, and maybe my parents,
Pip, or the rest of the brood will come.” He barely glances up from his phone.

Finn has three siblings: Pippa, Claire, and Tom. While I’ve
known all of them their entire lives and we’re like family, only one of them is
a problem. And if she shows up next weekend, I’m done for. 

I sizzle with thoughts of Pippa. I’m a stick of dynamite,
and she’s the flame. Ignite, blaze, combust. 

That’s why I’ve stayed away. 

It’s been well over a year since I’ve seen her. My avoidance
was intentional. If I was going to keep my relationships with Scarlett, Finn,
and my family, I had to end all contact. But now, with just a mention, I want
to see her. Not a good idea. 

“That’s cool, but don’t bother.” My voice is steady and
uninterested, contradicting the small explosion going on in my chest. “Alec and
Paige are coming, and Ken’s going to take a day or two. I’m good,
thanks.” 

 “All right.” He’s engrossed in his phone. 

The need to sleep has vanished, replaced by a wired edginess
I know too well. 
Pippa. 

Finn had to say her name, and now I wonder what she’s been
up to. I could ask Paige since they live together, but like my absence, my ignorance
is deliberate. 

The less I know, the better. I don’t need the temptation.
She’s the girl I can’t have. 
And that’s the thing, isn’t it? She’s just a girl, and
seeing her now might be different. She’s most probably over me and dating.
Dammit. Why’d I have to think about Pippa with another guy? Now I want to punch
something.

The gym. That’s what I’ll do. I’ll unwind with exercise and
exhaust myself. 

Sleep does eventually come, but it’s restless with dreams of
a sexy blonde bombshell with the bluest eyes, the longest legs, and the
sweetest smile. 






Coming Soon


Releasing September 5, 2019










Author Bio



S.M. West writes
contemporary romance, romantic suspense, erotica and whatever her heart
desires. She spends most of her time juggling a day job, being a mom, wife, and
writing. She's a self-professed junkie of many things, including a voracious
fan of music, a born wanderer, a wine aficionado and chocolate connoisseur.



Author Links