We are extremely excited to share the covers for the wicked hot Seductive Nights Series, Lauren’s first erotic romance series. The first novel in this erotic romance is NIGHT AFTER NIGHT, releasing May 12 and can be read as a standalone romance. The prequel novella releasing with it called FIRST NIGHT is a reworking of the previously released ebook FIRST NIGHT AND EVER AFTERS. It’s no longer available on retailers, but will be republished in its new form in May and we can’t wait!! Don’t miss the beautiful covers below and the giveaway!   Message from Lauren:   I am having a blast writing Clay and Julia’s love story. They are a super sexy and feisty couple and I cannot wait to share them with readers! Clay is all alpha male hot guy in a suit with a tender heart, and Julia is one of my favorite heroines. I do feel I should warn readers — he’s my dirtiest of my dirty-talking heroes, and if you’ve read Playing With Her Heart that’s saying something 🙂    

ABOUT FIRST NIGHT:   An erotic novella from the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Lauren Blakely… It was only supposed to be one night…   When the sexy-as-sin lawyer walked into her bar in San Francisco,Julia Bell simply wanted a break from the troubles that kept chasing her. That escape came in the form of sinfully handsome Clay Nichols, a man who captivates her mind AND turns her inside out with pleasure.The attraction is electric and they share one scorchingly hot night together, but they also discover there is more than just off-the-charts chemistry; the connection between them runs deep. Clay never thought he’d return to New York with this woman still on his mind. But he can’t get her out of his system, and he needs more of her…He wants more than just the first night…   *This is a prequel novella to the erotic romance NIGHT AFTER NIGHT.    

    ABOUT NIGHT AFTER NIGHT:   A sensual, emotionally-charged erotic romance from the New York Timesand USA Today Bestselling author Lauren Blakely… He plays to win and isn’t afraid to break all the rules…   Fiery bartender Julia Bell has been hit on by her fair share of customers, but has never been tempted to dip so much as a toe in that particular dating pool. She wants a man who can claim her body AND captivate her mind. Enter Clay Nichols, a lawyer with a dirty mind and a mouth to match. Confident, sexy, and commanding, he takes Julia to new heights of pleasure. And after one unforgettable weekend together,he craves more of her. If only she hadn’t taken off without saying goodbye…   Julia has no room in her life for commitment, not while she has serious trouble breathing down her neck, thanks to the criminal dabblings of a former flame. She doesn’t want to involve anyone she cares about in the kind of danger that’s chasing her and that’s the problem with Clay-she’s falling for him. Hard. He makes her heart race, and sets her body on fire.   He’s determined to keep her in his life, no matter the cost. She’s the woman he desires in every way. But when the past threatens to destroy any chance at a future, she has to make a choice -keep running, or give love a shot with a man who can hold her imagination, and her heart, night after night…   NIGHT AFTER NIGHT TEASER:   Her eyes darkened with lust as she stared at him. Her reaction madehim hotter, harder.   “I’m being punished for turning you on?”   Another shake of his head. “No. You are being rewarded for turning meon. But we’re doing it my way. You teased the f*&k out of me, and nowI want to watch you squirm. Crawl up on my bed and get on your hands and knees.”   She held up her wrists, a sexy wink in her eyes. “I’ve been waiting for this.”   “Go, woman. And leave your shoes and stockings on.”   Preorder:    iTunes  
     
About Lauren Blakely:   Lauren Blakely writes sexy contemporary romance novels with heat, heart, and humor, and her books have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks bestseller lists. Like the heroine in FAR TOO TEMPTING, she thinks life should be filled with family, laughter, and the kind of love that love songs promise. Lauren lives in California with her husband, children, and dogs. Her novels include Caught Up In Us, Pretending He’s Mine, Playing With Her Heart, and Trophy Husband. She also writes for young adults under the name Daisy Whitney.    

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Links:   Website: http://www.laurenblakely.com/   Blog: http://laurenblakelybooks.blogspot.com/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurenBlakelyBooks   Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaurenBlakely3   NIGHT AFTER NIGHTGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19300203-night-after-night   FIRST NIGHTGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/edit/19052161-first-night   Lauren Blakely Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6860216.Lauren_Blakely

After the amazing success of his first chick lit book Wing Girl, Nic Tatano is exciting about the upcoming release of his second book Boss Girl. Here at After the Final Chapters we were delighted to get an interview with the man himself.

CLick image to visit the Harper Impulse website

What it’s about

Sydney Hack is the single, thirtysomething VP of news for a failing network… and she also has a taste for younger men.

She soon realizes a whole lot of over-thirty female viewers do as well, so she sets out to give these women what they want; a chiseled, trophy buck in his twenties sitting on the anchor desk next to a woman…

Just.

Like.

Them.

With nothing to lose she does the unthinkable; along with three female managers who happen to be her best friends she brings out the casting couch and turns it into a sleeper sofa. Doesn’t matter that the men have no television experience. As long as they look good. And there’s a hint of romance in every newscast.

Ratings skyrocket as a result, but Sydney and her female cohorts discover something else along the way…

True love is not always age appropriate.

Who is Nic Tatano?

I’m a writer who has spent his career in television news as a reporter, anchor and network field producer. Happily married for 24 years to an absolute saint who doubles as my muse. Major Star Trek fan & cat lover. And since I’m Italian I am, of course, obsessed by food.

You are a man, right? 😉

Last time I checked, yeah. I may write chick lit but like any guy I love movies in which things explode. Yesterday I was writing a romantic scene while watching Die Hard. It’s a bizarre kind of multi-tasking. Yippee-ki-yay!

How did you find yourself in the world of ‘chick lit’?

I had signed up for a writers “boot camp” and we were assigned to read books from twelve different genres. The list included Meg Cabot’s Princess Diaries. I dreaded reading it but once I started I couldn’t put it down. It was hilarious and her voice reminded me of my own snarky personality. After that I got hooked writing Rom Coms. I’ve always loved romantic comedy movies so it came easily to me.

Do you think you have been perceived any differently because you are a man?

It’s hard to say. I think some women are intrigued by a guy who writes romance, while others might be a bit apprehensive. I realize there’s a perception that men aren’t as sensitive or romantic as women, so maybe I’m doing my part to blow up that myth. We can be sensitive and romantic, but most of us are horrible klutzes when it comes to showing it. Sometimes words speak louder than actions.

Did you ever consider writing under a pseudo name?

Oh, absolutely. And especially when I was shopping the manuscript. I was concerned editors might not give my work a look if they knew it came from a guy, so I kept any possible reference to my gender out of the query letter and bio. I discussed this with the editors at HarperCollns and they didn’t feel I needed a pen name. Nic is simply short for Nicholas.

How did you find yourself on the Harper Impulse team?

My agent and I had parted ways after three years and rather than shop for a new agent I decided to simply send my work directly to editors. I know lots of authors who are now doing that and more editors are receptive to it. So I basically carpet-bombed publishers with queries and actually got more response than I had ever gotten from agents. While on vacation I got an email from HarperImpulse and after a phone call we agreed on a three book deal. They’re a wonderful group to work with and really do make you feel like you’re part of a team.

What is your favourite genre to read?

Honestly, I’m all over the place. (Like most guys.) I love legal and political thrillers, science fiction, women’s fiction, chick lit, anything featuring a main female character with attitude.

Which authors have shaped the way that you write?

I loved Jacqueline Susann and Sidney Sheldon as a kid. Stephen King taught me a lot about voice. Suzanne Collins does cliffhangers better than anyone. I like Lisa Scottoline’s spunky female characters.

How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

Creative. Ambitious. Compassionate.

Has being a published author been everything you thought it would be?

It’s been more than I expected because the people at HarperImpulse keep surprising me. I’ve heard from authors who signed with other publishers and gotten no promotion or support. Some can’t even get their phone calls returned. Here it’s just the opposite; they’re constantly trying new promotional ideas, asking for my input on covers, working with Amazon to get my book in special promotions and getting advance copies out to the right people.

I even had lunch with Publishing Director Kimberly Young when we were both in New York. I was expecting twenty minutes of her time and she spent more than two hours with me.

When my editor Charlotte Ledger asked, “What else do you have?” I mentioned I had a couple of Young Adult novels so she asked to see them. The first will be published next month.

Do you have a motto that you live by?

It’s from Carole Kneeland, the late television executive. “It is never the wrong time to do the right thing.” The phrase really applies to anything in life.

If there was any book that you wish you could have written what would it be?

Stephen King’s JFK time-travel novel 11/22/63. I love time travel stories and that period in American history. And it’s not your typical go-back-in-time-and-save-Kennedy book, of which there have been many. This one’s got a love story woven into the plot along with a conflicted time traveler. And of course, King’s incredible voice set in the age of America’s innocence.

What is your favourite book?

“The Return” by William Shatner: A must for any Star Trek fan that blends elements of several past storylines together in a very clever fashion, by the original captain of the Enterprise. (Sorry if you were expecting a classic, but I’m being honest. I love this plot.)

What has been the high point of your career so far?

I guess the release date for Wing Girl and all the terrific reviews that followed were definitely a high. The first book is always something special.

With the impending release of your second book Boss Girl, do you get nervous about the incoming reviews?

Back in September 2012 I nearly checked out, so I’m not much of a worrier anymore. (Although the fact that I didn’t see the white light does concern me.) But I think every writer is always a little apprehensive about reviews. Boss Girl is not at all a formulaic Rom Com. A few authors who have seen it told me it reads like a movie script.

You always hope that everyone will love your book but that’s never going to happen. Check any best seller or classic on Amazon and you’ll see a parade of one-star reviews. I can only hope readers enjoy my book and are entertained by the story. If I can make readers smile and entertain them, take them away from the harsh realities of life for awhile or make a plane ride go faster, then I’m happy. I think that’s all any writer can ask for.

As of right now I will be closing myself off for submissions. I have exams coming up and assignments to be completed and unfortunately the time has come to make some decisions and like the other adults out there, learn to prioritise.

Does this mean I am going to stop reading and reviewing? Seriously – is that even a question? No, it doesn’t. It just means that apart for the things I have going on already that I will be marching to the beat of my own drum for a while. Back to basics, the way it was in the beginning.

So what has this all got to do with a challenge I hear you ask.

Well, recently I almost wet myself when I found out about the Dublin Authors Signing. This is happening in July. While I am disappointed that some of my absolute favourite authors will not be there, I am also delirious that some of them will. I mean COME ON!! Abbi Glines, Rebecca Donovan, Cassia Leo, Olivia Cunning, Sylvia Day, Cora Carmack and of course my very good friend Carmel Harrington. These are only a few of the 41 authors that will be there. Told you I almost wet my pants.

So my challenge to myself is to have read at least title belonging to each of the authors that will be there, though if I know myself as well as I think I do then I doubt one will be enough. Is it ever?

It should also help out nicely with my Goodreads Challenge. How are you doing with yours?

The Couple on The Green – Avie Bennett Blog Tour!

Welcome to the The Couple on the Green Blog Tour!

Come and take the emotional journey that is The Couple on The Green and find out about the book readers are raving about.

What they say:

‘The course of true love never did run smooth, but is holding onto true love worth a lifetime of pain? Isobel and James are the couple everyone wants to be; wildly in love, compatible in every way and caught up in the sexually adventurous haze of young love, but just as they accept this life as theirs forever it is torn away from them. Theirs is the tale of an all-encompassing love-of-a-lifetime and the excruciating pain that so often accompanies it. This is the story of the love we all search for, but few can hold onto. James and Isobel get a second chance, but is it ever possible to get a happy ending?’

Click Here To Buy This Book – UK

Click Here To Buy This Book – US

WATCH THE TRAILER

‘This is really an excellent debut, perfect for fans of Nicholas Sparks and lovely romantic (even heart-breaking) stories.’

– Marina, This Chick Reads

Author Bio:

Avie Bennett started writing at the age of fourteen and never really stopped. She’s had her work published in magazines, journals and newspapers but says she ‘never really thought’ to write a novel. That is, until recently when a burning desire bound her to do so.

Avie lives with her husband and children in Hampshire, England. When not writing, she can be found enjoying other creative pursuits such as art, music and photography.

Author Links

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr

GIVEAWAY!

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What Annie thought

Beck and Dee, there is just no denying the chemistry. I can feel it sizzling out of the screen at me!

He likes her, she likes him. They have a hot dynamic relationship, but she is too scared to let him in fully. She has her walls up. No man will own her heart, just to have a chance to break it, like every guy before.

Beck NOT your average guy. The man is a SEX GOD, hell he isn’t even your average Sex God. Nothing about this man could ever be described as close to average. Ever since he first walked up to Dee in the bar, I was head over heels in love with him. I wanted to tie him up and have my way with him. YES…it is that serious! He has to be my favorite of all the Corp Security hotties. So far anyway, we have more to come after all.

Dee is the kind of girl I love to hate. She is hot, but she whines and flip flops with her emotions way too much. I liked her in all the other books, but in this book I was ANNOYED. I wanted to skip over every scene she was in…and that was most of the book! I needed more Beck, Less Dee.

This book was just as drama filled as the rest, but it was a little too much drama. It isn’t realistic. How can everyone be so intertwined into each other’s lives, and they all have way to many issues for a normal person! This book will have you screaming and wanting to strangle characters, moaning with pleasure, but most importantly balling your eyes out. Yes. This book is a tear jerker. You definitely will need a box of Kleenex.
4 Stars out of 5

 

 

 

 

Relentless

“Sometimes letting someone go is the ultimate act of love.”

Claire Nixon is a college student with a past full of secrets and heartbreak.

At seven years old, the death of her mother by drug overdose destroys her faith in humanity and herself as she is tossed from one foster home to another. Feeling unwanted and disposable, she fights to keep herself safe in the system. Until, at the age of fifteen, she is saved by her first love, and soon-to-be rock star, Chris Knight and his mother, who quickly becomes the mother she always wanted.

When Claire encourages Chris to leave town to pursue his dreams of musical stardom, both Claire and Chris don’t realize this will be the biggest mistake of their lives.

One year after Chris leaves on tour, Claire has carved out a new life for herself in a new city far away from the life she left behind with Chris. On a fateful morning, she meets sexy surfer Adam Parker.

To Claire, Adam is just another flirty customer at the cafe, until a chance encounter and seemingly innocent comment spurs a bet between them. The bet is simple: If Adam can get Claire to reveal the secret that made her drop out of college and leave her life behind, she has to re-enroll. If he doesn’t succeed, she gets to keep her secret and he has to stop stalking her at the cafe.

Claire thinks she has this one in the bag. She’s perfected the art of forgetting her past. But she isn’t prepared for Adam’s relentless pursuit or for him to share his own secrets. And she’s definitely not prepared for the love of her life, Chris Knight, and her secret, to come banging down her door one year later.

New Adult Contemporary Romance: Due to strong language, drug use, and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

What I thought

I had often seen the name Cassia Leo pop up on my news feeds on both Facebook and Twitter. I remember a huge hype over the release of the third book in the series, Bring Me Home. Just after Chrsitmas after seeing yet another post about Cassia Leo I decided that the time had come. I had nothing else in my immediate schedule. I was going to read Relentless.

The book had an intriguing start. Always good, it meant that it got my interest and I had already gave it a mental thumbs up. There were many twists and turns, a broken heart or two. A few people looking for love and comfort. Relationships formed but secrets and doubts linger, ready to rip everything apart again.

Every page of this book had a purpose. There was nothing there just to fill a space. Every word had a part to play. Every thought and every feeling meant something. I couldn’t help but feel a bond with Claire and I will admit that I was rooting for Adam and wishing Chris would just do one.

All I could do when I finished book one was, well one click book two Pieces of You. I almost felt sick starting it though. I was actually nervous about what was going to happen. The review for Pieces of You will follow shortly.

Buy Relentless on Amazon