Review: Into The Dark by Stacy Green

Into the Dark
by Stacy Green
Published: October 1, 2012
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon

IT’S THE MOMENTS FROM OUR PAST THAT BIND US.  Branch Manager Emilie Davis is having a day like any other–until two masked men storm into WestOne Bank demanding cash. Her hopes of a quick end to her terror are dashed when she realizes one of the men has no interest in the bank’s money. Emilie is his prize, and he’s come to claim her. When hostage negotiator Nathan Madigan and Las Vegas SWAT enter the bank on a rescue mission, Emilie’s captor makes a shocking escape into the abyss that lies beneath the city: the Las Vegas storm drains, a refuge for the downtrodden and the desperate.

HOW WILL IT END? Who is the man the media has dubbed the “Taker?” Why is he after Emilie, and what is the connection he’s convinced they share?Emilie can’t run from the Taker, and she can’t escape her own past. As her life closes in on her, she has nowhere to turn but to Nathan. The lines of professionalism blur as Nathan becomes determined to save Emilie. Together they venture into the depths beneath Las Vegas and discover a shocking piece of the puzzle. But the Taker remains one step ahead. Desperate for the threat to emerge from the shadows, Emilie makes a bold move to reclaim her life, and it may cost her everything.

I love romance wrapped in suspense, danger and mystery. I was intrigued by the synopsis for Stacy Green’s novel Into the Dark and agreed to review it. Set in Las Vegas, we interact with the LA police, FBI and get inside the mind and lives of victim Emilie Davis and her serial stalker dubbed the “Taker”. From the streets to the tunnels of Las Vegas this tale kept me turning the pages.

The tale begins when branch manger Emilie Davis gets flowers without a card, as she takes them to the front lobby two masked men enter the bank firing off rounds and an intense hostage negotiation begins between Nathan Madigan of the Las Vegas Swat team and the two perps. One of the masked men takes an interest in Emilie and she quickly realizes he is there for her.  Incredible perception on Nathan’s part puts an end to the situation but not before the creepy perp makes a surprise escape into the cities underground. The cops slowly begin to realize this was a carefully laid plan to abduct Emilie, but Nathan worries about the primary detective getting the job done. His interest in Emilie is different, and it could land him in trouble with his commanding officers. The tale that unfolds was suspenseful and filled with well-fleshed out characters and a villain who gave me goosebumps.

Never have I met two primary characters with so much emotional baggage. Emilie left home at eighteen, is estranged from her mother and recently divorced. I liked Emilie but grew to admire her as she came into herself. Nathan blames himself for the death of his uncle when he was a teen and carries it with him everywhere. He is solid, dependable and really good at accessing people. I immediately connected with him. The interaction between them started off as you would expect a victim and the man who she sees as her savior would. Slowly their relationship grew into something more, and Green handled it well. It felt real, complicated and genuine. Suspects, bank employees, law enforcement officers and family members added to the suspense, and complexity of the characters. The Taker was downright creepy and his back-story and methodical methods gave me shivers.

Into the Dark took me on a fast paced ride, and I enjoyed myself. The twists and turns into the psyche of the Taker, and those who aided him were fascinating, and tripped me up. I thought I knew who the inside man was and was surprised when all was revealed. The back-stories to Nathan and Emilie were interesting and added depth to both characters.  While I am not sure all of it was necessary I liked the way the author weaved it into the tale. The relationship felt genuine and we got a little sweetness and a touch of heat. The climatic scenes towards the end kept me turning the pages and the conclusion left me satisfied.

Fans of romantic suspense and crime thrillers will enjoy Into the Dark. This is Green’s first published work and I look forward to reading more from her. Her next thriller will be a darker, grittier tale set in the Deep South. 

I want to thank the author for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

Three and half cups of coffee from Caesar’s Place out of five

Today's Stops for Fiery Hot Reads for Icy Cold Nights Hop

 Check out these awesome posts and giveaways! Each day different blogs will be participating so be sure to check in daily for your chance to win and discover new Fiery hot reads!

Veronica@Mostly Reviews: Karina Halle

Christy@Love of Books:Cambria Hebert: Recalled

Heidi@Rainy Day Ramblings: Miranda Kenneally: Things I Can't Forget

It's Here!! Take Control of Your TBR Pile Challenge March 2013

It's Here *happy dance* are you ready to Take Control of Your TBR Pile? I am so excited about the number of you who have committed to this challenge. Let's have some fun! Below is a recap of rules, information on mini read-a-thon and the rafflecopter for you to link up those reviews! If you haven't signed up it's not to late, see link below.  

While I do an excellent job of keeping up on new releases and ARC reviews, my own personal bookshelf has suffered, so I decided that for the entire month of March I would focus on cleaning up my TBR pile, catching up on some series and finally cracking the spines on some of those books I cannot wait to read. So I am clearing my schedule, setting aside the ARC's and drowning myself in my own pile of lovely books. (new releases on my gotta have it now or die list-excluded..I will still read those, even though they will not count..LOL) 

So I am inviting you to join me! Glance over your shoulder at your own TBR pile...*yep it's that big!* Ya know you want at them and to encourage you for every book you read you'll get one entry into a Rafflecopter drawling to win a new 2013 release of your choice! 

Rules

• Link-up! This is open to everyone. If you do not have a blog then link your Facebook or Goodreads account. 
• Beginning March 1st, 2013 and ending March 31, 2013 at midnight read books from your TBR pile ALL books must have been published before March 2013. 
• Post a review to Goodreads, your blog or Facebook then link it to the Rafflecopter for an entry. (for those of you who post a month or more out on your blog like me, just link up your Goodreads rating and quick review.)
• Rafflecopter will close on April 2, 2013 at midnight and a winner will be chosen. Open internationally as long as Book Depository or Barnes and Noble ship to you. Prize: New 2013 release. I will do pre-orders as well.  

You can use hastag #TakeControlTBR on twitter and share your progress. Share the Take Control Button or this post on your blog, Facebook or twitter to earn an extra entry for each place you share. 

*note this challenge can be done in conjunction with any other TBR challenge as long as the book is read between March 1st and 31st.

Rafflecopter Giveaway for Take Control Participants 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Take Control of Your TBR Pile! 
You can still join link up: HERE

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Need Extra Incentive or Can only commit for a weekend
Join the Take Control Read-A-Thon 
March 15-18
Fun, Challenges, Friendship
Sign up for read-a-thon HERE

How The Heck Did You Do That?!? Blogger Tips and Tricks # 7

How Do I Grow My Blog? Get Comments ?

I regularly receive emails asking me, "How do I grow my blog and get more comments?"  So here are a few suggestions that have worked for me:

Make your Blog presence known 

• use social media sites such as twitter, facebook and goggle+ to promote your posts
• Make sure your profile on Goodreads has a link to your blog and that your reviews also have a link to your blog post. Do this on Amazon and other book related sites you visit. 
• Share your review post link on publishers facebook pages. (positive ones)
• Be a part of the Book Blogger community by taking part in memes, community events ie. read-a-thons, challenges etc and comment on other blogs consistently. 
• Join and participate in bookish events locally and on the web. 
• Tweet an awesome review to the author/publisher and chances are they will re-tweet them. Other like minded book lovers will find you. 
• Turn off captcha..guys this is awful and people will skip commenting to avoid it. If spam is a serious issue use the blogger approval option or upgrade to good commenting system like Disqus, Comment Luv, etc. 

Content

• Consistent content- If you only post every other week, or even once a week it will be harder for others to remember you are out there. Posting daily makes visiting your blog a habit :)
• Great content is super important. Make your posts interesting and create your own style. 

1. Reviews -should be honest, insightful and not just a recap. Tell what you liked and didn't without spoiling the book for others. If you are honest others will trust you and look to you for their book related purchases. Be yourself and let your personality into the review.
2. Memes, Book Tours and the like- add spice to your blog but don't get bogged down with daily posts of regurgitated information. Try to make them original if you choose to do them. For example provide an actual review on a tour and whenever possible ask for an exclusive excerpt or an original interview with questions provided by you. Memes are great and help grow your blog. Try and limit it to your favorites.
3. Add some original/interactive content- If you look at really successful blogs you will notice that they all have original content on their blogs. Whether it's a helpful tips post, a conversational post or a meme they created. This is a rewarding and exciting part of blogging and should truly reflect you. Start small highlighting and sharing something related to your blog that interests you. There are tons of awesome posts out there but here are some great posts for inspiration and to help you understand what I mean by content:

• Danielle @ Book Whore -does Let's Talk. Others have similar commentary posts but Danielle adds her own touches and posts weekly. She shares her personal opinions on bookish topics. They are heart-felt and often times hilarious. 
• Giselle @ Xpresso Reads does a weekly Fresh Batch featuring new book releases for the week. Yes, others do them too, but Giselle made this uniquely her own. From her header to the way she presents them. She also posts consistently every week and people look to her post for purchasing ideas.
• Let us not forget the Queen of Blogging Tips Rachel @ Parajunkee and her Blogger 101 posts. Rachel mixes in blogging tips and personal thoughts to make each of her posts original and informational. 
• Liz @Fictional Candy does a weekly Blogger on Blogger interview allowing us to meet a new blogger. There are a lot of blogs that showcase bloggers and authors but Liz uses her own unique spin making it an interesting post that people will tune into weekly. 

 Comment and Socialize -tweet, comment and be a part of the book world.  

• Make social media work for you and your blog. I talked about this on my last tip post and all of the social media sites that will help promote comments and visitors to your blog. 
• Join a book club on Goodreads and comment on reviews
• Visit other book blogs and sites. Leave meaningful comments. If you comment more then likely they will come and comment on your blog. 
• Respond to comments made by your followers. Most people who leave a well meaning comment want to engage..so comment back :) 

Milestone Celebrations- Celebrate 50 followers, a 100 followers, 300 Followers etc with a giveaway or celebration post. Ask an author you have worked with or publisher to provide prize if it isn't something you can do or share a gently used book of your own. This doesn't need to be a budget breaker. 

Give it time Grasshopper-Don't Get Fixated on the Numbers! No blog grows overnight and these things will come. If you post regularly, share thoughtful and insightful reviews and content your blog will bloom. If you look there are some HUGE Blogs with tons of followers and no comments. They tend to draw people in with giveaways, and the like but have very little interaction with followers. I personally would rather have a small following and oodles of comments. How you work your blog is up to you. For me my blog is about sharing my love of reading and the books that make it on to my bookshelf. I want to know my followers and chat bookish things with them. Oh yeah I am a chatty-Kathy when it comes to books. This in itself requires work, as socialize is a huge part of my daily life.

Tracking Statistics for Your Blog

To keep track of my blogs daily page views, first time visits, total counts I use  a free system called StatCounter. Each week they emailed a report and the website allows me to customize the information I receive. This helps me share information with publishers, see which posts attract the largest audiences and if a new idea works. It is easy to install and you can find the details here: StatCounter

Have a wonderfully bookish day! If you have a question or tip you would like answered please send me an email. Due to the large amount of emails I have been receiving I may choose to only answer your question in post form. 

Today's Stops for Fiery Hot Reads for Icy Cold Nights Hop

Check out these awesome posts and giveaways! Each day different blogs will be participating so be sure to check in daily for your chance to win and discover new Fiery hot reads!

Veronica@Mostly Reviews: Selina Fenech:Empath Chronicles 

Heidi@Rainy Day Ramblings: MIchelle Rowan: Wicked Kiss

Pragya@The Reviewing Shelf:

Book Blitz/Giveaway: His Allure, Her Passion by Juliana Haygert

Today I am excited to share His Allure, Her Passion by Juliana Haygert a New Adult book and giveaway with Xpresso book Tours. Enjoy!

His Allure, Her Passion

by Juliana Haygert

Publisher: Decadent Publishing

Publication date: February 14, 2013

Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon

In his father’s eyes, Dylan Deveraux is just a playboy spending the family fortune on prostitutes, alcohol, and fast cars. And it isn't even with the cars his father produces. Because of that, his father forbids his presence at the ball that will mark the launch of the US plant of his company, strategically scheduled on Valentine’s Day. Hayley Allen is a failing model with the worse luck in the world. She always ends up in the hands of cruel designers and photographers. At least, that’s what she tells herself. Better than admit having a weak nervous system that always reacted during her gigs. Desperate, she would do anything to help her career. Dylan shows up at her door, wasted as usual. Friends for a long time, Hayley is the only one able to put up with Dylan’s bullshit, and he appreciates that, but not the way her heart wants. Even though he doesn't believe in Valentine's Day, Dylan has an idea for his father's ball. When he suggests a deal to Hayley, a deal that could finally put her in the spotlight of success and help him impress his father, she doesn't hesitate. Even if it means hurting her heart a little more.

Excerpt 

Dylan kissed Hayley, his lips moving slowly at first, afraid of getting her madder than she already was, afraid of falling under her spell more than he already had. But her scent burnt his nostrils and her sweet taste teased his mouth, and he lost it. His need grew, and he increased the speed and pressure of the kiss. Startling him, she matched his new rhythm, her soft lips moving along with his, her nails scratching the back of his shoulder, sending shivers down his spine, shaking his core. Wanting more of her, needing more of her, he slid his hands up her bare back, rubbed her silky skin, glued himself to her. He loved her skin on his, her warmth mingled with his.

Dylan could have kissed her forever, and he would have, weren’t it for Dorant.

“Perfect,” the photographer said, destroying the moment. “And that’s a wrap. We’re done here, people.”

The kiss slowed, their hands drew back, and finally Hayley pulled her head back, breaking the kiss, her wide eyes on his.

Damn, he missed her lips already.

“Hayley, I-”

She walked away without hearing him. Perhaps, it was for the best, since he wasn’t sure what to say. He felt he needed to say something, to fix them, to fix their relationship.

Hayley, on the other hand, didn’t seem eager to fix anything.

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Guest Post-Giveaway: Misty Evans author of Kali Sweet Urban Fantasy Series

Today I am excited to have Misty Evans author of the urban fantasy series Kali Sweet here for a guest post. I have read both books in the series and have been drooling in anticipation for the third book due out later this year. Enjoy the post, and check out my interview with Rad a hot chaos demon featured in her novels. Be sure and enter to win a copy for yourself. Stop by the other blogs participating in the hop today for more chances to win great books!

Guest Post

Oscar Wilde once wrote: “The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.”

So let’s play a little game. Finish this sentence: “Today, I’m craving…”

Knee-deep in winter, I’m craving dark chocolate (okay, I crave that all the time), warm blankets, and dark, paranormal stories featuring gutsy heroines and damaged heroes. I want them to be tempted beyond belief, to literally crave the other’s presence, and finally, against their better judgment, to give in with their whole heart and soul.

According to psychologists and other ‘experts’, women crave romance while men crave sex. A recent article in Psychology Today asserted that some men crave romance, too…they just don’t have a clue as to how we like out romance served (and it’s all about us, right?) Wine and roses? Opening doors? Compliments? Grand gestures or small, intimate ones? What is it, exactly, that women crave in romance?

In my urban fantasy, Revenge Is Sweet, the hero, Radison, wants to make amends for leaving Kali at the altar three hundred years ago. He’s still in love with her and he’s determined to prove it.

But how could he, I wondered while writing the story. How did a guy, demon or human, make up for such a heart-crushing faux pas and romance the woman he loves back into his life?

So I asked Kali what she craved…

Rad starts by showing up at Kali’s door every day with a hot cup of her favorite coffee. Yes, this is secretly one of my wildest fantasies. A rock star god showing up at my door with coffee. A box of chocolate would be good too.

Anyway, Rad befriends Kali’s friends. She doesn’t have many – and some are…ahem…unusual, but again, I find that’s a sexy quality in a guy.

When Rad discovers Kali’s been kidnapped, he helps her break free and kill the vampire king using her for her blood. A little Superman thrown in the mix. Of course, Rad’s more of the Batman type, but…

Kali’s no pushover and romancing her is a delicate operation. An operation Rad is up for as you can see in the following excerpt. Rad knows when to push and when to back off and let Kali’s craving for him be her undoing:

Our eyes met. Because he was my blood slave, I could see his bone-deep desire to take my blood shining in his eyes. I could feel his craving, as palpable as my own, coursing through me. His need called to my blood, his emotions entangling with mine, and my own desire kicked low in my stomach. My pulse jumped.

His hands slid under the cape at my shoulders, sliding the red garment down my arms and letting it linger around my waist to keep me close to him. I shuddered at his touch. At his too-close body and the need rolling off of it. The blood lust was evident on his face but so was pure old human desire. He wanted to kiss me. Wanted to wipe away my disgust with myself and my fear of facing the Council. Instead, he tossed my cape on the end of the couch and handed me the champagne…

And so their romance continues, rocky and dark and heart-breaking at times, but balanced out with a love so fierce, you have no doubt these two were meant to be together. Their romance is more blood and sacrifice than wine and roses, but in the end, they’ll find their happy ending.

So tell me, how did you finish the sentence? What do you crave? How do you like your romance? Comment and be entered to win a copy of Revenge Is Sweet, A Kali Sweet Urban Fantasy.

About Misty Evans

Misty Evans is the best-selling and award-winning author of four series: Super Agent spy series, the Witches Anonymous paranormal romance series, the dark paranormal Lost Worlds series and her urban fantasy Kali Sweet series.

She has short stories in Entangled, A Paranormal Anthology, and Every Witch Way But Wicked. All proceeds from Entangled go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and all proceeds for EWWBW go to Nathon Fillion’s Kids Need To Read charity.

Misty likes her coffee black, her conspiracy stories juicy, and her wicked characters dressed in couture. When not reading or writing, she enjoys hanging out with her husband of twenty-two years and their twin sons. Learn more and sign up for her newsletter at www.readmistyevans.com. Like her author page on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.

The Kali Sweet Series 

                             

Revenge Is Sweet (review)

Sweet Chaos (review)

My interview with smokin' hot chaos demon Radison Beaumont

Rafflecopter Giveaway

Win an ebook copy of Revenge Is Sweet 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Today's Stops for Fiery Hot Reads for Icy Cold Nights Hop

Check out these awesome posts and giveaways! Each day different blogs will be participating so be sure to check in daily for your chance to win and discover new Fiery hot reads!

Veronica@Mostly Reviews: Janelle Stalder: Eden

Jennifer@Some Like it Paranormal:Michelle Rowan: Wicked Kiss

The Secret Vol 1-5 by H.M. Ward: Review/Excerpt/Giveaway

Today I am delighted to share H.M. Ward's Secret serial for the Fiery Hot Reads for Icy Cold Nights Blog Hop. Check out my mini- reviews, read a scene between Anna and Cole from Volume One and enter to win the series, then go visit the other hop stops today!

Secrets
by H.M. Ward
Serial: Secrets #1
Publisher: Laree Bailey Press
Publication date: August 18, 2012
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon

Sex is supposed to be sexy, tantalizing, and completely erotic, but Anna never seems to find the right guy. This one seems to be a germ-a-phobe, and the previous boyfriend wasn’t much better. Anna just wants to be wanted. Is that too much to ask?  As she tries to wiggle out of one relationship, a new one surfaces, but it’s forbidden. Cole Stevens is twice her age, arrogant, rich, sexy as hell, and her boss. When Anna’s internship plans derail, she ends up interning at Cole’s elite New York City studio. Close proximity leads Anna to discover that the billionaire bachelor is emotionally scarred. Everyone has secrets, but Cole’s run deeper, cutting him to his core. Cole is trouble in a sexy shell. He’s nothing Anna needs and everything she wants.

In the first novel we meet Anna an ambitious college photographer interviewing for her internship all while dealing with her strange but sweet boyfriend; Edward. This was fun, evenly paced and filled with twists that made me laugh. I loved the interaction between Cole and Anna from the onset, and really felt their chemistry. 

Secrets 2
by H.M. Ward
Serial: Secrets #2
Published: August 25, 2012
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon

Sexy thoughts about Cole fill Anna's dreams. Every detail burns brightly in her mind; the way his hands feel on her bare skin, the soft brush of his lips against hers, and the way their bodies fit perfectly together. Anna awakes breathless, tingling as if it really happened. What caused her to think about Cole like that? It was completely forbidden. And Anna didn't feel that way about him, at least she didn't think she did. Cole was fun to flirt with, that's all, and the sexual tension between them was normal, right? Everyone has that from time to time with some super-hot guy. It made sense. Her mind was just telling her that she needs a boyfriend. But what if Cole's the right guy? What if he's right there and Anna lets him slip through her fingers? Cole's more than she bargained for, with enough sex appeal to make Anna realize everything she's been missing. 

In the second book of Secrets Anna begins to make decisions and step out of her comfort zone as she embraces the photography style Cole uses. Cole drove me batty with his cold/hot moods and I so want to know what is driving him. Anna needs to decide what she wants from Cole and go after it. The sexual tension between these two literally oozes from the pages. I am hoping more is revealed in the next volume. 

Secrets 3
by H.M. Ward
Serial: Secrets #3
Publication date: September 8, 2012
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon

When Anna admits she's falling for Cole she can't believe his response. He pushes her away with an excuse that seems too flimsy to be real. Crushed, Anna continues working at Cole's Long Island studio, but she can't stop thinking about him. It isn't until Anna is called into the dean's office that the real trouble starts. To make matters worse, Edward keeps popping up at the worst times reminding her of everything she wants to forget.

Holy cow..so much happens in the third installment of Secrets. Cole is obviously tormented and we discover why. Poor Anna; everything is upside down for her in this one, and Edward is really starting to creep me out. Oh and there is a certain hoity-toity bitch I want to whack over the head with my heel. *too violent?*  We get some hotness and a whole lot of reason to quickly grab book four..LOL 

Secrets 4
by H.M. Ward
Serial: Secrets #4
Publication date: November 20, 2012
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon

At night, when Anna closes her eyes, everything comes rushing back; the sensuous sound of Cole’s voice, his scalding touch, and the way his eyes roved over her body like he could never get enough. Flirtation, promises of passionate sex, and nights filled with Cole’s sexy smile are gone. Anna worries that her crush on Cole was something more, because her life is total agony without him.  Anna realizes she’s at a turning point. Someone burned her. This isn’t a little blister that would go away on its own, it’s an inferno that destroyed everything it touched. In a matter of minutes, Anna lost her future and the man who holds her heart. Anna has to decide how and when to get even with the person who destroyed her life—Sophia Sottero

We get some answers in Secrets 4, but things get complicated for Anna. Anna decides to put Cole behind her, but then as she uncovers the truth things get complicated. I found myself completely captivated. Who is trying to hurt Anna or are they trying to hurt Cole...so many questions eep! Upon finishing this one, I immediately began reading book 5 because I need answers and some resolution..please! 

Secrets 5
by H. M. Ward
Serial: Secrets #5
Publication date: December 21,2012
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon

The pounding in Anna's heart rings in her ears as she sits naked in the tub. The bath water sloshes around her bare hips, even though she tries to stand without making a sound. All this time, Anna thought someone was following her, but every time she turned around no one was there. The chills that climbed up her spine those few times seemed silly, but not now. Now, they seem horrific. Cole is gone, Emma is at work, and Anna is completely alone. A shadow darkens the space under the door. The metallic clink of a hand touching the knob sends Anna out of her mind. Pulse pounding in her ears, Anna has no other option, but to open the bathroom door and come face to face with her stalker.

Secrets 5 the last book is very climatic and a lot is revealed. I love the way Ward threaded all of the piece together in this action packed and intense conclusion. Anna and Cole's romance was a whirlwind but I enjoyed every delicious moment. I am so glad I read this series.

I really enjoyed these serials. I think I would have just preferred one novel, but I am very glad I read them and certainly got caught up in Cole and Anna's story.

Three and half Irish creme coffees out of five for the series

Excerpt from vol 1

"I feel restless, like I won’t ever be satisfied. Cole’s hands are warm. His smooth skin slides over my bare waist as he kisses me harder. My lips burn, they throb as I pull him closer to me. His thick hair is tangled in my fingers, his strong arms around my waist, pulling us closer—tighter together. Heat fills me. A burning desire to feel him inside consumes every thought I have.

There is nothing but him and me.

My nails claw his back as his kisses leave a hot trail down my neck. Our clothes are gone. It’s just his slick body against mine, but he won’t take me. He won’t push inside of me. I cry out, saying his name, begging him to take me. The third time I plead, he answers me. Without a word, he flips me over. I land on the sheets, and look up at him. My legs are splayed before him, completely exposed.

Cole doesn’t hesitate. His hard body meets mine and he pushes into me, rapidly, over and over again. I can’t stop calling his name. I want him, I want him to fill me with come.

I want things I shouldn’t want. I feel things I shouldn’t feel.

There is no hesitation, no holding back. We move together like we were made for each other.

“Cole,” I say softly.

A hand shakes my shoulder. The dream shatters, and fades, but the emotions are still flooding my body. The spot between my legs is pulsating like he was really there, even though he wasn’t. Slowly, I realize I was dreaming and open my eyes.

Horrified, I’m looking up into Cole’s face, “Anna, you okay?” His eyes are concerned, searching my face for answers that I can’t say.

Pushing up, I shake the sleep from my eyes, “I’m fine.” My voice catches in my throat.

Cole nods and sits on the coffee table across from the couch. He’s still watching me. I feel his sapphire eyes on the side of my face, though I don’t look at him.

After that dream, I don’t think I can ever look at him again. Heat sears my cheeks and I wish I could hide, but there is nowhere to go."

 Rafflecopter Giveaway

The author is giving one luck US winner (or ebooks for International and those who prefer them) signed copies of all the books in the Secrets serial!!!! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway Today's Stops on the Fiery Hot Reads for Ice Cold Nights Hop 

Check out these awesome posts and giveaways! Each day different blogs will be participating so be sure to check in daily for your chance to win and discover new Fiery hot reads!

Veronica@Mostly Reviews: Jessica Spotswood: Born Wicked

Christy@Love of Books:Jax Garren: Tales of the Underlight Series

Heidi@Rainy Day Ramblings: Juliet Dark: Water Witch

The Sunday Post #44 ~sharing blog news and book haul

The Sunday Post ~ 44th Edition

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. 

Last week was my week for the Fire and Ice Hop and all of the giveaways are still open if you missed them, be sure and check the other blogs linked to my posts! My oldest turned twenty-two this week and I love that she and are reading and chatting about some of the new adult books released. I am so over winter and want my flip-flops and a pedicure how about you?

Last week on the "Fire and Ice" blog we brought you

• Fiery Hot New Adult for Icy Cold Nights (giveaway)
• Omega by Susannah Sandlin  (Review-Guest Post-Giveaway)
• One Good Earl Deserves A Lover by Sarah MacLean (review-interview-giveaway)
• The Better to See You by Kate SeRine (review-guest post-giveaway)
• Anna Campbell author of Seven Night's In a Rogue's Bed (guest post-giveaway-encore review)
• Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi (review-giveaway)
• Gilded Wings by Amy Lignor (review-guest post-giveaway)

This week on the blog look for

• Secrets I-V by H.M. Ward (reviews-guest post-giveaway) 
• The Kali Sweet series by Misty Evans (guest post-giveaway)
• Blogger Tips and Tricks
• His Allure, Her Passion by Juliana Haygert Book Blitz (giveaway)
• Take Control TBR Challenge for March 2013
• Into the Dark by Stacy Green (review)
• Secretly Smitten by Colleen Coble, Denise Hunter, Kristin Billerbeck and  Diann Hunt (review)
• A Most Scandalous Proposal by Ashlyn Macnamara (review)

Around the Blogosphere 

• Take Control of Your TBR Pile Challenge begins March 1st. Have you signed up? 
• The Take Control Read-A-Thon is scheduled for March 15th to 18th and I still need a few challenge host. 
• That's What I am Talking About shared a discussion about eBooks 
• 12 year old blogger/writer Asma asks for help in a new feature called Story Saturday @ IceyBooks.

New arrivals to the Caffeinated Cafe

For Review: 

The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

courtesy of Harlequin 

Ten Tiny Breathes by K.A. Tucker
thanks to Simon & Schuster

A Human Element courtesy of author Donna Galanti

The Registry by Shannon Stoker
thanks to HarperCollins

Personal Haul:

Today's Stops on the Fiery Hot Reads for Ice Cold Nights Hop

  Check out these awesome posts and giveaways! Each day different blogs will be participating so be sure to check in daily for your chance to win and discover new Fiery hot reads!

Veronica@Mostly Reviews: Liz Long: Gifted

Peace, Love and Coffee and Books!
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