Showing posts with label book excerpt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book excerpt. Show all posts

Book Spotlight and Exerpt: No Better Man by Sara Richardson

Summer is the time to chill out and grab a great romance to read by the pool and I thought that some of you might just get a kick out of No Better Man by Sara Richardson -  I know that I did when I had a chance to read an ARC sneak peek!  For me, this was a quick read that brought a freshness to the storyline and fun characters to the forefront.  Not only do you have a strong heroine in Avery King, and a sexy, strong cowboy in Bryce Walker, you also have Moose!  Moose stole many scenes for me and helped bring the characters true nature to the forefront!  Please check out the excerpt below and find the appropriate buy link!


About NO BETTER MAN
A Daring Proposition 
When it comes to business, Avery King always comes out on top. So after a very public breakup, work is the perfect excuse to flee the Windy City for the gentle breezes of Aspen, Colorado. Her mission: acquire the land of a rundown mountain ranch. Avery expects an easy win . . . until she meets the rugged and irresistible rancher who won't give up his property without a fight. Bryce Walker is stunned by the stubborn beauty determined to get what she wants. But what she wants is his last connection to the life he used to have. Bryce has plans to return the ranch to its former glory and no way will he sell his family home. Yet the more time he spends with Avery, the more her sweet touch makes him forget his painful memories. Now Bryce must decide whether living in the past is worth losing his future . . .


Excerpt:

Ah, hell. Not this. What was it with women, anyway? Why’d they have this burning desire to get to the bottom of absolutely every feeling they had? Why couldn’t they sit in silence, enjoy the scenery? “I don’t know you well enough to be upset with you,” he finally said, increasing his pressure on the gas pedal. The cops were notorious for pulling over speeders on this section through town, but tonight he was willing to risk it.
“Look.” Avery’s hands sliced the air in front of her. “I understand why you don’t want to sell. Trust me. I get it.”
Ha. Trust her. He didn’t trust her any more than he trusted her father. At the end of the day, she worked for the infamous Edward King. She might be smokin’ hot and nice, and, like she insisted, a good person, but she still had a job to do. He wouldn’t forget that.
Instead of answering, he leaned over and flicked on the radio. Nothing like a little Brad Paisley to tune out a woman.
Avery shot him a fiery look, topaz eyes blazing, lips thinned into a warning that tempted him to test her.
That didn’t help things. She looked even better when she got mad. His grip on the wheel tightened until his knuckles ached. Mom was right. He had to get out more. Start dating again. Any woman besides Avery King…
She hunched forward and fiddled with the radio until he could hardly hear Paisley. Fine. That was fine. Five more minutes and they’d be back at the ranch anyway. He’d be free of her.
“You need to listen to me, Bryce. Please.” She launched into yet another impassioned monologue about how selling the ranch could change his life.
Yeah, well. He’d had enough changes in his life over the last few years. So sue him if he wasn’t interested. She didn’t seem to pick up on his lack of concentration, though. She went on and on until he pulled the truck into the driveway and parked in front of the office.
“Are you listening to me?” She leaned over the console between them and got in his face, close enough that he could smell oranges, that he could trace the sexy curve of her upper lip with his tongue if he’d wanted to.
“Have you heard anything I’ve said?”
The throb started again, deep in his chest, invading his body until it occupied all of him.
“Seriously, Bryce this is—”
Screw it. He cupped his hand around the back of her head and roughly brought her lips to his, totally unprepared for the impact it would have. Shock waves coursed through him, unleashing a craving stronger than he’d ever felt.
Avery squeaked in surprise but he didn’t let up. Need thundered through him and it was a helluva lot louder than the logic he’d spent the last several hours beating into his thick skull. Her lips were soft and moist and everything he’d hungered for during the last three lonely years. He gentled a hand up into her hair. It felt like silk against his skin.
A small moan purred in her throat and her upper body relaxed, lips melding to his in a pulsating heat. She ran her hands up his chest, and that was all he needed. He bent forward, halfway over the console, gathering her closer, kissing her harder, deeper. If it wasn’t for that console, he’d pull her right into his lap…
“Wow. Just…wow,” she whispered against his lips.
He answered by parting her lips with his tongue. There. That’d take care of her chatting problem.
Avery gasped a sharp intake of air, her chest rising against his.
Taking it as an invitation, he commanded her with his lips, opening and closing them in a sensual rhythm. A dull ache resounded in his chest. God, he’d forgotten the depth of a kiss…
He shifted to get a better angle, more access, but that console…
She pulled back with a small smile, lips grazing his in a tease, then she pressed in again and proved that she could make out as well as she could talk.
A scratching sound scraped the window. Moose whined, then barked.
Great timing, as usual.



About Sara Richardson
Sara Richardson grew up chasing adventure in Colorado's rugged mountains. She's climbed to the top of a 14,000-foot peak at midnight, swam through Class IV rapids, completed her wilderness first-aid certification, and spent seven days at a time tromping through the wilderness with a thirty-pound backpack strapped to her shoulders. 
Eventually, Sara did the responsible thing and got an education in writing and journalism. After a brief stint in the corporate writing world, she stopped ignoring the voices in her head and started writing fiction. Now, she uses her experience as a mountain adventure guide to write stories that incorporate adventure with romance. Still indulging her adventurous spirit, Sara lives and plays in Colorado with her saint of a husband and two young sons.

Sara’s SM
Buy links
GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/1FQhyVB 
Indiebound: http://bit.ly/1IPsfbJ 

You can also enter this great rafflecopter giveaway of paperback copies of No Better Man (not hosted by Acting Balanced)
Rafflecopter giveaway: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Excerpt and Blog Blast: Chivalry and Malevolence

I am pleased to be part of the Book Blast for Chivalry & Malevolene by Rae Z Ryans!



About the book:


When the Unseelie Court sentences an innocent man to death, the elven Princess Morgana cannot sit idly by as the human Knight perishes. The Queen calls her pathetic and worthless. It does not change how Mori feels about the old laws of Alfheim. These rules punish the faultless, lesser races of the Nine Realms of Odin.
Of the nine, this realm of the Light is home to many mythical creatures. The portal gates remain forever closed to the human race. However, neglected for centuries, a Knight from the realm of Earth enters the Light. Holding onto his faith and code of honor, he holds stoically in the face of capture and death. Princess Mori remains his only hope, but to save him, she must first save herself.
Purchase Chivalry and Malevolence on:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords


Excerpt:


Then everything changed.
Cold air bit at me, and the scent of horses filled my nose replacing the sweet smell of my guard. There was something more. Underneath it all, the mood changed. The hands upon my body grew lax, soft even. The only softness I had known in this land was that of the Princess. A man could dream, and imaginably that is what this truly is.
“You will have to pull yourself atop the beast, my Lord. I fear I cannot lift you.” The musical voice reached my ears. It was the Princess, I was certain, with little doubt, of her intentions. The fair and just woman, of this godless place meant to set me free. I had not realized in the depths of despair how much I wanted out of that dreadful prison.
“It is a horse, milady. His name is Achilles.” I do not know why I chose now to reply to her earlier question. It seemed fitting since it was her alone releasing me. I could sense no other nearby, and only felt her hands on my arm. Somehow, I would repay the kindness of this gentlewoman. I could start by answering her curiosities of my world. My world … how absurd it sounded.
“You must go now. I fear there is nowhere safe nearby, perhaps anywhere in the land. My father plans to kill you if you stay. You must head south, milord.” She removed my covering. My vision returned fully. The Princess stood before me in her glorious beauty. The three moons were high, but her face hidden from me. The three moons? I really was in another world.
“I am lost in this land without my armor, without my sword …” Without any knowledge of the beasts that stalked prey, human or whatever this race is. I did not want to admit that my fate would remain the same. These lands, the creatures, I knew not what I faced out there in the bitter wilderness, or within the walls of this city.
“I could not get either, but I took what I could from the keep cache. In the pouch by your side are medicine, bandages, a map, and food too. There is enough for a few days.” The Princess cut my binds, and handed me the dagger.
“Come with me,” the words left my lips. I could not explain why I asked. She was a stranger and surely, it would slow me down. Perhaps it was terror of this world that drove me to ask her. Maybe it was because of all the women I had ever met, none had affected me on this level. This is a good woman, and she would make … I shook the thoughts from my mind.
“You must go. It is only a matter of time before your absence is noticed, my Lord, or mine. I fear I cannot go, even if I wanted to.” Her tone softened me. The Princess did want to flee this place.
A bell ripped through the calm night. Within moments, I found us surrounded by elves. I knew I could still maneuver about the half sleeping and half drunk, by the smell of it, elven guard. Time ran short, however, so either we fled together now, or I left the Princess to the demise of her people. They would know without a doubt that she freed me, and that I decided, I could not live with.


About Author Rae Z. Ryans

Rae Z Ryans

Rae Z. Ryans loves to create mythical lands and characters that entertain, promote equality, and love. She writes for both children and adults in her world of Six and Twenty. When she is not writing, Ms. Ryans spends her days chasing after her own children, and dreaming up new adventures.
Follow Rae Z Ryans:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads | Amazon

Book Excerpt: The Chronicles of Trellah: The Perpetual Rain



The Chronicles of TrellahThe Chronicles of Trellah, Book One: The Perpetual Rain
"The World's Toughest Book Critics" have weighed in, and it's high praise for Trellah!

"An excellent choice for readers eager for a suspenseful, emotionally satisfying fantasy adventure."
-Kirkus Book Reviews

Fourteen-year-old Sophina Murray will be the first to tell you: Bad luck comes in threes. First, her father is lost at sea. Then, the rains start . And don't stop. And finally, her little brother
is taken from his bed by a monster straight from her worst nightmare. A glimpse into the parallel universe of Trellah - a land of giant trees, bizarre creatures, and a glowing red mineral with mystical properties - convinces Sophina that all may not be lost. But first, she'll have to survive in a hostile world where her darkest fears live and breathe.

Trellah is an original and realistic fantasy for ages 12 to 112. Parental guidance suggested for advanced readers ages 10-11 for moderate elements of horror.

The upcoming deluxe edition of this book will include illustrated paintings by artist Ryan Penney. Below is a sample of this talented artist's work.




Here's the Excerpt:

The chatter of cave life went silent as Sophina stepped toward the fissure. The silence alone was unnerving, but she knew that her movement had nothing to do with it—a realization that was beyond terrifying. Something had joined her in the cave; something that hadn’t been there until just now.
Before she could draw a breath, an icy hand fell upon her shoulder. She spun around and came face-to-face with a grotesque old man clad in a tattered yellow raincoat. The decayed skin of his face hung loose beneath the old-fashioned sea captain’s cap that covered the crown of his head; his broken teeth peeked through torn, gray lips, and his clouded, sunken eyes glared above whisker-covered cheeks.
“Where’s my daughter?” he demanded with a gravelly voice.
Sophina stumbled back as mangled hands reached for her throat.
“You stole her from me!”
The old sailor lunged as Sophina turned on her heels and sprinted away through the giant stalagmites. She ran faster than she ever dreamed possible toward the fissure, but could still sense him closing in.
Purchase this book on Amazon.


About Author T.S. Graham
T.S. Graham was born and raised in midcoast Maine. He has worked as a sea urchin diver, fish monger, home renovator, and in several group homes for children and adults with disabilities. His original screenplay, Stone's Point, written as Clint Elliott, has won multiple awards. He studied English Literature at the University of Southern Maine, where, despite developing a strong dislike of the traditional curriculum focused on old, dead (and boring) scribes, he somehow managed to graduate with honors. His greatest influences are writers like Stephen King and Michael Crichton, whose talents would have allowed them to write more literary fare, but they chose to thrill and entertain instead. He now lives on a horse farm with his beautiful wife and five daughters, two poodles, two cats, two happy turtles, four playful ferrets, three fish, a corn snake named "Tiger," dozens of chickens, and, of course, four awesome equines. The Chronicles of Trellah, Book One: The Perpetual Rain is his debut novel.

Follow T.S. Graham
Website | Facebook | GoodReads

The author is giving away a $100 Amazon Gift Card. This tour will begin February 14th.
a Rafflecopter giveaway


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