{Review} Sustained by Emma Chase

A knight in tarnished armor is still a knight.

{Review} Sea of Stars by Amy Bartol

Eighteen-year-old Kricket Hollowell was looking for her place in the world when she discovered that the universe was bigger—and more dangerous—than she had ever dreamed. Now, whisked across space to the planet Ethar, Kricket learns that her genetic ability to see the future makes her a sought-after commodity…and the catalyst for war between her star-crossed parents’ clans. According to Alameedan prophecy, one house will rise to power and the other will be completely wiped out, and Kricket’s precognition is believed to be the weapon that will tip the scales.

A target of both the Rafe and the Alameeda houses, Kricket finds protection—and a home—in the arms of Trey, her Etharian bodyguard-turned-boyfriend. But her visions of what’s to come disturb her deeply, especially since she must discover whether the gift of foresight will allow her to rewrite the future, or if her fate is as immovable as the stars. 

I love Amy Bartol... LOVE HER... LOVE, LOVE, LOVE HER!!! 

If I was a little more psychotic, she'd be trapped in my basement while I demanded her to type out all the glorious words, sentences, paragraphs, and chapters that leave me feeling book-gasmic... 

So glorious that I make up words just to describe what her books do to me!!

I don't say that to just any author, just the ones that leave me with all the feels. 

To prepare for this book I had to do a reread of Under Different Stars. When I say I "had to," what I really mean is, I wanted to because I missed these characters and this way, I got to experience them longer than I would have if I jumped into book 2. 

Kricket is back, right where she left off but if you thought things would smooth out once she was on Skye, you are truly mistaken. 

There was so much action in this book, every single page had something happening, someone dying (WHAAAT)... fighting, blood, guts, and gore. I was riveted in every aspect, I wanted to learn more, meet new people, and discover the truth of what was really happening. 

But nothing really gets settled, if anything more secrets get divulged and I am salivating for the next book in this series. I need it like I need my morning cup of coffee to make me feel less like a homeless woman and more like a citizen of society (sometimes).

Where Amy left this book, had me wanting to track her down and scream at her like a lunatic... How dare her leave us like that, how dare her do that to ME!!! I know what she is doing, she did it in her Premonition series, where she had you sympathizing and liking the antagonist but I can't do it... I can't!!! 

Brennus can suck it as much as Kyon can!! 

Kyon has to go somewhere else, HAS TO!! I don't like him, I am totally team Trey and maybe a little bit of Giffen (you meet him in this one)... And I can't love him like I love Trey, nope, don't even try it lady!!!

(That above statement made me sound like a total teen fangirl but whatever, I don't care... Judge away)

Ugh... Anyway, this book is just as spectacular as the first one, if not more so. I loved it and I officially don't like Amy so you know she did an amazing job if I am salivating for the next book and hating the author at the same time...

If  you have not discovered Kricket and her story yet, then you are truly missing out!! I 10000000% recommend this book to anyone who loves a great adventure, another world, love, and fuckedupness... 

It has everything and you will not be disappointed!!

I give this a 5"I love Kricket so hard, but Amy is a butthead" Stars!!! 

Look below for the links to this amazing series... 

{Review} Clear: A Death Trippers Novel by Jessica Fucking Park

Blurb:

Stella Ford’s grasp on reality is already loose, and it’s about to come undone.

When the college junior flees Chicago and leaves her toxic family behind, she heads for coastal Maine to find the one person who brought her peace years ago: Sam Bishop. But the Sam she once knew now has painful secrets.  

Stella is determined to heal them both. Healing, however, is a challenge when the walls of her everyday existence collapse. And when Sam’s best friend is his worst enemy.

When the line between life and death blurs.

When an end is just a beginning.

When lust and rage rule.

Yet during extraordinary chaos, there can be extraordinary love, even if that love comes with a twist.

Welcome to death tripping.

A thriller, a paranormal, and a passionate romance, CLEAR crosses genres and breaks boundaries.

I am having a hard time writing this review for some unknown reason. I have been reading paranormal books since the appearance of Twilight. 

Vampires, Werewolves, Witches, Aliens, etc... I have read them all! 

Some were boring and others were so amazing I never wanted them to end. 

But...

Clear is a story all on its own. The whole concept is unique and a little weird but it is something that nobody has read before. When I was reading it, I felt like I took a trip on acid and couldn't figure out WTF was going on. 

With other paranormals, I knew the basics of how something happened, how people became who they were... Vampires are bitten, Werewolves are too. Some have it in their DNA... etc. etc. etc. But since Death Tripping is a new phenomenon, I had no idea what I was going to get.. Still don't know how the original person death tripped. Is it in their DNA? Did they just come back because of will power?? I have so many different scenarios running through my head and I still have no concrete answer. 

I went into this story completely blind. I didn't read the teasers, I didn't read the synopsis, I didn't read anything leading up to it because I wanted keep my mind open in order to really experience all of it.

 All I knew was JP wrote it and that is pretty much all I needed to know (I mean come on, it's Jessica freaking Park)

The story itself is presented in layers. Jessica gives you little tidbits here and there and then in the end everything is... well, you will have to read it for yourself to see where everything leads. I am not giving anything away... But I will give a hint...

This was my face when I got to the end.... 

My mind was conjuring different scenarios of what was going to happen and it was a complete surprise all the way to the end. I loved how I never figured out what was going to happen and I loved how I was still surprised after every chapter. You will go through a full range of emotions throughout the entire book.
I was literally hanging off the edge of my seat (or bed), I was scared, I was horny as fuck, I was OMGing, I was crying... I was, I was, I was... You are getting the gist... 
I had so many different feels and at one point I screamed... 

TOO MANY FEELS Jessica, I CANT TAKE IT!!!



Scared the shit out of my husband and he thought I was a little psycho but once I explained what was happening, he still thought I was fucking nuts. But thats ok because I jumped his bones later and he accepted my craziness ;)..

I was very consumed in this story and even when I felt like my mind was going to explode, I still kept on reading so I could see what was going to happen. I needed to know, I needed to keep my emotions in a never ending roller coaster because I wanted the FEELS... 

ALL THE FEELS! 

It was perfection, but I didn't have any doubts because Jessica fucking Park wrote the damn thing. And you can tell she wrote it, it had her quirky personality and everything you have come to expect and love with her books.

Even if you are not a fan of paranormal, I still say give this book a whirl because you will not be left disappointed in everything you experience. 

It is fast-paced, crazy, fucked up, confusing, but an all around complete and total mind fuck that will leave you scratching your head and wanting to dive right back in to make sure you "got" everything that happened, and to experience it all over again.

I give this mind fuck 5STARS and I urge you to get your hands on it and devour it ASAP!!!

Links to purchase:



Itunes

KoBO

{Review} Nowhere but Here by Renee Carlino

A Chicago reporter in her mid-twenties unexpectedly finds love in Napa Valley when she’s assigned to spend a week with a famously reclusive genius.

Kate Corbin has lost her spark. From the outside, her life seems charmed. She has a handsome, long-term boyfriend and a budding journalism career at a popular Chicago newspaper. But in reality, her relationship is going nowhere, and she’s quickly losing motivation for what she once believed was her dream job. When her boyfriend dumps her unceremoniously, Kate loses all hope of finding love.

With no living family and few friends, Kate confides in her boss. Trusting that the hungry, ace reporter is buried somewhere deep inside, he gives Kate the opportunity to jumpstart her career. The assignment: to interview the famously reclusive R.J. Lawson, a wealthy tech genius who disappeared years ago but recently reemerged as a Napa Valley vintner. The week takes an unexpected turn, however, when Lawson refuses to divulge any information. Desperate for a lead, Kate turns to Jamie, a vineyard hand who shows her the romance of wine country—and stirs her aching heart. But his connection to Lawson is ambiguous, and when Jamie disappears before the end of the week, Kate is left to investigate another story: the truth behind the man who stole her heart.

My Thoughts

So this review is long overdue. I sat here and wrote this review a million times and then deleted it a million and one times because I haven't been able to get it right. I was having a hard time on what I wanted to say and how much I wanted to give away to the plot and if people would stone me alive if I gave a small but big plot point to this story away. It has been nerve-wracking but now I am just going to write and hope it make sense and hopefully nobody will want to stone me to death!

This book spoke to me on a much more personal level than most books do. I mean, lets be real here, there are a lot of books that "speak" to me but this one... this one, was different because of Jamie. 

Now, I won't say what about Jamie that spoke to me on a personal level, you will have to read it for yourself to figure it out, but just know, a lot of what Jamie said in the story felt like he was personally talking about me. To me... through me. He took a lot of my feelings towards certain situations and certain events and explained it how I would have. The feelings, thoughts, how your body feels, everything was explained perfectly and I fell so hard for the story because of the true descriptions and research. 

A book that is thoroughly researched and not just bullshitted is a winner, in my opinion, and this one was definitely a winner!

The story, other than with just Jamie personally, was deep and what true love stories are about. A soul touching love that nothing can compete with or touch. An experience that most spend their lives searching for and never experience for themselves. It was also believable because lets face it, some romance stories are amazing but are a little farfetched, but this one I could feel and I experienced right along with these characters. 

Of course there were times I was frustrated with Kate and wanted to shake some sense into her because she was being outrageous. And then there were other times I could understand where she was coming from. It was a delicate balance that never fell on one side more than the other. 

There were elements that seemed so Renee like in this story. A theme I have noticed with her stories, usually dealing with older, wiser people giving the most remarkable advice about love and life in general. In Sweet Thing there was Martha and in Nowhere but Here there were actually a few wise people who gave Kate advice when she needed to hear it the most. There was also angst, surprises that you may or may not see coming, and then of course appearances from Will and Mia that make your heart swoon.

I can see this novel turned into a movie that is set in Tuscany with beautiful scenery and an epic romance that people can feel through the screen! It portrays so many emotions that a film exec would be stupid not to evoke them on screen. 

It was beautiful and a beautiful story deserves 5 "I love this freaking story" stars!! 

Check it out for yourself: 

{Review} {Giveaway} Take Me For Granted by K.A. Linde

Synopsis

Grant

Manwhore. Adrenaline junkie. Lead singer of ContraBand. What you see is what you get. I make no apologies for my actions, and by now no one expects any from me. I live my life the way I want and as long as it pushes the demons back, then I'm solid. I've never needed a chick for more than a good lay. Why would I need just one when I can have a different one every night?

Until she walks into my world.

Aribel

Mouthy. Perfectionist. Princeton student. Chemistry major. Yes, that pretty much describes me. Oh, and virgin. But I'm only nineteen, and have more important things to concern myself with. What really matters is finishing my degree and getting a good job. I’ve worked hard for what I want, and do what’s expected of me. I don’t need anyone to get in my way.

Until he opens up my world.

But if I give you my world, whatever you do…don’t TAKE ME for granted.

My Thoughts

It has been a long time since I have done a review... I feel like a book blog virgin all over again because of the break I took. But now I am back in action and I am going to start off with a bang, with this little gem by K.A. Linde...

I was having a hard time deciding on what to rate this book because I was in love with it until towards the end when Aribel was acting like a stubborn fool and I literally wanted to jump through the book and strangle the crap out of her and her stupid assumptions. 

But then I calmly read on and eventually got what I was looking for. 

I really loved the whole dynamic between Aribel and Grant's character. From the very beginning of their relationship, onward, it was like a explosion gaining momentum but not quite exploding... It just kept building and building until there was nothing else to do but to explode and when it did.... ummm WHOA!!! 

I really loved Grant, even though he was a humungous, womanizing, manwhore without a single fuck given to who, what, where, how, or when he was going to get his next lay. He used sex, drugs, and alcohol to escape the demons from his past and no matter how hard he ran, he couldn't really escape them....until Aribel came along. Oh and he was just lickable.... Even if I wanted to wash out his dirty mouth, I still wanted to stick my tongue down it at the same time.. 

Aribel was a stubborn, smartass, intelligent, woman. She was a strong female lead and did not take shit from anyone. She gave just as hard as she got... I loved her character but I wish I would have had more background on why she was the way she was. There were hints of strict parents but when they were in the picture, they didn't seem strict. I think I may have wanted Grant to meet them to really see their true character. But there are plenty more opportunities for that in the coming novels, I am sure. 

I loved the secondary characters, even though some of them were assholes too. And I loved watching the love between the two characters grow, even if you did want to strangle them a few times!!

Overall, I give this book a 4/5 "Kristin is a huge whore" stars ;) and I can't wait to see what is next for this dynamic duo...

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

K.A. Linde graduated with her Masters in political science from the University of Georgia in 2012. She also has a bachelors in political science and philosophy. She wrote her the Avoiding Series while struggling through advanced statistical modeling and writing her thesis. She enjoys dancing and writing novels that keep you guessing until the very end.

She currently resides in Georgia with her boyfriend and two puppies, Lucy and Riker.

Connect with K.A. Linde

Website  http://www.kalinde.com

Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/authorkalinde

Twitter  https://twitter.com/authorkalinde

Goodreads   https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5421050.K_A_Linde

GIVEAWAY

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PLAYLIST

{Review} {Giveaway} Picking Up the Pieces by Elizabeth Hayley

Blog Tour Stop

3/14/14

Picking Up the Pieces

After a myriad of mistakes and a devastating breakup, Lily Hamilton is no longer the impulsive, selfish person she had once been. Now, she longs for the chance to make it up to the one person she knows holds the key to her happiness. But can he get beyond who she was and love her for who she is now? Or is history destined to repeat itself?

Adam Carter has gone through his own metamorphosis. His days of serial monogamy are long gone, and he's been burying his hurt by dating women he has no intention of committing to. But when he sees Lily for the first time in months, he's reminded of the man he used to be; the man he wants to try and be again--for her.

Max Samson is on the downward spiral from hell. Drinking and meaningless sex have taken over his life once again, causing him to revert back to the man he'd been before Lily fell into his life. But when his mother invites Lily back into his world, he suddenly remembers how good it felt to have her there. Even if he might not get to keep her.

Find out how Lily gets her happily ever after in this final installment of her story. This book is recommended for mature audiences due to language and unbelievably awesome sexual content

My Thoughts

This will probably be one of the worst reviews I will ever do. Not because I didn't like the book but because I don't want to be one of those assholes that unintentionally give something away and then all you crazies know who Lilly ended up being with in the end. 

Of course the journey to discover who she wanted wasn't an easy task, especially since we got all three point of views this time in the story. So I had to experience all the emotions from all three. It wasn't easy to read and I am sure it wasn't easy to write either. 

I couldn't take much of the back and forth, so I decided to be the douche that skipped to the end to see who she ended up with and once I did, I didn't want to read the book anymore because I didn't like it one bit. But I knew if I didn't finish, I would regret it and I guess, in a sense, I wanted to see what the authors were doing. Their mindset to why they picked this person to be with Lilly. 

I still thought Lilly was a twat waffle but she definitely grew from the last story. Amanda is still my favorite, with her vulgar mouth and comedic relief. Adam and Max were the same as the last book, as well, with the added bonus of both their points of views. I did think Adam sounded feminine a few times and I wanted to reach inside the story to check and make sure he still had his balls. 

When I got to the end, I was glad I didn't stop reading because even though I knew who she chose and initially didn't like it, when I read all the way through, I was satisfied with where all the characters ended up. I didn't want to cunt punch Elizabeth and Hayley anymore and I was glad everyone was getting their HEA.

If you have read Pieces of Perfect and was pissed off with how it ended, then I would read Picking up the Pieces to finally see where all these characters ended up. The banter is still as entertaining (not as funny as Sex Snob in my opinion but still really funny), the sex was still a hot, one handed read AND the characters are all where they should be and you can be satisfied with the ending because she ends up being with one of them.

Overall I give this book a 4.5/5 and if you have not read the series yet then I would get on it. Especially since Pieces of Perfect is now FREE (until the 17th)!!

PLAYLIST

“Alive” by Krewella

"All of Me" by John Legend 

“Arms” by Christina Perri 

"Baby Come Back" by Serena Ryder. 

"Between the Raindrops" by Lifehouse ft. Natasha Bedingfield

"Big Girls Don't Cry" by Fergie 

“Bless the Broken Road” by Rascal Flatts

"Breakeven" by The Script

“Breathe (2AM) by Anna Nalick “Endlessly” by Green River Ordinance

"Broken" by Seether ft. Amy Lee

"Can't Let Go" by Landon Pigg

"Crazy for This Girl" by Evan and Jaron 

“Days That We Die” by Loudon III Wainwright

“Hard to Love” by Lee Brice 

"Hold On" by Colbie Callait 

"Here's to Us" by Halestorm

"I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt 

"I Choose You" by Timeflies 

“(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” by Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes

“I Want Crazy” by Hunter Hayes

"King of Wishful Thinking" by Go West 

"The Lazy Song" by Bruno Mars

"Leave Out All the Rest" by Linkin Park 

"Leave the Pieces" by The Wreckers 

“Let Her Go” by Passenger

"Love Me Again" by John Newman 

“Lying to You” by Keaton Henson

"The Man" by Aloe Blacc

"Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum 

"Nobody Knows" by The Tony Rich Project 

"Not Over You" by Gavin DeGraw

"Now That We Found Love" by Heavy D

"The Reason" by Hoobastank 

“Say Something” by A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera 

"Scars" by Papa Roach

"Second Chance" by Shinedown 

"She Ain't You" by New Hollow

"Unconditionally" by Katy Perry 

“Whatever It Is” by Zac Brown Band

"What Hurts the Most" by Cascada

 “Wake Me Up” by Avicii

EXCERPT

Chapter 17: Max

And for some reason that thought calmed me, comforted me even. That ten months ago at nearly this very minute, I could have been doing this exact same thing: eating lunch across from Lily as we talked to each other about how our day had been so far. Or at least we would be doing this exact thing if she ever friggin' got here? 

I had just looked down at my watch for the twentieth time when I heard the jingle of the bell on the door. And as I watched Lily stroll confidently toward me, I felt a stupid grin creep across my face. Her black pants fit tightly to her legs, and my gaze traced the length of them before it made its way up to those eyes that I always loved so much. Eyes that I loved even more on days like today, when the sunlight brought out the specks of gold in them that I was sure she’d never even noticed herself. 

“Hey, Max,” she said as she pulled the silky strands of chestnut hair around the back of her neck to rest on the front of her shoulder. The sweet smell of her coconut shampoo washed over me, waking me from my trance. “I’m happy you asked me to meet.”

“You are?” Not only was I excited to tell Lily about the job opportunity, I was even more excited at the idea that she seemed eager to see me.

“Yeah, I haven’t seen you in a few weeks, and a lot’s happened.” 

She paused for a minute or so to peruse the menu, and I motioned for the waitress to come take our order once Lily seemed ready. I knew she had to be back in about forty-five minutes and didn’t want her to be late. “So what’s up?” I asked. I could tell she was in an unusually upbeat mood, and I was eager to find out why she was so happy.

I didn’t know what I expected her to say. Maybe she’d won the lottery. Or she’d gotten a new puppy. Was it possible that she’d just found out Christmas break was starting a week early? Whatever it was, I hadn’t seen Lily that excited in as long as I could remember. I only wished that when she started to speak, I could have maintained my excitement for her. Or at least faked it better than I had. 

But the moment I heard Adam’s name leave her lips, I felt my face drop. Trying to think of anything else than what she was saying, I did my best to tune her out. Unfortunately, my best wasn’t good enough. As hard as I tried, I couldn’t help but hear at least some of the words.

Giveaway

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{Review}{Excerpt} Twisted Ties by K.A Robinson

Blog Tour Stop

3/12/14

Twisted Ties 

K.A. Robinson

Two years ago, Emma Preston walked away from Jesse Daniels. It is a decision she has regretted ever since. Plagued with the knowledge that Ally’s lies tore them apart, Emma enlists Jesse’s former best friend, Andy, to help her search for him. 

When he left California, Jesse was determined to start over in West Virginia with his mother. Now, the past is determined to catch up with him—first, with the appearance of Ally, and when Emma and Andy come back into his life.

Just when Emma thinks she’s found Jesse, a dark secret and misunderstandings force them apart before they can even reconnect. Jesse is torn between his love for Emma and protecting his childhood friend, Ally. Ally has an agenda of her own, and she’s not about to let Emma get in her way—even if that means getting rid of her…permanently. 

Can Emma and Jesse’s relationship survive all of their twisted ties?

***18+ only for adult content including, but not limited to, sexual scenes, cursing, and extreme violence.***

My Thoughts

This book was not what I was expecting... like...at all! 

When Shattered Ties ended, Jesse left, and Emma was heart broken.

When Twisted Ties starts, Emma is with Andy headed to good 'ol West Virginia, to see if  they can "bump" into Jesse while they are there. Emma knows it is a long shot, especially after two years of her trying to find him and finding absolutely nothing. When they get to WV, there is a whole lot more drama waiting for them and shit hits the fan from almost the beginning. 

There were twists and turns, along with enough angst to choke an elephant! I wanted to fast forward certain parts because it drove me crazy but I am glad I didn't because I would have missed a lot. I am not going to go into too many details because it would ruin the fun of experiencing the craziness for yourself. And trust me when I say there is a LOT of craziness in this book. 

I still loved Jesse, and Emma seemed a lot more confident within herself in this one, which made me happy because it meant she was finally sticking up for herself. We see her relationship with her mother evolve a few times and I wish K.A would have put more of that in the end. I wasn't sure if I believed the crap her mother was spewing or that her mother would just automatically change after knowing Emma was.... well, you'll have to see for yourself when you read it. 

I really loved Andy and I hope he finds the right girl to knock him on his ass because I think he deserves happiness after all that went on in this book.

If you loved Shattered Ties, then I would recommend reading Twisted Ties because you need to see how it ends and trust me when I say, it is not how you are expecting!!

Overall, I give this book a 4/5 I love Jesse and Emma stars!!! 

If you want to check the books out for yourself the links are provided below =)

{Review} Masked Innocence by Alessandra Torre

Blog Tour Stop

2/27/14

Masked Innocence 

Synopsis:

The man was sinful. It wasn't just the looks that made him dangerous, it was the cocky confidence that dominated every move, every touch. And the frustrating yet ecstatic fact about the whole package was that he could back it all up… 

Julia Campbell never knows what to expect with win-at-all-costs Brad De Luca. And she's starting to like it that way. She gave up safe, conventional relationships when she let the elite divorce attorney seduce her into his world. Now that he's determined to strip her naked of every inhibition, she's in danger of falling too deep and too fast. 

But their affair begins to feel even more dangerous when a murder leaves a trail of suspicion that points straight to the mob…and Brad. Trusting a man with a bad reputation and a past full of secrets seems like a mistake. But when she's forced to make a choice, the consequences will take her further than she could ever have imagined.

My Thoughts

Masked Innocence is the second book in this series and whoa was it frekking HOT!!! I thought I was going to get carpal tunnel before I even finished the book ;)...

This book picks up right where book 1 finished off with the "relationship" between Brad and Julia and one thing I absolutely LOVED about this series is, I can never guess what is going to happen or where Mrs. Torre is going to take me until I am already knee deep inside her world. 

By the end of this book, I was totally speechless because I did NOT expect this series to take the huge left turn into crazy town and I was pissed that I didn't have the next book in my greedy little hands yet!!

Brad was still as stubborn as he was in the first book. Julia was just as strong willed as she was in the first book as well. I LOVE that Alessandra really has a sense of her characters and does not change them just to fit her stories. She keeps both characters true to their roots and personality even when you want to strangle every single one of them. 

I LOVE that Julia is not a push over, she gives just as much as she gets. Even when Brad (AKA Joe Manganiello) goes all alpha male on her, she holds her ground and fights back. Determined not to let this massive character overshadow her spark. She's feisty and I loved it. 

What I found even more enlightening is the fact I have always been curious about this "lifestyle" for which Brad and Julia belong too and while reading I think it fueled my curiosity even more. I wanted to know more, the hows, what, whens... Good thing Discovery Health has a series based on the lifestyle so my curiosity can be cured... 

Now my husband thinks I am obsessed with it and is scared I am going to want to leave him and join... Silly husband it's called fantasy... ;)...

Overall, I give this book a 4/5 and I cannot wait until I can read the next!! 

Alessandra, my hand has had a nice break, now bring on the next one!!! 

Look Below For Giveaway, Excerpt, and More About this Author

EXCERPT

I was elbow deep in transcript review when Chace Crawford, in a tuxedo, appeared in my doorway. Okay, so it wasn’t THE Chace Crawford, but enough of a look alike for me to momentarily forget Drueit vs Pace Contracting, which was a feat unto itself. I collected myself and waved him in.

“Can I help you?”

“I’m looking for Julia Campbell.”

“I’m Julia.” I stood, stepping forward and shaking the hand he extended.

“I’m Jeff Martin. I have a couriered item for Mr. De Luca, but he isn’t in. He said that I could give it to you.”

I looked at the embossed envelope he extended, my fingers reaching out and taking it before my mind had a chance to process the situation. “Thank you,” I said, smiling at him.

“Certainly.” He gave a small bow and smiled, turning and leaving the room.

I sat back down, leaning the envelope against my computer monitor and staring at it for a brief moment. Being Brad’s girlfriend was turning into a full time job.

I ignored the envelope and returned to the depositions, reading line after line of transcripts until my contacts started to dry out and I leaned back to take a break. The envelope stared at me, beautiful calligraphy dancing beneath exhausted eyes. I reached for my phone, and called Brad’s cell.

***

Brad parked his cart, tipping the bag drop boy and stepping up the wide steps of the hundred-year-old clubhouse. It had been built at a time when opulence and masculinity ruled the design world, and every ounce of the building reeked of old money and tradition. He walked through the wide hall, oil paintings and trophy cases, seeing his group of friends at the entrance to the cigar bar. His phone rang and he paused, glancing down and seeing Julia’s name. That took longer than expected. He smiled, holding up a finger to the men and stepping aside, leaning against the wall and answering the call.

“Hello, beautiful.”

“Hey. You got something.”

“And…did you open it?” He raised his eyebrows, waiting for her response.

“No,” she said indignantly. “It has your name on it.”

“Well, I had the courier bring it to you for a reason. It’s an invitation to a party.”

“And…?”

God, the woman was feisty. “And, I’d like you to come with me.”

She sighed into the phone. “As your secret girlfriend, I think I’m exempt from any of the boring social events you old people go to.”

Brad smiled at her words, moving off the wall and stepping forward. “It’s an orgy.”

Her breath caught, and he wished he were having this conversation in person. “Oh.”

“But... if that’s too dull and old-mannish for you, I can invite someone else.”

She hissed into the phone. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Oh, I most definitely would.”

There was silence for a minute and Brad stopped walking and waited.

“Where’s the party?”

“Does it matter?”

“Humor me.”

“I’m assuming it’s at the hosts’ home. In Irongate.”

“Oooh ... fancy. Do you know anyone who will be there?”

“I know the hosts. They typically throw a relatively small party, fifteen or twenty couples, a few singles. There will be group play and private rooms. If you feel up to it, we could just observe, maybe hook up with a single or a couple in a private room if you want. Or, we can just stop in, let you see how it works, and leave.”

There was a pause, rustled papers, then an abrupt response. “Okay.”

Her agreement came quicker than he expected, and he grinned into the phone.

 “Okay. You officially have a date. Read the invitation, we’ll talk later.” He smiled into the phone, then looked up as one of his friends walked by, slapping him on the shoulder. “I have to go.”

About the Author

Alessandra Torre is a new author who focuses on contemporary erotica. Her first book, Blindfolded Innocence, was published in July 2012, and was an Erotica #1 Bestseller for two weeks. The sequel to Blindfolded, Masked Innocence, will be released in February 2014.

Alessandra lives in the Southern United States and is married, with one young child. She enjoys reading, spending time with her family, and playing with her dogs. Her favorite authors include Lisa Gardner, Gillian Flynn, and Jennifer Crusie.
Learn more about Alessandra on her website at www.alessandratorre.com, or you can find her on Twitter (@ReadAlessandra) or her Facebook fan page.

Website: http://www.alessandratorre.com 

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ReadAlessandra 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AlessandraTorre0 

Newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/l3ru9sm 

Goodreads book link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16094203-masked-innocence?from_search=true 

Goodreads author: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6452845.Alessandra_Torre 

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