Sneak Peek Sunday with @SydneyALogan

Sydney Logan is celebrating the release of her third novel, Soldier On! Keep reading to learn more about the book, click the buy link to grab your copy at the special introductory price, and be sure to enter the giveaway at the bottom of the post!

 

 Release Date: June 20

Genres: Romance/Military/New Adult

  

Will his call of duty break both their hearts?

Losing her father in Desert Storm has left Stephanie James with a bitter soul when it comes to the military. As a college senior juggling a full course load, Steph's only goal is to graduate with honors at the end of the semester. She’s focused, determined, and a firm believer in all work and no play. Then she meets Brandon Walker at a New Year’s Eve costume party. Despite his disguise, Steph finds herself attracted to the camouflaged soldier who curls her toes with a scorching midnight kiss.

Brandon is an engineering major and ROTC student from the hills of Kentucky. Growing up as the son of a major general has given Brandon firsthand knowledge of the struggles military families sometimes face. Now that his father’s memory is fading, Brandon is even more determined to make his dad proud and graduate as an officer in the United States Army. Then he meets Stephanie, and suddenly, his focus is less on his military service and more on the pretty brunette who has stolen his heart. When he becomes aware of Steph’s resentment toward the military, he worries their relationship is doomed. 

When faced with the realization that she's fallen in love with a soldier, can Steph’s wounds from the past be healed with love in her present . . . and in her future?

 

Regular Price: $2.99 (ebook) 

Also available in paperback

                                             

Sydney Logan is an Amazon bestselling author and holds a Master's degree in Elementary Education. With the 2012 release of her debut novel, Lessons Learned, she made the transition from bookworm to author. Her second novel, Mountain Charm, was released in 2013. She is also the author of four short stories – Mistletoe Magic, The Little Drummer Boy, Force of Nature, and Stupid Cupid. A native of East Tennessee, Sydney enjoys playing piano and relaxing on her porch with her wonderful husband and their very spoiled cat.

 

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Sneak Peek Sunday

Jeanne McDonald is revealing an excerpt of her upcoming release The Certainty of Deception (The Truth in Lies Saga #2) coming July 8, 2014.

“Granny,” Jared laughed, slipping out Lindsey’s hold to embrace the woman.  “How are you, sweetheart?”

She tweaked his cheek.  “Better now that we have some fresh meat in this house.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.  This old woman had a feisty spirit.  “Mhm,” she moaned, looking at me.  “And your pictures don’t do you justice, handsome.”  She waddled toward me, her eyes roaming down my body, as though she were admiring the package.  “Very nice.  My granddaughter has impeccable taste.”  She cupped my chin between her index finger and thumb, pulling my face to hers.

McKenzie turned around, her eyes wild with surprise. “Granny!”

Granny waved her hand, dismissing her granddaughter.  “Hush, child.  I’m just getting a good look at this fine specimen of a man.”

“I told you he was a hottie,” Lindsey confirmed, stepping away from me to return to her work.

“You did.  No woman could resist these eyes or dimples.  I bet you get lucky with all the ladies, don’t cha?”

My smile widened.  This woman was a riot.  “I do okay.”

“Don’t be so modest.”

“Drew? Modest?  He wouldn’t know modesty if it bit him in the butt,”Jared declared.  

A loud laugh, more like a snort, came from where McKenzie stood.  I shifted my eyes to catch her hand flying up over her mouth.  The most beautiful shade of red painted her face and neck as she covered her mouth, turning her back to us.

“You see,” I started, “I have eyes for only one woman.” I glanced over to McKenzie.  I couldn’t see her face, but her posture told me she knew exactly whom I was referring to.  

“I have my charms, sonny, but we just met.  Let me get to know you first before you go around tellin’ everyone you have eyes for only me.”

My mouth dropped.  For a moment, the old woman had stunned me.  However, I regained my composure quickly.  “Sweetheart, you’re a beautiful woman, but you couldn’t handle me.  I’m afraid I’d break you.”

Granny released my chin and patted my cheek.  “Boy, you don’t know how wrong you are.”  She reached around and pinched my backside.  “Firm.  Nice.”  I about died right there.  Not many people could make me blush, but this old woman certainly was an exception.

“Mother!” Bill scolded her.  “Mind your manners.  You don’t want to scare the boy to death.”

Granny cocked her head to the side, glaring at her son.  “He’s no boy, Billy.  Drew here is all man.”

Jared and Gavin practically killed over in laughter.  “How is it that you know my name, but I don’t know yours?” I asked.

She patted my butt and grinned, exposing her oversized dentures.  “I’m Glenda,” she stated, “but everyone calls me Granny.”

“What if I call you Glenda?”

Her thick tongue washed over her teeth.  “Only if you’re screaming it.”

Begin McKenzie and Drew's journey with The Truth in Lies.  Now available on Amazon.

Mark your calendars.  The Certainty of Deception Blog Tour and Online Release Party starts July 8th, 2014.  

After years of living in the darkness of his past, Andrew Wise, a young attorney working for his family’s law firm in Sarasota, Florida, has finally broken free of the demons that haunt him.  Wealth, success, happiness, and true love; everything a man could ever dream of, was right at his fingertips.  Or so he thought.  But in the blink of an eye, all of that changed.  Upon discovering that his ex-girlfriend, Olivia Hamilton, was pregnant, Drew fell back into some old habits, which led to him losing the one person that mattered the most in his life - McKenzie Evans.

When McKenzie left him and returned to Texas, Drew was beside himself.  The night before she left, he made an agreement with her best friend Jared Christopher, that he would give her time and space to come to grips with the fact that he’d fathered her best friend’s child.  Now, two months later, he feels as though he held up his end of the bargain, Drew can’t take their separation any longer.   With his brother’s wedding mere weeks away, Drew devises a plan to win McKenzie back.

Under the guise of a bachelor getaway for Gavin, Drew, along with his brother and Jared, jets off on an adventure to the panhandle of Texas.  There, he will learn what made McKenzie who she is and will find strength within himself that he never realized existed.  

In this charming sequel to The Truth in Lies, Drew and McKenzie discover that not everything is as it seems, forgiveness is a matter of acceptance, and true love really can conquer all.

Jeanne McDonald began telling stories at the ripe young age of five, when her mother considered the truth to be a lie due to her extensive embellishment to the retelling of an event.  She wrote her first short story when she was twelve years old, and at the age of sixteen she tried her hand at poetry.  She reconnected with her love for writing in 2010 thanks to the encouragement of a dear friend. 

Her passions include a "mild" Starbucks addiction, music, reading, quotes, movies, and romance.  When she's not spending time with her family, she can be found reading, writing, chatting with her friends or diligently working toward her bachelor's degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology.  A proud Texan, Jeanne currently resides in the Dallas/Fort Worth area with her family.

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Sneak Peek Sunday!

A Flawed Heart

A New Adult Erotic Romance coming from Secret Cravings Publishing in July 2014 

by April Emerson

Summary:

Claire Brighton has just finished college and is abandoning her warm, southern home in favor of gritty New York City. She searches Craigslist for the perfect roommate and finds Lydia Taylor. Lydia lives a life of privilege in her father's Manhattan penthouse, but like Claire, she's ready to go out into the world on her own. 

Claire and Lydia find a little apartment in the hipster mecca of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, not far from Lydia's older brother, Jason. Claire is intrigued by Lydia's stories of Jason, who is the black sheep of the family—and a musician. The minute Claire hears him sing, she falls for him. Though Jason is involved with someone else, Claire and Jason’s attraction is too powerful to be denied.

Claire thrives in her new urban surroundings, treasuring her time with Jason and exploring her new found sexuality, but both Claire and Jason carry shadows with them. They're each fighting to move on from wounds of their past, but they learn that they will need each other to do it.

Excerpt:

Jason
takes a seat at the table where Lydia and Kat are chatting. I'm distracted,
watching his body move. I don't want to get caught looking, so I focus on my
food. When I do look up, Jason's staring at me with a sexy little grin on his
face. I feel a current running between us and I wonder why he's affecting me with such intensity. I’ve never felt something like this, for anyone.

 I open my mouth to make small talk with Lydia,
but I don't get the chance to get the words out.

"Are
you enjoying your sandwich, Claire?" Something about the way his mouth shapes my name is doing things to
my body.

 "Yes, thank you." 

I watch him as he eats. His lips are big and
pouty for a guy. He breaks a piece of the grilled cheese off and pops it in his
mouth. Rather than using his napkin he licks his fingers. His jaw
bone protrudes as he chews and his Adam's apple bobs as he swallows. He slides
back in his chair and relaxes as he eats. When he finishes his sandwich, he
places his plate in the sink and walks out of the kitchen without looking at me
again.

"You
mind washing the dishes, Lydia? I can't risk having the dish soap dry out my
hands before the show." He calls back at us, and I hear him laughing.

"Dick,"
Lydia says.

The
door opens and in walks a guy wearing a Metalica shirt and green cargo
pants. He has short, dark hair, and from where I'm sitting, he looks like he's
eight feet tall.

"What
up. I'm Ben." He gives me a salute.

"This
is my roommate Claire. She's from Georgia," Lydia says.

"Welcome
to the jungle." He walks toward the bed rooms.

 "That's Jason’s roommate. You ready to get out
of here?”

 I
nod. "Alright, yeah, let's go."

 Lydia, Kat and I walk out onto the sidewalk
and Skye, Ben, and Jason join us shortly. Jason has his guitar case slung on
his back and he's smoking a cigarette. Skye chats with Ben about someone named Alana and Lydia joins them. I reach into my bag and grab my cigarettes but I can’t' find my
lighter and I fumble around with the zippers and pockets.

"Hey,
let me light that for you."

Jason pulls out a Zippo. His thumb flicks it and it opens
with a flame. I wrap my lips around my cigarette, place the tip in the flame and look up at him. He looks from my eyes to my mouth and back to my eyes
again. The flame is reflected in his eyes and he still has that sexy grin
on his face. I puff and pull away from his light but not his gaze.

"Thanks,
Jason."

Lydia
grabs my elbow and pulls me along with her, which ends the moment.

"Let's
go get wasted." 

She squeals and tugs me along beside her.We
walk about ten feet ahead of everyone, her arm linked in mine. I look back over
my shoulder and Jason is holding Skye's hand. I feel a lump rise in my throat.

"How
long has your brother been dating Skye?" I ask Lydia.

"Like
a week. I don't think they're, like, really a thing though. I
don't think Jay asked her to go out, or whatever. She's totally into him
and she’s like, mentally willing him
to be hers or something. I don't trust her. She's a typical groupie. She has a
boner for Jason because he's a musician. Maybe she thinks she'll be a rock
star's wife one day or something. She's pretty lame, but I'm sure Jason could
do worse. Ben, on the other hand, has been talking to Skye's friend Alana.
She's awesome. Oh, that reminds me—Alana wanted me to tell them she'll be
coming late tonight. I'll be right back."

Lydia frees her arm from mine and runs back toward Ben and Skye. Jason is no longer
walking with them. He's walking toward me. He takes long strides and quickly
catches up.

"Hey,"
he says.

"Hey,"
I reply. 

His pace is even with mine. The
wind blows and I get whiff of his cologne. It smells spicy and I recognize this
smell from his pillow. I blush
at the memory, wishing now more than ever that my fantasy had been real.

"So,
you moved in today?" he asks.

"Yeah."

"Cool.
You have a job yet?"

"No.
I was thinking of looking into substitute teaching or something. I was an English major.”

"Really?"
he turns his head and looks me up and down. "I had you pegged you for a
dancer, what with your legs and everything."

Just
then I trip over my own feet. Jason grabs my elbow before I eat the pavement.

"Shit.
Yeah, I'm definitely not a dancer. Beauty and grace are not my thing."

His
gaze locks with mine and I'm once again caught in that crazy current. He lets
go of my elbow and slides his hand onto the small of my back. I startle at the
intimacy of his touch, and the closeness of his body. He brings his mouth to my
ear, and I feel his hot breath on me as he whispers, "Hmm. I don't know
about that."

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New Release

After a less than stellar ending to her seemingly perfect relationship, Christine decided to spend Valentine’s Day at the one place where her mind would stay good and occupied. The Emergency Room had a way making the day pass by quickly, yet when her former fling elects to change his schedule with another nurse, Christine finds herself in a situation she can’t avoid. Can she finally set aside her fears and take a leap of faith? Or will her assumptions about Mitch prove her to be unlucky in love?

Find it now on

Goodreads

 

Sneak Peek Sunday

Just in time for Valentine's Day - a sneak peek at FIVE short stories to be released on February 14th!

Previously published in the Romantic Interludes anthology, these love stories will be available for the first time as stand-alone shorts - for just $.99 on Amazon!

The Golden Arrow and the Butterfly by Lissa Bryan


SUMMARY:

Eros is the god of love, but he has never experienced the emotion himself—despite his inexplicable fascination with a beautiful young mortal woman, Psyche. When one of his golden arrows strikes Psyche instead of its intended target, he whisks her away to Olympus, to save her from the fate of falling in love with the next man she sees. Psyche is terrified when she wakes blindfolded, in a strange realm, in the company of an oddly compelling man who claims to be a Greek god. What happens when the blindfold finally comes off?

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Excerpt:

“What I have told you is the truth,” he said finally. “I am Eros, and you are on Mount Olympus.”

“But that’s only a myth!” Psyche protested.

“Apparently not.” Eros sounded amused.

“Go on. Tell me the rest of it, why I’m here.”

“Your friend was fated to fall in love with a man she met at the mall. But I missed when I fired my arrow at her and it hit you instead.”

Psyche blinked. “Does that … um … happen often?”

“No. It’s the first time I’ve ever missed.” She heard frustration sharpen the puzzled note in his voice.

“What does that have to do with why I’m here?”

“Because you were hit by the arrow, you would fall in love with the next man you saw, no matter who he was.”

So, that explains the blindfold, she thought.

“I couldn’t let that happen to you. I’m trying to find a way to undo the enchantment.”

“Have you found anything?”

“Not yet. I’ve sent a message to my mother. If anyone will know, she will.”

Psyche tried to remember. “Who is your mother?”

“Aphrodite. My father is Ares.”

It was Psyche’s turn to be amused. “Love and War?”

“On occasion, they can be somewhat similar,” Eros said and Psyche laughed softly. It startled her because it was the first time she’d laughed since she was kidnapped.

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Add it to your Goodreads shelf here:

Buy directly from the publisher, or from Amazon on the 14th.

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Justin's Second Chance by Sandi Layne

SUMMARY:

Ten years ago, April Peterson asked her long-time crush and pen pal Lance Corporal Justin Clark for a date. Just a day spent alone together. Though he cared for her more than he had ever let on, he was still in shock after his first military deployment to Afghanistan, and responded in perhaps the worst possible way: He ignored her.

When they meet again, April Peterson Sinclair is a widow with a young daughter. Gunnery Sergeant Justin Clark is hoping to win April's heart and asks for a second chance.

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Excerpt:

He didn’t know what it was, but something inside him threw caution to the winds. A coward dies a thousand deaths; a brave man dies but one. Was that how that quote went? She’d probably know, but he wasn’t going to ask her. “What I’d really like,” he began slowly, kneeling so that they were knee to knee and he could smell the slightly spicy scent of whatever it was she was wearing for perfume, “is something you asked of me once.”
He saw her jaw tighten, saw the muscles in her throat move as she swallowed. “What?”
“I’d like a day to spend with you. Just the two of us. We could share the long versions of our stories, maybe. I could give you a tour of D.C. Just one day.”
“Justin...” Her lips parted, her breath caught, and she studied his face. He grew nervous, wondering what she was seeing. He felt all kinds of vulnerable, more than he felt when he’d been deployed in places far away and quite dangerous. “I’m not ready.”
“Ready?”
“My husband died a year and a half ago, you know? And I, we moved out here for a fresh start. To get, to get away from...some things.” She slid his present to her back under the tree to rejoin the other gifts that waited patiently for tomorrow morning and the eager eyes of a little, red-haired girl. “I’m not ready to date yet, Justin, is what I’m trying to say.”
“All right. How about being ready for a friend?” He offered her his hand.
Slowly, she took it and he rose to his feet, pulling her up with him. “I could use a friend.”
“You have one.”

You can add this title to your Goodreads shelf today!

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A Piece of Cake by T.M. Franklin

SUMMARY:

Emily Valentine is a matchmaker who doesn’t believe in love. Well, at least not the hearts and flowers, see-your-soulmate-across-a-crowded-room-and-the-world-stands-still kind of love. No, Emily is a pragmatist – a scientist – and she’s abandoned her family’s tradition of matchmaking based on instinct and uncanny intuition for a more scientific approach to pairing people up. Emily believes love is more about compatibility and common interests than anything mystical.
But a run-of-the-mill job turns her world on end when swoony cake designer Sam Cavanaugh pops up as a potential match for her newest client. The attraction she feels for him throws a wrench in her plans, but she’s not going to succumb without a fight.
Emily is nothing if not practical. And reasonable. But she’s about to learn that sometimes the best things in life…are neither.

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Excerpt:

“Want a bite?”
Emily jumped at the sound of Sam’s voice, relaxing a bit when she saw him holding out a cupcake in the palm of his hand. He rolled his eyes at her suspicious look.
“It’s just a cupcake,” he said, lifting it slightly to emphasize his words. “Well, I shouldn’t say just. It’s double-chocolate with salted caramel frosting, and it’s incredible, if I do say so myself.”
Emily smirked. “Mighty sure of yourself.”
“Definitely. At least when it comes to salted caramel frosting.” He grinned at her. “Go on, take it. I’m relatively certain one cupcake isn’t going to jeopardize your professional objectivity.”
“I don’t know. It’s hard to be impartial about chocolate.” Was she flirting?
“Double chocolate.” Was he?
“Even more so.” She looked away from his crinkling eyes, and stepped back to put some distance between them. He set the cupcake on top of the case, his smile fallen slightly. With a mental eye roll, she reached for the cupcake, feeling more than a little ridiculous about making such a big deal over an innocent conversation.
“Thank you,” she said quietly, peeling back the paper. He watched her carefully as she took a small bite and licked a dab of frosting off her lips. She froze.
“Holy crap,” she mumbled through the cupcake. Sam’s face broke into a smile.
“Good?”
Instead of answering, she took a bigger bite. The cake itself was dark and rich, moist and not too sweet, a perfect counterpoint to the sinfully rich ganache filling and the smooth, velvety frosting. A drizzle of caramel boosted the flavor to eleven on a one-to-ten scale, and Emily closed her eyes as she swallowed, barely stifling a moan of appreciation.
She opened her eyes to find him watching her intently, his eyes focused on her lips.
“This is incredible,” she said, a little breathless.
His gaze snapped up to meet hers. “Thank you,” he rasped, the sound stirring something trembly within her.

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Add A Piece of Cake to your Goodreads Shelf here:

Purchase it directly from TWCS Publishing House - or from Amazon on February 14th.

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Stupid Cupid by Sydney Logan

SUMMARY:

Jada Morgan hates Valentine’s Day, which is ironic, considering she's a writer for a greeting card company. She meets Nathan Reynolds, one of the company’s new graphic artists, and they bond over their mutual hatred for all things Cupid while working on designs for this year’s marketing campaign. As they grow closer, Jada learns Nathan is a single father, and she quickly becomes attached to him and his little girl. When it’s time for the company’s holiday party, Jada assumes she and Nathan will attend together, not realizing he already has a date for the event. Has Stupid Cupid broken her heart once again? A heartfelt story about love, family, and second chances.

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Giveaway:

Enter for your chance to win a "Love to Read" T-shirt, Hershey's Flavored Lip Balm, and signed bookmarks from Sydney Logan!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Amazon

TWCS Publishing House

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter, Hershey's, or Blogger. We hereby release all names listed of any liability. Winner(s) will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. Let me know if you have any questions or issues by contacting me: @SydneyALogan. - Good Luck!

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Dissecting Lies and Intentions by Allie Jean

SUMMARY:

After a less than stellar ending to her seemingly perfect relationship, Christine decided to spend Valentine’s Day at the one place where her mind would stay good and occupied. The Emergency Room had a way making the day pass by quickly, yet when her former fling elects to change his schedule with another nurse, Christine finds herself in a situation she can’t avoid. Can she finally set aside her fears and take a leap of faith? Or will her assumptions about Mitch prove her to be unlucky in love?

(¯`•♥•´¯)

Add it to your Goodreads Shelf HERE

Available February 14th on Amazon and TWCS Publishing House.

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