Showing posts with label second in series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label second in series. Show all posts
Giveaway + Blog Tour: Suspicious Behavior (Bad Behavior, #2) by L.A. Witt & Cari Z.
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Blog Tour: Who We Truly Are (Enhanced, #2) by Victoria Sue
Victoria Sue's here today with an excerpt of her latest, Who We Truly Are, the second in her Enhanced series!
Talon brushed a kiss on his lips as Finn snuggled into his
side. “I hated being gone. I always loathed Washington. I also hate you going
back into the home. I told Gregory I didn’t like it.”
Finn stilled and then raised himself up on one elbow. He
frowned slightly. “It’s my job.”
“I can’t see you being there long, though. The case isn’t
going anywhere, and if Swann gets his way,
he’ll break ground on the school soon.”
Finn blinked. “When did you last speak to Gregory?”
“First thing this morning.” Talon heaved a sigh. They had
been upstairs too long. He got up reluctantly and passed Finn his clothes, then
started getting dressed himself. “I had a
conference call with Assistant Director Manning and Gregory at eight.” He looked
up when Finn didn’t answer. “Why?” He didn’t like the way Finn’s gaze was lowered.
Finn fastened his jeans and let out a long breath, then
looked up. “Alan Swann came to visit me at the
home this morning.”
“What?” Talon’s heart crashed against his ribs.
“He has a friend who owns a boarding school near
Jacksonville. He’s converted a new eight-bed
unit, and he’s got the go-ahead to take
enhanced. He offered me a place.”
“No fucking way.” Talon took a step and grabbed Finn’s arms.
Finn’s gaze was steady. “He told me he already has four kids
going.” He hesitated and looked beseechingly at Talon. “T—”
“No.” Talon cut him off. “No way. You’re not ready for
this.”
“Not ready?” Finn echoed hollowly. “You mean, not capable?”
“No, that’s not what I said. I meant not ready.”
“So when, Talon? When do you think I would be ready?”
Never. Talon thought hard. “Agents don’t get sent undercover when
they haven’t even completed basic training.” There, that was reasonable. “This
isn’t some James Bond shit, Finn. This is
real life.” As soon as the words were out of Talon’s mouth, he knew they were a mistake.
The deep green eyes he loved narrowed. “James Bond? You think I’m treating this as some sort of joke? Like I’m doing this just for
ego?” Finn sounded appalled, and Talon tried
to backtrack. He took a step toward Finn, but Finn took a step backward.
“No. I get you’re trying to help—”
“Trying to help?” Finn interrupted. “I’m doing as I’m told. Did you forget A-SAC Gregory
instructed me to do this?”
“No, I know,” Talon said quickly. “But
that was a mistake—”
“Because I’m not enhanced?” Finn said incredulously.
“Because I’m not as perfect as you? Because an ordinary human can’t match up to
your exacting standards, or because I can’t kill people just by thinking about
it?”
Talon hissed in a breath. “I didn’t mean—” Shit, he just
wanted Finn safe. “Finn,” he took hold of his arms. “Babe, please.”
Finn tried to pull away,
but Talon had him in a viselike grip.
Finn stilled. “Let me go,” he said woodenly.
Talon ignored him. “Finn—”
“I said, let me the fuck go!” Finn snapped. “This isn’t
gonna work, Talon. All those weeks ago, I told you I would leave if you
couldn’t work with me. Things have changed now. The team needs me, and the kids need me even more, and I’m not
giving that up—”
“What are you saying?” Talon interrupted. “That the team is
more important than our relationship?”
“No—”
“Maybe you’re right,” Talon said bluntly, ignoring the quick
indrawn breath from Finn. “Maybe I should just be your work partner. It’s not
like I need any more problems in my life.” The words were spilling from Talon’s
lips as if it wasn’t him saying them, as
if he had no control. He was being an ass, but he couldn’t stop.
“Is that what I am… a problem?” Finn’s voice was so hurt and raw, the words almost bled from his mouth.
“No,” Talon ground out. He hadn’t meant that. It was just…. He let go of Finn’s arms.
Finn took a step backward.
“I’ll see you downstairs.”
Talon hesitated. He didn’t know what to say. How had it gone
so badly wrong in the space of a few seconds? He gazed at Finn but was almost relieved Finn had his head
lowered. The catch in Finn’s voice told him what the hurt would look like in
those eyes. He didn’t need to see for himself what he had put there.
“Finn?” He reached out for Finn’s hand, but Finn snatched it
away. “I’ll see you downstairs,” Talon echoed, then unlocked the door and
walked through. He didn’t look back.
Blurb:
Talon’s deadly abilities are spiraling
out of control. Desperate to keep Finn safe, Talon struggles to protect the man
he loves with all his heart, and not become the greatest risk to Finn’s life.
Finn has no choice but to offer
himself as bait for the evil forces kidnapping enhanced children, facing
danger he is untrained and unprepared for, and he is having to do it alone.
Does Talon have one last fight in him?
Will he slay everyone who wants to destroy Finn and the team, or will he
finally discover that to defeat their enemy and the ultimate threat, the
biggest battle he has to face is one with himself?
BUY LINKS – Who We
Truly Are
Bio and links
Wrote her first
book on a dare from her hubby two years ago and he says he has regretted it
every day since. Loves writing about gorgeous boys loving each other the best,
and especially with either a paranormal or a historical twist. Had a try at
writing contemporary but failed spectacularly
when it grew four legs and a tail.
Is an English northern lass but is currently serving
twenty to life in Florida – unfortunately,
she spends more time chained at her computer than on a beach.
Loves to hear
from her readers and can be found most days lurking on facebook.
@vickysuewrites
https://www.facebook.com/victoriasueauthor/–
sign up for my newsletter and download a free story The Wrong Alpha
Release Day Review: Who We Truly Are (Enhanced #2) by Victoria Sue
Finn has no choice but to offer himself as bait for the evil forces kidnapping enhanced children, facing danger he is untrained and unprepared for, and he is having to do it alone.
Does Talon have one last fight in him? Will he slay everyone who wants to destroy Finn and the team, or will he finally discover that to defeat their enemy and the ultimate threat, the biggest battle he has to face is one with himself?
This story picks up shortly after the events in Five Minutes Longer. Young enhanced boys are going missing and it’s up to our heroes to find out why. Talon, still reeling from the effects of the manifestation of his new powers, is trying to come to terms with how he truly feels about Finn. It doesn’t help that their current mission puts Finn in danger. He’s terrified that Finn will be hurt, or worse, killed by whomever is behind the kids’ disappearances. Finn, however, is excited about the mission as it will give him the chance to prove that he really is an asset to the team and show the powers that be (and Talon) that he’s stronger than everyone thinks.
I’m so happy that we got more of Finn and Talon in this book. I always felt that their story wasn’t finished at the end of Five Minutes Longer. Finn, yeah, he was all in almost from the beginning, but Talon still needed to be convinced that someone could actually love him. He never felt that he deserved to have love. It was heartbreaking to see him hold everyone at arms-length so he wouldn’t get hurt.
The growth of not only the love between Talon and Finn, but also Finn’s confidence and Talon’s acceptance was a thing of beauty. They both really shone in this book and I felt like I connected with them on a deeper level. The secondary characters were fabulous as well. We got to know the rest of the team better and see more of their individuality. I can’t wait to read Sawyer, Gael, Vance and Eli’s stories! Drew though… I’ve got a pot of honey and a fire ant hill with his name on it. I always knew he was shifty. *glares at Drew*
The plot was engaging and I had a hard time putting the book down. Though the villain(s) was a bit too mustache-twirly for my tastes they were balanced out well with some surprising allies. People who I at first thought would be enemies turned out to be more friend than foe and the development of these characters was a delight to read.
ARC provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
Blog Tour: Manny Get Your Guy (The Mannies, #2) by Amy Lane
Amy Lane is here today talking kids and their hysterics inducing shenanigans and to promo her second in The Mannies series, Manny Get Your Guy. See our review HERE!
Manny Get Your Guy—Blogpost 4
…Too Quiet… (2)
So, in my blog post at Open Skye Books, I talked about how most parents and caregivers of small children know that too much silence is a bad thing. It’s like watching a cartoon character tip-toe from behind the refrigerator to behind the couch—you just know that duck is up to no good.
But sometimes, the kid’s quiet is masked by the sound of your own activity—and that’s even worse. Cause you think that kid is safe. You think that kid is tended. You think that kid is… oh dear…
Eleven years ago after Squish was born, I went back to work full time because I was insane. And broke. Okay, we were broke, but I was also insane. The year was a disaster—my computer was literally eating my grades (not my fault, once we discovered the cause), the principal had purposefully given me sophomores who I hadn’t taught ever, and one of my two classes of juniors had 13/33 kids who had passed maybe two classes and were going to continuation school—in SECOND semester. (Yes, this too was done on purpose.) I could go on—the list of disasters that occurred in Squish’s first year was long and painful, and exacerbated by post-partum hormones and, hey, hello, ulcerative colitis. Welcome to public education.
So I was already exhausted by the third week.
I remember this day. I had it all so perfectly planned in my head. A. Get home and change myself and Squish’s diaper. B. Have Zoomboy playing in the fenced in back yard while I start dinner. C. Sit down and nurse a crying Squish while I wait for the water to boil. Such a simple plan.
I get to the part where I finally sink into my chair to have Squish nurse, and I think, “Wait—why can’t I hear ZoomBoy in his Big Wheel in the backyard?” Believe me—I could hear him before, cause it was a loud loud piece of equipment, and because he made “ZOOM!” noises while he rode.
And just as I think that, there is a knock at the door.
Three neighborhood women are standing there. One of them is knocking, one of them is holding the Big Wheel, and one of them is holding ZoomBoy’s hand.
He is naked.
Naked.
“We think this is yours,” says one of the women.
I open my arm and he runs and jumps up on me, so I’m holding two children. He is laughing maniacally, I might add. “I got out!”
“Oh my God.” (Literally, the first thing I could manage to say. Now, after another eleven years of child-rearing, it would be like “Oh holy fucking Jesus,” but back then I was trying to behave.)
“Yeah,” said the woman handing Chicken the Big Wheel. (She is also laughing hysterically cause she was a sarcastic little shit then as now) “We saw him riding by naked once and didn’t see anybody behind him, and we thought you’d be along shortly. And then we saw him again, and thought, ‘Where is that kid coming from?’ And then we saw him a third time and thought, ‘You know… she might need a little help,’ and we followed him.”
I almost broke into tears. Oh my God yes, I needed a little help. And I got it. I never saw those three women again—not in ten years of walking myself and my dogs in this neighborhood. I have no idea where they came from. But they obviously knew me and my kids, and they stepped up.
And didn’t judge.
Goddess bless them all.
When it was Taylor’s turn for “too quiet” (in which much less drastic things happen than happened to me, because I didn’t want the storm of “He’s a horrible neglectful man who should never watch kids!” to hit my inbox like a tsunami) I gave him that heart stopping moment of “Oh my God where’d the kid go?”
But I also gave him an ally (yeah, sure, a romantic interest, but an ally nonetheless) who wouldn’t judge him. And someone who could tell a story about the time the same thing had happened to the entire family.
Because when your heart drops to your feet (and your bladder comes close!) and you think “Oh my God what almost… what could have… oh holy fucking Jesus how could I not have…” it really does help to have someone there holding your hand and going, “Kids are hard. Sorry, man—I wish I could say, ‘This is how you fucked up and how to never do that again’ but kids reinvent the rules every single time. There is always a way they can get into trouble—that’s why we hire nannies and day care places and beg relatives and pray. That’s why they age us worse than cigarettes and heroin, and that’s why having one more—even when you’ve got half a zillion already—is always a big deal. The only good thing going here is that now we have you, and you’re on the side of good, and you’re gonna look out for kids like we looked out for yours.”
Whether that person is a family friend, a boyfriend to be, or three angels with a naked kid and a Big Wheel, having that sort of support from the universe is the thing that keeps half the parents of the world from dropping down from heart failure and anxiety.
It just really helps to have someone on your side.
The Mannies
Starting over and falling in love.
Tino Robbins’s sister, Nica, and her husband, Jacob, are expecting their fifth child. Fortunately, Nica’s best friend, Taylor Cochran, is back in town, released from PT and in need of a job.
After years in the service and recovering from grave injury, Taylor has grown a lot from the callow troublemaker he’d been in high school. Now he’s hoping for a fresh start with Nica and her family.
Jacob’s cousin Brandon lives above the garage and thinks “Taylor the manny” is a bad idea. Taylor might be great at protecting civilians from a zombie apocalypse, but is he any good with kids?
Turns out Taylor’s a natural. As he tries to fit in, using common sense and dry wit, Brandon realizes that Taylor doesn’t just love their family—he’s desperate to be part of it. And just like that, Brandon wants Taylor to be part of his future.
Links:
Amazon
DSP
The Virgin Manny
Blurb:
The Mannies
Growing up and falling in love...
Sometimes family is a blessing and a curse. When Tino Robbins is roped into helping his sister deliver her premade Italian dinners when he should be studying for finals, he’s pretty sure it’s the latter! But one delivery might change everything.
Channing Lowell’s charmed life changes when his sister dies and leaves him her seven-year-old son. He’s committed to doing what’s best for Sammy… but he’s going to need a lot of help. When Tino lands on his porch, Channing is determined to recruit him to Team Sammy.
Tino plans to make his education count—even if that means avoiding a relationship—but as he falls harder and harder for his boss, he starts to wonder: Does he have to leave his newly forged family behind in order to live his promising tomorrow?
Link:
Amazon
Blog Tour Dates:
June 24 - MM Good Book Reviews
June 27 - My Fiction Nook
June 28 - Open Skye Book Reviews
July 1 - Boy Meets Boy
July 3 - Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
July 5 - Love Bytes
July 6 - Long and Short Reviews
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