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Shadow and Ice (Gods of War #1) by Gena Showalter | Review & Excerpt

I received this book for free from the mentioned source in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.

This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.

Shadow and Ice by Gena Showalter Series: Gods of War #1 Published by: HQN on October 23, 2018 Genres: Adult, 18+, Paranormal Romance, PNR, Romance Pages: 384 Format: eARC Source: Blog Tour, NetGalley View on: Goodreads Grab it: Buy on Amazon Review Score:

About the Book:

Gena Showalter, the New York Times bestselling author who brought you the Lords of the Underworld, introduces a scorching new paranormal romance series… Gods of War.

Knox of Iviland has spent his life competing in the All Wars, where vicious warriors with supernatural powers fight to the death to claim new realms. One winner takes everything—and all losers die. Enslaved as a child for his ability to control shadows, the most ruthless champion in history will stop at nothing to kill his king. But first he must win the battle for Earth. When a fearsome weapon imprisons every combatant in ice, centuries pass without progress…until she walks in.

Vale London craves a fun arctic getaway with her foster sister before settling down to open a bakery. Street-tough but vulnerable, she is unprepared to find ancient gods escaping a frozen cave—merciless beings who target her when she inadvertently enters their war.

Though Vale is now his enemy, Knox is consumed with lust and a fierce need to protect her. But only one combatant can prove victorious, and he will have to choose: live for freedom, or die for love.

        Lights, camera, and tons of satisfying action!

  As a long time Gena Showalter fan, I was so delighted when I learned she would be coming out with another adult paranormal romance series. I mean, the Lords of the Underworld, is the series that hooked me on this genre. Showalter is an expert when it comes to writing breathtaking scenes, witty characters, and alpha males who will dominate your thoughts all night long. And Shadow and Ice did not disappoint.

  Forced to compete in a competition for realm supremacy, Knox is not just a warrior, he is the warrior. Every time a new realm is discovered, immortal slaves fight to the death in order to claim the realm for their rulers. This is Knox’s fifth All War, and hopefully his final war. To gain his freedom from his slave bands and avenge his daughter’s death, Knox must win this war — at any cost. No friend, no lover, no potential ally, or silly emotion would stand in his way, or so he thought. Unfortunately during the war for Earth, he and his fellow immortal warriors were imprisoned in ice for hundreds of years, unable to break free from its magical hold. But Knox is not the type of man to let a little — or a lot — of anything get in his way. And as he continues to try and break free and win the All War, something unexpected walks right up to his frozen cage.

  Vale is human who’s on vacation with her sister, completing an epic bucket list before they start their own business. Abandoned in the frozen Russian wilderness by their tour guide, Vale and her sister Nola have no choice but to venture out into the frozen wonderland in search of civilization. However, when all hope seems lost, the girls stumble upon a cave with life-size statues of people — which couldn’t possibly be real right? Things quickly escalate for the duo when the ice starts to break and the immortal All Warriors emerge blades swinging, magical  weapons blazing, and with their killer instincts intact.

  Even though all hell is breaking loose, Vale and Knox are instantly attracted to each other. A classic sign of a Showalter novel, claim first and ask questions second. Stuck in the middle of the carnage, Vale loses track of her sister. Knox, having his own agenda, takes Vale for information and in turn she makes a deal to get her sister back from another warrior. Which in turn, sets the stage for a whirlwind love/hate relationship between our main characters.

  Overall, I enjoyed the classic Showalter humor between the characters and the brutal battles that take place page after page. Even though the pacing was slow in some parts, which happens sometime with the first book in a new series, I found the overall world to be one of intrigue and excitement. There is a laundry list of characters, some last longer than others, and a lot of twists and turns that may not appeal to some readers. But, if you like epic wars, hardcore romance, and laugh out loud banter, Shadow and Ice will not disappoint.

  My Rating

          As they continued trudging through the snow, she asked, “What are we going to call our donut shop, any­way?”

Nola had suggested The Donut Bar and Drunkin’ Donuts, since their sweet treats paid homage to dif­ferent alcoholic beverages, but both names had been taken already.

“What about Tricks and Treats? Oh! I’ve got it.” Nola clapped her gloved hands. “Happy Hour Donuts.”

“Cute, but neither one says high end. Or revs my motor. I’m sorry!”

“Well, frick.”

Frick—Carrie’s favorite “curse” word. “We could simplify and go with Lee and London,” Vale said.

“I love it, but no one will know what we’re selling.”

“Maybe not at first, but we can leverage social media to spread the word.”

“True. What about Lady Carrie’s.”

Excitement instantly sparked. “Duuuude. Lady Car­rie’s is perfect.”

“Well sprinkle sugar on my butt and call me a gour­met donut. Did we just name our shop?”

Vale was just about to reply—Our timing is impecca­ble, as always—when she spotted an ice hill up ahead. There was something about it… something odd. But what, exactly? Her eyes and brain said Nothing’s out of place.

Heart and legs picking up speed, she crossed the dis­tance, gasped. A perfect six-foot hole had been cut into the side, leading to a perfect hollowed-out tunnel with a perfect upward tilt. Definitely man-made. What was inside? Or better yet, who was inside?

A whimper of anticipation broke free. If the tun­nel led to a cavern—occupied or unoccupied, it didn’t matter—she could get Nola out of the elements sooner rather than later.

“Wait here,” she said when her sister reached the hill. “I’ll check out—”

“Nope, sorry. We go in together.”

“If there’s a wild animal squatting inside, only one of us should be its dinner.” Mmm. Dinner.

“You’re right. The other one will be dessert.”

Stubborn girl. “Fine.” Vale withdrew a long coil of rope from her pack, knotted one end around her sister’s waist and the other around her own. Nola isn’t falling to her death on my watch. Next, she withdrew ice axes. Two for each of them. “We’ll find a cavern, or drop. Whichever comes first.”

After zipping and adjusting her bag, she swung an ax, walked her spiked boots up several jagged steps, then swung the other ax. Rinse, repeat. Again and again. Nola did the same, below and to the right of her.

The higher they climbed, the darker the enclosure became, and the more her muscles protested.

Drip, drip. Drip, drip.

Ironically enough, the steady chorus of water drops tasted like melted vanilla ice cream on a hot summer day. Like hope. Hope gave her strength. Up, up. Higher still.

“I’m not sure… I can go…much farther,” Nola said heaving from exertion.

“You can. You will.” If they stopped now, they’d end up right back where they’d started. When a soft, warm—well, warmer—breeze caressed a patch of ex­posed skin, she gasped. “There’s something ahead, so move your butt!”

The tunnel curved to the right and—

A small pinprick of light caught her attention. “I see something!” Vale climbed faster, closing in.

The light expanded, the tunnel leveling out, opening into…a cavern! Massive ice pillars propped up a domed  ceiling at least eight feet high. There was enough space between each pillar to stretch out and get comfortable.

Trembling with relief, Vale crawled out of the tun­nel, dropped her tools and bag, and helped her sister over the ledge.

As Nola sank to the ground, panting, Vale pulled the logs and kindling from her pack, and used a match to start a fire. Instant heat. Oh, such glorious heat. Smoke billowed, curling upward, and she removed her goggles and face mask.

“Thank you, thank you, a thousand times thank you.” Nola removed each piece of headgear, as well, reveal­ing a face so perfect she looked airbrushed. Dark eyes, a delicate nose, and model-plump lips, all surrounded by flawless brown skin and a fall of straight black hair.

Nola had no idea who her parents were. As an infant, someone left her near a Dumpster, with a note pinned to her shirt. All the note had said? “My name is Mag­nolia Lee and I need a home.”

Frowning, Nola pointed to one of the walls. “Is that…ice graffiti?”

Vale used the axes and rope to create a hanging line to dry her hat and coat before approaching the wall. Hello. Images had been carved throughout, like ancient hieroglyphs or something, and depicted some kind of battle. Twenty giant men and four women held various types of weapons, and surrounded a taller cloaked fig­ure—the grim reaper, maybe? He clutched a scythe.

In front of the group was a headless body. She shud­dered.

      Gena Showalter’s SHADOW AND ICE – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:

October 22nd

All Things Dark & Dirty – Review & Excerpt

Beneath The Covers – Review & Excerpt

Diane’s Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Evermore Books – Review & Excerpt

It’s All About the Romance – Excerpt

Little Red Reading Hood +1 – Excerpt

NallaReads – Review & Excerpt

Read more sleep less – Review & Excerpt

October 23rd

A Book Lover’s Dream Book Blog – Review

Book Reader Chronicles – Review & Excerpt

Ceres Books World – Review

Declarations of a Fangirl – Review & Excerpt

For The Love of Fictional Worlds – Excerpt

Little Shop of Readers – Review & Excerpt

Moonlight Rendezvous – Review & Excerpt

October 24th

@reads_romance – Review

Bout-a-Book blog – Review

Crazii Bitches Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Lo’s Lo-Down on Books – Review & Excerpt

Milky Way of Books – Review

Romancing the Laser Pistol – Review & Excerpt

Somewhere Lost in Books – Review & Excerpt

October 25th

Bambi Unbridled – Review

Caitlin’s World – Review & Excerpt

Feel the Book – Excerpt

Jen’s Reading Obsession – Excerpt

Kay Daniels Romance – Review & Excerpt

Reading in Pajamas – Review & Excerpt

Reese’s Reviews – Excerpt

October 26th

Cinta Garcia de la Rosa – Excerpt

Feeling Fictional – Review & Excerpt

Incidental Inspiration – Review & Excerpt

My Book Filled Life – Review & Excerpt

Nicole’s Book Musings – Review

Sip Read Love – Review

The Ink Spell – Review

October 27th

Another Book Hangover – Excerpt

Bookgasms Book Blog – Review

Booknerd1107 – Review

Family, Books and Food – Excerpt

Rantings of a Reading Addict – Excerpt

The Reading Cafe – Review & Excerpt

October 28th

Bingeworthy Book Blog – Review

Clare & Lou’s Mad About Books – Review

Jax’s Book Magic – Excerpt

Ginreads – Review & Excerpt

Mother/Gamer/Writer – Review & Excerpt

NC 2 DC – Review & Excerpt

Red’s Midnight Readers – Review & Excerpt

October 29th

3 degrees of fiction – Review & Excerpt

Avephoenix Naughty Readings – Review & Excerpt

Books 2 Blog – Review & Excerpt

Just Reading Book Blog – Excerpt

Sharing Inspired Kreations – Review & Excerpt

The Book Dutchesses – Review & Excerpt

October 30th

Dirty Girl Romance – Review

Nerdy Dirty & flirty – Review & Excerpt

Reads All the Books – Review & Excerpt

Romancing the Readers – Review

Sassy Book Lovers – Review & Excerpt

Total Book Geek – Excerpt

Writes Forward – Review

October 31st

Book Lovers Hangout – Review & Excerpt

KDRBCK – Review & Excerpt

Mean Girls Luv Books – Review & Excerpt

Movies, Shows, & Books – Excerpt

Reviews from the Heart – Review & Excerpt

Shameless Book Club – Review & Excerpt

November 1st

Book Nook Nuts – Review & Excerpt

Busy Bumble Bee Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Dreamer’s Book Blog – Excerpt

Jeri’s Book Attic – Review

Romance Schmomance – Review & Excerpt

Smut Book Junkie Book Reviews – Excerpt

Up All Night w/ Books Blog – Review & Excerpt

November 2nd

Book Addict – Excerpt

Fundinmental – Review

Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Excerpt

Ruby’s Books – Excerpt

Southern Vixens Book Obsessions – Review

The Book Maven – Review & Excerpt

    Shadow and Ice (Gods of War #1) by Gena Showalter | Review & Excerpt was originally published on Mother/Gamer/Writer

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Happy Book Birthday + Excerpt | SHADOW AND ICE by Gena Showalter

  The Queen of Paranormal Romance, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Gena Showalter, stuns with SHADOW AND ICE, the first title in her scorching new paranormal romance Gods of War Series. Grab your copy of SHADOW AND ICE today!

          Gena Showalter, the New York Times bestselling author who brought you the Lords of the Underworld, introduces a scorching new paranormal romance series… Gods of War.

Knox of Iviland has spent his life competing in the All Wars, where vicious warriors with supernatural powers fight to the death to claim new realms. One winner takes everything—and all losers die. Enslaved as a child for his ability to control shadows, the most ruthless champion in history will stop at nothing to kill his king. But first he must win the battle for Earth. When a fearsome weapon imprisons every combatant in ice, centuries pass without progress…until she walks in.

Vale London craves a fun arctic getaway with her foster sister before settling down to open a bakery. Street-tough but vulnerable, she is unprepared to find ancient gods escaping a frozen cave—merciless beings who target her when she inadvertently enters their war.

Though Vale is now his enemy, Knox is consumed with lust and a fierce need to protect her. But only one combatant can prove victorious, and he will have to choose: live for freedom, or die for love.

  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Apple Books

        Add to Goodreads

  “I love this world…this is Gena Showalter at her best!”—J.R. Ward, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“The Gods of War series is my new obsession.”—Christine Feehan, #1 New York Times bestselling author

        She’d put her life on hold for years, working var­ious jobs while going to school full-time. Just when she’d completed a business degree from the University of Oklahoma—Go Sooners!—with zero student debt, she was going to kick the bucket? No! Completely un­acceptable.

And die knowing she’d caused her sister’s suffer­ing? Never.

“I’m sorry,” she said, guilt getting the better of her. Despite a top of the line face mask, her nose and lungs burned when she inhaled. When she exhaled, her gog­gles fogged.

“Don’t you dare take the blame. It’s mine, and I never share. You know that.” Nola’s breath no longer misted the air. A bad sign. Very bad. “I was feeling so good, I kept bugging you to add more stops to our itinerary.”

Her sister suffered from fibromyalgia. On any given day, Nola’s overactive nerves could cause extreme fa­tigue, total body aches, and swell each of her joints. A cocktail of medication helped alleviate the symptoms, but couldn’t cure the disease.

“Sorry, sis, but the hike was my idea.” Apparently, relaxing wasn’t her thing. Any time she’d had a quiet moment, she’d considered the avalanche of responsi­bility headed her way, and panicked. Which made zero sense. She’d dreamed of opening the donut shop for years. And yes, okay, her dreams revolved around No­la’s happiness rather than her own, but come on! Mak­ing Nola happy should make Vale happy. Still, in an effort to hide her panic, she’d made sure she had no quiet moments. “The blame is mine, and that’s final.”

“Fine. I’ll go halvsies with you.” Nola pretended to fluff her hair. “If we die, we die, but at least we look cute.”

“Dude. We do look cute.” They both wore a sleek coat, a downy jacket, thermals, fleece tights, a pair of goggles, a face mask, a hat and gloves. On their feet were multiple pairs of wool socks and hiking boots with ice cleats. “We could charm the flannel off a snow-biker gang.”

“Or a yeti with a Southern girl fetish. I bet we could win his heart no problem.”

“If he doesn’t want to eat our hearts first…battered and deep-fried, with melted butter on the side.” Her mouth watered. “I wonder what sautéed yeti tastes like.”

“If you start licking your chompers when you look at me… I won’t feel so guilty for debating whether your liver would pair better with a nice red or a six-pack of cheap beer.”

“You’ve seen my hangovers. Avoid my liver and go for the rump roast.” She gave her butt a little slap.

Nola chuckled, only to lapse into silence when a bit­ter wind nearly knocked them both off their feet. “D-distract me f-from the cold, and I’ll l-l-love you forever.” Her lips were tinted blue, her teeth chattering with more and more force.

“You already love me forever.” Just as Vale loved Nola, the greatest person in the world, living or dead, real or fake. Would move heaven and earth for her. “But I’m awesome, probably the awesomest, so I’ll take on this herculean task. Tell me your favorite part of the trip.”

“Only e-everything.” Nola shifted atop her bag, un­able to stifle a whimper of pain. Then she continued as

if nothing had happened. “Well, except f-for the aban­donment, starvation and h-hypothermia, of course.”

“Such trifling matters.” Helplessness pelted her in­sides with bullets. Rub some dirt on it and keep going. “We did everything on our BA lists.” BA—before adult­ing. Extending her index finger, she said, “We marveled over the northern lights.”

The chattering slowed, and Nola said, “We went on an overnight dog sled expedition that made me want to adopt a rescue pet as soon as I get home.”

“We ice sculpted. FYI, my blob was better than your blob.”

“It’s true. Oh! We also hot tubbed while drinking champagne.”

“Lastly, we hiked through the Arctic Circle.”

“Only one item remains unchecked.”

“Fall for a handsome local,” they said in unison.

Nola grinned and added, “I thought I had a connec­tion with our guide…until he left us to die and all. But even then, he was better than my most recent online dates. Would someone please explain why modern guys send strangers unsolicited pictures of their genitals?”

“Because of course we women are catapulted into a foaming-at-the-mouth sexual frenzy the instant we catch sight of some rando’s man-junk. Duh.”

“They are so proud of their peens, aren’t they? Mean­while I’m over here like, congrats on your average-size erection, dude, it’s maybe not quite as hideous as ev­eryone else’s.”

They snickered.

“But,” Nola added.

“Oh, no. No buts.” Her sis was a hopeless romantic. A hopeless optimistic as well. Nola believed everyone deserved a second, third and fourth chance—which was why she wrote such an excellent How To column. How to intrigue your crush blah, blah. Vale, however, was a realist.

    CLICK HERE to Read An Excerpt from Knox’s POV!

                About Gena Showalter:

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series–Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles–and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series. In addition to being a National Reader’s Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she’s appeared on Nightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black–if you ask her about it, she’ll talk for hours…hours! Her books have been translated in multiple languages.

She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com or Facebook.com/genashowalterfans  

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

    Happy Book Birthday + Excerpt | SHADOW AND ICE by Gena Showalter was originally published on Mother/Gamer/Writer

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Giveaway, Excerpt & Review | The Dark Intercept (The Dark Intercept #1) by Julia Keller

It will make you think, it will make you question your own thoughts and feelings, and it will definitely make you wonder could something as simple as a happy or sad emotion be turned against you. Check out The Dark Intercept and enter for your chance to win some awesome swag!

Giveaway, Excerpt & Review | The Dark Intercept (The Dark Intercept #1) by Julia Keller was originally published on Mother/Gamer/Writer

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Exclusive! Giveaway & First Look: See Me by Nicholas Sparks

      Title: See Me Author: Nicholas Sparks Publisher: Grand Central Publishing Date: October 13th 2015 Genres: Contemporary Romance, Contemporary Women, Romance, Women's Fiction Pages: 496 Format: Paperback Add It: Goodreads Grab It: Amazon •

See me just as I see you . . . Colin Hancock is giving his second chance his best shot. With a history of violence and bad decisions behind him and the threat of prison dogging his every step, he's determined to walk a straight line. To Colin, that means applying himself single-mindedly toward his teaching degree and avoiding everything that proved destructive in his earlier life. Reminding himself daily of his hard-earned lessons, the last thing he is looking for is a serious relationship. Maria Sanchez, the hardworking daughter of Mexican immigrants, is the picture of conventional success. With a degree from Duke Law School and a job at a prestigious firm in Wilmington, she is a dark-haired beauty with a seemingly flawless professional track record. And yet Maria has a traumatic history of her own, one that compelled her to return to her hometown and left her questioning so much of what she once believed. A chance encounter on a rain-swept road will alter the course of both Colin and Maria's lives, challenging deeply held assumptions about each other and ultimately, themselves. As love unexpectedly takes hold between them, they dare to envision what a future together could possibly look like . . . until menacing reminders of events in Maria's past begin to surface. As a series of threatening incidents wreaks chaos in Maria's life, Maria and Colin will be tested in increasingly terrifying ways. Will demons from their past destroy the tenuous relationship they've begun to build, or will their love protect them, even in the darkest hour?

                In the past, when she’d worked in the Mecklenburg County district attorney’s office, Maria Sanchez had been in the courtroom with any number of criminals, some of whom had been charged with the kinds of violent crimes that kept her awake at night. She’d had nightmares about various cases and had been threatened by a sociopath, but the simple fact was that she’d never been quite as frightened back then as she felt right now on this deserted stretch as that car, driven by that guy, suddenly pulled to the side of the road.

It didn’t matter that she was twenty-​eight, or that she’d graduated summa cum laude from UNC Chapel Hill, or that she’d gone to law school at Duke. It didn’t matter that she’d been a rising star in the district attorney’s office before finding other work at one of the best legal firms in Wilmington, or that until that moment, she’d always had a pretty good handle on her emotions. As soon as he stepped out of the car, all those truths went out the window and the only thing she could think was that she was a young woman all alone in the middle of nowhere. When he began to walk toward her, panic flooded through her. I’m going to die out here, she suddenly realized, and no one’s ever going to find my body.

Moments earlier, when his car had slowly drifted past hers, she’d seen him staring at her—almost leering, like he was sizing her up—and her first thought was that he’d been wearing a mask, which was terrifying enough, but way less scary than the sudden realization that she’d actually seen his face. It was bruised on both sides; one eye was swollen shut, the other one bright red and bloody. She was pretty sure that even more blood was dripping down his forehead, and it had been all she could do not to start screaming. But for whatever reason, not a sound escaped her. For the love of God, she remembered thinking as soon as he’d passed, please keep going. Whatever you do, please don’t stop.

But obviously God hadn’t been listening. Why would God intervene to keep her from ending up dead in a ditch out in the middle of nowhere? He wouldn’t. Instead, He’d decided to have the guy pull over, and now a man with a mangled face was gliding toward her like something out of a low-​budget horror film. Or prison, from which he’d just escaped, because the guy was positively ripped, and wasn’t that what prisoners did? Lift weights all the time? His haircut was severe, almost military style—the signature of one of the gangs in prison she’d heard about? The ratty black concert T shirt didn’t help, nor did the torn up jeans, and the way he was holding his jacket freaked her out. In this storm, why wasn’t he wearing it? Maybe he was using it to hide . . .

A knife.

Or, God forbid, a gun . . .

A squeak escaped her throat and her mind began racing through options as she tried to figure out what to do. Toss the tire at him? She couldn’t even get the thing out of the trunk. Scream for help? There was no one nearby, not a single car had passed in the last ten minutes, and she’d left her cell phone God knows where or she wouldn’t have been trying to change the tire in the first place. Run? Maybe, but the liquid ease with which he moved suggested he’d easily catch her. The only thing she could do was get back into the car and lock the doors, but he was already right there, and there was no way to get past him . . .

“Need a hand?”

It was the sound of his voice that jolted her out of her trance. Letting go of the tire, she began backing away, focusing only on creating distance between the two of them. Lightning flashed again and she noticed a blankness in his expression, almost like something elemental was missing in his personality, the piece that signaled that it wasn’t okay to rape and kill women.

“What do you want with me?” she finally choked out.

“I don’t want anything,” he answered.

“Then what are you doing here?”

“I thought you might need some help changing your tire.”

“I’m fine,” she said. “I can handle it myself.”

He looked from her to the flat tire, then back to her again.

“Okay. Good night,” he said. Wheeling around, he started back toward his car, his figure suddenly receding. His reaction was so unexpected that for a second she felt paralyzed. He was leaving? Why was he leaving? She was glad about that—actually, she was thrilled about that—and yet, and yet . . .

“I’m having trouble getting the tire out of the trunk!” she said, hearing the panic in her own voice.

He turned on his heel as he reached his car. “Seems like it.”

He reached for his door and pulled it open, ready to climb in—

“Wait!” she suddenly cried.

He squinted at her through the downpour. “Why?” he called back.

Why? She wasn’t sure she’d heard him right. But then again, she’d told him she didn’t need any help. And she didn’t, except that she did, but it wasn’t as though she could call anyone, and with her thoughts racing and jumbled, the next words spilled out involuntarily.

“Do you have a phone?” she shouted.

He closed some of the gap between, stopping when he could be heard without shouting, but not getting too close. Thank God. “Yes,” he answered.

She shifted from one foot to the other, thinking Now what? “I lost my phone,” she said. “I mean, I didn’t lose lose it.” She knew she was rambling, but the way he kept staring at her made the words impossible to stop. “It’s either at the office or I left it at my parents’, but I won’t know for sure until I get to my MacBook.”

“Okay.” He added nothing else; instead, he stood unmoving, his eyes steady on hers.

“I use that Find My Phone thing. The app, I mean. I can track my phone because it’s synced with the computer.”

“Okay.”

“Well?”

“Well what?”

“Can I borrow yours for a minute? I want to call my sister.”

“Sure,” he answered. He tucked the phone into the folds of his jacket and as he began to approach, she reflexively took another step backward. He placed the jacket on the hood of her car and gestured at it.

She hesitated. He was definitely odd, but she appreciated the fact that he’d stepped away. She hurried to the bundle and found his iPhone tucked inside, the same model as hers. When she pressed the button, the screen lit up and sure enough, he was getting service. But it wouldn’t do any good unless . . .

“Five-six-eight-one,” he offered.

“You’re giving me your code?”

“You can’t access the phone without it,” he noted.

“Aren’t you worried about giving it to a stranger?”

“Are you going to steal my phone?”

She blinked. “No. Of course not.”

“Then I’m not worried.”

She wasn’t sure what to say to that, but whatever. She typed in the code with trembling fingers and dialed her sister. By the third ring, she knew she’d get Serena’s voice mail. Maria did her best to keep her frustration in check as she left a message, explaining what had happened to the car and asking her sister to come pick her up. She tucked the phone back into the jacket on the hood and then stepped away, watching him.

“No answer?” he asked.

“She’s coming.”

“Okay.” When the lightning flashed again, he motioned toward the rear of her car. “While you’re waiting for her, do you want me to change your tire?”

She opened her mouth to again decline his offer, but who knew when—or if—Serena would get her message? And then there was the fact that she’d never actually changed a tire in her life. Instead of answering, she let out a breath, trying to keep the tremor from her voice. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Yes.”

“What . . . what happened to your face?”

“I was in a fight.”

She waited a few beats before finally realizing he wasn’t going to add anything else. That’s it? No further explanation? His demeanor was so utterly foreign, she wasn’t sure what to make of it. As he stood in place, obviously waiting for the answer to his earlier question, she glanced at the trunk, wishing she actually knew how to change a tire.

“Yes,” she finally said. “If you wouldn’t mind, I’d love some help changing the tire.”

“Okay.” He nodded. She watched as he reached for the bundle on the hood and tucked his phone back into his pocket before slipping his jacket on. “You’re afraid of me,” he said.

“What?”

“You’re afraid I’m going to hurt you.” When she said nothing, he went on. “I won’t, but whether you believe that is up to you.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because if I’m going to change your tire, I’m going to have to approach the trunk. Which means I’ll be approaching you, too.”

“I’m not afraid of you,” she lied.

“Okay.”

“I’m not.”

“Okay,” he said again, then started toward her. She felt her heart squeeze as he passed within arm’s reach of her, only to feel foolish when he walked right past without slowing. He unscrewed something, then lifted the spare tire out and set it aside before he disappeared behind the trunk again, no doubt to retrieve the jack.

“One of us needs to move your car onto the road,” he said. “It needs to be level before I get the jack going, otherwise the car might slip.”

“But I’ve got a flat tire.”

He peeked around the side, jack in hand. “It won’t hurt the car. Just go slow.”

“But it will block most of the lane.”

“It’s blocking half the lane already.”

He had a point there . . . but . . .

But what if that was all part of his plan? To distract her somehow? To get her to turn her back?

A plan that included letting me use his phone? And removing the tire from the trunk?

Rattled and self-​conscious, she got into the car and started the engine, slowly but surely edging it back onto the road and setting the emergency brake. By the time she opened the door, he was rolling the spare toward the rear tire, lug wrench in hand.

“You can stay in the car if you want,” he said. “This shouldn’t take long.”

She debated before closing the door, then spent several minutes watching in the side mirror as he continued to loosen the bolts before sliding the jack into place. A moment later, she could feel the car lifting slightly, bouncing its way slowly upward and then stopping. She watched as he finished unscrewing the bolts before sliding the tire off, just as the storm began to intensify, rain blowing in gusty sheets. The spare went on quickly, along with the bolts, and then all at once, the car was being lowered again. He placed the flat tire back in her trunk along with the jack and the lug wrench, and she felt him gently push the trunk closed. And just like that, it was over. Still, she startled a little when he tapped on her window. She lowered the glass and rain began to spit through the opening. With his face still shadowed, it was almost possible to see past the bruises and the swelling and the bloody eye. Almost, but not entirely.

“You’re good to go,” he shouted over the gale, “but you should probably get the tire fixed or replace it sooner rather than later. Your spare isn’t meant to be used permanently.”

She nodded, but before she could thank him, he had already turned and was jogging toward his car. He jerked his door open and slid behind the wheel. She heard the roar of his engine and then—before she knew it—she was alone on the road again, albeit now in a car that would get her home.

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          About Nicholas Sparks

With over 100 million copies of his books sold, Nicholas Sparks is one of the world’s most beloved storytellers. His novels include 12 #1 New York Times bestsellers. All his books have been New York Times and international bestsellers, and were translated into more than 50 languages. Ten Sparks novels have been adapted into major motion pictures, with The Choice coming in February 2016.

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Exclusive! Giveaway & First Look: See Me by Nicholas Sparks was originally published on Mother/Gamer/Writer

[mothergamerwriter]

Excerpt & #Giveaway: THE HIGHLANDER TAKES A BRIDE by Lynsay Sands

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        Welcome to Mother/Gamer/Writer for  THE HIGHLANDER TAKES A BRIDE Blog Tour! For today’s tour stop, please enjoy an excerpt from the novel and enter for your chance to win a Print Set of All Three Highlander Romances and a Scottish Stole!

        Title: The Highlander Takes a Bride Author: Lynsay Sands Series: Highlander #3 Publisher: Avon Date: July 28th 2015 Genres: Adult Historical, Historical, Romance Pages: 384 Add It: Goodreads Grab It: Amazon •

A bold, seductive laird meets his passionate match in a scintillating Highland romance from New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands. Sword fighting, swearing, and riding astride come naturally to Saidh Buchanan. Simpering and holding her tongue-definitely not. Raised alongside seven boisterous brothers, Saidh has little interest in saddling herself with a husband…until she glimpses the new Laird MacDonnell bathing naked in the loch. Though she’s far from a proper lady, the brawny Highlander makes Saidh feel every inch a woman. She has an angel’s looks, a warrior’s temper, and seeks out his kisses with wanton eagerness. Little wonder that Greer is intrigued by his comely guest. When reckless desire overtakes them, he’s more than willing to make an honest woman of her. But Saidh is the target of a hidden enemy, and Greer faces the battle of his life…to safeguard the woman he wants above all others.

                “A lady does no’ climb trees.”

  “Ye’ve told me that three times now, lad,” Saidh responded dryly, shifting her foot up to the next branch and hauling herself upward.

  “Aye, but ye’re still doing it, so I thought mayhap ye had no’ heard me,” Alpin said sharply. When she didn’t respond to that, he added, “I could climb up there to pick the apples and throw them down, ye ken.”

  “Then there would be no one to catch them,” Saidh pointed out.

  “I was thinking mayhap ye could stay below and catch them, as a lady should,” he said, sounding much put upon.

  Saidh plucked the apple she’d been climbing to and glanced down to see where the boy was before dropping it in his direction. Once Alpin had caught it, and set it with the others they’d already gathered, she started to climb down and asked, “Just how old are ye, Alpin?”

  “Nine,” he said proudly.

  “Hmmm,” she muttered, easing down another branch. “Ye act ninety.”

  “Laird MacDonnell says the same thing,” Alpin announced with disgust.

  “Then we are in agreement,” Saidh said cheerfully, easing down another branch.

  “I suspect the two o’ ye would agree on a lot o’ things,” Alpin said sounding annoyed.

  “I suspect yer right,” Saidh said with a laugh and jumped to the ground. She took a moment to brush her hands together, then released her skirt from where she’d caught it up and stuck it through her belt for the climb, then beamed at the boy and said, “Is that no’ nice?”

  “Nay,” Alpin assured her heavily. “I’m thinking ’tis a bad thing.”

  Her eyebrows rose in surprise. “Why is that?”

  “Because ye both just go about doing as ye wish with little regard fer how a laird or lady should behave,” he said firmly. “Someone needs to take the two o’ ye in hand and teach ye—What the devil are ye doing now?” he interrupted himself to ask with dismay when Saidh moved over to the apples, caught her skirt up and knelt to begin placing the apples in the bag-type affair she’d made of her skirt.

                  Grand Prize: Print Set of All Three Highlander Romances and Winners Choice Scottish Stole.  

Five (5) Runners Up will receive a Print Set of AN ENGLISH BRIDE IN SCOTLAND and TO MARRY A SCOTTISH LAIRD.  

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      About Lynsay Sands

LYNSAY SANDS is the nationally bestselling author of the Argeneau/Rogue Hunter vampire series, as well as numerous historicals and anthologies. She’s been writing stories since grade school and considers herself incredibly lucky to be able to make a career out of it. Her hope is that readers can get away from their everyday stress through her stories, and if there’s occasional uncontrollable fits of laughter, that’s just a big bonus. Please visit her on the web at www.lynsaysands.net.

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Excerpt & #Giveaway: THE HIGHLANDER TAKES A BRIDE by Lynsay Sands was originally published on Mother/Gamer/Writer

[abookblog]

theprelovedbooks replied to your photo:Found these in my purse. I forgot I grabbed them...

I didn’t look closely at this post at first, and I thought you accidentally stole books, haha. This is cool though; I’ve never seen bookstores give away chapter samples.

It's a rare occasion. I usually get them at trade shows or via ebooks, so this was a pretty cool thing to find inside the store.

And for clarification, I could never steal a book from a store. I'm just simply not that sneaky. Plus I just don't want to do that to the authors.