[Spotlight Post] SUDDENLY MINE (The Montgomery Brothers, #8) by Samantha Chase #Excerpt

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Suddenly Mine
The Montgomery Brothers, #8
By Samantha Chase
Publication date: 1/29/19

Love is a sanctuary

Christian Montgomery is burnt out—the family business might be his entire world, but his father's judgment means Christian never stops working. His only respite is gazing at the beach and the carefree surfers riding the waves...especially the curvy redhead who's caught his attention.

Sophia Bennington has just fled from her small Kansas town to California, where she's trying her best to embrace her new beginning. Soon Christian and Sophia find one another, and it feels like sanctuary. But when their difficult pasts catch up to them, will they run away from each other?

Montgomery Brothers Series:

• Wait for Me (Book 1)
• Trust in Me (Book 2)
• Stay With Me (Book 3)
• More of Me (Book 3.5)
• Return to You (Book 4)
• Meant for You (Book 5)
• I'll Be There (Book 6)
• Until There Was Us (Book 7)

Praise for Samantha Chase:

"Chase's three-dimensional characters leap off the page..."
—Publishers Weekly for Until There Was Us

"A sweet romance: classic, thoughtful, and as lyrical as the stars."
—Kirkus Reviews for A Sky Full of Stars

"Chase just gets better and better."
—Booklist

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Rkbz8W

B&N: http://bit.ly/2VJRirC

Apple: https://apple.co/2TAFIxk

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2VIqacP

Walmart: http://bit.ly/2H5qu1W

Indigo: https://bit.ly/2MDVdCb 

Visit Samantha Chase's Author Website: https://www.chasing-romance.com/

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EXCERPT

      “This was Christian’s idea?” she asked incredulously.

      “Oh…um, well, yes. He feels incredibly thankful to you for all you did.”

      “I see.”

      Sophie wasn’t stupid—she’d accept any and all the jobs she might get through this. That was a no-brainer. But knowing that Christian had more than likely orchestrated it bothered her. Was he doing it simply because he was thankful, or was it because he’d acted like a jerk when he’d refused to let her help him?

      Unfortunately, she didn’t know him well enough to know for sure.

      With no other choice—because she would make herself crazy sitting here thinking about it—she took a shower and got ready, bracing herself to go knock on Christian Montgomery’s door.
      Did she take a little extra time in the shower and use her favorite scented soap?

      Yes.

      Did she spend a little extra time on her makeup?

      Yes.

      And did she curse more than once while she styled her hair because it was way too long and took forever to make look good?

      Again, yes.

      But as she looked at her reflection when she was done, all Sophie could say was, “Damn, girl! You look good!”

      With all of the extra attention she’d already given herself, choosing something to wear was a bit more challenging. Obviously, he knew she wasn’t working, so showing up on his doorstep dressed up would look ridiculous. However, showing up in a pair of cutoffs and a T-shirt seemed wrong. It wasn’t as if she had an extensive wardrobe to begin with, but right now it sure as heck felt that way!
Grabbing a pair of faded denim capris and a bold blue halter top, she felt casually sassy. That was a thing, right?

      Slipping on a pair of flip-flops, she grabbed her purse and was out the door, feeling much calmer than she had an hour ago. The drive took less than fifteen minutes, and as Sophie parked in his driveway, she took a moment to give herself a small pep talk.

      “The good thing is that you have a job,” she said quietly. “It shouldn’t matter why you have the job, the fact is that you have one.” She paused. “And while it would be great if he apologized for coming off as being ungrateful last week, you need to remember that he’d had a traumatic day and maybe it wasn’t about me at all.”

      Sighing, she flipped down her visor and checked her reflection in the mirror, fixing her lipstick. When she was done, she flipped it back up and continued her talk.

      “If he recommended me for these jobs because he feels sorry for me, then I am completely within my rights to tell him that I’m offended. I don’t need charity. However, if he did it based on my experience, then I’ll be polite and say thank you.” She took a steadying breath and thought about how she was going to feel when she saw him back at the office after he went back to work. “He needs to know that I’m going to be checking up on him and his health more than anyone else in the company—especially in the beginning—since I know his history. Like it or not.”

     No doubt he wouldn’t like that one bit, but those were her terms and she wasn’t going to be budged.

      At least, she hoped she wasn’t.


      With one deep, cleansing breath, Sophie climbed from her car, fidgeted with her hair, and made her way up the front steps. Ringing the bell, she wondered how Christian was going to react to her showing up unannounced.

      Although, really, how else could she show up? It wasn’t as if she had his phone number.

      When the front door opened, she almost forgot how to breathe.

      His hair was a bit of a mess and it looked like he hadn’t shaved in a few days. But it looked good on him. Really good. His blue eyes sparkled with surprise and she swallowed hard, trying not to sigh dreamily.

      Then she glanced down.

      Big mistake.

      Dressed in a pair of black athletic shorts and nothing else, Christian Montgomery was like some sleek, athletic god.

      She’d recognized that he had a fit physique before, but seeing him standing before her practically naked confirmed it.

      And then some.

      Right now, she was having a hard time forming words. Never before had she seen such a perfect male specimen and her fingers nearly twitched with the need to reach out and touch his flat stomach, and then maybe scratch their way up to tangle in his hair. She bet he smelled really good too.


      “Sophie?”

      Oh. Right. He’d asked her a question.

      “Um… I wanted to talk to you,” she said, her voice trembling a little—and not from nerves over what she wanted to say, but from the sight of him.

      Maybe she should go…

      Stepping aside, Christian motioned for her to come in, and with no other choice, she walked into his house.

      Swallowing hard, she walked in front of him and looked around. She’d admired the house when she was here before, but at the time, her main concern had been Christian and his well-being. Now she could see just how beautiful the space was—high ceilings, exposed beams, colors that were cool and soothing in shades of tan and blue, and a wall of windows facing the ocean.

      Not a bad way to live, she mused.

      “Can I get you something to drink?” he asked, coming to stand beside her.

      Part of her was afraid to turn and look at him because…well, she didn’t want to do anything stupid.

      Like drool.

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Have you read any of the Montgomery Brothers books yet?

What did you think of that excerpt for Suddenly Mine?

Spotlight Post: CRAZY CUPID LOVE (Let's Get Mythical, #1) by Amanda Heger

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Crazy Cupid Love
By Amanda Heger
Publication date: 1/29/19
 
"'Percy Jackson for Romance fans.' Delightful."―RT Book Reviews Forewords

When a single arrow inspires romance, can you really trust happily ever after? In this magical rom-com, the descendants of Greek mythology must learn to live and love in a mundane world where Aphrodite's blessing can sure feel like a real pain in the quiver. 

Eliza Herman (a.k.a. The World's Worst Cupid) has spent her entire life carefully avoiding her calling as a Descendant of Eros. After all, happily-ever-afters are nothing but a myth. But when a family crisis requires her to fill in at the local Cupid-for-hire shop, Eliza finds herself enchanting couples under the watchful eye of her assigned mentor, Jake Sanders...the one man she could never get out of her head.

Before long, Eliza is rethinking her stance on romance―until things start going terribly wrong with her enchantments. Now Eliza and Jake must fight to unravel a conspiracy that could destroy thousands of relationships, including their own...and spell the end of Love itself.

No pressure, right?

G E T   Y O U R   C O P Y    N O W !

Amazon | B & N | Kobo | Apple | Indiebound | Indigo | Walmart

AMANDA HEGER is a writer, attorney, and bookworm. She lives in the Baltimore with her unruly rescue dogs and a husband who encourages her delusions of grandeur. She strongly believes Amy Poehler is her soul mate, and one of her life goals is to adopt a pig and name it Ron Swineson.

Connect with Amanda:

Author Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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EXCERPT

      Tap, tap, tap.

      Eliza jumped, cracking her head on the steering wheel. Son of a… She grasped for the seat belt while her brain tried to place the man peering down at her from the passenger-side window.

      “Hello?” he said.

      No.

      Not just a man. An underwear- model- worthy man with the perfect amount of five- o’clock shadow and cheekbones that could cut diamonds. A navy tie hung loosely around his neck, and the top button of his shirt lay open, practically daring her to look away from the tan skin at the base of his throat.

      It was the worst thing Eliza had ever seen.

      TURN BACK NOW. ABANDON SHIP. THIS WAY LIES MADNESS. Her mind screeched its usual warnings like a tornado siren, but she couldn’t look away.

      Over the years, in her attempt to live a “normal” life, she’d constructed an intricate maze of rules and guidelines that she followed at all times. Number one on that list? Stay away from hot guys.

      On a good day, her clumsiness hit a six on the Richter scale. Add the fumbling, sweaty awkwardness of attraction to the mix, and Eliza became a walking catastrophe.

      “Eliza?”

      “Do I know…” She narrowed her eyes. There was a familiar seriousness in his gaze. Something nostalgic about the way he dug his hands into his pockets. Something… “Jake?”

      Eliza shoved open the car door and tried to push all the dirty thoughts she’d just had from her mind as she stepped out into the driveway. “Jake Sanders? I thought you were in Peru or something.”

      “Brazil.”

      “Brazil then. What are you doing here?” She tried to smooth her hair. When that failed, she tried not to notice how mind- bendingly attractive her childhood best friend had become. They’d known each other since elementary school, when— as the only three school- age Cupids in town— Jake, Eliza, and Elijah had been enrolled in PSC (Public School Cupiding) classes together. Every Wednesday night, they’d sit in a classroom for two hours, drinking juice boxes and learning about the history of Cupids. On the weekends, Jake would come to her house, where they would conduct elaborate reenactments of the War of the Titans from the tree house in Eliza’s backyard. But in middle and high school, the two of them had drifted apart the way people do. Especially when one of those people is class president and captain of the track team (Jake) and the other is a walking disaster (Eliza).

      After high school, Jake enlisted in the Cupid Corps. For the last ten years, he’d been taking cases on assignment in impoverished and war- torn areas. Aside from a brief visit over Christmas nine years ago, Eliza hadn’t seen him since.

      “I moved back to town about a week ago,” he said. “Doing some odd jobs while I get reacclimated.”

      “At Dionysus again?” she asked. When they’d been teenagers, he’d worked there as a bar back. The raucous restaurant and bar sat dead center in the Agora— a building at the edge of town where Descendants had gathered for decades, undetected by “regular” humans. Eliza, the ultimate clumsy introvert with an unheard- of level of enchantment, hated the place. People stared and pointed when she walked by. It made her feel like a lab rat.

      “No.” He looked down at his feet, then back up at her. “Doing some deliveries right now. This one is for your parents. Are they here?” He held out a large manila envelope.

      “No.” She started to say more, but the words snagged in her throat. “They’re out.”

      “Can you sign for this then?” She took his tablet and scrawled her name at the bottom of the screen. “Here you go.”

      Jake handed her the thick envelope and flashed her a grin. It was same grin— the one that rose a smidge higher on the left— that had always seemed kind of dorky when they were kids. As adults? Totally different story. “Happy Day- That- Shall- Not- Be- Named, by the way,” he said.

      Despite everything, Eliza let out a laugh. “Finally, someone around here understands me.”

      “I aim to please.” His dark eyes locked on hers for a half second. “I can’t believe your parents finally gave up on the whole Herman birthday extravaganza thing.”

      “Oh, they didn’t. We already had cake. Blood and tears were shed, yadda, yadda.”

      “You did all the blood shedding before dark? The Hermans have really gotten soft over the years.” There it was again. That grin. “Here. I have something for you.”

      Jake took a step closer. Miniature fireworks went off in her chest, leaving trails of nervous energy in her stomach. He’d become so handsome. Broad shoulders, narrow waist, a jawline that could make Adonis weep. And he’d been there for all her childhood traumas and celebrations. The hot days they’d chased down the ice- cream truck in bare feet. The games of checkers on her parents’ back porch. The awkward here- come- the- braces- and- puberty years.

      “You brought me a gift?” Eliza asked.

      “You think I was going to step inside this house on your birthday without a gift in hand? No way. Your parents would have eaten me alive.”

      “That’s fair.” For the first time on this godsforsaken day, Eliza felt herself relax. They could have been ten years old and playing Battletoads again, the way everything fell into place. Like life had never taken them in separate directions.

      “Here.” He produced a small, rectangular package from his back pocket.

      The paper was a plain navy blue— not a Valentine remnant in sight— and the featherlight present crinkled when she turned it over. She smiled up at him. “You didn’t have to do this.”

      He reached for the gift with a boyish look in his eyes. “If you don’t want it— ”

      Eliza whipped it out of his reach. “I didn’t say that.”

      “Don’t get too excited. It’s nothing big.”

      “I’ll be the judge of that.” Eliza pried open the wrapping. An all- too- familiar cartoon kangaroo stared up at her from the tiny package of treats. A rush of nostalgia washed over her. “Dunkaroos? Dunkaroos, the best snack ever made? Dunkaroos, the sole reason I made it through childhood in one piece?”

      “I think you’re forgetting something.” Jake gave her a pointed look.

      “Okay. Dunkaroos, the reason I made it through childhood, in addition to your friendship.”

      His face broke into a wide smile. “I’ll accept that.”

      “Where did you find these? I didn’t think they made them anymore.”

      “Canada. I was in Vancouver last week.”

      “So you smuggled them into the country in the dark of night, risking everything, just for my birthday?”

      He let out a soft chuckle. “Something like that.”

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I've been eagerly waiting for CRAZY CUPID LOVE because it sounds utterly adorable...and hilarious! 

What do you think?

Did you like the excerpt and does it sound like a book you'd like?

Spotlight Tour: BAD BACHELOR (Bad Bachelor #1) by Stefanie London

I don't know about you all, but I have a real soft spot for romances where the leading man is a grade "A" douchebag. I love seeing him find love and grow into the man he's meant to be. He may end up still being a jerk by the end of the book, but even if he is, he's always just the guy that the leading lady needs...and I have to admit that it pulls at all of my heartstrings. ;) 

I'm always on the lookout for a great player or bad boy romance, so when I heard about Stefanie London's upcoming release BAD BACHELOR, I immediately added it to my TBR! It releases next Tuesday on March 6th, and I can't wait to read it! 

I've got all of the book details for you...and excerpt...and a giveaway, so keep scrolling! ;)

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Title: Bad Bachelor
Author: Stefanie London
Series: Bad Bachelors, #1
Pub Date: March 6, 2018

Everybody's talking about the hot new app reviewing New York's most eligible bachelors. But why focus on prince charming when you can read the latest dirt on the lowest-ranked "Bad Bachelors"—NYC's most notorious bad boys?

If one more person mentions Bad Bachelors to Reed McMahon, someone's gonna get hurt. A PR whiz, Reed is known as an 'image fixer' but his womanizing ways have caught up with him. What he needs is a PR miracle of his own.

When Reed strolls into Darcy Greer's workplace offering to help save the struggling library, she isn't buying it. The prickly Brooklynite knows Reed is exactly the kind of guy she should avoid. But the library does need his help. As she reluctantly works with Reed, she realizes there's more to a man than his reputation. Maybe, just maybe Bad Bachelor #1 is THE one for her.

ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | IndieBound

A B O U T    T H E    A U T H O R

Stefanie London is the USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romances with humor, heat, and heart. Originally from Melbourne, Australia, Stefanie now lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband. She loves to read, collect lipsticks, watch zombie movies and drink coffee. Her bestselling book, Pretend It's Love, was a 2016 Romantic Book of the Year finalist with the Romance Writers of Australia. You can visit her at www.stefanie-london.com

Find Stefanie Online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

And, get the latest dirt on Bad Bachelor #1 at the site badbachelors.weebly.com!  

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  EXCERPT

     They stopped beside a black car with tinted windows. Out of nowhere, a driver appeared and opened the door for them. Darcy suddenly felt underdressed, which was stupid since they were only going for a ride.

     “So tell me: What’s so appealing about Five-Star Darren?” Reed asked as they slid into the back seat. A glass partition separated them from the driver.

     “None of your business.” Oh God, they were not having this conversation. Not while a billion dirty thoughts were driving her to distraction. Damn him, why did he have to mention sex?

     Her hormones hadn’t been this rowdy since high school. But the second he got close and his clean, warm scent invaded her nostrils, it was like the sexy bits of her body started doing tequila shots.

     “Oh come on, you can trust me. I might even be able to give you some advice.” His brown eyes twinkled. They were framed by full, thick lashes—the kind of lashes that had no business being on a man.

     God, they were far too close in the back seat of the car. Her bare leg was mere inches from his, and the scent of his aftershave invaded her nostrils. It was crisp, clean, with a hint of citrus.

     Damn delectable.

     “You were late today,” she blurted out, hoping the abrupt change in conversation might steer him away from delving into her nonexistent dating life—and perhaps jolt her brain into not focusing on how good he smelled.

     “Half an hour late and I was sitting there, waiting.”

     “My meeting ran over and my phone died. I could have gone back to the office to email you, but that would have meant being later than I already was.” He reached for a bottle of water that sat in a compartment in the door. When he offered her one, she shook her head. “I apologize for keeping you waiting.”

     “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

     “Now, back to your dating life—”

     “No. We’re not having this conversation.” She held up a hand. “Besides, why do you care?”

     “Because, after careful deliberation, I’ve decided that you are interesting.”

     “Gee, thanks.” Darcy snorted. “I’ll pass on that so-called compliment.”

     “So-called?”

     “You do know ‘interesting’ is usually a code word for ‘weird,’ right? It’s not much better than telling a girl she has a great personality.”

     “What’s that a code for?”

     “Ugly.”

     He brought the water bottle to his mouth and sipped. Full lips hinted at sinful activities and Darcy tried to quash the flutter low in her belly. He probably knew exactly what to do with his lips too. Stop it.

     “You are interesting…in the non–code word sense. Even if you do think I’m a jerk. And Five-Star
Darren would be a terrible match, for what it’s worth.”

     Curiosity tugged at her. She knew nothing about the dating world, and it was clear he was well experienced. Surely there wouldn’t be any harm in gleaning some information from him…for research purposes, of course.

     “Why’s that?” she asked.

     “All these women have rated him highly, yet they haven’t stayed with him. Why would that be?”

     “I don’t know.” She frowned. “Maybe it just wasn’t the right time.”

     “For all those women?”

     Okay, so that did sound a bit suspicious when he put it like that. “But the reviews—”

     “What do the reviews say?”

     She pulled up Darren’s profile on the app and scanned down the page. “‘Great guy but the timing wasn’t right.’” She shot him a smug look. “See? Told you.”

     “Keep reading.”

     “He’s a total gentleman, but they didn’t have many common interests. Uh, another one says their jobs made dating too hard but that he was a nice person. Apparently, he’s romantic, but there wasn’t enough spark.” Darcy kept scrolling. “He’s kind and funny, a great conversationalist. I can’t see any red flags here.”

     “He’s got a small dick.”

     Darcy almost choked. “Excuse me?”

     Reed shrugged. “Or he doesn’t know how to make a woman come.”

     “Stop,” she hissed, the heat flushing through her body in a way that was entirely too pleasurable. Totally, totally inappropriate. “You can’t say that.”

     “Why not? It’s just sex. And sometimes you have to look at what people aren’t saying to understand what they are.” He nodded. “Words can be unreliable like that.”

     Darcy shook her head and stuffed her phone into her bag. This conversation had shot out of her comfort zone. Like a whole solar system out of her comfort zone. Listening to Reed talk about sex was… God, she didn’t even know. Her imagination was serving up all kinds of dirty scenarios, but she tamped them down.

     Reed was off-limits.

     Not only because of the bad reviews, but also because it was clear he could run circles around her verbally. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that he would do the same thing in the bedroom.

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Enter to win a copy of Bad Bachelor by Stefanie London!

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Who else loves romances that feature bad boys and players?

Does BAD BACHELOR sound like something you'd like to read?

Release Day: DEFENDING TAYLOR by Miranda Kenneally!

Woo hoo!! 

Happy Book Birthday to Miranda Kenneally!
Today's the release day for DEFENDING TAYLOR!
 

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Defending Taylor

By Miranda Kenneally

Release Date: July 5, 2016

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Praise for Defending Taylor

“I can’t quite put my finger on what is so enthralling about Kenneally’s newest novel, but it totally sucked me in. I loved that Kenneally didn’t go with an easy, traditional happy-go-lucky ending. I also enjoyed the flawed nature of the characters, which made them feel more relatable. This is a great summer read and my favorite novel by Kenneally so far!”
–RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars

Summary:

There are no mistakes in love.

Captain of the soccer team, president of the Debate Club, contender for valedictorian: Taylor’s always pushed herself to be perfect. After all, that’s what is expected of a senator’s daughter. But one impulsive decision—one lie to cover for her boyfriend—and Taylor’s kicked out of private school. Everything she’s worked so hard for is gone, and now she’s starting over at Hundred Oaks High.

Soccer has always been Taylor’s escape from the pressures of school and family, but it’s hard to fit in and play on a team that used to be her rival. The only person who seems to understand all that she’s going through is her older brother’s best friend, Ezra. Taylor’s had a crush on him for as long as she can remember. But it’s hard to trust after having been betrayed. Will Taylor repeat her past mistakes or can she score a fresh start?

Buy Links (The Defending Taylor e-book includes an exclusive bonus story with Jordan and Henry from Catching Jordan!) : Amazon | Apple | B&N | BooksAMillion | !ndigo | Indiebound

About the Author:

Growing up in Tennessee, MIRANDA KENNEALLY dreamed of becoming an Atlanta Brave, a country singer (cliché!), or a UN interpreter. Instead she writes and works for the State Department in Washington, D.C., where George W. Bush once used her shoulder as an armrest. Miranda loves Twitter, Star Trek and her husband. Visit mirandakenneally.com

Social Media Links: Website | Twitter | Instagram

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Excerpt from Defending Taylor:

I now understand culture shock: it’s me experiencing Hundred Oaks High for the first time.

A lot of kids go here. Five hundred? A thousand? There are so many I can’t tell. At St. Andrew’s, there were only forty kids in my entire class. We lived on a calm, sprawling, green campus. Walking down the halls of Hundred Oaks feels like last-­minute Christmas shopping at a crowded mall.

Two guys wearing football jerseys are throwing a ball back and forth. It whizzes by my ear. A suspender-­clad male teacher is hanging a poster for the science fair, while a couple is making out against the wall next to the fire alarm. If they move another inch, they’ll set off the sprinklers. At St. Andrew’s, kissing in the hall was an über no-­no. We snuck under the staircase or went out into the woods. Ben and I did that all the time.

Thinking of him makes me stop moving. I shut my eyes. Dating Ben was stupid. Going into the woods with him was stupid. Thinking about what happened makes me so mad, I want to rip that newly hung science fair poster off the wall and tear it apart.

A boy shoves past me, slamming my arm with his backpack. That’s what I get for loitering in the middle of the hallway with my eyes closed. He looks me up and down. “You coming to Rutledge Falls this afternoon?”

“What?”

“Paul Simmons challenged Nolan Chase to a fight. Rutledge Falls. Three o’clock. Don’t tell the cops.”

A fight? Where the hell am I? Westeros?

A girl bumps into my side. “Watch it!” Flashing me a dirty look, she disappears into a classroom with a group of friends, chattering away.

Seeing those girls together reminds me of my best friends, Steph and Madison. Right now, they’re probably gossiping before trig starts. I miss Steph’s cool British accent and Madison’s cheerful laugh.

I take a deep, rattled breath. And then another. I feel trapped, like the time I got locked in my grandpa’s garage and no one found me for an hour and I banged on the windows until my fists turned purple from bruises.

I can’t believe I had to leave my school. My home.

All because I made one stupid decision.

I check my schedule. My first class is calculus 1, the most advanced math course Hundred Oaks offers. Just a week ago, I was taking an advanced calculus quiz at the University of the South. St. Andrew’s is one of the best prep schools in the country, and they offer seniors the opportunity to take courses at the university, which is up the road. Even though I was still in high school, the professors treated me just like a college kid. I was only in the course for two weeks, but still. It was insanely difficult. The truth is, unlike everybody else in my family, I hate math. I have to work at it harder than anything else in my life.

But if I didn’t take college calc, there’s a good chance I wouldn’t get into an Ivy League school. I need to go to a top-tier school because that’s what people in my family do. My father attended Yale, and my sister Jenna is there now. According to Dad, my brother Oliver—­Jenna’s twin—­is a traitor for going to Princeton, but I think Dad respects him for having the balls to make his own decision.

Me?

When Dad called me into his home office last night, he barely looked at me as he pored over my new schedule. The silence was killing me.

“I don’t know how Yale will still consider me if I’m not taking all AP courses,” I said. “Hundred Oaks only offers AP chemistry.”

Dad sighed, took off his glasses, and set down my schedule. “I’m incredibly disappointed in you, Taylor.”

I looked him straight in the eyes. His quiet restraint worried me. I’d never seen him so upset.

But I was upset too. He rarely had time to call me when I was away at school, but he could spare a few minutes to comment on my one screwup? After how hard I’ve always worked?

Over the years, I’ve done hours of homework every night. I had a 4.2 GPA at St. Andrew’s. A 1520 SAT score. I was on track to be valedictorian. I was captain of the soccer team and on the debate team. I did everything I could to show Yale that I worked hard. That I am a unique individual. Because that’s what Yale wants.

But my one misstep has muddied my glowing record.

Dad ended our conversation with a death knell.

“Tee, I gave you all the tools you needed to succeed,” he said. “I’ve paid for your private school education since first grade, and you squandered it by getting kicked out.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, my face burning. “I’m going to keep working hard at Hundred Oaks though.”

“You’re damn right you will.”

My father had me so flustered, I wasn’t thinking straight when I said, “Maybe Yale will still take me because of who I am.”

“You mean because of who I am.” Dad rubbed his eyes. “I’ve always taught you kids the importance of integrity, and the minute you got into trouble, instead of owning it, you called me to bail you out. And now you’re doing it again. Using my name to try to get ahead.”

I hung my head. “I’m sorry, Dad.”

“I love you more than anything, but you have to take responsibility for what you did. You’ll have to figure college out on your own.”

“What does that mean?” I asked slowly.

“It means I’m not lifting a finger. I won’t be calling the alumni association or the school president to put in a good word for you.”

“But didn’t you do that for Jenna and Oliver?” I blurted.

He put his glasses back on. “You need to own up, Tee.”

So here I am, glancing around the unfamiliar halls of Hundred Oaks. The school is neat and orderly, but it doesn’t look completely clean, like no matter how hard you scrub, it still looks old. At least it’s not juvie.

I step into my math class, which is already filled with kids. I choose an empty seat at a wobbly wooden desk and stare out the window at the sunny, seventy-­degree September day. I bet at St. Andrew’s, my world politics teacher is telling my friends, “Gather your books. It’s a beautiful day out. Let’s have class in one of the gardens.”

I check out the problem set on the whiteboard. I could do this level of math years ago…

My former guidance counselor told me that colleges look for trends in our GPA and activities over four years of high school. So that means when colleges see my application, they will see:

      I’m taking easier classes;

      I’m no longer doing debate;

      I’ve lost my soccer captainship this year; and

      I was expelled.

I have never simply given up when calculus got a lot tougher or an opponent ran faster than me on the soccer field. So I refuse to believe my entire future is over because of one mistake.

I just need to figure out how to move forward.

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I'm a HUGE Miranda Kenneally fan and I love her Hundred Oaks series, so her release days always get me super excited! Any other Miranda fans out there?

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Spotlight Tour: POWERLESS Trade Paperback Release! #Excerpt #Giveaway

I have some exciting news for you all! POWERLESS by Tera Lynn Childs and Tracy Deebs is now in paperback!! I haven't had the chance to read this book yet, but it's definitely one that I'm excited for, and the sequel, RELENTLESS, will be out soon, too!

Keep scrolling to find an excerpt and giveaway for POWERLESS. ;)

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NOW IN TRADE PAPERBACK!

POWERLESS

By Tera Lynn Childs and Tracy Deebs

May 3, 2016; Tradepaper; ISBN 9781492616603

Book Info:

Title: Powerless

Series: The Hero Agenda

Authors: Tera Lynn Childs and Tracy Deebs

Release Date: May 3, 2016

Publisher:  Sourcebooks Fire

Summary:

Kenna is tired of being “normal.”

The only thing special about her is that she isn’t special at all. Which is frustrating when you’re constantly surrounded by superheroes. Her best friend, her ex-boyfriend, practically everyone she knows has some talent or power. Sure, Kenna’s smart and independent, but as an ordinary girl in an extraordinary world, it’s hard not to feel inferior.

So when three villains break into the lab where she interns, Kenna refuses to be a victim. She’s not about to let criminals steal the research that will make her extraordinary too.

But in the heat of battle, secrets are spilled and one of the villains saves her life. Twice. Suddenly, everything Kenna thought she knew about good and evil, heroes and villains is upended. And to protect her life and those she loves, she must team up with her sworn enemies on a mission that will redefine what it means to be powerful and powerless…

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27806652-powerless

Buy Links: Amazon | Apple | B&N | BooksAMillion | Indigo | Indiebound

About the Authors:

Tracy Deebs is a national bestselling and criticially-acclaimed author who writes under many different pseudonyms. Tera Lynn Childs is the RITA-award-winning author of two mythology-based novels (Dutton’s Children’s), and a kick-butt trilogy about monster-hunting descendants of Medusa (Katherine Tegen).

Links: Powerless Website | Tera Lynn Child’s Website | Tera Lynn Child’s Twitter

Excerpt from POWERLESS:

If I could have any superpower, right now, I’d choose the ability to reach through glass. One thin, little pane is all that separates me from bliss…of the midnight-snack variety, to be exact. The chocolate bar hangs halfway to freedom but refuses to take the plunge, as if the vending machine is mocking me, taunting me.

As if it knows I’m powerless.

Annoyed, I slam my palms against the glass. Everything inside shudders. My chocolate bar—pure Swiss milk chocolate dotted with toasted hazelnuts—doesn’t budge.

“Come on,” I beg as if the candy can hear me. “Just a little farther.”

No such luck.
Then again, when have I ever been lucky? I’m just glad no heroes are around to see me lose a battle with a vending machine. I would be the punch line to every joke for a year.

Thankfully, the lab is pretty much empty at this time of night. Even Mom went home two hours ago, leaving me to transcribe the notes from today’s sessions. I prefer to work when no one is around. My experiments fall into a gray area in the Superhero Code of Conduct, and even though I’m not technically a superhero—yet—I try not to piss off the powers-that-be. The last thing I need is to lose my lab privileges before I’ve perfected my formula.

Copying down Mom’s scribblings is like deciphering some previously unknown ancient language. It isn’t exactly the most glamorous summer job ever, but it pays okay and gives me access to the facility.

I’m almost done with tonight’s transcription from the digital white board Mom and her team spent all day filling with chemical equations for her newest power-enhancing formula. Maybe twenty more minutes, and then I can get back to my test samples.

My stomach rumbles in protest, reminding me that I skipped dinner. I really want that stupid chocolate bar. But since I just used my last quarters, my only hope is that one of the security guards upstairs has change for a ten.

I turn away from the vending machine alcove and start back around the corner to grab my wallet from the lab.

Right before I make the turn, I hear hurried footsteps. Not wanting a repeat of last week’s collision with Dr. Harwood—my favorite jeans still smell like sulfur—I hang back a step.

But the boy who rushes around the corner looks nothing like the balding, old scientist who works nearly as many late nights as I do.

No, this guy is tall and lean, but not too skinny. He’s got major biceps and I can see the outline of some pretty impressive muscles beneath his shirt. Yum. He’s probably about my age or a little older, eighteen or nineteen maybe. And everything about him is shrouded in black—his tee and jeans, his heavy-duty boots, his shoulder-length hair—everything but his eyes.

If we weren’t in superhero central, I’d say he looks like a stereotypical villain.

You’d think with all that darkness, he’d be nothing more than shadow. But he’s all angles: his cheekbones, his jaw, even the collarbones I can see peeking out from the low neckline of his tee. Light seems to reflect off him like moon glow at midnight. Surrounded by all that sculpted darkness, his icy blue irises burn like the hottest flames.

Our gazes collide, and though I know it’s vain, I instantly wish my hair wasn’t pulled back in a messy braid and that I was wearing something—anything—more appealing than my dad’s ratty old 1996 Stanley Cup Champions tee.

Hot guys in the underground lab are few and far between—Who am I kidding? Hot guys in my life are few and far between—so most of my wardrobe choices involve comfort and whether I mind if the garment gets ruined by acid, dye, or any of a million other compounds we work with every day.

If my best friend, Rebel, were here, she’d be doing an I-told-you-so dance because she’s been wanting to give me a makeover forever. That, and she’d already have his number and email address, and they’d be making plans for their date this weekend. Me, I can’t even manage a simple “hello.”

The fact that he’s scowling at me, those dark brows slashing low over those bright eyes, isn’t helping anything.

“The lab is supposed to be empty,” he says.

His voice is flat, but his comment almost feels like an accusation.

“I’m working late,” I answer, trying not to sound defensive. “What are you doing here?”

He lifts an eyebrow. “You’re working in the hall?”

“I needed a break to come get chocolate,” I say, gesturing at the vending machine behind me.
He nods down at my empty hands. “You don’t have any chocolate.”

“That thing hates me. Took my money and kept the candy bar.”

In a graceful movement that looks almost choreographed, Dark-and-Scowly steps around me and up to the greedy machine. He presses his palms to the glass, just like I did. Hey, maybe he has the power to reach through glass. After all, around here pretty much everyone but me has some kind of super ability.

When his hands don’t immediately sink through the surface, I say, “I tried smacking it already. Didn’t work.”

Moving his hands closer to the edge, he curls his fingers around the frame. Then, with his boots braced on the floor, he gives the whole machine a solid shove. The heavy hunk of metal rocks back once, then comes forward, its front legs hitting the tile floor with a sharp thud. On impact, the chocolate bar sails against the glass before falling into the trough below.

He turns to face me, a cocky smile twisting one side of his mouth. “Takes a special touch.”

I duck down and reach through the hinged door to grab the candy bar.

“You’re my hero,” I joke.

He snorts. “Right.”

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COMING SOON!

RELENTLESS

By Tera Lynn Childs and Tracy Deebs

June 7, 2016; Hardcover; ISBN 9781492616610

Summary:

Revenge is easy, but justice is worth fighting for…

Kenna is tired of being lied to—and hunted by the very allies she once trusted. Unearthing the dark secrets of the superhero world has not only endangered her life, now her boyfriend faces execution for crimes he didn’t commit and her mother is being held captive in a secret governmental prison.

Kenna is determined to stand up for what’s right and save those she loves from unspeakable fates. It’s time for the betrayal to end. It’s time for the real criminals to face justice.

But the truth is even more terrifying than Kenna could imagine. A conspiracy threatens the fate of heroes, villains, and all of humanity. If Kenna’s going to survive, she must draw on her deepest strength: her resilience. Because when Kenna’s pushed to the limit, she doesn’t break down. She fights back.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27015385-relentless

Pre-Order Links: Amazon | Apple | B&N | BooksAMillion | Indigo | Indiebound

GIVEAWAY

Rafflecopter Giveaway link for two paperback copies of Powerless (Runs May 1-May 31^st; U.S. & Canada only):

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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I'm a big fan of all things superhero, so Powerless and Relentless definitely pique my interest!

What about you?
Did you like the excerpt?