Tracey Alvarez' HOT new release

One of my very favourite authors has a new book out which I'm excited to share with you. Check it out!

Title: Teach Your Heart (Far North Book 3)

Author: Tracey Alvarez

Release Date: November 30, 2016

Regular price: US$3.99

New Release price (until December 8^th) $2.99

Full Blurb:

Some lessons are harder to learn than others…

Doctor O-for-Awesome Owen Bennett is all about fixing broken things. Then the arrival of his orphaned nieces and nephew for twelve weeks causes his workaholic life to plummet into chaos. Hiring the beautiful but unpredictable Gracie Cooper as a live-in nanny might just get him out of a tight spot…or it could seduce him into a reckless affair.

After four years flitting around Europe, waitress/dog-walker/au-pair Gracie Cooper has returned home to New Zealand. Her plans to hang out with her big brother change when Owen offers a perfect solution to her crippling university debt. In spite of her sexy-stick-in-the-mud boss, she’ll spend fun days playing in Bounty Bay’s sand and surf with his cute charges. At summer’s end she’ll follow the sun overseas again.

Gracie and Owen’s opposites-attract connection is so unexpected and powerful that foundations are rocked. But some things aren’t easy to fix. Some past hurts can’t be run from forever. And the lessons they teach each other risk breaking their hearts.

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29764931-teach-your-heart

Buy links:

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MYPQJNR

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01MYPQJNR

iBooks US: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/teach-your-heart/id1099244245

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1125098420

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/626749

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/nz/en/ebook/teach-your-heart

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Tracey_Alvarez_Teach_Your_Heart?id=sceDDQAAQBAJ

Excerpt

“Morning,” he said. “Another early bird.”

“I saw the lights go on in here. I’ve been awake for hours. Touch of jet lag still.”

“Takes some adjustment.” Owen gave Gracie a wide berth and entered the walk-in pantry. “As does acclimatizing to the Far North summer,” he said over his shoulder. “Are you cold?”

Her laugh was a smoky chuckle. Fortunately, neither she nor Charlie could witness him closing his eyes for an instant to enjoy it.

“No, just lacking in some warmer-weather clothes,” Gracie said. “I like to travel light, so I gave away a lot of my summer things when the UK winter closed in.”

“I was hot last night.” His nephew’s sleepy voice drifted into the pantry. “And what’s for breakfast?”

“Uncle Owen’s making pancakes, and I was hot, too. In the bus I sleep in my knickers,” Charlie said and then giggled. “Will, tell Gracie the story about Uncle Owen and Uncle Danny in the bunny-hole.”

“What’s a bunny-hole?” Gracie asked.

Owen snatched the baking powder from the shelf and ducked back into the kitchen. “It’s a space under the main floor of my parents’ bus down the back. Big enough to fit a small set of bunks. Daniel and I used to share it.”

“You lived in the house bus, too?”

Gracie sat bolt upright on the barstool, but before Owen could answer, Charlie tugged on her elbow.

“Hey! It’s Will’s story!”

“Sorry.” Gracie stroked Charlie’s hair, which stuck out in wild corkscrew curls. “Tell me about the bunny-hole, Will.”

Owen moved to the fridge and opened it. He’d need the cool air if the story he suspected was the one his mum had passed on to the kids.

“Weeelll,” said Will, relishing the role of storyteller. “The bunny-hole bunks are up against the window, so you gotta remember to close the curtains if you’re on the top one. One day, when Uncle Owen was little, he forgot to close the curtains and he woke up to see people laughing at him as they walked past. Because he only had his undies on and nothing else.”

Charlie clapped a palm over her mouth but it didn’t muffle her high-pitched giggles.

“Oh dear.” Laughter rippled beneath the surface of Gracie’s voice. “I hope they were clean undies, Owen.”

Bunny-hole, rabbit hole. He’d fallen down one of them into a nutty world where discussing underwear choices with a woman he’d just met was appropriate breakfast conversation. “Clean Spiderman ones, yeah.”

Owen pulled out the tray of eggs and placed them on the counter, turning to find Gracie’s gaze once again on him—at ass height. This was a whole new sublevel of the rabbit hole. Did she wonder if he still wore Spiderman underwear? Or maybe she was checking out his attributes for some other reason.

He grabbed a whisk from the utensil jar and pointed it. “Twenty-five years ago, I thought Spiderman was the ultimate in cool. Now I’ve moved past the tighty-whities stage—so can we please stop laughing at my underwear choices and change the subject?”

Charlie climbed onto the lower rung of Gracie’s barstool and whispered into her ear. This time, his niece managed a whisper he couldn’t overhear and two spots of rosy pink appeared on Gracie’s cheekbones.

Owen cracked an egg into the mixing bowl one-handed. “Want to share with the class?”

“Girls don’t share secrets,” said Charlie. “Eh, Gracie?”

“That’s true.”

Since the spots had grown larger on Gracie’s cheeks, curiosity burned in his gut. There was another darting glance to the fly level of his shorts. Interesting.

Author Bio: 

Tracey Alvarez is a USA Today Bestselling Author living in the Coolest Little Capital in the World (a.k.a Wellington, New Zealand). Married to a wonderfully supportive IT guy, she has two teens who would love to be surgically linked to their electronic devices.

Fuelled by copious amounts of coffee, she’s the author of contemporary romantic fiction set predominantly in New Zealand. Small-towns, close communities, and families are a big part of the heart-warming stories she writes. Oh, and hot, down-to-earth heroes—Kiwi men, in other words.

When she’s not writing, thinking about writing, or procrastinating about writing, Tracey can be found with her nose in her e-reader, nibbling on smuggled chocolate bars, or bribing her kids to take over the housework. 

Follow Tracey on Twitter as @TraceyAlvrezNZ or Facebook as http://www.facebook.com/TraceyAlvarezAuthor 

Her website is http://www.traceyalvarez.com and don't forget to sign up to her newsletter here: http://bit.ly/JR3Asu

 Author Social Media links:

Website: http://www.traceyalvarez.com

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

Twitter: http://twitter.com/TraceyAlvarezNZ

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/TraceyAlvarez

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/traceyalvarez/

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+TraceyAlvarez/posts

Amazon Author page: amazon.com/author/traceyalvarez

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/traceyalvareznz/

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/JR3Asu

Release Day Giveaway

(Open Internationally)

1st Prize (over $50 value) includes:

~ Know Your Heart (Far North Book #2) signed paperback
~ Beautiful NZ themed scarf
~ New Zealand Wild Ferns Lanolin Pure & Delicate soap
~ New Zealand Wild Ferns Lanolin lip balm with Shea Butter
~ Pascall Jet Planes lollies - for those of us with a sweet tooth and who like to fly away to exotic places like Gracie. Classic NZ candy.
~ Cute New Zealand bird (Fantail) hanging decoration (Christmas tree?)
~ New Zealand made Whittaker's dark chocolate bar Kaitaia Fire Chili Pepper Spice. Kaitaia Fire hot-sauce was created in the Far North, where Teach Your Heart is set.
~ Author magnet (not pictured)
~ Author bookmark (not pictured)

Runner up prize:

2 runner up winners will get a New Zealand fire fighters 2017 calendar as pictured.

To Enter: Just click on the below Rafflecopter giveaway links below.

To qualify for the bonus 5 entries, you'll need to purchase Teach Your Heart and answer this question in the space provided in the rafflecopter. The question is: What is the first 5-word sentence at the beginning of Chapter 17?

* Prizes are not exchangeable for cash or anything else.
* All due care will be made in ensuring the prize arrives at the winner’s address, but I am unable to refund prize value in any way should it not arrive due to postal disaster.
* Entries close on December 7th and winner will receive a direct e-mail from me shortly after – so please ensure my e-mail address is added to your safe/contacts list. If I haven’t had a reply from the winner in 48 hours, I will redraw a new winner.

Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review - Ghost of a Promise by Kelly Moran

A paranormal category romance from Entangled's Covet imprint...

It might be love…but will they survive the night?

The ghosts of her family's estate on the coast of Maine never troubled Ava Trumble. When she finally inherits the historic mansion, however, there's a small string attached: Ava has exactly one year to solve a 200-year-old mystery of a missing girl, or lose her family's home...

The lead investigator for paranormal TV show Phantoms, Jackson Granger, is prepared for any metaphysical encounter—until now. It's not just the uncanny sense of "coming home" or even his reaction to the fiery redhead who seems to consume his every waking thought. No, it's that the ghosts are using Jackson and Ava's attraction to play out a centuries-old tragedy. Heartbreak. Loss. Overwhelming passion. Now Jackson and Ava must determine if they're sharing something real...or if they've been possessed by a love that never died.

*I was given an ARC of this book by the Publisher for an honest review*

Kelly Moran can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned. This is the third book of hers I've read and she has become a firm favourite of mine. Her writing is flawless and effortlessly sucks you into the story from the very first page. What she absolutely excels at in this novel is the creating of the spooky energy a paranormal novel needs that will have you wanting to leave the light on late at night. Some of the scenes in this book just about made my hair stand on end!

The sexual tension between Ava and Jackson is incredibly hot, but more than that - you get the feeling that the two characters actually like each other (not a common enough occurrence in romance novels I've read lately). The plot is well thought out and crafted and I loved being introduced to the secondary characters throughout the book, making me eager to read the following stories in this series.

I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy a good mystery with a great cast of characters.

Amazon U.S.: http://amzn.to/1tgdCJa
Amazon CAN: http://tinyurl.com/ktv66fr
Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/kdrq3pk
B&N: http://tinyurl.com/ojh7hyh
iTunes: http://tinyurl.com/k4zcj6n
Kobo: http://tinyurl.com/l2glmxk

Author's Blog Tour...A New Approach

Mackenzie Crowne tagged me in this blog tour, which is a spin-off of the Writing Process blog tour.
I'm honoured she asked me to be a part of this as she is one of my very favourite authors. She writes wonderful true-to-life characters and delves deep into what makes a character tick...and what ticks them off! Expect fireworks between the hero and heroine in Mac's books - in all the very best of ways *waggles brows* If you haven't read her yet, I highly recommend that you do! My favourites so far? An arm-wrestle between A Song for Sophie and Gift of the Realm.

Wife, mother and really young grandmother, Mackenzie Crowne lives with her high school sweet heart husband, a neurotic Pomeranian, and a blind cat. She calls Phoenix home because the southwest feeds her soul. Though her friends claim she’s a princess, she disagrees. After all, one can’t raise two rambunctious boys to wonderful men without getting a little dirt under their nails. ESPN and dirtbikes are the order around her house, and life at the “Testosterone Ranch” more closely resembles one of today’s wacky reality shows than yesterday’s “Leave it to Beaver.”
A lover of the romance genre, her resolve to share her stories with others was sharpened by a bout with breast cancer. Today she is an award-winning, multi-published author and seven year survivor, living the dream.

Here are Mac’s questions for me:

If you were beginning your writing career today, what would you do differently?

Definitely get started in all aspects of social media sooner! When I first started writing, it was all about the story. Little did I know that when you become published, things change. It's no longer just you and the story anymore. If you're lucky, there might be some folks who'd like to know a little more about the person who wrote the story they've just read and chat to them about it. I know I get a special thrill when some of my favourite authors chat back to me through social media, and the idea that someone feels the same way about little old me - well, that's just magic!

What’s the one thing about you that might surprise readers?

In my early twenties, I seriously contemplated joining the police force. I HATE running any kind of long distance with a passion (anything over 1km is lo-o-o-ng to me) but I would run every day trying to do the required distance within the required time allowed. I joined two policemen during a night-shift to get a feel for what the role required and had an absolute blast racing around in the squad car, going to domestic disputes, checking out the police headquarters and even watching them input the paperwork. It sure didn't hurt that they were both tall, muscular and very good-looking boys...sigh. Is it any wonder I love to write my heroes as cops? :)

Tell us a little about your main characters in your latest book. 
Nate, a cop, sees life in black and white - and to his detriment, this includes people. His emotions and reactions to situations are coloured by tragic events in his past - and the guilt he carries for it. 
Kelly is not your average heroine. Tall and strong, she is the equal - and sometimes better - to most men. She tries hard to hide the obvious flame she holds for her partner, Nate, especially since he makes it clear hes not the romancing kind. Brought up in a close and loving family, she is the polar opposite to his dark, morose personality - and the very best thing to happen to him if only he'd let her in.

What are some of your favorites…

Color? 

Green. I love the fresh, clean feel of the colour. It makes me feel refreshed and happy. :)

Food 

My favourite all-time food would be a well selected antipasto platter. Mmmm...goes so well with wine! But really - I'm easy. Anything I don't have to cook myself is delicious!

Place 

If its not in New Zealand, I'd have to choose County Kerry, Ireland where I have family. I fell in love with that area - and they serve the best Guiness there!

If it was a place in NZ, I'd go with Wainui Falls where my family and I have recently holidayed. Gorgeous scenery, wonderful eateries, and relative solitude.

Now I am tagging three authors. (Click on their names to find out more)

First up is Kelly Matsuura, who also writes under the pen-name of Kelly Noro.
Kelly is Australian but currently lives in America with her lovely Japanese husband, whose work seems to take them all over the globe. 
Kelly's writing is gorgeous! Almost lyrical in style, she has a gift of taking you on a journey, as if you were sitting right there on her character's shoulder. And what worlds does she take you too! A range of genre's, one thing Kelly's stories have in common - you won't want to stop reading until the very last delicious word.

Next, I introduce you to Catherine Mede.
Catherine is a fellow New Zealander and has one of the most incredible imaginations I've ever come across in a person. Full of fantastic and (and sometimes fantastical) ideas, I'm thrilled to celebrate with her as she unleashes her debut novel, Cursed Love, out into the world!

And finally, meet my lovely writing buddy and author of amazing contemporary romance, Serena Clarke. Not only is Serena's work so page-turningly fantastic, but she is the most loveliest of people too and we get along like a house on fire. We finally get to meet in person next year, and I for one can't wait!


Thanks for visiting everyone :-)

Cover Reveal - Risking It All by JM Stewart

COVER REVEAL!! 

I adore doing cover reveals - especially when those authors are my friends - and even more so when their covers are absolutely gorgeous! Take a look at this, would you?! 

Title: Risking It All

Author: JM Stewart

Publisher: Penguin Intermix

Date published: Sept 16, 2014

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Word count: 80,000

AISN: B00FFFSZB6

ISBN: 9780698147980

Originally published in a shorter form as Staking His Claim

Blurb:

She’s everything he wants…

For years, Kyle Morgan has hidden his true feelings from the gorgeous girl next door that he grew up loving and protecting. But when she shows up at his apartment in the middle of the night, desperately needing comfort and support, his iron will begins to waver…

…and the only thing he can’t bear to lose.

Kyle was always the big brother Cecelia Anton never had, but suddenly her goofy best friend has become a sexy man she can’t keep her thoughts—or hands—off of. As their deep connection melts into uncontrollable desire, Ceci is willing to put it all on the line for a shot at true love. Only Kyle is keeping a terrible secret about Ceci’s past that could destroy not only their lifelong friendship but their happily-ever-after…

 Trailer:

In case you have trouble getting the trailer to play, here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpzuxkFy_6I

Nice, huh?! JM's books are packed full of emotion. By the time you've finished one of her books, you'll feel like a wrung-out cloth - but oh! the satisfaction you'll get is like nothing else. To find out more about her and her books, follow the links below. Enjoy!

Purchase links:

Amazon

Barns and Noble

iTunes

Books-a-million

About the author:

JM writes passionate, heartfelt contemporary romance. She’s a wife, a mother, a spiritualist, and lover of puppies, and happily addicted to coffee and chocolate. She lives in the rainy Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. She’s a hopeless romantic who believes everybody should have their happily-ever-after and has been devouring romance novels for as long as she can remember. Writing them has become her obsession.

You can find out more about JM or her books here: Website /Blog /Twitter /Facebook

Vintage Vonnie : Broken Promise by Paisley Kirkpatrck

Reblogging Vonnie Davis.

Happy release day, Paisley!




Vintage Vonnie : Broken Promise by Paisley Kirkpatrck:
 My online buddy, Paisley Kirkpatrick, is living both a dream AND a nightmare. On the day she and her husband closed on their property in Wi...

Cover Reveal - Hard to Come By - Laura Kaye

We are extremely excited to bring you the cover reveal for Laura Kaye’s HARD TO COME BY! Published by Avon Impulse, an imprint of HarperCollins, HARD TO COME BY is a thrilling Romantic Suspense novel in Laura’s Hard Ink Series. It is the third full-length novel in the series and is due to be released on November 25th!!

 

ABOUT HARD TO COME BY: Caught between desire and loyalty… Derek DiMarzio would do anything for the members of his disgraced Special Forces team—sacrifice his body, help a former teammate with a covert operation to restore their honor, and even go behind enemy lines. He just never expected to want the beautiful woman he found there. When a sexy stranger asks questions about her brother, Emilie Garza is torn between loyalty to the brother she once idolized and fear of the war-changed man he's become. Derek’s easy smile and quiet strength tempt Emilie to open up, igniting the desire between them and leading Derek to crave a woman he shouldn’t trust. As the team’s investigation reveals how powerful their enemies are, Derek and Emilie must prove where their loyalties lie before hearts are broken and lives are lost. Because love is too hard to come by to let slip away…  

Pre-Order at Amazon | Amazon.ca | Amazon UK | B&N | iTunes

Hard to Come By on Goodreads

And don’t miss the other Hard Ink books, now available:

Hard As It Gets

Hard As You Can

Hard to Hold On To(8/19/14)

Praise for the Hard Ink Series: For Hard As You Can:

"TOP PICK! There is a sinister and desperate edge to this tale that will keep readers glued to their seats. Kaye has dark romantic suspense nailed!" ~ RT Book Reviews Magazine

"Hard As You Can is another five star read. The characters Ms. Kaye has created are wonderfully broken and the drama is gritty, but the burgeoning romance and the tight-knitted relationship of the team leaves you with a sense of redemption. A must read series!" ~San Francisco Book Review 

For Hard As It Gets: "Edgy, sexy and full of suspense! A great read from a great new author!" ~ #1 NYT Bestselling Author J.R. Ward

"Sizzling romance... The intriguing tattoo parlor and military background will appeal to fans of Suzanne Brockmann and Lindsay McKenna." ~Publishers Weekly Review

"Kaye's depiction of sexual tension and her sex scenes are masterful and this will appeal to fans of Maya Banks' KGI and Julia Ann Walker's Black Knight's series." ~Booklist

  

ABOUT LAURA KAYE: Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen books in contemporary and paranormal romance. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.      

Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter SignUp Hard to Hold On To on Goodreads Hard to Come By on Goodreads

Procrastination with Pinterest

So, I was just playing around on Pinterest, perving doing some research on my current WIP and found this great new widget thingie there. I can share any of my boards on Pinterest. This is my favourite. If you've ever wondered what my heroes look like, these guys are the ones that are in my head.

Follow LaVerne's board WIP Hero Inspiration on Pinterest.

If you followed the link, you're welcome :)

Right, time to go and spend some quality writing time with one of them. And if you were wondering, the chocolate guy is my current hero, Grayson. I know. Yummy right? I love chocolate ;)

Cover reveal - Hard to Hold On To

Holy Guacamole guys!

Surely by now, we all know that the incredibly talented and lovely Laura Kaye is not only an amazing author, but is also blessed by the Book cover Gods. Each of her books have the most incredible covers that encapsulate the story beautifully, but THIS one - the latest, is nothing short of gorgeous! Get a gander at this one......

Laura Kaye is thrilled to share with you the cover to her next Hard Ink book, Hard to Hold On To which releases on August 19, 2014! Check it out:

Edward "Easy" Cantrell knows better than most the pain of not being able to save those he loves--which is why he is not going to let Jenna Dean out of his sight. He may have just met her, but Jenna's the first person to make him feel alive since that devastating day in the desert more than a year ago. Jenna has never met anyone like Easy. She can't describe how he makes her feel--and not just because he saved her life. No, the stirrings inside her reach far beyond gratitude. As the pair are thrust together while chaos reigns around them, they both know one thing: the things in life most worth having are the hardest to hold on to.

Pre-Order at Amazon | Amazon.ca | Amazon UK | B&N | iTunes

Hard to Hold On To on Goodreads

And don’t miss the other Hard Ink books, now available:

Hard As It Gets

Hard As You Can

A Note from Laura:

Hey guys! I am so excited about Easy’s book that I can hardly wait for August to get here! Easy’s character was a total surprise to me. When I initially plotted out the series, there were four surviving members of the Army Special Forces team and therefore I planned for and sold four book in the series. But then, when I sat down to write Hard As It Gets, all of a sudden the story demanded there were actually five guys, and Edward “Easy” Cantrell was born. And I’m so glad! Because Easy’s character is a totally tortured hero, which I adore writing! So I’m super happy that we added his story and this novella into the series, and I can’t wait for you to learn about Easy in Hard to Hold On To! Is it August yet??? xo, Laura

Praise for the Hard Ink Series: For Hard As You Can:
"TOP PICK! There is a sinister and desperate edge to this tale that will keep readers glued to their seats. Kaye has dark romantic suspense nailed!" ~ RT Book Reviews Magazine

"Hard As You Can is another five star read. The characters Ms. Kaye has created are wonderfully broken and the drama is gritty, but the burgeoning romance and the tight-knitted relationship of the team leaves you with a sense of redemption. A must read series!" ~San Francisco Book Review

For Hard As It Gets:
"Edgy, sexy and full of suspense! A great read from a great new author!" ~ #1 NYT Bestselling Author J.R. Ward

"Sizzling romance... The intriguing tattoo parlor and military background will appeal to fans of Suzanne Brockmann and Lindsay McKenna." ~Publishers Weekly Review

"Kaye's depiction of sexual tension and her sex scenes are masterful and this will appeal to fans of Maya Banks' KGI and Julia Ann Walker's Black Knight's series." ~Booklist

 

About Laura Kaye: Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen books in contemporary and paranormal romance. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.  

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter SignUp

     

Spotlighting Favourites and Giveaway!

My publisher, The Wild Rose Press is holding a Rafflecopter Giveaway this week. There are lots of ways to increase your chances of winning a $10 gift certificate to The Wild Rose Press, so make sure to enter. Each week there will be a new code to find a new winner, which I will endeavour to post for you. Surely, you all know by now that I can be a bit slack in the posting of blogs department, so feel free to give me a prod in the ribs, or a 'hey, you!' comment if I've forgotten :)

But before that, I wanted to spotlight a couple of my all-time favourite titles from TWRP. The authors are also both a couple of my favourite people in the world. Hugely talented, they are also both so supportive and giving in everything they do. It's no wonder they write such amazing stories.

First up, Out of the Darkness by Lilly Gayle.
I'm not usually a huge fan of vampires, but Lilly's take on this genre was so fresh, intelligent and exciting. And the hero is to die for! I've been a firm fan of hers since devouring this book.

Her research could cure his dark hunger if a covert government agent doesn't get to her first.

Vincent Maxwell is a vampire with a conscience searching for a cure to his dark hunger. But when a scientist looking to create vampire soldiers captures and kills a fellow vampire, Vincent seeks out Dr. Megan Harper. While researching xeroderm pigmentosum, a light sensitivity disorder, Dr.Harper discovered a link to vampirism and she could hold a key to a cure and the answers to Gerard's death. But getting close to the beautiful scientist could endanger both their lives.

When researcher Dr. Megan Harper meets Vincent Maxwell, she believes he suffers from xeroderma pigmentosum, the genetic disease that killed her sister. Sensing a deep loneliness within the handsome man, Megan offers friendship and access to her research files hoping he will offer her a position in his company. But they soon become more than friends and Megan learns the horrifying truth. She's entered the dark and unseen world of vampires and Vincent is her only hope of survival.
(Pages 278) Hot

Excerpt:

Vincent didn't spare her a second glance as he opened the basement door and stepped down. The sound of his boot heel striking wood echoed up the steps as he disappeared into the darkness.
"But--" Megan switched on the light and hurried after him.
"The first thing you need down here is a table and some chairs," he said when he saw the stacks of unorganized data and reams of paper scattered across the floor. "Do you mind if I bring the ones down from the kitchen?"
"No." She turned back toward the stairs. "I'll help you bring them down." It would give her something to do while she sorted through the confused thoughts and emotions tumbling around inside her head.
Vincent touched her arm and heat shot straight to her belly, turning her insides all warm and fuzzy.
Warm and fuzzy was not good.
Warm and fuzzy made her think of more than just heated sex. It made her think of cozy evenings snuggled up under a blanket and shared feelings. It made her long for an emotional connection she couldn't risk. Not with Vincent. Not with a man who could potentially die a slow, lingering death.
"I'll get it." He let go of her arm and stepped back. "You start going through those papers and find that report you wrote comparing XP to vampire myths and legends. I'd be interested in seeing if you still have it."
He turned to go back up the stairs and Megan shivered. Why had Steve mentioned the vampire report to Vincent? And why was Vincent so interested in seeing it?
Vincent the Vampire.

Pssst - Embrace the Darkness is the next book in this series and features the gorgeous Gerard who you get to meet in the first book. HIGHLY recommended reading too :) 

The other book is one I'd bought and had on my kindle for a long, loooong time before I finally had the chance to sit down and read it. Once I started, I wanted to kick myself for not getting to it sooner! It has everything I love in a romance book. Amazing believable chemistry, engaging writing and paranormal/fantasy elements with a contemporary heroine. PLUS, it is set in Ireland, the land of my ancestors.

Beneath the fairie mound of Dunhaven's Door, two dreamers meet their destiny…

After a decade of trying to outrun her debilitating dreams, Keely returns to Ireland to face the ancient ring of stones and the man haunting them. Within the stones, she embraces her fairie heritage and her mystical gifts. But can she trust the handsome Halfling who shares her dreams and holds her heart?

When Keely reappears in his life, Colin's fairie blood threatens to gain the upper hand. Compelled to assist the lovely Halfling, he agrees to help her break the three-hundred-year-old curse on their families, but he'll do it on his terms—as a black wolf.
Together, two Halflings can stand against any power, but only love can break the bonds of bitterness. Will Colin’s arrogant plan to outwit the King of the Fairies doom Keely for eternity? Or is their love enough to break the curse?

Rating: Sensual
Page Count: 148
Word Count: 38394
978-1-61217-154-8 Digital

Excerpt:
“They were real, Colin. Saraid and Owein were real, not just fictional characters from a heartbreaking legend.”
“So it would seem.”
“They’re your ancestors.”
“And yours,” he reminded her. “You’re a descendant of Saraid and Owein, too.”
“I didn’t miss that detail.”
“Yes, but has it occurred to you what that means?” At her blank look, he added, “We carry Owein’s blood, Keely, as well as Saraid’s.”
She stared at him for a moment. Her disbelieving laughter took care of the residual tightness in her belly. “Fairie blood?” she scoffed. “Please!” A lifted brow was his only response. “That’s as ridiculous as it is impossible.”
“As ridiculous and impossible as sharing your dreams with a handsome Irishman for a decade?”
She narrowed her eyes at his taunting grin, but had to admit, he had a point. Fairie blood. Good God! How was she supposed to feel about that? She had no clue. She was going to need some time to come to grips with all she’d learned in the past few hours—if coming to grips with the unbelievable was even possible.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

SALE! SALE! SALE!!

Beyond the Shadows is on SALE!

BTS was chosen as Book of the Month from one of my groups on Goodreads. I was shocked and honoured that they chose it, so wanted to give whoever hasn't got it yet a chance to nab it at a great price. Thanks so much, ladies and enjoy! :)

So - grab it while it's hot and Happy Valentine's Day! 

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-the-Shadows-ebook/dp/B00E51L2PC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1374744219&sr=1-1

Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beyond-the-shadows-laverne-clark/1117478120?ean=2940148884651

All Romance Ebooks - https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-beyondtheshadows-1349023-143.html

The Wild Rose Press - http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=177_139&products_id=5369

Short story competition time for NZers!

The Nelson chapter of Romance Writers of New Zealand run a bi-annual short story competition to encourage and foster new and aspiring writers to get their stuff out there. The fact there are some amazing goodies up for grabs from our generous sponsors for the prize winners sure don't hurt anyone either! 

Check it out - and get busy writing! We can't wait to read your submissions. 

Good luck!

*Permission granted and appreciated to share with interested parties*