Spotlight: Breathe In by Michelle Bellon

Breathe In
Michelle Bellon
Published by: Limitless Publishing
Publication date: June 27th 2017
Genres: Adult, Suspense, Thriller

Breathe in. Breathe out. This mantra gets Tessa Benson through the day.

The man she loves walks all over her, and she just wants to get by without her heart shattering to pieces. If she could find her voice, she’d scream.

Everything changes in one night, when she’s snatched from the streets and tied to a bed, a camera set up to capture her dying moment. And the person who paid to watch her die…is still out there somewhere.

Tessa prowls dark neighborhoods in a quest for justice, but she doesn’t find the killer. Not until they strike again…in the place Tessa is least expecting, and where it hurts worst.

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—

EXCERPT:

Before consciousness fully embraces me, I’m already remembering the evening’s events. A nightmare that is not really a nightmare at all. My eyelids feel heavy, reluctant to open as white, hot pain shoots through my head. My throat hurts. I’m lying uncomfortably on my right side, my head tipped awkwardly without a pillow under me. A kink in my neck spasms, starting behind my right ear, traveling to my shoulder. Both shoulders burn from the strain of the position I’m in, my wrists bound firmly behind my back. Lower lip trembles. I don’t want to open my eyes. Please, God, just let it all be a bad dream. A nightmare.

The smell of stale urine combines with something cooking, assaulting my nostrils. Bacon? Seems an odd scent, given my scenario. My stomach roils from the rich aroma. Food is the last thing I can think of. I still feel queasy and weak. More from the blow to my head than the alcohol. Slowly, slowly, blink, blink. My eyes are gritty and dry. The room I’m in comes into focus, then blurs, then focuses again. The door straight ahead is worn wood. It’s closed. The walls are wood also, adding a rustic feel to the place…like an old, abandoned cabin. Though I cannot see the rest of it, I sense its compact size pressing in on me. The smell of urine wafts up from the twin-sized bed I’m lying on. Without sheets, I can see it’s one of those old striped mattresses. It sinks deeply in the middle. I arch my head back to take in the rest of my surroundings and my neck instantly spasms again. The room is empty. Like, really empty. Stark. Nothing but the bed I’m on and me. I’m alone. This gives me a brief moment of comfort. Think. I need to think. I’m in the second location. This is bad. Really fucking bad. I remember watching an Oprah episode where they gave tips on how to survive a kidnapping. The number one tip was to never let your kidnapper take you to “the second location.” You’re too vulnerable there. That’s where they will likely kill you. My heart skips and gallops faster.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Calm down. I’m not going to die. Not today.

Author Bio:

Michelle Bellon lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband Chayne and her four quirky and beautiful children. She loves coffee, Superman, rollercoasters, and has an addiction to Chapstick.

She works as a registered nurse, is pursuing her Masters and in her spare time writes novels. As a multi-genre author, she has written in the categories of romance suspense, young adult, women’s fiction, and literary fiction. She has won four literary awards. You can visit Michelle’s website at http://www.authormichelleking.com/

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Spotlight: Her Last Whisper by Jennifer Chase

Katie focuses her mind, trying to keep another anxiety attack at bay. The victim’s long brown hair is slick and wet, her body rigid in the grass. She looks more like a mannequin than the woman Katie had spoken with only yesterday, the woman she had promised to protect…

When a cold, naked body is discovered by a couple on a jog through the lush woodlands of Pine Valley, California, new recruit Detective Katie Scott is stunned to discover the victim is Amanda Payton – a much-loved local nurse and the woman at the heart of an unsolved case she’s been investigating whilst getting a grip on her crippling PTSD.

Weeks earlier, Amanda had run, battered and bruised, out into the headlights of a passing patrol car. She claimed to have just escaped a kidnapping, but with no strong evidence, the case went cold. The Pine Valley police made a fatal mistake…

Katie is certain the marks on Amanda’s wrists complete a pattern of women being taken, held captive and then showing up dead in remote locations around Pine Valley – and she won’t let someone die on her watch again.

But then a beautiful office worker with a link to the hospital where Amanda worked goes missing. With only days before the next body is due to show up, can Katie make amends for her past by saving this innocent life?

Totally gripping crime fiction for fans of Lisa Regan, Rachel Caine and Melinda Leigh. Nothing will prepare you for this nail-biting roller-coaster ride…

Excerpt:

A heavy evening mist clung to the windshield of the police car, obscuring the view of the forgotten neighborhood. In the few occupied houses curtains were drawn tightly leaving only thin cracks of light seeping around the edges. Some homes even had bars across the windows. This small rural community had been ignored by the rest of the lively, growing town around it for too long. It was in desperate need of attention and restoration.

Deputy Stan Miller flipped on the wipers to clear his view, only to smear streaks of dirt across the windshield. He let out an annoyed sigh and turned the wipers to a higher speed—making it worse—and then off again.

“Now you’ve done it,” said Deputy Karl Windham beside him, and Miller laughed in spite of himself after a long and uneventful night shift.

“You’re going to criticize me?” Miller joked. “Me? The guy who has your back?” He sat up straighter, sucking in his waist and adjusting his seatbelt; it was no use pretending he hadn’t put on a few extra pounds recently.

“It’s the kiss of death out here tonight,” complained Windham watching out the side window as the mist turned to light rain.

“I bet it was Sheriff Scott’s idea to double us up, with all those recent ambushes on cops around the state.”

“It probably has something to do with the mayor’s office. Who knows? You know how they don’t tell us anything, even though we’re the ones putting our asses on the line every shift.” Still gazing out of the window, he watched a dark figure dart around a garbage can and disappear into the darkness, then he turned his attention to a skinny cat scurrying along the sidewalk, nose close to the ground tracking something.

The rain got heavier as they drove deeper into the Basin Woods Development. There were no other vehicles on the road. No lights in the distance. Only darkness.

“You hungry?” asked Miller.

“I wouldn’t turn down a cup of coffee,” replied Windham.

“Me neither.”

Deputy Miller took his eyes off the road for a moment to check the time and looked back just in time to see a slender woman stagger into the road ahead of them. She stopped still in the headlights. Her long hair, wet from the rain, was plastered against her head and around her face. She wore only a pair of panties and a tattered tank top. She looked terrified, dark eyes pleading in the glare of the lights, her mouth forming words they could not hear.

“Hey!” yelled Windham to his partner. “Stop!”

Miller jammed on the brakes, making the patrol car bounce to a stop inches before hitting the young woman. Weak and unbalanced, she fell to her knees. In the glare of the headlights, both men could clearly see the dirt embedded on her face and neck, the blood seeping from wounds on her hands, elbows, legs, and feet.

Deputy Miller turned to his partner with wide eyes. “What the…?” Jamming the vehicle into park he picked up the radio. “Dispatch, this is 3741, we have a possible 10-16 at Lincoln and Travis. Will keep you updated. Copy.”

“Copy that,” replied Dispatch.

He nodded to Windham who swung open the car door and ran to kneel beside the woman. “Miss…” he spoke gently. “Are you alright?”

She shook uncontrollably. Her head and shoulders drooped as her mouth tried to form around a word.

“Can you tell us what happened?” Windham said.

He gently touched her shoulder and she flinched away from him. “It’s okay. You’re okay now,” he reassured.

“Truth… truth… the truth… you don’t understand… otherwise…” she finally managed between gasps for breath. “I told the truth…” she muttered.

“What truth?” asked Deputy Miller who had retrieved a blanket from the trunk and now stood a few feet away.

She stopped speaking and slowly looked up at the deputy, her eyes filled with fear. Then she whispered, “I told the truth… I told the truth… told… the truth.”

Both deputies carefully helped the woman up and gently wrapped the blanket around her.

“What’s your name?” asked Windham.

“A… Aman… Amanda,” she said slowly.

“Okay, Amanda. We want to help you. Can you tell us what happened?”

“I tried…” she whispered. “It was…” Her voice trailed off.

Deputy Miller opened the back door to the patrol car as his partner gently guided her to sit down in the backseat. Miller handed her a small bottle of water and, after a few moments, her eyes focused on the officers and her breath began to steady.

Deputy Windham kneeled down to her eye level and asked, “Amanda, can you tell us what happened to you? Do you remember what happened? Anything?”

She shook her head as more tears welled up in her eyes.

“It’s okay.”

“A blue door with white trim,” she said quietly. “A big box…”

“What else, Amanda? Can you remember anything else?”

“There was a fantasy tree…”

Confused by the description, the deputy tried to make sense of it, pushing gently to pry out any more details from her. “Can you tell us what happened?”

Taking a couple of deep breaths, she finally spoke: “I was k-kidnapped.”

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About the Author

Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning and best-selling crime fiction author, as well as a consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master's degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent psychopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling.  She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists, and member of the International Thriller Writers. 

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Spotlight: Tempting Heat by Sara Whitney

Tempting Heat
Sara Whitney
(Tempt Me #1)
Publication date: November 12th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

It’s cold outside, but it’s getting hot inside…

An unforgiving blizzard

Tom Castle ended up in the wrong apartment on the wrong day. Now a ferocious snowstorm has him trapped with his onetime crush and longtime regret, which is pretty much in line with his lifelong bad luck.

An unwelcome houseguest

Finn Carey has no choice. Although it’s tempting to let Tom take his chances on the streets of Chicago, she doesn’t want anyone to die in a snowbank– not even the man who hurt her so badly years ago.

An unexpected second chance

At first, Tom and Finn do their best to ignore each other in the close quarters. Then the power goes out, and things between them heat up as the secrets start to flow. Which will thaw first: the storm raging outside or the ice protecting their hearts?

Tempting Heat is the first book in Tempt Me, Sara Whitney’s sassy, steamy new contemporary romance series. It’s a standalone novella with no cliffhangers, so slip on your fuzzy socks and get reading!

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—

EXCERPT:

Tom was hungover as hell, and the screaming woman wasn’t helping. He squinted in the bright light of the kitchen, so harsh compared to the dark cave he’d just left, and addressed the blur in front of him.

“God, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

As his eyes adjusted, he realized the blur was short, skinny, and brandishing a knife in his direction. He took two quick steps back and held his hands out in front of him in what he hoped was a soothing gesture. “Okay, listen, this is a misunderstanding.” His head throbbed, but he kept and kept his voice calm and even. “I just woke up, but give me a second, and I’ll get out of—”

“Tom Castle?”

If anything, the blur sounded even more hostile. But this time the hostility sounded… familiar. He risked a shuffle step forward and forced his bloodshot eyes to focus on the woman in front of him.

“Huck?” he asked in amazement.

Huckleberry Finn. His lips shaped the nickname without conscious thought, but the reminder of their old shared joke from American lit class did nothing to relax her guard. Instead, she spun to grab a second knife with her free hand.

“What the hell, Tom? Why are you in my apartment in the middle of a blizzard?”

He eyed the knives with alarm. Holy shit, Finn Carey was finally going to finish the job she’d wanted to do for eight years. They’d be finding pieces of him all over Chicago when the thaw hit.

Author Bio:

Sara Whitney writes sassy, sexy contemporary romance novels packed with wit, charm, and crackling dialogue. A 2019 Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® award finalist, Sara worked as a newspaper reporter and film critic before she earned her Ph.D. and landed in academia. She's a great baker, a so-so karaoke singer, and an expert TV opinion-haver.

Sara and her divorce-attorney husband (yep, she sees the irony of their dueling professions) live in Illinois in a house full of books, cats, and pinball machines. Keep up with Sara by subscribing to her mailing list at http://www.sarawhitney.com/subscribe

You can also catch the latest on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, BookBub, and GoodReads:

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Spotlight: All Fired Up by Lori Foster

He’s tantalizing trouble she can’t resist…

Charlotte Parrish has always wanted a certain kind of man: someone responsible, settled, boring. Bad boys need not apply. But when her car leaves her stranded and a mysterious stranger with brooding eyes and a protective streak comes to her rescue, she can’t deny how drawn she is to him. In town searching for family he’s never met, Mitch is everything she never thought she wanted—and suddenly everything she craves. 

Finding his half brothers after all these years is more than Mitch Crews has allowed himself to wish for. Finding love never even crossed his mind…until he meets Charlotte. She’s sweet, warmhearted, sexier than she knows—and too damn good for an ex-con like him. But when his past comes back to haunt him, putting Charlotte—and the family he’s come to care for—in danger, Mitch isn’t playing by the rules. He’s already surrendered his heart, but now he’ll risk his life.

Excerpt

She stood to his left, and the heady scent of her skin and hair—like baby powder and flowers—teased his nose.

He drew a deeper, fuller breath, filling his lungs with her and knew he could happily drown on that scent.

Slowly, wanting to keep her close, Mitch unclenched his fingers and allowed Bernie to stumble back to where his buddy helped to prop him up.

Unconcerned with that, Charlotte’s fingers shifted in the lightest of explorations before she snatched her hand away.

Interesting—especially that splash of color on her cheeks.

She looked up at him, gave a wan smile, and whispered, “Thank you.”

“For popping him?”

Curls bounced as she gave a quick shake of her head. “For not doing him more damage.” She wrinkled her nose, leaning closer to confide, “You could have, I know.”

Huh. No recriminations?

She actually thanked him?

Not what he was used to, but he’d take it. “So—”

Eyes almost crossed, Bernie spat. “You used ta be such a nice girl.”

And just that easy, he fractured Mitch’s newfound calm. Fury brought him forward a step. “You’d be wise to leave now.”

Too drunk to see the danger, Bernie glared at Charlotte.

In what felt like a gentle reminder, she touched his arm again.

Their eyes met—and she smiled.

Son of a bitch, how had she known? No, he didn’t punish smaller men for idiocy. He didn’t settle things with his fists—unless he had to. Annoyance narrowed his eyes, but otherwise, he hid the churning confusion.

“You okay?” she asked, her eyes big and sincere.

Jesus. She wanted to soothe him? An abrupt nod eased her worried frown.

“Good.” She gave him a pat.

Mitch stewed. It grated that even out of prison, some things hung with him. Like react first, think later, rather than take chances.

Behind bars, it was safer that way.

I’m no longer in prison. Eventually that’d sink in. Coming here, to this small town, would be yet another step to ensuring that it did.

Bernie’s friend, helping to hold him upright, muttered, “Fuck ’em. Lez go,” in an effort to save face for them both.

“Do,” Charlotte said in quiet command, and with audacity she shooed them away.

Un-fucking-believable. But what mattered to Mitch was seeing them go.

And that left him alone with her.

After a second deep breath, something new occurred to him: Charlotte had gotten dangerously close to a volatile situation.

She didn’t know him—if she did, she wouldn’t have dared.

She shouldn’t trust him—but she hadn’t hesitated to intercede.

Ballsy. Also foolish.

And why that impressed him, he couldn’t say.

Even though she now stepped out of reach, Mitch felt her, her concern, the sizzling contact where her flesh had met his—on your arm, you ass—and the inquisitiveness in the wide eyes that kept peeking at him.

Get it together.

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About Lori Foster

Lori Foster is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author with books from a variety of publishers, including Berkley/Jove, Kensington, St. Martin's, Harlequin and Silhouette. Lori has been a recipient of the prestigious RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award for Series Romantic Fantasy, and for Contemporary Romance. For more about Lori, visit her Web site at www.lorifoster.com.

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Cover Reveal: And Then One Day by Samantha Chase

About the Book

Courtney Baker is ready to put small town life—and the man she can’t have—behind her. Years of secretly crushing on her best friend’s older brother have led nowhere and she’s finally ready to move on. It would have been a great plan had she not drunkenly blurted out all her feelings and kissed him. At least she’ll be able to forget all about it when she leaves town in less than 48 hours.

It takes a lot to surprise Dean Jones, but a kiss from the girl he’s been secretly attracted to for years does just that. All it takes it one kiss for him to realize he doesn’t want to let her go. But she’s his sister’s best friend and that’s a line he knows he should never cross. Never mind that she seems determined to leave their small town—and him—behind.

When a storm and a broken car stop Courtney from leaving town, Dean sees perfect opportunity to get her out of his system. But can one night ever be enough?

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About the Author

Samantha Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of contemporary romance. She released her debut novel in 2011 and currently has more than forty titles under her belt! When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook, wearing a tiara while playing with her sassy pug Maylene…oh, and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.

Website: https://www.chasing-romance.com/ 

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Spotlight: I Can Love You by Mackenzie Joy

Her heart. His song.

R&B sensation Tara Russell is at the top of her game. It’s cost her nearly everything, but her hard work and sacrifice has finally paid off. All she needs now is for her new album to succeed. Too bad her best friend and music producer thinks that won’t happen unless she opens up her heart, bleeds onto a page, and creates an epic love song. But how is she supposed to write a song like that when her only experience with love ended in devastation?

Quinton “Q” Ellis is on a mission. He’s determined to be the muse Tara needs to produce the best album of her career. If he can help her overcome everything she’s been through and set her emotions to music, she’ll become a legend. And if he’s really lucky, he might even be able to convince her that love without pain is possible … and to see him as more than just a friend.

It’s not long before the lines between friendship and passion blur. They’re hitting all the right notes together, but can two people with troubled pasts and a handful of heartbreaking secrets between them find their way to happily ever after?

Excerpt

Mats of many colors covered the floor with little space for anyone else to join the early morning class. Music played softly as those around Tara stretched and prepared for yoga.

Tara sat with her legs folded and stretched her tight muscles, hoping to rid herself of the same thoughts that had her tossing and turning all night.

“Don’t forget to grab blocks if you need them,” their instructor announced as she moved around the room greeting attendees and welcoming the newcomers.

Tara didn’t get the same greeting as everyone. She did get slight smiles. Knowing, poised ones as if saying ‘I know who you are, but I’ll let you enjoy your space today.’ A feeling she would appreciate any other time but looking around as others spent the few minutes before class chatting with old and new friends, the isolation left her empty while alone with her thoughts.

She closed her eyes, placed a hand on her knee and the other hand flat on the mat behind her. Tara twisted her body to its side and held it for an extended period before repeating in the opposite direction.

When she opened her eyes, she saw someone joining her in the space beside her, letting out a big oomph sound as he dropped to the ground to take his place on a mat.

“Quinton?” She restrained herself from jumping up to hug him out of respect for the instructor who started speaking to the group.

He yawned into his fist and stretched his sweatpants covered legs in front of him. “I want food after this, and you’re treating.”

In a hushed whisper, Tara grinned and said, “Sure. We have to make it quick. I fly out to Arizona today.”

“That’s right. More Zen crap, but why there?”

“Sydney suggested I visit this place. It’s a resort that specializes in health and wellness. It sounds divine. The best part about it is that they ensure my privacy while I’m there. I heard great things about it. Just waking to the beauty surrounding the place is worth the trip. You ever see the red rocks of Sedona?”

“Speaking of rocks.” Their instructor Dottie’s hovering nearby silencing them. The younger woman with dark glossy hair slicked back in a ponytail glanced between Tara and Quinton while shaking a clear plastic container with polished stones. Her eyes lingered on Quinton as she held out the box of smooth, dark rocks. “For those of you who are new, I brought consent stones.” She held one of them up for all to see. “If you’re okay with me offering additional assistance, correcting your form, place a stone on the corner of your mat. It tells me you’re okay with me touching you and offer consent. If you change your mind, just move your stone out of the way or tuck it under your mat.”

Tara heard the clunky sound of rocks banging against each other and saw Quinton grabbing a handful.

“I just adore your boyfriend.” Dottie grinned and moved on to offer stones to the other students while Quinton marked the perimeter of his mat.

“She said one.”

“Taking my shot at earning some extra credit.”

“We’re not being graded.”

Class began, and a hush sound from one of their fellow students stopped the bickering. Everyone around her started to move in sync, leaving Tara’s upright body poking out above the group. Tara looked at Quinton, who was mimicking Dottie’s movement and swiped her hand toward his mat, sending Quinton’s smooth dark stones into the aisle. “Next time I ask you to join me for yoga, do me a favor and keep your ass at home.”

He smirked as he got into the tabletop position with hands and knees on the mat. “I love when you get jealous,” he said in a whisper and winked.

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About the Author

I believe in... 
playlists on repeat.
red lipstick and nudes.
brothers in timbs. please and thank you.
down blankets and pillows.
open windows when it rains.
dancing with no clothes on.
rum drinks with lime and sweet sugar cane.

Mackenzie Joy
Love more. Kiss more.

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