That's a Lie By Victoria Klahr - my review

That's A Lie
Author: Victoria Klahr
Release Date: March 25, 2014
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Add It: Goodreads

 Seth is back.

When he walked back into my life, it almost felt like the pieces of my broken heart could be fixed. I thought we could go back to being best friends, but then I started to feel what I had been blocking out for years. I tried. Boy, did I try! But once I started to let him in, I wanted nothing more than to cross that line from friendship into something more…

Just when I think I can move on and let myself be happy, an ugly reminder from my past comes storming in and threatens to destroy the sliver of hope that's been growing since Seth came back.

Do I even deserve to be loved?

“I’m not asking to fix your heart. I’m not asking to mend you. I love each and every shattered piece of you. I’m asking that you let me love you. Let me love each piece of your broken heart, and I swear to you I will make up for every heartache you have ever experienced.”

I came back for Josie.

I knew I'd have to fight for her, but with the loss of her dad and the truth about what happened with her and Blake, I quickly realized that making her mine was going to be a lot harder than I first thought. The problem is, I can’t pretend like she’s just my best friend. I can’t pretend I don’t want more.

I'm willing to do anything to get her to admit she has the same passionate feelings for me, because I know once she opens up and stops lying to herself, I can show her what it really means to be loved. It's a battle of wills, but my love for her is stronger than her will to stop me.

So I fight for her. I fight because I know she deserves it.

From That's A Lie
© 2014 Victoria Klahr

“You lied to me,” he said gruffly, sitting on the barstool at my counter. His blonde hair flopped in front of his eyes, and my hands itched to push it back. To get to touch him again the way I want to would satisfy only a millimeter of the need I have, but it would relieve some of the pain. I turned around to hide my thoughts.

“Ugh… I need coffee,” I said vacantly, reaching for my coffee maker. I didn’t even hear Seth move, but his hand grabbed mine and he turned me around, placing his hands beside me on the countertop to trap me. My breath caught, and I was almost positive he could hear my heart pounding in my chest.

His blue green eyes were angry, but I didn’t even care about him being mad. All that mattered was the charge that thumped between us. I was very aware of him.

“You lied, Josie. You’re not supposed to lie to me.”

“Seth… come on,” I said, turning my face away, unable to look at the raw emotion in his expression. His hand dashed out and grabbed my chin.

“How long, Josie?” he asked. I closed my eyes, not wanting to admit anything. “Open your damn eyes, Jos. Stop fucking hiding.” His voice was hard, but it was also full of desperation. I opened my eyes and narrowed them at him.

He doesn’t understand that I need to keep him away from me. My life is tainted by darkness, and he doesn’t need that. “It doesn’t matter, Seth. I’m fine.”

“Like fucking hell it doesn’t matter. I haven’t heard you scream like that since after everything that happened.”

He was referring to when I would have nightmares after I was raped. He or one of my dads would come lay with me to help me fall asleep. Every day that Seth wasn’t in school, he was there with me, trying to make the nightmares go away.

“Since the engagement party,” I whispered, looking down. I don’t know why I admitted it, but I think there was a part of me that realized I couldn’t hold onto all this pain anymore.

That’s when my resolve started to break. How long can I go on fighting the feelings that I have for Seth? How long can I act like nothing hurts me?

“Fuck, Jos…,” he whispered back, placing his forehead against mine. I was able to smell the mixture of hay and apple pie on his skin, and I almost lost my footing from wanting him so badly. “You should have told me.”

“I didn’t want you to worry,” I admitted.

“I worry about you every second you’re not with me, Pussy Cat. Every second that you hide behind that wall you’ve built, I wonder when you’re going to crack.” His hand reached up to caress my face, and I started to lean into his touch. It was only a minute movement, but I still heard Seth’s breath hitch. My lapse in self-control made him bold. He brought his mouth to the side of mine, and kissed me. I couldn’t stop the whimper before it escaped my mouth.

“There you are,” he whispered hoarsely against my lips. I wanted to bask in the moment, but I had already opened up to him too much. I pushed through the barricade he had made, and ran back to my room.

Where to Buy
That's A Promise (Promises Promises #1)
Amazon US | Amazon AU | Amazon UK

That's A Lie (Promises Promises #2)
Amazon US | Amazon AU | Amazon UK

This not a paranormal romance, but I won’t hold that against the author. :) 
This was the second book in this series and in my opinion, it was so much better than the first one. The first one had a lot of jumping back and forth between the past and present as the reader re-lives some of the horrible things Josie has gone through in her life. I personally don’t care for the time jumping, but the story was still a really good one. It was very real and the anguish and fear and all the feelings Josie felt were so raw and real.

I enjoyed this book so much better not only for the fact that it stayed in the present, but because the emotions were even more vivid and the author has you right there, feeling everything Josie feels from start to finish. I love Josie. She’s had it rough, but she won’t let it keep her down. She can be a bit of a bitch, but that just makes her more real. And then there’s Seth. I love Seth. He’s sexy as hell and I’d give my right ovary to live in this book and be Josie!! *fans myself* Together they are scorching hot!

I am a sucker for a good love story. And Josie and Seth have a freakin amazing love story!

You’ll have to read for yourself to get all the steamy details (and believe me, you want to read ALL the steamy details!!), but you will love this series and especially this book. I give it 5 stars!

Giveaway

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Victoria Klahr (pronounced like “Claire”) lives in Elizabeth City, North Carolina with her husband and daughter, Stephen and Alexis. She loves her chug (Pug/Chihuahua), Bandit, and three year old to pieces. She loves to stay home and take care of them, even if they do drive her insane at times. She is a huge and proud book nerd who looks at her bookshelf in admiration daily. She has her Associate’s degree in Business Administration, but her passion has always been the stories that talk to her in her head. One day she decided to take a chance and let the voices write her story. She has never felt more certain or comfortable about who she is than when she writes.

Where to Find Her
Victoria Klahr Writes | Facebook | @Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads
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Infinite Potential by Barbara Garren

Book: Infinite Potential

Author: Barbara Garren

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Kelsi always knows when bad things are coming, but even she never thought she’d lose her husband at only twenty-three. Since he died, she’s been living her worst nightmare.  Her nights are filled with dreams of a Dark Haired Man, but her days are full of guilt, because the Man fills her with longing and confusion, promising to give her all she needs, all she wants, all she feared she’d never have again. If only the dreams would stay in her head where they belong. Kelsi starts seeing the Dark Haired Man in her waking life, shadowing her wherever she goes. And when her mysterious new neighbor, Aiden Hardt, knows about the Man in her dreams, Kelsi worries she can’t trust her own mind. "He’s not what he seems." But even Aiden’s cryptic words don’t frighten her as much as the way she feels around him. Kelsi must sort through her emotions and figure out what’s real before she can ever hope to have a normal life again.

I'm a writer, a reader and a frequenter of the more charming sites in town, namely pubs.

Born and raised in Southern California, I left to explore the world courtesy of the U.S. Navy. I've lived in San Francisco, New York and Norfolk, Virginia, but prefer to call San Diego home these days, with my husband, Henry (the inspiration for all the romance).

When not working on my next novel or reading a good book, I can be found running after my grandchildren, my dog and my sanity.

I believe a well-rounded diet consists of coffee, scotch, chocolate, popcorn and Luna Bars - in that order - and have been accused of violating grammar and etiquette rules in at least seven countries. My Muse is a Valkyrie named Prue, so look out.

Learn more about Barbara!

Writing as art, and how I learned to embrace my artistry.

First, let me say that I come from an extremely talented family. There are any number of gifted and recognized painters and sculptors lurking in the limbs of my family tree. My grandfather is a well-known painter, my uncle, mother, brother. Me? I can’t draw a box to climb out of!  So, with this in mind it’s easy to understand how I grew up thinking I had zero creative talent.

And yet – I’ve crafted stories as long as I can remember. As a young girl I would write plays and act them out with my friends, as a (typical) teenager, I filled stacks of notebooks with poems and short stories. As a young adult, I gifted (LOL) family members with stories I’d written. Lying in bed on any given night, unable to sleep, I would spin fantasies and makeup tales to help me sleep.  I still do.

It wasn’t until recently (that being a relative term) that I began to seriously consider the craft I practiced as a creative, artistic outlet.  My husband had been nagging me (really – no nice way to put it) to write a book and I finally took him up on it. I wrote my first book over a couple of months; did some basic editing and sent it around to friends, family and relatives.

They loved it. They praised it. They commented on my artistry and creativity. I sat there with my mouth open, dumb-founded. Me, creative? Artistic? Really?  As much as I’ve loved the written/spoken word, as much as I’ve appreciated the craft and talent of other writers, I couldn’t see the same attributes in my own work. I couldn’t connect my own ability to develop a pleasing piece of prose with that of Steinbeck, Faulkner or Whitman. I could not think of myself as an artist.

But I was. I am. I will always be.

The first book hasn’t gone anywhere. It needs a woeful amount of revising before it’s ready for public consumption, but it taught me so much! I’ve learned I have a unique voice and I need to not only trust in it, but to give it free rein. I’ve learned I have stories to tell that people want to hear, and I should follow my gut when deciding what to write. And it taught me to polish, polish, polish until it shines so bright you need sunglasses to read it, then set it adrift in the universe of publishing.

Because art is meant to be seen, whether on the wall, on film or on the written page.

What’s your writing process?

Hmmm – there really is no process. I’ve often referred to my writing style as “verbal vomit,” (sorry for the gross analogy)! When the story hits and takes hold, there’s almost nothing I can do to stop it. I have to capture all the words as the spill out. I’ve learned the hard way to capture the story when it hits – and have been known to jump out of bed in the middle of the night and jot down those flashes of insight – or risk losing the thought.

When and where do you write?

Hah! Good question. I have an office at home and I usually climb into it after work each night and most of the weekends. I refer to it as “the cave,” though it’s quite nice and sunny. Finding time is hard. I have a (more than) full time job, try to hit the gym 4 or 5 days a week and am clinging desperately to what social life I had! Family always comes first, of course, but I will admit there are times I resent not curling up with my characters. My poor husband caters to my idiosyncrasies and never complains when I neglect him – though he has a right to!

Speaking of your husband, you’ve said he’s the inspiration for all your heroes. How and Why?

Well, besides the fact that they are all tall, dark haired and incredibly handsome – all of my heroes are strong, gentle and affectionate. They don’t super-impose their needs and wants on the main characters – instead they support and encourage the independence of the women they love. That’s my husband – and that inspires me. I don’t think it would have been possible for me to accomplish all that I have – personally, professionally and as an author – if it were not for him. I’m one lucky gal!

Where do you get your stories and characters?

Oh, geeze – stories and characters are all around us! Sometimes it’s something that’s happening right in front of me, sometimes it’s just an interesting person or conversation. I try and take ordinary events and people and place them in unusual circumstance, which means I spend a lot of time asking myself “what if?” and then following where it leads. I’m frequently surprised where the story does go, being a complete Pantster!

Even as a Pantster, you must have some idea where a story is going in order to write a complete trilogy. How do you do it?

I do have the story ARC laid out in my head and I’ll usually scribble some general notes for specific scenes I want to include, but those are very rough and often won’t make it into the final version. I like to let my characters drive the story, and I like to put them in predicaments they have to find their own way out of. Book 2 of the Phasms trilogy (coming Fall, 2014) was the perfect example of what happens when your characters come to life: Kelsi and Bryn ended up hijacking everything I thought was going to happen. The last scene in book 2 remains the same as I’d originally envisioned it, but everything between the beginning and ending was a complete surprise.

Barbara is attending the Romantic Times Convention in New Orleans May 13 – 18 and would love to see anyone there!

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Twitter: @bak229

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Cover Reveal Blood and Gold by T.G. Ayer

And here it is...

Title: BLOOD & GOLD
Series: The FIRE trilogy – the Hand of Kali Series
Volume: 2
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Publication Date: Mid 2014
Publisher: Infinite Ink
Blood & Gold on Goodreads


 

As Maya perfects her Fire skills she finds there is more to being the Hand of Kali than just wielding Fire.

A surprising summons to Mount Kailas takes Maya on a journey to meet the Lord of the Hindu Pantheon – Lord Shiva himself. This time the God’s request may not be so easy to fulfill.

Maya and her friends must flee the demons and the ruthless killers on their trail to retrieve the golden bow of Lord Rama.
Can Maya get the bow back in time, and also save a certain demon king in the process?

I have been a writer from the time I was old enough to recognise that reading was a doorway into my imagination. Poetry was my first foray into the art of the written word. Books were my best friends, my escape, my haven. I am essentially a recluse but this part of my personality is impossible to practise given I have two teenage daughters, who are actually my friends, my tea-makers, my confidantes… I am blessed with a husband who has left me for golf. It’s a fair trade as I have left him for writing. We are both passionate supporters of each other's loves – it works wonderfully…

My heart is currently broken in two. One half resides in South Africa where my old roots still remain, and my heart still longs for the endless beaches and the smell of moist soil after a summer downpour. My love for Ma Afrika will never fade. The other half of me has been transplanted to the Land of the Long White Cloud. The land of the Taniwha, beautiful Maraes, and volcanoes. The land of green, pure beauty that truly inspires. And because I am so torn between these two lands – I shall forever remain cross-eyed. 





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Taking Chances by L J Baker

Hi there paranormal fans. This one is not paranormal, but I have enjoyed L J Baker's other books so much that I thought I'd share her newest one with you. I hope you enjoy it!

Lexi James doesn't believe in love. In her eyes, all relationships are doomed to fail and she's given up on them for good. She likes safe, logical, and anything that keeps her heart protected. Her best friend, Kat has no problem with her decision. According to Kat, all Lexi really needs is a little one-on-one fun every once in awhile.  

When Lexi takes Kat's advice and meets a stranger, who also happens to be a smoking hot stripper, for a one-night stand, she thinks she may have found the solution to her situation.  That is until Sebastian Michelson works his way into her world.

Sebastian is insanely sexy, married to his work, and wounded. Exactly the kind of guy for a no strings attached fling. Lexi has no intention of getting involved with Sebastian, but the more she is around him, the less control she seems to have. And despite his secrets and the very real chance that he is like every other idiot man she's ever met, she is unable to listen to logic. Instead, she decides to go with her heart and finds herself taking chances she never would have imagined.  

L J lives on the Jersey Shore with her husband, four kids, two cats, and an inherited dog from hell (a.k.a. the sewer gremlin). Though writing has always been her first passion, she got a degree in psychological counseling and worked in the mental health field for awhile, which she finds very helpful in dealing with her crazy family. She is a lover of all different types of music and books, switching between genres so wildly it sometimes makes people wonder if she has multiple personalities. She is most likely to be found writing romance stories of all kinds (contemporary, erotic, new adult, young adult, fantasy, paranormal, etc.) . When she's not writing, she prefers to spend her time reading, taking photos, watching Doctor Who or Supernatural, or spending time with her family. She loves to hear from readers so visit her on Facebook.